Comments on: On Cops, Smugglers and picturesque Himachal

By: B Shantanu

B Shantanu — Sat, 28 May 2011 15:11:06 +0000

This is getting worrying... Some excerpts from ‘Increase in opium cultivation in HP a cause for worry’ by Jagdish Bhatt, TNN | May 28, 2011: ...The NCB (Narcotics Control Board) has told the state CID that there was not only an increase in the area under the clandestine cultivation but there was definite switch over from cannabis to opium poppy and necessary action should be taken. Following this, the CID had alerted the SPs of Kullu, Mandi, Chamba, Shimla and Sirmaur. These were the districts pinpointed by the NCB. ...They said that even in 2004 the US foreign department had expressed fears that India was slowly but surely emerging as the biggest centre in the world for manufacturing heroin.

By: tarique

tarique — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:31:29 +0000

shantanu , i m not trying to create a sensation here or anything like that . most of these facts i gather are from newspapers and magazines i read while travelling . i rarely follow internet links for information .

By: B Shantanu

B Shantanu — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:13:53 +0000

Tarique: Once again, I request you to please provide good, solid references to support what you have written.

You can email me in case you dont want to post it here jaidharma AT gmail.com

By: tarique

tarique — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 17:34:39 +0000

shantanu ,it is true that force was not used to settle them in conflict zone like gaza ,but they had no other choice .the comforts of tel aviv are too expensive for an average mizo settler . a point to ponder here , on their arrival they are converted to judaism ,but denied citizenship rights , their status in israel as ‘residency permit’. it is true that this fact was highlighted to the indian government by christian churches who said money was being used to attract them to israel as settlers .also the mizoram formula was found to have been applied among a section of ethiopian and chinese tribals from highly poverty stricken regions .

By: B Shantanu

B Shantanu — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:55:04 +0000

Tarique: Is this what you are talking about?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bnei_Menashe

The conversions appear to have stopped and there appears no evidence of anyone being settled in conflict zones by force (by the way, parts of Mizoram/ North East are as much a conflict zone as Palestine – remember the recent blasts in Assam?)

Separately, you may know of the Bene Israel who did settle in India many many centuries ago.

Not sure where (and on what tribes) the tactics of deceit, allurement etc have been used by Israeli organisations… Can you pl. provide some references? links?

and finally, it is ironical but the biggest noise against “forcible conversions” seems to be made by the evangelical churches!