Miss India - 2009 (...three cheers for the girl child)!

A truly inspiring and touching story ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

A mother's struggles in life finally pay off!
This is a reflection on the kind of life some women in India have to endure just because they gave birth to a girl child;
And see what one such mother has achieved today…..

A touching story indeed.....

Story from

Neera Chopra lived through abuse, poverty and some tough choices to make her once-unwanted girl child, Pooja Chopra, the Pantaloons Femina Miss India.

"I don’t know where to begin... they were terrible times. My husband was well-placed, but the marriage had begun to sink almost as soon as it began. Like most women do, I tried to work against all the odds .

My in-laws insisted everything would be alright if I had a son. My first child was a daughter, and that didn’t do me any good... but I couldn’t walk out. I had lost my father, my brother was in a not-so-senior position in Bata. I didn’t want to be a burden on my family and continued to live in my marital home in Kolkata.

I looked after my mother-inlaw, who was suffering from cancer, and while bathing her, I would tell myself she would bless me and put things right.

I don’t know how I tolerated it all. The least a man can do, if he must philander, is to not flaunt his women in his wife’s face. Then began the manhandling. I still wanted my marriage to survive. I was a pure vegetarian and learnt to cook non-vegetarian delicacies thinking it would please him.

Then, I was pregnant again. When Pooja was eight months in my womb, my husband brought a girl to the house and announced he would marry her. I thought of killing myself. I hung on the slight hope that if the baby was a boy, my marriage could be saved.

When Pooja was born a girl, for three days, nobody came to the hospital. There was a squadron leader’s wife on the opposite bed, who was kind enough to give me baby clothes for Pooja to wear. When she was 20 days old, I had to make a choice. I left the house with my girls ‘ Pooja and Shubra, who was seven then. I haven’t seen my husband since. I promised myself, even if we had just one roti, we would share it, but together.

I began life in Mumbai with the support of my mother, brother, who was by then married. It wasn’t the ideal situation, especially when he had children ‘ space, money, everything was short. I began work at the Taj Colaba and got my own place. How did I manage’ Truth be told, I would put a chatai on the floor, leave two glasses of milk and some food, and bolt the door from outside before going to work. I would leave the key with the neighbours and tell the kids to shout out to them when it was time to leave for school.

Their tiny hands would do homework on their own, feed themselves on days that I worked late. My elder daughter Shubhra would make Pooja do her corrections. .. This is how they grew up. At a birthday party, Pooja would not eat her piece of cake, but pack it and bring it home to share with her sister. When Shubhra started working, she would skip lunch and pack a chicken sandwich that she would slip in her sister’s lunchbox the next day.

I used to pray, ‘God, punish me for my karma, but not my innocent little kids. Please let me provide them the basics.’ I used to struggle for shoes, socks, uniforms. I was living in Bangur Nagar, Goregaon. Pooja would walk four bus stops down to the St Thomas Academy. Then, too little to cross the road, she would ask a passerby to help her. I had to save the bus money to be able to put some milk in their bodies.

Life began to change when I got a job for Rs 6,000 at the then Goa Penta. Mr Chhabra, the owner, and his wife, were kind enough to provide a loan for me. I sent my daughters to my sister’s house in Pune, with my mother as support. I spent four years working in Goa while I saved to buy a small one-bedroom house in Pune (where the family still lives). I would work 16-18 hours a day, not even taking weekly offs to accumulate leave and visit my daughters three or four times a year.

Once I bought my house and found a job in Pune, life began to settle. I worked in Hotel Blue Diamond for a year and then finally joined Mainland China ‘ which changed my life. The consideration of the team and management brought me the stability to bring them up, despite late hours and the travelling a hotelier must do.

Shubhra got a job in Hotel Blue Diamond, being the youngest employee there while still in college, and managed to finish her Masters in commerce and her BBM. Today, she is married to a sweet Catholic boy who is in the Merchant Navy and has a sweet daughter.

I continue to finish my day job and come home and take tuitions, as I have done for all these years. I also do all my household chores myself.

Through the years, Shubhra has been my anchor and Pooja, the rock. Pooja’s tiny hands have wiped away my tears when I broke down. She has stood up for me, when I couldn’t speak for myself. Academically brilliant, she participated in all extra-curricular activities. When she needed high heels to model in, she did odd shows and bought them for herself.

When I saw Pooja give her speech on TV, I knew it came from her heart. I could see the twinkle in her eye. And I thought to myself as she won ‘My God, this is my little girl.’ God was trying to tell me something.

Today, I’ve no regrets. I believe every cloud has a silver lining. As a mother, I’ve done nothing great.

‘I won due to my mother’s karma’

Pantaloons Femina Miss India Pooja Chopra’s mother promised ‘One day, this girl will make me proud’.

Pooja speaks on fulfilling that promise: When I was 20 days old, my mother was asked to make a choice. It was either me ‘a girl child, or her husband’ -… She chose me. As she walked out she turned around and told her husband, ‘One day, this girl will make me proud’. That day has come. Her husband went on to marry a woman who gave him two sons. Today, as I stand here a Miss India, I don’t even know if my father knows that it is me, his daughter, who has set out to conquer the world, a crown on my head. Our lives have not been easy, least so for my mother. Financially, emotionally, she struggled to stay afloat, to keep her job and yet allow us to be the best that we could be. I was given only one condition when I started modeling ‘my grades wouldn’t drop’.

All the girls in the pageant worked hard, but my edge was my mother’s sacrifice, her karma. Today, when people call to congratulate me, it’s not me they pay tribute to, but to her life and her struggle. She’s the true Woman of Substance. She is my light, my mentor, my driving force. My win was merely God’s way of compensating her!

----sent in by Dr M.C.J.Pereira: Muscat: 26 June 2009

Lessons from the 15th Lok Sabha elections

Retired Justice David Annoussamy shared with me his analysis of the last elections to the 15th Lok Sabha:

Lessons from the 15th Lok Sabha elections

Money for votes
Though there was tangible progress in many respects in the electoral process, distribution of money to voters continued unabated. Candidates were alert enough to take care of inflation and increased the rate accordingly. In order to curtail that disparaging practice, it is necessary to analyse its causes and effects.
It is estimated that 60% of candidates’ expenses go to the distribution of money. Of course this item of expenditure is not entered in the accounts submitted by the candidate to the Election Commission. Losing candidates do not challenge the result on this count, because in such an action they cannot ask for being declared themselves elected, since they are guilty of the same malpractice. Its degrading effect is far from being realised by citizens. Even middle class people receive money without compunction and even claim it if there is omission. Why to refuse money when it comes by itself to the doorstep, is their motto?
A few who happen to have some scruple justify their conduct saying that, after all, the candidate has got that money not by hard work but through illicit means. As far as the candidate is concerned, he who aspires to lead the country does not feel sorry for resorting to this shameful practice. He rather thinks that he is relieved from his obligation towards the elector who has accepted the price for his vote.
Thus democracy is killed in the cradle. Each candidate knows pretty well that the money distributed will not necessarily result in a vote in his favour. However if opts singly to give up the practice he is sure of losing the election. So candidates have landed in an awkward situation from which it is not possible for them to wriggle out by themselves. Money distribution is a cancerous growth in the election process, which requires a surgical solution.
In fact, candidates selected by big parties do not mind distributing money. From the returns in the nomination forms, millionaires are aplenty in the House; they have been given ticket by their party on the basis of their fortune. Thus Parliament attracts more and more business minded people.
So there is no lack of management talent. But there are less and less professors, lawyers, human rights activists, social workers and likeminded groups who would be able to infuse a sense of human values in the debates and trigger interest in long term measures.
So distribution of money has the unexpected deleterious consequence of bringing down the quality of the performance of the House. With this malpractice well anchored, candidates have come to consider the election process as an investment opportunity meant to give handsome returns. Thus corruption germinates at the very inception of the scheme of governance. It would be difficult to keep it under check when it blossoms in daily government transactions. So it is highly imperative to eliminate money distribution, if the country is to be free from the evil of corruption. With the use of the media, citizens should be awakened and made to realise that the dole they receive is not worth surrendering their right to monitor the action of their representatives and that a better management of public affairs will yield better returns for them.
The effect of this civic education will necessarily be slow; it is however worth to be undertaken; it will back up the stern steps the Election Commission, which is wedded to cleanse the election process, may take. Parties may be asked to put in the top of their manifesto something like” This party will not distribute money to the electors”. The nomination form may contain an affidavit by the candidate that he will not directly or indirectly distribute money to voters. Candidates may be made aware that detection of a single case will entail immediate disqualification. It may also be made clear that even after proclamation of results, if a report is received and if the enquiry after due notice proves a single case of recourse to this malpractice, the elected candidate may be disqualified. The task of the Election Commission would be made easy and fully efficient if we give up our first-past-the post system of election. That system is indeed feeding this corrupt practice. In a system of proportional representation there will not be so much of inclination to distribute money, because the candidate will not benefit directly and necessarily by the same.

Representativeness of the 15 th Lok Sabha
Much has been said about the outcome of the last elections. Most of the comments have taken as their basis the number of seats secured by the parties. In the present electoral system that is only an epiphenomenon. It is relevant only to determine the majority in the House. What gives the exact picture of the political landscape is the percentage of votes secured by parties. The figures appearing in the following table are quite eloquent in that respect.

Parties	Number of seats secured	Percentage of seats secured	Percentage of votes obtained	No of seats proportional to votes
Congress	206	37,93	28,52	155
BJP	116	21,36	18,83	102
Other parties	221	40,69	52,65	286

The two big parties have secured more seats than the votes obtained by them would warrant, to the detriment of “Other parties”. Such is the mischievous effect of our rudimentary electoral system. If the ”Other parties” which have obtained more votes than the Congress and the BJP put together had formed a united front they would have secured enough seats to form the government. As they failed to do so, the Congress has formed quite easily the government on the foot of the seats secured by it and its allies, with the help of other parties which lent support. But that government is rather fragile; allied and supporting parties may severe ties at any time, if that suits their interest.
Comparing the percentages of votes obtained and of the seats secured by the “Other parties” one may realise that the Parliament is deprived of the benefit of the opinion of 12% of the population. So a decision adopted by the majority of the Parliament and the government issued therefrom is deemed to have got only the backing of 44% de la population. If it is not accepted by the rest of the population, the government will encounter difficulties in implementing its decisions. Strikes and acts of revolts will hinder its action; several of its policy decisions except those granting sops may remain a dead letter. The inefficacy of government is inherent in the present electoral system. The future of the country is thereby jeopardized.
One argument in favour of the first-past-the post system is that it creates a personal link between the candidate and the electors. Such a link is conspicuously absent in Lok Sabha elections. That is indeed impracticable since the number of voters in each constituency is of the range of 13 crores. So votes are practically for the party like in the proportional system. Only the value given to votes is twisted in the present system; thus 12% of the population remains unrepresented and that much of the rest of the population is overrepresented.
Another argument in favour of the present system is that it is conducive to the emergence of the majority. That is possible in a country with a two party tradition. In India the results of the Lok Sabha elections in the course of the last twenty years go to show that the present system is unable to yield invariably a majority. On the eve of each election the apprehension of a hung assembly is expressed by the Press. Governance has been possible only with coalitions, for which the present system is not necessary.
Thus the present system which offers only its disadvantages without any of its selling points in the Lok Sabha elections deserves to be replaced by the proportional representation. Money will have less play; the campaign will be less tense; the electoral period may be considerably reduced; the vote will be more on issues than on persons; each party will get representation in conformity to votes obtained by it; the campaign will provide more opportunity to the political class and the electorate to think on political options on major problems.
More than all that, the proportional system will provide to all shades of public opinion an opportunity of expression inside the Parliament and be thus conducive to more inclusive solutions acceptable to a large chunk of the population. There will be less room for vociferations and troubles in the street. Parties at the crossroads When we purport to assess the strength of parties the first idea which occurs to the mind is to compare their performance with that in the previous election in terms of votes secured. That is shown in the following table:

Parties	2004	2009	Difference
Congress	24.42	28.52	+4.1
BJP	22.29	18.83	-3.46
Other parties	53.29	52.65	-0.64

The « Other parties » get a slightly lower share of votes; they have however obtained more votes than the two big parties put together, like in the last elections. The decline of BJP is noticeable. The Congress has benefitted from the loss of both the other contenders. In order to ascertain the real import of these variations it is necessary to proceed to a State level analysis. Congress registered loss to the extent of 7,6% in Orissa and 6,3% in Himachal Pradesh. It could make up these and minor losses in other States and emerge globally with flying colours on account of substantial gains in some other States. It gained as much as 11% in Punjab, 8% in Kerala, and about 6% in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh. The BJP on its side gained 5,3% in Himachal Pradesh and 4,9% in Karnataka; it registered big losses in Rajasthan(12, 4%), Uttarkhand (7%), Assam(6,7%) Delhi and Jarkhand (5,5%) Haryana(5,1%)and minor losses in all other States. So both parties had gains and losses. The loss of one of these parties did not result necessarily in gain for the other. Some regional parties had also their share of loss and gain. When the big losses and gains are probed it appears that they are mainly due to local and accidental factors which will not occur again. When the result of those factors is removed it remains that the Congress has improved its performance across the country, though not to the extent appearing in the table of global results. The systematic studies on the determinants of this outcome have revealed three important causes. The first cause is the proneness of the electorate to restore the existing government which has acquired a sort of legitimacy and to avoid the risk of change unless the incumbent has proved unworthy. The second cause consists of the popularity gained by the outgoing government thanks to the substantial rise of salaries and pensions of government servants, to some social measures in favour of poor classes, to a feeling of rise of standard of living by the middle class on account of economic growth and also to the personality of Man Mohan Singh. The third cause of preference deserves to hold the attention. Some partisans of BJP declared themselves favourable to the Congress at the helm of affairs at the level of the Union. The ability of a segment of the electorate to spot one party which is good for the State and another one which is preferable for Union affairs discloses high level of political maturity. The emergence of this subtle behaviour is perhaps due to the higher percentage of literate people in the electorate and the new delimitation of constituencies on the basis of 2001 census which gave the urban population its due weight. The role of these two factors is going to increase in the subsequent elections. What lessons could the parties draw from the increasing perspicacity of the electorate? The Congress which obtained only 28,52% of votes, if it wants to regain its importance of yester years, has to offer long term solutions to the fundamental problems facing the country, which it has been evading all along. If it rests content with just administering the country with a paternalist outlook, it will put itself again in the rear gear. The BJP got a comfortable majority at a time when people were fed up with Congress administration. If it wants to become a nationalist party capable to offer an alternative to the Congress, it will have to shed unequivocally its religious garb and opt for a cultural complexion. Then, minor parties will not hesitate to ally with it since by so doing they will not be mortgaging their secular character. The “Other parties” which obtained 52, 65% of votes constitute a far more important group but an heterogeneous one. There is no likelihood of all of them emerging as a single block. But a large chunk may still find a common programme worth working for and an undisputed leader symbolising that ideal. If this does not materialise, they are doomed to remain in the opposition for ever or to seek a small space under the aegis of a big party in order to get a bit of power, without being able to ever achieve the purpose of their coming into existence. The election campaign One of the indicators of the democratic level of a country is the content of its electoral campaign. In the campaign during the past elections there were one unwarranted thing occupying much space and one important thing missing. The first item consists of personal attacks on candidates or the party leaders. Even top leaders indulged in uttering niceties against their opponents. This brings honour neither to the country nor to them. What was missing was the reference to fundamental problems facing the country and having a bearing on the future of the country, namely the Kashmir problem; corruption in all ranks of the government apparatus; the distorted distribution of powers between the Union and the States; the inadequate sharing of the revenue between the Union and the States; the rapid growth of population in the northern part of India ; the large scale illiteracy prevailing there; the pitiable level of research and higher education ; the crying need of electoral reforms ; the assessment and eventual reorientation of the reservation policy; the preventive detention by administrative orders covering up the inefficacy of the criminal justice administration etc... Some of these items are taboos; no party wants to raise them lest they should lose votes. Regarding some others, the political class has no long term vision to realise their importance and to ponder over them. There is an evident dearth of thought among the parties except in respect of ways and means to seize power and keep it. If any of those fundamental points happen to be raised by some quarters, the party in power appoints a commission to go into the problem; its recommendations lie dormant. If at all any portion thereof is implemented, that is on account of the personal preference of some leaders, without any public debate and people’s mandate. There is complete abdication of the political class on those fundamental problems. What is more surprising is the paucity of contribution by the political science departments of Universities Their task is to generate fresh ideas, to trigger debates in the Press and induce the political class to cogitate on those points in order to ultimately express their conclusions in the electoral campaign and get a public mandate. Let us turn now to the actual content of the last campaign. It covered two kinds of items. One consisted of matters of daily concern to people, like water, food, medical care, electricity, access routes, housing, employment, etc... Much insistence was made on these items and rightly so. But since almost all parties have made similar promises the vote will depend on the confidence they inspire by their past performances. Promises on these items should not be made light-heartedly because failures will appear glaringly. The second kind of items in the campaign consisted of some matters of general importance other than the fundamental problems listed above. Parties have listed them in their manifestoes. Though there was a great amount of similarity between them, there was sufficient difference to distinguish the policy orientation of the respective parties. Unfortunately manifestoes are gone through only by a fringe of the population. Parties did not bother to elaborate on those items in their oral campaign either in meetings or through media, presuming perhaps that they may not appeal to the average citizen. Political minds failed to realise that elections are the best occasion for a dialogue between the electors and their representatives. They are of course right in listening to the electors on their felt needs. At the same time they have the obligation to enlighten the people on the problems of general importance confronting the country, which otherwise will not be perceived by the people. A large section of the electorate is now ripe to listen to such discourse. The campaign has to become a two-way traffic. That will enable the candidates to get a clearer and richer idea on the problems in hand and also prepare people to accept policies which would require some sacrifices from them in the immediate future. This mode of policy making is possible now with the political awakening of the people.
....sent by Justice (Retd) David Annoussamy of Pondicherry: 25 June 2009

Branding India - with our golden deposits...

Attended last evening the book launch by Montek Singh Ahluwalia at Taj Mansingh - 0f Amitab Kant's book: Branding India: An Incredible Story - with Union Minister of State for Tourism, Selja, in the chair. Others on the dais were PM's Principal Secretary TKA Nair, Amit Agarwal of Harper Collins, and Arjun Sharma of WTTC. A very high profile event, with Amitab giving a synopsis of his Incredible Story on a Power Point Presentation - which itself was incredible. Not only has he been part of India's effort to boost Tourism in an effort to tap the huge potential, he has also been able to put all that story together in his book which in itself by no small a measure is a stupendous achievement.

Apart from every one of the Tourism industry - the types of erstwhile royalties of Rajastan like Gaj Singh of Jodhpur... to hoteliers, big-travel-honchos, to publishers of travel magazines, seniour bureaucrats and industrialists, the world and everyone you can think of... were there present - the glitterati, the culturati, the diplo-mightee, the artee-fartee and the partee-coterie, as well as the socialitee... it was an occasion for such like me to meet friends and for many others more adept at such - to brush shoulders with those they normally do not get a chance to brush shoulders with.

Talking of tourism, yes... India has made some progress in the past decade and more... But there are miles to go. I would assess what's achieved hitherto as just a drop in the ocean as compared to what could be and needs to be achieved.

Amitab has rightly listed high among priorities in the lists of concerns... "sanitation and cleanliness". Very pertinent. Why can't there be a national movement on this. To an extent there are examples how this has been done in this very country - in the aftermath of the early nineties plague, one Deputy Commissioner in Surat showed how his city could be cleaned. Why can't all our media put its act together to have a national crusade to educate our population on hygine and sanitation. Why is it that after 60+ years of Independence the whole of India is still one big open toilet? How is it that the country cannot stop defecating in the open? Is it because we love to expose our bottoms to every foreigner's camera and revel in presenting them with the golden deposits from our bottoms we leave behind in the open to fill the environment with highly welcoming(?) aromas and perfumery of an Indian brand? Branding India indeed!

Why is it that we have dead bodies rotting in the open polluting the holiest of our so called holy rivers? How is it that the entry point to every city in the country is so very un-welcoming with encroachments, unauthorised parking, congestion, stagnat waters, garbage and filth. Why the same scenario at every touristy or heritage site that makes it abhorring for any tourist to visit?

This, and this alone, is the prime priority. Unless and until we learn to discipline ourselves as regards these basics, branding India will just be as unwelcome and scorching as the branding by a burning red hot iron rod...

On a personal note, while not attempting to take the shine off Amitab's glory by any measure, I need to record here of the time around the mid/late-90s when I myself published articles in the Indian Express and elsewhere titled "Incredible India" and "The Wonder That Was India" which were pieces that put together some less known facts about the 'firsts' India had across the millennia of world/ and human history... What tremendous satisfaction for me then, to see the Incredible India campaign spear-headed by Amitab and his colleagues in the Tourism Ministries take off in the manner it has - so beautifully, ....to make such an impact world wide!

(For those interested in my said writings, some of these articles are still floating around in cyberspace on the internet - as also in the archives of my these very blogs - if one takes pains to dig herein deep enough....)

vis a vis: Liveable parameters - Gurgaon

John F Williams, a resident of Palam Vihar/ Gurgaon made an assessment as regards Gurgaon along 42 broad parameters for the best livable cities - and came up with the following findings:

i) Quality and quantum of water supply: Least

ii) Supply of Power/Gas for domestic and other uses: N/A

iii) Roads and Traffic management, Parking facilities, signage quality: Negligible

iv) Cycle tracks for the residents: Nil

v) Car pool: Nil

vi) Building codes and zoning laws: Not implemented

vii) Quality and sufficiency of local affordable timely Transport, walkways and escalators etc: Hardly

viii) National and International accessibility: Negligible

ix) Sanitation: Very -negligible

x) How much the city can save the scarce rain water through water harvesting techniques and storm water drains: Hardly

xi) Efficiency of solid waste management and scientific land refill: Nil

xii) The quality, vision and efficiency of Planning and Execution systems: Very negligible

xiii) Degree of Pollution and scientific arrangements for controlling the same: Very negligible

xiv) Street lighting and use of solar batteries/power saving devices: Nil

xv) Pedestrian safe passages/foot paths/walking trails: Nil

xvi) Kind of commercial activities in residential colonies: No check -in plenty

xvii) Security of residents/senior citizens/ women and efficiency of Neighbourhood Watch: Hardly

xviii) Arrangements for fire fighting: Very-negligible

xix) Quality and sufficiency of infrastructure and ratio of infrastructure to population: Hardly

xx) Management of floating population: No check

xxi) Capacity of the local government to run and maintain the township/city efficiently: Inefficient

xxii) Arrangement for land use and mechanism for avoidance of encroachment: No control

xxiii) Education – that no child till the age of 12 years goes beyond two kilometres for primary education by providing high quality primary education through local governments: Only on paper.

xxiv) Provision and adequacy of crèches: Only on paper

xxv) No patient goes beyond two kilometres for initial medical problem/check up by providing high quality primary medical facilities through local governments and beyond two kilometres on the specific recommendations of the qualified and registered doctor: No

xxvi) How the local government looks after the handicapped, poor and senior citizens: Hardly

xxvii) Quality of community life and the positive role of local government to ensure harmony amongst the residents: Hardly

xxviii) Vigilant citizens and their involvement in the local government affairs: Nil

xxix) Scope for the students to earn and study for higher education: Negligible

xxx) Greenery and plantation: Poor

xxxi) Quality of food management in public places: Very un-hygienic

xxxii) Dustbins in public places: Nil

xxxiii) Provision and Cleanliness of toilets in public places: Very poor

xxxiv) E-waste management: Nil

xxxv) Management of Social issues relating to beggars, abuse of children, crime etc: No

xxxvi) Stray dogs/cattle management: No check

xxxvii) Old age homes and their management: Very negligible

xxxviii) Control of noise pollution: No

xxxix) Children play grounds and quality of facilities for sportsmen for all recognised sports in the world: Below standard

xl) Social ethics and community life and living conditions for weaker section of society: Nil

xli) Cultural and other entertainment facilities and their adequacy: Hardly

xlii) e-governance: Nil

H1N1 precautions....

It is important to take precautions..
Be careful... and take care....

Fallen Fiction - The Truth About Angels & Demons

Angels and Demons

Lighthouse Catholic Media presents: Fallen Fiction - The Truth About Angels & Demons
http://www.lighthousecatholicmedia.com/lighthouse/angels_and_demons.php

The movie, Angels & Demons was released to 3,500 theaters around the country on May 15 and now has grossed over $356 million.

So what’s the problem?

While being hailed as a masterful work of cinema, Angels & Demons grossly mischaracterizes the Catholic Church. This movie assaults the faith of millions and may damage the faith of those who know little about Catholic teaching and the Church's influence on Western history.

Wrapped in an exciting story of mystery and intrigue, Angels & Demons clearly seems to have an anti-Catholic agenda, that of portraying the Church to be a murderous institution bent on eliminating those who would foster scientific progress.

Lighthouse Catholic Media has teamed up with Matthew Arnold to set the record straight in a FREE DOWNLOAD audio presentation, Fallen Fiction - The Truth About Angels & Demons, for you, no strings attached.

Fallen Fiction - The Truth About Angels & Demons is a fantastic resource containing questions and answers that dispel the misguided claims made in the movie’s story.

Please forward this email to your friends and family. Let's set the record straight. It's up to all of us.

Your Friends in Christ,
Lighthouse Catholic Media (a Not-For-Profit Corporation)

....sent in by Ronnie D'Souza: Bangalore/ India: 19 June 2009

Remembering All Fathers on Father's Day: Sunday, June 21, 2009

Father's Day this year 2009, falls on Sunday, June 21.
A day when millions of dads across the world will break into a smile and bask in the happy remembrances ensured by their off-springs.

Psychologists credit fathers for their genuine smiles on this day, and say that even though dads get less attention on Father's Day than moms do on Mother's Day, dads are more likely to be satisfied on their special date.

Mainly a US phenomenon, it is claimed the history of Father's Day dates back to 1909, in Spokane, Washington; when Sonora Smart Dodd listening to a Mother's Day sermon at the Central Methodist Episcopal Church was inspired to have a special day dedicated to her father, William Jackson Smart, who had brought her up and her siblings, single-handedly, after their mother died.

She realized her father's contribution and greatness and wanted to let him know how deeply she was touched by his sacrifices, courage, selflessness and love. To pay a tribute to her great dad, Sonora held the first Father's Day celebration on 19th of June 1910, on the birthday of her father - and so became the first to solicit the idea of having an official Father's Day observance. Unlike Mother's Day, which was readily accepted, Father's Day was apparently received with mockery and hilarity. Though the day was gaining attention, it was mostly for the wrong reasons. Jokes, satire, parody and derision were all that the day was commemorated for.

In 1913, a bill in accordance with making the day official was introduced. The idea was approved by US President Woodrow Wilson in 1916. Later, in 1924, the idea gained further momentum as it was supported by President Calvin Coolidge. In 1926, a National Father's Day Committee was formed in New York City. However, it was thirty years later that a Joint Resolution of Congress gave recognition to Father's Day.

Another 16 years passed (sixty-two years after it was originally proposed) before President Richard Nixon established the third Sunday of June, as a permanent national observance day of Father's Day in 1972.

Historians seeking an ancient precedent for an official Father’s Day observance have come up with only one: The Romans, every February, honored fathers - but only those deceased.

The day was primarily nationalized in the honor of all good fathers, who contribute as much to the family as a mother, in their own ways. Another theory states that even before Dodd came into the picture, Dr. Robert Webb of West Virginia is believed to have conducted the first Father's Day service in 1908 at the Central Church of Fairmont. However, it was the colossal efforts of Dodd, which made it possible for the day to acquire national recognition. The white and red rose was made the official flowers for Father's Day celebration. While the white rose commemorated gratitude for a father, who was deceased, a red rose expressed thankfulness to one, who was living.

So on this Father's Day, a short note to let all you Fathers there... know that you are fondly remembered on the special day dedicated to you.
As a father you have given the best to your children inculcating true values in them. May you receive the very best from your children.
The best gift one can have is to be loved and you are indeed loved not only by your children and family members but by all you come in contact with. You are gifted.
I wish all you fathers the very best on this day and may you be blessed immensely.
Have a wonderful Father's Day on June 21st.

UP police eliminate dacoit Ganshyam @ Naan Kewat

Was on a debate last night on Times-Now (9.30pm) on dacoit Ganshyam @ Naan Kewat killed in encounter by UP Cops at Jamouli village in Chitrakoot.... It took three days for 400 cops to finally gun him down.... but not before four cops got killed and an IG and a DIG were injured in the encounter shootouts....

The TV channel true to its usual form (like in matters cricket) was shrill enough to wake the devil from his slumber - but its main thrust was the inadequacy and unpreparedness of the police to meet the criminal challenges that confront them every day. "What if it were a terrorist instead of dacoit Ganshyam that was holding us to ransom...?" yelled Arnab the righteous anchor at my co-panellist BP Shinghal (former DG Police of UP Cadre and later BJP MP and high profile minorities bashing politician... whom some might dub quite rabid any way!).

Surprisingly for Shinghal the First World War vintage .303s and the country .12 bore shotguns and close combat arms like pistols and revolvers were more effective weapons to fight dacoits, than the sophisticated AK-47/56 or other modern gadgetry. Even boasted having eliminated hundreds of dacoits with such - seven of them with his own pistol, he claimed! I wondered how the UP police used .12bores when such were not standard issue for the police; did it mean the UP police are comfortable using private non-issue weapons for their job? The man needs to wake up and not bask in the era when UP police were famous for harnessing gallantry awards for eliminating so called dacoits after pumping bullets into them when tied to a tree; at least that's what every big name dacoit that surrendered to Delhi police gave us to understand in the times when I joined service (1970) "for fear of being eliminated not captured by the UP police in a fake encounter"

In times of an encounter and situations that warrant an encounter, I would not differentiate a terrorist from a dacoit - both in so far as the police are concerned are outlaws who need to be touched by the long arm of the law. Antiquated and obsolete weapons need replacement, and the earlier the governments move in the matter the better. But then all this revolves round the much cried for and touted in recent times Police Reforms that are a far cry from reality.... In encounters, capture should be the rule, and killing only exceptional...

400 cops whatever.... my congratulations to Bikram Singh and his boys of the UP cops for the successful elimination of Ganshyam... sincere condolences to the families of the cops who lost their lives, and wishes for speedy recovery to those injured in the fray...

Comments
responses came mainly on my Facebook page....

Veeresh Malik at 18:44 on 18 June
. . . and lots of bullets as well as a few weapons go adrift?

Teji Brar at 19:15 on 18 June
At least they didn't have to call in the NSG

Ayonam Ray at 23:23 on 18 June
Was it due to lack of training or lack of requisite equipment - or was it the politicians interfering, lest the skeletons of their past tumble out of Kewat's mouth?

On Cyclone Aila

from Media Alerts sent by those concerned.... (http://www.aidindia.org)

On May 25th, the cyclone Aila hit the coasts of West Bengal. It left 300 people dead and millions displaced. There is an acute shortage of food and drinking water, and an outbreak of gastro-intestinal diseases like diarrhea and dysentery. Many people are living in temporary straw sheds on the road because they cannot get space for their cattle at the rescue centers. There is an urgent and immediate need for relief work.

However , it is unfortunate to see the media’s apathy towards the victims of the cyclone in the Sunderban area. In spite of millions losing all that they owned, their plight has largely been kept away from the public eye. This has caused a major tendency among the people to undermine the various fundraising efforts in various parts of the world. The media needs to understand their responsibility to play a constructive role in bringing to light the tremendous scope of a disaster. It also needs to censure the abject politics that is being played out by the various political organisations. This is to appeal to the media to realise this and sensitise people about the relief and rehabilitation efforts that are needed in the area.

We sincerely urge you to take this matter seriously – the media is a valuable tool with the power to make a considerable difference. Please contact us if you are interested in pursuing this story. You can visit the following site for more information on the ongoing disaster: http://www.aidindia.org

Inter-faith Dialogue in Mumbai – June 12 & 13

I post here three write-ups on the Inter-faith Dialogue between Hindu and Catholic leaders held in Mumbai on June 12 & 13

i) A report by Babu Thomas in the “The Christian Post” datelined Sunday, 14 June 2009: “Hindus and Catholics Inter-faith Dialogue in Mumbai Amidst Anti-Christian Violence”

ii) Journalist & Communications Professional Alwyn Fernandes’ article dated 15 June 2009: “Was it an inter-faith dialogue or a confrontation?” – sent to me on email by Ruth D’Souza:

iii) A Report by Radha Rajan on the same event from the June 28 Issue of the “Organizer”: sent to me on email from Paris by Rev Balthazar Castelino: the Superior Generale of the MEP (Mission Estrangers de Paris)

There are some critical issues raised in these write-up that need attention

(Also, the views expressed herein are solely those of the individual authors concernned - posted here only for purposes of generating debate and discussion with a view to arrive some level of understanding between the two communities for mutual respect and learning to live with one another in the community...)

i) From The Christian Post:

Hindus and Catholics Inter-faith Dialogue Held in Mumbai Amidst Anti-Christian Violence

By Babu Thomas, Christian Today Reporter, Sunday, Jun. 14 2009

Religious conversion and Orissa violence remained the central argument at an inter-faith dialogue between Hindu and Catholic leaders of India in Mumbai on 12-13 June as the leaders try to find common ground for a peaceful co-existence.

Among noted personalities from the Hindu faith were Sankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham, Jayendra Saraswati, and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. Mumbai Archbishop Cardinal Oswald Gracias, and Cardinal Jean Louis P Tauran, the Pope’s representative from the Vatican, represented the Catholics.

The two-day meet at Mumbai's Shanmukhananda Hall was organised in the wake of recent violence on Christians and the still-paralyzing consequences of the Kandhamal carnage.

The Hindu pontiff, Jayendra Saraswati, pointed 'conversion' as the chief reason for the growing violence on minorities. He sought an assurance from the Catholic Church to halt such activities, which the latter has refuted and blamed on Protestants.

"Although conversion is a personal choice, I want to endorse that there will be no forced conversions. It has no meaning, and is considered invalid. The Catholic Church is totally against forced conversions. The Vatican documents are clear about that," media quoted Cardinal Gracias saying.

At a press conference, religious leaders from both the sides condemned the violence on Christians and even agreed to jointly associate in social work and charity.

A press statement released by Sankaracharya urged churches and Christian groups to use charity funds for social causes like health and education. The Hindu seer apart from conversions also disapproved foreign funds used for running educational and charity projects.

Furthermore, he also objected to the visit of U.S Commission on Religious Freedom to India. "We will not allow external interference in our internal affairs," he commented.

A senior BJP member and adviser to Mr. LK Advani, Sudheendra Kulkarni, was also present at the meeting. Such events will "pave way for greater understanding," he said.

The Vatican representative Cardinal Tauran expressed much hope in the inter-faith meeting, which he said, will have a positive outcome.

"India is a cradle of many religions. I am also very impressed that Indians are open minded and tolerant with positive values," he praised.

http://www.christianpost.com/article/20090614/hindus-and-catholics-inter-faith-dialogue-held-in-mumbai-amidst-anti-christian-violence/index.html

ii) Journalist & Communications Professional Alwyn Fernandes’ article dated 15 June 2009: “Was it an inter-faith dialogue or a confrontation?” – sent to me on email by Ruth D’Souza:

Was the Bombay meeting between some Hindu leaders an inter-faith dialogue or a confrontation? And was Jayendra Saraswati, a man who is still facing a murder charge (pending in a Pondicherry court since 2005) the right man to dialogue with for such a meeting, given his controversial background (he has been accused of being a politician in religious garb)?

From all accounts in the Mumbai media and from the website of hte Kanchi Mutt it seems to have been more a confrontation (http://www.kanchiforum.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2535) than a dialogue! And we seem to have fallen into the same trap as Biishop Aloysius Paul of Mangalore who merrily told NDTV with a smile on his face on Day One of the attacks of Christian churches in Mangalore last September - "I don't know why they are attacking us when it is the Pentecostals who are converting people?" This later led to Home Minister Acharya saying, "Your bishop is complaining that the Pentecostals are troubling him also." So he was doing us a favour by beating them up! If some of our people got beaten up, it was a case of what the Americans call "collateral damage"!

From what one reads in the papers here, from Jayendra Saraswati's statements to the media and from what is on the Kanchi Mutt's website, it seems the Kanchi "seer" or "Pontiff" as he is variously called, was aggressive and did not give an inch.

One also wonders why a dialogue in the presence of so high ranking a Vatican dignitary like Cardinal Tauran was only with some representatives of the Hindu community when India has followers of six major religions and a Minister for Minority Affairs?

Why were lay people excluded from such an important meeting, if indeed it was important? Aren't lay people, who in fact interact more with their brothers and sisters from other communities, not involved in a dialogue with those of other faiths? How is that that one sees only names of bishops involved in the "dialogue"? Even scholar-priests have been excluded. And if the discussion focused on Kandhamal and Orissa, who were the reprsentatives from there? Why were they excluded? Why were priests like Cedric Prakash and others actively involved in working with people of other faiths in civil society groups for the human rights (of which religion is one) of people of all faiths not present at the meeting?

In the final analysis, what matters is the outcome from such meetings, not the output (which we are seeing in the media now). What is the outcome from this meeting?
From calls and mails I got today, it is apparent that people are asking questions. And in today's world it is only fair that their qustions be answered if we seek their help and understading to take the process forward. Even if our bishops decide to be secretive and not speak to people from the community, the Kanchi group has already laid out its terms for carrying the "dialogue" forward in December on its website.

Some questions that are being asked:

What was the preparation made for this meeting? What kind of preparations? Who were involved? Because for any real outcome from these meetings, there has to be a lot of preparatory work off stage. And outcome or results are slow and long in coming. Was there any preparatory work in this case or was everyone rushed into it because Cardinal Tauran, was coming? We didn't hear about any of thsi before? Why/why not?
Was the timing right? At a time when the entire edifice of aggressive Hindutva built up over 25 years (from the time of "Garv se kaho hum Hindu hain') is beginning to crack up and crumble before our eyes, when the man who mocked secular-minded people for many years as "pseudo-secularists" and got away with it is now being dubbed a pseudo by his own followers, was this a right meeting at the wrong time? Would it not have been wiser to wait a few weeks?
There is also an issue of propriety -- propriety in associating with a man accused of mudering a temple official in the temple premises. Jayendra Saraswati and his "junior pontiff" Vijayendra were both accused, along with 22 others, of murdering the temple manager who had spoken out against him and accused him of financial wrongdoing. Jayendra Saraswati has admitted his was greatly disturbed by the allegations, though he denied being involved in the murder. He was refused bail by the TN High Court and twice by the Supreme Court. He was granted bail only on the third appeal before the Supreme Court in January 2005 and the case is now pending in a Pondicherry court. He has not been acquitted of the murder charge. Why then are we associating with him publicly, a man who is desperately seeking acceptance by civil society? True, innocent until proven guilty but then so are so many MPs and politicians who are facing murder cases, some of whom have been elected to Parliament. If civil society says that these men should be shunned, shouldn't Jayendra Saraswati also be shunned till he is acquitted of all charges? Would the bishops share a platform with Narendra Modi tomorrow? He at least has not been formally charged in a court with a heinous crime like murder?
Let us also not forget that Jayalalitha brought forth anti-conversion legislation at Jayendra Saraswati's instance. They were pretty thick till the murder charge tumbled out. So it is not as if he is the victim of false charges by a hostile government. Quite the contrary.
As for the outcome, it is worthwhile to visit the Kanchi mutt's website:
"The Catholics denied that they are involved in conversion and it was only the Protestants who do the same. So His Holiness Jayendra Saraswati asked them to bring the Protestants for the next meeting, scheduled for December." - Did we, for lack of adequate preparation, end up falling into the same trap as the Biishop Aloysius Paul of Mangalore who told NDTV on Day One of the attacks of Christian churches in Mangalore - I don't know why they are attacking us when it is the Pentecostals who are converting people? This later led to the Karnataka Home Minister Acharya saying, "Your bishop is complaining that the Pentecostals are troubling him also." So he was doing us a favour by beating them up!

Did we fall into the same trap and really blame the Protestants?

I could be wrong, but judging from media reports and from what is on the Kanchi mutt's website, it seems we were on the defensive. I hope I am wrong!

Allwyn Fernandes

iii) A Report by Radha Rajan on the same event from the June 28 Issue of the “Organizer”: sent to me on email from Paris by Rev Balthazar Castelino: the Superior Generale of the MEP (Mission Estrengers de Paris)

June 28, 2009

Verbatim
This is what Kanchi Shankaracharya spoke at the inter-faith dialogue
By Radha Rajan

In 1999, Pope John Paul-II had stated that the mission of the Vatican was to plant the Cross in Asia in the third millennium to facilitate the Christianising of the world, which alone would cause the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. The Pope must tell us the rationale for the First Coming of Jesus Christ when there was no Christianity or the Church to undertake the mission to Christianise the world.

(We have it on excellent authority of Kanchi Shankaracharya that the inter-faith dialogue did not go as planned by the Vatican. We are told that no one except the religious leaders themselves and one or two persons to assist them in the dialogue were permitted in the hall. Pujya Periava spoke as is characteristic of him, in the softest tone possible, with the unfading smile never slipping from his face, in chaste Hindi. However, it is obvious from the statement, which he released to the press and media after the dialogue, that the soft tone and chaste Hindi surprised the gathering. It is a good thing for Hindus that this time we had a man who knows his dharma, and more importantly, understands evil, and who spoke for Hinduism. Following are the points that Pujya Periava made at the inter-faith dialogue.)

1. Exactly one month ago to the date, the Pope went to Jerusalem where Jesus was born, for a similar dialogue that the Vatican had undertaken with the Chief Rabbinate of Israel. At the end of that meeting when the Pope and Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Yona Metzer jointly addressed the press and media, the Chief Rabbi thanked the Pope for assuring the Chief Rabbinate that the Catholic Church would desist and cease from all missionary and conversion activities among the Jews. This is construed as endorsed and agreed by the Pope since he was present at the press meet. We need a similar commitment from the Church for Hindus.

2. After such inter-faith meetings, the points agreed have to be faithfully abided. Otherwise, there will be no point in holding such meetings. Unless the Church reassures Hindus that it will not conduct itself in a manner that wounds Hindu sensibilities and follows up on those assurances, such inter-faith meetings, no matter how frequently they are held, will be futile and not serve any meaningful cause.

3. In 1999, Pope John Paul-II had stated that the mission of the Vatican was to plant the Cross in Asia in the third millennium to facilitate the Christianising of the world, which alone would cause the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. The Pope must tell us the rationale for the First Coming of Jesus Christ when there was no Christianity or the Church to undertake the mission to Christianise the world.

4. We see the USCIRF (US Commission on International Religious Freedom) as an intrusive mechanism of a foreign government to interfere in the internal affairs of this country. The USCIRF, which has been permitted to visit this country to hold meetings with our people to ascertain religious freedom in our country, must no longer be permitted to enter this country on this intrusive mission. We will not allow external interference into our internal affairs.

5. We know that very large amounts of money come into this country for churches and Christian groups, ostensibly for charitable work. These funds should be used only for social causes like health, education, etc, and should not be used for religious conversion. During these dialogues, it should be agreed that the funds should be distributed to all organisations who do charitable work, irrespective of the organisations’ religious faith. A common pool should be created and a committee formed to distribute and monitor the usage of these funds.

6. It has become easy for the missionaries to convert Hindus. All Hindu organisations and associations should work together to educate Hindus and eradicate the conversion activity.

7. Hindu dharma is by nature diverse and so all different panths and sampradayas co-exist on this bhumi without seeking to destroy the others. Hindu dharma has nurtured and supported all faiths and religions because that is the way of dharma. We expect that religions which have come to this bhumi from other lands will respect this vital characteristic of Hindu dharma and not do anything to subvert or disturb the sense of nationhood of this country. Hindu dharma and the Hindu people welcome Christians and Muslims, Parsis and Jews to make this land their home. We expect from these religions that they will not seek to destroy our faith, our religion and wound our religious sensibilities. We encourage all religions to live with mutual respect and harmony in a shared sense of nationalism which should bind us all as one nation. Nationalism should come first.

8. We are aware of the propaganda that they [the church] will cure diseases and ailments if the individual converts to their faith. This is illegal as per the Drugs and Magic Remedies Act 1954 and we call upon the Indian government to take action under the provision of law.

9. Most of the countries in the world (USA, UK, Japan, Middle-East nations, Pakistan, Sri Lanka etc.), adopt national resolutions and statements of intent proclaimed by their governments and their tallest religious bodies, affirming their determination to protect and defend the culture and the religion from which their cultures derive. In India alone we pass resolutions which officially and legally promote an irreligious and unspiritual creed called secularism. Secularism is an administrative quality; it cannot be the soul of this nation. The soul of this nation is religious and spiritual. We call upon our government and other important religious bodies to recognise this truth and affirm their commitment to protect the soul of this nation.

10. The Buddhist Mahasangh and the joint committee of Buddhist organisations have declared their intention to get the Sri Lankan government to pilot and pass a national anti-conversion bill and make it law. We welcome this move and strongly endorse this measure.

11. The Church in India must stop forthwith the use of Hindu religious words, phrases and symbols like Veda, Agama, rishi, ashram, Om and other such in what is referred to as ‘inculturation’ tactics, but which are only intended to deceive the vulnerable sections of our people who are the intended targets for religious conversion. This is also insulting to and wounding the religious sensitivities of Hindus. Similarly, it has been brought to our notice that some churches are scripting a new Bible for the new converts by usurping sections of our sacred Vedas, Upanishads and Puranas and incorporating them into the Bible. This must stop immediately and all such Bibles must be withdrawn from circulation. We urge the Indian government to look into the issue and do the needful.