PAKISTAN - A SAD COUNTRY
The very basis of Pakistan was religion. Before independence, the power house of Muslim League (ML) was mainly concentrated in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and the then Bengal with Bombay-based Mr M A Jinnah at the helm. The conflict between Congress and ML on the issue of partition was that of mind set. Congress leadership grew out of middle class Indians with progressive out look for democracy and secularism. But the core of ML leadership was basically the Muslim aristocracy. This Muslim aristocracy mobilised the common Muslims of undivided India to compensate for their loss of power following 1857. Congress played many dubious games with ML and the latter did some crude and brute show of power. ML leaders were obsessed with the fear that in undivided free India, minority Muslims would be subjugated by the majority Hindus. They also could not reconcile with the fact that they were no longer the rulers of India.
Bangladesh's invisible minority
Babu and Arif have been friends from childhood. They went to school together, played on the same cricket team and had no secrets – except one, but only until recently. While they were out having phuchkas at a street stand somewhere in Dhaka, Arif suddenly slipped into an awkward silence for a couple of seconds.
"Babu, shon, toke amarkichubolar ache… Listen, I want to tell you something…"
"What is it, dosto?"
"I haven't been fully honest with you… Remember when I told you that I really like that girl? That wasn't quite true. It's actually her brother I like. I am gay."
MAHA KUMBHA & HOLY DIP IN FILTHY WATER
The Hindu religious festival (ritual) "Maha Kumbha" has started on 14th January 2013 in Allahabad, India. It is a 12 yearly event. About 1.1 crores of Hindu devotees are expected to take holy dip in Trveni Sangam in Allahabad. Hindus consider Trveni Sangam, the confluence of three rivers, viz Ganga, Yamuna and under-ground Saraswati, a very holy place.