Pakistan’s misguided love for India self destructive

The last six months had been crucial for Pakistan which was on the verge of falling into the hands of Taliban had the U.S. not intervened at the right time. This was also the first time in the last 61 years when the Pakistan government stayed away from holding India responsible for all the wrongs affecting the nation. But now when situation is very much in the control the focus has once again shifted to India bashing. The hate campaign has resumed and ‘India and Kashmir’ has once again become the hot topic in the Pakistani echelons of power. The state’s hate for India is not new. In the last so many decades various military regimes as well as governments have played ‘India’ card to stay in power. And surprisingly, the negative propaganda against the neighbouring country has produced fine results for the policy makers as well as Jehadi groups in Pakistan. Today most of the terrorist groups thriving in Pakistan are result of the same hate against India. The orchestration has been perfect. Link Kashmir to holy war and brainwash Pakistan youth to develop centres of hatred in the form of militant wings. This was evident post 26/11. In the heat of escalated tensions between India and Pak, Taliban as well as other extremist groups had offered Pakistan army their unconditional support with arms and men to fight for a ‘common cause’ in case war breaks out. ‘Hate against India’ is the fodder for vested interest in Pakistan which is destroying the country itself.
India on the other hand has decided to move on. Considered as the next super power, the vision is clear. There is massive thrust on reforms and infrastructural development. Indian electorate too has decided to forget the past. In the last month general elections, the main party known for its tinsel town rhetoric against Muslims, the minority community in India’, was humiliatingly defeated. The negative propaganda against the incumbent government for its failure to prevent 26/11 was also put on the backburner. It was indeed a mature approach of the Indian voter who decided to retain the torch bearers of secularism to run the country but this time with more power and authority. No wonder Congress and its allies are comfortably positioned in the parliamentry benches. As far as Pakistan is concerned, it is only one of the many problems for India but it is no more the only problem. The inflation is very much below 1 percent while Pak is struggling to even pay to her army. Most of the time she is staring at the Western powers for monitory aid and is using Taliban as a shield to keep its coffers running by extracting billions of dollars from a fatigued U.S. But how long will economically weakened U.S. will be able to provide for the bread and butter to Pak. Pakistan was recently struggling with a whopping 21% inflation in March this year. Today the country is very much in the grip of the web it had created to squeeze India with. It is high time that Pak developed a mature strategy and shifted her focus from the years of hatred to development and social harmony.

Court asks eve teaser to sweep hospital floor

In a novel but justified punishment, a young software engineer in India was awarded a sentence of sweeping the premises of a government-run hospital for one month. The punishment was given by Justice B. Chandrakumar, an Andhra Pradesh High Court judge after M. Dinesh Kumar, the accused, was convicted of harassing two women. The convict, 21, is a software engineer working with Dell Computers. However, he is allowed to choose the hour according to his convenience. To ensure that the court order is complied with, the judge asked the superintendent of the hospital to maintain a register for Dinesh Kumar to mark his attendance daily. The court pronounced this verdict after it was convinced that the techie along with his friend Balarngasai riding a motorcycle in Malkajiri had pulled the dupattas (scarves) of the two girls on foot. The dupatta considered to be a cultural and sacred ornament for a woman in India obviously raised temperatures in the vicinity. While locals caught and beat up Balarangasai, Dinesh Kumar managed to escape. This was followed by a complaint by the girls' relative Venkatakrishna, who registered a police case against the two under sections 354 (assault or criminal force to a woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) against Kumar. The techie's plea for anticipatory bail was dismissed by the district court and he then approached the high court. The punishment will surely act as a deterrent against the rising crime against woman in the area.

Woman sets ablaze her husband’s killer

In a rare incident of revenge, a woman burned the killer of her husband alive at Kunsi village of Maganuru mandal in Mahabubnagar district, about 150 km from Hyderabad in India. According to the police resources, Bhimshappa, 24, refused to give lift to the drunken Mahesh, a fellow villager as the former already had a pillion rider on his scooter. Humiliated Mahesh later attacked Bhimshappa with a sickle while he was asleep at his home that killed him on the spot. Loosing her control over the incident, Bhimshappa's widow Maremma caught the culprit with the help of her relatives who thrashed him badly and tied him to a tree. Not satisfied with the punishment meted out to him, she poured kerosene on him and set him ablaze. Known to be a fine man, Bhimshappa was respected by everyone in the village and the entire village is now defending Mariamma who has been arrested by the police. She married Bhimshappa, an agricultural labourer, a year and half ago and they have a month-old baby. This is a rare case of course but in a way the man deserved punishment albeit not so harsh. However, in these current times where the court proceedings are awfully slow and most of the time the culprit goes scot-free if he is influential, people have little faith in judiciary. Corrupt police too sides with the one with a heavy pocket and can easily kill evidence. This case is indeed an eye opener for the law makers.

Sex strike by Kenyan women to end political crisis

Crisis often has unique solution. And, Kenyan women who have been suffering from the aftereffects of ethnic violence understand it too well. A group of Kenyan women's organisations have urged the entire community of wives and girlfriends in the country to abstain from sex to enforce an end to the political strife that some fear could ultimately lead to renewed ethnic violence in Kenya. In this unique endeavour, the Women's Development Organisation is all set to approach the wives of Raila Odinga, the 64 year old prime minister and Mwai Kibaki, 78, president to join the week-long sex strike.
In a joint statement the group has categorically emphasized on the point that "The women of this country will not allow its political leadership to lead it back onto a slippery journey to violence and absolute chaos." The ethnic violence that claimed 1,500 lives and ended up in the displacement of 400,000 was a result of the fighting that broke out after Odinga's supporters claimed he had been cheated out of victory in the December 2007 presidential elections. However, the coalition government was formed in early 2008, bringing an end to the violence. Nevertheless, the bitterness between Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and Kibaki's Party has only escalated over the past months and both have done little for national unity. The latest spat is over who should lead government business in parliament. Odinga feels he is the man for the job, while Kibaki wants vice-president Kalonzo Musyoka for the coveted post. In the major event Kenneth Marende, House Speaker, instead of using his veto on the issue has appointed himself to the job on an interim basis leaving the onus of resolving the dispute among the warring parties. Analysts and diplomats are concerned that if the coalition collapses or new elections are called, the country will be plunged back into violence.

Penelope Cruz takes cue from Sophia Loren

Its not a secret that the legendry actress Sophia Loren is an icon for so many including the Spanish siron Penelope Cruz. In the times of breast enhancements, face upliftments and botox shots, the 34 years old Cruz's decision to avoid going under the knife and her decision to age gracefully is quite suprising. Considered to be among the top slot in Hollywood, Penelope is actually quite enthusiastic about the whole idea as suggested by her words "Age holds absolutely no fear for me. There is so much enjoyment ahead."

Subjugation of women continues in Saudi Arabia

Strong protests against the marriage of a 60 year old man with an eight year old girl has had little effect on the judges in the court in Uniaza, Saudi Arabia. The only respite they gave was that the marriage could be upheld only on a condition that the groom does not have sex with the girl until she reaches puberty. The Unaiza case was brought by the eight-year-old girl's mother who wanted the marriage to be annulled. When confronted with the issue of women's plight in Muslim countries, Muslim apologists insist that their religion has been misunderstood and that Islam actually grants women certain rights. They blame tradition and tribal societies for the low status and oppression of women. Under Shari'a - Islamic law - a man can marry up to four wives. He can divorce his wife or wives by saying “I divorce you” three times. For a wife to obtain a divorce is usually very difficult. Muslim apologists claim that Muslim women have the right to divorce and that in Islam the mother is revered and respected. Upon divorce, fathers win custody of boys over the age of six and girls on the onset of puberty. Many women would be reluctant to divorce violent or polygynous husbands for fear of losing their children. Despite the exaltation of motherhood - Mohammed once told a follower that paradise is found at the feet of the mother - children are considered the property of the father with the mother being merely the caretaker. How is it possible for a Muslim man to respect his mother when immutable religious law proclaims women's inferiority and inadequacy?

Miniskirt claims an innocent life

A Muslim man living in Russia’s former Soviet Republic of Azerbaijan's second city St. Petersburg paid hitmen $4,000 to kill his 21-year-old daughter, after being incensed by her decision to wear a miniskirt. She was soon kidnapped and shot. The man hired a pair of Azerbaijanis to do the deed for him who kidnapped the girl from the street of the city and shot her twice in the head in the outskirts. Although, both the father and the assassins now face murder charges but the incident has left the citizens in a state of shock. The incident has again put the burning issue of women's rights on the forefront. If we talk of legalities, the girl was well over 21 and did not flaunt any rule of law but was a merely a victim of orthodox traditions that ignore the unfurling of a new era.