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'The Fascist Mask Is Off'

This incident has pained me as much as the incidents that had rocked the Parliament and the mass killings in Kashmir and other places in India. The medium of death may be anything but the results is the loss of lives of people who had have dreamt of many tomorrows and would have nurtured dreams full of life. I am not writing poetry but just harping on the issue that what is happening to my brethren and my country where lives are lost and no one really bothers just passing on the blame from one faction to another, tilting the table and hiding for cover and trying to shrug off responsibilities. We Indians , each and every individual, are to blame for such incidents and the recurrences, wherein lives are lost without count. Whether its a sabotage or human error , just by issuing statements it does not mean that people are being soothed and consoled. Who cares? 100 families or more are now without their dear ones and the grief is uncontrollable. I cried and my heart palpitated on hearing about this incident and my memory took me back to that day in 1989 when I opened the papers to read that Island Express has plunged into the Ashtamudhi lake and more than 400 Killed. I wanted to remain silent but the cries of my people and their tearful eyes came before me and I wondered if in future I will be one of the Victims or one mourner weeping for a relative. I have been in Bangkok for about 2 years, but when I read about such incidents I am forced to think that my dear country is in the hands of thugs , clowns, buffoons, jokers, mimes and the crafty. My dear country is now of the few for the few and by the few.
Sanjay Gupta

Date: 11 Sep 2002 11:46:32 -0000
Subject: The Rajdhani Accident

It is truly unfortunate the manner in which such accidents are handled by administrators of the railways or of local state government. My cousin who was traveling in AS2 compartment in the ill-fated Rajdhani Express traveling from Howrah to New Delhi is still not found even after 36 hours of search by her husband and relatives. This is all due to lack of proper conditioning of staff concerned. The dead and injured have been treated like a flock of sheep. There was no proper identification. Those who survived or had minor injuries were packed in trains without knowing their identity. Inspite of her hand bag being traced the administrators made my people run about to every hospital around where the injured were admitted. But all in vain as they lately said that she might have boarded the train to get back to Delhi. This reasoning was also fake and inspite of 36 hours having passed by there is still no trace. Why is the administration so poor and uninformed about such important aspects? Also surprisingly many of the bogies had no charts on the respective trains. Can we imagine a Rajadhani without a chart ? It's after all those surviving co-passengers who gave some inputs but all that was a mere waste of time and energy. Our politicians just try to gain mileage. To my shocking conversation with one of my relatives of Railways who mentioned that the TRS(Railway personnel) are the first people who get the information about derailments and they usually come and to save their skins remove the plates so as to communicate a wrong impression of the incident being a sabotage. This happens invariably. Our great Minister Nitish Kumar himself has been a witness to over 5-6 derailments of late as whenever he's a minister there is a derailment somewhere or the other and he first shouts "sabotage" and lately changes mind in parliament . I think he's too crazy as an authority and should quit being in his position. The concerned Rly forces who care the least for such casualties and pretent to do their job should also 'go home sick'. In reality these 'thick skinned' decision making people have no right to be in their positions as they do not take any care for peoples lives. Just imagine 30 such derailments in 10 years. It's a shame for Indian Railways. Even Media took over 12 hrs to reach the site and report the live incidents ..just showing caricatures of what was happening..That's a shame and a challenge as the media should be factual and not function under pressure. We only pray Ms Shubra Basu is found soon:alive.
Rajeeb Ghosh

Date: Tue, 10 Sep 2002 18:57:23 +0530
Subject: The Rajdhani Accident

In my opinion this is an utter negligence of the Railway Authorities. Because the Railway Minister, Minister of State for Railways , Board Chairman , everybody are saying that , railway officials have seen fish plates out side the track. Please let us know, when they have see these fish plates, after the accident, or before the accident. If it is before the accident, why it was not been fitted so that the accident could have been avoided. If they have seen this after the accident , then it is obvious that , the fish plates might have came out at the time of derailmen. If so, the question of subotage is not at all arising. Why I am telling this? I am a South Indian , and I have to travel about 3000 km to reach my home tome. During the journey , I know the problem that I had / have to suffer, this is only because of the negligency of the railway officials. If the authorities are stern, then most of such type of accidents can be avoided. You can see for the last 2 years how many accidents have occured. What action the authorities have taken? Day by day these type of accidents are increasing. It is my humble request to the railway authority to look into the matter and take proper action so that no more such accidents occur.
BM Pillai

Date: Tue, 10 Sep 2002 17:13:35 +0530
Subject: The Rajdhani Accident

This is really shocking that the ordinary people in India has no importance; they are dependant upon the mockery of such Ministers like Shri Nitish Kumar; under his ministryship (rly.) there are such a devastating rly. accidents occured, one of the most famed Jalpaiguri rly.junction accident, and the latest the Delhi-Howrah Rajdhani Exp., where atleast 500 peoples are died, he is still busy in keeping his ministry intact. His henchmen already passed the buck to the 'extremists fall-out'. People like Nitish Kumar stays at the helm of such an important portfolio, Rly. Ministry, passengers will always feel bad; they are doubt of their rly. journey in safe custody. Alas, he has got immense clout in the Vajpai Govt.
NL Chanda

Date: Mon, 9 Sep 2002 21:40:03 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: The Rajdhani Accident

The tragedy occurred due to the 100-yr old bridge, rather than any sabotage. The engine & a couple of coaches went past . Had it been sabotage , none of the coaches would have been spared.
Kartikay Pandey

Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2002 12:10:27 +0530
Subject: The Rajdhani Accident

The railway authorities as usual has viewed the accident as "Sabotage/ ISI involvement'' just to safeguard their behinds. It is hightime that the railways are accounted for their lapses and immediate measures have to be taken to privatize this loss making public sector.The labour onion leaders have to be arrested in case they resort to strike ,the over fed leisure staff has to be trimmed, and the political leaders like Paswan/Laloo/ Nitish have to be shunted out. Is it a strange thing,that all these things happen in Bihar ? Kindly ponder.
Sreenath Upadhyaya

Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2002 11:57:48 +0530
Subject: The Rajdhani Accident

India has become unsafe from every angle, and blame this problem on our polticians who need to search their souls with regard to damage done to this country which had great human values.Today you analyse all modes of travel it is not only uncomfortable but unsafe too. The roads are full of pot holes or roads are missing ..the money allocated for maitenace of bridges, roads finds different destination.. if an individual tries to bring out these shortcomings...he is faced with chalta hai attitude or eliminated from this world..In short even if the God comes down and take the task of improving the country..he too will not able to achieve the success..Mera Bharat Mahan!
BK Maini

Date: Tue, 10 Sep 2002 13:01:16 -0700
Subject: The Rajdhani Accident

Perhaps everyone should wait for the inquiry into the accident to conclude before labeling it as Sabotage or anything else. That is what the inquiry will decide. That goes for all concerned including the Railway Board Chief, the State police and the politicians.
KN Dandeker

Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2002 09:58:12 +0530
Subject: The Rajdhani Accident

The response is like a culprit who tries to prove his innocense through his words. If the cabinet minister , dy minister and the railway authorities have already passed their judgement then there is no need of any enquiry. They can repeat their replies shamelessly at every available forum.
A.S.Fatmi

Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2002 10:37:33 -0700
Subject: The Rajdhani Accident

I lost two of my close friends in a similar accident near Calicut, Kerala last year in June when a bridge that was "125 years old" collapsed and about 50 people died. When will the railway authorities wake up to the fact that rebuilding these bridges are not priority but an emergency? Will it take an accident at every bridge to get it replaced? How many more people have to die for the same reasons?
Prithwiraj Barman

Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2002 04:22:52 -0700
Subject: The Rediff Interview/Air Marshal M S Sekhon

I am proud of Air Marshal M.S.Shekhon. He should not have written the letter. Because wirtting per se no crime and he did no wrong.Yet the present genre of politicians are not the category of 60's and 70's to take the letter in the spirit of it. They would make politics out of it and they made it. Feel sad for Shekhon.
Pratap Reddy

Date: Tue, 10 Sep 2002 10:21:41 +0530
Subject: The Rediff Interview/Air Marshal M S Sekhon

If you put air marshal sekhon's resignation and interview in perspective with the incident of brigadier surinder singh of kargil, it shows the underlying discontent of the armed forces with the utilisation of this important instrument of state power. the armed forces must not be fettered as they are now. They must be used because that is what they are meant for....if all else fails. from the present state of affairs, it is clear that there is no chance of reduction in militancy unless we take proactive military steps to solve this issues. remember punjab. we tried everything peaceful...diplomacy, elections, talks, international pressure. nothing worked. finally, we let kps gill loose upon the militants. it took less than one year to bring the issue to conclusion. let us stop running to the un and the usa to make a case. let the armed forces do the job. more power to air marshal sekhon and others who have the courage and willingness to cure the kashmir problem.
Manjit Rai Handa

Date: Tue, 10 Sep 2002 18:51:04 -0300
Subject: NCM takes exception to Modi's speeches

If the NCM is getting perturbed by what you say- that Mr Modi said 'those believing in multiplying the population should be taught a lesson', then it is a pity that the rights of the minorities are being safeguarded by such an immature body. Looks like a rabid man is exposing the immaturity and rabidness of many others including the main opposition party. It would be interesting if somebody gets up and asks if it is wrong to control the population and that those believing in multiplying the population should be taught a lesson or not. The man offers a lot directly which is disturbing, where is the need to be a cynic and look for indirect signals?! It just makes us vulnerable to all the other evils. Hope sanity prevails.
Prashant

Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2002 04:17:15 +0530
Subject: NCM takes exception to Modi's speeches

The fascist mask is off, Dracula is showing his teeth. The whole BJP is a party to it.What value the Advani remarks about Gujrat carnage being a sin. He said that here, and again in London, the great pretender, speaks to his immediate audience,according to their liking.He even says he is sorry about the Babri Masjid demolition, but he was there smiling in glee, like a butcher who appreciates the weight and health of his victim. Vajpayee is the biggest fraud perpetuated on the Indian people, a middle class hero, created by the media, and the market.The same market that has robbed the people of thousands of crores in the stock market scams.The same market that has locked up the hard earned moneys of Indians in NPAs of bank loans. The same Vajpayee Govt. cheated the people of India by the UTI scam.The Ministers could not, or would not say why the biggies were allowed to strip the Trust before the bankruptcy was announced.Has anyone been stripped of his illgotten wealth yet? Can anyone expect Vajpayee to do it?
Kamalendra Singh

Date: Tue, 10 Sep 2002 18:42:00 +0000
Subject: NCM takes exception to Modi's speeches

What is wrong and how it is said to be wrong, when some one says that the people responsible for high population growth should be taught and advised.Is it not in their interest and also in the nation's interest to control the birth rate?All medias, celebrities and intellectuals boast, profess and deliver lengthy lectures on need to control birth rate with which the population of india is increasing. same thing if some unwanted but nationalist politician say, then it is construed and misrepresented as divisive and antinational on communal ground. Could you confess and agree with me that both congress and communists are not secular but Muslim organizations and are providing safe haven for the growth of Islamic world.? this country is definitely running in perilious conditions by providing parliamentary and assembly elections voting rights to non-educated and illiterate masses.their voting power should be confined to municipality and panchayat. healthy democracy can run with well deserved educated people. and in this regard even pakistan is much ahead of poor india. imbibe this clause in the constitution and then see how these dirty and ugly parties like congy and communists fare.
N.Sheth

Date: Tue, 10 Sep 2002 12:12:00 -0400
Subject: NCM takes exception to Modi's speeches

Modi seems to have lost his balance and if allowed to continue like this he would prove dangerous to society. To say the least he seems to be mad and intent on provoking the minorities. First, his vulgar utterances about Sonia. Now about Muslims [tho he has not specified] saying that those who believed in multiplying the population should be punished. This is utter nonsense and the BJP leadership should rein him in. They only show some mock reaction to his diatribes. Freedom of expression does not mean freedom to attack at personal and community level. It is a disgrace we have such leaders and to boot, one as Chief Minister. The opposition Parties should think of bringing some action against him. What has this country come to?
KN Rajan

Date: 10 Sep 2002 15:03:38 -0000
Subject: Where is Your Dignity, Manisha?

You cannot get out of resposibility of putting up comments by "they are not yours"! You are supposed to edit and how can you put up trash like this - "Nepali Traitor" - what is the matter with your understanding - are there no India traitors - I could brand you one for creating conflict by airing such views your feedback channel. If a person cannot keep his tongue in check, do you need to air such irrelevant, stupid and specially ethnic oriented derogatory terms - is this 'freedom of speech'? I really credited you with more sense. Maybe my expectations just got raised with some excellent reporting done by you.
Chanda Asani

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