got the following comment from a friend. 100,000 rupees for 'fuel', indeed. this is some jaitya-yatra (triumphant march)! the asvamedha yagas of old probably cost less in constant rupees.
foil used to be the forum of indian leftists, now it's transmuted to 'inquilabi' leftists.
i used to wonder why foil was 'forum of indian leftists' and not 'forum of "South Asian" leftists'.
i came up with two reasons.
1. foil would have been 'fosal', which is too close to 'fossil' when pronounced, although that is a pretty accurate description of the species
2. there are no marxists in "South Asia" other than in india and nepal. ever wondered why all the bengali marxists are in *west* bengal, not in *east* bengal? i think they were all lined up and shot in bangladesh after liberation or maybe after partition. similarly, it was most entertaining to see surjeet and bardhan go to pakistan and reminisce about the good old days when there were commies in pakistan. what happened to them? a good bet is that they were all er... encouraged to recant, with a knife to their carotid arteries for serious encouragement.
oh, and it's very obvious that ASHA and AID are distancing themselves from this expression of "development" and "education". yes, indeed, funding a quixotic march (aka boondoggle) is the very epitome of the stated objectives of these two organizations. your tax-exempt donations at work. that is, along with the AK47s being bought by naveen in the electrical and computer engineering department (asha volunteer for 3 years) and by his self-righteous anonymous friend and their 'high-level professional' friends who don't even spend money on a donut during their strategy sessions.
=== quote ====
Check out this mail where he solicits funds. He needs Rs. 1 lakh for
fuel (for 2 vehicles) and this is just for the indian leg of the
march.
The distance between Delhi and Wagah is approximately 450 kilometres.
So the round trip is 900 kilometres and for two vehicles it works out
to the amount of fuel needed for 1800 kilometres. Even at a poor rate
of 10 kilometres to the litre, you need just Rs 7200 (assuming 40
rupees per litre)
Guess where the remaining 92,800 goes! That is 92.8% overheads
<>
From: akhila raman
To: <>
Date: Fri, 18 Mar 2005 23:29:34 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [foil] URGENT: Funds for 23rd Peace March!
dear all,
Sandeep Pandey is short of funds by about 5 lakhs and
the Peace March starts March 23rd! Could you please
forward to your elists and help towards this effort?
address to mail checks is enclosed in the end.
thanks, akhila
--- asha
> dear akhila,
> the preparations for the march are in final stages.
> also, see if you can raise some funds from other sources. we have
received a
> commitment of about rs. 3.5 lakhs till now. the budget is attached at
the
> bottom of this message.
> sandeep
> ---------------------
>
> INDIA PAKISTAN PEACE MARCH
>
> DELHI TO MULTAN, 23rd MARCH-
11th MAY,
> 2005
>
>
>
> Our region has a long history and a rich tradition of peaceful
coexistence
> between peoples of diverse faiths and creeds, built on enduring human
values
> of love and compassion, respect and tolerance for each other.
Unfortunately,
> this valuable aspect of shared heritage between India and Pakistan
has had
> been undermined since independence due to political conflicts. But
the tide
> is changing and the emerging geo-political and economic realities of
the 21st
> century calls for reiteration of human values that form the core of
eastern
> civilization. The changing times also demand greater regional
cooperation and
> solidarity.
>
> Hence there is an increasing need to combat the menace of religious
> intolerance and its various manifestations leading to immense damage
to
> social fabric and causing rift at national, regional and
international
> levels. In this time of global upheaval and social turmoil, it
becomes
> crucial to highlight the values of tolerance, peace, love and
compassion that
> are common to all religions and faiths practiced in our countries.
>
> The present leadership of the two countries has very ably and wisely
> responded to the challenge and official initiatives on both sides are
under
> way to open up for dialogue and consultation and to create spaces for
social
> and economic cooperation between the peoples.
>
> With a view to further strengthen these initiatives, and to sensitize
people
> on the need to build on the shared heritage of humane values of
tolerance,
> peace and love, preached and transmitted by the Sufis of the
Subcontinent, we
> plan to organize a people's Peace March between India and Pakistan
beginning
> from march 23, 2005 and ending on may 11, 2005. The Peace March is
proposed
> to originate from the tomb of the revered Sufi, Khwaja Nizamuddin
Aulia, at
> Delhi, and to culminate at the tomb of venerated Bahauddin Zakaria,
at
> Multan.
>
> The proposed Peach March will provide a unique opportunity to
> people-to-people contact, to inter-mingle, to reflect on and negate
the
> destructive tendencies of distrust, hatred, and enmity, and spread
the
> message of peace and harmony. It is proposed that about 100 persons
from
> India and Pakistan will form the core marchers who will be joined
with
> thousands of people at different villages, towns and cities enroute.
We
> request the two governments to issue requisite visas to these
individuals, as
> well as extend other facilities, including security on the way.
>
> We are sure that the government will facilitate this unique people's
> initiative as it aims to strengthen and build on the numerous
official
> initiatives leading towa
>
> rds regional cooperation, peace and prosperity.
>
> Karamat Ali, PILER, ST-001, Sector X, Sub-Sector V, Gulshan-e-Maymar,
> Karachi-75340, Pakistan, Tel: (9221) 6351145/46/47, Fax: (9221)
6350354,
> 6350919, e-mail: piler@cyber.net.pk
>
> Sandeep Pandey, NAPM, A-893, Indira Nagar, Lucknow-226016, U.P.,
India, Tel:
> (0522) 2347365, Cell: 9839073355, Fax: (0522) 2353020, e-mail:
> ashaashram@yahoo.com
>
> Please visit our website at www.thesouthasian.org and subscribe to
> indpakpeacemarch@yahoogroups.co.uk to receive regular information
about the
> peace march or send mail to moderator at
indopakpeacemarch@yahoo.co.uk
>
>
>
> Endorsing organizations:
>
> Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace, Pakistan India People's
Forum
> for Peace and Democracy, National Alliance of People's Movements,
Association
> for India's Development, Asha, South Asian Women's Forum, Society For
> People's Action Change And Enforcement
>
>
>
>
> ROUTE OF INDIA PAKISTAN PEACE MARCH
>
> ====================================
>
> Date Place Distance from previous place (in km)
>
> 23rd March, 2005 Delhi
>
> 24th March Kingsway Camp 18
>
> 25th March Kundli Border 17
>
> 26th March Sonepat 20
>
> 27th March Ganaur 18
>
> 28th March Samalkha 12
>
> 29th March Panipat 18
>
> 30th March Gharaunda 17
>
> 31st March Karnal 20
>
> 1st April Nilokheri 20
>
> 2nd April Kurukshetra 20
>
> 3rd April Shahabad Markanda
22
>
> 4th April Ambala 21
>
> 5th April Rajpura 20
>
> 6th April Sarhind 26
>
> 7th April Khanna 18
>
> 8th April Duraha 23
>
> 9th April Ludhiana 20
>
> 10th April Phillaur 15
>
> 11th April Phagwara 21
>
> 12th April Jhallandhar 21
>
> 13th April Kartarpur 17
>
> 14th April Beas 21
>
> 15th April Jhandiala Guru 24
>
> 16th -17th April Amritsar
19
>
> 18th April Wagha 27
>
> 19th -20th April Lahore 30
>
> 21st April Manga Mandi
>
> 22nd April Bhai Pharo
>
> 23rd April Pattoki
>
> 24th April Renala Khurd
>
> 25th-26th April Okara
>
> 27th April Qadirabad
>
> 28th April Sahiwal
>
> 29th April Harrapa
>
> 30th April- 1st May Chinchawatani
>
> 2nd May Kasowal
>
> 3rd May Mian Chunnu
>
> 4th May Mohsin Wal
>
> 5th May Kacha Khu
>
> 6th May Khanewal
>
> 9th May Qadirpur Rawan
>
> 10th May Multan
>
> 11th May Multan
>
> Budget
>
> India Pakistan Peace March
>
> 23 March to 11 May, 2005, Delhi to Multan
>
Item - Estimated Requirement in Indian Rupees
Poster and Publicity Material (in 4 languages - Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu
and
English) - Rs. 2,00,000
Fuel for 2 vehicles - Rs. 1,00,000
(This is for the Indian leg of the march)
Travel - Rs. 2,50,000
Telephone/ Fax/ E-mail - Rs. 50,000
Inaugral Programme - Rs. 1,00,000
Material with yatra (microphone, solar light)- Rs. 30,000
Miscellaneous - Rs. 1,00,000
TOTAL - Rs. 8,30,000
Assistance needed in kind
Vehicles - 2 (Multi Utility Vehicles)
Laptop+Printer-1
Donations (cheques and drafts) in the name of ASHA may be sent to the
following
address:
Foreign donations - Payable at Varanasi, India
'Asha' c/o Vallabhacharya,
Village Bhandahan Kalan, P.O. Kaithi,
Dist. Varanasi, PIN 221116
Uttar Pradesh, India
Mobile: +91 - 9415256848 (Vallabhacharya)
Ph: +91- 542-2618201/301/401, email: ashakashi@yahoo.com,
indopakpeacemarch@yahoo.co.uk
Indian donations payable at Lucknow
'Asha' c/o Sandeep
A-893, Indira Nagar,
Lucknow -226016
Uttar Pradesh
Ph: +91 - 522- 2347365
Mobile: +91 - 9838546900 (Mahesh)
email: all_aman@yahoo.com, indopakpeacemarch@yahoo.co.uk
10 comments:
Rajeev,
AID is sending $6500 to secular bondoogle.
See the latest on www.aidindia.info
Hey Rajeev,
Have you seen this:
http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=67014
And I thought ASHA was a bit better than throwing our hard earned money at the Sandeep Pandey types.
If it is really that bad, people like me prob'ly should strike 'em off our donations list. Currently they are trying to get attention from the local hindu temple where I live.
A sort of "certification" of all these NGO's by knowledgeable & persuasive guys like Rajeev would be a good ideas for us "dumb sheep" who look at the clean cut faces of some desi student who approaches us, gives us the sales patter, & takes our money "all for a worthy cause"....
Keep 'em coming, Rajeev!
Along with your namesake Rajiv Malhotra, you have been instrumental in many like me getting "awakened" to the crap being spewed in our names by our "great Secular" self/hindu hating leadership...)
Do you mean "Asha for Education" or some other ASHA ?
Rajeev, FOIL is now ... and I kid you not ... Forum of Inquilabi Leftists ... to cover all of "South Asia", I guess.
These so-called peace marches make me sick in the stomach. I am convinced that scum like Sandeep are actually anti-India and masquerade it by the peacemaking shenanigans.
Pakistan has defined itself from get go as "Not India" and has lived up to it. It has almost wiped out the Hindus there, and reduced the minorities to about 3% of the population. Islam was clearly not enough to make a country, a point which the Bangladesh episode drove home, but Pakistan as an entity could not learn. That is Islamism at work for you. But that's enough psychoanalysis of Pakistan.
Any objective Indian observer should conclude that the only good Pakistan for India is a disintegrated Pakistan. Whatever the loud mouthed secularists blabber away, I hope that the mandarins that make India's foreign policy make it part of their agenda to assist Pakistan in its demise. It is internally riven by contradictions (Balochis for example) and a couple of strategic initiatives should send it on an accelerting downward spiral.
I don't think India needs to worry about stray nukes from a disintegrated Pakistan. The U.S. and Israel will take care of it, driven by no concern for India of course, but for their own self preservation.
When Sandeep and co. brands themselves as rabid secular then why to start and end the peace march at tombs? To quote his words "The Peace March is
proposed to originate from the tomb of the revered Sufi, Khwaja Nizamuddin Aulia, at
Delhi, and to culminate at the tomb of venerated Bahauddin Zakaria, at
Multan."
I hate to say this, but could they not find any Hindus from the history who taught peace among Hindus and Muslims? Or was it very uncool to do so?
Dear friends,
It is extremely depressing to read your violent and vehement views against those who are putting in real effort to make a change to transform lives in "our" homeland. You voice your views just so you can marvel at how intellectually adept you are at creatively and abusively demeaning other individuals and organizations, thereby thrashing the work put in by several selfless people {Sandeep Pandey is just one of them} and jeopardizing the future of the millions who do and can benefit from that work. But before undertaking such activity I am sure you may not have considered the results of your actions. Your hateful and ignorant comments though not worth my time to remark upon, have yet compelled me to write today because if I can spend my time helping those who need me then I must spend this time helping you all who need help but are not aware that you do or how much you need it.
So even though it is painful to write to you all, I shall do so because my pain, my views or your anger, your views are not above the cause of humanity.
If you dont agree with something, then do something about the problem. Dont just sit in your cosy sorroundings,verbally thrash others and feel smug that you made a difference to society today!! Be the change you want to see in the world. If you feel something is not being done right then put in the effort to change the way things work and then maybe you can have the right to belittle others {Though when you have put in even ONE honest day's worth of service you wouldnt enjoy these petty activities anymore}.
There are millions sufferring, children, women.. no food, no education, no life. We are the fortunate ones who are able to treat these "issues" as conversation topics. Your comments will not save a life though they may help destroy many and maybe prevent others like us from saving them.
Whatever be your reservations, opinions, views; if your intent is to harm others than I can only offer my prayers for your peace. If your intent is to be of any service to humanity then act on that intent. Start with today, DO a good deed {not just talk about it} and dont be a hurdle in the path of those who lead by example rather than empty talk.
My sincerest wishes that you read this introspectively and rather than reacting violently {which is your nature therefore expected}, think about what is being conveyed to you and the first action you take, let it be for the good of humanity, in the service of mankind and in the spirit of love.
- A Human Being
Wow rajeev.. I am thoroughly impressed .. just one question !
SANDEEP PANDEY RECEIVED MAGSASSAY FOR EDUCATION OR FOR PAK BASHING (read Indo Pak Peace) ?
because while, their support organizations go and publicly thank the Minister their (Sheikh Rashid)... our friend Mr. pandey projecting Pakistan as benign state...
and what happened to the school he opened where he posed with all the jholas etc.
I have studied naxalite movement to its core which Sandeep advocates
and has left India bleeding, How can he be Gandhian?
They are twin faced, one side they attract gullible intellectuals who become
their face and who go to villages , tribals area, unrest areas and fish in
troubled water and the poor tribals/ villagers become their fodder to target
serving defence men, railway stations, schools, bridges.
They survive on looting, extortions, taxes, kidnapping.
they grew more during Congress need to remain in power and took help of
CPI, CPIM leaders the hydra of maoists.
They survive on poverty and illiteracy.
They are funded by many individuals including Indians , NRI the so called
intellectuals who think they are helping a group of people in establishing
better democracy, grass root democracy, unknowingly funding those
unsuspected NGOs who are actually comrades
who tempt them that they are doing social work but are infact helping the
maoists and their proganists
Regards
Kanika
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