Terror truths  The recent carnage in the country’s commercial capital Mumbai by so-called Pakistani jehadi (holy warriors) elements is proof enough of how devastating their actions could be for the people of India. The post-terror findings directly point their fingers towards Pakistan and its supporters as the culprits for the dastardly attacks. As usual, the government has warned of stern actions against the perpetrators, but such warnings were also pronounced following the attack in the Indian Parliament, the Mumbai serial blasts in 1993 and other bombings in recent years that killed and maimed hundreds of innocent Indians. In recent days, the October 30 Guwahati blasts and the Mumbai attacks showed how vulnerable we are in our own homeland. A couple of months ago, Muslim infiltrators had hoisted Pakistani flags in the heart of Assam following some mayhem and attacks against Indians, and the state leadership simply downplayed the issue as if nothing had happened for obvious political and selfish narrow considerations. It’s true that the greatest threat to world peace today comes from a section of Muslim fundamentalists led by Osama Bin Laden, whose supporters have created huge destructions in terms of men, money and materials worldwide, especially in some developed western capitals including New York, Madrid, London among others, following conflicts about their respective issues. But the case for India is different and we as Indians are facing double trouble. First, as proxy war to humiliate India for Pakistan’s defeat umpteen times at the Kashmir misadventures, separating the erstwhile West and East Pakistans by the ‘big brother’ action of India to liberate Bangladesh, influx from which now threatens to disintegrate India and the results are there for all to see in Northeast India from which they have spread their tentacles to different parts of the country to spread terror. What more visible proof does the government, which is least bothered to steer the country from being rotten to hell, needs to act to save India from certain disaster, for the targets of the jehadi terrorists now are not only confined to the Northeast and Kashmir alone but has reached ‘mainland India’, including Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and you name it.

Beauty & brain  The Pantaloons mega showroom at DT Towers, Guwahati was witness to the audition round of Pantaloons Femina Miss India East 2009 competition recently. Altogether 14 contestants took part in the round where three Guwahati girls — Jaba Kalita of Milanpur, Chandmari, Sukalpa Das of Manik Nagar and Ananya Barua of Sarumotoria — were spotted to take part in the elimination round of the Miss India contest in Kolkata in January 2009. The Pantaloons Femina Miss India organized the audition round for East at Guwahati, Patna, Bhubaneswar and Kolkata. The Guwahati jury comprised Sonali Sehgal, Femina Miss India International 2006. The winners of the elimination round would get a chance to take part in an eight-day training session in Kolkata before the grand finale of the Pantaloons Femina Miss India East 2009 to be held there on February 17. The winner of the February 17 final would be among the 10 finalists for the crowning round to be held in Mumbai on April 11, 2009.

Simanta / Mridumoloy