Hussain, Mohajirs, and an India-Pakistan storyHussain, Mohajirs, and an India-Pakistan story

Meanwhile, Chaudhry and the police were locked in a stand-off at the airport. That day, when the MQM sealed its long alliance with military ruler General Pervez Musharraf in blood, was a turning point from which neither the party nor its leader Altaf Hussain managed to recover. A dozen years later, the plaintive appeal by Hussain to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to give him asylum in India — 'because my grandfather is buried there, my grandmother is buried, thousands of my relatives are buried there, in India, I want to go there, to their graves, I want to pray' — came on the heels of other attention-seeking statements by him over the last few months, such as blaming Pakistan's ISI for the attacks in Pulwama, Kashmir, or praise for the Supreme Court's Ayodhya judgment, at perhaps the lowest point of his political life. The MQM is fragmented, what is left of it, and its leadership has broken away from Hussain's hold. Where the party could once bring Pakistan's financial and business hub to a halt with just one dog whistle from London, it is now only fighting to stay relevant. It has no patrons in the establishment, and none abroad. Her Majesty's government, which gave Hussain asylum as he fled a violent party feud and an imminent military crackdown in Karachi, and was happy to host him for nearly 30 years, is now going to put him on trial on terrorism charges, over a speech he made in August 2016, to his followers in Pakistan, inciting them to violence. And even if there is some truth to the allegations that R&AW used the MQM to further Indian interests in Pakistan, the recent changes in India's own policy towards its complex and difficult western neighbour, and the MQM's diminished influence, mean it carries little value for Delhi. What Hussain says against Pakistan may be good for the media feeding frenzy in Delhi and rattle Pakistan's cage now and then, but it has little value on the ground. For the first time, Pakistan's most enduring political personality (other than the army), its cat o' nine lives, seems to have no friends or saviours on the horizon. At least not as yet. But for the four decades he has been active in Pakistan's public life, Hussain's politics and his ability to make the MQM count without being physically present to lead it, is one of the more fascinating stories of the sub-continent. Karachi was the city where Hussain built his political fortunes and his, and the MQM's, notoriety. From his self-exile, he had absolute hold until 2016 over his party, which in turn dominated Karachi through a combination of Mohajir nationalism; instilling fear in dissidents,critics and political rivals; and cadres built on blind faith in the leader. His theatrical speeches over the phone to rallies of the faithful across cities in Sindh were comical and absurd to the uninitiated, but they were never without political meaning. Hussain's emergence at the end of the 1970s as a student leader grew out of a nascent Urdu-speakers' nationalism. In the years after Partition, the educated Urdu-speaking migrants had filled leadership roles in the new country's government, politics and business. But with Punjabi reassertion, and with Ayub Khan's decision to shift the seat of government to the newly created capital of Islamabad, Mohajirs had seen loss of their influence. The MQM was successful in turning that loss into a politics of victimhood of those who had left their lives in Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Bihar and elsewhere, but were marginalised even in the promised land. It has been said that the party, which pit itself against Sindhi elites and the significant Pashtun population of Karachi in its claim to represent the Mohajirs, was a creation of General Zia ul Haq, as he believed it could take on Benazir Bhutto and the PPP more effectively than the Jamat-e-Islami. Whatever be the truth of that, the promise and hope Hussain held out for Urdu-speakers of Pakistan won the MQM enough votes for it to become Pakistan's third-largest party by the 1990s, until 2013. While the MQM's politics was all in Karachi, its success in elections gave it leverage as a 'king maker' both at the provincial and at the national level. In 1999, in an effort to grow of its ethnic skin and cast a wider net, it replaced 'Mohajir' in its name with 'Muttahida (united)'. Efforts to dislodge it from the city by the PPP, representing Sindhis, and the ANP, claiming Pashtuns, were futile, but resulted in spiralling violence, from which the MQM was no shrinking violet. Hussain's strongest and most glorious phase was between 1999 and 2008, when General Pervez Musharraf, a Mohajir himself from Delhi, was in power. But, even at that time, Hussain did not dare return to Pakistan, fearful of the many enemies he had made at home. He candidly admitted that, in Pakistan, you had to do business with the army to survive. 'The choice before us in Pakistan today is not Musharraf or democracy but between army and even more army,' he had said at a media conclave in 2004, on his first and last visit to Delhi. On that visit, he told journalist Sheela Bhatt in an interview that he felt so much at home that he had never felt like that anywhere else — 'Aisa apna laga jaise apna kahin aur kabhi nahin laga'. His parents were from Agra and had migrated to Pakistan only reluctantly, he said. He won hearts in Delhi by saying that Muslims were killing Muslims in Pakistan and '[p]erhaps the idea of Pakistan was dead at its inception, when the majority of Muslims chose to stay back after Partition, a truism reiterated in the creation of Bangladesh in 1971'. The MQM has always had an acute consciousness of its Mohajir links to India, and has frequently given voice to it, which has in turn fuelled talk that Mohajirs are an Indian fifth column in Pakistan. In Pakistan Punjab, consequently, the revulsion for the MQM borders on the extreme. P.S.: In the intervening night of May 6 and 7, 2007, this correspondent, stuck outside Karachi airport because of the blockade mentioned earlier, dialled the MQM for help. A party functionary soon arrived and asked me to get in the car. We met several blockades, and at every one of them, this MQM leader got out, introduced himself as a high party official, me as an 'important guest from India', and got the 'boys' to open a way for the car to go through. The next day, some of those blockades were sites of violent clashes. DailyhuntDisclaimer: This story is auto-aggregated by a computer program and has not been created or edited by Dailyhunt. 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Third Walking Dead series gets official title

In the end, all of them will be changed forever. Grown-up and cemented in their identities, both good and bad,' the synopsis further read. The already announced cast includes Nico Tortorella, Aliyah Royale, Annet Mahendru, Alexa Mansour, Nicolas Cantu, and Hal Cumpston. Joining the series regulars in recurring guest roles are Natalie Gold, Al Calderon, Scott Adsit, and Ted Sutherland. function catchException() {try{ twitterJSDidLoad(); }catch(e){}} function getAndroidVersion(ua) {ua = (ua || navigator.userAgent).toLowerCase(); var match = ua.match(/android\\s([0-9\\.]*)/);return match ? match[1] : false;}; var versions='4.2.2'; var versionArray=versions.split(',');var currentAndroidVersion=getAndroidVersion();if(versionArray.indexOf(currentAndroidVersion)!=-1){var blocks = document.getElementsByTagName('blockquote'); for(var i = 0; i < blocks.length; i++){blocks[i].innerHTML = '';}}DailyhuntDisclaimer: This story is auto-aggregated by a computer program and has not been created or edited by Dailyhunt. Publisher: The Indian Expresshttps://www.coalindia.in/ActivityFeed/MyProfile/tabid/64/UserId/586173/language/en-US/Default.aspx

Fraught course

There are technical reasons why reference to a larger seven-judge bench in a review petition is mined with complications. The parameters of review usually permit a narrow reconsideration in case of an error in the verdict or discovery of new evidence. But apprehensions that the majority judgment on Thursday could open up new questions, instead of settling the old, go well beyond technicalities. The court has clubbed together the question of the entry of women of menstruating age into the Sabarimala temple with others — the entry of Muslim women in the dargah/mosque and of Parsi women married to non-Parsis to the holy fireplace of an Agyari, and whether female genital mutilation in the Dawoodi Bohra community constitutes that religion's essential practice. It is possible to argue that each of these questions must be considered on its own ground, in its specificity. Not content with putting together issues that may not belong in the same frame, the court has gone further, casting on the larger bench a responsibility that may not belong to it. The-seven-judge bench has been tasked with finding the balance between the right to freedom of religion and other constitutionally-guaranteed rights, especially the right to equality, defining 'essential religious practice' and 'constitutional morality'. This is a tall order, and not least because in a large and diverse democracy, spelling out judicial doctrines on these matters removes essential ambiguities. It also usurps the space of other players and protagonists, and narrows the room for manoeuvre for them, for the court itself — and eventually, for justice. Of course, constitutional morality has been used to emancipatory effect in past cases by the apex court, not only in striking down the restrictions on women of a certain age in the 2018 Sabarimala decision, but also in another verdict the same year decriminalising homosexuality. In both, the court upheld ideas of freedom and equality and the constitutional promise of a pluralistic and inclusive society, while redressing an injustice, even though its Sabarimala decision was seen by certain sections to rush into grey areas of tradition and its autonomy. Yet in setting itself the task of defining this constitutional morality, the court will now have to go into the question of its limits and boundaries, of its possible clash with religious beliefs and faith and what is essential to them. In the process, it could not only be tying its own hands for the future, but also circumscribing individual freedoms and treading into the cleargy's domain. The court has been inconsistent in applying the essential religious practice doctrine that it evolved in the 1950s. Perhaps that is just as it should be. It may be that the court's push for expanding its remit and for hard clarity on complex questions is misguided and counterproductive. In some cases, it is okay, even just, to keep to the narrow path, take it case by case. DailyhuntDisclaimer: This story is auto-aggregated by a computer program and has not been created or edited by Dailyhunt. Publisher: The Indian Expresshttps://chalmers.in.gov/forums/users/devakrajints

Asterix and the Chieftain's Daughter: New team, old magic, the hero of Gaul is back, by Toutatis!

The Asterix phenomenon That is because, for many people, these days graphic novels are synonymous with either the Marvel or the DC Universe, and are basically about superheroes. Or if you are more serious, then about political and ethical issues — the sort that Guy de Lisle and Joe Sacco churn out (magnificent though they are). As a result, many do not even know that there are comics (yes, that is what they were called before the 'graphic novel' terminology became popular) beyond superhero land. Comics that actually deliver simple stories and humour that can be enjoyed by adults and children alike. Comics that dominated the seventies and eighties before Hollywood and the graphic novel revolution decided to take matters to another level. And one of the ambassadors of this brand of comics was Asterix, a French comic strip from Rene Goscinny and Albert Uderzo. The series was based around the adventures of the Gaulish warrior, Asterix, and how he and his friends kept the invading Romans at bay, in the age of Julius Caesar. The plots were not intense but the illustrations were colourful and wonderfully detailed, and there was a rich cast of characters, some of which were actually taken from history (Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, Brutus, among others). And well, there were the puns. Rarely has any comic strip come as studded with puns and wordplay as the Asterix series. And this is most evident in the names of the characters. The hero is a short warrior called Asterix ('asterisk', geddit?), his best friend is a large man called Obelix (as in obelisk), the chief of the village is called Vitalstatistix, the ironsmith called Fullyautomatix, a roman spy is called Doubleosix (remember double o seven, Mr Bond?) and a Roman architect is called Squareonthehypotenuse (Pythagoras would have been delighted). Even the dialogue was laced with wordplay, sometimes based on famous quotes — imagine Caesar saying 'Et tu, Brute' to Brutus while asking for ideas and then asking him to put away his dagger before he does himself an injury, or the Gladiators saying 'we who are about to die, salute you' to Caesar in the Colosseum and then going right ahead and playing riddles in the arena! It was tailor-made for an era where books could still provide stiff competition to other sources of entertainment - mainly the television and radio! At the height of its popularity (the seventies and eighties), many - my father included - insisted that Asterix bordered on classical literature, because it involved so much skilful wordplay (a compliment to the series English translators) and gave a glimpse, albeit comic-laden, of European history. The series has inspired '14 films, 15 board games, 40 video games, and 1 theme park' as per Wikipedia. And also spawned a number of kids (now adults) who swore 'By Belenos' and 'By Toutatis' (both Gaulish gods). It was too good to last. And after the death of its writer, Rene Goscinny, in 1979, the series ebbed and flowed, as Albert Uderzo took on the task of both writing and drawing. The albums that came out after Asterix in Belgium (1979) were notable for their graphic quality but the puns and the plots seemed a little forced. The frequency of the books also suffered — with just 10 titles released between 1980 and 2012 (compare that with 24 in the 19 years before that). From being a near-annual event, Asterix became something that surfaced once in a while. Indeed, the series seemed to be in danger of fading out altogether, with duds like Asterix and the Actress (2001) and Asterix and the Falling Sky (2005), where the humour seemed almost juvenile. And then in 2013, a new team took over Asterix, Jean-Yves Ferri and Didier Conrad. And Asterix came back. Sort of. The new Asterix! The new team revived interest in the comics, bringing back some (if not all) of the trademark wordplay that made the series legendary, and also weaving it in with plots that seemed more concrete than the paper-thin ones of the recent past). And most importantly, it made the comics more frequent. The team started off with Asterix and the Picts in 2013, followed it up with Asterix and the Magic Scroll in 2015 and Asterix and the Chariot Race in 2017. And now it has come out with Asterix and the Chieftain's Daughter. The comic revolves around the discovery of the daughter of the Gaulish chieftain Vercingetorix who Caesar defeated at Alesia. Now, the rebels against the Roman rule are trying to use her as a focal point of the resistance. And they bring her to our hero Asterix's village for safekeeping even while they collect their armies. There is a catch, though — the young lady is not really interested in leading a revolution and actually wants to escape to an island and live in peace. Of course, the Romans around the Gaulish village are out to capture the girl, as is a Gaulish traitor who wants to hand her over to Caesar for a massive reward. There is teen angst and rebellion, Roman scheming, and good old Gaulish squabbling — scope for confusion and action aplenty, and well, we do get a fair bit of both, although most of the action happens around the Gaulish village (there are no extravagant travels by Asterix and Obelix). What we also get are a lot of puns — Vercingetorix's daughter is called Adrenalin, the Gaulish traitor trying to capture her is called Binjwatchflix (he must watch a lot of films) and his horse is called Nosferatus (Nosferatu means vampire and also is the name of a horror film) , one of the children of a Roman captain has a strong sense of music and is called Ludwikamadeus and we are introduced to the next generation of Gauls, one of whom is called Selfipix and is the ironsmith Fulliautomatix's son. There are the usual staple incidents like war veteran Geriatrix's boasts about his youth, the inevitable appearance of the pirates (and their ship getting sunk) and oh yes, there is a fight in the village over fish (an old Asterix tradition). Basically, there is a lot of the staple Asterix magic here, and some have even said that Adrenalin might be inspired by Greta Thunberg, although this has been officially denied. The storyline is a little slow and not as compelling as the Chariot Race and the puns do not fly as briskly as in the Magic Scroll. Diehard Asterix fans also might feel that Adrenalin gets too much space (and frankly spends too much time being a brat, while not being at all entertaining, unlike Justforkix, another angsty teenager in Asterix and the Normans). The Asterix-Obelix duo is also relatively less visible, and the final denouement itself is a little, well, flat. No, I am not telling you what happens. Still, you do not get the feeling that frames and dialogue have been placed there just to fill up space, as often happened in the Uderzo-only era. The drawings are top-notch, incidentally, although we do wish the printing of the dialogue had been a little darker - we often found ourselves straining to read text (the shiny glossy paper on which the comic is printed does not help). It is in essence, a decent read. One which might not make you smile as often as the classics did - I really think Obelix and Co and Asterix in Belgium set the benchmark there - but will nevertheless, make you grin and even go back for a re-read or two. That's no mean feat in this day and age, when people insist on grim reality. All of which make Asterix and the Chieftain's Daughter pretty much a must-have for hardcore and even less committed Asterix fans. Those who have not read Asterix would perhaps be better off with one of the older classics (maybe Asterix and the Roman Agent or Asterix and Cleopatra) but even they would find enough to smile at in this latest instalment of the short Gaulish warrior's adventures (although he does not venture too far from the village, to be honest). It is fantasy, it is fantastic. And thanks to a new team, it is fun again. Oh, and it has an initial print run of about five million (yes!) copies. That's more than most best-selling authors command. Asterix is back, by Toutatis. DailyhuntDisclaimer: This story is auto-aggregated by a computer program and has not been created or edited by Dailyhunt. Publisher: The Indian Expresshttps://www.ozbargain.com.au/user/327208

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Chhattisgarh: Infamous as 'Den of Naxals', Abujhmad witnessing influx of tourists

The CRPF's 195 Battalion has also made a video where tourists said that there was a fear of visiting waterfalls in Abujhmad area but now things are getting back to normal. The central paramilitary force has also complied data of tourists visiting Indrawati bridge and Satdhar waterfall to name a few. "There has been 94 per cent increase in the average number of tourists visiting Indrawati bridge, river bed and Satdhar waterfall from 2018 and 233 per cent increase from 2017," CRPF deployed in the area said. The Abujhmad region has also seen massive construction as the government is planning to develop multiple areas as tourist spots. DailyhuntDisclaimer: This story is auto-aggregated by a computer program and has not been created or edited by Dailyhunt. Publisher: Deccan Chroniclehttp://knowledge.thinkingstorm.com/UserProfile/tabid/57/userId/411321/Default.aspx

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Nearly a fourth of white goods sales seen going online by 2023

Online white goods purchases are seeing a faster-than-expected rise on high affordability of smartphones along with increased use of mobile, internet, EMI schemes, hefty discounts, widening private-label product portfolios and lower product delivery lead times. Private label products are available online at 30 per cent discount to the prices of established brands. These established brands are also selling the goods 7-15 per cent cheaper online compared to offline with marginal product differentiation. The increasing price differential between online and offline is enticing consumers to move toward e-commerce purchases as free delivery, installation and cash backs, along with Equated Monthly Instalment schemes, are also available on the platform. White goods sales through online platforms have moved up at a faster pace over the last two-three years. Emkay finds that Diwali sales have contributed significantly to the online sales growth, growing by 56 per cent annualy (CAGR) between 2016 and 2019. Both Amazon and Flipkart have been witnessing consumer durable sales surging multiple times every Diwali season. The recent success of brands such as MI and One Plus is forcing offline brands to increase their presence on online platforms. The purchase by consumers in non-metro and tier-2 and tier-3 cities have gone up sharply this season. The number of women shoppers, purchase on EMI, credit and debit cards also have recorded growth. Among consumer durables, television is the largest selling product, followed by microwave ovens, air conditioners and refrigerators. ... DailyhuntDisclaimer: This story is auto-aggregated by a computer program and has not been created or edited by Dailyhunt. Publisher: Deccan Chroniclehttp://knowledge.thinkingstorm.com/UserProfile/tabid/57/userId/350740/Default.aspx

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Three 'missing' NCP MLAs return to Mumbai

CP's chief spokesperson Nawab Malik on Sunday claimed that the three MLAs were flown to Delhi in a chartered plane by the BJP on Saturday after they attended Ajit Pawar's swearing in.The three MLAs have stated that they are with the party, Malik added.The NCP won 54 seats in the Maharashtra Assembly elections held last month. DailyhuntDisclaimer: This story is auto-aggregated by a computer program and has not been created or edited by Dailyhunt. Publisher: The Telegraphhttp://www.boxboardproducts.com/UserProfile/tabid/61/userId/474544/Default.aspx

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