Chandigarh Overview

Mein Tenu Samjhawan

the most funny of hasb-e-haal 21

Azizi S. H. O Funny Pakistan Police

chote ustad 179

Akansha Sharma (India) Rouhan Abbas (Pakistan) ...walk away with title of CHHOTE USTAD

Here's what is happening in India :Pak Journalist

Written by a Pakistani journalist about India....... By Dr Farrukh Saleem Here's what is happening in India : Indians and Pakistanis have the same Y-chromosome haplogroup. We have the same genetic sequence and the same genetic marker (namely: M124). We have the same DNA molecule, the same DNA sequence. Our culture, our traditions and our cuisine are all the same. We watch the same movies and sing the same songs. What is it that Indians have and we don't? INDIANS ELECT THEIR LEADERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And also to mention: They think of Construction of own nation, unlike other nations who are just concerned with destruction of others... Simple answer to why the Indians fare better than the Pakistanis - They don't focus on religion all the time and neither do they spend time and money in devising ways to kill their own and everyone else over religion.The two Ambani brothers can buy 100 percent of every company listed on the Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) and would still be left with $30 billion to spare. The four richest Indians can buy up all goods and services produced over a year by 169 million Pakistanis and still be left with $60 billion to spare. The four richest Indians are now richer than the forty richest Chinese. In November, Bombay Stock Exchange's benchmark Sensex flirted with 20,000 points. As a consequence, Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries became a $100 bill ion company (the entire KSE is capitalized at $65 billion). Mukesh owns 48 percent of Reliance. In November, comes Neeta's birthday. Neeta turned forty-four three weeks ago. Look what she got from her husband as her birthday gift: A sixty-million dollar jet with a custom fitted master bedroom, bathroom with mood lighting, a sky bar, entertainment cabins, satellite television, wireless communication and a separate cabin with game consoles. Neeta is Mukesh Ambani's wife, and Mukesh is not India 's richest but the second richest. Mukesh is now building his new home, Residence Antillia (after a mythical, phantom island somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean). At a cost of $1 billion this would be the most expensive home on the face of the planet. At 173 meters tall Mukesh's new family residence, for a family of six, will be the equivalent of a 60-storeyed building. The first six floors are reserved for parking. The seventh floor is for car servicing and maintenance.. The eighth floor houses a mini-theatre. Then there's a health club, a gym and a swimming pool. Two floors are reserved for Ambani family's guests. Four floors above the guest floors are family floors all with a superb view of the Arabian Sea On top of everything are three helipads. A staff of 600 is expected to care for the family and their family home. In 2004, India became the 3rd most attractive foreign direct investment destination. Pakistan wasn't even in the top 25 countries. In 2004, the United Nations, the representative body of 192 sovereign member states, had requested the Election Commission of India to assist the UN in the holding elections in Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyah and Dowlat-e Eslami-ye Afghanestan. Why the Election Commission of India and not the Election Commission of Pakistan? After all, Islamabad is closer to Kabul than is Delhi . Imagine, 12 percent of all American scientists are of Indian origin; 38 percent of doctors in America are Indian; 36 percent of NASA scientists are Indians; 34 percent of Microsoft employees are Indians; and 28 percent of IBM employees are Indians. For the record: Sabeer Bhatia created and founded Hotmail. Sun Microsystems was founded by Vinod Khosla. The Intel Pentium processor, that runs 90 percent of all computers, was fathered by Vinod Dham. Rajiv Gupta co-invented Hewlett Packard's E-speak project. Four out often Silicon Valley start-ups are run by Indians. Bollywood produces 800 movies per year and six Indian ladies have won Miss Universe/Miss World titles over the past 10 years. For the record: Azim Premji, the richest Muslim entrepreneur on the face of the planet, was born in Bombay and now lives in Bangalore.India now has more than three dozen billionaires; Pakistan has none (not a single dollar billionaire). The other amazing aspect is the rapid pace at which India is creating wealth. In 2002, Dhirubhai Ambani, Mukesh and Anil Ambani's father, left his two sons a fortune worth $2.8 billion. In 2007, their combined wealth stood at $94 billion. On 29 October 2007, as a result of the stock market rally and the appreciation of the Indian rupee, Mukesh became the richest person in the world, with net worth climbing to US$63.2 billion (Bill Gates, the richest American, stands at around $56 billion). Amritsar

KIDNAPPED GIANDEEP @RICHIE IS STILL ALIVE : PARENTS

KIDNAPPED GIANDEEP @RICHIE IS STILL ALIVE : PARENTS Kidnapped Giandeep@Richie 's parents BY Rashmi Talwar Four Sikh boys came in a white ‘Maruti’ van with tinted glasses, one stepped out, picked lil Giandeep@Richie from a cycle Rikshaw in the cantonment area of Amritsar, that fateful morning of August 19, 1996 and the “world came crashing down” for Dr Hardeep Singh and his wife Mrs Harpreet Kaur. “Our Lives Changed Forever,” says Harpreet whose younger son Gaindeep only 5- years, was kidnapped that morning. “For past 14 years there has not been a moment’s peace, not a happy time that we really enjoyed. By taking our son the four, have permanently wiped the smiles off our faces. I knew that, asking them to relive the incident was going to hurt, but I moved forward, as I left myself no choices.. “THIS had to be done and SHARED !” IT HAPPENED …… Dr Hardeep opened layers of his child’s memorabilia, showed us his ‘last’ school bag that was left behind in the rikshaw when 4-kidnappers– all young, came with muffled faces. The poor rikshaw walla showed courage, scuffled and caught the main kidnapper’s leg, who kicked him with the second leg and made off with the child. The only witness to this, is the rickshaw wala, a woman selling corn on the roadside and an employee of a school. Giandeep, being the youngest was sitting in the middle of five older children. The petrified children ran off following this..” , wiping his tears, he continued — ” I was at the time writing thesis at the Library of Government Medical college, Amritsar when some known people came and whisked me off home without telling me anything on the way. When they said “Richie is Kidnapped’ I felt the earth had given way under me. Ever since sleep has evaded us, we have shattering dreams and in some we see Richie smiling and we long to hold him in our arms, hug and kiss him everywhere….. ONLY 5 DAYS BEFORE HIS B’DAY …… As the father showed us Giandeep’s school notebooks and report card, he pointed to the rank ..” See Giandeep was brilliant, stood first in his class in nursery and only joined the Junior Study School, Amritsar in the April of that fateful year 1996. Just as, we were preparing to celebrate his 5th B’day that falls on 24th August, with this two favourite songs “Akhiyan milaon, kabhi akhiyan jhukaon , kia tu ne kia jaddoooooooo……” and “Mai hi Mai, munder pe Bol raha hai Kaga….”, which he sang with a multicolored umbrella on his head …, he was abducted. Remembering every small detail about him, the father says.. “He Called me ‘Dey Da’, said he resembled me and not his mom, otherwise a quiet boy, very obedient, organized in everything , would polish his shoes everyday, refuse to wear an unwashed garment, loved combining red with his blue jeans. And oh! he was left- handed , had a black spot in his left eye and a prominent 1 ½ inch birthmark on his upper left thigh .” HE IS ALIVE Holding a lil school craft, the mother showed “Giandeep had made this in school”. Opening a pencil box, she peeped, “See how neatly he kept his pencils, sharpner, eraser and color box..”. He loved coloring and could solve addition and subtraction sums, even before he joined school, by watching his elder brother Chandandeep Singh @Honey. “If we ever scolded Honey, he would take up for his brother….”That’s the kind of boy we lost ..How can we be at peace, knowing that he is still ‘alive’ somewhere? How do you know that ? …The mother answered quietly ,” Every astrologer we approached, said he is alive and well’ . Joining in with his wife, the father said, “So much so, that I studied astrology as a 2-year degree course started in a local college and topped the exam. Other than indicating that he is alive and well I could read nothing more in Giandeep’s birth charts, it did not give me any other clue’, he lamented. The kidnappers could have left him in a train bogey, or a street in any city …we don’t know. But we know he is alive. MUKH VAK Dr Hardeep suddenly rushed in and came up with an old diary. He pointed out how he had documented every ‘First’ visit of his son to a gurdwara , a dear friend’s Suman Sharma’s place who stood with him through the thick and thin of looking for Giandeep . Not only this, he had carefully noted down the ‘MUKH VAK’ (First Verse from Guru Granth Sahib) of the day, of his every first visit in gurdwaras in Tarn Taran, Mohali (Nanke ), Goindwal (where he was born), Chandigarh, . When he was born and the first time we went to a Gurdwara with him, the VAK was — “Tum daate Thakur pritpalak nayak khasm hamare Nimak nimak tum hi pritpalo hum baarik tumre Dhare “. It is strange and an irony , that I suspect the family of my aunt, to have a hand in this kidnap. The aunt alongside whom I prayed for a child and who remained childless for a long time, until at a place of worship I was chosen as an ideal family member to tie the ‘maanat mauli’ (sacred thread). Soon after, she (my aunt) bore her first son, followed by the birth of a daughter. I suspected this very son of my aunt and his friends kidnapped my child. And what a harsh stroke of fate that this very son of my aunt died in a traumatic incident of drowning a few years back .…. WE WILL LOOK FOR HIM ..WE WILL FIND HIM ….. was all we could say…..

Baba Ramdev’s ‘Kapaal bhati’ catches ‘Muslim’ clerics’ fancy

BABA RAMDEV ACHIEVES THE IMPOSSIBLE ---UNITE INDIA Deoband, November 3————– In a rare confluence, Yoga guru Baba Ramdev performed ‘pranayam’, while a Hindu priest recited Vedic hymns at the largest congregation of Muslim clerics of the country here today. The 30th General Assembly organised by Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind at the Darul Uloom Islamic seminary was the first occasion when a Hindu religious figure addressed the audience, primarily comprising Muslim clerics. The jam-packed pandal of the seminary, which is the seat of Sunni Muslims in Asia, fell silent as Pandit NK Sharma started reciting sacred Sanskrit texts at the dias. More than two lakh clerics and students first listened attentively to Hindu religious texts which dealt with peace, unity and brotherhood and then watched the yoga performance of Baba Ramdev. Ramdev, in his signature style, started with a brief introduction about unity, health and well being followed by demonstrating ‘anulom-vilom’, ‘pranayam’, ‘kapaal bhati’ and other ‘yogasans’ to the gathering. “I teach people yoga. I spoke of well being, healthy life. Haven’t changed anyone’s religion,” a beaming Baba Ramdev said. Incidentally, the 143-year-old influential seminary had in the past issued a fatwa in favour of yoga after some clerics banned Muslims from practising it. Stressing on the need to promote yoga, Ramdev sought to dispel misconceptions about the activity by saying, “The yoga is like an exercise to keep the body fit and do not violate any tenets of Islam since one is not required to recite any shlokas.” As the Baba, who is the founder of Patanjali Yaogapeeth in Hardwar, exhibited some fine technique about breath control, concentration, meditation, the audience was seen following him in the acts. He emphasised the need for promoting communal harmony saying the unity between Hindus and Muslims was the strength of the nation. —PTI

LAHORE DI KIRAN BEDI NEELMA NAHEED DURRANI

by RASHMI TALWAR

FIRST PUBLISHED IN THE PUNJABI TRIBUNE ON OCTOBER 31,2009


ENG- ROMAN TRANSLATION OF ABOVE ARTICLE

LAHORE DI KIRAN BEDI NEELMA NAHEED DURRANI
Punjabi Tribune
Amritsar 31.10.2009

Lahore (Pakistan) di pehli aurat SSP Neelma Naheed Durrani nu utho di Kiran Bedi kiha jave ta atikathni nahi hovegi. Aajkal Uh Sanjukt rashtar mission (UN)de daure te Sudan gahi hoe hain.
Durrani vaste Pakistan varge desh vich police jahe kitey (profession) nu apnona, uss dian chunotian nu kabool ke ek safal police adhikari banna, jithe uss85
de vadhi parapti hai ate punjabian lye maan wali gal hai, uthe bharat daurian duran Bharat-Pakistan te vishesh karke dove desha de Punjabian vichanle nige ate sadbhavna wale samband sirjne uhna de sakhshiat da ek vilakhan pehlu ve hai.

Uhde andarli shairaa da hi shayad eh ek hor pehlu hai ke sakhat police afsar hundian ve uh manukhi sabandaa de nave aayam hi nahi sirjadi, sagoo sabandaa de sukhmata nu ve maandi hai.
Uh Amritsar apne purkian da ghar labhaan aye tan us nal mulakat hoi.

Usne kiha ke jadon mein Wagah sardhad paar kiti tah mainu lagia ke lambe chir to athe auan da mera supna aaj pura ho gaya hai. Mere Abba te mera dada aaj Lahore de momenpura de shamshanghat vich kabran vich pai khush ho rahe honge ki uhna di dhee sada apna shehar vekhan gai hai. Us kiha ke mera Abba agahan Ajaz Hussain Durrani 1947 de vand vele Lahore aa vase san. Aaj mein apne purkan da shehar vekhan aye ha taan eh pal mere maan nu tripati den wale hann te usne apne bjurgaan de shehar de mitti nu mathey nal chhuhaya atte Allah da shukar kita.
Uh 11 pustkaa de lekhak hai, Jina vich char pustka Urdu kavita ate do Punjabi kavita dian haan. Us da shairana andaz kewal Pakistani punjabian nu hi nahi bhaunda sago bharati Punjabi ve uss de kavia de murid haan ate usde shairi di khusbu nu maande haan. Uh bhut farakdil hai. Jadoon uh Amritsar dee Sharifpura abadi vich apna pushteni ghar labhan gai ta Udthey stith ik chah de dukan te Satpal Soni nal hi shairi de mehfil jama layi.
Shairana andaz vich gal kardian uss kiha ki shairi dian mehfalan vich jadoon mein shamil hundi haan taan us vele thode ghabraht mehsus kardi haan par jadoon shairi sunadi han tan is taran mehsus hunda hai ki mein andron bahut majboot haan. Mera vishvash nahi dolda.
Us kavita deian satran chuhian:

''tera mulak menu apne mulak jiha keon lagde ne,
` tere lok menu apne jihe keon lagde ne.
Tere mulk de mitti vich mere mulak dee
mitti di khushbu keon aundi hai.
Tu menu apne hi keon lagdi ai,
Ke hain jo sahnu jorda hai
Ki hain jo sanu torda hai
Ladai nal nuksan ek da nahi dovan da hunda hai."

Mein uhna nu puchhia ke police ate shairi da ke mel hai keonki dovan de subha vakho vakhre haan, tah uh muskurandian akhan lagi ''police mera apna chunian kita hai te shahri mera jamandru ''Nuks". Us kiha ki police officer banna mere laye saukha kam nahi se. Jadon 27 vare pehlan mein is kite vich ayi tah har paseon mera virodh hoiya. Sabh kehde san ke mein adihapak bana ja koe hor sokha jiha kita apnavan, par mein apne faisle 'teh drir saan. Aaj Uhee sare mere te maan karde han.

Mein uhna nu ek sawal kita, je uh police afasar na bandi tah hor kise kite nu uss pehal deni si, tah uss turanat keha ''mein patarkar banna si".

Neelma ek kavitri te police afasar he nahi sagon us andar ek paritba da khazana hai. Uhne farsi, patarkari te Punjabi vich post graduation degree kiti hoi hai. Uh Column- nivis ve hai. Uh Pakistan Television vich news caster the Announcer veh rahi. FM-101 radio Lahore te radio jockey ve rahi.
Uhdian pustakan usde zindagi di jaddoo jedhaad da nichor han.

"Jab nehar kinare sham dale, tuhara shehar kesa hai, vapasi da safar, chanan kithe hoya dukh sabaiya jg, "Chand Chandni Chandigarh", "Chadde Suraj de Dharti" (Japan de yatra bare), "Raste mein gulab raken hein", pustaka vich uhne apnian andarlian bhavnava nu bariki te khubsurati nal lafzaa vich paroia hai.
Uh apni pustak Chand Chandni Chandigarh" vich Chandigarh de yatra bare apne parbav pargat kardian likdi hai, "Menu eh vekh ke harani hoi ke bharat vich ladkian bina kese dar toh dine-raat scooteran teh bajian phirdian haan. Ajeha tah mein apne adunik ban chuke Lahore vich ve nahi vekhian. Lahore vich tah din vich vi ajeha karan de koi ladki jurat hi nahi kar sakdi.
Sudan ravana hon toh pehla uhda suneha aya si. Menu, mere parvar nu, mere desh nu eh maan milya hai ki mein pehli Pakistani aurat Uch police adikari haan, jisnu UNO mission teh bhejia ja reha hai. Kiran Bedi ve bharat de eko ik aurat se, jis nu eh maan milya si . Mein ve Kiran Bedi hon vargi mehsus kar rahi haan.
Mein puchia, bharat aun da progamme kadon banega, us jawab dita ''keho jiha dukh bharia sawal kita? Jadon toh halat kharab hoye han, dil khijia-khijia rehnda hai . Pata nahi kehreh zalim han, jihrah iss khete de lokan nu Pyar-Mahobaat nal mildian vekh nahi sukaonde .''
Us akhia bharat mera ghar hai. Menu Amritsar ve Lahore varga lagda hai. Mein tohade toh , Amritsar toh, vichharia mehsus kar rahi haan. Hor dosta de khaat ve mehsus kar rahi ha.
Fer ek din e-mail te udha suneha aya ''Sade mausam ek han, hawa, badal, barash ekho jehi hundi hai. Phir ve eh doorian kio han.
''kasha asi ve Europe vang miljul ke rahiye, gawandi mulkaan nal jadoon dil kare, ek duje nu mil liya kariye, na dehshatgardi, na jang. Bus pyar, mahobbat , aman, sakoon teh dosti hove.'' Shanti de uss dut ne akhia.
Par mein chupp haan, uss dian ehna bhavnavan da ki jawab devan

Rashmi Talwar

Winnability factor of Women Power emerges in Punjab, Haryana

Rashmi Talwar
Patriarchal factors that have held back women in Punjab and Haryana (a part of Greater Punjab ) as a doormat for far too long, are now forced to take a close look at the fairer sex in a commanding role. Women scored a six out of seven in these two states making a clean sweep for the Member Parliamentary positions with the electorate of this Punjabi and Haryanvi belt firmly behind them.
It was a close call for Santosh Chaudhari (Cong) from Hoshiarpur who trounced the BJP’s Som Nath a bureaucrat turned politician with a margin of just 366. But a win it certainly was. In Patiala the might of the Shromani Akali Dal (SAD)was behind Badal Bahu Harsimarat Kaur Badal with her husband the deputy chief minister Sukhbir Badal , father –in-law Parkash Singh Badal and the whole of the political kin and clan of Badals camping in Bathinda . She has emerged with a whopping margin of 1,11,556 votes riding on the wave of “Nanhe Chaun” a politically motivated social cause for saving the girl child from femicide and the green cover of trees. She beat Raninder Singh son of former Chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh. But then it is no secret that the Badal family rules the roost and calls the shots as the ruling government in state , who blatantly used state machinery to bring another Badal to power.
Interestingly, both the lowest and highest margin win is by women candidates in Punjab.
On the other hand Parneet Kaur wife of Capt Amarinder Singh too bagged the coveted seat of Patiala with a rollicking margin of 97,389 defeating Prem Singh Chandumajra a two time MP. This is a hatrick by the erstwhile ‘Maharani’ of Patiala.
Parmjeet Kaur Gulshan (SAD)a lesser known candidate till she won in Faridkot also beat a hand –picked candidate of Rahul Gandhi-- Sukhwinder Singh Danny of congress. She shrugged off the outsider tag that followed her throughout her campaigning and convinced Faridkot that she was for them scoring a margin of 62,042 from her nearest rival.
Similarly in Haryana the petite Kumari Shelja (congress ) defeated Roshan Lal Kataria (BJP) in Ambala 14,570 while the refreshingly smart Shruti Chaudhary (cong) roared with a convincing margin to rub her rival in the dust Ajay Singh Chautala (INLD) son of three times former CM Hayana Om Parkash Chautala. She won by 73,097 from Bhiwani in Haryana.
However Sudha Yadav (BJP)from Gurgaon was the sole loser amongst the top candidates.……

Amritsar Bids tearful adieu to Bimla Dang

by Rashmi Talwar In the industrial township of Chheharta, every eye was moist at the demise of the Mother of this township--Veteran CPI leader and former MLA Bimla Dang. Bimla Wife of Satya Pal Dang, also a veteran CPI leader, died at a private hospital after a brief illness. She was 83.
The Dang couple, after their wedding in 1952, had decided not to have a child as they did not want any diversion from contributing to lead the people’s struggle and their welfare. Not once did Vimla Dang repent, instead, she poured affection on orphans.
Bimla an Alumni of Kinnard College, Lahore was awarded Padma Shri in 1998 for her contribution to the social welfare, Bimla, and Satya pal together fought many relentless battles for the cause of the downtrodden.
The Dang couple stood up to the terrorists as well. Even noted columnist Khushwant Singh paid tribute: “Satya Pal Dang and his wife Vimla Dang, nee Bakaya (sub-caste), lived in Chheharta, a suburban township near Amritsar, in the heat of the terrorism let loose by Bhindranwale supporters and protagonists of Khalistan. Not only did the Dangs refuse to seek sanctuary elsewhere, they made Chheharta an island of peace when most the state was in turmoil.” They took a principled stand against militancy in Punjab. She remained president of the Punjab Istri Sabha and took up the cause of women’s emancipation and 33 per cent reservation for women. She belonged to a Kashmiri Pandit family and graduated from Kinnard College for Women, Lahore, before shifting to Mumbai after Partition. She got married to Satya Pal in 1952 in Mumbai after she returned from Prague, where she represented India in the International Union of Students. After marriage, the couple shifted to Chheharta. They decided not to have a child as they did not want to divert their attention from people’s struggle. Though the couple led “underground” life during the British rule and both were entitled to Freedom Fighters’ Pension, they never claimed the same till date. The couple retired from the National Council of the CPI and decided not to contest the assembly elections with the plea that there must be an age limit for holding a political office. The contribution of Vimla in the social field was rated unparalleled as she had raised huge funds during the Bengal famine in 1945 and visited affected families. Dr Joginder Dyal said she was a woman with great conviction and fought for the downtrodden till the end of her life. In the 1965 war with Pakistan, Chheharta was heavily bombed on last day before the ceasefire. And Vimla Dang, recall old-timers, stood amidst the shambles in Chheharta Bazar to collect funds to cremate the bodies.
Supporters and senior Communist and local leaders reached the house of the Dang couple to pay homage to the departed leader. She was cremated in the Naraingarh crematorium. The pyre was lit by Anil Dang, a nephew of Satya Pal Dang. National general secretary, CPI, AB Bardhan, Dr Joginder Dayal, national executive member, CPI, Bhupinder Sambhar, state secretary, Mangat Ram Pasla, state secretary, CPM, Congress and BJP candidates for the Amritsar Lok Sabha constituency Om Parkash Soni and Navjot Singh Sidhu, respectively, and other senior Communist leaders attended the cremation.

Is Gen Parvez Mushraff set for a return to head Pakistan ?

by saanjh By Rashmi Talwar Whatever Gen Parvez Musharaff was to Pakistan and whatever cowardly refuge he took by refusing to shed his uniform (small clothes change!) or India Bashing, he did IT to win ‘brownie’ points in his own country. He was most certainly walking a tight rope, as far as politics in his country was concerned. For India, he was the architect of the Kargil Misadventure and a petulant leader at the Agra Summit. His recent comments in the “India Today” organized Conclave saw the rug being pulled from right under his feet, when a muslim leader Mehmud Madani, member of Rajya Sabha and leader of Jamat-e-Ulema-i-Hind, bluntly told him to mind his own business as far as ‘Indian Muslims’ were concerned and take care of his own in Pakistan . Adding, “Indian Muslims are capable of handling their own problems and did not need either him or Pakistan to do so for them. Don’t try to play your politics of Pakistan from here” bullseye ! …it exposed Musharaff’s true intentions to be in India right on… Back home no one really cared how he was run over by the muslim community in India, in the widely televised “India Today Conclave”. For all his drawbacks and loud mouthed claims, what cannot be ignored is the fact that Musharaff as a martial ruler, tried to bring some veneer of balance for minority communities in a ‘highly’ theocratic state of Pakistan. During his regime2-million rupees were sanctioned to beautify the “Katasraj” Hindu Shrines in Chakwal district of Pakistan which suffered more from human anger than the rigors of time besides a long pending demand of cremation ground in Lahore for sikh and hindu community (hindus are almost negligible in Lahore) was accepted in addition to Christian community that got funds . Artists and theatre too flourished more freely. A beginning of the CBMs (Confidence Building Measures) with People to People contact between India and Pakistan started . No major terrorists strikes in Pakistan were seen duirng his regime other than two attempts on his (Musharaff’s)life and assassination of Benazir Bhutto ……that ultimately spelled doom for his political career. After the effects of emotional franchise brought ‘Mr 10 percent’ –Asif Zardari to power, came —-the Talibans! Major terrorist strikes, killings, rape, public floggings took place in Pakistan. Consequently, rallies of outrage against terrorism, high-handedness grew, fear psychosis has gripped Lahore and Punjab– the largest of the 4-provinces of Pakistan that also dominates the Political scene in Pakistan. Following this, perhaps people by and large in Pakistan are in a ‘mood-to-forgive’ Musharaff for his acts of omission and commission. The fact that minorities in Pakistan, though almost negligible in number, had barely started feeling a little comfort during Musharaff’s time while just a few months onto the Zardari regime, has overturned the goodwill and security; Moreso with manifold misery unleashed on them ….is just another factor, albeit, of very little consequence. At no time, has the alienation of minorities in Pakistan been as great as during the reign of the present incumbent. News of Sikh community members’ abduction and demands of “Jazia” a Tax Imposed on Non-Muslims living under Sharia law by Taliban of Orakzai Agency in FATA, has shocked the world. ‘Jazia’ a tax on non-Muslims was re-imposed by Aurangzeb after Akbar had abolished it. The unearthing of ‘Jazia’ from the grave by Taliban not only comes as a retreat into the medieval ages but a sharp slap to world sanity. The Orakzai Agency is one of seven tribal regions in Federally Administered Territory Area of Pakistan bordering Afghanistan which for months has been under control of Tehreek Taliban Pakistan. After this news, More than five hundred thousand Christians in NWFP province of Pakistan are in wave of fear of life and property. More than 5000 Pakistani Hindu families have recently migrated to India illegally after Zardari signed off SWAT to Taliban . The Hindus rather be jailed than return to NWFP and areas near Swat, where Taliban call the writ. The recent incident where Sikhs were targeted happened in areas of Qasim Khel and Feroz Khel in Orakzai Agency. More than 50 Sikh families were living here even before independence of Pakistan. The Sikhs were running small businesses of grocery stores and wholesale outlets in Afghanistan and tribal areas of Pakistan, when thousands of Sikh community members were forced to leave on Islamic Tax on Non-Muslims during Taliban rule in Afghanistan in 1999-2000. Only a few Sikh families remained here loyal to their religion while many others converted. In recent wave of Sharia law in Swat Valley, Malakand, Dir, and Kohistan Areas 200 Sikh families and 1000 Christian families were forced to leave on issue of Taxation “Jazia” to seek protection living in the Islamic state. In Orkzai Agency which is ruled by Taliban commander Hakeemullah Mehsud, homes of Sikhs were occupied by Taliban on failing to pay 50 million Rupees as Jazia. The Taliban kidnapped and tortured Sikh community leader Sardar Kalyan Singhand Sikhs collected and paid 7 million but failed to pay full amount on which they were driven out of Orakzai area of FATA. Later, it was reported that the extremists occupied houses and shops of the Sikhs in Qasim Khel and Feroz Khel areas of the Agency and auctioned their valuables for 0.8 million rupees. Earlier, the Taliban had also demolished houses belonging to the Sikh community in the region. Many of these sikh families have taken refuge in Nankana Sahib, Hasan Abdal , Panja Sahib , Dera Sahib and other Gurdwaras of Pakistan. The Taliban bombed Christian Schools in Swat Valley and forced thousands of Christians to convert to Islam or to pay Tax levied to Non-Muslims on which they migrated to Punjab and Sindh provinces of Pakistan. The Christians from Peshawar, Nowshera, Mardan, Sawabi and Charsadda districts of NWFP province have been already migrating to safer places in other areas with their relatives without any UNO or government of Pakistan assistance. On news of Sikhs migration from FATA, the Indian government strongly protested to Pakistan and asked to secure life and property of Sikh and Hindu religious minorities in Pakistan. Agitated Sikhs even burned effigies of Taliban in Amritsar. India took up with Pakistan the matter related to the treatment of minorities in that country in the wake of reports that Taliban had driven out Hindus from their homes and were demanding ‘jaziya’ (taxes) from them. Dr Nazir S Bhatti, President of Pakistan Christian Congress PCC commenting on issue of Sikhs and Hindus migration from FATA and Northern Areas of Pakistan appreciated stand of Indian government but expressed his disappointment on killing of Christians and mass migration of Christian families and silence of India and International forums to formally lodge protest with Pakistan. Be that, Pakistan’s refrain of taking up issue of minorities treatment in Pakistan by India, amounts to interference in the internal matter of the country. But, Chief of Pakistan Christian Congress PCC reminds and clarifies that Pakistani Christians, Sikhs, Hindus and other minorities reserve right to invite India for their moral support according to “Liaquat-Nehru Pact” signed among neighboring states to protect rights of minorities in respective countries. In all this mele, there is not a word of empathy, for the plight of minorities in Pakistan, from anywhere in the country. A Pakistani civil officer aptly puts it “Minorities in Pakistan are of no consequence, they don’t register and their presence or absence means nothing.” No one in Pakistan, has gathered the guts for a mere lip-service on the plight of minorities, fearing upturning their political fortunes. Minority leaders themselves admit that Musharaff was a far better ruler than Zardari. However, this opinion means nothing per se. The major fact is, the vital ground scenario that things have gone ‘Horribly’out of control of the ‘fragile’ Zardari regime. This has indeed instilled morbid fear among those of cushy lifestyles In Pakistan(elite, politicians, army, bureaucrats, landlords and druglords), whose very existence is threatened to be overshadowed by the might of the Taliban. The thread of protests has been joined by various artist organisations, writers forums, NGOs,associations, societies and institutions in Pakistan against Terrorism. It is they, maybe who will bring Musharaff back as a lesser evil. Or has Mushraff —the architect –cleverly laid the plans for his return…….albeit– Op Lal Masjid that had an ominous dastardly spillover in the present day Pakistan and no one to clean the mess !

”Tamashas” mark MP election-2009 in Amritsar

:”Tamashbeeni” Amritsar Ishtyle ! Hey everyone …our Rajiv Sharma the talented newsreporter for Star Plus TV Channel has coined a beautiful Punjabi “tappa” . he pasted the comment in an entirely unrelated article to Election –2009 . However having powers of “extraction” I have posted his little piece . The little genius entertainer was a ’shaan’ of our Tribune office in Amritsar. PUNJABI TAPPA : By Rajiv Sharma AA gayian votan, te lag gaye jhande…. Votan ch kharhe hoge sare gande bande…. Ajj votan lain layi, dinde ne sharab te mithayiyan.. kal ehna to hak len layi, khane pain ge police de dande…. x…………………….x poem by Rashmi Talwar Sansadi chunav ke mahaul mein, Jutton ki bauchar mein, Naresh bhadhoria ne jutte mangvaay, Pehna haar jutton ka, Bola votron ko lootonga, Meine kaha , jutti chor hoga Kia sansad mein bhi, chori kare ga. Fir aye Sham lal, Gandhi topi wale Kettli haath mein, chai, chai pukare Meiney bola, rail garri mein ja Varna, sansad mein chai pila Bal krishan ki ayi bari, Lagane laga chappati karrari, Haath pe pani fer ke, allu bhari Bola security se , bhai pakrao gaddi niyari Us par lagonga kulcha Aur voteron pe makhan sab ka maal khau ga dunga sab ko dhakkan haathi pe aya navjot sidhu kiia capt ko sat sri akal logon ne uthaya bawal haathi pe beth kio kare, sat sri akal meiney kaha ,bhejo issi circus mein ya shaadi ke koi pandal

Is Congress-BJP Wedding answer to Peace in India ????

Instead of wasting Billions of Rupees on fighting each other, the two National Party Presidents should enter into a Matrimonial Relation for Peace in India …..Is it a good idea ?….. Comment …..

HAPPENING-AMRITSAR-LAHORE: Dhol Jageero da…Amritsar girls done it …

HAPPENING-AMRITSAR-LAHORE: Dhol Jageero da…Amritsar girls done it …

WHO IS A BETTER SHOE DODGER ……BUSH OR OUR CHIDAMBARAM …..COMMENT

ShOULd journalists be allowed to take their shoes in PRESS CONFERENCES ?????/ ........comment

ALARM BELLS RING IN INDIA OVER ATTACK ON POLICE TRAINING CENTER NEAR LAHORE

Pakistani security forces deployed at the site of a police training center in Lahore on March 30, 2009. Police and security forces arrested a suspect allegedly linked to a group of attackers who besieged a police academy where 25 people died during pitched battles, police said. AFP PHOTO/ Aamir QURESHI (Photo credit should read AAMIR QURESHI/AFP/Getty Images)

Pakistani security officials arrest a suspected militant (R) near the site of a police training center in Lahore on March 30, 2009. Police and security forces arrested a suspect allegedly linked to a group of attackers who besieged a police academy where 20 people died during pitched battles, police said. AFP PHOTO/Sameed QURESHI (Photo credit should read SAMEED QURESHI/AFP/Getty Images)
TALIBAN ONLY 12KMS FROM INDIA 'S BORDER CITY AMRITSAR
RASHMI TALWAR
The Indo-Pak border was on heightened alert following the chartered terrorist attack on Police Training Center PTC at Manawa just 12Kms from the border .
The attack by suspected foreign elements along with local youth has triggered off alarm bells in Delhi over the proximity of the Taliban alleged to be behind the attack to Indian territory .
Meanwhile, the death toll in the attack has risen to 25 and more than 90 police personnel have been injured so far. As many as 350-400 were held hostage in the PTC following this early morning attack about 7.30 Pakistan time. Till the time of filing of this report the 2211 rescue operation squad was tackling the situation as also other para troops and pak army was called out for reinforcements.
Manawa where the PTC is located is on the East of Lahore and just 12Kms from the village of Wagah on the Pakistan side that is adjoining the Indian township of Attari in Amritsar.
Although BSF DIG Mohammed Aquil said the Indo Pak border has been on high alert ever since 26/11 the Mumbai terrorist attack and more so now following announcement of Parliamentary Elections in India . However the unfolding terrorist attack so close to the border is cause for deep security concerns . Although he denied that the Indian army has taken active war positions along the border he said only the coming days would give concrete answers .
Meanwhile according to ANI Pakistan has pointed towards a probable foreign involvement in the attack on the police training camp in Lahore earlier today.
Pakistan Prime Minister's Advisor on Interior Affairs, Rehman Malik said the attack has been carried out by the jihadi outfits and a foreign hand could not be ruled out.
"Today's incident is part of terror wave exists in the country which begun from NWFP. This is an attack against country's sovereignty," The News quoted Rehman, as saying.
Rehman said that the attack was well planned and organized and it appears that the attackers were during the Afghan jihad.
He confirmed that at least ten militants were still present inside the police training facility.
Images of a suspected militant being nabbed by the security forces also appeared on government television, but there is no official confirmation about the report. According to unconfirmed reports the apprehended terrorist is a Afghan national .
Curfew has been imposed in Manawan in Lahore with the pitched battle between the terrorists and commandos of Pakistan Army, Rangers still going on

THE LITTLE MAN HAS WON --PAKISTAN -LAHORE

Lahorites take to the streets for ‘change’ photo courtesy http://www.city42.blogspot.com/ THE LITTLE MAN HAS WON --PAKISTAN -LAHORE
The chaos that gripped Pakistan this week was an important step on the road to democracy
By Farouk Rana, Citizen Special
Russian scholar Yuri Gankovsky believed that there are four nationalities in Pakistan: the Punjabi, Sindhi, Pakhtun, and Baluchi. In a conversation with me in 1989, when I was posted in Moscow, he laughingly dismissed the official point of view that there was one Pakistani nation united by the bonds of Islam and the glue of the national language, Urdu: "You and your four provinces have nothing in common besides a fondness for cricket."
If Gankovsky was alive today, I would have told him that as it turns out, we also share a commitment to an independent judiciary, and by agreeing on the need for this fundamental value, i.e., the rule of law, we are closer to becoming a united nation despite our disparate ethnicities. That is the true significance of the victory of the lawyers' movement for the reinstatement of Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry.
It needs to be recalled that Justice Chaudhry was unconstitutionally dismissed by Gen. Musharraf in 2007 because of:
a) his proactive stance on human rights issues and his insistence that the Interior Ministry produce 60-odd "missing persons" -- persons who were being kept in secret custody without being charged or tried in a court of law;
b) his insistence on transparency regarding the privatization of national assets and his blocking of the sale of Pakistan Steel Mill; and
c) Gen. Musharraf's apprehension that the chief justice would question the legality of his election as president by a parliament whose term was expiring in a few weeks time.
Despite repeated promises, the current Pakistan People's Party (PPP) government led by President Asif Ali Zardari procrastinated on the issue of the reinstatement of the chief justice.
The popular perception is that Zardari feared that if reinstated, Iftikhar Chaudhry will declare unconstitutional the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) promulgated by Gen. Musharraf which resulted in the withdrawal of corruption cases against Zardari. Zardari has also not initiated any steps toward surrendering his presidential powers to dismiss the Parliament and send the elected prime minister packing home.
And it was his hand-picked judges in the Supreme Court who disqualified the Sharif Brothers, Nawaz and Shehbaz, from holding any public office, thus precipitating a political crisis in Punjab which led to the dislodging of Shehbaz Sharif from premiership and imposition of Governor's Rule. The question everyone was asking: How is Zardari any different from Musharraf?
The lawyers had no choice but to announce the "long march" on Islamabad. The march was joined not only by opposition parties, but also by young middle-class professionals belonging to no particular party -- the YouTube Generation of Pakistan who have shaken off their apathy and indifference and risen up in defiance to say "No, you cannot."
The primary motivation for the young and restless to join the march was the fact that if the chief justice of the Supreme Court was not immune from being summarily thrown out of his office, manhandled by the police, put under house arrest and shamelessly maligned in a web of manufactured scandals by the officially inspired image goons, then what protection do the little people have? In fact, what protection does anyone have?
Despite the declaration by the prime minister that the protest march was the democratic right of the opposition and will be allowed to proceed, roads to Islamabad were blocked with thousands of steel containers on the orders of President Zardari and the police force deployed to arrest its leaders and disperse the march. Curbs were also placed on the popular GEO television's reporting of the unfolding events and its bold criticism of Zardari for reneging on his written agreements with opposition leader Nawaz Sharif regarding the Charter of Democracy.
Zardari's heavy-handedness led to vocal criticism from within his ruling party. His Information Minister, Sherry Rehman, resigned in protest.
The situation started to spin out of control when many police officers refused to carry out the "illegal" orders of the governor and higher-ups.
Rumours are afloat that field commanders in the army too had indicated their distaste, if not their unwillingness, for getting embroiled in a situation where they would be pitched against their own countrymen.
And so Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani took matters in his own hands and announced on television not only the restoration of the judiciary but also the government's willingness to sort out the modalities for the implementation of other components of the Charter of Democracy agreed upon and signed by Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif in London in 2006. Zardari was nowhere to be seen. The little man has won. And this feeling is priceless.
Of course impediments remain. If Zardari's hand-picked replacement judges -- inducted into the courts over the last few months despite their questionable merits and qualifications -- are allowed to remain, then with Musharraf loyalists they will overwhelm and perhaps even neutralize Justice Chaudhry and his reinstated colleagues. This anomaly needs to be corrected.
The restoration of the 1973 Constitution and getting rid of the distortions introduced by Gen. Zia ul-Haq and Gen. Musharraf to increase the power of the presidency also needs to be realized. Until that happens, the bona-fides of President Zardari will remain suspect and will continue to cloud the political horizon.
FAROUK RANA IS FORMER HIGH COMMISSIONER OF PAKISTAN TO CANADA.

GURDWARA TOBA BHAI SALO -AMRITSAR -PUNJAB

Friday, March 24, 2009
GURDWARA TOBA BHAI SALO -AMRITSAR -PUNJAB
Bhai Salo was a "Sewak"(in service of the Guru) of Guru Arjan Dev. His duty was to collect wood from the jungle for 'Langar' (Community Kitchen).
Once in the early morning hours while returning from the jungle he falls into the deep well. The news spreads like wildfire and Guru Arjan dev and others reached the well.
A Rope is thrown inside the well to help Bhai Salo to come out. But Bhai Salo first tied the wood which he collected from the jungle and afterwards helped himself to come out of the deep well with the help of the rope.
He was asked why he first tied wood instead of helping himself to come out, Bhai Salo replied -SEVA- or Service towards community –is the most important. On hearing this, he was blessed by Guru Arjan Dev. The Guru declared to devotees that whoever visits his place, has to visit Bhai Salo's Place for fulfillment of his 'pilgrimage'. The Guru also is known to have said that wishes of prosperity in family would be fulfilled of whosoever visits the place of Bhai Salo to offer prayers. It is popularly believed that if a holy dip is taken on 'five' Sundays consecutively in the holy pond at Gurdwara Bhai Salo, the wishes of the person are fulfilled. Sunday is also fixed for 'Langar'. Close to Kesar Dhaba the Gurdwara is a must visit if touring Amritsar. http://lets-tour.blogspot.com/

''DARUU'' KA 'PARSAD' ......BABA RODE SHAH MELA

RASHMI TALWAR
Rode Village (Amritsar) March 2009
In Rome --Bacchus the God of Wine may have countless lovers, bedfellows and followers through the ages, but nothing could quite beat his craziest fans …in a tiny hamlet of India. As spring arrives, 'Bhoma' also Popularly referred to as Baba Rode village, just 20 Kms from Amritsar in Punjab prepares for its annual cocktail. With huge drums some even fitted with indigenous taps and stirring ladles, to be filled with the fiery liquid to be poured in steel glasses for devotees.
Strange as it may sound, liquor finds its way as a holy offering at the 'Samadh' or 'Mazar' (tomb) of Baba Rode Shah in this tiny village. Not only, is it the only offering acceptable at the shrine but is also given as ‘Parsad’ (return offering) to devotees.
It is one of the strangest sights in the world perhaps, to watch women, children, share glasses of spirit with men in their sozzel-ed worst in a 3-day soiree from March 22 , during the Baba Rode Shah Mela (fair), as guzzlers are consumed by the spirited cocktail.
While consuming liquor is considered the ultimate sin in some religions, it hardly finds any respect in societal acceptance due to Health Issues, but flows in merriment at Mehfils, pubs, clubs or fashion parties and Page 3 dos.
However undeterred by its notoriety, the liquor has found an iota of acceptance and even 'reverence' during the 3–days of its unabated flow in "holy -glory".
Lakhs visit the tomb during the fair while hundreds of thousands throng the site even before the start of the 3-day "Binging" on alcohol. Devotees at Mela flock for an ardent Wish or at Wish-fulfillment in a gesture of Thanksgiving …carrying …lo & behold !!…bottles of the finest wines and whiskies or even pouches, polythene bags- shopper bags, buckets, cans filled with even country brewed liquor, that find their way into a mixing drum, as holy offering.
All the liquor offering is then mixed in a container, irrespective of its foreign origin, kind, expense or emergence-- into a heady potion and distributed as ‘Prasad’.
Mind you! No policewalla dare stop or cause any inconvenience during the drinking revelry that follows, for fear of incurring the wrath of the holy ‘Baba’.
People having faith in Baba Rode are seen offering prayers for jobs, resolving legal and court cases, marital happiness, to have a child, wishing to go abroad, find a seat in an institution and many weird wishes to come true.
The scene near the Samadh is seen to be believed with homo sapiens strewn around the place as if a great battle has taken place.
Devotees report that the stink of liquor can be felt from miles. It is the only time when a tiny tot boy or girl will call cheers with their father …although not so blatantly.
This time, amongst liquor revellers and drummers who played the drums at the mela the catchy Punjabi Pop Number by Hard Kaur ..."Ek Galasi, Do Galasi, Teen Galasi CHAR..." found some crazy puppets and rag-doll dancing by devotees swinging limbs in all four directions in wild abandon, while less sozzeled --laughed and laughed holding their stomachs in pain before joining the weird groups .
Along with this mumbo-jumbo dancing, Devotees get to enjoy some of the choicest and mouthwatering roadside delicacies during the ‘pilgrimage’ , with the likes of chicken Tandoori, fish Amritsari and Mutton Tikkas Stalls --.The most delicious and famous cuisines of this entire region crop along roadsides, during the festivities.
Though rationalists pooh-pooh the claims of miracle cures at the shrine, the Mela at the tomb of Baba Rode draws a big crowd.
Interestingly, it is a little kept secret that some leaders from various political hues too are ardent followers of the Bacchus –Baba

Legend has it that Baba Rode, the son of Sham Singh, a farmer, belonged to a Jat Sikh family and was a “teetotaler”.
The ancestral village of Baba Rode was Dhiman (Damodar) in border area of Gurdaspur district.
It is believed that Baba Rode moved to a village near Bhoma in 1896 and lived on the outskirts. His sister was married in this village.
People believe Baba Rode started blessing to help people in distress.
It is believed that once a devotee of Baba Rode offered him liquor in gratitude for a wish fulfilled and the Baba who distributed all offerings to his disciples also distributed the liquor offering among his disciples.
Later, this became a big tradition though Baba Rode died in 1924.
To the delight of villagers here, the tradition is still alive where drinking is considered ‘macho’ among men , after the hardworking Punjabi farmer turned into Landlords, lording over the migratory labor from poor states of Bihar and Orissa, who toiled in the fertile soil of the region to make the Punjabi farmer prosperous.
The once hardworking Punjabi farmer became lazy and fell into “aiyashis” of all kind including consuming liquor in groups in the evening. For these villagers at daily 'Mehfils' .....Baba Rode Shah’s Mela is indeed ‘Godsend’ having holy blessings to match!