Hanging of Afjal Guru This is the most shining example how a just verdict can be made to look unjust in the course of execution due to the immature handling and lack of sincerity of purpose. If Afjal Guru was to be hanged it should been done in the six months period after the Supreme Court verdict. Now all of a sudden finding that the Congress is seen anti Hindu and it could have a great impact on its fortunes in the forthcoming elections, UPA gave order for hanging. Omar is hundred percent right why Afzal’s hanging was given precedence over the hanging of Beant and Rajiv killers. I put entire blame on MMS who refused to act as a PM in the last eight years. Legally I always feel execution of the verdict leaves much to be desired in India. Prompt execution is as important as the fair trial and when we falter in execution it undoes the good work of the fair trial and amounts to miscarriage of justice. It is a high time MMS resigns and paves way for a new face. It will be a good riddance for the Congress party also. He has to take moral responsibility for the tense situation erupting in Kashmir. BJP should also make its stand clear on Rojana. It can’t afford to have double standards.

Hanging of Afjal Guru

Hanging of Afjal Guru This is the most shining example how a just verdict can be made to look unjust in the course of execution due to the immature handling and lack of sincerity of purpose. If Afjal Guru was to be hanged it should been done in the six months period after the Supreme Court verdict. Now all of a sudden finding that the Congress is seen anti Hindu and it could have a great impact on its fortunes in the forthcoming elections, UPA gave order for hanging. Omar is hundred percent right why Afzal’s hanging was given precedence over the hanging of Beant and Rajiv killers. I put entire blame on MMS who refused to act as a PM in the last eight years. Legally I always feel execution of the verdict leaves much to be desired in India. Prompt execution is as important as the fair trial and when we falter in execution it undoes the good work of the fair trial and amounts to miscarriage of justice. It is a high time MMS resigns and paves way for a new face. It will be a good riddance for the Congress party also. He has to take moral responsibility for the tense situation erupting in Kashmir. BJP should also make its stand clear on Rojana. It can’t afford to have double standards.

Sikh clergy honours Beant killer Rajoana

Sikh clergy honours Beant killer Rajoana SGPC chief lays foundation stone of Bluestar Memorial A few fantatcs for their selfish ends bring bad name to a very good religion and godly sikh people. Bhartendu Sood, 231

Nothing for Dravid and Kumble because no body is lobbying for them

Nothing for Dravid and Kumble because no body is lobbying for them You have Sachin in Rajya Sabha and there is a chorus to award him Bhrat Ratna. But, nothing seems coming to the great performers like-Dravid and Kumble. Anil kumble with 619 scalps is far ahead of second highest wicket taker for India Kapil Dev 434. Then what separates Dravid from Sachin is the number of centuries otherwise on all counts he is as good as Sachin. If voices can be heard for Ganguli who performance wise is no where near these greats, it only proves that you need lobbying for these honours. Bhartendu Sood

One month gap between casting of votes and counting

One month gap between casting of votes and counting

One month gap between voting process and counting of votes can not be considered as an ideal electoral process. Governance of the States which went to poll in January is in hay wire.

It is not right to think that poll results of one state can impact voting pattern of other state. Every state has its own issues. For example even if in Panjab Congress had emerged victorious consequent to immediate counting it would have no impact on UP where it is a four corned contest.

Democracy is a mean for good governance but it is not an end in itself what seems to happening in our county--end is good governance.

Country should thank Dhoni for saving billions of man hours

Country should thank Dhoni for saving billions of man hours

By losing the test match under two and a half way, Dhoni has saved billions of productive man hours in the country where cricket is a religion and cricketers are demi-gods. PM -please note, republic day is approaching.Decorate him with the highest award.

Another section who must be happy is the wives of touring cricketers. They can use these two and a half day for all important sight seeing. Now you must have known why Dhoni commands full support of his team.

Bhartendu Sood

Hero worshiping

Tuesday, January 10, 2012, Chandigarh, India





NEWS AND VIEWS

PUNJAB
HARYANA

JAMMU & KASHMIR
HIMACHAL
REGIONAL BRIEFS
NATION
OPINIONS
LETTERS
BUSINESS
SPORTS
WORLD





SPECIAL COVERAGE

CHANDIGARH
LUDHIANA

DELHI





THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS
50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS


L E T T E R S T O T H E E D I T O R



Crime against women: Change mindset

This refers to editorial “Blaming the victim” (January 3). Sensibilities always vary from individual to individual and from culture to culture. What is provocative for one may be sensible for another. Actually, whatever may be the dress of a woman is not enough to explain the rising graph of violence against the fairer sex. So, the police, society or the government can’t provide an enabling mechanism to ensure the safety of women. Rather, there is a need to change the mindset that deserves a lot of self-effort to uplift the frequency level of mind power.

ANJUDEEPAK ANAND, Chambaghat

Backup softwares

This is with reference to the article “Mean Machine”, which appeared in Saturday Extra on January 7. If one uses simple backup softwares to backup critical data such as operating system, one can easily restore his/her system to a last good working state in minutes. Computer crashes can take place due a variety of reasons, the main being a virus attack from a malicious email/surfing, etc. Also, documents and data should never be stored in the same drive as the one hosting the operating system. This will help reduce the size of the data needed to be backed up and will not result in loss of hard work due to a system crash.

RK SACHAR, via email















Wise decision

This refers to editorial “Better counsel prevails: Anna’s decision not to campaign is wise” (January 7). This timely and thoughtful step of Anna will help him in prolonging his stay in public life in a graceful manner. The common people of India (particularly the educated sections in rural and urban areas) hold Anna in high esteem though they do not entertain the same view about his high-profile team members. Except Anna, others who happen to share the well-known platform of India Against Corruption (IAC), have allegedly benefitted in small measures from the present socio-political system. It is not so easy for every middle class individual to stand the probing gaze of common people, particularly when he or she tries to be sententious and sanctimonious about others taking advantage of the system for petty individual gains. Besides this, Anna and his team members came to be viewed as politically inclined and motivated because of their regular appearance on TV channels, challenging and even ridiculing the political leaders for their real or perceived ignorance and callous indifference towards passing a strong Lokpal Bill in Parliament.

Dr RAJ BAHADUR YADAV, Fatehabad

Damage already done

Whether Babu Singh Kushwaha stays in the BJP or leaves it or requests for keeping his membership in abeyance till such time he proves himself innocent in a court of law, the damage is done. By admitting Kushwaha, the BJP stands dwarfed. Because, the impression that the BJP is no different from other political parties when it comes to recruiting powerful individuals for electoral gains even if they carry the stigma of corruption has got etched on people’s conscience and no amount of political chicanery will help erase the blot soon.

RJ KHURANA, Bhopal

Good move

According to a report, following representations by the political parties that the DGP and the Home Secretary of UP were acting as the agents of Chief Minister Mayawati and could influence voting in favour of the BSP, the CEC had ordered the two to be removed from their posts with immediate effect.

It is a pity that highly placed government servants tend to ingratiate themselves with the political party and the politicians in power forgetting their oath to the Constitution to be independent and their responsibilities to the nation. Hopefully, the strong action by the CEC will put some good sense in the heads of those who are prone to influence the political power not only in UP but also in the other poll-bound states.

RJ KHURANA, Bhopal






Our hero-worshipping has no limits. We can go to any length. In one of the prominent Hindi dailies, an image of Australian cricketer Michael Clarke has appeared. Not because he scored a rare feat of a triple ton, but because he took Sachin Tendulkar’s wicket.

Don’t get surprised if you soon find BCCI raising statues of all those bowlers who took wicket of Tendulkar in his last 188 Test matches.

BHARTENDU SOOD, Chandigarh

Man under fire made all the difference in the Melbourne test

Man under fire made all the difference in the Melbourne test

Australian bowlers bowled well but then our bowlers were also not far behind. In both the inings they had Austraial top order in tatters-24 for 4. But, the man who stablised the tattered ininings on both occasions with useful century stands was no other than Ricky ponting. Had he not come out with the invaluable contributions, result could have been different.

Age hardly matters. One reeds firm resolve . Tendulkar at 38 looked far ahead of young Kohli.

Bhartendu Sood

Children--Why do we need to enlarge our vision

Children anywhere, everywhere, are the common heritage of mankind; nay, indeed, the way they survive will shape the future of mankind. It’s perfectly okay when you give love, affection care and best within your means to your child but while doing so we all need to keep some space in our hearts for those children also who happen to be not as fortunate as our children are. When we do so we create abetter future for our own children.

These children of lesser God are less likely to know how to cope in crises. Perhaps the reason why we are commanded to care for children is not only that they may suffer more, but that there is less they themselves can do about it.

Fudging of accounts and cutting corners

Kiran Bedi's misdemeanor tells loudly that our parameters of honesty and probity in public life have taken a big hit.

Anna and his team will do well to read Harry Truman


Measure of Truman'greatness can be gauged from what he did after he left the White House.

The only asset he had when he died was the house he lived in, which was in Missouri . His wife had inherited the house from her mother and father and other than their years in the White House, they lived their entire lives here.

He was paying for his stamps and personally licking them. As President he paid for all of his own travel expenses and food.

When his successor Eisenhower became president, Harry and his wife Bess drove home to Missouri by themselves. There was no Secret Service following them.

When offered corporate positions at large salaries, he declined, stating, "You don't want me. You want the office of the President, and that doesn't belong to me. It belongs to the American people and it's not for sale."

Even later, on May 6, 1971, when Congress was preparing to award him the Medal of Honor on his 87th birthday, he refused to accept it, writing, "I don't consider that I have done anything which should be the reason for any award, Congressional or otherwise."



Bhartendu Sood

Mr. Anna-- It is the means which matter

Anna Hazare will do well to remember that it is the means to achieve the goal which separate great men from the ordinary ones. there are many who who went to the extent of comparing him with Gandhi and JP forgetting that they were the people who would never resort to cheap means to achieve their ends. I am sure those who praised him sky high had not read Gandhi and a little they knew about him was from 'Lage raho Munna Bhai.'



I find nothing great in Anna Hazare except that he firmly pursued an issue which our country needed to address and displayed tenacity but that is not everything which makes a man great. He needs to disoplay pragmatism without compromising with convictions and values, patience and maturity also. Unfortunately Anna has not displayed these traits. I am afraid he may not end up being another Ram Dev with his these cheap tactics like taking sides in Hissar by-poll. Only the capacity to undertake Fast un to death does not make a man great. We had sant Feruman who undertook fast for Panjabi Suba way back in 1967and died after 84 days.


More over people like Gandhi were more happy with the change in people's thinking rather than relying upon some legislation. I am very confident Lok pal will not solve all the corruption related problems unless we also change. If by stroke of good luck, tremendous goodwill has visited Anna, he should not do the folly of squandering it.


People who find Anna as the epitome of honesty probably have very shellow knowledge of the our ancestors and even now there are many who are squeak and utterly honest.

Sardar Patel was pleading a case in the court, a peon came rushing to handover the telegram, but Sardar continued. When debate was over Sardar came to the chamber. There were tears in his eyes. When enquired Sardar told that his wife had died if he had disclosed in the court it would have taken away the precious time of the court.

I want my readers to read about Harry Trueman, President of America


When offered corporate positions at large salaries, he declined,stating, "You don't want me. You want the office of the President,and that doesn't belong to me. It belongs to the American people and
it's not for sale."

Even later, on May 6, 1971, when Congress was preparing to award him the Medal of Honor on his 87th birthday, he refused to accept it, writing, "I don't consider that I have done anything which should be the reason for any award, Congressional or otherwise."

As President he paid for all of his own travel expenses and food.


I have many anecdotes which I will share some other time.

After reading this I hope our people will stop considering Anna as the last word when it comes to honesty. I know of many people who would not have allowed Rs 2 lacs to be spent on their fecilitations what Mr Anna did.

Bhartendu sood



Bhartendu sood

Why can't we do away with bi-elections?

Why can't we do away with bi-elections?

If we kep in to consideration the collosus expenditure in terms of money and time both apart from the damage the bi-elections inflict on state governance- for a month Ministers are seen camping at the constituency undergoing bi elections, it will be appropriate to amend the constitution and do away with bi-elections.

The party can be given the option to nominate a person from the same constituency or the same family.

Bhartendu Sood

Panjab is Oligarchy by turn

panjab is an oligarchy and not a democracy in its true sense.two or three feudal families rule the state turn by turn. The people's job is to chose any one of these. Ministers enjoy their office at the pleasure of these feudal lords. When elections are round the corner one gets the impression that man on the seat of power will return, but the public, who by now is fed up,gives the chance to other lord who is there with fresh set of promises, best to be forgotten when he is on the seat of power.People have also come to know that they are the chips of the same block but to keep the balance they keep on changing from one to other. Five years of power makes any Panjabi so much intoxicated that allowing him to continue could be disastrous for the general public.

Need of a Criminal Court for Politicians

One area where our country needs to enforce reforms fast is the legal
system. Criminal court excusively to provide fast justice in the cases
involving criminal offences by our politicians is the first and
foremost requirement, if we really want to cleanse our polity from
goons. The present system allows them to roam freely for decades after
having committed henious crimes by taking benefit of the axiom " Any
perceived offender is innocent till proved guilty by the court."

Sub- Mourning the Loss of World title-Cricket

Those who are mourning India's loss of World title in cricket consequent to 3-0 thrashing in the hands of England in the ongoing series must realize that India was never a world champion in test cricket in its true sense as was the case with Australia in the period from 1990 to 2009 and West Indies from 1980 to 1990.



How any team could be called world champion if it failed to defeat Australia, South Africa and even Sri Lanka on their respective soils. Again we forget that the victories that we achieved against Australia, South Africa and Sri Lanka in 2010 to level the series were from the skin of the teeth. In all three occasions one particular batsman Laxman rose to the occasion and lifted India from the hopeless situation. These victories were never as resounding as have been the case with England. Out of their last 12 wins, six were by a margin of an inning.



We are a cricket crazy nation, driven by emotion, refuse to see beyond our nose. For us all our batsmen are world-class. Agreed Tendulkar( average 56.3) is a world-class batsman but no body is prepared to give a thought what is that special in him that puts him far ahead of Kallis( average-57.89 and Dravid, the man who gave India maximum wins. We would have lost even against West Indies if he were not there.



Bhartendu Sood

You have not to reveal to look beautiful

The beautiful picture of Pakistan's foreign minister Hina Rubbani Kher on the front page of HT reminds me of the Bollywood heroines Waheeda Rehman, Sadhna and many others of my era.

probably there is a hidden message to our Indian women folk-you have not to reveal to look beautiful.

In India we will do more service to our children in schools by educating them about cleanliness than by teaching them Geeta, Bible or Kuran.

Let religion be a personal matter, best taken care by the parents at home.The best schools can do, is to focus on natural dharma, which aims at making a person BETTER HUMAN BEING. By natural dharma i mean-truth, honesty in life, compassion, service of mankind, to be sensitive to other man's feelings and above all cleanliness not only of self but of the place and environment around.



In India we will do more service to our children in schools by educating them about cleanliness than by teaching them Geeta, Bible or Kuran.





Bhartendu Sood, Chandigarh, 09217970381

India's refusal to accept a chellege of scoring 180 runs in 47overs in the final test against West Indies

india is at the top in ICC cricket ranking but at the testing times it has not acted like the chempion. Scoring 180 runs in 48 overs was not a very difficult task against the 7th ranking country but it decided to settle for a draw though the drawn series in the eventuality of the loss would not have effected its ranking. Australia in its hey day would have happily accepted the chellenge.

If you are a chempion you must look to be a chempion.

Murder of Neeraj Grover falls in the rarest of the rare cases

Why should the killer who hacked the body in to many pieces (even if we accept Maria’s lawyer’s version that 300 pieces is an exaggerated figure) be not awarded capital punishment? In India the provision of capital punishment exists for rarest of the rare cases and Jerome Mathew falls in this category. Agreed the Judge found Jerome guilty of culpable homicide under 304(I) of IPC, but then who is the murderer under Section 302? The Judge should have answered this before awarding lenient punishments to both to Maria and Jerome.

Indeed this judgment constitutes a prima-facie case of miscarriage of justice and calls for the pressure from general public and human rights bodies.

Dear F.M- We can’t be hoodwinked all the times

Dear F.M- We can’t be hoodwinked all the times

Ref- Increase in fuel prices

To convince the Indian national that they were not paying very high cost for Diesel and Cooking Gas
Our F.M. gave corresponding prices in our neighboring countries, but he conveniently ignored that
the values of our Indian Rupee in these countries

Our Rupee is equal to 1.9091 Pakistani Rupee, 2.43 Sri Lankan Rupee, 1.5915 Nepalese Rupee and 1.6426 bangla Deshi Takka ( counterpart of our Rupee.)

To bring rationality will our FM give prices in all these countries in USD?