Super Form of Goondagairi & Nothing Else

After the release of second Italian hostage-Bosusco Paolo, 28 days after being in the captivity of the dreaded Maoists of Odisha State Organising Committee (OSOC), the fate of the tribal MLA of Laxmipur, Jhinna Hikaka, who is in the camps of Andra-Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC) hangs in the air, giving nightmares to the BJD-ruled government of Odisha.

Despite the allegations from all quarters ranging from duality of the government in the action plan to help release of the two hostages to putting the onus on the alleged alliance of the BJD –Chasi Adivasi Mulia Sangathan (CAMS), a Maoists-backed association for the Red Rebels abducting the 37-year old MLA, the governance and principles of Naveen Patnaik-led govt is severely under the scanner. On Friday, the visit of CM Patnaik to the Ultras-dominated Koraput district following with the Southern Maoists outfit scaling its demands and after the statement of the govt to help give bail to the 15 members of CMAS and they subsequently rejecting the offer and demanding to withdrawal of cases registered against them, speaks the failure in the govt. policies towards controlling this movement as the Rebels have presence in the 22 districts in no time of the State Odisha. That the Ultras overt adamancy to fulfill their demands and their ways of using violence to get their demands fulfilled sounds alarming bell that they are on their way to upset the sacrosanct democracy of the Gandhiology-India.

Twelve years back, Maoists had their presence in just 3 southern districts of Odisha and now they operate in 22 districts of the State and in 10 districts to strike at their will. Once the peaceful and beautiful state of Odisha now feels the tremendous heat of the violence inflicted by the Ultras. Not only me, but everyone in this nation will agree with the ideology of the Rebels, the ideology backed movements which started in the land of Bengal in 1967, aiming to meet the demands of the lowly-paid peasants, but, the thinking of get their demands via violence is not right and never acceptable.

They spread their wings and are now involving in killing innocent people. They kill Forest guards, Rangers, Police officials, village police informers who are also Adivasi, who are getting Rs 5000 from the govt to inform them about Maoists only for the sake of employment. Derailing trains won't help them anyway. They don’t know that these small-scale don’t oppress them and these officials don’t have the powers. It is the Ministers and politicians who wield powers. Instead, if they know the corruption going on the administrative level, then they should come as officials and try to solve them. They should come to mainstream and do politics and become ministers and make the condition better.

They say that their working for the betterment of tribal citizen. But does bombing schools and bridges in villages of India, thwarting the progress of giving better roads and communication meant for the poors and tribals, help serve their prime purpose? The reality is that, now, it is the tribal villagers are in spot of bother. If they don’t work towards Maoism, then they will be killed by rebels and if they work for them, then they will be killed by security forces. The tribals used to enjoy the forests, now in fear of the existence of ultras, they don’t go inside their multi-useful jungles which has helped them to run their lives so far.

Second thing that has come to the light on twin cases of abductions is that the Rebels organization was not united. They are under different factions. They work for their own purpose. They don’t have any Central leadership and that is the reason why despite the appeal of OSOC chief Sabyasachi Panda to stop violence till the peace talks were on, their rival organization, AOBSZC continues violence and killed police officials in Koraput and abducted the BJD lawmaker Hikaka. This makes the picture clear that everyone trying to influence in their own area and rule and enjoy power.

Couple of days ago, they burned down 3 vehicles of a road contractor as the contractor didn’t pay Wasuli to them. The latest bunch of Maoists were functioning sans any ideology and they are derailing from their main aims and serving their own purpose. They know only way to get that through violence. After the Home Ministry ordered ‘GreenHunt’, their cadres were arrested and they fear of losing control and now in pursuit of getting their cadres back from the clutch of govt, they are resorting to such nefarious activities of abduction. On their demands note, just for the sake of giving a more tribal developmental purpose, they attach the clause like execution of govt. policies and laws in villages, but in return when the govt. trades its interlocutors, they are happy with getting their jailed cadres back and bolster the group. Cultivation of Opium, Hemp and Poppy, taxing money from villagers and extorting money have become their natural source of funding. They say police does not reach various places, but it is the police who fears and does not go there. So, we can say that it is nothing else but super form of Goondagiri.

Govt. Fragilities

The govt. failure to control to movement is a major reason for their existence. They exist in places which is inaccessible. This helps them make an extensive effort to ‘brainwash’ the villagers. The developmental policies fail to reach to the ground level. This abduction issue is the third time that they have taken hostage to senior officials. After this, govt. should make some stern steps to make sure that these incidents don’t occur again in future. Some stringent rules should be made to deal with such issues-like the one, Central govt. has made if hijacking happens that no communication with them. More police forces, more security force and a strong intelligence agency should be brought in to control the menace. Some of their demands like allotting lands of tribals from non-tribals are definitely justified. Administration must understand that this is a socio-economic-political movement and should be dealt with that. It can’t be done only by policing. Hence, it will be a Herculean task to indulge in a talk process with them and bring them under main stream. They should make special effort to enable administration implements their policies at the ground zero. Communication and transport should be improved allowing the villagers to live in contact with modern world. Economically, the places under siege should be given special packages for developmental work.

Tourism Effect

When I make my way to home on every occasion, me, family and friends decide to go for picnics. This time too although I am on a rehabilitation phase from ACL surgery on left knee, I told them that after I get fit, we will go to the nearby places of Nrusinghnath, Harishankar and Patra Dam. But, they denied it saying that our lovable place that soothe our hearts in a day out from busy life, Maoists have found their new homes in the nearby forests of my hometown-Padampur in Bargarh district.

Picturesque fountains, dense forests make mineral-rich Odisha a nature gifted State. It attracts a lot tourists, trekkers and picnickers throughout the year. It has taken a bite due to the Mao effect.

Daringibadi, being considered the Kashmir of Odisha, attracts plenty of foreigners. But, in the last couple of years, it is also home to the home of Sabyasachi Panda, the leader of OSOC. Hence, number of tourists has dipped.

Other picnic spots in Western, Southern and North-Western areas of Odisha are severely affected by the Ultras.

After the abduction of two Italian, which attracted international tensions, foreign tourists will also think thrice before entering the once liberated jungles of the State.

Now, agitating farmers raise dust at F1 track

The reigning land acquisition controversy is set to spoil the party at the Formula 1 track in Greater Noida. Farmers of four villages, from whom the land was acquired by the Uttar Pradesh Government for the project, have decided to go to court against poor compensation and unfulfilled promises.

The F1 venue, which is situated on the sidelines of Yamuna Expressway, is spread over 875 acres, for which land was acquired in 2009. The Jaypee Group of builders, which is developing the F1 track, had then promised to give proper compensation and other infrastructural development schemes to farmers but till date, none of the promises have been fulfilled.

Villagers of Atta, Gunpura, Nawaranpur and Jaghanpur will be going to court next week, demanding better compensation. Natthi Singh, an Atta village elder, said, “Our panchayat has already held a meeting over the issue and decided that we will move court against the F1 track developers. We will be hiring our lawyer in a few days.”

“We are illiterate people. We don’t know the changing policies of Government. In 2009, we were forced to give our land to the Government at throwaway prices. The Government told us to take what was being offered or the land would have been taken away forcefully under the emergency clause and then called Government land, so we had to sell,” Singh elaborated.

For 1 square metre of land, the Government paid them Rs 676. The villagers were paid Rs 6.75 lakh per bigha as compensation.

“They had promised to give a job to one of our family members. They had promised allotment of land in a development area. So much time has passed and we are yet to get those facilities from Jaypee people. We don’t know politics so we have decided to go to court seeking better compensation,” said Singh who had given 15 bighas of his land for the Formula 1 track.

The project, which is all set to host its first high-profile F1 race in October end, is on verge of completion.

Preliminary touches to the track remain and a homologation team of Federation Internationale De I Automobile is scheduled for a final inspection in the second week of August.

This will be the second petition in the court by the villagers, the first one being against the alleged encroachment by the Jaypee project into a temple which stands right next to the track. The Allahabad High Court has already ordered a stay against any further work on the land area of the temple.

Thanks to the project, the villagers have not only lost direct access to this temple but also have been facing a lot of commuting problems for their schoolgirls who now have to trudge almost 7 km one way to reach their school which is located on the other side of the F1 track.

“Because of the project, they have to go round the track to reach their school which means a walk of 14 km up and down. Many of them have stopped going to school because of this problem,” said Vijender Singh of Jaghanpur village.

Atta has a 5,500 population and the other three villages 4,500 each.

Queries on this issue to the Jaypee group were unanswered.

'I am my own Idol'

It was love at first sight for 15-year-old Manu Gandas. Ever since he visited a golf course for the first time, his love affair with the game has been getting stronger.

He believes in himself. He takes inspiration from himself. He idolises himself.

Meet Manu Gandas, a 15-year golfer, who is the talk of the golf street in Delhi. He is the new golf protégé. Having excelled in big tournaments like Bridgestone in Florida, he is on a roll.

Manu takes inspiration from himself and his father, who is also a good golfer. “It was eight years ago when I went to DLF Golf Country Club in Gurgaon with my father. That motivated to take up the sport. After that, I regularly started visiting that Club and practising golf. Since then golf has been the centre of my interests,” he says.

When asked whether golf was just a hobby for him, Manu says, “I will take golf as career. I am very passionate about it and want to play this game at a higher level, at bigger tournaments.”

He has played in the Albatross international tournament and under-15 Asia pacific golf tournament. Recently, he returned home from the USA after finishing second in the Bridgestone Golf tournament in Florida, where everyone tipped him to be a shining star for the future.

About his playing experience in the USA and the difference between Indian golfers and the others, Manu says, “Basically there is no difference as such. But they are mentally tougher. I also have to work on that aspect, as mental preparedness gives an edge while playing.”

Manu, who also likes swimming and playing table-tennis, might be raw at his skills when it comes to golf, but his belief in day-to-day improvement stands him in good stead for coming years.

In a country where cricket is most followed and almost every kid dreams of becoming a Tendulkar or a Dhoni, taking a liking to golf and opting for it as a career sounds a bit rare.

“I am passionate about golf,” Manu clarifies. “I firmly believe in myself and I also believe that someday golf will be as much followed as cricket. The stature of the golfers will be equal to that of cricketers at the moment. Golf will be like cricket,” he says with confidence in his voice.

Manu, however, will not let the sport affect his studies. “I think studies are important. Right now, I am in class XI at the KVS Gurgaon. I will continue studies along with golf in the future. I practice regularly for two hours. My school also helps me with scheduling. My teachers are brilliant. They have supported me very well, especially when I get busy with golf. My father, my family has always been there, supporting me throughout so far,” Manu, who plays for AGT, says.

Quiz him about fans and the feeling of being recognised at such a young age, he says, “It feels good. It inspires me to do well in the future.”

He is also clear on where he sees himself in future. “Firstly, I want to be a good person in life. I have not set any particular standards. I would like to win major golf tournaments like the British Open,” he says.

The upcoming tournaments, where he is hoping to do well in are Optimist International in Florida and then the US Kids World tournament, also to be held in Florida.

He is also aiming to hone his skills in these events. “Techniques and skills will keep improving as I play more and more games. In sports, there is always scope for improvement. But more crucially, I have to be mentally tough. It is a huge factor in performance.”

Someone he aims to be like then? “I don’t have any idol. I idolise myself. Although I learn from everyone, but I believe in doing things my way. Hence, I am my own idol,” he says.

Great Zimbabwean War

As Team India embarks on the tour of England in its bid to continue its reign as the next cricket powerhouse, its sole aim would be to win. In the scenario, the spotlight will be on new coach Duncan Fletcher.

His strongest point this series will be his knowledge of the insides of the English team. He was the England coach from 1999 to 2007 and left as a messiah for British cricket after having revived it from a tattered reputation. No star-performers and collective sloppiness was what he inherited. But he brought in professionalism and shaped a success story English cricket had long forgotten. The Ashes triumph in more than 18 years in the 2005 edition over an Australian team considered invincible, Fletcher was the key in turning the careers of many a player in the current English squad.

But now he is in-charge of the Indian team — the No 1 Test team in the world. Considered the best analytical coach, Fletcher is a silent and strict performer. He is a man of few words who keeps a low profile. His inputs will be valuable for India as he has a fair bit of idea about the current crop of English players. A perfect man to plot the downfall of his erstwhile pupils. The upcoming Lord’s Test will be a huge moment for him as it will also mark his 100th Test match as coach.

Interestingly. This time he will be pitted against compatriot Andy Flower who has done a tremendous job as coach of the current England team. An interesting battle of wits is, thus, on the cards. Here goes the lowdown:

Duncan Fletcher: His 100th too

Strong points: Fletcher knows English cricket well having coached them for eight years from 1999 to the 2007 WC.
Was key in shaping the careers of Andrew Strauss, Kevin Pietersen, James Anderson, Ian Bell and other youngsters.
He made England a better Test team, won them the historic 2005 edition of Ashes against an invincible Kangaroo side.
Termed the best analytical coach for plotting the downfall of many Australian batsmen like Adam Gilchrist by making the English bowl round the wicket to him and reverse swing.

Weak Point: New to the Indian dressing room. Doesn’t know many players’ strengths and weaknesses.

Andy Flower: Grassroots worker

Strong points: Knows his team very well and also gets supports from the players.
He has helped English batsmen adjust technique that suits slow bowling.
He has a wonderful track record against the Indians himself and used to play spinners well. This has helped English cricketers handle spinners better. Target: Harbhajan Singh.

Weak Point: Sometimes takes weird and ‘third-eye’ decisions

At 15, Satnam singh stands tall

Fifteen year old Satnam Singh Bhamara is living a dream after having secured a place in the national basketball team. The much hyped Satnam, who stands seven feet tall and weighs 110 kilos, is the new kid on the block.

Satnam’s life has not been a bed of roses. Hailing from an obscure village Ballo Ke in Barnala district of Punjab, he wants to achieve glory. Game is all about inspiration and perspiration and Satnam is an ardent believer of this theory. He has found inspiration in his father Balbir Singh Bhamara.

“My father always wanted to see me as a basketball player. Despite being passionate about the game, he was denied the opportunity by my grandfather, who asked him to concentrate on agriculture rather than playing. Hence, he inspired me to play basketball when he and one of his friends saw me playing in the village field. My father told me to work hard in basketball court instead of the fields. Then he sent me to Ludhiana where I got better opportunities to play basketball,” he reminisces.

Satnam’s village was sans basketball courts and cable network which proved a hindrance in his way to pursue the game. However, his father ensured that he could train well by sending him to Ludhiana Basketball Academy.

The player who has a well-built physique with broad shoulders says, “I was very passionate about the game. I developed a serious interest in the game five to six years back. My height grew rapidly at the Ludhiana Academy. The coaches at the academy groomed me as a basketball player. My height is a bonus but the game also requires intelligence, streetsmartness, speed and technical adjustment.”

In India, cricket is a religion, hence getting support for a basketball player is not easy. “I am passionate about the game. With the kind of support I have got, I feel lucky. Dr Subramaniam, RS Gill, DGP, Punjab Police Academy, Harish Sharma Secretary General, Basketball Federation of India have helped me immensely,” he adds.

Asked him whether basketball is a hobby or a career for him, he says, “There is nothing in my life beyond basketball. Basketball court is my life.”

Satnam and seven others went to Florida, USA with the help of IMG Academy in September 2010 where they were imparted professional training. Satnam has contract with them for five years where he will improve his skill as well as continue his studies. “In fact, the training at Florida’s IMG Academy evolved me as a player. In the US, I worked on enhancing my fitness levels, skills and body positioning. I am continuing my studies. Right now. I am in class XI. I practice regularly during the afternoons,’’ he says.

Quiz him about his fans and the feeling of being recognised at such a young age, he says, “It feels good. It inspires me to do well.”

His basketball skills are raw, but his hand-eye coordination is good. He moves fast in the court. He is playful and fun-loving. He is comfortable with the ball. His size intimidates opposition. All these factors have been instrumental for him getting a berth in Punjab team for the National Youth championship, an opportunity to play in FIBA-sponsored Asian U16 Championship in Malaysia and the NBA Mahindra Challenge, which is where Troy Justice of the NBA first met him.

He was also invited to the NBA's Basketball without Borders Asia camp, where everyone tipped him to be the next big thing in Indian basketball.

“At times I follow NBA”, he says. NBA has been a distant dream for an Indian player but Satnam is hopeful about his chances. “That’s my dream. I want to play NBA. Before that, I need to improve my skills. I have to work more on footwork and speed. I want to make Punjab’s and India proud,” says the player who idolises Kobe Bryant.

Torrid Time for UPA

The UPA is going through a horrible phase. Not many Congress-led Central governments had faced this sort of situations before and if so, they had overcome all these situations. But, this time the scenario is all together different. The Congress party of today seems to be stumbling like never before. Many have put the questions on the lack of governance. Probably, it is so.

Although all the corruption cases of scams are yet to be 100% true, still going by the last 2 years of UPA-2^nd record and its performance tells that lack of transparency, lack of proper strategy exists inside UPA. The CVC case has really embarrassed the central government. It has failed in handling the issues of food crisis, Maoism, Kashmir insurgency and Telengana. It buckled under pressure to form JPC on 2G spectrum scam. The PM has also admitted that “coalition compulsion” has cramped the UPA. However, that’s the way coalition functions in an electoral alliance. It has its positives and also it has its negatives. Its “saffron terror” policy has not worked at all. Now, with the Wikileaks disclosure of cash for votes scam is a gift to the opposition. All these issues have severely dented its image and it has lost its credibility for sure as well as its popularity.

The last word “popularity” has plenty of significance when it comes to contesting Indian elections. The month of April will witness assembly elections in 4 states that include West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and one union territory of Puducherry. All these states election results are crucial to Indian political scenario. Before the election, theKarunanidhi’s DMK in TamilNadu andMamata Banerjee TrinaMool Congress of West Bengal has already made Congress hopped and puffed onto their tunes by not giving the number of seats it desired to contest . Both the party’s swaggering was understandable as the Congress has “Coalition compulsion”. The situations in Kerala too don’t seem to be comfortable and bright for the Congress, which is desperate for a good-show after the drubbings at Bihar assembly polls. They will be sharing seats on almost all states to contest election where population combines 20-25% of overall the country’s population. In Assam though, it seems to be teeming with confidence, till situations are not that comfortable as it was before. Congress is banking on a good showing in this and four other states polls to ease the pressure. Results on all the states are crucial as all the states falls under UPA’s team and its results will give momentum to the party that wins for the forthcoming political times.

Amidst all those controversies and allegation of scams buzzing around, it is not comfortable to be handling all those issues and fight elections for the UPA and specifically Congress.