Bollywood Film on Caste Banned in India

A billboard for the Bollywood film "Aarakshan," or "Reservation" adorns a cinema in New Delhi, India, Thursday, Aug. 11, 2011.
(AP Photo/Kevin Frayer)

3 states bar movie, worried it could infuriate lower castes

Three Indian states have banned a new Bollywood film that addresses the caste system. The film has already sparked the anger of lower caste groups, who say it fuels prejudice, the AP reports.

The lower caste groups, called Dalits, make up about a quarter of India’s population. The film, called Aarakshan, or “Reservation,” addresses quotas ("reservations') for caste members in education and government, the Times of India reports.

Director Prakash Jha plans to edit out some of the controversial sections as he heads to the Supreme Court to call for an end to the state bans.

“We have agreed to make minor changes following objections. There are certain dialogues and scenes that have been edited,” he said.

Bahujan Samaj Party activists burn an effigy of Bollywood director Prakash Jha as they protest against the release of the film in the northern Indian state of Punjab, Thursday, Aug. 11, 2011.

Protestors tear advertising for the film "Aarakshan," or "Reservation," in Mumbai, India, Saturday, Aug. 6, 2011.
(AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)

Bollywood film director Prakash Jha, left, speaks as actors look on during a press conference to promote their new film "Aarakshan" in New Delhi, India, Friday, Aug. 5, 2011.
(AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

UPA Still on Top

Poll shows UPA ahead of NDA; Maya, Badal are goners

By R Jagannathan

There's growing dissatisfaction among the electorate with the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA). Raj Patidar/Reuters

The biggest fact that jumps out at you from the CNN-IBN State of the Nation Survey is the electorate’s growing level of dissatisfaction with the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA). Satisfaction levels have fallen from 65 percent to 49 percent between 2009 and 2011, and dissatisfaction levels from 20 percent to 30 percent.

The next big thing that hits you is the complete inability of the opposition – primarily the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance – to reap any kind of anti-incumbency dividend from this growing dissatisfaction.

The number of people who would like to give the UPA another chance and those who wouldn’t stand almost even at 37 percent and 35 percent. But this does not translate to any difference in the kind of seats the UPA and NDA would win if elections were to be held today.

The more interesting findings of the Survey pertain to the five states where anti-incumbency sentiments are very strong. These states are Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. In four of them, Congress is the prime beneficiary. Only in Andhra Pradesh is the Congress in steep decline – thanks both to the Telangana agitation and the rise of YS Jaganmohan Reddy.

Mayawati’s throne in Uttar Pradesh is shaky. Reuters

In short: Mayawati’s throne is shaky, and so are Prakash Singh Badal’s in Punjab, Ramesh Pokhriyal’s in Uttarakhand, and Sadananda Gowda’s in Karnataka. The defection of Jaganmohan Reddy from the Congress in Andhra is likely to end in the latter’s defeat – though elections are not due till 2014.

The Survey, conducted by the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS) in 19 states at 1,300 randomly-chosen locations, shows both UPA and NDA marginally increasing their vote shares by 1.5-2 percent, and this obviously comes at the expense of a motley group called “Others” – which is primarily the Left and regional parties.

But, with both alliances gaining evenly, it leaves the seat position almost exactly the same as now. The UPA would return to power.

According to seat projections made on the basis of the vote share figures by Rajeeva Karandikar, director of the Chennai Mathematical Institute, the UPA will end up with 260-280 seats (current total: 262), the NDA with 140-160 (currently 159) and Others with 113-133 (currently 122).

Since this leaves things more or less as they are, clearly the general elections in 2014 will be crucially dependent on alliances and strategies – assuming the voter sentiment between now and then remains the same.

The Survey’s findings suggest that anti-incumbency is strong at the state-level, but not at the Centre, despite the detection of umpteen scams during UPA’s second shot at government after the 2009 election.

This means the NDA’s real strengths are at the state level, but it is unable to transfer its strengths to the central level – where the UPA’s clear leadership structure comes as a huge advantage.

Since both UPA and NDA have made gains in vote share, their net position remains the same. The UPA has made gains in rural areas, where its anti-poverty schemes seem to be working, the young (18-25, where the Rahul charm is working best), and among Muslims (not surprising) and upper caste Hindus (surprising). The last could be the result of the shift in Utttarakhand politics and the BJP’s inability to retain it upper caste voter base in Uttar Pradesh.

The NDA’s vote share gains are largely in cities (not surprising, since this has been the traditional BJP vote base), the upper classes (not castes), and among the Hindu peasantry (this seems to be a new gain, and could reflect the party’s strength in Karnataka and Bihar, apart from traditional strongholds in Gujarat and Central India.

Clearly, the big takeout from this poll is that both the UPA and NDA have work to do. While the UPA needs to work on its scam-tainted image, the NDA has to get its leadership, caste equations and alliances right.

2014 is not quite a done deal.

Table 1.1 Dissatisfaction with UPA’s performance hits a high

Dissatisfaction with UPA’s performance hits a high

Table 1.2 UPA I better than UPA II

UPA I better than UPA II

Table 1.3 Opinion divided on whether Government deserves a second chance

Does UPA deserve another chance?

Table: Vote share estimates: Minor gains for both UPA and NDA

Vote share for UPA and NDA.

Table: UPA gains among rural and younger voters

UPA gains among younger and rural voters.

Table: NDA gains among Urban and upper class voters

NDA gains among urban and upper class voters.

Table: Erosion of traditional support for BSP and left

Erosion of traditional support for BSP and Left

Table: Seats projections based on State of the Nation Survey August 2011. Survey conducted by Professor Rajeeva Karandikar, Director, Chennai Mathematical Institute, Chennai.

Seat projections

Source: firstpost.com

Strawberry Fields Forever, in Distant Meghalaya

A Meghalaya village produces India’s best strawberries and has changed the lives of farmers there in the process

Ratnadip Choudhury
Sohliya, Meghalaya

FOR HALF a decade now, a silent horticulture revolution is on in Meghalaya, the abode of clouds. At the heart of it is a small picturesque village – Sohliya – around 30km from Shillong where the villagers have scripted a story of success and economic development by huge production of the fruit of love – the strawberry.

Now Sohliya is aiming to bring a record size area under cultivation in two years with a clear mandate to become the strawberry hub of India.

Yosilda Dkhar, a Khasi woman in her mid-30s, goes from village to village in Ri Bhoi district of Meghalaya asking village women to come forward for strawberry cultivation. The number is fast growing. “There was a time when we could barely eke out a living. But today, I have a bank balance from strawberry cultivation. It just took us five years to change our fortunes with the fruit, which is identified with love and compassion. Perhaps this was the All Mighty’s gift to us,” Dkhar says. Like her, hundreds of Khasi women in and around Sohliya have started to make a better living out of the berry revolution.

“I have three acres under cultivation and make a profit of Rs 50,000 a year,” says another farmer J Lyngdoh. Meghalaya’s tryst with strawberries began in 1998 in Barnyhat in Ri Bhoi district bordering Assam. Now, there are nearly 800 families engaged in the trade, Sohliya village being the epicenter.

“The initial days were difficult. We realised the weather was conducive but we neither had the raw material nor the expertise. It was difficult to convince the farmers to turn to strawberry as they thought it was not a natural fruit. Slowly things started to turn,” recalls O Lyngkhoi, general secretary of the Ri Bhoi Strawberry Growers Association.

Initially they got the raw material from Maharashtra, the number one state in strawberry cultivation. The change came in 2004 when the Meghalaya government got enthusiastic and came up with an action plan to promote strawberry. Soon, came the saplings and technology all the way from California.

Meghalaya produces about 350 metric tonne a year and seeks to reach 500mt by 2013. Right now it is ranked third in strawberry production after Maharashtra and Punjab. The demand for Meghalaya’s strawberries is increasing. Apart from reaching new markets in India, they are being exported to Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh. From Bangladesh, the Meghalaya berries are travelling to West Asia. At the moment, around 45 hectares are under strawberry cultivation. Lyngkhoi and his team want to adds another 60 hectares over two years. “These days strawberry cultivation in Meghalaya is financially the most viable agricultural produce. It has changed lives. The Centre of Excellence for strawberry cultivation in Umsning has also been for good,” says Purbasha Bhattacharjee, a young journalist from Shillong.

Meghalaya’s strawberry is considered among the best in India. Valentine’s Day is celebrated as strawberry festival in the state and now Khasi households brew strawberry wine in Ri Bhoi district. Truly, this is Meghalaya’s date with the loveable berry.

Ratnadip Choudhury is a Principal Correspondent with Tehelka. ratnadip@tehelka.com

This Summer's Biggest Football Transfers

We gear up to the new European football season with our picks of the biggest transfer moves of the summer

It's been a long, hard football-free summer for soccer fans across Europe, but the tedious wait for the much-anticipated new season is, thankfully, finally over.

It's not been all bad though. Endless speculation about big money transfer moves has done just enough to stave off the worst of the withdrawal symptoms, with Europe's elite having to splash the cash to secure the signatures of the world class names their fans crave.

We take a look at some of the continent's big movers of the close season - from bargain buys to multi-million marquee signings.

Alexis Sánchez

Udinese to Barcelona (€26m)

Age: 22 Nationality: Chilean Position: Midfielder

Sergio Agüero

REUTERS/Andres Stapff

Atletico Madrid to Manchester City (€40m)

Age: 23 Nationality: Argentinian Position: Forward

Fábio Coentrão

Benfica to Real Madrid (€30m)

Age: 23 Nationality: Portuguese Position: Defender

Gervinho

Lille to Arsenal (€12m)

Age: 24 Nationality: Ivorian Position: Forward

Manuel Neuer

FC Schalke 04 to Bayern Munich (€18m)

Age: 25 Nationality: German Position: Goalkeeper

Ashley Young

Aston Villa to Manchester United (€18m)

Age: 26 Nationality: English Position: Forward

Arturo Vidal

Bayer Leverkusen to Juventus (€10.5m)

Age: 24 Nationality: Chilean Position: Midfielder

Mirko Vucinic

Roma to Juventus (€15m)

Age: 27 Nationality: Montenegrin Position: Forward

Javier Pastore

Palermo to Paris St. Germain (€43m)

Age: 22 Nationality: Argentinian Position: Midfielder

David De Gea

Atletico Madrid to Manchester United (€21m)

Age: 20 Nationality: Spanish Position: Goalkeeper

Jérôme Boateng

Manchester City to Bayern Munich (€13.5m)

Age: 22 Nationality: German Position: Defender

Jordan Henderson

Sunderland to Liverpool (€22m)

Age: 21 Nationality: English Position: Midfielder

Santi Cazorla

Villarreal to Malaga (€21m)

Age: 26 Nationality: Spanish Position: Midfielder

Gaël Clichy

Arsenal to Manchester City (€7.8m)

Age: 26 Nationality: French Position: Defender

Gökhan Inler

Udinese to Napoli (€15m)

Age: 27 Nationality: Swiss Position: Midfielder

Hamit Altıntop

Bayern Munich to Real Madrid (Free)

Age: 28 Nationality: Turkish Position: Defender

Bojan Krkić

Barcelona to Roma (€12m)

Age: 20 Nationality: Spanish Position: Forward

Stewart Downing

Aston Villa to Liverpool (€22.8m)

Age: 27 Nationality: English Position: Midfielder

Andrea Pirlo

Milan to Juventus (free)

Age: 32 Nationality: Italian Position: Midfielder

Maarten Stekelenburg

Ajax to Roma (€6.4m)

Age: 28 Nationality: Dutch Position: Goalkeeper

Charles N'Zogbia

Wigan Athletic to Aston Villa (€10.8m)

Age: 25 Nationality: French Position: Midfielder

Jérémy Toulalan

Lyon to Malaga (€11m)

Age: 27 Nationality: French Position: Midfielder

Nuri Åžahin

Borussia Dortmund to Real Madrid (€10m)

Age: 22 Nationality: Turkish Position: Midfielder

Oriol Romeu

Barcelona to Chelsea (€5m)

Age: 19 Nationality: Spanish Position: Midfielder

Phil Jones

Blackburn Rovers to Manchester United (€18.7m)

Age: 19 Nationality: English Position: Defender

Ricardo Alvarez

Velez Sarsfield to Inter Milan (€11.9m)

Age: 23 Nationality: Argentinian Position: Midfielder

Ruud van Nistelrooy

Hamburger SV to Malaga (Free)

Age: 35 Nationality: Dutch Position: Forward

Stephan Lichtsteiner

Lazio to Juventus (€10m)

Age: 27 Nationality: Swiss Position: Defender

Charlie Adam

Blackpool to Liverpool (€8.3m)

Age: 25 Nationality: Scottish Position: Midfielder

Wes Brown & John O'Shea

Manchester United to Sunderland (circa €6m)

Brown:Age: 31 Nationality: English Position: Defender

O'Shea: Age: 30 Nationality: Irish Position: Defender

Micromax Takes A Jab At Apple With A Cheeky Ad

By Rajat Agrawal

This has to be one of the most brazen advertising targeting the iPhone we have seen in the longest time (remember those cheap Chinese rip-off with iOS screenshots?).

Micromax today released its “i (can afford this) Phone ad campaign that talks about its A70 Android phone, priced at Rs 7,999.

Yeah, the features are just about okay (a 600 MHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, anyone?) but we have to take our hats off for creativity and sheer guts.

Facebook Robbed You?

Facebook stole every contact and phone number in your phone – here’s how to undo the damage

By Zach Epstein

This may come as a shock considering how seriously Facebook takes your privacy, but if you’re a Facebook user with one of Facebook’s mobile applications installed on your iPhone or one of several other smartphones, you’ve been robbed. Each and every contact stored on your phone is probably now also stored on Facebook’s servers, as was re-re-rediscovered by Facebook users this past week.

Whether or not people in your contact list even have Facebook accounts, their names and phone numbers are likely now in Facebook’s possession.

There is probably a clause buried deep within Facebook’s terms and conditions that makes this invasion of your privacy OK on paper, but odds are still pretty good that it’s not OK with you.

Complete instructions outlining how to remove all of your contacts’ phone numbers from your Facebook account can be found below. Whether or not the data will be completely wiped from Facebook’s servers is unclear, but we’ll leave that for the lawyers to figure out.

UPDATE: A Facebook spokesperson delivered the following official statement via email: “Rumors claiming that your phone contacts are visible to everyone on Facebook are false.

Our Contacts list, formerly called Phonebook, has existed for a long time.

The phone numbers listed there were either added directly to Facebook and shared with you by your friends, or you have previously synced your phone contacts with Facebook.

Just like on your phone, only you can see these numbers.”

1. Visit facebook.com from a PC and log in
2. in the top-right corner of the screen, click on Account and then Edit Friends
3. In the menu on the left side of the screen, click on Contacts
4. Here, you will see that each and every one of your contacts in Address Book are listed along with their phone numbers… wipe the look of shock and disgust from your face
5. On the right side of the screen, click on the “this page” link
6. Follow the instructions on this page — you’ll have to disable contact-sync in Facebook’s mobile app if it’s enabled — and click the Remove button

Note: Many users note that Facebook’s mobile apps now carry disclaimers that mention the fact that Facebook is taking your data.

Of course Facebook does currently include a disclaimer, though the wording makes no mention of this data being stored on its servers until manually deleted by the user.

Even still, this has not been the case with all versions of the app, and there are also numerous reports from users who claim to have never synchronized their contacts with Facebook’s mobile apps, yet still find all of their contact data stored on Facebook’s servers.

Apple’s A6 Production Begins

Production of Apple’s next-gen A6 processor begins at TSMC; A6 devices to launch Q2 2012

By Zach Epstein

Trial production of Apple’s next-generation A6 mobile processor has begun, Taiwan Economic News reports.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. has kicked off a test run of A6 chipsets — which could be 28-nanometer SoCs that feature dual or quad-cores and ARM-based architecture according to earlier reports — and Apple devices carrying the new chips are expected to be released in the second quarter next year at the earliest, according to multiple anonymous industry sources.

Reports dating back to June suggested that Apple dumped Samsung following multiple patent disputes, and the company would instead utilize TSMC for production of its next-generation A6 processor.

This new Taiwan Economic News report contradicts earlier rumors, however, which claimed that TSMC had begun its trial run of A6 chips last month. This could be a new test run, or earlier reports could have been misguided, of course.

Taiwan-based TSMC is the world’s largest contract microchip manufacturer.

Read More here

Harley-Davidson's Fat-Boy Bike Comes to India

New Delhi: American luxury motorcycle manufacture Harley-Davidson Thursday launched a new version of its Fat-Boy bike in the country with a price tag of Rs.19,70,000 (ex-showroom Delhi).

"This model will be imported as a completely built unit and will be available across all dealerships in addition to the 14 models currently available in the 2011 line-up," the company said in a statement.

According to the company, the launch of the model was inline with the strategy of introducing new models and commencement of complete knockdown assembly operations in India.

The statement further said that bike is powered by electronic sequential port fuel injection (ESPFI) engine which produces 125 nm of peak torque at 3500 rpm.

"6-speed cruise drive transmission features a new helical-cut fifth gear for smooth operation," it added.

The company said that it has partnered with HDFC Bank for a broad spectrum of financial services.

"This arrangement will help more motorcycle enthusiasts realise their dream of joining the Harley-Davidson community," Harley-Davidson India's managing director Anoop Prakash said.