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Monday, October 31, 2011

A small school for the underprivileged, has nursed big dreams






On 17th October, I was invited to Diksha school's annual function in Hardwar. Its situated in an area which has a dense populated scheduled caste population, poor and almost on the margins of the so called mainstream of progress. The school has about six hundred students from class one to tenth. The fee is quite low, English is taught specially and the annual result is above average. Moreover, the owners of the school do not run it as a family business, as many of the so called top graded schools do. They are middle class family, and have projects to help poor and underprivileged in the vicinity. More than a quarter of students are unable to give fees and they are exempted from paying any amount. And remember its a private school. The enthusiasm of the little kids, who had gathered in quite a large number with their parents was refreshing and made me too happy to be with them. The parents belonged to middle income and low income strata, and were looking very happy to be seated honourably in a function that connected them with their ward's happiness and progress. I saw a distinct urge on their faces to learn more, earn more and move ahead . The plays, songs and skits that children presented showed their hidden aspirations . Shri Swadesh Pal Kumar, a veteran VHP leader and a dedicated swayamsewak was the guest of honour and a Swami ji , from a local Ashram, who is serving these 'Dalits' selflessly presided over the function. The Chauhans, who run the school were embodiments of simplicity and humility. More than attending a big function with huge gathering, this programme satisfied my soul and brought a sense of real happiness.

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Scrap second flag for J&K. Form a Hindu Shrine Board in Valley J&K Accession day observed in New Delhi







29th October 2011- J&;K Accession day (26th Oct, 1947, when Maharaja Hari Singh signed the instrument of accession merging the J&K state with India ) was observed in the Kushabhau Thakre auditorium in the BJP Central office, New Delhi today. Shri Kidar Nath Sahani, former Governor, Sikkim who had worked relentlessly in J&K and specially in Mirpur area during the traumatic times of Pakistani attack in September 1947 , presided over the function. Shri Tarun Vijay, MP and National Spokesperson, BJP was the Chief guest . Shri O.P.Kohli , former MP and In-charge, BJP Central Office, and Shri Mahendra Pandey, All India In-charge of all BJP Morchas and Cells, were the distinguished guests of honour. A good number of Kashmiri Hindus, residing in New Delhi attended the function. The programme was organised by J&K Sampark Cell, BJP . Shri T.N.Razdan veteran Advocate , Supreme Court and the Convenor of the Sampark Prakoshth, convened the meeting and Shri Rashneek Kher, conducted the programme. Smt Sarala Taploo, wife of the veteran RSS worker in Kashmir Late Shri Tika Lal Taploo, who was murdered by Jihadis, also graced the function.
Shri Tarun Vijay demanded rejection of the second flag for Kashmir , discontinuing the practice of its display along with the national flag Tricolour. He also demanded the formation of a Hindu Shrine Board in the valley to protect the remaining Hindu temples and reconstruct/repair the destroyed temples, which number more than seven hundred. He said that recently Kashmiri pandits under the leadership of Shri Vinod Pandita had sat on hunger strike in Jammu to demand a shrine board for temples. Thousands of acre land belonging to Hindu temples has been encroached upon by dubious people but the state government has not taken any action against the encroachers. Shri K.N. Sahani gave vivid details of the accession and the traumatic incidents following the Pakistani atatck in 1947. Shri OP Kohli raised the questions whether the so called Hindu Muslim unity in the state has been a reality ever and why there were no voices in support of the Hindus by valley Muslims. Shri Mahendra Pande also expressed the anguish of the persecuted minority of the state. Shri TK Razdan praised the grit and principled stand of Maharaja Hari Singh and lamented that history has not done justice to his memory. Maharaja was exiled from the state by Pt Nehru govt. to Bombay, from where he never returned to Kashmir, for the 'crime' of merging J&K with India , he said. He accused Pt Nehru to have played in the hands of Sheikh Abdullah and Lord Mountbatten and thus jeopardizing the J&K state's complete merger with rest of india. Here are some pictures of the occasion.

Indefatigable . Inspiration to keep moving.

Partying in a land of hunger and terror

THE TIMES OF INDIA
29 October 2011

Tarun Vijay

The affluent people, private entrepreneurs and political looters of the people's wealth who do not have priorities set for their "matribhumi" definitely deserve to be condemned. The day the F1 race inauguration news appeared, P Sainath's report on a quarter million suicides by farmers in this land of great culture, civiliasation and God’s very own areas of divine bliss also got space on front page, thanks to some sensitive editor. The same morning we saw arguments in public domain to keep the Armed Forces Special Powers Act alive in Kashmir to protect the land we belong to -- from terror and enemy’s infiltration.

A nation which is still debating the levels of poverty to be finalized in a sea of people dying of hunger and living a subhuman existence on a twenty to thirty rupees per day diet, where death is cheaper and often welcome in the houses of the hapless, hopeless people, where children die out of negligence and dearth of life-saving medicines in government hospitals, where caste is a deadly weapon in the hands of a minuscule yet powerful "high caste" dominant segment, where stone images are more worshipped and adored than living humans, F1 is enjoyed by an obscenely rich glitterati many of whom justify Maoist violence as a revolutionary method to wipe out the exploiting, anti-poor class and with a confidence betraying a Gaddafi mindset they expect us to enjoy and appreciate F1, Metallica concert and the ultimate bliss of having Lady Gaga descending on our Gurgaon.

I am sure the company and the owners of that money minting group that spent four hundred million American dollars to have the fun of high speed cars zooming past too close to Bhatta Parsaul, will think a hundred times before helping a school of excellence for the poor, land owner farmers of Greater NOIDA or a centre to empower the scheduled caste labourers of Bundelkhand. They must have definitely sent free tickets to the sons and daughters of the ruling elite but at least I won't have the confidence to get an appointment with the visionary spenders of money on F1 to fund the education of tribal children who belong to the areas where fighting Indian armed forces and killing Indians is a matter of daily routine.

That’s us. A nation of rag pickers and rag partygoers.

Not that I am against entertainment or having the honour of organizing big events, specially the high-speed races of the F1 variety. As the reports tell us, the cheapest Grand Stand ticket starts from Rs 6,500, going up to Rs 35,000.

That’s fine till we have people who can afford it. They should not be stopped from spending and having a fun time. Besides Hamilton and Karthikeyan are great sportsmen. Their pictures adorn my son’s room. But do we, as citizens, feel any affinity or a chord running through our lives, that binds us together as one people, one nation? When Deen Dayal Upadhyaya spoke of eradicating poverty and worshipping the poor, he didn’t have hatred for the wealthy but a deep concern for the citizens, who are "our brothers and sisters" and hence we can't party when my blood brother is hungry.

What is this national anthem that we feel proud to sing together, uttering magical words like Jana Gana Mana..? What is this Jana Gana Mana? The inner core of the heart of our people? Most of the affluent class and big bosses of our political system feel equally at ease with any party ruling Delhi. They facilitate their way to the upper echelons of prosperity and good life. That’s their republic. And that defines their worldview.

The craze, artificially being generated through an embedded and enchanted media for F1 and Lady Gaga is a joke on a billion people living under the shadow of a life that still yearns for potable water and dal-roti twice a day under some roof.

Friday, October 28, 2011

Light a diya for soldiers : Tarun Vijay

Garhwal Post
25th October, 2011

हर घर में सैनिकों के नाम पर जले दीप : तरुण



हर घर में सैनिकों के नाम पर जले दीप : तरुण




देहरादून (एसएनबी)। उत्तराखंड से राज्य सभा सांसद तथा भाजपा के राष्ट्रीय प्रवक्ता तरुण विजय ने दीपावली पर उत्तराखंड के सभी लोगों को बधाई देते हुए कहा कि दीवाली पर हर घर में सैनिकों के नाम पर एक दीया जरूर जलाया जाए। उत्तराखंड वीर सैनिकों और वीर माताओं का प्रदेश है। सैनिक सरहद पर रखवाली करते हैं तो हम दीवाली मना पाते हैं। उन्होंने बताया कि वे पिछले दिनों थल सेना अध्यक्ष जनरल वीके सिंह से मिले थे। इनके साथ उन्होंने जन सामान्य में सैनिकों तथा उनके माता-पिता के सम्मान हेतु एक विशेष राष्ट्रीय अभियान पर चर्चा की। जिसमे प्रस्ताव किया गया है कि राज्यों के प्रशासनिक अधिकारी, सैनिकों तथा उनके माता-पिता के मिलने आने पर उन्हें वही सम्मान और प्रोटोकॉल दें, जो वे किसी विधायक या सांसद को देते हैं। इस सुझाव को जनरल वीके सिंह ने बहुत पंसद किया। तरूण विजय ने कहा कि उन्होंने इस बार दीवाली गरीब एवं अनुसूचित जाति और जनजाति के उन बच्चों के साथ मनाने का संकल्प लिया है जो न पटाखे खरीद पाते हैं और न ही मिठाई। उन्होंने उत्तराखण्ड की जनता को दीपावली की बधाई देते हुए उनसे भी अपील की है कि दीवाली के दिन वे अपने आस-पास की गरीब बस्ती में जाकर वहां बच्चों के साथ दो क्षण खुशियां साझा करें तो उनके जीवन में सदैव खुशियों की रोशनी फैली रहेगी।

Tarun Vijay to speak at J&K Accession day Observance programme in BJP Headquarters

Jammu and Kashmir Sampark Prakoshth, B.J.P

Cordially invites you to a special conference to observe

The Accession Day of Jammu and Kashmir with Bharat

Chief Guest
Shri Tarun Vijay

Hon’ble M.P, Rajya Sabha National Spokesperson, B.J.P and
Hon. Director, Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation


Veteran distinguished guests of honour

Shri O.P Kohli

Former M.P ,Rajya Sabha and In charge Central Office

Shri Mahendra Pandey
All India Prabhari, B.J.P Morcha & Prakoshth

Presided by
Shri. K.N Sahni
Former Governor, Sikkim

Date and Time—Saturday,29th Oct,2011, 4 p.m.
Venue-Kushabahau Thakrey auditorium
B.J.P Central Office, 11 Ashoka Road,
New Delhi


R.S.V.P
T.N Razdan
National Convener
Jammu and Kashmir Sampark Prakoshth
Contact No- 09891900270

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Putin powers new axis






Shifting sands and a powered Putin

23 October 2011, 
Tarun Vijay  

Both Russia and China were cautious in their reaction to Muammar Gaddafi’s humiliating end, yet sounded critical of the US action. Earlier Prime Minister Putin had strongly opposed the UN resolution authorising action in Libya as "flawed", saying it resembles medieval calls for a Crusade. Now, while China showed concern on the growing western interventions in the Arab world, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said that Muammar Gaddafi should have been treated as a prisoner of war according to the Geneva Conventions and his life saved.

This was the second instance of near unanimity in their worldview after Russia joined China on October 4 to veto a US-backed United Nations resolution targeted at the crackdown on protests in Syria.

Post Saddam and Osama, what impact Gaddafi’s ‘rat like end’ will have in the Islamic world is yet to be seen but the growing convergence of worldview between Moscow and Beijing is a significant phenomenon India can ill afford to ignore.

Russian Prime Minister Putin’s recent disclosure of his intention to become President next March, having chalked out the longest period in office, created turbulence in the west with media terming it a new beginning of the Stalin era. Interestingly having announced his presidential dreams Prime Minister Putin almost immediately followed it with a China visit, where he was accorded a welcome befitting a head of state. It signified a new global power play disturbing the western perceptions and initiating a fresh review of ties in Indian security echelons.

Putin’s three day China visit, fetched twelve agreements worth $3.5bn icing them with a coveted pact to notify each other of ballistic missile launch plans. "It shows the special relationship with the two countries, as the launches of ballistic missiles are core State secrets rarely disclosed to other countries," Li Daguang, a military expert at China's National Defense University, was quoted as saying by the Global Times' English edition. Putin described the ‘friendship’, as having reached “unprecedented levels of cooperation” in the political sphere and came down heavily on the west, once describing America as ‘parasite’ ( which he later tried to play down with an explanation) and blaming the U.S. and European Union for “political” delays to Russia’s bid to join the World Trade Organization.

Russian gas export monopoly OAO Gazprom plans to ship Siberian gas from as early as 2015, with total annual deliveries to reach 68 billion cubic meters, more than 60% of China’s 2010 consumption. China surpassed Germany as Russia’s biggest trade partner last year and annual turnover may exceed $70bn in 2011 and reach $200bn in 2020, from $59bn in 2010, Putin declared in Beijing.

The other significant agreement was to establish a commission for their upcoming joint border inspection in a bid to avoid friction on a tricky issue and ordering high-speed Chinese technology that enables a train to run 350 km per hour for Russia's Far East, a line from Vladivostok to Khabarovsk.

Once sworn enemies and almost on the brink of a war, Russia and China began a new chapter in friendship with the signing of ‘good neighbour’ treaty in 2001 heralding unprecedented cooperation in military hardware and trade.

Now Russia is showing keen interest in investing in Pakistan and even supplying some light military equipment. Pakistan President Zardari received a formal invitation to visit Moscow, this May, the first after 1974 to any Pakistani head of state. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin had already told his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani at a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting in Dushanbe that Russia was willing to help fund and build the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline, to which Moscow was earlier opposed. During Zardari's visit Russia offered technical help and funds for the modernisation and expansion of the Pakistan Steel Mills in Karachi, which the Soviet Union built in the 1970s, as well as five other MoUs for the supply of Russian rail tracks, cooperation in the oil and gas sector, power generation, coal mining and agriculture.

It is noteworthy that the Pakistani president had arrived in Russia 10 days after US commandoes killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan where he had enjoyed a safe haven for years. However, Moscow made it clear this fact will not affect relations with Islamabad. “Russia fully recognises and appreciates the substantial contribution made by the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to the efforts of world community” in countering international terrorism, Russian Ambassador to Pakistan Andrey Budnik said in an article he penned several days after the operation in Abbottabad. “Russia attaches great importance to cooperation with Pakistan in the sphere of Afghan settlement,” Mr. Budnik wrote. He explained that this cooperation was based on a shared understanding that the quest for peace in Afghanistan “must not become the prerogative of solely external players”, an obvious reference to the U.S.

Though India’s official position remains neutral, the spirit of 1971 India Soviet Union Friendship Treaty is fast vapouring off necessitating a new look at it. Many other glitches like inordinate delay in delivering aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov, renamed INS Vikramaditya, strategically too important for us, hiccups in getting spare parts and over dependence on Russian military supplies for all the three wings of our forces have already made South Block to diversify defence purchases prudently.  Russians have noted it and their diplomats in Delhi don’t hide their uncomfortable feelings through murmurings like-India is fast falling into the US camp.   

We must continue to have faith in Russian friendship and welcome Putin’s return as President of the Russian Federation. An old and time tested friendship should not be allowed to wither away under new power equations.  Still it will be in our long-term interest not to depend on one country beyond a certain point. Manmohan Singh is serving India’s strategic interests on this front in his own inimitable placid way by encouraging strategic alliances like IBSA, BRICS and focusing more on East Asia.The guiding diplomatic sutra for India-Russian relations should be-respect but diversify.

Monday, October 17, 2011

फिर फिर मिर्चपुर

16/October/2011
जनसत्ता
तरुण विजय

Friday, October 14, 2011

Russia-China Relation Too Strategic to Be Ignored: BJP


PTI | NEW DELHI | OCT 13, 2011

Cautioning against the Russia-China relationship following President Vladimir Putin's recent visit to China, BJP has said it cannot be ignored as it signifies "emerging geopolitical trends".

"It signifies emerging geopolitical trends. In a post-Cold War era, Russia’s increasing cooperation with China and Pakistan is a development that India can’t ignore and its implications on our security must be a matter of concern for us," said BJP spokesman Tarun Vijay.

He said this signifies that new world order sides with powerful nations alone and called for keeping a watch on Russian overtones with India's neighbours while keeping ties with "old and trusted friend" Russia "warm and intact".

"This development is too strategic to be ignored and must make us more cautious and diversify military supply sources," he said.

The guiding principle, he added, should be to "Trust Russia but keep a watch".

He said that "in this background we find UPA government’s attitude completely oblivious of the ground situation. It is in a self-denial mode, paralysed by domestic pressures and survival exercises, failing to strengthen new India-interest-centric positions in foreign affairs."

The BJP leader said from the days of the India-Soviet Friendship Treaty signed in 1971, the global strategic dynamics had changed rapidly and old foes have turned into friends.

Russia and China had recently vetoed a European-drafted UN Security Council resolution condemning Syria for its bloody crackdown on protesters, he said, adding it was indeed an "extraordinary gesture".

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Questioning Anna on RSS is unpatriotic

THE TIMES OF INDIA
13 October 2011

Tarun Vijay

Nehru honoured RSS for its support and Shastri requested for it.

Congress is questioning Anna on RSS as if that’s a sin against the nation.

It seems we are not living in a vibrant democracy but either in a Stalinist regime or in a Saudi despot’s fiefdom. RSS–BJP support to Anna is being projected as the ultimate sin any Indian can commit against the national interest. And misrepresenting RSS Gen. Secy.’s letter to Swayamsewaks-cadres, to work for anti corruption drive and help get back black money stashed in Swiss banks, Anna is sought to be put in a question box-why did you take RSS support? The same secular-Taliban crowd had objected Anna putting up Bharat Mata portraits at Jantar Mantar though they had no shame collaborating with Congress ministers behind the scenes.

Neither does Anna need to have RSS support to survive nor does RSS need to piggyback him for staying afloat in public life. Both are serving the nation in their own way.

But the Congress perhaps has the shortest memory ever diagnosed in a public organization. Just a few decades earlier, their patron guardian belonging to the Gandhi-Nehru family, had honoured the RSS cadre by inviting them to participate in the Republic Day parade in New Delhi in full RSS uniform. That was the time when India passed through a 1962 aggression by China and the Nehru government had to arrest more than 250 senior communist leaders on charges of sedition. And the same Nehru government invited RSS cadre to participate in their own uniform in the ’63 Republic Parade as a gesture to honour them for their splendid role in helping the nation and boosting the morale of the soldiers.

Here is an old picture of that occasion- RSS swayamsewaks proudly marching past the Tricolour on Rajpath in their Ganavesh-as the uniform is known in Sangh parlance.


During the 1965 war, the then Congress Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri had invited and lauded RSS help in helping maintain public order in Delhi, taking up traffic police assignments and thus relieving policemen to go on war time duties.

Isn’t it too ironical that under the utterly pronounced family rule, the same Congress is trying to question Anna’s wisdom by deliberately asking a wrong question- why did you take RSS support?

Even if, hypothetically assuming, Anna had asked for RSS support to end corruption, would that be construed as a sin and something that Anna shouldn’t have done?

Why?

Is RSS a Pakistan affiliate?

Does it reject the constitution like the Maoists and their anti-national intellectual supporters?

Is RSS against democracy? Or is it a banned Indian terrorist outfit like SIMI or Lashkar or Hizbul or Naxals? Does it work against India and had it designed country’s division in 1947?

The ones who really did it became partners of the government led by Congress.

In 1962-63, Congress under Nehru had put hundreds of Communist leaders behind bars for sedition. Some one needs to use RTI to find out more details on such a historically revealing issue. The same communists became UPA-1’s coalition partners.

In 1947, Indian Union Muslim League, the only party using the word ‘union’, worked to divide the nation.

It became a party discarded by all post Independence obviously for this reason. It was this UPA government led by the Congress that invited Muslim League for the first time in our history to join the council of ministers.

Congress is happy to go soft on Naxals and appoint a convicted pro-Naxal-Maoist person as a key position holder in the Planning Commission. It can also conveniently forget the unanimous and all party resolution on Kashmir passed in 1994 and appoint a group of interlocutors to give divisive suggestions.

But still it has the cheek to question Anna on RSS support.

Why?

Simply because patriotism is a hateful word in Congress lexicon.

Anyone who works against the Indian unity and integrity becomes a natural buddy of the party. Like Arundhati Roy, Batla House gang, Azamgarh Jihadis and Maoist mafia. Have you ever seen a Congress leader sympathizing with Inspector Mohan Lal Sharma, killed in Batla House operation? But they obviously go to the houses of suspected terrorists.

Hence RSS must be an obvious target of the Congress crowd.

A cartel of secular shamanists, love to stand with murderer Jihadis, anti-democracy and constitution burner Naxals, but through a control over media and money, they try to portray a different ideological stream members as sinners and pariahs.

Russia – India: Interests define the policy



October 12, 2011
Elena Krovvidi

How can Putin’s return to presidency affect Russian-Indian relationship? In anticipation of the results of Russian election Indian analysts debate on the Indian take on a possible political “wind of change” in Russia.

A recent visit of the Indian Defence Minister A.K.Antony to Russia served as a platform for a number of important steps such as the confirmation of the delivery schedule for aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya and the lease of the K-152 Nerpa nuclear submarine. These are some of the areas of the long-term plan that envisages military cooperation between Russia and India up to 2020, which is the longest cooperation agreement that India has in this sphere. However, one should see a bigger picture behind the armaments deals. The impending election in Russia and much speculated on Russian current PM Vladimir Putin’s running for President could mean changing the tone of the relationship between the two countries.

Indian journalist and parliamentarian Tarun Vijay suggests that while welcoming the possibility of Putin’s taking the wheel, “building up its independent capabilities” may be beneficial for India. Although there are no grounds to expect the drastic changes in the Russian foreign policy as far as India is concerned still the power balance in the Russia-India-China equation may shift, especially in light of the recent Vladimir Putin’s visit to China and resulting agreements on broadening of Russian-Chinese economic cooperation from traditional industries to high technology industries and signing $7 billion deals.

There have already been changes in Soviet-Indian relationship scenario under Gorbachev when despite remaining committed to friendship the USSR drifted a bit towards China in its foreign policy, and therefore Vijay doesn’t rule out a probability of India’s reconsidering its relationship with Russia and transforming Indian “complete dependence on Moscow” situation into a “healthy strategic partnership”. While there are a sufficient number of factors that bring BRICS countries, and particularly India and Russia, together, for instance Islamist threat or US politics of dominance, still there is motivation to proceed cautiously in this cooperation. The situations such as the Vikramaditya (former Admiral Gorshkov) modernization delay and a resulting increase in costs as well as other situation with spare parts delays from the Russian side may induce the Indians to boost domestic spare parts production for the hardware supplied by the Russians.

But the medal has two sides and despite differences and disagreements, Russia and India still remain all-weather friends especially in view of Russian steady support of India in its conflict with Pakistan and India’s standing by the former USSR and present day Russia in its rivalry with the USA in the space and military industries. But as a popular saying goes, a hedge between keeps friendship green. So may be as it often happens even in the closest relationships there is a need for space and room for development for each of the parties, and it can happily coexist with long-term strategic partnership.

__________________________________________________________________________
rediffNEWS.com

What Putin's return means for India

October 12, 2011

In diplomacy, like in politics, there are no permanent friends or foes. The same principle must be true for India-Russia relations in the coming Putin era, says Tarun Vijay.

Defence Minister A K Antony's significant Russia visit was lost in the domestic political din, yet the message he brought must cheer up India.

It is not just the confirmation of the delivery schedule for the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya (formerly, the Admiral Gorshkov). Delhi had been concerned at the delay in its delivery, resulting in the escalation of the cost from $1.5 billion to $2.33 billion.

Antony also discussed the pending lease of the K-152 Nerpa nuclear multi-purpose attack submarine and licensed production and overseas maintenance of Su-30MKI aircraft and T-90S tanks.

India remains the largest buyer of military hardware from Russia.

According to Jyotsna Bakshi at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, 'the major weapon systems acquired or contracted from Russia in the last five years include Su-30MKI multi-role fighter aircraft, Il-78 tanker aircraft to be used as platform for Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS), Mi-17-IV military transport helicopters, R-77 air-to-air missiles, Kilo class/type 877E submarines, frigates, Ka-31 Helix airborne early warning helicopters, aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov, MiG-29K, including MiG-29KUB version for use on aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov, Ka-27PL (Ka-28 version) and Ka-31 helicopters; T-90 tanks, fire control radar, air and sea surveillance radar, combat radar, aircraft radar, anti-tank and anti- ship missiles, etc... The value of projects under the current long-term defence cooperation programme up to 2010 is generally agreed to be around $9 billion to $10 billion.'

The long term defence deals and smoothening the friendship pathway till Vladimir Putin is finally ensconced as Russia's president next year was more important. For us, Putin's return holds greater significance than anything else in bilateral ties.

Putin's ascendancy to the top job might be the longest one, till 2024, if all goes well. It will see at least three Chinese presidents and an equal number of Indian prime ministers. If that occurs, Putin will be the longest-serving ruler at the Kremlin after Josef Stalin.

Antony discussed military and technology cooperation with Russia's Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov as a follow-up to the 10th meeting of the intergovernmental commission held in 2010, which was organised after the 2009 agreement on military cooperation valid till 2020.

Russia is the only country to have such a long-lasting agreement with India on military cooperation.

Remember, 2009 was the first year of the newly elected Russian President Dmitry Medvedev after Putin's eight-year stint. Putin could not continue as president under the then prevailing constitutional provision providing a maximum of two successive presidential terms of four years each.

The 2009 military cooperation agreement was in fact drafted during Putin's regime and signed when Medvedev took over following a mutually agreed arrangement. Medvedev has had the Russian constitution amended, facilitating a six-year period for the president for two successive terms.

The spectre of seeing soon a more forceful Putin, powered with an enhanced two-term mandate of six years each, has terrified the West, which is portraying Russia under Putin-2 becoming more autocratic and militarised.

But in reality it is the fear of losing unchallenged Western, nay American supremacy, in a Putin era that may encourage the Russia-China-India equation overwhelming US interests and power play in this region.

Russia has remained a trustworthy ally of India so far. Though Moscow extracted a heavy price for its friendship, it never ditched New Delhi at any critical time.

It is such a rare phenomenon in the contemporary world scenario of shifting friends and changing goalposts that India too gulped some bitter experiences and remain loyal to the all weather friend.

The United States, possibly due to historical reasons and Jawaharlal Nehru's obsession with Socialist regimes, never proved a reliable democratic ally. Washington found autocratic rulers more comfortable and put its strategic eggs in the basket of India's arch enemy, Pakistan.

Indira Gandhi, as a great nationalist leader, knew this. That was the time when the US-Pakistan military nexus was in full play and Pakistan was also strategically collaborating closely with China, thus putting India on the adverse side of the two big powers, the US and China.

The erstwhile Soviet Union too needed India to contain China and Pakistan, continue its comfort levels of operations in Afghanistan and resist US plans in the region while reaching out to the Third World with our help.

India's position as a genuine non-aligned country helped Moscow no end. Having forged contextual convergence of geo-political strategic interests, the historic Indo-Soviet Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation was signed on August 9, 1971 in New Delhi.
The treaty helped us significantly during the war with Pakistan that winter, when the US sent its Seventh Fleet to the Bay of Bengal to intimidate India and help Pakistan. India-Soviet cooperation went much beyond military ties.

Articles 8, 9, and 10 of the Treaty commits both countries 'to abstain from providing any assistance to any third party that engages in armed conflict with the other' and 'in the event of either party being subjected to an attack or threat thereof to immediately enter into mutual consultations.'

In the post-Soviet era, the Russian Federation remained committed to friendship with India, but small hiccups began to surface.

Delayed supplies of military spare parts, frequent MiG crashes, made South Block rethink its huge military hardware orders. India had ordered 16 MiG-29Ks for $650 million in 2004, intended to fly off the Russian-built aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya. A repeat order for $1.5 billion was placed in early 2010 for 29 additional MiG-29Ks.

Post the Cold War, a shift in US policy towards Pakistan, coupled with growing Russian-China cooperation, which heralds an era of bitter conflict and distrust for each other, India too is ready to have a relook at its complete dependence on Moscow.

This position is reinforced with new equations in Russia-China-India cooperation expressed through the coming together of the three major powers on economic platforms like BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, SCO, which was intially resisted by India, possibly fearing American annoyance.

With the imminent US withdrawal from Afghanistan and easing of tensions in the region, India has now sought full membership of SCO, which has been accepted.

Besides Islamist terrorism, which threatens India, Russia and China, the US geo-politics of dominance is a factor that make the three giants work together. But this cooperation must be tested at every level. While cooperation is a good word, India must begin reducing its dependence on Russia and opt for producing indigenously spare parts for military hardware supplied by Russia.

The astounding levels of Russia-China military cooperation must make India cautious. Post the US withdrawal of Afghanistan, Russia also seems keen on improving relations with Pakistan.
In this context, India will be advised to welcome Putin wholeheartedly, yet build its independent capabilities. Putin has a tough guy image; his popularity powers him to take on the West and challenge American positions. Let him do that.

India with its fragmented polity cannot hope to do likewise. Hence, India must not burn its boats with the West, which remains ideologically close, as a democratic, plural, multi-religious and multi-cultural bloc.

SCO and BRICS notwithstanding, our Look East policy must also be reinvigorated and trusted democratic friends like Japan and Korea should not be isolated on our radar of foreign relations.
In diplomacy, like in politics, there are no permanent friends or foes. Only interests guide policy. The same principle must be true for India-Russia relations in the coming Putin era.

Tarun Vijay is a Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament and a national spokesperson for the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Tarun Vijay




Tuesday, October 11, 2011

What kind of a politician is he? He has a heart!

THE TIMES OF INDIA
11 October 2011

Tarun Vijay


Shell-shocked he looked. The European diplomat was trying to understand the deliberations with the help of his Indian friend and finding the programme perplexing, he asked me ‘he is the chief of India’s principal opposition party and this was his book launch, yet, why didn’t he utter a single word about Sonia or Manmohan Singh? He could have attacked them and got headlines. In such a surcharged political atmosphere, Gadkari was speaking about poverty, energy, water conservation and how he had helped promote new schools for village girls in remote areas. Phew! What kind of a politician is Mr Nitin Gadkari?'

Politicians are supposed to speak politics. Attack the opponents and try anything to remain in news. But he did just the opposite.

It was a dream show for any leader. Top stalwarts from various walks of life were on stage.

A book in Hindi containing his speeches on development and other topics like Lata Mangeshkar was to be launched. The hall was packed with ambassadors, political workers, authors and the media. Gadkari could have turned it into a high profile political drama and rhetoric. And none would have complained. It would have been expected as the most obvious show.

But he spoke like a person hesitant to wear glory - I am not an author. I never speak from a prepared text; they are impromptu and more like honestly sharing my experiences. This book is also no different. It’s a collection of my experiences. I am not a scholar or an accomplished author. You can take me as a mediocre small worker, who once pasted BJP posters on Nagpur walls and looked up at Atal ji and Advani ji with so much awe that whenever they visited my city I would not even go close to their car. Worked in the RSS and ABVP. Once in Gadh Chiroli, a poverty-stricken region of Maharashtra known for Naxals, we saw an old woman wearing a scanty cloth like a saree. Her daughter was inside their hut. When I asked, if we could speak to her to know more about local problems, she hesitatingly agreed and went inside. A few moments later the daughter came out. She was wearing the same saree that her mother had worn. This was the level of poverty and the life that pierced my heart and I decided to work for the poor and the deprived.

Gadkari’s words.

He spoke from his heart. Didn’t want to envelope himself in some sham glory or unearned scholarship.

I know Bharat Bala has never made a documentary on any individual, much less on any politician.

That he found Gadkari's work worth making one, a 10 minute eye-opener, that describes beautifully how the scorched land of Vidarbha and the deprived tribals and rural folk were helped with Gadkari's vision and financial wizardry strokes tells volumes about the genuineness of the heart that works magic for the people standing last in the line of progress. This he says is social entrepreneurship.

Saving energy, distributing solar powered lamps and solar fencing in tribal villages to guard their harvest from stray wild animals - a new initiative so far unheard, opening new schools and helping encourage girl child education, helping farmers conserve water and create reservoirs to help end suicides of the land tillers in an area where water shortage remains the single biggest reason for seven thousand farmers deaths. Producing lakhs of tones of ethanol to help curb dependence on imported crude oil, and building infrastructure like Poorti Agrotech to train and turn semi-literate women into successful entrepreneurs.

That’s Gadkari.

This is certainly not a job a politician usually does.

They demand the government do all this. That’s their usual karma.

But is this not the area where politicians must work? Making it their usual Dharma?

Criticize him on hundred counts, if you think you have a point to make, please do so. But this certainly is a different story.

Monday, October 10, 2011

Dehra dun BJP workers meet powers election campaign- Gadkari exhorted perty workers to forget differences and ensure victory

Pictures showing national leaders - a unified command Tarun Vijay is seen on right with Shri Rajnath Singh ji


Sunday, October 9, 2011

Yogi Steve Jobs

THE TIMES OF INDIA
08 October 2011

Tarun Vijay


It's good to die when you are at the top of your accomplishment chart and glory rather than inching towards the end amid a smoke of unfulfilled desires.

Steve, the great Steve Jobs, did the right thing to bid adieu to the world when this planet felt pride to have his products that gave us hope and happiness. He rose from nowhere. His life is a great lighthouse for the common people, failed, dejected, born in the most difficult circumstances, with despair and rejection staring at them.

People with such surroundings often end their lives or become violently unsuccessful, crowding jails and getting abused.

Steve became a hero for us all.

This is a cruel world where blood brothers become back stabbers and jealous comrades await impatiently to kick you on the ass once you trip on a hurdle.

Steve taught us: Remember, you have a very limited time. Death might be waiting too close. Concentrate on what you want to do rather than wasting time on others.

Just recently Delhi’s famous Akshardham Temple invited me to deliver a lecture to an impressive gathering of intellectuals and youth in their fabulously created auditorium. Along with Vivekananda and a number of great souls who had inspired our young generation, I presented the life of Steve Jobs as a great contemporary symbol who changed the way we think and work. To me, Steve was always a self-realized yogi, a spiritual achiever, who controlled destiny through sheer faith in him and good karma.

I strongly feel his Stanford speech ( June 12, 2005 ), where he spoke on death and on his life must form part of our school curriculum.

It’s a speech that, to me, is like a small yet powerful sacred book of freedom and mukti. Like an ‘arrived’ yogi, he speaks about death: "Death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true."

And when the world traps you in the ugly machinations of the satanic forces, don’t feel low. Steve says, "Your time is limited; so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."

Steve gave his best dreams to us. He showed dreams Can be realized.

Son of an unwed mother, adopted by a hesitant couple, never had the right atmosphere to graduate, had to buy food by selling empty coke cans, failed in love, kicked out by the company he founded, Steve earned his place to be the hero of our times.

The company, Apple, named partly after the fruits in the valley orchard, he founded with his friend Woz in a garage when he was barely 20, became a whopping $2billion one, with 4,000 employees by the time he was 29.

And at 30, the Apple board of directors ousted him.

Microsoft, Sun, IBM and a whole lot of jealous unscrupulous corporate world with seamless money flow surrounded him.

His transparent resolution and a will to change the world with the best made everyone else to follow him.

Will it make a difference to know how many millions his products sold? I may be having some old statistics, yet they do turn me speechless. Here are a few lines of information taken from a website- “In January, Apple sold its 250 millionth iPod; Jobs’ self-proclaimed “mobile-devices” company now has 284 retail stores that attracted 50 million visitors in just one quarter alone; its “apps” store offers more than 140,000 software applications for its mobile products (more than 3 billion downloaded in the store’s first 18 months of operation); and Apple revenue makes it a more than $50 billion company. The company’s iPod and iTunes store “changed the way we discover, play and purchase music,”. In February, the company announced that its iTunes store recorded its 10 billionth song download.’

Steve changed our lives with hope and happiness. In this atmosphere of trashing social lives and ugly politics, what more could we have had asked from God?
It's good to die when you are at the top of your accomplishment chart and glory rather than inching towards the end amid a smoke of unfulfilled desires.

Steve, the great Steve Jobs, did the right thing to bid adieu to the world when this planet felt pride to have his products that gave us hope and happiness. He rose from nowhere. His life is a great lighthouse for the common people, failed, dejected, born in the most difficult circumstances, with despair and rejection staring at them.

People with such surroundings often end their lives or become violently unsuccessful, crowding jails and getting abused.

Steve became a hero for us all.

This is a cruel world where blood brothers become back stabbers and jealous comrades await impatiently to kick you on the ass once you trip on a hurdle.

Steve taught us: Remember, you have a very limited time. Death might be waiting too close. Concentrate on what you want to do rather than wasting time on others.

Just recently Delhi’s famous Akshardham Temple invited me to deliver a lecture to an impressive gathering of intellectuals and youth in their fabulously created auditorium. Along with Vivekananda and a number of great souls who had inspired our young generation, I presented the life of Steve Jobs as a great contemporary symbol who changed the way we think and work. To me, Steve was always a self-realized yogi, a spiritual achiever, who controlled destiny through sheer faith in him and good karma.

I strongly feel his Stanford speech ( June 12, 2005 ), where he spoke on death and on his life must form part of our school curriculum.

It’s a speech that, to me, is like a small yet powerful sacred book of freedom and mukti. Like an ‘arrived’ yogi, he speaks about death: "Death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true."

And when the world traps you in the ugly machinations of the satanic forces, don’t feel low. Steve says, "Your time is limited; so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."

Steve gave his best dreams to us. He showed dreams Can be realized.

Son of an unwed mother, adopted by a hesitant couple, never had the right atmosphere to graduate, had to buy food by selling empty coke cans, failed in love, kicked out by the company he founded, Steve earned his place to be the hero of our times.

The company, Apple, named partly after the fruits in the valley orchard, he founded with his friend Woz in a garage when he was barely 20, became a whopping $2billion one, with 4,000 employees by the time he was 29.

And at 30, the Apple board of directors ousted him.

Microsoft, Sun, IBM and a whole lot of jealous unscrupulous corporate world with seamless money flow surrounded him.

His transparent resolution and a will to change the world with the best made everyone else to follow him.

Will it make a difference to know how many millions his products sold? I may be having some old statistics, yet they do turn me speechless. Here are a few lines of information taken from a website- “In January, Apple sold its 250 millionth iPod; Jobs’ self-proclaimed “mobile-devices” company now has 284 retail stores that attracted 50 million visitors in just one quarter alone; its “apps” store offers more than 140,000 software applications for its mobile products (more than 3 billion downloaded in the store’s first 18 months of operation); and Apple revenue makes it a more than $50 billion company. The company’s iPod and iTunes store “changed the way we discover, play and purchase music,”. In February, the company announced that its iTunes store recorded its 10 billionth song download.’

Steve changed our lives with hope and happiness. In this atmosphere of trashing social lives and ugly politics, what more could we have had asked from God?

Friday, October 7, 2011

Advani Yatra will help strengthen organisation-Arun Jaitley

Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley on Friday cautioned the party’s state media cell functionaries against issues not related to corruption or governance generating controversies and derailing party patriarch LK Advani’s Rath Yatra. For the first time, the party briefed its state media cells


in the presence of the media, obliquely suggesting that any mention of non-yatra issues should be taken as a sign of deviation and not as a split within party ranks.
“We should not speak on non-Yatra issues as the Yatra proceeds, as they can create controversies,” Jaitley said. “The words uttered by each local leader are important. Avoid unnecessary controversy. Take up the decided issues in a disciplined manner. We should never leave our agenda in any political situation. Issues get diverted when we deviate from the main issues.”

He also said if the yatra went well, “it will help strengthen organisation activity wherever the yatra will go”.

Jaitley’s remarks come at a time when the party has repeatedly countenanced its political position getting sidelined and controversy taking centre stage during its events.

Last year, the Patna national executive got washed out over the much publicised snub Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar gave to Narendra Modi.

The announcement of Advani’s Rath Yatra on corruption led to an intense debate on the fissures within the party on the future leadership question rather than on “UPA corruption”.

All India BJP media incharge meet concluded in New Delhi.







07-October-2011

In view of Shri L.K. Advani’s Jan Chetna Yatra, a national level preparatory meeting of state convenors of BJP media cells and State Spokespersons was held in the BJP headquarters in New Delhi. It was inaugurated by Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad, party Gen. Secy. MP and chief spokesperson. The meeting was addressed by Shri Arun Jaitley, leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha, Shri Anant Kumar, yatra incharge and Gen. Secy. BJP, Shri Shahnawaz Hussain, party’s National Spokesperson and M.P., Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, National Spokesperson, BJP, Shri Shrikant Sharma, Media Incharge, BJP and Shri Tarun Vijay, M.P., National Spokesperson. Shri Arun Jaitley was the chief guest who delivered the valedictory address in his own inimitable way inspiring the workers .
Pic captions--

1.(L to R) Shri Tarun Vijay, M.P., National Spokesperson, BJP, Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad, Gen. Secy, BJP, Chief National Spokesperson, BJP, Shri Arun Jaitley, Leader of Opposition Rajya Sabha, Shri Anant Kumar, Gen. Secy, BJP, M.P., Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, National Spokesperson, BJP, and Shri Shrikant Sharma, Media Incharge, BJP.


2. (L to R) Shri Tarun Vijay, M.P., National Spokesperson, BJP, Shri Shahnawaz Hussain, M.P., National Spokesperson, BJP, Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad, Gen. Secy, BJP, Chief National Spokesperson, BJP and M.P., Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, National Spokesperson, BJP, Shri Shrikant Sharma, National Media Convenor, BJP.

3. Shri Tarun Vijay addressing the state media convenors

Thursday, October 6, 2011

जिसने वक्त बदला

07/October/2011
अमर उजाला
तरुण विजय

Yogi Steve Jobs



Tarun Vijay
6th October 2011

Along with Vivekananda and a number of great souls who had inspired our young generation, I presented the life of Steve Jobs to the young audience at Akshardham temple in Delhi recently , as a great contemporary symbol of young ideal who changed the way we used to think and work.

To me Steve was always a self-realized yogi, a spiritual achiever, who controlled destiny through sheer faith in him and good karma.

I strongly feel his Stanford speech ( June 12, 2005 ), where he spoke on death and on his life must form a part of our school curriculums.

It’s a small speech, yet so powerful, that to me it would form a sacred book of freedom and Mukti.

Like an ‘arrived’ yogi, he speaks about death-‘death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life.

Steve gave his best dreams to us. He showed dreams Can be realized.

Steve changed our lives with hope and happiness. In this atmosphere where social lives are trashed and ugly politics forms our timeline, if God gave us Steve Jobs it was so kind of Him.

Monday, October 3, 2011

दगाबाज हमसफर

03/October/2011
डेली न्यूज़
तरुण विजय

Sunday, October 2, 2011

हकीकत से मुठभेड़

02/October/2011
जनसत्ता
तरुण विजय

American policy helped ISI support killings of Americans

THE TIMES OF INDIA
30 September, 2011

Tarun Vijay


Finally the truth seems to be dawning on the 'best friends of Islamabad' in Washington. The Mike Mullen testimony before Congress last week showed the delayed milestones factor in US policy towards its most dollar hungry ally. It also exposed the flaw of blatantly self-centerednes in its foreign policy, particularly in its much-hyped 'war against terror'.

Mullen was considered the best friend of Pakistan's military junta and he visited them 27 times since 2008. He turned his face even when Pakistan sent Kasabs to Mumbai and didn't show any concern at Headley exposures.

His anxieties didn't increase seeing Pakistan hand in every act of terror occurring in India and elsewhere. He was fine till Kayani behaved as a serf waiting to take orders from him and the only moment when he felt he should see the truth and 'learn a lot more' about his best friends was the Pakistani hesitation to complete a previously agreed action against Haqqani network.

And its only after that, when the Pakistani 'best friends' bit the hand that fed them, Mullen said to the Congress with a sadness of a self deluded man faced with the truth, '"I am losing people, and I am just not going to stand for that". He added "I have been Pakistan's best friend. What does it say when I am at that point? What does it say about where we are?" Adm. Mullen acknowledges his approach towards Pakistan didn't yield the results he wanted.

"Each time I go ( to Pakistan ) I learn more," Mullen said. "But one of the things I learn is I have a lot more to learn."

After feeding Pakistan with billions of dollars, their outgoing Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen had to admit that the Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) directorate provided support to have American troops killed.

In other words it was the American money that helped kill the American troops.

And how many American homes were given the inconsolable grief due the the US's flawed Pakistan policy ? See the table reproduced below-

US Fatalities in and around Afghanistan



Details courtesy: US Fatalities In and Around Afghanistan

The irony in US-Pakistan relations has been exposed completely before the US people and there is a justifiable outcry to change their policy towards the 'world's biggest export oriented factory of hate and violence called Jihad'.

These Mullen admissions, delayed though, are going to change the Afghanistan policy of Washington too. Till now Americans were too dependent on Pakistan to sustain their Afghanistan operations and wanting to ensure that Kabu doesn't become a fertile ground for the Talibani terror network once they leve, they overlooked many of the glaring prrofs of Pakistan's involvement with terrorism. The attitude of compromise and yield before the ISI mischief's was so prevalent that US began negotiating with Taliban themselves, in a last ditch bid to buy peace at the cost of honour and deceiving the spirited resistance of the American troops who suffered heavy casualties in the Afghan war. It was like India negotiating with the infiltrator Pakistanis in Kargil after the Kargil Vijay Diwas celebrations were over.

Neither the American public nor the media accepted this chicanery and now that Mullen testimony has become public, more than Pakistanis, American rulers will have to explain their deceptive Pakistan policy that helped American marines getting eliminated in Afghanistan.
Pakistan hates America. Only the lure of the dollars keep their uniformed generals mum. The Chinese factor, silently getting deeper into the Pakistani soil and soul, was ignored by US.

When India protested 26/11, the second Mumbai attack, theChinese PLA presence in Pakistani Occupied Kashmir claimed by India, US didn't show sympathy with us. When Pakistan's interior minister said that China's enemy is Pakistan's enemy, desk officers of the US State Department took it as a disco fiesta, better to be forgotten. They obfuscated the basic fact of Pakistan's friendship with US and China, both running parallel to each other, that its only a deep rooted animosity towards India that makes Pakistan sail in two boats. Unless democratic India is supported as an equal partner in ensuring peace and power balance in the region, American interests too can't be protected. So far America has shown greater affinity with the dictatorial regimes than the democracies. Its time they change and have a genuine democratic push to eliminate terror and opportunistic power shift that will hamper growth and peace in our region in a devastating manner.

This scenario has another message too. In spite of our political upheavals , India is poised to play a greater role in the region in near future and the diminishing power reservoir of Washington must make us realize that destiny has carved a far more greater role for us than the US.