Sri Lankan Election TNPF – ACTC “Cycle”

Sri Lankan Voters Reject Racism by Defeating Mahinda – UPFA in South and Gajendrakumar-TNPF in North

Posted by Administrator on 18 August 2015, 7:44 pm


By

Upul Joseph Fernando
When Maithri removed the UPFA and SLFP Secretaries last week, the Mahinda faction attacked Maithri stating that the latter’s decision to introduce new secretaries to act in those offices was taken before Court by a Tamil lawyer. Former Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva disclosed the name of that lawyer and identified as a Tamil. The motive was to put the Tiger label on that lawyer and incite racism. The entire campaign of Mahinda was designed to promote the feeling that if Ranil won the polls the LTTE would revive.

Other than spreading the message that if Ranil won he would work closely with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) to sell the country to the Tigers, nothing worthwhile was heard from Mahinda’s platform. Even during the last presidential election, Mahinda sang the same song.

Mahinda who made that claim put out an agreement prepared by his party stating that Maithri and Ranil had entered into an agreement with the TNA and made it public. However, the people rejected that exercise of Mahinda and defeated him.

The ‘Let’s rise with Mahinda’ team around him thought that Maithri won the poll with Tamil votes. Hence, they went round the country saying that Mahinda won the Sinhala Buddhist vote at the January polls. They said that when the North-East votes were separated, Mahinda led in the South predominantly Sinhala Buddhist areas.

They further claimed that Maithri obtained only 5,239,051 outside the North and East and Mahinda secured 5,444,490 leading with a majority of 205,439. When they claimed that Mahinda was a President who won the Sinhala Buddhist vote, Mahinda claimed he was not defeated. In that backdrop they thought Mahinda could easily win the general elections.

They were of the view as the TNA which would contest separately unlike the presidential election; the UNP would be compelled to base their success on the Sinhala Buddhist vote. They proposed to label Ranil as a Tiger sympathizer to defeat Ranil as he would contest Mahinda. Also as the Ranil image was negative before the Sinhala Buddhist audience, they thought Mahinda could win the general election.

They did calculations on the vote base by subtracting votes cast during the presidential election by the TNA, JVP and Sarath Fonseka in favour of Maithri and was dead certain of Mahinda’s victory. The social media facilities were used to the maximum to carry out the racist campaign. They also structured news items to state that the LTTE was rising again.

The arrest of some LTTE cadres with cyanide capsules in India has even baffled the Indian authorities. The reason was the Tiger trademark on those capsules and wide publicity given to the incident by the Mahinda camp. Any attempt to change the Indian thinking by India’s PK Company, politicians and media personnel bought over by the Rajapaksas to plan such strategy did not look an impossible task.

A pro-Rajapaksa astrologer who appeared on a television channel following that incident in India predicted that if Ranil came to power the LTTE would revive and there would be bloodshed in the country. All these plans were mooted by the Rajapaksas’ to incite racism to win the elections. The Sinhala Buddhist population defeated all those strategies and plans at Monday’s elections. Mahinda lost his much claimed 5.8 million vote base. Ranil won through the Sinhala Buddhist vote thus defeating racism.

Mahinda chose to contest from Kurunegala as families of most men who joined the military lived in that district. The motive was to sell the war victory to incite racism. In the end, he only succeeded in obtaining a lesser quantum of votes than what he secured at the presidential election. The UPFA also lost two seats from the numbers which it secured in 2010. UNP’s youth MP Akila Viraj was successful in that exercise to lessen the numbers for Mahinda in Kurunegala.

Ranil was defeated in 2005 by the patriotic army in the South led by Mahinda and the racism spread in the North by Prabhakaran. On the contrary, the Sinhala Buddhist population in the South defeated Mahinda’s racist policy and the Tamils in the North rejected the pro-LTTE TNPF and Gajendra Kumar’s party. The Northern people too rejected racism. That was the message from the people in the North and South at the general election. The racism propagated in these two areas in 2005 was defeated in 2015. It’s a dramatic turn towards the better.

Courtesy:Ceylon Today

Even God Cannot Save Tamils if People Vote for Diaspora Backed TNPF – ACTC “Cycle”

Posted by Administrator on 17 August 2015, 12:54 am

By
D.B.S.Jeyaraj
The Tamil National Peoples Front (TNPF) which is contesting the 2015 Parliamentary polls under the cycle symbol of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC) unveiled its election manifesto in Valvettithurai on August 2nd 2015. The date coincided with the 26th anniversary of the VVT massacre of 1989 where over 30 civilians were killed by the Indian army after an LTTE attack was launched from the VVT hospital premises. The TNPF paid homage to the victims of the 1989 VVT massacre and the LTTE Great Heroes or “Maaveerargal” before commencing their rally at the VVT “Revady Sports Club” grounds. The manifesto was released at the TNPF rally.

The ACTC/TNPF is contesting all five electoral districts in the Northern and Eastern provinces. The ACTC list for Jaffna electoral district comprising the Jaffna and Kilinochchi administrative districts is headed by Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam. According to political observers the ACTC/TNPF does not have much support south of Elephant pass. Yet it is fielding candidates in all the Tamil areas in a bid to challenge the political supremacy of the dominant Tamil National Alliance(TNA).

Sri Lankan Tamil politics in the years between 1949 to 1971 were marked by the rivalry between the All Ceylon Tamil Congress(ACTC) contesting under the cycle symbol and the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK)which had the house as its symbol. In an interesting re-play of the past ,the Tamil National Peoples Front(TNPF) contesting under the ACTC cycle symbol is battling the Tamil National Alliance(TNA) contesting under the ITAK symbol of house. The political competition of the past between cycle and house has taken on new forms in the present scenario.

“Supreme Leader”
The acknowledged “supreme leader” of both the ACTC and TNPF is Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam whose qualifications as stated in media advertisements are – LLB London and Barrister at law. Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam is both the President of the TNPF and General Secretary of the ACTC.

Gajendrakumar who spends considerable periods of time in Europe is perhaps a shining example of “dynasty” in the Sri Lankan Tamil political sphere.He belongs to the third generation of Ponnambalams in politics. (Not to be confused with Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan or Arunachalam).Gajendrakumar’s paternal grandfather Ganapathy Gaangaesar Ponnambalam known as GG Ponnambalam (snr) was the founder president of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress. GG Ponnambalam’s son and Gajendrakumar’s father was Kumar Ponnambalam or GG Ponnambalam jnr.

GG Ponnambalam’s grandson and Kumar’s son Gajendrakumar Gangaser Ponnambalam was born on January 16th 1974. After completing his primary and secondary school studies at Royal College, Colombo and the Colombo International school, Gajendrakumar went to London for tertiary studies.Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam entered active politics after the death of his father.

In 2001 , four Tamil organizations namely the Tamil United Liberation Front(TULF), the All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC), the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization(TELO) and the Eelam Peoples Revolutionary Liberation Front(EPRLF) came together as the Tamil National Alliance. Gajendrakumar contested in Jaffna and was elected to Parliament. In 2004 he contested from Jaffna again on the TNA list and won.

In 2004 the TNA won twenty – two seats including two on the national list in 2004.Among the TNA Parliamentarians, two were identified as being very close to the LTTE hierarchy. They were Mr.Selvarajah Gajendran and Ms.Padmini Sithambaranathan. Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam was affiliated with this duo. Interestingly Gajendran, Padmini and Gajendrakumar were first (112,077), second (68,240) and third (60,770) respectively in the preference vote tally for Jaffna in the LTTE rigged 2004 poll.

Gajendran and Padmini
Things however changed after May 2009 and when polls were announced in 2010 the situation was different.When Selvarajah Gajendran and Padmini Sithambaranathan were close to the LTTE hierarchy earlier, they used that “influence” to undermine and defy the TNA leadership. Like the cobra around Lord Shiva’s neck inquiring the well-being of the Karudan or Kite bird this duo had disregarded the TNA leaders due to their tiger clout They had disrespected several other academics and professionals in Jaffna too.

When elections were scheduled the long-suffering TNA leadership took the bold decision of denying nomination to both. But Gajendran and Padmini Sithamparanathan latched on to Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam.

Earlier Gajendrakumar had some disputes with the TNA leadership about the 2010 Presidential election. Egged on by some Tamil extremists in the Diaspora, Gajendrakumar had wanted a boycott.Now the same Diaspora elements played a huge role in cementing an alliance between the discarded duo and young Ponnambalam.

The Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam – Padmini Sithamparanathan – Selvarajah Gajendran trio struck out separately.Gajendrakumar along with Gajendran and Sithamparanathan broke ranks from the TNA and formed the Tamil National Peoples Front.

They filed nomination under the ACTC symbol of cycle in Jaffna and Trincomalee districts.Then began an election campaign in which Gajendrakumar viciously attacked the then TNA leadership consisting of Sambanthan, Senathirajah and Suresh.

He declared that what the TNPF wanted was the defeat of Senathirajah and Suresh Premachandran in Jaffna and Sampanthan in Trincomalee. When results were announced the TNPF contesting as ACTC was trounced.

In Jaffna the TNPF polled only 6,362 votes. In Trincomalee it got just 1,182 votes. Gajendran, Sithamparanathan and Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam who were the first three in terms of preferences in 2004 were totally demolished in 2010.

Pathological Hatred
Gajendrakumar continued along the same TNPF track with Selvarajah Gajendran. The tall Gajendrakumar and the short Gajendran with their similiar sounding names became the “terrible twins” of Tamil politics.

The politics of the ACTC/TNPF deteriorated into venomous “hate”politics. The target was the TNA in general and parliamentarians R. Sampanthan and MA Sumanthiran in particular. The deplorable personalised manner in which Gajendrakumar attacks Sumanthiran is reminiscent of the pathological hatred displayed by his father Kumar towards Dr. Neelan Tiruchelvam.

The ACTC/TNPF is strongly backed and heavily influenced by LTTE and Pro-LTTE elements in the Global Tamil Diaspora.These tiger and pro-tiger elements are strongly opposed to the TNA and its current political approach of working towards an acceptable political settlement within a united but not necessarily unitary Sri Lanka.

The overall objective of these elements is two – fold. Revive the LTTE in some form and engage in violence in Sri Lanka.Undermine the political process and disrupt all positive political engagement between Tamil representatives and the Governments in power in Colombo.

In order to achieve this objective the TNA has to be weakened, divided or converted to the Diaspora tiger cause. So these tiger elements in the Diaspora have been attacking the TNA from within and without.

Some TNA constituents and members are working as fifth columnists and diminishing the TNA from within. At the same time vicious political attacks are launched from outside on the TNA. The TNPF is a ready, able and willing tool in this tiger Diaspora backed onslaught against the TNA.

The TNPF/ACTC refrained from contesting local authority or Provincial Council elections saying they were of no use to the Tamil people. It also wanted the Tamils to boycott the Presidential poll of 2015. The TNPF/ACTC was merely voicing the wishes of the “ tiger” Diaspora in this.

TNPF/ACTC Snubbed
However the Tamil people living in Sri Lanka snubbed the TNPF/ACTC by voting in very large numbers at these elections. Moreover they supported the TNA strongly in the local authority and provincial polls.

They also voted for the TNA backed Maithripala Sirisena at the Presidential poll instead of heeding the boycott call of the TNPF. Now the TNA seems poised for victory at the forthcoming Parliamentary elections.

It is against this backdrop that the TNPF is contesting the polls under the ACTC. The aim is to cause as much political damage to the TNA as possible.

If one were to strip away the convoluted verbiage of the TNPF manifesto and bare it down to the essentials, one may be compelled to emulate the Dravidian movement patriarch “Eevaeraa Periyaar”(Dravida Kazhagham leader E. V. Ramaswamy Naicker) and shout “Vengaayam” (Onion). When you peel away the layers in an onion you end up with nothing but tears in your eyes.

Likewise when you distill the TNPF manifesto you end up with nothing but tears in your eyes for the predicament of the Tamil people in having to put up with a political outfit of this nature.

What the TNPF recommends as a political solution to the Tamil national question is the demarcation of the Island into a “Tamil Thesam” comprising the Northern and Eastern provinces and a “Sinhala Thesam” consisting of the other seven provinces. Thereafter the two “Thesam” countries can form one “Naadu”country. Apart from the hilarity caused by terminology, the political philosophy articulated in this demand gives rise to two fundamental questions.

Fundamental Questions
Firstly how does one merge the North and East into one “Tamil country” when the non – Tamils in the Eastern province are more than 60 % of the population?.

Secondly how can the provinces outside the North and East be lumped together as a “Sinhala country” when 48 % of the Tamils and two-thirds of the Muslims in the Island of Sri Lanka are living in those seven provinces?

The TNPF/ ACTC manifesto further states that a political settlement recognizing the concepts of “Thaayagam”,(Homeland) Thesiyam” (Nationhood) and “Suya nirnayam” (self – determination) should be evolved.

If such a solution is not possible within a specific time frame then the TNPF would demand a referendum for the Tamil people in the Island. The TNPF would consult the Tamil people and mobilise their support towards this objective. The manifesto does not outline the purpose for which the referendum is to be held.

The ambiguity and confused terminology of the TNPF seems to be deliberate. Despite the rhetoric of being faithful to the Tamil Eelam cause and the lambasting of the TNA as having sold out, the reality today is that anyone wanting to contest Parliamentary elections has to disavow separatism or run the risk of being disqualified.

The sixth Constitutional amendment has ensured that. Hence the TNPF too is playing it safe by being vague and ambiguous wherever and whenever necessary. The candidates may wax eloquent about being prepared to sacrifice but the reality is that they are not ready to sacrifice a chance to become an MP.

Family Wealth
Meanwhile the Tiger Diaspora backs the TNPF/ACTC to the hilt. Unlike his grandfather and father, Gajendrakumar does not have to spend the family wealth to contest elections. The benefactors from abroad will see to all such mundane needs.

Reports from the election front suggest that the ACTC/ TNPF is running a well-oiled election campaign this time. The voters are not being wooed by campaign rhetoric alone but also through a bountiful personal touch that is of benefit to both the receiver and giver.

The determination of Diaspora elements backing the TNPF is almost unbelievable.It is both fascinating as well as frightening to witness this unfolding phenomenon. Here is an influential Diaspora group of a particular political persuasion with ample resources at its disposal striving to change the political equation in the land of their birth. The ultimate objective being to pave the way for the creation of two states in the Island. The facetious euphemism of “two countries in one country” should not let this grim reality be overlooked.

The tiger and pro-tiger Diaspora wants a political change among the Tamils of Northern and Eastern Sri Lanka through this election. The ACTC /TNPF is the instrument being utilised to bring about such a change. What would happen if such a change were to occur?

S.J.V.Chelvanayakam
Many years ago when the United Front led by Sirima Bandaranaike swept the polls the veteran Tamil political leader SJV Chelvanayakam observed “Only God can save the Tamil people now”.

Let me conclude by saying that if the “change” envisaged by the tiger Diaspora is brought about by a TNPF victory in Sri Lanka “Even God cannot save the Tamil people now”!
(This article is a condensed version of the “DBS Jeyaraj Column” appearing in the “Daily Mirror” of Aug 4, 2015)
DBS Jeyaraj can be reached at dbsjeyaraj@yahoo.com

Nestle Maggi issue

Maggi is back: Bombay HC quashes ban, but Nestle not out of the woods just yet

In a major relief to Nestle India, the Bombay High Court on Thursday quashed the FSSAI order banning Maggi for six weeks. The order states that principles of natural justice were not followed and so the ban should be set aside. Meanwhile, even as Nestle continues to maintain that the decision to ban its product was arbitrary, the government's claim from the company for selling "defective and hazardous" Maggi noodles may exceed Rs 640 crore as it is tabulating further damages to be sought.

The case has been heard for over a fortnight with Nestle India denying the claims of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) that the instant noodle has excesses lead content.

According to PTI, a division bench of Justice VM Kanade and Justice Burgess Colabawalla said that the "principles of natural justice" and procedures were not followed in the case. According to this report in The Times of India, the court also added that a show-cause notice was not issued before the ban.

The High Court also said that the samples were not tested at accredited laboratories raising doubts on the results. The court allowed Nestle to send five samples of each variant of noodles for fresh testing to three labs in Punjab, Hyderabad and Jaipur. If lead content is found below permissible limit by the three labs, Nestle will be allowed to manufacture Maggi noodles in India, the Bombay HC said, reported PTI.

The judges refused to grant stay on their order on a plea made by food regulators. They said the company had given an undertaking that it would not manufacture or sell Maggi noodles till the results of the three labs were received.

"The fresh tests would also take some time. Hence, there was no need to grant a stay on the order," the judges said. The HC held that the petitions filed by Nestle challenging the nation-wide ban on Maggi noodles was maintainable and that it (the high court) had the jurisdiction to hear it under powers derived by it under Article 226 of the Constitution.

FSSAI and FDA had earlier banned Maggi noodles saying the samples of noodles tested by them contained 'lead beyond permissible limit'.

Nestle had argued that its product did not contain 'lead' in excess of permissible ceiling and challenged the tests by FSSAI and FDA, while the food regulators had said that the lead content in the noodles detected during the tests in reputed laboratories was harmful to public health.

FSSAI had issued the order banning Maggi noodles on June 5, this year while FDA had issued similar order the next day. During a previous hearing in the court, Justices Kanade and Colabawala had asked both the sides to give their consent for fresh independent test. However, the parties could not arrive at a consensus to the suggestion mooted by the HC which today ordered fresh tests.

Nestle's lawyer Iqbal Chhagla had earlier said the company was agreeable to the suggestion, but the tests should be conducted in the presence of a renowned scientist and the samples available with the company should be used.

Darius Khambata, appearing for FDA, had contended that one of the samples must be from the lot collected by the state FDA. "For us, consumer interest is most important...this
litigation may go on but we feel that the issue should be resolved amicably and, therefore we suggested the parties to agree to a fresh independent test," the bench observed.

The Nestle lawyer alleged that FSSAI and FDA had violated followed principles of natural justice by not giving a hearing to the company before banning nine variants of Maggi noodles on the ground of lead content in these products were in excess of the permissible limit.

Also, though only three variants were tested, the regulators banned all nine variants of Maggi noodles, Chhagla had argued. He had said there was no substance in FSSAI's allegation about the company destroying evidence by burning Maggi stock.

"On the contrary, we have acted on the instructions of the food regulators by destroying Maggi product," he said.

Nestle, which had to recall the popular noodles brand after orders from the food safety regulator FSSAI, is the first foreign firm in India to face a class action suit, which was filed by the government yesterday under an hitherto unused provision of the three-decade old Consumer Protection Act.

The Consumer Affairs Ministry has filed a 45-page complaint before the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) to seek Rs 284.45 crore in basic damages and further Rs 355.50 crore in punitive damages, resulting in total damages of Rs 639.95 crore sought from the Swiss giant.

The first hearing of the case is expected on 14 August. The government also wants Nestle India to pay interest at a rate of 18 percent per annum till the date of actual payment, while it has also asked the consumer forum to order the company to take remedial measures for wrong labelling and misleading advertisements.

In a statement issued today, Nestle India said, "We are disappointed with the unprecedented step of filing of a complaint before the NCDRC against Nestle India." The company also said it maintained "highest standards of food quality and safety in the manufacture of all its products" and it has a stringent program to test the ingredients that go to make Maggi noodles.

In its petition, the ministry said it is in the process of "tabulating further damages" and will seek additional damages when further facts and data emerges. The amount claimed will be deposited in the Consumer Welfare Fund in the interest of consumers, the ministry said. The government has based its damage claims on Nestle India's total revenue in 2014, which stood at Rs 9,485.32 crore, of which Maggi and its variants accounted for 30 percent share at Rs 2,845.59 crore.

Maggi noodles, a popular brand of noodle manufactured in India, was banned in different states after a high level of lead along with excessive amounts of taste enhancer such as monosodium glutamate (MSG) were allegedly detected in the food item.

Lead content in 14 of 27 samples in India was allegedly found to be 2.8 PPM to 5 PPM (particle per million), which is above the prescribed limit of 2.5 PPM. Presence of excess lead is harmful for health, PTI had reported. Nestle had earlier claimed that its own tests had reported that the Maggi noodles were safe for consumption and none of the countries, where it sold the product, including in the UK, Australia and Singapore had any problems with it.

With PTI inputs

Nestlé’s Maggi Woes Expose India’s Food-Safety Shortcomings

An employee conducts tests to check the purity of milk at a Nestlé laboratory in Moga district in the northern state of Punjab, India, June 16, 2015. The Bombay High Court is expected to rule as soon as this week on an application by Nestlé to start reselling its Maggi noodles.

 

Munish Sharma/Reuters

NEW DELHI—When Indian authorities ordered nationwide checks of lead levels in instant noodles manufactured by Nestlé SA’s local arm, it exposed the gaping holes in food-safety protections in the world’s second-most-populous nation.

Few state governments had laboratories with the equipment, staff and expertise needed to test for the toxic metal. In Delhi, the national capital, which is home to 18 million people, the food-watchdog agency has just three chemists and had to send samples to a private lab.

While food-safety monitoring isn’t a top priority for India’s government, the consequences of contaminated food is a major problem. Diarrhea, commonly caused by tainted food and water, is one of the leading causes of death in India, particularly for children. It accounts for hundreds of thousands of deaths every year, according to World Health Organization estimates.

The lack of monitoring capacity is a sign of broader shortcomings in government efforts to ensure the safety of the food supply in a country that is among the world’s biggest exporters of rice and other agricultural products.

In a country that has hundreds of millions of people living below the poverty line, the government focuses more on the basics of providing homes and jobs, said Amit Khurana,who heads the food-safety division at the Center for Science and Environment, a New Delhi-based nonprofit. “The government’s priority is not to build labs,” Mr. Khurana said.

http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2015/08/10/nestles-maggie-woes-expose-indias-food-safety-shortcomings/

Top accessories for long drives

1. Navigation system 

A navigation system finds the shortest way to your destination, and the location of restaurants, fuel stations etc en route. Prices range from Rs 10,000 to Rs 35,000 for in-dash systems. In case of lack of space the navigation device can be mounted on the windshield. Smartphones also come with  a GPS that can be used for the in-built navigation system. And if its not according to your taste, you can buy a Navigon or a Sygic (MapmyIndia) through your online application store for with prices starting at Rs 1,900

2. Music system

An entertainment system can liven up long drives. Prices range from Rs 4,000 to Rs 40,000 for an audio-visual kit (DVD player) depending on the brand. Read our car audio guide to understand the basics of buying a good in-car audio system.  

3. Tyre puncture repair kit

A spare tyre, puncture repair kit and electronic jack are must-haves on long hauls Unless you’d prefer to be stranded on some uninhabited stretch of road with a flat. Invest Rs 3,500 in an electronic jack, Rs 600 for the inflator and Rs 200 rupees for the puncture repair kit.

4. Roof racks

Roof racks are handy for the extra luggage and don’t forget ropes and hooks to strap it down. And if you don't have too much luggage, then you can opt for rooftop cargo boxes such as the ones from Thule. They are also more aesthetic to look at than the plain, naked roof racks.

Essentials of driving a diesel car

Essentials of driving a diesel car

Here's a quick guide of how to get the best from your diesel car

Diesel cars have stopped carrying the stigma that was once attached to these heavy-fuel burning beasts of burden. But while modern diesel cars have become less noisy, more refined and easily accepted by most common folk, driving one is still a whole different experience as compared to a petrol car. One important reason for this is the difference in power delivery between these two types of engines, with diesels producing less horsepower, revving slower, but making significantly more torque than their petrol powered counterparts. But don’t fret... here’s a little guide to help you do right with your diesel.

Efficiency Dynamics

Displacement-for-displacement, diesel engines are more efficient than petrol engines. But there is always a thing or two you can do to squeeze that extra mile out of you diesel car. Firstly, since a diesel car makes more torque at low rpm, you can stay in a higher gear at relatively slower speeds. This also means that you don’t need to downshift, and spike up engine revs, as often each time you slow down. Don’t rev the engine too hard - the point just above the turbo boost zone is where the diesel engine will be most efficient. Also, try not to floor the throttle to get the engine to its boost zone. Instead, build the revs steadily till the turbo spools up.

Passing the buck

With a diesel, you’ll always have more torque at lower rpm as compared to a petrol, allowing the car to pick up the speed necessary for an overtake much more easily. While a downshift might not be completely unavoidable in a diesel car to start the pass, you don’t need to rev the engine too high to bring it into its powerband. But be prepared to shift as soon as the engine is about 1000-1500 odd revs beyond its turbo boost rpm. That way you’ll ensure that once you upshift and the revs drop, the engine speed will still be above the turbo boost rpm, giving a smooth continuous surge of power till you’ve completed the overtaking maneuver.

Beating the traffic beat

First thing’s first, just because your car has a diesel engine, don’t try and keep it in an overly high gear in traffic while making heavy use of the clutch to start moving. Shift down when the car demands so. Otherwise, when at seriously slow crawling speeds, you needn’t even bother with the throttle when starting off from a dead stop in first gear. Just ease off the clutch and the massive torque at idle revs should be enough to get the car moving. Also, in heavy traffic, get a feel for using the torque of the engine below the boost range, as it’ll usually be rather difficult to get the turbocharger spun up when crawling in stop-and-go city traffic.

A twist of the road

Contrary to popular belief, driving a diesel car on twisty mountain roads can be a lot of fun too. Again, torque is the key, and one must learn how to best use it when caning a diesel around the bends. The trick is to always keep the rpm above the boost band to get maximum speed coming out of corners. One needs to keep the car in the right gear when entering a corner, then maintain the revs through the turn and quickly go on the gas as you’re coming out. Be ready to shift up quickly though. Unlike a petrol engine, revving a diesel to its redline will actually slow you down, as its extra torque will keep spinning the wheels endlessly.

New BrahMos gets Kalam name

India's tribute to Missile Man: New BrahMos gets Kalam name:-----

India will pay its Missile Man the ultimate tribute -- naming its first hypersonic missile, which will travel at a speed of 8,575 kmph, after the late president APJ Abdul Kalam.

A cruise missile capable of taking out hardened targets such as underground bunkers and weapon storage facilities at seven times the speed of sound (Mach 7), BrahMos-II (K) is being developed by the Indo-Russian joint venture BrahMos Aerospace. The K in it is for Kalam, the man who fired India’s missile and nuclear programme.

“Kalam is the reason we are standing on the threshold of a new era of hypersonic weapons. That’s why BrahMos-II is being named after him,” BrahMos Aerospace CEO Sudhir Mishra told HT.

Their sheer speed makes hypersonic weapons, designed to fly at least Mach 5 (6,125 kmph), difficult to intercept and packs them with destructive power. The US, Russia and China are the only other countries working on these weapon systems.

Six weeks before Kalam died on July 27, he asked BrahMos Aerospace to press the accelerator on hypersonic weapons technology and help India field an operational missile in three to five years.

“We have a two-pronged approach to exploit the hypersonic realm – upgrading the existing BrahMos engine to achieve Mach 5+ speed in three to five years and simultaneously working on a pure hypersonic engine to breach Mach 7 in five-seven years,” Mishra said.

The existing BrahMos missile provides India the capability to hit targets 290km away at nearly three times the speed of sound. It’s the world’s fastest supersonic cruise missile.

The 1998 inter-governmental agreement with Russia to build these missiles bears Kalam’s signature, who was then heading the Defence Research and Development Organisation.
Kalam visited the BrahMos Delhi headquarters on June 13 to mark the missile’s first test flight in 2001 and spoke at length about hypersonic capabilities.

The headquarters’ Mission of Life museum, dedicated to arguably the country’s most loved president, mirrors his extraordinary relationship with BrahMos.

It captures his journey from a boy in a remote Tamil Nadu village to People’s President told through memorabilia donated by Kalam.

On display is the Bharat Ratna he was presented in 1997 for his contribution to the scientific research and modernisation of defence technology in India.

Two Padmas share the space with the flight suit that Kalam wore during his now famous Sukhoi-30 sortie. 

An entire wall of sketches and caricatures presented to him by school children perhaps captures the rocket-scientist president’s life the best – that of People’s President and ardent nationalist.

BRAHMOS ~ The BrahMos is a short range ramjet supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft or land. It is a joint venture between the Russian Federation's NPO Mashinostroeyenia and India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) who have together formed BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited. It is based on the Russian P-800 Oniks cruise missile and other similar sea-skimming Russian cruise missile technology. The name BrahMos is a portmanteau formed from the names of two rivers, the Brahmaputra of India and the Moskva of Russia.


It is the world's fastest cruise missile in operation.The missile travels at speeds of Mach 2.8 to 3.0. An air-launched variant of BrahMos which came out in 2012 made India the only country with supersonic cruise missiles in their army, navy, and air force. A hypersonic version of the missile, BrahMos-II, is also presently under development with speed of Mach 7 to boost aerial fast strike capability. It is expected to be ready for testing by 2017.

Scotland Announces Total Ban on GM Crops

Posted on Aug 9 2015 - 1:19pm by Sustainable Pulse

Growing genetically modified (GM) crops will not be permitted in Scotland, Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead has announced as he moved to protect Scotland’s clean, green status.

Mr Lochhead has confirmed that the Scottish Government intends to take advantage of new EU rules allowing countries to opt out of growing EU-authorised GM crops.

The Scottish Government will shortly submit a request that Scotland is excluded from any European consents for the cultivation of GM crops, including the variety of genetically modified maize already approved and six other GM crops that are awaiting authorisation.

The Cabinet Secretary said:

“Scotland is known around the world for our beautiful natural environment – and banning growing genetically modified crops will protect and further enhance our clean, green status.

“There is no evidence of significant demand for GM products by Scottish consumers and I am concerned that allowing GM crops to be grown in Scotland would damage our clean and green brand, thereby gambling with the future of our £14 billion food and drink sector.

“Scottish food and drink is valued at home and abroad for its natural, high quality which often attracts a premium price, and I have heard directly from food and drink producers in other countries that are ditching GM because of a consumer backlash.

“That is why I strongly support the continued application of the precautionary principle in relation to GM crops and intend to take full advantage of the flexibility allowed under these new EU rules to ban GM crops from being grown in Scotland.

“The Scottish Government has long-standing concerns about GM crops – concerns that are shared by other European countries and consumers, and which should not be dismissed lightly.

“I firmly believe that GM policy in Scotland should be guided by what’s best for our economy and our own agricultural sector rather than the priorities of others. I recently kicked off a national discussion on the future of Scottish agriculture, and welcome views from all sides of the GM debate.”

Background

Under EU rules, GM crops must be formally authorised before they can be cultivated in the EU geographical area.

The amendment to Directive 2001/18/EC came into force earlier this year and allows Member States and Devolved Administrations to restrict or ban the cultivation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) within their territory.

The amended directive applies to new cultivation dossiers and not GMOs that have already been or are currently being considered for approval. Transitional arrangements have been put in place to enable Member States and Devolved Administrations to request that their territory is excluded from any consents in relation to applications that were received prior to April 2, 2015.

Member States/Regions wishing to use the transitional arrangements to opt out of growing EU approved GM maize MON 810 or any of the GM maize varieties currently awaiting EU approval must notify the European Commission by October 2, 2015.

The Rural Affairs Secretary kicked off a national discussion on the Future of Scottish Agriculture at the Turriff Show on Monday

: news.scotland.gov.uk/News/Agri-vision-1ba6.aspx

Indian Air Force's Top Guns Score Wins in the UK

In some of the most intense international air combat exercises ever featuring the Indian Air Force, IAF pilots flying Sukhoi 30 MKI fighters had a resounding 12-0 scoreline in their favour against Royal Air Force Typhoon jets in Within Visual Range (WVR) dogfighting operations.

In subsequent Large Force Exercises (LFE) which featured combined Typhoon and Su-30 formations, the IAF jets were somewhat less successful but consistently held an edge over the Typhoon.

In an exclusive interview, Group Captain Ashu Srivastav, the Contingent Commander in the exercises, told NDTV that the performance of his pilots was "exceptional." According to Group Captain Srivastav, who happens to be the IAF's most experienced Su-30 pilot, his pilots showed "flexibility and adaptability to a new environment and operating conditions and on this benchmark, I would rate them exceptional."
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A Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter jet of the Indian Air Force

The 10 day exercises which commenced on July 21 was the fourth edition of the Indo-UK Bilateral exercise called Indradhanush. IAF aircraft and personnel were based out of three Royal Air Force bases: four IAF Su-30 fighters operated out of RAF Coningsby, C-17 and C-130J Hercules transports were positioned at Brize Norton and Garud Commandos of the IAF operated alongside British forces at RAF Honington. The IAF also deployed an Ilyushin IL-78 air to air refuelling tanker at Brize Norton.

The IAF fleet departed India on July 15, with the fighters refuelling twice mid-air ahead of their first pit-stop at Taif in Saudi Arabia (near Jeddah). The formation then proceeded to Athens on July 16 refuelling once before their arrival. After another halt for one night, IAF aircraft flew onto the UK again refuelling once midair.

For the Royal Air Force, the chance to train against the Russian designed Su-30 MKI, arguably the finest fourth generation fighter aircraft in the world, is rare. India is the largest international operator of the super-maneuverable fighter and was equally keen to pit the skills of its Top Guns against the RAF's new Eurofighter Typhoon, the mainstay of the RAF's fighter fleet.

The first week of the exercises pitted the Su-30, which NATO calls the Flanker, in a series of aerial dogfight scenarios.

First, there were 1 v 1 encounters where a single jet of each type engaged each other in Within Visual Range (WVR) combat, firing simulated missiles to a range of two miles. The exercises progressed to 2 v 2 engagements with two Eurofighters taking on two Su-30s and 2 v 1 exercises where two Sukhois took on a single Typhoon and vice versa.

Notably, in the exercise where a lone Su-30 was engaged by two Typhoons, the IAF jet emerged the victor 'shooting' down both 'enemy' jets.

In all dog fighting exercises, IAF Sukhois were able to turn sharply into the extremely agile Typhoons using their thrust-vectored engines to keep the RAF jets locked in their sights. The Su-30's advanced Infrared Search and Track System (IRST), a passive sensor, which cannot be tracked, proved to be a distinct advantage for the IAF's pilots in close-combat maneuvering.

Both the IAF and RAF used the full capabilities of their onboard radars albeit in training mode, which meant that actual radar frequencies used in combat conditions were never exposed for confidentiality reasons. However, the detection ranges of the radars of both aircraft were not curtailed per se. This was air combat as close to the real thing as possible.

The pilots themselves ranged from young Flight Lieutenants to senior Group Captains from either side drawn directly from Typhoon squadrons and the IAF's 2 Squadron, "The Winged Warriors" based in Kalaikunda. The idea was for both sides to expose their operational pilots to a modern frontline platform of the same class. Accordingly, the IAF did not deploy any senior pilots serving with its Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE).

By the time the exercises shifted to Large Force Engagements (LFE) in the second week, IAF pilots were comfortable operating in British conditions. The Large Force Engagements saw mixed formation scenarios where the IAF operated its jets alongside RAF Typhoons in air battles against fellow Su-30s flying together with other Typhoons.
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An IAF Sukhoi (Left) flies alongside RAF's Typhoon

The Large Force Engagements saw 4 v 4 engagements at beyond visual range and graduated to a massive 8 v 8 engagement featuring 16 aircraft in the skies near Coningsby. IAF pilots shared tactical information with RAF pilots in their formations using radio communications since the IAF's data-link system (which shares critical sensor data with friendly aircraft) was not compatible with the Link 16 system in use with NATO aircraft like the Typhoon.

Asked about the performance of IAF pilots in these Large Force Engagements, Group Captain Srivastav told NDTV, his pilots performed "fairly well" though "quantifying [the results] is difficult. It was not unexpected for the IAF to "lose" one or two jets (over all the Large Force Engagements put together) given that the movement of each formation was directed by fighter controllers coordinating an overall air battle. Both sides agreed to simulate their Beyond Visual Range (BVR) Missiles at 25 miles for offensive missions and 22 miles for defensive scenarios.

IAF C-130 and Il-78 jets also participated in the Large Force engagements where they were "defended" by the fighter formations they were flying with against 'enemy' attacks.

The IAF also encountered no serviceability issues with any of its participating jets. All Su-30s were available for the daily exercises which took place over two blocks, one in the morning, the other in the afternoon for a total of eight sorties daily.

Praising the support the IAF received from the RAF, Group Captain Srivastav told NDTV, "The hosts were very good. They were ready to extend exceptional support."

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The sense of camaraderie extended to C-17 transport pilots of both sides. According to Group Captain Srivastav, "There was good interaction between young pilots. The C-17 Squadron of the RAF wanted some help in Kathmandu [following the Nepal earthquake]. We helped them then, this was more than reciprocated."

RAF pilots showcased their assault landing and combat off-loading experiences with IAF pilots observing from the cockpit of the big jet. IAF pilots shared their experiences of operating the C-17 at high altitudes.

Over the last decade, the Indian Air Force has been very keen to develop its Garud Commando Force meant to protect its assets such as air bases and also be deployed behind enemy lines if required. Operating alongside British forces in the UK, the IAF Garud commandos participated in a 96-hour camp in a training area close to Honington. This involved reconnaissance and surveillance missions and a combat free fall para-jump with British forces.
© Provided by NDTV 24x7

The IAF team which participated in the air combat exercise

Back in India now, the IAF, like the Royal Air Force, is keen to point out that the exercises were a learning and training opportunity, and should not be seen as a battle between the IAF and the RAF who are close allies and partners. According to Group Captain Srivastav, "It was all about learning from each others experiences and to fine tune our own procedures."

At the end of the day, though, for the IAF, these exercises were about gauging the skill levels of its own pilots and the aircraft they operate. For the IAF, these exercises came as positive news on where they stand against some of the best of the West.

http://www.msn.com/en-in/news/national/indian-air-forces-top-guns-score-wins-in-the-uk/ar-CCvp6?ocid=iehp