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EID MUBARAK After the holy month of Ramadan, here comes Eid ul fitr festival on 9th August. Asian Voice wishes Id Mubarak to all its Muslims readers.

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Direct flights to Hyderabad & Amritsar/New Delhi dampen British Gujarati spirits The diaspora demands a direct flight to Ahmedabad from London Heathrow or Gatwick Direct flight announcements to North and South of India by Air India and British Airways respectively, makes British Indians proud of the country's rising popularity as a business and holiday destination. But British Gujaratis, Britons and the diaspora interested in doing business with Gujarat, one of the fastest growing states in India, is extremely disappointed that no direct flights to Continued on page 5

Indian origin pizza tycoon appointed as a Peer Indian origin entrepreneur, donor to the Liberal Democrats party and philanthropist Rumi Verjee is among 30 new peers announced by British Prime Minister David Cameron. Mr Verjee, a multi-millionaire who brought the Domino's pizza chain to Britain, becomes Lord Verjee in what has been described as one of the most controversial appointments. Continued on page 2

Rumi Verjee

Brit-Indian Kumar Iyer appointed as UKTI India head and DHC for western India The British government has appointed Kumar Iyer, an Indian origin official, as Director General for UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) Continued on page 2

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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 10th August 2013

Keith Vazwith MP

Keith Vaz MP

John Leech MP

very unpopular in places like south Manchester.

John Leech entered Parliament at the first attempt in 2005 when he was elected to represent Manchester Withington constituency. He is a member of the Transport Select Committee and a Lib Dem transport spokesman. Prior to becoming an MP, John worked for both McDonalds as a trainee manager and the RAC and served for ten years as a member of Manchester City Council where he was Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrat group and group spokesperson on Planning and the Environment. A keen sportsman, John is a member of the parliamentary football team and has been a Manchester City season ticket holder for over 20 years. 1) What inspired you to stand for Parliament? I would not say that anything “inspired” me to stand for Parliament. I had never intended to stand, but I was persuaded by a number of Councillors and activists in the Constituency, who felt that I would do a better job of being a candidate than the previous Lib Dem PPC. 2) What are your proudest achievements in politics? My proudest achievement was getting elected in 2005, and then despite a 5 year campaign of hate, I was still able to be re-

elected in 2010. My proudest achievement as an MP was either winning Parliamentarian of the Year for Road Safety or leading the successful campaign to overturn the decision by NICE on a prostate cancer drug.

people in the world of TV, the Olympic legacy and the publishing of the Hillsborough independent panel. It has certainly been a busy time

3) Please tell us about your current position? I have recently taken over from Don Foster as the Lib Dem spokesperson for Culture Media and Sport. This could not have happened at a busier time, with press regulation on the agenda, allegations of sexual misconduct by numerous

4) What has been the biggest obstacle in your career? I would have to say going into coalition with the Tories. I always assumed that getting reelected for the first time would be the biggest challenge, but the Tories are so hated in many parts of the North, that any deal with the Tories would be

Liverpool Uni student's body sent for second postmortem

Father Seshiyan Thomsson with Rt Hon Keith Vaz, MP

Father of Georgina Thomsson, an Indian student from Liverpool University who was found dead in her accommodation, has sent the body for a second postmortem on this Monday. Unhappy with the first postmortem, father Seshiyan Thomsson, a Chennai inspector decided to go for a second postmortem, despite of the expensive and time consuming process involved. The brilliant Aerospace Engineering student who came to Britain last September was found dead on 12 July, after which her father was summoned from India. While the father was told that the girl has committed suicide by hanging herself, he grew suspicious when he saw the small room

that Georgina lived in, making hanging impossible by a girl of her height and structure. He was more disappointed when the police allegedly refused to share Georgina's suicide note. Thereafter a UK coroner repeatedly asked to launch a further investigation in Britain and India. The result of the second postmortem which may have cost the father thousands, will be available to the family and legal representatives, end of this week. Thomsson's father also visited Rt Hon Keith Vaz MP, Chair of Home Affairs Committee who has agreed to help him seek justice, however possible within his means. Mr Thomsson returned to India on last Friday without her body.

5) Who has been the biggest influence on your career to date? Undoubtedly Charles Kennedy. As leader during my election campaign in 2005, his principled stance over Iraq was a telling factor in me getting elected and bringing the Liberal Democrats into the mainstream of British politics. 6) What is the best aspect about your current role? I really enjoy the DCMS Select Committee. Select Committee are undervalued and do lot of excellent work – they ought to have more power and influence over the direction and scrutiny of Government policy. 7) And the worst? I cannot stand PMQs. I am sick to death of MPs behaving like naughty children, playing up to the cameras and creating a cha-

Brit-Indian Kumar Iyer appointed as UKTI India head and DHC for western India Continued from page 1 in India and also as the British deputy high commissioner for western India. This is probably the first time a British Indian has been appointed in these positions by Britain. He took up both the positions, based in Mumbai, on Monday, 5 August. This new top level post has been created to reflect the increasing importance of business ties between the two countries. As UKTI director general, India, Iyer will have overall responsibility for the bilateral commercial and trade relationship. The Mumbai office has some 200 staff, whose main work covers trade and investment, entry clearance and bilateral relations with India. There are over 80 UKTI staff across India that work to support British businesses wanting to trade in India and Indian businesses investing in the UK. "I am very excited at the prospect of living and working in India, it's a country of boundless energy, talent and potential. Having lived and studied in India whilst growing up, I am equally keen to play my part in promoting the academic, cultural and social links between our two countries," Iyer said, looking forward to his posting.

Iyer has an MPhil in Economics from Cambridge University where he was a Bank of England scholar and an undergraduate tutor in Microeconomics. He was also a Kennedy Scholar and Teaching Fellow in International Capital Markets at Harvard University. Since 2008, Iyer has been a high-ranking official at the British Treasury and the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit. He was born in London to parents of Indian origin and spent his formative childhood years in India. He joined the British government in 2008 as Deputy Director, Prime Minister's Strategy Unit. In 2010, he moved to the Treasury, first as Deputy Director, Strategy, Planning & Budget, and then as Head of Financial Sector Interventions. Prior to that, he was at the Boston Consulting Group where he worked mainly in the Financial Services Practice but also for large multinational media and retail clients. Looking forward to his posting, Kumar added: "I am delighted to be appointed DG for India of UKTI. Being an economist whose career has included management consulting in the private sector and working for the British Government

rade and an unseemly spectacle. 8) What are your long term goals? I’m not looking much past the next election at the moment, and I’m focused on trying to make sure that I get re-elected. In the long term, as far as my party brief is concerned, I would love to be the MP responsible for bringing safestanding to premier league football grounds. What the vast majority of football fans want to see. 9) If you were Secretary General of the United Nations, what one aspect would you change? I would be pushing for greater powers for the UN to play a much bigger role in international conflicts. Individual nations should not be the world’s “police”. 10) If you were marooned on a desert island, which historical figure would you like to spend your time with and why? David Livingstone – I am fascinated by Africa and its exploration, and I doubt you could get bored with hearing the numerous stories of exploration of the continent.

Indian origin pizza tycoon appointed as a Peer Continued from page 1 The proprietor and Chairman of Thomas Goode & Co, based in London's Mayfair, is a fourth generation Indian born in Uganda, much of the Verjee family's assets was seized by Idi Amin's regime. He is currently believed to be worth an estimated £125 million. The full list of new peers released includes 14 from the ruling Conservative party, 10 Liberal Democrats, 5 Labour and 1 Green. Verjee was nominated by the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg. The 30 nominees will take their seats when the House of Lords returns from its summer recess in September taking the number of active members to 800. Former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson was to become a peer too. But he rejected a peerage to spend more time with his wife. The list also includes Doreen Lawrence, mother of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence, a victim of race attack in South

London. Verjee studied Law at Downing College, University of Cambridge where he is now an Honorary Fellow and after the expulsion of the Asian population from Uganda, made UK his home. The latest appointments have triggered a warning that the membership of the House of Lords is on course to top 1,000 by 2015. Verjee in a statement reportedly said, "As an immigrant from East Africa I arrived in the UK with little more than a good education and a desire to succeed." However critics have claimed the House of Lords has become too large and reformers have called for peers to be allowed to retire without losing their peerages. More than 40 peers are currently on a "leave of absence" and are not attending Parliament due to illness or other commitments, while approximately 10 are disqualified because they are members of the judiciary or elected representatives elsewhere.

both at Number 10 and the Treasury, it's a great fit for the position, combined with being Deputy High Commissioner for Western India. My aim is to take the entire IndiaUK business relationship across the whole country

to the highest possible level", he said. He is a keen cricketer and chess player and is married to Kathryn, a barrister practicing criminal law. They have two children, a son and a daughter.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 10th August 2013

Comment

Marooned in the shallows of immigration Talk of a new Indo-British relationship has given way to the reality of the old obsession: immigration. That, in so many words, sums up the present state of affairs. In a fast changing world, with diverse challenges to confront and overcome, India and Britain have to move on. Britain is grappling with its membership of the European Union and the spillover of the Eurozone crisis into its own economy. The performance of EU leaders on the international stage is little more than a shadow play of US policy – which is how the 21st century’s tributary system works. With India concentration on its Look East policy, there is now a clear mismatch between what the UK and EU have to offer by way of a partnership and what would be acceptable to India. The UK immigration bond scheme, petty, niggling and utterly self-defeating is a sign of the times. Hoary attitudes and phobias prevail as David Cameron’s vision of a brave new world, enunciated on his assumption of power as Britain’s prime minister, fades. Despite his assurance that India would be exempt from his contentious visa scheme for “high risk” visitors deemed unlikely to return to their country, he has proved immovable. To assuage such suspicions the would-be visitors will be required to deposit a substantial sum of money before entering the UK, to be returned when they leave its shores. This may be projected as a pilot measure, but its likely impact on the broader relationship will be longstanding for sure. Immigration, more than the stalled British economy and rising unemployment, appears to be the government’s foremost priority. The cost of administering this paranoid scheme in time and money transcends its worth or its goal. Mr Cameron and his Conservative party colleagues seem oblivious of its knock-on effect on bilateral trade, investment and education. What is already in place in the IndoBritish relationship will probably be kept undis-

turbed, but the pace of Indo-British ties will surely slow from now on. Western leaders, especially those from the US and UK, are much given to sermonizing benighted humanity on the pleasures that would follow with the removal of what they perceive to be the protectionist barriers set up by the natives.. But in the slipstream of the free movement of capital follows, inevitably, the movement of labour primarily skilled labour in this day and age. Both the US (over Indian IT operatives) and UK generally wish to place impediments to this process on the ground of saving jobs for their own people. Truth is that Indian IT companies are a significant source of employment in America, while Indian investments in the London area alone rank second on the list of foreign investments. A Conservative Party insider told the Financial Times that “the Prime Minister doesn’t want to do anything that cuts across the message he took to India.” British business leaders who have a vested interest in closer Indo-British ties are perceptive enough to appreciate the negative outcomes of their government’s immigration paranoia. British business circles have described the bond project as an “insulting deterrent” to wealthy Indian tourists. Government-printed posters on vans in six London boroughs telling illegal immigrants to “go home or face arrest” have been described by Liberal Democratic Business Secretary Vince Cable as “stupid and offensive.” So they assuredly are, as even UKIP admits. Worse: the poster campaign is to be taken from London to all corners of the UK. It compounds injury with insult. As Nigeria shares a place with India on the list of bondsmen and women, there could be an Afro-Asian dimension to a looming Commonwealth crisis. Is this arcane institution, memorabilia of Empire - and unfit for purpose in any auction house - worth India’s time and trouble?

Politics is where India’s eighteenth and twenty-first centuries collide; its vacuous big bang echoes through every TV host show night after boring night. What makes India a working proposition are the strides being made in science and technology. These are the surest guarantees of the country’s future and hence deserve close attention. Siegfried Hecker, one of the world’s most distinguished nuclear scientists and, before his retirement in 1997, head of America’s New Alamos National laboratory, has been a frequent visitor to India, is well acquainted with Indian progress in the nuclear energy field. Talking to an Indian reporter, he said: “I have visited both the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research. The technical people I have found are absolutely first-rate, these are world-class scientists and engineers and, in my opinion, on par with those of the United States. In fact, India is ahead since you have never stopped the serious research related to nuclear energy and technology. If anything, the Indians accelerated it after the 1974 nuclear blast [Pokhran 1] because they were sanctioned and realized that if they were going to carry out their plan for this very ambitious threestage atomic programme, they would have to do it themselves.” In the US, continued Dr Hecker, the Three Mile Island accident brought work on nuclear power to a standstill, including Congressional and university funding. “But India never stopped. So India has an overall nuclear energy research programme that is significantly superior to the US.” It is a message Dr Hecker has taken back with him to Washington, where he told its great and good that it would “ be to the US’s advantage to actually

work with the Indians because there are things the Indian nuclear complex can do in their facilities that we can no longer do.” Indo-US nuclear energy cooperation was vital if the US wished to get back into the business, he said. Apropos of the Indian Fast Breeder Reactor programme, Dr Hecker described this as “one of the most innovative and the most ambitious.” India, a world leader in the field, he said, is able to design, manufacture and operate such reactors, and he expected one to be ready quite soon. An endorsement of Siegfried Hecker’s findings is the first unit of the Kundakulam nuclear power facility, near Chennai, which went critical three weeks ago. The 1,000 MW power it will generate at full capacity is India’s biggest plant. Lodged within a massive structure with myriad safeguards, the Chairman of (India’s) Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) told a local weekly magazine that “Our nuclear programme has reached an important milestone. I am glad and I feel very proud.” He called the Kundakulam Russian VVER 1000 MW units “technically perfect” and “among the safest reactors in the world.” Russian Light Water Rector technology was a novel experience for Indian scientists and engineers, who asked for and received Russian drawings, designs and components, after which they went about constructing the site themselves. It was a hands-on learning process and a model of IndoRussian science and engineering cooperation. V.Rybkin, a member of the Russian workforce, said: “The purpose of our stay here and one of our objectives is to put the project into operation. We have now reached that goal. This was because of the great and fruitful cooperation between Russia and India. We are friends. We are brothers.”

Reaching for the pinnacles of science

The message of Telangana The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in Delhi bit the bullet by bifurcating Andhra Pradesh. Its central-southern coastal region, Telangana, will be accorded full statehood. The States Reorganization Committee in the mid1950s had drawn up new boundaries to the old provinces of British India and carved out entities on a linguistic platform. Telugu-speaking Telangana merged with Telugu-speaking Andhra to become Andhra Pradesh, but over time the arrangement proved to be an economic disappointment for the Telanganites. The UPA agreed to the Telangana project on returning to power in 2009, but has only now, after much hesitation and cogitation, redeemed its pledge. With the port city of

Visakhpatnam and nearby hub Vijayawada in its domain, Telangana, as India’s 29th state, is set to become an economic powerhouse. Telangana reinforces the need for smaller states in the interest of good government and better governance. The trifurcation of Punjab in the mid1960s into Haryana and Himachal Pradesh has paid off handsomely in every sense. Detached from Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar respectively by the BJP-led NDA government (1998-2004), Uttarkhand, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand have prospered. Uttar Pradesh, however, can do with further pruning. A compact Maharashtra, with a new Vidarbha next door would also be a wise move. Small is beautiful to a very large extent.

A person without a sense of humour is like a wagon without springs, jolted by every pebble in the road -Henry Ward Beecher (1813-1887)

Gujarat – Serve Briton, Serve India I write to you as I plan my trip to India. Gujarat has always been a problem for the British. Ever since there has been a Mahatma and a Sardar Patel, Gujarat has been a problem for the British. I am Gujarati. And it pains me when anyone criticises Gujarat. When they forget, the Mahatma was Gujarati – the man who was the inspiration for Mandela and Obama. When Indians forget the Gujarati, Sardar Patel, was the man who created the Union of India. Without Gujarat and these two Gujaratis, let no one dare deny, there would not be an Independent India, there would not be a unified India. Yet the reflex anti-Modi reaction around the Indian press and indeed outside India is incredulous. Emotion, over reason. In politics people will happily see themselves and their opponent worse off, then both better off. And so it is with Indian politics outside Gujarat. So how should Gujarat be treated? A State in the world’s largest democracy. The fastest growing major State in the Union of India? Well with a hell of a lot more respect than it has been. But the problem is not the British, they are keen Governmentally and commercially to do all they can in Gujarat. Or at least they should be. They’d be in self-destruction mode if they were not. They would be in denial of the largest international and domestic companies establishing there. They would be in denial of a British Prime Minister’s dictat that India’s economic growth is a top priority, and that means Gujarat, they would be wanting to come second to the rest of the world. Frankly, they would be irrational to be treating Gujarat as an outcaste, an untouchable. The diplomatic post in Ahmedabad must be elevated to a Deputy High Commission which is justified by the status of Gujarat’s trading. Oh, Beijing can be an Embassy, forget human rights, but Gujarat cannot – to the detriment of British trade, because successive British Governments are afraid of their domestic muslim population – or flanks in their own political parties briefing against the idea. But British national interests are paramount and that means close links to India as the British PM has recognised and close links to therefore to Gujarat by his Ministers on their visits I trust. But that is what so many in the Indian media and Briton don’t desire. Hate the man, so hate the State. You don’t hear liberal Delhi-ites talking much about how when Sikhs were massacred in 1984 in Delhi – not much was done – but then again their ‘Gandhi dynasty’ worship prohibited that. Well they should remember the real Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi, not Indira or Rajeev or Sonia, came from Gujarat – the last one didn’t even come from India, but the deity worship of the name goes on. When recently Manoj Ladwa and CB Patel again organised a UK conference with Narendrabhai appearing via video, Manoj kindly introduced me – simply – ‘Alpesh is from Karamsad’ and to that Narendra replied, simply, ‘Jai Sardar, Jai Karamsad’. Really, the British and Indians need only understand that Narendrabhai sees himself carrying the legacy of Sardar Patel, to understand the man and to know what he is, and is not capable of.

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Midlands Voice

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BHF opens new branch in West Yorkshire The British Heart Foundation has opened a new fundraising branch in Wakefield and District. Well-wishers and supporters joined Councillor Brian Holmes, Mayor of Wakefield, and Mayoress Councillor Janet Holmes who officially announced the opening last Wednesday. The new branch aims to support local volunteers and fundraisers to help further boost the coffers of BHF, which was launched more than 50 years ago, and to help raise awareness of the importance of continuing to support ground breaking advances in research to combat heart disease, the nation's biggest killer. Through research there have been life changing treatments for many sufferers of heart disease, ranging from heart transplants, to heart valve surgeries, to heart by-passes, and now to the possibility of growing new heart muscle to replace lost muscle. Councillor Holmes said he had chosen BHF and Take Heart, which raises cash for the Yorkshire Heart Centre at Leeds General Infirmary, as his two nominated charities during his term of office. Sue Green, BHFâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fundraising volunteer manager, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sadly, coro-

hope together we can make a real and lasting difference to those who need our support the most and make Wakefield and District Branch very successful. I have worked with the BHF for nearly 15 years in more ways than one in my professional and advisor capacity as well as to raise L-R: Dr Mahendra Patel (Branch Chair), Manisha Patel funds." (Treasurer), Cllr Brian Holmes, Cllr Janet Holmes, Susan After the opening, Hartley (Vice Chair/Secretary) Dr Patel spoke about nary heart disease touches us all. From BHF and its work at the Rotary Club of babies born with life-threatening heart Normanton. They were so impressed problems to many mums, dads and with the talk, they donated ÂŁ100 grandparents who survive a heart attack towards BHFâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mending Broken Hearts and endure the daily battles of heart failAppeal. The Clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Secretary David ure. Every pound raised, minute of your Piggin, thanked Dr Patel and said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;You time and donation to BHF will help were passionate and committed and make a difference to peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lives.â&#x20AC;? gave some very sobering facts about Also present at the launch was Dr heart disease for members to reflect on.â&#x20AC;? Mahendra Patel, as Chair of the Branch and one of Britainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading pharmaFor information about joining BHF, cists. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m delighted to be supporting a call 01274 548324, good cause, one which can help save email greens@bhf.org.uk or visit lives. I know there are many well-wishwww.bhf.org.uk ers from all walks of life out there and I

Ten thousand toys for children in Syria On Sunday 4th August 2013, a charity effort set up by a Leicestershire resident collected a staggering number of toys from members of the public for children affected by the conflict in Syria. Sharen Ravat who was deeply affected by the plight of children in Syria decided to launch the initiative to help bring some joy to families because the conflict has resulted in many lives being lost, many injuries and many being made homeless. According to the United Nations, the conflict has led to the worst humanitarian crisis since Rwanda from two decades ago. The drop-in session held at St Philipâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Church in Leicester collected an estimated ten thousand (10,000) toys which filled seven (7) van loads. Those who gave items then signed a board as a keep-sake from the day. The

toys were given to the be part of this superb UK-based charity, charity effort which Hand in Hand for has collected a huge amount of toys which Syria who will shortly will bring happiness to transport the items for distribution to chilso many children who dren in hospitals and are facing a major crirefugee camps in sis. This effort which Syria. focused on children Sharen Ravat said, was greatly needed at â&#x20AC;&#x153;I pay tribute to the a time when many are wonderfully generous facing huge trauma people including many and uncertainty. I pay children who donated tribute to Sharen toys for this vital Ravat who singlecause. What was parhandedly had the ticularly heart-warmvision to arrange this ing was that so many appeal which has unitof Leicestershireâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s difed so many of the faith ferent faith communiand non-faith commuties came together. nities for a common Collectively they cause for humanityâ&#x20AC;?. demonstrated their Revd Sonya Brown, Sharen Ravat, Suleman Nagdi Fadi Al-Dairi from Organisations (FMO) was shared values of compassion Hand in Hand for Syria one of the many faith organiadded, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The people of and love for children who sations supporting the camthey will never know. I hope Leicestershire will make a lot paign. Their spokesperson, that these toys will bring a of children smile. Suleman Nagdi MBE DL smile to their facesâ&#x20AC;?. Leicestershire is amazing said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We were privileged to The Federation of Muslim with its peopleâ&#x20AC;?.

Thousands attend Imam's funeral More than 10,000 people attended the funeral of one of Leicester's first imams at the weekend. Imam Mohamedbhai Peerbhai, known as Maulana Gora Sahib, died on Friday night in Leicester Royal Infirmary after suffering a heart attack. He was 70. At Spinney Hill park, thousands of mourners gathered fro his funeral and prayers before his burial at the Saffron Lane cemetery. Leicester Federation of Muslim Organisation

spokesman Suleman Nagdi said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is a massive loss that will be felt by community of Leicester.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;He was a most learned and humanitarian individual who inspired reverence and respect from many thousands of people for his actions, such as the early promotion of inter-faith iftaars, as well as his refusal to get drawn into issues of contention between different schools of thought.â&#x20AC;? "The presence of so many

people at Spinney Hill Park for the Imam's funeral was testament to his 'popularity and legacy'. Traffic came to standstill and police warned motorists to avoid the area as so many people were congregating there. In recent years he was imam at Keythorpe Street Mosque, closer to his home in Hartington Road, Spinney Hill. The Federation of Muslim Organisations thanked volunteers and the police for their assistance with the funeral.

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Window company staff â&#x20AC;&#x153;ripped off elderly customersâ&#x20AC;? Three members of a window company used personal information stolen from a rival firm to target- and then rip them off- elderly customers. Pensioners were among those duped out of deposits from double glazing and other work after being told lies by sales staff at Leicester based Premier Home Improvements, a court has heard. At least 25 victims, many in their 70s and 80s, lost deposit totalling about ÂŁ15,000 which were never refunded. Trading standards officers seized 2,500 customer files from Premier Home Improvements' offices in Swan Street, near Frog Island, belonging to Zenith Staybrite window company, where the offenders had previously worked. Leicester Crown Court was told that work promised was either never carried out or if customers changed their minds, they would not get their money back. In a few cases work was carried out, but there were complaints about the quality. One of the bosses, Neeraj Madhavani, and his girlfriend, Ekaterina Lycett, along with Lee Varnum, all admitted conspiracy to commit fraud by making false representation, between February and October 2009. They were each given suspended sentences. A fourth person allegedly involved in the same confidence fraud, Christopher Donne, in his 50s, is still at large and being sought in connection with the case. Jane Sarginson, prosecuting for Leicester trading standards, said all four originally worked for Zenith Staybrite, or Bowater Windows, which had nothing whatsoever to do with them.â&#x20AC;? Lycett and Varnum were involved in â&#x20AC;&#x153;lying and deceivingâ&#x20AC;? customers by using false personal names and trading on the reputation of well known firms, under Madhavani's orders. Madhvani, of Raine Way, Oadby, admitted a second fraud offence, by failing to notify customers of a seven day cooling period. He was given a 12 month jail sentence, suspended for a year, with 180 hours of unpaid work. He was responsible for between ÂŁ11,000 and ÂŁ15,000 of customers' lost deposits.

Lord Krishna â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;to descendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; on Birmingham

Scores of people are expected to gather in Victoria Square in Birmingham city centre this Sunday (11 August) for the Rath Yatra Festival. Now in its 13th year, this event, also known as the Festival of Chariots, is organised by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), or the Hare Krishna Movement. The 10.30am to 4pm programme will feature street dancing and chanting, a grand procession of the enormous Lord Jagannatha chariot, stalls, food and drink, a stage drama, speeches, recitals, musicals and much more. Everyone is most welcome to attend this free event. For more information visit www.iskconbirmingham.org or telephone event coordinator Mayapur Madhava Das on 07966 238 376.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 10th August 2013

Direct flights to Hyderabad & Amritsar/New Delhi dampen British Gujarati spirits Continued from page 1 Ahmedabad has been started, despite repeated requests, petitions and reminders to Indian authorities, over the last 3 years. This reaction came after Air India and British Airways announced that they will be offering 4 weekly flights between Birmingham-Delhi/Amritsar and daily London-Hyderabad flights. Currently, British Airways is operating only 6 weekly flights between London and Hyderabad, and now this new service of daily non-stop flights between the two sectors will offer an entirely seamless facility to the passengers. Air India has also launched its 4 weekly flights directly between Birmingham to New Delhi and Amritsar, now operational from 1 August. The authorities have revealed that the flights are flying full so far- establishing the success in the initiatives taken by Air India (full story page 15) The British Airways authorities have also revealed that sensing a 40% increase in demand they decided to start this daily direct flights from autumn onwards. Right after the above announcements by authorities, Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar received several calls and letters from angry and concerned readers, including business tycoons and keen investors, demanding an explanation why are their interest in direct flights to Gujarat being ignored repeatedly. Between 2005-06 and 2011-12, Gujarat clocked a Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) growth of 9.98% states the Indian Economic Survey 2012-13. In the category of unemployment rate (per 1,000) for 2009-10, Gujarat has the lowest number of unemployed in urban areas as well. Naturally these factors make Gujarat, one of the most desirable states to do business with. Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar news weeklies, along with a few local organisations have raised the issue of direct flight between London and Ahmedabad and campaigned from time to time. As many as 10,000 petitions have been collected in this favour. A few months

increase in capacity when they went six flights a week from five, in October last, the premium airline now expects 40 per cent more by November, said Christopher 2013, Fordyce, BA’s Regional Commercial Manager at a press conference. After the US, India is the biggest market for BA, he said, adding that Hyderabad is the faster growing market for the airline. Tracing the operational history, he said that BA’s engagement with India went back to 84 years, with 46 flights a week from London Heathrow to Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad. Last year, Mr. Regional Commercial Manager, South Asia, Fordyce recalled, BA had British Airways, Christopher Fordyce, announced its commitment to addressing press conference in Hyderabad the tune of £5 billion to improve on last Tuesday its products and services. back lawyer and Chairman of the Why direct flight to Gujarat? Labour Community Engagement Forum, Manoj Ladwa handed over Asian Voice and Gujarat the petitions to Gujarat Chief Samachar news weeklies and local Minister and BJP Election Campaign British Indian organisations raised Chairman Narendra Modi on our the issue of direct flight between behalf, requesting direct non-stop London and Ahmedabad, as in the flights between London and absence of such a facility, travellers Ahmedabad. to Gujarat have to spend at least 4 to We also understand that many 5 hours in waiting, which at times people have written to the Indian goes up to 10 to 12 hours at some High Commission, requesting for other air-port in India or in some the same. other country. Asian Voice and Gujarat Lack of such a flight is also a Samachar have requested its readers great inconvenience for senior citito raise their concerns with approzens, children and female passengers priate authorities and treat especially pregnant mothers or Hyderabad-London direct non-stop mothers with young children. flight and Delhi/Amritsar-B'ham Businessmen interested in investflight as an inspiration. ments in Gujarat or professionals on The British Airways (BA) non tight schedules also don’t wish to stop flights announced daily waste time in waiting for connecting between Hyderabad and London is flights. starting from October 27 and will British MPs, Peers and Indian operate on Boeing 777-200 in a politicians write to several authorithree-class configuration offering ties flat beds in Club World, Business A memorandum was submitted Class, World Traveller plus and to various authorities, including CM World Traveller seats. Flight No. BA Nrendra Modi over the past few 276 will take passengers from years. Hyderabad to London, leaving here Many letters were written by everyday at 6.55 am, while on the politicians in India and British MPs return, BA 277 would land here at and Peers with India connections, 4.35 am. requesting for the prompt start of Having seen a 20 per cent direct flights.

Wealthy international students rent posh Central London flats While the £3000 cash bond for visitors has been branded as a racist move by concerned countries, now probably reaching the European Courts of Human Rights for a review, Britain has finally realised worth of international students, who they have denied a deserving 2 years post work study visa since last year. As Britain sees a fall in Central London apartment rents by Britons, a report has claimed that overseas students from wealthy families are renting some of London’s most desirable and expensive flats, according to a recent report by the Estate agents While UK students are mostly forced to make do with tiny bedsits and cramped shared accom-

modation on the outskirts of town, central London’s best addresses where weekly rents can top £1,000 per week - are seeing an influx from abroad moving alongside bankers, oil industry tycoons and advertising directors. Estate agents Peter Wetherell and market intelligence group Dataloft reportedly found that Knightsbridge was the most expensive place in prime central London to rent a two-bedroom flat (average rent £1,252 per week), followed by Mayfair (£1,016 per week), Kensington High Street (£822), Marylebone (£761), Fitzrovia (£685) Victoria (£713) and Covent Garden (£752). The review found that

foreign students made up 35% all Mayfair tenants in the £750 to £999 per week price band and 25% in the £1,000 to £1,999 price band. There were even a few renting at over £2,000 per week. The Wetherell findings are supported by figures from the Home Office and a report on London Higher Education by Oxford Economics. There are more than 300,000 non-EU students at British universities at any one time, worth £5 million a year to the UK economy. Of these, 105,000 are studying in London either full or part-time, contributing £1.5 million a year to the capital’s economy through rents, education fees and spending in shops and leisure venues.

Family shocked at lack of justice after man's death The family of a businessman who unfortunately died - after suffering a single punch from an allegedly racist drunk called for the case against the attacker to be reopened. Property manager Kamlesh Ruparelia, 55, originally from Uganda, was knocked down ‘like a skittle’ after being punched in the face by 38year-old Kieran Beresford, who had drunk ten pints of cider, reported the Daily Mail. Several witnesses told an inquest at Sheffield Coroner’s Court that the father of one did nothing to provoke his 6ft 4in attacker, who punched him after making racist remarks to two women in a pub. The hearing came after prosecutors dropped a manslaughter charge against Beresford in February 2011 - who

Lawyers plan to take Dewani case to Supreme Court Lawyers acting for Shrien Dewani are launching a bid to take his case to the Supreme Court to stop being sent back to South Africa to face trail over his wife's death. Last month, Chief Magistrate Howard Riddle ruled at W e s t m i n s t e r Magistrates' Court that 33 years old Dewani should be extradited and rejected his attempt to stay in the UK for further hospital treatment for mental health problems. Judge Riddle had given the go-ahead to Dewani's extradition in 2011. He had to reconsider the position after two senior High Court judges allowed an appeal in March last year.

They were told Dewani was suffering from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. lawyers Dewani's lodged an application at the High Court for the two judges to now certify that their ruling raised "a point of law of general public importance" for consideration by the Supreme Court, the highest court in the land. Dewani is suspected of ordering the killing of his new wife Anni, 28, who was shot as the couple travelled in a taxi on the outskirts of Cape Town in November 2010. Dewani's lawyers have stressed at various hearings that he will be willing to defend himself at trial once he is fit to do so.

Three convicted of attacking Lt General Kuldeep Singh Brar

General Brar last year, after the knife attack

A British jury has convicted three people of stabbing Lieutenant General Kuldeep Singh Brar in London last year. A jury at London's Southwark Crown Court found Mandeep Singh Sandhu, Dilbag Singh and Harjit Kaur guilty of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm. Another suspect already pleaded guilty. Lieutenant General Brar had sustained a neck wound in what prosecutors called "a highly premeditated assault" as he walked with his wife Meena, in Central London in September 2012. He suffered a 1ft cut across his jaw and neck. Harjit Kaur, 39, of London, who had monitored the couple’s movements, Mandeep Singh Sandhu, 34, of Birmingham, and Dilbag Singh, 37, of London,

were convicted at Southwark Crown Court of intentional wounding. Barjinder Singh Sangha, 33, of Wolverhampton, had admitted the charge. General Brar had been threatened with reprisals since he led a military operation against Sikh militants who were staging protests at the Golden Temple in Amritsar in June 1984. The Indian Army stormed the complex, killing at least 500 Sikhs and damaging the building. The general has survived several assassination attempts and still receives death threats, the court was told. Speaking by video-link from India, he said that as a result of the attack his protection ranking was raised to the highest possible in India. The gang will be sentenced in September.

claimed self-defence after deciding there was no realistic prospect of convicting him. After the inquest, Mr Ruparelia’s family reportedly said in a statement: ‘The decision of the Crown Prosecution Service not to prosecute anyone over Kamlesh’s death and not to let a jury hear the evidence sends

out the wrong message. ‘We are shocked by the mismanagement of the case and feel a double loss - the loss of Kamlesh and the loss of justice. 'The failure to prosecute this case to trial represents a serious failure by the CPS to demonstrate its commitment to protect the public.’

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 10th August 2013

Well done, Ugandan Asians Spriha Srivastava

Of Satyagraha and corruption I know we are all eagerly awaiting the film Satyagraha by Prakash Jha and the film has an extremely good star cast and direction and raises a very important issue that India is facing at the moment. But the film has got into a bit of controversy with Team Anna supporters claiming that the story is inspired and based on Anna Hazare’s life which Prakash Jha has totally dismissed. Prakash Jha’s Satyagraha is not based on any person or event, the film from my understanding is inspired by the Gandhian ideology (as the name suggests) and is a story of an uprising by citizens to fight against corruption. The story in itself is extremely intense and looks at the social problems that India is facing today but the entire focus seems to have been shifted to the debate between Jha and Team Anna. I would like to say that India being a democracy will always have millions of opinions and comments from every section of the society and films

are a very strong medium in our country to influence young minds. However, the timing of this film is extremely interesting, especially with the general elections in sight, everyone will again go back to the tough question of who to vote for? And in a country like India, it’s not an easy one to answer. One can hope that this film brings much more than just controversies and debates. During a press conference of this film last month, the star cast shared such wonderful experiences while shooting the film. In relation to her r o l e in Satyagraha, Kareena Kapoor said, "I have always wanted to work with Prakash-ji, and the role that he's offered me this time is the role of a journalist, which I haven't really essayed before. It's a very strong-headed but sensitive character and I couldn't say no. And, of course, being part of a film which is socially very relevant right now in our country is also a great honour." Adding

about her character in the film, she elaborated, "Playing the part of a journalist excited me. Their personalities are in some ways similar to mine because I am headstrong and quite sure about what I want. As a director's actress, I didn't really prepare as such for the role and I completely followed Prakash-ji's direction." Will the film be as successful and as gripping as Rajneeti was? Will it do a Prakash Jha magic again? One person I haven’t mentioned till now is Amitabh Bachchan who is the central figure in the film and we all know how he drives the story to success. Well the film has not only Amitabh Bachchan and Kareena Kapoor but Arjun Rampal, Manoj Bajpayee, Amrita Rao and Vipin Sharma. Overall, one can only hope that the film impacts the citizens in the right way, makes them think and question their leadership and help them make an informed decision. It’s high time we make one.

Londoners await Sonu Nigam It’s summer time and before the sun goes into hiding again let’s try and make the most of it. The season always comes with lots of surprises, for instance, music concerts, flower shows, theatres, farmers markets and yummy brunch deals. For bollywood fans in the UK, this summer is bringing Sonu Nigam to London. Sonu Nigam is one of the most popular and loved bollywood singers of India. With a career spanning over two decades, Nigam has recorded his voice for almost all top-rated music directors of India including A. R. Rahman, Ilayaraja, Anu Malik, Pritam, JatinLalit, Nadeem Shravan, Mano Murthy, Vishal S h e k a r , S a n j e e v Darshan, Aadesh Shrivastav, Anand Milind, Sajid-Wajid, V. Harikrishna, G. V. Prakash Kumar among others.

He has sung some of the most popular songs of bollywood like Kal ho na ho, Saathiya among others. Londoners were extremely disappointed when Sonu had to cancel his trip last year at an event at O2 along with Atif Aslam due to visa issues. Sonu fans had waited for a long time to attend the show but when he announced the cancellation of his trip, his fans attended with a very heavy heart. Now they can all rush to the Wembley stadium on August 17th to attend the world class singer and listen to his magical voice.

Let us know what you think. Email Spriha at aveditorial@abplgroup.com

We have seen the full page advert in Mail on Sunday (4 August 2013) sponsored by several Ugandan Asians or their businesses to thank Her Majesty and people of Britain for receiving them and enabling

their current progress. This country, indeed has been extremely supportive and its our duty to show our appreciation publicly. The generous sponsorship which helped to place this advert is

well worth while and all concerned ought to be congratulated. Prosperity and publicity go hand in hand and if the third dimension of appreciation is added, then it becomes 'triveni sangam' (confluence of three rivers)

Play on Nirbhaya moves global audience Nirbhaya, the 23 years old Indian girl who was brutally gang raped inside a moving bus in Delhi last December, and thrown out naked on the roads with her male friend, has now sent tremors globally through one of the most powerful performances at a prestigious arts festival. Internationally acclaimed multiple awardwinning South African theatre director and playwright Yael Farber's latest production 'Nirbhaya' premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe on the weekend. It received a standing ovation from hundreds of Fringe enthusiasts. According to the Fringe, "this scorching new work enraged,

moved, devastated and inspired with the sheer capacity of the human spirit to rise, bear witness, survive and turn the tide" . Farber who had visited Mumbai in February this year for workshops on the play told Times of India: "Thousands of people who took to the streets of India were breaking the silence against such sexual violence. The idea of shame and loss of honour at present is felt by the victim of such a crime. Our play gives the message that the loss of honour and face is of the perpetrator who rapes a woman rather than the survivor." The testimonial work follows five women on stage sharing their story

of the sexual violence they faced. They portray how Nirbhaya's death forced them to break their silence. The play takes direct inspiration from the real incident the circumstances that led to her boarding the bus, the rape, the violence that followed and her subsequent death. Audiences have called the production tremendously powerful "that cracks open the cone of silence on the staggering depth and breadth of violence perpetrated against women in India" . Farber intends to perform the play in India on the first anniversary of Nirbhaya's death.

Indian heroes forgotten in UK WWI tribute? Valiant Indian soldiers, who played a crucial role in the first World War with awe-inspiring acts of courage, may end up getting a raw deal from Britain. Around 1.2 million soldiers from undivided India fought for the British Empire during the war, with 74,000 of them losing their lives. To mark the centenary of the Great War in 2014, UK has announced special commemorative paving stones will be laid in the hometowns of those awarded the Victoria Cross for valour 'in the face of the enemy' during the conflict. These stones will be presented to councils in the areas where those Victoria Cross recipients of the First World War were born. Communities secretary Eric Pickles said, “It is our to remember the British and Commonwealth troops who lost their lives fighting in the Great War and we are determined to make sure their bravery for the king and the country is not forgotten.” When contacted by the TOI, the organising committee said the scheme will only apply to soldiers born in Britain. The Heritage Lottery Fund has created a £6 million “First World WarThen and Now” grants programme that will help

Eric Pickles

local governments from Devon to Durham and from Brecon to Bridlington with funding to commemorate the centenary. An official reportedly said, “The programme will only recognise soldiers born in Britain. Many Indian soldiers won the Victoria Cross for their tremendous acts of courage but they will only be recognised with commemorative paving stone in their hometowns if they were born in UK.” Pickles said “laying paving stones to mark these Victoria Cross heroes will ensure that there is permanent memorial to all the fallen who fought for our country. This will connect communities to their shared history and ensure memories

of that sacrifice for British freedom are kept alive for generations to come.” There were 28 VC medals awarded in 1914 and these stones will be unveiled in 2014. The stones of winners from 1915 will be unveiled in 2015, and every 100 years after an individual won the VC. Indian soldiers who fought in the war for the British hailed from Punjab, Garwahl, Bengal, Nepal, Madras, and Burma. Culture minister Maria Miller said, “The First World War had a fundamental effect on our history. It saw nearly a million British military and civilian deaths as well as heroes from across the commonwealth who fought for King and Country”.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 10th August 2013

As I See It

Drive carefully, Cameron

The Journey to One (self)

Dear Readers, As a devoted public transport commuter, I recollect the warning 'hold tight' on the old red buses. In the underground repeatedly we are warned to 'mind the gap' between the train and platform and 'mind the closing doors'. Prime Minister David Cameron prior to his election victory in 2010, used to repeatedly proclaim his grand ideas of the 'Big Society' as well as 'inclusiveness'. Many almost believed that. The local election results and the rise of UKIP has perhaps destabilised the focus of the Prime Minister. Something resembling 'vote snatching syndrome' appears to have been taking place. "Immigrants, immigrants and restricting immigration to a certain numbers" have become the buzz words (a mantra) for the PM, Downing Street spokespersons and some Tory party leaders. This £3000 cash bond is surely discriminatory and divisive. The 6 countries viz. Nigeria, Ghana, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are named and to a certain extend 'shamed'. USA, Australia and Canada after all represent the 'keith and keen'- hence they are not included in the bond or "bonded labour category". This rampant discrimination is likely to reach upto the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) and possibly as it happened with PM Margaret Thatcher on her Nationality and Immigration Acts and several other episodes, the British government will have to retract and rectify the blaunders. Even now the Rt Rev Nick Bains, the Bishop of Bradford has raised his voice against a wave of 'spot checks' on suspected illegal immigrants as 'nasty', and warned that it could 'feed into' racist agendas. The Bishop has also said unequivocally that the Home Office's controversial 'Go Home' van campaign was divisive and ineffective, joking that it would hardly bring illegal immigrants 'out of their nail bars' asking to leave the country. Newly ennobled Baroness Doreen Lawrence has also severely criticised spot checks on suspected illegal immigrants at London railway stations as racial profiling. More than 130 suspected illegal immigrants were arrested on last Thursday in the latest of a series of raids and spot checks by the Home Office. The Equality and Human Rights Commission said it would investigate the spot checks to examine whether any 'unlawful discriminations took place'. Lord Tebbit of the 'Cricket Test' has warned that he will play no part in the fighting dirty, mud slinging at UKIP, amidst determination amongst the Conservative leadership to confront the party. Lynton Crossby, David Cameron's election strategist has discussed the threat from Nigel Farage's UKIP, during a private meeting with a lobbying company. Interestingly Lynton, an Australian running Mr Cameron's 2015 election operation said Ken Clarke (a well experienced Cabinet Minister) had been 'stupid' after the Minister without portfolio dismissed UKIP voters as 'closet racist' earlier this year. Perhaps David Cameron needs reminding that three of his predecessors Ian Duncan Smith, Michael Howard and William Hague tried to cash in on immigration card and were rejected by the voters. Great Britain has remained great due to its noble traditions of equal opportunities, fair play, tolerance as well as acceptance of the ethnic minorities- non white residents of the UK who are entitled and encouraged to participate in public life and politics irrespec-

PM David Cameron

tive of their nationalities. Lets also look at another fact. In a number of studies it is proved beyond doubt that the demographic change due to fall in birth rate, late marriages and several other factors, some countries including Britain, will need migrants of working age and skills not available in the country. In the modern world human and financial resources cannot be controlled with 'impregnable walls'. Of course USA, Canada, Australia and some other countries can have and they do have more wide open doors for new immigrants. Britain has to have some limitations for its size and other reasons. But, lets go back to a slightly different matter. Up until 1979, the Exchange control regime created a lot of problems for the National Exchequers as well as the Crown Prosecution System. Within 3 days of taking the oath of office in 1979, PM Thatcher removed exchange controls completely. Since then irrespective of the vagaries of trade (import and export) and GDP growth statistics, this country has not rushed with a cap in the hand to the World Bank. Let me also recollect that in the aftermath of Idi Amin's announcement of Ugandan Asian expulsion, some local authorities (especially Leicester) placed adverts in Ugandan newspapers that 'they are not welcome'. With such warnings however, the response, as it happens normally, was that the largest number of Ugandan Asians chose Leicester and perhaps helped to bring the prosperity there, beyond the wildest expectations of that provincial City and County.

Indians are coming On one hand PM Cameron pleads for investments and skills and on the other hand how can he behave in such an irrational and counter productive manner? What has gone wrong with this usually sensible and rational man? Let us remind him of another fact. According to reliable reports from well reputed estate agents, almost quarter of the houses and flats that were bought- for upto £3500 sq ft- by Indians in Mayfair, making them the second biggest after Britons.

Hinduja brothers: Key example of affluent and successful Indians in Mayfair

The Economist reported that "early in the morning St James's Park resembles Lodi Gardens in Delhi or the hanging Gardens in Mumbai. Such is the procession of well-heeled Indians perambulating around it." Mr Cameron, you can't have your cake and eat it, hold tight and be careful of the gap!

- CB

Siddhi Salvi, Student, George Washington University School of Business The overarching theme in Dante Alighieri’s, The Divine Comedy, is an individual’s journey to go back to his creator: God. This goal is not unique to Medieval Christianity, the Christianity practiced during the Middle Ages. In Hinduism, the goal is also to return to one’s creator. The path by which this occurs varies between the two ancient religions, but nevertheless the concept of the outcome remains the same. Dante takes his readers through the journey of afterlife and reaching God, while in Hinduism the journey to reaching God is breaking the cycle of reincarnation. Although Hinduism and Medieval Christianity differ, both religions share the underlying goal of going back to God, who they believe is the creator of life. In order to understand how Dante’s Christianity and Hinduism parallel one another, it is imperative to understand the theology of Hinduism. This begins with karma. If a staunch follower of the traditions does not believe that karma is the pattern of action in life or that a being is inherently the heir of his or her own karma, then justifying the concept of “being reborn” becomes impossible. Hindus believe in karma just as Christians believe in salvation and Heaven, to ultimately reach God. The Law of Karma correlates with Dante’s placement of souls in The Divine Comedy. Dante places souls who were extremely sinful in the Inferno, Hell. In Hinduism, individuals who acted immorally are reincarnated into another life form. Dante implies that the souls in the Inferno, Purgatorio (limbo), and Paradiso (Heaven), were placed there due to their own actions while they were alive. This parallels the concept of karma because an individual’s actions in one life determine their destiny in another life, or afterlife as described by Dante. Throughout an individual’s lives, he attempts to fulfill his dharma, the reason an individual acts, one’s duty. It states the way one is to act and live according to their state. Fulfilling one’s dharma relates to instances described in The Divine Comedy. Dante stresses the importance fulfilling ones duties in the Catholic Church and how it is crucial that each member of the Church takes their job

seriously. This adherence to duty is essential in the position of the Pope. Since the Pope is believed to be influenced by the Holy Spirit, it is extremely important that whoever occupies this position, upholds it with a great deal of responsibility. Many people trust the Catholic Church, and if popes are misusing that power, then it is more

deceitful and morally wrong than if another individual had committed such heinous acts. Nevertheless, the Holy Spirit of the Catholic Church did not stop Pope Boniface VIII from selling indulgences to the Roman citizens. Although Dante respected Boniface VIII as “officially Christ’s Vicar on Earth,” he placed him in the Inferno, the bottom tier, because he took advantage of his power and did not fulfill his duties. Dante expresses how souls in the Purgatorio, the middle tier, all desire to reach God and can do so by moving up the terraces of Purgatory. This resembles samsara, the cycle of birth, because individuals want to be released from the cycle but can only do so by having good karma; just as souls in Purgatory must want to genuinely become better spirits and have “nothing but their desire to be made clean move them to accept their pains, and nothing more is needed.” If a spirit in Purgatory solely wants to get closer to God, they will not move up in Purgatory because their intentions are not sincere. The sprit in Purgatory must want to better itself and not want to move closer to God until it is truly ready. Similar to how samsara and moving up Purgatory parallel one another, moksha and Paradiso do too. Moksha is when an atman does not get reincarnated any more. According to the Bhagavad-Gita, it is impossible to get out of moksha once it is achieved. When Dante is in Paradiso, Heaven, he realizes how some humanly desires must be overcome to truly be apart of Heaven and reach God.

Those same wants and desires are what inhibit followers of Hinduism to reach moksha. Although there are many similarities between Hinduism’s reincarnation and the afterlife depicted by Dante, there is one major disparity; in Hinduism a person is reborn into another life form whereas in Medieval Christianity, the soul only has one life to be placed in the Inferno, Purgatorio, or Paradiso. In Hinduism, an atman is reborn into another life as something different, and is either closer to God than in its previous life or further away. Although this relates to Purgatory, it contradicts the souls placed in the Inferno. In Hinduism, if an individual does bad deeds in one life or fails to fulfill their duties, then they will be reborn further away from God in the next life, no matter how bad the deed. This differs from The Divine Comedy because if an individual commits a horrid crime, such as adultery, deceiving others or being a bystander, then they will be placed in a particular level of Hell. Once a soul is placed in the Inferno, it is to remain there for eternity. Regardless of this main difference between Medieval Christianity and Hinduism, the unknowable judgments of God remain the same across both religions. In Medieval Christianity, Dante states that only God knows what is to come and holds all of the answers. This indicates that a soul’s journey is result of Gods judgment, and not all souls will end up in Paradiso, even after leading a good and ethical life. For example Virgil is not able to enter Paradiso, even though he is a very good and wholesome soul. The enigmatic judgment of God is also seen in Hinduism. God has a predetermined path for all atmans. This path exemplifies all of the dharmas each atman must fulfill before reaching moksha. God determines the path, and the atman does not know what duties God wishes it to complete. This means that even though an atman, in the form of a human, leads a life filled with good, if that individual does not fulfill their duties only known to God, then they may not move closer to reaching moksha. Regardless of the many differences between Dante’s Christianity and Hinduism, followers of both religions seek to return to their creator, God.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 10th August 2013

Leading Lights

Rani Singh, Special Assignments Editor

Mahanta Shrestha,

Linking Nepal, the UK, and India Mahanta Shrestha was educated at Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu, Nepal; he did a BA in Political Science, English and History. He is a businessman and founder of Non Resident Nepalis (NRNs) UK, a trustee of Southall Mandir (or temple) and senior vice president of the World Hindu Parishad (UK- Chapter). British NRNs are often clustered around Army bases like Aldershot, Farnborough, Reading, Kent and in London. The Nepali community in the UK is increasing rapidly. “Nepalese people started to come to the UK as émigrés or as students after establishing in Nepal in 1990, though a few people came earlier too. The mass influx has been due to the Gurkhas’ settlement rights in UK,” he explained. It was for this reason that Mahanta founded the NRN UK to unite and bind the Nepalese diaspora. The aim was to pro-

Mahanta Shrestha

mote and protect the rights and interests of the Nepalese living outside Nepal and also to promote the Himalayan country.

Mahanta feels it is important to work with his community, preserve the culture, and also to help people in need. Some

of the NRNUK activities have concerned transferring skills learned in the UK to Nepal and vice versa. The organisation organises events, working with other institutions in London to promote inward investment in Nepal and bilateral trade. “One of our concerns is to integrate the Nepalese community with the British, and to work with the Government of Nepal on dual citizenship in Nepal. We say, ‘once a Nepali, always a Nepali’ and want to restructure our country’s energy and resources for the transformation of Nepali society.” The relationship between India and Nepal is highly significant, Mahanta observes to us. “Nepal and India share a huge open border and both countries are culturally and religiously interconnected. India is a huge trading and investment partner for Nepal and also one of its largest donors. People to people relations and even intermarriage is strong, especially in the southern part of Nepal and amongst some of the elite. The Goddess Sita, the wife of Lord Rama was from Janakpur, Nepal and Lord Buddha was born in Nepal. He was enlightened in Bodh Gaya in Bihar. I have been to India often.” Mahanta is the vicechairman of the Britain -

Nepal Chamber of Commerce. The BNCC is an independent association of companies and individuals wishing to increase the level and quality of trade between Britain and Nepal, and to assist people who intend to initiate or foster business between Britain and Nepal. One slogan of the BNCC is "Trade not Aid". The BNCC organises events regarding tax, higher value agriculture and horticulture, hydropower, tourism, infrastructure, commercial farming, receptions and dinners. The major project so far has been the first ever UK Trade delegation to Nepal which Mahanta coled.

“The relationship between India and Nepal is highly significant” Mahanta was the first Nepalese Hindu to be the trustee of Southall Mandir and his role is to integrate the Nepalese within the community. “I was the one to install the first ever miniature of Holy Pashupatinath in the Mandir. Pashupatinath is one of the most significant Hindu temples of Lord Shiva in the world. It is based in Kathmandu, Nepal. Mahanta thinks that the November general election in Nepal should

be held on time for the sake of a healthy democracy. He says that if that happens, uncertainty will be replaced by stability. I wanted to know Mehanta’s views on the Nepali constitution which still awaits creation. “80% of the constitution work in Nepal was done by the last constituent assembly; however there were some contentious issues. Especially in the federal structure, like the number of states and the state model which were thorny issues and were kept till last. I think these were crucial topics which should have been debated earlier and worked out. But, I hope this time they can learn from mistakes, and unlike last time, if there is any deadlock, they will sort it out through voting.” Nepal needs socio-economic development, Mahanta feels. “Nepal needs to use its strategic location as a bridge between India and China. Nepal can exploit its hydropower, tourism, herbs and spices and other natural resources. For all these the country needs a stable, full-term government.” Mahanta finds that many NRNs are now business people, doctors, teachers, and professors. He says that social change may take time. “The Nepalese are tolerant and hardworking people.”

Your Voice

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 10th August 2013

Dying to know what happens

Britain is no longer the country of choice for immigrants

Rudy Otter arouses curiosity and keeps discussion about differing information on souls’ retro-migration into animal body. But both opinions may be correct or wrong. Mr. Raithatha relies solely on ancient vedic source, which depended on single method – meditation by sages. Tibetan gurus mention tulku, a soul passing from a human body into an animal body on temporary basis, but there is no verifiable data. No efforts have been recorded by Hindu or western theologists to verify souls’ retro-incarnation into animal body. I assume, fearful statements were propounded to keep unquestioning followers on middle path. Also consider additional knowledge since vedic times till now. Today we know about chemical/electrical/magnetic/planetary input/output controlling physical organs, faculties /capacities available to humans to test and verify /deny metaphysical phenomena after death. Knowledge of neurology, psychology, parapsychology, hypnotism, mesmerism, truth serum, electro-recording methods is accessible. There is plenty of information about soul passing to another human body. Reincarnation of human into animal body is also contra to souls’ evolution towards Godhead. Hindu philosophy teaches that it takes 8,400,000 incarnations to reincarnate as a human. Would any God waste this process by retroincarnation of soul into an animal body? In future, these philosophies will be judged differently on scales of quantum, all inclusive universal knowledge, eknowledge, information / technological advances, genetic engineering, robotics, cyborg science, and micro-chip that can over-ride central control panel and think /implement decisions independently. Karma, reincarnations etc may be given qualitative and quantitative values/formulae to incarnate in human /animal bodies ad infinitum. Ramesh Jhalla Via Email

Of the 6 billion world population, only about 200 million people across the world live in a different country than the one they were born in, be it for economic reasons, personal reasons, moving for love or family—or to flee war or prosecution. It is a mere 3.33%. The top emigrant countries are China 8.3 million [.6%]; India 11.4 million [1%]; Mexico 11.9 million [10.5%]; Russian Federation 11 million [8%] and Ukraine 6.6 million [14.4%]. The top migrant destinations are Canada 7.2 million [21.3%]; Germany 10.8 million [13.2%]; Russian Federation 12.3 million [8.8%; Saudi Arabia 7.3 million [28.3%] and USA 42.8 million [13.8%]. The percentages relate to the relevant country’s own population. Britain has 6.9 million foreign born residents [11.5%]. Labour’s idea of three types of ID cards was very practical: national, EU national and non-EU national. They had already spent £1 billion designing and piloting that project. The Coalition dropped that idea. ID cards are ideal. There are 100 countries round the world which have a compulsory ID card system including Germany, Belgium and Spain. India, with its population of 1.3 billion, is planning to introduce cyber-age biometric ID cards. Stamping the Passports of the six countries subject to £3,000 bond upon arrival and upon departure is another better way to monitor immigration. Conservative’s actions to target illegal immigrants more aggressively is to win the next Election. NHS scare stories are again designed to win the next Election.

Electronic cigarettes There has been a growing trend amongst Londoners who smoke to switch to electronic cigarettes. These have the advantage of not emitting tobacco fumes for non-smokers to inhale. Electronic cigarettes are being increasingly used as a smoking ‘quit aid’, with one in four attempts to quit involving the use of electronic cigarettes. Unfortunately, the European Parliament has just voted to classify them as a medicinal product, and that will mean the manufacturers having to undergo a costly and protracted authorisation processes. Many of the producers of ecigarettes are small start-up businesses and will simply be unable to afford the authorisation process and pack up shop. If this measure goes through, it will deny people who want to quit smoking another way of doing just that.

Nagindas Khajuria Via Email

Another mystery to solve Ramesh Jhalla continues to impress Asian Voice readers with his extensive knowledge of paranormal matters, and his take on “deja vu” in last week’s issue was no exception. Deja vu entails believing, when you have seen or done something for the first time, that you suddenly remember doing the very same thing before in a previous incarnation. The experience, says Mr Jhalla, is caused by an “electro-chemical storm in the human brain...” but there is more to it and you can read his full and interesting account in last week’s paper. I now invite him and other readers to explain the phenomenon of “speaking in tongues”. How can people, during a fit, start speaking a flurry of foreign languages previously unfamiliar to them?

Himalayan Tragedy As a person with keen interest in the deteriorating condition of pilgrimage sites in India, I want to commend Dr. Kusum Vyas on an outstanding article (Himalayan Tragedy: Asian Voice, 27th July, 2013: Is Kalidasa Prophecy Coming True?) Thank you for publishing the article. A detailed discussion about the unhealthy state of our holy places is long overdue. Dr. Vyas succeeded in putting a personal face on this crisis, and yes, it is a crisis. Most people are not aware of the outrageous conditions and the human greed aspects until they or a family visits these places and falls ill or until a tragedy like the floods strikes. To most pilgrims the unsanitary and filthy conditions seem to be acceptable. Why? Could it be because most of us accept the status quo and do not demand better? India is losing millions of potential tourists as a result of poor sanitation. The religious community needs to come up with realistic, constructive solutions. Thought-provoking article such as this is laudable. But the failure of concerned authorities to address the issue of rapid overdevelopment, so eloquently illustrated by Vyas, will bring the entire pilgrimage industry down very soon if it is not addressed. And I appreciate Dr, Vyas’ emphasis on the need to heed Kalidasa’s warning. The hidden cost is enormous. Chandra Patel Harrow

Rip off Parking Charges The communities secretary, Eric Pickles, has mooted an idea that would allow motorists a grace period of up to 15 minutes to nip into a shop without being fined. This initiative would allow cars to stop on double/single yellow lines in the vicinity or front of shops for 15 minutes to make a purchase. It is hoped that this would boost trade for shops and will go some way to revive Britain’s High Streets which are rapidly becoming ghost towns with many corner shops or small shops closing down due to lack of trade . While this is a good idea, it may not help the shopkeeper if people would just stop to buy a pint of milk or a packet of fags. People need more time to do proper shopping which they could only do at supermarkets with considerable free parking spaces. However, this idea should be applauded. As it is, parking charges in the city centers, airports and hospitals are sky high, putting off people from parking. Specially so at hospitals where people have to go out of necessity and to avoid parking charges, sick and feeble people either walk to the hospital if not too far or park in the set down and pick up areas thereby congesting those areas. In these days of recession and unemployment people would be vary of spending money and try to avoid paying parking charges where they could find alternative methods. A campaign to stop hospitals from charging for parking need to be mounted.

Rudy Otter Via Email

Syed Kamall Conservative MEP for London

Dinesh Sheth Newbury Park, Ilford

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Can I have my change back please? These days as the Rupee becomes weaker, the value of its change gets even lower. This is a bit worrying. When I grew up, I was taught what different change meant and I used them wisely saving some regularly. I remember my Grand Ma making Laddoos from rice-puffs hiding a 5, 10 or 25 paisa coin inside; which would drive me to eat more Laddoos in order to gain those coins. Nowadays some shops keep a jar full of various sweets and gums on the counter: classic example would be a pharmacy-shop. You will be given some sweets equivalent to your change due if the change is less than 5 rupees. At some places, they don’t carry change of a rupee (i.e. paisa) so as a consumer you are left with 2 options: either leave it or gain some unwanted cheap sweets equivalent to the change due! Now the knock-on effect because of these is that the price-tags have become rounded (i.e. in the multiples of 5 or 10). India’s GDP may have gone up but at the same time, I believe, the Govt. should look into the matter seriously. I would expect receive my change to be a real change instead of mere unwanted sweets! And it’s not only about me getting my change back, it is to preserve both the value and existence of paisa-coins for future generations. Devang Bhatt, Ilford, London

Misconstrued term ‘secularism’ According to any English dictionary secular is defined as worldly or material and not religious or spiritual and to the original intent of the founding fathersGandhi etc- who were staunch followers of the principles of religious plurality and equality to all religions, securing spiritual welfare, they excluded secular in the Preamble to the Constitution of India in 1950, as the term secular was found most ambiguous. The constitution remained in force until 1976 when it said that it was undemocratically amended by introducing the term secular into it, during the 42nd Amendment to it by Mrs Gandhi, in presence of few MPs, while others were in jail. But thereafter proposals from members of the atheist/agnostic circles construing ‘secular’ crudely, made enactments to such an extent that religious instructions are forbidden in schools. Secular term should be deleted from the Preamble repealing all successive laws to be replaced, if needed word by word both in the spirit and the latter to be interpreted transparently in Indian courts by Common law based on an ageless civilisation and culture of India. R N Patel Essex Continued on page 13

Education/council Voice

www.abplgroup.com - asian Voice 10th August 2013

UK students to “brighten” up Indian villages

Change Makers Change Maker – Inspirations ‘Love all Serve all’ – Baba The above quote illustrates the fundamental basis of which Sai School was built upon 18 years ago. Their ethos is heavily focused around the human values programme which promotes: love, truth, peace, non violence and right conduct to all students, which is further enhanced through a multi faith syllabus that includes various citizenship activities. Combining all of this into our study, Sai School encourages us all to take the right paths in life. The school has inspired me to live a life of integrity. It has acted as a stimulus towards my ambitions, so that I now feel as keen as ever to help others. This has driven me to take an active role within the organisation, which consists of creating and running the presentations at the weekly assemblies. By making commitments to attend every Saturday morning, I now begin to

feel grateful for its positive outcomes, as my mental attitudes have changed, so that I no longer have a negative approach to life. This in turn, has led to my self esteem and optimism being significantly boosted; as a result, it has helped improve my grades, so that I am now achieving my full potential at school. The knowledge gained over the years, has helped broaden my awareness about my own religion and has hugely complimented other areas of my education. Our curriculum contains many aspects from Hinduism such as the Ramayana and Mahabharata which are both taught in Yr’s 4 & 5. In our final year, we sit a Hinduism GCSE course and at the end we are given the chance to join the youth wing, where we merge with the voluntary community and assist them in the running of the school. Those who

Sainka Shah

display loyalty and consistency are rewarded with the Diana award, which is a prestigious certificate that can prove most useful when applying for any university. On top of this, Sai School offers a wide range of free after-school activities, which includes: tabla classes, vocal singing, folk dancing and Veda chanting. Finally, I would like to take this opportunity in thanking Sai School for all that I have received during the years and I similarly hope that other students will make full use of the benefits gained.

Bristol University students- Chloe Tingle and Adam Smith will be travelling to the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu and Mumbai as part of a pioneering project. They will be discussing ways in which villagers can improve their lives by generating their own power. Adam and Chloe will run workshops to educate local people about the importance of renewable energies. Their trip began on 27th July in a Mumbai Slum, where a solar project is underway at a local community centre. This mission is a part of a unique project led by Bristol based charity, The Converging world. It has installed wind farms in the area and invests the profits into helping people who live in energy poverty. There are two villagesKililaspura and Muthumakamura, which are close to the wind tur-

Adam Smith

bines built by The Converging world. Adam and Chloe will travel to these villages and will assess the energy needs and lifestyles of the local people. They will also meet the local suppliers of bio-mass and bio-gas generators. Both Chloe and Adam are part of the Bristol branch of Engineers Without Borders (EWB), a student run organisation which works to remove barriers to development through engineering.

Chloe Tingle

Chloe is in the final year of her Master's degree in Engineering design and a volunteer project manager for the Charity. Adam, just completed a masters in Physics. They will both continue working on the project in the UK and to contribute towards its advancement and supported efforts to create a more cohesive society where Muslims would participate fully.”

Council set to make billions profit that Barnet Council in North London acted unlawfully in raising the cost of a parking permit from £40 to £100. Officials had planned to use the increased revenue for road mainte-

nance and improvements, and concessionary fares. Councils have recently asked ministers to let them raise fines for parking offences outside London above the £70 limit.

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Councils are set to make £2 billion profit from motorists after a surge in parking charges since the last election., The Times has reported. Motoring groups say that the increase of 24% since 2010 shows that councils are increasing parking fees to counter a decline in government grants. Separate sets of figures published by the RAC Foundation and the Department for Communities and Local Government show that councils in England reaped a surplus from parking of £511 million in 2010-11. This is forecast to reach £635 million this year. Westminster Council made the biggest profit, of £41.6 million. The multimillion-pound profits are not just limited to London boroughs. Brighton & Hove and Cornwall also appear in the top ten councils profiting from parking. The publication of the figures came after a High Court ruling last week

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Media Watch

By winning 13 of the 17 zilla parishads (district councils), and securing over half the seats in the lower tiers of the panchayats, Trinamool Congress has retained its rural support base and also its hold on West Bengal’s small towns. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s party has demolished any hope that her rival, the Communist-led Left Front may have had of making a comeback after its stunning rout in the 2011 State elections. The Congress Party too fared badly, but with its organization in a state of disrepair, following decades of accumulated rust, this was to be expected. The feisty Ms Banerjee is as loquacious and confrontationist as ever, vowing to fight the Gorkhaland parties in their bid to establish a separate state in the sub-Himalayan districts of West Bengal. She also detects a “conspiracy” between the cenMamata Banerjee tre in Delhi and Darjeeling’s Gorkha leaders. The economic neglect of the hill districts appears not to figure in her political calculus (Telegraph, Times of India, Hindu July 30-August 1)

Shiv Sena abuse Columnist Shobha De tweeted that, with Telangana moving to full statehood, mightn’t Mumbai separate from Maharashtra. There was a touch of levity in the comment, but Shiv Sena leaders let loose a torrent of abuse in her direction. Their language was appalling, but Ms De, stood her ground on NDTV, pouring scorn on her thuggish Sena detractors, challenging them to do their worst, being herself a proud no-nonsense Maharashtrian.

Benighted politicians A viewer castigated India’s benighted politicians - many proven criminals - of bullying and intimidation, upholding their own licence to say anything they pleased, yet lacking the courtesy tolerance, humour and humility, to accord a similar privilege to the broader public. Indian governments, past and present, exclaimed the viewer, had surrendered meekly to the passions of incited mobs. He listed the case of Salman Rushdie, whose invitation to the Jaipur Literary Festival was aborted by Islamist fanatics. Tasleema Nasreen, the Bangladeshi novelist, was denied permission to reside in Kolkata because of the hostility of local mullahs. The Indian Constitution may guarantee freedom of expression and thought but such guarantees mean little where cowards rule.

No cause for gloom, doom Kalpana Morparia, CEO at J.P Morgan India, dismissed gloom and doom talk about the Indian economy as “exaggerations.” She countered the Jeremiahs with a predication of an economic upswing following recent government policy measures, which are set to continue till the next elections. She detected the first green shoots of revival in the performance of the country’s power sector. The present good monsoon should help growth this fiscal, but improvement in

the next will be marked, she opined. Ms Morparia stressed the need for education, vocational training and job creation. “Our entire strength is our demographic profile. We have to make sure that we give them every opportunity to pay that dividend to the country,” she said (Mint July 30) The Telecom Regulatory Commission of India’s latest quarterly performance indicator for the Indian telecom sector shows a return to growth and increased revenue from voice and data. Companies cut tariffs and focused on adding subscribers to the exclusion of everything else (Mint August 2)

www.abplgroup.com - asian Voice 10th august 2013

China have been rejected by Beijing, giving rise to friction between the two countries. Vietnam and India enjoy close strategic ties that include cooperation in civilian nuclear energy, training of Vietnamese military officers. India has long wanted to move beyond these areas to broader military ties including the supply of Indian defence hardware. Top of the Vietnam wish list is the supersonic cruise missile, BrahMos, produced jointly by India and Russia. The missile with its land and sea platforms are in service with the Indian Army and Navy, but is currently being tested for use from Sukhoi 30MKI squadrons of the Indian Air Force. Relations with Vietnam fall within the parameters of India’s Look East policy (Hindu July 28)

Myanmar seeks assistance Myanmar has sought Indian assistance to strengthen its navy – a strategic development that must warm the cockles of every heart in its top ministries. The chief of the Myanmar Naval Staff Vice Admiral Thura Thet Swe’s talks in New Dehi with India’s naval chief D.K.Joshi included various proposals to further strengthen navy-to-navy cooperation in operations, training and material support and take the existing relationship to a another plane.

Jalalabad bombing

invented by India’s Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO). The device was launched at the US Chamber of Commerce building in Washington last weekend. Former US Defence Secretary William Cohen described this as “excellent example” of reverse technology transfer (Times of India August 4)

Bhutan gas subsidy back India has restored its cooking gas subsidy to Bhutan. The decision on the renewal was conveyed to the new Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay by the Indian Ambassador V.P.Haran in Thimphu. The coolness in Indo-Bhutan ties following the previous government’s conversations with China on border demarcation, despite India’s security concerns, was the ostensible reason behind

Foreign investment rules eased The Indian Cabinet has eased rules for foreign supermarket chains to set up establishments in large cities and small towns (instead of being restricted to the former) in States prepared to admit foreign direct investment (FDI) in retail, and approved increases in FDI limits in the telecom, defence and insurance sectors in a bid to revive the India story, which has taken a beating in the past eighteen months. Government is also keen to privatize six airports by the end of the year including Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Lucknow and Guwahati. The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has assured the government of full cooperation in the smooth transaction of parliamentary business (Mint August2) Hurrah! Good sense at last. Better late than never.

Military credits for Vietnam India has offered Vietnam a $100 million credit line for the purchase of military equipment. Vietnam will use this to acquire four patrol boats. India will also remain engaged in oil exploration activity in Vietnam’s waters (at Hanoi’s invitation) in the South China Sea, over which China claims sovereignty. Vietnam’s claims in the South

included children among the worshippers emerging after prayers from a local mosque. A similar attack on the Indian Embassy in Kabul some years ago, which claimed a large number of embassy staff, was attributed (and subsequently confirmed by Bruce Riedel, formerly of the US State Department) to Islamabad’s Inter Services Directorate (ISI) and the Laskar-e-Taiba. The Afghan Taliban issued a prompt denial of any involvement in the Jalalabad bombing.The External Affairs Ministry and Mr Khurshid must factor this into India’s Pakistan policy.

Indian soft power Returning to Mr Khurshid’s Bangalore musings, the Minister referring to the constant media comparisons with China, he mentioned the workings of Indian soft power in Africa, South East and Central Asia . “No Chinese forays can match the conquest that songs from Raj Kapoor’s films, Shah Rukh Khan’s dialogues and even the samosa have made.” Whilst Mr Khurshid accepted the need for critical scrutiny of India’s foreign policy, he invited his audience to appreciate the challenges India faced in a complex international environment, and its achievements as a swing state reflected in the stature the country enjoyed worldwide. (Hindu July 30)

Admiral D.K. Joshi with Myanmar’s Vice Admiral Thet Swe

“Myanmar is one of our closest neighbours. We share a land border as well as a maritime border with them,” said Admiral Joshi in a welcoming address. Vice Admiral Thet Swe asked for Indian help in servicing four maritime surveillance aircraft that New Delhi gifted to Myanmar in 2007. He also asked India to supply offshore patrol vessels and fast attack craft built in Indian shipyards. He wanted India to increase its quota of Mynamar trainees at Indian naval academies. Vice Admiral Thet Swe called on Army chief General Bikram Singh and Vice Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Arup Raha. With Bangladesh headed for an uncertain election later this year, India’s relationship with Myanmar is vital for Indian security in the North East theatre as well as in the Bay of Bengal (Telegraph July 30)

US markets DRDO bomb detection kit In reverse technology mode, the US is to manufacture and market an explosive detection kit

India’s suspension of the subsidy. Tshering Tobgay’s accession to power has healed the breach in India-Bhutan relations.

Khurshid musings External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, in an absorbing inter-active session with the media, academics and concerned citizens in Bangalore, said India would have to “carefully weigh Pakistan’s offer” of talks” in the light of recent events including “people’s hurt over soldiers being beheaded by Pakistan’s Army earlier this year.” Simultaneously, India would also have to consider events prior to the present Pakistan government’s accession to power.

Jalalabad blast Mr Khurshid’s words have been overtaken by the suicide bombing outside the Indian consulate in the southern Afghan city of Jalalabad, not far from the Pakistan border. The 12 dead

Rajnath in the US BJP President Rajnath Singh appeared bewitched, bothered and bewildered during his recent visit to the United States, wrote K.P.Nayar, The Telegraph’s Washington Correspondent (July 29).US Congressmen and Senators opened their doors to the visitor,

Rajnath Singh

keen to learn about BJP policies on a range of issues, from foreign investment in India to strategic problems in India’s neighbourhood and beyond. Neither Mr Singh, nor his four BJP colleagues, were able to enlighten their mystified American hosts: rural pradhans unable to cope with the mysteries of post-Copernican realities. Whither BJP?

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 10th August 2013

Your Voice Kapil’s letter to Ed Miliband Kapil Dudakia talks about sending a set questionnaire to the leader of the opposition Ed Miliband, as if he is going to take notice of him. We have to consider two issues regarding Modi’s visa to UK. One pertaining the opposition within the Labour party and another within Indian politicians in India. As far as as Labour party is concerned there are only a very few Indians. That too from Gujarati Hindu community who are members and who can raise Modi’s visa in the Labour party. On the other hand Muslims from Indian sub-continent are very active in the Labour party. Muslim Lords like Adam Patel and Ahmed are anti-Indians and anti- Modi. It would be more sensible for the local Indians to write to their local MPs (eg Virendra Sharma, Malhotra, Keith Vaz) to raise the matter in the House of Commons. The sad point is even in areas where Hindus in large numbers such as Harrow and Brent, Labour party has not nominated any Hindu to represent in the House of Commons. In Harrow, Indians are fighting amongst themselves unlike Muslims who are united. Hindus segregate themselves on the basis of region they come from and they want to promote their own candidates. The Opposition to Modi’s visa within India has been well documented and it includes several Hindu MPs from different parts of India. Arun Vaidyanathan Via Email

Kapil’s Khichadi We have been monitoring Kapilji’s column for several months now and are delighted that coherent, articulate and unashamedly Hindu voices are now being given adequate coverage of sufficient prominence, enabling them to genuinely question long established communal, political and religious relationships. Over the last 12 months, the National Council of Hindu Temples (UK) NCHT UK, has been very strongly questioning the manner in which our Hindu community has been exploited and our Dharma denigrated by a succession of political and religious figures over the last few years and it is encouraging that Kapilji is also asking questions which are vitally important and completely contemporary. The manner in which our most ancient Hindu Dharma and specifically our British Hindu community, was subjected to a “Vastra Haran” in the “Rajya Sabha” of the Chamber of the House of Lords, warrants a response of equal proportion and it is imperative that our grass roots Hindu community are made aware of the reality of our position in this country. Our Hindu youngsters are waking up to the political realities, as demonstrated by the remarkable achievement of the Alliance of Hindu Organisations Secretariat and its supporters, it is essential that the elders of our Hindu community also decide where their loyalties lie, to our Dharma first and foremost, or adherence to some political maya. As any unbiased, politically uncompromised observer can see, the best response to a troubling question is a simple answer, Kapilji’s relentless probing is to be applauded and we look forward to seeing simple answers emerge. Satish K Sharma General Secretary National Council of Hindu Temples,(UK)

Column with a punch I must congratulate Asian Voice and Kapil Dudakia for his courageous, witty column that deals with current affairs pertaining to Asian/Indian community with gusto and intelligence. “Time for Truth Ed” in last week’s AV is no exception. But knowing the mentality of the Party, I would be extremely surprised if he gets response. It is indeed regrettable that Labour party with Hobbesian culture is taking docile Indian/Hindu community for granted. Labour is selecting candidates for Council elections due next year and I understand few of the Labour Councillors have lost out, deselected or moved to an unwinnable seat without reason. One of our friends, ever popular Barnet Labour Councillor Ansuya Sodha is one such casualty. I would like to urge these loyal, dedicated Councillors not to take easy way out, be Hobson’s choice. If their representation fails, they should consider standing as Independent Labour and Indian community should support them to the hilt. It is also time that Labour selects British Indian for one of the Brent/Harrow parliamentary seats, especially as there is no shortage of good candidates, the names that readily comes to my mind are Cllr. Navin Shah AM, long standing politician of proven ability, Manoj Ladwa, a brilliant lawyer and communicator and Cllr. Ansuya Sodha, an intellectual politician, perfect candidate for an all women seat. Unless Indian community unites; projects perception and be pertinacious, we will always be ventriloquist’s dummy, ignored in favour of Jewish, Muslim and other ethnic minorities who are united, dedicated and willing to stand-up and be counted. Bhupendra M Gandhi Via Email

Dying to know? Then know the scriptures For those dying to know as evinced from last week’s Asian Voice. The process of reincarnation is not some theory upon which to speculate, it is a science that needs to be understood. This understanding is given to us in the Vedic or Hindu scriptures. The Rig-Veda (10.16.3) says that after death, the soul can return to the earth, or go to the waters, or go to the plants, taking on new bodies, depending on the consequences of its actions. The Bhagavad-Gita (14.15) and Bhagavata-Purana (11.22.52) explain that when one dies in darkness, one is reborn into the animal kingdom. A human birth cannot be justified for someone whose life has been embroiled in darkness, recklessly pursuing animalistic desires. Instead, the natural law works to provide an animal body for that individual, which has been specifically designed to satisfy such desires. The whole system is fair and just in governing our lives. I implore the dear readers to not waste time in speculating on these matters. It is better to spend the precious little time we have, in discovering the truth by studying and practising the knowledge given to us in the sacred scriptures. Nilesh M. Chauhan Birmingham

House of Lords I welcome the news that Doreen Lawrence has been appointed to the House of Lords. She has fought for justice for her son and inspired a whole generation to stand up for their rights. What a shame that most of the others appointed have made huge party political dona-

Domestic Violence is not gender specific. Knowledge dispels fear There is a common misconception in society today that it is men who are (physically) stronger than women and as such, are incapable of being victims of Domestic Violence. However, this is incorrect and By Savita Sharma according to UK Government statistics 1 in 6 men will be victims of domestic violence at some stage in their life. Moreover, 2 out of every 5 victims of Domestic Violence are male with approximately 4 million men affected on a yearly basis. Such statistics emphasise the fact that domestic abuse is not something to which women are exclusively subjected to. Moreover, it is time for society to recognise the strong impact that psychological and emotional abuse can have on an individual whether male or female. The UK Crown Prosecution Service defines ‘domestic violence’ as a term describing a range of controlling and coercive behaviours, used by one person to maintain control over another with whom they have, or have had, an intimate or family relationship. However, contrary to what the term ‘domestic violence’ actually suggests, there need not be any physical violence. Regardless of gender, an array of psychological, emotional and financial abuse all falls within the ambit of domestic violence. One of the primary hurdles faced by male victims of domestic abuse is finding the strength to speak out and seek help. It is widely acknowledged that many male victims suffer for years because they fear that they will be ridiculed by their peers. The British Crime Survey found that only 10% of male victims had reported abuse to the police when compared with 29% of women. Male victims also appear to have a strong lack of faith in the justice system. Stigma and fear of being disbelieved or not taken seriously by the authorities is also another barrier preventing male victims from taking action. However, the same legal remedies are available to both male and female vic-

tims. There is legislation in place that provides protection to victims of domestic abuse who fall within the definition of ‘associated persons’. This definition is wide and includes (but not limited to) parties: l l l

who are/have been married to each other, who are relatives, who have/have had an intimate per sonal relationship of significant duration or who are parents or have Parental Responsibility for the same child.

If parties fall within the ambit of this legislation, they can apply to the Courts for Court Orders such as a Non Molestation Order which forbids the abusive party from harassing/pestering, using/threatening violence towards, communicating with or even coming within a certain distance of the victim. Applications to the Court can be made on an emergency basis and this means that the abusive party does not become aware of the Court proceedings until the Order has been granted and served upon him/her. Further orders can be obtained to regulate the occupation of the family home which may result in the removal of the abusive party from the property in cases where parties live together. Accordingly, male victims of Domestic abuse are afforded a vast amount of protection from the Courts. With the knowledge that such protection exists, male victims can have the confidence to now feel that they are in a position to take action against an abusive partner or associated person to ensure that they need not continue to suffer. Knowledge dispels fear. If you are a victim of domestic abuse, male or female, you should seek legal advice immediately. If you know someone who is a victim then it is paramount that they seek legal assistance to protect themselves. In most cases, the time span between taking initial instructions and attending Court is very quick, often between 24 and 48hours. Author is Savita Sharma, Director & Family Law Solicitor at Legal 500 Leading Firm, Duncan Lewis.

Offices across London and throughout UK l Bradford l Birmingham l Cambridge l City of London l Hackney l Lewisham With over 500 Staff to Assist

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Tel: 020 7923 4020 - www.duncanlewis.com tions. One of the new Lords is Rumi Verjee who has allegedly donated £800,000 to the Liberal Democrats. A wholly unelected chamber is making decisions which impact the people of the country. There are now 838 members in the Lords and each on of them would earn £40,000 attendance allowance. All they have to do is to appear in the chamber and node their head to the speaker and their allowance is earned! Unless the House of Lords is reformed and its numbers reduced British democracy will become an embarrassment. Nitin Mehta Via Email

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Open letter to Nitin Mehta I refer to an open letter to Nitin Mehta MBE from Baroness Shreela Flather in Asian Voice of 3rd August 2013. All I can say - WOW - and quote from her letter the following:“I am very sorry but there are extremely few, probably not even a percentage point of Hindus, who are not casteist” “I don’t know whether you have seen it but all the British know now, but I doubt very much if the Asians and the others know”“ If ever proof was needed about one’s views of anti-Hindu and anti-Asian. Just wonder who British Asians are British or Asians in this context. Surendra Patel Manchester

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 10th August 2013

Meet the 6 years old promising cricketer While most of the six-year-olds are still playing with toys, Rishan Ganatra is already a promising cricket player who dreams of representing E n g l a n d . Selected in under 11s team at the O l d Grammarians club in Wellingborough, Rishan has already shown much ability for his age to grab attention of the coaches. He is the youngest player to perform in the Higham & District League this season, and last week he took an impressive three wickets for two runs in two overs during a match. Rishan has been playing cricket with his grandfather Jagdish Ganatra, since he was four years old. He can now name every international player, including his favourite, England and former Northants spin bowler Graeme Swann. His father Amit Ganatra, 36, of Elsden Road, Wellingborough, told a local newspaper: “If he has any spare time, or he is sitting around, he will be watching cricket.” Mum Bhakti Ganatra, 32, reportedly said: “He recorded all of the Ashes and he watches it every morning before he goes to school.” Rishan’s 10-year-old

Shahrukh Khan talks to Asian Voice regarding the popular misconceptions about Chennai Express Rani Singh When Shahrukh Khan and Deepika Padukone appeared at the Courthouse Doubletree last week to talk about their new film Chennai Express, they were both utterly charming and engaging. The film is the story of a Mumbai boy (Shahrukh Khan) who embarks on a journey to a small town in Tamil Nadu, only to fulfill the last wish of his grandfather to have his ashes immersed in Rameshwaram. En route, he meets a South Indian girl (Deepika Padukone) hailing from an orthodox family. As they find love on this journey through south India, a clash of cultures awaits them. A series of adventures follows as Shahrukh’s character finds himself in new surroundings, challenged with an unfamiliar language. Many of us had the impression that the film is set in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, since it is called Chennai Express. Shahrukh patiently corrected this misunderstanding. He said, “The film is not set in Tamil Nadu nor is it set in Chennai. The film is called Chennai Express which is a train that goes all around the south- and the film doesn’t hap-

being fit,” he explained to me, looking lean and youthful in his dark trousers, white shirt with a blue scarf tied loose and trendily round his neck. “My kids are grown up. I find them very fit so I still play with them. I’ve always been like that. I’ve never been an overeater. I always like to exercise, I like to play games, I like sports. Rohit is a fantastic action director. He has a team of 200 people who take care of everything. These guys flying (he points to characters from the film poster) they actually fly on what’s known as ramps. They just stand on them and they’re thrown up in the air and are flying. It’s very nicely Shahrukh Khan and Deepika Padukone done. You have these mattressrupted Hindi or slang Hindi; it’s not es and you have these air bags and as pure as it used to be. I get very they [land] exactly and you have stressed out on set if I’m not ready people standing just in case they with my lines. I need to know [the topple, jump up or they bounce off lines] and get that out of my mind so so it’s very safely done.” that I can just focus on my performDeepika Padukone was also ance-that took a couple of weeks.” frank and fulsome. She said that Deepika said it was a real chalreceiving the film’s bound script and lenge mastering the voice she wanthearing the writers talk through the

Rishan Ganatra

sister Bipasha is also very active in sports and playing for the Old Grammarians. Speaking about liking for cricket and the youngest status in team, Rishan said: “I enjoy it and I quite like being the youngest.” Coach Kev Odell reportedly said: “He is definitely a talent, but the key thing for a sixyear-old is that he is enjoying it. “It is quite rare to have a player so young on the team; our next youngest player is nine.”

Unsung reaches Rosemary Branch Theatre Following its premiere at Dartington Tagore Festival, Red Mane Productions bring Ayndrilla Singharay’s new play 'Unsung' to the Rosemary Branch Theatre for a limited nine performances only. Unsung marks the centenary of Rabindranath Tagore’s receipt of the Nobel Prize for Literature. Mukul Ahmed directs Singharay’s adaptation of Tagore's short story 'Punishment' relocated to modern day London. The cast includes: Avita Jay (Joy),Rez Kabir (Rana), Nadia Nadif (Megh,) Niall Ray (Ash). Set and costume

EXCLUSIVE

design are by Emma Jesse. Performances feature live Bengali music and song. Brothers, Ash and Rana share a joint household with their wives Joy and Megh. Unlike the happy newlyweds, Rana and Megh are struggling to tolerate each others’ company. When a seemingly innocent meeting leads to devastating consequences, allegiances are challenged and a terrible sacrifice demanded... Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti, playwright said, “'Unsung' is a unique and exciting re-interpretation of Tagore's original story for modern times. It tells an impor-

Shahrukh, Deepika, Rohit Shetty and other actors from Chennai Express

pen in the train either. I get off half way through and then we go by road, by foot and by boat all around the south- so when you see Kathakali and the other cultures it is because we are traveling through the south.” Rohit Shetty, known for fastpaced action thrillers, has directed the romance Chennai Express and packed it with plenty of exciting action sequences. The film is produced by UTV Motion Pictures and Shahrukh Khan’s own Red Chillies Entertainment. How did Shahrukh prepare for the stunts? “I’m mostly fit, I like

plot “Was the most hilarious I ever got because the writers do it with full sound effects –so it was, ‘doon, dash, duma!’ –I was cracking up, it was really funny. I felt like I was watching the film –I didn’t feel like I was listening.” Deepika told me that she worked with a tutor from Tamil Nadu for a couple of weeks before the shoot started, even though she had grown up in south India. “I have been familiar with the language but mainly for the screen it has to be not the spoken Tamil but what it is originally. We all now speak a slightly cor-

ed to use, and had only finished her work on the film the day before she met me. “I couldn’t do more than one hour a day –normally I do twothree hours a day and a couple of scenes but because I had to change the pitch it sort of took a strain on the throat. So I couldn’t do more than one scene a day. It’s something that I definitely struggled with the first couple of days. I remember turning up on set and everyone cracking up. On the third or fourth day Shahrukh showed me a couple of videos and I do have people from Tamil Nadu who monitored.”

tant story, and its portrayal of gender violence is as relevant today as it was in Tagore's time." A y n d r i l l a Singharay is a British-Bengali writer. She completed her MA in Creative Writing from Royal Holloway University London in 2009. During her MA she was tutored

by former Poet Laureate, Andrew Motion and her work was published in an anthology of new writing, Bedford Square 4 (pub. John Murray 2010). Unsung is her first play. She also works as a training and development co-ordinator for ASHA, a South Asian charity that provides refuge accommodation for women and children escaping violence.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 10th August 2013

Air India Dreamliner lands at Birmingham Airport New Service Now Operating Four Times Weekly to Delhi and Amritsar Birmingham Airport welcomed Air India’s Boeing 787-8 ‘Dreamliner’ into Birmingham on 1st August as it operated its inaugural service from Amritsar and Delhi. The new service now operates four times weekly each Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, arriving from Amritsar and Delhi into Birmingham at 1800 hours and departing to Delhi and Amritsar from Birmingham at 2130 hours. The 256 seat B787-8 series aircraft has a split cabin, consisting of 18 business class and 238 seats. economy Birmingham is only the second UK airport to operate dedicated Boeing 787 scheduled services. Welcoming the inaugural flight, the Airport’s CEO, Paul Kehoe, said, “We are delighted to welcome this new service into Birmingham and to now offer regular scheduled services to Delhi

Sir Albert Bore (Leader of Birmingham City Council), Rohit Nandan (Chairman of Air India), Paul Kehoe (CEO of Birmingham Airport) celebrating Air India’s inaugural Boeing 787 ‘Dreamliner’ flight into Birmingham from Amritsar and Delhi

and Amritsar on the fantastic Dreamliner aircraft. Air India has responded to the enormous demand that lies in our catchment and we thank all the support received from the City, and indeed the region, to

these direct secure flights.” According to FDI Markets, the West Midlands receives more foreign direct investment from India than any other region outside London. Globally, the

Mayor announces plans for Eid Festival in Trafalgar Square The free event offers a welcome to people from all communities and faiths and is suitable for the whole family, with stage entertainment, exhibitions, children's activities and more. Those appearing on the main stage will include Nasheed artists Adam Ali, Suhail Ahmed, Saif Adam and Fursaan. The Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: 'Muslims in London and across the world are fasting for the blessed month of Ramadan and spending time in prayer and contemplation.

As Muslims in London and around the world observe the month of Ramadan, Mayor Boris Johnson has confirmed plans to mark Eid-ul-Fitr with a free festival in Trafalgar Square. Eid-ul-Fitr literally means 'breaking the fast' and signals the end the holy month of fasting. For the first time there will be a food festival which will offer people the opportunity to sample delicacies from across the Islamic world, including Turkey, Lebanon, India and Morocco.

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When it ends, comes a time of happiness and celebration, as well as forgiveness and unity. I hope that Londoners from all communities will take the opportunity to join our festivities in Trafalgar Square. Eid Mubarak!' The Eid Festival is presented by the Mayor in association with the Eid Committee, a voluntary body made up of representatives from various Muslim community groups and organisations in London. Lebara is the presenting partner. Zee TV is the media partner.

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The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is a longrange, mid-size widebody, twin-engine jet airliner which entered into commercial service in October last year. Boeing states that it is the company's most fuel-efficient airliner and the world's first major airliner to use composite materials as the primary material in the construction of its airframe. The 787 has been designed to be 20% more fuel efficient than the 767 it is to replace.

Albert Bore, Leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “Birmingham has a proud reputation as a diverse city, with residents from the wider Indian subcontinent the fastest growing group, according to the 2011 census. It makes a great deal of sense for there to be a direct flight between Delhi and Birmingham, rather than just London, and so I am delighted to welcome the commencement of the new service.”

UK is the third largest recipient of Indian investment, behind only the UAE and the USA. The Chairman of Air India, Rohit Nandan, flew in on the inaugural service and was welcomed by a delegation of Midlands’ VIPs, including Sir Albert Bore, the Leader of Birmingham City Council and Mr Sri VS Ramalingam, the Consul General for India in Birmingham. Commenting on the special occasion, Sir

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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 10th August 2013

25 retakes for one scene leave Madhuri fuming Madhuri Dixit apparently kept forgetting her lines in Urdu for her next film 'Dedh Ishqiya' She's been a part of the industry for decades but looks like even Madhuri Dixit is not perfect. The actress apparently had to shoot for 25 retakes for her upcoming film as she just couldn't get her lines right. A source says, ‘Mads plays a begum in Abhishek Choubey's sequeal of Ishqiya and she has to speak some lines in Urdu. For one particular scene, she just couldn't mouth them accurately. She was furious with herself.’ Apparently so angry was Madhuri that she stalled the day's shoot. However, she managed the correct lines the next day. ‘Madhuri is generally considered a one-take actress but even she had a tough day,’ adds the source.

‘Krrish 3’ First Look Unveiled Fans of Hrithik Roshan can now rejoice as the first look of his muchanticipated film Krrish 3 has finally been unveiled. Two posters of the film were revealed today by the makers and both of them feature Hrithik in his superhero avatar. While in one of the posters, Roshan Jr. is seen standing straight on a debris of destroyed cars, in the other one the masked hero is seen standing with an unknown demonic character in the backdrop, which most probably is the antagonist of the film, Vivek Oberoi. Directed by Rakesh Roshan, Krrish 3 also stars Priyanka Chopra and Kangna Ranaut and is all set to illumine the screens this Diwali.

Katrina Kaif to sell off car gifted by Salman Khan Actor Katrina Kaif reportedly wants to sell her black SUV, which ex-flame, actor Salman Khan, had gifted her on her birthday last year. “Though Salman and Katrina never talked about their affair in public, they did exchange lavish gifts. Now that they have moved on, Katrina discussed selling off this car with a car dealer,” a source said. It was reported that actor Salman Khan, who is slated to go to London for the shoot of filmmaker Sajid Nadiadwala’s Kick, has apparently been denied a UK visa. Speculation was that it was due to his involvement in the hit-and-run case, however, after talking to his father, writer Salim Khan, we’ve been told that the visa issue is not related to the pending case.

Lakshmi Menon Sells Idli Yes you read it right. Young actress Lakshmi Menon is acting as an idli seller and has walked the extra mile to perfect her role in her upcoming film 'Jigarthanda'. Directed by Karthik Subburaj of 'Pizza' fame, 'Jigarthanda' is said to be a suspense thriller. Starring Siddharth and Lakshmi Menon in the lead, the

Lakshmi Menon as an idli seller and the actress says she personally visited a few idli shops before shoot, to get a hang of her role. "It feels great to do such real time roles. I have even danced for a kuthu number in the movie. The song was shot in Madurai and I am excited about having tried this genre for the first time" she beams. Apart from

movie has been

progressing at a fast pace and most of the shoot was held in Madurai. The film portrays

'Jigarthanda', the actress is also acting along side Gautam Karthik in 'Sippai'.

Tabu says no for marriage Bollywood has seen a few weddings last year with Kareena Kapoor and Vidya Balan tying the knot, but ask actor Tabu if she plans to get hitched anytime soon, and she says, “Don’t ask me questions on marriage. Yeh abhi puraana ho gaya. Jo nahi hai uske bare mein baat karne ka kya faayda.” The 41-year-old actor, who was last seen in Ang Lee’s Life Of Pi (2012), isn’t part of many Bollywood films now. Is she being selective? “My criteria (of choosing work) is different. Earlier I just wanted to do good roles. Uske liye kuch bhi karna pade ... but that is over now. I don’t feel the need to kill myself or reduce my money just for a good role. I have done all that. So, now the project has to be big enough for me to be comfortable in,” she says, and adds on a list of demands, “They’ve to pay me well and look after me well. I have to feel that it is worth spending my time on a film. I have to take back something with me after the experience.

Salman Khan gets his UK visa Bollywood actor Salman Khan can finally heave a sigh of relief. His visa woes are over and now he can fly to London and shoot for Sajid Nadiadwala's next film. The film was held up as Salman's UK visa was allegedly rejected and apparently authorities had not given any reason for doing so. According to reports, Salman would be leaving for London in a week's time. Till then he will wrap up other commitments. While Salman was facing hassles regarding his visa in India, Sajid was trying his best to follow the schedule by shooting with rest of the cast including Randeep Hooda. And apparently, Salman's portions was being shot by his body double. These portions are scenes that Salman can't do due to his health. While media reports about Salman's UK visa getting rejected created a hue and cry, there were sections of industry that claimed it was due to his proceeding against the actor in 2002 hit and run case. Do you think Salman should be punished for 2002 hit and run case?

Arima Nambi to commence the next phase Vikram Prabhu sure is giving out an air of promises in the upcoming gen of heroes, his looks and acting sure will be put to test for his upcoming flicks, as he already has a lineup of them. Arima Nambi is being directed by a former associate of AR Murugadoss, Anand so expect pace and power packed script he might be taking a page out of his Guru's. The movie is also being directed by ace producer Kalaipuli.S.Thanu. The movie also has the new Barbie doll of Kollywood: Priya Anand, who is also busy signing off movies with a stronghold. The first schedule was wrapped up last month and the second phase of shooting is to kick start by late August. With Sivamani's thumping music, it will be a peppy show in the music department indeed.

Imran and Sonakshi sizzle in ‘Once upon a time in Mumbai Dobaara’ At a recent closed door screening of Once Upon A Time in Mumbai Dobaara held in Mumbai, senior Balaji officials were incredibly impressed with the fresh and crackling Imran Khan and Sonakshi Sinha chemistry that is being depicted on the silver screen for the first time. So much so that Ekta Kapoor spoke to her team

members immediately about casting them together in a future Balaji film. Says a source: "Balaji is producing a large number of films with wellknown directors and has

decided to cast the duo in a romantic film. Ekta Kapoor confirmed: "We were amazed at the sparkling chemistry between Imran and Sonakshi. They are the new romantic pair created and we would definitely like to repeat them in one of our future

productions." Directed by Milan Luthria the film also stars superstar Akshay Kumar as well as Sonali Bendre, who makes her return to the big screen after a 10-year hiatus. Once Upon A Time In Mumbai Dobaara releases on 15th August through B4U globally.

Bipasha Basu to marry Harman Baweja? A

fter her much-publicized breakup with John Abraham, Bipasha Basu has reportedly found new love. The 'Raaz 3' actress is allegedly dating actor Harman Baweja, and both were seen leaving for a holiday in Goa. According to onlookers, both Bipasha and Harman seem quite smitten with each other. Also if sources are to believed, both are very serious about each other and are contemplating marriage. However, both are little hesitant to talk about their relationship in public and are waiting for Harman to finally create a name for himself in Bollywood with his next release. While Harman was reportedly seeing superstar Priyanka Chopra, Bipasha too has had her share of flings with model-actor Dino Morea and John Abraham. We hope this time Bipasha finds long-lasting love with Harman.

Farhan Akhtar has changed after 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag' F

arhan Akhtar has earlier said, "When I take up a film, I always think of the effect it will have on my children when they see the film years later." 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag' will certainly qualify as a film that he can be proud of. As the film nears the 100-crore mark and continues to get the love from the audience and the tax-free special status given to it by several state governments, we spoke to Farhan urf Milkha about how the film has changed his life. Excerpts: The success of the film Bhaag Milkha Bhaag has given me a lot of confidence to look out for things that will be challenging to do. It also makes a lot of writers and filmmakers not think of me as just an urban metro-centric guy and I am being offered different roles breaking the mould I was slotted in so far. When you make a film, you can never plan success, but can only hope for the best. The moment you plan it, the design will destroy it. But when it surpasses what you had planned, you feel so small in comparison. It's a great reassurance to be true to your instinct. To me, the philosophy of Milkhaji is true that genuinely if you work hard, the results can be outstanding. We remember him as he worked harder than anyone else at that time. I feel really happy and grateful for the acceptance, given what has gone into the film and the love it has got in return. There is

something about this movie that has resonated and touched people's hearts for me, more than ever before. I was talking to my dad the other day that never before on any film that I

have made or directed or acted in, has a film appealed to a cross-section of society like this has. From the moment I leave home, from the guy who checks your ID at the airport to the lady who checks you in to the guy who gives you the coffee at the lounge to the guy who is tearing the boarding pass at the boarding gate to the man in the suit sitting next to you in the flight to the driver who picks you up at the airport, says nice things about the film. And that is because it is a human story that has touched every strata of society. I felt really good post the release of the film, when I got a phone call from Shah Rukh (known to be Farhan's close friend) who said, 'I just called to say apni picture hit ho gayee.' I was so touched. I remember so clearly as a kid, my biggest problem in life was I used to never follow up on anything. I would get excited about doing something, but the fad would fade off within 2-3 weeks. The guy in Lakshya had a lot of me in it. While it has not happened overnight, I have come a full circle in this film. It was really tough, but the commitment to play Milkha revealed the extent to which you had to dig deep, no matter what happens to do the role. It's a game changer for setting standards of hard work that an actor can put into a role. While in the industry we

compete for the outside world, within the fraternity, I find it extremely

inspirational when I see good work as you want to do something even better. It's amazing if my work will inspire others.

Any girl would like to date Ranbir:Rishi

Rishi Kapoor has spoken about his son Ranbir's link-ups in a mag interview. He says, "He's not that kind. Even if he is; why not? He's successful Any girl would like to date him. Abhi nahi karega toh kab meri umar mein aakey karega? This is the age to find a soulmate. He's seeing everyone because I keep seeing A B C and D in the house. But I don't think that A knows about B and C knows about D. The staff knows and I know. I'm still the boss of the house. The news reaches my ears.` Ahem... but that's frank Chintu speak.

Madras Café

“M

is thought provoking film

adras Cafe has been my dream project and we’ve been in discussions for years over the subject. We’ve worked extremely hard on the film and are satisfied with the outcome. What I can assure you is audiences will be talking about the film even after they’ve stepped out of the theater. It is a high-on-content, thought provoking film.”says John Abraham who plays the role of an Indian intelligence agent in the film. It is an upcoming Indian political spy thriller film directed by Shoojit Sircar. Nargis Fakhri, is the female lead plays an international reporter. The film also deals with the subject of terrorism, and is shot in India, Thailand, Bangkok and other places. It is set to release on August 23. Essaying the role of special agent, John sports a body which is more real and naturally lean. The film is political spy thriller set against backdrop of the Sri Lankan Civil War of the 1990s. Indian Army special officer who is appointed by Indian intelligence agency to conduct covert operations in Sri Lanka. As he journeys to an island at war, with the intention of disrupting a rebel group, he discover the larger issue. There he meets a journalist who is there to reveal the truth about the civil war, and in the process uncovers a conspiracy.John says ‘It is very different movie and something which London audience must have not seen before, Madras Café is on different line altogether. If one is looking for dance like entertainment, this is not for them but a film that will make you sit back and think, Well, more than anything else, Madras Café will make you think and deliberate at coffee tables, board rooms and other gatherings. That’s something that I would want to do with certain films with mine where commerce and content come together.”

Sunny Leone goes bold with Sachin Joshi in ‘Jackpot’ I

ndo-Canadian adult film actress Sunny Leone, who was seen in a dare-bare role in Bollywood film Jism 2, has shot a bold scene with actor Sachin Joshi for new film Jackpot.They are in Goa to shoot the film, and Sachin guarantees that the bold scene has been well-shot. "We shot for a bold sequence, and now I would like to leave it to the audience. I am not allowed to talk much about that scene. I can assure you it is shot aesthetically and it doesn't look vulgar," Sachin said. The film is directed by Kaizad Gustad, who made the 1998 film Bombay Boys, followed by Boom in 2003. Talking about Sunny, Gustad said: "Sunny will be seen in a very edgy and sharp character. She is playing a sophisticated woman. Yes, there is a bold scene in the film between Sunny and Sachin."

Is Ranveer Singh too possessive of Deepika Padukone?

It certainly looks like that. The Gunday actor was present on the sets of the Lungi dance song from Chennai Express Looks like Ranveer Singh can’t get enough of Deepika Padukone! Whether Dippy is shooting in Wai or in Dubai, her Ram Leela co-star manages to pop up everywhere and that’s what happened on the sets of Chennai Express. After Deepika and Shahrukh Khan shot the Lungi song, director Rohit Shetty shouted pack up and suddenly Ranveer appeared on the sets out of nowhere to cheer his gal. While Mr Singh was happy to be part of the closing celebration of the Lungi song, we hear the Chennai Express lass hardly paid any attention. Deepika fed a big chunk of cake to her director and some of her friends who were present at the occasion but not Ranveer. Now that’s surprising! It seems like the Band Baaja Baaraat actor needs to understand that giving space to your girl is as important as spending time with her. All we can say is – Take it slow Ranveer!

Why Vidya is loosing interest in Subbulakshmi's biopic? With the film entangled in legal soup, Vidya Balan might be ready to move on Vidya Balan's impressive portrayal of South siren Silk Smitha had earned applause from even the harshest of critics. Naturally, cinephiles had been eagerly waiting for her upcoming biopic based on famous Carnatic singer and Bharat Ratna winner M S Subbulakshmi. However, insiders say with the project stuck due to legal hassles, Vids is reportedly losing interest in it.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 10th August 2013

movie has been

progressing at a fast pace and most of the shoot was held in Madurai. The film portrays

'Jigarthanda', the actress is also acting along side Gautam Karthik in 'Sippai'.

members immediately about casting them together in a future Balaji film. Says a source: "Balaji is producing a large number of films with wellknown directors and has

Bipasha Basu to marry Harman Baweja? A

Farhan Akhtar has changed after 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag' F

something about this movie that has resonated and touched people's hearts for me, more than ever before. I was talking to my dad the other day that never before on any film that I

compete for the outside world, within the fraternity, I find it extremely

inspirational when I see good work as you want to do something even better. It's amazing if my work will inspire others.

Any girl would like to date Ranbir:Rishi

Madras Café

“M

is thought provoking film

Sunny Leone goes bold with Sachin Joshi in ‘Jackpot’ I

Is Ranveer Singh too possessive of Deepika Padukone?

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 10th August 2013

Financial Voice Dear Financial Voice Reader,

Summer is a time to contemplate – including your trading and investing. So I penned this: The Setting Is A Wedding. The marriage of the daughter of a Priest to the son of a Trader. The wedding is finished and people are now dancing. In one corner of a large outdoor tent the father of the bride and groom sit at a table having some wine with one or two other guests including a philosophy professor. Trader: I know you didn’t want this marriage. Let’s be honest. I also know you think we’re not worthy. But what you and I do is very much the same. Priest: How so? ‘In God we Trust’? But whilst you print that on your money, and hold your money up as your God, I Trust in God with no mention of money. Trader: I’ll leave aside that nowhere on earth does a non-governmental institution hold so much wealth as the Church. No, I meant, that for me to be successful, I must be detached from the fruits of my labour. A Trader to make money must not focus on the money itself but rather perform his actions with detachment and the rewards will follow. I read somewhere it’s what you teach – detachment in all things. Philosophy Professor: You’re mistaking Christian teaching with that of Hinduism. “Better indeed is knowledge than mechanical practice. Better than knowledge is meditation. But better still is surrender of attachment to results, because there follows immediate peace.” It’s from the Bhagavad Gita, an Indian religious text, 5,000 years old. Priest: I do not understand that helps you in your business and what business it is of mine? Philosophy Professor: The Hindus argue all religions, including yours padre, lead to one truth, one god and that to attain true enlightenment one must be detached from the vagaries of daily life, emotions and through such self-control, rather like with the Priesthood, we become closer to god. Priest: Are you both trying to tell me that trading is an act of religious devotion? Or brings you closer to god? Exactly how much wine have you drunk? Trader: No, I’m telling you that a bad Trader needs detachment from money and emotions. In trading he will experience in one day most of the emotions mankind and the church have been battling for centuries and telling us to control: fear, greed, anger. The Trader has to do exactly that. Trader: You know, our children have got married, but you never told me how you became a Priest? Priest: Before I joined the Priesthood I was a mathematics teacher and it is mathematics which led me to god. Trader: See I told you we had a lot in common. I deal with maths everyday, and the maths leads me to god – ‘in God we trust’ remember. Priest: Not quite. I didn’t use maths to make money. Consider the beauty there is in mathematics. You mentioned Hindus earlier Professor. Take the Pingala sequence discovered by the Indians in 200BC. You will know it better by its Western discoverer – Fibonacci some 1,400 years later. The first two Fibonacci numbers are 0 and 1, and each remaining number is the sum of the previous two. So it runs 0,1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21,34,55,89,144 and so on. Fibonacci sequences appear in biological settings, in two consecutive Fibonacci numbers, such as branching in trees, arrangement of leaves on a stem, the fruitlets of a pineapple, the flowering of artichoke, an uncurling fern and the arrangement of a pine cone. The Fibonacci numbers are also found in the family tree of honeybees. God saw fit to make himself known through numbers. Through design in nature. It was these types of clues throughout mathematics of a higher power, a designer, that led me to god. Galileo Galilei asserted that "the laws of nature are written by the hand of God in the language of mathematics." Philosophy Professor: And to return to the Indians, according to the great Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan, "an equation is meaningless to me unless it expresses a thought of God." Trader: You know there are traders who use only Fibonacci numbers to forecast the next move in global markets. Priest: Wherever there is god, there is man to make money from Him. Trader: Amen to that Father of the bride.

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Falling rupee adds to India’s economic woes

India's currency - the rupee - has fallen to an all time low in recent weeks, putting pressure on nearly every facet of the once booming economy. The depreciation is affecting many who are already hurt by the country's high inflation rate. New Delhi resident Jaskaran Lamba knew pursuing a Masters in Public Administration at Columbia University in New York would be expensive. What he did not count on was a 13 per cent drop in the rupee’s value in just two months to reach a record low of 60 against the US dollar. The additional financial burden has made him second guess whether starting the two year program in September will be worth it. “The fact remains that I am going to pay $100,000 and if that $100,000 means a difference of five rupees, that’s straight five lakh [500,000 rupees or $8,500]. Even if I take a loan or my parents are funding me, that’s a difference of five lakh to them or to me from my savings,” Lamba stated. He is not alone. Effects

of the rupee’s depreciation will spread across much of the Indian economy, with most people eventually feeling the pinch. Not only will imports, such as electronics and auto parts, be more expensive - but fuel costs will likely also go up. India is the world’s fourth largest importer of oil - relying on imports for 80 per cent of its crude needs. Rising fuel prices means higher transportation costs that will hit consumers already dealing with high food inflation. India is not alone in seeing its currency depreciate - other emerging markets like Brazil and South Africa have also been affected by the strengthening of the dollar. But economists here say the rupee was already under pressure from a high fiscal deficit, untamable inflation and a lack of foreign direct investment. The falling rupee could

help Indian exports by making them cheaper. But N. R. Bhanamurthy with the New Delhi-based National Institute of Public Finance and Policy said that is likely not enough to overcome many of the challenges that foreign companies face doing business in India. “I think it’s very important for the government to bring in more growth-oriented policies so that you attract more investment. In fact, you can control the domestic capital going out. For the last two to three months, there is a trend that domestic capital is going out,” said Bhanamurthy. Whether it was dealing with bureaucracy or bribes, Anant Dehadrai saw firsthand the hurdles foreign companies face as a former head of a Japanese firm in India and now an investor in India’s health system. “If I have an opportunity to be in India or somewhere else, I would rather go somewhere else," Dehadrai stated. "Where it’s so much easier to do business. At the end of the day, I want to optimize my profits.

Why should I come here?” With two children living abroad, including a son who just finished law school in the United States, Dehadrai is acutely aware of the effect of the rupee’s depreciation. He remembers paying 40 rupees against the dollar and hopes those days and that of India’s economic prosperity are not a thing of the past. India out of trilliondollar club: India slipped out of the elite global league of stock markets with a trillion-dollar valuation, as total value of all its listed companies fell to $989 billion amid huge selling pressure on the bourses. At the end of Tuesday's trade, total market capitalisation of all listed companies in the country fell to Rs 60,185.04 billion, as the stocks witnessed a large scale sell off that dragged down the benchmark Sensex by over two per cent to below 19,000-level after a gap of over five weeks. Rupee at its all-time low of 61.80 against the US dollar, but recovered later to close marginally higher near 60.81 level.

Raghuram Rajan appointed RBI governor, faces daunting task India’s chief economic advisor Raghuram G Rajan has been appointed as the next governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Rajan will replace D Subbarao, who completes his five-year term on September 4, and will be the 23rd governor of the central bank. "Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has approved appointment of Raghuram Rajan as governor of RBI for a term of three years," an official statement said. Rajan, a former IMF chief economist, was appointed as the chief economic advisor in the finance ministry in August last year. As the new RBI chief, Rajan will have a

challenging time as he will have to battle the declining rupee, sliding growth and rising retail inflation, amid global economic uncertainty. Known for his frank views, Rajan was also honorary economic adviser to the Prime Minister. He was acclaimed for predict-

ing the 2008 global financial crisis. An alumni of IIMAhmedabad and IIT-Delhi, Rajan did his doctorate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He was professor at the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business before taking over as CEA. Rajan was also involved with the report on financial sector reforms, which was authorised by the Planning Commission. Known for his frank views, Rajan was acclaimed for predicting the 2008 global financial crisis. In 2005, Rajan had delivered a lecture severely critical of the financial sector and argued that a financial disaster might be

looming. He had replaced Kaushik Basu as chief economic adviser in the finance ministry last year. His appointment was generally welcomed by economic administrators and the industry. "Rajan will make an excellent governor at the moment" as he has been dealing with the problems in the last one year, said C Rangarajan, chairman of the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council (PMEAC) and a former RBI governor. Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said Rajan was coming in at a tough time but he has a terrific academic and professional background.

UK exploring possibilities for investment in Tripura: Bevan The British government is exploring the possibilities of investment and cooperation in the fields of energy, manufacturing, tourism and education in Tripura, British high commissioner to India Sir James Bevan has said. "Tripura has a promising future because it is a peaceful and safe state where many development works have taken place. I have discussed with him regarding investment and cooperation in the fields of

James Bevan

energy, manufacturing, tourism and education sector," Bevan who met chief

minister Manik Sarkar, told reporters on Monday. "We are looking for close relations with British government and Tripura for mutual benefits," he said. He said the chief minister had sought British High Commission's help in imparting training in English language for the students and teachers here. Besides, he also sought British expertise in professional skill development. "Since Tripura has

good quality of gas, we can work together to excel full potential. We can also share expertise in tourism and manufacturing sectors and there are scopes for exchanges in university level and undertake research works," he said. The British envoy said, Tripura had a very cordial relation with neighbouring Bangladesh and I hope the people of the state would get a corridor through the country for going to other part of India.

finAnciAl Voice

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 10th August 2013

The trouble with figures

Suresh Vagjiani Sow & Reap A Property Investment Company

Almost a week ago I was asked to see a flat in Dorset Sq, it was on a late Friday afternoon. The property was on the first floor of a period conversion, the ceilings were unusually high - I would estimate at over 12 ft. in height; it was south facing and had balconies, and access to the Square. Two large floor to ceiling windows in the reception room gave a view to the square. It is unusual to find one feature in a property and this one had several. Moreover the service charge was only £1,200 per annum and the lease length was 92 years. I know of studio flats which have service charges of £3,500 pa and are kept in worse condition than this flat, so this service charge is very modest, especially when you consider it includes an element of building insurance as well. However when we looked at the comparables the property did not look as attractive as it had at first glance. Many properties had been sold less than or around the same as we were purchasing the flat for. Two of the comparables were showing at around £1,000 Per Sq Ft. Other evidence was coming in at £1,200 per sq ft near the square. So on the surface this didn’t look so attractive. Certainly it didn’t seem it was a deal. We were apparently purchasing at £1,200 per sq ft, so 20% over a comparable dated only in February this year. I say apparently because we were led to believe this was a 893 sq ft flat. It didn’t seem that way when we looked at the flat, the flat actually looked bigger.

H owe ve r things are ne ve r as t hey se em on the surface , on clo se r in spectio n th ere we re reaso ns as to the lo w co mparables; two of t he properties we re lowe r g rou nd f lats and t he o thers we re in pu rpose bu il t blo cks. So these are not actually comparables, as you can only compare like for like. Lower ground flats are avoided especially among foreign buyers which represent a large section of buyers in central London. I thought until recently this was because of the possibility of damp and security issues, however I didn’t appreciate the financial ramifications this has on the rental and the void periods of the property. We currently have a situation where a client who has a lower ground property cannot rent this property because of the damp. He cannot simply do the works to rectify the damp as this is the freeholder's responsibility, the managing agent will not do these works because they have not got the money from the other lease holders, and so consequently the flat is remaining empty until this sorry state of affairs gets sorted. And in the interim the landlord is losing rent. The other comparables apart from the lower ground flats were from purpose built blocks and ground floor properties. A quick look around the square will tell you that none of the flats have the ceiling height of a first floor flat. It's almost like you can fit another floor inside property. Many purpose built flats have a school hall type of feel about them, the service charges tend to be high and you do not see where the service charges are being spent. Agents put emphasis on the sq footage of a property when selling, generally no mention is made of the ceiling height. The square foot area is measured but not the volume of the property which seems absurd as you can actually get another floor in and add mezzanine level balconies, this would increase the square footage.

natural features of the flat. The flat can be made into a £1.35m flat very easily by spending £120k on it. However the value of this flat is not in the buy and resell but in the buy and hold. The location is heating up and the price here will rise quickly and strongly. The flat is minutes away from both Baker St and Marylebone stations. We passed this on to a client of ours who was specifically looking for a buy to hold property. We spent last week securing the contract at our lawyer’s office and then we arranged one viewing over the weekend on the Saturday gone, and the monies for the exchange were promptly sitting in the lawyers account by Monday morning in anticipation of exchange tomorrow morning - hopefully! The lawyers were working over the weekend in anticipation of an exchange on Monday morning. Their fees certainly reflected this, but in all fairness, if someone is giving up their weekend to close this for us they do need to be compensated. The client's background is property, so he knows a thing or two about a good deal. He also knows we know how to smell a deal and appreciates our local knowledge. He also knows the importance of speed when moving on deals. A property we sourced for him previously went up from £500k to £720k within a year and a half; this property was on the market for £500k and we offered full asking price. Despite receiving contrary opinions he decided to go with our recommendation to purchase this property. This property in Dorset Sq although three bedrooms would show in much better light if the kitchen was shifted to one of the bedrooms. At the moment the kitchen adjoins the reception room, removing it and breaking the wall in between will mean the reception room becomes grand and has three floor to ceiling windows instead of two. This will allow more light and increase the views of the square, though losing one bedroom. However the features which it will bring out will far outweigh the loss of one bedroom. This also is not an area where cramming an extra bedroom will necessarily achieve a higher resell price. This idea would be great for a resell but not necessarily for rentals. The rental market is different to the resell market. A one size fits all strategy will not work and will be very expensive. If the aim is to rent, then the works should not be done. A large segment of the rental market is made up of sharers made up of say three individuals or couples who would share the otherwise expensive rent. The rental on this property would be about £850 per week - £1,000 per week dependent on condition and timing. The yield would be enough to service the mortgage and a little more but not much. The plan for refurbishment to bring out the features would be executed at the time of resell not whilst the property is being rented. If this was done the amount spent would not justify the increase in rental, and the property would also lose a bedroom. Decision making and speed are two of the characteristics which separate the investors who make money and those who do not. That is not to say they always make the right decisions, but they do not procrastinate and sit on the fence when a deal is brought to them. I have seen more people losing money by not making a decision than making the wrong decisions when purchasing property.

These are aspects you can o nly appreciate f rom visiting t he property; the sou th facing view is also ve ry impo rtant as this allows d aylight into the pro perty and this ensures t he f lat has a light and airy feel to it. The particulars hadn’t been done by the agent when we saw the property, we simply got a phone call and were told to come and see the property straight away. Through our connection with the agent we managed to secure the deal at £1.075m, £25k above the asking price. The reason we had to go over was there was another agent on the scene, who had down valued the flat in order to secure it himself. Their floor plans suggested the flat was only 893 sq ft, however this looked way too low, the flat seems nearer the 1,000 sq ft mark. A 100 sq ft means the difference of £100,000 in this location. It seems the agent marketing this property had plans to down value it; unfortunately a common practice in this area. This was a very difficult proposition for an armchair investor to take a decision on, as the comparable evidence doesn’t support the purchase. Two choices existed: either purchase the flat on our say so, or come out and see the property to understand the features. We were confident this flat would make an excellent BTL investment, not in terms of yields but sheer capital growth. We expect this property will reach £1,500 per sq ft by December 2013 very easily - this is my prediction and one which I’m pretty sure of. Property is in short supply in this location. Properties such as this are even shorter when you consider all the features this property has; perhaps ten properties around the block have only some of these features. The property was in dilapidated condition, the high ceiling in certain locations had been lowered to provide storage, thereby ruining the

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Tips of the Week l Investing in bricks and mortar means the investment is real, hence it cannot simply disappear, like non tangible investments such as stocks and shares. l Make sure you get the right mortgage while flipping properties otherwise you will end up paying big penalties when you sell quickly.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 10th August 2013

Indian eases FDI rules for retail, defence Maria Fernandes

maria@abplgroup.com

Racial Profiling – is it any wonder?

The furore about immigration officers stopping and searching ethnic minorities is nothing new – after all the mood music in the last couple of years has been overwhelmingly about migrants and most of it negative. The strategy has more recently been rolled out by the Pied Piper van that calls out to illegal migrant to give themselves up. With the change in law extending the powers of officers to carry out internal immigration control, so comes responsibility. An undertaking has been given to Parliament that enforcement visits will be based on intelligence rather than on fishing expeditions. The test for carrying out a street operation is that there must be a reasonable suspicion that there will be immigration offenders in the area. This, in practice, means going to areas like Wembley or Southall where there will be rich pickings. Officers are bound to find someone who is illegal and this they will argue justifies the visit. And the racial profile of the people they are likely to find? You get the picture. Be in no doubt that this is racial profiling at its best and more than that, it is legal. Take the van asking illegal workers to go home. It scoured Brent and Southall. Was it seen in Mayfair or in Maida Vale? This intrusion is set to increase with the

introduction of laws requiring landlord to check immigration status. Already the Government has announced that certain areas will be targeted. Guess where they will target? The courts have stated that the questioning of individuals on the street must involve some information to justify this process. The questioning must be consensual. Individuals cannot be compelled to answer questions and if a person exercises their right not to answer questions and leave, there is no power to arrest a person purely on suspicion of committing an immigration offence. The Equality Act 2010 makes it unlawful to carry out their duties in a way that treats some people less favourably than others. There is an exception to this when undertaking immigration functions if authorised by ministers. In other words: legalised racism. Colour can never be the reason for stopping a person. If they are targeting people of a certain racial profile they should be able to justify reasons why they have done so. In joint operations with the police, the police can only refer a person to an immigration officer if they have reasonable suspicion and again the questioning must be consensual. Reasonable suspicion can arise in numerous ways.

India’s tax department gets more teeth

When DLF Commercial Projects Corporation - a partnership firm in which India's largest real estate firm, DLF, held 74% - filed its income-tax returns in September 2009, declaring a loss of Rs 201 million, the assessing officer could not understand certain transactions. One such transaction was Rs 37.17 billion received as advances by DLF Commercial from its parent, on which it paid no interest and invested this amount in more than 100 firms. The assessing officer ordered a 'special audit' - a relook at the company's accounts by an auditor appointed and paid by the I-T department. DLF Commercial objected to this special audit in the Delhi High Court, and won the decision in October 2012. In recent years, several frontline companies have challenged the I-T depart-

ment's special audit in court - Nokia India, Hero MotoCorp and Sahara India are three other examples. But the ability of corporates to resist such an oversight audit might be weakened following a widening in the scope of the law. Effective from June 1, the I-T department can order such audits on six counts. Accounting professionals say that while this gives more teeth to the I-T department to order special audits, it also raises the spectre of harassment if these powers were used more as a rule than as an exception. "This move is surely a weapon in hands of I-T department to gather exhaustive facts of transactions and would lead to more instances of special audit," says Himanshu Parekh, partner-global international corporate tax with KPMG.

In its latest bid to woo global chains such as WalMart and Carrefour, the government of India sweetened the deal for foreign investment in multi-brand retail stores. It also liberalized the rules for overseas companies looking to invest in manufacturing defence goods or running telecom companies. At the same time, the Cabinet approved a plan to tighten the norms for ‘control’ of companies with foreign investment by Indians to ensure that foreign players do not overwhelm any joint venture partnership. The Cabinet decision to open the door for FDI was an official endorsement of a decision taken at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to ease the rules in nearly a dozen sectors. In most sectors, the simplification will allow companies to only inform the government after investment instead of

having to get the proposal approved by the Foreign Investment Promotion Board. With no investor setting shop after the government allowed FDI in multi-brand retail 10 months ago, the government has decided to water down some of the provi-

have a city with one million population was a relaxation permitted. The move will allow stores to come up in cities such as Gurgaon and Aurangabad. Industry and commerce minister Anand Sharma told reporters that retailers can now source goods from medium, small

sions which were seen as obstacles to investment. The Cabinet decided that foreign retailers would now be allowed to open stores in cities that have a population of less than one million. Earlier, supermarkets could only come up in 53 cities. Only in case of states that did not

and micro enterprises, where the investment cap will be $2 million, instead of the earlier ceiling of $1 million to comply with the requirement of sourcing at least 30% goods from small vendors. Further, sourcing can continue even after the $2 million investment cap is breached. “You can’t

penalize a small company for being competitive,” Sharma reasoned. As a further relaxation in the rules, the government has said that retailers can buy from farmers’ and agriculture cooperatives, which will be counted in the sourcing requirement. The sourcing norms have to be met over a five-year period. To address another concern, the government has said that at least 50% of total FDI brought in the first tranche of $100 million will be invested in creating backend infrastructure within three years. Cabinet clears 10% IOC disinvestment: Meanwhile, the Cabinet cleared the proposal for sale of 10% government stake in Indian Oil Corporation, which may fetch around Rs 37.50 billion to the exchequer at the current market price. “The IOC disinvestment proposal has been cleared by the CCEA,” sources said.

Manmohan, Chidambaram vow 3 WTC franchisees keen steps to reverse slowdown to set up office in Gujarat India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh vowed to accelerate the pace of reforms to reverse the economic slowdown. “The last couple of years have been challenging not only for us but for the whole world. We must view this as a short term deceleration,” Singh said at a book release function. “Our government is determined to once again accelerate the pace of change. Once again, we will prove the naysayers and Cassandras of doom wrong,” Singh said. The prime minister said the economy slowed to 5% in 2012-13 but this did not signal that the economy has slipped back to the old growth rates. “Over the past decade, when the economy had absorbed the full benefit of the reforms that began in 1991, our economy has grown at close to 7.5%,” Singh said. “Our growth rate has slowed down to 5% in 2012-13. But this

should not make us feel disheartened and imagine that we have slipped back to our old growth rate.” He said that the government has to deal with the macro-economic imbalances that have developed and there are major challenges in key sectors such as such as energy, water, and land. Earlier, finance minister P Chidambaram defended the government’s reform track and rejected the charge of a policy paralysis saying a number of decisions have been taken.

Three franchisees of the World Trade Centre (WTC) in India have expressed a desire to set up a new office in Gujarat International Finance-Tec City (GIFT). The franchisees sent their project proposals to the state government in this regard a few weeks ago, claim urban development department officials. The franchises belong to Pune, Gurgaon and Mumbai and are part of World Trade Centre Association (WTCA). Seeing multiple franchisees vying for the same space in GIFT city, the matter will now be taken up with the WTC board in New York. “The meeting at WTC New York is scheduled for October. The board will decide which of the three franchisees could go ahead and hold talks with the state government,” claims a senior urban development official. GIFT director RK Jha confirmed that a letter of interest had been received

from the three franchisees, “I have received the letter. But the project proposals are with the state government. I would not be able to elaborate on this much,” said Jha. The purpose of a WTC is to make information available on world trade in real time and coordinated manner. “In such an environment, exports increase because of accessibility to valuable expertise. Among the 19 major facilities that are mandatory at a WTC are a club, large meeting rooms, group trade mission offices, translating services, trade fair and marts, international trade library, trade education services, display and exhibition facilities and a hotel. By August 15 Narsee Monjee will lay the foundation stone for a new educational institute. International Textile Machinery Exhibition (ITME) will start construction work for its centre by September on its 350,000 square feet area.

India considers incentives to revive auto sector The government of India is considering a plan to give cash or tax incentives for replacement of passenger and commercial vehicles that are over 12 years old as part of a plan to reboot the auto sector and revive manufacturing. Commerce and industry minister Anand Sharma said that his ministry had made a recommendation for the sops for various sectors, including construction and capital goods, which are under consideration. “If a trucker is given Rs 100,000 incentive plus some tax benefit just to replace the old ones. Then if you replace 50,000 trucks in the country, it

would cost you Rs 5 billion but it will revive manufacturing,” the minister said while elaborating the proposal. The manufacturing sector has been under acute stress due to high interest rates, stubborn inflation and high input costs. Overall industrial output growth fell 1.6% in July while the manufacturing sector slumped 2% prompting urgent calls for measures to revive the vital sector with sales of key products such as automobiles and white goods remaining weak. Preliminary data released by listed auto companies shows that companies such as

Hyundai, Mahindra & Mahindra, Toyota and Tata Motors saw sales decline in July, while market leader Maruti Suzuki managed to drive back into positive terrain. The picture is equally gloomy in the commercial vehicles space. Indian Foundation of Transport Research and Training said that truck and trailer sales fell over 21% in May to around 17,350 units. The auto industry has demanded a stimulus package, including tax breaks, to revive demand for vehicles. A key demand is to reduce the excise duty on small cars from 12% to 8% and have a fixed levy of 20% against up to 30%

for larger vehicles. The government has been reluctant in slashing rates given the fiscal pressures and fears that it may find it tough to achieve the budget target due to poor sales and weak demand. Economists said the plan was good for the stressed sector, but not enough. “This is good at the margins, but may not be a game changer,” Siddhartha Sanyal, regional economist at Barclays Capital, said. But government officials pointed out that there were implementation issues as well. “How do you provide the subsidy and what do you do with the old vehicles?” asked one.

finAnciAl voice

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 10th August 2013

Foreign Exchange Paresh Davdra is the Dealing Director of RationalFX, Currency Specialists.

UK Economy Gathering Pace

Weekly Currencies As of Tuesday 6th August 2013 @ 4pm GBP - INR = 93.96

Last week we saw all three central banks come into focus with the US Federal Reserve Bank outlining monetary policy, the Bank of England deciding on the key interest rate and quantitative easing plan and the European Central Bank outlining monetary policy as well. Starting with the US, the Federal Reserve reaffirmed what they said back in the July monetary policy press conference, by stating that they will continue its bond buying program for the time being and monetary policy will remain accommodative as the outlook for inflation and the job market changes. Bernanke made particular reference to the Fed’s 2% inflationary target, stating that whilst the rate remains below this, then we could see a risk to economic performance – consumer spending makes up typically about 70% of US economic growth. The US also experienced some better than expected data as growth figures revealed that the world’s biggest economy grew by 1.7% in the second quarter, up from a revised growth of 1.1% in the first quarter.

The key data however came from the labour market as the nonfarm payrolls and unemployment rates were announced. The overall unemployment rate in the US dropped more than expected to 7.4% down from 7.6%. This will be viewed by investors as a key indicator as to then the Fed will reduce QE as earlier in the year, Bernanke stated he wants to see the overall unemployment rate at 6.5% before scaling back the QE. The number of jobs added to the US jobs market (non-farms) fell below expectations by almost 20k, the lowest in four months. The overall effect was dollar weakness on Friday afternoon closing just above 1.53. The European Central Bank held their interest rates on hold however Mario Draghi indirectly hinted at possible future cuts by stating that ‘we are not at zero’. He was relatively positive over

the general economic health of the euro zone and this was reflected in the euro as it gathered some momentum over the pound and the US dollar. In other news from the euro zone the European Commission declared that Greece’s bailout remains on track and they remained confident that Greece will return to growth in 2014. Expectations remain for growth to shrink by 4.2% this year but then to rise to 0.6% in 2014. Data wise we had mixed data as manufacturing PMI improved in Italy, Germany and the euro

zone as a whole but falling in Spain and France. Data from the euro zones labour market was fairly positive as the number of unemployed people in Germany fell by 7,000, the unemployment in the euro zone as a whole remained at 12.1% and unemployment in Italy fell to 12.1%. Inflation in the euro zone remained at 1.6%, falling short of an increase to 1.7%. The Bank of England’s interest rate and monetary policy decision was as expected – with the key rate being held at 0.5% and the monthly bond buying program remaining at £375bn per month. The pound was boosted by this news as well as by data showing that the construction sector has expanded – adding to the argument that the recovery in the UK economy is gathering pace. However demand for the pound remains limited ahead of this week’s quarterly inflation report where Mark Carney will detail plans on ‘Forward Guidance’ on interest rates.

USD - INR = 60.77 EUR - INR = 80.87 GBP - USD = 1.54 GBP - EUR = 1.15 EUR - USD = 1.33 GBP - AED = 5.64 GBP - CAD = 1.60 GBP - NZD = 1.95 GBP - AUD = 1.72 GBP - ZAR = 15.23 GBP - HUF = 345.92

www.rationalfx.com Information provided by RationalFX. None of the information on this page constitutes, nor should be construed as financial advice. The exchange rates used are the commercial foreign exchange rates provided by RationalFX. For a live quote or to find out more about how RationalFX can help you, call us on 0207 220 8181.

Pakistan-Bangladesh-sri lanka

In Focus Indian mission in Afghan attacked, nine killed

Jalalabad: Suicide bombers targeted the Indian consulate in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad on Saturday, detonating a car packed with explosives and killing nine civilians, including seven children in a nearby mosque. The terrorist strike came days after a security team from Delhi visited Kabul following reports that the ISI-backed Haqqani network was plotting to attack Indian interests in Afghanistan. A Taliban spokesman immediately denied responsibility for the blast that erupted outside the Indian mission and left the mosque, several houses and shops in ruins.

Gunmen kill 13 bus passengers in Pakistan

Quetta (Pakistan): Dozens of gunmen disguised in police uniforms shot to death 13 people they pulled off of a convoy of buses in southwest Pakistan and dumped their bodies in a nearby ravine, officials said. The motive for the attack on Monday night was unclear since no one has claimed responsibility. But suspicion may fall on separatists who have been waging a low-level insurgency in southwest Baluchistan province for decades. The buses were headed to central Punjab province, and the separatists have a history of attacking Punjabis who they view as outsiders encroaching on their independence. The province is also home to many Islamic militants who have carried out attacks in the past, especially on minority Shiite Muslims.

China-funded port opens in Sri Lanka

Beijing: A Chinese-built container terminal opened in Colombo on Monday giving a new sea route for mega vessels from China. This is a major breakthrough for Beijing, which has been trying to access the eastwest route through Sri Lanka in order to reduce its dependence on the congested and risky Malacca Straits near Malaysia. Sri Lanka, which is conscious of India's concerns about China getting access to the Indian Ocean, has assured New Delhi that the new terminal will not be used for military purpose. But New Delhi has reasons to be worried because China funded a deep sea port in the southern Sri Lankan city of Hambantota, which opened last year.

Floods kill 80 as Pakistan monsoon takes its toll

Islamabad: Torrential rain in Eastern Afghanistan and Pakistan has caused floods that have killed at least 80 people. Pakistani disaster relief officials issued fresh warnings as heavy monsoon rains paralysed parts of Karachi, the country’s biggest city. The downpours overwhelmed main roads and swept away homes in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In neighbouring Afghanistan, flash floods killed more than 40 people, mostly in Surobi district east of Kabul. Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority warned that more thunderstorms and heavy rains are expected.

Sri Lanka arrests 65 Indian fishermen

Colombo: Sixty-five Indian fishermen in nine trawlers have been detained by the Sri Lankan navy for allegedly violating the international maritime border. Naval spokesman commander Kosala Warnakulasuriya has said that 34 of them in five trawlers were arrested off the coast north of Point Pedro in the north.While another 31 were arrested east of Mullaithivu along with four vessels.

Babies given away on Pak TV talkshow

Islamabad: Pakistani TV is screening what many call its most controversial content yet in a ruthless quest for ratings - a talkshow host who gives away babies live on air. Aamir Liaquat Hussain, a 41-year-old with a neatly trimmed beard, gave away two abandoned infant girls to childless families last month.

www.abplgroup.com - asian Voice 10th August 2013

High alert in Pakistan after serious Taliban threat

Islamabad: Pakistan has taken unprecedented security measures to fend off a looming threat by Taliban militants to launch the "biggest attack" on some unspecified important installation, officials said. Joint teams of commandos from the army, navy and air force went into action and took control of important facilities like the Benazir Bhutto International Airport in Rawalpindi and several key sensitive security buildings in Islamabad. Elite police units were deployed at prisons, the parliament building, diplomatic enclave, five-star hotels and other key places in the capital frequented by VVIPs.

"It is the highest level of security in the country," Islamabad Police chief Sikandar Hayat said. Security was ratcheted up after credible reports that Taliban militants were planning to storm some key building and take people hostage. An intelligence official said militants emboldened by

last week's attack on Dera Ismail Khan jail - during which 252 prisoners escaped - wanted to create an even bigger impact with a highprofile attack. "The secret communication revealed that, apart from other potential targets, the militants want to storm some airport, occupy passenger lounges and even destroy aircraft," the official said. Army and police personnel have been combing the thickly forested Margalla Hills overlooking Islamabad since yesterday, city police chief Hayat said. "We have a very specific threat this time and our forces are searching the hills,"

he said. He confirmed that there were reports the militants could attack some "sensitive" buildings in Islamabad. Hayat did not specify the targets but the President's House, Prime Minister's House and Secretariat, parliament, diplomatic enclave, NGOs' offices, five-star hotels and banks could be on the hit list of the rebels, sources said. Security has also been increased in other cities. The threat emerged after a global warning of possible Al Qaeda attacks, which forced the US and Western nations to temporarily close their missions in some countries.

Indictment of Musharraf Kerry brokers peace: US, Pak to start afresh adjourned over security fear Islamabad: Glossing over strained bilateral ties for over two years, the United States and Pakistan on Thursday agreed to resume the stalled strategic dialogue while Washington played down Islamabad’s concerns over continuing American drone strikes in its lawless northwestern tribal regions to take out Taliban militants. “We are here to speak honestly with each other, openly about any gaps that may exist and we want to bridge,” US secretary of state John Kerry said during his long-anticipated visit to Islamabad, the first highlevel contact after the Nawaz Sharif government took charge. “Our people deserve that we talk directly,” he said. Bilateral ties hit an alltime low in 2011 when US air strikes killed 24 Pakistani soldiers in the tribal region bordering Afghanistan, and after al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden was killed in the garrison town of Abbottabad in a daring secret raid by helicopter-borne US commandos. The killing of two

Pakistanis by CIA contractor Raymond Davis in Lahore further strained ties. “There is a determination to move this relationship to the full partnership that it ought to be, and to find ways to deal with individual issues that have been irritants over the course of the past years,” said Kerry, addressing a joint press conference with Sartaj Aziz, advisor to Sharif on foreign affairs. “I believe that the prime minister is serious about it and so is president Obama.” During his meeting with Sharif, Kerry invited him to visit the US for talks with president Obama. Officials said the talks focused on the economy, energy shortage in Pakistan and security in the region ahead of Nato's withdrawal from Afghanistan next year.

Rawalpindi: A court in Pakistan delayed the indictment of former leader Pervez Musharraf because it was too dangerous for him to attend the proceedings due to threats to his life. Musharraf, once Pakistan's most powerful man, had been expected to be charged over his failure to prevent the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto in 2007. The closely watched case has shattered an unwritten rule in Pakistan that the top military brass are untouchable. Charging Musharraf would be unprecedented in a country ruled by the military for half of its 66-year history. Public Prosecutor Mohammad Azhar told reporters at an anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi - a military city where Bhutto was killed - that the indictment would now take place on August 20. "They have received threat letters," he said, adding that Musharraf's defence had formally requested the court delay the pro-

ceedings until the security situation improved. Musharraf was army chief and seized power in a 1999 coup. He later become president and stepped down in 2008. Bhutto was killed in a gun and suicide bomb attack after an election rally, weeks after she returned to Pakistan from years in self-imposed exile. The government at the time blamed Pakistani Taliban militants and Musharraf has said he warned her of the danger she faced. A U.N. commission of inquiry said in a 2010 report Pakistan failed to properly protect Bhutto or investigate her assassination. Pakistan has been on high alert this week and security has been tight in Islamabad and elsewhere ahead of a Muslim holiday marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Taliban-linked militants threatened to kill Musharraf when he returned to Pakistan in March, hoping to contest an election in May after nearly four years of self-imposed exile.

the judgment which makes its participation in the coming general elections uncertain. The election commission has said the ruling meant Jamaat could not stand in the elections scheduled for the end of this year or early next year. The three-member panel of justices Husain, M Enayetur Rahim and Quazi Reza-Ul Hoque pronounced the judgement accepting a writ petition that challenged the legality of Jamaat’s regis-

tration as a political party. Bangladesh Tariqat Federation’s secretary general Rezaul Haque Chandpuri and 24 others had filed the writ petition on January 25, 2009. Tariqat is a group that preaches Sufi philosophy and promotes secularism. In the petition, they said Jamaat-eIslami was a religion-based political party and it did not believe in independence and sovereignty of Bangladesh. The Tariqat Federation claimed in the petition that the representation of people order law does not allow the registration of a communal outfit as a political party. Police and the elite anticrime Rapid Action Battalion men enforced a strict vigil around the court complex as tension mounted ahead of the verdict while officials said they also kept prepared extra forces to face any law and order situation.

HC declares Jamaat illegal, Bangladesh tense

Dhaka: In a landmark ruling, Bangladesh’s biggest fundamentalist party Jamaat-eIslami was declared “illegal” by the high court which disqualified it from contesting future polls, leaving the oncemost powerful right-wing outfit with an uncertain future. “It is hereby declared illegal,” Moazzem Husain, the chief judge of a high court panel hearing the high profile case, said while ruling in favour of a petition which argued that Jamaat should never have been allowed to register as a political party as its charter breached the secular Constitution. “By majority, rule is made absolute and registration given to Jamaat by the election commission is declared illegal and void,” justice Husain said amid tight security outside the courthouse here. Anti-Jamaat protesters gathered outside the packed

court flashed V-for-victory signs in celebration, even as Islamists took to the streets of Dhaka and other parts of the country, blocking roads and attacking vehicles, police said. Scores of Jamaat supporters burnt a bus and damaged several cars as violence broke out just outside the northern city of Bogra. The party issued a statement calling for a 48hour shut down across the country beginning August 12. It has also moved the appellate division to overturn

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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 10th August 2013

British court rules against euthanasia London: A British appeals court upheld a law against euthanasia in rejecting appeals from two severely disabled men who argued that doctors should be allowed to legally kill them. The two men - one of whom died of pneumonia last year - claimed their right to "private and family life" as guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights was being violated since they were not allowed to choose how and when they wanted to die. In a judgment, the Court of Appeal acknowledged the current law interferes with that right but ruled the ban on euthanasia is justified. It upheld a decision by the High Court last year that any changes to the euthanasia law must be made by politicians, not judges. In a unanimous ruling, the judges said the two men had "permanent and catastrophic physical disabilities" but said the issue of euthanasia "raises profoundly sensitive questions about the nature of our society." The judges wrote that "Parliament represents the conscience of the nation" and said the court had no jurisdiction

to challenge the legal ban on euthanasia. "I am absolutely gutted," said Paul Lamb, one of the men involved, who was severely paralyzed after a car accident. I was hoping for a humane and dignified end," Lamb said in a statement. "This judgment does not give me that." Lamb said he would carry on with the legal fight for euthanasia. His lawyer said they were considering options for appealing the case to the Supreme Court, together with the widow of the other man in the case, Tony Nicklinson. In a related case, the court ruled that an appeal by another disabled man to clarify who will be allowed to help people commit suicide, should be allowed. At the moment, the Crown Prosecution Service does not prosecute close family and friends if they help loved ones travel abroad to commit suicide as long as they act in good faith. There is no such provision for doctors or nurses, for whom it is illegal to help or even provide medical records for patients if they suspect they may want to go abroad for

Hugo Swire meets Sikh representatives about Prof Bhullar

US to sell Indian bomb detector

London: FCO Minister of State for India, Rt Hon Hugo Swire MP, along with Lord Singh of Wimbledon, met Sikh representatives to discuss the case of Professor Bhullar whose appeal for his death sentence to be commuted was rejected by the Indian Supreme Court on 12 April. Mr Swire reiterated the UK Government’s opposition to the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle, in India and elsewhere. The UK will continue to monitor the case of Professor Bhullar closely, as we will in all cases where the death penalty has been given as a sentence. We also continue to call on the Indian government to reintroduce a moratorium on the death penalty, with a view to formal abolition, Mr Swire told Sikh representatives.

Washington: In a first of its kind of reverse technology sharing between India and the US, an innovative explosive detection kit developed by Indian scientists would be manufactured in America and sold globally for quick detection and identification of combinations of explosives. The India-developed US manufactured explosive detection kit was launched at the US Chamber of Commerce building in Washington. This was probably for the first time that technology developed by the Defence Research & D e v e l o p m e n t Organization was being manufactured and marketed in the US, officials and industry partners said. Former US defence secretary William S Cohen described this as an “excellent example” of reverse technology transfer. The detector is not exactly rocket science for which India’s Defence Research and D e v e l o p m e n t Organization (DRDO) is better known, with its work on Agni and other nuclear-capable missiles. But, is a nifty bit of technology that could only have been devised in such a scaled-down version by a country ravaged by terrorist attacks. It attracted a

assisted dying. Lawyers for a man known only as Martin argued the policy was "defective" in failing to outline cases where health care professionals might be allowed to help their patients die. Martin's family wants no involvement in his suicide. In its ruling, the court said that while it was impossible to guarantee immunity for a health care professional who helps someone commit suicide, the current policy should be amended to be more precise. Keir Starmer, director of public prosecutions, said it would be sensible to have the advice of the Supreme Court before any amendments are made to the guidelines. His office is appealing the decision to the Supreme Court. In Europe, euthanasia is allowed in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. Assisted suicide is usually for people who have at least some capacity to kill themselves, perhaps by drinking a lethal beverage or taking a fatal dose of drugs. It is legal in Switzerland, the only European country that allows foreigners to travel there to die.

fair bit of attention from a range of international terrorism experts and law enforcement agencies, for both its price and its features, particularly after it won several awards, and served as an import substitution for more expensive technology India was importing from the west. The kit can be used to instantly identify explosives that are typically used in bomb blasts. At the simplest level, samples from the crime scene are tested against chemicals in the kit, which then determines whether the explosive used is RDX, TNT, PETN or any other. The DRDO has also made a pocket sized, use-and-discard version of the kit, which can be used by local law enforcement agencies to determine quick results in cases such as the Boston marathon bombing and New York City’s Times Square episode. According to the DRDO, the kit can detect and identify explosives based on any combination of nitroesters, nitramines, trinitrotoluene (TNT), dynamite or black powder. The testing requires only 3 to 5 mg of the suspected sample and only 3 or 4 drops of reagents. The kit, which costs less than $100, comes packed in a box the size of a vanity case.

Girl from Chennai dies in UK; father suspects foul play

London: A police inspector from Chennai has alleged that his 18-yearold daughter who came to Britain to train and become an astronaut has been murdered. Georgina Thomsson, a first-year student of bachelor of engineering in aerospace at the University of Liverpool, was found dead in her hostel recently. The university later said she was found hanged in her room. But Georgina's father S Thomsson, a police inspector (law and order) in Chennai, found no hanging marks on her neck. "I suspect foul play," he said. "After I arrived in the UK and investigated, I found out my daughter was supposedly not in her hostel room from June 28 to July 11. The rule is that the hostel is supposed to inform the family or the UK Border Agency if an international student is missing. They didn't even inform the local police station. Also, she supposedly slipped into her room on the night of July 11 and committed suicide by hanging. How come no one saw her entering the premises?" Thomsson said Georgina was a very ambi-

tious girl. Two years ago she was a student of St John's International Residential School in Palanjur, Chennai, when she was selected to go and watch the launch of a spaceship at NASA in the US. Ever since, she had wanted to be like astronaut Sunita Williams. "That is why even though she got through seven colleges in India, she came to the UK to study aerospace engineering," Thomsson said. "She wanted to do her master's in Germany and a PhD in the US before working for NASA. How can someone so dedicated commit suicide? I have been trying to see her body before the post-mortem but the police didn't let me. I finally saw the body on Thursday afternoon. I have investigated hundreds of cases of hanging and murder in Chennai. I know she didn't die of hanging. I will not

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take the body till a proper investigation is launched." Thomsson hadn't spoken to his daughter since February. He said he had called the college several times to speak to Georgina, but the hostel never put the phone through. Recently, Thomsson had sent a mobile phone to Georgina through a friend visiting the UK from Chennai. "After I arrived I found out that last month she had fainted in the bathroom and an ambulance was called," Thomsson said. "She refused to go and wanted to rest in her room. The college never informed me of the incident. A professor also told Georgina to go see a doctor since she had been looking pale. But the college didn't even inform the family." He is now waiting for the coroner in Liverpool to announce an inquest into Georgina's death. Thomsson, who had mortgaged his home to fund Georgina's education, now plans to ask the Indian High Commission for help. Thomsson, who has another daughter, has decided to stay in the UK till an investigation is launched.

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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 10th August 2013

Hugo Swire meets Sikh representatives about Prof Bhullar

US to sell Indian bomb detector

Jaspar centre perfectly placed to serve elderly from Asian community

London: The Jaspar Centre, housed within the majestic Grade II Listed former Harrow Magistrate’s Court building, opened on 22 July, is owned and managed by the Jaspar Foundation; Registered Charity No. 1127243. The Jaspar Foundation have supported various Asian elderly groups since 2009 promoting good health and well-being and organising social activities in order to enrich the fabric of our local community. The Foundation provides grants for projects to relieve people who are in need, hardship or distress due to their social and economic circumstances. It provides grants to institutions and promotes activities which advance the Asian community. The Jaspar Centre is a home for the essence of these Foundation objectives. It is perfectly placed to serve the local area. Focusing on the Asian elderly mem-

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bers of our community, the Centre aims to take over some of the popular social activities run in rooms that have been hired at Harrow Leisure Centre since 2009. The building has been designed with the community in mind. Halls, offices and rooms have been provided for organised activities. Supervised health and cultural activities (such as yoga and general activity classes, folk dancing and singing) will also be provided within the Centre. The Centre will form a hub for daily/weekly activities such as providing fresh hot lunches, medical advice, a dropin clinic, language courses and general welfare support. All the facilities within the building will also be available for private hire. For more information http://www.jasparcentre.org

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IndIa

South Bangalore cops won’t spoil the party, says minister Allaying fears of the pubbing classes that the city's nightlife would be further cut short, home minister K J George said policemen won't play party poopers and disturb pubs and restaurants. Maintaining that these places can remain open till 11.30pm, the minister said police don't have the right to enter legally run pubs or restaurants, unless neighbours complain about loud music.

Karunanidhi asks Centre to take up fishermen’s issues

DMK chief M Karunanidhi sought the Centre's intervention to end increasing incidents of detention of Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy and address their request to fish near the island nation for a select period due to declining resources in Indian waters.

13 killed as landslides, floods ravage Kerala

At least 13 people died in landslides, many more were injured and hundreds displaced across Idukki district in Kerala on Monday. Two others died elsewhere in the state as incessant rains for close to two days saw the Cochin international airport shut down for an unprecedented 48 hours, while the Periyar river, in spate, threatened to inundate Aluva town. The Kerala tourism department has issued an advisory to tourists, advising them against travelling to Munnar and other places in Idduki district.

Music director held for verbally abusing woman

Kollywood music director James Vasanthan was arrested for verbally abusing and showing indecent gestures to his 63-yearold neighbour. This is the second complaint by Radha Venuprasad, a resident of Palavakkam, against the television personality. In her previous she had alleged that Vasanthan attacked her in connection with a dispute pertaining to construction of a house.

Punjab Panjab University students to seek administration help Students of Panjab University (PU) are planning to seek the intervention of the UT administration on the issue of banning Punjabi language in Delhi University (DU) affiliated colleges. Students said they would implore the education secretary to take up the matter with his counterparts in Delhi and urge them to revoke the ban. They have also begun an online campaign and were approaching DU students to garner their support. The students would start a signature campaign and submit over 10,000 signatures to the administration, he added.

Royal fraud busted; uncle held

Close on the heels of victory of a court case of two daughters of the king of Faridkot, the granddaughters of a royal family which used to rule the province of GarhiKotaha in Raipurrani in Panchkula, lodged a first information report (FIR) against their maternal family members for grabbing their three fixed deposits (FDs) amounting to around Rs19 lakh through a forged will.

Seven killed in Haryana accident

At least seven people, including three women and three children, were killed when a car carrying them collided with a truck Monday in Haryana's Rohtak district. One child was rushed to the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS) here in critical condition. Police said the accident took place near Brahmanwas village. The truck was being driven on the wrong side of the road which led to the collision. The truck driver fled after the accident.

www.abplgroup.com - asian Voice 10th August 2013

Jayalalithaa attacks Karunanidhi over food security bill

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa accused arch rival and DMK president M. Karunanidhi of betraying the interests of the state by extending support to the National Food Security Bill. The chief minister said the bill would result in food insecurity in the state. In a statement issued, Jayalalithaa said: "The DMK, which opposed the National Food Security Bill when it was introduced in the Lok Sabha, has changed its position and said it would now support it." Citing news reports, she said the DMK

had opposed the bill in the Lok Sabha in May. Jayalalithaa referred to news reports quoting DMK Member of Parliament T.K.S. Elangovan's comments that the bill was useful for the common man. Elangovan had questioned why the bill was being opposed. "Now Karunanidhi is laying the foundation for extending the party's support to the bill," Jayalalithaa said. She said that through Elangovan, the DMK chief had conveyed that the party would support the food security bill that was totally

240 women freed from dance bars

Close on the heels of police notifying guidelines on bars and restaurants employing women, the Central Crime Branch (CCB rescued 240 women from seven joints running dance bars illegally in Majestic-Gandhinagar area. At the time of raids on Hotel Rajadhani, Hotel Aishwarya , Hotel Sky Heaven, Hotel Sakhi, Hotel Kajal, Port of Pavilion and Blue Heaven, police said they found women gyrating on dance floors and customers misbehaving with them. Police sources said the women were skimpily clad and customers were showering them with currency notes. The joints did not have authorization to play music on the public address system. The raids began past 10pm and ended by midnight . About 300 customers were also picked up and taken to jurisdictional Upparpet police station, and later released. A senior police officer said dance bars are illegal. He said

the rescued women were sent back to their homes after police collected their details, including permanent addresses. They will involve NGOs now to inform the girls' guardians, and check if they can be rehabilitated . Besides recovering music equipment, police also seized Rs 35 ,000 in cash during the raids. Of the rescued women, 50 were from Punjab, 47 from Maharashtra, 32 from West Bengal, 28 from Delhi, 25 each from Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh, nine from Bihar , seven from Andhra Pradesh , four from Rajasthan and one each from Nepal, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. Twenty men were picked up for running these seven joints.

against the state. The chief minister said she had told the central government that the proposed food security law, with lots of confusing provisions, would result in increased expenditure to Tamil Nadu, which was already spending around Rs.5,000 crore by supplying food items at free/subsidised rates. Jayalalithaa said the proposed law would destabilise the public distribution

system in the state and the benefits will not be enjoyed by the poor, but by others. She said that as per the provisions of the proposed bill, the rice allocation to the state will come down by 100,000 tonnes per month, and the state would have to spend an additional Rs.3,000 crore per year to procure rice. Jayalalithaa said Karunanidhi seemed to have forgotten the poor people of Tamil Nadu once his daughter Kanimozhi was elected to the Rajya Sabha. Kanimozhi was reelected to Rajya Sabha recently with Congress support.

Anti-Telangana protests continue in Seemandhra

Lots of protests continued in the Seemandhra region of Andhra Pradesh for the sixth consecutive day against the Congress and UPA's decision to bifurcate the state for creation of Telangana. Samaikyandhra supporters and members of various organisations held protests across coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema districts demanding united Andhra Pradesh, though, the situation was under control, police said. Protesters came up with huge rallies and held demonstrations in Anantapur. However, the situation is under control and peaceful, DIG (Anantapur range) B Balakrishna said, adding that they have taken some protesters into preventive custody. The Samaikyandhra supporters, including students, also held road-blockades, dharnas, formed human chains in Visakhapatnam,

Chittoor, Kurnool districts, besides in Vijayawada and Tirupati cities. They also resorted to tonsuring their heads, washing clothes and cooking food on the roads at some places. A report from Visakhapatnam said agitation for united Andhra Pradesh continued there with rallies, demonstrations and forming human chains by various organisations and Samaikyandhra joint action committee (JAC) students. RTC employees staged a dharna in front of Maddilapalem bus depot demanding the Centre not to bifurcate the state. The relay hunger strike of JAC of lawyers of various bar associations, who boycotted courts till August 8, entered second day. At Polytechnic College, students squatted on the road disrupting the traffic on NH5 forcing the police to disperse them.

Punjab CM Badal seeks Punjab Cong flays Sukhbir’s more autonomy for states ‘item’ women remark

In a perfect example of serving the old wine in new bottle Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal again said that more funds should be placed at the disposal of states by the revision of formula regarding devolution of taxes to states. Badal who was in the city for administering oath to newly elected sarpanches and panches of Ludhiana said that it was the need of the hour to revise the formula for devolution of central funds as the states needed more funds for their primary developmental needs. He again harped on the same demand that the states should be given more share in taxes collected from them adding that the allocation of funds to the states should be made growth dependent, so as to encourage the states to perform better. Stressing on the need for strengthening federalism by increasing devolution of Central funds, he said that if more funds were placed at the disposal of the states an

era of unparalleled development could be ushered in them. He categorically said that by giving the central funds the Union government was not doling out anything special to the states rather it was duty bound to reimburse their share from the revenue collected in form of various taxes from them. Supporting his claims Badal said that it was a known fact that the state governments were well connected with the people at the grass root level due to which they were more aware of their needs. He alleged that due to the Unitary form of government the states were virtually at the mercy of the Union government to carry on the development works.

Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal has found himself in the midst of an unwanted controversy after he used the term "item" while talking about the incidents of crime against women in state during an interview on a news channel. "Agar koi bhi item... (fumbles) ladki pe koi bhi case hota hai, immediate flare up media kar deta hai (Whenever any item... case takes place with women, media flares up such incidents immediately)," Sukhbir said while replying to a query on spurt in crime against women on Teekhi Baat with Prabhu Chawla. The episode was aired on IBN7 on July 28. The Punjab Congress latched on to the remarks with its women wing demanding that Sukhbir tender an unconditional apology to the women in state. "It was a shameful act on the part of the deputy CM. He has not only belittled the women folk but also failed to

keep the dignity of the position he enjoys in the state. He should tender an apology to the women in the state," Nimisha Mehta, vice-president, Punjab Mahila Congress said. Mehta said it was not the first time that Sukhbir has belittled women. Recalling an earlier incident, she said that Sukhbir had asked a woman journalist to repeat the abuse that his brother-inlaw and Punjab Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia had allegedly hurled abuses at Congress legislators on the floor of the Vidhan Sabha. She remembered another such incident, this one involving Sukhbir's father and Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. "When asked about some buffaloes that Badals had sought to be brought from Pakistan, the Punjab CM had said that 'majhan hi magvaian han, memman ni (we have brought only buffaloes, not beautiful women)

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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 10th August 2013

In Focus CCI okays Mumbai’s new airport terminal

The cabinet committee on investment (CCI) under the Cabinet Secretariat cleared the upcoming terminal’s design where international passengers will first go through security check and then clear immigration. Security and intelligence agencies had objected to this layout and wanted it to be changed to the first immigration, then security model, like Delhi’s terminal 3. The CCI has approved the terminal to open in this design.

Govt wins over BJP on pension bill

The UPA’s reforms agenda received a much-needed boost with finance minister P Chidambaram and BJP leaders agreeing on a 26% FDI cap in pension fund management companies, paving the way for the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Bill’s passage in the monsoon session of Parliament.

Hundreds die in India for lack of organs

Neera Yadav (name changed), a 20-year old college student suffering from an endstage renal disease, was in desperate need of a kidney transplant. Though her parents went from pillar to post, they could not find a donor for her in Delhi and she died last month. Experts say this is not an isolated case. Hundreds of people in need of organ transplants cannot be saved every year because of lack of donors.

Incessant rains, flash floods leave 20 dead in Maharashtra Incessant rains and flash floods have left at least 20 people dead in Maharashtra's Chandrapur district.In the rescue efforts, thousands of people in the low-lying areas of region have been evacuated to safer places. In the city we have relocated 5204 people to safe places till now. 2251 people are in relief camps and the rest of them have taken shelter with their relatives.

Mahabodhi temple gets CISF cover

Mahabodhi temple in Bodh Gaya, which was rocked by multiple blasts, will be provided security by CISF, the first shrine to be guarded by the paramilitary force. This decision has been taken by the Union home ministry following a request from the Bihar government after the holiest Buddhist shrine was hit by serial blasts on July 7. Bihar government will bear the expenses to be incurred for deployment of the CISF personnel at Mahabodhi temple.

Midday meal deaths: Principal takes lie detector test Meena Devi, the principal of a Bihar school where 23 children died after eating contaminated food last month, underwent a lie detector test. Meena Devi, principal of the government primary school at Gandaman village in Saran district, was arrested last month and sent to judicial custody till August 5 by a court in Saran. She is named as an accused in the case. She had earlier claimed innocence and denied her involvement in the tragedy.

Mother of two elopes with 16-year-old

A 30-year-old woman, mother of two children, eloped with a 16-year-old boy in Kalvada village of Valsad district around 10 days ago and returned as they had no money. The woman took the teenager to Kalol and Ahmedabad along with her two kids. They stayed at these locations for 10 day and returned when they ran out of money.

Man arrested for raping daughters, granddaughter

A 64-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly raping his two daughters and a granddaughter for several years in Bayan town of Bharatpur district, police said today. "Babulal Dhakar's wife Shakuntala Dhakar was also arrested for supporting him in one of the most cruel acts of perversion," said Ashok Chouhan.

Narendra Modi eyes Obama in battle for cyber world

Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi seems out to prove he is more popular than US President Barack Obama — at least on social networking sites. Having faced a defeat at the hand of the US president in November 2011 when Modi lost following a lastminute spurt in negative votes in the fifth annual Mashable awards in the category of 'Must-Follow Politician On Social Media', the Gujarat CM now wants to get back. By January, Modi's cyberarmy is scripting an architecture that would ensure that his likes on Facebook and followers on Twitter cross Obama's score — 3.64 crore 'likes' on Facebook and 3.45 crore followers on Twitter.

Before fifteen days, the close-knit IT cell of the BJP had sent special online forms to all Modi fan pages on Facebook asking them to 'merge' into the main parent fan page. This would mean all the 'likes' on various individual pages run by Modi fans would get converted into 'likes' on the Gujarat CM's FB page. The BJP team had held meetings with administrators of various Facebook fan pages in Delhi recently and have sought their approval — a move to ensure that the 'likes' increase on Modi's fan page. Today the official fan page 'Narendra Modi' on Facebook has garnered 26.05 lakh 'likes'. Sponsored Facebook page 'Narendra Modi for PM' has 12.45 lakh 'likes' with 13,000 'likes' adding every week.

This site also has 4.71 lakh fans talking about 'Narendra Modi for PM', much more than the official site. Another site sponsored on Facebook is 'Namo India' which too has garnered 2.4 lakh 'likes' in a short time. "We have a team in Hyderabad which has been paid for the job. 'Narendra Modi for PM' will merge into the official campaign fan page once Modi's name is officially declared by the BJP. Besides this, Every MLA in Gujarat and outside the state has been asked to manage their Facebook pages and garner 'likes'. Some MLAs have been given the target of almost 1 lakh likes on Modi's parent page," senior BJP functionary said it. This experiment will be

Now Gita to be taught in madrasas in Madhya Pradesh

The teachings of Hindu scripture Bhagwad Gita will soon be compulsory for young students in Islamic schools of Madhya Pradesh, says the state's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, its latest in a series of decisions criticised as 'saffronisation of education'. The MP government's August 1 order says Urdu textbooks of Class 1 and 2 will include teachings of the Gita - considered one of the holiest of Hindu scriptures chronicling Lord Krishna's advice to a dithering prince Arjuna ahead of the epic Mahabharata battle. The order may snowball into a huge controversy as it clearly applies to Islamic schools, or Madrasas, the only ones to have Urdu textbooks. "It is unconstitutional," said Haleem Khan, member of the Centre's National Monitoring Committee for Minority Education. "If the government does not take

back its decision, we will go to the court." Another controversial move three years ago to make Surya Namaskar and chants compulsory in government schools was toned down after Muslim bodies moved court. Last month, the Gita was introduced in 'Special Hindi' books of Class 9 - 12 and 'Special English' books of class 11 and 12. Since 2011, when the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government's announcement of the Gita in curriculum sparked protests, the move has been introduced in phases.

"This should not be taken the wrong way - this is not saffronisation," state Education Minister Archana Chitnis told media. "Teachings from Sikhism, Christianity and other religions are also taught in our schools." Religion, added the minister, had nothing to do with the decision. "We have picked up threads from the Gita to instill a sense of duty and responsibility, obedience, love for nature and environment in students." The controversial order comes just four months ahead of the state assembly elections. Opposition parties accuse the state government of trying to give a Hindu twist to school education at a time there are other, more serious concerns like plummeting school results, shortage of teachers and the poor quality of teachers who are hired at a pittance.

replicated on Twitter as well. "If you click the lakhs of followers on Modi's fan page on Twitter you will notice that many of the accounts have not even tweeted once. It is close to 4.13 lakh such accounts on Twitter. These were created by the BJP's IT cell and some techies who used special software to create these accounts," says a member of BJP's IT cell.

Political parties gang up to protect themselves

Political parties banded together to strongly oppose the recent Supreme Court order that legislators be immediately disqualified on conviction and called on the government to take measures to undo the ruling. The all-party meeting ahead of the monsoon session on Thursday saw political parties in one voice protesting the “erosion” of Parliament’s supremacy in law-making with leaders claiming the SC order is an assault on their rights. The outrage stems from the view that disqualification on conviction for an offense attracting a sentence of two years or more — instead of allowing an MP or MLA to remain a legislator until his appeal is disposed — may prove arbitrary. Political leaders expressed the fear that while a legislator loses his membership, he will have no redress in case he is finally acquitted if the process of appeal outlasts the duration of his term as an MP or MLA.

Modi may be named PM candidate by August 15

The BJP leadership is likely to formally declare by August 15 that Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi will be the party's PM candidate for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. "We have decided to announce Modi as the party's prime ministerial candidate on August 11. However, we are keeping the schedule a bit flexible to make adjustments in case of any unavoidable situation," a senior party leader said on condition of anonymity. The RSS leadership, which recently parleyed with BJP brass, has already given its go-ahead for the decision that will formally mark Modi's arrival as the new strongman of BJP at the expense of fading seniors and his peers, and which might set the tone for the 2014 contest. A small, although tenacious and influential section, in the BJP continues to oppose the idea of Modi being anointed as the PM candidate at this point in

time on the ground that it will push Congress's failures into the background, and derail the party's plan to corner the UPA in the current session of Parliament. However, the faction appears to have lost to those who argue for early projection in order to maximize gains by showcasing what is being touted as Modi's "talismanic" leadership. The need to quell the continuing discordant notes on who should be the party's PM candidate has been cited as the other reason for a swift closure on the leadership debate. Sources said BJP chief Rajnath Singh had started sounding out members of the parliamentary board, the top decision making body of the BJP, to put a de jure seal on the decision. As per the plan, Singh is to make the announcement in the presence of senior party leader L K Advani and Modi himself. Other members of

the parliamentary board and senior party leaders, including CMs of party-ruled states, will also be present. The parliamentary board will have a formal meeting before the announcement is made. Significantly, the party leadership, in its anxiety to have an early decision, is not going to wait for hundred percent turnout at the meeting of the board. The board will take the decision even if there are a few abstentions as long as the requirement of quorum: that is, the minimum attendance laid down in the constitution, is met. Party sources said the RSS had during meeting with BJP leaders last Saturday conveyed their estimate about a groundswell for Modi, and suggested a formal announcement without further delay. Sources said the party leadership expects Advani, who had expressed strong reservations about Modi being declared as PM

candidate, to come around. The announcement is timed well ahead of the forthcoming round of assembly elections due in November so that any lingering doubt over the BJP's PM candidate is stubbed out and the party campaign gains a sharper focus. Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram and will go for assembly polls in November. RSS asks BJP to pick Modi as PM choice. The decision to move ahead with Modi’s anointment as PM nominee came as Sangh leaders felt a further delay will not prove beneficial and BJP will gain by completing the formality of the parliamentary board endorsing the CM. Now Singh is expected to sound out members of the board including party senior L K Advani — who had opposed Modi’s elevation as chair of BJP’s campaign committee — about RSS’s point of view and complete consultations.

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In Focus Porbandar revives Mahatma’s vision The place that gave us Mahatma Gandhi is now showing the way in eye donation. Porbandar has beaten all other districts of Gujarat in eyeball collection under the National Programme for Control of Blindness (NPCB). Given its small size, the district has been given a target of just 40 eyes (20 pairs) for 2013, but collections had already reached 120 till July.

Stop misuse of red beacons, says Supreme Court

The Supreme Court sounded the last warning to the Centre saying if it failed to enforce the law and stop rampant misuse of red beacons, sirens and multitone horns within two weeks, it would pass an order for its strict implementation. If you do not tell us the mechanism to stop it, then we will pass orders,” a bench of Justices G S Singhvi and V Gopala Gowda said.

Naked woman distracts man as he gets robbed

A man watched a woman swimming naked in his pool, while her partner allegedly stole valuables and a gun from inside his home. The pair reportedly called on the 54-year-old man at his home in Crossville, Tennessee, to ask if they could use his pool to cool off on a hot day. The woman in her thirties then inquired if it she could swim naked, to which Stephen Amaral agreed.

Yes, we killed Captain Saurabh Kalia: Pak soldier

Pakistan may have denied for long that Captain Saurabh Kalia, and five of his platoon members, were tortured and killed by its soldiers during the Kargil War of 1999, but a video that surfaced on the web has nailed the lie. A video shot during a function of the Pakistani Army to felicitate Kargil heroes shows a Pak soldier reportedly admitting to killing Captain Kalia - former Pakistani interior minister Rehman Malik had claimed that Captain Kalia may have died in bad weather.

www.abplgroup.com - asian Voice 10th August 2013

Pakistani troops kill 5 Indian soldiers, Parliament outraged

A heavily-armed team of terrorists and Pakistani troops ambushed an Indian Army patrol along the Line of Control in the Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir in the early hours of Tuesday, killing five Indian soldiers. The incident occurred just hours after the ceasefire violation in Samba sector on Monday evening in which one BSF soldier was injured. The Army said 15-20 terrorists, backed by Pakistani Army regulars, intruded into the Indian territory after crossing over the LoC at about 1am and ambushed the six-member Indian patrol near the Sarlah post of Poonch Brigade near the Chakkanda-Bagh area, over 200 km away from Jammu. "Five of our soldiers from the 21 Bihar Regiment died in the firefight around 450 meters inside our territory, while one was injured," said an officer. The Pakistani Army, according to sources, took advantage of the weather conditions and topography of the area to sneak across the LoC. J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah tweeted, "(I) was briefed early this morning about the news that five of our soldiers had been killed on the LoC. My heartfelt condolences to their next of kin. These incidents don't help efforts to normalise or even improve relations with Pak and call in to question the Pak Govt's recent overtures." Army Chief Gen Bikram

Singh was taking stock of the situation in New Delhi, with the Indian DGMO being asked to lodge a strong protest with his Pakistani counterpart over the hotline. The injured is likely to be shifted to Command Hospital Northern Command provided the weather conditions permit. The injured soldier is presently undergoing treatment at Military Hospital Poonch. This is the second biggest attack in Poonch area in a year, after the January 8 beheading incident that had triggered a series of skirmishes along the LoC and the India-Pakistan international border. Pakistan has already violated the border ceasefire over 33 times this year. The latest incident could cast a dark shadow on the resumption of the Indo-Pak composite dialogue process expected

to begin later this month, much like the beheading of an Indian soldier by Pakistani troops in January had derailed the bilateral ties for some time. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif are also slated to meet in New York next month on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session. The incident sparked uproar in Parliament, with the opposition parties accusing the government of a soft foreign policy. Defence minister A K Antony is expected to make a statement in both houses. "It is a sad incident. If Pakistan wants better ties with India then this is not the way," said minister of state for home RPN Singh. Union minister Farooq Abdullah said the incident will affect the process of nor-

malisation between India and Pakistan. "The hand of friendship cannot be extended from one side only. Pakistan has to stop the killings of Indian soldiers. The dialogue process cannot resume if such a situation continues," he said. Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi accused the government of laxity in securing Indian borders. On July 27, another BSF jawan was injured when Pakistani troops violated ceasefire twice in the space of 10 hours by targeting Indian posts along the Indo-Pak border in Poonch and Kathua districts. The Pakistani troops had used mortars, RPGs and heavy machine guns leading to heavy firing exchanges. On July 3, Pakistan violated ceasefire when it fired on cops, who had gone to LoC in Sabzian, Poonch to collect the body of a Pakistani intruder killed in an IED blast on July 1. Pakistani troops fired on troops trying to evacuate injured porters after two were killed in IED attack by Pakistani militants along LoC in Poonch on July 8. On July 12, Pakistani Rangers fired on Indian forward posts in Pindi belt along international border (IB) in Jammu district. Pakistani troops opened small arms firing on Indian posts in forward area along LoC in Poonch district on the night of July 22.

Gorkhas up in arms; seek separate state The announcement to create a separate Telangana state by the Manamohan Singh government ignited calls for statehood in Darjeeling in West Bengal, among the Karbis and Bodos in Assam and in Uttar Pradesh where former chief minister Mayawati called for implementation of her ‘4-state’ formula. Even the demands for creating the state of Vidarbha by dividing Maharashtra have reached the national capital. The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) announced an indefinite strike in northern West Bengal's Darjeeling Hills to press for Gorkhaland. GJM chief Bimal Gurung has also resigned as chief executive of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) - an autonomous and elected hill development council which the party has been running for a year. West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress made light of the developments and said it was prepared to tackle any problem. It ruled out any talks with the GJM. GJM general secretary Roshan Giri said Gurung faxed his resignation to Governor M.K. Narayanan. "Gurung has resigned

because of interference in the GTA by the Bengal government as well as for the demand of Gorkhaland," said Giri. Mangal Singh Rajput, a worker of Gorkha Janmukti Yuva Morcha (GJM's youth wing), set himself on fire in Kalimpong town while the party activists were raising slogans for the proposed state of Gorkhaland to be carved out of parts of Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts. The 24-year-old has been admitted to a nursing home with 60 per cent burns. With the hills already paralysed following a 72hour shutdown called by his party, Giri said an indefinite shutdown will be organised to raise the pitch for Gorkhaland. "We will go for indefinite shutdowns and our movement will not stop until our demand for Gorkhaland is met," he said. "Once the present 72-hour shutdown ends, we will give a twoday respite to the people to stock provisions and the tourists and the students to leave for the plains. The indefinite shutdown will begin on Saturday." "The UPA has allowed the formation of Telengana. Now we are left

with no choice but to intensify our movement for Gorkhaland. Our demand for a separate state is far more older than Telangana," Giri claimed. Bodo students threaten 1,000-hour strike after Eid: The entire north-east region remained virtually cut off from the rest of the country on Monday after protests by pro-statehood activists crippling train services and blocking highways. Bodos, KochRajbongshis, Karbis and Dimasas agitated in Assam while Garos in Meghalaya renewed their stir for Garoland and Tribals in Tripura, under the banner of Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) demanded a separate state.

All trains to the northeast have been stalled on the tracks, leaving thousands of passengers stranded due to the 12hour 'rail roko' sponsored by All Bodo Students' Union (Absu). Trucks carrying essential supplies remained stuck near the Assam-Bengal border as clashes broke out at several places between Absu activists and those opposed to the strike. The outfit has threatened to start a 1,000-hour strike after Eid if the Centre did not invite Bodo leaders for talks on their demand for Bodoland. "We have launched our agitation for a legitimate demand. The Centre should hold talks with us on the issue of creation of Bodoland as soon as possi-

ble. We do not want people of the state to suffer," said Pramod Boro, president of Absu which has been demanding a separate state on the northern bank of the Brahmaputra by carving out areas between the Sankosh river in the west and Sadiya in the east. The Absu's 48-hour strike crippled life in Kokrajhar, Baksa, Chirang, Udalguri and Sonitpur districts. A 36hour stir called by All Koch Rajbongshi Students' Union for a separate Kamatapur state paralysed traffic in western Assam, including Dhubri district. Statehood demand by tribals in the twin hill districts of Dima Hasao and Karbi Anglong disrupted life. Pro-Vidarbha activists seek separate state: The demands for creating the state of Vidarbha by dividing Maharashtra have reached the national capital. Around 60-70 activists from the Vidarbha Joint Action Committee held protests near Jantar Mantar demanding a separate Vidarbha state. Former BJP president Nitin Gadkari sympathised with the demand. "In principle, BJP supports

the idea of smaller states and formation of Vidarbha. If a bill is brought in Parliament then BJP will certainly support it. In fact, Congress must take up the issue of Vidarbha along with Telangana and BJP will support it," said Gadkari in Nagpur. M e a n w h i l e , Maharashtra BJP President Devendra Phadanvis along with other leaders will meet party's top brass in Delhi to apprise them of the sentiments of the people in Vidarbha and press the issue of separate statehood, with the proposed Telangana Bill. "We have decided to call on our party leaders in Delhi and insist on combining the Vidarbha statehood issue with that of Telangana by moving an amendment in Bill for separate states," Phadanvis said in Nagpur. "We are seeking appointment with party leaders who are already in the national capital for the monsoon session of the Parliament, including party chief Rajnath Singh, senior BJP leader LK Advani, Gopinath Munde and Sushma Swaraj among others, he added.

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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 10th August 2013

SC moved against IAS officer ‘Barhi’ dates bring Durga Shakti Nagpal's suspension high rewards to Kutchi farmers Around a decade ago progressive farmers of Kutch started importing the world famous ‘Barhi’ dates plant. Today it has changed the barren tracts of land into lush green dates palm orchard and bring high rewards to them

By Mayuri Dave

‘B

arhi’ variety of dates grown in Kutch peninsula is truly a global fruit. Sounds strange!!! But it is a fact. First time Barhi tissues were imported into Kutch from a UK laboratory based in UAE and the variety was originated from Iraq. It is now grown in Kutch district of Gujarat using Israeli technology. Apart from European market, the sweet Kutchi dates are being exported to Singapore, Maldives and Sri Lanka. Though first batch of Barhi date palms in Kutch are on the threshold of puberty, farmers have started reaping rich dividends from them. Over the past four years, some of the farmers started exporting the high quality fruit in the international market. Exporter Kaushik Davda said that exports during last year was 70 tonnes and more than 100 tonnes were expected to be exported this year. Kutchi dates are in great demand in Great Britain. “UK is the largest importer of Barhi dates in Europe from Kutch. The other importers are from countries like Switzerland, Germany, Portugal, Italy, Poland, France and Austria,” says Davda adding that farmers are expecting to double the exports in 2014, as already more importers have evinced interest for the Barhi dates of Kutch. Around 11 years ago Pravin Gala, a progressive farmer in Kutch, imported Barhi tissue from a UK laboratory to try to grow it there. As the Barhi palm adopted Kutchi soil, eight more farmers joined Gala in the initiative. More tissue was imported from UAE. Today, there are more than 70,000 Barhi date palms spread over 1,000 acres of land in different locations. Now

Consequent action against Gautam Buddh Nagar sub-divisional magistrate Durga Shakti Nagpal by the UP government. In his public interest litigation, petitioner Manohar Lal Sharma cited the September 29, 2009 order of the apex court directing all collectors and officers of all states that no unauthorised construction shall be carried out or permitted in the name of temple, church, mosque or gurdwara, etc on public streets, public parks or other public places. The UP government had placed Nagpal under suspension July 27 for allegedly ordering the demolition of a wall reportedly belonging to a religious structure. SP dares the Centre on suspension of IAS officer Uttar Pradesh IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal's suspension has turned into a Samajwadi Party vs Congress war. Samajwadi party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and Uttar Pradesh Chief

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has got itself an election symbol, the broom. This serves two symbolic purposes, that of telling voters that it will clean up the filthy system of which it is now a part and the other that it will make a clean sweep in the next elections. As soon as news of this came, party members were seem carrying brooms to meetings. It became clear to us that AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal and his gang had obviously read The Walrus and the Carpenter, that immortal classic by Lewis Carroll. On seeing the vast expanse of sand on the

Minister Akhilesh Yadav have justified the decision to suspend Durga Shakti Nagpal for allegedly demolishing a mosque wall in a village in Gautam Budh Nagar district of the state. While Mulayam said that Durga's suspension will not be revoked, his son Akhilesh stood behind the decision by pointing out that all those who commit a mistake are punished and the IAS officer's case cannot be an exception. "Yes, it is right," replied Mulayam when asked is Akhilesh's decision on

Durga is correct. "No, the chargesheet will not be revoked," he added. While the UP government claims Durga has been suspended for demolishing a mosque wall, her former boss has spoken in her favour. Earlier, Akhilesh had said that the previous governments, too, had suspended senior officials, but no one questioned their move or motive. "I'm sure there are a lot of children here who were punished by their parents and teachers. All governments run the same way. If an official makes a mistake he or she will be punished," said the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister. "When we take a decision, everyone opposes us. In the past several incidents have happened with IAS officers. They were walking freely in our offices yesterday. Under BSP rule, they had to remove their shoes before entering their offices," he added. The Samajwadi party also dared the Centre to withdraw all IAS and IPS

officers from Uttar Pradesh, saying the state can be administered with the help of state officers. "If this undue pressure continues, then my government would like to write to centre to withdraw all their IAS and IPS officers. We can manage with state administrative and police officers," said Samajwadi Party General Secretary Ramgopal Yadav. Even though the Akhilesh government claims the suspension isn't because she took on the sand mafia, but because she had the wall of a mosque demolished, Durga Shakti Nagpal's former colleague and boss Shivdular Singh Dhillon, who was first officer she reported to after joining the Punjab cadre of the IAS before changing her cadre to Uttar Pradesh, has spoken in her favour. He has said that Durga Shakti Nagpal is an honest officer and her actions were in compliance with the Supreme Court guidelines.

beach they were walking on, the Walrus and the Carpenter wonder whether it can be cleaned up. "If seven maids with seven mops/Swept it for half a year/Do you suppose" the Walrus said, "that they could get it clear?" "I doubt it," said the Carpenter/And shed a bitter tear. Supplant the Walrus and the Carpenter with Arvind and Manish Sisodia and things become clearer. We have to confess that we are a little disappointed in the options that the AAP had come up with in case some dastardly politician plotted to deny it the broom.

Prerna 2013 – a nationallevel social event organized by the students of M S University’s (MSU) Faculty of Technology and Engineering (FTE) is set to register a Limca Book of Records this year. More than 700 deaf and mute people from every caste, creed and sex will sing the Indian national anthem on the same platform in sign language. Prerna, being heldon August 3 and August 4, is aimed at providing a platform to the differentlyabled from across the country to showcase their abilities and talents. Over 2,000 differently-

abled including the physically handicapped, mentally disabled, deaf and mute and visually impaired participants are expected to take part in 35 different events. “This year, under our new initiative – Shiksha – we will support education of nearly 10 under privileged students enrolled in Navprerna run by Navrachana Education Society for the under represented segments of the society,” said FTE student Jainish Parikh. Other than blind and disabled cricket tournaments which are an annual feature at Prerna.

Durga Shakti Nagpal

AAP's broom ready for 'clean sweep' & 'clean up'

more and more farmers are joining the bandwagon to grow the Barhi variety of dates. Now around 25 farmers are engaged in Barhi plantation. Most of the farmers developing Barhi dates orchard are using Israeli horticulture methods, including drip irrigation. “Our monitoring systems too are fully computerized,” says Gopal Gorasia, who is the biggest farmer in Kutch. Gorsia plans to import cold storage technology from Holland. Barhi dates, which are originally from Iraq and nicknamed 'honey balls' for their roundness and sweet taste, may have won the hearts of people in Europe but farmers have to keep patience. Generally Barhi palms mature only after eight to 10 years, says Ramesh Thakker adding that however, it’s worth the wait as unlike Deshi Kutchi Kharek (the local variety), the taste of Barhi is uniformly sweet. As against 90,000tonne yield of kharek, Barhi variety crop stands at a mere 3,000 tonnes. "But since it is in great demand in international markets and fetch a hefty price, the patience of the farmers will not go waste,” says Rahul Gala whose family has grown Barhi date palms, spread over 115 acres.

National anthem in sign language

Avoid the sun & risk high BP, heart ailments

Runny noses and stomach flu aren’t the only ills associated with overcast skies. The absence of sunlight hits production of Vitamin D in the body, adversely affecting blood pressure. A recent research has proved beyond doubt that lower the vitamin level, higher the BP. Vitamin D is synthesized when the sun’s ultraviolet rays fall on skin. But the high melanin pigment in the Indian skin deters it. So, a hot and sunny India has high levels of deficiency. Some studies say every second Indian is affected, others peg it higher at eight out of every 10 Indians. The deficiency surely is something to think about as it’s linked to a range of diseases —from bone problems to cancer. India-born researcher Vimal Karani’s work from

University College London only conclusively proves that low Vit D levels can send blood pressure soaring. Karani looked at 35 studies, covering 1.5 lakh people across Europe and North America, and found people with high concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) had lower blood pressure and, therefore, a reduced risk of hypertension. A prehormone, 25-hydroxyvitamin D or calcidiol, is produced in the liver when Vitamin D3 is synthesized (hence, a blood test to determine its levels also is an indicator of Vit D levels). The study found that for every 10% increase in 25(OH)D concentrations, the risk of developing hypertension decreased by 8.1%. In India, where every

fifth grown-up has hypertension, the study has severe implications. Dr Siddharth N Shah, editorin-chief of JAPI (Journal of the Association of the Physicians of India), said, “The association of lower levels of Vitamin D and high blood pressure can, in part, be associated with increasing number of hypertensives in India.” Delhi-based endocrinologist Dr Anoop Misra, though, pointed out that hypertension has a strong hereditary component. “We know that salt, smoking, obesity and heredity are the causes for hypertension. We can at best consider Vitamin D deficiency as a fifth contributor,’’ Dr Misra said. The theories about Vitamin D deficiency and its various implications have gained importance in

the past decade. One reason could be easy availability of diagnostic tests. Dr Vipla Puri from Hinduja Hospital, Mahim, said, “When we started offering the test about 15 years back, we would get 5 to 10 cases a month.’’ Now her laboratory performs 1,500 tests a month. Why the sudden focus on Vitamin D? Endocrinologist Dr Shashank Joshi from Lilavati Hospital, who has done several studies on both hypertension and Vitamin D deficiency, said, “There are over 200 Vitamin D receptors in the body. Previously, we thought that Vitamin D only affected skeletal aspects of the body.” It is only now that the world is learning that it is connected to the body’s entire metabolism.

travel & women

www.abplgroup.com - asian voice 10th August 2013

AV Correspondent amp Hanuman Temple, known to be one of the C biggest temples dedicated

ooking for a holiday and can’t find it in any brochure? Or do all the prepackaged holidays look the same? And you’re longing to get the big discounts that specialist travel companies negotiate and looking to get someone else to do all the leg work? Then the only route for you is to approach a company that will tailor make a holiday to suit your needs. Take for example a holiday to the Caribbean, there are high street agents with glossy brochure upon glossy brochure of perfect blue beaches and lush green pine trees with couples lounging on sandy beaches. Decisions, decisions! Or better still pick up the phone and get the holiday you want for the price you want to pay. Antigua conjures up perfect days and stunning sunsets with blue crystal clear waters. So, it makes sense to find a resort on the

lie on your back or on your front to meet those glorious sunshine rays! The resort in question is the glorious Grand Pineapple Beach, a four star complex right on the waters edge on the pristine island of Antigua. Brightsun Travel managed to secure a price starting from just £935 per person. Lets put that into perspective, at that price it works out at less than £138 per person per night for full board including flights – that is an amazing price for such a unique holiday. When booking a holiday, we recommend using a well established travel agent who is well versed in delivering holidays with an ATOL certification, ensuring the security of your booking. When booking with an online agent, check there is a contact phone number – this ensures you will get service from an actual person and get

Caribbean Tailor made Holiday

beach where everything is taken care of. No hunting around for restaurants every evening, waking up and the shortest of strolls to the beach – with plenty of beach towels and friendly staff bringing you drinks right to your sun lounger. A resort that is friendly and relaxed. Well a brochure isn’t going to tell you all that. But a quick phone call to Brightsun travel and within a few moments they had put together an unforgettable holiday that was spot on with price and location! And the best part about it was that the deal included not only Full board accommodation, but also a very special 50% saving on standard prices. The resort they secured had 1600 feet of the most amazing waterfront that can be imagined. With sun beds dotted around, you won’t feel crowded as you laze and swim and relax with views to die for. In most resorts, “all inclusive” means just all the food is included but not here. All food, all drinks (including cocktails) all accommodation, and a fantastic range of water sports activities like snorkeling, sailing, kayaking and windsurfing are included and to top it all off you don’t even have to worry about tips for the friendly staff – that’s all included too! The only thing to worry about is whether you

your questions answered swiftly. Brightsun Travel also offers a price match promise on worldwide flights and holidays. To book your dream holiday, visit www.brightsun.co.uk or call Brightsun Travel on 0208 819 0486 and make a booking with an actual person – a refreshing way to book your next holiday! As always, all quoted fares are subject to availability and terms and conditions.

to Lord Hanuman in India, is located at the Cantonment area of Shahibaug in Ahmedabad. Almost 100 years ago the temple was established by Pandit Gajanan Prasad. Pandit Dwarka Prasad earlier served as the chief Mahant of this temple. The members of the Pandit family act as the managing trustee of the temple. The temple`s historical records state that it was visited by former Prime Ministers of India such as Atal Behari Vajpayee and Indira Gandhi. During the rule of the British Raj, Camp Hanumanji Temple was referred to as Jalalpur Village Hanumanji Temple. During that period the British army cantonment was established at Gaekvad Haveli in Ahmedabad. The English set up an army quarter close to the Hanuman temple. For the expansion of the base it was proposed to shift the temple from its current location but the proposal was strongly resented by the temple authorities and the devotees. Without paying heed to their words, the English demolished four inns and miniature temples built in the vicinity of the temple. However, millions of black and yellow wasps enclosed the temple wall when the English approached to demolish the Hanumanji Temple. The British sent their labourers but were severely attacked by the wasps. After studying the situation the English executive finally had to alter his decision. This miraculous historiBasen puda is a great dish to serve for breakfast or a light lunch. This recipe is quick to prepare and can be served many different ways. Makes 5 pudas. Ingredients: 1 cup besan (gram flour) 1/4 cup rice flour (optional) 1 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup water 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera) 1 teaspoon chopped green chilies 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro (green coriander) About 6 tablespoons of oil to cook Method: Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl, besan (gram flour), rice flour which helps for the crispness, salt, and cumin seeds. Add the water slowly to make a smooth batter, batter should be consistency of pancake batter or Dosa batter. Next add the chopped green chilies, chopped cilantro (green coriander). Mix well. Use a non-stick skillet and place on medium-high heat. To check if the skillet is ready, put a few drops of water on it. If the water sizzles right away, the skil-

cal event has been described in detail in a book “Shri Camp Hanumanji” penned down by Vandanaben Shukal in 1983. Camp Hanuman Temple celebrates and organises several festivals, fairs and processions attracting thousands of pilgrims, both national and international, from different destinations. The temple celebrates Shri Hanuman Jayanti, i.e. birthday of Lord Hanuman, with great pomp and show. On this auspicious day, the Lord is bestowed with special offerings and prayers presented by hordes of devotees visiting the temple. A flag having religious connotations known as ‘dhaja rohan’ is hoisted at the camp temple by replacing old flag. Devotees offer sweets, especially Ladu and Foolvadi that are later distributed as prasad. After hoisting of the flag, special dinner treat ‘Bhandara’ is arranged by the temple authority. On this special occasion Lord Hanuman is specifically decked gorgeously with new garments. A baby idol of Hanuman, adorned delightfully, is set in a cradle and installed near the

central idol of the Lord. Kali Chaudas is celebrated by the temple on the fourteenth day of Krushna Paksha fortnight of Aso month. On this day a special prayer accompanied by soft music is organised at the temple at midnight. A black thread deemed to be a gift from the god is distributed among the devotees on this day. Dev Diwali, an auspicious festival of the temple, is celebrated by resplendently dressing and decorating the temple and its presiding deity. On this special day devotees flocking the temple offer the deity 56 types of special eatables. Later it is distributed among devotees as prasad from the God. Makar Sankranti, celebrated to commemorate the onset of the harvest season, is celebrated on a grand scale by the temple authorities. The celebration is arranged by ‘Punjabi’ society. On this day a special lunch is organised for the devotees. In the morning special eatables such as some spicy products like gota and sweets like jalebi and tea are served for snacks. Later lunch is also offered to devotees.

Basen Puda

let is ready. Next pour about 1/2 cup of the mixture on the skillet and spread evenly with a back of spoon. Starting from the center, spread in circular motion outwards until it is evenly spread about 7 inch circles. When batter start drying. Put 1 teaspoon of oil and spread over gently, using a flat spatula. Lift the puda from one side using a flat spatula (A flat spatula makes it easy to flip the puda). Flip the puda when it turns golden-brown. Next, press the puda lightly with the spatula all around so the puda cooks evenly. The puda should be golden brown on both sides to ensure it is crispy.

You can serve the puda with yogurt, chutney, spicy pickles, or ketchup. You can also fold the puda with shredded cheddar cheese, sliced tomatoes, or roasted vegetables. Health Benefits: It is light, filling and have less calories. If you consumed an entire half-cup of besan flour, you’d get 50 percent of the recommended daily intake of folate. This important vitamin is critical for the production of proteins And is a good source of thiamin and vitamin B-6.

www.abplgroup.com - asian Voice 10th august 2013

CALCIUM + Magnesium + Vit. D3

Cancer-causing fluoride is risky

Fluoride usage can cause osteoporosis, birth defects, lower IQ plus much more From the 1940s to the present time, Americans have been told that fluoride dramatically reduces cavities. But, the United States government and conventional dentistry do not want you to know what science has already proven better oral hygiene and dietary habits are why cavities have declined. Few studies have proved that consuming fluoride does not reduce cavities including a U.S. public health department report on 39,000 school children that was hidden, for quite some time, from the American public. So, we must ask ourselves, "Why are we spending so much money to put fluoride in the water supply"? Is water fluoridation part of a grand "social engineering" project plus a great way to increase disease (and profits) for conventional medicine? I'll let you decide - but you should know that facts. Science has already shown that water fluoridation increases cavities, bone fractures; behavioral problems and cancer death rates. Did you know that fluoride bio-accumulates within the body? In other words, the more you drink or eat - the more it will concentrate in body tissue. The brain and thyroid gland are two areas that fluoride loves to accumulate. Obviously, low thyroid function (due to fluoride toxicity) can cause fatigue, apathy, weakness, tiredness and, most importantly, a permanent lowering of the IQ within a developing fetus. Water fluoridation is literally dumbing down an entire nation. Even the slightest reduction of thyroid function, in pregnant women, can cause serious neurobehavioral problems.

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