Well the Anti Chiranjeevi group got one thing finally.

I was looking at the hostility of the Anti Chiranjeevi group and I found many of their claims ridiculous and outrageous. But for once they seem to be right. From the Hindu Article :

Couple hurt in mishap awaits `promised' compensation

VICTIMS OF NEGLECT?: The labourer couple -- Bal Reddy and Yadamma -- showing the injuries they suffered in the accident. Photo: Mohd. Yousuf

HYDERABAD: Sitting helplessly in a corner of their one-room house in Noor Nagar area of Banjara Hills, this elderly couple appears shattered, completely. They had absolutely no expectations from life, except that they get two square meals a day. Everyday, both would set out for work to earn their daily bread and were leading a peaceful life. This was so till the morning of May 28.

Early that morning, both started as usual for work on their bicycle. As they were struggling uphill near the Indo-American Centre, a Honda CRV vehicle hit them from behind. The man behind the wheel was filmstar, Chiranjeevi's son, Ram Charan Tej, who was returning home from gym.

The star's son got them admitted to a corporate hospital at Jubilee Hills and, after treatment for bruises, the couple -- Bal Reddy and Yadamma -- were discharged. All this in less than 45 minutes.

"His men then took us to Sri Hospitals at Krishna Nagar. They promised to give us Rs. 90,000 as compensation, but less than half of that was given to us," says a grim-looking Bal Reddy. When the couple pleaded with them that the amount would just be enough for their medical expenses, they allegedly threatened them saying it was adequate and that they should not expect more. "They paid us Rs. 40,000 and promised to pay the remaining amount by June 6. So far, we have not heard anything from them," Reddy says as Yadamma shows her still fresh wounds. "At least we used to earn Rs. 250 to Rs. 300 by working everyday. Since the accident, we have been unable to move out. We are not able even to walk properly. The injuries have led to further complications," she says with tears in her eyes.

`Not after money'

"We are not after money. After all, my parents were leading a peaceful life earlier. But, is this cold response expected from the rich and famous whom we often see on television when they participate in blood donation and charities," asks Anji Reddy, the only son of the couple, who is also a labourer. He happens to be a big fan of Chiranjeevi, but that was so only till May 28.

"Even if they make the full payment, it will only meet their medical expenses, but what after that? As it is they are old and it might take another year for them to recover fully," is their neighbours' argument.

Even the Congress MLA, P. Janardhan Reddy, who paid a visit to them, promised help in getting the compensation amount. But nothing seems to have moved, at least till now.

Prithviraj Chauhan a New Insight

Title: Ghazni's best-kept secret
Author: S.C. Sharma
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: April 25, 1998

Provocative Ghauri was the title of an editorial that appeared
on this page earlier this month. Pakistan has named its missiles
Ghauri and Ghaznavi with the specific intention of taunting
India. These worthies' claims to fame and glorification, in the
perception of the Pakistanis, lies in the fact that they were
credited with plundering and devastating north-western India time
and time again in the eleventh and twelfth centuries.

In their enthusiasm to score brownie points, the Pakistanis have
got mixed up on chronology, they have produced Ghauri before
Ghaznavi. Also, they have perversely sought to commemorate these
Afghan rulers of Turkish descent in utter disregard of the fact
that most of the territories they plundered are their own - the
North West Frontier Province, the Punjab and Sind. The men and
women they tortured, enslaved, ravished and put to the sword were
their own forebears.

If Pakistanis wish to revel in the inglorious misdeeds of
foreigners perpetrated on their own soil and on their own
ancestors, they are welcome to twirl their moustaches in euphoria
and say: " Where ignorance is bliss, it is folly to he wise."

Indians may look forward to future generations of Pakistani IRBMs
and similar sophisticated weaponry named after the likes of
Changez Khan, Nadir Shah and Ahmad Shah Abdali. Alexander the
Great and Harshavardhan also have strong claims, but they might
be disqualified for obvious reasons.

In the course of his many abortive forays into India, Mohammad
Ghori is said to have been captured once by the forces of Delhi.
But Prithviraj Chauhan, king of Delhi, magnanimously let him off.
Legend has it - and it is widely believed in India - that when
Ghori eventually succeeded in defeating Prithviraj Chauhan at the
Second Battle of Tarain in 1192, he blinded him and took him in
chains to Afghanistan along with his friend, the poet
Chandravardai.

Ghori held a grand durbar to celebrate his victory. His prize
catch, the king of Delhi, blind and a prisoner, was paraded and
publicly humiliated. Deeply incensed by the treatment meted out
to his monarch, Chandravardai took refuge to a subterfuge. He
announced that though completely blind, Prithviraj could still
hit a target guided solely by sound, and he asked for permission
for this feat to be performed.

Prithviraj Chauhan was handed a bow and arrow, and Chandravardai
sang a now-famous verse which told him of the elevation and
distance to Ghori's throne. And thus, guided solely by sound,
Prithviraj shot his arrow through Ghori.

The legend may not be entirely true, but it would be absolutely
accurate to say that even after eight centuries have elapsed,
Prithviraj is regularly subjected to indignity in the land where
he was taken as a captive. I have seen it at first hand.

Many years ago, while travelling by jeep from Kandahar to Kabul,
I had to make a night halt en route at Ghazni. At the hotel, I
learned that there was a grand mausoleum over the tomb of Sultan
Mahmud Ghaznavi near the town, and I determined to see it. A few
extra Afghanis (the local currency) helped my driver to
comprehend the necessity of making a small detour the next
morning.

The mausoleum was indeed grand -judging by local standards - with
a high, arched doorway like the Buland Darwaza. lie tomb proper
was in a cellar about four or five feet be low ground-level. It
intrigued me considerably to note that there were no steps
leading down into the tomb. Instead, a metal chain hung from the
ceiling of the cellar. I was told that I would have to hold the
chain and jump down.

I asked for the reason for this peculiar method of entry. The
caretaker was evasive at first. But after much persuasion, he
disclosed that there was another tomb at the exact spot where you
jumped down. There, the infidel king of Delhi, Prithviraj
Chauhan, lay buried.

Tax on Hindu Pilgrimage never makes news !

I ended up on this blog post New Jijiya Tax on Hindus about this tax and then googled my way to the article below.

From Hinduism Today :

NEW DELHI, INDIA, May 30, 2005: Vishwa Hindu Parishad activists today took to streets here against the Jammu and Kashmir state government's decision to impose registration tax on the Amarnath pilgrims. The annual pilgrimage is due to begin in three weeks. Jammu and Kashmir government has recently decided to impose registration tax on the pilgrims. Last year, around 300,000 devotees went on the pilgrimage. Activists, also joined by Bajrang Dal members, shouting slogans against the state Chief Minister, condemned him for slapping the tax, which they say was in stark contrast to the kind of subsidies being granted to Muslims during their annual Haj pilgrimage. (HPI adds: The Indian government subsidizes the airfare of Muslims traveling to Mecca in Saudi Arabia for the Haj.)

From Tribune India (June 2005)

Entry tax on langar goods: Shiv Sena to defy order
M.L. Kak

Jammu, June 6
Activists of the Shiv Sena from Delhi, Punjab and Haryana have decided to come in trucks loaded with foodgrain, ghee and other items required for setting up langars for Amarnath pilgrims, without paying entry tax at the Lakhanpur barrier.

According to Mr V.K. Aggarwal, president of the Shiv Shakti Seva Dal, “We have decided to defy the government order on entry tax for the items being carried by trucks for langars and our activists atop the trucks will not pay any tax at Lakhanpur on June 10.”

The government decision to impose entry tax for trucks carrying items for langars has been criticised by the BJP, the VHP and other organisations. Vice-president of the state unit of the BJP, Prof Hari Om, said here today, “On the one hand air travel has been subsidised for pilgrims of one community and on the other entry tax is being imposed on items meant for langars for Amarnath pilgrims.”

Mr Aggarwal said the government order provided for levying Rs 650 per 4-tonne truck and Rs 1,400 to Rs 1,500 per 9-tonne truck carrying items for langars. He said it was a “big punishment for philanthrophists from Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan who spend money on free langars for the pilgrims.”

He said on an average 300 langars were established right from Jammu to the cave and for each langar 10 truckloads of food items were required.

Mr Aggarwal said small langars were being set up at Posh Patri, Pisu Top, Sheshnag and big langars at Chenani on the Jammu-Srinagar highway, Pahalgam, Panchtarni and Baltal. He wanted the Governor and the Chief Minister to intervene and waive entry tax for trucks carrying food material for the langars.

Veera Bhadra Meeru Bhadram

The trailer which came up with the punch line 'Veera Bhadra ... Meeru Bhadram" :

The only thing that has changed is the release date, now the movie is being released on April 29th, 2006.