Last month, Hon Sh Chidambaram speaking about the national census called it the “biggest exercise since humankind came into existence“.
As many of you may know already, the enumerators working on the census are aided in their task by a “Census Manual”.  Below are instructions related to Item no. 11 related to “Nationality” (Pg 25) of the Instruction Manual for filling up of the NPR Household Schedule in the Census:
Nationality for each of the enumerated person has to be asked from the respondent and recorded.
Please record the nationality of the …

Most of you must have missed this news (below)…I almost did. Pl read through and see if you can spot something odd. From Politicians behind Orang encroachment (emphasis added):
…facts…reveal how vested political interests have joined hands with illegal settlers and encouraged them to encroach on land, including sensitive Protected Areas..
The latest incident in which scores of people entered Orang National Park and built up shelters within a span of few hours has demonstrated how well-planned and motivated the entire operation was.
It was timely action by forest department personnel, assisted by …

This is what I am reading this weekend.
How Bengal towns are becoming transit points for fake notes
West Bengal’s intelligence agencies have expressed concern that Pakistan-and Bangladesh-based racketeers are using the state’s Murshidabad and Malda districts as transit points to smuggle in fake notes to India.
Statistics reveal fake notes of nearly Rs 2.5 crore was seized from more than 300 people arrested over the past five years…
The arrested people revealed Murshidabad and Malda as transit points for the fake money racket.
…Chapai Nawabgunj is one of many centres in Bangladesh where …

…and we are in no hurry to do anything about it.
Excerpts from a very worrying article by Suman Sharma in Open Magazine (Hat Tip: Centerof right; emphasis mine):
Repeated violations of the Indo-Chinese border lead to an escalation in the war of words, but India continues to believe that the Chinese are following their usual pattern of aggravation and conciliation. Rapid Reaction Forces, comprising 4 divisions stationed at Chengdu and Lanzhou after an overnight mobilisation cross rapidly into Indian territory in Arunachal Pradesh.
Indian defences are caught unawares, but the Fifth Mountain …

This weekend, some thought-provoking readings on Indonesia with special reference to radical Islam and Indonesia’s Hindu & Buddhist past and traditions.
Why Indonesia? Because events that are unfolding in this country – home to the world’s largest population of Muslims – are likely to have serious and long-term implications for us in India. Read on to find out why.
First, excerpts from Indonesian lessons for secular India by Sadanand Dhume(emphasis added)
If you had to pick the place in the Muslim world least susceptible to any …

…so am I.

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Images courtesy: The Hindu, ET, ToI, IE
Related Post: Explaining AfPak to a 14-year old

As many of you would know, “Immigration” is currently a hot issue in Europe – including of course the UK.  The issue was recently covred in Stratfor, the widely read commentary on strategic affairs and TIME Magazine had a cover story on this a few days back.
But that is not the point of this post. About 3 weeks ago, I came across an article in The Daily Mail, that suggested an extraordinary attempt at social re-engineering by Labour party in UK. In other words, a cynical effort at exploiting immigration …

Almost exactly two years ago, I wrote a post titled, As the Government sleeps, dark clouds gather on the horizon… In that post, I had carried excerpts from an article by Tarun Vijay that was prompted by continued trespassing and stealth incursions by Chinese into the Ladakh area.
Two years on…and a general election later, nothing seems to have changed.
Inch by inch, the Chinese are encroaching into Indian territory…while the government acts “ignorant” or “supremely confident” depending on the mood of the moment. Sometimes, it simply brushes things under the carpet. …

On the occassion of India’s 61st Republic Day, please read and share the extraordinary story of Major Hoshiar Singh – a “Param Vir” who displayed exemplary valour and risked his life so that we may live in peace.  Jai Hind, Jai Bharat!
For those who may be reading this series for the first time, the

Param Vir Chakra is awarded for most conspicuous bravery or some daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self sacrifice, in the presence of the enemy, whether on land, at sea, or in the air. The decoration …

I have only been to Maldives once (more than a decade ago) and from what I remember of that time, it is truly a beautiful place with very friendly people, mild-mannered, polite and welcoming to visitors.
I was therefore dismayed to read a string of articles over the last few months that signalled the increasing radicalisation of the local population, influenced by the Wahhabis, supported by oil money and bolstered by “Adhaalath” – a party that is a member of the current ruling coalition & controls the Ministry of Islamic …