V.V.S.Manian Vol I Keep Kashmir out of US Presidential campaign US Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden expressed concern over the situation in Indian occupied Kashmir (IOK). He said restrictions on the dissent such as preventing peaceful protests or shutting down the internet, weakens democracy. Biden unfortunately does not understand Kashmir issue where thousands of innocent people and Indian soldiers lost their life due to terrorist attack. Kashmir was virtually the breeding ground for trigger free terrorists and Pakistani terror groups who dissuaded and disrupted peace in the valley. The justified move was that India scrapped the special status of J&K under Article 370 of the constitution and international law and bifurcated the area into two Union territories, Ladakh and J&K for operational convenience. This was done to end the terrorist intrusion and save civilian and army onslaughts. Biden hinted that he was pro-Pakistani after an online meeting with the head of the American –Pakistan Political Action Committee (APPAC) Dr. Ijaz Ahmad. APPAC has already donated 320,000 $ including contribution of $120,000 by Dr.Ijaz Ahamad. “Muslim for Biden” announced that they have raised $1.3 million in a virtual fundraiser with the former vice president. In a reciprocal gesture Biden assured that he would give an enhanced role to Muslim Community in his administration. Biden is swimming in dangerous waters forgetting the past. We have been heaping praises on Kamala Harris for no justifiable reason except that her mother hails from Tamil Nadu. Kamala also appears to be pro-Islam and not inclined to appreciate Modi on Kashmir stand. She is a declared black Christian and not very comfortable talking about Hinduism, according to many in the social media. In any case Biden and Kamala should focus more on internal domestic turmoil like unemployment, racial mess and do their might to get rid of the raging pandemic. Why talk of Kashmir issue and create an unpleasant situation when the whole world is facing economic pandemic crisis? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Beat the Covid, go back to school. The Union Ministry HRD has initiated the most useful move to seek feedback from parents when they will be comfortable with the opening of schools. It may be difficult to get the reaction in a jiffy as we are still in the grip of a severe corona phobia. In any case, it will be wiser to plan and open schools by mid- Aug- September. It will also be safe to assume that we have the vaccine for COVID-19. Perhaps the wish of our Prime Minister Modi may come true by mid- August when we can hear some good news on Independence Day. Even if there is a delay in vaccine arrival, the schools should be allowed to open ensuring a certain level of safety for students and teachers. Schools must discipline the children on safe distancing, wearing masks and, use of sanitizers. They must keep hand washing stations and fumigate the premises at least once a week. We have to remember that we do not have a large technological infrastructure to educate a huge population of school- going children. A lot of them in the poorer strata do not have access to internet –enabled devices and children in semi- urban and rural areas are struggling for high- speed internet connection and fighting computer fatigue. Many parents seem to be in favour of opening the schools as children need to learn in a proper physical environment and not in a small room. It is time for showing innovative plans to avoid large gatherings, stagger lunch breaks for classes, and seating arrangement. Above all, we need to suspend all sports and social activities which attract huge crowds. Hypothetically, this sounds great. The greater responsibility lies with the government and schools to carefully monitor the situation. On line, education is not a permanent replacement for schools. Some courses in school or colleges can be more effective when students are physically present, especially practical laboratory experiments. Therefore, schools have to be opened sooner or later. The year 2020-21 is going to be a tough academic challenge. (Point of view 24720) --------------------------------------------------------------- Why should we torture our soldiers at 70 degree Celsius minus? It is a pity in the days of drones, we allow the patriotic Jawans to suffer for our failure. A recent CAG report makes us ashamed of what is happening on the defense front. The report highlights that procurement of high-altitude clothing and equipment was delayed up to four years leading to an acute shortage of such items. Soldiers deployed in high altitude such as Ladakh lack sufficient gear, clothing and rations. It is also a disgrace to know that during the audit period from 2015 to 2018, troops had to use old items instead of new and improved ones. They compromised their calorie intake. Few days back there was a YouTube clipping showing how pathetic the condition was in the high mountains. Two soldiers demonstrated how they overcome other necessities such as shortage of multi- purpose boots which can protect their feet in -50 degrees Celsius. The soldiers were not given snow goggles in a region. Without goggles the soldiers would go blind. The joke is that there are no stocks at the Ordinance Factory in Dehradun. We are blind to the reality of what is happening to soldiers who have to fight the terrorists and Pakistan soldiers. The worst news is that about 31,779 sleeping bags were found “sub-standard”. Ask the simple question why? Unfortunately the ground reality is that politicians are interested in posters and brag all the time about how great we are rather than how weak we are. Unfortunately, the most powerful medium - the TV channels and print media focus more on spicy political debates and fake news rather than focusing on the sensitive and serious issues continuously like soldiers plight and defense supplies that suffer either due to procedural lapse or corruption. In any case the CAG report is blurring on the government. Blatant mistake The action of the Kerala government on Friday depicted Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination on the cover page of its fifth budget presented by finance minster TM Thomas Issac who made a silly statement. He said that they “won't forget who murdered Bapu”. Kerala state by and large is very literate and politicians are sensible. But this printing of a painful painting does not augur well with communists ideologies. The budget cover page is not a propaganda leaflet to show the anger against the opposition or its policies. Thomas’ act was immature and evidently done to please the boss (Rahul) who was equally idiotic to say that Gandhi was murdered by Hindu communalists who are revered today by the ruling party”. As usual he added a tag to say that Mahatma Gandhi’s killer Nathuram Godse and PM Narendra Modi believe in the same ideology. Just to show their anger against Modi, What is the relation between the budget and Gandhi’s assassination? Years have gone since the assassination and it is irrelevant to talk about it to stir emotion and ignite communal conflict. Let us face the reality? Who cares about who murdered Gandhi? The vibrant youth of India is clearly worried about the future and would support the politicians who deliver rather than the freak ones indulging in digging hackneyed stories for the sake of votes. Thomas and Rahul should know this better. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Trail or error The third presidential impeachment in the US history has come to a close with Trump’s thin victory. He won by a slim margin of four votes on charge of abuse of power and by six on obstruction of Congress. Trump will use this exculpation as a part of his re-election campaign tour. The acquittal was expected as the senate was controlled by the Republicans and they would not dare send their own President down. Now Trump will indulge in a massive propaganda to gain though everyone on both sides know that Trump goes beyond the powers offered to his office. He is happy now as the trial is not a success for the Democrats but has improved his prospects in the next presidential election. Democrats gained nothing out of this trial? Is prolonged pain/panic necessary? The Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi certainly wanted people to be positive and convert the crisis into an opportunity for innovation, investment and growth. It was a pep talk with a lot of positive approaches and some industries like pharmacy may see definite growth and more opportunity. A common man contributes liberally to the economic growth, by emptying his wallet in hospitals, From Delhi to Chennai, hospitals are charging huge sums of money, being aware of the fact that they can capitalize on the fear psychosis and perhaps use this ‘God sent’ opportunity to quickly repay their term loans and OD’s to banks. The health “industry” will make more money than ever. Let us not live in utopia. Lockout or no lockout, things will first get worse before they get better. India is now in a pandemic and political crisis, where the opposition is slowly adding more problems by creating unwanted panic and spreading rumors. The reality is nobody is serious; they have no clue of how to handle the huge crisis which has no precedence. Everything is ‘trial and error’ mode. The wise will confine at home and plan to have a mini hospital room and increase immunity. I have seen more than a hundred reports about how to treat the COVID-19 patients. Everyone including doctors, researchers, scientists, astrologers, and politicians has wasted their time floating rumors and findings which are not backed by authentic findings and recommendations.