Showing posts with label Nitish Kumar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nitish Kumar. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Indian Citizenship Bill Protests: The Distrust Is Wide And Deep

Has India's Narendra Modi gone too far with controversial new citizenship law? Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Indian government has stripped the country's only Muslim-majority state of autonomy and rolled out a citizenship check in the northeastern state of Assam that effectively left nearly 2 million people stateless, many of them Muslims. ........ And when Modi backed the passage of a controversial new citizenship law, which prioritizes immigrants from three Muslim-majority countries of virtually every religious stripe over Islam, protests broke out across India. ........ To Modi's critics, the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) -- which fast-tracks applications for immigrants, including Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians who arrived in India before 2015 -- has become

the most brazen example of a Hindu nationalist agenda aimed at marginalizing Indian Muslims

. ...... Since the law passed through both houses of Parliament last week, demonstrations have swept university campuses in at least nine states. Protesters have taken to the streets across Assam and Tripura over fears that large numbers of Hindus, who migrated to the region in the past few decades, will now be able to get their citizenship fast-tracked. Many there fear it will dramatically recast the religious and ethnic makeup of the northeastern states -- home to 200 distinct indigenous groups. .......

critics are worried it might pave the way for nationwide citizenship tests, stripping the rights of Muslims who have lived in India for generations but cannot prove their family's lineage -- turning countless people stateless.

........ Home Minister Amit Shah has repeatedly said that the government will roll out a national citizenship registry. ...... Modi tried to reassure the public on Monday, saying on Twitter that the new law "does not affect any citizen of India of any religion." And that "no Indian has anything to worry" about....... But when a citizenship registry took place in Assam earlier this year it left 1.9 million people off a list of Indian citizens. The government said at the time that no one would be declared a foreigner if they are not on the list, but that failed to temper concerns........ What is at stake is "the future of liberal democracy in India," Vaishnav said. "And it looks like a side, which has been asleep or at least silent, has really woken up and made sure that their voices are being heard." ...... The protests are sure to have caught Modi -- who has developed a reputation for being a Teflon premier -- somewhat off guard. ..... As protests roiled the country over the weekend, the government shut down the internet in several affected states in a bid to maintain law and order........ in spite of mounting grievances, analysts think it is unlikely that the BJP will scrap the law. "Modi still remains, head and shoulders, the most popular politician in India" ......

India lacks a foreplan for what comes next. Its detention centers do not have the capacity needed to house "millions of people that could potentially be caught up," if a nationwide citizenship check is rolled out

...... there appears to be no existing talks with neighboring countries, like Bangladesh, on the issue of deportation ....... "Are you going to see large numbers of Muslims detained or lose their citizenship? It is a game of wait and see."



India is fundamentally a secular, diverse country. Modi spent years cultivating the image of a Vikash Purush ("Development Man") before he ran for Prime Minister in 2014. His famous slogan is, Sab Ka Saath Sab Ka Vikas ("Development For All").

India is the largest remittance economy in the world, and it draws sustenance from the Gulf countries only a few hours away. And, of course, India is the second largest Muslim country in the world by population. At some level, partition was never possible, and it never happened.

Modi came in promising double-digit growth rates, but his second term has been marked by one anti-Muslim step after another. It might be okay to turn Kashmir into just another Indian state, but turning Kashmir into an open-air prison is a no-no. Indians are so into free speech, they argue when they are out shopping for vegetables. They haggle over price.

Before the amended citizenship bill came along, already close to two million Muslims in Assam had been declared stateless. So the new bill is making people feel like that number will go from two million to 20 million. That will make Syria look like the Bahamas. Xi with his Xinjiang will have nothing on Modi. Assurances to the contrary are falling on deaf ears.

I think a fundamental political realignment is on its way. And Maharashtra shows the way. Recently the Shiv Sena ditched Modi's BJP, and the Shiv Sena has been the BJP's staunchest ally over the decades. The pendulum has started to swing in the other direction. At this rate the next election slated for 2024 might see the BJP emerge as the largest but a minority party, with the second-largest, the Congress, propping the leader of a smaller party for Prime Minister. That might as well be Mamata Banerjee. That could be Prashant Kishor. The kingmaker should become king.

Too much political organizing, too much efficiency, Amit Shah style, can also be a bad thing if it stifles debate. It can lead to democratic erosion. The famously chaotic Congress party might be in luck now.

The Vikash Purush is now being seen as the Social Vinash Purush, a destructive force. Dominoes will start to fall much before 2024. Maharashtra might be the first of many to come. This could be Modi's last term, and I don't see Amit Shah ever becoming Prime Minister.

Prashant Kishor should take his party, the JD(U), to at least six states. He has the option to become the Indian Macron.

India Citizenship Bill Debate (2)
India Citizenship Bill Debate
Biometric ID And Citizenship Solutions
India's Contentious Citizenship Amendment Bill
2019 Photos
Has India Gone Crazy?















NRC demonetisation of citizenship, says Prashant Kishor A day after he said Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is against a nationwide NRC, senior JD (U) leader Prashant Kishor on Sunday said the idea of a nationwide NRC is equivalent to “demonetisation of citizenship” which is “invalid” until proved. The state BJP responded by saying NRC was its “future agenda” and there was no need for alliance partner JD (U) to engage in any propaganda over it. ........... The JD(U) leader, who had criticised his party for supporting the Citizenship Amendment Bill in Parliament, met Nitish on Sunday to sort out differences and came out with the party’s new stand — “NRC with CAB is dangerous and discriminatory”.

Sharad Pawar: Country needs alternative to BJP that stays in India Responding to a query of reporters in Nagpur on whether an anti-BJP coalition was in the making at the national level, the NCP president said, "There are some indications that anti-BJP sentiments are on the rise in some parts of the country." ...... Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said he had met South Korea Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon during a visit to the country. His visit to South Korea came amid widespread protests over the amended citizenship law in various parts of India. ....... “It was expected that the unrest would remain confined to certain states.” ........ He said that contrary to the BJP’s expectation that the new law would be welcomed in certain states, it was being opposed in the party-ruled Assam too.

Jamia unrest: Priyanka, Prashant Kishor attack Centre
Citizenship Amendment Act dangerous if it goes along with NRC: Prashant Kishor
Arvind Kejriwal ropes in Prashant Kishor for Delhi Assembly elections

Nitish Kumar says no to Prashant Kishor's offer to resign Prashant Kishor has differences with Nitish Kumar supporting CAA. JD(U) Vice-President Prashant Kishore had also expressed his displeasure through a tweet and appealed to Nitish Kumar to not support the Citizenship Amendment Bill in the Rajya Sabha. But the JD(U) supported the Bill in both Houses of Parliament....... On Wednesday, Kishor had tweeted the legislation could turn into a lethal combo (with NRC) to systematically discriminate and even prosecute people based on religion.

Back With a Bang? Crafted by Prashant Kishor, How a Single Strategy Helped Mamata Regain Ground Ahead of Bypoll Test Since Kishor launched 'Didi Ke Bolo' on July 29, the TMC has not only managed to recapture several municipalities that had shifted to the BJP but also win the confidence of strong ground-level leaders to rejoin the party........ the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) made massive gains in West Bengal, winning 18 of the state's 42 Lok Sabha seats, up from just two in 2014. After that, her party lost seven municipalities to the BJP, as a majority of them switched over to the saffron outfit....... While the TMC was on the back foot, Banerjee, the West Bengal chief minister, had secretly picked political strategist Prashant Kishor on June 6 to get the party on track ....... After 54 days of Kishor's appointment, the outreach programme Didi Ke Bolo (Tell Didi) was launched on July 29, and in a span of nearly 180 days the TMC has not only managed to recapture all the seven municipalities which went to the BJP (due to a switchover) but also win the confidence of strong ground level leaders to rejoin the TMC........ His first major campaign was in 2011 when he secured the victory of Narendra Modi in Gujarat for a third term as chief minister. The 42-year-old trained in public health and worked with the United Nations for several years before entering the Indian political scene.......... He came under the spotlight when he helped Modi and the BJP win the 2014 general elections with innovative canvassing techniques: the chai pe charcha (talks over tea) campaign, 3D rallies, conclaves and social media programmes. Since then, Kishor has aided in electing to power JD(U)'s Nitish Kumar in Bihar, Congress's Amarinder Singh in Punjab and the YSRCP's YS Jagan Mohan Reddy in Andhra Pradesh. ........ As per the TMC’s internal assessment, more than 2,000 strong leaders – who actually have the capability to turn the tables – have come back to the Trinamool in the last six months. Most of them are booth leaders, having a great connect at the grassroots level.......... On November 7, Mamata Banerjee personally assessed the impact of Prashant Kishor’s ‘Didi Ke Bolo’ campaign in Bengal. The review meeting was held at Trinamool Bhawan in North Panchanna Gram where all the party leaders including MLAs, MPs and district presidents were asked to be present. The campaign provides a platform to the people to directly lodge complaints with the chief minister. Anyone can reach out to her by calling ‘9137091370’ or by logging onto www.didikebolbo.com, with their suggestions and problems....... more than 30 lakh people have made calls, expressing their suggestions and grievances. Banerjee was impressed with the impact on the ground level...... More than 250 party workers are engaged round the clock not only to ensure each and every grievance/suggestion reaches the chief minister but also list them in various trackers and buckets for swift resolution. As suggested by Kishor, there are separate buckets for all the government schemes for people and multiple trackers for each to keep an eye on how many issues have been resolved and the time taken.



2024: Possible Lok Sabha Composition

BJP: 150

Anti-BJP Coalition (ABC):
Congress: 60
JD (U): 50 (25 in Bihar, 25 outside Bihar)
Trianmool Congress: 40
Shiv Sena: 20
LJP (Paswan): 6
RJD: 10
AIADMK: 20
DMK: 15
YSR Congress: 20
BJD: 20
BSP: 30
SP: 30
NCP: 10
CPI (M): 10
TRS: 10
TDP: 5
AAP: 4
Total: 360
Others: 33


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Monday, September 23, 2019

Imran Wants To Lift 100 Million Pakistanis Out Of Poverty



So says Imran. I think he can get it done. Not only that, I don't see anyone else on the horizon who can get it done. How will he be able to get it done? Here are my ideas.
  1. Peace with India. This is the most important thing. Unless India and Pakistan can figure out a way to create lasting peace, Pakistan will have it tough. And the formula for peace is that both agree that the Line Of Control will be the final border, and both will compete with each other to bring democracy and human rights to Kashmiris on both sides. Then they have to focus on trade and gradually, over time, get the troops away from their borders. 
  2. Peace in Afghanistan. I'd say to Imran, break the rule and talk to the Taliban. There is something about this Pathan Saheb that the Pakistani Army Chief plays ball with him, and looks like the Taliban want to respectfully talk to him. Let them. The formula for peace there is like what happened in Nepal. The Maoists and the Nepal Army were at war. Peace meant the two armies got combined and became one. Incorporate the Taliban fighters into the Afghan Army even if that means a huge defense budget. Peace is worth the price. 
  3. Peace between Iran and Saudi Arabia. The status quo is unsustainable. And this is way beyond the scope of Imran's capabilities. The PMO office in Pakistan has a hard enough time dealing with internal villains. But in a 10-year timeframe I hope he does play a role here, a role there to bring about a fruitful outcome. 
  4. Law and order inside Pakistan. This means unless you are a soldier or a police officer, you don't get to carry a gun inside Pakistan. Zero tolerance for terrorist groups. He really has to lead the Pakistani army here. When Imran's hero and role model Nitish Kumar came to power in Bihar in 2005, he only said, "Law and order!" That is all he said when he ran for office, and that is all he worked on for the first few years. Nitish knew that unless he could restore law and order, nothing else he does really matters. Next thing you know, he had put 70,000 people behind bars. 
  5. Infrastructure. That road that China is building is key. It will transform Pakistan. It will unify Pakistan. I am for robust federalism in Pakistan. I am not for breaking Pakistan into smaller pieces, a fantasy of some Hindu fanatics in India. After law and order, Nitish focused on building roads. Roads, roads and more roads. When Deng Xiaoping started his reforms in China, his first mantra was, lay down train tracks everywhere. Infrastructure is important. 
  6. Health and education. This is another place where Bill and Melinda Gates are huge fans of Nitish Kumar. I believe Imran Khan is making all the right noise here and making the right moves. I wish him all the best. 
  7. 5G. This is where you want to take your bathroom trip when Donald Trump starts talking about Huawei. If the Chinese want to steal Pakistani secrets, let them. That might be a stealth way of forcing them to learn Urdu. But get 5G done. And Huawei has the best deal in the market by a wide margin. Blanket Pakistan with 5G. This is more important than train tracks and roads and bridges. 5G is the most important infrastructure today. If you blanket the land with 5G, you will be able to do in 10-15 years, what China did in 30. 
  8. Ease of Doing Business. Here, learn from Modi. The guy has helped India climb up the ranks. 



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Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Bihar 2020: Race For Chief Minister

The way I read the situation, the person who will succeed Nitish Kumar as the Chief Minister of Bihar will be Prashant Kishor. Prashant will also lead a party that will have acquired national status by then.



Video: BJP’s Chief Minister in Bihar | Plans to Corner Nitish Kumar

Several Aspirants From BJP for CM’s Post in Bihar According to the sources in BJP, nearly half a dozen senior leaders including three Union Ministers (Giriraj Singh, Nityanand Rai and Ravi Shankar Prasad) and three ministers in Nitish Kumar-led BJP-JD(U) coalition government (Nand Kishor Yadav, Prem Kumar and Mangal Pandey) are key CM aspirants in the state. ...... One after another, senior BJP leaders continue to embarrass CM Nitish Kumar. ....... Despite Sushil Kumar Modi’s attempt at damage control – when he called Nitish Kumar ‘captain’ of NDA in Bihar – BJP leaders continue to target the CM. Modi had said that Kumar is and will remain the captain of the NDA in 2020 Assembly polls....... But within BJP, another name that is being discussed for the post of CM is of Nityanand Rai, who belongs to RJD chief Lalu Prasad’s caste – Yadav. Rai is being seen as a leader with the potential to make dent in Lalu’s traditional social support base. "BJP has already made a dent in Lalu's vote bank. Now, the party has to project a Yadav leader in place of Nitish Kumar to get their support," said a BJP leader and former MLA ....... Earlier this week, senior BJP leader Sanjay Paswan had unleashed a political storm when he stated that Nitish Kumar has occupied the chief minister’s chair for quite a long time.

The Churning in Bihar: Stage Being Set For Nitish Kumar to Lead Opposition Camp as Tejashwi Yadav Mopes RJD leader Shivanand Tiwari argued that since there was no credible opposition at the Centre these days, Kumar should come to national politics and unite all opposition parties as he had all along maintained his secular image....... The Rashtriya Janata Dal wants Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar to lead the socialist-strain of political outfits in the absence of an acceptable towering leader among all the opposition parties in the country. ....... “There is a leadership vacuum in the opposition rank. I have watched Nitish Kumar in politics for nearly 35 years and I can vouch that he has the political guts and capability to become the Prime Minister of the country. He should throw the NDA yoke and become the opposition face at the national level,” Tiwari said. .......The Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) led by former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, too, has advised Kumar to walk out of the NDA and work on an alternative platform. “It is high time that all like-minded leaders should come forward and provide an alternative to the present dispensation,” Manjhi said. ....... Such overtures are being considered as an open invitation to the JD(U) chief to join hands with the RJD once again before the 2020 assembly elections and cobble up an alliance of like-minded opposition parties........ The RJD is mulling over such possibilities due to perceived disenchantment of party leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav with politics and his reluctance to lead the party as well as the opposition. He has been conspicuous by his absence since the party’s rout in the Lok Sabha election, where the RJD had for the first time drawn a blank.......

Senior RJD leaders too are mulling over getting rid of Lalu’s scions. Some of them have even proposed to elect or nominate a working president to run the party

...... Against this backdrop, it appears that stage is being set for a churning in the opposition camp with Nitish Kumar as the main protagonist before the assembly polls in some states next year. .......

On its part, the JDU has already opposed the Triple Talaq Bill and Article 370 in both the houses of Parliament. The party has diametrically opposite stand on uniform civil code and Ram Mandir and wants the two issues to be settled either through court verdict or consensus among the stakeholders

........ Though JDU is part of NDA at the Centre and in Bihar, it has decided to contest elections in four states of

Delhi, Haryana, Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir

individually to increase the number of votes polled in parliamentary and legislative elections so that it could attain the status of a national party by 2020. At present, the JDU is now recognized party in Bihar and Arunachal Pradesh........ A wily politician, Nitish has begun the exercise to expand his horizon beyond Bihar - at least in Hindi heartland and north-eastern states. He is attempting to draw a bigger line than the present regional leaders like Akhilesh Yadav, Mayawati, Mamata Bannerjee and Navin Patnaik.





Why the BJP needs Nitish Kumar in Bihar On September 9, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLC Sanjay Paswan said it was time for Bihar chief minister and the Janata Dal (United), or the JD-U, chief Nitish Kumar to move to Delhi......... "We have complete faith in Nitish Kumar's honesty, good governance and competence," Paswan told the media. "My only request is that Nitishji should also trust the BJP the way we have trusted him as chief minister for 15 years and let the BJP have one term [as Bihar CM]. Either Sushil Modi or Nityanand Rai can be given a chance." ......... Nitish is yet to respond to these statements, but the state BJP leadership has already swung into damage control. Bihar deputy CM Sushil Modi, the BJP's tallest leader in the state, tweeted and then retweeted that Nitish Kumar is the skipper of the NDA in Bihar and that he will "remain its Captain in next assembly elections in 2020". The purpose of Modi's tweets was twofold--to unruffle JD-U's feathers and to silence his saffron party colleagues......

nearly 70 per cent new voters have voted for Nitish Kumar. It means every second new voter has voted for Nitish Kumar

...... The new voters, Bihar's youth, are intelligent and perceptive and determined who they should look to for vision and leadership. They can differentiate between a run of the mill politician and a statesman like Nitish Kumar.......

Nitish Kumar has remained the fulcrum of Bihar politics since his party defeated Lalu Prasad's RJD in the 2005 assembly polls.

From then to 2019, Bihar has seen four Assembly and three Lok Sabha polls. And barring the 2014 Lok Sabha election--when Bihar was swept along with the country by the Narendra Modi wave--the winner had Nitish by his side in six of those seven elections. "As Bihar prepares for assembly polls next year, these details further confirms why Nitish Kumar is important for us," says a senior BJP leader........ Nitish's voter base is the numerically significant extremely backward castes (EBCs), which account for 30 per cent of his votes; and the Mahadalits (the most marginalised among the scheduled castes), which account for 15 per cent. Caste-neutral women, whom the CM won over with his landmark 2016 decision to impose prohibition in the state, form the nucleus of the JD-U's strength. These three sections make up over 45 per cent of voters in Bihar......... "Next year, the BJP may begin its negotiations for the 2020 assembly polls by demanding at least an equal number of seats. And at least a section of BJP leaders may create trouble if team saffron wins a higher number of seats," said a senior JD-U leader.

PM retains five ministers from Bihar; Nityanand Rai new face Speculation, however, was rife in the state’s NDA circle on Thursday that the PM would accommodate three from the BJP,two from the JD(U) and one from LJP in his new team........ The ratio so discussed was in accordance with the respective strengths of the three NDA partners from the state in Lok Sabha. BJP had won 17 seats, JD(U) 16 and LP six

Jitan Ram Manjhi refuses to accept Tejashwi Prasad Yadav as GA leader
As a Reward for Winning Bihar for NDA, Nityanand Rai is MoS in Home Ministry He was given the responsibility of the party in 2016 when the BJP was said to be divided in several factions and its morale was at an all-time low after having lost to the grand alliance miserably in 2015....... Shah saw in Rai the spark and ignored several senior faces in Bihar to lead the party.

Time and option fast running out for Nitish Kumar Amid such strained ties, Nitish is keeping a hawk’s eye on rebel RJD MLAs who have pledged “unconditional support during any crisis.” Besides, the JD (U) strongman has kept Congress too in good humour by not speaking anything against the grand old party

Doubts in people's mind on multi-party system: Shah come three days after he raised another controversy when he pitched for 'One Nation, One Language' to make Hindi as the national language.

‘RJD will have no alliance with Nitish Kumar’s JD(U)’: Tejashwi Prasad
Why Nitish, Mamata, Uddhav and Kamal Haasan need Prashant Kishor
No Arun Jaitley or Prashant Kishor by his side, Nitish Kumar struggles to deal with BJP The latest among the host of issues that have triggered rifts between the two is the BJP’s demand for a national register of citizens (NRC) in Bihar........ A senior BJP leader and minister in the Nitish Kumar government, Vinod Singh, wanted an NRC in Bihar to expel “Bangladeshi infiltrators”. The JD(U), however, dismissed the demand, saying there are no illegal immigrants in Bihar. ....... Four years later, Jaitley played a key role in negotiating Nitish’s return to the NDA fold........ Nitish, he said, was having an “unusually long talk with Arun Jaitley”, who was finance minister at the time. As Nitish returned, Jaitley played a role in convincing the BJP brass to give Nitish equal number of seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls........ “If I have had the opportunity to serve the people of Bihar, it was largely due to Arun Jaitley, and I will never forget it in my life,” he said. “Whenever there were differences, Arun Jaitley showed that they can be dealt with through talks.” ....... The poster war started Sunday, when a new hoarding was installed outside the JD(U) office in Patna with the message “Kyu Karey Vichar, Theek Toh Hai Nitish Kumar (Why think of an alternative, Nitish Kumar is OK)”. The hoarding was allegedly put up by R.C.P. Singh’s supporters. The RJD then installed its own take on the slogan: “Kyu Na Karey Vichar… Bihar Jo Hai Bimar (Why not think of an alternative, given that Bihar is ailing)”.

Opposing Modi govt on triple talaq and Article 370, Nitish Kumar signals a shift. Again The answers may appear unclear now but

Nitish Kumar’s challenge to Narendra Modi’s BJP at its peak is unmistakable.



Nitish Kumar captain of NDA in Bihar, hitting fours and sixes: BJP's Sushil Kumar Modi "@Nitish Kumar is the captain of NDA in Bihar and will remain its captain in next assembly elections in 2020 also. When captain is hitting fours and sixes and defeating rivals by innings where is the question of change," the deputy chief minister said on Twitter...... "The BJP respects its allies and their leaders. We abide by the coalition dharma. Expression of a personal opinion, or even that of sentiments of workers or general public must not be confused with the party's official stand," BJP state spokesman Nikhil Anand tweeted on Tuesday.

JD(U) rejects RJD proposal for Nitish Kumar to lead opposition parties at Centre “Thank you for the offer and accepting Nitish’s capability as a leader. But let me make it clear to all the GA [Grand Alliance] leaders that JD (U) is very much a part of the [BJP-led] NDA [National Democratic Alliance]. The... [NDA] is going to contest the 2020 assembly polls under his leadership in Bihar,” said JD (U)’s principal general secretary K C Tyagi. ...... Tyagi said the main reason of corruption, which forced the JD (U) to quit the RJD-led GA in 2017 remained. “Nitish Kumar’s USP has been that he has not compromised on three Cs [crime, corruption, and communalism]. Despite being with the NDA, he maintains the same posture and has differed with its alliance partner [BJP] on several issues...” ....... The JD (U) plans to contest assembly elections in Jharkhand, Delhi, and Haryana on its own even as it remains a part of the NDA. It has differed with the BJP and opposed the law that criminalizes the practice of instant divorce among a section of Muslims and abrogation of Constitution’s Article 370 that gave Jammu and Kashmir a special status.

JDU to contest elections on all Assembly seats JDU will contest elections on

all the 81 assembly seats of Jharkhand

, said JDU National President Sanjay Kumar. “JDU is the only party, emerging fast as a new option in the State. Our aim is to bring a drastic change in Jharkhand by inclusive growth of the people residing here,” said Kumar....... Jharkhand is looking back at a trail of broken promises, political instability and deep-rooted corruption as it completes more than a decade. The state has always made news for the wrong reasons, instability and corruption. ...... The nexus of politicians, bureaucrats and contractors are virtually plundering the State.

'No Shah, Sultan or Samrat must renege on' unity in diversity Promise, says Kamal on Hindi imposition ....... Referring to the country's National Anthem, Haasan said it was penned in a language (Bengali) that was not mother tongue to most citizens........ "Most of the nation happily sings itsNational Anthem in Bengali with pride, and will continue to do so." ....... "The reason is the poet (Rabindranath Tagore) who wrote the National Anthem gave due respect to all languages and culture within the Anthem. And hence, it became our Anthem," he said........ AIADMK leader and Tamil culture Minister K Pandiarajan had said if the Centre imposed Hindi unilaterally, there will only be (adverse) reaction and no support, not only in this state, but also in West Bengal, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, all non-Hindi speaking ones.

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar is set for another term, but what's next for him Assuming that Kumar leads the NDA in the 2020 election, it will be probably his last election for the chief minister's position

Nitish Kumar Gears Up to Fill Opposition Void, Targets Pan-India Presence with JDU Expansion Nitish Kumar has begun the exercise to fill the void and expand his horizon beyond Bihar. He is attempting to draw a bigger line than the present regional leaders such as Akhilesh Yadav, Mayawati, Mamata Banerjee and Naveen Patnaik......... After deciding to stay away from the Narendra Modi 2.0 government at the Centre, the Janata Dal United (JDU) leader Nitish Kumar has decided to embark on his party’s expansion and capacity building plan at the national level to have its pan-India presence........ This opportunity has come to the JDU after the crushing defeat of Congress at the national level, electoral setback to RJD and its regional allies in Bihar, and perceived dwindling base of the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party in the neighbouring Uttar Pradesh. ......

To begin with, the JDU has decided to increase its footprints in smaller states by increasing the number of MLAs and percentage of votes to attain the status of national recognised party by 2020.

...... the JDU resolved that it will not be a part of the BJP-led NDA outside Bihar but will contest the upcoming assembly polls in four states on its own to make the JDU a potent force beyond Bihar.......... “We will fight the elections in four states of Delhi, Haryana, Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir with all our might and strength and we will strive to achieve the status of a national party by 2020,” said JDU secretary general K C Tyagi. .............

The task of this capacity-building exercise has been primarily given to poll strategist and party vice-president, Prashant Kishor.

....... The selection of Jammu and Kashmir is important and indicative of party’s firm stance on core national issues because the JDU has diametrically opposite stand on Article 370 and Article 35A vis-à-vis the BJP. The BJP wants abrogation of Article 370 and 35A, while the JDU wants consensus among all stakeholders before taking any final decision on such contentious issues......... The party performed miserably in the last Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh assembly elections. It contested 12 seats each in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh but could garner only a total of 24,107 votes and all its candidates lost their security deposits. ........ In Karnataka, the JDU lost all the 27 assembly seats it had contested while its performance in Gujarat was below par as it could not open its account even though it contested on 38 seats........The JDU had earlier failed in Assam where it had contested on four seats in collaboration with AIUDF, whereas in Kerala it had contested on four seats under the Congress-led United Democratic Front but lost all seats, including two sitting seats. ....... At present, the JDU has one MLA in Nagaland and runs an alliance government with the BJP, while in Manipur it contested one Lok Sabha seat this time but lost. However,

in Arunachal Pradesh, the JDU has seven MLAs, the second largest chunk in the 60-member state assembly.

....... The JDU won 16 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar and secured 21.81% vote share this time but it is far behind meeting the criteria of a national party. It will have to wait till it garners minimum 6 per cent of votes in state assembly or Lok Sabha polls at least in four states....... With indication of Nitish’s discomfiture with the BJP, the alliance may turn untenable and a split cannot be ruled out before the 2020 Bihar assembly elections. Overtures on JDU-Congress-RJD alliance are already in the air, given the way the chips are stacked against allies of the mahagathbandhan.

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Thursday, May 16, 2019

This Turn By Nitish Is Meaningful



This turn by Nitish Kumar is meaningful. He has not said anything new, but his party's declaration that Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and Orissa qualify for a Special Category status by the center is meaningful. There are rumors the BJP is getting less than a majority in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. If that ends up being true, that will be a sure indication the BJP might not come back to power. If those three states gang up and say we will support whoever gives us Special Category status, that would be a game changer. Because that would torpedo the BJP's chances of forming a government even if they are near 250.

Nitish surely is not worried about Bihar. The RJD would be glad to step in should the BJP walk out.

If this is the thought process then that might be an early indication that as Nitish Kumar sees it, the BJP is not getting the majority of seats in UP and Bihar. It has long been said in Indian politics that there never has been an instance when a party lost UP and still formed the government in Delhi.

If the BJP-led NDA is closer to something like 230, it is possible an expanded NDA might demand a non-BJP PM.

Declare Nitish Kumar as PM face, demands JD(U) lawmaker
Nitish Kumar Has Written His Own Sad Twist To His Tale
In Bihar, Nitish Kumar's Party Catalyst For Win: Prannoy Roy's Analysis

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Monday, March 25, 2019

क्या प्रशांत किशोर नरेन्द्र मोदी के उत्तराधिकारी हैं?





मान लो मोदी वाकइ में चीन के डेंग सिआओपिंग के भारतीय रूप हैं और वो लगातार १५-२० साल शासन करते हैं। भारत के अर्थतंत्र को सही नेतृत्व देते रह जाते हैं। जो कि आसान काम नहीं है। भारत लोकतंत्र है। मोदी चुनाव के बाद चुनाव जितते रहेंगे ऐसा कोइ गारंटी तो है नहीं।

लेकिन मान लो वैसा हुवा। वो डेलिवर करते गए। चुनाव जितते गए।

तो उसके बाद उनका उत्तराधिकारी कौन? स्वाभाविक है मोदी के ही जेनेरशन का कोइ नहीं। तो अगले जनरेशन का कौन? अखिलेश, राहुल, आदि हैं। लेकिन उस अगले जेनेरशन के सबसे प्रतिभाशाली व्यक्ति हैं प्रशांत किशोर। राजनीतिक कुशलता के हिसाब से वही दिख रहे हैं।

तो उनके लिए रास्ता क्या है? क्या हो सकता है? जिस तरह अमरिका में अलेक्सांद्रिया ओकाजिओ कोर्टेज राष्ट्रपति बनेगी वैसे ही कहा जा सकता है प्रशांत किशोर भारत के प्रधान मंत्री बनने के लायक हैं।

रास्ता ये हो सकता है कि वो अगले चुनाव में पटना पहुँचते हैं और नीतिश के नम्बर दो बनते हैं। उसके बाद के चुनाव में नीतिश स्वेच्छा से रिटायर हो जाते हैं और प्रशांत को अपना उत्तराधिकारी घोषित करते हैं। और अभी से तभी तक प्रशांत अपनी पार्टी जदयु को लगातार बिहार से बाहर विस्तार करते हैं।

तो एक बार बिहार में मंत्री, उसके बाद मुख्य मंत्री। तब तक मोदी रिटायर होने के कागार पर रहेंगे शायद।

तो NDA की नम्बर दो पार्टी के नेता होते हुवे भी वो उस गठबंधन के तरफ से देश के प्रधान मंत्री बन सकते हैं। लेकिन कमसेकम ५० सांसद तो अपनी चाहिए।

अर्नब की इतनी शालीन इंटरव्यू आपने कभी देखी है? मैंने तो नहीं देखी। फिदा हैं प्रशांत पर।

बिहार २०२५
बिहार 
बिहार २०२५

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Thursday, August 31, 2017

Modi's Remarkable Political Maneuvers Are Nobel Peace Prize Size



Of all the heads of state on the world stage right now, Modi is the most remarkable. He promises to be the economic Gandhi of India, the Deng Xiaoping, the Lee Kuan Yew. None of the three - the Mahatma, Deng, or Lee - had to contest elections like Modi has to. And it is not just every five or four years. In India a France size election is just round the corner all the time.In that sense India is not just the largest democracy. It is a perpetual democracy. 

The true test of political leadership is if you can get the people to make short term sacrifice for long term gain, and Modi seems to have managed to do it. His grand moves of demonetization and the GST ("good and simple tax" in his words) might have dragged the growth rate down from a high of 7.9% to a still impressive 5.7% but without demonetization and the GST perhaps India could not have aspired for a growth rate of 10% or more. Now it can. 

But Modi does not have the luxury of time. The growth rate has to now go past at least 8% before he has to go back to the people in 2019 to renew his personal mandate. 

Job creation is a major hurdle. It will happen or not in the so called informal sector. Making available credit to the chaiwalas (tea sellers) of India is what will do the trick. 

On the political front Modi seems to be defying gravity. He repeated his total sweep of Uttar Pradesh. Nitish Kumar, projected by many as his most likely rival in 2019, has instead switched sides and joined him again. This would be like if John McCain were to join the Democratic Party.

Modi's challenge is to remain Prime Minister for at least 15 more years and give India sustained double digit growth rates, and then give the country a successor who will continue on that double digit path. All electoral victories however impressive will not mean much unless that economic objective is met. So far he shows all signs he will deliver. 

In his very first year as PM Modi successfully concluded India's border dispute with Bangladesh. The dispute made the Israel Palestine land dispute look like a piece of cake. Just recently he got China to step back from potential war, or at least a skirmish. These are Nobel Peace Prize size political moves. A prize that he deserves, by the way. But it will be Gandhiesque if he does not get it. There is no telling he will not fall into the white blind spot. This is Time magazine Man Of The Decade if you ask me. 

The thorn in his side continues to be the extreme right wing of his own organization. Hindu pride is fine. But anti-Muslim intolerance is offensive. If ever the BJP ends up in disgrace, that social weakness is going to be the reason why. It is the same God both Hindus and Muslims pray to. Five blind men are touching the same elephant. 


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Saturday, September 17, 2016

Prohibition In Bihar


Raghuvansh Singh Asks For Repeal

Mr. Singh told The Hindu in an exclusive interview that the new law levying a communal fine on villages and the arrest of entire households where alcohol has been found goes against the “spirit of jurisprudence”.

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Saturday, August 13, 2016

Bihar Prohibition

I don't know what to make of it.

They tried it in the US in the 1930s, and they ended up with Al Capone.

But in India this might be more of a political pendulum swing. If you are going to ban beef, I am going to ban alcohol. Is it true that beef has been banned in Maharashtra?

Hindus not eating beef is totally understandable. But how can you ban beef in an entire state? That is like imposing one religion on members of another religious group.

I have been curious about the details and the logistics. How did they do it? What happened to all the alcohol the day the ban went into effect? Were they destroyed?

Bihar (or India) is not exactly known for great, efficient law enforcement. There is much corruption. So how well has the ban been implemented?

In America Nixon launched a War On Drugs. But today it feels like a way to bring back slavery upon the blacks. There are so many blacks behind bars for small drug offenses, it does feel like slavery is back full force. It has been a racist endeavor.

Domestic violence is a valid, serious concern.

But why do people drink? Why do people smoke pot? Why do people do drugs? Not all of it can be explained as bad choices.

I think in Bihar the number one reason people drink is because there is malnutrition. People are hungry. Also, the abject poverty and the pressures of life could be causing mental health issues. And by mental health I am not suggesting Ranchi levels. Mental health is a spectrum, just like physical health. Physical health does not have to mean cancer. It can also be a cough.

After ban, in a state of low spirits
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Saturday, March 12, 2016

In The News (3)



India Doesn't Have To Increase Exports To Grow The Economy By 8-10%
India needs to export rapidly to grow 8-10 percent: finance adviser
The Donald and The Barack
The Republican Debate Was Civil, Respectful -- And Breathtakingly Extreme
A party moving backward.
Trump politely stuck by his position that Islam itself hates America. "I'll stick with what I told Anderson Cooper," he said. Marco Rubio, pressed on whether this universal hatred exists, said that the real problem with Trump's hate speech was that it was fueling anti-American sentiment that was putting Christian missionaries at risk. ..... a civil John Kasich suggested indefinite occupation will be the status quo in Israel for Palestinians."I don't believe there is any permanent peace solution," he said. Rubio more moderately suggested only 30 years needed to pass first. ..... Trump did say he disapproved of the attack, but spent the rest of his time explaining how angry people are about trade deals and how disruptive and unruly some protesters are. ..... "They have anger that is unbelievable. Unbelievable. They love this country," said Trump. "I see it. There is some anger. There is also some great love for the country." ...... Ted Cruz politely promised to fire some unnamed federal workers. "I know who they are," Cruz said. "I will find them and I will fire them.
PM Narendra Modi pitches for further quota reforms at IMF
"Change in quotas is not an issue of increasing the 'power' of certain countries. It is an issue of fairness and legitimacy. The belief that quotas can be changed, is essential for the fairness of the system," he said addressing a conference on Advancing Asia, co-hosted by India and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). ..... India's quota in IMF rose to 2.7 per cent from 2.44 per cent and its voting share increased to 2.6 per cent from 2.34 per cent. ...... For the first time, four emerging market countries of the BRIC bloc - Brazil, China, India, and Russia - will be among the 10 largest members of IMF. ...... Other top 10 members include the US, Japan, and the four largest European countries - France, Germany, Italy and the UK.
Canceled Trump rally in Chicago reflects nation's deep, angry political divide
sporadic skirmishes inside and outside the University of Illinois at Chicago Pavilion, reflected the two extremes of the political landscape — a disaffected right wing and a dissatisfied left wing. ..... The viral images of a largely young, ethnically and racially diverse group of protesters erasing his Chicago event could help the chances of the brash-speaking businessman and reality TV star who has eschewed political correctness along the campaign trail. ...... "I want to thank Rahm Emanuel for not endorsing me," he said. "I don't want his endorsement."
In Bihar, PM Narendra Modi slams Congress, lauds Nitish Kumar
PM Narendra Modi and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar underline the need for centre-state coordination
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Wednesday, March 09, 2016

मैडागास्कर के मुख्य मंत्री श्री नीतिश कुमार जी

Animation of the structure of a section of DNA...
Animation of the structure of a section of DNA. The bases lie horizontally between the two spiraling strands. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
नीतिश जी का मधेस आंदोलन के बारे क्या राय है? उनके काठमाण्डु भ्रमण और नेपाली काँग्रेस के प्रति की आसक्ति से मैं क्षुब्ध हुँ।

जैसे कि भारत में है GST Bill, या लैंड बिल या लॅबोर बिल, या और भी नीति। मधेस आंदोलन उस केटेगरी की बात नहीं है। कि बीजेपी कह रही दिन तो मैं कहुँ रात, बीजेपी कह रही रात तो मैं कहुँ दिन।

जब दक्षिण अफ्रीका में अपार्थाइड था ये वैसी बात है। तो उस समय मार्गरेट थैचर और डिक चेनी कहते थे नाकाबंदी मत करो। नीतिश तो मार्गरेट थैचर और डिक चेनी सरीखे हो निकले मधेसी के लिए। ये कैसी लज्जा की बात है!

नीतिश नाम से मधेसी नहीं लेकिन cultural DNA के आधार पर तो ११०% मधेसी हैं। तो फिर कहाँ खो गया सॉलिडेरिटी?

जो काँग्रेसी मधेसी होते हैं उनका मानसिक दासता इस पराकाष्टा पर होता है कि उन्हें पता भी ना चला कि उनके ही दिए हुवे शक्ति से सत्ताधारी ने मधेसी पर दासता लाद दिया और उन्हें पता भी न चला। जिस तरह अँग्रेज भारतीय सैनिक और कर्मचारी के प्रयोग से ही भारत पर राज किया करते थे।

जैसे अब्दुल कलाम राष्ट्रपति का जुता उतरवाया गोरो ने भारत के भुमि पर। वो था रिहर्सल। उसके बाद हौसला बढ़ा तो शाहरुख़ खान का पैंट उतरवाया न्यू जर्सी में। और अभी देखो फ्लिपकार्ट में ८०% स्वामित्व है विदेशी का। ये तो ईस्ट इंडिया कंपनी का बाप फ्लिपकार्ट।

जागो बिहारियों। ये मधेस आंदोलन जितना हमारे लिए उतना ही तुम्हारे लिए। अपनी खोई गौरव वापस ले लो। तुम एक ज़माने में सुपरपावर हुवा करते थे। मधेस आंदोलन में एकाकार हो जाओ और फिर से बन जाओ सुपरपावर।

नीतिश का एक Blind Spot: FDI (2)
नीतिश का एक Blind Spot: FDI
नीतिश के दो Blind Spots
मधेसका संघर्ष भारत का अपना संघर्ष है

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Saturday, March 05, 2016

नीतिश का एक Blind Spot: FDI (2)

English: Fixed Capital Formation and FDI in th...
English: Fixed Capital Formation and FDI in the Philippines (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
English: Foreign direct investment incoming in...
English: Foreign direct investment incoming in Jordan (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
नीतिश का एक Blind Spot: FDI

मोदी खुद कटोरा ले के सारे दुनिया घुम रहे हैं डेढ़ साल से कि FDI दे दो। स्वाभाविक है केंद्र सरकार के पास पैसा नहीं है। तो बिहार सरकार पैसे क्यों माग रही है? मुख्य मंत्री थे मोदी गुजरात में तो सालाना एक समिट करवाते थे। घर बैठे FDI आ जाती थी। विशेष राज्य का दर्जा मिलने से कितना पैसा आना है? जितना भी आना है उसकी सीमा होगी। लेकिन FDI का कोई सीमा ही नहीं है। सिर्फ लेनेवाले पर निर्भर होता है कि लेने का क्षमता कितना है? एक लाख करोड़ चाहिए कि दो लाख कि पांच लाख? क्षमता कितना है? जितना है उतना लेते जाओ।

समाजवाद में शायद FDI नहीं होता। समस्या शायद वो है।

Related articles

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नीतिश का एक Blind Spot: FDI

काठमाण्डु मीडिया को पढ़ो तो लगता है नीतिश को मधेसको बारे में न कुछ मालुम है न मतलब है।

लेकिन मधेसी मीडिया को पढ़ो तो मालुम पड़ता है कि नीतिश जितना बिहार समझते हैं उतना ही मधेस और नेपाल समझते हैं। सबसे जो सटिक प्रश्न है वो उन्होंने किया। कि जो काँग्रेस और कम्निष्ट पार्टी में मधेसी हैं उन्होंने इस संविधान पर हस्ताक्षर क्यों किया?  जाहिर है उन सांसदों के मतदाता इस संविधान से तीव्र असंतुष्ट हैं।

नीतिश के दो Blind Spots

लोकतंत्र में वैसा नहीं होता है। सांसद और उसके मतदाता के बीच इतनी दुरी लोकतंत्र में संभव नहीं। ये दुरी उस बात की प्रमाण है कि नेपाल में वास्तव में लोकतंत्र है ही नहीं। चुनाव में भारी धाँधली हुवी। उसके बाद भी विजेता पार्टी ने अपना मैनिफेस्टो ही फेंक दिया। संविधान सभा में व्हिप जारी नहीं किया जा सकता। वो एक विश्वव्यापी मान्यता है। नेपाल में व्हिप जारी की गयी। जभी जयशंकर आए उस समय में संविधान सभा के पास कमसेकम ६ महिना समय बाँकी था अगर प्रक्रिया को पुरा किया जाता तो। तो उसको शार्ट सर्किट कर दिया गया। अभी भी ये लोग कह रहे हैं चलो चुनाव की ओर। यानि की फिर से जम के धाँधली करने की काबिलियत रखते हैं। इतना सब कुछ हो जाने के बाद भी। ये लोकतंत्र नहीं फासिज्म है।


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Friday, March 04, 2016

नीतिश के दो Blind Spots

पहला FDI, और हाल ही में मेरे को दिखा दुसरा मधेस।

मोदी के उदय से पहले मेरे को लगता था मधेस और मधेसी शब्द दिल्ली के डिक्शनरी में है ही नहीं। ये नहीं की केयर नहीं करते या बुरे लोग हैं। उनको मालुम ही नहीं कि इस दुनिया में मधेसी हैं भी। जैसे कि मेरे को लगता है मैडागास्कर में मालुम नहीं होगा कि मधेसी भी हैं कहीं। इसका मतलब वो बुरे लोग हैं ऐसी बात नहीं। 

नीतिश काठमाण्डु आए। बातचीत से लगता है मैडागास्कर से आए हैं। बिलकुल अनभिज्ञ हैं। पुछ रहे हैं रावणों से, मधेस आंदोलन के बारे में बताइए। तो प्रचंड ने नीतिश से मिलने के बाद वक्तव्य निकलवाया कि नीतिश ने कहा अब तक नेपाल में जो हुवा आप ही के नेतृत्व में हुवा और आगे भी आप ही के नेतृत्व में होगा। नीतिश ऐसा बोले होंगे मेरे को नहीं लगता। लेकिन प्रचंड ने one party dictatorship का थिंकिंग कभी छोड़ा ही नहीं। देश में कोई प्रधान मंत्री आ जाए उन्हें लगता रहता है देश मेरे ही नेतृत्व में आगे बढ़ रहा है।

प्रचंड ने नीतिश को मधेसी समझ के हेप के बात किया। Patronizing tone में। राडार पर उतना को दिखना चाहिए कि नहीं कि इस आदमी ने मेरे से किस टोन में बात किया? 

समाजवाद में होता है पैसा केंद्र सरकार से माँगो। देगा तो नहीं। तो फिर रैलियां निकालो। प्रेस में जा के हल्ला करो। मोदी के सरदार पटेलवाद में होता है कि FDI से लाओ पैसा। गारंटी आएगा। तो जिस तरह मोदी मुख्य मंत्री थे तो सालाना गुजरात समिट करते थे। बिहार में भी करना चाहिए। पैसा आने का वही एक तरिका है। और वो फॉरेन ऐड से बेहतर होता है। 

पड़ोस में रहते हैं लेकिन नीतिश मधेसी से इतने अनभिज्ञ! 

और इनकी ग्रैंड अलायन्स की गाडी बिहार में अटक गयी। राहुल क्रेडिट ले रहे हैं। कि हम ने बिहार में कर दिखाया। अब असम और उत्तर प्रदेश में भी कर दिखाएंगे। असम तो मेरे को मालुम नहीं लेकिन उत्तर प्रदेश में तो आपका दुकान भी नहीं। 

मधेसको पहचानना ज्यादा जरुरी नहीं। लेकिन नीतिश FDI को ना पहचाने तो या तो अलायन्स टुट जाएगी या तो अगला चुनाव हार जायेंगे बिहारमें।

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Saturday, January 30, 2016

How To Turn Patna Into A Smart City For Free

Satya Nadella, the CEO of Microsoft, was in India last year wanting to help spread internet access through the TV spectrum. You broadcast the internet like you broadcast TV waves. Nitish could talk to Satya and offer Patna as an experimental space for the initiative. If the entire city of Patna can be blanketed with internet broadcast over the TV spectrum, paid for by Microsoft, Patna will end up the smartest city in India. Nitish already has a great personal relationship with Bill Gates. Time to cash on it, maybe?

Nitish laments absence of Bihar on smart cities’ list



Bihar CM Nitish Kumar attacks Centre for 'ignoring' Bihar in Smart City list
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today hit out at the Centre for not selecting any city from Bihar in the the list of 20 smart cities and said the BJP-led Union government has no consideration to maintain regional balance. ...... "There is no rule or law before them...something other is going in the country these days," he said........ "There is no 'maryada' (decency), 'niyam' (rules), neither they have any consideration to maintain regional balance," Kumar, who is senior leader of JD(U) said. ....... "This is example of 'andher nagri' (misrule)," the Bihar CM said.
Microsoft wants to bring cheap broadband to 500,000 Indian villages
Last November, the company began experimenting with the unused spectrum between TV channels, known as ‘white space‘, to provide internet services to a school in the Srikakulam district in the state of Andhra Pradesh. ...... It’s now extended its pilot testing to the city of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. Nadella said Microsoft plans to work with the central and state governments to bring connectivity using this technology to 500,000 villages across the country. ...... That could be huge for India, where roughly 70 percent of the population inhabits nearly 640,000 villages. ...... Between Nadella’s announcement and Google CEO Sundar Pichai’s plan to bring public Wi-Fi to 400 train stations in India, it looks like Narendra Modi’s visit to Silicon Valley is proving to be rather fruitful for the millions of citizens who are yet to log on to the Web for the first time.
Report: Google testing 5G drones that deliver internet 40 times faster than 4G
Google is testing solar-powered drones at Spaceport America, a New Mexico facility that formerly played host to Virgin Galactic. ....... The project, codenamed SkyBender, aims to test several prototype transcievers and drones using millimeter wave radio transmissions. ...... Millimeter transmissions occupy the 28GHz frequency and although the range is shorter than that of current 4G technologies, the speeds are incredible. ..... Theoretically milimeter wave technology can transfer multiple gigabits of data per second, up to 40 times more than current 4G LTE systems.
Microsoft plans to provide free Internet across India using ‘white space’ TV spectrum
Microsoft has announced its plans to bring Internet connectivity across the country completely free of cost. ...... Microsoft has proposed to make use of

the “white space” or the unused spectrum between two TV channels

, to make Internet connectivity to a vast population an economically-viable solution. .......

Unlike Wi-Fi, which has a range of only about 100 metres, the 200-300 MHz spectrum in the white space can reach up to 10 km. This spectrum currently belongs to the government-owned Doordarshan TV channel and is not used at all.

....... The initiative seems to have come right in time when PM Narendra Modi has announced his Digital India project. The project that would cost $1.2 billion aims to connect 250,000 gram panchayats in order to make Internet connectivity accessible to every part of the country. The project has garnered the interest of several tech giants, including Facebook and Microsoft, who have shown their willingness to offer support to make it a reality.
White spaces (radio)
National and international bodies assign different frequencies for specific uses, and in most cases license the rights to broadcast over these frequencies. This frequency allocation process creates a bandplan, which for technical reasons assigns white space between used radio bands or channels to avoid interference. In this case, while the frequencies are unused, they have been specifically assigned for a purpose, such as a guard band. Most commonly however, these white spaces exist naturally between used channels, since assigning nearby transmissions to immediately adjacent channels will cause destructive interference to both. In addition to white space assigned for technical reasons, there is also unused radio spectrum which has either never been used, or is becoming free as a result of technical changes. In particular, the switchover to digital television frees up large areas between about 50 MHz and 700 MHz. This is because digital transmissions can be packed into adjacent channels, while analog ones cannot. This means that the band can be "compressed" into fewer channels, while still allowing for more transmissions. ...... In the United States, the abandoned television frequencies are primarily in the upper UHF "700-megahertz" band, covering TV channels 52 to 69 (698 to 806 MHz). U.S. television and its white spaces will continue to exist in UHF frequencies, as well as VHF frequencies for which mobile users and white-space devices require larger antennas. In the rest of the world, the abandoned television channels are VHF, and the resulting large VHF white spaces are being reallocated for the worldwide (except the U.S.) digital radio standard DAB and DAB+, and DMB.
White Space, the next internet disruption: 10 things to know
White Space has started spreading internet access to unconnected areas. Here's what you need to know about this confusing, widely-hyped, emerging technology.
In even the most developed countries, there are huge gaps in internet access. Fixed broadband access is unaffordable for 3.9 billion people around the world. In the U.S., about 72 percent of people have home broadband internet access, but 60 million people are still living without it. ....... White Space stands to transform the way we purchase and use wireless internet. It isn't yet widely adopted, but this unlicensed, free form of broadband is gaining traction. ........... Typical home Wi-Fi can travel through two walls.

White Space broadband can travel up to 10 kilometers, through vegetation, buildings, and other obstacles.

Tablets, phones, and computers can all access this wireless internet using White Space through fixed or portable power stations. The actual amounts of spectrum vary by region, but White Space spectrum ranges from 470 MHz to 790 Mhz........ In 2011, Wilmington, North Carolina implemented White Space technology to connect the city's infrastructure, allowing public officials to remotely turn lights on and off in parks, provide public wireless broadband to certain areas of the city, and monitor water levels. At West Virginia University, White Space technology is used to power a "super Wi-Fi network". It started in 2013 with wireless internet on the campus public transit platform, which transports about 15,000 students a day. WVU is the first campus to utilize White Space broadband internet. ....... "The Gigabit Libraries program is using TVWS devices to deliver Internet service to local libraries and a number of operators in rural areas are using these devices to provide service to homes and businesses in rural areas" .........

Google and Microsoft are already chasing the emerging White Space market in Africa, where only 16 percent of the population is online. Because the waves can travel up to 10 kilometers in radius, it is great for remote, off-the-grid villages.

...... Microsoft's 4Afrika initiative is focusing on White Space technology throughout the continent, hoping to bring millions of people online, and has projects in place in Tanzania and South Africa. ...... Rural areas, both in the U.S. and abroad, are often inhibited from wireless access because they are inaccessible and off the local power grid. Cell towers are difficult to install and can't connect, either. Fortunately, White Space power stations can be charged with solar panels, and the excess electricity generated can also power other institutions in the area such as schools....... With a cell tower or other device, the White Space technology can travel 10 kilometers and service many more customers at one time. ....... Microsoft has implemented White Space projects throughout Asia, including a recent deployment in Singapore through partnerships with Singapore government research agencies and a UK wireless service provider in areas where vegetation makes wireless access difficult. In conjunction with its projects in Europe, Microsoft is also creating a database for White Space in the U.S., much like Google's. ........

Internet service providers were ranked the lowest customer service satisfaction of any industry in America, according to American Customer Satisfaction Index's most recent survey. The two largest providers, Comcast and Time Warner, were ranked the lowest out of all internet service providers.

...... So far, the FCC has allowed very few internet service providers to license the White Space spectrum. Hopefully, they will continue to be cautious about who they allow to purchase the spectrum so that it can be a disruptive force in connecting more people to the internet.


How new 'white space' rules could lead to an urban super-Wi-Fi
White space, or buffer channels, refers to the unused channels between the VHF and UHF spectrum. In the pre-cable era, when over-the-air broadcasts ruled the day, these buffers were used to prevent broadcasters from interfering with one another. We all know how prevalent over-the-air broadcasting is now; today this spectrum is largely unused. ...... a super Wi-Fi network knitted together with next-generation TV or smart remotes. ...... wireless data could be transmitted over UHF channels during active TV broadcasts without interference. ......

The UHF spectrum, which ranges from 400 to 700 MHz, is superior to the higher-frequency signals used for existing Wi-Fi hotspots

...... as these signals carry for miles and are not blocked by walls or trees.
TV white space will connect the internet of things
White spaces in the radio spectrum can now be used for anything from wireless flood defences to city-wide Wi-Fi. Services using the technology could appear before the end of the year with surplus spectrum filling in gaps where Wi-Fi and Bluetooth fail. ........ The spare spectrum comes from bands currently shared by digital TV and wireless microphones. ..... Broadly the technology will allow internet of things devices to communicate with one another and the internet. White space spectrum could also improve broadband coverage in rural areas and boost Wi-Fi signals in crowded cities. ...... King's College London is currently researching how white space spectrum could be used to improve broadband coverage by linking white space connections between buildings. The technology could also be used to add extra capacity to crowded networks.

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