1150 Online cliickable MCQs, News Highlights, Current Affairs, Mahabharata, Sringara Satakam,

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MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS TEST No.

Here is a 10 Multiple Choice Question Test on your favorite subject. Some Qs are actual Examination Questions, ABRIDGED & EDITED for brevity, and to facilitate easier comprehension. Actual Exam. Qs were lengthy and circumlocutive. Qs can be answered online, and score can be checked by clicking ~showprogress~ box at the end of any Q. There are minus marks of 0.25 (quarter mark) for each wrong answer. If any Qs are left out, there will be no change in score. ==Answers and explanations== for each Q can also be checked by moving your mouse on the word `mouse` at the end of each Q. You can try and retry any number of times.

1) GENERAL AWARENESS ABOUT ASTRONOMY: The planet with lowest density in the solar system is:

a`Jupiter
b`Saturn
c`Uranus
d`Pluto

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2) NUMERICAL ABILITY (Clat exam.): Average age of 80 boys in a class is 15.
Average age of a group of 15 boys in the class is 16.
Average age of another 25 boys in the class is 14.
Average age of remaining boys in the class=:
a`15.25 b`14 c`14.75 d`Cannot be determined --

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3) 19c INDIAN HISTORY: 'You will be nearer to Heaven through football than through the study of the Gita', is said to be a quote of
a`Gandhiji b`Patel c`Narendra Modi d`Swami Vivekananda --

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4) JAPANESE CULTURE: The word 'KATANA' is associated with
a`dwarfing of plants b`flower arrangements c`paper cutting d`martial arts --

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5) INDIAN GEOGRAPHY: SABARMATI RIVER originates in
a`Gujarat b`Rajasthan c`Madhya Pradesh d`Uttar Pradesh --

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6) 20c. INDIAN HISTORY: SABARMATI ASHRAM (also called Satyagraha Ashram) which Donald Trump visited in 2020, was founded in
a`1914 b`1915 c`1916 d`1917 --

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7) WORLD GEOGRAPHY: TROPIC OF CAPRICORN does not pass through:
a`Namibia b`South Africa c`Botswana d`Tanzania --

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8) ENVIRONMENTAL GEOGRAPHY: Sambhar Salt Lake, India's largest inland salt lake is in ___:
a`Gujarat b`Rajasthan c`Tamil Nadu d`Andhra Pradesh --

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9) ENVIRONMENTAL GEOGRAPHY: Largest saltwater lake of Asia. Chilika lake is in ___:
a`Gujarat b`Rajasthan c`Odisa d`Andhra Pradesh --

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10) ZOOLOGY: FLYING FOXES are resemble ___:
a`kites b`bats c`vultures d`storks --

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11) PHYSICS: Kerosene Lamps work on ___ action through flat wicks.
a`solvent b`adsorption c`capillary d`all --

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12) PHYSICS: A Washing machine uses ___Principle.
a`centrifugation b`sublimation c`osmosis d`diffusion --

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13) ENGLISH, AND INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION: "Mr. Bernie Sanders, along with Elizabeth Warren, has embraced policies that are popular on the left and nowhere else: a ban on fracking. (New York Times)". 'Fracking' is a term used in the context of:
a`illegal immigration b`shale oil production c`healthcare insurance d`gun control --

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14) ENGLISH: "Art of peeling off voters- those in the middle or those who aren't ideological- may be the most important skill in politics. It doesn't require a mushy centrist policy agenda, either. (New York Times) ". In the context of this sentence, identify the word which is the nearest in meaning to the word 'mushy':
a`soft b`hard c`vague d`wary '>-- ' />

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15) CURRENT AFFAIRS OF BUDGETING 2020-21: India's Fiscal Deficit target, for the FY 2020-21 projected by Ms. Nirmala Sitaraman, Finance Minister is:
a`2.3% b`3.5% c`5.5% d`8% --

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Today's Bar chart

INDIA'S TOP STATES IN TERMS OF AREA

THOUSANDS OF SQUARE KM.

1. Rajasthan : 342

2. MP : 308

3. Maharashtra : 307

4. U.P. : 243

5. Gujarat : 196

6. Karnataka : 192

7. A.P. : 163

8. Odisha : 156

9. Chattisgadh : 135

10. TN : 130

1124 MCQ Test, and a Review of Recent Developments

Meghalaya High Court has three judges including the Chief Justice. Madras High Court has 75 judges. Its Chief Justice Ms. Vijaya Tahilramani, the Seniormost among High Court Justices, has seventeen years of experience as High Court Judge, and has just about 1.5 years service left for retirement, is reported to have resigned, as Supreme Court transferred her to Meghalaya High Court, without communicating any reason to her, and has turned down her Representation. Strange are the ways of the Collegium of the Supreme Court.

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A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H	I	J
K	L	M	N	O	P	Q	R	S	T
U	V	W	X	Y	Z	--	--	--	--

I undertake English, Hindi, Telugu language Translations. My labor charges: Ind. Rs. 110 per input page. E-mail input files to y b h a s k at g m a i l .com. No need to phone. Some of the documents which I have translated earlier: Sale Deeds, Public Copies of Sale Deeds, Sale Agreements, Lease Agreements, Mortgage Deeds, Land Records such as pahani-chowfasla, 10-1Adangal, Legal Notices, Replies to Legal Notices, Court Decrees, Police FIRs, Inquest Reports, Market Brochures, Employee Standing Orders, Letters to Govt. Departments, Letters received from Govt. Departments, Birth Certificates, Death Certificates, Marks Lists, Ration Cards, Ration Card Name deletion Certificates, Adoption Agreements, Divorce Agreements etc. etc.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS TEST No. 99839

Here is a 10 Multiple Choice Question Test on your favorite subject. Some Qs are actual Examination Questions, ABRIDGED & EDITED for brevity, and to facilitate easier comprehension. Actual Exam. Qs were lengthy and circumlocutive. Qs can be answered online, and score can be checked by clicking ~showprogress~ box at the end of any Q. There are minus marks of 0.25 (quarter mark) for each wrong answer. If any Qs are left out, there will be no change in score. Answers for each Q can also be checked by moving your mouse on the word `mouse` at the end of each Q. You can try and retry any number of times.

1)HISTORY OF RUSSIA: Collapse of the Soviet Union was the largest geopolitical disaster of the 20th century. -this seems to be the opinion of
a`Medyedev b`Putin c`Gorbachev d`Yeltsin --

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2)CURRENT AFFAIRS - INDIA signed its RIYADH DECLARATION 2010 with
a`Arab League b`Organisation of Islamic Nations c`al-Itihad al-Islamia d`Saudi Arabian Govt. --

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3)GENERAL AWARENESS: Shersha was a contemporary of
a`Humayun b`Akbar c`Jahangir d`Shajahan --

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4)SYNONYMS and ANTONYMS - Synonym of Restrained :
a`rabid b`extreme c`radical d`restrained --

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5)COMPUTER VIRTUAL MEMORY - resides in
a`CPU b`C.D. c`hard disk d`monitor --

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6)SYNONYMS and ANTONYMS -Synonym of morose is:
a`sad b`pleasant c`miserly d`optimistic --

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7)FILM AWARDS - PALME D‴Or is a premier film award from
a`Oscars b`Cannes c`BBC four World d`Hongkong Film Festival --

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8)SYNONYMS and ANTONYMS - Synonym of Gloomy :
a`warm b`convivial c`portentous d`welcoming --

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9)GENERAL AWARENESS: Shipki La is a mountain pass in ___ valley.
a`Zhelum b`Chenab c`Beas d`Sutlez --

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10)SPORTS TERMS - test to know if a sportsman has taken any performance enhancing drugs :
a`EEG b`Narco Test c`ELISA Test d`dope test --

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JUDICIAL AFFAIRS: Resignation of Chief Justice of Madras High Court :

♛As Supreme Court Collegium has rejected the representation of Ms. Vijaya Tahilramani, Chief Justice of Madras High Court, is reported to have decided to resign in protest.
♛If it is the intention of the Collegium that there should be rotation of Judges and Chief Justices between good centers and bad centers, then the Collegium has to design a Transfer Policy of Rotation and adhere to it meticulously. What is the Collegium's Transfer Policy?
♛Mrs. Vijaya Tahilramani is reported to be the Seniormost Chief Justice of all the High Courts. She is reported to have about only 1.5 years of service, for her retirement.
♛Collegium's reply is said to be 'it is not possible to accede to her request'. At least, the ratio decidendi for the decision ought to have been communicated to her, at least confidentially.
♛It is an established Judicial Principle that Transfers cannot be used as disguised punishments. If there are any serious allegations against Justice Vijaya Tahilramani, Supreme Court can inquire into the nature and veracity of the allegations. Thereafter, it can send a Report to the President for further Constitutional Review. Transfer is not a solution.

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C
CELEBRITY LOVE STORIES MAKE GOOD MATERIAL FOR MAKING QUICK BUCKS :

♛HarperCollins published a book titled THE MOUNTBATTENS by Mr. Andrew Lownie, priced Rs. 699 for sale in India.
♛In these days of rice selling at Rs. 50 per kg., we can't afford to buy the book by shelling out 14kg. of rice to the Publisher.
♛We can read some book reviews, and excerpts, and voyeurise ourselves.
♛HarperCollins and Mr. Andrew Lownie, might have caught the Indian Readers at the right moment, when the 2019 Indian Rulers are quite eager to find fault with Late Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India.
♛I get an impression from the Excerpts published in Deccan Chronicle Print Edition, that most of the material used in the book appears to be third hand. When the original letters of Ms. Edwina Mountbatten are published (with whomsoever and wherever they are held in security), truth may, probably, come out. (99827)

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LEGAL BATTLES, COSTS: who will bear for ordinary Congress Workers? :

♛Justifiably or unjustiably, the ED and CBI have arrested many top Congress Leaders for their Economic Offenses.
♛The Top Congress Leaders like Mr. P. Chidambaram, Mr. Karty Chidambaram are defended by legal Stalwarts like Messrs. Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Singhwi, who normally charge some hundreds of thousands of bucks for their appearances. They may be defending the Top Congress Leaders at concessional rates or freely, only the Defender and the Defended know.
♛Some Congress Workers are raising Street demonstrations and raising slogans against the Govt. If the Govt. arrests and foists cases on them, who will defend them? At what fees?
♛Definitely Stalwart Lawyers like Mr. Sibal, Mr. Singhwi will not defend them, because the business is small for their level.
♛Party workers of all parties beware! (99826)

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FOURTH ESTATE: Should a Govt. reward or punish a Reporter of Truth? :

♛Uttar Pradesh Government of Yogi Adityanath seems to believe that Reporters of Truth are to be punished.
♛Pawan Jaiswal, a Journalist shot a Video on his phone of children in Siyur Primary School, Jamalpur Block, Meerzapur Dt., UP, eating their midday meal consisting of rotis and SALT.
♛UP Govt. is prosecuting him under IPC Sections 120B for criminal conspiracy, Sec. 186 obstructing a Public Servant from discharging his duties, Sec. 193 for false evidence, Sec. 420 for cheating.
♛For reporting truth, for his nishkAma karma, now Pawan Jaiswal, will be revolving around Courts for how many years to come, only the Non-existing God knows.
♛Seeing the hardships of Pawan Jaiswal, nobody will hereafter report truth. UP Government will be very happy. (99825)

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C
CHANDRAYAN-2, no need to worry about partial failure of Chandrayan-2 :

♛Not receiving signals, as per news reports, may be owing to engulfing of the Vikram and Pragnan by dust, and once the dust things down, we may get signals.
♛Even if landing on moon is a failure, it is only a temporary set back. In Chandrayan-3, we can trace out errors, correct them, and succeed in full.
♛Landing on moon is not our priority. It may be a priority for vote catching,vote-hunting politicians.
♛Today, tribals are carrying pregnant women and sick persons on doli like structures for 15 to 30 kms. to reach hospitals. This is really abominable for a $5 trillion Economy. (99824)

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U
USA cannot do INDISCRIMINATE FREEZES OF ASSETS OF PERSONS OF VARIOUS COUNTRIES :

♛US DOLLAR is a sort of a Voluntary Reserve Currency of the World, in the sense that countries, institutions, individuals place their personal monies, Reserve monies, in Dollar Deposits with American Banks throughout the world.
♛USA has traditionally been the World's largest debtor country.
♛American imports far exceed its exports. Consequently, it adds some bucks to his indebtedness.
♛Countries, Central Banks of countries, Fund-surplus Institutions, Super Rich Individuals, place all their surplus reserves with Federal Reserve USA, or American Banks.
♛If American Administration on flimsy grounds freezes the assets of Countries, Central Banks, Depositing Institutions and Individuals placed with Federal Reserve and the American Banks, then there will be loss of Confidence and Trust on American Banks , and on the USA itself. Once this confidence is shaken, US will be the worst loser. (99619)

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JUNIOR LEADERS OF RULING PARTIES :

♛I get an impression that the Junior Leaders of BJP who are devotees of Shri Narendra Modi seems to be confused.
♛They seem to suffer from numerous visions of Shri Modi in numerous incarnations such as Shivaji, Swami Vivekananda, Sardar Vallabh bhai Patel etc.
♛The BJP Party's General Secretary Shri Ram Madhav alone, seems to have clearly understood the philosophies and practices of the Top Leadership of his Party.
♛Hence, he is so forthright, when he said that his Party was a Political Party and not a Charitable Trust. (99111)

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P
PRIORITIES FOR INDIA :

♛Controlling our population
♛Removal of Private Property, Removal of Inheritance of Wealth and occupations, removal of Inequalities of Income and Wealth.
♛Removal of all types of Money-based Economy.
♛Elimination of currency money, digital money.
♛Free food, clothes, quarters, education and health to every citizen. (9946)

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M
MONEY LAUNDERING IN INDIA :

♛Commonly done by Indian Politicians of all parties.
♛Enforcement Directorate in India seems to be digging up and pursuing only the crimes committed by Leaders of Opposition Parties. This part is welcome.
♛But, Enforcement Directorate and CBI are supposed to be autonomous and independent organisations acting on their own.
♛There is a maxim, "Justice should not only be done, but should also appear to have-been/is-being done.
♛We may have to wait till Ruling Party becomes Opposition Party, and vice versa. (9911)

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JUDICIAL TRANSFERS, Madras High Court to Meghalaya High Court :

♛Madras High Court is reported to have 75 judges. It is one of the earliest High Courts of India, on 26th June 1862, along with the High Courts of Bombay and Calcutta. Bombay HC too has 75 judges. Only Allahabad HC with 83 judges exceeds Madras and Bombay High Courts, in the strength of Judges.
♛Meghalaya High Court is one of the smallest High Courts in the country, with 3 Judges, inclusive of its Chief Justice.
♛Though Chief Justices of all the High Courts may have same Official Status as per protocol, expectation is that Judges of good seniority, greater capabilties and larger HRD skills are given to manage Courts of 75 judges, whereas a newly promoted Chief Justice is given smaller High Courts. After proving their effectiveness and honesty, they will be moved to difficult-to-manage High Courts.
♛This type of wisdom may not work in political and bureaucratic appointments. Ms. Nirmala Sitaraman may be given the key portfolio of Finance, Ms. Smriti may be given HRD Ministry straight away. Similarly, Mr. Thakur, DGP of Residual Andhra Pradesh with proven abilities as DGP of Police, has been shifted as shifted as DGP of Stationery and Printing.
♛Now, let our Readers imagine, what could be the possible reasons for moving the CJI of Madras HC Ms. Vijaya Kamlesh Tahilramani , on transfer to Meghalaya High Court as Chief Judges? (99617)

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C
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS, are they not possible without intimidation of suspects in Police Stations? :

♛Everyday, we see in Print/Electronic Media news about individuals committing suicides after being threatened by investigating officials or after being harassed with third degree methods.
♛The Police officials know that Confessional Statements obtained from Accused, using coercive methods do not really serve as valid evidence in Courts.
♛The intent of the Police Officials in using third degree methods, appear to be that if the Accused persons show them places where they have hidden weapons and other articles relating to the crime, such articles seized with their help, will serve as acceptable evidence.
♛Suspects belonging to the Poor and downtrodden Sections seem to be at the receiving end of the threats and tortures in Police Stations. Unable to bear such tortures, sometimes poor persons confess the crimes, though they are not guilty.
♛Police do not dare to threaten or torture powerful and influenced persons, because that will boomerang on the Officials themselves. (99416)

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NRC REGISTER, a futile exercise? :

♛NRC Register (National Register of Citizens) appears to be a futile exercise.
♛Bangla Desh or Pakisthan may not, under any circumstances, take back the hundreds of thousands of persons identified as intruders/foreigners.
♛It will be expensive to maintain the Left-outs of NRC Register, in Refugee Camps.
♛Governments have already wasted nearly 15 billion Rupees on an impractical pursuit.
♛Solution: Strengthening and sealing borders with Pakisthan, Bangla Desh, even across flooding rivers, with two rows walls and fences, and a two level checking system. (99413)

995 Social boycott is not a solution for the problem of Triple Talaq

Arguments have ended in the Supreme Court of India, over the validity of the Triple Talaq System in India. Supreme Court may deliver its judgement at any time, at its discretion. Discussing the triple talaq in this blog post will not in any way be a comment on the matter which is sub judice, Hence, we shall try to have a look into some issues and solutions connected to the Triple Talaq case. During the hearing of the case, the All INdia Muslim Personal Law Board has submitted affidavits which contain, inter alia, the following two views:--

The AIMPLB said qazis and imams will inform the wife that she can exclude the husband’s right to give instant triple talaq.

The affidavit said social boycott will help decrease the incidents of divorce.

Personal views of ybrao-a-donkey, which are not intended to be imposed on others:

Who will oversee that the qazis and imams inform the wife that she can exclude the husband's right to give instant triple talaq? Does AIMPLB have any statutory authority to issue instructions to the qazis and imams? Does AIMPLB have any powers to punish qazis and imams who fail to inform the prospective wives about their rights? Ans: Apparently not.
Does the AIMPLB have any right / statutory authority / legal powers to impose and enforce social boycott on those who indulge in triple talaq? Ans: Apparently not.

RELATED LINKS

Click here to go to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_India_Muslim_Personal_Law_Board .

Click here to go to http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-ready-to-ban-triple-talaq-in-one-sitting-aimplb-2447682.

Click here to go to http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/supreme-court-has-to-decide-whether-triple-talaq-is-unconstitutional-mukul-rohatgi/articleshow/58825758.cms.

According to the information available on the Wikipedia.org, AIMPLB is only a private, non-governmental organisation. It is not clear, under which statute it has been registered, as an entity. Here are some quotes from Wikipedia, about the status of AIMPLB:

"...AIMPLB is a private body working to protect Muslim personal laws, liaise with and influence the Government of India and guide the general public about crucial issues. The board has a working committee of 51 ulama representing various schools of thought. In addition to this, it also has a general body of 201 persons of ulama as well as laymen, including about 25 women. ..."

"... However, some of the Shias and Muslim feminists have formed their own separate boards, the All India Shia Personal Law Board and the All India Muslim Women's Personal Law Board, respectively but have failed to win any significant support from the Muslims or the government. ..."

"... The diktats and rules of All India Muslim Personal Law Board does not apply to Shia and Ahmadiyya Muslims in India. Ahmadis were not allowed to sit on the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, which is widely regarded in India as representative of Muslims in the country as most Muslims don't consider the Ahmadis as Muslims.

"...The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) is a non-government organisation constituted in 1973 to adopt suitable strategies for the protection and continued applicability of Muslim Personal Law in India, most importantly, the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act of 1937, providing for the application of the Islamic Law Code of Shariat to Muslims in India in personal affairs. Some Muslims followed Hindu customs before 1937. The Act applies to all matters of personal law except such successions. ..."

Question: Is India, not a Secular country

Ans., a personal view of yb-a-donkey: India is definitely a secular country. From the purest definition of the word 'secular', we have to infer that State shall not have anything to do with relgions of its Citizens. It also implies that there should be only one law for all social matters. May be a Uniform Civil Code, or any other law, by whatever name it may be called. By enacting the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act of 1937 the British Rulers seem to have tried to DIVIDE AND RULE THE COUNTRY. While it is true that non-Hindus cannot be forced to follow Hindu Customs, there is nothing wrong in insisting that all the Citizens follow a Secular law applicable to everybody equally. After the bifurcation of India in 1947, by creating Pakistan, India ought to have, at the first available opportunity, annuled the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act of 1937. Reason: Such laws are not conducive to a secular country.

By helping in the formation of the AIMPLB in 1973, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, seems to have, for her Vote Bank Politics, botched up and created further cleavages in a secular State. She should have, undauntedly, resolutely, firmly, replaced all Religious personal laws with a Secular Code. The Secular Code, ought to have been got designed with the help of a Board consisting of Secular Lawyers, Sitting and Retired Judges, Bureaucrats, and other Secular Intellectuals.

Heinous practices followed in India, in the name of social boycotts

Social boycotts in India, in vogue for the last several Centuries, have caused incalculable damage to the social fabric of India and tortured poorer and weaker Sections of the Society in extremely grievous ways. This monstracity is irrespective of the religions and castes. Even today, there are some Indian villages where dalits are not being allowed by Upper Caste persons, to draw drinking water from common wells.

Allowing social boycotts tantamounts to perpetration of cruelty on Weaker Sections. Reason: Influential Persons in the Society will take / have taken the custom into their hands, and Rule of the Law will be a casualty.

The sufferings of Muslim Women, owing to denial of Human Rights, Natural Justice and Equity by Clerics, Kazis, Maulvis, Imams, Mullahs

The sufferings are too many. They cannot be solved just by social boycott of a few people. Serious Diseases need serious treatments. Balms and Ointments cannot cure them. Secular codes, Secular Administrations, Secular Enforcements, Secular Supervisions, Secular adjudications alone can ameliorate the ailments such as triple talaqs.

Someday, we may have to abolish or discontinue or dismantle the system of Marriage itself. True Total Socialism alone can help in that final goal.

Vocabulary help

sub judice/sʌb ˈdʒuːdɪsi,sʊb ˈjuːdɪkeɪ/ adjective : under judicial consideration and therefore prohibited from public discussion elsewhere.

boycott/ˈbɔɪkɒt/ verb : withdraw from commercial or social relations with (a country, organization, or person) as a punishment or protest. noun: a punitive ban on relations with other bodies, cooperation with a policy, or the handling of goods.

Source: net.

botch/bɒtʃ/ noun: a bungled task. Verb. 1. botch up - make a mess of, destroy or ruin; "I botched the dinner and we had to eat out"; "the pianist screwed up the difficult passage in the second movement"
Source: www.thefreedictionary.com/botch+up ‎

cleavage/ˈkliːvɪdʒ/ noun: a sharp division; a split. The hollow between a woman's breasts when supported, especially as exposed by a low-cut garment.

Undaunted: 1. undismayed; not discouraged; not forced to abandon purpose or effort: undaunted by failure. 2. undiminished in courage or valor; not giving way to fear; intrepid: Although outnumbered, he was undaunted.

grievous/ˈɡriːvəs/ adjective: (of something bad) very severe or serious.

To come back and continue adding / deleting / modiying. सशेष. ఇంకా ఉంద.

942 Do people really gain or lose, if bars and liquor shops on highway are closed as per Supreme Court's Verdict?

Anyone who is seriously interested in the welfare of Citizens of India, should be happy with the Supreme Court's verdict that liquor shops and bars on Highways, and within 500 meters distance of Highways are to be shifted. This decision seems to be based on a strong logic that no driver can resist a temptation to booze, when liquor shops and bars are available on the vicinity. When drivers yield to inebriations, their vehicles will indulge in gyrations. The end result will be bloodbaths on Highways. It is not the families of the drivers alone who will fall on the roads, but also the families of the persons trampled by the chariots of death driven by drunkards. Of course, General Insurance Companies may be paying claims to the vehicle owners and the third party sufferers. But, money is not a substitute for lives, the value of which cannot be measured with pink notes. The Highway Bars and Liquor shops are used not only by the vehicle drivers plying on the highways, but also the nearby residents, business persons, industrialists, professionals, students, engineers, doctors, and who else not?

Media and the State Governments should have wholeheartedly supported the verdict of the Supreme Court. Of course, some concessions such as giving additional time of about three months, or waiting for the completion of the Excise Year/Financial Year, some minor adjustments may be sought and granted. But strangely, both the Media and the State Governments are trying to defend the proliferation of bars and liquorshops on highways, on some pretext or other. We shall see one such example, a TimesofIndia.com editorial.

Link to the TimesofIndia.com editorial dated 4.4.2017

Click here to go to http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/toi-editorials/costly-verdict-supreme-courts-highway-liquor-ban-is-proving-counterproductive/. We shall have one or two quotes from the report:--

"...Take cities such as Gurgaon and Chandigarh. The former has grown around highways. Most hotels, bars and restaurants are concentrated along these highways and pull in young professionals and foreign tourists. Following the Supreme Court order, at least 200 liquor licences in Gurgaon – including 150 bars and 15 high-end hotels – have been rendered ineffective. Similarly, in a small city like Chandigarh the apex court directive has forced at least 91 bars, pubs and restaurants to go dry.

Needless to say such closures will lead to enormous losses to business and tourism, which will translate into jobs lost as well as huge revenue losses for state governments which could have been spent on people’s welfare. The uncertainty of India’s business climate will deter investment from coming to India. And given the number of livelihoods at stake it’s more than likely that illegal liquor vends will proliferate along highways, leading to bigger risks to public safety. Even the man whose PIL led to the highway liquor ban – Chandigarh-based activist Harman Sidhu – has said he never wanted popular watering holes within city limits to shut down.

As always, measures to ramp up governance will work far better than radical decrees. Policing should improve on highways to tackle drunken driving. State governments should be directed to allocate more resources for this purpose. Only constant checking of drivers and punishment for offenders can deter those who drink and drive. Blanket bans and prohibition-like decrees, whether from judiciary or legislature, only make the problem worse. In this case they will injure the economy and cripple the tourism industry – which happens to be the sector that produces the most jobs per rupee invested. The apex court must reconsider its decision.

ybrao-a-donkey's views, not intended to be imposed on others:

There is an idiomatic phrase in Telugu language "bellam chuTTU IgallAgA", which approximately in English reads: "like flies around jaggery". This adage refers to flies swarming around jaggery गुड బెల్లం . Just as flies swarm around jaggery, hotels, young persons and foreign tourists swarm around highways. Readers may recall how Casinos on the beaches of Goa, have converted the beautiful joy-generating Arabian-Seaside Heaven into a gambling den, suitable for drunken brawls. Our Former Defence Minister of India Shri Manohar Parlikar, as Goa's CM, seem to encourage their flourishes.

Highways are intended for transportation of essential goods. Not for boozing

They are not intended for boozing binges. Extension of period for closure of highway bars and liquor shops, is a way of consoling fhem for loss of their business owing to abrupt closures, and shifting the shops. Besides, the aficionados and connoisseurs of liquors are simply not muggins to stop searching for boozes and drive their vehicles with lotus-petal-wide eyes. They will stop the vehicle on the Highways, go into lanes in search of bars and liquor shops, fill their barrel-bellies, and return to their vehicles self-coiling and self-winding, like ringworms.

Allowing proliferation of bars and wine-shops on and around highways indicate that there are Governmental failures. Some bureaucrats / politicians handling the tasks of governance might have been making quickbucks by granting licences.

Susceptible to further additions / deletions / modifications. और जोडनीय वस्तु हैं। ఇంకా వ్రాయాల్సినవి ఉన్నాయి.

920 Better late than never, if Supreme Court re-opens the conspiracy part of the Babri Masjid Demolition Case against Mr. L.K. Advani.

According to news reports, Supreme Court is likely to revive the 'Conspiracy' part of the Babri Masjid Demolition case against Mr. L.K. Advani, the now-neglected BJP Bhishmacharya, on the basis that 'discharge of Mr. Advani, on technical grounds cannot be accepted'. It is already too late. Some of the witnesses might have passed away. Now, the BJP Government is ruling the country. Media may not have the courage to give adequate coverage to the case. If the conspiracy part of the case against Mr. L.K. Advani is revived by Supreme Court, the pending case may work as a 'negative' block against the candidature of Mr. Advani, for the Presidency of India, the elections for which are going to be held next July 2017. Right now, even after being sidelined by Mr. Narendra Modi and Mr. Ameet Shah, Shri Advani may be hoping to be made President of India. BJP Central Committee may also likely to use the pending case as a convenient pretext, to deny Presidential candidature of Mr. Advani, apart from the well-used excuse of his crossing 75 years of age.

We, Indians, can have a consolation of 'better late than never'. Apart from Mr. Narendra Modi, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and Shri Lal Krishna Advani, the stalvarts of BJP have had great oratorial powers and the speeches of the duo influenced the kar sevaks (volunteers who / in whose presence, the Babri Masjid was demolished. Here are links to videos of the speeches of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and Shri L.K. Advani, of 1992, just prior to the destruction of the Babri Masjid:

Click here to go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EhMmJEwbTg, and view the video containing the speech of Shri A.B. Vajpayee.

Click here to go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7Dr9s0mO4k and view the video containing the speech of Shri L.K> Advani.

SHRI ATAL BIHARI VAJPAYEE

The above youtube link clearly demonstates the inciting speech given by Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. But, as he is bed-ridden, it will be difficult to make him accused in any incitement case, because he will not be able to explain his side of things in his defence. Though the Mr. Vajpayee may not/cannot be made accused in the case, it seems appropriate if Supreme Court examines his incitement role also in the Babri Masjid Demolition.

While awarding the country's highest award 'Bharat Ratna' to Shri Vajpayee, and 'Padma Vibhushan' to Shri L.K. Advani, the Government ought to have examined the inflammatory speeches made by Shri Advani, and Shri Vajpayee, as they seem to have activated and motivated the crowd behavior.

NO NEED TO WORRY ABOUT CONVICTION AND INCARCERATION

Even if the 'conspiracy case' proceeds normally, if Supreme Court gives a green signal, the trial may take some years. Then, even after conviction / acquittal, there will be appeals / revision petitions / SLPs / curatory petitions. Hence, there will be no need for Shri Advaniji to worry about conviction / incarceration. But, the case will open new avenues, in the annals of adjudication of inflammatory speeches, against other leaders such as Mr. Akbaruddin Owaisi, Mr. Vinay Katiar, Shri Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy, Shri Nara Chandra Babu Naidu and numerous other political leaders, who make inciting and inflammatory speeches.

To continue adding / deleting / modifying. सशेष. ఇంకా ఉంది.

871 Why does judicial acumen and efficiency prevail only in one or two landed castes of Andhra Pradesh? If selection is done on only merit basis, persons of random castes should get appointed!

The retirement of Chief Justice of India Shri T.S. Thakur gave me considerable sadness. He and his Collegium Team, steadfastly, resisted the attempts of the bourgeoisie parties to make High Courts and Supreme Court malleable and pliable. But, people -howsoever- invaluable their contributions and services may be, are bound to retire (except politicians). Indian Media, sometimes, acts with extreme alertness and concerns, and sometimes with least alertness and concern though the situation in the country demands. Example of one such extreme alertness on the part of Media is, it noticed that Justice Chelameswar, one of the Collegium Judges was absent, in the farewell party of Justice Thakur. Click here to go to http://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india-will-pray-for-judiciary-to-remain-fearless-says-cji-thakur-in-farewell-speech-justice-khehar-363541 and study the news. Public does not know the reason for the conspicuous absence of the Senior Judge and Collegium Member Justice Chelameswar, at the farewell meeting of Justice Thakur. It is just a matter of COURTESY. There may be genuine reasons such as self-illness, illness of relatives etc. for his absence. We cannot draw hasty conclusions. There also seems to be some past history. Here is a New Indian Express link: Click here to go to the Indian Express.com. http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/justice-chelameswar-wrote-to-cji-ts-thakur-collegium-transparency-judges-appointment-son-link-3045260/

ybrao-a-donkey's personal views, which are not intended to be imposed on others

1. What has caused me anxiety is not the differences of opinion / dissensions among Collegium of Supreme Court Judges. These are quite natural, when intellectuals with independent opinions meet at a place. What has raised my anxiety levels, are the following lines, from the Indian Express News report, for which link was given above:-

"... The Indian Express spoke to two judges who were members of the collegium when Justice Naidu, who is also related to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu through marriage, was elevated from the Bar to the Bench. They confirmed that it had been decided while appointing him that, in the interest of justice, he would be transferred out of the Andhra Pradesh High Court. Among the reasons given for this decision was the fact that he had professional links with Justice Chelameswar’s son and his relationship with Chief Minister Naidu. ..."

.

Reddys, Kammas, Kapus and Velamas are the principal landed castes of United Andhra Pradesh (Telangana State, Residual Andhra Pradesh State). From the names of the sitting judges belonging to Telugu States, of various High Courts and Supreme Courts, it appears that only landed castes are becoming Judges. If the Collegium System really gave great consideration to merit, a random distribution of castes of judges ought to have taken place. This is because merit and geniuses are not born only in landed castes, but also in all castes. It is difficult to say that only landed castes are studying law, becoming great advocates of jurisprudence, and champions of rules of law, and are drawing the attention of High CJIs and Collgium of Supreme Court for elevation to Higher courts.

NATIONAL JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS COMMISSION also might not have helped.

Reason: In case of Civil Services Examination where there is an elaborate system of Preliminary Examination Final Examination, and lengthy interview mechanism, we find that sons/daughters of IAS Officers become IAS Officers, sons/daughters of IPS Officers becoming IPS Officers (etc.). There is something wrong in the Indian Psyche itself, which facilitates dynastic successions, and appointment of kith and kin.

There is a general impression among some members of public that Mr. Chandra Babu Naidu, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, can swim through the Indian judicial system quite easily, to conquer/ wade out of petitions filed seeking inquiries against him in respect of allegations of corruptions. Once, this type of discussion took place in A.P. Assembly also. But then, the allegation was from the Opposition Leader Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy who was himself facing both allegations of corruption and Judicial trials. I am not sure, if the alleger himself-herself is tainted, then his allegations should also be considered as tainted.

That impression of the additional capabilities of Mr. Naidu, may be incorrect. The Opposition Leaders, and those who are jealous of the achievements of Mr. Naidu, may be creating such bad publicity. Yet, there is an adage, Justice should not only be done, but also appear to have been done. It will be apt for the Judicial System Top Authorities to dispel erroneous impressions in public. Landed caste persons getting appointed to High Courts and Supreme Courts may also give an impression that as Rulers belong to landed castes, and the Judges belong to landed castes (often same caste), they are all one.

WHY NOT SUPREME COURT PLACE ON ITS WEBSITE, NAMES OF SUPREME COURT AND HIGH COURT JUDGES, WHO HAVE RELATIONSHIPS / BUSINESS CONNECTIONS / PROFESSIONAL CONNECTIONS / OTHER SIMILAR INTERESTS WITH INDIAN MPS / MINISTERS SUPREME COURT JUDGES?

It is high time that this type of Judicial transparency is introduced about the relationships between politicians and Judges inter se, into our Judicial System.

LINKs to PREVIOUS POSTS at this blog ON A SIMILAR SUBJECT

754.

More to write. To continue. सशेष. ఇంకా ఉంది.

857 Fiscal and Monetary Policies cannot/need not be regarded as beyond the purview of Supreme Court of India

With due high respect to the Supreme Court of India, yb-donkey is emotionally compelled/tempted to say that fiscal / monetary policies a Government follows cannot / need not be beyond the purview of the Supreme Court. Context: Suprme Court's reluctance to look into Demonetization 2016 (popularly known as NOTE BAN), on the ground of such policies being within the exclusive domain of the Executive. Here is a DeccanChronicle.com news report dated 17th Dec. 2016, titled: Supreme Court not to tinker with notes ban Click to go to Deccan Chronicle article..

For the benefit of those, who are not conversant and familiar with the terms "fiscal" and "monetary", here are the general broader meanings of the terms.

FISCAL POLICY: Deals with A Government's income and Expenditure. Example: budget, tax revenues, internal borrowings, external borrowings, plan expenditure, non-plan-expenditure, deficit financing etc. Primarily, a domain of Ministry of Finance.

MONETARY POLICY: Deals with Money Supply in the Economy. Internal Currency Management. Pricing of moneys (interest rates). etc. Primarily, a domain of Reserve Bank of India, though technically RBI itself is an instrument of the Government.

TOP TEN REASONS. WHY SUPREME COURT NEED NOT HESITATE TO SHY AWAY FROM INTERVENING AND ADJUDICATING THE DEMONETIZATION 2016 (NOTE BAN).

IF NOT GOVT. LAW, CAUSE OF EQUITY SEEKS JUDICIAL INTERVENTION

Ordinarily, Supreme Court need not look into Fiscal Policies of the Government, or the Monetary Policies of the Reserve Bank of India (indirectly by GoI). But from 8th Nov. 2016, a sort of FINANCIAL EMERGENCY arose in India. Citizens of India, initially thought that it would last a few days, and the train would be back on track. But, the derailment continues even after 40 days, deep through Dec. 2016. In his Nov. 8, 2016 speech, Mr. Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India while declaring that the Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 notes will become trash, has not said that currency shortages are going to continue for 50 days, though time is given to holders of notes to deposit their trash with Banks upto 31st Dec. 2016. He is now giving assurances that everything will be normal after 50 days. But, many experts seem to have a different opinion.

BREACH OF NATURAL JUSTICE

Natural Justice , and EQUITY are indisputably paramount and superior, when compared to Parliamentary Laws, Delegated Laws (Notifications issued by Executive, using a sort of delegated general authority provided in Parliamentary Laws, to take care of contingencies and exigencies, as everything cannot be exhaustively inducted and packaged into a Statutory Law at the time of Enactment), and even Case Laws (Supreme Court judgements accepted by lower courts as role-models). On 8th Nov. 2016, with the WAVE of a Prime Minister's hand, 86% of the currency held by the people to purchase their necessities, and to undertake their daily small businesses, has been reduced into a heap of trash, leaving people astounded, making them beggars in their own country. Foreign Tourists have been rendered into stranger beggars in an unknown-land, with old trash pieces in their hands, wondering about how to buy a meal for the day, and surviving on help from good samaritans.

HIGHEST COURT MAY HAVE TO INTERVENE WHERE EXECUTIVE BECOMES PARANOID AND FICKLE

Though it may be apt for Governments / Executive to make on-course changes in guidelines depending upon contingencies, facts show that Government and its Executives have been announcing changes everyday just as film heroines change dresses several times in a song. Sometimes, these changes seem too fickle. I shall give my own practical experience.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

Even before Nov. 8 demontization, very few ATMs were giving Rs. 100 denomination notes. I used to search for ATMs with Rs. 100 notes. There also, the machines are set to give Rs. 100x5= Rs.500, and the remaining balance in Rs. 500/1000 denomination. To overcome this problem, if I needed Rs. 5000/- I used to draw Rs. 1,000 five times, to get Rs.2,500 in 500 denomination, and Rs. 2,500 in Rs. 100 denomination. Thus, I accumulated Rs.12,000 in 500/1000 denomination notes as on Nov. 8. I happen to be an addict and slave of PROCRASTINATION. As the Govt. gave time for deposit of old notes into bank accounts upto 31ST Dec., I went on postponing the deposit, while I was seeing others deposit their old notes.

ANALOGY OF ZEBRA CALVES

One night, I had a bad dream, may be as a sequel of Government's daily announcement of changes in guidelines. In the dream, Govt. was forbiding deposit of old notes into one's own accounts. Next day, I rushed to bank, and disposed off the Rs. 12,000/- like a vratam (sacred duty), with help of fellow-queue-gens who were more knowledgeable about ATM Deposit machines. Had I not performed that vratam then and there----, today, I may be facing an awkward situation: 1) Deposit Rs. 5,000, Rs. 5,000 and Rs. 2,000 in three lots. 2) Or go to Bank Manager, provide explanation in the presence of two officials "why I had not deposited earlier", pray them and deposit Rs. 12,000/- in one lot. What is the lesson of this predicament? The story of Zebra and its calf. I read somewhere. Cows lick and kiss their calves, soon after their births. Zebras, instead, kick their calves, and make them to run for safety. This was said to be to teach the zebra calf to be on alert right from the first day of birth. In the same manner, citizens are being taught to be on alert, to save themselves from their Nation, and its Nationalist Patriotic Rulers.

STORY OF SEVEN PRINCES, AND SEVEN FISH

In Telugu language, there is a fable told to children, called STORY OF SEVEN FISH.

There used to be a king. He had seven sons. The seven sons went, hunted, and brought seven fish. They dried them. One fish did not dry. The owner-prince of that particular fish, went to it and questioned: "Oh fish! Oh fish! Why did not you get dry?"

Fish: "A haystack obstructed my access from sunlight."

Prince: (The Prince went to the haystack, and asked it): "Oh haystack! Oh haystack! Why did you obstruct sunlight to the fish?"

Haystack:- "Cow did not graze me".

(Now the Prince went to the cow and asked it). "Oh cow! Oh cow! Why didn't you graze the hay?"

Cow: "The cowherd didn't take me to grazing".

(Now, the Prince went to the cowherd and asked him): "Ow Cowherd! Oh Cowherd! Why didn't you make the cow to graze?"

Cowherd: "Mother did not feed me my breakfast! "

(Now, the Prince went to Mother and asked her): "Oh Mother ! Oh Mother ! Why didn't you provide breakfast to the cowherd?"

Mother: "The child wept. Hence I could not attend to the cowherd's needs."

(Now, the Prince went to the child and asked it): "Oh child! Oh child! Why did you weep?"

Child: "Ant bit me".

(Now, the Prince went to the ant, and asked it): "Oh ant ! Oh ant! Why did you bite the child?"

Ant: "If the child keeps its finger, in my golden ant-hole, won't I bite him? What should I do, if not biting it? "

The Bank Officials question the late depositor: "Why didn't you deposit old notes earlier?"

Late depositor: "Long queues obstructed me going into the ATM room. Police guards and long queues at Bank gates, obstructed me from entering Banking Halls."

Now the Bank Officials have to go to long queues and ask the queue-gens: "Why did you obstruct the late depositor from going in /coming in?". But with their workload, the Bank Staff are getting heart attacks. They are unable to perform their daily or alternate day sexual intercourse with their wives, as Bank-staff are spending 24/7 in Banks, and are getting too fatigued to perform sex.

SUPREME COURT HAS ALREADY INTERVENED NUMEROUS TIMES INTO NUMEROUS FLIMSY THINGS WHICH HAVE NO NATIONAL IMPORTANCE

Anybody can prepare a Table of Contents for the pending/settled Supreme Court cases. The table will reveal, all types of cases both important, and unimportant have been entertained by Supreme Court. I am afraid, that it will not be reasonable to say those sets of Supreme Court Judges, and the present set of Supreme Court Judges are different. Can't citizens expect some continuity? Strictness or liberality, whatever they are, can't we citizens expect some consistency? The same is the case with locus standi in respect of public interest litigations (PIL). It is difficult for citizens or even legal experts to forecast whether a particular PIL will get admitted or disposed off as flimsy/lacking locus standing with the applicant getting fined Rs. 10,000/-.

When compared to many other cases decided by Supreme Court, examining the reasonableness of some notifications under demonetization and note ban, is not going to be intrusion and overstepping into Executive Arena.

To continue. सशेष. ఇంకా ఉంది.

832 There can be no place for pretentious chivalry, when circumstances turn awkward and perilous

Above photo shows the extent of damage which the badly planned and badly implemented Demonetization has landed the Indian Nation. The photo is not just a stray case. There are print/electronic media reports from all over the country that poor people are undergoing hardships. There can be no place for pretentious chivalry when circumstances turn awkward and perilous. When things go wrong, there is nothing wrong in accepting that "something went wrong", (we cannot always see what is on the other side of the mountain, until we reach the top and look down), climb back down, and take a different route either on the left or the right side, to circum-ambulate the mountain and reach our destination. What is more important is, that we should reach our goal, without succumbing in the middle. Such strategic withdrawal may , sometimes , lead to the performer becoming a laughing stock. Well, that will be the price, which we have to pay, to save a billion people from unpredictable hardships.

In spite of our best efforts / analyses / logic / reasoning , sometimes, unforeseen things may happen.

We shall start with an article by Ms. Antara Dev Sen, editor of Little Magazine, published in DeccanChronicle.Com. Date: 16.11.2016. Print Edition Page 11 (OP-ED). The title of the article is "After notes, will our rights vanish too?". Download Link: Click to go to Antara Dev Sane's Article in DeccanChronicle.com.

Question: WHY are you giving a link to somebody else's article, when you yourself ought to have written something? Why do you feed us with second hand material?

Ans: It will be a waste of time to reinvent the wheel. She has written, almost everything, which I myself wanted to write. I do not wish to waste resources, which are scare. I can use the time, to add something more. First one or two quotes from the article of Ms. Sen.

"...The question is: did the PM have a right to do this? Does the government have the right to deny ordinary people access to their own money? To suddenly make their money vanish? Without access to money, one cannot access food, medical care, transport and other essentials. Doesn’t this impinge on our fundamental right to life and liberty? ..."

"...After five days of utter chaos, in which the elderly died of heart attacks and stress standing in snaking queues for their own hard-earned cash, and parents saw their children die as hospitals refused their cash, the PM returned to address us on the matter. Give me 50 days, he said in a dramatic speech, choking up as he talked about himself: “Even if you burn Modi alive, Modi is not scared.” . Who is he talking to? Who could possibly burn him alive? He, with his multi-layered security? Why does our PM, the lawfully-elected head of a respectable democracy, go on as if there was no rule of law in his own country? “Hang me in public!” he had said earlier, inviting us to the barbaric act if we could prove his involvement in the 2002 Gujarat riots. ..."

"...Women who scrimp and save from household expenses and secretly squirrel away some money for their children or the future. These are people who can’t go to the bank and exchange their notes. And they have been hit the hardest. Does Mr Modi have the right to make their legitimate money vanish? In his speech, he seemed thrilled about it. He even wiggled his thumbs to mock the family that had a wedding coming up and no money at home. Does Mr Modi know the country he is ruling? How can he take away the fundamental right to life and liberty of Indian citizens? ..."

"...What is clear, however, is that our basic rights and dignity guaranteed by the Constitution can suddenly vanish like the Rs 500 note. Unless we raise the most obvious questions. Since raising questions is now deemed to be unpatriotic in public discourse, let’s raise them at least in Parliament. ..."

WHAT YB-A-DONKEY wishes TO ADD to what has already been written by Ms. Sen

My humble impression is that this country has got overheated during the last one week. When a Nation overheats, things may go out of control, in spite of best efforts by the Governments.

1. Banks have started downing the shutters of their ATMs as people have shown tendencies to throw stones.

2. BJP MPs who did not get sufficient inkling and opportunities to whiten their monies, may be purchased by industrialists, and the with the help of the Opposition, overturn the Modi Government, notwithstanding what is contained in Representation of People's Act. Of course, such steps by unhappy MPs, may raise people's sympathies towards Mr. Modi, and if a Mid-Term Election takes place, Mr. Modi may cry at the top of his voice, shed tears, and get another five year term.

3. Though we have sufficient safeguard arrangements in India, to prevent military coups, such safeguards will work only in NORMAL CONDITIONS and NOT IN OVERHEATED CONDITIONS. It will, therefore, be prudent to withdraw Demonetization, and start afresh with more fool-proof methods.

a) All airport boardings will have to be carefully watched to prevent suspects fleeing the country.

b) There is also a need to plugin loop-holes in foreign outward remittances, and payments for imports. Customs Houses have to be alert about under/over-invoiced imports, and under/over-invoiced exports.

Clear distinctions are to be made in definitions of different types of monies. Examples: 1. Hard-earned monies on which taxes, individuals may try to avoid, OWING TO HIGH RATES OF TAXATION + PENALTIES FOR OMISSIONS. 2. Monies earned through cheating and corruption, on which taxes are paid regularly. 3. Moneys earned through corruption/cheating, on which taxes are not being paid. 4. Windfall monies which are earned when Share / Real Estate / Gold /Diamond / Commodity Markets go up, resulting in speculative profits. This type of profits even innocent persons can make, on which Capital Gains Taxes will have to be paid. 5. Persons who are stuck up with demonetized notes for no fault of theirs, while they may not be in a position to prove how they got them.

ADDED on 19/11/2016: Supreme Court of INdia News

"...NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court warned on Friday that people standing in long queues for hours every day for scarce cash could turn riotous, as it asked the Centre to take urgent measures to end their ordeal. "It is a serious issue. This affects the entire population. You (the government) cannot deny there is a serious problem. There could be riots," a bench of Chief Justice TS Thakur and Justice AR Dave said, drawing a sharp retort from attorney general Mukul Rohatgi. ..." To read this report in full, click this link: Click to go to TimesofIndia.IndiaTimes.com.

This part I shall continue later, as this article is getting too lengthy. It will be worthwhile for us to have a quote from the play "Arms and the Man" , by George Bernard Shaw. Analysis following the undernoted quote is from: Click to go to gradesaver.com to see this quote, and more quotes

"...I’m a professional soldier! I fight when I have to and am very glad to get out of it when I haven’t to. You’re only an amateur: you think fighting’s an amusement. Captain Bluntschli, Act III pg. 63 ..."

After being challenged to a duel, Captain Bluntschli brusquely explains the difference between his own professional attitude and Sergius’ romantic attitude towards fighting. In proposing a duel Sergius believes he can win or demonstrate honor. Bluntschli approaches the duel from a practical standpoint, calculating how best to keep both participants unharmed. Fighting holds no romance for the captain; it is a business and a brutal one at that. Though Sergius interprets his reluctance as a sign of moral weakness, Bluntschli is not cowardly, unwilling or unable to fight. He only knows the destruction fighting can cause all too well. On the other hand, Sergius has faced far fewer battles and fights and is still largely ignorant of the meaning and consequences of violence.

yb-donkey: Withdrawing when necessary for minimising risks to a billion people, also requires 'moral courage'. Let us hope that Mr. Narendra Modi will display that moral courage, instead of adamently sticking on to his ill-timed and ill-executed decision.

Our Indian rulers love Forbes.com so much. Here is a quote-of-the-day from their website http://www.forbes.com/profile/bill-gates/.

"If you make a mistake, own it and move quickly to fix it.”

--Tooey Courtemanche.

We should add two more adverbs before "to fix it": move quickly, wholeheartedly, sincerely without grugeful reluctance, to fix it.

To continue. सशेष. ఇంకా ఉంది.

822 (Part 1/3) Ravana's Empire is very much in Central India. Why go to Sri Lanka?

While India's top Leaders are busy in shooting with their bows and arrows as if they were real Shri Ramas, on the occasion of RamLila Celebrations (Dusshara - Vijaya Dasami), there are at least six places in India where Ravana is less despised, and RamLila is not celebrated.

BANE OF INDIA

Most of our Leaders do not bother to study Valmiki Ramayana in depth, and try to analyse the relationships among mythology, history, and folklore, with an objective of clearing the gray areas surrounding Shri Rama and Ravana. Consequently, we can't distinguish between Leaders, and illiterate and semi-literate Indians.

In fact, the bane of India is, its fraternal squabbles. Both Rama and Ravana are our Kings only. Both have some great venerable qualities and some equally despicable shortcomings.

Ostensibly our beloved Prime Minister's RamLila bow's arrows are directed towards the Terrorists of Pakistan. But why from Lucknow? Why not from Rajasthan or Vidisa? From this one gets an impression, his RamLila arrows are also directed at Sonia-Rahul, Mulayam-Akhilesh, and Mayavati.

GREATNESSES AND WEAKNESSES OF RAMA AND RAVANA

Rama's apparent greatness is his devotion to his father. To fulfil his father Dasaratha's promise to his queen Kaikeyi, Rama went on a 14 year exile to forest. It is the chief reason for his worship. Back to Ravana, he is a great devotee of Lord Shiva.

Shri Rama's weakness is his over-enthusiasm and overzealousness to enforce the four-caste system, which places Priests (Brahmins) and Warriors (Kshatriyas) on the top, and oppresses the lower castes, particularly the Sudras and outcastes. For proof, my readers can carefully study the story of SambUka vadha (Slaying of SambUka by Rama) in Uttara Kanda (Last Book of Valmiki Ramayana.

Ravana's main guilt is abduction of Sita. "Lust towards wife of another person", is shown as his guilt. Nobody will or can support a person who abducts somebody's wife, confines her to a garden, and teases her. Probably, Ravana might have deserved his death in the hands of Rama. But, Ravana seems to have his 'revenge' as his primary goal, and lust towards Sita seems to be a secondary goal or just an intermediate tool.

RAMA'S INTRUSION INTO RAVANA'S EMPIRE

Kaikeyi, seems to have had a sinister design that Rama should be killed by Ravana. For this reason only she wanted Rama to be sent to a forest. Ayodya was a City Kingdom, and not an Empire. Yet, on the other side of Sarayu river (opposite bank of Ayodhya City), there was a forest. SRL (Sita-Rama-Lakshmana) could have been dropped in that Sarayu forest.

But why were SRL made to cross Ganga River, with the help of Tribal King Guha? Why did SRL make a bamboo+leaves+creepers-basket-country-boat and cross even River Yamuna, and walked upto Mandakini (Gupt Godavari)?

Probable Answer: If SRL were dropped in nearby Sarayu Forest within the Dasaratha's small Kingdom, Rama Lakshmanas may mobilise people + forestdwellers there, raise and lead a rebellion to Ayodhya. Kaikeyi didn't want Rama as a pakkalO ballem (Telugu idiom meaning: javelin in bed. A javelin in bed can pierce into the belly of a sleeping person and can be a source of constant peril to him). Kaikeyi apparently wanted Rama to be sent deep into forests i.e. Ravana's Empire, and be killed there by Ravana's forces.

SITA'S ABDUCTION AS A WAR STRATEGY, AND NOT AS AN OBJECT OF LUST

Shri Rama, at the orders of his father and step-mother, intruded into the kingdom of Ravana. After entering Ravana's Empire, Rama killed the Ravana's Chieftains Khara, DUshaNa, and their 14,000 followers. Single-handedly it is not possible. It may even be 14 men or 140 men, unless Rama and Lakshmana had guns to kill 14,000 people in a go. To kill 14,000 people with dars, it is just impossible. But it is the version of Valmiki Ramayana. When a King sees his 14,000 followers killed, how does he feel? On hearing the news of death of his 14,000 men, King Ravana's blood might have boiled. As a strategy of war, he might have chosen abduction of Sita as a method. I am not supporting Ravana's action as something viruous action. What I mean to say is, that as a King who has lost his 14,000 men, he has sufficient reasons to have a grouse against Rama. Cutting the nose and ears of his sister SUrp-nakha (Sharp-nailed) by Lakshmana, and Rama's acquiescence might have had rubbed with salt, the injuries of Ravana.

Thus, the story of Rama-Ravana battle becomes a story of bilateral guilt, and not unilateral guilt of Ravana, and administration of punishment by Rama. After the vanquishment of Ravana, kings belonging to Shri Rama's clan (Solar Dynasty or sUrya vamsa), sent ballad singers and poets to sing the glories of Ramayana to various places in India and abroad. A part of Ramayana singing strategy was to glorify Rama, and undermine Ravana, though both were Indian kings of equal calibre and valour, and kings of mixed race (Latvinian/Mediterranean Aryan + Native Indian). Every village was encouraged to worship Sita, Rama and Lakshmana as Gods, and celebrate RamLila. Even during Rama's life time, Valmiki and his disciples sang the glories of Rama. Ravana's followers started dwindling in numbers. Finally we have the above six places, who do Ravana worship on a low key.

21st CENTURY VIDISHA

Incidentally, Ravangaon is in Vidisa which is the Constituency of our Foreign Affairs Minister Ms. Sushma Swaraj. Though Ms. Sushma Swaraj is considered politically as a member of Mr. L.K. Advani's Camp, both Ms. Swaraj, and Mr. Advani seem to have re-conciled themselves to be subordinates of Mr. Narendra Modi. As a Foreign Affairs Miniser, Ms. Sushma Swaraj does not seem to be playing her role in FULL, like the Hillary Clinton of Obama's Administration, or the Condolezza Rice of the Bush Administration. Her role just seems to be shaking hands with some foreign dignitories, for whom Mr. Narendra Modi could not spare his hands to shake, and releasing photos to the Media. Hence, while our revered PM Shri Narendra Modi is our Shri Ramachandra of the 21st Century, we can't give the role of Mandodari or Sita to Ms. Sushma Swaraj, though Vidisha, or nearby Chitrakoot fall in her Kingdom or in the vicinity of her kingdom.

Why a Great Rescuer could not undertake a small Rescue?

Ms. Sushma Swaraj has a reputation of a Great Rescuer. My readers may recall, how she came to the Rescue of Mr. Lalit Modi, a fugitive of India Premier League Notoreity match-fixing. Now and then she tweets, her efforts of rescuing somebody or other, using her good Offices as Foreign Affairs Minister. But, under her own Ministry, a Passport is being denied to Ms. Jashoda Ben, an innocent Retd. Govt. Teacher of Gujarat State, by the Gujarat Passsport Authorities, on very flimsy grounds of non-submission of marriage certificate. Can Ms. Sushma Swaraj, rescue Ms. Jashoda Ben, by issuing instructions to Gujarat Passport Authorities, to show some compassion to the 21st Century Mother Sita of India?

AN APPROXIMATE MAP OF RAVANA'S EMPIRE/kingdom

If we examine some places in Central India, pertaining Shri Rama's fourteen years exile in forests, abduction of Sita on a donkey-driven cart by Ravana, the search by Vanaras of Sita, the movement of the Rama's army of Vanara Army, we can't escape thinking about the location of Ravana's Empire, Ravana's Capital City Lanka that they cannot be in Sri Lanka, and that everything might have taken place in Central India itelf-- Rajasthan in West, UP, Bihar in North, Orissa in East, Maharashtra, Telangana and A.P. in South. Here is an approximate map of Ravana's empire, drawn by ybrao-a-donkey. Places are not upto scale. All the places could not be included owing to a space constraint.

Here is a link to a news item dated 22nd Oct. 2016 (exactly one year back i.e. last Dussehra), Click to go to http://www.india.com/top-n/6-ravana-temples-in-india-you-need-to-visit-atleast-once-in-your-life-609985/. This web-page not only lists the six places which contain Ravana Temples, but also their photos. According to this web-page, there are six Ravana Temples in India which do not celebrate RamLila, and worship Ravana:

1. 1. Bisarkha. This is 30 km. from Noida, New Delhi. Reputation: Birthplace of Ravana.
2. Mandore, near Jodhpur, Rajasthan. - Birth place of Mandodari, w/o Ravana.
3. Mandsaur, Eastern Rajasthan, west to Madhya Pradesh. Mandodari's place.
4. Vidisa: Ravangaon 30 km. from Vidisa City-Headquarters of Vidisa Dt., Western Madhya Pradesh.
ybrao-a-donkey: Above combination gives an impression that Ravana started from his birthplace Bisarkha near Noida, married Mandodari of Mandor-Jodhpur-Rajasthan /or/ Mandasaur-Kota-Neemuch-Rajasthan, and settled down at Vidisha, North-West Madhya Pradesh which is a Central Point between his in-laws' place, and his birth place.

I have already given Valmiki Ramayana evidence that Pushpaka aircraft is nothing but a donkey-driven-chariot.

Ravana playing his vINA a stringed classical musical instrument of India. Late Senior NTR in the Telugu film Sitarama Kalyanam.

Book 3, Chapter 64, Verse 46 and 47 3-64-46 3-64-47

Kaanchana urah chaDAh ca imE
कांचन उरः चडाः इमे
piSAca vadanAha kharaaha
पिशाच वदना- खराः
bhIma rUpA mahA kAyAha
भीम रूपाः महा कायाः
kasya vA nihatA raNE.
कस्य वा निहता रणे।

Context & English gist: Ravana abducted Sita in his Pushpak Aircraft, when Sita, Rama, and Lakshmana were in the 14th year of their Exile to Forest. A kite named JaTAyu stopped Ravana's aircraft and fought with him. Ravana slew JaTAyu, and took away Sita. In that battle, the donkeys dragging the Ravana's aircraft were killed.This verse describes the donkeys which were killed by JaTAyu: kAncana uraha= they have golden necklaces. chadAh= chestplates made of gold piSAca vadanaha= they have ghastly faces.

. My Readers can also have a look at my Ramayanayb blog Click to go to post No.060 at ramayanayb.blogspot.com.

Question: Is it possible for Ravana to travel on a donkey-driven cart from Ravangaon-Vidisa to Nasik-Godavari, or Bhadrachalam-Godavari, where Panchavati, the site of crime of Ravana is believed to have taken place?

A look at my blog ramayanayb.blogspot.com will suggest that Panchavati's Godavari River may not be at Nasik-Godavari Maharashtra, or Bhadrachalam-Godavari in Andhra Pradesh-Telangana. It may be "Gupt Godavari" near Chitrakoot itself in Madhya Pradesh-UP Border, where Sita's Rasoy (Sita's kitchen) a tourist place is situated.

This Chitrakoot Gupt Godavari is called "Mandakini River", and the ghat is called Ram ghat. I shall now give a Valmiki Ramayan Verse as additional evidence to show that Mandakini is the Godavari of Sita's abduction.

For those readers who wish to see the photos of Gupt Godavari, here is a beautiful link: Click to go to Travelknots.wordpress.com etc. etc. page. This is not any sponsored advertisement which ybrao-a-donkey is canvassing here..

Valmiki Ramayana. Sanskrit Language.
Book 3 Book of Forest- Aranya Kanda. Chapter 64, Sarga 64. Verse 14, SlOka 14.

mandAkinIm janasthAnam
imam prasravaNam girim
sarvANi anucariSyAmi
yadi siitaa hi labhyate |

Context in Valmiki Ramayana, & English gist: Ravana abducted Sita. Rama and Lakshmana were searching for Sita. They came down to banks of River Godavari. Rama was speaking to Lakshmana.

We shall search this entire Mandakini River of Janasthana (Literal Meaning : place of People. Contextal Meaning: Neutral forest area not belonging to any Empire, or the Empire of Demons i.e. Ravana), these hills full of rapids and caves, if Sita could be found.

It is very clear that Mandakini of Chitrakoot is the River at the bank of which Panchavati was located and Sita was abducted by Ravana. This Mandakini-Chitrakoot can be reached by Ravana from Ravangaon-Vidisha, by a chariot driven by mules.

Whenever Rama was calling 'Godavari River', we may have to take it as 'Gupt Godavari' (some part underground) of Mandakini-Chitrakoot, and not as Nasik-Godavari or Bhadrachalam-Godavari.

There is a proverb in Telugu: "cankalo pillanu peTTukoni, UrantA vetikinaTlu. English meaning: A mother has her baby, in her arms. But somehow, she forgot about that, and searched the entire village for the child. We have our Ravangaon in Vidisa, and Gupt Godavari in Chitrakoot everything on Rajasthan-Madhya Pradesh-Uttar Pradesh borders. India is sending its tourists to Tamil Nadu to see Rama's bridge, and Sri Lank to see Ravana's Lanka. Madhya Pradesh Government appointed a Team of Researchers to trace the path of Rama to Sri Lanka. It is not clear what they found. But on net, we can see maps which indicate a Rama's route through Nasik (Maharashtra), Hampi (Karnataka), Tamil Nadu, Kerala.

From the following maps drawn by me, you can see that Jatayu/Sampati's place is also near Vidisha. Hanuman's place (Anjanadevi's place), Sabari's place are to the Eastern edges of Madhya Pradesh/Chattisgadh.

The following map by ybrao-a-donkey with the same contours, show important places which are associated with Sita, Rama, Ravana, Vanaras (Forest Dwellers):-


More analyses are to be included here. Shall shortly include.

TAILPIECE धूमकेतु తోక చుక్క

Supreme Court of India has the time and willingness to call Retired Supreme Court Justice Mr. Markandeya Katzu, in connection with the comments said to have been made by him in his blog, about Supreme Court's verdict in Saumya's case.

I have developed an OCD obsessive compulsive disease, to believe that Ms. Jashoda Ben, Gujarat is also a sort of suffering oppressed woman. It is causing me sleeplessness. She is being harassed by the Passport Office of Gujarat, by denying her legitimate right to get a passport, on flimsy grounds. It is hightime that Supreme Court takes a similar interest to take up her suffering case on a suo motu basis, and issue a Writ of Mandamus to the Gujarat Passsport Authorities to look into her case. Her case is peculiar. For no fault of hers, she is suffering.

She is not like Vijay Mallya, who is determined not to come back from London. Ms. Jashoda Ben will not remain in London for ever. She will definitely return. But, then, why create obstacles to her foreign visit, by denying her passport? The Passport Authorities may be acting according to Rules. But, one question remains. Are they acting in a similar fashion while handling the applications of other Wealthy and Influential Persons, Business Tycoons and Industrial Emperors? In Delhi Airport, though there is an Alert, one Money Launderer some Qureshi, who is facing a case of Enforcement Directorate could easily leave India, by browbeating the Air Port Officials. Then why, make an innocent woman to suffer?

To continue. सशेष. సశేషం.