UNGRATEFUL BANGLADESH.

Bangladesh prior to its independence on 16th December 1971 was a part of Pakistan as it was then known as East Pakistan while the current Pakistan was known as West Pakistan but both the wings known as Pakistan under one sovereignty and one national flag. Though it was under one Pakistan yet East Pakistani people were not happy to remain under one Pakistan. Since independence from the British, East Pakistanis were clamouring for separate homeland for them, independent of West Pakistan. East Pakistanis always felt that under united Pakistan where West’s influence was more dominant, they were likely to lose their Bengali culture, tradition and everything related to Bengali including their mother tongue Bengali, the language of the great Indian Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore. Hence they decided to secede from the West and establish their own independent country as Bangladesh.

To form their own independent nation, on 26th March 1971 under their patriotic leader Sheikh Mujibur Rehman, gave a call to all East Pakistani people to revolt against West Pakistan to create an independent sovereign nation known as Bangladesh. Within East Pakistan revolution took place and thousands of East Pakistani people to avoid atrocities committed on to them by the West Pakistani troops, fled to India. Indian States bordering East Pakistan flooded with refugees coming from East Pakistan. To support them physically India under Premier Indira Gandhi had to face lot of problems major being financial. To raise adequate finance for this cause India taxed its citizens by way of 25 Paise Stamp Tax for the every financial transaction carried on by the Indians in India. This was the big financial burden on Indians to support the cause of Bangladesh and its people.

Additionally when every opportunity failed to settle the dispute peacefully between East Pakistan and West Pakistan, India in support of East Pakistan’s claim for the total independence, waged a war against Pakistani Armed Forces based in East Pakistan and within a few days of most bloody war, liberated East Pakistan from the sovereignty of West Pakistan leading for an independent sovereign East Pakistan known as Bangladesh.

In this war for the liberation of Bangladesh India lost in millions financially plus thousands of its soldiers. It was a big sacrifice on the part of India for the sake of Bangladesh’s liberation. Additionally which is the worst result of this war, India created a Pakistani front for itself in Kashmir bordering West Pakistan. As a revenge for helping East Pakistani Bengalis for the creation of Bangladesh and splitting one united Pakistan into two parts, Pakistan is supporting secessionist movement in Indian Kashmir with arms and ammunitions and finance. This is the biggest set-back for India for its earlier support for the creation of Bangladesh.

Some political analysts said India in the first place should not have involved in the internal affairs of Pakistan in its dispute with East Pakistan. Because of this one wrong decision of Congress Party under Indira Gandhi’s leadership, India is now facing the onslaught of Pakistan in Indian Kashmir. Because of this one small spot the entire India is bleeding and suffering and it will go on bleeding thus forever. According to the events going on in Indian Kashmir now, with the clandestine support from Pakistan, Kashmiri people in Indian Kashmir will never stop fighting with Indian government until Indian Kashmir is reunited with the Pakistani Kashmir for the final establishment of one sovereign independent Kashmir. The way India helped East Pakistan to secede from West Pakistan earlier in the same way now Pakistan is helping Indian Kashmiris to secede from India for the creation of separate independent Kashmir. It is a ‘Tit – for – Tat’ war where India is totally at the mercy of Pakistani terrorism.

Now, coming back to Bangladesh, on 26th of this month it marked its National and Independence Day by remembering everyone who helped Bangladesh to free itself from Pakistan but never making any mention of India and its heroic role in liberating it from West Pakistan. If it was not for India, Bangladesh would never come into existence.

Are all the current leaders of Bangladesh including its Premier, President and Ambassador in Kuwait gone blind to what India done for its liberation? In the local Press in Kuwait their messages have been published but without mentioning India’s name. Is it a sign of INGRATITUDE? It looks like!! After all it was said by Shakespeare  "the good that man does often interred with the bones while evil always remains after him".

A. Veronica Fernandes,

Kuwait.

.

PARRIKAR IS A LIAR - MATANHY NOT.

Edit - Herald

Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has triggered a hornet’s nest with his statement on the floor of the House that Matanhy Saldanha was convinced that Mopa airport was needed for the State. The chief minister, if he expects universal public acceptance for this statement, may be in for a disappointment.

Ironically, though, Parrikar's statement may well be happily welcomed by the Opposition as the Mopa airport plan was initiated by local Congressmen and there are vested interests who will always fall silent because an airport at Mopa would mean a huge increase in valuation of landholdings in the vicinity, even for those with mokaso land!

The truth is that Matanhy was dead against Mopa. He foresaw that Goa’s over-development would sound the death knell of Goan identity. He even termed the airport plan as a "land scam" wherein builders were eyeing the project to build structures for migrants.

A year has gone by without Matanhy. Among those for whom power is an end in itself, Matanhy well may have been condemned as a failed politician. Many wrote him off as a disgruntled element, with some even concluding that he feared success. But giving credence to such assessments and conjectures would be to ignore a very fundamental aspect of his life ~ he lived his political-activist life as an underdog fighting for the rights of others. Perhaps Matanhy was a so-called failed politician but a resounding success as a man of the masses, who was ahead of his times at that. Agree with him or disagree, it cannot be denied that his lifelong opposition to government policies he perceived as anti-people and his passion for Goa were his calling cards. He dreamed of a better, more equitable Goa and was extremely vocal about what he strongly felt ~ Goa, Goa and more Goa.

As early as 2008, he lamented the indiscriminate hill cutting and vociferously opposed the manner in which hillocks were being flattened in Mandrem, Chopdem and Korgao that adversely affected the forest cover. Matanhy is on record as stating that "Goa is already saturated". The following extract from his 2008 Press note is a telling blow to those who presume that the people will believe what is being said about him today:

“With further profit-ridden development, by builders, real estate agents, and some unscrupulous elected representatives, Goa soon will make Goans not only a minority, but strangers in their own land. Do we want this? Goans and all who love Goa, irrespective of religion, caste, region or political affiliations, UNITE to stop Goa from being eliminated.”

More tellingly, on Mopa, he said in an interview published in November 2002: "I am totally against another airport in Goa. Goa is too small for another airport. They (politicians) don’t know the implications...

The whole idea of the airport arose because Disneyland wanted to come to Goa. So they wanted to do it on a Build Operate Transfer basis… Why didn’t they exchange Dabolim airport for Anjidiva when the island was handed over to the Indian Navy? There was nothing anti-national about it. In Hyderabad, the chief minister compelled the Indian Air Force to leave. He said, he wants to make Hyderabad an international airport. So, what national security are we talking about?”

Apparently, the ruling dispensation has gone back on the solemn commitment made at the funeral of Matanhy, promising to keep his legacy alive. Would he, if he had been among us today, accepted and/or signed up to the Chief Minister's statement? Your guess is as good as ours.

IN REPLY TO JULIO CARDOSO'S ARTICLE.

To

Kranti Editor.

 

Sir

Please publish this article in your blog. I am a regular reader of your blog. Keep up the good work.

This is in response to Julio Cardozo's post about refereeing. I have a few points to make in this regard. Julio writes that referees are humans and that they are prone to make mistakes. I completely agree on this aspect. But the fact of the matter is that Julio should also understand that when we are talking about big league games there is a lot at stake. There is no drawing parallel between Soor soccer and professional league at the highest level. Please keep in mind that my article is only focusing on major soccer leagues.

For example, assuming Chelsea and Manchester City play one another the pressure on players is so enormous that sometimes it gets the better of them. Referees sometimes commit howlers as the whole world witnessed in the Champions League between Manchester United V/s Real Madrid.

Turkish referee committed a blunder that changed the whole complexion of the game. You may remember that Manchester United were in driving seat and in full flight until Nani was red carded for a high challenge. That foul deserved yellow at best. In a situation like this, what you expect the players to do? Kick the ground?

In the subsequent melee, the referee was surrounded by referee and the players began arguing and that is fine. The referee should also realize that he made mistake and the referee no doubt has a reverse gears on decisions but at least he is cautious knowing the fact that he is under the scanner. Imagine if the referee is not questioned he is under the impression that everything is cruising well, so it is important that the player hold up the mirror to him. In short, it keeps him on his toes.

For example, in premier league, a player can lose his berth temporarily for committing a mistake. Drawing parallel between soccer and other games, Julio should remember that soccer is played at ferocious tempo, end-to-end action, as opposed to slower pace of the other games.

When you play at high tempo, the adrenalin is pumping and the stress begins pick up steam. It has been scientifically proven that professional soccer players are more aggressive because the way the game is being played. Moreover, professional teams are under great pressure to deliver from their sponsors and as a result the pressure gets to the players.

Manchester City were at the receiving end last week as the referee failed to point to the dreaded spot after Everton player handled the ball. This again was a game changer. Manchester City players circled the referee and quite rightly so. Here they were being robbed of a goal and if emotions don’t run high---what will?

Subsequently, Everton’s tail was up after that and they fired on all cylinders and went on to win the match. On many occasions, referees have ruined matches due to bad decisions. So what does Julio has to say about situations like these? The referee always goes scot free but the players come under fire. Referees also never apologize for their mistakes. So as you can see referees always get away with their sloppiness and incompetence. In order to avoid this, we need to bring in technology into play. Just like the third umpire in cricket. Believe me it will change the landscape of football in a positive manner. Hope better sense prevails.

Seby Mascarenhas.