Bend over backwards…
in other words… “try very hard to please someone“.
New Delhi, Jun 22 (PTI) Railway Minister Lalu Prasad today instructed authorities to install signboards in Urdu at the Old Delhi railway station so that passengers from Pakistan can get the information in their own language.
Lalu, who visited Old Delhi Railway station late this evening, met passengers from trans-border Samjhauta Express…
The passengers…made use of the opportunity (and)…complained about their problems in reading signboards, which are in Hindi and English languages. [ link ]
I wonder if there are any signs in Hindi in Lahore? or in Gurumukhi?
.
P.S. I guess I should not really be surprised - this is the same government which last year had announced a “unilateral liberalisation” of visa policy to “our South Asian neighbours…without insisting on reciprocity.”
I have no problem with this - this is why we are a liberal democracy and Pakistan is a illiberal theocracy.
And, re: Visa policies - a big nation, that is claiming a seat at the world table, should lead the way without necessarily insisting on reciprocity …. that is how you become a leader, and move away from petty politics.
On a more practical note, I think having more people visit India from other south asian nations increases our soft power - people can actually see what we are all about instead of the garbage that they have been fed in schools - there was an actual quote to this effect from some Pakistani singer who visited India last year. I will see if I can source that quote. Also, how many of us want to visit Pakistan and Bangladesh? Eh?
Comment by Patriot | June 24, 2008
And add to that, a government that hounds its own citizens for speaking out…. eg. arresting orkut posters for “insulting” sonia gandhi.. oooopss.. Instead of wasting resources on tracking ip and emails of orkut communities members, the police better use them to track jehadis who even use the same cybercafe over and over again..
Comment by shadows | June 24, 2008
Dear Sir,
Sad but true! Democracy is oversold in India. may be it is not available for “Hindutvadis”.
Regards,
vck
Comment by v.c.krishnan | June 24, 2008
Muslims protesting over Amarnath Yatra.
Politicians have alloted millions of acres of lands free of cost to Muslim Waqf Board to appease muslims.
Muslims have illegaly occupied pieces of lands in every city in name of muslim grave yard ( Kabristan) , Mazars , madrassas and mosques. There are unlimited encroachments in name of islam.
But when Amarnath Shrine Board headed by General S.K.Sinha is trying to facilitate Amarnath Yatra by erecting some temporary shelters for a month , We can see that muslim from Kashmir to Delhi are protesting and resorting to voilence by attacking police with stones. and secularists trying to justifying the muslim fundamentalism by raising issue of so called kashmiriyat.
We should immediately dismiss the J & K Govt. and remove Gulam Nabi Gulam. Impose emergy with Jagmohan as Governor assisted by General S.K.Sinha & General Jacob , Police Chief KPS Gill and should announce media blackout and give full powers to Indian Army and Para Military Forces to wipe out the dark forces of Jehad, Fasism, Terrorism, Fundamentalism and Cross Border Infiltration. This is right time to eliminate these traitors of Hurriyat Conference.
Comment by Akash | June 24, 2008
It is matter of time before Urdu will be second language of India .
Almost 35 % Members of Parliament will be muslim.
Either Post of President or Deputy Prime Minister will be reserved for muslim.
20 % quota will be reserved for muslims in jobs in Government and Private sector.
Chief Ministers of many states will be muslims
and Shariah will be imposed in many muslim majority areas..
Islamisation of India step by step..
and what we are doing except fighting among ourselves on the matters of castes ( Brahmin - Non Brahmin) , Ideology ( right and left wing) , Region ( Non marathis out of Maharashtra) , Parties ( Congress - BJP ) and all other petty issues..
Shame on all Indians.
Comment by Sachin | June 24, 2008
Raajneethi Ka Hindukaran
aur
Hindu Samaj Ka Sainyakaran
That is Hinduisation of Politics
and
Militarisation of Hindus ( along with Sikhs, Buddhists , Jain)
Veer Savarkar gave the solution long back.
We just need to follow what he said long back..
Comment by Great Maratha | June 24, 2008
Babar Road
Tughlag Road
Akbar Road
Aurangzeb Road
Lodi Road
Gamal abdul nasser Road
Maulana Road
Faizal Road
Ismail Road
Humayun Road
Jahangeer Road
Shahjahan Road
Allaha-bad
Aurangabad
Tuglakabad
Faizabad
Murshidabad
Ahmedabad
Hyderabad
Madinapur
Mecca Masjid
Saddam Masjid
Mugal Garden
Karinganj
I am confused that we are living in Hindustan or Pakistan ?
No other country in the world will name its cities and road on the name of the invaders who attacked , looted , plundered and Pillaged the country for centuries.
Only Indians are foolish to do so.
Comment by Indian | June 24, 2008
Every politician thinks and possess the attitude -”Hindustan Mere Baap ki Gaddi”: Bolo tum kya kar loge?
Comment by Indian | June 25, 2008
@ Patriot: The issue is not about liberty and/or democracy. It is about appearances and perceptions.
I am afraid that we sometimes fail to understand the mentality that drives Pakistan’s ruling elites…
Unilateral measures have a time and place…in this case though, instead of appearing graceful, they suggest weakness and lack of resolve..
I think there is merit in your argument about “soft power” – however that should not/ cannot come at the cost of national security…
We cannot keep on complaining about Pakistani jihadis on our soil while we merrily extend visas to them without serious checks.
Comment by B Shantanu | June 25, 2008
Shantanu:
I do not think that the jihadis come to India on tourist visas! : )
Also, I do not think that we should confuse the two - we need to beef up our policing and our borders and our security forces, no two ways about it. And, we need to be extremely harsh on people harbouring terrorists, too.
At the same time, we should let all those Pakistanis who want to visit us, especially with residences in Sind and Punjab, to come over freely. Then, they can decide for themselves between the reality of India and the crap that they are fed in Pakistan. Best way to create a groundswell within Pakistan.
Why do you think the Pakis are so scared of Hindi Movies?
And, this is not about the elites …. this is about the masses …. if we convert them with our ideas, our reality, what sway will the elites have?
Comment by Patriot | June 25, 2008
Great example of a unilateral peace move:
“Shrill tones, thumping the feet louder than before during the salute, and all the provocative ges¬tures that once added spice to the retreat ceremony at the Attari border, but had been toned down a year ago in the wake of the thaw in relations between India and Pak¬istan, are back.
…Softer tones in the drill were in¬troduced in 2007 by BSF IG Arvind Ranjan and were in keep¬ing with the softening of the relations between the two neighbour¬ing countries. The BSF had de¬cided to do away with the
spiteful gestures, including exchange of harsh glances between the BSF personnel and Pakistan Rangers, which added excitement to the ceremony.
These were pursued for almost a year, but Pakistan seemed unrelenting in its approach towards the ritual.
Talking about the reversion in the drill, BSF DIG Mohammed Acquil said the drill had mellowed down at all borders with Pakistan, but was reverted almost a month ago. He maintained that though there was nothing official about it, the harsh tones had been brought back seeing the relentless attitude of Pakistan towards the ceremony.
…Vinay Kumar, a visitor, said that the last time that he had come to watch the ceremony, the spectators felt offended by the gestures of Pakistan Rangers. “It was really demeaning to see the way the Pak Rangers used to intimidate our BSF men, but now we are even,” he said.
***
Source: BSF back to tough gestures at Attari Retreat Ceremony, Shaheen P Parshad, Amritsar (Indian Express) Dt: September 26, 2009
Hat Tip: Ashok C.
Comment by B Shantanu | October 2, 2008