Hindukush Earthquake: Chandigarh feels the tremors

Chandigarh: The city was pushed into a grip of panic as it was shook was by tremors of the earthquake of a massive 8.1 intensity with its epicenter in Hindukush mountains. The tremors felt in the city were, however, of a much lighter intensity as it lies some thousand kilometers away from the epicenter. The energy of an earthquake dissipates as it travels outwards. 

 The city was brought to a standstill for about 5 minutes at around 2:40 PM as people rushed outdoors from offices and homes. However, as of now, no casualty or damages have been reported and all essential services including telecom and transport are working as usual. 

For more details: http://dailypost.in

Hukamnama

Indian victories at Wimbledon: Aren't we making too much of them?

From Daily Post India 

By Raj Machhan

It’s really overwhelming, the kind of euphoria generated by triumph of Indian players in the events that essentially lie at the fringe of Wimbledon. What clearly is a case of overdo, officials right from the Prime minister and ministers in Central government to the CMs and sports body officials of various states – are out in full force to bask in what really is a very ‘feeble’ glory of Indian victories in the doubles section. Contrast this with the manner the Swiss setup is taking the victory of Martina Hingis, who actually deserves double the accolades that we are showering on Indian players. What reaction will we show if we ever win the singles championship?

What is worse is that this kind of an unprecedented euphoria is really showing India in a very poor light.It only goes to prove that despite being a country of 1.2 billion people, our systems are so inefficient that we still remain incapable of producing true champions, that we are so deprived of sporting laurels that we tend to turn events like doubles wins, internationally perceived as routine affairs in an individual game, into mega spectacles. It also shows that we really do not expect to win a singles crown - we should consider ourselves blessed and ought to really thank our stars and express  joy unrestrained when anyone comes home with any kind of triumph. Are these the kind of standards we are setting for our future generations? Come on guys, we know we are better than that.

Perhaps, the roots of this kind of a reaction lies at a much deeper level in our national psyche. As we look around, we find that we are increasingly adopting the tendency to glorify each and every one of our actions - real or perceived, whether in the past or the present - that smells of victory. In the process, we are taking to a false reality that is fuelled by an unprecedented jingoistic verbosity. Might is right, especially when it comes to the controls of our channels of information. What else can explain the unbridled glorification of our culture and history without placing things into perspective? Can these blowers of their shallow trumpet care to explain that if our culture was so great, how come all foreign invaders, from Alexander the Great in 326 BC to the Chinese in 1962, have managed to expose us to the ignominy of defeat? Have we ever defeated even a single foreign force? (Pakistan was a part of India not long back). Are great cultures easily conquered by outsiders?

By inventing false grandeur and ignoring the reality, these individuals are doing a great disservice to the nation.  Instead of working on our weaknesses, they are leading us to a false sense of pride that comes from an invented reality. And history very clearly outlines the final outcome of such an approach.

High time we worked on the lacunae in our system and produced champions and victories really worthy of all the accolades.

(Note: The writer is Head, Digital with Daily Post newspaper. The views expressed here are personal.)

We are being victimized by the local setup of Punjab Police: Anad Foundation representative

Note: The below communique has been sent by Tejinderpal Singh of Anad Foundation. Daily Post does not confirm or deny the veracity of these claims.

The Anad Foundation at the Qila, Sultanpur Lodhi - Official response to the recent controversy

By Tejinderpal Singh

Anad Foundation

Sultanpur Lodhi

Kapurthala

Until May of 2015, Anad had already served Punjab's cultural traditions in a very unique manner. Can any protagonist ever take siege of a Punjab Police Station? 

The conversation here is between Bhai Baldeep Singh (Founder Chairman, The Anad Foundation) & SSP Kapurthala, Ashish Kumar IPS.

We had requested for possession of abandoned places inside the Qila so that the conservation of both the tangible (sthool virsa) and intangible (sukham te abodh virsa) of Punjab could begin immediately. 

Anad subsequently spent tens of lakhs of hard earned money to renovate abandoned spaces as well as to maintain the lawns. Teaching of children from under-served communities has been been an important feature.

We have refrained from posting official documents for sake of propriety but as several journalists have been calling the concerned cops, it has become important to share at least some communication by way of which we had begun our unique qualitative contributions.

The fact is that the Punjab Police is the illegal occupant of the Qila. If anyone actually has had a mandate to be inside, it is The Anad Foundation by way of presentations to the Government of Punjab and by way of the decisions taken by none other that the Sultanpur Lodhi Development Board, chaired by Honorable Chief Minister, Sardar Parkash Singh Badal himself.

This is to place our humble credentials on record!

Attempted Murder of Cultural Traditions of Punjab —their Critical Revival!

The Punjab Police Conduct: They approach Assistant Supervisor Jatinder Singh Bhamra, and threaten that if he doesn't open the Flat, they will arrest all the students who study at the Anad Conservatory.

We are informed that the local Punjab Police SHO, stationed at Qila, Sultanpur Lodhi, Kapurthala, has authorized (at a local petty political behest) the forcible eviction of The Anād Foundation's Assistant Supervisor from his caretaker-residence at the Qila, Sultanpur Lodhi, which is currently on as I write. All of his luggage as well as the property of Anad Foundation is being thrown out of the Flat. The Assist. Supervisor's telephone has also been taken away from him so he could not inform me of this illegal police action. This signifies that he was physically overpowered.

The students of the Anad Conservatory have not been allowed to enter the Qila to do their daily practice. The police has posted a gunman outside the Qila to prevent the students to access their musical instruments.

Punjab Police Station Sultanpur Lodhi, DSP Sultanpur Lodhi and SSP Kapurthala refuse to budge

They have not threatened the students with arrest if they do not leave the premises of the Anad Conservatory site. They are also pushing and shoving the students. They have threatened to break all the heritage instruments - these could actually be stolen by the SHO even for he is an antique collectors, even an alleged antique dealer. 

This is a photo from today after the musical instruments, several of them priceless Punjabi heritage, have been thrown out of the classroom where Dr. Virinder Kumar Phd. taught the students inside the classroom at the Qila.

Photo of Dr. Virender Kumar Phd., one of Punjab's iconic Sitar exponents sitting outside with the instruments!

Punjab Police says we are the illegal occupants of the Quila

I spoke to the SSP Kapurthala, Ashish Kumar IPS, and he told me that we are illegal occupants at the Qila.
I told him that how can one of India's important conservators of cultural heritage with a particular focus on Punjab illegally occupy a Police Station? Obviously, he told me that he will not speak to me over the phone and put it down on me.
I texted him the following:

"I appreciate you grant of a few seconds!
One, that we are not there illegally! As a senior IPS officer, you bound to uphold the highest values of justice and fairness and certainly not of highhandedness!
Your action, personally overseen by you, is illegal, arbitrary, unconstitutional, dictatorial and even perhaps Fascist in nature. One of the most important protagonists of India's cultural traditions of this country does not and cannot illegally occupy a Police Station - remember that!
You are advised to only enhgage (sic) in actions that do not bring disrepute to you, your police force, to the Government of Punjab, and to the proud citizens of this extraordinary state!"

Government interference in RBI functioning could be disastrous

By Lokesh Mahajan

RBI has kept the REPO & CRR rates unchanged in Monetary policy announced on 4th aug,15. Salute to Governor Rajan for not yielding to the pressure of govt and big corporate houses for pruning down the interest rates. But now govt. is bent upon curtailing the powers of RBI Governor by constituting a committee to take the final call on monetary policy. This move if approved shall prove to be disastrous for the country, as vested interests will score over the interest of the country. Let us examine the current economy status.

No doubt CPI has fallen, and as per linear approach RBI need to cut rates, but despite this RBI has taken a tough stand by keeping the status quo on prevailing REPO & CRR rates,based on deficit in expected Rains, current ground reality of skyrocketing vegetable prices, and low credit off-takes by industry despite reducing Repo rates twice in the past.RBI has its valid apprehensions as soft pedaling may result in fresh NPA's after couple of years, which are already touching hooping over 5 lac crores. The banks had extended huge loans to corporates, whereas they have always denied lending to genuine small investors.

Has govt. ever questioned the PSU banks who had gone soft on corporate Giants like King Fisher, JP Associates, Unitech, Bhushan Steel,where the retail equity stake holders money has been wiped out completely. These so called corporates zoomed their market caps with the help of PSU banks, who were liberal in lending money without going in for a serious due diligence of their projects. 

RBI has made a thorough study of the current situation , where they have identified weakening global demand as one of the main reasons for slowdown in industrial outputs and not the interest rates. This imbroglio has resulted in cascading effect comprising of poor credit growth.,unemployment levels going up,muted private investment,adverse balance of payment,poor Rupee performance vis-a vis Dollar, slowing down FDI investments.Recapitalisation of PSU Banks has come as a shot in their arm ,but this small infusion of capital will fail to solve the perennial problem of mounting NPA's , so the need of the hour is to break the nexus between some unscrupulous Bankers and Corporate houses. 

The interest rates will definitely come down once long pending GST bill is passed, and government. takes a tough stand in curtailing the subsidies and limiting its disbursement only for deserving poor class of our country.

Cong starts agitation against house tax

Cong starts agitation against house tax

CM reiterates commitment to maintain peace in state

CM reiterates commitment to maintain peace in state