Naxal Ram talks through letters to himself

Although JD(S) betrays trust, it is BJP which loses credibility in the red rag. Naxal Ram, you are wrong. You are the one losing credibility as evident by the whopping 14% drop in readership.

The Hindu : Opinion / Letters to the Editor : Karnataka politics

The Bharatiya Janata Party has lost its credibility by once again joining hands with the Janata Dal (Secular) — which, it alleged only three weeks ago, had betrayed its trust by refusing to hand over power after 20 months of being at the helm.

The Hindu : Opinion / Editorials : Constitutionalism and morality

In the process, the JD(S) has come out with its credibility badly damaged.

JD(S)-BJP alliance distateful : N.Ram

The Hindu : Opinion / Editorials : Constitutionalism and morality

The JD(S) was not willing to honour its commitment to hand over thechief ministership to the BJP which withdrew support amidst charges ofbetrayal of trust.

JD(S) did not honour its commitment but the BJP still gets bashed for putting forward the charges.

With the Congress unable or unwilling to do business with the JD(S) again, President’s rule became inevitable...

Congress' mistake is that it was not able to secure power by any means, inspite of the golden opportunity. Even Negotiator.Ram came down to Bangalore to resolve the stalemate.

The Congress too must take some part of the blame for the vitiatedpolitical atmosphere, having let local factors get in the way ofbuilding better relations with the JD(S), the party it had originallyteamed up with.

What even-handedness. Congress is blamed for looking at local factors rather than the larger objective of securing power. Napolean.Ram is literally begging Congress to grab power at any expense.

While from the standpoint of political morality elections would be the ideal way of pulling the State out of the present morass,

That communist high moral ground. We know what these bloody hypocrites stand for. Naxal.Ram was there to broker a deal between Congress and JD(S). Talking of ethics, this communist has no inhibition in selling his daughter to secure a power deal. Does he not have the history of selling his mother to China.

... thwart the formation of the BJP-JD(S) government, however distasteful it may be to them.

Naxal.Ram is discussing his personal tastes.

An outrageous defense of a murderous attack

Chindu is stooping to new lows. The paper came up with an outrageous editorial on the naxal attack in Jharkhand that killed 18. Far from the acerbic tone it adopts when clobbering the BJP-RSS-VHP trio, the tone was (not) surprisingly mild. Now , let's hear what the Madras Moaoists had to say about their Jharkhand counterparts.
http://www.hindu.com/2007/10/29/stories/2007102956051000.htm

The conditions at a cultural programme organised in Chilkhadia village in Jharkhand on Friday night seemed ideal for the Maoists to strike

As pointed out earlier, blame the conditions. Had it not been conducive for an attack, the Moaists wouldn't have attacked. Damn the conditions. The conditions killed 18.The people had no business gathering at 1.00 AM on a Saturday night. They have to pay the price for their mistake.

Apparently, the target was Mr. Marandi’s brother Nunulal, but he managed to escape.

Does it really matter who the intended target was? It is a merciless massacre of the innocent.Is Ram suggesting that Anup was killed by mistake? Would the editorial have been any different had the Maoists succeeded in hitting their target? If Nunulal was the target, why did 18 others perish? When Israel carries out targeted assassinations of Palestinian leaders, Ram raises the roof. How is this attack any different?He is trying to defend the indefensible.And, does Chindu regret that the target escaped?

The group of Maoists is reported to have resorted to indiscriminate firing

This is an outrageous remark that smacks of a blatant bias. Ram still gives the benefit of doubt to the murderers by saying 'reported to have resorted'. Is he saying that they may not have actually fired and that only the reports say so?. When DMK goons attacked the BJP office in Chennai, Chindu published a photograph of DMK men pelting stones. However, the report said the DMK men 'allegedly' attacked the BJP office. However, such a luxury is strictly reserved for Ram's friends.

Over a dozen Maoist strikes have been reported this year in the corridor

Again, it is only a report. Not a matter of fact.

Given the situation on the ground in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Bihar — which have emerged as the most vulnerable States in the naxalite corridor that extends from Andhra Pradesh to West Bengal — organising such events well into the night may be an invitation to the naxalites to strike.

Ahhh!! Now, having blamed the 'conditions', implicate the organizers. Ram has a point. If the organizers had not organized, the Maoists couldn't have attacked and innocent lives could have been saved. Jail the organizers.

Though the police were supposed to have provided security for the function, top police officers have been quoted as saying that many of the policemen on duty had left the scene

Now, drag the police into the mess. Give them their share of the blame.

Despite the regular reviews and meetings both at the Central and State levels, the security forces and the State police have not been able to contain the problem

Do not spare the governments and security forces either. They failed to contain the attackers.Why blame the poor Maoists?

..the Centre and the affected States must evolve a joint strategy to bring the Maoist groups to the negotiating table and address the serious socio-economic problems of the people, especially the tribals

Pin the blame on the socio-economic condition as well. The editorial seeks to 'identify' why the attack took place and the paper has made a mockery of itself with its foolish observations.

A group that unleashes terror on innocent civilians has no place in civil society. Doesn't this sound straight out of a Chindu editorial? Perhaps, yes. Chindu may make such vitriolic remarks when "serious incidents" - like MF Hussain's paintings getting vandalised or MS university barring Chandramohan from displaying his 'art' -take place . But when Maoists gun down 18 in cold blood, 'invite' them for talks, plead them to join the political mainstream and address socio-economic problems.

If there is a limit to absurdity, this is it and Chindu has breached it with characteristic ease. Groups like the Maoists must be liquidated. The state and central governments must come down on them with an iron hand. People who support them-overtly and covertly- must be severely punished. Chances are Ram himself might face the heat.The punishments should serve as a deterrent . What happened when the Burmese army cracked down on militants? The Centre must go all out and the Maoists will disintegrate unable to withstand the onslaught.

It is a shame that people with perverted mindset are allowed to influence public opinion . It is a disgrace that such people run a paper that not only shies away from calling a spade a spade, but also extends tacit support to such anti-national elements. The right to free speech does not give Mr Ram and his cohorts the right to spread misinformation and sex up stories.

Chindu feels the 'pressure'

The BJP is within kissing distance of coming to power in a Southern state for the first time. Understandably, Chindu is unnerved and is hoping for a slip between the cup and the lip.Its spin wizards are working overtime to discredit the BJP.

The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Janata Dal (Secular) on Monday paraded 129 legislators, including several independents, before Governor Rameshwar Thakur here to pressure him to permit the combine to form a government led by B.S. Yeddyurappa.

http://www.hindu.com/2007/10/30/stories/2007103057980100.htm

Chindu's readership drops 14%

In the traditional communist style, this news is not reported by Chindu. Chindu's readership dropped the most among all the English dailies - a whopping 14%.

We conducted extensive research on this and found that this is due to a huge success of the communist movement. The whole drop in readership is a communal fabrication.

Newswatch India » Print starts fading out; most major Indian publications losing readers

The Hindu has suffered a 14 per cent drop and now has a readership of 2,209,000.

Thanks to barbadkatte for the pointer.

If maoists strike, it is the victim's mistake

Terror-apologist Ram blames victims for maoist strike. By the same standards, if Chindu offices blow up, it is Chindu's fault, isn't it.

The Hindu : Opinion / Editorials : Maoists strike again, in Jharkhand

... organising such events well into the night may be an invitation to the naxalites to strike.

Yechury backtracks

Yechury's clarification is issued in full. Naxal Ravan would not give this luxury to any BJP leader. In fact, he would come out with a thumping editorial to perpetrate this falsification as truth by repeated assertion.

The Hindu : National : What Yechury said on reservation for Muslims

What Yechury said on reservation for Muslims

Hear it first on Chindu

Even before it is published on "People's Democracy", you can read it on Chindu.

The Hindu : National : U.S. deadline an insult, says CPI(M)

... CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury wrote in an editorial in the coming issue of People’s Democracy

"Secular" CPM calls for religion-based reservations

The Hindu : National : CPI(M) for religion as a criterion for quota

Communist Party of India (Marxist) Polit Bureau member and Rajya Sabha MP Sitaram Yechury on Thursday said his party favoured an amendment to the Constitution for including religion as a criterion for providing reservation benefits.

"Secular" CPM wants "secular" to be removed from our constitution. What do you think are the chances that Chindu will condemn this in an editorial?

Now there were two ‘Indias’ — one that was shining and the other suffering. If the gap between the two had to be narrowed, the condition of Muslims had to be improved.

How to identify muslims? Sitaram Yechury comes out with the brilliant idea - all suffering people in India are muslims.

Bardhan's pipe dreams

Bardhan must have taken the same thing which Naxal Ram has daily and so suddenly he is unable to see reality anymore. CPI now wants to rule at the Center.

The Hindu : Front Page : Left, UNPA to deepen cooperation

“We don’t think there is a situation for creation of a third front. What we want to offer is a viable policy alternative to the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalitions. But that has to come through a people’s movement.”

Ram rams "Peaceful China" down readers' throat

The Hindu : Front Page : India, China making progress on border talks: Pranab

However, China has enjoyed a growing trade surplus, running into over $4 billion in the first six months of this year, causing concern in New Delhi...

... and applause in Chindu.

Harish Khare's scaremongering

If we are not able to calibrate our political differences in a reasonable manner and are not able to put in place a coherent, forward-looking government in NewDelhi, we will unwittingly end up unleashing unhelpful and unhealthy forces.

Dont worry Harish.The Left brigade can never come to power at the centre. So, your threat is misplaced.

Who are the 'Others'

It is a pity to see the Chindu these days. It first had to bend over backwards to brush the Nandigram pogrom under the carpet. Now it has to grapple with the Rizwanur murder issue that has snowballed much to chindu's chagrin.So what does it do? Simple. Downplay, under report, hide facts and do anything that will not bring the state government into the picture.

Need an example? Here I go:

The agency, while registering an FIR against Ashok Todi and others under Section 302 of IPC, will now visit the area where Rizwanur's body was found.

http://www.hinduonnet.com/holnus/002200710191802.htm

Now, who are the 'others'?Why does Chindu not want its readers to know their 'background'?Why has there not been an editorial on this issue? Why are concern's about minority insecurity not being raised?

Who is a worse liar? Neena Vyas or Harsih Khare

Neena Vyas and Harish Khare are back with a bang. Even if you use an electron microscope, you will not find a trace of objectivity in their writing. I don't take them seriously and believe most other do not as well. However, the contradiction in their reports(yesterday) was too stark to be missed.

On the front page Neena Vyas wrote that the Left is not an 'ally', but a supporting party.

Some senior leaders said that it would be in the party’s interest to allow a discussion as it would clearly bring out the fact that the United Progressive Alliance did not have the backing of even its allies, not to speak of the supporting parties

http://www.hindu.com/2007/10/25/stories/2007102562190100.htm

In the opinion pages,Harish Khare commented that

The UPA-Left cooperative equation was premised on an assumption of a convergence of the political (and electoral) interests among the partners, beyond the
anti-BJP instincts.

http://www.hindu.com/2007/10/25/stories/2007102554401000.htm

How come the 'supporting parties ' suddenly became 'Partners' 'beyond political and electoral interests'.

There is no point in asking who is lying- both are. Who is lying more?

Will you eat your words Ram?

When asked why CBCNN did not report the PM's outburst against the left in the interview the PM gave to 'The Telegraph', Ram said "One newspaper doesn’t generally reproduce what another publishes." Nobody asked him to reproduce the entire interview, but the master spinner chose to project it that way.

But weeks later, he publishes the complete transcript of Narendra Modi's interview with Karan Thapar.

Today, there is a report on Tehelka's 'sting operation' 'exposing' Modi's 'complicity' in the riots.
http://www.hindu.com/2007/10/26/stories/2007102662661800.htm

So what prevented Ram from reporting the PM's Telegraph interview?

Bigoted Ram defends MoFo Husain's perversions

Look how cleverly worded the below sentence is. Naxal Ram is saying that MoFo Husain did not produce any obscene paintings but the bigoted elements labeled them so. I wish to see Naxal Ram's reaction if MoFo Husain had painted Naxal Ram's mother in the same way as Durga or Sarawati or Bharat Mata.

The Hindu : Opinion / Editorials : Only when warranted

They have been served on M.F. Husain on the basis of complaints made by bigoted elements that accused him of producing obscene paintings.

Reader's editor in a spot.

Looks like the Editor's Writer discovered to his dismay that his
position has become untenable and lets his own chief answer the
readers (carefully selected, of course after due filtration). The
whole outcome has been that Chindu is getting more and more exposed,
stark naked.

http://www.hindu.com/2007/10/15/stories/2007101570341300.htm

Posted by Anonymous to The Chindu at October 15, 2007 12:25 AM

Hail China's economic might

The propanda continues on Chindu. I wonder how relevant this information is to the normal reader in India. But Chindu tirelessly goes on listing the party cadre and internal dynamics of the CPC. Singing for supper is Chindu; putting the more than 1.1 trillion forex to good use is China.

The Hindu : Opinion / Letters to the Editor : Shaping the future of China at a challenging time

China is already the world’s fourth largest economy and is set to become the world’s largest trading entity within a few years. Global economic growth is thus steadily more dependent on China’s performance.

"Hate Modi" campaign continue on Chindu

489 Gujarat farmers have committed suicide since 2003

While conveniently ignoring the more-than-average performance of agricultural sector and the farmers in Gujarat, Chindu is selectively reporting on the negative aspects. 489 suicides since 2003 is definitely less than the 650 odd suicides in one year in Vidarbha region alone under the Congress government. Chindu wont tell you that.

Not minority persecution but justice

Justice will be done, Buddhadeb assures Rahman’s mother

Chindu is not crying shrill about minority persecution in the communist paradise. Instead it is focusing on how "justice" is being delivered by the heavily armed communist cadre.

Also, it will be interesting to note if Buddhadeb would have gone down personally if the dead person was a Hindu.

Minority government?

Magically, the Congress government, which has been formed by overwhelming majority due to people's rejection of Hindutva, has turned into a minority government. Trust the journalists to twist truth.

The Hindu : Opinion / Editorials : Political crisis defused

As the whole world knows, the crisis expressed seemingly irreconcilable discord between a minority Congress-led government and the supporting Left parties over the 123 agreement for civilian nuclear cooperation with the United States.

Naxal Ram lashes out against Modi

After the minions have written elaborately about the devil that is Modi, Naxal Ram comes out weeping for the 5000 displaced muslims. No such articles for the lakhs of displaced Kashmiri Hindus.

The Hindu : Opinion / Editorials : Elections but new themes

About 5,000 internally displaced persons, victims of the anti-Muslim pogrom of 2002, live in dispersed camps. Notwithstanding the shift in the BJP’s electoral strategy, Muslims in Gujarat remain traumatised by the riots and their aftermath.

Yet another double speak

Chindu gives unsolicited advise on how constitutional authorities must function. But, as usual, the same does not apply when its friends are in trouble.

Under the Indian Constitution, it is surely not the job of a Governor to offer public judgments on how an elected government should have handled a tricky situation

-CBCNN's reaction to WB governor's observations on the Nandigram fiasco.

http://cbcnn.blogspot.com/2007/03/nram-asks-wb-governor-to-shutup.html

Today, you have the commies questioning the EC's decision to hold the Gujarat elections in 2 phases. (Note that they are not bothered about Himachal. No prizes for guessing why.)

The EC knows when and how to conduct elections. It is none of the commies' business.

Also, they were the ones who vociferously opposed a 7 phase election in WB and a 3 phase election in Kerala. Why do they want the EC to do the same in Gujarat?So, what is 'wrong' in WB is right in Gujarat?
http://www.hindu.com/2007/10/12/stories/2007101255641400.htm

UPA is falling

Xinhua ,Chennai has this habit of reporting the exact opposite of the ground reality.For the second day running, it is declaring on its front pages that all is well with the govt. That is reason enough to believe that all is not well. The UPA may fall soon.

Nationalist Congress Party and Rashtriya Janata Dal chiefs Sharad Pawar and Lalu
Prasad on Thursday asserted here that there was no threat to the United
Progressive Alliance government

http://www.hindu.com/2007/10/12/stories/2007101258810100.htm

Chindu gets Desparate

Xinhua -Chennai knows that the left will get routed if there is an early election.When the rest of the media see polls looming, Xinhua -Chennai is desparate to make its readers believe otherwise.Also, its views are presented as news.

The government is not going to fall; there will not be any mid-term election,” Mr. Prasad told journalists. His assertion reflected the wish of the UPA allies, which are against precipitating the matter.

http://www.hindu.com/2007/10/10/stories/2007101057380100.htm

A vituperative outburst against Modi

Chindu is upset that Modi is bringing development and campaigning on his achievements rather than pandering to muslim interests. And so it is trying its best to distort truths.

The Hindu : Opinion / Leader Page Articles : The Muslim question in Gujarat

The violence inherent in the Godhra aftermath extinguished all debate, forcing the Congress, the principal opposition party, to conduct a low-key campaign that skirted the most obvious election issue: The sadism visited on Muslims.

Yet this normal election seems no less contemptuous of a community that forms over nine per cent of the State’s population. In 2002, the debate targeted Muslims. In 2007, the debate has bypassed Muslims. The community has been kept out of the discourse by an unspoken consensus that includes Mr. Modi, the Congress and the anti-Modi dissidents.

Yet the Chief Minister was to turn hostile on the question of Muslims. Asked where Muslims figured in his vision of Gujarat, he flared up: “I don’t like this thinking. I work for five-and-a-half crore Gujaratis. For me, anyone who lives here is a Gujarati, and I will not allow politics to come into this.”

Rizwanur v/s Shorabuddin

Remember Sorabuddin Shiek ? The man who was a victim of "fake" encounter. The Chindu worked overtime to "prove" the collusion of the Gujarat government and the state police. It published sensational stories attributed to Geetha Johri, the investigating officer, and declared that the Modi govt was stifling justice. There was a sharp refutal from Geetha herself and CBCNN published an apology the next day.It later became clear that police from Congrees ruled Andhra too were involved . Then CBCNN went slow.

Why are we discussing this case? There is one Mr Rizwanur who died under mysterious circumstances. Rizwanur recently married a Hindu girl against her family's wishes. Why is CBCNN not giving the prominance it gave to Sorabuddin Shiek?

It's simple. Rizwanur died in Kolkata and it is the Bengal police that is getting flak from national media. Did he die in Gujarat for CBCNN to make a spectacle out of it?

No condemnation. No caustic editorials demanding justice.No opinion pieces condemning the government.Only a careful effort to cover the issue from the sidelines without even remotely implicating the state administration.As an add on, you get a generous dose of Brinda Karat visiting the victim's family and assuring them of all help.What else do you expect from a Marxist mouth piece?

Taking double speak to new lows

On Saturday(6-Oct-07), CBCNN found it hard to hide its glee over the Supreme Court's order restraining the Gujarat Government from issuing possession letters vesting ownership rights over forest land in tribals.This found space on the Front page and CBCNN patted itself on the back thus:

A “Forest Bench,” comprising Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Justices Arijit Pasayat and S.H. Kapadia, passed the order after amicus curiae Harish Salve (acting on a report published by The Hindu on October 3) filed an application that ownership rights over forest land were handed over to 30 tribals by Chief Minister Narendra Modi on October 2. The Bench issued notice to the Gujarat government seeking its response to the application.

http://www.hindu.com/2007/10/06/stories/2007100661790100.htm

On Sunday, (7-Oct-07), the same Supreme Court came under fire from "intellectuals" who gathered in Chennai to "debate" the 'Limits of judicial authority’ .Only that they chose to debate the SC's stinging observations against the DMK govt and not the order against the Gujarat govt.

No prizes for guessing who the "intellectuals" were.Brinda Karat, Liar-in-Chief Ram, Kanimozhi, A Raja and a former judge.

http://www.hindu.com/2007/10/08/stories/2007100860371600.htm

Such comments were objectionable and reflected judicial overreach and encroached
on the role of the legislature

- Brinda Karat

No definition existed of what constituted scandalising a court or interfering
with the administration of justice.

- N Ram

Fair enough. Who decides what is judicial over reach and what is a welcome intervention?Is the Supreme court there to pass judgements to please the powers that be at Gopalan Bhawan and Gopalapuram?What the same court tells is gospel truth only when it castigates the BJP and its leaders in the Babri masjid case and Gujarat riots, restrains Modi from distributing land documents to tribals and saves CBCNN from Jayalalithaa's onslaught.Isn't this strange? or is this double speak?

Well done HT. Shame on you Chindu

I am no fan of HT. But, just look at its objectivity .

No hiding facts.No using convoluted logic to defend the indefensible.No hatred.No bias.No hidden agenda.No hesitation in calling a spade a spade. Just good journalism.

Compare the two edits.

http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=2007100353901000.htm&date=2007/10/03/&prd=th&

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=afe82d4a-0d5e-40e7-a9ec-102b83973d36

Look at HT's coverage.

If the stay represented a setback to the project, the Centre’s affidavit questioning the existence of Ram and subsequently backtracking on it with more than an apology saw Karunanidhi, the self-proclaimed rationalist, stretching his limits.

He first asked in which engineering Ram had graduated to build a bridge, then called him a drunkard and finally declared Ram was as big a lie as the Himalayas and Ganga were true.

CBCNN did not report the statement.

Protesting against Ram Vilas Vedanti’s ‘fatwa’, his partymen unleashed violence against the BJP in the state.

For CBCNN, it was "alleged" DMK men.

To move ahead of his rivals, Karunanidhi called for a bandh only to be checkmated by the AIADMK, which dragged him to the High Court and then the Supreme Court. Karunanidhi’s response was to go on a hunger strike for a day, but the Supreme Court spoilt even that by hinting at constitutional breakdown. It also warned of President’s Rule in the state. When the AIADMK moves its contempt petition later this week the DMK and its government could be in for more judicial trouble.

The bandh move also backfired at Karunanidhi. “On the one hand you want to sell Tamil Nadu as an investment destination, while on the other you impose something so retrograde as a bandh,” observed a leading industrialist.

Isn't this a fair account of what happend? Did CBCNN report it this way?

For people getting an overdoze of communist crap, papers like HT come as a whiff of fresh air.Is the Liar-in-Chief listening?

Hindu v/s Hindustan Times

Tamil Nadu is getting to resemble Kerala and West Bengal when it comes to bandhs. Why should the public suffer just because the politicians here want to make a point. If Karunanidhi wants to go on a hunger strike, he is most welcome. But why prevent buses and autorickshaws from plying?” asked Parvathi, a schoolteacher from Kerala looking for transport to her daughter’s residence

“It is really strange when a government does not mind its citizens going hungry but makes sure they got their daily alcohol fix,” quipped Pradeep, who works in a mobile company and stays in a lodge at Triplicane. His main task was to go looking for breakfast, though Triplicane has more than two dozen eateries — all of which had downed their shutters since the DMK’s fasting venue was just a kilometre away.

- Hindustan Times' coverage of the DMK bandh

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=c5ba4a3d-ee3d-4c1b-8872-517d43de0e46

The Hindu's office too is just a kilometre away. Isn't it a bit strange that you have to read a Delhi based paper to hear the views of people residing a kilometer from CBCNN's HQ?

What prevented CBCNN from airing "people's voice"?

Rising intolerance

That the normally big mouthed Liar-in-Chief does not practice what he preaches is well known. He glorifies education standards in Cuba but sends his daughter to America (Columbia University).Another incident that exposed him was his refusal to publish Jayalalithaa's scathing criticism of his coverage of the DMK bandh.She later came out with a press statement slamming CBCNN's bias and even that did not appear in today's edition. Jayalalithaa asked a few pointed and obviously uncomfortable questions like:

1. 
   When the Supreme Court made numerous oral observations against me, you reported them in great detail and never ever "clarified" that these oral observations do not have relevance in law. Why did you do it now?
2. There have been many instances of DMK men taking law in their own hands. You chose to play soft ball. Why now did you have to come up with a full page editorial to discredit the judiciary that took on the DMK govt?
3. 
   What is the logic behind comparing the BJP bandh (in the aftermath of the Hyderabad blasts) and a bandh forced on the people by the DMK that is at power both at the center and the state?Can a government in power willingly paralyse normal life?Why do you have to meekly surrender to the DMK?

Jayalalithaa may not be an angel. But these are extremely valid questions.

The Liar-in-Chief made a futile attempt to justify the DMK bandh by saying

Since then, numerous general strikes, hartals, and bandhs have taken place across the length and breadth of India, involving a plethora of political players and ssues, with nobody in a position to make the fine academic distinctions that the Kerala High Court and the Supreme Court formulated in their judgments

For example, in recent years the Bharatiya Janata Party and the saffron brigade have called for, conducted, and got away with several attempted bandhs. A case in point is the August 27, 2007 Hyderabad bandh protesting against the terror strike at Lumbini Park and Gokul Chat. And what about other forms of protest actions? Willthe Supreme Court rule on what kind of constitutional animal is a ‘rail roko,’ of the kind the BJP State unit staged in Hyderabad in September 2007 against the Sethusamudram project? Does it fall under the definition of a general strike or a hartal or a bandh? Is it constitutional?

So what is he saying? Two wrongs make a right?Had the BJP's bandh been declared unconstitutional, he would not have opposed the SC's views on the DMK bandh? Then the judge's observations would not have been "Constitutionally Off Track"?

What about the rail roko that the DMK ministers staged in the Palakkad Railway division issue(Jayalalithaa made a mention of this too). Why has he chosen to forget this and mention only the BJP's rail roko?

If the BJP got away with the bandh, it is a reflection of the ineptitude of its opponents. Does he want the AIADMK to be spinelss?

Coming to his 2 wrongs make a right reasoning , Ram bites the BJP's head off when it cites the Sikh riots in response to the Gujarat riots.Why is he doing the same now?

Ram lectures on the importance of "democracy","right to free speech", "respecting other views", "encouraging free debate" , "tolerance in a democratic society". If so,why did he not publish Jayalalithaa's criticism?

Any answers Mr Ram?

Fwd: Naxal Ram fishing in troubled waters

what the reader's editor would never allow to be published in chindu.
this genuine and overwhelming public opinion is completely whitewashed
by chindu, in the typical communist fashion.

-----------

Dear people,

great job exposing The Communist!

here is another political act of N Ram and perhaps the first one in
Karnataka. He was in B'lore for reasons that God knows! and the next
morning The Chindu carried a report on H D Kumaraswamy's visit to The
Chindu office claiming that it was a surprise visit!!
http://www.hindu.com/2007/10/03/stories/2007100356502000.htm

but the real surprise was N Ram trying his hands in Karnataka
politics. He was the first one to write an editorial and concluding
that Kumaraswamy has had enough with BJP and parting ways is the only
way out! Non sense! BJP was the one who suffered a lot and had enough
of HD Kumaraswamy!
even the Karnataka journos were surprised to see Kumaraswamy making
time to meet N Ram amidst of such a busy schedule of him and amidst of
high political drama when 17 BJP ministers had resigned en masse.
The Chindu also doesnt believe that it was a betrayal by the Gowdas.
While reporting it makes use of inverted commas very intelligently!

The Chindu is definitely trying to fish in troubled waters!

--
Thejas

Fwd: Sensational reporting

Here is a taste of sensitive, serious, progressive, left wing,
intellectual, socially concerned jouranlism - if you ever wanted
proof.

http://www.hindu.com/2007/10/05/stories/2007100554431700.htm

Diana was on pill

(colour photograph of "Princess" Diana)

"Princess Diana was taking a contraceptive pill during the period
before her death, though it is unlikely ever to be conclusively proved
whether she was pregnant or not,...."

Posted by Anonymous to The Chindu at October 06, 2007 6:58 AM

Casting pearls before swine

One wonders what the Reader's Editor (RE) does. Is he there as Ram's mouth piece?
The way he dismisses criticism against CBCNN is shocking to say the least.
http://www.hindu.com/2007/10/01/stories/2007100155891300.htm

It is a tiny minority of The Hindu’s vast readership that communicates with the
Readers’ Editor. Many of them write in the plural, “we readers .…” But their opinions cannot be assumed to be representative of the silent majority. Many of these respondents have strong biases. We can tell them apart.

So what does he imply?
1.People who criticize are biased. They need not be taken seriously.
2.Those who do not write in to the Reader's editor are happy with CBCNN.They are unbiased.

Has not CBCNN made sweeping generalizations and presented views as if they were a reflection of the majority?What's good for the goose is good for the gander.

I have never written to the Reader's editor.I don't see the point in casting pearls before swine.Many others could have thought so.Why does Narayanan overlook this possibility?

If those who criticize have "strong biases", those who remain silent may also have "strong biases". So when there is a toss between two biased groups, who decides which group is right? Probably a left bias is right.

The RE goes on to add..

In the midst of this mass are the occasional ones that command attention because of the background of the person and the refined, sober way the views are put forth.

So, for you to be heard you must have a "background" certified by CBCNN to be good. Also, the views must be put forth in a "refined, sober " way. Does this rule apply to the likes of Harish Khare, Neena Vyas and Vidhya Subramainan? Or is it reserved only for readers holding views against the paper's style of reporting?

Narayanan gives us a sample of how a complaint against the paper should look. Precious lessons in soft-pedalling .

I am a reader of The Hindu since 1973 and it has shaped my understanding of the world and life itself … I am deeply troubled by the coverage given to left-related issues. Criticism of the left is at best muted if not airbrushed.The massive Kerala CPM factional war is hardly getting any coverage, especially for a southern based newspaper. The latest is the soft-pedalling of the PM’s comments to The Telegraph newspaper regarding left support or a lack of it for the nuclear deal. Most newspapers gave it wide coverage.

Many middle-aged readers feel that the paper has lost its balance … There is a view that the paper is far too ideologically involved with the left parties.

Although the reader in question has decided to put Simi Garewal to shame,he pretty much sums up what this blog has been screaming since its inception.

I mentioned that there is no point in casting pearls swine. Ram's response to the criticism above vindicated my position. The response was an incredible mix of naked lies, hasty denials and shameless claims.

First the naked lies:

There is adequate and balanced coverage of inner-party differences in the CPI(M) in Kerala.On thewhole, the coverage reflects the state of affairs.

One newspaper doesn’t generally reproduce what another publishes.

But this "general" principle can be given a go by when reporting on Dr.Haneef.CBCNN still lists the transcript of Haneef's interview on its home page.
http://www.hindu.com/nic/0058/haneef.htm#first

It also reproduced an editorial by The Sydney Morning Herald slamming the Howard govt.
http://www.hindu.com/2007/07/21/stories/2007072156031300.htm

Even a super computer will lose count of the instances when CBCNN quoted from The People's Democracy.

It is not our practice to reproduce “indecent remarks”.. We don’t reproduce all the remarks made by Narendra Modi or Uma Bharati against Muslims orChristians ....It is a policy to keep out highly abusive or wounding remarks. Inflammatory items should not be published by the news media

BLATANT LIE.Who can forget the way CBCNN published(on the net) the full transcript of the "controvertial CD" attributed to the BJP in the run up to the UP elections?

http://www.hindu.com/2007/04/07/stories/2007040722201600.htm

What happened to its reporting of Modi's Gaurav Rath Yatra?
http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl1920/stories/20021011003602700.htm

Modi's remarks against Muslims, describing them as people who believed in the philosophy of hum paanch aur hamaare pachhis (we five, ours 25) and his description of the relief camps for the victims of the post-Godhra violence as "child-breeding centres" too have embarrassed BJP leaders.

Whether it is his attacks on the "fair-skinned, Italy ki beti" Sonia Gandhi or the
"Christian Lyngdoh", or his remarks aimed at Muslims, senior BJP leaders are finding it difficult to defend him beyond a point.

At Becharaji village in Mehsana district on September 9, Modi not only ridiculed a section of people (again citing hum paanch, hamaare pachhis) but remarked that
those who believed in multiplying their population in that fashion needed to be taught a lesson

He targeted the Congress(I) also for what he termed its pro-Muslim approach; he commented that if that party had its way, it would have brought Narmada waters to the Sabarmati river not in the month of Shravan, as he had done, but in the month of Ramzan

http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl1920/stories/20021011003602700.htm

Not a single opportunity is missed to highlight the vituperative remarks attributed to Modi. Why can't CBCNN do the same in its backyard when the foul-mouthed Karunanidhi makes equally disgusting remarks against a religion?Modi's remarks are about the minorities and Karunanidhi targets the majority. Is this the reason for CBCNN's selective condemnation?
Are only comments against minorities "newsworthy"?Despite all this , does Ram claim to be balanced?

Now, the hasty denials.

There is no preferential treatment given to the DMK other than what is inevitable when a party is in government.

So, did the AIADMK get such a coverage when it was in power?Do the BJP governments get such coverage?He may even go on to say that the CPI(M) does not get preferential treatment. (Note that he has carefully side-stepped the issue of left bias.)

And the most laughable of the lot- Shameless claim:

We have balanced and fair coverage. Above all, it is factual, nothing embroidered or propagandist. Nothing to be defensive about. We don’t do campaignjournalism. We have an estimated four million readers who continue to support The Hindu, largely for its reliability and balance.

I did not have to search a lot to pull out the evidences cited above. Those were some of the many I could think of. Does not all these fly in the face of Ram's claims?

The RE I guess is suffering from MPD(Multiple Personality Disorder).Towards the end , he writes:

The policy of not publishing abusive or wounding comments is laudable. But it needs to be followed uniformly, whether it is a Chief Minister or an unknown BJP ex-MP (whose remarks were published with the Hindi words and English translation).

If you are rubbing your eyes in disbelief, hold on, he is not done yet. ..

On the other hand, the editorial said the remarks were “wildly misrepresented.” Mr.Karunanidhi had not said so but had made further comments... The Hindu’s strong points, listed by the Editor-in-Chief, are unquestioned and it is generally balanced.The long-term strengths of this newspaper have been independence,seriousness, newsiness, credibility, fairness, balance and critical spirit.

I have nothing to add.The title pretty much sums up my mood.

Judging Judges

I have no faith left in the prosecution and the government. I am not saying
Article 356. You have to protect people and punish the guilty. What else is raj
dharma? You quit if you cannot prosecute the guilty. It is not your personal
property. If you cannot protect the property of the people you cannot continue


- Frontline October 10, 2003

http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2020/stories/20031010002903700.htm

At times, the news media project these oral observations — which, not being
even obiter dicta, are not part of the court record, have zero weight in law,
and cannot be cited in any meaningful way — in a manner that fails to
distinguish between what is relevant and binding in court proceedings and what
is not.

- The Hindu October 3,2007

http://www.hindu.com/2007/10/03/stories/2007100353901000.htm

What has changed from 2003 to 2007? The govt at the receiving end. 2003:BJP govt.2007:DMK govt
What has not changed?: Blatant anti-BJP bias, blind support for the DMK, giving objectivity a silent burial.That is CBCNN for you.

The first quote was the Supreme Court's observation against the Gujarat Govt in the Best Bakery case. Frontline did not publish an 'apology' for failing to mention that these were mere oral observations.It did not come up with a scathing editorial criticizing 'judicial overreach'. But, when the DMK government is facing the music, the choicest of words is reserved for the same court. Sample this:

No seeking the facts on the ground, no patience in hearing the other side — a
pre-emptive leap to an extreme provisional conclusion

The supreme court is supreme only when it takes on the BJP. When CBCNN's friends face the heat, it springs to their defence.Why this special treatment for the DMK? If this is not double speak, what is? So much for "objective journalism".

Allegations fly thick and fast against Modi

The "gutter inspector" saw only what she wanted to. ELM is looked down upon as worse than scum in Gujarat. It is a surprise if anyone even glanced at her, leave alone give an interview.

The Hindu : Opinion / News Analysis : The going may not be easy for Modi

Saurashtra was visibly hostile to the Chief Minister.

But there was also simmering anger against the BJP for the way it was
seen to have exploited tribal susceptibility. The tribal participation
in the anti-Muslim riots of 2002, the subject of much intellectual
agonising in Delhi and elsewhere, is recalled with shame in these
parts, and the emotion bursts forth like a torrent: “He [Modi] used us
against Muslims during the riots, and then sent us to jail for it.”

Unsurprisingly, Mr. Modi treated the rebels with contempt.

In the case of Leuva Patels, this was compounded by a kinship feeling
towards Mr. Keshubhai Patel, “next only to Sardar Patel” in stature but
“humiliated” by a BJP leadership more keen on Mr. Modi.

An interesting feature of the Leuva Patel bitterness was that it was directed only against Mr. Modi.

The Koli resentment against Mr. Modi is of more recent origin and can
be traced to a double incident of rape and murder that shook the
community in mid-May. The two Koli girls had gone to a shrine in
Junagadh where one of them was raped and the other killed. Today with
the criminals still at large, the inconsolable Kolis are disillusioned
with Mr. Modi and the BJP — a party they have largely been voting in
the past 15 years.


Some of the anger was visible at the Tarnetar mela which came to a
close with the visit of the Chief Minister. Mr. Modi waved to the
crowds which refused to return the gesture, remaining sullen for all of
the time he was there.

At a recent function in Bhuj in the Kutch region, he called Mr. Modi a “dictator” comparable to “Adolf Hitler”

As I returned to Ahmedabad, the negatives seemed to outweigh the
positives for Mr. Modi in an election which the Gujarati intellectual
class — barring a minuscule section — said the Chief Minister could
find tough but which he would win anyway.

Maoist strike reported with authenticity

Barring the one mention of "reportedly" in the last para, the entire article sounds very factual and based on authentic sources. Contrast this with the "alleged", "reported", "anonymous sources" used so freely while reporting BJP statements.

The Hindu : Front Page : CPI (Maoist) to hit back at police

Concerned over the loss of some of its top leaders and cadre either
in encounters or through surrenders, the banned CPI (Maoist) is
reportedly making major efforts to strike back at the police and
thereby instil confidence in its cadre, militia members and sections of
people supporting the party.

One major issue the party is concentrating on is to hit back at the
police and the Government. It killed Zilla Praja Parishad
vice-president Samida Ravishankar in May. And in the distant Nellore
district, they made an attempt on the life of former Chief Minister and
Visakhapatnam MP N. Janardhana Reddy and his Minister-wife
Rajyalakshmi. Both incidents are related to the naxalite party’s strong
opposition to bauxite mining in the Visakha agency area and setting up
of alumina refineries in Visakhapatnam and Vizianagaram districts.

The CPI (Maoist) is determined to retain its hold over the Visakha
agency area as it had lost a strong ground in the Nallamala region.
Even as the State police was increasing its pressure on the agency area
and recently killed four naxalites in an encounter in G. Madugula
mandal, the Maoist party is making all efforts to strengthen its hold.
It is also reported that cadre from Orissa and Chattisgarh are being
brought to this area.

As part of its plans to strike at the police, the Andhra Orissa
Border State Zonal Committee’s military commission head Chalapathi,
considered as one of the top strategists of the party, organised a
meeting on the banks of Sileru river in Malkangiri district of Orissa.

Strategy

About 30 persons of different cadre of the CPI (Maoist) from Andhra
and Orissa areas had reportedly attended the meeting held from
September 29 to October 1. Discussions were reportedly on strategy to
carry out ‘lightning strikes’ against the police.

We never took you seriuosly, Karat

Apart from Naxal Ram, nobody ever took you seriously. We all knew you were making empty noises.

The Hindu : National : Our stand on nuclear deal is clear: Karat

Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Prakash Karat told the media here on Wednesday that Congress president Sonia Gandhi was free to state that the “Left’s concerns on the India-U.S. nuclear agreement were no cause for alarm.”

Daily dose of Karot juice

Karat is also worried that the bandhs are being legally banned. That means Leftists are losing their most potent weapon.

The Hindu : National : Karat: Centre callous about commitments
The Hindu : National : BJP designs will not succeed: Karat

Mr. Karat expressed “surprise” over the Supreme Court’s order restraining the DMK and its allies from going ahead with a bandh in Tamil Nadu on Monday, adding that the “logical” consequence “after placing a ban on bandhs and hartals would be a ban on all protest actions and the right to strike.”

Environmental cost of China's development

Chindu is in a despondent mood because China's pet project is in trouble.

The Hindu : Opinion / News Analysis : An ambitious project and some concerns

The Vice Mayor of Chongqing, the city that borders the dam reservoir, said “the shore of the reservoir had collapsed in 91 places and a total of 36 km had already caved in.” Such landslides have produced waves up to 50 m high, which then slam into the shore wreaking further havoc, Xinhua reported. “Regular geological disasters are a severe threat to the lives of residents around the dam,” Huang Xuebin, a senior engineer, added. Other officials reported that the water quality in tributaries of the Yangtze had declined and pollution caused by sediment build-up had increased algae growth in rivers.