Wildfires In India 

As wildfires rage in almost every forest barring the Mangroves and Uttarakhand province of India is being no exception. 

One after another, Pine forests are going up in flames especially in Uttarkashi district, that can be spotted from Space thanks to cloudless skies. The valley in between the ridges are hazy with smoke.

What is peculiar in India is that no Media channel covers them, one newspaper however reported another interesting story , that same state decided to fire "5000 forest guards due to budget constraints" this year. They also reported those Government employees were on Princely Salary of Rs. 8000 only, well only a prince can manage a family life with small amount as no one dares to ask a payment from a Prince. Sadly the forest department workers are no prince.

So that state now has raging "Forest Fires" and probably will continue to have that for next two months because Local Government decided to fire the forest department guards.

Now Supreme Court of India has no issues with Forest fires because the smoke isn't reaching the capital "New Delhi" and no one told them as yet, these Himalayan Forest fires prevent any cool breeze coming to the northern plains, which Traditionally reduced the night temperatures. So only wind that will come is hotter wind from West, creating intolerable heatwave. 

It's "String Theory" darlings, your electricity Bills depend on how much air conditioning you use, which depend on your city's temperature,  which in turn depend on prevention of Wildfires in hills quite a distance away.  So if you don't want boil yourself to death in heatwave or pay huge amount of electricity bills, take note of Forest Department's activities irrespective of whether you want to visit the forests or not.

"Pandemic is Over" at Whoville

 Pandemic is Over, or so Secretary General of World Health Organisation seemed to Suggest in March 30th Press Conference.

Coronavirus will no longer be called as a dreadful Virus now, but Corona will be back as Mexican Beer brand. 

 

"In the best-case scenario, we may see less severe variants emerge and boosters or new formulations of vaccines won’t be necessary. In the worst-case scenario, a more virulent and highly transmissible variant emerges.

Against this new threat, people’s protection against severe disease and death, either from prior vaccination or infection, will wane rapidly. Addressing this situation would require significantly altering the current vaccines and making sure they get to the people who are most vulnerable to severe disease." ~ These are the words that came out from Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus' mouth.

It seems WHO members are more interested in war in Ukraine than anything else..

So every country has adopted "Best Case Scenario" and rather than fining people without masks (which was quite unnecessary) the Draconian regimes will fine people wearing Masks, their police is so accustomed to harassing ordinary folks .. they will find a way.

So is WHO saying current Omicron (BA.2) strain is actually Milder? What did WHO say to those of us, who gave Insilico-proof of changed protein of Spike , oh yes, We are spreading infodemic?

So which policy, does WHO support now? China's "Zero Covid" policy or UK's "New Sweden Model"?

Theirs looking very close to Sweden Model. But read the fine print, WHO is also talking about "A New Inproved COVID Vaccine for future Mutations" (A scientifically impossible task) .. and if new mutant happens to be deadly then back to square One? Yes .. They covered all Proverbial Baseball Bases .. Wherever Coronavirus throws the ball next, about which they are absolutely Clueless..

https://www.who.int/multi-media/details/who-press-conference-on-covid-19-ukraine-and-other-global-health-issues---30-march-2022

Some might say WHO is very angry that Russian Invasion of Ukraine has stopped WHO's "Pandemic Commerce" plan of next 10 years. To them I say, Wait ..

This is "Save the Summer Commerce of North" plan.. This happened in May, 2021 also and now happening in April, 2022. Check last 7 to 10 days data in Germany and France.. WHO didn't forecast the spike.. in fact, they haven't addressed it spike in Europe at all..

Western and not so Western world is facing tremendous Inflationary pressure, now they can't afford any Pandemic prevention measures.. it might lead to rioting or civil unrest. That is why..

 

 Pandemic is over in WHOville.

Internet Addiction : Good Riddance Twitter

 Well, My Favourite bit of "Internet Addiction" is over and I knew it was coming as Twitter appointed a very subservient Indian-born American, Parag Agarwal as CEO.

I have seen and dealt with this kind when I stayed and worked in US, whenever a person of greater wealth and influence tell them to do task, they say "Yes Sir, I'll do it, consider it done." 

 Technical, Legal or Moral ramifications mean nothing to them. Just 5 minutes ago, I noticed my Twitter TL hasn't refreshed a bit in Two hours. So I refreshed the browser, A message came "Your account has been suspended" .. that was a bolt from the blue, I haven't foul mouthed Anyone in recent past ..

In fact, I block or mute foul-mouthed Trolls. Last one I muted was making obscene Remarks about lady Delhi Deputy Speaker.. I had protested, he tweeted obscene stuff at me, I quote-tweeted and muted that troll  claiming to be "Hindu Pandit".

Twitter says, I threatened the troll with Physical harm for my tweet "I will slap you so hard, that your teeth will fall off", followed by two 🤣 symbol , which happened after he insinuated "I opened my mouth for Oral Sex" ..

Originally this chap posted a picture of Rakhi Birla laughing and used the same abuse.  

Well , This post is to inform Mr. Parag Agarwal and "keep Twitter clean army" for BJP supporters:

Any social networking site that on daily basis makes Xenophobic Trends and abuses women.. Such apps should not exist in civilised societies. 

I now have more time for my real-life and not have to worry to warn my friends and followers about impending Economic,  Climate,  Medical crises.

Freedom of Speech in India?

Freedom of Speech threatened in India

World's largest Democracy sits scared if any youth open their mouth these days. The measure Government of India takes is shut down seminars, bully and beat up students using its "Student or Youth wing", forge videos and trump up false cases of sedition on them.

It started with FTII (premier film institute), then in Hyderabad, then in JNU and now in Delhi University. Why did RAMJAS invite Umar Khalid they say? Government supported Goons has a right to beat up anyone, anywhere these days, doesn't matter what the facts are .. Umar khalid is not a convict, he is a student leader just like Kanhaiya who has been brutally beaten up by Government supported Goons in a Delhi Court House. While assaulter of Kanhaiya Kumar are branded as "PATRIOTS" and freely moving around, Umar has been branded as "ANTI-NATIONAL" .. So he can't deliver any speech or participate in Debates and Seminars. 

His right to expression .. GONE, VANISHED in thin year.

If PM of India, Narendra Modi get his way, Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid and all of their friends lose all of their Rights. Govt of India administered Delhi Police has already put of "SEDITION" charges against them.

No student has been convicted, as "Innocent till proven guilty" works only for Politicians and Celebrities in India; ordinary people like students or politically unaffiliated commoners can vilified by "Govt owned TV Channels" and social media .. and voila .. They are "Guilty By Suspicion" 

Ramjas college's seminar venue vandalized and students present at venue threatened and beaten up by Modi's ABVP student wing. Their fault: Their seminar didn't make the "PATRIOTIC BENCHMARK".

The very next day, when other colleges in Delhi University tried to show solidarity with Ramjas college, Modi's goons were back to beat them in front of Modi controlled Delhi Police.

As a side-note it is important to mention many of Mr. Modi's cabinet are charged in criminal cases. Some of his MP's have arson, rape, fraud charges against them. Two of Indian state Governments are being run by people who has been disqualified or in Prison. They are all welcome to lecture anyone, anywhere. 

When Martyr Army Captain's daughter Gurmehar Kaur a Delhi University student, gives a powerful anti-war statement. Her patriotism is questioned by "PATRIOT" brigade of a Modi Minister, Junior school dropout ex-cricketers and unemployable film-stars and Journalists. Gurmehar whose father gave ultimate sacrifice and it is Gurmehar who has to live with deep emotional void of growing up without father because politicians of India and Pakistan decided to have wars; Irony is, her familiy's sacrifice is mocked by people who "Played sports for India" and made big money and enjoy happy life.

Gurmehar's Freedom of Speech is subjugated by threats of physical harm and even rape on Twitter. That US-based social network in India, is busy making "Verified Accounts" of Patriot brigade accounts and knocking of opposition party accounts. Rape threats on Twitter seems alright .. using hand-sketched Sherlock Holmes profile picture could get your twitter account suspended. Facebook also faring no better in this matter.

Gurmehar has to leave Delhi now .. Her Freedom of Speech also has been virtually SUSPENDED.

India, a country that took pride in its "Freedom struggle" and where "Freedoms" as Right of citizens has been enshrined in the constitution, is now ruled by a government who has developed a paranoia of anyone calling for "Freedom"/"Azaadi". Irony is every 26th January, India still celebrate "Republic Day" as Anniversary of "Constitution of India" and every 15th August as "Independence Day". When Govt of India is no longer interested to guard and celebrate people's Freedom, why do they do the charade on those days, I wonder.

Do you?

Hypocrisy of Indian Media : 16th February

As if it was written in some holy book:

"Cometh AAP government, Cometh False Propaganda of Media" 

In the first hour of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP, Common Man's Party), media have started insinuations and grossly false propaganda about AAP Govt in Delhi. Noteworthy that, some media persons who started the false debate who were AAP sympathizers. To begin with, I don't like Media-men becoming sympathizers of any party, a perfect journalist would not be showing partisanship to any party, even the one that I support.

Constitutional Angle : Well Pressmen are wrong again 

In past few years,  with the advent of hundred odd TV channels, the "Journalists" in India were encroaching on every aspect of Indian life .. they even propagated a lie that "The Constitution of India" gives them some special right to be in anywhere and everywhere .. As I pointed out in some tweets few days back, that is absolute nonsense

Which article of Indian Constitution (http://t.co/RDzpKclfS1) gives Press the right to be at Govt premises anytime? Answer: None
— Shuvankar Mukherjee (@shuvankr) February 13, 2015

Chief Editor or Mentors of newspapers has spread many myths about "Constitutional Norms", its about Time young journalists actually read the good book.

Some argue, It has proved via a court order that "special right to be in anywhere and everywhere" is extension of Freedom of Movement and Freedom of Expression.
Wrong again Dear Media men,  Freedom of Movement and Freedom of Expression applies equally to all citizens of India .. Nothing special is given to "Journalists" a.k.a "Press Accreditation Holders".
In fact the words "Press", "Media" or "Journalist" never appear in the text of Constitution of India.

The Practice

Indian journalists are always seen hustling for a piece of "Breaking News" and everyday seen roaming round every corridor of power for a scoop of truths, half-truths and lies. They hound every person for a "Bite" of news in a group of 20-30, irrespective of the place, the occasion or the seriousness of the news. They even push and shove and physically jostle among themselves to get it response first. You can go to the parliament and watch them jump on ministers in a pack. Usually "Journalists" of the lower pecking order to this piece of work, while their high and mighty bosses (Owners / Chief Editors) await the news in their comfortable chambers in the office.

I always wonder one of these days, some of them will seriously hurt themselves in such melee .. Perhaps they do, such news are never reported here in India. 

Everywhere else in the world, I've seen Press wait in a designated zone and they wait patiently for their turn at the Media briefing center or behind the press line. 

Always hoped someone will teach Indian journalists to put a stop to "Hungry Bite Chasing", I was hoping for self-regulation from Indian Press .. guess that is too much to ask!!  

The Charges and The Fact-check

The charge against AAP govt is that "AAP has blocked entry of journalists in the Delhi Secretariat" 

Serious charge, if that was true .. entire of blog would have been in criticism of AAP; But I searched around for the truth and found Media has been restricted to Media Center and they are given some time access to the offices of Ministers as well . Apart from that, they can always call or write emails anyone in the secretariat. Moreover, Journalists can ask for an appointment to meet anyone if they had a reason to visit.

Invitation to Media to Press Conference of Dy Chief Minister: Proves Media has access to the offices of Ministers  

Those who cover White House, Capitol Hill, Westminster would have been elated if they ever got such invite (Mentioning these 3 as Indian Media almost worships them). They should have gone in there, in the press conference and fired the sternest of the questions .. That is their right. After all, journalism thrives on quality of queries and not on quantity of time spent on corridors of power.

Imagine what Indian Journalists did? They boycotted the press conference and demanded access to all parts of Delhi Secretariat at all times.

HYPOCRISY 

Delhi, Luckily for us, is the seat of not one but two governments .. One the local Government of NCT Delhi which is run by AAP, the other is the Union ( Federal / Central ) government run by BJP.

Did Union Government gave such free access to the people of Media & Press? The North Block and The South Block? No .. such access is not given in any other seat of government anywhere in India.

Would Indian Journalists support such rights for Every Citizen of India? As we have proved that "Freedom of Movement" and "Freedom of Expression" belongs to every citizen, not only to the journalists .. 1.2 billion people loitering around the seat of government, few million stopping for a chit-chat with the Prime minister, everyday.. Really??!! Is that even practical??

Then why this hypocrisy? Why brand a government anti-media in the very first day?

Are they searching for an excuse to avoid to cover the pro-people governance of AAP? 

Press needs to know what ministers are doing, I fully agree and endorse that .. 

Has any news report showed how many workdays BJP Minister Babul Supriyo missed for recording and promoting his albums or Another BJP Minister Smriti Irani missed for shooting in her Films? No .. They can't .. Their editors/Owners won't allow it .. and they don't have access to visit those Central ministers office.

But Media never boycotted Central govt's or any other governments Press Conference. If this is not Myopia, if this is not Hypocrisy .. What is ??!!

Oh Yes I am a Human Being

With Advent of micro-blogging, I had curtailed my blogging activity .. No one reads it Anyway ..After all, What is a blog to counter myths propagated by "Billion dollar Media Empires" ..

But I had to return to blogging to counter a lie, propagated by Ultra-right wing in Greece, That I'm not a Human Being, but a computer generated robot .. What a lie, What a figment of imagination ..

I had been accused of Many things .. Of Being "International News Obsessed", Of Being "Fair Trade Practitioners", Of Being a "Dreamer" .. Better never have they called me a Bot ..

My Crime is that I support people based Participatory Politics globally and support Movements like Occupy movements or Wikileaks Party or Aam Aadmi Party or Syriza and Retweeted 3-4 tweets of Alexis Tsipras ..Never in my wildest imagination I thought A retweet could be considered as an Insult in any culture .. Least of all from the land of Socrates & Plato :)

On Tweets

Micro-blogging world is a strange world, but I love it .. There one has to define life-time of work in 160 characters ( and call it BIO) and why not .. This is the century of Super Market and every-thing has to labelled .. There is a shelf on Right for Right-wingers, there is a shelf on Left for Left-wingers and everybody must be labeled and shelved .. Other-wise super-market trolley's would come and troll you .. So I left that space called BIO ambiguous and left to people's own imagination ..

If that leads someone to think I am not human .. Well they lack faith in Human Capabilities ..
If that leads someone to think I am a software program .. Sorry my friend, No hardware has been invented nor will it be invented in next thousand years to run thoughts of my brain as a software service ..

I shall continue to tweet & retweet & reply as the way I see them fit .. No amount to right wing troll can deter me, never had, never will ..

On Language

Some ask do you speak our language .. how many languages to do you speak? Well I learned 3 languages in School in curriculum and two languages from the sideline and one from radio .. At 25, I spoke/understood 7 or 8 languages .. now I lost count ..

I put language skills in these categories:

• To be able to Speak
• To be able to Converse 
• To be able to Read
• To be able to Write
• To be able to Comprehend
• To be able to Articulate

Every normal human being Speaks & listens ( then converses) in one language or other ..
All literates can write as well ( Provided they downloaded the font or the right app)
But not all can articulate .. that is the job of profound thinker ..

But it is rude to expect everybody can and should be able to articulate in all the languages he can read & comprehend .. Imagine what will happen If I ask Neo-Nazi's to articulate in my native tongue "Bengali" ( 7th most spoken language in the world ) .. But Don't worry, I won't .. I'm not that rude ..

On SYRIZA

Question is who would not support Syriza?

If one takes sadistic pleasure on people being out in hunger or out of heating in winter or out of jobs in youth .. those sadists will not support Syriza ..

In US, individuals caught in a debt-trap are not put in jail .. but allowed to declare Bankruptcy & start over ..
Corporation can declare bankruptcy and the rich men don't become poor overnight?

Why should IMF not provide the same courtesy to nation states, be it Greece, Be it Spain or Italy ..
After all did IMF ask nations to go for a referendum before accepting the debt? How can "Shylock International" ( just Shakespearean reference, not any racial one) be allowed to put a gun against the people, who had no idea what previous govt did with those loans / debts?

Euro wasn't created yesterday .. Why did EU allow Olympics to be held in Spain & Greece then?? Then they made good money out of it..

Syriza to me sounds like the right answer .. they are saying no to austerity and reducing human pain ..

"Reducing Human Pain & Suffering" ~ What a lovely thought .. what better way to end my first blog-post of the year..

The Kissinger Cables & India - Part 2 – Manmohan Singh Vol. 1

The Present 

Dr. Manmohan Singh is the present Prime Minister of India. Loved and adored by almost every Indian before the Commonwealth scam broke out, then 2G scandal claims by various media became true, and then came barrages of revelation, one after another. India found out the he is incapable of decision making, can’t control the allies in his coalition or his cabinet ministers or the spokesperson.

Myths in Media:

Media had created a huge amount of myths around him. Such as He is 

• Accidental politician (as if that is a virtue), 
• Eminent economics professor (he didn't even retire as one, last semester was way back in 1971, age was 39 then, yes younger than present day Rahul Gandhi). 
• Manmohan Singh is also said to be “Man of few (or No) words”, though back in ’66 to ‘70, he was the Chief, Financing for Trade Section, UNCTAD, United Nations Secretariat at Manhattan, New York, a very apt position man who talks less?

Past:Dubious Debut

During Manmohan Singh's Tenure at Delhi School of Economics as the professor , he was as willing to talk to press as the proverbial “Rahul Gandhi’s bee” which landed him a bureaucratic position in Economic Advisor, Ministry of Foreign Trade, India; Offered by none other than Lalit Narayan Mishra, a close Indira aide, then Minister of Foreign Trade, later Railways Minister who was murdered in an unsolved bomb mystery. Mishra was mentioned in Mitrokhen Archives (A KGB equivalent cablegate of wikileaks) for being many a things, including double agent working for both CIA and KGB . Unfortunately we can’t verify any of them as of yet, as No direct mention of him in any of the Kissinger Cables.

Enter Kissinger Cables:

Manmohan Singh is transferred to Chief Economic Advisor, Ministry of Finance, India in 1972 and in this post we find a very talkative Manmohan Singh appear in Kissinger files; First Cable (1973NEWDE04707_b) says US Under Secretary of Treasury, Paul A Volcker is visiting India and Meeting with Finance Minister Y. B. Chavan is scheduled on 30^th April at 10:15 AM on a Monday. Manmohan Singh & Mr. M. R. Shroff (officer in charge of Bank/Fund Transfer) will be present. Imagine that, Manmohan Singh talking on a Monday at 10: 15 AM. Volcker actually met 6-8 persons, but rest of them don’t get a mention in the cable.

IMF/IBRD Meeting of 1973:

Next cable (1973NEWDE09146_b) on Manmohan Singh, is when he was Deputy of Indian delegation of C-20 (at a time when The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 1973 was on in Ottawa, Canada). Now we find Manmohan Singh on his return to talking about Ministerial meeting held on 30-31 July. But why would he give such detail to US? Like

  SINGH EXPRESSED DISAPPOINTMENT THAT WHILE THERE HAD BEEN PROGRESS ON ISSUES OF PRIMARY INTEREST TO THE DEVELOPED COUNTRIES, THERE WAS NO SIMILAR PROGRESS ON THE SDR-AID LINK. HE FELT THAT BOTH GERMANY AND JAPAN WOULD ACCEPT AN SDR-AID LINK AND THAT IT IS ONLY THE US THAT STILL ACTIVELY OPPOSES THIS CONCEPT. HE SAID THAT INDIA WILL NOT SIGN A DOCUMENT REFORMING THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY SYSTEM THAT DOES NOT PROVIDE FOR AN SDR-AID LINK, SAYING, "WE ARE NOT GOING TO GO ALONG WITH A PACKAGE THAT DEALS WITH SOME PROBLEMS BUT NOT OTHERS."

Mr. Manmohan Singh, which treaty India would sign or not, The Chief Financial Advisor of Finance Ministry, can’t disclose? Especially to USA, when India’s official stance was “Non-aligned” and rhetoric to countrymen was “Socialism & Pro-soviet”. Didn’t you sign any NDA for this job? NDA of course is Non-Disclosure Agreement. But He was concerned about Non-disclosure to Elected Indian Parliament. As the next paragraph of the cable suggests:

SINGH INDICATED THAT HE SHARES THE US VIEW ON THE ROLES OF SDRS AND GOLD IN A NEW SYSTEM. HE INDICATED THAT INDIA HAD MORE OR LESS BOWED TO THE INEVITABLE ON THE ISSUE OF FIXED BUT FLEXIBLE EXCHANGE RATES, ALTHOUGH HE CONTINUES TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE PROSPECT OF PRESENTING TO PARLIAMENT A REVISED IMF CHARTER THAT CONTAINS ANY HINT THAT THE EXCHANGE RATE OF THE RUPEE COULD BE AFFECTED BY INCREASES OR DECREASES OF INDIA'S RESERVES, OR ANY BROAD COMBINATION OF OTHER OBJECTIVE INDICATORS.

No wonder USA loves Manmohan, for him briefing the US government seems first priority (A practice he continues till date). I am no enemy of USA, but for me India comes first.

Understanding the detail and importance of India’s stand on IMF reform and government’s vulnerability, Moynihan hurriedly writes another cable (1973NEWDE09158_b) in next 30 minutes, this time detailing the Press reaction to same Ministerial meeting as briefed by then Finance Minister Y. B. Chavan & Manmohan Singh to the press on 3rd of August. In the press conference Manmohan had said Indian foreign exchange was “quite comfortable” and 

CHAVAN NOTED THAT INDIA'S IMF POSITION CONSTITUTED A SECOND LINE OF RESERVES AND THAT "IF IT IS NECESSARY WE WILL MAKE USE OF IT."

Had the information shared by Manmohan and Y.B. Chavan’s press conference detail been exactly same, I could have asked you to overlook his conversation, but it is not the same. While US embassy was doing great work for their team, Manmohan Singh was letting India down.

By now, US is treating Manmohan as an “Asset” or a “Dear Friend” and he appears quickly in cable 1973NEWDE09583_b on Aug 17. The cable states Indian Delegation to IMF/IBRD meeting (IBRD = World Bank, International Bank for reconstruction and Development) in Nairobi on 24-30 September, is now decided, led by Finance Minister Y.B. Chavan. The delegation also contains Reserve Bank Governor, Jagannathan; Economic Affairs Secretary, M. G. Kaul; and of course Manmohan Singh and M. R. Shroff. USA is already briefed about Indian Position by Manmohan Singh, may be some in the delegation does not even know that. But important part in why this cable was done: In the reference section you will find a cable (1973STATE159015_b) from Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, US Govt. asking embassies to report  on IMF/IBRD meeting delegations across the globe citing :

ADDRESSEES REQUESTED CABLE BY SEPTEMBER 7 AT LATEST INFORMATION ON (A) ANY IMPORTANT PROPOSALS COUNTRY INTENDS TO AISE IN PLENARY OR TAKE UP WITH IMF/IBRD OFFICIALS, (B) ANY MAJOR ISSUES WHICH COUNTRY DELEGATION INTENDS TO RAISE WITH U.S. DELEGATION, (C) ANY MAJOR ISSUES U.S. SHOULD RAISE WITH COUNTRY DELEGATION. RE 2(C), IN VIEW OF LARGE NUMBER OF COUNTRY DELEGATIONS, FORWARD ONLY ISSUES OF MAJOR IMPORTANCE RELATING TO ACTIVITIES OF FUND AND BANK.

Of course New Delhi Embassy of USA had done that already, as early as August 7. Those who read about IMF meetings of 21st century, has very little idea about what transpired in 1973, even in morning of 24 September, cables were sent from Lisbon about who has boarded the plane for Nairobi or Chinese protest on some countries or even African countries threatening to walkout if the Apartheid regime of South Africa attends . If you want to read about them, please go to wikileaks website, search Kissinger cable, put “IMF/IBRD Annual meeting” in search string, select date range from August 1973 to October 1973 and search.

Thanks to Manmohan Singh, USA had very little to worry from India. In next volume of Cables on Manmohan Singh, we will delve deep into business of IMF, Rupee Crisis and Debt crisis of many countries including India in 1973-74.