Indian Politics

[Smitty]

Are some of you glad that you live in North America rather then India, not to mention Pakistan & some of these other places all out of order?

[fishandchips]

Yes for the most part. But in the Brampton, Toronto and Mississauga areas, some cultural pressures are imported to the GTA and women in Punjabi marriages are having problems--pressure to have only male babies, no money or English language skills, living in communities where they have to live with in-laws. See the Toronto Star article http://www.parentcentral.ca/parent/newsfeatures/article/704904--desperate-mothers. It makes me wonder what lines are told to get the males married and what the females are told when they find out they are coming to Canada.

Sure, there are some social services with interpreters but the women are living in Canada as though they are still in the Punjab. What a swift kick to some in-laws' and husbands' rears would do for a reality check for starters.

Actually, this scenario can happen with other cultural groups living here with no or limited grasp of the French or English languages. Any offspring that manage to get through a tough home life in Canada try to straddle both cultural realities (parents' and Canadian ones) or choose one and strike away from the other one.

[CielOnTap]

Govt formation taking time to avoid glitches afterwards: Cong
PTIWednesday, November 4, 2009 19:54 IST
New Delhi: After Maharashtra governor SC Jamir nudged Congress and NCP to show a sense of urgency in forming government in Maharashtra, Congress today said the exercise was taking time as the two parties wanted to prevent glitches after formation of the government.

"Yes, of course...We will respect the mandate of the people," party spokesman Shakeel Ahmed told reporters when asked whether the alliance would heed to the advice of the Governor. He, however, said "we do not want any glitches after government is formed. It is, therefore, taking some time".

Ahmed said that on previous two occasions when the Congress and the NCP formed government in Maharashtra it took some time to thrash out the modalities. http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_govt-formation-taking-time-to-avoid-glitches-afterwards-cong_1307268

Perhaps the goverment formation is doing due diligence that there won't be any surprises for each minister nominated so that business can be done when the goverment is set. Still, the individuals wanting urgency could also just be wanting an update on the formation, if information was not being provided often.

[CielOnTap]

Mumbai demanded water, it got blood: Swabhiman
PTI
Thursday, December 3, 2009 19:44 IST
Mumbai: Mumbai demanded water but it got blood, Swabhiman, the NGO led by Maharashtra revenue minister Narayan Rane's son Niteshsaid, after a protester died following violent demonstrations at Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to demand restoration of water supply.

"The city wants water, it got blood," a statement by the organisation said.

"Mumbaikars are facing 30% water cut across the city and the suburbs. With a hope to get water after the rains as promised by BMC, the protesters raised their voices to demand for the same," the NGO said in the statement. http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_mumbai-demanded-water-it-got-blood-swabhiman_1319714

Water is needed for daily life and activities. Why would the city not check on water connections before imposing cuts if there was enough concern about illegal water connections or leakages?

[Smitty]

Like your post FishNChips as it makes a lot of sense to me as a born Cdn of Cdn parents (well form their parents it was Ireland, Germany, France & Holland).

Also the post from CielOnTap I was shocked about lack of water in some parts of India, but then the same in some sparce parts of Africa. I speak as an ex-Water Treatment Plant Operator on call 24 hrs a day , in my area for a year or so.

Like something my Mother us to do, when we moved to another Province & city or town, but asked us how we felt about the water we drank, butter, or whatever it really is now, to milk to also the bread. While we could not change to another form of water we could do some things while food products we had to sample this & that & then settle on the one we liked the most.

Still lack of water or correct form of water, is hard to believe for water can mean your life in time.

[CielOnTap]

It seems many cities are keen on rapid transit or rail systems for moving people. Lots of funding is required to get such projects going!

Japanese PM visit rescues $90 billion Delhi-Mumbai corridor
Sreejiraj Eluvangal / DNA
Tuesday, December 29, 2009 2:00 IST

New Delhi: The much-hyped Delhi-Mumbai industrial corridor (DMIC) has got a fresh lease of life after Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's delegation signed agreements to pump in $75 million into the project to start off planning and preparatory activities.

The Indian government has already promised an equivalent amount (Rs 330 crore) as its share of the $150 million project management fund.

The project, to be built on both sides of the upcoming Delhi-Mumbai dedicated rail (freight) corridor, envisages converting 24 such locations into hi-tech residential and industrial hubs. http://www.dnaindia.com/money/report_japanese-pm-visit-rescues-90-billion-delhi-mumbai-corridor_1328548

I am not certain about the Canadian connection in this company's name-perhaps an ex-patriate who set up shop in India?
Chennai-based company sets up desalination plant in Iraq
PTI
Monday, December 28, 2009 16:35 IST

Chennai: Manufacturer of mineral water packaging equipment, Shivsu Canadian Clear International, today said it has successfully installed a Rs52-crore desalination water plant for the government of Iraq.

With this, the city-based company has become the first Indian firm to install the plant for the government, a company release here claimed. Shivsu's work includes design, manufacture, supply, construction and commissioning of the plant on a turnkey basis, it said.

The desalination plant in Iraq has been set up to meet the growing demand for potable water. The capacity of the plant is 20 metric litres per day. http://www.dnaindia.com/money/report_chennai-based-company-sets-up-desalination-plant-in-iraq_1328385

20L/d is like 10 bottles of 2L pop volume, which doesn't sound like much for a daily output.

[CielOnTap]

More steelmaking capacity is the plan in India. ArcelorMittal has companies in different countries, including Canada.

ArcelorMittal, Karnataka to sign steel plant deal
Reuters
Thursday, January 7, 2010 17:31 IST

New Delhi: The Karnataka government said on Thursday it would sign an agreement with No 1 global steelmaker ArcelorMittal in June for the company to build a 6 million tonne steel plant.

ArcelorMittal plans to invest Rs300 billion ($6.6 billion) in the project, which will also have a captive power plant with capacity of 750 megawatts, the government said in a statement.

The company aims to acquire 4,000 acres of land for the plant. The project will be in addition to ArcelorMittal's plans to build steel plants in the eastern Indian states of Orissa and Jharkhand. http://www.dnaindia.com/money/report_arcelormittal-karnataka-to-sign-steel-plant-deal_1332034

[deja vu]

The upper house of India's parliament has approved a bill to reserve a third of all seats in the national parliament and state legislatures for women. The bill was passed with 186 members of the 245-seat house voting in favour. Only one member voted against. Several smaller parties boycotted the vote.

The bill was introduced on Monday amid uproar from opponents, resulting in the suspension of seven MPs on Tuesday. First proposed in 1996, the bill now has support from India's main parties.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8557237.stm


Oh boy, do they face an uphill battle, and a lot of verbal abuse in the future. I doubt they will be taken seriously and really doubt their voice will be heard. Even if they do speak up, what they have to say will fall on a lot of deaf ears. They may have some support but not enough to make their terms in office effective. If they keep fighting then one day in the future the next generation wont face the opposition they do now. Takes time and hopefully they stick it out and keep fighting for the same rights as their male counterparts. For now the battle to bring progress to India will be long and hard.

[CielOnTap]

Swedish model claims evidence of Goa police, drug mafia nexus
Rupesh Samant / PTIMonday, April 26, 2010 19:02 IST
Last updated: Monday, April 26, 2010 19:57 IST
Panjim: Swedish model Lucky Farmhouse, who used a spycam to expose her boyfriend Yaniv Benaim's links with the Goa police says she has enough evidence to establish a nexus between the police and Goa's notorious drug mafia.

"I have not put out all the [spycam] recordings because I need to save those in case they will be coming after me," the model told the Press Trust of India in an email interview from Sweden today. "If they make any problem for me in the future, I will put it out."

The model, 33, who was having a live-in relationship with Benaim aka Atala, had shocked the Goa police after she posted her boyfriend's clippings on social networking website YouTube.com (see below). http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_swedish-model-claims-evidence-of-goa-police-drug-mafia-nexus_1375827

Allegations point at:
-question of trust of public police in a jurisdication (Goa is known as a tourist destination)
-possible link to British teen's murder (her mother did not accept the authorities' word on what happened to her daughter)

The model takes a risk in publicizing her situation but the same risk is also a way to telling everyone, there is more to see if my situation becomes precarious.

[CielOnTap]

The sentence has been proclaimed on the only gunman that survived the Mumbai incident of November 26, 2008. He gets the death penalty.

Ajmal Kasab gets death, but it's a long way off
Menaka Rao & Mayura Janwalkar / DNAThursday, May 6, 2010 14:07 IST
Last updated: Friday, May 7, 2010 0:55 IST

Mumbai: First additional principal judge ML Tahaliyani on Thursday sentenced Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab, the sole Pakistani gunman captured alive during the 26/11 attack on Mumbai, to death, ending days of suspense over the quantum of punishment for the crimes committed by the Lashkar-e-Taiba foot soldier.

The judge gave death sentence to Kasab, 22, on five counts: waging war against the country, murder, murder with common intent (with Abu Ismail), committing a terrorist act and conspiracy to attack Mumbai on November 26, 2008.

“Char offences ke liye sazaa-e-maut sunayi jaati hai... Aapko marte dam tak phasi se latkaya jaye (You have been sentenced to death on four counts… To be hanged till death),” the judge said. He later corrected himself and added a fifth count. http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_ajmal-kasab-gets-death-but-it-s-a-long-way-off_1379773