The Daily Indian

Historically, India has always opposed any third-party intervention in the Indo-Pak issue, which we all know has to do with only Kashmir

Arindam Chaudhuri

It is not that Washington has done something like this for the first time. In fact, the US has got a checkered history of taking gratuitously arbitrary and insensitive stances, with a singular objective of fulfilling their own selfish motives. I’m referring to Obama’s recent trip to China and his most ridiculous statement of how China can play an important role in making the Indo-Pak relationship healthier. Not just this, Obama has clearly indicated a visible tilt towards China by offering to strengthen communication, dialogue and cooperation on issues related to South Asia and work together with China to promote peace, stability and development in that region!

Although US Presidents have had a sparkling history of purposefully committing such extravagant blunders (for self-indulgent American gain), Obama seems to surpass them all, as it has been extremely rare for any American President to acknowledge China as a harbinger of ‘peace’ in South Asia, and that too with respect to India and Pakistan! It is not that Obama is sophistically ignorant of Chinese adventures in Tibet, Taiwan and India. And after knowing what China has been doing, it is clearly insane for Obama to even acknowledge China’s role in the restoration of any kind of peace process in any region across the world! What is even more outrageous is the very fact that going by Obama’s apparent rational outlook, he should have ideally discussed the infringement of the Chinese in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, their perpetual intervention in the North-East region of India, their blatant aid and support to the Naxal movement in India, along with funding of Pakistan’s terror camps. Forget India, the least that was expected of him was to discuss China’s hostility towards Dalai Lama. None of these seemed to be there in Obama’s agenda.

Now the question that arises is why did Obama issue such artful statements? Why, all of a sudden, has China seemingly become so important that Obama has had to force a feel-good atmosphere by making such statements? There are two visible reasons that might have instigated Obama to issue such baseless statements. First, as I’ve written in one of my columns earlier, Obama’s popularity index is sliding down by the day.

And amongst a host of other reasons – which includes health, employment and economic revival issues – one reason that has become a huge contention is American expenditure on Iraq and Afghanistan. Currently, the Obama administration is struggling to mange the investments to send 40,000 additional troops to Afghanistan, which is an imperative now as the jihadi and Taliban forces have become extremely active, both in Afghanistan and Pakistan. But given the current economic environment, it is becoming extremely challenging for Obama’s administration to send these troops to Afghanistan. And Obama knows that China can be hugely instrumental in stabilizing Afghanistan. Just like his diplomatic and self-serving predecessors, Obama’s tilt towards China is nothing else but an effort towards laying down a red carpet to them to contribute towards stabilizing Afghanistan. Now, the second reason – US also knows that if there is one nation which has the might to contain North Korea and Iran (who are ravaging a nuclear campaign against US), it is none other than China! So what difference does it make to Obama if by making a couple of pleasing statements, he can bargain Chinese support, which in turn de-stresses the American economy both politically and financially? What more, even American citizens are happy, as they never could make any sense of either Iraq or Afghanistan! How does it matter what happens to an India or a Pakistan, when dividends
are so high for America?

Obama’s statements have not gone down well with New Delhi. Historically, India has always opposed any third-party intervention in the Indo-Pak issue, which we all know has to do with only Kashmir. And rightly so, for Kashmir has been an age-old issue, which is core to India. Nobody in the world can sensitize with Kashmir more than us, for we have been living with its problems, which has only exacerbated over the last two decades! It is also true that as a nation, we have not been able to resolve the issue for a very long time, and it has been a drain to our exchequer. But then, recently, there have been some developments on that front as well. In the last three weeks, there have been two meetings between former Pakistan High Commissioner Aziz Ahmed Khan and RAW chief A S Dullat. According to news reports, the Track II initiatives between India and Pakistan could hopefully lead to a reasonable outcome on the isse. And even if that does not happen at this point in time, it definitely would in times to come. But that in no way means that a third-party – and that too one with a character of China – needs to intervene in this process, further instigated by the manipulative diplomacy of the US.

When Obama was elected as President of the United States, I was very happy, for I could see a new hope in him. And I wrote extensively about him in my editorials, praising him. I keenly listened to his speeches and believed that if one man could change the current world order, it had to be him! While I had always expected double standards from Obama’s immediate predecessor, George W Bush (who always lived up to my expectations), I never did so from Obama. But after what he Obama has done in China, I feel he is no different!

(Arindam Chaudhuri is Editor-in-Chief of Planman Media)

Three river-locked villages in Kendrapara district of Orissa, deprived for decades of a road link with the outside world, are on the way out of their isolation. In a historic ruling, the Orissa State Human Rights Commission (OSHRC) has construed the absence of proper communication facilities as a violation of human rights and directed the authorities to provide the villagers with better means of transport and a bridge across a river that runs through their area.

Says human rights lawyer Prabir Das: “This direction has added a new dimension to the definition of human rights. Human rights normally mean basic civil and political rights such as the right to life and liberty, freedom of expression, and equality before the law; and economic, social and cultural rights such as the right to participate in culture, the right to food, the right to work, and the right to education.”

The path-breaking OSHRC order has come in the wake of a petition filed by people of Kalamada Sasan, Padanipal and Daitaripur villages who have been living in a river-locked area with absolutely no road links since the pre-Independence period. The commission delivered its ruling after being apprised of the misery of 10,000 inhabitants of these villages.

Padanipal area under Aul block of Kendrapara district consists of the villages of Padanipal, Kalamada Sasan and Daitaripur. It forms an island with the Kharasrota river flowing to its north, east and west and its tributary, Kani, flowing in the South. Apart from this, a water channel connecting the two rivers flows through Kalamada Sasan cleaving the village into two. The villagers have to cross the rivers and the water channel to access basic facilities like health and education.

The Padanipal area is only 150 kilometers away from the state capital, Bhubaneswar. Just a short distance away from the district headquarters, Aul, the road hits a dead-end. This is where the Kharasrota river begins and villagers have to depend on country boats like the one owned by Japani Mallik.

“Everyday my 20-seater boat carries villagers to their offices, schools, colleges and even hospitals when necessary. The villages are stranded if my boat is out of order for even a day,” says Mallik.

In Kalamada Sasan, Prof. Rabindra Kumar Dash, retired principal of Aul College, tells us: “As we don’t have a college in this island area, our boys and girls have to cross the river everyday to reach nearby Aul College. Some school students also cross the river as there is only one high school here.”

Senior citizen Gangadhar Das avers: “The most unfortunate thing is that to reach the nearest hospital at Aul, the people of these villages have to cross five to six kilometers of river water on country boats. Even if a boat is available, the life of a patient is at risk because of the time it takes to traverse the distance.”

To make matters worse, due to their geographical location, these villages have to bear the brunt of nature’s fury. “This area is flood prone. Even a small flood washes away paddy crops every year. More than 60 per cent of the people living in this area are below the poverty line. Although a section of villagers is engaged in fishing, yields are limited because the river isn’t very deep,” says Parsuram Samantray, sarpanch of the area.

Hundreds of Indian students who come to the UK to pursue courses in colleges are unable to find part-time work to fund their stay and studies here and have been forced to eat in gurdwaras in Southall.

There has been a three-fold rise in the number of Indian students coming to the UK since the points-based immigration system was introduced in April this year.

Many of them come in the hope of finding work so that they can maintain themselves here.

A BBC Radio 5 documentary reveals that the situation turns desperate for such students when they cannot find work, and are reluctant to return to Indian for the shame that will follow.

Many such students flock to the gurdwaras in Southall for free food. The documentary, broadcast yesterday, quoted Nitin Walia, a student who has sought refuge at the gurdwara, as saying: “I can’t afford to rent a room, I’m borrowing money from relatives at home just to buy my bus fare to college. I will only be able to rent a room if I can find a job, if I can’t find one I will return to India.”

“But that will bring great shame. I don’t know how I will return the money I have borrowed.”

Didar Singh Randhawa, President of Sri Guru Singh Sabha in Southall, said a combination of recession and a surge in the number of students is changing the local landscape.

Randhawa said: “We see hundreds of students hanging out in the streets, but there could be thousands. Most come here every day for food. We are happy to provide food.”

India will reach the top of the ICC Test rankings for the first time if they win the third and final Test against Sri Lanka starting on Wednesday.

India lead the series 1-0 after thumping Sri Lanka by an innings and 144 runs in last week’s second Test in Kanpur and have been given an added incentive to make it 2-0.

India are currently third on the world rankings behind South Africa (first) and Sri Lanka (second) but are close enough to leapfrog them both with a victory in Mumbai.

Climbing to the top spot would undoubtedly represent a major milestone in Indian cricket but captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has tried to play down the significance, warning his players just to concentrate on the match and forget about the rankings.

“It will be an added responsibility,” he said.

“Becoming the number one side is not important, we’ve got to maintain our performance level.”

India’s chances of beating the Sri Lankans have already suffered a blow with in-form opener Gautam Gambhir, the world’s top-ranked batsman, pulling out of the match to attend his sister’s wedding.The left-handed Gambhir has played a significant role in India’s great start to the series, scoring centuries in each of the first two Tests and sharing in a 233-run opening stand with fellow centurion Virender Sehwag in Kanpur.

He is expected to be replaced by Murali Vijay, an exciting but relatively inexperienced batsmen who played his only Test against Australia last year.

Batsmen have dominated the series so far with 10 centuries in the two Tests although Indian medium-pacer Shanthakumaran Sreesanth gave the seam bowlers some hope with a five wicket haul in the first innings in Kanpur.

Although they cannot win the series, the Sri Lankans are eyeing their own slice of history and are putting their faith in spinner Muttiah Muralitharan.

They never won a Test on Indian soil and the form of Muralitharan remains a real cause of concern with the world record holder managing just five wickets at a cost of 396 runs.

“We got the worst bowling conditions in the last two Tests,” Muralitharan said.

“We didn’t have the bowlers, that was one of the factors.”

Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara remains confident Muralitharan can recover and play a starring role in what will be his final Test away from home.

“He is still the best bowler that has played the game,” Sangakkara said.

“So you still have to have faith in him and trust him and keep backing him 100 per cent to do the job because he is going to do it at one point.

“We have still got a lot to achieve in Mumbai. Whether we can win the series or not, we can still equal the series and finish the series 1-1. That is a great motivation for us.”

Hollywood actress turned fashion designer Lindsay Lohan has posed topless for a French magazine, Purple. The ”Mean Girls” star has been photographed by Gucci photographer Terry Richardson for the publication, The Daily Telegraph reported.

In the shoot the 23-year-old beauty is seen simulating sex with both a man and woman. She had previously refused to strip after turning down an offer of USD 700,000 offer to appear topless in ”Playboy” magazine.

The American beauty had earlier done a nude shot for New York magazine, where she dressed up as Hollywood icon ”Marilyn Monroe”.

Frustrated over Islamabad’s indifference towards terror organizations such as Al Qaeda and Lashkar-e-Taiba, President Barack Obama has warned that the United States may be impelled to use any means at its disposal to rout insurgents based along Pak-Afghan border, if Pakistan cannot deliver.

In his letter to Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, Obama called for Islamabad’s closer collaboration against all extremist groups, including al-Qaeda, the Afghan Taliban, the Haqqani network, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and the Pakistani Taliban organization known as Tehrik-e-Taliban, and warned that its use of insurgent groups to pursue policy goals “cannot continue.”

Obama’s letter to Zardari, delivered through national security adviser Gen. James L. Jones, also included an offer to help reduce tensions between Pakistan and India.

During his Islamabad visit, Jones told Pakistani officials that no matter how many more troops the Obama sends to Afghanistan, the effort would fail unless Pakistan increases strikes against not only Al Qaeda’s leadership but also Mullah Muhammad Omar and the leadership of the Afghan Taliban.

Meanwhile, senior US officials cautioned that moves to put too many demands before Islamabad may backfire.

“We agree that no matter how many troops you send, if the safe haven in Pakistan isn’t cracked, the whole mission is compromised. But if you make too many demands on the Pakistanis in public, it can backfire,” The New York Times quoted the official, as saying.

Pointing out the complexity of the US-Pakistan relationship, another Obama administration official said that no success could be hoped against the Taliban unless the nature of the relationship with Islamabad is changed.

“Everyone understands this is a complex, nuanced, critical relationship. Everyone has their eyes open, and there are genuine concerns. But one focus now is on trying to expand cooperation,” he said.

“The long-term consequences of failure there (in Pakistan) far outweigh those in Afghanistan. We can’t succeed without Pakistan,” he added.

Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda was today arrested by the state Vigilance Commission, nearly two months after a case was registered against him in a multi-crore hawala scam.

“We have reached at a stage when his arrest was necessary. We had taken the arrest warrant from the competent court,” Inspector General of Police, Vigilance, M V Rao told PTI.

38-year-old Koda, who is being jointly investigated by the vigilance commission, Income Tax department and Enforcement Directorate, was arrested from the Chaibasa district of the state.

Koda had repeatedly avoided appearing before the Enforcement Directorate and the state vigilance commission in connection with the disproportionate asset and the Prevention of Money Laundering case against him and his close associates.

Sources in the ED said the Directorate will also join the questioning of the former CM.

The economy grew at its fastest rate in 18 months in the quarter through September, smashing expectations and adding pressure to bring forward an interest rate rise and cut stimulus spending as inflation mounts.

Asia’s third-largest economy grew 7.9 percent in the past quarter from a year earlier, far above forecasts of 6.3 percent, but growth was expected to slow this quarter when the impact of a weak monsoon would be seen on crops.

The BSE Sensex rebounded 1.8 percent on Monday as investors gave a thumbs up to better-than-expected September quarter GDP data and on a rise in Asia markets as concerns over Dubai’s credit woes eased.

The gain helped the 30-share main index end November up 6.5 percent, erasing most of a 7.2 percent fall in October, which was its weakest monthly performance in 2009.

Persistent confusion over Dubai’s debt workout and erratic year-end trading hit European and UK shares and sterling again on Monday, deflating earlier buoyancy in Asia as the United Arab Emirates moved to shore up its banks.

Dubai’s proposed delay last week in repaying billions of dollars of debts sent shock waves across world markets, wary of bank exposure to the likes of Dubai World and property group Nakheel and concerned about a resulting rise in risk aversion during increasingly illiquid seasonal markets.