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Death of apartheid icon Targeting Ashok Khemka |
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A 'feel-good' agreement with China
Games the articles play
Mindless mishmash
Welcome to this club!
Deceptive game
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Death of apartheid icon He
is no more and the world is poorer for it. Nelson Mandela (1918-2013) was a prisoner who became the President of the country in which he was imprisoned for 27 years. He had a larger-than-life presence and was seen variously as a freedom fighter, a politician and a very powerful symbol of the struggle against apartheid. Mandela was all that and more - he was a statesman who rose to the occasion, worked with his former jailors to ring in a truly multiracial government in South Africa, thereby transforming from an international pariah into an icon. After he became the first black President of South Africa in 1994, he stuck to his decision to stay in office for only one term. He relinquished office, and after a brief interlude of largely family time, took on the role of an international statesman. He was richly honoured. He and his one-time rival F.W. de Klerk were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. India conferred upon him Bharat Ratna. The UK gave him the Order of Merit; the US, Presidential Medal of Freedom; the Soviet Union conferred on him the Order of Lenin. But it was the adulation that he received from the millions all over the world that truly represented what Mandela stood for. In his 95 years, Mandela weathered many a storm, but none strong enough to ruffle his grace. The man had to suffer separation from family; he did not have a great relationship with his children; and was married thrice. As a leader, he was a powerful voice of reconciliation, something he demonstrated by forgiving those who had worked against him. He was also the voice of moral values at a time when few were heard - even chiding foreign leaders when there was occasion. He became a statesman, who with his ability, gestures and sprit, withstood the challenges of an intolerant regime, only to emerge as a tall, tolerant leader who ably led his county to peace and prosperity. He was a giant in an era when there are too many pygmies. The world will miss his presence.
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Targeting Ashok Khemka Controversial
IAS officer Ashok Khemka is once again at the receiving end. The latest round of harassment started after he cancelled the Robert Vadra-DLF land deal. The government says he overstepped his jurisdiction and served a charge sheet clumsily at night on Wednesday on his minor son at home when the officer was away on leave. The timing indicates political motives. When IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal was suspended in Uttar Pradesh recently, a public uproar followed and even Sonia Gandhi defended her. Will she come to the rescue of Ashok
Khemka? To control political damage, of which Bhupinder Singh Hooda seems blissfully unaware or unconcerned, she should rein in the over-protective and over-zealous Chief Minister. In Hooda raj administrative wrongdoings or lapses are not uncommon. Patronage has been extended to law-breakers. He had a Home Minister who forced an airhostess to commit suicide, a Sports Minister who has been booked in a case of fake votes, an attempt-to-murder suspect as a member of the Haryana Public Service Commission and some of his party MLAs shown in CDs demanding cash for CLU (change of land use) permissions. An administration that had such worthies in key positions should not be hounding Ashok Khemka even if he has crossed some Lakshman Rekha in his enthusiasm to prevent a loss to the state treasury. Earlier, an IFS officer was targeted. The Chief Minister and his team of loyal bureaucrats mishandled the Vadra issue right from start. A proper inquiry should have been held into all disputed land deals, particularly those of Robert
Vadra. Given Vadra's political connections, there is a public perception that he has been
favoured. An independent inquiry other than that by the babus perceived as interested parties would have been more credible. Since official orders, including the latest charge sheet, have been leaked to the media, Khemka just responded to media queries. Finally, when the aggrieved parties, Vadra and
DLF, have not complained or challenged the Khemka decision in court, why is the government hounding its own officer?
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Thought for the Day
I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member. —Groucho Marx
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Lately thirty-five Hindus were released under the orders of the Chief Justice on the ground that the Dominion Government had exceeded the powers conferred upon them by Parliament. This was good news for the persons immediately concerned, but it suggested a prospective modifications in the letter and spirit of the existing law. Whether this judicial decision and the South African trouble will tend to modify the policy of that Government towards His Majesty's Indian subjects, no one can say at present. But a report has now been received that in consequence of the judicial decisions the Canadian Government intend to introduce next session into Parliament a legislation restricting the immigration of Orientals into British Columbia. The Kahror Begar case
The following press communique has been issued by the Punjab Government: “The case, commonly known as the Multan Begar Case in which certain charges of misconduct were made against Chaudhuri Ghulam Rasul, Deputy Superintendent of Police, and Sub-Inspector Mahomed Sarwar, has recently been under the consideration of Government on the report of the two officers appointed as a Committee of enquiry by Government to enquire in the charges. His Honour the Lieutenant Governor, agreeing with the finding of the Committee, has ordered the dismissal of the Sub-Inspector for fabricating false cases against certain weavers whom he knew to be innocent. Regarding the Deputy Superintendent the Committee found him innocent of the more serious charges but guilty of abetting the subsequent trial of the weavers and they considered that his misconduct was more the result of moral cowardice and inexperience than of positive turpitude. On full consideration of the facts of the case His Honour the Lieutenant Governor has ordered that he be reduced to the lowest grade of Inspectors.”
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A 'feel-good' agreement with China Among
the nine agreements signed by India and China during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's trip to Beijing in October 2013, the most significant one was the Border Defence Cooperation Agreement (BDCA) because of the recent instances of Chinese military assertiveness along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
The agreement commits the two sides to "periodic meetings" of military and civilian officers and to exchange information, including information about military exercises, aircraft movements, demolition operations and unmarked mines. It emphasises the avoidance of border patrols "tailing" each other and recommends that the two sides "may consider" establishing a hot-line between military headquarters in both countries. A close examination of the BDCA reveals that it falls substantially short of removing the anomalies and impracticalities of the previous agreements that have not worked well, including the Agreement on Maintaining Peace and Tranquility Along the Line of Actual Control in the India-China Border Areas, September 7, 1993; the Agreement on Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) in the Military Field Along the Line of Actual Control in the India-China Border Areas, November 29, 1996; the Agreement on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles for the Settlement of the India-China Boundary Question, April 11, 2005; the Protocol on Modalities for the Implementation of Confidence Building Measures in the Military Field Along the Line of Actual Control in India-China Border Areas, April 11, 2005; and, the Agreement on Establishment of a Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs, January 17, 2012. The Line of Actual Control (LAC) between India and Tibet is quite different from the disputed 4,056 km-long international boundary. The term LAC implies de facto military control over respective areas and came into use after the 1962 border war. However, the LAC is yet to be physically demarcated on the ground and delineated on military maps. The un-delineated LAC is a major destabilising factor as major incidents such as the Nathu La clash of 1967 and the Wang Dung stand-off of 1986 can recur. In fact, the two sides have failed to even exchange maps showing their perception of the LAC except in the least contentious central sector, the Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh borders with Tibet. Even though so many agreements had been signed in the past, it has not been possible for India to withdraw a single soldier from the LAC so far despite their lofty rhetoric. It clearly shows how intractable the challenge is. Despite all the previous agreements, there are frequent incidents of Chinese transgression of the LAC both in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh. Both sides habitually send patrols up to the point at whichthe LAC runs in their perception. These patrols leave "tell-tale" signs behind in the form of "burjis" (piles of stones), biscuit and cigarette packets and other similar markers in a sort of primitive ritual to lay stake to territory and assert their claim. While no violent incident has taken place in the recent past, there have been many occasions when Indian and Chinese patrols have met face-to-face. Such meetings have an element of tension built into them and, despite the best of military training, the possibility of an armed clash can never be ruled out. An armed clash that stretches over several days and in which there are heavy casualties can lead to a larger border incident that may not remain localised. While the government invariably advises caution, it is extremely difficult for commanders of troops to advocate a soft line to their subordinates. There is an inherent contradiction in sending soldiers to patrol what they are told and believe are Indian areas and simultaneously telling them that they must not under any circumstances fire on "intruding" or "transgressing" Chinese soldiers. This is the reason why it is operationally critical to demarcate the LAC on the ground and map. Once that is done, the inadequacy of recognisable terrain features can be overcome by exploiting GPS technology to accurately navigate up to the agreed and well-defined LAC on the ground and even unintentional transgressions can be avoided. Chinese intransigence in exchanging maps showing the alignment of the LAC in the western and eastern sectors, while talking of high-sounding guiding principles and parameters to resolve the territorial and boundary dispute, is neither understandable nor condonable. It can only be characterized as an attempt to put off resolution of the dispute "for future generations to resolve", as Deng Xiao Ping had famously told Rajiv Gandhi in 1988. China's obvious negotiating strategy is to resolve the territorial dispute with India when the Chinese are in a much stronger position in terms of comprehensive national strength so that they can dictate terms. Instead of signing a new agreement, efforts should have been made to fine-tune the operationalisation of the Agreement on Establishment of a Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs, signed on January 17, 2012. The agreed measures include regular consultations and flag meetings or telephonic and video conferences during emergencies along the LAC. The mechanism was expected to help prevent misunderstanding between the two countries arising from incursions into each other's territory. The joint mechanism was also expected to study ways to strengthen exchanges and cooperation between military personnel on the ground. None of this has obviously happened as serious Chinese incursions continue and tensions persist, as witnessed by the deep transgression by PLA troops at Depsang new Daulat Beg Oldie in May 2013. The BDCA has failed to address the root cause of most transgressions and patrol face-offs, that is, the non-demarcation of the LAC, which leads to varying perceptions about where it runs. As such, it is an uninspiring agreement that has not brought the two sides any closer to a final settlement of the territorial dispute and has achieved virtually nothing substantive to further even the immediate necessity of improving border management. In short, it is merely yet another "feel good' agreement. The writer is a Delhi-based strategic analyst
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Games the articles play “I am afraid we are not rid of God Though
grammar is integrated in English language teaching, the articles continue to challenge the unsuspecting learner. While students of most Western European languages like French and Greek are familiar with the use of articles, those of Indian languages find the concept alien. Their struggle is evident in the following sentences: The definite article “the” will be appropriate before the word “Tutor” in this situation since Saina has a particular tutor in mind. Instances of dropping articles are common in the speech and texts of many users who can do with further instruction and practice. Simran and his friends are on holiday near the Lake Baikal. Most names of cities, mountains, lakes, etc. do not take any article before them which is also true of names of people and languages. We don’t say “the Ludhiana/ the Mount Kilimanjaro/ the James/ the Urdu” but we do use “the” before the name of a chain of mountains, as in “the Rockies” or before the surname of a couple or a family, as in “the Khannas” and also before names of deserts, rivers, seas and oceans or before a plural name, as in “the USA” and the name of a large area, as in “the Middle East”. British don’t miss the opportunity of talking about their history. When we refer to all the people of a country, “the” before their nationality is an option. So we can say “the Americans” or just “Americans”. But it is a must to use “the” if the nationality word ends in: -sh the British -ss the Swiss -ese the Chinese -ch the French The news reporter provided an important new evidence in the murder mystery. The word “evidence” like “news”, “information” and similar words is an uncountable noun and cannot be preceded by the indefinite article “an/a”. However, these words can be made countable with phrases such as “a piece of” placed before the noun. So we can say “The news reporter provided a piece of important new evidence in the murder mystery”. You need a MA in Economics for a job such as this. The indefinite article “an” needs to replace the indefinite article “a” before “MA” as the first sound of “M” in “MA” is <e> as heard in men. We always use “an” if the first sound of the word under consideration is a vowel. Similarly, when a word is spelt with a vowel letter but its first sound is a consonant, we use “a” before that word and not “an”. For instance, “a union” since the first sound of union is <y+u>. The articles in grammar in their attempt to modify nouns follow many rules, as visible above. But the learners in their attempt to learn them must walk on a slippery path as not all illustrations of articles are rule-bound nor are they founded in the firm soil of social consensus.
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Mindless mishmash Another
mindless entertainer from the stable of Prabhudeva (now Prabhu Dheva)…that is the very best expectation from the choreographer-turned-director who in recent times has become the king of masala films. Alas, even on that count R...Rajkumar falls way short… is more mind-numbing and brain-crunching than anything else. Logic be damned….has been the eternal mantra of formula films that have in recent times once again got a lease of life, thanks to the stupendous success of films like Rowdy Rathore and Chennai Express. Only this one not only defies rationale but also review; is as much a test of one's patience and tolerance as the critical abilities. So here we are suspending all credulity and holding our imagination in the strata of disbelief. And where do we land, in a world where opium grows, is the bone of contention between two warlords (Sonu Sood, and Ashish Vidyarthi) and of a smuggler sitting in faraway lands (Hong Kong in this case). Enter Romeo Rajkumar (Shahid Kapoor), who can dance as well as fight and lives up to his name of Romeo by falling in love at first sight and behaving like a demented man thereafter, freezing at the very sight of his love interest (Sonakshi Sinha). On the other side, lest we forget this is a tale of enmity between two bad guys, the equation changes in favour of Shivraj(Sood) whom our Rajkumar decides to support for reasons best known to him. Before their association can bloom further, Shivraj too decides to fall in love with the same woman. Thereafter its mayhem, as expected…..action, action and more action rules the film's narrative from the beginning till the end. The pause button clearly doesn't exist in Prabhu Dheva's lexicon. Only the assault on senses is not confined to mere fight sequences that are ceaseless in any case with our hero rising from the ashes twice over. But to showcase Shahid's dancing and more pertinently Prabhu's choreography skills we are subjected to songs galore with lyrics that are crass to put it mildly. To add to the misery there is an item song too. And the gandi baat here, besides the awful song, is none of it adds up to anything. Remotely intelligent we don't expect but here there is no fun either. In a film where hero proclaims his undying love, perhaps the sublime emotion has never been treated with more disdain. Sensitivity is alien to the sensibilities of many a masala filmmakers, we know who only respond to the jingle of cash registers. But here you have dialogues, some mouthed by the heroine, that make you cringe. As for the funny part, in the name of humour there is a dig at the size and weight of lead actors. There is repeated reference to Shahid's average built and to Sonkashi's extra kilos. But none of this self-mocking can save the film whose only saving grace, the fast pace, at least in the first half, too can't stop it from sinking into a morass. Nor can fine actors like Vidyarthi or Shahid for that matter. One can't help but wonder aloud —pray what are their compulsions to say yes to such foolishness. Silent ho ja… keeps saying this Rajkumar. Oh, how we wish directors (of the same genre) would pay heed to it. It's about time such films fell silent for this cacophony is certainly going out of bounds. In the name of entertainment, the serving is getting as ludicrous as annoyingly nauseating. Watch it, only if your grey cells have taken a permanent hiatus.
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Welcome to this club! Club 60 is not the sort of film that will have you rolling in the aisles. Neither will it have you running out of tissue. Yet, it is a film that has some genuine humour, and most naturally heart-tugging moments on offer. Debutant director Sanjay Tripathy, who has also written the story-screenplay-dialogue, has been making content for television, most memorable being the science series, Turning Point. With this venture, he arrives on the film scene, with some promise! Club 60 could well be the turning point of his career. An ensemble cast, comprising Farooq Sheikh, Sarika, Raghubir Yadav, Tinnu Anand, Suhasini Mulay, Satish Shah, Sharat Saxena, Harsh Chhaya, Himani Shivpuri, Vineet Kumar, Viju Khote and Zarina Wahab (cameo), playing their ages, rise and shine, in well-defined roles. Farooq is pensive, reflective and grieving for most of the film, while Raghubir is the loud-mouth, over-friendly, chatter-box, marking extremes in characterisation. The others fall somewhere in between.
In a long voice-over that accompanies the titles and opening montage, Farooq tells the audience the reason why he and his wife (Sarika) moved from Pune to Mumbai—the death of their grown-up son and the ensuing acute depression that drove Farooq to try and end his life. They seek escape, but the megapolis fails to provide the antidote to the grieving doctor couple, mainly the father. It takes a neighbour with an incredible zest for life (Raghubir) to convince them to join Club 60, where Farooq meets Raghubir's tennis 'gang', four apparently odd-ball, 60-ish characters, Tinnu, Satish, Sharat and Vineet. Soon, Farooq learns that there is more to life than nursing the wound caused by the death of a loved one. If Farooq is dignified, studied and restrained, Raghubir is the perfect foil, with an over-the- top performance. Long dialogues come naturally and gracefully to Sarika, who is enjoying her third run in filmdom. All the 'gang' members come across as slices of life. Ankit Batala has only one scene, as the lead couple's son, and the other notable young actor, a hooker, is played slickly by Mona Wasu. Sanjay Tripathy is guilty of using co-incidence and repetition a couple of times each, the dialogue is, on occasion, a literal translation of English proverbs into Urdu. But you forgive him these indulgences and shortcomings, since, in totality, the film overflows with sincerity. |
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Deceptive game The
Hunger Games is taken forward with a revolution brewing in the background. Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta Mallark (Josh Hutcherson) take a 'victor's tour' of the districts. President Snow (Donald Sutherland) plots their downfall. No prizes for guessing that it's yet another tourney designed to eliminate the popular victors and quell the rebellion.
Betrayal is the key here while subversion holds centrestage. The plot picks up from where the first movie left and ends in a climax that is nowhere close to satisfying. The nearly two-and-a-half hour runtime has two distinct halves. The first has Katniss and Peeta's survival strategies while the second confines itself to the games. A mock tropical jungle forms the backdrop for the Olympian death-match, which surprises with elemental hurdles like toxic mist, rabid baboons and a downpour of blood. Since the whole concept is set in non-specific geographic locations and showcases challenges that appear wildly improbable, there is always a disconnect while viewing. The performances are all quite praiseworthy, with each stellar performer lending style, substance and wit to characters that initially appear like gruesome creations of a warped mind. |
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Life of Pi is an American-Canadian-Indian-British 3D live-action and computer-animated adventure drama film based on Yann Martel's 2001 novel of the same name. Directed by Ang Lee, the film's adapted screenplay was written by David Magee, and it stars Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan, Rafe Spall, Gérard Depardieu, Tabu, and Adil Hussain. ZEE CINEMA 8:37AM Jaadugar 11:59AM Hum Hain Kamaal Ke 2:22PM Agneepath 5:49PM Mera Krodh 9:00PM Himmatwala STAR MOVIES 9:52AM The Darkest Hour 11:39AM The Avengers (2012) 4:37PM Life of Pi 7:09PM Aladdin 9:00PM Death Race 3: Inferno MOVIES NOW 9:10AM Jumper 11:00AM Unstoppable 6:10PM The Island 9:00PM Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer 10:55PM X-Men: The Last Stand MOVIES OK 9:40AM Masti 12:30PM Hero No. 1 5:25PM Kurukshetra 8:00PM Mai Insaaf Karoonga 10:45PM Judwaa No.1 ZEE CLASSIC 9:50AM Gopal Krishna 12:43PM Kalicharan 7:00PM Mera Naam Joker 10:32PM Ankhen FILMY 9:00AM Vaastu Shastra 11:30AM Infomercial 12:00PM Abhimaan 3:00PM Mohabbat 6:00PM Bandit Queen 9:00PM Gair ZEE ACTION 7:00AM Dada No. 1 10:30AM The Smart Hunt 1:30PM Shapath 5:30PM Police Aur Mujrim 8:30PM Gaddaar Namastey London is a 2007 Bollywood film. The romantic comedy film is directed by Vipul Amrutlal Shah and stars Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif. It also stars Rishi Kapoor, Upen Patel and Clive Standen in supporting roles. Riteish Deshmukh has a cameo role in the film. ZEE CINEMA 8:15AM Dashavtar 11:27AM Bhai 2:22PM Aitraaz 5:29PM Hum Saath Saath Hain 9:00PM Ramaiya Vastavaiya MOVIES OK 8:45AM Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara 11:55AM Yeh Hai Jalwa 2:15PM Deewar: Man of Power 4:35PM Don 8:00PM Jeene Nahi Doonga 10:55PM Johnny Gaddaar ZEE STUDIO 8:00AM The Stepfather 10:00AM Miami Vice 12:30PM TV Products 1:00PM The Help 4:00PM The Frighteners 6:10PM Fright Night 8:10PM Goal II: Living the Dream 10:30PM The Help INDIA TALKIES 9:30AM Khuda Gawah 1:00PM Namastey London 4:30PM Chalo Dilli 8:00PM Main Hoon Na STAR GOLD 10:00AM Chain Kulii Ki Main Kulii 12:00PM Son of Sardaar 3:00PM Barood: Man on a Mission 5:15PM Akhiyon Se Goli Maare 8:00PM Mar Mitenge (2012) 10:50PM Bodyguard ZEE CLASSIC 9:18AM Brahmachari 12:36PM Karz 3:43PM Charas
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“Tutor was good at making simple things difficult,” said Saina.
Saturday
Sunday December 8