Vis-a-Vis

VAYALAR RAVI Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs versus CHENNAS R. NAMBOODIRI Guruvayur temple high priest

"My son Ravikrishna is a Hindu. How can they prevent him from worshipping in the temple? The priest cannot behave this way."

"Ravikrishna’s mother is a Christian. As per temple rules, a person’s religion is determined by his or her mother’s religion."

EPILOGUE: Not gods, but we humans make all the rules and later bicker over them.


VOICES

“Nandigram is a small problem. We are not isolated. The entire party is with me, from Jyoti Basu to ordinary party workers at the village level.”

Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, West Bengal chief minister

“There will be political instability if we withdraw our support to the UPA, which will benefit the BJP. The Left parties will not allow the BJP to succeed in its designs.”

Sitaram Yechury, CPI(M) Politburo member

“Whoever doesn’t believe in Hindu nationalism shouldn’t have the right to live in India. We aren’t saying every Muslim is a terrorist, but the community is sheltering terrorists.”

Mahant Adityanath, Hindu Mahasabha MP

“India should stop lecturing others on terrorism because by making nuclear weapons, India committed the original sin.”

Mushahid Hussain, Pakistan Muslim League leader

“In the last six months, the Indian team has been playing like it’s a 9-to-5 desk job. This is sport, and you are here to enjoy. I didn’t like the way the team has been playing.”

Ravi Shastri, Indian cricket team manager

THE BUZZ OF THE WEEK

The Left does not seem to be in favour of a second term for President Kalam, nor is it keen on Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat for the post. Instead, they may put up a woman candidate for the most powerful chair.

SELECTED: Sarod maestro Ustaad Ashish Khan, as a fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, UK’s highest body of Asian arts. The society was founded in 1924 and is patronised by Prince Charles.

SENTENCED: Former Sikkim chief minister Nar Bahadur Bhandari, to one month jail in a disproportionate assets case, by a CBI court. He is currently the president of the Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee.

DIED: Erstwhile ruler of the princely state of Wankaner in Gujarat, Maharana Pratapsinh Jhala, 100. He was a founder member of the Cricket Club of India.

PICTURE SPEAK

UNEASY: Chinese President Hu Jintao with Manmohan

Sources say that the Chinese embassy in Delhi knocked out Koyu’s name from the visa request list stating that he was a “Chinese national” since he was from Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims to be an integral part of its territory.

Following a high-level meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan and Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon, it was decided that the Foreign Office should raise the issue at the highest level with their Chinese counterparts.

The Chinese retorted by saying that Koyu did not have an invitation. In Delhi, China’s envoy Sun Yuxi told senior officials in the mea that China considered Arunachal Pradesh a disputed territory. In Beijing, India’s envoy Nirupama Rao found herself pitted against the great wall, with the Chinese adamant on not giving the visa to Koyu.

China’s denial of a visa to a government official from Arunachal Pradesh once again reinforces its claim over the entire state and not just the disputed tract of Tawang. Earlier too, Beijing has denied visas to officials and legislators from the state.

By cancelling the trip and three other visits of IAS officers to China, Delhi has sent a strong signal to Beijing. But instead of a knee-jerk reaction and following a tit-for-tat diplomacy, rethinking India’s options on Tibet and Taiwan should be a priority—prick the dragon where it hurts.

-By Saurabh Shukla

PICTURE SPEAK

WATER WAR: The Coast Guard keeps close watch

With the IAF setting up eight radar stations along the south coast and the navy lengthening the airstrip at Ramnad, India’s southern border is now the most heavily watched Indian boundary. It comes amidst the LTTE targeting Indian fishermen—five were killed last month while 11 others were abducted and their trawler used for gun-running by the LTTE before it was intercepted and sunk by the Maldivian coast guard. An acute shortage of trawlers, has forced the Tigers to hijack Indian vessels for arms transhipment.

Though interrogations of captured Sea Tigers—of whom at least 11 are in Indian custody—revealed that they have been instructed by the senior LTTE leadership not to engage Indian forces, the authorities say they are not taking any chances. Five Indian fishermen were massacred in April, which was blamed on the Lankan navy but now traced to the LTTE trawler Mariya captured by the Coast Guard with five Sea Tigers on board.

Reports from Sri Lanka suggest that the LTTE is readying for a final assault on Jaffna. Last week’s attack on Delft Island, one nautical mile away from Indian waters, that hit a Lankan naval base, is believed to be part of this assault plan. The LTTE wants to use all its aerial, land and naval assets in the final thrust and they have also stepped up recruitments. Along the coast, it is better to be forewarned than to be taken by surprise.

-By Sandeep Unnithan

PICTURE SPEAK

PAPER GODDESS: Raje

Soon after, Gaj Singh, the erstwhile maharaja of Jodhpur whose name figures as a patron of the Manch, distanced himself from the issue saying he was never associated with the sect. Under pressure, the police have started investigations. Raje, who does not mind being called maharani, seemed amused at being portrayed as a godly poster girl. “I am concerned about the welfare of the people and not about odd individuals criticising or worshipping me,” she said.

-By Rohit Parihar

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