BIHAR LAND TRIBUNAL

Bihar government is determined to ensure speedy disposal of land related disputes. To secure this objective, Bihar Land Tribunal would be set up. Bill to this effect was passed by Bihar Legislative Assembly on Wednesday, the 29th 2009. At present all cases related to land disputes ultimately reach to civil and High court. The land reforms legislations itself are immune to constitutional review because such legislations have been put under Schedule IX of Indian Constitution. This immunity however does not prevent High Court to try cases under the Land Reforms Laws. Over a period of time, such cases have piled up in High Court. At present 458 cases of Land Ceiling Act 1961 are pending in Patna High Court and 16 in Supreme Court. Similarly cases related to Bihar Land Reforms Act, 1950, Bihar Tenancy Act, 1885, Bihar Prevention of Fragmentation of Land Act, 1956, Bihar Bhoodan Act, 1954, Bihar Privileged Persons Homestead Tenancy Act, 1947 etc are pending in Supreme court also. Needless to say that like all other cases, these matters are also lying pending in High Court and Supreme Court for many years defeating the purpose of the Land reforms it self. The demand for setting up this Tribunal has been made on and often but due to one reason or the other this demand was not met. COSNTITUTION OF TRIBUNAL- there shall be one chairman and four members in this Tribunal. Chairman will either be the serving or retired High court Judge whereas; the members would be of the rank of district judge. One administrative member will be a retired IAS of Principal or secretary rank. All cases related to land disputes shall be transferred to it within specified period of time. It is being hoped in legal and administrative echelons that setting up of this tribunal would accelerate the pace of disposal of such cases, the pendency of which is bane to the land reforms measures.

YAHOO AND MICROSOFT TO FIGHT GOOGLE UNITEDLY

UNITED WE SUCCEED DIVIDED WE FAIL

Google is likely to face stiffer competition ahead as Microsoft and Yahoo have struck a deal on Wednesday, the 29^th July, 2009. Last year, Microsoft made an abortive attempt to purchase Yahoo out rightly at a cost of 47.5 billion USD. After this failure, the two companies tirelessly worked a fresh to come together to break unchallenged monopoly of Google and this pact is the result of this effort. On Wednesday they announced partnership in internet searching and advertising. Hitherto Google virtually enjoys lion’s share in this field and none of the companies could pose a serious challenge single handedly to this IT giant. This deal is an attempt to pose challenge to Google in this area. At present Microsoft and Yahoo constitute only 28 % share in search engine area and rest 72% goes in Google’s account.

According to this deal, this pact (Microsoft-Yahoo pact) stipulates division of duties instead of merger of these two Companies, which was the main reason of last year’s fiasco. This fiasco led to change in management of Yahoo. The co-founder of Yahoo Company Jerry Yang was replaced by Carol Bartz. Mr. Bartz is now the CEO of Yahoo.

According to information available, Microsoft would provide search technology to Yahoo Websites whereas; Yahoo would now concentrate on producing web media sites ranging from sports and entertainment to finance.

The terms of agreement will be for 10 years and it calls for Microsoft to license some search technologies of Yahoo, in turn Yahoo would be getting a lion share of 88% of revenue generated from search by Yahoo.

The advertising field would be divided and Yahoo will now be the exclusive advertisement force. Microsoft CEO, Steven A. Ballmer said on this occasion that this is a land mark in the history of A&M in IT field and will create new sky soaring heights in field of innovations in search and advertising which is now, he said, is dominated almost monopolistically by one company, he meant by it Google.

This agreement marked the end of one of the longest and most tumultuous technology deal in the field of IT industries of world. This deal is culmination of the process which Ballmer had started as wooing Yahoo in 2006 it self, the time Terry Semel was CEO of Microsoft. It was thus a happy moment for Ballmer because now he is the CEO of Microsoft, what a destiny indeed!

Hopefully this pact would open new vistas in the field of computers which is witnessing new inventions and new experiments in this century. One can hope that coming years will be quite different from what we see and watch today. It is said that change is a painful process, but this change is perhaps not going to be painful but exciting.

IS TALIBAN IN NIGERIA?

GOING PAKISTAN AND AFGHANISTAN WAY?

Another African country, Nigeria, came under Islamic terrorism with spurt in violence killing at least 150 people in northern part of the country. Boko Haram, an Islamic group which is opposed to western education and culture, has perpetrated this violence in which police stations and churches were burnt. This organization which claim that it is linked to Al-Qaeda and Taliban was formed in 2004 it self to counter spread of western education and culture in Nigeria. It is opposed to spread of Christianity also in this poverty stricken African country.

This attack is supposed to have come as retaliation after clashes in the Muslim dominate state of Bauchi and Yobe in Nigeria in which some Muslims were reported killed.

Although Boko Haram’s link to Taliban in Afghanistan or Al-Qaeda of Osama-bi-laden has not clearly been established but neither of the two world’s most dreaded terrorist organizations have denied this connection also. Muhammad Ysusuf, the supreme leader of Bako Haram, in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state, unequivocally stated that his organization is linked to Taliban and is working for imposition of Shaiat law in Nigeria because, what he reportedly says, western education has corrupted the Nigerian society and government to core.

President of Nigeria, Umaru Yar’Adua has ordered national security agencies to take strict actions against perpetrators of violence and ensure safety and security of civilians. Massive hunt is launched to nab the culprits.

The spurt in violence on religious lines is very dangerous, especially in view of Nigeria’s geographical and strategic location. The total population of Nigeria according to 2007 census is 148,000,000 which are divided into 250 ethnic groups. It is home of variety of religions and main among them are Islam and Christianity. There are indigenous religions like Igbo Odinani and Ifa. Among Muslim, 95% are Sunnis and rest is Shia minority. The problems is that if this violence engulf other parts of Nigeria and spreads to other African country, it will provide grazing grounds to the Islamic terrorist organizations. The communal violence between Muslim Uighur and Hans in Urumqi of Xingjiang province of China is bound to have its repercussions in other central Asian countries as well as African countries. If this fire spreads to other parts of Africa and Central Asia, it will aggravate the situation, which has already attained Global dimensions.

The international community therefore, must act and do needful in this regard because it seems that the terrorists are trying to form a crescent in south Asia, Central Asia, Africa and Middle East.

INS ARIHANT ENTERS; ENEMY DETERS

INS ARIHANT; WIL IT TRIGGER ARMS RACE?

INS Ahirant enters into water yesterday, the 26^th July, 2009 after formal naming of this vessel done by PM’s wife Gurusharan Kaur by breaking coconut at the dry port in vishakhapattanam. According to naval tradition such rituals are performed only by a woman. Thus India formally joined the club of existing 5 countries which have indigenously developed Nuclear Sub-marines; this date was selected because country is celebrating 10 anniversary of Kargil War as Vijay diwas.

INS Ahirant code named as ‘Advanced Technology vessel’ is 5,000 tons vessel and fitted with a mini Nuclear reactor developed by BARC which can generate 80 MWe to run the vessel and fire missile.

Till date only USA, UK, Russia, China and France have such N- Submarines in their naval fleets. Indigenously developed by BARC and DRDO with the help of Russia, INS Ahirant will substantially enhance our defense capability because this vessel can operate remaining in water for longer periods due to inbuilt N-reactors. Non N-Submarines (general submarines) have to come out to the water surface either for re-fuelling or oxygen necessary for combustion of fuel, thus the vessel is exposed to enemy’s threat. The N-Submarines are not required to come out to the water surface in the sea because the N-Reactor continues to supply the vessel required energy for movement and operation.

Ahirant, which means destroyer of enemy, will undoubtedly bestow upon our Navy upper hand vis-à-vis our enemies at sea. This submarine would be fitted with K-15 ‘Sagarika’ missiles which is a nuclear capable submarine launched ballistic missile of 750 km range. This missile is likely to be ready for use by 2010 and is being developed by DRDO missile complex of Hyderabad. It is 18.5 meter long, 17 tons heavy with 500 kg payload missile and is capable of very effective strike at enemy’s establishment.

Thus the long waited ambitious program of having N-Submarine with intermediate range ballistic missile is going to be achieved. It is a red letter day for all Indians especially our defense. The fast changing politico-strategic balance of power in South-Asia and Central, South-east and Middle East Asia, this development is of immense significance. Such enhancement of striking power of naval forces will deter terrorist also who are now frequently using sea routes to strike and inflict on Indian territories.

OBAMA'S COMMENT SPARKS OFF RACIAL DEBATE

BEWARE OF ENEMIES WITHIN USA

A small incident in USA snowballed into a major controversy pulling President in the centre of eyeball has once again exposed that racial issue in USA is still a reality. It so happened that a black Professor of Harvard University, Prof Henry Louis Gates Jr, when returned to his home in Cambridge found his doors stuck. Prior to this, his neighbor called the police saying that some youths were trying to break Professor’s house open. Police responded and came to Professor’s residence. By this time Professor Gates was already home. Sgt James Crowley, the Police officer mistook Professor Gates as house breaker and wanted him to come out and speak to him. Sgt James Crowley, a white police man was rebuffed by Professor Gates saying ‘I will talk your mama’. Sgt Crowley warned Professor Gates of being ‘disorderly’, but Professor Gates went on behaving the same way. Sgt Crowley stated that he had to arrest Professor not because he did not come out because he (Sgt) knew by that time that Professor Gates was inside his own home. Professor Gates was handcuffed by Crowley and taken to police state on charge of professor being disorderly, a charge later dropped.

The controversy arose when President Obama termed Sgt Crowley’s action as ‘stupidly’ a term which was vehemently opposed by many whites. The Cambridge Superior Police officers Association condemned President’s remarks and demanded an apology from him. Several other organizations too came in Sgt Crowley’s support, a situation Obama himself would have never expected. Sensing the popular mood Obamas said becasue this has been ratcheting up, and I helped to contribute to the racheting up in my choice of words, I unfortunately gave the impression that I was maligning sereant Crowley specifically' Obama quickly mended his mistake by inviting both to White House for sharing beer.

ISSUES RAISED- this episode will settle down within few days but it has raised the issue and question again that has racial elements in American society not yet withered out? Is the election of Obama, the first African-American to White House resurrecting this dormant issue? Is American society so intolerant that one statement snowballs into controversy to national and international magnitude?

One may agree and disagree on the above mentioned issues, but one thing is clear that racial elements do exist in American society. We have to think that whether this controversy was blown out of proportion to defame Barrack Obama because he is a non-white President? George.W.Bush has been very harsh in his tone with respect to such issues. His arrogance and bad etiquettes had gained notoriety during his two terms of office but even then controversy of this proportion and magnitude did not arise. One should not forget that the kind of magnanimity shown by Obama is unheard in recent years by any American President.

INDIAN MENTALITY AND US PERSPECTIVE- One may disagree to the observation made above by comparing it with Indian psyche and reject the propounded theory, but one should not forget that human psychology and human prejudices and biases are by and large the same across the world and society. The American society needs introspection following this controversy and tries to rise above trivial issues. Expression of racialism in any form is rabid and should be abhorred. Especially when it is practiced by developed society and educated class.