OROP: the Road Ahead, it may Never Come in the Classical Concept.

The Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi has recently tweeted that he was concerned about sanction of OROP and and he was clear that OROP will be approved. He also is reportedly to have said that he was in "discussion" with all the stake holders and trying to reach a general consensus " acceptable to all" .  Some where the Narendra Modi also said the government was in power for 5 years and OROP was sure to come.

The statement of Modi  is just an eye wash. Let me tell my fiends of a real time episode. One Captain Bhagat Singh who had joined the British Indian army in 1944 and saw action in Burma  had retired long back. He was getting a meagre pension and he looked forward to sanction of OROP, as it would be a boon to him. He waited and waited for 20 years and passed away last year at the age of 92, OROP never reached him. The man is my  uncle and I am constrained to say that this inexplicable delay is nothing short of a criminal act by the government and I just do not only include Modi alone in this band. All the previous governments from Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh have their hands soiled in this entire episode of sanction of OROP.

Now coming to Modi, one can realize he is a past master of twisting words and assurances. His culpability is much greater as he was the first man to comment and  assure repeatedly that One Rank One Pension is on the anvil of sanction. Frankly nobody told him to make these grandiose announcements, yet he made them as he was desperate to come to power and he assumed that a committed vote bank of ex -serviceman will help him get a majority in parliament. His game was simple, he wanted power and so did the BJP the party that he is a member off. So in no holds barred campaign one of the issues taken up was OROP. Frankly when Modi was making these announcements, he was not aware of the cost to the exchequer   and later when the cost was worked out he looked for a way to avoid sanction.

The Indian budget is gigantic. It is the 8th largest economy in the world and reports are clear that politicians have swindled 40,000 to 50,000 crores in the various scams. i am yet to see a single man or woman yet jailed for this gigantic theft.  Yet Modi talks of ( aided by that man with very little horizon,Arun Jaitley)of  extraneous things like " complex question." " stake holders " and what not. He has swallowed the line of the Bureaucracy and the finance minister Arun Jaitley  hook line and sinker. But mind you, he is not a gullible man and knows his onions. He has willingly accepted the arguments of the Bureaucracy and Arun Jaitley  as he feels that somewhere he must extricate himself from sanction of OROP. hence all he  has are words and words of which he is very adept.

I make it clear to friends he is buying time  and that is the reason he has mentioned that this government will be in power for 5 years. It shows he has a 5 year plan and in the meantime many thousands of old pensioners will pass away. Modi is not concerned with that at all and his game is to stretch this sanction as far as possible and once the next pay commission is around the corner he will just wash his hands away. His words and assurances should never be taken at face value.

The question arises what next? We have men like the CNS  Robin Dhawan announcing that ex servicemen should have patience. Heck what more patience does he want. Is 20 years not enough ?.I maintain that the top brass of the military have done precious little and left a hard working man like General Satbir Singh to bear the cross of fighting for OROP. In my view this is criminal neglect.

I would also caution the ex servicemen about returning medals and signing petitions. They are not worth the effort. The big stumbling block are the 3 chiefs led by the COAS. These men are known to the government as men of clay. In fact right from the time of General Cariappa when the demotion from Cin C to COAS was carried out the service chiefs have no say and they have put themselves in a bind. One fails to understand how an army chief heading the most organized force in the country has no say.

Water finds its own level and I am sure that the present lot of  serving soldiers wont be happy with this development. Most of them have strong and long ties for decades with the services. many of the parents/ relations  are ex servicemen. Modi has not realised that this non sanction  can adversely affect the morale of the army. Mouthing words and cliches is not the best thing to do.

The ex servicemen should look for political support and Rahul Gandhi looks a sincere man now. In fact Chidambaram the then finance minister included OROP at his behest.  Give him credit and Modi ? less said the better.
There is a need to bring media and others into the picture and educate the masses on the perils of a demoralized fighting force. Put pressure on the Armh Chief General Dibagh Singh to act. Why can't this man resign and show his displeasure? OROP will come immediately.

The National Anthem by Tagore was in Reality a Praise to King George on his Visit to India

The  Indian National Anthem " Jana Gana Mana"  is sung everyday.  I am afraid very few know that this anthem has a history and its not very nice. The English translation of the song is available on the net and anybody can download and read it. But this is immaterial to what I am going to write.

The song was composed in 1911 and at that time Tagore composed it as a paean in honor of the visit of King George and Queen Mary to India. The song was sung for the first time at the meeting of the Congress party at Calcutta in December 1911. The purpose of this meeting was to welcome the English Monarch and his queen  to India. The conference adopted a resolution welcoming King George and Queen Mary to India. The King and Queen landed in India in December 1911. it must be mentioned that the conference was specially called to welcome the King and also to thank him for annulling the partition of Bengal in 1905.

Tagore never denied that the song was sung and composed to honor the visit of the King and queen, but in 1937, after a lapse of 26 years  he changed his tune and claimed that the song was for Indian independence. A reading of the song clearly shows that all along King George was his subject. After this  Tagore was knighted by the King and he accepted the honor. If he was a nationalist he could have refused the honor.

A reading of the song brings out certain points. The song refers to "Adhinayak", which means ruler and at that time the ruler was the King of England. It further talks of '"Bharat Bhag Vidhata". this means "dispenser of India's destiny". Who was the man who held india's destiny in his hand at that time? it was none other than the English Monarch.

There is no doubt that the song was composed as a part of sycophancy for the king and lord emperor of Hindustan , King George and his consort Mary. This  fact is known to many people and has been alluded to by justice katju as well. In 1911, the British rule looked permanent for another  200 years, but by 1937 there was a rising tide of nationalism and Tagore changed his tune. I may further add that the song was set to music by an English composer named Herbert Murill at the behest of Nehru. Some facts can make strange reading including the truth of our National Anthem

Views of Justice Katju on Subhas Bose and Tagore. Why do we not want the Truth Stated ?

These are the views of Justice Katju  who was a distinguished judge of the Supreme Court and deserve to be read.

Are Tagore and 'Netaji' holy cows for Bengalis ?

Posted: 29 May 2015 11:04 PM PDT

One evening at Allahabad when I was a Judge there I was at the house of one of the High Court Judges along with some other Judges,chatting before dinner.

 I mentioned my view about Subhas Chandra Bose, that he was a Japanese agent. At this one of the High Court Judges who was a Bengali reacted almost hysterically, and started shouting at me, and threatening to walk out. I was taken aback, and became mum thereafter, as I did not want the party to be broken up.

 But I have witnessed a somewhat similar reaction by many ( not all ) Bengalis if one speaks against Tagore. It is sometimes impossible to talk rationally with many Bengalis about 'Netaji' and Tagore.

 Are Subhas Chandra Bose and Tagore the private property of Bengalis ? Can no one criticize them in their presence ? If Bengalis regard them as public figures, not the private property of Bengalis, then the public surely has the right to assess and criticize them.

I have expressed my views about Bose and Tagore on my blog justicekatju.blogspot.in and I do not intend to repeat them in detail.

 I regard Tagore as a British stooge who was promoted by Yeats and used by the British to divert literature from the revolutionary direction Sharad Chandra Chattopadhyaya was taking it ( see  his novel ' Pather Dabi', which was banned by the British. At one time the price of one copy was the same as that of a Mauser pistol ).

See in this connection my article ' The Role of Art and Literature ' on my blog. I have explained there that there are broadly two theories of art and literature, one is called 'Art for art's sake', and the other is called ' Art for social purpose '. In a poor country like India only the second theory is acceptable. Tagore belonged broadly to the school of ' Art for Art's sake', propagating spiritualism and mystical nonsense ( see ( 'Gitanjali', 'Agni beena Bajao', etc ) and Sharad Chandra to the school of ' Art for social purpose'. The British were scared of the writings of Sharad Chandra, and so they promoted their stooge Tagore.

Am I not entitled to even present my view about Tagore before Bengalis ? Do I not have freedom of expression ?

 I regard Bose as a Japanese agent, otherwise why did he give up the struggle against the British in 1945 when the Japanese surrendered ? If he was a real freedom fighter he should have carried on a guerilla war against the British, as the Chinese had done against the Japanese. In a guerilla war one fights with the weapons of the enemy, by snatching them from the enemy.

 In fact Bose was only being used by the Japanese Imperialists, who would have bumped him off once his utility was over. Would the Japanese  fascists have given freedom to India if they had defeated the British ? No, they would have looted it, and slaughtered a lot of Indians, the way they looted Manchuria and North China under their occupation, and slaughtered tens of thousands of Chinese in Nanking, Shanghai, etc. ( see on Youtube about these massacres ).

 I have great respect for Bengalis, many of whom are my close friends. I would only request them to ponder about what I have said, and not treat Bose and Tagore like holy cows

Tribute to a Old Sea Dog Naval warrior: Commodore Babru Bhan Yadav

I am reproducing below a write up on a sailor warrior. Such men must be remembered and this small post is in that vein.

Commodore Babru Bhan Yadav 00101 B
Maha Vir Chakra
(1928-2010)

Commodore Babru Bhan Yadav was born on September 14, 1928 in village Bharawas, Rewari district, Haryana. His father, late Major Bhagwan Singh Yadav M. B. E., had taken part in both the World Wars. Interest in adventurous sea-life came naturally to young Babru Bhan. In fact, this Yadav family's history in joining army, dates back to the Mughal period, relates Colonel M. S. Yadav, his elder brother, and Colonel J. D. S. Yadav, his companion of school days.

Babru Bhan Yadav passed his Intermediate examination from the Banares Hindu University and B Sc from St. Stephen's College, Delhi in 1947. As a student, he was very fond of swimming. He had not seen the sea until he was 20. On the New Year's day in 1951, he got his commission in the Navy at the age of 23 years. He underwent his basic naval training in Devonshire in the United Kingdom
. 
He also went to Soviet Union for training. Earlier, he had completed Staff College Course. Commodore Yadav got his Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) award for displaying conspicuous gallantry during the 1971 India-Pakistan War for sinking two enemy destroyers and one Mine Sweeper in an offensive sweep on the enemy coast off Karachi. After retirement from the Indian Navy he joined the Merchant Navy.

1971 India-Pakistan War: Commodore Babru Bahan Yadav was the Squadron Commander of a division of ships which formed part of the Task Group of the Western Fleet ordered to carry out an offensive sweep on the enemy coast off Karachi on the night of December 4\5, 1971. Notwithstanding the threat of enemy air, surface and submarine attack, the officer led his division of ships deep into the enemy waters and encountered two groups of large enemy warships. Despite the heavy gun-fire from the enemy destroyers and at great risk to his ships and personnel, Commodore B B Yadav led his squadron towards the enemy in a swift and determined attack. As a result, two enemy destroyers and one mine sweeper were sunk. In this operation, Commodore Babru Bahan Yadav displayed conspicuous gallantry and leadership of a high order in the best traditions of the Indian Navy, for which he was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) on 5th December, 1971.

source: 
http://www.haryana-online.com/WarHeroes/commodore_b_b_yadav.htm 

In India Legs of Women are only now Considered a part of Beauty

In the 9th century India came more and more under the sway of the Muslims. They brought a fanatical approach and put women inside the 4 walls of a house or the harem.  They also by force brought in the purdah system, which meant covering the body and the legs. Thus the only part of a woman's anatomy that could be depicted was the face.

It also had other repercussions and women began to neglect their legs . Indian art during this period also concentrated more on facial beauty than any other part of body. For centuries a women could show her legs only to a husband.

In 1947 and one can say during the days from the Raj women started getting freedom. The swim wear came into prominence and soon came the bikini. This had a revolutionary effect as girls and women began to take care of their legs. The long neglected legs became a symbol of beauty and India now began to keep pace with the western world. a few Muslim women do still wear the Burkha, but many Muslim girls also wear swim wear and two piece bikini.

I really do  not know whether this is a good thing , but definitely its good for health. To keep legs toned and shapely, exercise and playing games is a must and thus a spin off of wearing a dress that shows legs means women and girls do some exercise. This is a good thing and I suppose is a positive thought  for everybody.

Wing Commander Karnik needs to be Lauded for his bold step in showing ex servicemen's Displeasure

OROP has gone like the proverbial holy grail and as if to rub salt in the wounds the Prime Minster in a radio talk has reportedly said, that he was pained that pensionary benefits have not been passed on to ex servicemen. The sad part is that when he was mouthing these absurdities, he was aware that his own Finance Minister and the bureaucracy were not in favour of OROP and he was sitting tight on it himself.

In such a scenario where after promising a demand and then renegading on it is nothing but gross betrayal.  In such circumstance the decision by Wg Cdr Karnik, Vrc a hero of the 1971 war not to attend a felicitation organised by the Chief Minister and defence Minister Parrikar is an act of great courage. I only wish some more like him come forward to show the small men who man the seats of power, that nothing can be taken for granted.

The BJP and Modi are demoralising the armed forces and I am reminded of similar acts by Pandit Nehru. Its about time the politicians thought of India. Perhaps that's to big a deal to ask them.
 I am so glad that Wg Cdr Karnik has struck a blow at the establishment. He deserves all the praise and more should come forward and join him. Its time the upostarts with pretensions of being Goliaths are put in their place.

Pray what has the army chief to say about this non approval. he had addressed ex service men and announced that OROP is approved, yet nothing happened. Has he a moral right to continue? can he think of a revolutionary step? Like resigning?
This is all the more reason to appreciate what Wg Cdr Karnik has done. praise to him

Flying my Girl Friend in a Chopper: Kisses at 5000 ft

Life has many vicissitudes and twists some of them memorable that makes one smile years later. When I was in school, I had read the story of Don Juan. Somehow this man appealed to me as he was a swashbuckling swords man and a great lover. I had taken this book from the school library.

About the same time we had a school inspection and our class teacher informed us that the school inspector will come and he may ask a question as to who is the man you admire most. She also suggested that if anyone was asked he or she must answer Gandhi, Nehru, Lincoln or Lord Krishna.  Being a back bencher I never expected to be asked this question, but surprisingly the inspector pointed to me and asked the question. Without thinking I replied ‘Don Juan’. There was a moments awkward silence and the Inspector went on to the next student.
After class, my class teacher was livid (later I learnt she got a reprimand for my answer) and she made me stay back for two hours and write “I will never do this mistake again” 2000 times. Well that was that and Don Juan remained a fixation with me.
As a young Flying Officer I was posted to Kerala in South India. After going there I realized that girls from Kerala and Tamil Nadu have a fixation for Punjabi North Indians. I cannot say why, but it’s very much there. I became friends with a young MBA student and I was keen to show her my prowess. I promised to fly her in the Air Force helicopter. I got my chance soon enough and I was given a solo exercise one fine day. In the meantime I had asked my girl to drive down to a desolate field which I had identified earlier.

After getting airborne in my Allouette I hovered and soon saw my girl. She recognized it was me and I slowly landed in the field. She rushed in and climbed in and without switching off I took off again. This was a thrill, here was my girl sitting next to me and I was flying her in an Air Force chopper. She was excited and kissed me repeatedly. Those kisses in flight have remained the most memorable ones for me.
I was in touch with ATC all along and soon the flight commander asked me to return. I told her I would drop her and once again came down and my girl hopped off. There were 2 or 3 people standing among the bushes at some distance and I thought I was safe. Alas! I do not know how, but my CO and Flight Commander got whiff of my amorous escapade and I got a reprimand for it.
“Heavens “said my flight Commander” man, don’t do it again”.
Now many years later I look back on this episode fondly. My girl is still in touch with me. as a matter of fact she  rang me up yester day from Trivandrum( Kerala)  and reminded me that it was the anniversary of  our fight to bliss.

A site for the Common Fashion Conscious Woman

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Jesus Buried in Kashmir ? Could it be True ?

Many scientists believe that Jesus survived the cross and lived to a ripe old age in Kashmir

On this topic Catholic and Christian thought have the belief that Jesus died on the cross and then after 2 days there was the resurrection. This is the bed rock of Christian belief and it is not something that can be easily contested.

 But the human mind is inquisitive and searches for new avenues to exercise logic. One of these is research in history.  Many historians have concluded after examining the available evidence that Jesus survived the crucifixion and lived to a ripe old age.  They also claim to have gathered evidence that Jesus entered Kashmir in 30 AD and adopted the name Yusuf Raza. There is a shrine in Srinagar in the old city that has a tomb which Dr. Fida Hussain claims is the tomb of Jesus. Frankly this is all conjecture till the tomb is subjected to a DNA test, but the very fact  that it goes against the grain of Christian thought  is no reason to discard it all together.

The tomb is situated in down town Srinagar and as per locals has the remains of two Muslim saints. One of them is Yusuf Raza, who researchers claim is in reality Jesus Christ. Researcher’s point out that Jesus survived the crucifixion and travelled across Persia to Kashmir. Here he settled down and is also reported to have attended the Buddhist conference at Haran. The proof of Jesus in Kashmir hinges on some old manuscripts available in the monasteries at Leh and Ladakh. He is also supposed to have attended the world Buddhist conference at Haran in 80AD.

 Coming to the tomb it is unlike a Muslim tomb and has distinct Jewish features. This is itself a sign that the person who is entombed there is a man with Jewish connections. But obviously the entire Christian faith is based on the resurrection after Christ died on the cross, which is the catch 22 situation and any research in this field will never be accepted. It is also possible that the  tomb at Rozabal is not of Jesus but some other saint, but the veracity can only be established by a thorough research and DNA testing.

Guru Nanak And His Visit to Dacca Now in Bangladesh

Guru Nanak the founder of the Sikh faith visited Dacca in 1499 and a Gurudwara marks his visit

Guru Nanak is the founder of the Sikh religion. The Guru was born in 1469 and before he had touched 40 he had completed 4 major tours. These tours involved travels to Baghdad, Mecca, Tibet, Eastern India and Ceylon.

Guru Nanak completed all his travels at a young age and then settled down in the Punjab, where he preached his message of one god. Guru Nanak travelled to East India around 1499. He was accompanied by his aide and ministeral, Mardana. This tour is recorded in the Janam Sakhi ( life story) as related by Bhai Bala. There are many versions of the Janam Sakhi, but all of them agree that he visited Bengal and Assam which in the Janam Sakhi is referred to asKamrup.Guru Nanak travelled in the garb of a holy man (Fakir). He and Mardana normally travelled along with a caravan or a group of travelers.

The Janam Sakhi also records a miracle at Sylhet (now in Bangladesh). As per the Sakhi (story) when Guru Nanak visited Sylhet, A great magician converted Mardana into a lamb. Guru Nanak however recognized Mardana as a sheep and broke the magical spell and freed Mardana. This greatly relieved Mardana who as sheep had realized his helplessness. This had a profound effect on the Pir who became the follower of the Guru.

This miraculous story is not being taken in the literal sense, but points to the great power of the Guru. There is also Sakhi of Guru Nanak meeting a witch in Assam, who had the power of flying on broom stick. Guru Nanak by his miraculous power made the witch to accept him as her master. This tale is again symbolic. Guru Nanak also visited Dacca and spent many days there. He held discourses and spread his message of one God. There is Gurudwara in Dacca that commemorates the visit of Guru Nanak in the Dacca university campus. I am told there are 7 Gurudwara in Bangladesh. There are about 18000 Sikhs in Bangladesh who form a vibrant community there.

 Dacca can be easily reached by a direct AC bus from Calcutta or  a direct flight from Delhi/Calcutta.

Tantra in Tibetan Buddhism:Yab-yum and Sexual Union

Tibetan art also sanctifies Yab-yum

Tantra in Tibetan Buddhism: Yab –yum and Sexual Union

Tibetan Buddhism is distinct from other forms of Buddhism. It has Hindu influence. One of the basic themes in Tibetan art is Yab –yum, which represents two deities in a sexual embrace. Most Tibetan art represents Yab-yum through Bodhisattva Vajrapani who is a great follower of the Buddha.

Vajrapani is the holder of the holder of the Vara (thunderbolt scepter) with which he saves all mankind. He is a given a fierce appearance in Tibet art and is supposed to have 3 faces and six arms. This is famous as the Tantric form for sexual union and takes a form known as mahacakra. In this form he not only has sexual uninon with his consort but also subdues the nagas i.e. Snakes and serpents.

This aspect of Buddhist thought and art is heavily borrowed from Hindu Tantra sex rituals. While having sexual union with his consort he holds the vajra in his right hand and points it at the sky. This pose in which his consort sits in his lap in a sexual union symbolizes salvation, protection as well as grace and charity.

In this pose the Bodhisattva wears a crown of 5 leaves and his ankles and arms are adorned with pearls, bracelets, jewels and ornaments. It does remind a dispassionate researcher as somewhat akin to Kaal Bhairav the Hindu God. Snakes go in and out of the mouth of the Buddhist deity.

His beloved in the union depicted is also suitably adorned. She is slim and beautiful with buxom breasts. She is supposed to offer a cup filled with blood to her lover. In her right hand she holds a tantric chopper (Kartika).

In Buddhism like the image of Shiva and his consort Shakti in Hinduism represent power and road to salvation , so also in Buddhism this image of a sexual union represents the union of the masculine (upaya)with the feminine( prajna) and both are supposed to fuse into one on the path of salvation. Tantra is an essential part of Tibetan Buddhism and is often referred to as Yab-yum.

OROP won't come; BJP and Modi betray Services, what Next?

The First COAS. The devaluation started from hs time

I had written a few months back that OROP won't be sanctioned. There were some good men who held a contrary view. They were sure that Modi is a man of his word and the sanction was just around the corner, These simple and good men were taking what ever they were told as a gospel truth. Having spent time in the civil and corporate world, I knew it wouldn't happen for the simple reason that army top brass had frittered away their bargaining power. Secondly the leaders in the government like Arun Jaitley are small men with a limited horizon and they can't understand what morale is and also how important an armed force is for projection of a nation in world polity.

The net result is that now the demand is stymied at the highest source and that is Modi himself. Now there is nobody to who the ESM association can turn to except write pleading letters to Modi and party. This was expected by me, as politicians only act when put under pressure. Just see the banking unions have got a 15% pay hike and the services are shown two fingers.

The demand was put on the back burner by the previous Congress government for 10 years and its little consolation that Rahul is asking for sanction of OROP now. How sincere is he? In case a man like Modi can be change colours , will Rahul get the sanction if voted back.?

The fact is Modi and party know that the ESM association has no teeth. The army chief is a cipher and hence OROP won't come. There is a need for a proactive approach. Maybe Rahul is sincere and its best to join him. The COAS , who heads a force that holds India together must assert himself.  There is to be no begging for a right and small men like Jaitley must be shown their place. Onwards men, the future will always be brighter than the present.

Sadder still is a statement by the CNS ( Chief of naval Staff) that there is nothing to worry and OROP will definitely come. What does he mean? 3 decades have already elapsed and thousands of ex servicemen have gone to the next world. Does he mean let another few thousand die, so that liability is reduced and gives a handle to the civilian authorities that as too much time has elapsed it is administratively impossible to sanction OROP ? Just watch this will be a stumbling  bock and the BJP may take it as a lifeline to dilute OROP or delay it indefinately

Memoir : Love is great Rememberence

I first saw the Ural on a sunday morning. it was a monster of a bike and packed 750 cc of power.  It was a copy of the BMW R 7 and the Russians had done a good piece of reverse engineering in producing the bike. Bikes have always been my love and when I pressed the self starter the bike spurted to life. I checked the fuel gauge and saw the tank was almost full, so I could go anywhere  up to 300 miles in the Siberian wastes.

I sat on my bike and waited. I was waiting for my gal Olga. She was a Russian servicewoman, my aide and now my lover. Strange indeed are the ways of the lord. Here I was at a Soviet air base in Siberia and going for a date in desolate  plains with Russian gal, who was not only my aide but my lover as well.

Olga had been assigned to help me as she knew English. I didn't disclose that I knew Russian. It was a pleasant first encounter and its hard not to admit that lascivious thoughts did flit through my mind, she was of medium height, not very tall, but slim and petite. She was gorgeously fair with streaks of golden hair and large expressive eyes that accentuated her sexuality. Olga in short was an extremely desirable girl.

Once I met her, I gave her many jobs to do and very soon I had an insane desire to know more about her. I demanded her I Card with a view to know more about her. She gave me her I card and I scanned it. She was from a small town close to Moscow and was 26 years old. I had a pang of jealousy as I wondered that at 26 she couldn't be a virgin. I wondered how many men had slept with her?  These are crazy thoughts, but can you oust them from your mind. Hold on man! I told myself, don't lose your sense for  a Russian NCO, who tomorrow will go and sleep with someone else. Here I was to be wrong,but at 42 life is something you want to cling as long as possible.

" look" my Commodore had told me" no dating a NCO, these girls are trained by Russians and they will honeytrap you and the god knows what will happen.".

I had nodded my head in acquiescence, my mind still thinking of Olga . frankly I cared two hoots for the commodores advice, intent to see how Olga looked bare as Christ had made her.

Days passed and Olga became close to me. I don't think it had anything to do with Russian training, for that was all bull. It was that nobody had till date treated her with respect. This was new to her. Once I picked her from outside the guard room and drove her to a coffee shop. It was fun, though Olga and me in uniforms looked out of place there.

" Look Olga" I said" you are the sweetest girl I ever met".

This surprised her and she murmured " it can't be true"

" yes" I replied" every word of what I say is true".

Coffee over we headed back to my quarter and she swiftly went inside to make my bed. I entered and told her that she was the most beautiful girl in the world. Then I said something that showed that Olga was fast becoming an obsession wit me.

" I want to see you as god made you".

There was a long silence and the she smiled

" OK, you can see me, but promise you won't touch me".

I nodded in assent and Olga vanished into the next room.  I waited for a minute and tentatively turned the knob. The door opened and then the light went out. It was dark and it began to rain. Thunder clapped and lightening flashed. In one of the streaks I saw Olga naked in the room. It was a split second view and I was simply enchanted with what I saw in that flash. Descriptions are odious , so all I will say that she looked almost like a handmaiden from heaven. Maybe a hourie from Islamic paradise. I kept my word and ventured no further and came back to my room. But the picture of her upturned breasts and profusion of curls on her mons was something I had never seen.

After a few moments Olga came out, fully dressed and rushed into my arms. We kissed and kissed, it was heavenly. Is this paradise ? I thought. She left in moment and then the commodore called.

" heck man, what hell were you ding in a coffee shop with a NCO?"

He was angry and threatened to report me.. I listened and said nothing. My mind had already taken a decision. Hell with the commodore, Olga was much more precious.

I went away and dialled Olga.

" Olga, can I date you for Saturday and Sunday.?"

" where"

" In the Siberian forests, come with me. I have managed a bike"

That was how I waited for Olga in a side lane. She came, I was sure she would come.  In a moment I revved the engine and we were off. The bike ran very well and soon we moved on a dirt track. Now it began to rain and it became cold. I drove the bike on and soon saw a log hut. What romance, a log hut in the Siberian woods, with water all around and a lovely girl for company.

We entered and wordlessly kissed. I undressed her and laid her on the wooden floor.it was heavenly sex as we dissipated our passion. Never used protection as I vicariously hoped something will happen.. All we had was a Thermos of hot coffee and some beef sandwiches got packed by me.. The desire to posses Olga was almost hedonist, maybe Lucifer came, but later so did god. It was the greatest 2 days of my life.

The commodore didn't report me and I came back. Then I got a letter. It had two lines only. It read" I am so happy , I am with child. Please come"

This was a fairy tale ending as I packed to go to Russia on leave.

Rahul Gandhi is Rejuvenated man now

The Congress went to the polls after ruling for 10 years. This, 
I am afraid is one of the bleakest periods of Indian history after 1947. With scant disregard of the wishes of the Indian people a political novice and a man with no sense of history, in effect an ineffectual man named Man Mohan Singh was hoisted on the Indian people. He was made the PM of 1.2 billion people. I wonder if such a charade has ever been committed in Indian history.

Such a man was bound to fail and this was reflected in the 2014 election when the Congress was wiped out winning just 44 seats. To top it the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi played a lack lustre role and failed to match the  BJP  mascot Narendra Modi. Many were despondent, but the majority looked forward to the promised "achee din".

Unfortunately the Achee Din have not materialised and there was a chink in the BJP armour. The saying that the hour finds the man is true and Rahul did some introspection. He went on  a 59 days Sabbath to  introspect and on his return a new Rahul has emerged. He has started a strong campaign against Modi. He is helped by the fact that Modi has been sitting on plenty of inaction. Modi has not given the promised OROP for soldiers, bungled on the land bill and overall created the image of a weak internal polity with just bombastic talk and no action, be it Kashmir or industry or anything.

Rahul has seized the moment and he is getting favourable response. Its a rejuvenated Rahul and given his lineage, he may well succeed.

No OROP yet: Time to Press Acceletor

The much awaited OROP hasn't yet appeared. So many conflicting reports are floating around. Some say approved, some say Modi will announce on 26 May : the day the UPA led by the BJP will complete one year in office and what not. The fact is the BJP has as yet not bitten the bullet and its anybody's guess they will do so.

The servicemen both retired and serving must redraw their red lines. There is no point in keeping all eggs with Modi , in the fond hope he will " do something". Its good that a section of ex servicemen has met Rahul Gandhi in this matter. Rahul has assured all out support. Not only Rahul, but the soldiers must publicise all and sundry about the non approval of OROP ,one year down the line.  In fact the demand should have been accepted in the first 3 months of BJP rule. The warning bells should have rung then itself.

One should not forget that services are the last priority in India and Modi has followed his earlier peers in this. Its sad that a man who started his election campaign with a speech to ex soldiers that he will bring in OROP has developed feet of clay.

The services must keep up the pressure and one hopes the new Rahul may well be the  catilyist for this.

A Unique Book Publishing site from Canada

Book for You

book cover

Introduction
Book by you is a publishing company with a difference. The company publishes books on a variety of subjects and then personalizes them for the customer. The company is a leader in this field and operates out of Canada, but supplies books all over the globe, though their overseas market is mostly Europe. Book by You publishes only fiction and no non-fiction books are published. The book by you team is headed by Micheal Pocock who is the Vice president and he is assisted by a small and competent team.
The products offered.
Bookbyyou.com is a publishing company that sells books on line to any place on the world. This site however is not an ordinary cut and dried publisher as the books it sells are given a personal touch as required by the customer. The genre of books covers the following
Romance
Same Sex love tales.
Classics
Mystery
Teen Books
Kid Books
The same sex love stories is a later addition and caters for the increasing demand for stories and love affairs between the same sex i.e. women and women and men and men. The site does not publish any non-fiction or scientific books.

Distinct Trade mark
The forte of the site is providing books with a personal touch for everyone. The books marketed are from 100-400 pages in both paperback and hardcover editions. The peronalized books will carry your photograph or anybody else photograph. In addition your name will appear at strategic places in the publication. The idea is to make buying and presenting a book a memorable occasion.

As the books are personalized the publishers advice that after a book is selected the customer answers an exhaustive questionnaire. This is important so that the novel can be personalized. Information like best friends name, eye color etc is required to be filled up. The questionnaire needs to be filled up carefully as after the book is printed no changes can be incorporated.
The price of all paperbacks is 39.95 and hard cover editions will cost $ 59.95. (Postage/ courier charge is extra). Children’s novels are cheaper at $24.95

Gift Certificare
The site has an interesting Gift Certificate scheme. In case a customer is unable to decide on a book to gift he can purchase gift certificate and forward to the recipient. The gift certificate will have the name of the recipient. The price of a gift certificate is $39.95 for romance and love story and $24.95 for children’s story. Shipping charges will be extra. Gift certificates have a limited validity for one year from the date of purchase.
Refunds
The site does not accept any returns for personalized editions and no refunds are given. However in case a book comes in a damaged or torn condition the same will be replaced. The customer is required the forward the book with the original packing at his cost to the company address in Canada and also inform by email and telephone.

The site ships world wide. The books are shipped in the USA and North America by FedEx or UPS. World wide delivery is handled by FedEx. Shipping options are enumerated as follows

The company is a book  publisher and maintains a limited stock at their office at 

Book By You Publishing
P.O. Box 194
Delaware, Ontario,
NOL 1EO, Canada.

You can reach customer service for this site at publish@bookbyyou.com
Last Word.

The site only deals with fiction and do not entertain non fiction. Book by you is a new age publishing site that allows a customer to see his name and photo in the book. This is a new experience and one that is quite thrilling. One can also present the book to a loved one with his or her name in the book as well as a photo. The site markets books mostly in the romantic genre. Most of the novels concern stories about love next door, Medieval passion, vampire love tales, mystery novels, wedding love, teen novels and same sex love.

The Islamic State: What Happens Next

The Rise and Future of the Islamic State

The Islamic state is an amorphous group owing allegiance to Sunni Islam. It is a hard line group that believes in a pristine Sunni Islamic state, stretching from Africa, Middle East to India. There is no place for any other form of Islam or any other sect or religion. Considering that Sunnis constitute 80% of the Muslim population, the resources available for recruitment and men is vast. The IS thus generates a tremendous appeal in the Sunni world. For pure believers in the Sunni concept of Islamic state, the IS is like a beacon to paradise.

The IS came into prominence due to acts of commission and omission by George Bush, the US President. For this alone the American people must take him to task. Bush overthrew the very forces that had kept these Wahhabi elements in check. Thus men like Saddam Hussein and Maummar Gaddafi were executed with impunity as well as with a certain degree of glee.

The removal of these men, gave a fresh lease of life to the IS and in a fractured Arab polity, the IS surged ahead. It has captured large tracts of land in Iraq and Syria. It also has a significant presence  in Libya and other Arab states.

The IS in all areas summarily beheads non Muslims like Christians and Shias. The non Muslims are just marched to a secluded spot and beheaded. Its a terrible world. Worse is the state of women who have been  reduced to the status of chattels, concubines and sex objects. The IS fighters consider it their right to use these women as spoils of war.  The IS is now a force and cannot be wished away. The future appears blurry and one can't be sure the IS will be defeated.

Fond Memories; Loves and Stay in Madras

It was a matter of joy when the Air Headquarters sent out a signal broadcast transferring me to Madras (now known as Chennai). I am a globe-trotter and I was delighted to get to Tamil Nadu as after all my early education had been at the Stanes High in Coimbatore.

I joined duty at the Flying instructors school at Tambaram.  Incidentally Air Force Station Tambaram is one of the oldest Air Forcestations of India and the Flying Instructors School is the home of flying. It is here that air force pilots of the IAF are trained to be Instructors, who will teach flying to the trainee cadets.

After joining duty as a youngster, my CO handed me a form and said “Fill it up MG, it for membership of the Madras Gymkhana club”. I duly filled up and became a member of the Madras Gymkhana club and I have relished its membership for decades.  We worked from 6 am in the morning to about 12 noon when we were free.  On most days, I and my friend would take our Royal Enfield Motorcycles (It was a present from my father on my passing out from the Air Force academy) and head for town. The drive was 29 km and the road excellent.

The best days were Saturdays when we had the weekly dance and believe me we from the Air Force got willing partners. We would dance and drink till the early hours of the morning and then some of the girls, daughters from the elite families from Chennai would be dropped home by us.  This was perhaps the most glorious time of my bachelorhood. About the Gymkhana club; it traces its pedigree to 1884 when it was launched by Brig General Johnson of the British Indian army and from that time defence officers are given membership straight away. For civilians it’s a pain to become a member and there is common talk that Shivaji Ganesan tried for 3 decades to be made a member and failed.

There is also a lovely golf course at Guindy where I learnt to play. But at that time Golf was not on my agenda as I had work to do and I preferred to go to the Gymkhana club. There was also a lovely pool and most of the girls stripped down after 8 pm and swam. I with my friend to whom I was attached also lazed in the pool.

Sometimes after a late light we never came back and stayed in the club rooms on payment of course. Madras also had lovely cinemas and shopping complexes and one relished taking a walk around Mount Road. Lovely beaches too and I loved the Adyar beach where I had so many rollicking parties on the sand at night. There was also the Connemara hotel with a lovely disco and we made it a point to hit that joint, for the simple reason my date loved it, though I am not much of a foot stomper.

Frankly never went to any of the temples at Chennai, but I loved going to Burmah bazaar with its array of small shops selling imported stuff. This was on a premium and I remember I bought a VCR and an instant Polaroid camera from there.

My friend took me home, a palatial home at T Nager and I got introduced to the family. They were curious of the IAF and flying. But the mother of my friend was scared and asked “what if the plane crashes?”

I liked the Zoo, the Madras beach station and the Marina. What a long and lovely beach. I remember eating at Sea Buhari there for dinners.  Dinner was a pleasure on the terrace with the sea breeze enveloping you. It was all so romantic.  You could get very good north Indian food in Chennai.

Above all the people were friendly and it was a wrench to leave Chennai and my friend. I was transferred to Baghdogra in North Bengal and like a true soldier I left. But the memories of Chennai haunt me even now and I still go very often there. It’s a wonderful place. All credit to the Air Force that took me there, helped me find friends, gave me an elite status and started an association that goes on even now.

1965 War: How General Choudhry almost lost the War

General Ayub Khan launched ‘Operation Grand Slam’ in Kashmir. The Pakistanis were cocky with their new Patton Tanks with their IR vision device. The attack commenced on 02 September at 07 am. The Indians were expecting the attack, but to oppose the onslaught of Pakistan armor the Indian only had some obsolete AMX and Sherman tanks.

 At that time general JN Choudhry the Chief of the Indian army panicked and recommended a retreat beyond the Beas River. General Harbaksh Singh refused this order. In panic to relieve the pressure in the Akhnur sector where the Pakistan armor was advancing a decision was taken to open a front on the Lahore Sialkot sector. This was a good decision, but no adequate planning was made for this operation. Perhaps it was a spur of the moment plan.

The result of this advance was not good. The India army advanced just a few miles into Pakistan territory and the twin cities of Lahore and Sialkot could not be touched. The Pakistanis fought hard and the Indians could not cross the Ichigol canal. In fact an entire battalion was lost while attempting a crossing. This clearly showed that the Indian General staff had made no plans for an advance into Punjab. However the attack served one purpose in that the Pakistan assault in Akhnur got bogged down and the Pakistan army floundered and almost 70 M-47 (Patton Tanks) were captured.

Another blunder that the Indian general staff committed was its inaction on the eastern front with Pakistan. The PAF operating from airfields in East Pakistan attacked IAF planes in kalaikunda and a dozen aircraft were lost on the ground. Pakistan then just had one division in East Pakistan. Yet the Indian army bereft of any operational plan did nothing. Now is the time to come out and give facts. The 1965 war was a war of blunders and both India and Pakistan gave a poor account of the Principles of War.

Both countries claim victory, but in the over all scenario the Indian generalship was poor and the army Chief JN Choudhry out of his dept. In fact there is a good chance that the entire Punjab would have been lost, but for General Harbaksh Singh.
The Indian army made amends in the 1971 war and General JS Aurora poured the midnight oil at Fort William for an invasion of East Pakist