Palash Speaks - August 2007, 16

Contact: Palash C Biswas, C/O Mrs Arati Roy, Gosto Kanan, Sodepur, Kolkata- 700110, India. Phone: 91-033-25659551
Email: palashbiswaskl@gmail.com
Nokia episode has exposed the reality of Consumers in India. A helpless lot. The governemnt of India is dying to attract more and more MNCs. Annihilition Rural Inia is going on to satisfy the Shining India`s Middle Class consumer Upserge while more than three thousnad million people consisting of mainly rural and urban SC, ST, minority folk live under Poverty Line with daily income less than one dollar! They have no opportunity to enter the market. The open Market neo liberalism has opened all doors and windows for neo colonialism, an omnipresent US Military strike power with US Indo Nuke deal and strategic regrouping of Indian Ocean with US lead.
But the ruling class is quite unsuccessful to save even the interests of affluent classes to as evident with Nokia episode. Recently United States of America has returned 19 million chinese toys on custmer saftey ground. US and Europe has banned all pollution prone chemicals. But we establish PCPIR to accomodate biological chemical warfare experiments in India as the nation witnessed in Bhopal Gas Tragedy.
Anything is imported without any custmer safety or care!
Yes, we are going to be a superpower under US galaxy manusmriti Order.
Chears!

Ever since Finnish telecom major, Nokia, recalled around 46 million batteries manufactured between December 2005 and November 2006, customers have been left stranded between the company and the retail mobile stores. Nokia is not providing the number of customers using the BL-5C batteries in Singapore, but it is understood that very few here have been affected by the battery overheating problem. Nokia recently recalled the BL-5C batteries manufactured by Japan-based Matsushita due to potential overheating followed by a short circuit. However, there has been a lot of confusion for customers as to whom to approach in case of a faulty battery.At the time of recall, Nokia had issued a notice on its website specifying the details of the faulty battery and once a user followed the instructions, and if the battery is found to be dangerous, then the company would get it replaced.
Most customers are not aware that the problem can be solved through the company’s website and are flocking to Nokia outlets across India.There is confusion among Nokia cell phone owners. Several users are lining up in front of Nokia showrooms and service centres to get the faulty batteries changed.
5C battery manufactured by Japan's Matsushita, hundreds of anxious customers were seen thronging its outlets in India, forcing some shops to shut down.
Amid scare of batteries heating up, Nokia mobile phones users on Thursday thronged the company showrooms seeking information and replacement of the batteries covered under the product advisory issued early this week.
The company, however, said that there was a process to identify faulty batteries and replace them. Nokia has set up a helpline and offered an SMS facility to address the issue.
"There has been no complaint from India out of 100 complaints received globally. But supply of BL-5C batteries, covered under the advisory included India, so we have taken all pro-active steps to address customers' concerns," Nokia India Director (Marketing) Devinder Kishore told reporters.
Besides setting up a helpline (080-30303838), Nokia has offered an SMS facility in identifying faulty batteries of BL-5C batch, manufactured between December 2005 and November 2006.
Since last two days, Nokia has received 1.65 lakh SMSes and phone calls out of which of about 4.5 per cent (6498) batteries were found in the batch for which product advisory was issued early this week.
Kishore said customers need not go to any Nokia authorised shop as they can either log on to Nokia website or SMS them at 5555. If their batteries were found to be from the faulty batch, it would be replaced within 10 days and would be delivered at customers' residence.
The BL-5C is one of the 14 battery models used in Nokia products.

Nokia had found that in some cases, BL-5C batteries were overheating, which was initiated by a short circuit upon charging, and subsequently resulting in their being dislodged.
Some 7,250 batteries in India belong to the BL-5C series, the company said, even as it tried to educate customers on how to identify the make of the battery and then check if they were faulty.
"A Nokia branded battery will have Nokia and BL-5C printed on the front of the battery," the company's marketing director for India, Devinder Kishore, said in a statement. On the reverse, 'Nokia' mark appears at the top and the battery identification number, comprising 26 characters, is found at the bottom.
"Consumers should refer to this identification number to help determine if the battery is covered under the product advisory and needs to be replaced free of charge," Kishore said.
The company said the consumers could get their 26-digit identification checked by sending an SMS to 5555, logging on to www.nokia.co.in or calling Nokia Care at 30303838.
On Tuesday, the Finnish mobile phone maker recalled 46 million handset batteries manufactured by Matsushita between December 2005 and November 2006. The product advisory did not apply to any other Nokia-branded battery, the company said.
"The BL-5C is one of 14 different battery models used in Nokia products. As with many of its components, Nokia has a multi-supplier strategy for batteries, including the BL-5C. Matsushita is one of several suppliers for BL-5C."

Telcos, Singtel, Starhub and M1 have confirmed that there were indeed only a few complaints.
And all three operators had referred affected customers to Nokia, which has set up a telephone line and a webpage (www.nokia.com/batteryreplacement) to address any enquiry.
Nokia has announced that it would offer free replacements for the BL-5C batteries, following at least 100 incidents of overheating all over the world. But the company clarified that the affected batteries are confined to the batch manufactured between December 2005 and November 2006.
There are about 46 million batteries in that batch and they were produced by Japan's Matsushita Battery Industrial Company. - CNA/ac
Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said its 'AA-' rating and stable outlook on Matsushita Electric Industrial Co Ltd would not be affected by the company's offer to replace 46 mln lithium ion batteries worldwide for Nokia Corp.
S&P said while the replacement could cost several hundred million dollars, the impact on the company's solid cash flows will be limited and any reduction in Matsushita's consolidated earnings is likely to be temporary.
However, S&P said it will monitor the impact on Matsushita's medium-term business strategy and added any deterioration in the company's brand image may negatively impact its business development.
The Chinese unit of the Finnish telecommunications giant Nokia is facing legal action for alleged workplace discrimination. The legal proceedings started in the city of Dongguan in Southern China on Wednesday.
Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said its 'AA-' rating and stable outlook on Matsushita Electric Industrial Co Ltd would not be affected by the company's offer to replace 46 mln lithium ion batteries worldwide for Nokia Corp.
S&P said while the replacement could cost several hundred million dollars, the impact on the company's solid cash flows will be limited and any reduction in Matsushita's consolidated earnings is likely to be temporary.
However, S&P said it will monitor the impact on Matsushita's medium-term business strategy and added any deterioration in the company's brand image may negatively impact its business development.

A Chinese job applicant recently filed a lawsuit against Nokia in China, claiming that Nokia’s subsidiary in Dongguan turned him away after discovering that he was a Hepatitis-B carrier. He is claiming compensation of CNY 500,000, which is roughly equal to EUR 50,000.
This is reported to be the first case in China in which a multinational company has been accused of discriminating against a Hepatitis-B carrier. As many as 120 million Chinese citizens are carriers of the Hepatitis B virus (HBV) - nearly one in ten of the world’s largest population.

According to the Nokia company policy, a chronic disease must not have any influence on a recruitment decision, unless it makes the applicant unable to work or causes a considerable risk to others.
"This is a longstanding policy, of which all employees responsible for recruiting have now been re-informed and trained accordingly", reports Thomas Jonsson from Nokia’s office in Beijing.
The Chinese man who filed the lawsuit is publicly using a fictitious name, Li Sheng. At the court hearing his lawyers presented a recording that allegedly proves that a woman working in the personnel department of Nokia rejected Li on the basis of the HBV.

Even though the virus is reported not to be contagious under normal circumstances, about half of all Chinese workers refuse to work with HBV carriers, according to a survey conducted in the country in May. Hence HBV carriers often face discrimination in China. The first court case arising out of workplace discrimination on these grounds was heard there only as recently as 2003.
"This case will make the problem known publicly. It will also teach HBV carriers how to defend their legal rights", said Lu Ju, an HBV activist, who is assisting Li in the lawsuit.
Nokia has four factories, six product development units, and more than 6,000 employees in China.
The court is expected to hand down its decision on the Dongguan case in the next few weeks.

“On August 14 when Nokia issued the warning, no communication was sent to us,” says Jivan Mansukhani, a Nokia ‘Priority’ dealer at Ville Parle. He added that since then more than 100 people had come to his shop, expecting him to resolve the matter, even though he was not authorised to do so.
Sampath Iyengar of Linkworld, a gadgets shop located in Inorbit mall told Hindustan Times: “On August 15, we got more than 50 customer queries and we ended up checking the status of all these complaints online.” He added this was affecting his daily business, since he had to service customer problems rather than selling new products.
Analysts are also a bit surprised at the way Nokia India handled this issue. “While, globally it makes sense to issue an advisory on the website, it does not make sense in a country like India where Internet is still not a mass medium,” a telecom analyst who did not wish to be named said. He added that Nokia should have instructed its ‘Priority’ dealers to handle this issue thereby causing less pain to customers.
Despite repeated attempts Nokia India officials refused to comment on the number of phone batteries recalled. According to telecom analysts, the company has a 72 per cent market share in mobile phones.
What to do
Go to www.nokia.com or call Nokia care at 30303838
Identify whether your BL-5C battery falls under the recall
Check the battery identification number (consisting of 26 characters) printed on the backside of the battery
If faulty, then Nokia will collect it from the location specifie

Nokia battery explosion in RP under investigation

By Erwin Oliva
INQUIRER.net
Last updated 12:41pm (Mla time) 08/16/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- A spokesperson of Nokia Philippines said the reported local incident of an explosion of a battery identified in its recent product advisory is still being investigated.
"There was one incident involving an N91 phone. But it is isolated and not linked to the product advisory we issued. It is still being investigated," said Nikka Singson-Abes, corporate communications manager of Nokia Philippines Inc., in a telephone interview.
The Nokia executive said the N91 unit, which contained the Nokia-branded battery model identified as defective, was sent to Finland for further investigation.
"They used the word 'exploded' but the battery has expanded," she clarified.
She also stressed that Nokia did not issue a product recall but an advisory, which warned consumers about reported overheating problems of a Nokia-branded BL-5C battery manufactured by Matsushita Battery Industrial Co. Ltd of Japan between December 2005 and November 2006.
According to Nokia's advisory, the Matsushita battery was identified in "very rare cases" that it "could potentially experience overheating initiated by a short circuit while charging, causing the battery to dislodge."
The Nokia Philippines executive had no idea how many of these defective batteries were shipped in the Philippines.
But she advised consumers to go to the phone manufacturer's a website and follow instructions on finding out if their batteries are affected by the product advisory.
Nokia's website said several suppliers for BL-5C batteries have collectively produced more than 300 million BL-5C batteries.

My phone displays ”Contact Service”.
The message ”Contact Service” indicates that there may an internal problem with the phone. The following steps may help resolve the issue or give some indication as to the source of the problem:
Remove and re-insert the battery according to the instructions in the user guide.
Remove and re-insert the SIM card according to the instructions in the user guide.
If your phone has an MMC (MultiMediaCard), remove and re-insert the MMC.
If your phone still displays the message, please bring it to the nearest Nokia service center for inspection. You can find service center addresses from the drop-down menu at the bottom of Repair.
2. Where is my nearest Nokia service center?
You can find service center address and contact information from your local Nokia Web site: select your location from the drop-down menu at the bottom of Repair.
3. How can I contact Nokia customer service?
You can find customer service contact information from your local Nokia Web site. In most cases, customer service is offered via email and/or phone.
To be directed to the customer service section of your local Web site, select your location from the drop-down menu at the bottom of Contact Us.

For western brands that are about to hit any part of Asia, you need a culturally aware brand strategy to avoid a negative response to the culture shock you and your brand might experience.
Even if you have no plans to enter Asian markets, there is a lot to learn from comparing culturally-derived attitudes which all have lessons for brands and business.
For example, let's look at sake, Japan's traditional rice wine. When you're in Japan, you'll observe a gesture that's typical in the hospitality of the country. It's a gesture that has relevance to branding and business in general.
The eggcup-sized sake cup will be placed in front of you, sitting in a receptacle of some kind. When your host or companion pours your sake the cup will be filled to overflowing, the receptacle it sits in receiving the overflow and itself being filled to the brim.
This overserving expresses the generosity of the host, restaurant or bar. It's a gesture to show gratitude for your presence. And it exhibits a desire to give you more that you expect. This vignette opens vistas of meaning - brands must over-deliver and exceed customer expectations.

STATE OF THE INDIAN CONSUMER

http://www.cuts-international.org/State-IC.htm
The sole and end purpose of all production is consumption. The purpose of economic planning is to allocate resources, as far as possible, to the satisfaction of consumers’ needs. This leads directly to the idea of consumer sovereignty, as the purpose of economic activity is to allocate resources to meet consumers’ needs. And then, there is logical, moral and political force in the proposition that the right person to make the decision about the allocation of resources to her/his own needs is the consumer her/himself.
In the good old days, things were much simpler, e.g. the barter system, and the consumer did not face much problems in allocating her/his resources to satisfy her/his needs by choosing from a limited range of goods and services available. The situation has changed over time. Today the market place is huge but shrinking as well-in terms of faster reach and proliferation of organised business. Expressed the noted diplomat and economist, John Kenneth Galbraith: “It is not the consumer who is the king, but it is the large corporation who is the king in the economy. Whatever happens is not because the consumers wants it that way, but simply because powerful large corporations prefer it that way.”
Furthermore, there is the question of poverty, i.e. of such consumers who are marginal players in the marketplace; the poor, low-income as well as socially disadvantaged consumers. All welfare states are committed to socio-economic welfare, including India, but development projects and priorities are often skewed or benefits do not reach the targeted population.
It is unfortunate but also the reality in India, or for that matter in most developing countries. Marketplace distortions exist in developed countries too. Consumers are, more often than not, taken for granted.
http://www.cuts-international.org/State-IC.htm
Customer Care
Definition and Overview
Definition
Customer care is a customer service that seeks to acquire new customers, provide superior customer satisfaction, and build customer loyalty.
Overview
With the deregulation of telecommunications services, consumers now have more choice in selecting a service provider. When ordering a new service or maintaining an existing service, consumers must take into account the following three key factors: the quality of the service, the price of the service, and the customer service of the service provider. The first two factors are relatively objective and usually easy to control. As shown by Figure 1, the graphical representation of a market research study done a few years ago, customer service dissatisfaction is the most important key factor when a consumer decides to change service providers.
1. An Environment without a Customer Care System
All telecommunications service providers have customer services. A customer service that does not have a customer care system is characterized by the following:
multiple applications for a customer service representative—Without a customer care system, customer service representatives (CSRs) must use many applications to service a customer. Billing, provisioning, ordering, credit validation, and event tracking are examples of these applications. Sometimes the CSRs need two or three workstations or terminals. A CSR without a customer care system will use all of these mentioned systems to handle even a simple customer request for a new telephone line. As these are usually independent applications, the CSR must enter the same information many times. There is always the possibility of mistyping and forgetting to enter some information in an application as a result of human error. With errors, the customer is not likely to get his/her requested service as promised by the CSR. With multiple applications, there is an increased possibility of human error. In contrast, with a customer care system, the CSR must only use one application.

Figure 2. User Must Multitask
no procedure—Because of multiple applications, or applications that provide too much flexibility, each CSR develops his or her own procedure. The services that a customer receives depends on the CSR. Some services may be good, while others may not be so good. The customer will perceive this unevenness as poor customer service. A good customer care system, in contrast, implements CSR procedures and forces them to follow company-approved procedures.
long training times—Customer service departments have relatively high staff turnovers. As there are many applications and procedures that CSRs must learn, the training time is lengthy and costly to service providers. A good customer care system is easy to learn and use and, therefore, has a shorter training time.
many hand-offs—Because of a lack of automation, a great deal of handing tasks off to other people or departments manually is required. Each one of these manual hand-offs means waiting time, more data entry, and increased possibility of human error. A customer care system reduces the number of hand-offs by automating these manual tasks.
poor morale—Poor customer service due to inadequate infrastructure results in poor CSR job satisfaction. Consequently, the customer service department will experience high turnover and poor customer service. With a customer care system, customer services will be better, and CSRs will be more satisfied with their work.
http://www.iec.org/online/tutorials/cust_care/topic01.html
Outsourcing to India - Good Customer Service
The Importance of Good Customer Service
The key to customer retention is good customer service. Regardless of whichever industry one is a part of, customer care is of utmost importance. An increasing number of organizations are realizing that with growing competition, new technological innovations and constantly improving services and products, consumers are being pulled in different directions. It is vital to ensure that customer loyalty programs are an integral part of an organization. Acquiring new customers is important, but holding on to existing customers is crucial. After all if existing customers are satisfied they will help in acquiring new ones by spreading the news of your outstanding customer services. Take a look at these statistics:
Repeat customers spend 33% more than new customers Referrals among repeat customers are 107% greater than new customers It costs 6% more to sell something to a prospect than to sell that same thing to a customer So you can see the need for a consistent and committed customer support service that will nurture and strengthen this bond. Some of the main problems customers have are of unresolved complaints, pricing issues, competitors having better offers, or they just feel you do not care enough. One has to be constantly tuned in to a customer's needs. Determining what they want is an important factor in organizational success. Since the market is in constant flux, one needs a consistent and committed approach in order to gauge and be in touch with the changing whims of a consumer.
But what if customer care is not one of your core activities? You may lack the expertise, resources, and finances to ensure good customer services. Outsourcing to competent and dedicated customer care professionals is a great option and the path that many global companies are taking.
The need to outsource customer services
The fact that there needs to be an intense focus on customer care is indisputable. Acquiring new customers as well as keeping existing customers satisfied by anticipating their needs can only be done through good customer service.
Outsourcing, after all, offers a convincing case for ROI (return on investment), minus a lot of the risk inherent in setting up a complex operation that is not a core competency.
India is becoming an increasingly popular location for outsourcing and one can be assured that there will be professional and highly qualified people handling your customers and providing good customer care service.
http://www.outsource2india.com/services/customer_interaction_services.asp
BEGININGS
SINCE INDEPENDENCE, India has been striving to develop and strengthen its industrial base. In this pursuit of "self-sufficiency", however, the consumer has been made to endure sub-standard products and services: adulterated foods, short weights and measure, spurious and hazardous drugs, exorbitant prices, endemic shortages leading to black marketing and profiteering, unfulfilled manufacture guarantees,and a host fo other ills. In one infamous case, forty persons were struck with dropsy and glaucoma after consuming groundnut oil adulterated with toxic argimon oil. The culprits were never brought to justice. This outrage energised nine ladies to organize a movement to fight for consumer rights. They formed the Consumer Guidance Society of India (CGSI) to resist consumer exploitation of all forms.
HIGHLIGHTS
Following are some some of the landmarks achieved by CGSI :
1. CGSI is the earliest consumer organisation in India, founded in 1966.
2. CGSI was the first to demand a Consumer Protection Act with Consumer Cours to implement it. This become a reality in 1986.
3. To date, 70% of the thousands of complaints referred to CGSI have been redressed.
4. CGSI established formal Product Testing in India.
5. CGSI was the first to publish a monthly magazine "Keemat" carrying information of importance to consumer.
6. CGSI promotes consumer education; initiates training projects in rural areas; Promotes publicity drives; represents consumer intrests with Government and other bodies.
7. CGSI received the National Award for consumer Protection in 1991.
8. CGSI is the only Indian consumer organisationto be a council member of Consumer International for 25 years.
9. CGSI is a member of the Maharashtra State Consumer Protection Counsil.
10. CGSI participates in a larg number of technical commitees and government decision-making bodies.
LEGAL FRAMEWORK
CGSI was the first consumer organisation to demand special Consumer Court for redressal of consumers' complaints. In 1975, CGSI led a delegation of five consumer organisations from different parts of India to the then Minister for food and Civil Supplies, Mr.T.A. Pai, to press for a comprehensive Consumer Protection Act, Special Consumer Court and a Directorate for implementation of the ACt. The first two have now become a reality.
COMPLAINT REDRESSAL
CGSI handles consumer complaints and offers legal guidance to those wishing to file suits in the Consumer Court. In case where there are a number of complaint against a particular party, both sides are brought together to resolve the issue. The CGSI'S Complaints Committee meets twice a week. Many thousands of grievances have been handled over the years, with 70% success in favour of the complaints cover medical/surgical malpractice and negligence; insurance non-payment; sub-standard drugs and medicines; home remedies; defective household appliances; poor quality foods and drinks; misleading advertising claims; and grievances concerning investments, real estate, insurance, telephones, electricity supply, etc.
PRODUCT TESTING
As early as 1977, CGSI established the facility of product testing. It first assessed the safety and perforamance of domestic pressure stoves and found that two-third of the samples tested failed in safety Parameters. CGSI sent the results to the goverment and indian Standards Institution (ISI) with a demand for mandatory certification. In 1986, the Pressure Stoves Quality Control Order was passed. later,ISI Certification for pressure stoves became mandatory. Subsequently tests were carried out on electrical appliances and fittings - irons, immersion heaters, This culminated in the enactment of the Household Electrical Appliances (Quality Control) Order. A food adulteration testing kit has been developed for use by the lay consumer. Many other products were tested and reports published in the Society's monthly Journal, "Keemat": edible oils, powdered spices, 'surma', geysers, clinical thermometers, plastic water bottles, rubber teats, milk, mineral water, bread, soft drinks, bath soaps and toothpaste.
CONSUMER EDUCATION FOR SCHOOLS/COLLEGES
CGSI's Education Committee members had been working with other likeminded educationists to formally introduce Consumer Education in the school curriculum. After nearly two years of meetings and discussions, our efforts were fruitful. In 1994, the Maharashtra Education Board introduced Consumer Education at the 9th Standard Level, progressively covering students from the 4th Standard upwards. The subject taught are the Consumer Moment, Rights & Responsibilities of Consumers, the Consumer in the Market Place, Food Adulteration, Weights and Measures, the Environment, etc. This topics included under existing subjects like Civics, Economics and Home science, are project-based and more practical in nature then theoretical or examination-oriented.
CONSUMER EDUCATION FOR RURAL CONSUMERS
CGSI started a rural project in the villeges of Thane and Raigad districts (Maharashtra) in 1997, with a staff of six and funding from Actionaid. Consumer training was given to people in 112 villages by 1999. Over 32,300 people have received Consumer Education through 750 talks and demostrations in the 2 years of the project, 107 training programmes were organised and 5,767 potential activists have been given special training in Consumer Activision. Three local Consumer groups have been setup in different areas by the Consumers themselves, and these are now actively organising exhibitions, holding talks and redressing complaints. more are expected to come up soon.
PUBLICATIONS
"Keemat" is now in its 32th year of publications, the first Consumer magazine in India to be published regularly every month. CGSI has also produced Consumer Guides on subject like Electrical Appliances, Edible Oils, Pesticides, Food, Adulteration, Safety At Home, Safe Blood, etc.
NATIONAL AWARD
In 1991, CGSI received the National Award for Consumer Protection in its 25th year for service to Consumers. CGSI hopes to reach out to more and more consumers in the new millenium and to developed newer and more effective methods of serving consumers interest.
http://www.cgsiindia.org/aboutus.html
CUSTOMER CARE NEWS
Customers Customer Satisfaction Flat
Detroit automakers narrowing gap with imports; Apple, Dell and Google slip. The latest American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) edged up 0.1 percent to 75.3 on ACSI's 100-point scale and is up only 1 percent in the last year.
Tuesday, 14 August 2007

People Workers' Pay Raises Won't Be Much In '08
Workers hoping for big raises next year are in for disappointment. Employers will be holding the line on pay increases, following a trend of reining in compensation costs to stay competitive.
Tuesday, 14 August 2007

Customers How To Stop Travel?s Sad Customer-Service Slide
It isn’t your imagination. The service is getting worse. Almost every measure of performance, from the federal government’s numbers to independent surveys by the likes of the University of Michigan’s American Customer Satisfaction Index, suggests that when it comes to travel, customer service is circling the drain.
Tuesday, 14 August 2007

Culture Fun
Frivolous, we know--unless you want to attract and keep good employees and customers. A whole industry has sprung up around corporate play-together-stay-together programs: cooking classes, improv training, team drumming. These days you can't shoot a Nerf gun into a roomful of CEOs without hitting a self-proclaimed fun evangelist.
Monday, 13 August 2007

Culture Organizational Development Can Increase CRM Performance
Maximum CRM effectiveness requires the cooperation and support of executives and employees throughout an organization. Many studies have found that active executive endorsement for a CRM project positively influences employee acceptance and support for the project.
Friday, 10 August 2007

Processes Contact Centers: Are You Drowning in Data?
Market pressures and improving customer service have long been key components of contact center strategies. Best-in-Class companies identify the need to remain competitive as the top driver that organizations should consider when implementing an intelligent contact center. The need to improve first contact closure rate is highlighted by companies as the second driver.
Friday, 10 August 2007

Processes Balancing Sales and Service in the Call Center
Generating sales for any organization can be a challenge. When it is to happen in a call center that has traditionally focused on service, the challenges can seem insurmountable. This does not have to be reality, however. Call centers can generate significant sales and profits, but it does not come easily or immediately.
Friday, 10 August 2007

Processes Contact Centres Say One Thing Yet Do Another!
A newly released independent research report -- UK Contact Centres and Customer Service -- finds

Nokia episode has exposed the reality of Consumers in India

by palashbiswas @ 2007-08-16 - 19:41:41

Nokia episode has exposed the reality of Consumers in India
But the ruling class is quite unsuccessful to save even the interests of affluent classes

Palash Biswas

Nokia battery explosion in RP under investigation

By Erwin Oliva
INQUIRER.net
Last updated 12:41pm (Mla time) 08/16/2007

STATE OF THE INDIAN CONSUMER

Processes Contact Centres Say One Thing Yet Do Another!
A newly released independent research report -- UK Contact Centres and Customer Service -- finds

Saling Out India, Zionist Left is the Best Defence for Brahminical Comradors Ruling India!

by palashbiswas @ 2007-08-16 - 16:28:28

Saling Out India, Zionist Left is the Best Defence for Brahminical Comradors Ruling India!
In the regime of hunger, the earth belongs to prose,
The full moon burns like a loaf of bread.
Palash Biswas
Contact: Palash C Biswas, C/O Mrs Arati Roy, Gosto Kanan, Sodepur, Kolkata- 700110, India. Phone: 91-033-25659551Email: palashbiswaskl@gmail.com
Poetry, I give you a break today.
In the regime of hunger, the earth belongs to prose,
The full moon burns like a loaf of bread.
Sukanta Bhattacharya
Leftist hipocricy has never been exposed as now in reference to Indo US Nuke Deal. The Prime Minister misled the Parliament and the country.
world Bank Slave DR Manmohan singh Must Go! He should resign!
It is quite clear that the UPA government and its Dealing with US Global oredr is opposed by majority in the parliment. Parliamentary democracy and the constitution of India demand that this Goverment should be pulled down!
It is not going to happen as the Left is there to defend the Hindu Zionist Strategis regrouping worldwide and Indian communists are led by Brahmins.
Thus, The Indian Communists are exposed and they remain as the most powerful and the best Defence for the Brahminical Zionist Comradors Ruling India!
The nuclear deal aims to give India access to US nuclear fuel and equipment for the first time in 30 years to help meet its soaring energy needs, even though it has stayed out of non-proliferation pacts and tested nuclear weapons.
First agreed in principle two years ago, the framework deal was approved by the US Congress last December and the pact that governs nuclear trade between the two, called the 123 agreement, was finalised last month.
Government sources said that "efforts" were still on to convince the left parties. External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee is believed to have had telephone conversations with West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya and veteran communist leader Jyoti Basu - both CPM politburo members.
The left believes that there is still scope for renegotiation on the ‘123 agreement’, the sources said.
"We are keenly watching the CPM politburo which is meeting on Friday and Saturday. If we can sail through this weekend, we can be optimistic about the deal," said a source in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
Singh, who dared the left to withdraw support to his government if it did not want to back the nuclear deal, apparently told Karat in the morning meeting that the communists had not expressed their "ideological difference" with the US during the negotiation process.
"The left was waiting for the text of 123 agreement. If their objection was ideological why did they not say so earlier?" asked an official in the PMO.
According to PMO sources, Singh presented the deal as a "paradigm shift" in the foreign policy just like what he did in 1991 in the economic sector while introducing the liberalisation policy. "He said he was confident that the deal would do good to India for future and that there could not be a better deal," said the source.
East India comapny is revived once again as the Mir Jafars rule India nowadays. Deindustrialistion of Indian economy launched with British Mercantile capital. As the character and Nature of British Mercantile capital changed into Industrial capital, British Govetrnment took over Indian colony Rule with Queen Victoria`s proclaimation.
Same spirit is revived once again with Indo US Nuke Dael and strategic regrouping of Indian Ocean with US lead. The war zone in Middle East is shifted right into the heart of India and we may not stop disintegration and disorganisation as we have to feel US omnipresent militray strike power physically in our day to day life.
Islamophobia is the latest technique of Post Modern Galaxy Imperialism ruled by Washington. US - India - Israel global zionist hindustrategic grouping is in full moon with joining Japan and australia right in the Indian Ocean Zone.
Indian Left boasts to lead the proletariates. it led Refugee movement. It is most vocal in support of reservation, quota and SC ST struggle. It boasts of land reforms and Panchayatee Raj. It leads the Land movement country wide. On the other hand it kills the refugees enmasse in Marichjhanpi. It commits Genocide in Nandigram. It invites slim and Dows. It is the most vocal and way ahead supporter of Capitalist Development in India. SEZ and PCPIR are much more important to Indian Parliamentary Left than Communist Menifesto and marxist Ideology.
Indian communists always used SC, ST, Refugees and Muslims as Vote Bank without doing anything for them in the left ruled state!
Queen Victoria's Proclamation
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?Wikisource:Historical documents Proclamation
by Victoria of the United Kingdom
Delivered on November 1, 1858.
http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Queen_Victoria's_Proclamation
Indian History
Ancient History | Medieval History | Freedom Struggle
History : Indian Freedom Struggle (1857-1947)
End of the East India Company
Consequent to the failure of the Revolt of 1857 rebellion, one also saw the end of the East India Company's rule in India and many important changes took place in the British Government’s policy towards India which sought to strengthen the British rule through winning over the Indian princes, the chiefs and the landlords. Queen Victoria’s Proclamation of November 1, 1858 declared that thereafter India would be governed by and in the name of the British Monarch through a Secretary of State. The Governor General was given title of Viceroy, which meant the representative of the Monarch. Queen Victoria assumed the title of the Empress of India and thus gave the British Government unlimited powers to intervene in the internal affair of the Indian states. In brief, the British paramountcy over India, including the Indian States, was firmly established. The British gave their support to the loyal princes, zamindar and local chiefs but neglected the educated people and the common masses. They also promoted the other interests like those of the British merchants, industrialists, planters and civil servants. The people of India, as such, did not have any say in running the government or formulation of its policies. Consequently, people’s disgust with the British rule kept mounting, which gave rise to the birth of Indian National Movement.
http://india.gov.in/knowindia/freedom_struggle2.php
BOFORS SCANDAL

Who let Quattrocchi out? Govt has no answers
CNN-IBN

Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi, an accused in the Bofors gun scandal, has once again defeated the Indian government’s attempt to extradite him. Quattrocchi has returned to Milan after India made a blunder in its legal case in Argentina. But was blunder genuine or was it a conspiracy? Who asked the public prosecutor to withdraw from the Supreme Court of Argentina an appeal against Quattrocchi?
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/index.html
Lawmakers on Thursday accused Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of misleading parliament about a controversial civilian nuclear deal with the United States.MPs from four Communist parties, who prop up Singh's government in parliament, joined opposition lawmakers in alleging that he gave false information about the deal on Monday.'Stop speaking lies. Stop selling the country and save India,' shouted MPs from the upper house as they demanded Singh's resignation.Uproar in both the upper and lower houses of parliament forced its adjournment for the day.
Meanwhile,The United States and Israel have signed an accord under which Washington will provide its closest Mideast ally with $30 billion in defense aid over the next decade - a 25 percent increase over previous years.
The Indo-US nuclear agreement will be terminated if New Delhi decides to test a nuclear device, the US State Department said on Tuesday. His government already weighed down by the political fallout of the deal, the last thing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh needed was such a statement. Scrupulously refraining from any mention of the nuclear deal in his address to the nation on Wednesday, Singh could not have welcomed such comments from the US State Department, at this juncture.

According to reports from Washington, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said, "The proposed 123 Agreement has provisions in it that in an event of a nuclear test by India, all nuclear cooperation gets terminated." There is also a "provision for return of all materials, including reprocessed material covered by the agreement," he added. Scrupulously refraining from any mention of the nuclear deal in his address to the nation on Wednesday, Singh could not have welcomed such comments from the US State Department, at this juncture.
Article 14 of the bilateral 123 Agreement on Cooperation for Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy deals with termination of the agreement and cessation of cooperation, but does not specifically mention testing a nuclear weapon as a cause.
"Either party shall have the right to terminate this agreement prior to its expiration on one year’s written notice to the other party. A party giving notice of termination shall provide the reasons for seeking such termination," states Clause 1 of Article 14.
Referring to McCormack’s statement, a senior official from the Ministry of External Affairs said, "We have the right to test. They have the right to react."

U.S. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns, center, Bank of Israel Governor Stanley Fischer, left, and Aharon Abramovitz looks on during a news conference in Jerusalem, 16 Aug 2007 U.S. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns and Israeli Foreign Minister Director-General Aharon Abramovitz signed the agreement at a ceremony in Jerusalem Thursday.Burns says the aid package is part of U.S. pledge to help Israel maintain a military advantage over its regional adversaries.
mind you, this Mr Burns played key role finalising Indo US Nuke Deal and strategic regroupin in Indian Ocean!
Last month, the Bush administration said it would offer weapons packages worth $20 billion to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states over the next 10 years. Egypt will get $13 billion in defense assistance.The aid packages are designed to reassure moderate Sunni Arab states of continued U.S. commitment to the region, as well as strengthening them in the face of the growing influence of Shi'ite Iran.
The aid deals must still be approved by Congress.

After the euphoria of India's 60th Independence Day, some ground realities await the Government in the parliament. The UPA government will continue to face flak from the Left over the Indo-US nuclear deal in parliament. The Left has hinted that it may withdraw from the UPA-Left co-ordination committee and may even decide to extend only issue-based support to the UPA. SINCE THE DAY India and the US signed the civilian nuclear deal, the opposition and other political parties have taken up a strong stand against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the UPA-led government. Some political leaders are saying that the 123 agreement will end India’s sovereignty in the nuclear field, while some are saying that the US will take over all the nuclear reactors of the country. Not only the political leaders, even the common people of the country have several doubts regarding the 123 agreement with the US.
Meanwhile, the US has said that if India conducts any nuclear test in the future, the agreement will be dissolved. Now let us come to common people’s interest, as the Central government is taking such steps, it should think on all the related aspects before finalizing the deal, because it’s a question of the country’s autonomy in the nuclear field and the future of the coming generations. As our Prime Minister Manmohan Singh himself is a great economist and a deep-thinker, so we should have full faith on him. Whatever step he will take regarding the deal should be a responsible one and beneficial for us too.
On the other hand,amid mounting pressure on President Pervez Musharraf to do more to fight terrorism,Pakistan on Wednesday told the US that any unilateral American strikes on its soil would be ''counter-productive to the close cooperation between the two countries.''
Pakistan's concern over calls in the US for unilateral action to target al-Qaeda and Taliban in the areas bordering Afghanistan was conveyed by Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri to visiting Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher.Asked by Kasuri to clarify reports of the threatened military action, Boucher had referred to statements by US President George W Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, in which they said they respect Pakistan's sovereignty, said a Pakistan Foreign Ministry statement.
The Indo-US civil nuclear deal also figured in the meeting.

A CPM Politburo meeting has been called over the weekend to discuss the deal. Adding to the Government's woes is the US state department's claim that Washington retains its right to call off the deal if India conducts a nuclear test.
The nuclear deal is slated to come up for discussion in parliament on the August 20.
The Indian parliament has been thrown into turmoil over a reported US statement that the nuclear deal would be ended if India tested another bomb.
Politicians from the opposition BJP party and the government's Left allies repeatedly disrupted proceedings.
They alleged that PM Manmohan Singh had misled the house on Monday when he said the deal would not undermine India's nuclear weapons programme.
The house has seen heated exchanges over the issue in the past few days.
Indian newspapers on Thursday reported the US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack as saying that the US reserved the right to cancel the deal if India carried out a nuclear test.
Meanwhile, Australia has lifted the ban on sale of Uranium to India, but has said that its nuclear inspectors would check that Uranium exported is used only for peaceful purposes and ensure none is diverted for weapons programmes. Australia's chief nuclear adviser has however said that if India won't give up testing nuclear weapons, Australia will have to pull out of a proposal to sell uranium.Australia possesses 40 per cent of the world's reserves of Uranium that were only available to countries that have signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) earlier.Australia should use its pull as one of the world's biggest uranium suppliers to extract stricter nuclear safeguards from India, former Hawke government minister Gareth Evans says.
The logjam over the Indo-US nuclear deal has served to heighten the bitterness in Left-UPA relations.Despite the fact that the PMO has been hinting that the crisis has blown over, the truth is that the issue is far from done as far as the Left is concerned.Making it clear that the deal should not be operationalised, the CPI-M on Thursday has asked the Government not to take the support of the Left parties for granted.

"Don't take the support of the Left parties for granted. The Left is a serious political force and reflects the concerns of the people. The Government should understand this," CPI leader D Raja was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

"Despite this, if they go ahead with the deal, then we will decide what we can do," he was further quoted as saying.

On Tuesday, CPI-M General Secretary, Prakash Karat issued a terse statement making the intentions of the Left clear.

The statement read: "It is difficult to agree with the Prime Minister that this agreement has no impact on our independent foreign policy, given that US officials are selling the agreement on the strategic value of India aligning with the US".
Both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha - the two houses of parliament - witnessed angry protests by members of the opposition parties.
"Stop speaking lies. Stop selling the country and save India," the opposition members chanted.
The Communist allies of the Congress Party-led governing alliance also raised questions about the deal.
The protesting MPs demanded that the Prime Minister explain the situation in Parliament.
After repeated disturbances, both the houses were adjourned until Friday.
Under the deal, India gets access to civilian nuclear technology and fuel.
'Historic agreement'
The opposition and the government's Communist allies say the deal could compromise foreign policy.
The Prime Minister had said on Monday that the agreement was "historic" and would open new doors to India across the world.
He said the deal would not in any way affect India's right to carry out nuclear tests in the future or inhibit the country's nuclear weapons programme.
Under the agreement, India is allowed to reprocess spent nuclear fuel - something that is seen as a major concession and opposed by some members of the US Congress.
The government's Communist allies have described the deal as an unequal one and said it would give the US leverage over India's foreign policy.
The prime minister has refused to back down, even challenging the Communists to withdraw their support for his government.
The deal reverses three decades of US anti-proliferation policy and formalises a warmer relationship between India and the US who endured difficult ties during the Cold War.
2 Aug 1858 British Act of Parliament annexes the Empire,
creating British India (effective 1 Nov 1858).
28 Apr 1876 By proclamation, the Queen of Britain takes the
style "Empress of India" (proclaimed in India
on 1 Jan 1877).
Proclamation by the Queen to the Princes, Chiefs, and the People of India, 1 November 1858

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VICTORIA, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and of the Colonies and Dependencies thereof in Europe, Asia, Africa, America, and Australasia, Queen, Defender of the Faith.
Whereas, for divers weighty reasons, we have resolved, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in Parliament assembled, to take upon ourselves the government of the territories in India, heretofore administered in trust for us by the Honourable East India Company.
Now, therefore, we do by these presents notify and declare that, by the advice and consent aforesaid, we have taken upon ourselves the said government; and we hereby call upon all our subjects within the said territories to be faithful, and to bear true allegiance to us, our heirs and successors, and to submit themselves to the authority of those whom we may hereafter, from time to time, see fit to appoint to administer the government of our said territories, in our name and on our behalf.
And we, reposing especial trust and confidence in the loyalty, ability, and judgement of our right trusty and well-beloved cousin Charles John, Viscount Canning, do hereby constitute and appoint him, the said Viscount Canning, to be our first Viceroy and Governor-General in and over our said territories, and to administer the government thereof in our name, and generally to act in our name and on our behalf, subject to such orders and regulations as he shall, from time to time, receive through one of our Principal Secretaries of State.
And we do hereby confirm in their several offices, civil and military, all persons now employed in the service of the Honourable East India Company, subject to our future pleasure, and to such laws and regulations as may hereafter be enacted.
We hereby announce to the native princes of India, that all treaties and engagements made with them by or under the authority of the East India Company are by us accepted, and will be scrupulously maintained, and we look for the like observance on their part.
We desire no extension of our present territorial possessions; and, while we will permit no aggression upon our dominions or our rights to be attempted with impunity, we shall sanction no encroachment on those of others.
We shall respect the rights, dignity, and honour of native princes as our own; and we desire that they, as well as our own, subjects should enjoy that prosperity and that social advancement which can only be secured by internal peace and good government.
We hold ourselves bound to the natives of our Indian territories by the same obligations of duty which bind us to all our other subjects, and those obligations, by the blessing of Almighty God, we shall faithfully and conscientiously fill.
Firmly relying ourselves on the truth of Christianity, and acknowledging with gratitude the solace of religion, we disclaim alike the right and the desire to impose our convictions on any of our subjects. We declare it to be our royal will and pleasure that none be in any wise favoured, none molested or disquieted, by reason of their religious faith or observances, but that all shall alike enjoy the equal and impartial protection of the law; and we do strictly charge and enjoin all those who may be in authority under is that they abstain from all interference with the religious belief or worship of any of our subjects on pain of our highest displeasure.
And it is our further will that, so far as maybe, our subjects, of whatever race or creed, be freely and impartially admitted to office in our service, the duties of which they may be qualified by their education, ability, and integrity duly to discharge.
We know, and respect, the feelings of attachment with which the natives of India regard the lands inherited by them from their ancestors, and we desire to protect them in all rights connected therewith, subject to the equitable demands of the State; and we will that generally, in framing and administering the law, due regard be paid to the ancient rights, usages, and customs of India.
We deeply lament the evils and misery which have been brought upon India by the acts of ambitious men, who have deceived their countrymen by false reports, and led them into open rebellion. Our power has been shown by the suppression of that rebellion in the field; we desire to show our mercy by pardoning the offences of those who have been misled, but who desire to return to the path of duty.
Already, in one province, with a desire to stop the further effusion of blood, and to hasten the pacification of our Indian dominions, our Viceroy and Governor-General has held out the expectation of pardon, on certain terms, to the great majority of those who, in the late unhappy disturbances, have been guilty of offences against our Government, and has declared the punishment which will be inflicted on those whose crimes place them beyond the reach of forgiveness. We approve and confirm the said act of our Viceroy and Governor-General, and do further announce and proclaim as follows:
Our clemency will be extended to all offenders, save and except those who have been, or shall be, convicted of having directly taken part in the murder of British subjects. With regard to such the demands of justice forbid the exercise of mercy.
To those who have willingly given asylum to murderers, knowing them to be such, or who may have acted as leaders or instigators of revolt, their lives alone can be guaranteed; but, in apportioning the penalty due to such persons, full consideration will be given to the circumstances under which they have been induced to throw off their allegiance; and large indulgence will be shown to those whose crimes may appear to have originated in too credulous acceptance of the false reports circulated by designing men.
To all others in arms against the Government we hereby promise unconditional pardon, amnesty, and oblivion of all offences against ourselves, our crown and dignity, on their return to their homes and peaceful pursuits.
It is our royal pleasure that these terms of grace. and amnesty should be extended to all those who comply with these conditions before the first day of January next.
When, by the blessing of Providence, internal tranquillity shall be restored, it is our earnest desire to stimulate the peaceful industry of India, to promote works of public utility and improvement, and to administer the government for the benefit of all our subjects resident therein. In their prosperity will be our strength, in their contentment our security, and in their gratitude our. best reward. And may the God of all power grant to us, and to those in authority under us, strength to carry out these our wishes for the good of our people.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: A. Berriedale Keith, ed. Speeches and Documents on Indian Policy, 1750-1921. Vol. I. London: Humphrey Milford, Oxford University Press, 1922, 382-386.
http://www.mssu.edu/projectsouthasia/history/primarydocs/political_history/ABKeithDoc029.htm
The Blot on the Queen's Head With the passage of the Royal Titles Bill in the summer of 1876, Queen Victoria became Empress of India. Contemporaries saw the measure as a theatrical coup engineered by her prime minister, Benjamin Disraeli. Disraeli had neglected to consult properly the opposition before the announcement of the Bill in the Queen's speech and his critics therefore lambasted his imperial pretensions, which were deemed un-English and despotic (Knights; Durrans; Metcalf 60-61). As David Feldman and Anthony Wohl have shown, antisemitic caricature of Disraeli reached a frenzied climax in 1876. The image of Disraeli as an Eastern potentate, corrupting the English monarchy by turning the Queen into an Empress was a popular theme within this stereotype, exemplified in Punch's "New Crowns for Old" cartoon of 15 April 1876 (see fig. 1), and also in Edward Jenkins's 1876 pamphlet The Blot on the Queen's Head, which sold 90,000 copies within the year (Feldman 94-115; Wohl; Jenkins). By contrast, Disraeli's supporters welcomed the Royal Titles Bill as a brilliant diplomatic move, which underlined Britain's global power in a world increasingly dominated by continental empires such as Russia, bearing down on the northwest frontier of India, and Germany, recently unified under the Prussian imperial throne (Buckle 5: 456-77; Smith 199-200). But amid all the controversy provoked by the Royal Titles Bill in 1876--concealed by the rush to identify Disraeli as either hero or villain of the piece--lay a rather disturbing truth. Queen Victoria thought she was Empress of India already. Throughout the 1860s and early 1870s she habitually referred to herself as "Empress," and to...
http://muse.jhu.edu/login?uri=/journals/victorian_studies/v046/46.2taylor_m.pdf

Full coverage: Indo-US nuclear deal
http://sify.com/news/fullcover.php?event_id=14461920
Milestones in History of India, Pakistan
Aug 13, 2007 (AP Online via COMTEX) -- Some key events on Indian subcontinent:
http://financial.washingtonpost.com/custom/wpost/html-story.asp?dispnav=business&mwpage=story&symb=&guid={F6E19332-76B7-408E-93FA-6879DC3EDC49}&tid=informbox
India, Pak: Two nations, same anti-US sentiment
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/india-pak-two-nations-same-antius-sentiment/46776-3.html
The U.S.-Indian Nuclear Deal:
An Unequal Colonial Treaty
by Analytical Monthly Review
http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/amr120807.html
Analytical Monthly Review, published in Kharagpur, West Bengal, India, is a sister edition of Monthly Review. Its Summer 2007 issue features the following editorial. -- Ed.

News on New Delhi's foreign policy has recently been among the top stories in the media. On April 11, 2005, India started a strategic partnership with China, and, on June 29, 2005, signed a 10-year defense agreement with the United States. Western observers, however, have paid less attention to an ambitious Indian move in the military field: Project Seabird.
http://www.tamilnation.org/intframe/indian_ocean/050720seabird.htm
Bhattacharya, Sukanta (1926-1947) Marxist poet, was born on 15 August 1926 at his maternal uncle's home in Kolkata. His paternal home was in Kotalipara in faridpur district. His father, Nibaranchandra Bhattacharya, was a book trader in Kolkata.
Sukanta studied at Kamala Vidyamandir in Kolkata, and then at Beleghata Deshbandhu High School. He became involved in students' movements and leftist political activities while still a student. In 1944 he became a member of the Communist Party. He appeared at the Entrance examination in 1945, but failed to pass and dropped out.
He edited the 'Kishore Sabha' section of the Dainik Swadhinata (1945), published by the Communist Party as well as a poetry anthology, Akal (1944), on behalf of the Society of Anti-Fascist Writers and Artists. As a poet as well he was committed to Marxism and wielded his pen against the Second World War, the famine of 1943, fascist aggression, communal riots etc. Among his outstanding poetical works are Chhadpatra (1947), Purbabhas (1950), Mithekada (1951), Abhiyan (1953), Ghum Nei (1954), Hartal (1962), Gitiguchchha (1965). His complete writings were anthologised in Sukanta Samagra and published posthumously from both West and East Bengal. His poems, which describe the sufferings of the common people and their struggle for existence, look forward to an exploitation-free society. Sukanta died of tuberculosis in Kolkata on 13 May 1947. [Anik Mahmud]
Two Poems by Sukanto Bhattacharya
translated by Rini Bhattacharya Mehta
Sukanta Bhattacharya (1926-1947) was a poet and a political worker. He became a relief worker among the peasants who migrated to Calcutta en masse during the Bengal famine. He assisted the trade union organizers of the Jute Mills in eastern Calcutta. He composed songs and plays for Indian People's Theatre Association, and also edited Akal (Famine), an anthology of poems on the famine, on behalf of the Anti-Fascist Writers' and Artists' Association. He was the editor of the weekly children's page for Swadhinata, the communist Bengali daily which first appeared in 1945.
He died from tuberculosis a few weeks before his first book of poetry (Chhaadpatra--the Testimonial) was published. His other volumes are Ghum Nei (No sleep), Purbabhash (Forecast), Mithekada (Sweet and Sour), Abhijaan (Journey), and Hartaal (Strike).

Poetry and Being
(He Mahajiban)

No more of this poetry.
Bring on the hard, harsh prose instead.
Let the jingle of verse disappear
And the strong hammer of prose strike.
No need for the serenity of a poem;
Poetry, I give you a break today.
In the regime of hunger, the earth belongs to prose,
The full moon burns like a loaf of bread.

The Testimonial
(Chhaadpatra)

The news came
From the child who was born today.
She has got the testimonial,
And therefore she proclaims her rights to the new
unknown world
With piercing cries.

She is helpless and small, yet her fist is raised,
Glowing in an incomprehensible oath.
No one understands.
Some laugh, some reprove.

I recognize her language, though.
I see the signs of a coming age
As I read the child’s credentials
In her hazy, misty eyes.
The new child has arrived. We must make place for
her;
And move away
Into the wrecked and dead wastelands
Of this old earth.
And leave we will. Yet as long as I breathe,
I will go on clearing the debris
with all my strength
From the face of this earth.
I will make this world habitable for this child;
This is my firm pledge to the newborn.

Once my work is done,
I shall bless the child
With my own blood.

And then, I shall become history.

[Rini studies at Urbana Champaign but lives mostly in Ithaca.]

Meanwhile, amidst a walkout by Left parties, the Government on Thursday asserted in Lok Sabha that it had the sovereign right to conduct a nuclear test, making it clear that the bilateral agreement with the US does not put any restraint on it.

"There is nothing in the bilateral agreement that the Government has entered with the US that will tie the hands of a future government to undertake a nuclear test," External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said in a brief statement.

"India has the sovereign right to test and would do so if it is necessary in national interest. The only restraint is our voluntary unilateral moratorium on nuclear testing, declared by the previous (NDA) government and being continued by the successor government," he was quoted by PTI as saying.

He said the agreement contained elaborate provisions in Articles 5 and 14 to ensure the continuous operation of India's reactors. These include fuel supply assurances, the right to take corrective measures and a strategic fuel reserve for the lifetime of India's reactors in case of cessation of cooperation.

Meanwhile, a section of the Left Front

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