Building “ Kartarpur corridor ” flanked by barbed wire fence to allow indian pilgrims to cross over into Pakistan, visit the shrine, return the same day, has been a long-time dream .The corridor will require a bridge to be constructed over river Ravi . Passports , visas could be dispensed with to facilitate free passage to indian pilgrims.

Whatever may be the position, India's security cannot be compromised under any circumstances.Recall how a gurdwara in London recently distributed posters , leaflets to publicise the so-called “Sikh Referendum 2020” by the Khalistanis. How Ajay Bisaria India's envoy to Pak was humiliated and denied permission to visit the shrine ?

Intentions of Pakistan and its Khalistani sympathizers have always been and will always be suspect. The corridor,once  built , could be misused by both the State and non-State actors of Pakistan to infiltrate into India,carry out their nefarious designs by triggering terror attacks across India. Had Navjot Singh Siddhu has made a joke of himself by first hugging Gen Bajwa on Pak soil and then issue unwarranted statements with no concern for India's security.He merely succeeded in scoring a self goal. All this at the behest of Rahul Gandhi, his chaatukaars, secret  contacts in Khalistan and the ISI. Regrettably,Sidhu  continues to remain unrepentant  and boastful  under the misplaced perception as though he had done something enviable by hugging the Pakistan’s  killer General Bajwa.

Corridor will  be built  on Pakistani soil.  Will Pak agree to give land to India gratis or at market  cost? What will be India’s  stand,in case, Pak  demands land  on Indian soil ,in return? If,so where in India land will be given to the enemy country?

Let me come straight to the point. Continuous rise in prices of  petrol and diesel has a ripple effect on the wholesale and retail inflation .Petroleum ministry  seeks to justify this on account of global crisis,on which it has no control. I am not an expert. But, the argument  seems largely fallacious.

Let the Governments at the Centre and States take some innovative steps by way of austerity measures, on which they have control. No instructions have been issued by the laidback Finance ministry to limit expenditure on petrol and diesel.Ministers ,bureaucrats and public  sector executives rampantly misuse the facility.No  restrictions, no accountability. 

Another  suggestion for Government’s consideration.PM Modi has always laid stress on having  a smart bureaucracy.Having a slim-trim bureaucracy will  eliminate unnecessary  drain on public exchequer. Ground realities are, however,different. Failure of bureaucrats who are good advisors but  bad implementers.

Ministry of Finance is expected to be pro-active in curtailing its non-productive expenditure.

To have a smart bureaucracy at the Centre and States, for instance, posts of Directors,Addl Secretaries, Principal Secretaries,Addl Chief Secretaries etc are redundant. Similarly, posts of Addl Commissioners,Joint commissioners, DDGs,ADGs are being created in several ministries under garb of Cadre restructuring. No one cares to examine whether there is matching increase in responsibilities and workloads..

Worse, posts of consultants are being created at the Centre  and States with impunity to favour the favourites from outside or rehabilitate the retired bureaucrats. This is a big scam introduced during the UPA regime,that  continues till date.This is no way to create employment. 

Services delivery mechanism continues to be hopeless due to failure of Right to Services Act. Penalty clause is never invoked Public  would be comfortable  with a lean,thin and smart bureaucracy in this digital age.But, accountability  is imperative. Maximum Government means Minimum Governance and Maximum corruption. Political Executives and bureaucracies across the country, are expected to lead by examples Political rhetorics may not impress the gullible voters.

Assessing relative popularity  of world leaders, may not be possible  in absence of  facilities for conducting  survey in such a large sample comprising  several countries. One has no option but to rely on familiarity with  world politics and  the public support one enjoys in one’s own country. Consider them one-by-one.

Trump, the Commander-in-Chief of the world’s greatest economic and military power is unpredictable, diplomatically naïve and business centric in international  politics. His  decision to stop “subsidy” to India and China, the US being a “developing country”, is shocking. As per media reports, some  of his bureaucrats  have reportedly joined the “ resistence  movement” against Trump. This weakens his position.

Putin is considered the smartest,richest and the most difficult negotiator in the world. Ruling Russia since 2000, Putin and Xi  through their joint military war games gives a clear message to the loud-mouth Trump  that they could partner up in a military entente in the event of a confrontation with Washington if their interests are threatened..

Xi Jinping has a personality cult. Universally known as a treacherous, untrustworthy, over-ambitious leader, he follows China’s perennial policy of territorial aggrandizement. He has an aura of power and unchallenged authority in his country.

PM Modi remains  popular in the second most populous country. He has also emerged as a key figure in  international efforts to tackle climate change, as  global warming affects millions of people across the world. Though he enjoys  personal rapport with numerous world leaders, 

his failure to neutralize  Opposition’s negative propaganda within and on foreign soil ,is worrisome.

Conclusions

All things considered, it may be reasonable to put Vladimir Putin at No1 in popularity rating followed by Narendra Modi  No 2 ,Donald Trump  No 3 and Xi Jinping  No 4

Dilbagh Singh replaces A S Vaid as DGP J&K, though temporarily, bypassing V K Singh with impeccable record and despite his being senior to controversial Dilbagh Singh with clouded antecedents.

What was the tearing hurry,one wonders, in shunting out Vaid and abruptly appoint a tainted cop without the usual background check ? And,that too, in the sensitive State of J&K.

Brazen violation of Supreme court's guidelines.

Was UPSC kept in the loop by the centrally -administered State?

Are the PM, Cab Sec, the NSA and the new Governor of J&K aware of serious implications of the decision in the politically volatile and terror-stricken state?

Is it correct that A S Vaid was allegedly booked in the past and arrested in a corruption case ? Please verify allegations.

If,found true, why were facts suppressed from PM Modi ? And, by whom ?

Position may be verified by the PMO from the IB and steps taken to correct the anomaly to avoid embarassment to PM Modi.

As always, I am posting my views on the PMO site as a wake-up call.

Several urban naxals euphemestically called the Maoists-sympathisers, were arrested in country-wide raids.These included lawyers, activists, academics ,journalists, kashmir separatists, stone pelters etc.The  Maoists agenda is to incite violence ,write articles, print posters to 

radicalise the poor, illiterate, unemployed youth, pick up arms to incite violence  to wage a proxy war against the country with China’s covert support- financial and receiving smuggled arms. Masquerading as maoists' sympathisers,the secessionists acted as conduits to fund and 

incite the Bhima-Koregaon violence in the guise of dalit unrest.

Indian intelligence’s revelation that the armed Maoists’ single point action plan is to carry out assassination of present PM on the lines of  suicide bombing of Rajiv Gandhi at Sriperumbudur, is highly disturbing. The maoist insurgents ,characterised  by former PM Dr Manmohan 

Singh, as the gravest threat to our internal security, have been continuously fine-tuning their strategies and tactics in order to maintain their relevance.

The following course of action is suggested for NSA’ consideration :--

( a) PM Modi must be advised to restrict his movements.

His freely mingling with school children during the independence day celebrations 2018,was a serious security breach.

( b) Secret links of the urban naxalites with the Congress, Communists and the ISI,must be probed. China’s interests are served in destabilizing India.

(c) Congress President’s tendentious statements about the ISIS on foreign soils  reveal his subconscious mindset. As head of Congress's dirty tricks department, these have serious implications.

Violence will escalate as country moves closer to States assemblies' and General elections. Precautions are needed to protect national interests and assets.

Its construction of dams and tunnel and release of water into Siang river of Arunachal Pradesh, will cause disasters like flash floods in AP. 

It is still issuing stapled visas to indians in AP for visiting China

China does not share hydrological data with India relating to upstream rivers.This may play havoc with India ,in case of war.

Another serious threat besides Dokalam to destabilise India.

GOI remains a mute spectator to the insult.

The Nation wants to know : how its concerns are being addressed.

Massive spurt in infiltration, stonepelting in the valley during Eid celebrations since new regime took over.

Is this assertion of authority by Gen Bajwa on the new PM?

Natural disasters across the country.

Political rallies. Immersion of ashes !

Politicians do not seem to bother. Chaatukars,out to impress masters.

Rahul Ghandhy goes abroad for wooing indian diaspora

Total mess-up .

Donate liberally to re-build Kerala.

Accept monetary relief from abroad, but through GOI / MEA channels.

Follow these guidelines :--

(a) Apply due diligence in accounting for each pie.No money-laundering attempts.

(b) Create a fool-proof mechanism to ensure that money does not fall into the hands of terrorists their sleeper cells and sympathisers in India.

(c) Ensure that money donated is not pocketed by greedy politicians.Remove all middlemen.

(d) I know for sure that indian politicians are pro-floods ,pro-draughts and pro -natural disasters.

(e) Their motives are suspect:To siphon off donations for personal aggrandizement.

Self- styled " intellectual " Rahul Gandhy goes abroad for wooing indian diaspora.

Making outrageous statements allegedly supporting the philosophy of the Islamic State and terrorists ( TV channels) and indian culture,has sent all his cheerleaders scurrying for cover.

All are at loss of words to justify Ra Ga's thoughtless,immature.impulsive outbursts targetting national honour.

Pappu refuses to mature despite growing age.

Oh, my God, what has gone wrong with this anti-national moron.

The Congis must take him to a psychiatrist.

.Bullshit, hogwash !.

One union Secretary comes to office wearing dhoti-kurta.

A long Tilak on forehead and tying sacred thread on the wrist,are in fashion these days in the central sectt.

Is Out- of- the- box thinking necessary for getting accelerated promotion, one wonders?

Innovative trick by indian bureaucracy to impress the political Executive.

Are bureaucrats under watch by the IB ?

Egregious Sidhu compromised national honour by hugging Pak's deep state chief.

Worse, instead of apologising, Sidhu remains defiant, arrogant during the Press Conf,branding India as a large country with "small hearts" .

No one ,after the Pak event, would be interested in watching the anti-national and a seditionist in a comedy show. 

Ever-ready to hog the limelight. Cheap and disgusting.

The watermouth did not anticipate the serious implications of his moronic misconduct and making outrageous,thoughtless statements on the morale of India's Armed Forces,besides causing huge embarassment to the country.

Rahul Gandhy stands fully exposed as a potential danger to India's national security.

PM Modi must address these concerns on priority.

Egregious Sidhu compromised national honour by hugging Pak's deep state chief.

Worse, instead of apologising, Sidhu remains defiant, arrogant during the Press Conf,branding India as a large country with "small hearts" .

No one ,after the Pak event, would be interested in watching the anti-national and a seditionist in a comedy show. 

Ever-ready to hog the limelight. Cheap and disgusting.

The watermouth did not anticipate the serious implications of his moronic misconduct and making outrageous,thoughtless statements on the morale of India's Armed Forces,besides causing huge embarassment to the country.

Rahul Gandhy stands fully exposed as a potential danger to India's national security.

PM Modi must address these concerns on priority.

Sidhu's indiscetion at Imran Khan's oath taking ceremony in Islamabad,can be attributed to Congis imprudence in sending its loose cannon to Pakistan.

Sidhu's jhappi to Pak Army chief in the " privileged "company of POK's President,was a victory for Pakistan and a huge embarassment to India and its armed forces- diplomatic as well as military.

Pappu and Sidhu will have much to explain.

Both will be cursed each time India faces terror attacks.

No comedy show this . But,old habits die hard.

Sidhu behaved like a clown for sake of getting cheap publicity by his bizarre and reprehensible misconduct in Pakistan.

Sidhu deserves to be sacked as Panjab minister?

And, before that expelled from Congress party that has always insulted India's Armed Forces ?

But,all this will be farce, considering the mischievous Mani Shankar Aiyar's return to the Congress after withdrawing his suspension of 6 years.

All anti-nationals.

Enemies of State.

Supreme Court directed the CBI to file FIRs against Army officers for encounters under AFSPA.

356 Army officers likely to approach SC opposing its directions to CBI

Strangely ,a resigned IAS officer filed PIL in SC for punishing the offending army officers.

Out of his minds.

The civil servant failed to assess the implications of his PIL on the morale of India's armed forces.

India is in a state of undeclared war with Pakistan As a proud nationalist, I fully support India's Armed Forces being given unfettered operational freedom under AFSPA.

All for country's security and territorial integrity.

I do not intend to make sinister innuendoes against any individual or institutions.

The Judiciary is the most honest and respected institution.

And, the CBI is no longer the "caged parrot " of UPA era.

Holding General & Assemblies elections on same day would be an excellent thing to happen in India on economic considerations

But, comparison of relative performances of the National and local political leaders, will always remain an enigma inside a riddle for the illiterate, gullible voters.

The ruling party at the Centre,may not be performing as well as in States or vice versa.

Psephologists, may, perhaps, have to conduct fresh sociological and statistical studies of political elections and prepare different models for opinion and exit polls.

I am not too sure. But, voters might feel utterly confused and indecisive at the time of voting