Indiasproud - Inspiring India

05/03/2015

Happy Holi to Everyone.

02/03/2015

VVIP racism at its worst in Mumbai

25/02/2015

92% of BJP's funds came just ahead of Lok Sabha 2014 polls

Ninety-two per cent of donations above Rs 20,000 to BJP's kitty came from corporates including top donors like Bharti Group's Satya Electoral Trust, Sterlite Industries and Cairn India just ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Incidentally none of the three top donors had contributed to the saffron party in the previous year.

Donations from business groups amounted to Rs 157.84 crore, according to analysis by Association for Democratic Reforms. The analysis is based on data from the contribution report for the year 2013-2014 submitted by the BJP to the Election Commission.

Only 8% of donations above Rs 20,000 were made by individuals. About 772 individual donors donated a total of Rs 12.99 crores to the party.

24/02/2015

On Land Ordinance, Anna Hazare and Arvind Kejriwal Unite to Embarrass Centre..

Arvind Kejriwal will join Anna Hazare today in a protest against the central government's proposed changes in rules for land acquisition.

The Delhi Chief Minister had called on the Gandhian activist at the Maharashtra Sadan on Monday evening and touched his feet. After an hour-long meeting, Mr Kejriwal's closest aide and Delhi minister Manish Sisodia told reporters, "Arvind and I will sit on dharna with Anna after the (Delhi assembly) session at 3 pm."

The reunion of the two most famous faces of the Lokpal movement is expected to draw hundreds of protesters to Jantar Mantar in the heart of Delhi for the sit-in. Many people gathered at the venue on Monday evening as news spread that Mr Kejriwal could visit Jantar Mantar to meet Mr Hazare.

Anna Hazare had earlier told NDTV that he would "welcome" Mr Kejriwal to join him, allowing his campaign to take a political turn for the first time.

"Arvind Kejriwal is a Chief Minister, he cannot be treated like any ordinary citizen. If all agree, I will welcome Arvind Kejriwal on stage as Delhi chief minister," the 77-year-old said on Sunday.

Mr Kejriwal took charge as Delhi's Chief Minister on February 14 after his party won a landslide victory in the Delhi election.

In the past few days, Anna Hazare has praised Mr Kejriwal more than once and sharply attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government.

"This government is trying to sn**ch land from poor farmers. They are like the British colonial rulers," he said today.

Anna Hazare and Arvind Kejriwal last campaigned together in 2011 for the anti-corruption Lokpal law. The two parted ways in 2012, when Mr Kejriwal formed his political party, a move that did not win his mentor's approval. Recently, when asked to comment on the poll rivalry between Mr Kejriwal and another former anti-corruption campaigner Kiran Bedi, Anna Hazare said he did not want to be dragged into "dirty politics."

21/02/2015

'Am Free to Criticise PM Modi; Doesn't Give Government Right to Interfere'

A day after exiting as chancellor of Nalanda University and alleging that the government did not want him to continue, Nobel laureate Amartya Sen told NDTV that his views on Prime Minister Narendra Modi should not interfere with a university.

"As an Indian voter, it is my liberty to like a candidate or not. On the other side, it's for the board to decide on the chancellor. If the government has taken a view - I don't know whether the PM had but if he had - it would be asymmetric because it's not his role," said Dr Sen, who had criticized PM Modi during last year's national election.

On Thursday, the renowned economist opted out of a second term as Nalanda University Chancellor despite the governing board unanimously voting to elect him on January 13.

In a five-page letter to the board, accessed exclusively by NDTV, Dr Sen said he is, "...sad, at a more general level that academic governance in India remains so deeply vulnerable to opinions of the ruling government..."

Referring to President Pranab Mukherjee, who is Visitor to the university, Dr Sen wrote "something makes it difficult - or impossible - for him to act with speed in this matter."

He wrote that he decided not to continue in the post after a month of silence on the board's decision from both the President's House and the foreign ministry, which is involved because of the presence of representatives of several Asian countries in the board.

Asked whether he thought the prime minister had personally opposed his appointment, Dr Sen said, "I think it would be megalomaniacal to think the PM had a role because of my criticism of him."

The foreign ministry today said there was "no attempt to curtail Dr Sen's term." It claimed that it had only received an extract of the board's decision, not the minutes, so could not respond.

"We can only act once we receive approved minutes of the Board. These are yet to be received by us," said foreign ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin.

20/02/2015

During the survey, it was found that girls were paid at least Rs 50 to clean the staff toilets in one school.

19/02/2015

PM Modi Clears $8 Billion Plan For Warships to Counter China: Report

The government has cleared an $8 billion or Rs. 50,000 crore plan to build India's most advanced warships, defence sources said, just months after ordering new submarines to close the gap with the Chinese navy in the Indian Ocean.

Since taking over last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has signalled his resolve to build a strong military after years of neglect.

India's navy has been rattled in recent months after Chinese submarines docked in Sri Lanka, just off its southern coast, underlining the growing reach of the Chinese navy after years of staying closer to its shores.

PM Modi summoned a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security on Monday to approve construction of seven frigates equipped with stealth features to avoid easy detection, a Defence Ministry source said.

The frigates, in a programme called Project-17A, will be built at government shipyards in Mumbai and Kolkata, in a boost for the PM's 'Make in India' campaign to build a domestic defence industrial base and reduce dependence on expensive imports, that have made India the world's biggest arms market.

"Project 17-A was awaiting Cabinet clearance since 2012," the source said, adding the BJP government is moving quickly on a project seen as of critical national importance.

The source said the government expects to sign a contract with the shipyards within the month. Another source in the Navy confirmed the Cabinet clearance but said it would take a decade or even longer for all the ships to be built, even if the shipyards were to start construction immediately.

The Indian Navy's undersea defences are down to 13 ageing diesel-electric submarines, after a string of accidents, including one in Mumbai in 2013 in which 18 sailors were killed.

In October, the government approved fast-tracking the tender process to build six submarines in collaboration with a foreign builder.

"This government is showing signs of urgency, but there is a lot of ground to be covered," said former Vice Admiral Arun Kumar Singh. "All our programmes are running way behind schedule and with a huge amount of cost over-runs."

18/02/2015

Nicely written...just read it.

http://www.indiatimes.com/entertainment/this-twinkle-khanna-column-is-breaking-the-internet-today-230279.html

Mrs. Funnybones is totally killing it!

17/02/2015

Truly inspiring, even if you don't like AAP.

17/02/2015

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's first promise is a corruption-free Delhi in five years. Anil, a shopkeeper in one of Delhi's busiest markets would like to hold the new Chief Minister to his word.

17/02/2015

THE CANADIAN COMEDIAN REPORTEDLY STATED, "SERIOUSLY, WHO IS HE, THE SO-CALLED ARTIST, TO SAY THAT HE FOUND IT VIOLENT AND THAT AIB AND REST INVOLVED SHOULD HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE? HE DID NOT EVEN SEE IT! SOMEONE PLEASE ASK HIM TO SHUT UP AND TAKE CARE OF HIS OWN BUSINESS"

Actor Aamir Khan has been told to mind 'his own business' by stand-up comic Russell Peters, who is touring India currently. (Also Read: AIB Roast Wasn't Funny, It was Violent: Aamir Khan)

Aamir has already faced public heat for branding the controversial AIB Roast 'violent.' A report Hindustan Times quotes the Canadian comedian as saying, "Seriously, who is he, the so-called artist, to say that he found it violent and that AIB and rest involved should have been responsible? He did not even see it! Someone please ask him to shut up and take care of his own business."

Mr Peters also said Aamir wasn't a 'real artist.'

Last week, the PK actor provoked an outcry when he said he didn't think the Roast was funny and hadn't watched more than two clips. "I felt it was a very violent event. Violence is not only physical, it can be verbal and emotional too. When you insult someone, you perpetuate violence," Aamir said at an event in Mumbai. However, he was careful to clarify that there ought to be no witch-hunt against those involved in the Roast if no law had been broken.

Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap responded indirectly by posting on his page a video from some years ago in which Aamir defends his film Delhi Belly. "I have already informed my audiences that it is an adult film. Please do not go with your kids and those who have a problem with this kind of language shouldn't come either. I try my best to inform the audiences before-hand. If the audience is adult, they can decide themselves," Aamir says in the video. 2011 film Delhi Belly, produced by Aamir and starring his nephew Imran Khan, ran into controversy over the lyrics of the song DK Bose, considered vulgar by a section of viewers. (Also Read: After Aamir Khan's AIB Roast Putdown, Anurag Kashyap Reminds us of Delhi Belly)

An open letter written by a blogger and tweeted by Dostana director Tarun Mansukhani asked the 49-year-old star, "You know first-hand what happens when angry people don't like content. Do you see the anger as your fault?"

16/02/2015

'Don't Embarrass PM With Your Statements,' VHP Warns its Own

A leader of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Sunday warned pro-Hindu leaders and groups from making comments that could cause "trouble" for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"After a long time, a government has been formed at the Centre which is abreast of Hindu culture and faith... Hindu leaders should make balanced statements," VHP's international president Raghav Reddy said at a meeting near Ludhiana in Punjab.

"Let Modi work...give him some time... he will fulfil the dream of 'Bhartiyata' in the days to come," Mr Reddy said.

He added that the prime minister was "aware of the culture and faith of people in the country."

The VHP, an affiliate of the BJP's ideological mentor Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), has also been in the middle of controversies that have left the government facing opposition attacks.

The Modi government has been accused by its critics and political rivals of not reining in leaders within the BJP and the VHP who have promoted religious conversions, described by them as "ghar wapsi or homecoming" of Hindus who had converted to other religions in the past.