On HS and HSS Education-open request to Kerala Education Minister

The Minster of Education, Govt of Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram. 695001


Sir,
I refer to the question paper pattern of the science subjects examinations of Higher Secondary course in Kerala.

First, I do not welcome the idea mooted by the new educationists that the question papers should be application or problem oriented. This I say because in schools the students are not given any proper understanding of the basic subject by the teachers. This is primarily because of the low standards of the students and the lack of time the teachers get to spend with the students. The students without proper basic knowledge fail to comprehend questions in the examination and hence their performance is poor. The new method of liberalised valuation is a never substitute for the loss of the students in their class rooms. The present method of liberalised valuation is a cruelty to bright students. Give a proper syllabus and ask direct questions based on the syllabus, is the proper way of testing. And, of course a few application oriented questions can be included. Instead at present all questions are made application oriented so that ordinary students find it often difficult to answer well in the examination.
For instance, this year’s Higher Secondary Examination of Physics paper contained a good many application oriented questions. The purpose of asking these questions is dubious. One of my teacher-friends has the opinion that only students with Entrance Examination training can answer these questions. Those with no such training certainly fail in the examination unless your department so decides to give full credit to all answers whether correct or not.

Second point is: what is wrong in calling students’ score as marks. Interestingly, now in every question paper it is said as ‘scores’ instead of ‘marks’. If one says the age-old word ‘marks’ what on earth stands against it. I firmly believe that in Kerala the educationalists still failed to grasp the actual problem. It shows how distant they are with the real issue on the ground with regards of education. This is a perception issue which was badly managed by your educationalists. .

I would also like to bring your notice that the parents are confused on the matter of School and HS education. Many of them are thinking to transfer their students to CBSE and ISC schools were the education is more meaningful. So I request the minister to be more open and willing to accept ideas and feedback from parents and other unbiased educationalists. I am sure that many experienced teachers would agree with me on the state of affairs of HS examination, its question paper pattern and evaluation. The mode of liberalised valuation would throw away the importance of education. The system of asking twisted questions would create revulsion among students towards lively subjects like physics


Yours faithfully,
K A Solaman

What Eden lost, Prof Thomas gained.

The old fox of Kochi Prof K V Thomas of the Congress torpedoed the chance of young and energetic Hibi Eden with his liaison work at Madam’s Italian kitchen. The madam and her son at Delhi are very fond of ‘karemeen’ of Kumblagi Lake and Hibi Eden understood this only of late. What Eden lost, Prof Thomas has gained.

However, Prof Thomas could have avoided airing through a Malayalam Channel his nasty scene of oil massage in a nearby parlour. Appearing on small screen with ninety five percent of the human body exposed would send wrong notion to voters and it would reduce the winning chance of any candidate especially when police team in and around Kochi are conducting raids in parlours for immoral traffic. I fear whether Sindhu Joy, the Oppostion candidate would resort to such an act to counterbalance Prof Thomas!

K A Solaman

An open request to Chief Minister of Kerala

To
Sri V S Achuthanandan,
Hon’ble Chief Minister, Govt of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram

Respected Sir,

Sub: Request for not to hike the retirement age.

As you know sir, setting aside all the burning problems, Kerala is in a new phase of debate on the hike of retirement age. In tune with the routine of the neo-liberalists in your party to overthrow all the decisions taken by you the Finance Minister announced in his budget proposal a hike in the retirement age of some employees about one year. The reason suggested by him for this is unjustifiable as the proposal is quite preposterous when there are thousands of unemployed youths in the state.

Sensing that election time is much suited for all unjustifiable demands several employees' organisations have demanded that the retirement age be increased from the present 55 years. The report of the Assembly Expenditure Committee recommending hike in the pension age has enthused these organisations. The expenditure panel is worried over the share of the State’s revenues was being allocated for distributing the salaries and pensions of the employees. More interesting is the suggestion for bringing down the upper age limit for applying for Government jobs by three years. Kerala’s high life expectancy in contrast to that in other states has worried the Expenditure committee. If so it would have been better for the committee to place a proposal that no pension need be paid henceforth.
It is to be pointed that any effort to move up the pension age of employees would have serious repercussion in a State where number of thousands educated youth is waiting for employment. An online survey has found strong opposition to the proposal to raise the mandatory retirement age in order to address the huge deficit in the pension fund. When most people believe that the proposal for rise in retirement age will worsen the unemployment situation in that State it is a ploy of a few bureaucrats and crafty politicians to hoodwink the unemployed youths. If retirement age is hiked the unemployment situation will worsen further because increase in new jobs mainly relies on vacancies provided by retirees. The Gulf and European countries returnees on economic recession will also worsen the unemployment condition. Official statistics show that when 100 residents enter the job market each year, there are less than 50 new openings. It is to be categorically pointed out that unemployment is more an urgent problem than the social security fund deficit.
So it should be opposed by all especially by the youths the Finance Minister’s move to increase the retirement age. Government should also announce its policy towards the youth. Though the Government claims a lot, none in the Cabinet except you has the thought of a long-term programme to tackle the problem of the unemployed youths. What is in need is to evolve such a programme instead of treating over the skin. A hike in the retirement age would badly affect the chances of young and qualified unemployed in getting jobs elsewhere. Kindly abandon the budgetary proposal of retirement age hike.

Yours faithfully,

K A Solaman

Wary are the ways of Congress.

At last after enough hibernation and paraphernalia Congress list for Kerala is out. The much awaited candidature of Hybi Eaden was torpedoed by the Congress caucus. The credit for this goes to nonagenarian leader K Karunakaran because he is the first one to fully endorse Eden’s candidature and that too in a desperate bid to avoid K V Thomas. The Congress High Command too now senses cunningly like Karaunakarn and hence Thomas got the berth in Ernakualm. Thomas would, of course, cast a tough fight there but not of the kind that Eden would show.

Congress has finished yet another big folly by fielding sitting MLAs as contestants. There are leaders other than sitting MLAs to display a tough fight in many constituencies but the Congress bigwigs have determined to spoil State money for conducting by-poll in Assembly Constituencies. Furthermore, the commitment of both the Fronts in women empowerment is admirable. They have given only five percent reservation for women instead of 33 percent proposed in the Women Reservation Bill. The insinuation is the Women Reservation Bill is never going to be accepted in the Parliament.

K A Solaman

Misguided effort

The Kerala CPM has made a mistake with an electoral coalition with Madhani’s party, the PDP. Madhani is the most referred person in India when it comes to the subject of terrorism. The CPM’s election prospects have been caught up because of Pinarayi’s association with Madhani and it does not look as if the CPM means to promote secularism.
The harmony in the State CPM is very much evident when Kodiyeri corrects the CM for an enquiry against Madhani for his involvement in terrorist act. Madhani is an unpredictable communal outfit leader and any attempt to make him blessed would lead CPM into trouble. The Veteran leader Achuthanandan smells it rather well, but the neo-liberalists in the party pretend to be ignorant. The display of flex board carrying the images of Mother Theresa and Madhani together is a crime.

Madhani has announced Randathani as the candidate of LDF at Ponnani and that happened. So, the enquiry that Achuthanandan proposed to hold against Madhani should be extended to Randathani too

K A Solaman

Basu said the fact

Infrequently come specifics from Marxist leaders and this time CPM veteran Jyoti Basu has said the fact. According to him, “it is very difficult to form a Third Front Government”. He expressed doubts regarding the viability of a Third Front Government at the Centre. Then one’s wonder is why Karatgi and other friends make much noise about never to happen thing. It is not for the time a Third Front as many of such formations before election ended in ignominy after it. It is better for the Left cadres to join with Congress or BJP. No other option is feasible.

The PM candidate of the Left Front will be always in mask. If one decides to have a discussion in this regard then at the same instant the Third Front will collapse. People know that the left leaders who are not able to take decision at least in the case of PM candidate would be never able to reach a consensus in other major issues after the election.

Interesting aspect of the Left Front is, in many of the States the coalition parties are in collision course with mulish Marxists. In Kerala a fair minster Mathew T Thomas of the Acuthanandan cabinet abandoned the Ministry because of severe dispute between his party Janatha Dal and the CPM. The Minister Thomas Isaac’s evening meal with ex-minster Mathew T Thomas at Thiruvalla would not split the Janatha Dal as species that the latter Thomas belong is different. Besides the major partner of the Left Front in Kerala, the CPI, has decided to vote against the CPM candidates because of CPM snatching away their Ponnani seat. The RSP faction of Chandrachoodan is not in good response with the Marxists. And hence what is said by Basu is incidentally acceptable.

K A Solaman

Election musings

Election is a time when so-called political leaders court favours from business tycoons and receive donations. The Election Commission should devise rules to restrict unbridled influx of money into election campaigning. Voluntary donations are welcome as long as they come with a receipt. This will help the Election Commission keep a tab on the amount that a particular political party receives as donation. Also, these donations must be limited to a stipulated amount. Any violation in this regard should be penalised.

KA Solaman
Pioneer daily dated 17-3-09

All for an “all acceptable candidate”.

The CPM-CPI nuptials may likely to end soon with the Ponnani model of fielding an “ all acceptable candidate”. More intriguingly the all acceptable candidate Randatthani of CPM is not an acceptable candidate for CPI. On the other hand the all acceptable candidate of CPI is an NDF hard core for CPM. What the left comrades are doing is nothing but hoodwinking the people. The long pending desire of Veiyam for CPM-CPI merging is never going materialize in the near future Instead of people of Kerala are fated to view street fight between the comrades of the two factions if they do not give up their adamancy.

The failure to reach a truce between Pinarayi and Veliyam over Ponnani seat is of course a hinder for the Left Front in Kerala. One wonders why these comrades fight for a seat they likely to lose in the Election. The crumple in the alliance between CPM and CPM will be later described as a trick of the communal outfit and so the leaders of the national parties should show wisdom to contain the rise of communal outfits.

K A Solaman

New education CD!

New education CD!

Suspicious are the ways of Kerala Education Department. Latest in this direction is the atheists’ CD of three documentaries given to teachers as teaching aid in script-writing for students of Class VII. The earlier statement of ‘disgusting creature’ by the Party Secretary has been accomplished by the ‘Murivu’ documentary where the Christian clergies are put in a deprived state. Magnificently still there are clergies running in front of Pinarayi’s yathra and getting assistance in tune with lakhs of Rupees for what is called the uplift of ‘Chavittu Natakam’.The ‘Typewriter’ documentary will of course give lessons to children the ‘advantages’ of extra-marital sexual relations. Education Minister MA Baby’s inquiry into the muddle is a stopgap and will end up in further turmoil after the election.

Nevertheless, I could not fully join with KCBC’s finding that secrecy behind the exhibition of the documentaries would destroy the entire education scene. Instead it would destroy the Kerala school education as parents are destined to transfer their children to other meaningful school education such as ICSC and the CBSE.

The CD fiasco is also an indication of how much the modern gadgets are damaging the education. The most effective class room teachings by sincere teachers have been discerned outdated and those who show power point presentation and CDs are measured more able. I know a friend who taught 15 hour ‘Astrophysics’ topic in half hour for B Sc Physics students by an OHP presentation, which is only the textbook Xerox. What the students gained from his lecture will be visible in answer scripts and who cares that much. A class room with CD, LCD and Laptop are good only if it is used as supplementary. A virtual class is never a replacement of a good teacher. What is the purpose of vast literature if the student is not able to read it? A real time teacher first understands the level and prerequisite of the student.

No doubt, as it is read and seen the ‘so called education CD’ could create erroneous replication in the minds of students and could cause distress among them.

K A Solaman

Azhikkode is wrong

The blatant attack by Sukumar Azhikkode on AICC General secretary Tom Vadakkan is insulting and hence deplorable. Since Opposition from LDF and LDF’s whistle bowlers like Azhikkode mounts over Vadkkan’s candidature at Thrissur, Vadakkan is more suited than any others from the Congress.

A man born and brought up outside the State of Keraala may not be able to speak Malayalam as in the manner Azhikkode needs but he is well versed in communicating his ideas. He often finds slots in Panel discussions where he effectively places his opinions. Is Azhikkode able to speak English like Vadakkan? Moreover personal attack is against the election code of conduct and Azhikkode should not have criticized Vadakkan for his strange mannerisms and reduced hold on Malayalam language. A social critic should not act as a personal critic. Being a well-known orator Azhikkode knows about the inability of most people. Can Azhikkode speak without quiver at present? How it would be awkward if Vadakkan carps Azhikkode for this weakness? I wonder Azhikkode, known as a pro-left writer for the present, knocks Vadakkan aiming at the seat of “all acceptable candidate” at Ponnani. Then, remember Azhikkode is not acceptable at least for E T Muhammed Basheer and Tom Vadakkan.

Azhikkode, moving under the yoke of CPM, is not a person qualified to show aggression against Catholic Church and the Church recommended candidate Tom Vadakkan
Possibility for the boomerang of Azhikkode’s slap on Vadakkan’s cheak cannot be ruled out. Had UDF any backbone they should field Vadakkan at Thrissur and teach LDF and its whistle blowers a lesson.

K A Solaman

The non-sense of “all acceptable candidate”

The search for ‘all acceptable candidate’ to Ponnani parliament seat in Kerala is a futile exercise by the State CPM unit. Does it mean that there is none in that party or its partners as acceptable by all? The idea of ‘ all acceptable candidate’ is a ploy by the CPM to snatch away one of the four seats of the CPI. The attitude shown by the CPI in this regard is notable but one is picked up of the earlier somersaults of CPI in similar issues. Had CPI some nerve they should never yield to the tactics of a purely fanatic group outside the Left Front. If CPI would not get the chance to field their candidate, it is meaningless for them to continue in the Front.

The LDF is now scheduled to announce the name of the candidate on March 12. If the seat goes to PDP it is desperate for Veliyam amd Bardhan. Nevertheless, the idea of “all acceptable candidate” is a claptrap and the chance for winning Ponnani by this no-name troublemaker is of remote scope.

K A Solaman

Jacob vs Jacob

Now it is MJ Jacob on the up side of the see-saw play. He could continue as MLA from Piravam with the latest Supreme Court order. The Apex Court has quashed the Kerala High Court’s earlier order invalidating MJ Jacob’s election. And it is TM Jacob’s turn for a review petition.
When TM Jacob won at High Court people were compelled to believe that truth has triumphed. And now with MJ Jacob’s victory people are again compelled to believe truth has again succeeded. Convincingly truth has only relative meaning. Truth of one time for one person is no longer a truth at another time for another person. Truth shall of course triumph and that too relatively. Truth in one frame is no longer a truth in another frame.

K A Solaman

Twenty-twenty Pakistan

With gunmen ambushing the Sri Lanka cricket team it has been proved once again that Pakistan is not place for peaceful life. It is a terror-ridden country where even cricket players are not spared. The very incidence is an absolute indication of the inefficacy of the Pakistan administration to install peace in the country. One could easily stroll with automatic gun in Lahore or elsewhere in Pakistan and fire at anyone he likes. The lawlessness in that country is so high. When Benazir was alive her husband Zardari was seen with a huge moustache. As Benazir was gone Zardari moustache disappeared and the terror-minded guys are least scared of him.

The terrorist attack on Sri Lankan cricketers has also proved that certain lives are more precious than those of others. When hundreds die in Somalia or elsewhere because of absolute poverty there would be no celebrity like Preeti Zinta to shed a single drop of tear. The attack of on Sri Lankan cricketers of course put Preeti in utter tears.

The world countries, therefore, think twice to continue diplomatic relation with Pakistan. And at the same time it is suicidal to send players to Pakistan for what is called 20-20 or Premier League. Unless adequate precaution is taken, future 20-20 matches would end up in 20 dead and 20 alive.
K A Solaman

Corruption everywhere

Efforts by Health Minister PK Sreemathi to protect the corrupt officials of the Kerala Medical Services Corporation Ltd are a good joke. It is a bad practice to recommend Vigilance investigation against media persons who had brought out the corruption in the corporation. If the accused have acute grievance they can approach a judicial court and prove their innocence. The media persons are doing their noble job.

People of the state have the right to know what is right and wrong. If a medicine is bought at a higher price or a computer for Rs 50000 when it costs only Rs 20000 is a corruption and it should be brought to the attention of the public by the media men. It is to be stressed that almost all purchases in Govt Departments are rather dubious.
It is surprising to see that KMSC has no hesitation to buy the products of a blacklisted company.

K A Solaman

No to retirement age hike.

Setting aside all the burning problems, Kerala is in a new phase of debate on the hike of retirement age. In tune with the routine of the neo-liberalists in the Kerala CPM to overthrow all the decisions of the Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan, soon after his statement in the Assembly that no policy decision has been taken on increasing the retirement age of government employees, the Finance Minister announced in his ‘election gimmick’ budget a hike in the retirement age of some employees about one year. The reason suggested by him for this is unjustifiable as the proposal is quite ludicrous when there are thousands of unemployed youths in the state.

Sensing that election time is much suited for all unjustifiable demands several employees' organisations have demanded that the retirement age be increased from the present 55 years. The report of the Assembly Expenditure Committee recommending raising of the pension age has enthused these organisations. The expenditure panel is worried over the share of the State’s revenues was being allocated for distributing the salaries and pensions of the employees. More interesting is the suggestion for bringing down the upper age limit for applying for Government jobs by three years. Kerala’s high life expectancy in contrast to that in other states has worried the Expenditure committee. If so it would have been better for the committee to place a proposal to decapitate all pensioners in the state so that no pension need be paid henceforth. The Expenditure committee has received its inspiration from Thirteenth Finance Commission’s finding that State’s revenue receipts was being spent on pensions. Both the Finance Commission and Expenditure Committee subsist in the fools’ paradise.

It is to be pointed that any move to raise the pension age of employees would have serious repercussion in a State where the number of thousands educated youth are waiting for employment. An online survey has found strong opposition to the proposal to raise the mandatory retirement age in order to address the huge deficit in the pension fund. When most people believe that the proposal for rise in retirement age will worsen the unemployment situation in that State it is a ploy of a few bureaucrats and crafty politicians to hoodwink the unemployed youths. If retirement age is hiked the unemployment situation will worsen further because increase in new jobs mainly relies on vacancies provided by retirees. The Gulf and European countries returnees on economic recession will also worsen the unemployment condition. Official statistics show that when 100 residents enter the job market each year, there are less than 50 new openings. It is to be categorically pointed that unemployment is more an urgent problem than the social security fund deficit.
So it should be opposed by all especially by the youths the LDF Government's move to raise the retirement age. Government should also announce its policy towards the youth. Though the Government claims a lot, none in the Cabinet has thought of a long-term programme to tackle the problem of the unemployed youths. What is in need is to evolve such a programme instead of treating over the skin. A hike in the retirement age would badly affect the chances of young and qualified unemployed in getting jobs elsewhere.

K A Solaman

Isaac’s budget- an election gimmick

What is proposed in Kerala Finance Minster Thomas Isaac’s budget is an election gimmick. May be a retired man’s vow, the decision to enhance the retirement period about one year for those born in April or May is visionless. It is Isaac’s eyewash to satisfy the party cadres in the bureaucracy and a cruelty to thousands of unemployed youths in the state. The organizations of the youth in Kerala are rather defenseless or under illusion due to acute political connection to not see the cruelty against them. Isaac needs the help of present bureaucrats in the next election for collusion with party’s agents in the booth to oust the agents of political opponents during election days. Withholding pension benefits of those people for one year, who are about retire, generate further burden for the government in the next year.

The proposal to mobilise fund by selling lottery tickets is an unproductive process and it makes more and more people official beggars of the state. Even cine stars are in the street to loot the hard earned money of the poor people by way of lottery. If lottery is the only way for development of the state, the economics behind it would be thoroughly revised. Spending money recklessly for lottery and mobile phones makes illiterate people poorer.

There is nothing new in Isaac’s budget other than hollow words. What we need in a State budget is not a temporary advance to construct a road in Mararikulam constituency but a long-term vision. Though Isaac meditated for long in Nature’s lap to get fresh idea for budget preparation it lacked this aspect.

K A Solaman

Interim Union Budget 2009

The unfounded abuse of Opposition parties, especially the Left, is evident from their hollow comment about the Union interim budget. According to them the budget is more of a report card on the government in the last 5 years than any specific new proposal. If so the pros and cons of the budget is very much related to Opposition Left who were in the berth until recently. There are two points which are good for the people. The first is the attention given to school and higher education and second is the pay out for urban infrastructure. Yet another plus point is the enhance expenditure on rural employment program.
Nevertheless the Budget is a shock to the fixed income group, especially the retired pensioners. Though the Budget is keeping in lines with the radical changes aimed at uplifting the economy, it certainly lacks objectives. The industry is ailing because of a global recession and the Budget pleases no one. The Stock Market tumbled and there is no measure to control ever increasing gold price. It is only gold merchants who earn substantially even in the economic meltdown. It is true that there are certain provisions in the Union Budget that are likely to have a negative impact on Kerala’s growth but the Kerala’s Finance Miniter Thomas Isaac’s adverse comment on Union budget is unsubstantiated. As Union Minister Vayalar Ravi said “Isaac speaks volume but acts little”

K A Solaman

Lalu-Velu Rails

Lalu Prasad Yadav is known for his lectures at IIMs on management of Indian Railway, but he lacks information about Kerala’s rail growth. Lalu’s budget is totally not up to scratch for Kerala as he gave much of the reward for Bihar and Velu took away the residual for Tamil Nadu. And in both states ticket less travelers are far more compared to other sates and in Kerala one could not find a traveler without ticket.trains.

Last time when Marxists were in accord in UPA there was some assistance to Kerala by Lalu. However as a mark of protest to hoodwink people, MPs from the state shared a photo session protest in Parliament. And this time chance for that meek protest is also little as the MPs are busy with other business. If the MPs keep a genuine interest for Kerala growth they should immediately resign from Parliament and show their dissent to Lalu. MPs from Kerala had not considered the railway matter gravely and well in advance
There was no mention of the most important demand Kerala had been raising: Thiruvananthapuram-based peninsular railway zone. The State had also demanded networking of Vallarpadam, Vizhinam, Kollam, Alappuzha, Ponnani, Beypore and Azheekkal harbours on the western coast in the proposed Delhi-Mumbai freight corridor. The wagon repair unit proposed for Alappuzha was Kerala's demand that Lalu Prashad chose not to comprise in his interim budget.

It is better for Kerala Law Minister M Vijayakumar, who hold the charge for Railways in the State, to abandon that responsibility.

K A Solaman

A scam in the making

Sir—The reason why Kerala Port and Law Minister M Vijayakumar, an Achuthanandan loyalist in the State Cabinet, is currently distancing himself from the Chief Minister is finally starting to come to light. There is something definitely fishy in the granting of the contract for the Vizhinjam port project to Hyderabad-based consortium Lanco Kondappally Power Limited rejecting Zoom’s proposal. Another scam similar to the Lavalin fraud can be anticipated.

KA Solaman

Pioneer daily 12-2-08 http://www.dailypioneer.com/

Indiscipline is not only in politics.

Kerala State Finance Minister Thomas Isaac’s economics is not coming up to the mark and that is the indication one gets from the Finance Commission of India. The Thirteenth Finance Commission criticised Kerala harshly for not adopting measures in economic disciplines. The commission said Kerala was way behind other States in the matter of economic discipline. According to the commission Kerala's revenue and fiscal deficits were in excess than most of the other States. Taxes and non-tax revenues were coming down in Kerala and there should be efforts to enhance the tax collection, the commission said.

Possibly the commission has read in news papers about the utter failure Isaac’s VAT lottery and ‘corruption less’ Valayar check post. In this context Thomas Isaac is likely to appear in his party channel to make it clear that all the commission members are under the handwork of CIA and their allegation is politically motivated as in the case of Lavalin probe by the CBI.

K A Solaman

You receive what you deserve.

When there was a shoe attack on former US President George W Bush by Al-Baghdadia television reporter it was described as a heinous act by Iraqi Government and majority sections across the globe. But because of sheer American hate practice the Marxists in India were erupted in joy at the shoe attack. Images of Bush ducking the fast-flying shoes at a Baghdad press conference were invigorating for many left cadres in India. However, for me it appears, the event of Bush, being the President of a great nation, receiving a shoe is same as Pinarayi Vijayan, the Kerala State Secretary of CPM receiving a chappal. A shoe costs several times a chappal as Bush to Pinarayi. How reasonable are hurlers of Shoes and chappals!

Hurling shoe is a most heinous act for Iraqis. How does it matter for Communist leader in China and his counterpart in a small State like Kerala is a very interesting topic?

K A Solaman

Be alert Kannadigas.

Malayalam Cine Megastar (?)Mammootty has now taken up a Kannada project and would soon appear in Kannada movie Shikari.. Interestingly the sex desire of Kannadigas are likely to strip down to girls of tender age.

Mammootty, the actor soon to hit sixty is playing Romeo roles with cute girls of one- fourth of his age in Malayalam films. He created a taste among Malayalis to have sex with tender girls and this in turn resulted in sex scandals like Suryanelli, Kiliroor, Kaviyur, Vithura, Icecream and others. The Kannadigas having no such desire until now are likely to be shifted to this repulsive phase.

Mammootty is a versatile actor, of course, but his recent contributions urges one to think that he is not in a mood to admit his age. Though films such as Mayavi, Thaskaraveran, Parunthu and Annan Thampi reveal that his hands and legs are inflexible due to age, he wishes to run and roll like teens and this of course generate disgust in viewers. So what is not in doubt is that if Kanndadigas are to going to allow Mammootty in Valentine model films their children are likely to be taken to psychiatrists for sexual aberrations.

The shuttling decisions

The Sonia Gandhi headed AICC decided that Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee would decide the choice of its candidate to Rajya Sabha seat from Kerala and proposed two names-one is K Karaunakaran and other is Remesh Chennithala. What the octogenarian Karaunakaran is going to do other than to sleep all the time on the cushion seats in the house, is yet another question, the Kerala unit of the Congress, unable to take decision returned to the choice to Sonia herself. They authorised madam Sonia to nominate a candidate for the lone seat that the UDF can hope to win on the basis of its combined strength in the Assembly.

The KPCC is nowadays seen a little bigheaded as they have already confirmed that they would be the rulers of the State next time. The present ruling front headed by CPM has done enough harm to the state and they are in a desperate attempt to escape from the present muddle created by its leaders. The Marxist cadres are busy with smearing the posters of top leaders of the party with cow dung paints and almost lost in darkness. The Left Front sees no safe escape in the next election
Seeing this KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala decided to opt out from the Rajya Sabha race.. Last time Oommen Chandy was the CM and now being the President of the KPCC Chennithala sees a better prospect here. It is not always easy to bring back a Rajya Sabha member and ask him to become the CM of the state.

Control Dengue epidemic

Dengue is taking its toll in the district of Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Many adjacent places are badly affected with dengue. The government has not made elaborate arrangements to stop its spread.

Many water bodies in the district are polluted and are a big source of mosquitoes. None of the authorities like the City Corporation, or the Health Department has taken any measures to eradicate mosquito menace from the thickly populated area of the town. There are other steps which authorities must take immediately to arrest further spread of dengue in the State. The Health Minister should alert her department and seek the assistance of other departments to control dengue on a war footing.

K A Solaman

To the New Indian Express Daily

Sir,

It was my way to read and respond to the guidelines of the daily horoscope published in TNIE until you reduced the font size. And thereafter, unable to read the words in it I switched over to the horoscope feature of a Malayalam daily. Their ‘better Mondays’ of Scorpio often appeared ‘worse Mondays’, still I was left with no other option as the resolving power of my spectacle is derisory to read yours. Now it is the time for me to read you again as you have enlarged the font size. Yet it will take some more time to regain my lost habit. Thank you for increasing the font size.

K A Solaman

Your culmination is yet to come!

It is inspiring for every diligent Indian citizen to hear that Defence Minister A K Antony will stand in for Prime Minister at the Republic Day function at New Delhi. Antony will lead the nation in paying homage to the martyrs by laying a wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyoti, the memorial to the Unknown Soldier, Monday morning. Nevertheless this news will be a matter of musing for Kerala Tourism Development Corporation Chairman Cherian Philip. He and Antony had once wandered aimlessly many nights in the streets of Thiruvananthapuram eating ‘parippuvada’, drinking ‘kattan kaappy’ and seeing Satyan starred movies at New theatre. So wandering folks, listen, your culmination is yet to come!

K A Solaman

Would it make any significant change?

In America the white and black team Bush-Condoleezza Rice has been replaced by its contrast black and white Obama-Hilary Clinton team. Would this reverse replacement effect any remarkable change in overall policies of that country? I don't think.

K A Solaman

Who will pay the cost of air-ticket?

As CPI(M) Kerala State Secretary Pinarayi Vijayan has been charge sheeted by CBI in the notorious Lavelin case the Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan has winged to New Delhi simply to handover a draft letter to Karat demanding the expulsion of Pinarayi from party leadership. While the central leadership is trying miserably to phrase the CBI action as politically motivated Achuthanandan’s stipulation has become a blow on to the face of centre leadership. However one’s apprehension is, who would pay the air-ticket charge of Achuthanandan for this personal journey when there was much hue and cry over Antony’s travel cost when he had flown to Kerala once upon a time to assume Chief Ministerial ship.

K A Solaman

Minsters’ hypocrisy.

It seems that infinite horse power turbo engines are working round the clock in Kerala Ministers’ residences. The electricity bills of the ministers give indication in this direction. The ministers with their soaring power bills have proved that their word and deed will not go hand in hand. The words are intended for thoughtless people and for the school children to make petty projects during school science exhibitions. Power Minister offering CFL gifts and superstars appearing in ad films are planned to siphon out money from state exchequer. No one will listen to these ministers who do not honor their own words.

It is a common view in most of the government offices lamps and fans are indiscriminately used and none minds to put off them when he goes out from work place. A surprise visit to many government offices will prove wastage of electricity. It is the routine of many of the government and private workplaces to cover windows and doors with curtains preventing sun light to enter. And this in turn results loss is in two ways-one is the cost of curtains and other the cost for lighting the lamps. If one decides to remove curtains behind glass windows the rooms will be well lighted and the work can be done without lighting electric bulbs.

The Ministers and top officials know only to ‘bla, bla’ on power management and they have yet to get awareness of power supervision. The Human Rights Defence forum general secretary DB Binu deserves a clap for exposing the hypocrisy of ministers by asking under the Right to Information Act, the bill for power consumption at the official residences of the ministers.

K A Solaman

Nothing but a gimmick

Kerala Finance Minister TM Thomas Isaac.s offer of prize money to those who can prove corruption in the Treasury Department is nothing but a gimmick. This is because it is difficult for common people to .prove. corruption in the Treasury Department. If his intentions were actually sincere then he should have declare similar rewards for proving bribery in institutions such as the police, transport sector, Devaswom, etc. But in that case Mr Isaac.s own coffers would have become empty.
KA Solaman

The Pioneer 12 Jan 2009

More ‘kappa’ shops will be opened!

Thanks to economic recession, the hot debate on ADB loan to Kerala is not at all a matter of discussion now. The Finance Minister Dr T M Thomas Isaac, the strong proponent of ADB loan, has now shut his mouth. He contemplates on availing a home loan of 2000crore from banks within the country for what is known as ‘EMS Housing programme’. He assured that there should be budgetary allocation for repayment of interest. And who will repay the principal is another big question to be answered.

The state of affairs was not so cordial a few years back. It was then argued that all state budgets were prepared at the behest of the Asian Development Bank and the ruling front, whether it is LDF or UDF, was turning generations to come into an inescapable debt trap. Now it is the turn of ADB to get back their loans issued to those people who supposedly believed that amounts are not for repayment. The stance by extremists of CPM that availing ADB loan was a sin has come into reality. The survival ADB is also in peril.

Interestingly, the economic meltdown has brought some upshot into the food culture of Keralaites too. During the realm of ADB loan it was the culture of ministers and populace to eat pizza and burger at star hotels. Now it is the time to eat ‘Kappa or Kachil’ at ‘Thattukada’. Anticipating this possibility Dr Isaac has inaugurated a Kappa (tapioca) shop at his PDS centre at Kanjikuzhy, Cherthala where people have the chance to eat ‘hot kappa with kanthari’. Soon more shops will be opened where people could get ‘Pinnakku’ (Coconut dung) to quell their hunger. During World War II, when there was utter poverty people ate pinnakku to protract their life!

K A Solaman

Check unlawful collection.

The birth day celebration of Mayawati seems one of the greatest events in India. However, this time it went without much fanfare, may be due to the brutal killing of PWD executive engineer M K Gupta, allegedly by BSP’s thug and legislator Shekhar Tiwari. Though Mayawati’s schemes are not intended to Keralaites, every week in Kerala Malayalam dailies carry full page advertisement illustrating Mayawati’s contraptions in UP. The purpose of advertising the construction of a small bridge in UP is of no use for people of Kerala. So, BSP men should stop these unproductive and hoodwinking acts in Kerala. No BSP men likely to go to Assembly or Parliament from Kerala in the immediate future.

BSP tradition to launch developmental schemes on behenji’s birthday has become a scheme of publishing deceiving ads in Kerala. There should be some regulation from the Parliament to check unlawful collection of funds by BSP henchmen.

K A Solaman

Uncooperative Pakistan

Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani is indulging in semantics. His latest statement about the ‘file’ received from India on the Mumbai attack being only ‘information’ and not ‘evidence’ is deplorable. In the wake of such uncooperative attitude, Pakistan’s call for a joint investigation into the November 26, 2008, fidayeen attack on Mumbai should be rejected without any hesitation. The role of the Lashkar-e-Tayyeba in the 26/11 terror strike has been comprehensively proved by India and now it is the Pakistani Government’s duty to see to it that the terrorist organisation operating from Pakistani soil is shut down for good. If it fails to do so, Pakistan should be declared a terror state.

KA Solaman
The Pioneer, New Delhi,Thursday, January 15, 2009

Gilani’s game of words.

Sir,
Pakistan Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani plays the game of words by saying that file received from India on the Mumbai attacks is only“information” and not“evidence”. Evidently Gilani tries to wrap Pakistani links of the attackers. The distinction between the words information and evidence is therefore became a matter of discussion. Such a callous attitude from neighboring country's head may often prompt Indian counter-part to think about the adverse. Gilani’s proposals for conducting a joint investigation with India are unwarranted. However, one strongly feels that India should never enter into a war with Pakistan. The Samajwadi leader Amar Singh is seen immature in tackling a crucial situation.

The involvement of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, an extremist outfit, rooted in Pakistan in the Mumbai attacks has been internationally proved and accepted. The US and Britain emphasize it and hence it is now Pakistan’s job to act judiciously to avert a conflict between two countries.

K A Solaman

Mammootty is our new saviour!

Marxists were, until recently, of opinion that the TN model cinema politics will not run here in Kerala as most people are literate. Now the Marxist identified that all the people abandoned their sensibility in consequence of their rule and of their predecessors. And that is why they started thinking of fielding megastar (or gigastar?) Mammootty as an independent candidate of the Left in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
The CPI(M) wants Mammootty to contest in Ernakulam constituency but they are ready to leave the choice of the seat to the star. The implication is the incumbent Latin Catholic MP Sebastian Paul will be a whole time contributor to Madyma Vijaram and channel interviews. To earn one’s livelihood a person need not be always an MP. Then, what will be the fate of the other Latin Catholic blue-eyed boy MP from Alappuzha? Reservation for Latin Catholics is only in rule books and not for practice!

The cinema viewers of Kerala have dejected seeing Mammootty running as lover after cute girls of such a tender age of his grand daughter. So it is good for him and his congregation to see him as an MP working for the uplift of entire people.
Nevertheless, before jumping into election fray Mammootty should contemplate on the prospects CPM in the next election as undercurrents not so enthusiastic for the ruling front.
Let Mammootty, the new Messiah, save the people and the party.

K A Solaman

Flawed practice of Kerala University

Sir — The Union ministry of education has various schemes offering scholarships to needy students. But if they are not dispensed on time, what is the use of these scholarships? The postgraduate scholarship for rank-holders of all Indian universities for the academic session 2007-08 has been sanctioned by the University Grants Commission. The fund has been issued to the universities, and the awardees have been asked to contact the registrars of their respective institutions. However, the registrar of the University of Kerala seems reluctant to confirm when and how the students will receive the funds. As a guardian of one of the awardees, I got in touch with the registrar over this several times, but to no avail. I even submitted an RTI application enquiring about the process. In his reply to the RTI query, the registrar admitted that he has received the funds from the UGC but not the list of awardees. This is difficult to believe because the UGC is unlikely to send the funds without the list of the names of awardees. Moreover, the registrar has admitted that he knew that eight students would receive the scholarship for the given year from his university.

In fact, the registrar can easily find out who the awardees are by looking up the results of the concerned departments for the particular academic session. It is unfortunate that the toppers of a university recognized by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council are being mistreated by the institution that should have been proud of them.

K.A. Solaman

Stock markets offer nonstop shocks

Ever new scam in the Indian corporate sector becomes the highest one. The scams at the time of late Harshad Mehta and Ketan Parekh seem rather trivial when it comes to Satyam Computers. Satyam Computer Services Chairman B. Ramalinga Raju has shocked the nation with what is called the biggest scam in Indian corporate history. He has manipulated the accounts of the company. The company’s balance sheet as on September 30, 2008, showed an inflated sum of Rs.5,040 crore. The name Satyam computers hereinafter will be known as Asatyam(lies) Computers.

The dishonest episode of Satyam Computers reveals how the auditors collude with fake companies to artificially project its assets. It is mystifying to see such a huge puncture could not be marked by the various investment analysts and merchant bankers. It is time to dismantle the market watcher SEBI for its inefficacy to check fake companies. The Satyam disaster is only a tip of the ice-berg and there are big sharks still in the glare of publicity, robbing people by way of keeping a few old computers without any other solid asset. Many IT and Real Estate companies fall in the group of Satyam.

The Prime Minister who deals the Finance Portfolio is left with nothing to cheer. If any one remains adamant, to admit still saying that India is not affected by financial meltdown could change his attitude. Stock markets are becoming a nonstop shock for average investors and they need to identify other investment area. The chartered accountant certification of the auditors of Satyam will be immediately withdrawn.

K A Solaman

Highways as bazars

I would like to bring to your kind attention a grave offence that needs to be immediately remedied: The selling of fish and meat on National Highway 47. The highway from Aroor to Kayamkulam in Kerala has literally been occupied by these vendors. This is causing immense hardship to to the commuters. The high-way side is now crowded with people as the fish vendors have abandoned their usual markets.

It was once the practice of local bodies to spot out market places where fish, meat, vegetables and other easily perishable items could be sold. The waste accumulated in such places was also disposed of properly. Seemingly, the present administrators in the local civic bodies are not too keen about keeping the highway clean. They have no worries about the filth being generated by these highway dwellers. The Government must find a way to evict these meat and fish vendors. They should be forced to go to their usual designated markets instead of clogging up the highway.

Roosters’ own country.

Sometimes it seems rather curious the terming of certain people friendly schemes of the State Government of Kerala. Latest scheme of the Government named 'Villages full of chicken’ looks very funny. Chicken meaning rooster or cock is an apt title for the scheme as already Kerala villages are full of roosters. The episodes of Kiliroor, Kaviyur, Vithura, Thoppumpady, Kozhikkode tell what else? Who said the cohort of the witty bureaucrats has perished? They are still in the secretariat.

Let the CM and ministers play 'theif and police' and the people eat chicken. What a wonderful land, this God’s own country!

Payback from Mumbai blast

Payback from Mumbai blast


About 200 civilians and about 20 police and army officials lost their lives in the Mumbai blast. Loss of several crores of rupees was incurred to the country’s exchequer. The Taj hotel restarted their functioning and others are about to reopen. The blast is considered as the one of the greatest failures of India’s intelligence agency. Still then “Everything happens for the good”

This I say because as the major payback of the incident the government has contemplated to strengthen its security measures. The leader of the Opposition has called for stringent anti terror laws. Thus all came to understand the need of high security in the country and this is overall benefit to the nation from the Mumbai explosion. All feel in the aftermath of Mumbai terror attacks, a new terror law is imminent as a patriotic act. And a more important verity is Indians should start to think beyond religions. Those killed in Mumbai explosion were not alone Hindus or Christians. There were Muslims and Jews. The concept of treating Muslims as terrorists will go. The Muslims must be more stable and protected in the country. The communal division in the country will diminish and the fanatics of all religions will be viewed as insurgents. The blast will weaken political parties playing communal cards.

K A Solaman

For Mammootty with love

It is interesting to see that Malayalam cine actor Mammootty has launched his blog with much fanfare.. The blog is titled as 'Mammootty with love'. Even if it is titled as “Mammootty with hate”, it will not make much impact as it is one of the innumerable blogs available for Internet users.

It has been reported that Mammootty will be discussing his views on all the socio-political activities in which he is interested, through this blog. This is seemingly new from Mammootty because he often absconds when news relating him is in air. For instance, when the suspended IPS officer Suresh Kumar told media about Mammootty’s illegal possession of forest land at Munnar, he conspicuously remained tight-lipped. The Kairali Channel where he is the Chairman, when telecasted contemptuous interview telling off Achuthanandan he kept mum. As Mammootty’s choice is for the official faction of the CPM in the state his opinion through blog will not be unbiased.

K A Solaman

Officials in utter confusion.

Kerala CM Achuthanandan once addressing the annual conference of district collectors and other officials asked them to ensure the benefits of welfare programmes and development initiatives reach beneficiaries without any delay. Not many, only a few like Suresh Kumar, Joseph C Mathew, Anilkumar acted in accordance. Betrayed or not by Achuthanandan these officials are now in utter bewilderment.

Achuthanandan cuts a sorry figure by admitting openly before public that all his faithful have gone wrong. Is Chief Minister Ship so valuable for a man like Achuthanandan at the age of 85? How many years he could sail over contritely as CM by swallowing all his words which were once accepted common people?

K A Solaman

Hamas deserves it!

The killing of innocent people is condemnable, whatever the circumstances. Although Israel’s latest military action against the Palestinians in Gaza is deplorable given the number of innocent civilians being killed, one must also recognise the fact that Israel as a sovereign nation has every right to defend its citizens. For months now Hamas has been constantly firing Katyusha and other rockets into Israeli territories without any remorse. Thus, Israel’s latest retaliation is something that was unavoidable.

One must also not forget that Israel is surrounded by enemies. It cannot tolerate any activity in its neighbourhood that undermines its territorial integrity and the safety of its citizens. It is to Israel’s credit that it values the life of each and every citizen of its country.

Nonetheless, there needs to be a comprehensive peace package to solve the Israel-Palestine dispute that is acceptable to all stakeholders.

KA Solaman

Birthday celebrations of Behenji

Birthday celebrations are often meant for blue eyed children and when it comes to poor , the parents, being illiterate, often fail to remember the date of birth of their child and hence no birthday celebrations. This is, however, inapplicable to ‘leader of the poor’ Mayawati of the UP. The would be PM of the country, after her ceremonial dinner with Left leaders at Kottayam in Kerala is facing a tough time in UP to sail over the present tumult shaped by her birthday partying. It seems no other leader of India has such large scale birthday merriment. This I say because one Manoj Kumar Gupta, an Executive Engineer of the Public Works Department was gruesomely killed by BSP MLA Shekhar Tiwari and his goons. The reason for killing Gupta is not for contributing Rs 50 lakh in the drive for collection of donations for the birthday of Mayawati on January 15.

It is a clear lesson to all executive engineers of all the states in the country who are handling projects worth over Rs 10 crore or above. Behenji was in Kerala to entrust this idea with her counterparts in the state. All public work engineers in Kerala too, hereinafter try to cope up with the ever-increasing demands of cuts by the ruling party leaders. If not possible read the story of Manoj Kumar Gupta.

It is a known fact that each and every BSP MP, MLA, coordinators, office-bearers and workers are given a target to arrange donations on behenji’s birthday. And this is an excellent lesson to all party men in Kerala too. If Mayawati could target to raise Rs 1000 crore through the donations on her birthday why can’t Kerala CM Achuthanandan target Rs 100 crore?

K A Solaman

Everything Happens For The Good -story

There was once a King who had a wise advisor. The advisor followed the King everywhere, and his favorite advice was, “Everything happens for the good”. One day the King went hunting and had a little accident. He shot an arrow at his own foot and was injured. He asked the advisor what he thought about the accident, to which the advisor replied, “Everything happens for the good”. This time the King was really upset and ordered for his advisor to be put in prison. The King asked his advisor, “Now, what do you think?” The advisor again replied, “Everything happens for the good”. So the advisor remained in prison.

The King later went on a hunting trip, this time without the advisor. The King was then captured by some cannibals. He was taken to the cannibals' camp where he was to be the evening meal for the cannibals. Before putting him into the cooking pot he was thoroughly inspected. The cannibals saw the wound on the King’s foot and decided to throw him back into the jungle. According to the cannibals' tradition, they would not eat anything that was imperfect. As a result the King was spared. The King suddenly realized what his advisor said was true. The advisor also escaped death because had he not been in prison, he would have followed the King on the hunting trip, and would have ended up in the cooking pot.

Success Principles

It is true that everything in life happens for a purpose, and always for our own good. If you think about it, all our past experiences actually happened to bring us to where we are today, and it is always for the good. All the past experiences makes us a better person. So, whatever challenges that we may face today, consider it happening to bring us to the next level.

Avoid war with Pakistan

One is compelled to think that Pakistan’s formal General Parvez Mushaaraf is more an apt person to rule that country rather than Zardari. The present Pakistan Military Chief’s comment of three-minute attack on India is condemnable. The comment indicates Pakistan is still under military rule and democracy in that country is a distant dream. Zardari is seen voiceless before the new military chief of Pakistan. Their denial of involvement of its civilians the Mumbai terror attack is unsupported when India Government presents ample evidence. More interesting is the assurance of help by Taliban to Pakistan to fight against India. Taliban is the most notorious outfit in the world branded for its dastardly acts against humanity.

The Government of India should analyse the Pak undertakings at the border critically but never jump into a war against that country merely on the phony provocation of thoughtless Pak leaders. War of any kind would be detrimental to both the countries and hence India should seriously contemplate to avoid chaos in both the countries. It is true that Pakistan fears India. Moreover they have limited support from rest of the world countries. India, therefore, should make advantage of its support from world nations to bring Pakistan on its knee. And war is not a solution for any issue. Furthermore if UPA government takes steps for a war with Pakistan people should be obliged to think that it is for their political advantage in coming elections.

K A Solaman

How easy to become a World Hero!

To become a world hero is no too hard of-late. One could become a Guinness book record holder by eating a hundred ‘dosa’ in one second or making a single cake in X’mas by wasting eatables worth Rs Three lakh. A similar attempt was made by Muntadar al-Zaidi in Iraq to become an overnight hero. He has more takers in Kerala too as the ruling party is anti-US and anti-Bush. His condescending act of hurling shoe on US President George W Bush has been hailed by many as there are presently more takers for atrocious acts. I firmly believe that a good journalist could not commit such a terrible act. He was present there to report what was happening there. Journalists are news reporters and not news creators. Muntadar al-Zaidi has proved insolence to his profession.

If any head of any nation appreciates shoe attack on Bush, no doubt it would become a matter of mortification for him too.

K A Solaman

The name ‘Suresh Kumar’ is unlucky

Sir,

When one reads the name ‘Suresh Kumar’ in news papers he has to spend a little more time to identify which Suresh Kumar is in caption. The first Suresh Kumar is the IAS official who had done a noble job for the State of Kerala and the Chief Minister and faced a rushed suspension on the wrath of those neo-liberalist and ‘professional’ politicians with special interest in Munnar cool wind. And the other is the former CISF Commandant Suresh Kumar who went on imprisonment for 22 months and 13 days in a case defectively framed by the CBI. Both of them are now favorites of common people. However, an expecting woman would never contemplate to call her new-born as ’Suresh Kumar’ as the child may likely to face unforseen difficulties in future just becuase of the name.

K A Solaman

Cemetery: A blessed Place

Sir,
To a Catholic, a cemetery is a blessed place. Next to the church, no spot on earth should be so sacred and dear to a Parish. Ever since the Sacred Body of the Crucified Savior was reverently laid in a tomb, there to await the hour of its glorious resurrection, the Church has been most solicitous to cast about the burial of those who rise with Christ an atmosphere of deep Christian faith and profound reverence. In the cemetery are buried the mortal remains of the faithful departed, consecrated as temples of the Holy Ghost with the holy oils of the Sacraments. The cemetery speaks to a Christian of faith and hope in the resurrection of the body. Sensing the deep meaning of burial grounds, the faithful have called their cemetery significantly, "God's Acre." From his sacred soil shall come forth unto life eternal the bodies of the faithful who have departed this life in the Lord. Every Parish and Mission should be proud to possess a cemetery.
If a parish has its own cemetery, the faithful departed are to be buried in it unless another cemetery has been legitimately chosen either by the departed person or by those who are responsible to arrange for his or her interment. Catholics, first by law and then by tradition, have chosen to be buried in Catholic cemeteries, and this preference should continue. In this way, Catholics have the assurance that reverence and respect will be given to the remains of the deceased. Also, the Catholic cemetery, in reflecting the doctrines and liturgy of Catholic belief, maintains now in death the community of faith that was shared in life. Furthermore, the Catholic cemetery is a place of devotion and prayer for the souls of the departed. A visit to a cemetery stirs salutary thoughts of our own mortality, our debt to those who have gone before, the shortness of life, and the fullness of eternity.
However, in Alappuzha District of Kerala, at Kanjikuzhy village, the faithful of the Vanaswargom St Jude Church was denied their submission for a cemetery. Initially the District Collector was in favour of allowing one but due to interference from one local person who is interested in Abkari business, the Collector set aside the application stating that there were only eight families and pose health hazards to people living adjacent. Actually there are about 100 families belonging to church spread over fifty square km and these families face much hardships at the demise of their dear ones. One wonders how a cemented vault model cemetery could harm to local people. The reason for turning a deaf year to the genuine demand of the Vanaswargom parishners seems prying. So, in this connection I request the Hon’ble Minister to look into the matter and issue favourable orders. The demand for a cemetery by the Vanswargom St Jude Church is long over due.
K A Solaman

Shoe attack on US President

Shoe attack on US President George W Bush is a heinous act. Al-Baghdadia television reporter who had done this act should be severely punished. The Iraqi Government’s condemnation of the act is in the right direction and what is needed is an outright apology from them

K A Solaman.

Cloud 9 Hotel at Munnar!

Sheer waste of money by the Congress

The State Congress is all set for its state meet extravaganza at Kochi on the fifteenth. The greenish white photos of Madam Gandhi are far good for view than the inflexible faces of communist big-heads on blood-red background. This may be the reason for the Congress to spend several lakhs for cut-outs, flexi boards, and media coverage. And another several lakhs will be spent for conveyance of participants in the meet. Most of the participants for the show will be on daily wages. Rs 250 plus one biriyani is the standard rate. And for the public function several VIPs will be transported from elsewhere. The gallons diesel and petrol consumed for transporting ‘workers’ is yet another national waste. The total cost for the all exceeds several crores. One wonders for what all these show?

It is destined that the next rule in Kerala will be of UDF. The present Front has done that much harm to the people of state by this time. The prices of essential commodities found sky rockets and minister in charge of food and civil supplies stands for the mercy of traders to slash price. The elevated prices of essential commodities remain stuck-up at high even if the Central Government has slashed the petroleum price. The corruption in high level especially in Munnar encroachments, Kiliroor-Kaviyur sex scandals, the Lavelin has given adequate time for common people to decide the fate LDF in the coming elections. The sad picture is: common people are left with no choice other than to elect the UDF. And this selection is not based on the merit of the UDF but of the harm done by the LDF.
Why the UDF Chandy and Chennithala could spent some money for educating a few poor children, for making AIDS awareness, for cancer cure etc by dropping the state meet extravaganza? The State by this time has witnessed a number of group rallies and state meets. And all these ended in squander.

The hardships to the people of Kochi will be immense on the day of meet. Many a student and women employees will be stranded in the street due the act of unprincipled people gathering for the meet. The Congress party will lose a little of its credibility by sponsoring a show that requires a huge fund. Humility-the motto of the Congress, is the past story. Whether UDF or LDF, playing money politics is a dirty game and is against common people. More sensible leaders are needed in the top post of Congress in the state


K A Solaman

The fate of Munnar

The suspension of IPS official K Suresh Kumar, who had done a noble job based on the advice of Kerala CM VS Achuthanandan, is seemingly cruel. Kerala has become a Kangaroo court by suspending Suresh Kumar before getting his explanation. Achuthanandan might not have stooped this much before the official faction of the CPM in the state. If not a cleverly drafted drama the CM should have shown the courage to own Suresh Kumar for doing the he-man effort for recovering state owned land and thereby protecting the image of the Chief Minister. And whatever be the reason for his suspension the charge levelled by him that Chief Minister’s private secretary S Rajendran had kept several important files including those on the Smart City project and the Kiliroor sex scandal hidden from the Chief Minister seems relevant.

The suspension for Suresh Kumar is a lesson for him to not trust politicians. And I think the suspension is not for his disclosure about CM’s office but for his reclaim of 3000 encroached forest and government land and demolition of over a dozen illegal multi-storied buildings. The official faction of the CPM is also upset with Kumar’s growing popularity. The UDF leaders are also worried after a holiday home owned by former revenue minister KM Mani’s relative was demolished. And according to official report, at least half of the large-scale encroachments in Munnar are benami properties owned by politicians cutting across the party spectrum. That is why all, the Ruling Front and the Oppsition need Suresh Kumar’s blood and it may be due to God’s grace this august officer still survives in this devil’s own country.

Suresh Kumar once said “The CM has promised a new Munnar with a new vision of tourism after three months. I would try my level best to achieve that.’’.And now CM’s vision blurred. Suresh Kumar can look for a posting outside Kerala and that is all in the helm of affairs other than common people, need. The fate Munnar will be decided by encroachers!

K A Solaman

Media morality

The terrifying TV images of the clash between police and agitators, and between opponents of different political parties are indicators of the declining media moralities. The unwarranted episode in connection with the visit of Kerala CM Achuthanandan to martyr major Sandeep’s house is yet another instance. People feel distressed about the lack of discipline and tolerance among visual media.

Indian TV Channels have become fighters to sell their product, and for that they use advantageously deceitful politicians. What these oliticians discuss in panel meetings are matters suited to trash and their responsibility to common people is restricted in such discussions. Along with political parties communal outfits also find slot in TV channels to make harm in the society.

So in this context stern action should be taken against visual media for distorting the facts. The politicians often say it is the media that distorted the fact. Nevertheless they never dare to take action against the offenders. This should change. There is a need to identify wrong doers among TV channels and for that the government should act quickly.

K A Solaman

Military action against Pakistan is unwise

As military action is never a problem solver I suggest for no war against Pakistan which has refused India’s demand to hand over 20 terrorists now residing in Pakistan. History tells that all wars have given more misery to mankind than any benefit to a particular section.
Major divergence of opinion between the two countries can be resolved by negotiation.
It is a good advice to the Government for approaching the UN Security Council to increase pressure on Pakistan to act against the terrorist outfits operating from within that country. India Government could also build pressure on Pakistan with its propinquity to US.

K A Solaman

VS remark outrageous, but…

Sir—Kerala Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan’s comment that “even a dog would not have visited the Unnikrishnans’ home had it not been that of a martyr” is outrageous. Achuthanandan and Kodiyeri would have avoided the litigious visit as Sandip’s father did not endorse their visit. One could not blame the behaviour of Unnnikrishnan because of his state of mind at the time of deep sorrow. However the media hype in this sad episode is beyond any proportion. Some of them distorted the comment of VS denying his chance to further clarify the facts.

Opposition parties tried to fish in troubled water. Their patriotism grew beyond Everest because of enmity to wards the Chief Minister. They even led unwarranted demonstration by hiring an old dog and hanging on its neck the photo of Achuthanandan. The dog was tied to the gate of Secretariat and tortured. This display alone is sufficient to charge case against the demonstrators for torturing animal. However, the police in charge of law and order and who are bound to prevent cruelty against animals remained mute spectators. The disrespect to Kerala’s CM shown by the so called patriotic demonstrators is somewhat harder than that made by Achuthanandan. Do they apologise if CM he takes a similar stance towards slain martyrs’ father?

K A Solaman

Messiah of the OBCs

Sir—The ‘Raja of Manda’, the former Prime Minister of India, Vishawnath Partap Singh, is no more. Though the upper class reviled him for the Mandal Commission, he lives on in the hearts of millions of poor Indians. He was responsible for changing the political landscape of India by implementing the Mandal Commission’s report, which provided the benefit of reservation to the OBCs. He will be remembered for spearheading the cause of social justice and his efforts to uplift the downtrodden of India. The nation has lost a great leader. The Bihar Government declared a public holiday on November 29 when the former Prime Minister was cremated, but no other Indian State did. Is this the usual way of observing the last rites of all former Prime Ministers of the country?

KA Solaman

Alappuzha the pioneer 1 Dec 08

Equip fishermen

Dear Sir,

Mumbai debacle has ended killing 183 people and injured many. And it is time for the nation to take stock of the situation. The Home Minister Shivraj Patil has resigned on the ground of moral responsibility. Is there none other than him in the Cabinet who is also responsible for the disaster? What about the minister in charge of cross-border terrorism? What about the minister in charge economy that was hit heavily by the attack? What about the PM having overall controls? What about the Opposition particularly Raj Thackeray of Maharashtra for rekindling sensitive issues?
The politicians in India, of late, play communal politics and are interested only in vote bank based on religions. They are the main responsible ones for all terrorist attacks. They often disappear from scene when there are attacks and appear for the funeral rites of brave hearts in the NSG or Armed Force and that too for getting political benefit. The time has come for people of India to select persons of caliber and love to motherland in the helm of affairs. The future politicians should be ready to stand in the front of war fields and never be escapists.
Since the cross-border terrorism has changed its route through sea we need more coast-guards. However it is complex task to protect the 75000km stretch of Indian sea shore by coast guards. Hence it is time for government to think for armoring Indian fishermen folk with modern gadgets. Many fishermen have already fish tracking devices and if they are equipped with other communication device they will soon inform the authority the presence of ships and other doubtful vessels in the sea. We have a huge chunk of fishermen working round the clock in sea. If the Government so decides to seek the assist stance these poor people by spending a small sum correct information could be received in time and thus enormous expense of deputing coast guards in the entire sea stretch can be avoided.
K A Solaman

The demise of the “Raja of Manda”

The ‘Raja of Manda’, the former Prime Minister of India Vishawnath Partap Singh is no more. Though the upper class reviled him for his introduction of the Mandal Commission he lives in the hearts of millions of poor Indians. He was responsible for changing the political setting of India by implementing the Mandal Commission report, which provided for reservations to a huge section of Indian population. For being spearheaded the cause of social justice he would be remembered for his efforts for uplift of the poor and downtrodden. The nation has lost a great leader.

The Bihar government has declared a public holiday on November 29 when the ex-PM was cremated, but no other Indian states or the Central Government. Is it the usual way of observing funeral function of all ex-PMs?

Morarji Cola

Morarji Cola

Human urine or rather 'Moraji cola' is not a ‘total waste’. Researchers have observed urine can be used as a powerful healing substance and very suitable to eliminate allergies
The urine of allergic individuals contains the allergy causing antigen receptors and if re-introduced the urine back antibodies would be produced which would then stop the allergic response. That is allergies have been completely turned around with urine therapy. Using urine in this way to cure the allergy is a form of isopathy. However use of urine as a medicine or cola is not in the minds of a huge majority. If urine can be introduced into the body there arises the question of reintroducing other body wastes. This is quite unsafe and body will not accept it. So before starting urine therapy there may be a method to remove toxic waste from urine. And adequate awareness should be given to people to remove their antipathy in reintroducing urine back into the body.

Need an iron hand

Sir— Wednesday night’s terrorist attack in Mumbai that killed 100 people and and injured many more is shocking. It is indicative of the inefficacy of the country’s intelligence network. Since an organisation called the Deccan Mujahideen is behind the attacks, it is high time we ban all communal outfits in the country. We need tougher laws and an iron hand to deal with terrorism. Our security and intelligence agencies need to dramatically improve in order to make sure such attacks never happen again.

KA Solaman Alappuzha The Pioneer 28 Nov 2008

Ex-cop’s death

Dear Sir,

Argument that the death of VV Augustine, the former ASI of police who had done the inquest of the Sr Abhaya’s body and prepared the FIR, is due to mental torture by the CBI is unbelievable. How could a hard-core police man who had done once several such enquiries be harassed by an investigating team? The posture that Augustine is unable to stand the pressure put by the CBI on him is ridiculous. The Kerala High Court’s observation that suicides are personal matters and such things should not influence the investigation is estimable.

Augustine’s son who is ought to protect his ailing father seems ignorant of his father’s daily routine. He might have noticed the erratic behaviour of his father who wrote on his suicide note about future ownership of his wealth. The Knanaya Catholic Church are mudslinging themselves by placing allegations against he investigating agencies. And certain popular media also support the Church. Nevertheless truth will triumph without more ado.

K A Solaman

Let the truth come out

Sir—Praying for those who have been arrested in connection with Sister Abhaya’s murder is a matter of choice but it is extremely desperate for the Kottayam Archdiocese to issue a pastoral letter claiming that the three were innocent. If the Church is certain about the innocence of those arrested then it is its moral duty to provide proof of the same. It may be true that the Church has never tried to exert any pressure on the investigation into the case, but the laity and the politicians have. The CBI should expose the people who have tried to influence the probe. All people with the Church wish the truth to come out immediately.

KA Solaman

Alappuzha The Pioneer 25 Nov 2008

Our uneducated politicians

It is appalling to see that most of our politicians have little or no education. An uneducated crook with all his wickedness often outshines learned persons in politics. However, this cannot be allowed any more and hence it is suggested that a politician should be at least a post-graduate so as to comprehend the complexities of the emerging world.

KA Solaman The Pioneer 23-11-08

Face saver for the CBI

Sir,
Eventually the CBI saved its face by arresting two priests and a nun in association with the case related to the murder of Sr Abhaya. Congratulations to media for its untiring effort to bring this infamous long lagging case to a turning point. The case is one which proved the ineptitude of the Executive and the Bureaucracy. The arrests in the case made after 16 years of investigations prove the efficacy of Judiciary and the media. The pending nature of the case indicates how influential the arrested are. The confidence of the parents of Sr Abhaya that they would get justice in the case is commendable.

The officers of the local police who investigated the case and wrote it off as one of suicide should also be arrested. The doctor who conducted the postmortem and reported the case as suicide and the chemical analysts who tampered the laboratory results also should be punished. The role of local leaders in perverting the case also should be investigated.

K A Solaman

Welcome move

The pronouncement by Kerala SC/ST Development Minister A K Balan to make all pre-metric hostels in the state three star level is a welcome move. Most possibly his words would melt in this air and never materialize. The people need to know what the facilities the Minister are going to include in these hostels.
Actually in these hostels employees are insufficient to cater the needs of the inmates. . The unhealthy atmosphere as one noticed at Punalur hostel is primarily due to lack of staff. People on daily wages are working as cooks and watchmen in the hostels .The wardens often find a tough time to manage these hostels. The suspension of employees for menaces happened out of their reach further worsens the situation. Moreover the Tribal Development Department is notorious for suspending its own employees on ridiculous grounds and reinstating them after getting inducement. There is no other department in the state where bribe is accepted from its own employees. The Tribal development Minister A K Balan deserves to be congratulated on the move to make the hostel three star along with rectifying the shortage of employees. The media that are very fast in reporting the accidents associated with the hostels, find little time to attend the grievances of its employees. The employees are a lot suffered ones in Pre-metric hostels in Kerala

K A Solaman

Campus violence

Campus violence is a curse on all States. The clash between two groups of students in the Dr. Ambedkar Government Law College, Chennai, was certainly not an isolated incident.

Political and communal forces manipulate students for their ends. And the students end up becoming the ultimate losers. Teachers are helpless when students clash under the patronage of political bosses.

K.A. Solaman, Alappuzha
The Hindu Daily 18 Nov 2008

Politics hits tsunami victims

Sir—Though the kith and kin of the tsunami victims of the Alappuzha coastal belt have been agitating for compensation for the last one-and-a-half months in front of the Alappuzha Civil Station, the Government has been shamelessly ignoring them. Going one step ahead, Kerala Finance Minister Isaac Thomas has come down heavily on Alappuzha Diocese for leading the agitation. While condemning the latter in strong words, he was attempting to woo other Church factions. This was intended to disrupt communal harmony. Criticising religious leaders while believing in religion is the hallmark of all neo-liberal Communists.

K A Solaman
The Pioneer Daily 12 N0v 2008

Rotten policemen

A rogue police force is a curse that all States in India face and not just Tamil Nadu. What happened at the law college in Chennai is representative of the police in the entire country. Even in Kerala, which is supposed to be the most literate State, the situation is no different. Custodial deaths and incidents of police torture here are beyond belief. There were cases of deaths and police brutality within the last few months itself. No police personnel was found guilty nor any action taken in this regard. It has become a practice of the Kerala Police to use third degree methods during custodial investigations. A thorough change in the State Police Act seems imminent to protect those arrested. Also, those policemen responsible for such brutality should be severely punished. The National Human Rights Commission must do more to bring to light these cases of police violence.

KA Solaman Alappuzha The Pioneer 15 Nov 2008

Isaac would apologize soon.

Though the kith and kin of all the Tsunami victims of Alappuzha coastal belt are on agitation path for the last one and half month in front of Alappuzha Civil station the Government has turned deaf year to their legitimate demand. The attitude of the ministers to Chengara strike and Alappuzha agitation is in the match. Going one step ahead the Kerala Finance Minister DrThomas Isaac has come heavily on Alappuzha Diocese for leading the agitation. While condemning Alappuzha diocese in strong words Isaac had made a miserable attempt to woo other church factions. This is intended at disrupting communal harmony. Criticizing religious leaders while believing in religion, is a contemporary task of all neo-liberal communists. Education Minister M A Baby is the precursor in this watch.

Presumably Isaac will soon go in the Bishop's house, Alappuzha, through its kitchen doors, grasp the hands of the Bishop and apologize as most of his vote banks are not belonging to Malankara or the Marthomite. Isaac’s last victory from Mararikulam was footed mainly on coastal votes. And most of the Tsunami victims are from that area.

K A Solaman

Do you belive Lord Ayyappa?

Sir,
Devaswom Minister G Sudhakaran says that the Hight Court appointed Devaswom Commission Rajendran is leading a lavish life in Sabarimala and he has no belief in him. Does the Minister believe in Lord Ayyappa?

K A Solaman

The panel discussion

Sir,
A non-sense panel discussion in a Malayalam TV channel runs like this.
A not-so cute girl asks the politically aggravated panel member: “What you say about the victory of Obama?” “Yes it is in the line what we expected. Don’t you know the story of hare and tortoise? Who won at last? And that is what happening in America. In our place tortoise is known as ‘ama’. They call it obama” The old aged member is enthused with the presence of the girl and her idiotic questions occasionally thrills him to forget about his wife for some time. And the girl seems satisfied in playing games with the old goose.

The final outcome of the panel discussion is: Extreme rightists of America are becoming medium rightists and that too happened with the recent visit of Indian Communist party Politburo member Kodyeri to US. And most probably during his next visit all the Americans will turn into leftists.

K A Solaman

Navratna Lottery

The Kerala cooperative bank employees are considered to be a lesser group and they never measure up to their counter parts in nationalized banks where a hefty sum is dispersed as monthly salary. The cooperative bank employees by their customer friendly attitude attract money to the bank and thus it is sheltered. However the Government of Kerala is in no mood to protect the cooperative sector.

The major crisis in State Cooperative banks is mainly due to the failure of State Government to repay the Rs 495 crores it had taken as loan. And when the Finance Minister is thinking of availing another 2000 crores from elsewhere the repayment will likely to never happen. The Cooperative banks have to wait more time to tide over its fiscal problems and I presume it will not meet the fate ofthose 16 banks in the US.

Though, the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development and the Reserve Bank of India had banned the cooperative banks from extending loans to the State Government the Government is pressing the primary cooperative banks by directing them to deposit their funds in the treasury. In addition the bank employees are asked to sell ‘navartna lottery’ through bank branches. As all lotteries are unproductive the government decision to introduce it in State Cooperative banks is intolerable. The clients will likely to abandon cooperative banks as it has turned in to a lottery selling stall. Making Cooperative Bank employees State sponsored beggars is a licentious act by a Government which boasts in the high. The Navtatna lottery would meet the same fate of the lucky dip introduced by economist turned Finance Minister Thomas Isaac for every purchase of 1000 rupee or above. Introducing lottery to every sphere of life is the only kind of development in Kerala. Are those economists behind this utopian idea eligible for Nobel Prize in Economics?

K A Solaman

Killing Christians

Killing of more than 100 Christians and displacing more than 100,000 with in just two months sends dismal picture of the country to the outside world. It is relevant for the National Human Rights Commission to institute a special probe into the inhuman killing of Christians. There seems to be a larger conspiracy behind the attack on Christians and that needs to be investigated. Despite all Christian organizations have condemned the killing of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati in Orissa's Kandhamal the country is witnessing unabated attacks on Christians.

It is undeniable that extremist elements are trespassing into the churches when the worship service is on. The Church properties are destroyed and priests and nuns are beaten up. The attacks are being made on the false conversion charges without any evidence. The attackers claim that they had blessing of Hindu outfits. It is high time for Centre-State administrations to act boldly.


K A Solaman

None to hoist the flag

Sir,

Kerala Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan’s congratulation of the space scientists of the country for their successful achievement in launching India’s first unmanned spacecraft to moon, Chandrayaan-I is rather ludicrous as he is the first politician in India who called the foremost brain of such projects Dr APJ Abdul Kalam as a mere ‘fire work ‘ man. His observation about the project that the scientists will hoist national flag in the moon is incongruous as the scientists have no immediate plan to hoist flag there. The spacecraft will only circulate in moon’s orbit and there is none in it to land on moon to hoist the flag.

K A Solaman

Chandrayaan-1

Certainly Chandrayaan-1 mission would appreciably build on India's technological capability to undertake inter-planetary missions in the coming years. The mission reflects ISRO’s strong competence, to raise India's stature worldwide.

However there arise a few apprehensions. Even Scientists say Chandrayaan's benefits will not become immediately apparent. It will take at least 30 to 40 years to do so according to them. A period of 30-40 years is far enough for people to forget all about Chandrayaan. Even generation would change by that time and there will be none presently working in Chandrayaan project to speak about the benefit of the mission.

Another claim of the Scientist seems quite ludicrous. According to them Helium 3, which is reported to be present on the lunar surface, is brought back to earth, it could help solve the energy crisis. Energy crisis of which country? Is it India? If one ton of Helium-3 can generate a year's supply of energy it would have been siphoned by other developed countries by that time and India could remain only as a mute spectator. Minerals too found on the lunar surface could be commercially exploited by other countries before India plans about it. Moon is owned not alone by India. Moreover Chandryaan mission is too expensive. Wasting resources for an uncovered project is a cruelty towards the starving masses in India. Many countries and international space agencies, including the European Space Agency (ESA), Japan, China, the US and Russia have undertaken or in the process of undertaking unmanned exploratory missions to moon. Hence, there is nothing novel about India’s exploration of the moon

The cost of Chandrayaan-1 mission is Rs 386 crore. And this amount is too high for boosting the technological confidence of India without any material gain. The money spent for the project could have been spent on more constructive projects such as feeding India's poor and educating them. Our country accounts for 57 million malnourished children. Improvement in their condition alone will mean development. The much-acclaimed economic growth and its recession recounts only for the elite class. A national emphasis on wiping out poverty and malnutrition is more necessary than project Chandrayaan.

KA Solaman

Media’s hypocrisy

It is strange that one understands the value of human life only when a child falls into an deep bore well left uncovered by some callous people. The entire state machinery is moved to the rescue the hapless child. However, this rarely happens when hundreds of people are uprooted due to communal violence like in Orissa or when several innocent people are killed in ethnic clashes like in Assam. Why are these lives insignificant? Why doesn’t the electronic media give these stories the kind of air time that they would to a child stuck in a bore well? Isn’t this absolute hypocrisy?

KA Solaman

The Pioneer daily dated 22-10-08

Value of human life

One could understand the value of human life only when a child falls into an uncovered ditch made by callous workers of some multinational companies. The entire state mechanism along with the military would come in rescue of the hapless child who fell into the ditch. This is the scene we once again witnessed when the child Sonu fell down a deep bore well that was left pitilessly uncovered. Though the child died when rescue work was in progress the visual media gave wide coverage to the rescue operation. The way in which the State administration, the Army and the media handled the incident remind the value the human life in India. However this sort of approach is not seen when hundreds were dead in Orissa due to communal clash and several migrants of Bengladesh are dead in Assam

Why for the media and the Army the lives in Orissa and Assam insignificant?
The Governments in States and Centre hereinafter should contemplate to give the same preciousness to the lives of those unfortunates who get killed in racial clashes along with those tender lives which are lost in bore wells. This I say because we have yet to watch the last bore well death and the last ethnic clash death.

K A Solaman

Tactic boomeranged!

Tactic followed by ICICI Bank got boomeranged. It is their method to issue loans to customers and resort all inhuman tactics to get back the loan and that too with blade interest. The bank has now approached police with a complaint of economic terrorism and at least two text messages seeking to spread malicious rumours. The bank has accused some brokers of rumour-mongering aimed at beating its share price and spreading panic among investors as well as depositors. The bank had suffered heavy losses on the stock markets following report that it could fall prey to the global credit crisis because of its exposure abroad.

So it is test time for bank to have a rethink of the policies that had taken so far. And it is the time for them to withdraw all the mind-boggling advertisement given in channels to woo the investors. If the financial position of the bank is so strong they should immediately payback the deposits to investors without further dialogue. Meanwhile they should learn lessons from other private sector and public banks who were not gone panic in the present crisis. .
The bank should also enquire whether ICICI officials had sold their holdings in the bank.

K A Solaman

CPI(M) failed Nano

Though West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and Mr Ratan Tata say that the agitation by the Trinamool Congress against the Nano project in Singur was the reason behind abandoning the project, it is not entirely true. It is the callousness shown by the State Government in acquiring land for the project that is the real reason for the failure. Ms Mamata Banerjee’s successful opposition to the project is a warning to all obdurate politicians standing against the people’s will. If the CPI(M)-led Government is solemn about industrialising Bengal, they should take into consideration the will of the local populance. It would be better to revive old industries than haphazardly start new ones.
KA Solaman

The value

The value

A well known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a Rs100 note. In the room of 200, he asked, "Who would like this Rs 100 note?"
Hands started going up.
He said, "I am going to give this to one of you but first, let me do this." He proceeded to crumple the note up.

He then asked, "Who still wants it?"
Still the hands were up in the air.

"Well," he replied, "What if I do this?" And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe.
He picked it up, now all crumpled and dirty. "Now who still wants it?" Still the hands went into the air.

"My friends, you have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth Rs 100.

Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way.

We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. You are special - Don't ever forget it!

Veliyam's flip

It was K R Gouri Amma who once said the CPI State secretary of Kerala Mr Veliyam Bhargavan sans sense. And it has been virtually proved with latter’s latest comment on SEZ in Kerala. Veliyam Bhargavan somersaulted that SEZs were good for the State, after stating that Kerala would witness riots if efforts were made to set up SEZs.
The inconsistency in the words of Veliyam is not first of its kind. Sometimes people of Kerala think Veliyam and Coterie are good for the State and at the next moment they are compelled to think in the reverse.

A similar stance one could see in the Munnar demolition episode. When Achuthanadan’s brave cats demolished the buildings of land encroachers Veliyam and his group welcomed it. Nevertheless when the cats turned to Tata, Veliyam went red face. Tata was the highest donor for the ‘Janayugom’ re-release! And now the only hope in Veliyam’s party is Kaanam Rajendran who adopted a stand that SEZs were unacceptable. One could not say when Kaanam would start to think in tune with Veliyam.

Interestingly the CPI’s inconsistency in word and deed has been pooh-poohed by CPI(M)'s Industries Minister Elamaram Kareem. He said, "Veliyam’s speech does not have anything to do with the Government's decision on the matter." Does it mean that political speech is a non-sense talk? Hasn’t the CPI anything to do with the Government? All right thinking people should see that the present advocates of SEZ in Kerala are not going to bring any development or employment to the State. Their main motto is to sell land owned by either Government or private parties and thereby to earn a good buck.
It is time in Kerala to intensify struggle against the SEZs.


K A Solaman

Power minister threatens people.

Power minister threatens people.

Kerala Power Minister AK Balan once again threatens people saying that more controls on power supply would have to be imposed in the case of shortfall in the northeastern monsoon rains. For quite long the people of Kerala are being threatened by rulers about power crisis. Still they do not find any way out for the crisis. What on the earth prevents the power minister to divide the board into four companies?

The reason for power failure in the state is often curious. Most of the time it is the shortage of water in the reservoirs to generate power. And when there is no scarcity of water, the generators are under repair! The State is boasting for its IT development. Could this happen without power? The only business that multiplies in the State is Inverter manufacture and this in turn makes the plan of power cut pointless. And there is no concrete effort to minimize the distribution loss. Does the ‘different Balan’ have any statistics regarding distribution loss other the shortage of water in the reservoirs?

When it is very early to make a forecast on the rain availability during Thula Varsham, Balan started crying. Kerala doesn’t need minister to threat the people about power failure.

K A Solaman

The Brave CM of Kerala

The Chief Minster of Kerala is seen with a busy schedule in Munnar visiting buildings demolished by the special team and moving to places where government lands were occupied by private parties and inspecting buildings to which stop memo was issued by the Revenue Department. He has shown special interest in visiting the government land occupied by Tata, Harrisons Malayalam Plantation, Gloria Estate and the properties that were constructed on government land occupied by some other individuals. The very warning is that is he is in no mood to compromise with the reformists in his party and also those in the LDF who hold umbrellas for the encroachers. It is also commendable to hear from the CM that he keeps a scrap of love in his heart to those honest officers like Rishiraj Singh who accomplished their duty with the utmost satisfaction of the people of Kerala.
It is to be recalled that VS had once faced a violent opposition from Left partners and even an ultimatum from his own party demanding their removal of his earlier ‘cats”in Munnar. However, it is heartening to see that he still stands on his ground. The people of Kerala are firmly behind the CM. The encroachers should be severely dealt with.

K A Solaman

But India does love Bush!

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s comment that the people of India deeply love US President George W Bush was nothing but a clever piece of diplomacy. After all India does earn billions of dollars in foreign exchange reserves from the US. The Prime Minister recognises this and his statement is a reflection of growing India-US strategic ties. We should not read too much into the issue.
KA Solaman