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DMK house on fie! -- Kumar Chellappan

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Dec. 13, 2012


DMK house on fire!
WEDNESDAY, 12 DECEMBER 2012 23:48 KUMAR CHELLAPPAN | CHENNAI

The internecine war in the DMK between the siblings of party chief M Karunanidhi came out in the open with his elder son and Union Minister for fertilisers and chemicals MK Alagiri throwing gauntlet at younger brother and the apparent heir MK Stalin. Alagiri has been maintaining a low profile during the last three months because of a non-bailable warrant issued against his son Dayanidhi by a court in connection with the illegal granite quarrying in Madurai district. Monday saw the Madras High Court quashing the NBW against Dayanidhi and his business associartes.
Alagiri who flew down to Madurai to attend the marriage of his long time friend Misa Pandian’s son declared that those who ditched him and moved over to the Stalin camp are in for major trouble. During the last three months, Stalin toured the region and weaned many acolytes of Alagiri. He also usurped the youth wing of the party through manipulations.

“Many DMK functionaries who were promoted by me to party positions ditched me. I am leaving it to nature’s justice to punish them. I am not worried about them. But this is Madurai. Nothing can happen here without us,” Alagiri reminded his detractors while felicitating the newly wedded couple. In Tamil Nadu it is customary for the chief guest of the marriage to deliver a public speech to bless the bride and the groom. Misa Pandian had been an Alagiri loyalist since the day the latter was sent to Madurai by his father to make the coronation of Stalin a smooth affair.

Alagiri is upset that Karunanidhi and his younger son Stalin did not offer any help to extricate Dayanidhi from the granite mining scam. What made him furious was Stalin poaching from his camp while he was running from pillar to post to safeguard his son.
Political chroniclers pointed out that Alagiri is capable of making or marring the DMK’s chances in the 2014 Lok Sabha election. Alagiri, sensing the danger of Stalin walking away with the party, is seriously thinking of anointing his son Dayanidhi and daughter Kaayalvizhi to the DMK leadership. Kaayalvgizhi, a poetess like Kanimozhi, has political ambitions and she informed grandpa Karunanidhi about her dreams.

“Kaayalvizhi met Karunanidhi recently and told him about her political ambitions. Alagiri has decided to concentrate more on Tamil Nadu politics and hence may not contest in the next Lok Sabha election. In that case, he prefers Kayalvizhi to be the natural choice as the DMK candidate from Madurai. There is nothing strange in it because all children in the K-clan grow up breathing politics,” said V Murugan, a former IAS officer-turned political commentator. Alagiri is all set to promote Dayanidhi too in the DMK hierarchy. “With Stalin planning to anoint his son Udayanidhi as the next youth wing chief of the party, the Alagiri family has to be suitably compensated. Karunanidhi has to find a solution to keep the sons and their families in good humour,” said Murugan. Though Karunanidhi, nearing 90, declared recently that Stalin would be the next party chief, Alagiri is reported to have mocked his father’s statement. “ Stalin is yet another DMK man. I don’t have anything special to say about him; he is like everyone; he is like all members of the DMK,” Alagiri told journalists recently.

http://www.dailypioneer.com/nation/115176-dmk-house-on-fire.html

Community manifesto as grouping of nations for a global economic order

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Rāṣṭrī, community manifesto as grouping of nations

Vāk devī : aham rāṣṭrī samgamanī vasūnām (Ṛgveda 10.125).Trans. I am Rāṣṭram taking pilgrims’ on a progress with wealth.

dhruváṃ te rā́jā váruṇo
dhruváṃ devó bŕ̥haspátiḥ
dhruváṃ ta índraś cāgníś ca
rāṣṭráṃ dhārayatāṃ dhruvám (Ṛgveda 10.173.5)

Trans. Steadfast, may Varuṇa, the Rājā, steadfast, the Divine Bṛhaspati
Steadfast, may Indra, steadfast too, may Agni keep the steadfast Rāṣṭram.

In this Rgvedic statement, Rāṣṭram is emphasized as the epitome of ‘steadfastness’.

Vājasneyi Samhitā (10.4) explains the form, structure and function of Rāṣṭram:

This refrain is repeated several times, describing the attributes of Rāṣṭram.

Āpah parivahiṇī stha Rāṣṭradā Rāṣṭram me datta svāhā
Āpah parivahiṇī stha Rāṣṭradā Rāṣṭramamuṣmai datta svāhā

parivahiṇī stha -- Place with (ocean) waves
apām patirasi – Place adjoining the ocean (apām pati)
apām garśnosi – Place moistened (endowed) with water
sūryatvacas stha – Place covered by sunshine
māndā stha – Place with gladdening (potable) waters
vrajākṣita stha – Place with marked roads, cattle-sheds, enclosures or herdsmen stations
vāśā stha -- Place with plants (arable land)
śāviṣṭhā stha – Place with resolute, mightiest (craftsmen)(cf. RV 5.29.15)
śakvarī stha – Endowed with artificers
janaśnṛta stha – Place with agriculturists (anṛta)
viśvaśnṛta stha – Place with culture (cultivator tradition) of pitṛ-s.
vṛṣṇa ūrmirasi stha -- powerful wave (cutting like a sword)
vṛṣa senosi stha -- powerful battle-array (cutting like a spear)
artheta stha -- place with work opportunities to create wealth
ojasvatī stha -- place filled with water, vigour, lustre
viśva bhṛtam -- place bearing, nourished by the dharma of pitr-s
āpah svarāja stha -- place with self-luminous, resplendent rays of the sun and water (springs)

These are the endowments of a Rāṣṭram.

Rāṣṭradā Rāṣṭramamuṣmai means ‘Rāṣṭram (in exchange for this prayer), for this (generation) and for generations’.

Rāṣṭrī can be summarized as a path, a grouping of nations washed by the waves of oceans and endowed with people working together on a pilgrimage, yātrā of generations. This is the path of abhyudayam and nihśreyas (social welfare and union with paramātman).

Two such groupings with a common cultural quotient evolved over millennia, can be recognized: European Community, Indian Ocean Community.

Indian Ocean Community

A theory for wealth of nations: Market economics overturns Adam Smith and Karl Marx [Paperback] Author: S. Kalyanaraman

Book description http://tinyurl.com/akmtwko

In the context of economic theories of political economy, market capitalism dominated by a network of corporations defines global capitalism which makes society subservient. Economic history of two millennia provide a framework for delineating a relativist theory for wealth of nations governed by Sreni dharma to cope with greed and corruption. The metaphor of varaha, upholding the earth provides an outline for sustaining wealth of nations. Reviewing holistic-ethical development models and role of social capital, the dominant role has to be assigned to household economics which provides for rebuilding economic theory founded on a global ethic to correct market fundamentalism and to create and strengthen European Community and Indian Ocean Community as Rastram, grouping of nations. Such a theory will promote and sustain wealth of the grouped nations.

About the Author. Dr. S. Kalyanaraman is Director, Sarasvati Research Center, President, Ramasetu Protection Movement in India and BoD member of World Association for Vedic Studies. His research interests relate to rediscovery of Vedic Sarasvati River, roots of Hindu civilization, decoding of Indus Script, National Water Grid and creation of Indian Ocean Community. He has a Ph.D. in Public Administration from the University of the Philippines. He is a multi-lingual scholar versed in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Sanskrit, Hindi. He was a senior financial and IT executive in Asian Development Bank, Manila, Philippines and on Indian Railways. His 18 publications include: Indian Lexicon - a multilingual dictionary for over 25 Indian languages, Sarasvati in 15 volumes, Indian Alchemy - Soma in the Veda, Indus Script Cipher, Rastram, Indian Hieroglyphs, Indian Ocean Community. He is a recipient of many awards including Vakankar Award (2000), Shivananda Eminent Citizens’ Award (2008) and Dr. Hedgewar Prajna Samman (2008). Website: http://sites.google.com/site/kalyan97

Product Details. • Paperback: 264 pages • Publisher: Sarasvati Research Center, Herndon, VA (December 11, 2012) • Language: English • ISBN-10: 0982897162 ISBN-13: 978-0982897164 http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/12/book-announcement-theory-for-wealth-of.html

Table of Contents

Economic theories & Political economy 4
Market capitalization of listed companies (% of GDP) in world 31
Global crisis and the decline of market fundamentalist form of capitalism 35
Network of corporate control of economic activity in the globe 43
The network corporate 51
Less than 1% of Companies in Control 54
Global capitalism attempts to make society subservient 57
Economic history of two millennia 61
A relativist theory for wealth of nations 99
Śreṇi dharma: coping with greed and corruption 147
Upholding the earth for wealth 159
Five dimensional economic model of Subramanian Swamy 209
Social capital model of Vaidyanathan 214
Household economics
-- Rebuilding economic theory founded on the household 220
Market fundamentalism needs the corrective of a global ethic 227
European Community and Indian Ocean Community as Rāṣṭram, grouping of nations 241
Index
End Notes


S. Kalyanaraman
https://sites.google.com/site/kalyan97/national-water-grid https://sites.google.com/site/indianoceancommunity1/

Thorium loot from the country: Assurances in Parliament of necessary action.

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December 13, 2012

See related links:

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/12/parliament-bypassed-to-steal-rare.htmlParliament bypassed to steal rare atomic minerals

dear dr kalyanaraman

Just few minutes back (12.45 pm today) , Mr Venkaiah Naidu (BJP) raised this issue in the zero hour and spoke on this in Rajya Sabha. He was supplmnted by Najma Heptullah and Ravishankar in the House. On behalf of the Govt. Parliamentary affairs minister rose and assured the House that he would take up with Coal and Mines Mnister and also with PM for necessary action.

I watched this in Rajya Sabha TV live.

This is for your information.
--
K. Srinivasan,
Founder, Prime Point Foundation,
Chief Strategist, Image Audit www.imageaudit.com
Editor-in-Chief, PreSense and PodUniversal
President, Cyber Society of India
Convenor, Education Loan Task Force (ELTF) www.eltf.in
14 (Old NO 8) Wason Street, T Nagar, Chennai 600017
Phone 044 28144285 / 91766 50273
http://www.prpoint.com

 

Cumulative list of blogposts with label 'Thorium' (December 12, 2012):

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/12/norway-begins-four-year-test-of-thorium.html
Norway begins four year test of thorium nuclear reactorhttp://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/12/parliament-bypassed-to-steal-rare.html

Parliament bypassed to steal rare atomic minerals 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/12/thorium-will-help-shape-chinas-energy.html

Thorium will help shape China’s energy future

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/12/thorium-has-risks-but-has-great.html

Thorium Has Risks, But Has Great Possibilities For Power Production

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/thorium-to-be-tested-in-working-nuclear.html

Thorium to be tested in a working nuclear reactor -- oilprice.com. GOI, protect India's thorium resources.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/peak-oil-security-policy-implications.html

Peak oil, security policy implications of scarce resources (Bundeswehr study, 2010) 

 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/illegal-notification-of-18-jan-2006-on.html

Illegal notification of 18 Jan. 2006 on Atomic Minerals and loot of Rs. 96,120 Crores worth Atomic Minerals - Complaints

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/govt.html

Govt. of India should act now to stop illegal mining of Atomic Minerals

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/india-announces-plan-to-build-thorium.html

India announces plan to build thorium reactor. Congrats to India's nuclear scientists. 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/letter-to-chairman-atomic-energy.html

Illegal mining of Atomic minerals worth Rs. 96,120 crores

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/submit-viewssuggestions-on-mines-and.html

Submit views/suggestions on Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Bill No. 110 of 2011

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/cause-and-effect-case-study-in-and.html

Cause and effect: a case study in and dossiers on Rare earths/Atomic Minerals of India 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/dae-cancel-and-withdraw-illegal.html

DAE, cancel and withdraw an illegal notification issued in January 2006.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/atomic-minerals-include-thorium-uranium.html

Atomic minerals include thorium, uranium, monazite, zircon, ilmenite, rutile and leucoxene (Part B of First Schedule of the Act 1957)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/pm-should-ban-placer-sands-mining.html

PM should ban placer sands mining, nationalise minerals of national importance consistent with Shah Commission recommendations on manganese/iron ore mining

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/our-nuclear-program-will-be-thorium.html

Our nuclear program will be thorium based - APJ Abdul Kalam 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/protection-of-thorium-other-rare-earth.html

Protection of thorium & other rare earth minerals - Swamy refutes DAE claims

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/our-policy-is-to-reprocess-all-fuel-put.html

‘Our policy is to reprocess all the fuel put into a nuclear reactor’ -- Sekhar Basu

 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/protection-of-thorium-reserves-in.html


Protection of thorium and rare earth reserves in the country 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/cheap-nuclear-energy-is-illusion-kumar.html

Cheap nuclear energy is an illusion -- Kumar Chellappan

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/dae-press-release-xport-of-monazite.html

DAE Press release : Export of Monazite from India. India backtracks on involving private miners in monazite - Ajoy K Das

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/thorium-loot-no-private-parties.html

Thorium loot: No private parties permitted to produce monazite, says DAE

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/cheapabundant-very-safe-nuclear.html

Cheap,abundant & very safe nuclear power.....Thorium

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.com/2012/10/protection-of-thorium-reserves-in_14.html

Protection of thorium reserves in the country

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/thorium-loot-spells-strategic-loss.html

Thorium loot spells strategic loss 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/kerala-metals-and-minerals-ltd-causing.html

Kerala Metals and Minerals Ltd causing radiation: PIL 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/separation-of-monazite-from-placer.html

Separation of monazite from placer sands and strategic needs of India's energy programme. 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/nuclear-thorium-country-needs-thorium.html

Nuclear Thorium: Country needs thorium-based fast breeders -- Dr. Kalam

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/near-monopoly-position-of-company-in.html

Near monopoly position of a company in garnet placer sands

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/estimated-value-of-thorium-loot-in.html

Estimated value of Manavalakurichi placer sands loot in a decade: Rs. 1 lakh crore

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/placer-sands-exports-detailed-in.html

Placer sands exports detailed in a Criminal Petition in Hon’ble Supreme Court

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/govt-misled-parliament-on-thorium-loot.html

Govt. misled Parliament on thorium loot. Thorium a game changer for India's power needs?

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/export-profiles-of-placer-sands-of.html

Export profiles of placer sands of Manavalakurichi complex

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/rare-earth-complex-of-india-containing.html

Rare earth complex of India -- containing thorium, the strategic nuclear fuel

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/indias-nuclear-energy-through-thorium.html

India's nuclear energy through thorium. Powering the world.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/thorium-could-have-powered-india.html

Thorium could have powered India

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/the-power-of-thorium-29-september-2012.html

Power of Thorium - two books reviewed. 'Super Fuel':Martin. ‘Thorium: energy cheaper than coal’: Robert Hargraves

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/thorium-upas-new-coalgate.html

Thorium UPA's new coalgate?

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/how-far-off-is-thorium-energy-it-is.html

How far off is thorium energy? It is producing energy already -- in many reactors of India...

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/india-all-set-to-tap-thorium-resources.html

India all set to tap thorium resources

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/india-canada-nuke-pact-days-are-gone-we.html

India-Canada Nuke pact. "Those days are gone. We're not so stupid," Dr. Chaitanyamoy Ganguly, Nuclear scientist.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-to-transform-nuclear-power-pair.html Thorium to transform nuclear power. A pair of MIT students set up Transatomic Power

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/cumulative-list-of-blogposts-with-label.html

Cumulative list of blogposts with label "Thorium" (September 27, 2012). National imperative of protecting Rare earths including thorium.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-nuclear-fuel-and-iphone-are.html

Thorium -- a nuclear fuel and iPhone are born of Mother Earth. Govt. of India, conserve and protect rare earths including thorium.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/take-steps-to-protect-strategic.html

Take steps to protect strategic monazite reserves: Subramanian Swamy to PM

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-and-imperative-of-national.html

Thorium and imperative of national security - Dr. Swamy's letter to PM

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-as-strategic-mineral-greener.html

Thorium as strategic mineral: a greener alternative to uranium. India should protect her thorium reserves.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/dae-makes-strides-towards-thorium-fuel_1207.html

DAE makes strides towards thorium fuel supplies for AHWR

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-figures-unconfirmed-irel.html

‘Thorium figures unconfirmed’ - IREL

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/vver-voda-voda-energo-reactor-water.html

VVER: Voda Voda Energo Reactor, Water-cooled, water-moderated energy reactor

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/protect-india-thorium-to-transform.html

Protect India's thorium to transform the world of energy

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/a-future-energy-giant-indias-thorium.html

A future energy giant? India's thorium-based nuclear plans

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/india-should-enforce-nsg-guidelines-for.html

India should enforce NSG guidelines for protection of thorium

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/nuclear-energys-future-thorium.html

Nuclear Energy’s Future: Thorium

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/q-thorium-reactor-designer-ratan-kumar.html

Q&A: Thorium Reactor Designer Ratan Kumar Sinha

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-fuelled-dreams-for-indias_13.html

Thorium-fuelled dreams for India’s energy future. How India’s science is taking over the world.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-poster-source-thorium-australia.html

Thorium poster (Source: Thorium Australia campaign)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/briefings-on-nuclear-technology-in.html

Protect India's thorium. Briefings on nuclear technology in India -- PK Iyengar, Retd. Chairman, AEC, May 2009

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/new-all-party-uk-parliamentary-group-on.html

New All-Party UK Parliamentary Group on Thorium

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/china-takes-lead-in-race-for-clean.html

China Takes Lead in Race for Clean Nuclear Power -- using thorium.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/the-issue-is-india-as-nuke-power-anti.html

The issue is India as nuke power. Anti-Kudankulam leaders manipulate innocents - Pioneer Edit

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.com/2012/09/india-ventures-into-rare-earths-to.html

India Ventures Into Rare Earths, To Launch Soon Monazite Processing Plant

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-is-nuclear-fuel-and-should.html

Thorium is nuclear fuel and should command immediate attention of GOI to conserve and protect the wealth of the nation.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-key-to-indias-energy-security.html

Thorium key to India’s energy security -- Sandhya Jain

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/india-plans-nuclear-plant-powered-by.html

Thorium advocates launch pressure group in UK. India plans nuclear plant powered bythorium - Guardian, UK

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/feature-article-thorium-reactor.html

Feature article: A Thorium Reactor (American Scientist, 2010)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-as-nuclear-fuel.html

Thorium As Nuclear Fuel

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thoriumgate-34-blogposts-seize-moment.html

Thoriumgate. 34 blogposts. Seize the moment to strengthen India's nuclear doctrine and energy future.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/is-thorium-biggest-energy-breakthrough.html

Is Thorium the Biggest Energy Breakthrough Since Fire? Possibly.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/are-beachfuls-of-thorium-sand-curse.html

Are beachfuls of thorium sand a curse? -- Rrishi Raote

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/why-should-foreign-companies-private.html

Why should foreign companies & private parties work in monazite placer deposits?

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/krisastha-koil-kundal-uvari.html

Karisastha koil, Kundal, Uvari

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-reactors-dr-y-federation-of.html

Thorium for dummies. Thorium reactors - Dr. Y (Federation of American Scientists)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/upas-thoriumgate-toyota-tsusho-enters_6.html

UPA's Thoriumgate? Toyota Tsusho enters the scene.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/monazite-reserves-of-india-18-million.html

Monazite reserves of India 18 Million Tonnes (A review of seabed and placer mining deposits in India by Abhineet Kumar (May, 2011. Dept. of Mining Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, 2011)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-which-can-breed-uranium-233-is.html

Thorium which can breed uranium 233 is the future energy source for India. Rare earth elements; Indian rare earths -- Its genesis and growth (TK Mukherjee, IREL)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/proof-that-coir-was-used-to-export.html

Proof that coir was used to export thorium oxide in monazite. Now Toyota is inmonazite processing in India.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/wyoming-nuclear-task-force-hears.html

Wyoming nuclear task force hears thorium reactor plan

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/indian-rare-earths-genesis-and-growth.html

Indian rare earths: genesis and growth -- TK Mukherjee, IREL

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/who-looted-indias-missing-thorium.html

Who looted India’s missing thorium? -- Sandeep Balakrishna

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/after-coal-did-india-give-away-thorium.html

After coal, did India give away Thorium at pittance too?

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/great-thorium-robbery-impacting-india.html

Great thorium robbery impacting India's nuclear doctrine and energy security

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/67-years-nuclear-energy-nuclear.html

67 Years Nuclear Energy, Nuclear Destruction

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/15-billion-hole-in-ground-thorium-for.html

$15 billion hole in ground. Thorium for clean energy

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-reserve-in-country-narayanasamy.html

Thorium Reserve in the Country - Narayanasamy informs Lok Sabha

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-fuelled-dreams-for-indias.html

Thorium-fuelled dreams for India's energy future. How India's science is taking over the world.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/nuclear-materials-suppliers-group-nsg.html

Nuclear materials, suppliers group (NSG) and safeguards

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.com/2012/08/depletion-of-thorium-reserves-from.html

Depletion of thorium reserves from South Indian beaches, impacting India's nucleardoctrine and energy security: 14 blogposts

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/black-monazite-sand-deposits-found-on.html

Black Monazite sand deposits found on beaches (India)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/thorium-fuel-cycle-potential-benefits.html

Thorium fuel cycle - potential benefits for India - IAEA publication (2005)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/thorium-alleged-export-of-sands-august.html

Thorium: alleged export of sands (August 2007 report)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/key-reserve-profiles-of-placer-deposits.html

Key reserve profiles of placer deposits: Chavara and Manavalakurichi (From Ph.D. thesis of Ajith G. Nair, 2001)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/valmikis-knowledge-of-oceanography-and.html

Valmiki's knowledge of oceanography and Mannar volcanic

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/mining-of-monazite-goi-response-in-lok.html

Mining of monazite (GOI response in Lok Sabha on 30 Nov. 2011)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/indian-rare-earths-limited.html

Indian Rare Earths Limited

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.com/2012/08/vv-mineral-achievements.html

VV Mineral: achievements

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/theres-nuclear-gold-in-this-sand-and.html

There’s nuclear gold in this sand. And it’s being sent out with impunity – Tehelka

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/manavalakurichi.html

Manavalakurichi

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/irregularities-in-bureaucratic.html

Scam of the century involving Rs. 1340 billion thorium reserves. Irregularities inbureaucratic processes which led to encouragement of illegal mining of thorium

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/10-point-plan-nationalise-thorium.html

10-point plan: Nationalise thorium resources of India and institute strategic command for protecting and conserving Nuclear Fuel complexes

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/illegal-thorium-mining-in-india-value.html

Illegal thorium mining in India. Value of India’s thorium reserves: Rs. 1340 billion est.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/monday-august-13-2012-must-look-into.html

‘PM must look into illegal thorium mining’

http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3900879694651725760#editor/target=post;postID=876222689095259079

Uranium Is So Last Century — Enter Thorium, the New Green Nuke | Magazine

Tibet is burning -- Xu Zhiyong

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December 12, 2012 Tibet Is Burning

By XU ZHIYONG
Beijing

AROUND noon on Feb. 19, an 18-year-old named Nangdrol set himself on fire near the Zamthang Monastery in the northeast Tibetan town of Barma. In a note left behind, he wrote, “I am going to set myself on fire for the benefit of all Tibetans.” Referring to China’s ethnic Han majority as “devils,” he added, “It is impossible to live under their evil law, impossible to bear this torture that leaves no scars.”

Over the last three years, close to 100 Tibetan monks and laypeople have set themselves on fire; 30 people did so between Nov. 4 and Dec. 3. The Chinese government is seeking to halt this wave of self-immolations by detaining Tibetans it accuses of being instigators. Meanwhile, the scarless torture continues.

I first visited China’s far west 21 years ago with college friends. Back then it at least looked peaceful, but now, sad news arrives daily. When I returned in October, a young monk invited me to visit his monastery. Passing a checkpoint where a red banner read, “Stability Maintenance Calls for Fast Response to Emergencies,” he told me how he hated the sight of armed soldiers.

Because a road was closed for construction, I had to wait until evening to hitch a ride to Barma, where Nangdrol had lived, about 30 miles away. I was the third passenger in the car; the other two were young Tibetans.

“Are you Buddhist followers?” I asked them. One of them showed me a pendant portrait of the Dalai Lama that he pulled out from his chest. “He is our true Holiness,” he said.

“Have you heard about the self-immolations? Like, burning oneself?” I asked tentatively, finally broaching the topic. They knew about it.

“Pardon me, but do you hate the Hans?” I asked them because Nangdrol had used the term “Han devils” in his suicide note. They’d heard about Nangdrol. When I told them I was there to visit Nangdrol’s parents to express my sadness, they told me more.

They said they’d been to the site, as hundreds of Tibetans had. People had set up white tents at the intersection where he died. “He is our hero,” one said.

It was dark when we arrived in Barma. At a lamppost, one of my fellow passengers asked a man for directions but was waved off. At a crossroads, he asked two men on motorcycles and an argument broke out. A monk came to the window to examine me.

“Sorry,” my fellow passenger said, “they scolded me for taking you here.” A minivan approached. Two men jumped out of it and upbraided him indignantly. Fear and hostility shrouded the place like night.

“We are Tibetans,” he said all of a sudden as we left Barma in silence to spend the night in a nearby town. “We are Buddhists, but we can’t go to Lhasa without a permit.” Years ago, you could see many Tibetans on their pilgrimage to Lhasa, but not anymore.

The next day, I returned to Barma. I asked a young monk, on his way to fetch water, about Nangdrol. He took me to a hall where a middle-aged monk sat cross-legged in a corner. Since I didn’t have Nangdrol’s photo with me, he said he couldn’t help me.

A teenage monk asked several of his peers but got no answers. Passers-by shook their heads. At a construction site, no one had heard about him either. In the town’s elementary school I asked an armed soldier guarding the gate. I’d read that Nangdrol was a student. The soldier suggested that I check out the nearby compound where a Chinese flag flew, but people told me the town had no secondary school.

The road back from Barma was open only from noon to 1 p.m. I had to leave. Along a creek, a row of poplars basked in the golden sun, and a group of young monks in crimson robes were holding a class. Reluctantly, I climbed into a cab. I had been to many places over the years but never felt so lost.

I stopped the driver a mile or so down the road when we passed by a village on a slope. After my repeated pleadings, the roadside shop owner gave me directions to Nangdrol’s home. Up on the slope, an old couple pointed to the house.

It was a small mud-plastered house enclosed in mud-brick walls, and five tall sutra streamers flew on one side of the property. The iron gate was locked.

A middle-aged woman with a boy, passing by, said she had known Nangdrol. His parents now live on a faraway cattle farm, she said. The day of his death, she told me, he wore new clothes, and he was freshly bathed, with a fresh haircut. He asked people whether he was handsome.

I didn’t know how else to express my sorrow. I asked the woman to give 500 yuan (about $80) to Nangdrol’s parents, letting them know that a Han Chinese man had come to pay his respects.

I am sorry we Han Chinese have been silent as Nangdrol and his fellow Tibetans are dying for freedom. We are victims ourselves, living in estrangement, infighting, hatred and destruction. We share this land. It’s our shared home, our shared responsibility, our shared dream — and it will be our shared deliverance.

Xu Zhiyong, a lawyer and human rights advocate, is a founder of Gongmeng, the Open Constitution Initiative. This essay was translated from the Chinese by Yaxue Cao.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/13/opinion/tibet-is-burning.html?hpw&_r=0

Nailing fake charges against Gadkari -- S. Gurumurthy

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Juicy sideshow perverts truth

By S Gurumurthy 13th December 2012 12:00 AM

This follow up of Gadkari Probe I and II [New Indian Express 12/13, November 2012], confirms that lack of forensic depth in the investigation on Nitin Gadkari by sections of media has forced them into bias and errors of judgement. And therefore into wrong, even bizarre conclusions.

It also unravels the misconceptions on facts and logic in the probe by a well-known English daily [‘investigation’] titled “Gadkari family held shares in 3 Purti ‘shell’ cos”. [November 25, 2012] The ‘investigation’ claims that I might have been “hasty” in exonerating Gadkari and that “the source of money into Purti” has been buried under several layers of “fictitious” companies.

Minimum, the claims lack legitimacy. Because, instead of challenging, the ‘investigation’ intriguingly ducks, the Gadkari Probe I [NIE 12.11.2012] which points out that the sources of Purti equity are genuine Mehta companies and other known corporates.

Does it need a sage to say whether the Purti equity is from genuine investors or not is really at the heart of the Gadkari probe? If it is from identified investors, then money laundering charge becomes fake. The further probe here reaffirms that the Purti equity is from identified sources. The media expose, which sidesteps this main story, is just a juicy sideshow.

Purti’s Rs 68.91cr equity genuine

First, the arithmetic. Look at the history of Purti’s equity which now stands at Rs 68.91cr. From its inception till 2005, Purti had received Rs 55cr equity; on 30.3.2009, it received a further Rs 4.98cr; on 1.1.2010, it got Rs 1.51 cr more—aggregating to Rs 61.51cr from private investors. Several thousand farmers put in the balance Rs 7.40cr to complete the total of Rs 68.91cr.

The equity of Rs 55cr received by Purti up to 2005--80 percent of its present total--is really the core issue. It flowed in thus. First, Rs 47.34cr from 12 genuine Mehta companies: Parshwa Forging, Shreyans Machinery Handlers, Empire Forgings; Fargo Finvest, Godwana Eng, Creators Handicraft India,

Heritage Parks, Rushabha Forging, Coronation Shrines India, Aarya Infrastructure, Aarya Com and Parshwa Agrico. Next, Rs 3.62cr from IRB Nagpur [Rs 1.85cr], Nagpur group [Rs 0.25cr] and individuals [Rs 1.52cr]. Third, the balance [Rs 4.04cr] came from 9 of the 14 Mehta-controlled - now questioned - companies mentioned in Gadkari Probe I. Purti’s Rs 55 cr equity in 2005 [Mehta’s Rs 51.38cr plus Rs 3.62cr from others] was subject to tax probe on Mehtas and Purti in 2006, and accepted. The ‘investigation’ has ducked this crucial fact.

Purti, set up to benefit farmers in drought-prone area--so, economically unviable-- predictably turned sick by 2008. Its loans to cooperative banks had become Non Performing Assets in 2005-6; to State Bank of Indore [SBI Indore] and Bank of Maharashtra [BoM] in 2006-7; to IREDA in 2007-8. Purti needed more equity. And got it in two tranches. The first tranche [Rs 5cr] came on 30.3.2009--Rs 3.11cr again from 9 of the 14 companies; Rs 1.57 cr from Last Mile Infrastructure, belonging to Arun Lakhani [local businessman and an original Purti promoter]; Rs 0.30 cr from four other companies [Skylark, Viewpoint, Jasmine, and Aim Merchant] equally. The next tranche [Rs 1.51 cr] came on 1.1.2010, from the IRB group [which had earlier invested Rs 1.85 cr]. This took the total private equity in Purti to Rs 61.49 cr. The balance Rs 7.42 cr had come from thousands of farmers over a period. This completed the total Purti equity of Rs 68.91 cr. Now two facts stare. One, the entire equity of Rs 68.91cr into Purti is from identified investors. Two, Mehtas held Rs 54.79cr on 30.3.2009--79.5 per cent. Yet, the ‘investigation’ says that I have put “the blame” of Rs 47cr on Mehtas! on the ground that the 14 companies are “fictitious” companies. But, are they?

14 Cos genuine till 15.2.2011

While the ‘investigation’ pejoratively labels companies now holding the 4/5th Purti equity as “fictitious”, it does not say what “fictitious” means. Given its dictionary meaning as “imaginary” “unreal” “false” “pretended” or “deception”, and shocked by ‘fake’ offices and directors, the ‘investigation’ labels the 18 companies “fictitious”. First, take the case of 14 companies which had subscribed to Purti shares worth Rs 4.04cr till 2005 and Rs 3.11 cr in March 2009, and to which, the 12 Mehta companies transferred their Rs 47.34cr equity by October 2009. They had identifiable directors and valid registered offices when they subscribed to Purti shares from 2002 to 2009. They remained so as late as 15.2.2011. That Mehta’s had owned them in 2003 itself has been established in Gadkari Probe I by tracing how Mehtas had substituted 11 of the 14 companies as their alter ego to give guarantees on their behalf to IREDA and how the other three had substituted for Mehta to guarantee BoM and SBI Indore in 2004. [see NIE Gadkari Probe I dated 12.11.2012]. Undeniably, none of them was “fictitious”--then or later-- till 15.2.2011. Why only till, and what after, 15.2.2011, will unfold later.

See their history. In 2003, seven of the 14 had registered offices in Nagpur originally, four of them had offices in Mumbai, two in Amravati, and one in Bengal. In October-November 2003, Mehtas shifted their registered offices, except the one in WestBengal, to Nagpur. From then till 17.2.2011, 13 of them had valid registered offices in Nagpur; one, in West Bengal. And in each of them Mehta nominees--the combination of R K Powell, J Pahade, Anil Chandak, R Kela, Ketan Baheti, and J K Verma--were directors till Sept11 2009. Earlier, on 24.7.2009, persons associated with Gadkari were nominated as directors and they remained as directors till 15.2.2011. Why? That will be clear tomorrow.

It was when the Gadkari associates quit on 15.2.2011 that directors with doubtful identity entered their boards and two days later, on 17.2.2011, their offices shifted from genuine to doubtful addresses. But the ‘investigation’, which failed to ask why these changes took place, gives false impression that these companies were always “fictitious”, thus suppressing the vital fact that they were not at least till 15.2.2011.

Therefore, its conclusion that “the source of money into Purti” is buried under “fictitious” companies is hasty at best and false at worst. The ‘investigation’ also wrongly lists Arun Lakhani’s Last Mile Infrastructure among the “fictitious” 18. It doesn’t share the features of the rest. Its directors are different; its office was always in Nagpur. With the story of the 14 being known, the facts about the remaining three, which incidentally did put any equity in Purti directly, will unveil tomorrow.

The sideshow

The ‘investigation’ which falsely insinuates that “fictitious” companies had put equity in Purti is therefore qualitatively uninspiring. The clue to where the ‘investigation’ probably lost its way is to be found in its remark that [only] “in the last couple of years directors, their addresses and those of the companies have flitted from Nagpur”. Any agile investigator would have asked himself “why did the 17 companies flit from genuine to fake offices and directors” years after they put equity in Purti. That would have made him realise that the changes of registered offices and directors that happened long after were just a juicy side-show and that would not question genuineness of their equity in Purti. But, because of competitive sensationalism, the media became obsessed with just half, not even the whole, of sideshow, perverted the truth and projected genuine equity in Purti as bogus.

The full sideshow will reveal why and how Gadkari’s associates became directors of the 17 companies and Gadkari family members held shares in three of them, briefly; how and why did the 17 companies which had genuine directors till February 2011 and offices come to have suspect directors and registered offices. Await tomorrow.


Comments(1)
It is time we realize this indisputable fact that people who are still maligning Gadkari, are doing so purely on basis on their political affiliations. They are refusing to listen to arguments and facts on purpose, because they want to milk the issue by spreading lies through tag line and headlines. The only way forward will be for Gadkari to file suite for 1 Cr or more against each of these shenanigan makers and rumourmills. I am sure he will bag more than 1,00000 Crore in this bargain.
Posted by kamal at 12/13/2012 15:45 Reply to this Report abuse

http://newindianexpress.com/opinion/article1377094.ece

Blind-men-and-elephant like probe
By S Gurumurthy 14th December 2012 12:00 AM
Sideshow: Prologue

A prologue to the sideshow: As Purti’s loans to IREDA and banks had become NPA, a sick Purti began working from early 2009 for One- Time Settlement [OTS] of their dues. Purti had approached Global Safety Vision P Ltd [belonging to the D P Mahiskar family, Nagpur] for loan of Rs 164 cr for OTS. A willing Global asked, besides charge on Purti’s assets, pledge of promoter shares and guarantees of directors of the 14 shareholding companies. But Global obviously had unexpressed reservations about accepting pledge and guarantee from Mehta group. Result, the loan proposal got stuck for months.

Therefore, Mehtas decided to transfer the equity [`47.34cr] held by the 12 operating companies to the 17 [14+3] companies and to substitute non-Mehta nominees in place of theirs on the latter’s boards. Why? To facilitate the pledge of Mehta group holdings of Rs 54.79cr in Purti and promoter guarantees to Global without involving Mehtas in either. The decision forced Mehtas to scramble for new directors to stand substitute for their nominees in the companies. The choice inevitably, but perhaps unfortunately, fell on some Gadkari associates. They were co-opted briefly as directors to help achieve the OTS. See how things move at breakneck sequence.

2009-2011 Changes and OTS

First, on July 24 2009, four persons associated with Gadkari--K Zade, M Panse, N Agnihotri and S Kotwaliwale--were co-opted as directors in one or the other of the 14 companies. Second, on September11 2009, the Mehta nominees--J Pahade and J K Verma--quit their boards. Third, by October 2009, the Rs 47.34cr equity in Purti held by 12 Mehta companies was transferred to the 17 companies. By now, the 17 companies, with Gadkari associates as directors, held the group holdings of Purti [`54.79cr]. Fourth, immediately, on 22.10.2009, Purti filed loan application with Global, corroborating the earlier steps as necessary preparations for the Global loan. Fifth, Global forthwith disbursed the loan--Rs 28.82cr in November; Rs 53.51cr in December; and Rs 24.61cr in January 2010 and by 26.2.2010, the entire Rs 164cr. Sixth, Purti got Global to drop guarantees of Gadkari associates on the boards of the 17 companies, substantiating that their presence on the boards was for secretarial need, not by proprietorial right. Seventh, Purti completed OTS with banks by March 2010. Eighth, with Purti out of NPA issues, after a decent interval, Manish Mehta rejoined--yes rejoined--Purti Board on 27.12.2010 as additional director. He had quit Purti’s Board in December 2002 to protect Purti when other Mehta companies’ had NPA issues and, later, to protect his other companies, he deferred rejoining Purti till its NPA issue was sorted out. On 29.9.2011, he became a regular director of Purti. He remains so now. [The ‘investigation’ was wrong in saying that he is now not a Director in Purti.] Ninth, most importantly, on 15.2.2011, within two months of Mehta re-entering the Purti Board, Gadkari associates quit the boards of all 17 companies, proving that the understanding was that they would quit once Mehta re-entered. Now, is it not self-evident that Mehtas’ withdrawal from the 17 companies and the entry and brief stay of Gadkari associates on their boards was only to help sort out Purti’s NPA issues? Now, the story of the three companies.

3 Cos Genuine

The ‘investigation’ had relied on the three “shell” companies [Jainaam,Jasika and Neelay] with Gadkari family members as shareholders to insinuate him with money laundering. Now look at the facts. The three companies, included in the 17, were acquired in January-February 2009 as Mehta investment vehicles. On 18.3.2009, Gadkari’s associates [not family members] became their directors. When the 12 Mehta companies transferred their Purti holdings, they transferred three lakh Purti shares on 14.9.2009 to Jasika and Neelay. On 17.11.2009, Gadkari’s wife, two sons and nephew paid and acquired at par value 10,000 shares in each [totally 14 per cent ownership]. This gave them the pleasure of [just] 0.6 per cent indirect ownership of Purti that lasted for a year only!

On 1.12.2010, Gadkari’s wife and sons transferred their holdings to Gadkari’s associates, at purchase price, though Purti share value had gone up because of OTS. This showed that their holding was temporary and for no gain.

The three companies had valid registered offices and directors when, and till, Gadkari family members were shareholders. Like in the 14 companies, Gadkari associates quit the boards of the three companies on 15.2.2011. It is obvious that the changes in the three, like in the 14, were in the context of the OTS. Anyway, the insinuation that Gadkari family held shares in three “fictitious” companies was clearly false.

Mehta to ‘Shell’ to Mehta

After 15.2.2011 when Gadkari associates quit the boards of 17 companies, the sideshow started in which the media, perhaps rightly, saw red. On 15.2.2011, questionable directors replaced Gadkari associates on their boards. Two days later on 17.2.2011, the registered offices of 13 of them were shifted from genuine addresses to fake addresses. Why? It needs an initiation into the corporate world. It is normal practice for promoter families to hold shares through hierarchy of companies with cross holdings and with personal secretaries, assistants, clerks, and other reliable persons chosen by the corporate secretariat, as nominee directors. Mehtas did the same differently, but shabbily. Sometime in 2010, Mehtas appear to have outsourced the secretarial work of the 17 companies to C S Sarda, a Chartered Accountant and investment consultant, based in Kolkata. His brother, D P Sarda, also a Chartered Accountant practising in Nagpur, had introduced the Mehtas to the former.

Sarda was engaged by Mehtas as investment consultant to manage the secretarial work of the 17 companies. When tax authorities examined him he seems to have testified that he had suggested new directors and new offices. This is the story of the ‘fake’ offices and directors. After this sideshow climaxed as the main show on TV screens, Manish Mehta seems to have got the holding of 17 companies transferred to himself or his family and put his own men on the boards of the 17 companies!

When Gadkari’s second term as BJP president became a possibility, some media began targeting him, but with no luck. But when they saw companies with fake addresses and directors as Purti’s owners, they thought and declared in haste, that they had caught Gadkari red-handed. And without probing further, they convicted and sentenced (him) to resign as BJP president! An apt comparison of the quality of such ‘investigation’ is the famous probe of the six blind men who perceived an elephant in parts as wall, rope, pillar etc. In Gadkari’s case, seeing companies with fake directors and offices holding Puti shares, the investigators alleged money laundering; seeing Gadkari associates as their directors, involved him in the charge; and seeing Gadkari family members holding shares in some as proof of his guilt.

Competitive sensationalism made them blind to what changes took place on 24.7.2009 and why; what changes took place on 27.12.2010 and 15.2.2011 and why; when and why ‘fake’ offices and directors emerged; how when the 17 companies invested Purti equity or when Gadkari family members were directors or his associates were directors, they had genuine offices and boards; and finally how its story was just a glib sideshow that did not make the investment in Purti spurious. Media’s disjointed probe on Gadkari is the like the the six blind men’s on the elephant which led them to bizarre conclusions.

PS: A saying in Tamil goes “What is true is not you see or hear, but what you find on deeper probe”. That is the lesson. Pen is mightier than the sword.

And camera is deadlier than AK-47. It needs great skill, responsibility and, most important, wisdom, to handle both.

S. Gurumurthy is a well-known commentator on political and economic issues.

Email: comment@gurumurthy.net

http://newindianexpress.com/opinion/article1378515.ece

Boko Haram -- Scott Stewart

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Is Boko Haram More Dangerous Than Ever?

December 13, 2012 | 1102 GMT

Stratfor

By Scott Stewart
Vice President of Analysis

On Nov. 25, Boko Haram, an Islamist militant group from northern Nigeria, attacked a church in Jaji, Kaduna state, using two suicide bombers during the church's weekly religious service. The first bomb detonated in a vehicle driven into the church, and the second detonated approximately 10 minutes later, when a crowd of first responders gathered at the scene. About 30 people were killed in the attacks; the second blast caused the majority of the deaths. The incident was particularly symbolic because Jaji is the home of Nigeria's Armed Forces Command and Staff College, and many of the churchgoers were senior military officers.

In the wake of the Jaji attacks, media reports quoted human rights groups saying that Boko Haram has killed more people in 2012 than ever before. The group has killed roughly 770 people this year, leading many to conclude that Boko Haram has become more dangerous.

However, it is important to look beyond the sheer number of fatalities when drawing such conclusions about a group like Boko Haram. Indeed, a less cursory look at the group reveals that while 2012 has been a particularly deadly year, the Nigerian government has curtailed the group's capabilities. In terms of operational planning, the group has been limited to simple attacks against soft targets in or near its core territory. In other words, Boko Haram remains deadly, but it is actually less capable than it used to be, relegating the group to a limited, regional threat unless this dynamic is somehow altered.

Boko Haram's Rise

Boko Haram, Hausa for "Western Education is Sinful," was established in 2002 in Maiduguri, the capital of Nigeria's Borno state. It has since spread to several other northern and central Nigerian states. Its official name is "Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati wal-Jihad," Arabic for "Group Committed to Propagating the Prophet's Teachings and Jihad." While Boko Haram is a relatively new phenomenon, Nigeria has struggled with militant Islamism for decades. For example, the "Maitatsine" sect, led by Mohammed Marwa, fomented violence in the early 1980s in the very same cities that Boko Haram is presently active.

Initially, Boko Haram incited sectarian violence and attacked Christians with clubs, machetes and small arms. But by 2010, the group had added Molotov cocktails and simple improvised explosive devices to its arsenal. In 2011, Boko Haram made a major operational leap when it unexpectedly began to use large suicide vehicle bombs. They were used first in the botched attack against the national police headquarters in Abuja in June 2011, and they were later used in the more successful attack against a U.N. compound in Abuja in August 2011.

The leap from simple attacks in Boko Haram's core areas to sophisticated attacks using large vehicle bombs in the nation's capital skipped several steps in the normal progression of militant operations. The group's progression suggested that it had received outside training or assistance. The sudden increase in operational capacity appeared to have corroborated reports circulating at that time of Boko Haram militants attending training camps run by al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.

This rapid progression, which came in the wake of a Nigerian operative being involved in al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula's plot to bomb a Detroit-bound airliner, led to a concern that Boko Haram had the capability and the intent to become the next transnational jihadist franchise capable of threatening the United States and Europe. These fears were further stoked by warnings from the U.S. government in November 2011 that Boko Haram was planning to attack Western hotels in Abuja.

Dynamic Changes

To counter the perceived growing Boko Haram threat, the Nigerian government, aided by intelligence and training provided by the United States and its European allies, launched a major offensive against the group. Since January, the government has arrested or killed several leaders of Boko Haram, disrupted a number of cells and dismantled numerous bombmaking facilities. In addition to government efforts, there has been a grassroots backlash against Boko Haram, as evidenced by the formation of anti-Boko Haram militant group Jama'atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan or "Supporters of Muslims in the Lands of Sudan," commonly known as Ansaru.


Boko Haram has lashed out viciously against these countermeasures. From June to August, the group conducted nine suicide bombings, mostly directed against churches and police or military targets in its home territory. Since August, the operational tempo of its suicide bombings has slowed to about one attack a month. Boko Haram operatives have also conducted a number of armed attacks and non-suicide bombing attacks. Many of these were directed against churches and police or military targets, but several of them were also directed against mosques that denounced Boko Haram. Despite warnings that Boko Haram would target Western hotels in Abuja, the group has not attacked an international target since the U.N. building in August 2011.
Boko Haram activity has remained heavily concentrated in its core areas with occasional operations in Abuja. There have been only two Boko Haram attacks in Abuja in 2012: a large suicide vehicle bombing attack against a newspaper office in April and a small bombing attack against a nightclub in June. It appears that the group's ability to conduct large attacks in Abuja has been constrained by government operations.


Tactically, Boko Haram's attacks in 2012 have focused almost exclusively on soft targets. Even its attacks against military and police targets have been directed against police on patrol or isolated police stations with little security or have been a target like the church at the military base in Jaji.

So while Boko Haram progressed rapidly in terms of operational ability in 2011, it is still struggling to conduct sustained operations outside its core geographic territory, and it has yet to successfully strike a hardened target. Even the August 2011 attack against the United Nations, while demonstrating some geographic reach and a focus on an international target, was directed against a relatively soft target instead of a harder target like a government ministry building or a foreign embassy. It is also notable that the group has not conducted an attack in Lagos, Nigeria's most populous city, or in Niger, Chad or Cameroon, which are all closer to the Boko Haram home territories than Lagos.

However, in Nigeria, the use of militant proxies has long been part of the political process. Just as Niger Delta politicians have used groups like the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta for their own purposes, politicians in Nigeria's northeast have supported and used Boko Haram. In fact, an alleged senior member of the group was arrested at the home of a Nigerian senator in Maiduguri in October 2012, and a previous governor of Borno state is allegedly a sponsor of the group.

This type of political and financial support means that despite the efforts of the central government, the group will not be easily or quickly eradicated. Any serious attempt to curtail the group will require a political solution, which will be highly unlikely during the next two years due to the usefulness of such proxies in the lead-up to Nigerian national elections in early 2015. Therefore, the central government's options will be limited. The best it can hope for is to continue to pursue the group to contain it and limit its reach and lethality.

Certainly, Boko Haram retains the capability to kill people, especially in attacks against vulnerable targets on its home turf. But as long as the Nigerian government maintains pressure on the group and as long as the group remains on the defensive, Boko Haram is unlikely to be able to further develop its operational capabilities and pose an existential threat to the Nigerian government -- let alone become a transnational terrorist threat.

"Is Boko Haram More Dangerous Than Ever? is republished with permission of Stratfor."

Scott Stewart oversees Stratfor's security team and its analytic efforts on issues around the globe. He also consults with clients on security-related issues affecting their organizations or personal safety, oversees Stratfor’s extensive coverage of the security environment in Mexico and closely monitors Mexican drug cartels, their areas of influence and their drug trafficking routes.

http://www.stratfor.com/weekly/boko-haram-more-dangerous-ever?utm_source=freelist-f&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20121213&utm_term=sweekly&utm_content=readmore&elq=de2da6b039a14eadb990fd81fc75ace8

Russian Envoy Says Syrian Leader Is Losing Control

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December 13, 2012
Russian Envoy Says Syrian Leader Is Losing Control
By ELLEN BARRY

MOSCOW — Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, Russia’s top envoy for Syria, said on Thursday that President Bashar al-Assad’s government was losing control of the country and might be defeated by rebel forces.

“Unfortunately, it is impossible to exclude a victory of the Syrian opposition,” he said — the clearest indication to date that Russia believed Mr. Assad, a longtime strategic ally, could lose in a civil war that has claimed tens of thousands of lives.

“We must look squarely at the facts and the trend now suggests that the regime and the government in Syria are losing more and more control and more and more territory,” said Mr. Bogdanov, in remarks to Russia’s Public Chamber carried by Russian news agencies.

Russia, Mr. Bogdanov said, is preparing to evacuate its citizens — a complex task, since for decades, Russian women have married Syrian men sent to study in Russia and returned home with them to raise families. It was the first time an official at Mr. Bogdanov’s level had announced plans for an evacuation, which sent a clear message to Damascus that Russia no longer holds out hope that the government can prevail.

As the Russian official spoke, fresh evidence emerge of the intensity of the battle and its proximity to the capital, Damascus.

Syrian state media and anti-government activists reported that at least 16 people had been killed when a car bomb exploded near a school in the town of Qatana, southwest of the capital, on Thursday.

The bomb wounded more than 20 people, leaving some in critical condition, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which tracks the conflict through a network of activists. Government forces still hold sway in Qatana, a town with a Sunni Muslim majority and Christian minority, Agence France-Presse reported.

The number of car bombs in residential areas appears to have increased in recent weeks, hitting neighborhoods perceived as housing many government supporters as well as others considered sympathetic to the uprising.

Agence France-Press also reported that Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim al-Shaar was wounded in a bomb attack on his ministry on Wednesday. But he was not seriously hurt, the agency said, quoting an unidentified security source who said that the bombing was believed to have been carried out by a saboteur because only official vehicles can approach the building.

Mr. Shaar was injured in an earlier bombing on July 18 that killed four senior security officials at a Damascus headquarters. Russia is eager to protect its strategic interests in Syria, including a naval facility at the port of Tartus, and has been meeting frequently with opposition delegations, presumably laying the groundwork for a possible transition. In his remarks to the Public Chamber, a Kremlin advisory group, Mr. Bogdanov said he believed that half the Russian citizens living in Syria support the rebels.

“Moreover, some of the people coming here as part of opposition coalitions have Russian passports,” he said.

Russia has cast its stance on Syria as a principled stand against Western-led intervention — a passionate topic for President Vladimir V. Putin, who feels Russia was deceived into supporting a no-fly zone in Libya that ultimately led to a military campaign that led to the overthrow of Col. Moammar el-Qadaffi. In recent days, Moscow has been adamant that its fundamental position has not changed.

For many months, the Russian authorities have resisted Western pressure on Moscow to persuade the Syrian leader to step down. Though Russia has said it supports the creation of a transitional government, it has been at odds with the West on whether Mr. Assad — and his ally Iran — would have a voice in it.

Mr. Bogdanov said on Thursday that Russia’s stance has been deliberately distorted in the Western media, an effort “intended to weaken our influence” in the Middle East, and that third-party governments have strengthened rebel forces by providing weapons.

“Massive supply of modern armaments have pushed the Syrian rebels to stake their hopes on force,” leading to “an acceleration of the spiral of violence,” he said.

Leonid Medvedko, a political analyst who covered Syria for Soviet news services, said officials have so far been reluctant to declare an evacuation of Russian citizens “because there are technical questions, political questions — because it will mean we are fully giving up Syria.”

“It is a humanitarian step, but each humanitarian step has a political meaning,” he said.

From the first, Russia has taken the view that Mr. Assad’s departure would usher in a long and chaotic process of fragmentation in Syria, but most experts this week said they were braced for the beginning of that process. Mr. Medvedko, the former journalist, said he expected Syria to split into four parts that would be home to distinct ethnic and religious groups, much as Yugoslavia did in the 1990s.

Fyodor Lukyanov, the editor of Russia in Global Affairs and head of an influential policy group, said that even if Mr. Assad left the country, his countrymen will keep fighting.

“The prevailing view is that it will be complete and desperate chaos,” said Mr. Lukyanov. “To remove Assad will not mean settlement of the Syrian conflict. You can remove him — I don’t know in which way — but what will you do to 300,000 Alawites? They will be fighting for their lives, not for power anymore,” he said, referring to the minority sect that rules the country.

Anne Barnard contributed reporting from Beirut, Lebanon.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/14/world/middleeast/russian-envoy-says-syrian-leader-is-losing-control.html?hp

 

Syria government 'losing control' - Russian official

 

a Free Syrian Army fighter is in position in front of destroyed buildings in Aleppo, Syria on 29 NovemberVictory for the Syrian opposition could 'not be ruled out', Mr Bogdanov said

A Russian official has said for the first time that the Syrian government may be defeated by opposition forces.

President Bashar al-Assad's forces are "losing more and more control and territory", deputy foreign minister Mikhail Bogdanov said on Thursday.

Russia was also making plans for a possible evacuation of thousands of its citizens in Syria, Mr Bogdanov said.

Russia has been one of the staunchest international allies of Mr Assad's government.

"Unfortunately, we cannot rule out the victory of the Syrian opposition," Mr Bogdanov said.

Russia, along with China, has used its veto at the UN Security Council to block resolutions condemning the Syrian government's use of violence.

'Unacceptable price'

Analysis

These comments are significant. Russia has been a firm supporter of President Assad, providing the Syrian government with political and military support; it has also protected the Syrian leader at the UN, by vetoing Security Council resolutions that would have increased the pressure on the Syrian president.

Now, for the first time, the Russians have publicly conceded that their ally faces possible defeat. Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said it was time to "face facts" and admit that the victory of the Syrian opposition "could not be ruled out".

Moscow's critics will argue that Russia has been too slow to "face facts"; if President Assad is ousted, the Russians may struggle to retain influence in the region.

Mr Bogdanov repeated Russia's call for dialogue between the two sides, predicting that the fighting would grow more intense.

He said tens, possibly hundreds of thousands of people would be killed if that happened.

"If such a price for ousting the president seems acceptable to you, then what can we do? We consider it unacceptable," he said.

Mr Bogdanov also raised concerns about "extremists" seizing chemical weapons arsenals, according to the Interfax news agency.

Western nations have in recent days raised the prospect of Syrian government forces themselves using chemical weapons.

Mr Bogdanov's comments do not mean Moscow has changed its official position, the BBC's Steve Rosenberg in Moscow reports.

Russia still maintains that the ousting of President Assad would deepen the conflict, but this is the first time Russia has publicly acknowledged that the Syrian president faces possible defeat, our correspondent adds.

At a meeting in Morocco on Wednesday, more than 100 countries recognised an opposition coalition as the sole "legitimate representative" of the Syrian people.

On Tuesday the US had taken the step of recognising the National Coalition, drawing a sharp response from Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

The US had decided to place all its bets on the coalition achieving an "armed victory", Mr Lavrov said.

An image grab taken from the state-run Syrian TV shows Syrians inspecting destruction following a car bomb blast in the town of Qatana, southwest of DamascusState TV broadcast footage of the aftermath of the blast in Qatana
Increasing violence

In Syria itself, state-run news agency Sana reported a blast in the Damascus suburb of Qatana which it said killed 16 people, including seven children.

On Wednesday, state media said six people died in blasts at or near the interior and government ministries in outlying areas of Damascus.

Violence has been increasing in and around the capital in recent weeks as rebels try to close in on the city. Government forces have mounted severe bombardments of areas with a rebel presence.

On Wednesday, US media quoted American officials as saying "Scud-type missiles" had been fired at rebels.

State department spokeswoman Victoria said that the US had also seen the deployment of a "napalm-like" bomb that was "completely indiscriminate".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-20710561

Parliament kept in the dark on thorium loot - Rajya Sabha debate

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December 14, 2012, Pioneer

 

Cumulative list of blogposts with label 'Thorium' (December 12, 2012):

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/12/norway-begins-four-year-test-of-thorium.html
Norway begins four year test of thorium nuclear reactor

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/12/parliament-bypassed-to-steal-rare.html

Parliament bypassed to steal rare atomic minerals 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/12/thorium-will-help-shape-chinas-energy.html

Thorium will help shape China’s energy future

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/12/thorium-has-risks-but-has-great.html

Thorium Has Risks, But Has Great Possibilities For Power Production

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/thorium-to-be-tested-in-working-nuclear.html

Thorium to be tested in a working nuclear reactor -- oilprice.com. GOI, protect India's thorium resources.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/peak-oil-security-policy-implications.html

Peak oil, security policy implications of scarce resources (Bundeswehr study, 2010) 

 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/illegal-notification-of-18-jan-2006-on.html

Illegal notification of 18 Jan. 2006 on Atomic Minerals and loot of Rs. 96,120 Crores worth Atomic Minerals - Complaints

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/govt.html

Govt. of India should act now to stop illegal mining of Atomic Minerals

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/india-announces-plan-to-build-thorium.html

India announces plan to build thorium reactor. Congrats to India's nuclear scientists. 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/letter-to-chairman-atomic-energy.html

Illegal mining of Atomic minerals worth Rs. 96,120 crores

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/submit-viewssuggestions-on-mines-and.html

Submit views/suggestions on Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Bill No. 110 of 2011

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/cause-and-effect-case-study-in-and.html

Cause and effect: a case study in and dossiers on Rare earths/Atomic Minerals of India 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/dae-cancel-and-withdraw-illegal.html

DAE, cancel and withdraw an illegal notification issued in January 2006.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/atomic-minerals-include-thorium-uranium.html

Atomic minerals include thorium, uranium, monazite, zircon, ilmenite, rutile and leucoxene (Part B of First Schedule of the Act 1957)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/pm-should-ban-placer-sands-mining.html

PM should ban placer sands mining, nationalise minerals of national importance consistent with Shah Commission recommendations on manganese/iron ore mining

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/our-nuclear-program-will-be-thorium.html

Our nuclear program will be thorium based - APJ Abdul Kalam 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/protection-of-thorium-other-rare-earth.html

Protection of thorium & other rare earth minerals - Swamy refutes DAE claims

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/our-policy-is-to-reprocess-all-fuel-put.html

‘Our policy is to reprocess all the fuel put into a nuclear reactor’ -- Sekhar Basu

 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/protection-of-thorium-reserves-in.html


Protection of thorium and rare earth reserves in the country 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/cheap-nuclear-energy-is-illusion-kumar.html

Cheap nuclear energy is an illusion -- Kumar Chellappan

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/dae-press-release-xport-of-monazite.html

DAE Press release : Export of Monazite from India. India backtracks on involving private miners in monazite - Ajoy K Das

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/thorium-loot-no-private-parties.html

Thorium loot: No private parties permitted to produce monazite, says DAE

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/cheapabundant-very-safe-nuclear.html

Cheap,abundant & very safe nuclear power.....Thorium

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.com/2012/10/protection-of-thorium-reserves-in_14.html

Protection of thorium reserves in the country

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/thorium-loot-spells-strategic-loss.html

Thorium loot spells strategic loss 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/kerala-metals-and-minerals-ltd-causing.html

Kerala Metals and Minerals Ltd causing radiation: PIL 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/separation-of-monazite-from-placer.html

Separation of monazite from placer sands and strategic needs of India's energy programme. 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/nuclear-thorium-country-needs-thorium.html

Nuclear Thorium: Country needs thorium-based fast breeders -- Dr. Kalam

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/near-monopoly-position-of-company-in.html

Near monopoly position of a company in garnet placer sands

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/estimated-value-of-thorium-loot-in.html

Estimated value of Manavalakurichi placer sands loot in a decade: Rs. 1 lakh crore

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/placer-sands-exports-detailed-in.html

Placer sands exports detailed in a Criminal Petition in Hon’ble Supreme Court

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/govt-misled-parliament-on-thorium-loot.html

Govt. misled Parliament on thorium loot. Thorium a game changer for India's power needs?

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/export-profiles-of-placer-sands-of.html

Export profiles of placer sands of Manavalakurichi complex

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/rare-earth-complex-of-india-containing.html

Rare earth complex of India -- containing thorium, the strategic nuclear fuel

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/indias-nuclear-energy-through-thorium.html

India's nuclear energy through thorium. Powering the world.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/thorium-could-have-powered-india.html

Thorium could have powered India

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/the-power-of-thorium-29-september-2012.html

Power of Thorium - two books reviewed. 'Super Fuel':Martin. ‘Thorium: energy cheaper than coal’: Robert Hargraves

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/thorium-upas-new-coalgate.html

Thorium UPA's new coalgate?

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/how-far-off-is-thorium-energy-it-is.html

How far off is thorium energy? It is producing energy already -- in many reactors of India...

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/india-all-set-to-tap-thorium-resources.html

India all set to tap thorium resources

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/india-canada-nuke-pact-days-are-gone-we.html

India-Canada Nuke pact. "Those days are gone. We're not so stupid," Dr. Chaitanyamoy Ganguly, Nuclear scientist.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-to-transform-nuclear-power-pair.html Thorium to transform nuclear power. A pair of MIT students set up Transatomic Power

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/cumulative-list-of-blogposts-with-label.html

Cumulative list of blogposts with label "Thorium" (September 27, 2012). National imperative of protecting Rare earths including thorium.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-nuclear-fuel-and-iphone-are.html

Thorium -- a nuclear fuel and iPhone are born of Mother Earth. Govt. of India, conserve and protect rare earths including thorium.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/take-steps-to-protect-strategic.html

Take steps to protect strategic monazite reserves: Subramanian Swamy to PM

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-and-imperative-of-national.html

Thorium and imperative of national security - Dr. Swamy's letter to PM

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-as-strategic-mineral-greener.html

Thorium as strategic mineral: a greener alternative to uranium. India should protect her thorium reserves.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/dae-makes-strides-towards-thorium-fuel_1207.html

DAE makes strides towards thorium fuel supplies for AHWR

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-figures-unconfirmed-irel.html

‘Thorium figures unconfirmed’ - IREL

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/vver-voda-voda-energo-reactor-water.html

VVER: Voda Voda Energo Reactor, Water-cooled, water-moderated energy reactor

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/protect-india-thorium-to-transform.html

Protect India's thorium to transform the world of energy

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/a-future-energy-giant-indias-thorium.html

A future energy giant? India's thorium-based nuclear plans

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/india-should-enforce-nsg-guidelines-for.html

India should enforce NSG guidelines for protection of thorium

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/nuclear-energys-future-thorium.html

Nuclear Energy’s Future: Thorium

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/q-thorium-reactor-designer-ratan-kumar.html

Q&A: Thorium Reactor Designer Ratan Kumar Sinha

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-fuelled-dreams-for-indias_13.html

Thorium-fuelled dreams for India’s energy future. How India’s science is taking over the world.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-poster-source-thorium-australia.html

Thorium poster (Source: Thorium Australia campaign)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/briefings-on-nuclear-technology-in.html

Protect India's thorium. Briefings on nuclear technology in India -- PK Iyengar, Retd. Chairman, AEC, May 2009

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/new-all-party-uk-parliamentary-group-on.html

New All-Party UK Parliamentary Group on Thorium

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/china-takes-lead-in-race-for-clean.html

China Takes Lead in Race for Clean Nuclear Power -- using thorium.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/the-issue-is-india-as-nuke-power-anti.html

The issue is India as nuke power. Anti-Kudankulam leaders manipulate innocents - Pioneer Edit

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.com/2012/09/india-ventures-into-rare-earths-to.html

India Ventures Into Rare Earths, To Launch Soon Monazite Processing Plant

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-is-nuclear-fuel-and-should.html

Thorium is nuclear fuel and should command immediate attention of GOI to conserve and protect the wealth of the nation.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-key-to-indias-energy-security.html

Thorium key to India’s energy security -- Sandhya Jain

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/india-plans-nuclear-plant-powered-by.html

Thorium advocates launch pressure group in UK. India plans nuclear plant powered bythorium - Guardian, UK

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/feature-article-thorium-reactor.html

Feature article: A Thorium Reactor (American Scientist, 2010)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-as-nuclear-fuel.html

Thorium As Nuclear Fuel

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thoriumgate-34-blogposts-seize-moment.html

Thoriumgate. 34 blogposts. Seize the moment to strengthen India's nuclear doctrine and energy future.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/is-thorium-biggest-energy-breakthrough.html

Is Thorium the Biggest Energy Breakthrough Since Fire? Possibly.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/are-beachfuls-of-thorium-sand-curse.html

Are beachfuls of thorium sand a curse? -- Rrishi Raote

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/why-should-foreign-companies-private.html

Why should foreign companies & private parties work in monazite placer deposits?

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/krisastha-koil-kundal-uvari.html

Karisastha koil, Kundal, Uvari

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-reactors-dr-y-federation-of.html

Thorium for dummies. Thorium reactors - Dr. Y (Federation of American Scientists)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/upas-thoriumgate-toyota-tsusho-enters_6.html

UPA's Thoriumgate? Toyota Tsusho enters the scene.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/monazite-reserves-of-india-18-million.html

Monazite reserves of India 18 Million Tonnes (A review of seabed and placer mining deposits in India by Abhineet Kumar (May, 2011. Dept. of Mining Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, 2011)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-which-can-breed-uranium-233-is.html

Thorium which can breed uranium 233 is the future energy source for India. Rare earth elements; Indian rare earths -- Its genesis and growth (TK Mukherjee, IREL)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/proof-that-coir-was-used-to-export.html

Proof that coir was used to export thorium oxide in monazite. Now Toyota is inmonazite processing in India.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/wyoming-nuclear-task-force-hears.html

Wyoming nuclear task force hears thorium reactor plan

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/indian-rare-earths-genesis-and-growth.html

Indian rare earths: genesis and growth -- TK Mukherjee, IREL

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/who-looted-indias-missing-thorium.html

Who looted India’s missing thorium? -- Sandeep Balakrishna

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/after-coal-did-india-give-away-thorium.html

After coal, did India give away Thorium at pittance too?

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/great-thorium-robbery-impacting-india.html

Great thorium robbery impacting India's nuclear doctrine and energy security

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/67-years-nuclear-energy-nuclear.html

67 Years Nuclear Energy, Nuclear Destruction

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/15-billion-hole-in-ground-thorium-for.html

$15 billion hole in ground. Thorium for clean energy

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-reserve-in-country-narayanasamy.html

Thorium Reserve in the Country - Narayanasamy informs Lok Sabha

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-fuelled-dreams-for-indias.html

Thorium-fuelled dreams for India's energy future. How India's science is taking over the world.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/nuclear-materials-suppliers-group-nsg.html

Nuclear materials, suppliers group (NSG) and safeguards

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.com/2012/08/depletion-of-thorium-reserves-from.html

Depletion of thorium reserves from South Indian beaches, impacting India's nucleardoctrine and energy security: 14 blogposts

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/black-monazite-sand-deposits-found-on.html

Black Monazite sand deposits found on beaches (India)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/thorium-fuel-cycle-potential-benefits.html

Thorium fuel cycle - potential benefits for India - IAEA publication (2005)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/thorium-alleged-export-of-sands-august.html

Thorium: alleged export of sands (August 2007 report)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/key-reserve-profiles-of-placer-deposits.html

Key reserve profiles of placer deposits: Chavara and Manavalakurichi (From Ph.D. thesis of Ajith G. Nair, 2001)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/valmikis-knowledge-of-oceanography-and.html

Valmiki's knowledge of oceanography and Mannar volcanic

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/mining-of-monazite-goi-response-in-lok.html

Mining of monazite (GOI response in Lok Sabha on 30 Nov. 2011)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/indian-rare-earths-limited.html

Indian Rare Earths Limited

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.com/2012/08/vv-mineral-achievements.html

VV Mineral: achievements

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/theres-nuclear-gold-in-this-sand-and.html

There’s nuclear gold in this sand. And it’s being sent out with impunity – Tehelka

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/manavalakurichi.html

Manavalakurichi

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/irregularities-in-bureaucratic.html

Scam of the century involving Rs. 1340 billion thorium reserves. Irregularities inbureaucratic processes which led to encouragement of illegal mining of thorium

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/10-point-plan-nationalise-thorium.html

10-point plan: Nationalise thorium resources of India and institute strategic command for protecting and conserving Nuclear Fuel complexes

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/illegal-thorium-mining-in-india-value.html

Illegal thorium mining in India. Value of India’s thorium reserves: Rs. 1340 billion est.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/monday-august-13-2012-must-look-into.html

‘PM must look into illegal thorium mining’

http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3900879694651725760#editor/target=post;postID=876222689095259079

Uranium Is So Last Century — Enter Thorium, the New Green Nuke | Magazine

 

 


GOI, retain the list of ATOMIC MINERALS of Act 67 of 1957 in the proposed NEW 2011 BILL

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The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Bill, 2011

This Bill seeks to amend the list of Atomic Minerals listed in the 1957 Act.

The NEW LIST proposed in the 2011 BILL seeks to exclude minerals like Ilmenite, Rutile leucoxine.

These ATOMIC minerals are also mixed with monazite in placer sands.

THE NEW LIST OF ATOMIC MINERALS IN 2011 BILL IS AN ATTEMPT AT AMENDING THE LIST OF ATOMIC MINERALS.

THIS NEW LIST OF ATOMIC MINERALS IN THE 2011 BILL PENDING IN PARLIAMENT SHOULD BE OPPOSED TO SAFEGUARD THE MINERAL WEALTH OF PLACER SANDS IN INDIA. The reason why these minerals were listed as ATOMIC MINERALS in 1957 ACT is that it is DIFFICULT TO SEPARATE OUT MONAZITE FROM THE PLACER SAND COMPLEXES. DAE WAS REQUIRED TO DO RADIOACTIVE TESTING IN EACH CONSIGNMENT OF PLACER SANDS TO ENSURE THAT NO MONAZITE IS MIXED WITH THE OTHER MINERALS. IT WILL BE DANGEROUS CONTRAVENTION OF NSG RULES IF CONSIGNMENTS ARE EXPORTED WHICH CONTAIN RADIOACTIVE MONAZITE MIXED WITH OTHER MINERALS.

A Bill to consolidate and amend the law relating to the scientific development and regulation of mines and minerals under the control of the Union. This Act may be called the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 2011.

LINKS and BACKGROUND:

Publication Date: 12/12/2011
Source: Lok Sabha
Attachment(s): Mines 110 of 2011.pdf

THE FIRST SCHEDULE
(See section 3(a), (c), ( f ), (p), (m) and section 125)
MAJOR MINERALS

PART A. Coal minerals
1. Coal and Lignite.

PART B. Atomic Minerals
1. Beryl and other beryllium-bearing minerals.
2. Lithium-bearing minerals.
3. Monazite and other thorium ore minerals, including thorium (monazite) bearing
tailings left over from ores or beach sand mineral deposits after extraction of
ilmenite or other heavy minerals.
4. Niobium-bearing minerals.
5. Phosphorites and other phosphatic ores containing Uranium.
6. Rare earth minerals.
7. Tantalum-bearing minerals.
8. Uranium, pitchblende and other uranium ore minerals, including uranium
bearing tailings left over from ores after extraction of copper and gold.
9. Zirconium bearing minerals and ores including zircon
http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/files/file/Mines%20110%20of%202011.pdf

This NEW schedule excludes ATOMIC MINERALS which were originally listed in Act 67 of 1957:

“THE FIRST SCHEDULE”
[See sections 4(3), 5(1), 7(2) and 8(2)]
SPECIFIED MINERALS
PART A. Hydro Carbons Energy Minerals
1. Coal and Lignite.
PART B. Atomic Minerals

1. Beryl and other beryllium-bearing minerals.
2. Lithium-bearing minerals.
3. Minerals of the "rare earths" group containing Uranium and Thorium.
4. Niobium-bearing minerals.
5. Phosphorites and other phosphatic ores containing Uranium.
6. Pitchblende and other Uranium ores.
7. [Titanium bearing minerals and ores (ilmenite, rutile and leucoxene)].
8. Tantallium-bearing minerals.
9. Uraniferous allanite, monazite and other thorium minerals.
10.
Uranium bearing tailings left over from ores after extraction of copper
and gold, ilmenite and other titanium ores.
11. [Zirconium bearing minerals and ores including Zircon].

Cumulative list of blogposts with label 'Thorium' (December 14, 2012):

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/12/goi-retain-list-of-atomic-minerals-of.html

GOI, retain the list of ATOMIC MINERALS of Act 67 of 1957 in the proposed NEW 2011 BILL

 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/12/parliament-kept-in-dark-on-thorium-loot.html

Parliament kept in the dark on thorium loot - Rajya Sabha debate 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/12/thorium-loot-from-country-assurances-in.html

Thorium loot from the country: Assurances in Parliament of necessary action.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/12/norway-begins-four-year-test-of-thorium.html
Norway begins four year test of thorium nuclear reactor

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/12/parliament-bypassed-to-steal-rare.html

Parliament bypassed to steal rare atomic minerals 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/12/thorium-will-help-shape-chinas-energy.html

Thorium will help shape China’s energy future

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/12/thorium-has-risks-but-has-great.html

Thorium Has Risks, But Has Great Possibilities For Power Production

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/thorium-to-be-tested-in-working-nuclear.html

Thorium to be tested in a working nuclear reactor -- oilprice.com. GOI, protect India's thorium resources.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/peak-oil-security-policy-implications.html

Peak oil, security policy implications of scarce resources (Bundeswehr study, 2010) 

 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/illegal-notification-of-18-jan-2006-on.html

Illegal notification of 18 Jan. 2006 on Atomic Minerals and loot of Rs. 96,120 Crores worth Atomic Minerals - Complaints

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/govt.html

Govt. of India should act now to stop illegal mining of Atomic Minerals

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/india-announces-plan-to-build-thorium.html

India announces plan to build thorium reactor. Congrats to India's nuclear scientists. 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/letter-to-chairman-atomic-energy.html

Illegal mining of Atomic minerals worth Rs. 96,120 crores

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/submit-viewssuggestions-on-mines-and.html

Submit views/suggestions on Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Bill No. 110 of 2011

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/cause-and-effect-case-study-in-and.html

Cause and effect: a case study in and dossiers on Rare earths/Atomic Minerals of India 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/dae-cancel-and-withdraw-illegal.html

DAE, cancel and withdraw an illegal notification issued in January 2006.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/atomic-minerals-include-thorium-uranium.html

Atomic minerals include thorium, uranium, monazite, zircon, ilmenite, rutile and leucoxene (Part B of First Schedule of the Act 1957)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/pm-should-ban-placer-sands-mining.html

PM should ban placer sands mining, nationalise minerals of national importance consistent with Shah Commission recommendations on manganese/iron ore mining

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/our-nuclear-program-will-be-thorium.html

Our nuclear program will be thorium based - APJ Abdul Kalam 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/protection-of-thorium-other-rare-earth.html

Protection of thorium & other rare earth minerals - Swamy refutes DAE claims

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/our-policy-is-to-reprocess-all-fuel-put.html

‘Our policy is to reprocess all the fuel put into a nuclear reactor’ -- Sekhar Basu

 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/protection-of-thorium-reserves-in.html


Protection of thorium and rare earth reserves in the country 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/cheap-nuclear-energy-is-illusion-kumar.html

Cheap nuclear energy is an illusion -- Kumar Chellappan

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/dae-press-release-xport-of-monazite.html

DAE Press release : Export of Monazite from India. India backtracks on involving private miners in monazite - Ajoy K Das

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/thorium-loot-no-private-parties.html

Thorium loot: No private parties permitted to produce monazite, says DAE

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/cheapabundant-very-safe-nuclear.html

Cheap,abundant & very safe nuclear power.....Thorium

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.com/2012/10/protection-of-thorium-reserves-in_14.html

Protection of thorium reserves in the country

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/thorium-loot-spells-strategic-loss.html

Thorium loot spells strategic loss 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/kerala-metals-and-minerals-ltd-causing.html

Kerala Metals and Minerals Ltd causing radiation: PIL 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/separation-of-monazite-from-placer.html

Separation of monazite from placer sands and strategic needs of India's energy programme. 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/nuclear-thorium-country-needs-thorium.html

Nuclear Thorium: Country needs thorium-based fast breeders -- Dr. Kalam

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/near-monopoly-position-of-company-in.html

Near monopoly position of a company in garnet placer sands

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/estimated-value-of-thorium-loot-in.html

Estimated value of Manavalakurichi placer sands loot in a decade: Rs. 1 lakh crore

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/placer-sands-exports-detailed-in.html

Placer sands exports detailed in a Criminal Petition in Hon’ble Supreme Court

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/govt-misled-parliament-on-thorium-loot.html

Govt. misled Parliament on thorium loot. Thorium a game changer for India's power needs?

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/export-profiles-of-placer-sands-of.html

Export profiles of placer sands of Manavalakurichi complex

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/rare-earth-complex-of-india-containing.html

Rare earth complex of India -- containing thorium, the strategic nuclear fuel

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/indias-nuclear-energy-through-thorium.html

India's nuclear energy through thorium. Powering the world.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/thorium-could-have-powered-india.html

Thorium could have powered India

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/the-power-of-thorium-29-september-2012.html

Power of Thorium - two books reviewed. 'Super Fuel':Martin. ‘Thorium: energy cheaper than coal’: Robert Hargraves

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/thorium-upas-new-coalgate.html

Thorium UPA's new coalgate?

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/how-far-off-is-thorium-energy-it-is.html

How far off is thorium energy? It is producing energy already -- in many reactors of India...

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/india-all-set-to-tap-thorium-resources.html

India all set to tap thorium resources

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/india-canada-nuke-pact-days-are-gone-we.html

India-Canada Nuke pact. "Those days are gone. We're not so stupid," Dr. Chaitanyamoy Ganguly, Nuclear scientist.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-to-transform-nuclear-power-pair.html Thorium to transform nuclear power. A pair of MIT students set up Transatomic Power

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/cumulative-list-of-blogposts-with-label.html

Cumulative list of blogposts with label "Thorium" (September 27, 2012). National imperative of protecting Rare earths including thorium.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-nuclear-fuel-and-iphone-are.html

Thorium -- a nuclear fuel and iPhone are born of Mother Earth. Govt. of India, conserve and protect rare earths including thorium.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/take-steps-to-protect-strategic.html

Take steps to protect strategic monazite reserves: Subramanian Swamy to PM

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-and-imperative-of-national.html

Thorium and imperative of national security - Dr. Swamy's letter to PM

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-as-strategic-mineral-greener.html

Thorium as strategic mineral: a greener alternative to uranium. India should protect her thorium reserves.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/dae-makes-strides-towards-thorium-fuel_1207.html

DAE makes strides towards thorium fuel supplies for AHWR

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-figures-unconfirmed-irel.html

‘Thorium figures unconfirmed’ - IREL

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/vver-voda-voda-energo-reactor-water.html

VVER: Voda Voda Energo Reactor, Water-cooled, water-moderated energy reactor

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/protect-india-thorium-to-transform.html

Protect India's thorium to transform the world of energy

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/a-future-energy-giant-indias-thorium.html

A future energy giant? India's thorium-based nuclear plans

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/india-should-enforce-nsg-guidelines-for.html

India should enforce NSG guidelines for protection of thorium

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/nuclear-energys-future-thorium.html

Nuclear Energy’s Future: Thorium

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/q-thorium-reactor-designer-ratan-kumar.html

Q&A: Thorium Reactor Designer Ratan Kumar Sinha

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-fuelled-dreams-for-indias_13.html

Thorium-fuelled dreams for India’s energy future. How India’s science is taking over the world.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-poster-source-thorium-australia.html

Thorium poster (Source: Thorium Australia campaign)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/briefings-on-nuclear-technology-in.html

Protect India's thorium. Briefings on nuclear technology in India -- PK Iyengar, Retd. Chairman, AEC, May 2009

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/new-all-party-uk-parliamentary-group-on.html

New All-Party UK Parliamentary Group on Thorium

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/china-takes-lead-in-race-for-clean.html

China Takes Lead in Race for Clean Nuclear Power -- using thorium.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/the-issue-is-india-as-nuke-power-anti.html

The issue is India as nuke power. Anti-Kudankulam leaders manipulate innocents - Pioneer Edit

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.com/2012/09/india-ventures-into-rare-earths-to.html

India Ventures Into Rare Earths, To Launch Soon Monazite Processing Plant

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-is-nuclear-fuel-and-should.html

Thorium is nuclear fuel and should command immediate attention of GOI to conserve and protect the wealth of the nation.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-key-to-indias-energy-security.html

Thorium key to India’s energy security -- Sandhya Jain

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/india-plans-nuclear-plant-powered-by.html

Thorium advocates launch pressure group in UK. India plans nuclear plant powered bythorium - Guardian, UK

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/feature-article-thorium-reactor.html

Feature article: A Thorium Reactor (American Scientist, 2010)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-as-nuclear-fuel.html

Thorium As Nuclear Fuel

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thoriumgate-34-blogposts-seize-moment.html

Thoriumgate. 34 blogposts. Seize the moment to strengthen India's nuclear doctrine and energy future.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/is-thorium-biggest-energy-breakthrough.html

Is Thorium the Biggest Energy Breakthrough Since Fire? Possibly.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/are-beachfuls-of-thorium-sand-curse.html

Are beachfuls of thorium sand a curse? -- Rrishi Raote

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/why-should-foreign-companies-private.html

Why should foreign companies & private parties work in monazite placer deposits?

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/krisastha-koil-kundal-uvari.html

Karisastha koil, Kundal, Uvari

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-reactors-dr-y-federation-of.html

Thorium for dummies. Thorium reactors - Dr. Y (Federation of American Scientists)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/upas-thoriumgate-toyota-tsusho-enters_6.html

UPA's Thoriumgate? Toyota Tsusho enters the scene.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/monazite-reserves-of-india-18-million.html

Monazite reserves of India 18 Million Tonnes (A review of seabed and placer mining deposits in India by Abhineet Kumar (May, 2011. Dept. of Mining Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, 2011)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-which-can-breed-uranium-233-is.html

Thorium which can breed uranium 233 is the future energy source for India. Rare earth elements; Indian rare earths -- Its genesis and growth (TK Mukherjee, IREL)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/proof-that-coir-was-used-to-export.html

Proof that coir was used to export thorium oxide in monazite. Now Toyota is inmonazite processing in India.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/wyoming-nuclear-task-force-hears.html

Wyoming nuclear task force hears thorium reactor plan

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/indian-rare-earths-genesis-and-growth.html

Indian rare earths: genesis and growth -- TK Mukherjee, IREL

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/who-looted-indias-missing-thorium.html

Who looted India’s missing thorium? -- Sandeep Balakrishna

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/after-coal-did-india-give-away-thorium.html

After coal, did India give away Thorium at pittance too?

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/great-thorium-robbery-impacting-india.html

Great thorium robbery impacting India's nuclear doctrine and energy security

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/67-years-nuclear-energy-nuclear.html

67 Years Nuclear Energy, Nuclear Destruction

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/15-billion-hole-in-ground-thorium-for.html

$15 billion hole in ground. Thorium for clean energy

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-reserve-in-country-narayanasamy.html

Thorium Reserve in the Country - Narayanasamy informs Lok Sabha

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-fuelled-dreams-for-indias.html

Thorium-fuelled dreams for India's energy future. How India's science is taking over the world.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/nuclear-materials-suppliers-group-nsg.html

Nuclear materials, suppliers group (NSG) and safeguards

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.com/2012/08/depletion-of-thorium-reserves-from.html

Depletion of thorium reserves from South Indian beaches, impacting India's nucleardoctrine and energy security: 14 blogposts

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/black-monazite-sand-deposits-found-on.html

Black Monazite sand deposits found on beaches (India)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/thorium-fuel-cycle-potential-benefits.html

Thorium fuel cycle - potential benefits for India - IAEA publication (2005)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/thorium-alleged-export-of-sands-august.html

Thorium: alleged export of sands (August 2007 report)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/key-reserve-profiles-of-placer-deposits.html

Key reserve profiles of placer deposits: Chavara and Manavalakurichi (From Ph.D. thesis of Ajith G. Nair, 2001)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/valmikis-knowledge-of-oceanography-and.html

Valmiki's knowledge of oceanography and Mannar volcanic

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/mining-of-monazite-goi-response-in-lok.html

Mining of monazite (GOI response in Lok Sabha on 30 Nov. 2011)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/indian-rare-earths-limited.html

Indian Rare Earths Limited

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.com/2012/08/vv-mineral-achievements.html

VV Mineral: achievements

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/theres-nuclear-gold-in-this-sand-and.html

There’s nuclear gold in this sand. And it’s being sent out with impunity – Tehelka

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/manavalakurichi.html

Manavalakurichi

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/irregularities-in-bureaucratic.html

Scam of the century involving Rs. 1340 billion thorium reserves. Irregularities inbureaucratic processes which led to encouragement of illegal mining of thorium

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/10-point-plan-nationalise-thorium.html

10-point plan: Nationalise thorium resources of India and institute strategic command for protecting and conserving Nuclear Fuel complexes

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/illegal-thorium-mining-in-india-value.html

Illegal thorium mining in India. Value of India’s thorium reserves: Rs. 1340 billion est.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/monday-august-13-2012-must-look-into.html

‘PM must look into illegal thorium mining’

http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3900879694651725760#editor/target=post;postID=876222689095259079

Uranium Is So Last Century — Enter Thorium, the New Green Nuke | Magazine

Thorium Energy Cheaper than Coal -- Robert Hargraves

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Published on Dec 9, 2012

Robert Hargraves "Aim High!" presentation has evolved into both a book and extended lecture. His thesis is that a non-CO2 emitting energy source must also be cheaper than coal, or will ultimately fail to displace fossil fuels as a means of energy production.

THORIUM Energy Cheaper than Coal is available in hardcover and Kindle eBook. http://www.amazon.com/dp/1478161299/

Hargraves met me at LAX, then shared a flight with me to Shanghai. At LAX, and en-route we conducted video interview. He also allowed for some b-roll capture on a touristy-day with Mark Ho. Expect Hargraves to be prominently featured in future Thorium Remix efforts.

Robert's book is also an important asset in educating the public about thorium (and molten salt reactors). It fills a niche that Superfuel does not... Superfuel is a narrative work. Cheaper Than Coal is much more analytical, and better answers the oh-so-common refrain, "Why would we pursue thorium when we have the Sun?"

That is the response offered by the Canadian Green Party leader. That is perpetually asked on Twitter. There is an answer to that question, and it is contained within this video.

Robert Hargraves presented at Thorium Energy Conference 2012 (ThEC12) hosted by the International Thorium Energy Organisation (IThEO). http://itheo.org/

Video captured by Gordon McDowell for use in upcoming THORIUM REMIX iteration: http://ThoriumRemix.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayIyiVua8cY



All Comments (6)


Robert Hargraves 3 days ago
The backup for the facts in this talk is in a new book, THORIUM: energy cheaper than coal. Just search for "thorium" on amazon.com to view the book.
Reply ·

SPLITSLEEVE 4 days ago
From Shec's Website
"SHEC Energy has developed a complete suite of high temperature heat carrier technologies including the carrier, pumps and joints that can all operate at 850°C."
Reply ·

SPLITSLEEVE 4 days ago
The company SHEC energy has a way to store solar energy over night. They can store thermal energy at 570C* for at least 24 hours.
Best Thorium talk so far from China. Thanks Robert, Thanks Gordon
Wilson
Reply ·

totterdell912 4 days ago
great presentation Robert, & brilliant coverage as usual Gordon
Reply ·

therealericmeyer 4 days ago
Great lecture, great B-roll!
Reply ·

Mark Williams 4 days ago
cool!
Reply ·

Mineral wealth looted -- Pioneer Edit

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December 15, 2012 Pioneer Edit
Thorium oxide pellets from BARC.

See: http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/12/parliament-kept-in-dark-on-thorium-loot.htmlParliament kept in the dark on thorium loot

Mineral wealth looted

Author: pioneer

Government must stop illegal export of thorium

The large-scale loot of scarce mineral resources from the beaches of southern Tamil Nadu is shocking, to say the least. But what makes the theft even more outrageous is that this illegal export of natural resources which has already cost the country crores of rupees has happened with Government officials looking the other way. While it may be too late to retrieve what is lost, the Union Government must take immediate steps to clamp down on this illegal trade. It also must monitor the country's exports more closely. The sea beach along Manavalakurichi in the Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu has one of the world's largest deposits of ilmenite, garnet, zircon and rutile — heavy minerals that hold the key to India's energy security in the near future. More importantly, the beach also has monazite that contains thorium, which the Indian scientific community believes could eventually replace uranium as fuel for nuclear reactors. If that happens, India would no longer have to depend on uranium imports but could mine thorium from its own beaches to run its nuclear plants. However, given the alarming rate at which monazite is disappearing from our beaches, the country may not have much of this mineral left by the time power plants switch from uranium to thorium.

In fact, between 2002 and 2012, more than 2.1 million tonnes of monazite are believed to have gone missing from the Indian coastline —although anybody who has seen the boats ferrying bags of sand to ships anchored off the coasts of Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari will agree that the actual figure is possibly much higher. The beach sand mining cartel in Tamil Nadu is reportedly run by a local businessman who holds 96 of the 111 garnet mining licences, and all 44 licences to mine ilmenite, among others. Interestingly, in 2006, most of the heavy minerals found in beach sands, such as ilmenite, garnet, zircon and rutile, were removed from the ‘atomic minerals’ list. Consequently, minerals that could previously only be mined by one public sector undertaking — Indian Rare Earths Limited — have now become available to private mining agencies. However, even in this case, monazite was excluded for its thorium value. According to guidelines framed by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, those who processed beach sand were expected to separate monazite from the rest of the content and return it to the Department of Atomic Energy. But, not a single grain of monazite sand has been returned to the Department till date. To make matters worse, nobody within the Government really knows how much monazite is mined by the private operator and how much of it is shipped to foreign shores. Apparently, the figures that the private operator is required to report to the Government are all part of a “gentleman's agreement”, according to officials at Indian Rare Earths Ltd, who say they have no choice but to believe “what they tell us”. To complicate matters further, scientists believe that heavy mineral deposits often contain high levels of radioactive elements, and separating the two can be difficult. On its part, the Government is content in the belief that only delisted minerals are being exported by private companies while monazite is firmly under its control. That’s not apparently true.

http://www.dailypioneer.com/columnists/item/53014-mineral-wealth-looted.html

Comment

Kudos to Pioneer for the well-documented expose of the great thorium loot. Mining in placer sand complexes by private parties should be banned. All existing licences should be cancelled. Shah Commission recommendations on iron ore and manganese mining should apply mutatis mutandis to placer sand minerals to safeguard nation's mineral wealth. Paramilitary forces should be entrusted with the task of safeguarding placer sands along the coastline, containing minerals of national importance. DAE should re-introduce system of certification of radioactive monazite in placer sand mining operation and transport. Culprits involved in the great thorium loot should be brought to book. Will GOI and State govts. take immediate, firm, decisive steps when the whole world is waking up to thorium as the wonder nuclear energy fuel?

Kalyan

Cumulative list of blogposts with label 'Thorium' (December 15, 2012):

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/12/mineral-wealth-looted-pioneer-edit.html

Mineral wealth looted -- Pioneer Edit

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/12/goi-retain-list-of-atomic-minerals-of.html

GOI, retain the list of ATOMIC MINERALS of Act 67 of 1957 in the proposed NEW 2011 BILL

 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/12/parliament-kept-in-dark-on-thorium-loot.html

Parliament kept in the dark on thorium loot - Rajya Sabha debate 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/12/thorium-loot-from-country-assurances-in.html

Thorium loot from the country: Assurances in Parliament of necessary action.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/12/norway-begins-four-year-test-of-thorium.html
Norway begins four year test of thorium nuclear reactor

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/12/parliament-bypassed-to-steal-rare.html

Parliament bypassed to steal rare atomic minerals 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/12/thorium-will-help-shape-chinas-energy.html

Thorium will help shape China’s energy future

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/12/thorium-has-risks-but-has-great.html

Thorium Has Risks, But Has Great Possibilities For Power Production

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/thorium-to-be-tested-in-working-nuclear.html

Thorium to be tested in a working nuclear reactor -- oilprice.com. GOI, protect India's thorium resources.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/peak-oil-security-policy-implications.html

Peak oil, security policy implications of scarce resources (Bundeswehr study, 2010) 

 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/illegal-notification-of-18-jan-2006-on.html

Illegal notification of 18 Jan. 2006 on Atomic Minerals and loot of Rs. 96,120 Crores worth Atomic Minerals - Complaints

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/govt.html

Govt. of India should act now to stop illegal mining of Atomic Minerals

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/india-announces-plan-to-build-thorium.html

India announces plan to build thorium reactor. Congrats to India's nuclear scientists. 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/letter-to-chairman-atomic-energy.html

Illegal mining of Atomic minerals worth Rs. 96,120 crores

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/submit-viewssuggestions-on-mines-and.html

Submit views/suggestions on Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Bill No. 110 of 2011

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/cause-and-effect-case-study-in-and.html

Cause and effect: a case study in and dossiers on Rare earths/Atomic Minerals of India 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/dae-cancel-and-withdraw-illegal.html

DAE, cancel and withdraw an illegal notification issued in January 2006.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/atomic-minerals-include-thorium-uranium.html

Atomic minerals include thorium, uranium, monazite, zircon, ilmenite, rutile and leucoxene (Part B of First Schedule of the Act 1957)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/pm-should-ban-placer-sands-mining.html

PM should ban placer sands mining, nationalise minerals of national importance consistent with Shah Commission recommendations on manganese/iron ore mining

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/11/our-nuclear-program-will-be-thorium.html

Our nuclear program will be thorium based - APJ Abdul Kalam 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/protection-of-thorium-other-rare-earth.html

Protection of thorium & other rare earth minerals - Swamy refutes DAE claims

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/our-policy-is-to-reprocess-all-fuel-put.html

‘Our policy is to reprocess all the fuel put into a nuclear reactor’ -- Sekhar Basu

 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/protection-of-thorium-reserves-in.html


Protection of thorium and rare earth reserves in the country 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/cheap-nuclear-energy-is-illusion-kumar.html

Cheap nuclear energy is an illusion -- Kumar Chellappan

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/dae-press-release-xport-of-monazite.html

DAE Press release : Export of Monazite from India. India backtracks on involving private miners in monazite - Ajoy K Das

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/thorium-loot-no-private-parties.html

Thorium loot: No private parties permitted to produce monazite, says DAE

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/cheapabundant-very-safe-nuclear.html

Cheap,abundant & very safe nuclear power.....Thorium

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.com/2012/10/protection-of-thorium-reserves-in_14.html

Protection of thorium reserves in the country

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/thorium-loot-spells-strategic-loss.html

Thorium loot spells strategic loss 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/kerala-metals-and-minerals-ltd-causing.html

Kerala Metals and Minerals Ltd causing radiation: PIL 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/separation-of-monazite-from-placer.html

Separation of monazite from placer sands and strategic needs of India's energy programme. 

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/nuclear-thorium-country-needs-thorium.html

Nuclear Thorium: Country needs thorium-based fast breeders -- Dr. Kalam

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/near-monopoly-position-of-company-in.html

Near monopoly position of a company in garnet placer sands

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/estimated-value-of-thorium-loot-in.html

Estimated value of Manavalakurichi placer sands loot in a decade: Rs. 1 lakh crore

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/placer-sands-exports-detailed-in.html

Placer sands exports detailed in a Criminal Petition in Hon’ble Supreme Court

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/govt-misled-parliament-on-thorium-loot.html

Govt. misled Parliament on thorium loot. Thorium a game changer for India's power needs?

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/export-profiles-of-placer-sands-of.html

Export profiles of placer sands of Manavalakurichi complex

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/rare-earth-complex-of-india-containing.html

Rare earth complex of India -- containing thorium, the strategic nuclear fuel

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/indias-nuclear-energy-through-thorium.html

India's nuclear energy through thorium. Powering the world.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/thorium-could-have-powered-india.html

Thorium could have powered India

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/the-power-of-thorium-29-september-2012.html

Power of Thorium - two books reviewed. 'Super Fuel':Martin. ‘Thorium: energy cheaper than coal’: Robert Hargraves

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/10/thorium-upas-new-coalgate.html

Thorium UPA's new coalgate?

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/how-far-off-is-thorium-energy-it-is.html

How far off is thorium energy? It is producing energy already -- in many reactors of India...

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/india-all-set-to-tap-thorium-resources.html

India all set to tap thorium resources

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/india-canada-nuke-pact-days-are-gone-we.html

India-Canada Nuke pact. "Those days are gone. We're not so stupid," Dr. Chaitanyamoy Ganguly, Nuclear scientist.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-to-transform-nuclear-power-pair.html Thorium to transform nuclear power. A pair of MIT students set up Transatomic Power

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/cumulative-list-of-blogposts-with-label.html

Cumulative list of blogposts with label "Thorium" (September 27, 2012). National imperative of protecting Rare earths including thorium.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-nuclear-fuel-and-iphone-are.html

Thorium -- a nuclear fuel and iPhone are born of Mother Earth. Govt. of India, conserve and protect rare earths including thorium.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/take-steps-to-protect-strategic.html

Take steps to protect strategic monazite reserves: Subramanian Swamy to PM

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-and-imperative-of-national.html

Thorium and imperative of national security - Dr. Swamy's letter to PM

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-as-strategic-mineral-greener.html

Thorium as strategic mineral: a greener alternative to uranium. India should protect her thorium reserves.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/dae-makes-strides-towards-thorium-fuel_1207.html

DAE makes strides towards thorium fuel supplies for AHWR

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-figures-unconfirmed-irel.html

‘Thorium figures unconfirmed’ - IREL

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/vver-voda-voda-energo-reactor-water.html

VVER: Voda Voda Energo Reactor, Water-cooled, water-moderated energy reactor

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/protect-india-thorium-to-transform.html

Protect India's thorium to transform the world of energy

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/a-future-energy-giant-indias-thorium.html

A future energy giant? India's thorium-based nuclear plans

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/india-should-enforce-nsg-guidelines-for.html

India should enforce NSG guidelines for protection of thorium

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/nuclear-energys-future-thorium.html

Nuclear Energy’s Future: Thorium

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/q-thorium-reactor-designer-ratan-kumar.html

Q&A: Thorium Reactor Designer Ratan Kumar Sinha

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-fuelled-dreams-for-indias_13.html

Thorium-fuelled dreams for India’s energy future. How India’s science is taking over the world.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-poster-source-thorium-australia.html

Thorium poster (Source: Thorium Australia campaign)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/briefings-on-nuclear-technology-in.html

Protect India's thorium. Briefings on nuclear technology in India -- PK Iyengar, Retd. Chairman, AEC, May 2009

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/new-all-party-uk-parliamentary-group-on.html

New All-Party UK Parliamentary Group on Thorium

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/china-takes-lead-in-race-for-clean.html

China Takes Lead in Race for Clean Nuclear Power -- using thorium.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/the-issue-is-india-as-nuke-power-anti.html

The issue is India as nuke power. Anti-Kudankulam leaders manipulate innocents - Pioneer Edit

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.com/2012/09/india-ventures-into-rare-earths-to.html

India Ventures Into Rare Earths, To Launch Soon Monazite Processing Plant

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-is-nuclear-fuel-and-should.html

Thorium is nuclear fuel and should command immediate attention of GOI to conserve and protect the wealth of the nation.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-key-to-indias-energy-security.html

Thorium key to India’s energy security -- Sandhya Jain

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/india-plans-nuclear-plant-powered-by.html

Thorium advocates launch pressure group in UK. India plans nuclear plant powered bythorium - Guardian, UK

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/feature-article-thorium-reactor.html

Feature article: A Thorium Reactor (American Scientist, 2010)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-as-nuclear-fuel.html

Thorium As Nuclear Fuel

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thoriumgate-34-blogposts-seize-moment.html

Thoriumgate. 34 blogposts. Seize the moment to strengthen India's nuclear doctrine and energy future.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/is-thorium-biggest-energy-breakthrough.html

Is Thorium the Biggest Energy Breakthrough Since Fire? Possibly.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/are-beachfuls-of-thorium-sand-curse.html

Are beachfuls of thorium sand a curse? -- Rrishi Raote

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/why-should-foreign-companies-private.html

Why should foreign companies & private parties work in monazite placer deposits?

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/krisastha-koil-kundal-uvari.html

Karisastha koil, Kundal, Uvari

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-reactors-dr-y-federation-of.html

Thorium for dummies. Thorium reactors - Dr. Y (Federation of American Scientists)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/upas-thoriumgate-toyota-tsusho-enters_6.html

UPA's Thoriumgate? Toyota Tsusho enters the scene.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/monazite-reserves-of-india-18-million.html

Monazite reserves of India 18 Million Tonnes (A review of seabed and placer mining deposits in India by Abhineet Kumar (May, 2011. Dept. of Mining Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, 2011)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-which-can-breed-uranium-233-is.html

Thorium which can breed uranium 233 is the future energy source for India. Rare earth elements; Indian rare earths -- Its genesis and growth (TK Mukherjee, IREL)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/proof-that-coir-was-used-to-export.html

Proof that coir was used to export thorium oxide in monazite. Now Toyota is inmonazite processing in India.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/wyoming-nuclear-task-force-hears.html

Wyoming nuclear task force hears thorium reactor plan

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/indian-rare-earths-genesis-and-growth.html

Indian rare earths: genesis and growth -- TK Mukherjee, IREL

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/who-looted-indias-missing-thorium.html

Who looted India’s missing thorium? -- Sandeep Balakrishna

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/after-coal-did-india-give-away-thorium.html

After coal, did India give away Thorium at pittance too?

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/great-thorium-robbery-impacting-india.html

Great thorium robbery impacting India's nuclear doctrine and energy security

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/67-years-nuclear-energy-nuclear.html

67 Years Nuclear Energy, Nuclear Destruction

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/15-billion-hole-in-ground-thorium-for.html

$15 billion hole in ground. Thorium for clean energy

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-reserve-in-country-narayanasamy.html

Thorium Reserve in the Country - Narayanasamy informs Lok Sabha

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/09/thorium-fuelled-dreams-for-indias.html

Thorium-fuelled dreams for India's energy future. How India's science is taking over the world.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/nuclear-materials-suppliers-group-nsg.html

Nuclear materials, suppliers group (NSG) and safeguards

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.com/2012/08/depletion-of-thorium-reserves-from.html

Depletion of thorium reserves from South Indian beaches, impacting India's nucleardoctrine and energy security: 14 blogposts

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/black-monazite-sand-deposits-found-on.html

Black Monazite sand deposits found on beaches (India)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/thorium-fuel-cycle-potential-benefits.html

Thorium fuel cycle - potential benefits for India - IAEA publication (2005)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/thorium-alleged-export-of-sands-august.html

Thorium: alleged export of sands (August 2007 report)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/key-reserve-profiles-of-placer-deposits.html

Key reserve profiles of placer deposits: Chavara and Manavalakurichi (From Ph.D. thesis of Ajith G. Nair, 2001)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/valmikis-knowledge-of-oceanography-and.html

Valmiki's knowledge of oceanography and Mannar volcanic

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/mining-of-monazite-goi-response-in-lok.html

Mining of monazite (GOI response in Lok Sabha on 30 Nov. 2011)

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/indian-rare-earths-limited.html

Indian Rare Earths Limited

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.com/2012/08/vv-mineral-achievements.html

VV Mineral: achievements

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/theres-nuclear-gold-in-this-sand-and.html

There’s nuclear gold in this sand. And it’s being sent out with impunity – Tehelka

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/manavalakurichi.html

Manavalakurichi

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/irregularities-in-bureaucratic.html

Scam of the century involving Rs. 1340 billion thorium reserves. Irregularities inbureaucratic processes which led to encouragement of illegal mining of thorium

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/10-point-plan-nationalise-thorium.html

10-point plan: Nationalise thorium resources of India and institute strategic command for protecting and conserving Nuclear Fuel complexes

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/illegal-thorium-mining-in-india-value.html

Illegal thorium mining in India. Value of India’s thorium reserves: Rs. 1340 billion est.

http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2012/08/monday-august-13-2012-must-look-into.html

‘PM must look into illegal thorium mining’

http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3900879694651725760#editor/target=post;postID=876222689095259079

Uranium Is So Last Century — Enter Thorium, the New Green Nuke | Magazine

 

Cash of Treasury for vote bribe scam. What will happens if Congress loses next LS poll? -- Swamy asks Rahul to ponder

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December 15, 2012

What will happen to RahulG and Congress if Congress loses next LS poll? -- Swamy asks Rahul to ponder

-- Cash of Treasury for vote bribe scam

Statement of Dr. Subramanian Swamy

The family designated Heir Apparent Rahul Gandhi spilled the beans while addressing 51 DCC Presidents about the CashTransfer Scheme stating the scheme as ensuring his party winning the next two Lok Sabha General elections.

Now that it has been admitted officially by the General Secretary of the Congress Party the Indian public should know that this scheme is nothing but a "cash of the treasury for vote bribe" scam. It will further ruin the Indian economy.

Instead of thinking up such corrupting schemes which have failed to fool the wise Indian voter in the past, I urge Mr. Rahul Gandhi to ponder what would happen to him and his party leaders if they failed to win the next Lok Sabha election.

Evolution through Market to IT. 1. Market derivatives as WMD. 2. IT revolution redefines relationships (Cartoons)

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$615 trillion OTC (over the counter) derivatives market


 Adam Smith, Karl Marx, Joseph Schumpeter, J.M. KeynesAdam Smith, Karl Marx, Joseph Schumpeter & J.M. Keynes walk in to a bar...

 

Spy thriller on Osama bin Laden -- Jon Swaine

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December 15, 2012



They can knock you down with soft punch
Author: Jon Swaine

As the manhunt for Osama bin Laden is turned into a film, it is time to ask whether women make better spies than their male counterparts. Of course, the stereotypes have to be avoided in such discourse

Seldom has art, contrary to Oscar Wilde’s dictum, appeared to imitate life so closely. Just as television audiences on both sides of the Atlantic are gripped by the denouement of Homeland, and the fate of Carrie Mathison, the maverick CIA officer portrayed by Claire Danes, a strikingly similar tale emerges from the bowels of the agency’s headquarters in real-world Virginia.

An undercover female Middle East specialist who played an integral role in the decade-long hunt for Osama bin Laden is said to have clashed sharply with colleagues after she — like Carrie in her pursuit of a fictional terrorist mastermind — was proven right: In her case, about the location of the Al Qaeda chief. The agent’s identity is now the subject of intense interest since she is the model for ‘Maya’, the lead character in director Kathryn Bigelow’s new Hollywood take on the mission, Zero Dark Thirty.

While others in the CIA had wavered, the real-life Maya repeatedly declared that she was “100 per cent” certain that bin Laden was hiding at the compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, where he was eventually killed last year. When an email was sent around the agency announcing that she was among a group of officers who were to be decorated for their triumph, ‘Maya’ is said to have clicked “reply-all” and unleashed a tirade. “You guys tried to obstruct me,” was the gist, according to one recipient. “You fought me. Only I deserve the award.” Her frustration was understandable. Jessica Chastain, who plays Maya in Zero Dark Thirty, says the officer is “a servant to her work”. Carrie’s equally obsessive motto — “I missed something once before. I won’t — I can’t — let that happen again” — echoes each week during Homeland’s opening credits.

We know that ‘Maya’ is in her 30s, but the little we know about her beyond that is limited to the account of the bin Laden raid by Matt Bissonette, one of the Navy SEALs involved, in his book No Easy Day. He strikes a remarkably patronising and misogynistic tone about a woman whose dogged work helped snare the world’s most wanted man. “She didn’t have to get dirty in her line of work”, he writes of plans for handling bin Laden’s body. “She wore expensive high heels and didn’t worry about carrying dead weight to a waiting helicopter.”

Noting the “tears rolling down her cheeks” when she finally inspected her quarry, and that she was seen “hugging her legs to her chest in the foetal position” en route back to base, Bissonette depicts an erratic, emotional wreck. “It was easier for us”, he says. “We saw dead bodies all the time.” Keen to deliver a juicy yarn, Bissonette’s Maya begins to take on some of the characteristics of Homeland’s Carrie, who is unstable, unpredictable and regarded as a loose cannon. To some degree, the fact that both Homeland and Zero Dark Thirty focus on women reflects a change in the way we in the West perceive what we once called the “War on Terror”. For as long as fury and moral certainty drove our revenge against those who flew planes into our skyscrapers and blew themselves up on our Underground trains, audiences sympathised with Jack Bauer, the gung-ho protagonist of 24 and hero of David Cameron and Senator John McCain. Yet more than a decade on — after all the faulty intelligence, catastrophic military planning and disclosures of torture — Carrie and Maya seem on one level to be apt symbols for our conflicted, war-weary age. But while fictionalised representations of women working on the front lines of anti-terrorism may capture the popular imagination, their cooler-headed real-life equivalents appear to be showing their male colleagues how it should be done.

According to Peter Bergen, the author and global security expert, “the prominent role that women played in the hunt for bin Laden was reflective of the largest cultural shift at the CIA in the past two decades”. Tamir Pardo, the director of Israel’s formidable Mossad agency, has reported finding that women are better-suited than men to several aspects of intelligence work — particularly at “suppressing their ego in order to attain the goal”. “Women have a distinct advantage in secret warfare because of their ability to multi-task”, Mr Pardo said earlier this year. “Women are gifted at deciphering situations. Contrary to stereotypes, you see that women’s abilities are superior to men in terms of understanding the territory, reading situations, spatial awareness. When they’re good, they’re very good.”

None the less, women — who comprise about 40 per cent of senior CIA staff — apparently continue to face predictable challenges to their career progress and to their ability to earn the respect of colleagues. “For decades, the message has been drummed into the public mind that female CIA officers must rely on their looks and clever ways with a weapon to be successful”, Valerie Plame, the CIA agent outed by aides to George W Bush during a dispute over the Iraq war, has claimed. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been asked by seemingly reasonable people whether I had to sleep with sources to get the intelligence.”

The agency insists it has changed dramatically since the bad old days. In 1995 it was forced to pay out about $1 million to more than 400 past and present female employees as a result of a class-action lawsuit alleging sexual discrimination. Yet one female former CIA official told The Daily Telegraph that colleagues assumed she was not up to the task. “One of the challenges is that as a younger woman in a predominantly male environment you might be underestimated”, she said. “People might not expect that you have a lot of expertise, that you have knowledge of counter-insurgency or nuclear proliferation.” Lindsay Moran, a case officer with the CIA from 1998 to 2003 — who says she was accused of “deviancy” during her psychological assessment after confessing to having had oral sex — recounted “a vast double standard in the agency’s attitude toward male and female employees”.

She claims that the men, who were free to “do whatever they wanted”, were told by older hands: “Prostitutes do not have to be reported — as long as you don’t see the same prostitute more than once.” Yet new female recruits were instructed: “You will want to be mindful of your ‘reputation’ and how it can impact your career.” Such discrimination can only be fuelled by popular depictions of erratic behaviour by women in the field. Some are quick to note that while Britain boasts two former women directors of a major intelligence agency in Baroness Manningham-Buller and Dame Stella Rimington — both, in part, inspirations for Judi Dench’s “M” in the recent James Bond films — the US has always given the top jobs to men. Tara Maller, a former CIA analyst, says that President Barack Obama has a chance to correct this, following David Petraeus’s recent resignation as CIA director, by appointing a woman to the role.
“Women have to develop different ways of getting where they are, after having to rise in an area where they are a minority”, she says. “They have differences in risk-aversion, in decision-making.”

Amid mounting fears in Washington this week of an economic, rather than terrorist-driven, apocalypse thanks to the so-called ‘fiscal cliff’, the record-breaking new class of 20 female US senators would probably agree. “I think if we were in charge of the Senate and of the administration, we would have a budget deal by now”, Susan Collins, a Republican senator for Maine, says. Women in Congress, according to Claire McCaskill, a Democrat senator for Missouri, are “less confrontational and more collaborative” than their chest-beating male colleagues.

(Courtesy: The Daily Telegraph)
http://www.dailypioneer.com/columnists/item/53020-they-can-knock-you-down-with-soft-punch.html

Dethrone bankers, conjure away debt - Jaromir Benes & Michael Kumhof (IMF)

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See full text of the paper: http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/wp/2012/wp12202.pdfThe Chicago Plan Revisited by
Jaromir Benes and Michael Kumhof IMF Working paper WP/12/202 August 2012

Abstract

At the height of the Great Depression a number of leading U.S. economists advanced a
proposal for monetary reform that became known as the Chicago Plan. It envisaged the
separation of the monetary and credit functions of the banking system, by requiring 100% reserve backing for deposits. Irving Fisher (1936) claimed the following advantages for this plan: (1) Much better control of a major source of business cycle fluctuations, sudden increases and contractions of bank credit and of the supply of bank-created money.(2) Complete elimination of bank runs. (3) Dramatic reduction of the (net) public debt.(4) Dramatic reduction of private debt, as money creation no longer requires simultaneous debt creation. We study these claims by embedding a comprehensive and carefully calibrated model of the banking system in a DSGE model of the U.S. economy. We find support for all four of Fisher's claims. Furthermore, output gains approach 10 percent, and steady state inflation can drop to zero without posing problems for the conduct of monetary policy.


IMF's epic plan to conjure away debt and dethrone bankers

So there is a magic wand after all. A revolutionary paper by the International Monetary Fund claims that one could eliminate the net public debt of the US at a stroke, and by implication do the same for Britain, Germany, Italy, or Japan.
The IMF reports says the conjuring trick is to replace our system of private bank-created money. Photo: Reuters

By Ambrose Evans-Pritchard2:31PM BST 21 Oct 2012

One could slash private debt by 100pc of GDP, boost growth, stabilize prices, and dethrone bankers all at the same time. It could be done cleanly and painlessly, by legislative command, far more quickly than anybody imagined.

The conjuring trick is to replace our system of private bank-created money -- roughly 97pc of the money supply -- with state-created money. We return to the historical norm, before Charles II placed control of the money supply in private hands with the English Free Coinage Act of 1666.

Specifically, it means an assault on "fractional reserve banking". If lenders are forced to put up 100pc reserve backing for deposits, they lose the exorbitant privilege of creating money out of thin air.

The nation regains sovereign control over the money supply. There are no more banks runs, and fewer boom-bust credit cycles. Accounting legerdemain will do the rest. That at least is the argument.

Some readers may already have seen the IMF study, by Jaromir Benes and Michael Kumhof, which came out in August and has begun to acquire a cult following around the world.

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Entitled "The Chicago Plan Revisited", it revives the scheme first put forward by professors Henry Simons and Irving Fisher in 1936 during the ferment of creative thinking in the late Depression.

Irving Fisher thought credit cycles led to an unhealthy concentration of wealth. He saw it with his own eyes in the early 1930s as creditors foreclosed on destitute farmers, seizing their land or buying it for a pittance at the bottom of the cycle.
The farmers found a way of defending themselves in the end. They muscled together at "one dollar auctions", buying each other's property back for almost nothing. Any carpet-bagger who tried to bid higher was beaten to a pulp.

Benes and Kumhof argue that credit-cycle trauma - caused by private money creation - dates deep into history and lies at the root of debt jubilees in the ancient religions of Mesopotian and the Middle East.

Harvest cycles led to systemic defaults thousands of years ago, with forfeiture of collateral, and concentration of wealth in the hands of lenders. These episodes were not just caused by weather, as long thought. They were amplified by the effects of credit.

The Athenian leader Solon implemented the first known Chicago Plan/New Deal in 599 BC to relieve farmers in hock to oligarchs enjoying private coinage. He cancelled debts, restituted lands seized by creditors, set floor-prices for commodities (much like Franklin Roosevelt), and consciously flooded the money supply with state-issued "debt-free" coinage.

The Romans sent a delegation to study Solon's reforms 150 years later and copied the ideas, setting up their own fiat money system under Lex Aternia in 454 BC.

It is a myth - innocently propagated by the great Adam Smith - that money developed as a commodity-based or gold-linked means of exchange. Gold was always highly valued, but that is another story. Metal-lovers often conflate the two issues.

Anthropological studies show that social fiat currencies began with the dawn of time. The Spartans banned gold coins, replacing them with iron disks of little intrinsic value. The early Romans used bronze tablets. Their worth was entirely determined by law - a doctrine made explicit by Aristotle in his Ethics - like the dollar, the euro, or sterling today.

Some argue that Rome began to lose its solidarity spirit when it allowed an oligarchy to develop a private silver-based coinage during the Punic Wars. Money slipped control of the Senate. You could call it Rome's shadow banking system. Evidence suggests that it became a machine for elite wealth accumulation.

Unchallenged sovereign or Papal control over currencies persisted through the Middle Ages until England broke the mould in 1666. Benes and Kumhof say this was the start of the boom-bust era.

One might equally say that this opened the way to England's agricultural revolution in the early 18th Century, the industrial revolution soon after, and the greatest economic and technological leap ever seen. But let us not quibble.

The original authors of the Chicago Plan were responding to the Great Depression. They believed it was possible to prevent the social havoc caused by wild swings from boom to bust, and to do so without crimping economic dynamism.

The benign side-effect of their proposals would be a switch from national debt to national surplus, as if by magic. "Because under the Chicago Plan banks have to borrow reserves from the treasury to fully back liabilities, the government acquires a very large asset vis-à-vis banks. Our analysis finds that the government is left with a much lower, in fact negative, net debt burden."

The IMF paper says total liabilities of the US financial system - including shadow banking - are about 200pc of GDP. The new reserve rule would create a windfall. This would be used for a "potentially a very large, buy-back of private debt", perhaps 100pc of GDP.

While Washington would issue much more fiat money, this would not be redeemable. It would be an equity of the commonwealth, not debt.

The key of the Chicago Plan was to separate the "monetary and credit functions" of the banking system. "The quantity of money and the quantity of credit would become completely independent of each other."

Private lenders would no longer be able to create new deposits "ex nihilo". New bank credit would have to be financed by retained earnings.

"The control of credit growth would become much more straightforward because banks would no longer be able, as they are today, to generate their own funding, deposits, in the act of lending, an extraordinary privilege that is not enjoyed by any other type of business," says the IMF paper.

"Rather, banks would become what many erroneously believe them to be today, pure intermediaries that depend on obtaining outside funding before being able to lend."
The US Federal Reserve would take real control over the money supply for the first time, making it easier to manage inflation. It was precisely for this reason that Milton Friedman called for 100pc reserve backing in 1967. Even the great free marketeer implicitly favoured a clamp-down on private money.

The switch would engender a 10pc boost to long-arm economic output. "None of these benefits come at the expense of diminishing the core useful functions of a private financial system."

Simons and Fisher were flying blind in the 1930s. They lacked the modern instruments needed to crunch the numbers, so the IMF team has now done it for them -- using the `DSGE' stochastic model now de rigueur in high economics, loved and hated in equal measure.

The finding is startling. Simons and Fisher understated their claims. It is perhaps possible to confront the banking plutocracy head without endangering the economy.
Benes and Kumhof make large claims. They leave me baffled, to be honest. Readers who want the technical details can make their own judgement by studying the text here.
The IMF duo have supporters. Professor Richard Werner from Southampton University - who coined the term quantitative easing (QE) in the 1990s -- testified to Britain's Vickers Commission that a switch to state-money would have major welfare gains. He was backed by the campaign group Positive Money and the New Economics Foundation.
The theory also has strong critics. Tim Congdon from International Monetary Research says banks are in a sense already being forced to increase reserves by EU rules, Basel III rules, and gold-plated variants in the UK. The effect has been to choke lending to the private sector.

He argues that is the chief reason why the world economy remains stuck in near-slump, and why central banks are having to cushion the shock with QE.

"If you enacted this plan, it would devastate bank profits and cause a massive deflationary disaster. There would have to do `QE squared' to offset it," he said.
The result would be a huge shift in bank balance sheets from private lending to government securities. This happened during World War Two, but that was the anomalous cost of defeating Fascism.

To do this on a permanent basis in peace-time would be to change in the nature of western capitalism. "People wouldn't be able to get money from banks. There would be huge damage to the efficiency of the economy," he said.

Arguably, it would smother freedom and enthrone a Leviathan state. It might be even more irksome in the long run than rule by bankers.

Personally, I am a long way from reaching any conclusion in this extraordinary debate. Let it run, and let us all fight until we flush out the arguments.

One thing is sure. The City of London will have great trouble earning its keep if any variant of the Chicago Plan ever gains wide support.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/9623863/IMFs-epic-plan-to-conjure-away-debt-and-dethrone-bankers.html

The Plight of Hindus – A Lion Who Thinks He is a Mouse? -- Francois Gautier

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Wednesday, August 29th, 2012 | Posted by Editor

The Plight of Hindus – A Lion Who Thinks He is a Mouse?

By Francois Gautier

(CHAKRA Blogs) I have fought for the Kashmir Pandits ever since I covered Kashmir in the nineties and saw them flee helpless and terrified. In 2005, I received the Natchiketa Award of Excellence in Journalism at the hand of the PM in Lok Sabha and with the prize money, I started a Foundation FACT (Foundation Against Continuing Terrorism) and my first exhibition was on the plight of the KP. You can see information and pictures on it here.

HH Sri Sri Ravi Shankar was so touched by it, that He took it all over the world with Him. We showed it to the Polish Parliament, the Israeli parliament, the Scottish Parliament, in the Commonwealth Club in London and even to the US Congress in Washington, which led to a Resolution on the plight of the Kashmir Pandits.

But I have to tell you something, Hindus are still a huge majority in India, but it’s like a lion who thinks he is a mouse and does not know its strength. It’s pretty pathetic that out of 400.000 Hindus, (there were a million of them in the Valley of Kashmir in 1900), not a single one put up a fight and fired a shot in defense, when their brothers were killed, their wires raped, their children burnt in the Valley of Kashmir. Hindus pride themselves in their peace loving way. I really appreciate it myself, India a land of peace, where all the persecuted minorities of the world have found refuge, including lately the Tibetans. But isn’t it cowardice sometimes? The Gita tells us in the words of Lord Krishna that when your way of life is threatened, when Untruth is about to overcome Truth, when your borders are threatened, your wives raped, you children killed, it is rightful and dharmic to fight, by force if necessary.

Sri Aurobindo came to remind everybody that it was all right to throw out the British manu militari, to the point that his brother Barin, manufactured bombs in the basement of Sri Aurobindo’s house, but his voice was not heard. Today, Buddhism, Gandhism and Leftist intellectual thought have weakened India and She seems sometimes ready to let go of huge chunks of Her territory, whether the Valley of Kashmir, Assam to the Bangladeshis, Arunachal to the Chinese, without a fight. Wake-up O children of Bharat! Kashmir is a very ancient and sacred place not only for Hindus, but also for Buddhists.

http://www.chakranews.com/the-plight-of-hindus-a-lion-who-thinks-he-is-a-mouse/3209

Restoring an episode in Hindu history: Aurangzeb exhibition in Shivaji Maharaj Museum of Indian History, Pune

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AURANGZEB, AS HE WAS ACCORDING TO MUGHAL RECORDS

AN EXHIBITION MOUNTED BY FACT - INDIA

"No nation can move forward, unless it squarely faces its past. The courage to remember helps us not to repeat the same mistakes and to build a better future for our children" says H.H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, founder of the Art of Living
This exhibition contains, and is based on Firmans, original edicts in Persian issued by Aurangzeb, preserved at the Bikaner Museum, Rajasthan, India. 

Aurangzeb, Emperor Shah Jahan's sixth son, was born on 24th October 1618 at Dohad in Madhya Pradesh, and wrested India's crown from his father before the end of June 1658, after defeating his brother Prince Dara Shukoh's armies, first at Dharmat near Ujjain (15th April 1568) and the second, led by Dara himself, at Samugarh on 29th May 1658. The War of Succession to the richest throne in the world was practically over with this victory, and Aurangzeb secured his position by making Murad, his brother and accomplice in his impetuous pursuit for power, his prisoner, by treachery, on 25th June. He had already made his old father Emperor Shah Jahan a prisoner in the Agra Fort (8th June 1658).

Shah Jahan survived his confinement by nearly eight years and the disgraceful manner of his burial (Exhibit No. 5) will ever remain a stigma on this unscrupulous son Aurangzeb's advent to the throne in his father's life time was not welcomed by the people of India, because of the treacherous manner it was achieved; but public opinion became all the more hostile towards him when Prince Dara Shukoh, the favourite son of Shah Jahan, the translator of the Upanishads (Exhibit No. 2), and a truly liberal and enlightened Musalman, was taken prisoner on the Indian border, as he was going to Persia. Dara was paraded in a most undignified manner on the streets of Delhi on 29th August 1659. The French Doctor, Bernier, was an eye-witness to the scene and was deeply moved by the popular sympathy for Dara (Exhibit No. 3) which so much alarmed Aurangzeb that he contrived to have a decree from his Clerics announcing death-sentence for his elder brother on the charge of apostasy (Exhibit No. 4).

Throughout the War of Succession, Aurangzeb had maintained that he was not interested in acquiring the throne and that his only object was to ward off the threat to Islam, which was inevitable in case Dara Shukoh came to power. Many, including his brother Murad, were deceived by this posture. After his formal accession in Delhi (5th June 1659) he posed as a defender of Islam who would rule according to the directions of the Shariat, and with the advice of the Clerics or Ulama for whom the doctrines, rules, principles and directives, as laid down and interpreted in the 7th and 8th century Arabia, Persia and Iraq, were inviolable and unchangeable in all conditions, in all countries, and for all times to come.

One of the main objectives of Aurangzeb's policy was to demolish Hindu temples. When he ordered (13th October 1666) removal of the carved railing, which Prince Dara Shukoh had presented to Keshava Rai temple at Mathura, he had observed 'In the religion of the Musalmans it is improper even to look at a temple', and that it was totally unbecoming of a Muslim to act like Dara Shukoh (Exhibit No. 6, Akhbarat, 13th October 1666). This was followed by destruction of the famous Kalka temple in Delhi (Exhibit No. 6, 7, 8, Akhbarat, 3rd and 12th September 1667).

In 1669, shortly after the death of Mirza Raja Jai Singh of Amber, a general order was issued (9th April 1669) for the demolition of temples and established schools of the Hindus throughout the empire and banning public worship (Exhibit Nos. 9 & 10). Soon after this the great temple of Keshava Rai was destroyed (Jan.-Feb. 1670) (Exhibit No. 12) and in its place a lofty mosque was erected. The idols, the author of Maasir-i-Alamgiri informs, were carried to Agra and buried under the steps of the mosque built by Begum Sahiba in order to be continually trodden upon, and the name of Mathura was changed to Islamabad. The painting (Exhibit No. 13) is thus no fancy imagination of the artist but depicts what actually took place.

This was followed by Aurangzeb's order to demolish the highly venerated temple of Vishwanath at Banaras (Persian text, Exhibit No. 11), Keshava Rai temple (Jan.-Feb. 1670) (Persian Text, exhibit No. 12 and Painting, Exhibit No. 13), and of Somanatha (Exhibit No. 14).To save the idol of Shri Nathji from being desecrated, the Gosain carried it to Rajputana, where Maharana Raj Singh received it formally at Sihad village, assuring the priest that Aurangzeb would have to trample over the bodies of one lakh of his brave Rajputs, before he could even touch the idol (Exhibit No. 15)

Aurangzeb's zeal for temple destruction became much more intense during war conditions. The opportunity to earn religious merit by demolishing hundreds of temples soon came to him in 1679 when, after the death of Maharaja Jaswant Singh of Jodhpur in the Kabul Subah, he tried to eliminate the Rathors of Marwar as a political power in Rajputana. But Maharana Raj Singh of Mewar, in line with the great traditions of his House, came out in open support of the Rathors.. This led to war with both Mewar and Marwar during which the temples built on the bank of Rana's lake were destroyed by his orders (Exhibit No. 23, Akhbarat 23rd December 1679) and also about three hundred other temples in the environs of Udaipur. (Exhibit No. 25, Text), including the famous Jagannath Rai temple built at a great cost in front of the Maharana's palace which was bravely defended by a handful of Rajputs (Exhibit Nos. 20, 21).

Not only this, when Aurangzeb visited Chittor to have a view of the famous fort, he ordered the demolition of 63 temples there which included some of the finest temples of Kumbha's time (Exhibit No. 22). From Marwar (in Western Rajasthan) alone were brought several cart-loads of idols which, as per Aurangzeb's orders, were cast in the yard of the Court and under the steps of Jama Masjid (Exhibit No. 19). Such uncivilized and arrogant conduct of the Mughal Emperor alienated Hindus for ever, though they continued to be tolerant towards his creed.

In June 1681, orders, in a laconic two-liner, were given for the demolition of the highly venerated Jagannath Temple in Orissa (Exhibit No. 24, Akhbarat, 1st June 1681). Shortly afterwards, in September 1682, the famous Bindu-Madhav temple in Banaras was also demolished as per the Emperor's orders (Exhibit No. 27, Akhbarat, Julus 26, Ramzan 20). On 1st September 1681, while proceeding to the Deccan, where his rebel son Prince Akbar, escorted by Durga Das Rathore, had joined Chhatrapati Shivaji's son, Shambhaji, thus creating a serious problem for him, Aurangzeb ordered that all the temples on the way should be destroyed. It was a comprehensive order not distinguishing between old and newly built temples (Exhibit No. 26, Akhbarat, Julus 25, Ramzan 18). But in the district of Burhanpur, where there were a large number of temples with their doors closed, he preferred to keep them as such, as the Muslims were too few in number in the district. (Exhibit No. 28, Akhbarat 13th October 1681). In his religious frenzy, even temples of the loyal and friendly Amber state were not spared, such as the famous temple of Jagdish at Goner near Amber (Exhibit Nos. 30, Akhbarat, 28th March and 14th May 1680). In fact, his misguided ardour for temple destruction did not abate almost up to the end of his life, for as late as 1st January 1705 we find him ordering that the temple of Pandharpur be demolished and the butchers of the camp be sent to slaughter cows in the temple precincts (Akhbarat 49-7).

The number of such ruthless acts of Aurangzeb make a long list but here only a few have been mentioned, supported by evidence, mostly contemporary official records of Aurangzeb's period and by such credible Persian sources as Maasir-i-Alamgiri.

In obedience to the Quranic injunction, he reimposed Jizyah on the Hindus on 2nd April 1679 (Exhibit No. 16), which had been abolished by Emperor Akbar in 1564, causing widespread anger and resentment among the Hindus of the country. A massive peaceful demonstration against this tax in Delhi, was ruthlessly crushed. This hated tax involved heavy economic burden on the vast number of the poor Hindus and caused humiliation to each and every Hindu (Exhibit No. 18). In the same vein, were his discriminatory measures against Hindus in the form of exemption of the Muslims from the taxes (Exhibit No. 31, Akhbarat 16th April 1667) ban on atishbazi and restriction on Diwali (Exhibit No. 32), replacement of Hindu officials by Muslims so that the Emperor's prayers for the welfare of Muslims and glory of Islam, which were proving ineffective, be answered (Exhibit Nos. 33, 34). He also imposed a ban on ziyarat and gathering of the Hindus at religious shrines, such as of Shitla Mata and folk Gods like Pir Pabu (Exhibit No. 35, Akhbarat 16th September 1667), another ban on their travelling in Palkis, or riding elephants and Arab-Iraqi horses, as Hindus should not carry themselves with the same dignity as the Muslims! (Exhibit No. 36). In the same vein came brazen attempts to convert Hindus by inducement, coercion (Exhibit No. 41) or by offering Qanungoship (Exhibit No. 44, 45, 46) and to honour the converts in the open Court. His personal directions were that a Hindu male be given Rs.4 and a Hindu female Rs.2 on conversion (Exhibit No. 43, Akhbarat 7th April 1685). “Go on giving them”, Aurangzeb had ordered when it was reported to him that the Faujdar of Bithur, Shaikh Abdul Momin, had converted 150 Hindus and had given them naqd (cash) and saropas (dresses of honour) (Exhibit No. 40, Akhbarat, 11th April 1667). Such display of Islamic orthodoxy by the State under Aurangzeb gave strength and purpose to the resistance movements such as of the Marathas, the Jats, the Bundelas and the Sikhs (Exhibit No. 46).

On the 12th May 1666, the dignity with which Shivaji carried himself in the Mughal court and defied the Emperor's authority, won him spontaneous admiration of the masses. Parkaldas, an official of Amber (Jaipur State) wrote in his letter dated 29th May 1666, to his Diwan. “Now that after coming to the Emperor's presence Shivaji has shown such audacity and returned harsh and strong replies, the public extols him for his bravery all the more …” (Exhibit No. 37). When Shivaji passed away on April 1680 at the age of 53 only, he had already carved a sufficiently large kingdom, his Swarajya, both along the western coast and some important areas in the east as well.

Aurangzeb could never pardon himself for his Intelligence in letting him escape from his well laid trap and wrote in his Will (Exhibit No. 48) that it made him 'to labour hard (against the Marathas) to the end of my life (as a result of it)”. He did not realize that it was his own doing: the extremely cruel manner 'even for those times - in which he put to death Shivaji' son, Shambhaji (Exhibit No. 38) made the Maratha king a martyr in the eyes of the masses and with that commenced the People' War in Maharashtra and the Deccan which dug the grave of the Mughal empire.

Till the very end Aurangzeb never understood that the main pillars of the government are the affection and support of the people and not mere compliance of the religious directives originating from a foreign land in the seventh-eighth centuries.

His death after a long and ruinous reign lasting half a century, ended an eventful epoch in the history of India. He left behind a crumbling empire, a corrupt and inefficient administration, a demoralized army, a discredited government facing public bankruptcy and alienated subjects.

http://www.aurangzeb.info/ 

 




Source: AurangzebHall2.pdf
Exhibit No. 1: Mughal Empire map based on sheet o A 16 A of Irfan Habib's "An Atlas of Mughal Empire", Oxford Univ. Press, Delhi. (1982)

Source: http://www.aurangzeb.info/2008/06/exhibit-no_1814.html
Exhibit No. 2: Prince Dara Shukoh translating the Upanishads.
Prince Dara Shukoh, the eldest son of Emperor Shah Jahan, was like his great ancestor Akbar, a very liberal and enlightened Musalman and a true seeker of truth. Akbar respected all religions – Islam, Hinduism, Christianity, Zoroastrianism, Jainism, Sikhism, etc., and gave their votaries complete religious freedom. He was ever keen to discuss and understand their religious beliefs, practices and philosophy and, in order to make the Musalmans familiar with the culture, and universal values, philosophy and traditions of India, he had the great epics of India – Ramayana and Mahabharat – translated into Persian. He also arranged for the translation of the Atharvaveda.

Continuing the unfinished work of Emperor Akbar, Prince Dara Shukoh too, assisted by the Indian scholars, translated Bhagvad Gita, Prabodha Chandrodaya (a philosophical drama written in 1060 A.D.), and Yoga Vashishtha into Persian. He also translated the Upanishadas, which are the fountain-head of Indian philosophy, with the help of learned Pandits from Banaras, well versed in the Vedas and the Upanishadas. The translation of the Upanishadas by him entitled Sirr-i-Akbar (The Grand Secret) was completed on the 28th June 1657, shortly before the commencement of the War of Succession, which he lost to his crafty and unscrupulous brother, Aurangzeb who ruled India from 1659-1707.

In the painting, Dara is shown translating the Upanishadas, assisted by Indian scholars. http://www.aurangzeb.info/2008/06/exhibit-no_7645.html

Exhibit No. 3: Scene of Captive Dara being paraded in Delhi. (29th April 1659)
The painting based on Dr. Bernier’s eyewitness account, shows captive Dara Shukoh and his son being carried on an elephant on the streets of Delhi, girt round by troops ready to foil any attempt to rescue the prisoner, and led by Bahadur Shah on an elephant. Behind Prince Dara Shukoh is Nazar Beg, their goaler. Dara is shown throwing his wrapper to a beggar who had cried out, “Dara! When you were master, you always gave me alms, today I know well thou hast naught to give”. Describing the scene Bernier writes, “The crowd assembled was immense; and everywhere I observed the people weeping and lamenting the fate of Dara in the most touching language … men, women and children were wailing as if some mighty calamity had happened to themselves”.

The outburst of popular sympathy for Dara Shukoh and the contemptuous response which Aurangzeb had received from the people for his outrageous treatment of his brother made him procure in all haste a decree from the Clerics in his own pay, and had his elder brother beheaded on the charge of apostasy.

This was a sad end of a genuine seeker of truth, translator of the Upanishadas, author of many works on Sufi philosophy, and one who could have revived and carried the enlightened policies of his great ancestor Akbar to fulfillment.
http://www.aurangzeb.info/2008/06/exhibit-no_8839.html

Exhibit No. 6: Keshava Rai Temple. "Even to look at a temple is a sin for a Musalman", Aurangzeb. Umurat-i-Hazur Kishwar-Kashai Julus (R.Yr.) 9, Rabi II 24 / 13 October 1666.

‘It was reported to the Emperor (Aurangzeb) that in the temple of Keshava Rai at Mathura, there is a stone railing presented by Bishukoh (one without dignity i.e. Prince Dara, Aurangzeb's elder brother). On hearing of it, the Emperor observed, "In the religion of the Musalmans it is improper even to look at a temple and this Bishukoh has installed this kathra (barrier railing). Such an act is totally unbecoming of a Musalman. This railing should be removed (forthwith)”. His Majesty ordered Abdun Nabi Khan to go and remove the kathra, which is in the middle of the temple. The Khan went and removed it. After doing it he had audience. He informed that the idol of Keshava Rai is in the inner chamber. The railing presented by Dara was in front of the chamber and that, formerly, it was of wood. Inside the kathra used to stand the sevakas of the shrine (pujaris etc.) and outside it stood the people (khalq)’.

Note:

Aurangzeb's solemn observation recorded in his own Court's bulletin that "In the religion of the Musalmans it is improper even to look at a temple" and therefore, presentation of a stone railing to Keshava Rai temple by Dara was "totally unbecoming of a Musalman" casts serious doubts about a few instances of religious toleration and temple grants attributed to him. Only two years before his long awaited death, he had ordered (1st January 1705) to “demolish the temple of Pandharpur and to take the butchers of the camp there and slaughter cows in the temple … It was done”. Akhbarat, 49-7, cited in J.N. Sarkar, Aurangzeb, Vol.III, 189).

http://www.aurangzeb.info/2008/06/exhibit-no_7171.html
Exhibit No. 7: Demolition of Kalka's Temple - I. Siyah Waqa'i- Darbar Regnal Year 10, Rabi I, 23 / 3 September 1667.

"The asylum of Shariat (Shariat Panah) Qazi Abdul Muqaram has sent this arzi to the sublime Court: a man known to him told him that the Hindus gather in large numbers at Kalka's temple near Barahapule (near Delhi); a large crowd of the Hindus is seen here. Likewise, large crowds are seen at (the mazars) of Khwaja Muinuddin, Shah Madar and Salar Masud Ghazi. This amounts to bid‘at (heresy) and deserves consideration. Whatever orders are required should be issued.

Saiyid Faulad Khan was thereupon ordered (by the Emperor) to send one hundred beldars to demolish the Kalka temple and other temples in its neighbourhood which were in the Faujdari of the Khan himself; these men were to reach there post haste, and finish the work without a halt".

Note:

Kalkaji's temple which stands today was rebuilt soon after Aurangzeb's death (1707 A.D.) on the remains of the old temple dedicated to Goddess Kali. The two Akhbarat dated R.Yr. 10, Rabi I, 23 and Rabi II, 3 (Sept.3 and Sept. 12, 1667) provide details regarding the demolition of the temple on Aurangzeb's orders. Since 1764, the temple has been renovated and altered several times but the main 18th century structure more or less remains the same. The site is very old dating back to Emperor Asoka's time (3rd century B.C.). There is mention of Kalkaji in the Maratha records of 1738. People flock to the temple in large numbers especially during Navratras.

http://www.aurangzeb.info/2008/06/exhibit-no_5608.html
Exhibit No. 8: Demolition of Kalka Temple II. Siyah Akhbarat-i-Darbar-i-Mu‘alla Julus 10, Rabi II 3 / 12 September 1667.

"Saiyad Faulad Khan reported that in compliance with the orders, beldars were sent to demolish the Kalka temple which task they have done. During the course of the demolition, a Brahmin drew out a sword, killed a bystander and then turned back and attacked the Saiyad also. The Brahmin was arrested”.

Note:

There are only a few recorded instances of armed opposition by outraged Hindus, such as at Goner (near Jaipur), Ujjain, Udaipur and Khandela, but there must have been many more such instances of angry outbursts and resistance against Muslim vandalism which do not find mention in the official papers of Emperor Aurangzeb.

Most of the Hindus took the destruction of these temples philosophically considering these as acts of ignorance and folly for a vain purpose. They regarded that it was beyond the understanding or intelligence of the Musalmans to comprehend the principle behind the idol worship or the fundamental oneness of saguna and nirguna worship. The Hindus believed that the Gods and Goddesses leave for their abode before the hatchet or the hammer of the vile “mlecchas” or “asuras” so much as even touched the idols. The idea has been well described in Kanhadade Prabandha (wr. 1456 A.D.) when giving an account of the destruction of the Somnath temple by Sultan Alauddin's troops in 1299.
http://www.aurangzeb.info/2008/06/exhibit-no_4008.html
Exhibit No. 11: Demolition of the temple of Viswanath (Banaras). August 1669 A.D.

It was reported that, “according to the Emperor’s command, his officers had demolished the temple of Viswanath at Kashi”. (Maasiri-‘ Alamgiri, 88)

Note:

Kashi is one of the mort sacred towns in India and reference to the worship of Shiva as Vishveshvara goes back to very early times. Kashi itself enjoys highest sanctity since times immemorial. According to the Puranas, every foot-step taken in Kashi Kshetra has the sanctity of making a pilgrimage to a tirtha. Lord Vishvanatha is regarded as the protector of Kashi and the belief is that one earns great religious merit by having darshana (view) of the deity after having bathed in the Ganges. After destruction of the temple on Aurangzeb’s orders, a mosque was built which still stands there as a testimony of the great tolerance and spirit of forgiveness of the Hindus even towards those who had for centuries desecrated and destroyed their temples and other places of worship and learning, and also as a lesson that “mutually uncongenial cultures”, when forced by circumstances to intermingle in the same Geographical area, result in such calamities. A portion of the sculpture of the demolished temple, probably built in the late 16th century, still survives to tell the fate of Aurangzeb’s vandalism and barbarity. The present temple of Vishveshvara was built by Ahilya Bai Holkar of Indore.

http://www.aurangzeb.info/2008/06/exhibit-no_4620.html
Exhibit No. 14: Demolition of Somnath temple.

About the time the general order for destruction of Hindu temples was issued (9th April 1669), the highly venerated temple of Somanath built on the sea-shore in Kathaiwad was also destroyed. The famous temple was dedicated to Lord Shiva. In the 11th century, the temple was looted and destroyed by Mahmud Ghaznavi. It was rebuilt by King Bhim Deva Solanki of Gujarat and again renovated by Kumarapal in 1143-44 A.D. The temple was again destroyed by Alauddin Khalji’s troops in 1299. In a rare description of the scene of a temple destruction, like of which continued to occur time and again during the long and disastrous rule of the Musalman rulers in India, we have the following account. “The Mlechchha (asura) stone breakers”, writes Padmanabha in his classic work “climbed up the shikhar of the temple and began to rain blows on the stone idols on all three sides by their hammers, the stone pieces falling all around. They loosened every joint of the temple building, and then began to break the different layers (thara) and the sculptured elephants and horses carved on them by incessant blows of their hammers. Then, amidst loud and vulgar clamour, they began to apply force from both the sides to uproot the massive idol by means of wooden beams and iron crowbars” (Kaanhadade Prabandha, Canto I, vss. 94-96).

After the destruction of Somnath temple during Alauddin’s time, it was rebuilt again. When Aurangzeb gave orders for its destruction, the scene must have been little different from the one described by Padmanabha. The artist in his painting has tried to recreate the scene.

http://www.aurangzeb.info/2008/06/exhibit-no_9931.html
Exhibit No. 18: Hindus forced to suffer humiliation in paying the Jizyah tax.

On 2nd April 1679, Aurangzeb re-imposed Jizayah upon the Hindus which had been abolished by Emperor Akbar in 1564. The author of Maasir-i-Alamgiri writes: ‘As all the aims of the religious Emperor (Aurangzeb) were directed to the spreading of the law of Islam and the overthrow of the practices of the infidelity, he issued orders ….. that from Wednesday, the 2nd April 1679/1st Rabi I, in obedience to the Qur’anic injunction, “till they pay Jizyah with the hand of humility”, and in agreement with the canonical traditions, Jizyah should be collected from the infidels (zimmis) of the capital and the provinces’.

The economic burden of Jizyah was felt most by the poor who formed the vast majority of the Hindus; for the middle classes and the rich, it was not so much the economic burden which mattered but the humiliation involved in the prescribed mode of payment, which the Jizyah collector could always insist upon, as of right i.e. by insisting that he would accept it only when paid personally. The Qur’anic injunction that war must be made upon all those who do not profess Islam “till they pay Jizyah out of their hand and they are humiliated”, was interpreted to mean that the Hindus must be made conscious of their inferior position when paying this tax.

In the painting, a number of Hindus, both rich and poor are lining up to pay Jizyah while the arrogant Jizyah collector is picking up the coins from the palm of a Hindu Jizyah payer. Some people have come from the neighbouring areas in their bullock-carts; their bullocks are resting under the shade of the trees.

http://www.aurangzeb.info/2008/06/exhibit-no_512.html

Exhibit No. 36: Restrictions on the Hindus: forbidden to travel in Palkis, or ride on elephants and Arab-Iraqi horses.

In March 1695, all the Hindus, with the exception of the Rajputs, were forbidden to travel in palkis, or ride on elephants or thorough-bred horses, or to carry arms. (Muntakhab-ul-Lubab, ii, 395; Maasir-i-Alamgiri, 370 and News Letter, 11 December 1694).

In the sketch, well to do Hindus are being made to alight from palki (sedan chair), elephant and good horse by Mughal officers. The need to issue this derogatory order was the requirement also recorded in Fatwa-i-‘Alamgiri, that Hindus should not be allowed to look like Muslims, that is carry themselves with the same dignity. The folly and futility, or even danger of applying or observing the guiding principles, practices and law prescribed, interpreted, or recommended in the seventh and eighth centuries in Arabia, after a lapse of ten centuries in a country like India, was never realized by the Muslim clerics or their Emperor.
http://www.aurangzeb.info/2008/06/exhibit-no_7371.html

Exhibit No. 37: Shivaji leaving Aurangzeb’s Court in anger.

Shivaji reached Agra on the 12th May 1666 by noon, and had to be rushed to the Court to attend the special darbar on Aurangzeb’s 50th lunar birthday. Shivaji was presented to the Emperor by Asad Khan in the Diwan-i-Khas and was then directed to stand in the line of 5 hazari mansabdars. “The Emperor neither talked nor addressed any word to him”. The work of the court proceeded and Shivaji seemed to have been forgotten.

Shivaji was not expecting this kind of reception. He was very much upset when Kumar Ram Singh (son of Mirza Raja Jai Singh of Amber), in response to his query, informed him that the noble standing in front of him was Maharaja Jaswant Singh of Jodhpur. He flared up “Jaswant, whose back my soldiers have seen! I to stand behind him? What it all means”?

He was made to feel neglected in other ways also. At this he began to fret and “his eyes became wet with anger”. The Emperor noticed the commotion and told Ram Singh, “Ask Shivaji, what ails him”. When Kumar came, Shivaji burst forth, “You have seen, your father has seen, and your Padishah has seen, what sort of man I am, and you have wilfully made me stand up so long. I cast off your mansab ….”.

After saying this he then and there turned his back to the throne and rudely walked away. Kumar Ram Singh caught hold of his hand, but Shivaji wrenched it away …’

In the painting, the above scene, based on a contemporary letter, has been depicted. Shivaji is shown coming out of the Court in great anger, his back towards Aurangzeb, his sword half drawn, and Kumar Ram Singh of Amber trying in vain to pacify him. Wrote Parkaldas of Amber to the State’s Diwan in his letter of 29th May 1666, “The people had been praising Shivaji’s high spirit and courage before. Now that after coming to the Emperor’s presence he has shown such audacity and returned harsh and strong replies, the public extols him for his bravery all the more …”
http://www.aurangzeb.info/2008/06/exhibit-no_7893.html

Exhibit No. 44: Aurangzeb restoring the office of qanungoship to Hindu officials who were forced to become Musalman.

Qanungoship on becoming Musalman:

There are a large number of Akhbarat (Aurangzeb’s Court Bulletins) which mention that either Qanungoi was restored on becoming Musalman, or that a person or persons were appointed Qanungos on accepting Islam, or that they agreed to become Musalman, obviously under pressure or as inducement.

A typical entry in the Akhbarat, such as of R.Yr. 10, Zilqada / April 22, 1667, reads “Makrand etc., in all four persons, became Musalman. The Qanungoi of Parganah Khohri was restored to them. Four Khil‘ats were conferred upon them”. Sir Jadunath Sarkar is right in saying that “Qanungoship on becoming a Muslim”, had become a proverb.

As Qanungo had intimate knowledge of the customs and tenures of the land, he could serve as the best agent for protecting the interests of the Musalmans and in extending influence of Islam in the rural areas. The sketch shows four Qanungos being restored their Qanungoi on becoming Musalman.
http://www.aurangzeb.info/2008/06/exhibit-no_6222.html

Nobody could thus question the historicity of our Aurangzeb paintings, but nevertheless, when we exhibited them in Chennai in 2009, the nawab of Arcot, whose ancestor was nominated by Aurangzeb, complained to the then CM’s son, Stalin, who got the police to close down the exhibition...The police, were extremely harsh: they threw some of the paintings on the ground & imprisoned the two harmless old ladies who were guarding the exhibition.

Links:

BOOKS

History of Aurangzib by Sir Jadunath Sarkar in 3 volumes published by Orient BlackSwan

DOWNLOADS

- Ma'asir-i Alamgiri of Saqi Musta'd Khan Download
- History of Aurangzib (Vol. 1), Sir Jadunath Sarkar Download
- History of Aurangzib (Vol. 2), Sir Jadunath Sarkar Download

- Aurangzeb responsible for 4.6 million deaths
- Destruction of Hindu Temples by Aurangzeb
- Why did Aurangzeb Demolish the Kashi Vishvanath?

Aadhaar: on a platform of myths -- R. Ramakumar

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Comment : National IDs have been abandoned in the US,Australia and the uk. The reasons have predominantly been costs and privacy.

If it is too expensive for the US with a population of 308 million, and the UK with 61 million people, and Australia with 21 million people, it is being asked why India thinks it can prioritise its spending in this direction. In the UK the home secretary
explained that they were abandoning the project because it would otherwise be “intrusive bullying” by the State, and that the government intended to be the “servant” of the people, and not their “master”.


July 17, 2011

Aadhaar: on a platform of myths

R. RAMAKUMAR


The Hindu "A democratic government should not undertake a project of the magnitude of Aadhaar from a platform of myths." Here, a woman shows her unique ID card. File photo: Sushil Kumar Verma

The Aadhaar project, just as its failed counterpart in the U.K., stands on a platform of myths. India needs a mass campaign to expose these myths.

Two countries. Two pet projects of the respective Prime Ministers. Unmistakable parallels in the discourse. “The case for ID cards is a case not about liberty, but about the modern world,” wrote Tony Blair in November 2006, as he was mobilising support for his Identity Cards Bill, 2004. “Aadhaar…is symbolic of the new and modern India,” said Manmohan Singh in September 2010, as he distributed the first Aadhaar number in Nandurbar. “What we are trying to do with identity cards is make use of the modern technology,” said Mr. Blair. “Aadhaar project would use today's latest and modern technology,” said Dr. Singh. The similarities are endless.

Mr. Blair's celebrated push for identity cards ended in a political disaster for Labour. The British people resisted the project for over five years. Finally, the Cameron government scrapped the Identity Cards Act in 2010, thus abolishing identity cards and plans for a National Identity Register. On the other hand, India is enthusiastically pushing the Aadhaar, or unique identity (UID), project. The UID project has been integrated with the Home Ministry's National Population Register (NPR). The “National Identification Authority of India Bill” has been tabled in Parliament. Globally, observers of identity policies are watching if India learns anything from the “modern” world.

The experience with identity cards in the United Kingdom tells us that Mr. Blair's marketing of the scheme was from a platform of myths. First, he stated that enrolment for cards would be “voluntary”. Second, he argued that the card would reduce leakages from the National Health System and other entitlement programmes; David Blunkett even called it not an “identity card,” but an “entitlement card.” Third, Mr. Blair argued that the card would protect citizens from “terrorism” and “identity fraud.” For this, the biometric technology was projected as infallible.

All these claims were questioned by scholarly and public opinion. A meticulous report from the London School of Economics examined each claim and rejected them (see “High-cost, High-risk,” Frontline, August 14, 2009). This report argued that the government was making the card compulsory across such a wide range of schemes that it would, de facto, become compulsory. It also argued that the card would not end identity fraud in entitlement schemes. The reason: biometrics was not a reliable method of de-duplication.

The Indian discourse around Aadhaar is remarkably similar. Almost identical arguments are forwarded in support of the project to provide a population of over one billion people with UID numbers. I argue that Aadhaar, just as its failed counterpart in the U.K., is promoted from a platform of myths. Here, there is space for three big myths only.

Myth 1: Aadhaar number is not mandatory.

This is wrong; Aadhaar has stealthily been made mandatory. Aadhaar is explicitly linked to the preparation of the NPR. The Census of India website notes that “data collected in the NPR will be subjected to de-duplication by the UIDAI [Unique Identification Authority of India]. After de-duplication, the UIDAI will issue a UID Number. This UID Number will be part of the NPR and the NPR Cards will bear this UID Number.”

The NPR is the creation of an amendment in 2003 to the Citizenship Act of 1955. As per Rule 3(3) in the Citizenship Rules of 2003, information on every citizen in the National Register of Indian Citizens should compulsorily have his/her “National Identity Number.” Again, Rule 7(3) states that “it shall be the responsibility of every Citizen to register once with the Local Registrar of Citizen Registration and to provide correct individual particulars.” Still further, Rule 17 states that “any violation of provisions of rules 5, 7, 8, 10, 11 and 14 shall be punishable with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees.”

The conclusion is simple: Aadhaar has been made compulsory, even before passing the Bill concerned in Parliament. Under the project's guise, the State is coercing individuals to part with personal information; this coercion comes with a threat of punishment.

Myth 2: Aadhaar is just like the social security number (SSN) in the United States.

There is a world of difference between the SSN and Aadhaar. The SSN was introduced in the U.S. in 1936 to facilitate provision of social security benefits. A defining feature of SSN is that it is circumscribed by the Privacy Act of 1974. This Act states that “it shall be unlawful for any…government agency to deny to any individual any right, benefit, or privilege provided by law because of such individual's refusal to disclose his social security account number.” Further, federal agencies have to provide notice to, and obtain consent from, individuals before disclosing their SSNs to third parties.

The SSN was never conceived as an identity document. However, in the 2000s, SSN began to be used widely for proving one's identity at different delivery/access points. As a result, SSNs of individuals were exposed to a wide array of private players, which identity thieves used to access bank accounts, credit accounts, utilities records and other sources of personal information. In 2006, the Government Accountability Office noted that “over a 1-year period, nearly 10 million people — or 4.6 per cent of the adult U.S. population — discovered that they were victims of some form of identity theft, translating into estimated losses exceeding $50 billion.”

Following public outcry, the President appointed a Task Force on Identity Theft in 2007. Acting on its report, the President notified a plan: “Combating Identity Theft: A Strategic Plan.” This plan directed all government offices to “eliminate unnecessary uses of SSNs” and reduction and, where possible, elimination of the need to use SSN to identify individuals. It's quite the contrary in India. According to Nandan Nilekani, Aadhaar number would become “ubiquitous”; he has even advised people to “tattoo it somewhere,” lest they forget it!

Myth 3: Identity theft can be eliminated using biometrics.

There is consensus among scientists and legal experts regarding the limitations of biometrics in proving identity. First, no accurate information exists on whether the errors of matching fingerprints are negligible or non-existent. A small percentage of users would always be either falsely matched or not matched at all against the database.

Second, errors of matching would stand significantly amplified in countries like India. A report from 4G Identity Solutions, contracted by UIDAI for supply of biometric devices, notes that:

“It is estimated that approximately five per cent of any population has unreadable fingerprints, either due to scars or aging or illegible prints. In the Indian environment, experience has shown that the failure to enrol is as high as 15 per cent due to the prevalence of a huge population dependent on manual labour.”

A 15 per cent failure rate would mean the exclusion of over 200 million people. If fingerprint readers are installed at Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS) work sites and ration shops, and employment or purchases made contingent on correct authentication, about 200 million persons would remain permanently excluded from accessing such schemes.

The report of the UIDAI's “Biometrics Standards Committee” actually accepts these concerns as real. Its report notes that “fingerprint quality, the most important variable for determining de-duplication accuracy, has not been studied in depth in the Indian context.” However, this critical limitation of the technology has not prevented the government from leaping into the dark with this project, one whose cost would exceed Rs.50,000 crore.

It is said that the greatest enemy of truth is not the lie, but the myth. A democratic government should not undertake a project of the magnitude of Aadhaar from a platform of myths. The lesson from the U.K. experience is that myths perpetrated by governments can be exposed through consistent public campaigns. India direly needs a mass campaign that would expose the myths behind the Aadhaar project.

(R. Ramakumar is Associate Professor with the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai.)

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/article2236134.ece
Friday, March 25, 2011
298 - 764 - On the UIDAI - EPW article
A project that proposes to give every resident a “unique identity number” is a matter of great concern for those working on issues of food security, NREGA, migration,
technology, decentralisation, constitutionalism, civil liberties and human rights. The process of setting up the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has resulted
in very little, if any, discussion about this project and its effects and fallout. It is intended to collect demographic data about all residents in the country.

Before it goes any further, we consider it imperative that the following be done:

(i) Do a feasibility study: There are claims made in relation to the project, about what it can do for the PDS and NREGA, for instance, which does not reflect any understanding of the situation on the ground. The project documents do not say what other effects the project may have, including its potential to be intrusive and violative
of privacy, who may handle the data.

(ii) Do a cost-benefit analysis: It is reported that the UIDAI estimates the project will cost Rs 45,000 crore to the exchequer in the next four years. This does not seem to
include the costs that will be incurred by the registrars, enrollers, the internal systems costs that the PDs system will have to budget if it is to be able to use the UID, the estimated cost to the end user and to the number holder.

(iii) In a system such as this, a mere statement that the UIDAI will deal with the security of the data is obviously insufficient. How does the UIDAI propose to deal with data theft?

(iv) The involvement of firms such as Ernst & Young and Accenture raises further questions about who will have access to the data, and what that means to the people of India. The questions have been raised which have not been addressed so far, including those about:

(i) Privacy: It is only now that the Department of Personnel and Training is said to be working on a draft of a privacy law, but nothing is out for discussion,

(ii) Surveillance: This technology, and the existence of the UID number, and its working, could result in increasing the potential for surveillance,

(iii) Profiling,

(iv) Tracking, and

(v) Convergence, by which those with access to state power, as well as companies, could collate information about each individual with the help of the UID number. National IDs have been abandoned in the US, Australia and the uk. The reasons have predominantly been costs and privacy.
If it is too expensive for the US with a population of 308 million, and the UK with 61 million people, and Australia with 21 million people, it is being asked why India thinks it can prioritise its spending in this direction. In the UK the home secretary explained that they were abandoning the
project because it would otherwise be “intrusive bullying” by the State, and that the government intended to be the “servant” of the people, and not their “master”. Is there a lesson in it for us?

This is a project that could change the status of the people in this country, with effects on our security and constitutional
rights. So a consideration of all aspects of the project should be undertaken with this in mind.

We, therefore, ask that the project be halted; a feasibility study be done covering all aspects of this issue; experts be tasked with studying its constitutionality; the law on privacy be urgently worked on (this will affect matters way beyond the UID project); a cost-benefi t analysis be done; a public,
informed debate be conducted before any such major change be brought in.


Justice V R Krishna Iyer,
Romila Thapar,
K G Kannabiran,
S R Sankaran,
Upendra Baxi,
Shohini Ghosh,
Bezwada Wilson,
Trilochan Sastry,
Jagdeep Chhokar,
Justice A P Shah,
and others.

(Based on a statement issued on 28 September)

http://saynotoaadhaar.blogspot.in/2011/03/298-764-on-uidai-epw-article.html

Rocket attack near Peshawar airport kills at least five

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Terrorists fire rockets at Peshawar airport, 4 dead
Reuters | Dec 15, 2012, 10.29 PM IST

PESHAWAR: At least four people were killed when militants attacked the airport in the northwestern city of Peshawar on Saturday and traded gunfire with soldiers, military and health officials said.

Pakistan's military rushed reinforcements to the scene of the attack, one of the most audacious raids by militants since an attack on an air base in August.

A health official said at least 26 people had been wounded, and that at least three of the dead were militants.

"An emergency has been declared in the hospital and all the surgeons have been called," said Umar Ayub, chief executive of the Khyber Teaching Hospital Peshawar. "All of them suffered bullet injuries and some of the injured are in critical condition."

Peshawar has witnessed many bomb attacks and shootings in recent years, but residents said it was the first time such a large attack had been staged on the airport.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Terrorists-fire-rockets-at-Peshawar-airport-4-dead/articleshow/17629826.cms

Militants fire rockets at airport in northwest Pakistan, killing 2 people, wounding 30

By Associated Press, Updated: Saturday, December 15, 10:27 PM

PESHAWAR, Pakistan — Officials say militants have fired three rockets at an airport in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar, killing two people and wounding 30 others.

Senior government official Mian Iftikhar Hussain says a gunbattle broke out between security forces and militants out after the rocket attack Saturday night and is still ongoing. Hussain is the information minister in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where Peshawar is the capital.
Local hospital official Umar Ayub says two people were killed and 30 wounded in the attack, including women and children. Four of the wounded are in critical condition.

Peshawar is located on the edge of Pakistan’s tribal region, the major sanctuary for al-Qaida and Taliban militants. The city has been attacked repeatedly in the past few years, but an attack on the airport is rare.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/militants-fire-rockets-at-airport-in-northwest-pakistan-killing-2-people-wounding-30/2012/12/15/776b155a-46d8-11e2-8c8f-fbebf7ccab4e_story.html

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AFP)

NEWS SPONSORED BY: Subway ( Tel: 869-466-9524 )

(Peshawar, PAK) - Militants fired rockets into the airport compound of Pakistan's northwestern city Peshawar late on Saturday, killing at least two people and forcing the airport to close, officials said.

Peshawar is the main gateway to Pakistan's semi-autonomous tribal belt on the Afghan border, where the Taliban and Al-Qaeda-linked groups have strongholds.

"Three rockets were fired. Two landed inside Peshawar airport and another hit a vehicle (outside). So far, two people have been killed and 22 wounded," Imran Shahid, a senior police official, told AFP.

It was not immediately clear where in the airport the rockets landed and the extent of the damage.

Mian Iftikhar Hussain, information minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of which Peshawar is the capital, confirmed the attack and the same casualty toll.

Two airport officials told AFP that the airport had been closed as a result of the attack and that all flights had been cancelled.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility but the Pakistani Taliban and other Islamist militia routinely carry out attacks in Peshawar, most notably against government security forces.

http://www.sknvibes.com/news/newsdetails.cfm/67213


http://dawn.com/2012/12/15/three-blasts-heard-in-peshawar/

Rocket attack near Peshawar airport kills at least five
DAWN.COM | 1 hour ago
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Breaking News

PESHAWAR: At least five people were killed and dozens sustained injuries in Peshawar when at least three rockets, fired from unknown location, landed near the city’s airport, DawnNews reported.

Initial reports suggest that two rockets were landed near the airport while the third landed on Old Bara Road.

There are reports of counter aerial firing from the Airport Security Forces (ASF) and the law enforcing agencies have blocked the roads around the airport.

The incident has spread fear among the residents.

An emergency has been imposed at all hospitals of the city and the agencies have sealed the airport postponing all arriving and departing flights.

Speaking to a private TV channel, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain said the authorities were still not sure about the location where the rockets were fired from. “At least two people were killed and ten were injured in the attack,” he added.

This is a developing story and will be updated as reports come in.

http://www.dnaindia.com/world/report_terrorist-launch-rocket-attack-at-peshawar-airport-in-pakistan_1777959
Terrorist launch rocket attack at Peshawar airport in Pakistan

PTI / Saturday, December 15, 2012 22:05 IST
At least three rockets were fired at the airport and nearby areas of Peshawar city in northwest Pakistan on Saturday evening, killing two persons and injuring 30 others, witnesses and rescue workers said.

The rockets, fired from an unknown location, landed on the perimeter of the Bacha Khan International Airport, University Town and another residential neighbourhood at around 9 pm, witnesses said.

Officials were quoted by TV news channels as saying that the rockets were fired from the tribal areas adjoining Peshawar, the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.

The blasts were followed by intense firing, and security forces returned fire, officials said.

Umar Ayub, a senior official of Khyber Teaching Hospital, said his facility had received two bodies and 30 injured.

Four of the wounded were in a serious condition and were mistakenly included among the dead shortly after the attack, he said.

Children, women and senior citizens were among the injured, all of whom were civilians.

They were injured by shrapnel from the rockets and bullets, Ayub said.

The army cordoned off the airport as all flights were cancelled.

Troops conducted an operation to ascertain if any militants had entered the airport.

TV channels reported that troops were exchanging fire with suspected militants almost 40 minutes after the rockets were fired at the airport.

No group claimed responsibility for the incident though such attacks are usually blamed on the Pakistani Taliban.

URL of the article: http://www.dnaindia.com/world/report_terrorist-launch-rocket-attack-at-peshawar-airport-in-pakistan_1777959-all

History reborn -- NS Rajaram

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History reborn

History reborn
SATURDAY, 15 DECEMBER 2012 17:34 NS RAJARAM

A gene mutation 80,000 years ago and a super-volcano 73,000 years ago led to the birth of civilisation as we know it today. All non-African humans and their languages can be traced to a thousand individuals in India 60,000 years ago

Ever since Sir William Jones in 1786 found remarkable similarities between Sanskrit and European languages, the question of how people from Sri Lanka and Assam to Ireland and Iceland happen to speak languages clearly related to one another has remained one of the great unsolved mysteries of history. The usual explanation, at least in India, is the Aryan invasion theory. It claims that bands of invading ‘Aryan’ tribes brought both the ancestor of the Sanskrit language and the Vedic literature from somewhere in Eurasia or even Europe.

This was the result of scholars assuming that the ancestors of Indians and Europeans must at one time have lived in a common place speaking a common language before they spread across Asia, Eurasia and Europe carrying their language which later split into different languages. They called these speakers Indo-Europeans and their languages — from north India to Europe — the Indo-European family. They called the original language Proto-Indo-European, a term sometimes applied to its speakers also.

European linguists soon followed up on these ideas but in their newfound enthusiasm committed two egregious blunders. First, they borrowed the Sanskrit word Arya, which only means civilised, and turned it into a geographical and then a racial term by applying it to the people and languages of north India. (The correct term for north India is Gauda, just as Dravida refers to the south.) Next, they placed south Indian languages in a totally different category called the Dravidian family, excluding them from nearly all discourse about Indo-Europeans. In reality, south Indian languages are much closer to Sanskrit in both grammar and vocabulary, whereas with European languages it is limited to vocabulary.

For nearly a century, until archaeologists discovered the Harappan or the Indus Valley civilisation, the Aryan invasion theory was taught as the beginning of history in India. It continues to be taught in one form or another in spite of the many contradictions highlighted by archaeologists like Jim Shaeffer and BB Lal as well as natural scientists like Sir Julian Huxley, L Cavalli-Sforza and others. Politics and entrenched academic interests have succeeded in keeping alive this 200-year-old ad hoc hypothesis but science may have finally put an end to its survival while at the same time opening a vast new window on the origin and spread of Indo-Europeans. Recent discoveries in natural history and population genetics, especially in the past two decades, have changed our understanding of Indo-European origins in ways that were totally unexpected. The picture, still a bit hazy, highlights the fact that our theories like the Aryan invasion theory are naïve and simplistic. They greatly underestimate the time horizons involved and also ignore the revolutionary impact of natural history on human beings in the past hundred thousand years.

volcano and gene mutation

Our story takes us to Africa some hundred thousand years ago. Our ancestors, called ‘anatomically modern humans’, have been located in fossils in East Africa dating to about that time or a bit earlier. We were not the only humans then: There were several other ‘humanoid’ species in Asia and Africa among which the now extinct Neanderthals are the best known. What separates us from them is we have survived and they have not. In addition, we are a speaking species with language without which civilisation as we know it is inconceivable. This means, before speaking of Indo-European, Proto-Indo-European or any other language, we must ask ourselves when did humans begin to speak and why? The answer to it is provided by the discovery of the mutation of a gene knows as FOXP2. It is a complex gene that controls both verbalisation and grammar. The time when the mutation occurred cannot be pinpointed but based on the evidence of the extinction of all other human species following the Toba super-volcanic eruption about 73,000 years ago, we may place it around 80,000 years before present. The Toba explosion was a massive volcanic eruption on the island of Sumatra. It is the greatest volcanic explosion known, nearly 3,000-times the 1980 Mount St Helen’s explosion. It resulted in a 6,000-year long freeze causing the extinction of all the human species on the planet except a few thousand of our ancestors in Africa and the Neanderthals. In particular, all non-speaking humanoids in Asia became extinct. (Neanderthals became extinct 30,000 years ago.) This means all of us are descended from this small group of Africans capable of speech.

Indo-Europeans, two waves

This was the situation until about 65,000 years ago when small groups of our African ancestors made their way to South Asia travelling along the Arabian coast. All non-Africans living today have descended from these one thousand or so original settlers in South Asia. They flourished in a small area for some 10,000 years in south-central India. Their small number in a small area meant a single language would have sufficed. This was the primordial language of our ancestors. My colleagues and I call it Proto-Afro-Indian. No trace of it has survived. For the next 10,000 years these people survived precariously by hunting and gathering. About 52,000 years ago there was a dramatic warming in climate. This led to increase in both population and territory. It was followed by a mass extinction of animals probably due to over-hunting. Shortly after this, about 45,000 years ago or so, small groups left the Indian subcontinent in search of better hunting territory and made their way to Eurasia and Europe. These are the first Indo-Europeans. The language they took with them, possibly more than one, descended from the primordial Afro-Indian and became the first Indo-European. We have no idea what it was like.

All this took place during the last Ice Age or what scientists call the Pleistocene. Towards the end of the Ice Age, about 11,000 years ago, agriculture originating in India and Southeast Asia replaced hunting-gathering, leading to much larger populations. Important domestic animals, including the horse, were also domesticated in the region (There is no truth to the claim that horses were unknown in India before the Aryan invaders brought them.) There were now several languages in north and south India which my colleagues and I call Gauda and Dravida languages. (Arya means civilised and is inappropriate for region or language.) There were two major developments during the Holocene or the period after the Ice Age 10,000 years ago. First, there was intense activity leading eventually to the creation of the Vedas and the language that became Sanskrit by incorporating features found in both northern (Gauda) and southern (Dravida) sources.

This accounts for the so-called Dravidian features found in the Vedas as well as the closeness of Dravidian grammars to Sanskrit grammar. The other was a second wave of people out of India who took with them both Sanskrit-related languages and agricultural skills along with domestic animals, including rats and mice! This accounts for the closeness of Sanskrit to European languages, in vocabulary if not grammar.

This means there were two waves of Indo-Europeans, both out of India going north and west. We know of the first (c 45,000 BCE) only from genetic studies of modern populations around the world. We have no idea what their languages were like. The second, much more recent, occurred at the turn of the Pleistocene-Holocene transition some 10,000 years ago. It has left many traces in archaeology, culture and, above all, in the Sanskritic imprint on the languages of Europe and Eurasia. The picture given here is by no means definitive but decidedly more in agreement with scientific data and the fossil record than linguistic theories like the Aryan invasion theory. Any new theory must account for scientific data and take also into account the vast time scales involved. Such momentous developments as the evolution and spread of languages over half the world cannot be squeezed into a few thousand years like the Biblical account of creation in 4004 BC on which Aryan invasion theory was based.

http://www.dailypioneer.com/sunday-edition/sundayagenda/cover-story-agenda/115743-history-reborn.html
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