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11 - 17 MAY 2019 - VOL 48 ISSUE 2

INDIA AT POLLS

inside: Asian Achievers Awards wins legal battle over copycats SEE PAGE 5

Health workers urged to think about Mums' Mental Health

Crucial rounds for BJP and Congress - K K Joseph Home to the world's largest democracy, with up to 900 million votes being cast in the current Parliamentary election, local villages, towns and cities in India are buzzing with energy and excitement.

The fifth phase of the Lok Sabha (Lower House in Parliament) election concluded on Monday, 6 May 2019, and the overall tentative turnout stood at 63.26% as against 61.75% in 2014.

The fifth phase and the coming two phases will be crucial for the Bharatiya

SEE PAGE 8-9 Janata Party as well as the Congress. The BJP is facing a tough challenge from the Mahagathbandhan in seven of the 12 seats in Uttar Pradesh in the fifth phase.

Polling was held on 14 seats, the highest so far in the state, in phase five. The BJP had swept this central region winning 12 seats while the Congress has retained Amethi and Rae Bareli, as before.

If the votes polled by the Mahagathbandhan constituents Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in 2014 - when they had contested separately - are taken into

account, the BJP's road to victory will become tougher in at least seven seats which it had won last time. If SP and BSP are able to hold on to their committed voters, the going will be tougher for the BJP in Bahraich, Mohanlalganj, Sitapur, Kaisarganj, Kaushambhi, Banda and Dhaurahra in UP. The BJP can effectively tackle the Mahagathbandhan factor in Gonda, Faizabad, Lucknow, Barabanki and Fatehpur in UP. Continued on page 25

Eat and stay healthy during holy month of Ramadan SEE PAGE 16-17

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11 - 17 May 2019

onetoone WITH KEITH VAZ, MP

Ketan Patel was born in Baroda, and moved to the UK in the 1960’s. Some of his younger life was spent living in Zambia, before permanently residing in the UK. He joined the insurance industry after a brief career in advertising. Now with over 25 years in insurance broking, he has quickly gained a high reputation amongst peers, colleagues and clients. He now have his own firm, Artemis Insurance Brokers Ltd, which has been running since 2010. They tap into a large proportion of the insurance spectrum, from the typical risks associated with corporate entities to some more specialist niche products.

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What inspires you?

When I started Insurance, I was self-taught and learnt the hard way and to never take no for an answer.

Ketan Patel

Which place, or city or country do you most feel at home in? (50 words response) I feel most at home in London as it just has so much to offer! Whether it be its history or culture, sheer variety of restaurants and entertainment, it caters for all. I have lived there most of my life to be fair.

than that my two wonderful children and my proudest has to be becoming an independent, fully authorised and regulated Insurance Broker.

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What are your proudest achievements?

I studied Photography and was fortunate to photograph and work with well-known public life figures and celebrities in the entertainment industry. Also, several years on the Asian & English Commercial Radio networks as a presenter in the 90's. Other

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What has been biggest obstacle in your career?

Growing up in the 80's and being of an ethnic minority was a challenge working in the world of advertising. Leaving me with no choice but to seek a new career path. It was not easy then, let alone today, and it's all down to sheer hard work and having the support of family and friends.

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Who has been the biggest influence on your career to date?

My father raised my sister and I, and worked all his life to give us as much opportunity as possible. My wife and close friends have guided and encouraged me to set up this business, which in today's firmly regulated world is never an easy thing to do.

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What is the best aspect about your current role?

To be able to give guidance and advice to a wide variety of businesses and individuals who have no insurance knowledge.

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And the worst?

Being overburdened with the woes of financial regulation. Whilst compliance is of course at the forefront of our business, it isn't exactly wrought with excitement... let's be honest!

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What are your long term goals?

Since we started our business, it has grown steadily on pure recommendation through word of mouth. I'm always looking at opportunities to grow and prosper, whilst moving and adapting to an everchanging world.

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If you were Prime Minister, what one aspect would you change?

The future of our planet, or at least to educate the world leaders in the same parallel as the seeds of change must be woven by their hand.

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If you were marooned on a desert island, which historical figure would you like to spend your time with and why.

I have to say this would be Gandhi. He inspired India's independence and brought about significant change without the need for any violence. There's something to be said about always standing up for what and whomever you believe in.

Hate preacher returns home Banned student driver, 20, after six months in bail hostel jailed for 12 weeks for Security services 'spot increased activity among some of his followers'

driving without insurance Student was given a driving ban minutes earlier

Anjem Choudary leaves a bail hostel in north London after his release from Belmarsh Prison last year

Hate preacher Anjem Choudary has been pictured walking the streets of London with his electronic ankle tag clearly visible under his socks, after he was released from a bail hostel to return to his family home.

It comes amid fears he will again pose a threat to national security with reports that security services have noticed increased activity among his militant Islamist followers.

Choudary returned to his home in east London under licence in the past fortnight, having spent close to six months in a bail hostel under close supervision following his release from prison. He was jailed after pledging allegiance to ISIS following a decades-long cat and mouse game with the authorities.

The father of five spent three years of a five-and-ahalf year sentence in prison after he was detained in 2016 under terror laws for his

encouragement to Muslims to join Isis.

The Choudary-led extremist group alMuhajiroun was outlawed by the Government following the 2005 7/7 attacks on London but it has continued to operate under a number of different images. He helped radicalise some of Britain's most notorious terrorists, including London Bridge terror attacker ringleader Khuram Butt, and Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale, who murdered Fusilier Lee Rigby in Woolwich, south-east London.

Chaudary's alMuhajiroun group often targeted mixed-up or vulnerable young men, such as Brusthom Ziamani, who was brought up a Jehovah’s Witness, but converted to Islam after leaving his south London family home.

Ziamani was radicalised in just two weeks before he was arrested as he wandered

the streets looking for a serviceman to execute in a Woolwich-style killing. He was jailed for 22 years in 2015. Choudary's students and lieutenants were also among ISIS militants to wage jihad in Syria including Siddhartha Dhar, who has been put on a global terror list as an ISIS executioner.

Al-Muhajiroun was seriously disrupted with the detention of Choudary in 2016 under terror laws for his encouragement to Muslims to join Isis.

But the release of Choudary and other offenders poses a renewed threat to national security with the worry that it may fuel young impressionable Muslims.

While security services are assured Choudary’s extremist activities have decreased it is understood that they’ve noticed increased activity among some of his followers, according to The Daily Telegraph.

driving away.

Appearing at S a l f o r d Magistrates' Court Shaikh admitted to driving without insurance while under a driving ban.

G r e a t e r Manchester Police said journalists had contacted them regarding Shaikh's ignorance of the order on Wednesday and the information had been passed onto relevant officers - he was arrested shortly after the images were published.

Shaikh drove the same black Golf when he Saif Shaikh, 20, pictured, was told he was crashed into the woman on Upper banned from the road after he pleaded guilty to Brook Street on causing serious injury by dangerous driving at Manchester Crown Court November 18 last year.

Court heard the woman was Manchester Crown visiting her son, who is in permanent care at Manchester Royal Infirmary.

At the plea and trial preparation hearing, Shaikh's lawyer asked the judge to postpone sentencing until he had finished his first-year exams.

Shaikh, originally from Bradford, West Yorkshire, had no previous convictions Minutes after leaving court on Wednesday, Shaikh was photographed prior to the collision.

A university student who walked straight out court with a driving ban only to get into his car and drive off minutes later has been jailed for 12 weeks.

Saif Shaikh, 20, was photographed by press driving off in his black VW golf GTi just minutes after he was disqualified from driving at a hearing at Manchester Crown Court on Wednesday.

He had just pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving and was handed a verbal interim disqualification to ban him from the road ahead of the hearing.

Shaikh's case was adjourned by Judge Timothy Smith for a report to be prepared ahead of sentencing.

The Manchester Metropolitan University nodded to the judge before leaving court but ignored the order.

He was seen walking to his car - parked around 50 yards away from the court on Bridge Street - before

getting behind the wheel of his Volkswagen Golf GTi

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11 - 17 May 2019

Assessing Modi’s foreign policy Foreign policy was not Prime Minister Narendra Modi metier when he assumed office in May 2014 following a landslide victory over the incumbent Congress government. By background, education and political experience foreign policy was largely an unknown territory. But Mr Modi proved a fast learner, a hands-on leader who acquired a mastery of statecraft through skills with its tools, which he honed as he went along. His native shrewdness leavened his experience; and when he required the advice of men who had greater first-hand knowledge of India’s external relations, Mr Modi was never too proud to turn to them for counsel. He, thus, consulted his Congress predecessor Dr Manmohan Singh, and later, called on (Congress) President Pranab Mukherjee, whose range of experience in government was unrivalled, having held the vital portfolios of Defence, Foreign affairs and Finance.

For all the public relations twaddle on shared democratic values, Mr Modi grew to understand the realpolitik that informed US foreign policy, and policies in the round of Europe as well. Beyond this was India’s troubled neighbourhood, with unremitting hostility of Pakistan and the challenge posed by the Sino-Pakistan strategic alignment.

Farther lay Southeast Asia, with Singapore a critical hub and Vietnam even more so, as unilateral assertions of Chinese power unfold across the South China Sea. In answers to the Russian newspaper Izvestia, Samir Saran, President of the influential think tank, The Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi, explained: ‘Russia is India’s most important partner...Our defence partnership and business relations are vital and India will strive hard to ensure that these grow and strengthen....The past year has seen the defence partnership with Russia growing stronger...and such will be the case in the future as well.’ Mr Saran opined that the opposition Congress party was equally committed to India’s time-tested relationship with Russia.

Recently, President Vladimir Putin conferred his country’s highest civilian honour, the ‘Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First,’ on Prime Minister Modi for his contribution to deepening bilateral ties. Mr Modi’s response was equally warm. Thanking President Putin for the honour, the Indian Prime Minister said India-Russia cooperation had led ‘to extraordinary outcomes for our citizens....Under his [President Putin] visionary leadership, bilateral and multilateral cooperation between our nations has scaled new heights.’

India’s privileged strategic partnership with Russia included a shared interest in the peace, stability and development of the Central Asian states that were formerly part of the Soviet Union. Samir Saran made the point that Russia through its history was more adept than India in its understanding of geopolitics. For India, this was still an educative process.

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s withdrawal of his country’s opposition to UN condemnation of Pakistani jihadi Masood Azhar as a global terrorist is surely a feather in Mr Modi’s cap.

His secret Wuhan summit with President Xi has clearly paid off, as was India’s determination to face down Chinese threats of military action over Doklan on the Bhutan-Sikkim border in the summer of 2017.

US news agency Bloomberg, in an analysis of the Modi regime’s record in power, pointed to the 92 foreign visits he had made in comparison to the 50 by his predecessor Dr Manmohan Singh. Mr Modi had projected India as serious international player, whose concerns on international terrorism commanded close and respectful attention from his myriad hosts. Foreign Direct Investment in India had reached $193 billion under his five-year dispensation, although Bloomberg emphasised that more needed to be done on the economic reforms front. Rome wasn’t built in a day and India, with its subcontinent size, will require a longer time span to full modernity.

The modernisation of the economy thus far had been confined largely to the services sector, Bloomberg correctly pronounced. Manufacturing had some way to go, and agriculture a longer distance by far. In foreign policy, Mr Modi had displayed deft touch. He had wooed Japan as a partner in India’s industrialisation, maintained India’s close relationship with Israel, without diluting its ties with the oil rich Gulf kingdoms and Iran. Economic and cultural ties with the European Union – with an India-Nordic summit leavening the relationship - is built on a sound platform of trade, investment and shared democratic systems of government. Much the same can be broadly said about India’s ties with North America, now home to a significantly prosperous India diaspora. Similarly, India’s relations with Africa have gained traction. For reasons of geography and history Southern and East Africa has been especially close to India. Prime Minister Modi has clearly risen to the challenge of making India relevant player in the emerging multi-polar global order.

Irritants mar India-US ties As civil societies, Indian-American relations have grown creatively down the years. The American dream may have faded for many native Americans, but for communities of aspiring India it the land of opportunity and enterprise, where hard work, good education and individual initiative have yielded rich dividends, Trade and investment ties have been robust in recent years. Against this promising canvas one would imagine state-to-state relations would achieve parallel success. Indo-US ties, apart from the interlude in 1971-72 during the Nixon-Kissinger era, have never been bad; indeed they were, and are, cordial and friendly, but not intimate.

Irritants, from time to time, have scarred the Indo-US relationhip from the inception of Indian Independence in August 1947. The US establishment took the somewhat simplistic view that the new democratic India would reflexively join the US cold war crusade against the Soviet Union. India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru possessed a considerable intellect, and a vision of India’s future was more nuanced. Friendship and admiration towards the United States did not imply mortgaging Indian sovereignty and independence to a third power.

US frustration lead various establishment agencies in Washington to indulge in declamatory posturing on India’s domestic politics, with insufficient awareness of its complexities. ‘Facts are sacred, opinion is free,’ proclaimed a great English newspaper editor decades ago. In US

pronouncements on India – notably on religious freedom – these concepts are often interchangeable. A recent statement emanating from an US body ranks India with Afghanistan and Iraq, and such other states, for restrictive religious and political practices. India has its myriad warts, which few Indians would deny, but it does have its selfcorrecting mechanisms, too.

America has long ceased to be the city on a hill, a light unto the nations. Its executive and legislature authorties are dysfunctional, its legacies in Asia and Greater Middle East an abomination, the racial violence in America’s inner cities hells on earth, the mainstream media utterly toxic, the penal system a nightmarish dystopia.

Now, the US administration has damned Indian pharmaceutical industry for exporting cheap generic drugs .

Their affordability has offended the looting US multinational companies. India is the largest supplier of low-cost generic drugs globally, catering to 20 per cent of global demand by volume.

India’s pharma exports rose 11 per cent to $19.2 billion in 2018-19, driven mainly by higher demand in America and Europe. The US constitutes 30 per cent of Indian pharma exports, followed by Africa and the European Union. Other key Indian export markets include South Africa, Russia, Nigeria, Brazil and Germany. Finally, over 66 per cent of Indian generic drugs are exported to highly regulated markets. The looters are clearly not having it their way.

Hardick Pandya on cusp of glory Hardick Pandya was once more playboy than vintage cricketer. He went a step too far with indiscretions on a TV show and briefly hovered on the brink of sporting extinction.

The jolt proved to be his cure. It saved him going the way of the hugely talented Vinod Kambli, who drifted from high promise to shadowy obscurity.

Pandya suddenly clicked into top gear with the Bombay Indians in the Indian Premier League. His blistering innings of 91 from a mere 30 balls, left spectators agog. His pace

bowling has been penetrative, his catching and ground fielding outstanding. Pandya is on the cusp of cricketing glory.

He will play in the Indian team selected for the ODI World Cup in England this summer. India’s selectors, as has been the custom in recent years, have displayed their standard preference for mediocrity on grounds of experience, making an Indian triumph in the tournament as remote as Ursa Major in the night sky. Yet, the country brims with youthful talent, their skills intoxicating crowds across the land.

Tough times never last, but tough people do.”

- Robert H Schuller

Alpesh Patel

All politics is local An American politician once said all politics is local. I think today, that’s wrong. Having spent my time involved in the local and mayoral elections, I think it is more global than ever.

I write to you from the Stately home of Lord Beaverbrook. Staying here, I am surrounded by portraits of those who stayed here before – Prime Ministers (Churchill, Chamberlain, MacMillan, Lloyd George) to poets (Kipling) and novelists (Ian Fleming).

Essentially all those with a part in the greatness of Britain, including newspaper Baron Lord Beaverbrook himself.

We need to make our British cities great.

To have the vision and determination of those who have lived in this home from where I write.

All elections, local and European and general and mayoral are an opportunity to do that.

Leicester, where so many of the readers of this paper hail from, and where I spent time during the elections, deserves an international Mayor.

One who can bring in the investment from abroad to create the jobs in the City – one with the connections, determination, and knowhow to do it. Leicester should be a home of opportunity and job creations the way London is.

Elections need people who from humble beginnings have fought battles and elevated them; around business tables fought for the small business owner. Worked long hours to fight for investments to create jobs for their City – extolling the virtues of their skilled workforce constituency.

Leicester, who bears a King and a global football team, like London and Leeds, Manchester and the other major cities, deserves and needs an international perspective. It needs a Mayor who can in Parliament use their connections to fight for money, for investment from Central Government. We cannot afford for our cities to have parochial, local candidates. It needs working class people who have proven their ability to work to the top and then turn around and help others, with compassion, to do the same.

If a Mayor is a CEO, a Chairperson, I want someone who both as Kipling wrote, ‘can walk with Kings but not lose the common touch’.

That is a rare feat. There are many with the common touch, who can only sympathise with you, but not solve the problems of lack of social opportunity, of food banks, low paying, unskilled, unsecure jobs. And there are many who can talk to Kings who cannot relate to the day to day struggles of putting food on the table.

Editor: CB Patel Asian Voice is published by Asian Business Publications Ltd Karma Yoga House, 12 Hoxton Market, (Off Coronet Street) London N1 6HW. Tel: 020 7749 4080 • Fax: 020 7749 4081 Email: aveditorial@abplgroup.com Website: www.abplgroup.com INDIA OFFICE Bureau Chief: Nilesh Parmar (BPO) AB Publication (India) Pvt. Ltd. 207 Shalibhadra Complex, Opp. Jain Derasar, Nr. Nehru Nagar Circle, Ambawadi, Ahmedabad-380 015.

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in brief Men from Slough and Maidenhead to take on HOUSE 'ABUSE' DETAINEES 4,000-mile London to Mecca pilgrimage for charity BROOK CHALLENGE HOME OFFICE

A group of eight men are set to take on an epic religious journey to raise money for charity – by cycling 4,000 miles from London to Saudi Arabia. The Tour De Hajj (TDH) will see the men cycling the Islamic pilgrimage Hajj – a journey to Mecca, in Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims.

They hope to raise halfa-million pounds for infrastructure projects such as schools, places of worship and water wells.

Speaking about the challenge, Junaid Afzal, from Slough, said he met friend Wazeem, from Uxbridge, who said his dream was to cycle to Hajj.

Mr Afzal said: “At first didn’t think much of it but

over the weeks the more I thought about it the more I wanted to do it.”

The group – including Mr Afzal, Tahir Dad and Mohsin Arif from Slough, Tahir Akhtar, Safdar Akhtar and Shafiq Ahmed from Maidenhead, Shazad Akbar

from Blackburn and Mohamed Wazeem from Uxbridge – will depart on June 7 after Friday prayers from the East London Masjid (mosque) and ride to Medina, hoping to reach there by August 2.

They will cycle for

around 56 days, crossing countries such as France, Germany, Switzerland, Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia.

The group has been training since January and aim to cover 100 miles a week until they set off on their journey and even train during Ramadan, when Muslims abstain from food or drink until sunset.

Mr Afzal added: “It started from a dream. I said to myself before going to sleep ‘if it’s the first thing i think about when I wake up then I’m going try my level best to Insha’Allah make this happen’. The rest is history and here we are.” To donate to the cause, visit www.justgiving.com/campaign/TourDe Hajj.

Finance boss Dipak Shankar Rao, 71, jailed for six years for stealing £2.4million from rock band A finance director who stole £2.4million from two companies that held the royalties to Deep Purple's greatest hits has been jailed for six years.

Dipak Rao, 71, of Worcester Park, Surrey, transferred large sums of money from Deep Purple Overseas Ltd and HEC Enterprises into his personal account while he was in charge of the two firms.

He claimed they were loans he planned to pay back later, but he was rumbled when the owners of both companies died and their stakes were passed to their children.

It was only when the new owners hired an accountant to look over the books that he was caught, Guildford Crown Court

heard.

The pensioner even made a bogus fraud claim to Action Fraud and accused 'boiler room' fraudsters of stealing the £2.4million he took.

He was last week jailed for six years and four months after pleading guilty to fraud by abuse of position and of laundering the proceeds of the fraud.

Alongside Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, Deep Purple are often referred to as part of the 'unholy trinity' of British hard rock. Their back catalogue, built over a 50-year career, includes songs such as Smoke On The Water and Soldi ers Of Fortune.

For 20 years Rao ran the companies on behalf of

shareholders but began transferring company funds into his personal bank account seven years ago.

A police investigation found Rao had tried to hide most of the transactions and failed to record them in his companies' records. Both firms have now been dissolved.

Detective Constable Rebecca Mason, from Surrey Police's Economic Crime Unit, said: 'This is a case of out-and-out dishonesty and someone blatantly abusing the trust placed in them. Just because someone wears a suit and hides their crimes behind the facade of an official sounding job, it doesn't make them any less of a criminal. '(Dipak Rao) abused his

position and hid his crime for over seven years. As a result of Rao's actions both companies now no longer exist and the victims are left dealing with the financial consequences – and the consequences to their families' reputations – of what he did.

'The directors of these two businesses have suffered a huge amount of emotional distress throughout all of this, and I hope that today's sentencing will give them some closure.'

To celebrate the victory, Surrey Police recorded a music video on the steps of Guildford Crown Court with local singer-songwriter Leoni Jane Kennedy.

Representatives of Deep Purple have been contacted for comment.

Faith Minister’s tour reaches Ilford Faith Minister Lord Bourne confirmed the Government’s resolve to stand together with the people of Sri Lanka following Easter Sunday’s terror attack, as he met faith and community leaders in Ilford, East London on 1st May. Whilst visiting St Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Primary School and Sri Selva Vinayagar Temple, Lord Bourne expressed his condolences to Sri Lankan communities and vowed to confront hatred and intolerance.

Marking the fifth leg of his current national faith tour, the Minister also spent the morning meeting representatives of the Gardens of Peace Muslim Cemetery and the Ilford Islamic Centre to extend further support and reassurance to communities still coming to terms with last month’s terror attack in Christchurch, New Zealand At the centre he joined a roundtable discussion on issues of most concern to local Muslim communities including mosque security.

Reflecting on the visit,

Faith Minister Lord Bourne at SS Peter & Paul's Primary School as part of his Belief

Faith Minister Lord Bourne said: “It shocks and appals to consider the awful events in Sri Lanka only last Sunday and the dreadful attacks in Christchurch last month.

Now more than ever we need to show our support for those communities affected.

“Thankfully, today has been a much-needed tonic, providing an insight into the inspiring work local faith leaders and their congregations are doing to make they communities even better places to live.

“The Government supports faith communities around the country and encourages all faith groups

to work together to boost integration. With their guidance and example we can make our country a more understanding, tolerant and loving place to live."

On the tour, Lord Bourne also visited the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Jain Sangh East London and Essex for a tour of their temples and to learn about the work they do in the local community.

The Belief in Communities tour consists of monthly visits across the country to both explore and engage with volunteers and faith leaders on the role that faith plays in their communities and especially their

work in bringing people of different faiths and backgrounds together.

The tour launched in December 2018 beginning with a visit to the Highway of Holiness Church in Tottenham, an Evangelical Pentecostal church which doubles as a homeless shelter. In the seven years since opening in 2009 it has helped 900 men.

In February 2019, the Government published the Integrated Communities Action Plan which sets out 70 actions the Government will be taking to promote better integration amongst communities.

Also in February the Government announced a new Faith Leader Training programme to empower more than 300 faith leaders with the confidence and knowledge to meet the changing needs of their congregations.

The programme will help them to identify issues like domestic and sexual abuse and mental health, in addition to equalities legislation and UK marriage law.

Two former detainees have taken the Home Office to the High Court over alleged abuse at G4S-run Brook House immigration removal centre.

The Home Office has asked the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) to hold an investigation, but the men say human rights laws require a public inquiry.

They argue the PPO probe cannot compel witnesses to give evidence and will only have minimal victim participation.

Staff at the facility near Gatwick were filmed by an undercover BBC reporter.

Panorama footage shown in September 2017 showed alleged assaults, humiliation and verbal abuse of detainees by officers at the centre.

At least six staff members were dismissed by G4S. The men bringing the case, who are known as MA and BB, are backed by the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Nick Armstrong, representing BB said further allegations by a number of ex-detainees included deliberate and unjustified use of force by staff, repeated segregation of detainees with serious mental ill-health and endemic drug use facilitated and tolerated by staff.

TEENAGE THIEF SENTENCED OVER PENSIONER BREAK-IN A teenager has been sentenced after being part of a late-night burglary at an 81-year-old's house.

Moise Sandu, 19, of Game Street, Oldham, admitted burglary at Ipswich Crown Court and will be detained for 11 months at a young offenders institute. He is the second teenager to be convicted in connection with the break-in in Ipswich on 22 August.

Ticu Bahica, 18, was among a group which threatened the man with a knife and walked him to a cash machine.

He admitted robbery last year and was detained at a young offenders institute for five years.

Suffolk Police said the victim opened the door of his house in the Handford Road area to the group at about 00:30, believing they were workmen dealing with a gas leak earlier that day.

They forced their way in, turned off the lights and shone a torch in his eyes while demanding money.

After they searched the rooms, one of the gang came back with a kitchen knife and held it to the 81-year-old's throat, police said.

In an effort to make them leave, he offered to go to a cash machine at a nearby Sainsbury's and withdraw £100 for them.

On their return, another five young men were in the house and Sandu admitted being part of this group.

The victim was left shaken, but was otherwise unharmed, Suffolk Police said.

MAN DENIES MANSLAUGHTER OF WATFORD TEENAGER A man from London is to stand trial over the death of a teenager outside a shopping centre in Cambridge.

Benyamin Hussain, 18, of Watford, died in hospital from injuries sustained near the St Andrew's Street entrance of the Grand Arcade on 15 November.

Hamish Daniel, 23, of Redston Road, Crouch End, has pleaded not guilty to Mr Hussain's manslaughter.

He was released on bail and is due to appear at Cambridge Crown Court for trial on 25 November.

At the hearing earlier, the court heard Mr Hussain died as a result of a head injury.

Police confirmed that another man, 20, who was arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm, remains under investigation.

EXETER ACADEMIC JAILED FOR SPYING FILING FORMAL COMPLAINT An academic from Exeter who was jailed for spying in the United Arab Emirates is filing a formal complaint against the British government over the way it handled his case.

Durham University PhD student Matthew Hedges was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Gulf state last year after being accused of working for MI6.

He was pardoned in November, although officials continued to call him a spy, which he denies.

He said the Foreign Office did not take "effective and timely" action to secure his release.

His wife, Daniela Tejada, explained to BBC Devon why they felt they needed to make the formal complaint.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt says the government has taken the situation seriously and has been "very effective".

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11 - 17 May 2019

Meghan Markle gives birth to baby boy Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex has given birth to a baby boy on bank holiday Monday, 6 May 2019. A beaming Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex announced this 'absolutely thrilling' news to the public and added that they were still thinking about names for the infant. Buckingham Palace said the baby weighed 7lbs 3oz (3.2kg), and that the duke was present for the birth.

The baby boy is seventh in line to the throne, behind the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge and his children - Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis - and Prince Harry. He is the Queen's eighth great-grandchild. As we went to press, the Queen was still due to visit Baby

Asian Achievers Awards wins legal battle over copycats Asian Business Publications Ltd (ABPL) is delighted to announce that its flagship event - the Asian Achievers Awards - has won its court case against British Asian Achievers Awards Ltd (BAAA) at the High Court of Justice in London.

Sussex and the 'thrilled' new parents.

While the baby is automatically a British citizen, according to Daily Mail, assuming Meghan did not voluntarily give up her own US citizenship when she married Harry (which she was not required to do by law), the baby could also be granted American citizenship. The implication of being naturally-born citizen of the US means Baby Sussex could one day run for office as US President!

In a judgment announced on Thursday, 2nd May, the Judge Miss Recorder Amanda Michaels held that there was a substantial risk of confusion amongst attendees and sponsors that the events or their respective organisers were connected, and that the use of the name by BAAA Ltd had caused passing off.

Asian Achievers Awards has been growing from strength to strength over the past 18 years and in the last 6 years has been held at the prestigious Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane. It is regrettable that legal action had to

be taken to stop the defendants using the name and stop them capitalising on the goodwill built up by the hardworking team at Asian Business Publications Ltd. Costs and damages are still to be assessed by the court.

Mr CB Patel, Chairman of Asian Business Publications said: "The Asian Achievers Awards always has and always will celebrate the success of the British Asian Diaspora in the United Kingdom and, as much as we

celebrate their achievements, the awards themselves are now an important institution amongst the Asian community which we will vigorously defend."

ABPL were represented by Naynesh Desai of Chan Neil solicitors and Denise McFarland of 3 New Square, Lincoln's Inn. The 19th Asian Achievers Awards will be held on September 6th 2019 at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane.

RIOTS, PROTESTS AND JUSTICE: THE BRITISH ASIAN STAND AGAINST RACISM Preeti Bali In Britain during the 1970s and 80s the face of racism was albeit an ugly one.

Members of the far-right racist political party the National Front reigned the streets of Britain with violence, petty vandalism, racially motivated attacks and murder. News about minorities in the British was rarely ever positive, often linking the Asian and Caribbean community with crime, gang rivalry, drugs and as the sole reason for the lack of employment opportunities.

The government responded to the number of immigrants entering Britain, with a series of Immigration acts. During their time of election, the conservative party in its immigration drafted rules, claimed that ‘firm immigration control’ was necessary to calm the ‘genuine fears’ of our ‘own people’. Minorities were constantly made to feel as outsiders and not part of the ‘national community’.

Immigration became a politically charged issue. And around the UK, the National Front were on the rise.

Nina Johal, who grew up in West London recalls her

experiences of racism at the age of four “my Mum, would send myself and my elder sister to the shops to buy milk, on one occasion we were chased by a dog who was set loose by a member of the National Front, it was absolutely terrifying”. Nina and her family eventually moved from East London to Greenford, situated on the boarders of Southall. Nina’s father sought a job as a bus driver and on many occasions was physically assaulted. “We told the police, but nothing was done”, says Nina.

In Southall, rioting and protests took place after the murder of 18-year-old Gurdip Singh Chaggar. A week later, the Southall Youth Movement (SYM) formed, taking to the streets to fight against racists gangs, challenging the racist politics of Britain and the prejudicial behaviour of police towards the Asian and Black community, who were often reluctant to become involved in cases where the victim was of non-white origin. A study of the beliefs and practices of the London met police has revealed that racist practices and beliefs were prominent in the force.

Asian and black men were

constantly stopped and searched, often officers would use their position of power to act with immunity from the consequences of their actions.

The Southall Youth movement was pivotal in ensuring the National Front never enter into Southall again. Once represented as speechless actors in the news, Asians and Black community fought back with resistance and force to show Britain, they are not submissive, nor are they here to money scrounge, but they are part of Britain as equally as it’s white citizens. Across the country, the resistance and power of the people in the Black and Asian community began to see a number of movement’s forming.

People came together with their collective shared experiences of racism and challenged racism through legal and political campaigns, music and culture.

Kulwant Singh, was three years old when Gurdip was murdered. He grew up hearing the stories and challenges the Asian community faced, describing it as ‘alarming’ and ‘shocking’.

Originally from the golflinks estate, Kulwant first experienced physical racism

in his teenage years. “I was heading back home from the playcentre, and an older white youth confronted me, he became abusive and before I knew I was physically assaulted. I came home with a broken nose and blooded face, it is something I have had to live with, and it carried on in the estate I grew up in and the high school I went to”.

40 years later – Southall pays respect In remembrance of Mr. Chaggar and journalist Blair Peach ‘A March for Unity against Racism’ took place in Southall last week.

Residents from Southall and

members of the public from other towns came together in the procession that was led by young people from Southall. Placards and flags echoed the resistance of the fight against racism, which still exists today. A number of individuals from MPs, trade unionists, anti-fascist organisations and others spoke at the rally which stopped outside of the town hall.

Speaking at the event Pragna Patel the director of Southall Black Sisters said, “I watched the events of ‘79 unfold on my TV at my parents’ home on the outskirts of Southall, and I had a overwhelming feeling that what I was witnessing was a watershed moment in the history of Asian struggles in the UK, what I saw made me realise that it was okay to not to submit the bestial racism that we faced daily. Over the last 40 years we have formed a secular and regressive feminist politics that simultaneously challenges patriotic power and gender inequality as well as racism and fascism."

The event also highlighted the engrained preju-

dice of the UK’s political system, employment prospects, social mobility, criminal justice and the education system. In 2016 when the Brexit referendum took place more than 14,000 hate crimes were recorded between July and September. Figures published by the Home Office in 2016 suggested the number of hate crimes in July 2016 had been 41% higher than12 months earlier.

As Brexit looms in the background, it has brought with it a rise of the far-right, allowing racist and fascist groups across Europe to dominate the conversation on Brexit through its antifascist propaganda. Once again phrases such as ‘we want our country back’ and ‘make Britain great again’ flood the streets in proBrexit rallies.

Britain is a multi-cultural society and it is the diversity of this country which makes Britain truly ‘great’, our government must address the systematic engrained racism of this country and for change to come strict sanctions and actions must be put into place to ensure that events which rocketed Britain in the 70’s and 80’s never take place again.

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6 UK

AsianVoiceNews

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

www.asian-voice.com

11 - 17 May 2019

As I See It

Fair and just reporting expected from the British media CB Patel

The elections in India for the 17th Lok Sabha (Lower House of the Indian Parliament) is a mammoth exercise. 900 million (more than the populations of USA, Canada, 29 countries of the EU and Japan as well as 20 countries with smallish population in the Caribbean, Central America, Pacific Rim) are entitled to vote.

1 million polling booths and other mind boggling administrative data in a country, rather a subcontinent of contrast and challenges, comprise of the the Indian election. Five of the seven phases have been polled and approximately two third of the electorates have voted.

Poor even uneducated, people with several challenges have walked miles, stood under the scorching heat, faced terrorist attacks, and yet by and large the elections are going peacefully and they are recognised as free and fair.

Even in Britain, the “free and fair” has its own limitations. Do you remember the campaign three years ago during EU Referendum? Lies, exaggerations, scare mongering about immigrants et al. In India such drawbacks are existing as well.

Surprisingly in the relative sense, much less than here or the US, because of its size and contradiction and the number of eligible voters, especially in some risky areas.

There are two main national parties in India.

The ruling NDA led by BJP and the Indian National Congress. Prime Minister Narendra Modi claims, mostly convincingly, that his government has given India a development model within the democratic norm. India has steadfastly refrained from one party rule or dictatorial governance, yet the economic and social progress is much more than previous 190 years of British rule and ‘Company Sarkar’. World Bank, IMF and many other corporate houses have given the NDA government good marks for overall economic and social progress.

Mr Rahul Gandhi, President of the Congress party, claims that there is no development and the government is telling lies. Poverty is increasing, the minorities are persecuted, there is an increase in terrorism and Narendra Modi is a corrupt politician. I believe such are wild and unfounded allegations, if not outright lies and huge exaggerations.

I would make two points clear and unequivocal. Indian democracy as it is now is not perfect but it is as good as any and better than many.

Second, India is for all Indians, irrespective of faith, caste or place of residence, every Indian is entitled to equality, justice and fair play. I must concede that there are ghastly incidents of lynching or mob violence, but they are rare. Narendra Modi has not only denounced them but the perpetrators have been brought to the books.

Social media is playing a pivotal role no doubt. Unfortunately the modern mass communication can be useful as well as misleading.

But some truths must be recognised.

Fake news is a fact of life, sadly here, there and everywhere. But the Indian voters are far more experienced and alert, which sadly some British media groups, with well their resourced bureaus in India have failed to be aware of.“Facts are sacred, opinion is free.”

Compared to previous regimes there are lot less communal violence now.

Narendra Modi’s government in Gujarat or at the Centre has never favoured any community over another in their economic or welfare policies.

In the economic performance, this government like previous governments have not been able to look after the agriculture sector properly. The policies waiving farm loans is untrainable and virtually a bribe. It is also a fact that laws governing trade unions and land acquisitions are not modernised adequately. There are many more ills in India at present.

But when some reputable British media claims Mr Modi is danger to democracy and his government has crushed the religious freedom, I must say that facts are deliberately ignored or twisted. Some religious zealots from all groups come out with nasty and provocative statements, it is an exception, rather than rule.

Another allegation gaining currency is that free press in India has been cowed down. With utmost respect to the British media, they are ignorant. Indian press of all the varieties is flowering and by and large well resourced. It’s free as press, perhaps much more than some monopoly ownership in the UK or USA. Comments made by so called experts who visit India for short term or live there without knowing the language, history, culture and nuances of the country are not conveying their truth to the readers, viewers or listeners here.Some sectors of British media are surely very selective.

About the expulsion, persecution and even rape of the Pandits from the Kashmir valley are purposefully forgotten.

Where are the British press when oppressed Muslim population in Xianxiang completely ignored or marginalised because you need Chinese investments?

Most of the above observations have been conveyed to me by our readers, mainly people from Hindu, Sikh, Jain and Buddhist backgrounds, who form over 2 million population of this country. They focus on education, professions, business, commerce, entrepreneurship and other positive aspects of life, with the least presence in Her Majesty’s prisons. British Indian population are much less in mainstream politics and many feel pained when India or Narendra Modi are vilified on purpose.

Election campaigns are never perfect.

But our readers believe that British media when just concentrate on negatives are not only doing disservice to themselves but make British Indians target of ignorant and intolerant people.

It clearly appears that Mr Modi will be the next Prime Minister of India. As in the past, Britain, USA and other countries will as usual make a beeline to invite and receive him, mainly because they have a lot to gain from India.

Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar will not organise the annual Anand Mela this summer, due to the upcoming Cricket World Cup. One of UK's most thriving culture festival, the grand two-day Anand Mela takes place at the Harrow Leisure Centre every year. It attracts thousands of people, flaunting a variety of stalls for food, fashion, wedding, beauty, property and investment, health and well-being and others.

Boy in west London died of allergies after cheese flicked at him A schoolboy in west London succumbed to his dairy allergy after a fellow pupil flicked cheese at him, as heard in an inquest.

Karanbir Singh Cheema, 13, was left gasping for breath as he went from “absolutely fine” to unconscious in under 10 minutes after the incident at William Perkin Church of England high school in Greenford. Karan died 10 days after the incident that took place on June 28, 2017, at Great Ormond Street hospital. Teacher Lucjan Santos told the inquest at St Pancras coroner's court in north London that Karan approached him to as him if he knew of a particular pupil.

“He said, 'He put some cheese down my collar for no reason', and then he pointed towards the back of his neck,” Santos said. He said he told Karan that that was not a nice thing to do, at which point the teenager said, “And I've got a cheese allergy.” He then sent the child to see the school's welfare officer and to fill in an incident report. Describing the boy's demeanour at that point, the science teacher said he “appeared fine and spoke calmly.” Karan was said to have multiple food allergies, including to wheat, gluten, dairy products and nuts. He also had

asthma and atopic eczema.

The boy who flicked the cheese and another who passed it to him, now aged 15, said they were unaware Karan had an allergy to the food. When asked whether pupils at the school were aware of the potentially fatal consequences of allergies, Santos a n s w e r e d , “Hopefully”. School administrator Bonny Campbell said that when Karan first arrived in the welfare office, he was scratching his neck but sat down calmly, but he became increasingly panicked, “leaning over the sink, gasping for air, still scratching his neck.” Campbell said blood was seeping through Karan's shirt from the scratching and he was lurching around the room. “He pulled his shirt off, he was very itchy and couldn't breathe. He had scratch marks on his neck and his stomach, he was screaming,” she said. She also added that at one point he was shouting, “I'm going to die.”

They gave Karan and over-the-counter allergy relief medicine, and his inhaler. His condition dete-

Karanbir Singh Cheema

riorated and they then administered his EpiPen. Campbell said it appeared to have no impact as he went “quite grey” and limp and his eyes glazed over. The EpiPen used was a year out of date, the inquest heard.

When senior coroner for inner north London, Mary Hassell, asked why a second EpiPen was not administered, Campbell told the court that in first aid training she was told to wait 10 minutes before another dose, an ambulance was on the way, and that the emergency operator had not advised staff to do so. She added the first dose did not have the desired effect and staff would not use another student's device, which would have been the only option for administering a second dose.

Brexit and UK economy: Vyman Solicitors

(L-R) Ian Jobson, Matthew Kear, Pankaj Patel, Jane Rogan, Martin Levy, Mark Bennett, Naresh Patel, Nikesh Sawjani, Gurnam Mander, Anup Vyas, Harinder Lamba and Kishore Parmar

On 25th April, Thursday at the Blue Room, Harrow, Brexit, subjects such as the UK economy, the outlook for interest rates, and insights for SMEs seeking to enter the Indian market became the topics of a major debate.

Sponsored by Lloyds Bank and Vyman Solicitors, Harinder Lamba of Vyman

Solicitors provided some thought-provoking insights on how SMEs could establish businesses in India.

Nikesh Sawjani, an economist at Lloyds Bank, set his thoughts on the UK's economic environment with regards to the current political situation.

The speeches were followed by an opportunity for

around 130 guests to ask questions. As well as obtaining invaluable insights, the guests had the opportunity to enjoy the Blue Room’s food, drink and hospitality, and network with likeminded individuals, making new connections and reigniting old ones.

For more information visit: https://vyman.co.uk/

www.asian-voice.com

AsianVoiceNews

FINTECH

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

7

11 - 17 May 2019

UK opens its doors for tech partnerships with Indian companies Avril Ann Braganza Twenty of India’s Tech and FinTech scale-ups, which won the Tech Rocketship and FinTech Rocketship Awards this year, have been offered an opportunity to set up their global headquarters in the United Kingdom. Over the years, this initiative has been helping the UK further its economic growth and strengthen its ties with the Indian subcontinent.

These competitions — organised by the British High Commission in India — gave the winning firms an opportunity to spend a week in London and Manchester, learning and understanding the nitty-gritty of setting up base in the UK. Thedelegation of 20 met with the Department for International Trade (DIT) and the British High Commission of India, at the House of Lords in London on Tuesday to discuss their prospects and have their questions answered.

“The purpose of these awards is to attract the fastest growing Indian tech-

nology companies spanning all verticals, including cyber, FinTech, AI, and Big Data in which we feel there will be incredible opportunities and synergies with the UK,” said Gita Krishnankutty, Head of Investment, British Deputy High Commissioner.

Through these competitions — now in their sixth year — approximately 10 Indian firms have already set up base in the UK. The winners had the opportunity to travel to the UK as guests of the DIT and the British High Commission to view incubators, accelerators, and spaces where entrepreneurs and technology companies can be established. They also had the chance to meet other companies and potential clients, visit cohorts, understand UK’s technological landscape, and learn about the opportunities that the universities’ academia and the UK start-up ecosystem offer global companies.

“India is a priority market for the British Government, because of its fast growing economy and talented workpool,” explained Alpesh Patel, Dealmaker, Global

Entrepreneur Programme, Department for International Trade. The hope is that once these companies are exposed to the UK market, they will establish their headquarters here within 5-10 years.

Eventually, they will become incredibly valuable British companies that the DIT then helps, in their exports around the world. “When Indian companies set up in the UK and become British companies, more jobs are created here — they employ more people, the employees and the company pay taxes, which in turn advances UK’s

Sky’s the limit for Indian fintechs as City Corporation welcomes Rocketship delegation to London The City of London Corporation and Indian High Commission in London welcomed a delegation to India House in London as part of the UKIndia Fintech Rocketship Programme.

Organised alongside the Department for International Trade (DIT), the event discussed barriers to entry in the UK, and how these can be addressed. It will also sought to promote the UK as a destination for growth, particularly in the area of fintech, a sector worth some £6.6 billion to UK GDP and accounting for 76,500 jobs.

The Lord Mayor of London Peter Estlin opened the meeting alongside the Deputy High Commissioner Shri Charanjeet Singh.

Speakers included the Rocketship delegation and representatives from the City Corporation and both the private and public sectors. Senior stakeholders from Innovate Finance, Grant Thornton, Santander and investment firm CoBa provided their expertise on the UK – India relationship.

The roundtable formed part of UK Fintech Week, five days of events organised

by Innovate Finance and

Lord Mayor of London Peter Estlin

supported by the City Corporation and UK government aimed at celebrating the UK’s position as a global capital of fintech, and discussing future challenges. It follows a visit to India in October 2018 by former Lord Mayor Charles Bowman, who led a UK fintech delegation to Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi.

Lord Mayor of London Peter Estlin said, “India and the UK have much to gain by increasing ties in fintech, an area seeing significant growth and innovation in both our countries.

“Many Indian firms have expressed interest in setting up in the UK, but market access remains an issue for some, especially smaller companies. This meeting in

London aims to explore what support organisations like the City of London Corporation can provide to address this and further open our doors..."

Minister for Investment Graham Stuart MP said, “I’m delighted to see the Indian Fintech Rocketship Award winners visit London...

These businesses demonstrate the industry’s ability to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) from all corners of the globe. Just last year we saw a 321% increase from India.

“The UK is the top FDI destination in Europe and an undisputed global fintech capital, currently accounting for 11% of the global fintech industry and contributing $3.3 billion to the UK economy.

“DIT will continue to support businesses to invest into the UK, reaffirming our nation as the best place to raise capital for foreign investment.”

The City Corporation has a longstanding programme of work in India, and opened a representative office in Mumbai over ten years ago. 13 Indian banks have offices in London and many have branches across the UK.

economic growth and improves the entrepreneur ecosystem as well,” he said.

Patel clarified that DIT’s role in helping companies export is open to all British businesses whether or not they’re originally from India.

He believes this arrangement will benefit India as well. “If the shareholder is Indian and he remits some of his profits back to India, India benefits. As they grow globally, they’re going to use more Indian services as well,” he added.

In terms of establishing their headquarters in the UK, the DIT assists these

businesses with everything from advice about where to set up their offices; introductions to lawyers who will help them transfer their patents from India to the UK and visa guidance to hiring staff, developing their business strategies, and getting access to customers, capital, export markets, as well as research and development centres, through which they can improve their products.

How did this sit for the visiting delegation? For Shruti Aggarwal, Cofounder of StashFin — a digital lending venture — this

collaboration works well.

“We hadn’t thought about looking at the West. We’ve always been looking East — Singapore and Indonesia being similar platforms.

This has opened up a whole new world, where open banking companies like Dozens and Monzo work in parallel with larger companies like Lloyd’s. It gives us an opportunity to think about being large and about being competitors to banks like Lloyds and Barclays. To be a global firm, we can’t only think about going East, but going West as well,” she said.

8 HEALTH SPECIAL

AsianVoiceNews

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

www.asian-voice.com

11 - 17 May 2019

Health workers urged to think about Mums' Mental Health GPs and other health workers in the Midlands are being urged to look behind the smile and ask about mental health when meeting women who are pregnant or who have recently given birth. As part of Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week NHS England (Midlands) has launched a series of videos to raise awareness of mental health issues. p to 20 per cent of women develop perinatal mental health issues during pregnancy or in the first year after birth. But many pregnant women and new mums do not seek help as they believe there is a stigma attached, especially at a time when they are expected to be thrilled with the prospect of a new baby.

Samira Philip* fell pregnant almost immediately after their wedding, while her husband Steve- an ambitious professional in the City, got terribly busy with work. Self-sufficient Samira, coped fine till the baby was born. With parents in Kerala, India, waiting for their visa to come through, she could not deal with the new baby, absentee husband and no support from anyone other than occasionally visiting friends. She started spiralling into depression, more and more as the baby cried a lot due to acid reflux,

U

which left her irritated, stressed and sleep deprived.

She soon could barely lift her head from the bed, cried endlessly, though she knew she was responsible for the baby's well-being. “I did not know what to do,” she told Asian Voice. “One morning I told my husband I resented the baby, I hated myself and I could not bear his sight. I think till then my husband who was also new to everything we were going through, and at that time the only bread winner (as I was on maternity) in the family, thought my mood swings were more common than not. But my resentment towards our own baby, was what got the alarm bells ringing. He took me to a doctor immediately, who confirmed that I was suffering from postpartum depression (PPD).”

First generation of immigrants living in this country, often do not have the required support, due to

lack of family members living in the UK. Moreover there are rituals and practices, particular to the Asian community, that often alienates pregnant women and new mothers from the rest of the society- adding to the issues already exisiting (see our story 'Sharing is Caring', P-6, AV 27 April 2019).

Videos to share stories of perinatal mental illness The West Midlands Perinatal Mental Health Clinical Network team at NHS England (Midlands) has launched a series of videos telling personal stories of women who have developed perinatal mental illness and how they have worked with healthcare professionals to get better. The films cover maternal OCD; antenatal anxiety; postpartum psychosis; postnatal depression and maternal bonding difficulties. And are for GPs, midwives, health

visitors and other healthcare professionals to share with women who are pregnant or who have recently given birth to show that it is ok to address these feelings.

One of the women who features in the video, is a peer support worker and campaigner for postpartum psychosis and maternal mental health and explains why she wanted to share her story, “I want women to know that mental health during and after childbirth is really important and that there is support out there for them. These services really will make a difference to a mum’s experience of the pregnancy, childbirth and beyond.”

Another mum who tells her story on film, who following the birth of her first child suffered postnatal depression explained, “My experience was how hopeless life can feel. I thought it would be the happiest year of my life when my baby was

born but it really wasn’t. I would get up and go out to lots of baby classes and put on a smile and pretend everything was okay but inside I was literally falling apart.

“With the extra support in place things did start to look up, it was a slow journey. If I hadn’t had support from the Perinatal Mental Health team that I needed I would never have seen the light.”

Nicola McDermott, Perinatal Mental Health Champion and GP from Worcestershire is encouraging healthcare professionals to watch the films, “I deliver teaching sessions with the aim of improving GPs knowledge and understanding of perinatal mental illness."

Dr Lucy Blunt, GP Champion for Perinatal Mental Health in Coventry and Warwickshire added, “Mental illness is the most common complication

encountered by women during the perinatal period, yet it is often over looked or not given the attention that it deserves due to the associated stigma and barriers in communication.

“Women need to feel confident that not only is their GP approachable but also competent in recognising, assessing and appropriately managing all different types of perinatal mental illness.

“Improved training and education will enable GPs to offer help and support at the earliest opportunity resulting in the best possible outcomes for these women and their families at this vital period of change in their lives.”

Mums who are experiencing these feelings should speak to their local GP or health visitor for more advice and information or visit: www.nhs.uk to find local services.

Breakthrough research in head and neck cancer can save lives Researchers are experimenting with a new study, where they can identify the tumours that are at the risk of spreading and metastasising, and can help doctors in tailoring individual treatments for the patients suffering from head and neck cancer.

Head and neck cancer is now the most common cancer in developing countries and according to the NHS there are now close to 12,000 new cases that are diagnosed in the UK each year. Although, it is difficult to estimate the percentage of Asian men and women who are at the risk of being affected by this disease, it is understood that at least 85% of these diagnoses are linked to chewing tobacco and increasing consumption of Paan- favourites among the Asian community.

Oral, head and neck cancers are very uncommon and are categorised based on the places where they originate- either in squamous cells that line the head and neck or in the salivary glands. These cancers are then

again sub-categorised by where the cancer resides. And an even more unique distinction is a sub-classification of head and neck cancers that is defined by an infection called, Human Papillomavirus (HPV)-initiated oropharynx cancer.

Head and neck cancer can include cancer of the mouth, tongue, nose, ear, larynx, and the thyroid gland. The management of head and neck cancer has improved considerably over the last few decades with greater expertise in surgery and radiation oncology. It is supported by the cutting-edge research led by centres such as the Oracle Cancer Trust, UK’s leading charity dedicated to research around this subject.

Currently, Dr Adrian Biddle at the Blizard Institute, and PhD student Leah Palmer are working on a breakthrough test to selectively identify the tumours that are at the risk of metastasising and spreading and aims to segregate them from the healthy cells and individually treat them. This new

test can help doctors offer a tailored form of treatment for their specific form of head and neck cancer.

The research includes Leah experimenting with an ‘invasion model’ that is like a dummy mimicking the spread of cancer in the body, to test for potential molecules. These would then serve as several markers which would further be used to observe and predict metastasis. But by using human tumour specimens to confirm that the markers identified, Leah hopes to successfully differentiate between metastatic and nonmetastatic tumours.

At present, if the symptoms and diagnosis are identified at an early stage, there is an 80-90% chance of cure and according to the Cancer Research UK, between 19% and 59% of people diagnosed with head and neck cancers in England survive their disease for ten years or more.

You can find out more about head and neck cancer by visiting here: https://oraclecancertrust.org/news

www.asian-voice.com

AsianVoiceNews

HEALTH SPECIAL

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

9

11 - 17 May 2019

Breaking taboo: Dementia in Asian community Rupanjana Dutta South Asians in the UK make up 5% of the total UK population. But there is very little is known about the prevalence, experience and treatment of dementia in this community. Over 850,000 people in the UK live with dementia.

Dementia is not a specific disease. It's an overall term that describes a group of symptoms associated with a decline in memory or other thinking skills severe enough to reduce a person's ability to perform everyday activities. About 60% of people with dementia suffer from Alzheimer's disease and others from vascular dementia, caused by reduced blood flow to the brain. The life expectancy of those living with Alzheimer’s disease can vary between 5 and 12 years.

There are many different causes of dementia.

People often get confused about the difference between Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

South Asians are also more susceptabile to diabetes and hypertension, which means they are more prone to develop vascular dementia. But there has also been taboo surrounding dementia within the Asian community that stops people seeking diagnosis and help. Unfortunately, there is also no word for dementia in most Indian languages instead a person suffering from dementia is often labelled as 'mad'.

According to the Race Equality Foundation Briefing Paper by David Truswell, he addressed the issue of dementia in ethnic community. The report concluded that dementia is “misunderstood and highly stigmatised in many minority ethnic communities.”

There are organisations that have developed good practice in working with minority ethnic communities, but there needs to be a more developed structure to share the learning from good practice, it said. The report added, “There should be a vision of a culturally appropriate approach to the dementia pathway that starts from raising awareness, leads to facilitating early diagnosis and lasts into appropriate end-of-life care.” The research on dementia in South Asian communities further illustrated the importance of understanding how expectations and obligations regarding care are likely be negotiated within South Asian communities and the

challenge of developing effective awareness raising.

According the 2011 census, there is estimated to be over 12,400 people in England and Wales of a South Asian ethnic background over the age of 65 living with dementia, over 5,200 of these living in London.

When BBC presenter Rajan Datar had reportedly learned that his father Sudhakar had dementia, he discovered a combination of

stigma, language barriers and cultural differences were stopping many in the UK's South Asian community from seeking help.

Similarly, Krupa Sen who lives with her husband and three children in London, was at loss when her mum Maitrayee was diagnosed with dementia.

Her mum lived with her brother in Edinburgh.

While her mum was visiting India for a few months, Krupa's brother passed away in an accident. When the news reached her mum, she was shocked, but apparently coped. In a few months time she started showing some traits of psychosis with severe hallucination. But the family did not want to accept it could be on set of dementia. A brain scan proved that it was indeed on set of dementia. After spending some time with Krupa, when the doctor insisted, she was reluctantly moved to a nursing home.

The family, while confident about their mother's diagnosis and care now, still suffers from guilt for sending her away. “There are moments we suffer from immense guilt for not keeping our mum with us. We did not want to send her away. We tried to see if she could stay with us, but there were times she did not even know she was at home. We keep visiting mum every week in nursing home, and there are days she does not recognise us. It's heartbreaking.”

Importance of Specialist Dementia Nurses Caring for dementia patients by untrained family members is difficult.

Especially as the patient may show lack of empathy, lose the ability to remember events or fully understand their environment or situations, it can seem as if they're not telling the truth, or are wilfully ignoring problems. In the Asian community, there are also taboos associated with discussing symptoms or sending elderly parents away to nursing homes that care for similar patients.

Dr Julia Botsford, Consultant Admiral Nurse at Dementia UK, said, “People from BAME communities are continuing to under access dementia diagnostic services and are more likely to be in crisis when they do.

This means that they and their families are missing out on early practical and emotional support to help them with challenges in the present, as well as making plans for the future.

“National and local dementia awareness raising campaigns targeting BAME communities are needed but are not the only answer.

Services must ensure that the advice and support they provide can meet specific cultural needs where present, and are accessible to all sectors of the community. Specialist dementia nurses, Admiral Nurses, can play a fundamental part in this approach as they offer tailored support and advice to each family they work with.

“For anyone who has any questions or concerns around dementia, please contact the Admiral Nurse Dementia Helpline on 0800 888 6678 or by emailing helpline@dementiauk.org.”

Put your papers in place If you have recently been diagnosed with dementia, NHS recommends it will be helpful to talk to a counsellor at the memory clinic if they offer this kind of support. Find out what's available locally too so you're prepared and able to call on this support as and when you need it.

Also put your important papers in order and make your will. This ensures that when you die, your money and possessions go to the people you choose. A person with dementia can still make or change a will, provided you can show that you understand what you're doing and what the effects will be.

Awareness around cervical screening n NHS campaign is urging Asian women to attend their cervical screening appointment as early detection of abnormalities can prevent and even cure cervical cancer. It is for this reason that women like- Priyanka Abbi, Jas Dosanjh, Lakshmi Jesani and Chhaya Jones are supporting the ‘Cervical Screening Saves Lives’ campaign – by sharing their experiences and encouraging all eligible Asian women to book their appointments as soon as they get their invite letters.

In a recent survey 9 out of 10 women said they would take a test that could help prevent cancer, however research shows that 1 in 4 women do not attend their cervical screening - a test that could stop cancer before it starts. But attendance among Asian women is low.

Priyanka Abbi, 33, says- "I had my first screening two years ago. It was over in less than five minutes and wasn’t as uncomfortable as I imagined it would be. The results showed abnormal cells and after further investigations revealed I had cervical cancer which left me in a shock at the time. I wish I had gone for my screening test when I received the invitation. I kept putting it off as I found it difficult to find the time to go.

Priyanka is successfully treated now and she urges all women, especially Asian women, for whom talking about private body parts due to the culture can be a taboo.

“We should be thankful that this screening programme is available to us who knows how many women died from cervical cancer because they did not have access to a national screening programme like we have now," she says.

Around 2,600 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer in England each year and around 690 women die from the disease – that’s two deaths every day. It is estimated that if everyone in England attended screening regularly, 83% of cervical cancer cases could be prevented.

Chhaya, 42 says- "I had an abnormal result after I had been for my cervical screening, however I was successfully treated. I’m so glad I had the test. Since then, I religiously book my appointment when I receive my invitation and just tell myself that even if it is uncomfortable, that five minutes of discomfort could save my life.

I’m pleased this campaign is raising aware-

A

Lakshmi Jesani

ness of the importance of cervical screening and I hope more Asian women will be encouraged to book an appointment if they missed their last screening test without delay.”

Lakshmi Jesani, 37 said “I always go for my screenings even though I get nervous about test on the day. Most tests are done by a female nurse, but I usually ask for a female nurse because you can, just to put my mind at rest. The nurses I have seen are very good at putting me at ease so that I don’t feel embarrassed and they have given me tips to make the test more comfortable.

My last test I asked for for a smaller speculum which was more comfortable and the test was over in minutes" Priyanka concludes- “I am supporting the ‘Cervical Screening Saves Lives’ campaign and I hope that all Asian women will join me in ensuring we are protecting ourselves and our loved ones against cervical cancer, by responding to our cervical screening invitation letters. So, if your test is due or if you’ve missed your last screening, book an appointment at your GP practice today.”

For further information about cervical screening, search ‘NHS Cervical Screening’.

IBS patients advised to do coeliac disease blood test National charity Coeliac UK, is calling on greater awareness on this Coeliac Awareness Week (13 - 19 May 2019) of the similarity of symptoms and urges anyone with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) to ask their GP for a coeliac disease blood test, if they have not already had one.

As many as 1 in 4 people with coeliac disease were previously misdiagnosed with IBS as many of the symptoms for IBS such as bloating, stomach pains or cramps, diarrhoea or constipation and feeling exhausted are the same as the symptoms of coeliac disease. Only 3% of British adults are aware that the symptoms of IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) are also common symptoms of coeliac disease.

Coeliac disease is not an allergy or an intolerance but an autoimmune disease

where the body’s immune system damages the lining of the small bowel when gluten, a protein (found in wheat, barley and rye) is eaten.

There is no cure and no medication; the only treatment is a strict gluten free diet for life. 1 in 100 people in the UK is estimated to have coeliac disease but of these, only 30% are currently diagnosed, meaning there are nearly half a million people in the UK with undiagnosed coeliac disease.

Norma McGough Coeliac UK director of policy, research and campaigns told Asian Voice, “It is essential that awareness of the similarity of the symptoms increases and GPs adhere to the NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) guideline which states that anyone with IBS symptoms should be tested for coeliac disease before a diagnosis of

IBS is made.”

The average time it takes for someone to get a diagnosis is 13 years from the onset of symptoms; by which time, they may already be suffering with added complications caused by the disease. If left untreated, coeliac disease can lead to a number of serious complications, including, anaemia, osteoporosis, unexplained infertility, neurological conditions such as gluten ataxia and neuropathy, and although rare, there is an increased risk of small bowel cancer and intestinal lymphoma.

10 READERS VOICE

AsianVoiceNews

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11 - 17 May 2019

Womens status within the Swaminarayan sect I write this in context with letters in AV from Baroness Flather, Miss A and Miss B. Since Hinduism is a vast and complex religion for common person to understand, many sects have sprung up from it to lead its followers with clarity and simplicity for their spiritual advancement. In my understanding, Swaminarayan’s doctrine is neither against women’s equality and empowerment nor Swami's avoidance of sight of women is meant to degrade, demean and disrespect them.

In Hinduism, women are considered to be very powerful entity. Hindu Goddesses are held in high reverence and worshipped by all . Hindu scriptures also mention that simple. devotional, virtuous life free from vices and material desires are the attributes of true Swamis, Gurus, Saints and Sages.

Moreover, chastity takes one to a higher dimension of life. Swaminarayan sect has strong conviction of this notion of chastity and therefore avoidance of women is considered must by the saints to focus better on their divine mission. However, these saints alike others respect women and worship Hindu Goddesses with zest.

Niranjan Vasant By email

Cold comfort Every time I sit on the toilet I utter an expletive. My bottom feels as if it has encountered a freezing circle of ice. Surely Asian entrepreneurs who dream of sitting on a fortune (pun intended) should think about creating a toilet seat that is comfortable to sit on in cold countries like Britain.

Rudy Otter By email

Letters of the Week Brexit

[Courtesy: The Times] Sir, Matthew Parris hits the nail on the head in his article (May 4). I had high hopes for Change UK. I thought this would be a party that would listen to voters and strive to represent those of us feeling disenfranchised by the main parties. However, I find myself feeling the same frustration with them as I felt with the main parties. As Parris puts it, “if we face a national emergency in a no-deal Brexit, then any ambitions [by Change UK] to absorb or fight the Lib Dems should take second place to firefighting this threat”.

This really is the last chance to build a force strong enough to face Nigel Farage and his Brexit Party or a hardline Tory party run by Boris Johnson and the like.

Juliet Barnett Enfield, Middx

Private vs public education [Courtesy: The Guardian] Robert Verkaik argues that “a child at a secondary private school has three times more money spent on his or her education than one at a state school” and that this “allows 7% of the population to buy advantages over the rest of society”.

Even if that is true, were independent schools to be abolished, the state sector would still need to find £6,000 per year for each of the children educated in an independent school. With 615,000 children in private education, that would require nearly £4bn a year from the taxpayer, never mind the costs of creating the new classrooms and other facilities needed.

While there are good arguments that replacing public expenditure with private is not a legitimate charitable benefit, that doesn’t alter the fact that the cost to the taxpayer will still go up if private provision is abolished. Verkaik doesn’t say where this money will come from. If he did manage to find an extra £4bn for state education, how would he justify to parents currently using the state system that the money would not be spent on their children but on the children of the wealthy?

Julian Gall Godalming, Surrey

Pulling the NHS apart [Courtesy: The Daily Telegraph] Both your Tuesday headline (“Gag order ban for NHS staff who blow whistle”) and your leading article (“A transparent NHS”) highlight important issues regarding the way NHS services are delivered.

NHS managers and politicians are poles apart in their vision of what should be delivered and how it should be done. Politicians want quantity, not necessarily quality, to convince voters that services are being delivered. Trust managers, though, can’t be seen to be providing poor or dangerous services, as they might risk their jobs or see a trust put into special measures.

This means that as long as some service can be delivered – regardless of the quality of that service – then the problem will continue.

Dr P.L. Riley (retd), Stourbridge, West Midlands

Letter writing

Cyclone Fani

I always wanted to be a writer. I pursued a course in journalism but did not know where to start. When ‘Asian Voice' was first published, I tried my hand at writing letters to the editor for the ‘Letters to the editor’ page.

I wrote one letter after another and they were all was published without too much editing. This gave me an opportunity to contribute more letters for the newspaper.

Since all my letters were published, I made it a daily habit of writing letters to the newspaper.

Today, I write letters on various topics and am not at all afraid of writing letters against our corrupt MLAs, politicians, Prime Minister and the police. I really appreciate your journalists and their passionate job and provide us with news of various kinds.

Jubel D'Cruz, Mumbai, India

Early estimates indicate that over 29 people died and many more were injured when a cyclone, named Fani, hit India’s east coast on Saturday, 3 May last week. The death toll is expected to rise slightly. (The cyclone was more furious then the one 20 years ago which cost more than 10,000 lives).

This is one of the biggest storms to hit the country in ten years. Winds of 125 miles an hour battered the country mercilessly. More than 12 million people had to be evacuated and trains had to be chained to the tracks in case they toppled over.

The storm then headed towards Bangladesh. This disaster is in the wake of the floods in Indonesia and the storms in Mozambique the previous week.

We are only talking about the disasters which happened in the east. But other parts of the world too have not escaped natural calamities.

The havoc caused by the heavy rains in the wake of, and in accompaniment of, Hurricane Harvey had brought America, the world’s most powerful nation, to its knees.

The incredible sight of Houston, America’s fourth largest city, submerged in deep waters makes you wonder how helpless man is against the wrath of nature.

But then the culprit is man himself. These tsunamis, mudslides and floods are Mother Nature’s cry for help in retaliation to the flogging we humans subject her to.

I would like to reiterate here what I have said before in this column – stop belching out poisonous gases in the atmosphere or else our posterity will have no earth to live on.

Dinesh Sheth Newbury Park, Ilford

Indian elections and british media coverage On one hand the British media is overawed with the logistics and numbers that are coming out of the Indian elections but they also can not forget that once upon a time India was part of their colony. We fail to understand why some British media, especially The Economist, feel they need to attack Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a danger to democracy.

In our recent meeting of the local Lions Club several members showed their disappointment and even anger at such false and dangerous assumptions and coverage.

Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar should raise our concerns to such ill-founded assertions. You are our voice and our letters to the press are always ignored. We also fear that if we denounce such powerful media we may be victimised somehow.

Anant Sheth Southgate

India, a shining example of disaster management A rare and devastating cyclone named Cyclone Fani struck coastal states of the Bay of Bengal last weekend. The governments of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal and with not only the support of the central government but with the help of highly proactive and efficient administrators managed the whole cyclone saga amazingly well.

Housing, roads, buildings, electricity pylones and other infrastructure have been destroyed costing billions of pounds worth of damage to the country but thank god the death toll was very low with only 30 odd loosing their lives in Odisha which is still one life too many.

Some years back a similar even less powerful cyclone struck this area and over 10,000 people ended up loosing their lives. Compared to such a huge tragedy the present disaster has been very well contained with thanks to all those who were on the front line.

S Parmeshwar Haringey

The menace of Shisha bars!

While the menace of smoking is on the decline, after a concentrated efforts by the government, NHS and other charitable organizations, it seems smoking is fast being replaced by Shisha bars mushrooming fast throughout Britain, taking over empty shops on High Streets. Unfortunately our youngsters are no exception, as they are eager to try new products, at least once and then get addicted.

Shisha bars are getting popular; becoming a gathering point for youngsters where they smoke, chat and have what they think is a relaxing time. These bars are well managed, create pleasant environment and also offer other services that go hand in hand with smoking.

Shisha bars are popular in Middle East where there are no pubs. Shisha is a mixture of tobacco and sweet, pleasant flavouring, unlike tobacco that may leave an unpleasant smell on body-wears! It is smoked through a long, rubber tubs in a relaxing atmosphere. The local Councils are getting wiser, recognizing the threat Shisha bars pose to youngsters’ health, as not all such outlets operate within the law. Many allow smoking and in rare cases even drinks are allowed in if visitors bring them.

The Local Government Association (LGA) which represents all Councils is demanding extra powers to regulate these outlets; vet and even revoke their licences if they break the rules, operate outside the law. As this is a recent trend, our elders may not be aware of it, as no elderly person would ever visit Shisha Bar, thus unable to warn their children to keep away from such establishments.

Those who visit such places regularly say that this is much better than smoking and drinking, less habituating; provide a pleasant social atmosphere; that is if they are strictly regulated and sparingly used rather than paying daily visit.

Perhaps readers of AV, especially youngsters, may be able to throw more light, enlighten us with their own personal experiences!

Kumudini Valambia By email

Beware of Chinese Imperialism Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetan people, is one of the most kind, caring, learned, humble and revered person on earth. Many influential observers have put him on the same pedestal as Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Junior and a few more influential people of the 20th century who gained respect and admiration through their devotion to their cause, carried out by polite, non-violence means. As Gandhiji used to say, if truth and justice is on your side, then there is no need for violence!

Yet in the eyes of cruel, undemocratic China, Dalai Lama is a terrorist who would be killed if he sets foot in his beloved birthplace Tibet, the country brutally occupied and ethnically cleansed without any protest from the free world, especially India, who under PM Nehru was subjugated, even facilitated Chinese take-over on the international stage, under the umbrella of non-aligned nations, an anti-American organization, without realising how dangerous and ambitious China is!

Now he would be even more hatred figure in the eyes of China, as he suggested that his possible successor may emerge from Tibetan community in India. Tibetan Buddhism, in common with Hinduism, believes in doctrine of reincarnation. As such a successor is always selected from the Tibetans within the country.

This statement by Dalai Lama has not only upset China but it makes China even more determined to choose the next Tibetan leader from within Tibetan Buddhists, under watchful eyes of China who could manipulate him and make him Chinese puppet who would dance to Chinese tunes!

The EU’s appeasement of China, especially that of Britain is unbelievable, akin to Neville Chamberlain waving a piece of paper declaring “Peace in our time” a Munich Declaration signed by the PM and Herr Hitler, not worth the paper it was written on! China is even more dangerous than Nazi Germany, as China is ruled by clever, cunning and ambitious politicians with unlimited patience who would abide their time and choose the right moment to subjugate the world, not in a hurry unlike Hitler!

Bhupendra M. Gandhi By email

We are grateful to all letter writers for more and more versatile letters well within word limit.

Please keep contributing as always.

If you are new, then write to Rupanjana at rupanjana.dutta@abplgroup.com - AV

MAKE YOURSELF HEARD

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Please send your letters to aveditorial@abplgroup.com Make sure they are NOT more than 400 words.

Any letter longer than the limit may not be published.

Note that all your letters are subject to being edited by our team for valid reasons.

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EDUCATION

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

11

11 - 17 May 2019

Universities told to tackle race Ilford foreign students refused attainment gap visas following wrongful English test cheating accusations

Universities must "accelerate efforts" to close a gap in degree attainment between white and black, Asian and minority ethnic students, a study says.

Universities UK and the National Union of Students highlight a 13% gap between the chances of white and BAME students getting a first or upper second degree.

UUK and the NUS say campuses need a culture change to feel more inclusive.

The report acknowledges that many universities have worked to reduce the attainment gap, but says that with 81% of white students getting a first or 2:1 in 2017-18 compared with 68% of BAME students, more must be done.

It highlights five ways that universities can

improve outcomes: * provide strong leadership university leaders should demonstrate a commitment to removing the BAME attainment gap and lead by example * have conversations about race and changing cultures * develop racially diverse and inclusive environments, ensuring that BAME students have a good sense of belonging * gather and analyse data on the attainment gap * understand what works universities can share evidence of what works and what does not UUK is asking vicechancellors to sign up to an online pledge to work with students.

Meanwhile, the Office for Students (OfS) has set a target for the higher educa-

Baroness Amos

tion sector to eliminate the unexplained gap in degree outcomes by 2024-25.

Baroness Amos, director of SOAS, who co-led the report, said: "Our universities are racially and culturally diverse, compared to many other sectors, but we are failing a generation of students if we don't act now to reduce the BAME attainment gap. It is important that universities act and are transparent in their approach so black, Asian and minority ethnic students are given the best chance of success."

Warwick University students in exam mix-up Students will have to take exams up to six weeks earlier than expected after mistakes in a timetable.

A provisional schedule for University of Warwick undergraduates was withdrawn in March due to inaccuracies. Students say just 6% of dates remain the same in the final timetable, with some exams up to 42 days earlier.

The university said the provisional timetable was taken down due to "significant" difficulties and students had been told to disregard it. Thousands of undergraduates are thought to have been affected by the changes to the exams, which start on 13 May.

Larissa Kennedy from Warwick Students' Union said exams had moved forward up to 42 days and advised those affected to apply for mitigation.

"Students have calculated that only 49 of the 798 exams on the final timetable are the same as on the provisional timetable," she said.

Second-year maths student Blake Davies, 20, said seven of his exam dates had changed and a three-week gap between tests had been shortened to one week.

A second-year economics student, who did not want to be named, said her toughest exam had moved forward by a month when the final timetable was

shared on 17 April.

"It's really stressful as we don't have time to prepare.

It's really worrying, these exams count towards our degree," she said.

In a statement the university said the provisional timetable had been taken down due to "significant, critical and unforeseen difficulties".

The final version was published a week earlier than planned and the mitigating circumstances process would operate as it had in previous years, it added.

More than 2,600 people have signed an open letter calling for a change in exam weighting "as compensation for the lack of organisation".

Dozens of foreign students in Ilford South have been denied visas after being wrongly accused of cheating in English exams, according to Independent MP Mike Gapes. The National Audit Office (NAO) announced last week that it is investigating the Home Office's decision to curtail or cancel the visas of around 34,000 international students accused of cheating in English language tests.

Ilford South MP Mike Gapes told the Recorder he has been contacted by several students stuck in “limbo” over the past 18 months.

“There were some people abusing the immigration system but lots of genuine people have been caught up in the middle of this. They came to this country to study – they are genuine students but they have been

caught out. Their whole status in this country has been curtailed on the basis of guilty until proven innocent. It's outrageous,” he said.

Clandestine filming broadcast in a 2014 BBC Panorama documentary showed clear evidence of fraud in at least two testing centres while students took the test of English for international communication (Toeic) as part of their visarenewal process.

In response, the Home Office cancelled visas of tens of thousands of students that had taken it.

Thousands of students have remained in the UK to fight the allegations of cheating and clear their names – but many have struggled as they have been told they have no right of appeal and must leave the

country.

Nazek Ramadan, director of charity Migrant Voice, said: “Stripped of the right to work, study or even access healthcare, many of the students are destitute and suffering from severe mental health problems.

The criminal allegation against them means that they cannot continue their studies, get a good job or obtain a visa to travel anywhere in the world. They have lost their futures.”

A Home Office spokesman said: “The 2014 investigation into the abuse of English language testing revealed systemic cheating which was indicative of significant organised fraud.

The scale of the abuse is shown by the fact that 25 people who facilitated this fraud have received criminal convictions.”

Heads could take industrial action over schools cash crisis Head teachers could take industrial action over the schools funding crisis. The National Association of Head Teachers annual conference has backed a motion committing the union to explore options to challenge the funding crisis up to and including industrial action.

Heads also voted to refuse to make staff redundant or reduce their terms and conditions to balance budgets. Proposing the motion, London head Dave Woods said cuts risked the education of an entire generation of children.

"It is not good enough.

This crisis has reached a point where schools are no longer able to provide standards of education afforded to previous generations of this country. Despite our loud and continuous warnings and those from other school leaders, parents, governors, the National Audit Office, local and district councils, I could go on and on - the government not only refuses to listen but deny there is a problem.," Mr Woods told the conference in Telford.

But another head, Miranda Gibbs, said the conference resolution would

leave her with divided loyalties as her school's governing body was very clear that she should operate a balanced budget, and the school had already "very reluctantly" begun redundancy procedures for some staff.

The motion also called for school leaders to set and publicise projected budgets to reveal the actual amounts they need to run their schools compared with the money available in reality.

Earlier this year, about 7,000 head teachers in England wrote to parents highlighting a "funding crisis" in their schools.

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12 MEDIA WATCH

AsianVoiceNews

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11 - 17 May 2019

SCRUTATOR’S Why not, for a change, begin the week with something more rewarding than the low, sententious election campaign trail? An arresting newspaper item informs us that Global start-ups are looking to Indian engineers to help them embrace the future into prosperity and security.

Take Rashmi Ranjan Padhey, Senior product Manager in a Dubai-based transport company Careem, who says, ‘I got to be part of a global, diverse team and the role offered was quite competitive.’

Like Padhey, other mid-level to senior-level Indian executives are finding placements in young US, German and South East Asian companies, with Singapore the principal hub. What was once the exclusive domain of global tech giants such as Google/Facebook there is now space for new entrants with smaller pockets.

New faces make waves Grab/Taxi, Go-Jek, Delivery Hero etc are hiring executives in data science and product management.

Silicon Valley firms entice freshers with a job in the US amid tight visa regulations. Several firms have set up offices in India, others hire for positions abroad.

‘The engineers we have hired have sound knowledge in programming languages like Ruby and Golang . We don’t hire in large numbers, the three weeks minimum. Besides, the resources need to travel often to all markets we operate in so the Indian engineers are premium talent, said Adithya Venkatesan, Marketing Specialist, Go-Jek tech. Some Silicon Valley firms hire freshers from premium Indian education institutions for an assignment in their home office (Times of India April 30).

Electronic parks for West Bengal The Bengal Information and Technology and Electronics Department is to allot 150 acres of land for three electronics parks in Naihati, Falta and Sonarpur which will produce robotics, mobile phones and solar panels and drone units. This is part of the industrialization drive initiated by the State government based on private investment from domestic and foreign companies, with state also pitching in (Times of India April 30).

Chairman, Pontaq.

‘India and the UK are among the top five in the world when it comes to tech start-ups and with this new hub, we feel Indian companies can find a lot of traction and space to go global,’ he said.

London unique site Pontaq was inaugurated by UK Investment Minister Graham Stuart,who hailed London as the world’s ‘leading financial centre with best-in-class regulation and

Fake currency arrest

Industry input

The National Investigation Agency has arrested a Malda (West Bengal) absconder Firoj Saikh with fake Indian currency worth Rs 10 lakh (Rs 1 million). In March last year, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence had seized fake currency worth Rs 10, 20, 000 from Mahmoob Baig and Syed Imran in Visakhapatnam. Firoj Shaikh was produced before a Malda district court and was remanded in police custody.

There is clearly a national security dimension to these arrests (Times of India April 30).

U Rajababu, Programme Director, Ballistic Missile Defence Shield programme, said: Accurate sensors on board seekers guided the ASAT missile to its target.’ His colleague Y, Sreenivasa Rao congratulated industry partners for their efforts in making te mission a success (Business Line April 30)

Amazon in India surge E-commerce giant Amazon said its Global Selling programme had achieved a significant milestone of $1 billion in cumulative ecommerce sales from India in the last three years. The programme launched in May 2015 with a few hundred Indian sellers on board, now has more than 50,000 exporters selling over 140 million products to Amazon customers across the wortld. Addressing a press conference in Bangaluru, Amazon Senior Vice President and country head Amit Agarwal said that over the next five years , the exports initiative had the potential to include lakhs (hundreds of thousands) Indian manufacturers, exporters and small enterprises and that Amazon was confident of clocking up exports sales worth $5 billion from India by 2023 (Business Line May1).

Core sector growth at 5-month high

Minister Graham Stuart, MP

world-class professional services.’

India’s High Commissioner to the UK, Ruchi Ghanashyam reiterated that Indian investment into the UK would remain at its high level, whatever the Brexit outcome (Business Line April 30).

Madras IIT in rising campus placements The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) – Madras announced record-breaking campus placements in the 2018-19 academic year, with 964 of the 1300 students it held. The placements were 15 per cent

The core sector of the Indian economy grew by 4.7 per cent in March, the highest figure in five months, driven by a broad based recovery in sectors such as cement, oil refinery products, steel and coal. (Hindu May 1).

Mission Shakti India’s Mission Shakti owed its success to six months of roundthe-clock focus coordinated by scientists attached to Defence laboratories. Their unremitting work was climaxed by ASAT (AntiSatellite mission) missile test which destroyed its target in space on March 27, said G. Satheesh Reddy, Chairman DRDO, addressing the Aeronautical Society of India in Hyderabad. He

Army’s missile shield deals

India, China trade, investment ties

Invoking the emergency financial powers granted by the Ministry of Defence, the Indian Army is acquiring Spike-LR Anti-Tank missiles from Israel and the Igla – S Very Short Range Air Defence Systems from Russia. The procurement process had been long and tedious, and hence the new emergency financial powers vested in the three services to rectify the situation. The deals involve technology transfer (Hindu April 30).

Furthermore, China’s economic presence in India is expanding exponentially. With better political management, Sino-Indian economic ties can reach a quantitative and qualitative level few Indians or Chinese would have once thought possible. Why hang on to a discredited past.

China could retain the friendliest relations with Pakistan. It is the paradigm that will need adjustment to new and evolving ground realities (See page 3).

India-China pharma talks

India gears up for next Moon mission

India is to send a high-level team to Beijing for the first meeting of the working group with China on pharmaceuticals. An initiative under the India-China Strategic Economic Dialogue Mechanism India’s aim is to increase its pharmaceutical exports to China by impressing upon it the need to make the drug registration procedure easier for Indian companies. ‘There is a need for strengthening our our exports to China and also to reduce import dependence from China , which could be achieved with regular trade and regular bilateral discussions,’ said an Indian pharmaceutical spokesman. In 2018-19, China stood seventeenth in India’s list of pharmaceutical exports, earning $230.19 million – an increase of 14.83 per cent over the previous year. The trend is promising for India (Hindu April 30).

China removes hold on Masood Azhar

K. Sivan

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is preparing to launch Chandrayan II, its second mission to the Moon sometime in early July, according to ISRO Director K. Sivam. The rocket for the launch will be the advanced GSLV MK-III. This will be a soft landing, following which the Rover will roll out for 300-400 metres before performing tests and taking images fior transfer back tio Earth (Times of India, Hindu May 3).

Sangakkara new MCC president Meanwhile, Kumar Sangakkara, a former Sri Lankan Test captain, among the foremost batsmen of

Masood Azhar

London hub to boost UK-India business A new UK-India hub has been opened in London to promote technology transfer between the parties. Described as the first of its type, the hub will be financed by a venture capital fund in a business district, has been by UK-based Venture Capital fund Pontaq at the new Royal Albert Dock business district in the city’s East End. It aims to promote bilateral investments in financial technology, artificial intelligence, blockchain and smart cities.

‘Brexit or no Brexi, Indian tech companies will always choose the UK,’ said Dr Mohan Kaul,

investments in Pakistan are as huge as the dividends are small.

Backing jihadi Pakistan while cracking down hard on China’s Muslim population in Xinjiang had earned China no brownie points internationally. The scale of the hypocrisy is self evident and has drawn scathing comments in the West. There had to be limits to Chinese largesse to Pakistan.

Madras IIT campus

higher than thats ecorded in the previous year. The top five recruiters were Micron, (26 offers), Intel India (26 offers), Citibank (23 offers), Microsoft (22 offers) and Qualcomm (21offers) (Business Line April 30).

said critical systems were developed indigenously and a team of specialised scientists worked in complete synergy that the key challenge facing the test was accomplished.

China announced the removal of its its hold on international attempts to brand Pakistani jihadi Masood Azhar a global terrorist.

The news was received with understandable satisfaction in India. Beijing had given serious thought to continuing support to its ‘all-weather friend, Pakistan’ on this contentious issue, which was fraying Beijing’s relations with fellow members of the UN Security Council and beyond. Was this worth the political and diplomatic expense? Apart from badgering India, what long or medium-term advantages had China gained? Very little, it would appear. China’s economic

Kumar Sangakkara

his generation, has been elected President of the MCC, the first non-Britain to be so honoured. He will take office on October 1, and will relinquish it, as per custom, on the completion of a year.

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11 - 17 May 2019

Man who threw a milkshake over Tommy Robinson says he fears for his family EDL founder 'taunted him over Muslim grooming gangs' diately accosted.

Mr Mahmud conceded he called the right-wing figure 'scum,' but said he was rounded upon by the Robinson faithful who were 'very aggressive.'

He spoke to a police officer after he claims he was shoved and was told to head to his appointment and In footage taken at the scene, Tommy that, if followed, not to Robinson can be seen engaged in a hesitate in ringing 999. discussion with Danyaal Mahmud and appears to be referencing an earlier But after the young altercation in the town centre man's meeting, despite his hopes the crowds the town centre. He said the would have dispersed, Mr activists encouraged his Mahmud told the paper he presence, hugging him and was stopped again. telling him he was brave to In footage taken at the stand with them. And when scene, Robinson can be seen 36-year-old Robinson engaged in a discussion with arrived from his van Mr Mr Mahmud and appears to Mahmud said he was immebe referencing an earlier altercation in the town centre. He can be heard telling the man that he was 'overly aggressive' and that 'the only person you pushed was a woman.' After the drink is thrown over him Robinson rains down a barrage of punches on Mr Mahmud's head before he is pulled away. Mr Mahmud told The Observer despite bruises and cuts on his back and a minor head injury, he would The encounter took place as the far-right extremist was campaigning in be willing to 'shake on it,' Warrington, Cheshire, and left his blue striped suit covered in the sticky McDonald's drink (left). In footage taken at the scene, Robinson hurls with Robinson and 'bury the punches after having the fluid thrown over him (right) hatchet.'

A campaigner who threw a milkshake over Tommy Robinson after he says he was taunted by the EDL founder's entourage claims he is getting death threats.

Danyaal Mahmud, 23, has been hailed as a symbol of a protest movement against the European election candidate after he doused Robinson with milkshake in Warrington.

But Mr Mahmud said last Thursday's altercation in which Robinson was seen bashing him over the head and the ensuing notoriety has left him feeling vulnerable. He was in town to meet with an occupational health therapist when he was invited by anti-fascist protesters to join them in confronting Robinson and his group in

Brit woman 'duped by ISIS' and injured in drone strike 'should be allowed home' The family of a British woman who was "duped into joining ISIS" and injured in a drone strike have called for her to be allowed home.

Samia Hussein had her left arm and a part of her breast blown off in a bomb dropped by coalition forces in Syria, according to reports.

The family of the 25year-old, who left the UK to study in Nairobi, Kenya, claim she was "brainwashed" by the terror group during her time in the country. They say she attended the United States International University in the capital city and "was working hard there".

Samia, from Southall, west London, was reportedly approached by terrorists and told she would be helping children in need. But she was "duped" into becoming one of the many British women to join ISIS. She disappeared in 2015 and her family did not hear from her for more than three years, they claimed.

Ms Hussein was discovered when the Syrian city of

Samia Hussein's family claim she was duped into joining the terror group and want her to be allowed home

Baghouz fell to Kurdishbacked forces in March. It is believed the "intelligent, caring" Brit is now being held at a camp in Syria. She recently made contact with relatives from the site.

And her devastated family, who believe she was "groomed", have called for the government to let her come home. They told The Telegraph: "She lost her left arm and half her breast when a bomb fell on her house a couple of years ago.

We’re worried about the

health and sanitary conditions where she is now and whether she is getting food and shelter. Her distraught family also insists she is "a normal Muslim girl" who "wasn’t radical".

Samia's plea for a safe return to the UK comes after it emerged ISIS bride Shamima Begum would be "jailed and hanged" if she travelled to Bangladesh, the country's foreign minister warned.

Abdul Momen, 71, said the teenager is "not his country's problem" as she's never applied for citizenship there.

On Sunday 5 May 2019, Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar have completed 48 years of serving our readers and supporters as their 'voice'- with news, features and campaigns that they love.

Happy birthday to us!

Sisters suing luxury London hotel over alleged 'haphazard' security Three sisters from Abu Dhabi, who were staying at a luxury London hotel, are suing the four-star Cumberland Hotel in Marble Arch over its alleged 'haphazard' security, when a thief attacked them with a hammer, leaving them with devastating injuries.

Ohoud, Khaloud and Fatima Al-Najjar were staying in adjoining rooms at the Marble Arch hotel in April 2014 when "hotel creeper" Philip Spence attacked them with a claw hammer.

The Evening Standard reported that Spence, who was convicted of three counts of attempted murder and sen-

tenced to life imprisonment, walked into the hotel off the street and was able to reach the seventh floor, where he entered the Al-Najjars' room through its open door, the High Court heard on Tuesday.

The hotel's owners deny liability for the attack, arguing they "did not create the danger" posed by Spence, and that by leaving their door open "the claimants voluntarily assumed the obvious risk of allowing anyone to enter the room while they were asleep inside".

In a statement, a spokeswoman for GLH Hotels - which owns the Cumberland

Hotel, said: "The Al-Najjar sisters have our deepest sympathy for the horrific injuries they received at the hands of Philip Spence whilst staying at our hotel in 2014.

"His actions were savage and shocking, and he is rightfully now serving a 27-year prison sentence for his terrible crime.

"However, we cannot accept responsibility for his attack, which is why we are contesting the Al-Najjar family's claim in this trial."

Mr Justice Dingemans will hear the case over 10 days and is expected to reserve his judgment.

Fraudster dated women and conned £600,000 A man who told women he met online that he was a high-flyer in the City before defrauding them of more than £600,000 was jailed yesterday.

Keyur Vyas, 32, used dating sites to contact women with the pretence of starting a relationship, Kingston Crown Court heard. Vyas told these women that he was a wealthy businessman who shared their religion and was looking to settle down and start a family.

After gaining their trust Vyas, who worked as a recruitment consultant between 2014-17, would tell them about his business ventures, claiming that they would see huge returns if they invested and used fake contracts to persuade the women that the ventures were legitimate.

Vyas, of Tower Hamlets, East London, pleaded guilty last month to four charges of fraud by false representation, with two remaining

Keyur Vyas

charges to lie on file and was sentenced to serve six years and one month in jail.

Seagull turns orange after fall into tikka masala curry A seagull has turned bright orange after falling into a curry. The bird fell into a container of chicken tikka masala while trying to get a piece of meat from a factory bin.

The seagull was rescued by workers at the factory in Wales and taken to a wildlife hospital. Staff at the centre used washing up liquid to clean the gull's feathers. They managed to get him back to his original white colour but have not

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11 - 17 May 2019

Jain community celebrates Mahavir Jayanti in London The Jain community celebrated Mahavir Jayanti, the birth of Lord Mahavir on Sunday, 28thApril at Shishukunj Bhavan in Edgware, London. Lord Mahavir was one of the key spiritual teachers of Jainism. Samani Pratibha Pragyaji and Samani Unnat Pragyaji gave sermons and conducted the meditation session.

The celebration, supported by two Jain charities, Jain Vishva Bharti and the Jain Association, was a packed-out event with more than 250 people attending.

Amongst the guests were Rajesh Agarwal (Deputy Mayor of London for Business), Navin Shah (London Assembly Member for Brent and Harrow), CllrSachin Shah, CllrRekha

Shah, CllrVina Mithani andCllr Nitin Parekh.

They talked about Jain philosophy and the significant contributions that the Jain community, which consists of only sixty thousand people, has made to UK life.

Subjects such as caring for the environment, self-control and the impact of violence were covered during the speeches.

The afternoon consisted of cultural activities. The key principles of Jainism were reiterated in a thought-provoking play performed by the children – Ahimsa (non-violence and not harming any living beings), Satya (truth), Achaurya (not stealing), Brahmacharya (chastity) and Aparigraha (non-attachment). The audience enjoyed and appreciated the hard

Deputy Mayor Rajesh Agrawal, Navin Shah AM, Cllr Rekha Shah, Cllr Sachin Shah and other guests

work and effort the children had made in preparing and performing on stage.

The ladies from the community, through a dance performance, recounted the

fourteen auspicious dreams

by Lord Mahavir’s mother, before he was born. The day finished off with prayers and a delicious vegetarian meal.

Everyone who attended

the occasion took away the teachings, philosophy and ethos of Jainism and left with a stronger community spirit. As noted by Rajesh Agarwal, "Jainism’s princi-

ples of non-violence, many sidedness and non-attachment are so relevant today as the world is marred with violence, self-righteousness and greed."

A statement of purpose through art Meera Dalal suicide: Mother to Avril Ann Braganza

nalistic photography, advertising, the media and cinema.

Her art looks through the feminine lens to address the human condition, encompasses both men and women, and the politics that exist between them, which are cross-cultural, universal, and rooted in history.Buttjuxtaposes her central figures with elements of pop culture and those that are a sign of femininity, including cupcakes, ice cream meringues, hairdryers and flowers. Many of the objects are mirror repeated and have

“Art has a purpose in society… it’s not made to make anyone comfortable. I have long endeavoured to challenge social stereotypes to provoke reaction through my artwork,” says internationally renowned artist Faiza Butt at a Stellar International Art Foundation event promoting female artistic empowerment in Lonadon.

Butt along with Dr Sona Datta — an award-winning writer, curator and art historian —isn't shy of expressing her thoughts on gender politics and artistic inequality.

Together, the two raise significant issues on gender and cultural prejudice in today’s art world.

And it’s her artwork that Butt uses to make a radical statement Dr Sona Datta with Faiza Butt —objectifying and eroticising some relationship with the the male face for the feminine central protagonist in the gaze. shape they take, and in the Her work sharply crisymbolism they represent. tiques the history of the male “Domesticity and edible gaze and is in reaction to the beauty is always present in my history of the female nude. work; that’s my signature,” Instead of rendering men in adds Butt, who has exhibited nude seductive positions, she at the Asia Society, New York, renders the objectified male Art Dubai, Art Basel Hong identity. “Hyper male or Kong, the India Art Fair and macho identity comes in the the Venice Biennale among guise of the political leader, others. the champion sportsman and Butt blossomed under the the radical terrorist. All these mentorship of Prof S Hashmi characters are protagonists in during her time at Lahore’s my compositions, supported National college of Arts. “She by rich parallel narratives. I helped us develop an appetite draw gladiatorial sportsmen for culture, change and alterengaging in seductive homonative way of looking at the erotic contact, hence becomworld that surrounds us. Her ing what the hyper-masculine family’s legacy of resistance identity fears most,” says the towards conservatism and Pakistani-born artist, who bigotry was known to all of draws inspiration from jourus, and that commanded a lot

of respect from her students,” she explains.

Butt’s style of developing an image is referred to as pointillism, which developed during her MA at the Slade School of Art. Having rejected the dominant thrust of painting as a product of Western art history, she developed a style that was somewhere between the ‘Purdakht’ (rendering) of Indian miniature to the pixels of a photograph.

Tiny dots of Indian ink are layered together to create saturation of colour, and define form. “I wanted to create a method that was rooted in art traditions from my cultural heritage. My resistance towards painting was from the gender perspective, where not only I challenged the history of the male gaze but also the dominance of men in art in general”.

While Butt’s work follows the principles of feminism, her hope is to extend her voice both to men and women. In a world where female artists strive to receive the recognition their male counterparts get, Dr Datta believes that womenneed to be given equal space at art fairs. “I don’t think they should be segregated and given a special space because that in a sense marginalizes them; what we aim to do is to bring them into the mainstream. Those who come to see the big names among male artists will encounter female artists as equals,” she says.

write book on tragic domestic abuse case A grieving mother is chronicling the abuse her daughter's ex-boyfriend allegedly inflicted upon her, in a new book, after it reportedly led to her committing suicide in 2016.

Meera Dalal had experienced a sustained period of alleged abuse that ultimately led the Leicester based NHS professional to tragically take her own life in the family home. She had sought help from doctors and a report from her GP was read out as evidence at the original inquest in Loughborough showing how fragile her mental state had become.

Now her mother, Daksha, has teamed up with author and domestic abuse campaigner Saurav Dutt to chronicle her grief, the ordeal her daughter went through and to create a help guide for other vulnerable persons who may be experiencing abuse but don’t know where to turn.

“A loss of a child is an intense grief that you will never, ever be able to overcome,” Mrs Daksha Dalal said, “Sometimes I go to sleep and I don’t want to wake up. But I have to raise awareness of this kind of abuse-especially in the South Asian community-so that not one more single person feels so defeated and weakened that they have to take their own life.

"If I could help one girl, one child or somebody's daughter, that would make me happy. I know that there

is help out there but you have to be brave enough to take it. I have to turn this unbearable pain into something positive to help those out there who are being abused and who want to move away from that dark place and move ahead with their lives.”

Saurav Dutt, whose debut novel The Butterfly Room, chronicled the accounts of over 200 domestic abuse survivors, said that it was important that people understood how complex domestic violence and psychological abuse is and that the South Asian community has a particular challenge in overcoming the issue which is often seen as taboo.

“We wanted to understand why a vibrant, happy, 25 year old young lady would be driven to a point where she decided she did not want to remain in this world any longer. How does domestic violence change one’s mind set and approach to life? What can young people do to spot the signs and seek help? Can they move past these dark, often ugly, chapters in their life-and if they can’t, what are the reasons? We hope this book helps us answer some of these questions as well as to speak to every parent who has lost a child to such an ugly crime and to provide them with a means to understand the incredible

Meera Dalal

pain of loss.”

Miss Dalal killed herself at her family home in Syston, her family moved to a different area of Leicestershire after her death.

Mrs Dalal has been raising awareness of domestic abuse since her daughter's death through a Facebook page in her memory, and says many victims have contacted her.

Saurav Dutt has campaigned for domestic abuse survivors and has written and spoken about the subject at forums as varied as the WEF (Women’s Economic Forum), WIN (Women’s Interfaith Network) as well as being interviewed by Baroness Shami Chakrabarti on the subject and The Butterfly Room.

The book, entitled ‘Fall In Light: A Mother’s Story’ will be released in June 2019, on what would have been Meera’s 30th birthday. Book proceeds are already being planned to be provided to the samaritans and organisations assisting those experiencing domestic abuse.

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TLIGHT

Iskandar Sharazuddin A Post-modern Playwright

Sunetra Senior p-and-coming playwright, Iskandar, dives into contemporary themes of identity, shared memory and multiplicity with a compelling openness. His current play, Post-Mortem, showing in Edinburgh from 05th - 26th of August with Assembly Festival, centres on a former couple who meet for the first time since their split at a mutual close friend’s wedding while earlier play, Silently Hoping, examines the cultural concept of British-Asian subjectivity through the eyes of a South-Asian woman identifying as gay.

U

presupposed definitions, and their psycho-geographic place. “While my stories may feature race and religion, they are not actually about these topics,” Iskandar aptly elaborated. “I look at intriguing dynamics and the behaviours of people.” Indeed, at once demonstrating the young creative’s aptitude for the craft, what is ejected by way of social artifice is replaced by more authentic, everyday kind of understanding. In Post-Mortem, for example, though stable romance is an illusion, the main characters are still able to appreciate each one other as ‘friendly’ acquaintances: the bond is symbolically reflected through an idiosyncratic corny humour. ‘That’s cold,’ one character comments at one point, to which the second responds: ‘what’s the matter? Feeling Ice-olated?’

It’s an innermost in-joke reserved for two.

Similarly, in Silently Hoping a connection that persists despite the apparent disconnection expands to the entire experience of cosmopolitanism: “though enduring the cultural distance with her father, the protagonist is in a relationship with a Nigerian woman who is also searching for a sense of belonging. The yearning and need to feel loved is universal.” From Biryanis and Ubers to a fight about whether a minority’s perception of an account of racism is in fact racist, these characters too are couched in a refreshingly nuanced language of millennial colour.

The latter showed as part of the acclaimed Vault Festival in February of this year, after a shorter version was programmed by The Miniaturists, a curated short-play event presented at the Arcola Theatre: another independent, grass-roots venue. “These latest pieces draw on my own experiences, and come from a place of great vulnerability,” the meditative writer told us.

“Silently Hoping was based around the tentative relationship with my father, and the conflict I felt as a mixedrace individual of British-Asian her“I do love character-driven and situaitage. I wanted to explore what this tional stories,” Iskandar commented, label meant, and if the two worlds “and believe in collaborative power too. could ever comfortably co-exist.”

Though the milieu of multiculturalism The whole team for Silently Hoping is common in Iskandar’s work then, was BAME British, and each person cautious questioning predominantly brought their experience organically permeates his unique narratives. Postinto the work.” Iskandar emphasised; Mortem almost explicitly calls atten“there was no machinated timely agention to this, refusing to give definitive da. Rather, any comment on race relaanswers despite presenting very pertions came of an investment in direct sonal, provocative territory: “the emotional communication.” play, for the most part, is And so, as open inwardly about how we tend to as he is with the wider mythologise our own 'I wanted to concepts, Iskandar’s past, and asks whether work beautifully repreexplore the this itself is good or sents a new canonistic bad. Both these exconcept of Britishphase of the postlovers have their own modern. One where Asian, and if the two narrative about why notions of broken worlds could ever that relationship existence are being ended, and are pushed comfortably gradually reconstructed to confront their misbecause of an emerging co-exist' matching ideas of what truth: though distressing, has happened. A postthe breaking down of ideomortem itself is an analysis of logical barriers has also allowed us an event after it has occurred, espeto acknowledge similar underlying cially if it was a failure.” desires, which can bring us together.

Though there has been a mounting dis*** illusionment, we have also cleared a This significantly reflects the sociopath to move forward to forge a more political climate, which is characterised reliable, collective order. “The biggest by uncertainty, having had traditional question for the writer, knowing it all, identity politics completely shattered. is: will you resolve the tension in the At a time when nothing is as it seems, end, or not?” the best course of action is to reassess

Tell us more on the cultural resonance of your work?

Any story that champions an alternative or underrepresented voice and challenges a dominant narrative automatically has value. Coming from a mixed-cultural heritage, it has especially important for me to write nuanced portrayals. I was actually on a panel discussing this when Silently Hoping was showing at the Vaults. There is definitely a national conversation about identity. But it is a tricky concept to unpack. I also enjoyed portraying a father-daughter relationship on stage as we rarely get to see this interpersonal dynamic.

How useful it is to have labels on sexual and cultural identity?

I’m not sure: the long answer is that labels can be empowering – certain civil rights movements were ordered entirely around this. It can be important in the reclamation of identity. I think it becomes harmful when it is used to predict or dictate what it means to come from a certain background. At the end of the day, experiences are relatable.

What do you look for in a story?

For me, it’s about being in love with it, especially new work! In terms of production, it’s important to have a caring team that will invest in the character or event that’s driving the drama.

What have been some highlight moments for you in the arts?

I am actually a producer too, with a company called Ellandar productions which was set up with my best friend: in that sense, it’s been great working with so many different people on projects. I’ve worked with several different artistic directors, and we make sure to have a 50/50 parity to promote female directors. The relationships I’ve built with people mean a lot to me.

Why do you enjoy collaboration?

A play doesn’t exist until there is collaboration: discussion is integral for me. It makes me a better human being and writer and encourages more rigour with the work. Questioning and interrogation can only lead to a tighter, stronger narratives.

You are an actor too: as vibrant in your trade as your stories. Tell us a bit about your training?

I trained in screen acting as opposed to plays, and spent the first part of my career making short films. I very quickly transitioned into theatre. I felt my way through the industry, landing training with Soho Theatre along the way. I learn by doing, spending a lot of time on sets and in rehearsal rooms.

Finally, who have been some of your greatest contemporary influences?

While I value the theatre canon, it is a canon that has and continues to be championed by a mainstream theatre that is predominately white, able-bodied, and middle class. I’m interested in work of my colleagues and contemporaries who are trying genuinely to diversify our theatre, and promote other voices.

T: @irsharazuddin ‘Silently Hoping’ is playing at Applecart Arts on the 14th & 15th of June.

UK

15

11 - 17 May 2019

POLICE CALL ON COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR SAFETY OF PLACES OF WORSHIP On 2nd May 2019, Thursday, religious leaders from across the borough attended an inter-faith event at the Harrow Civic Centre hosted by Harrow Safer Neighbourhood Police team, in a bid to raise awareness on how to keep places of worship safe in Harrow.

Police organised the event to highlight their commitment to safety as a number one priority for the community – Inspector Tanya Sprunks following on from two Hindu temple burglaries in November 2018 in Harrow and Brent and hate crime incidents at the London Ayyppan Temple in Harrow, as well as the recent terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka and Christchurch, New Zealand. Speakers included the Police, the Council and members of the Community Security Trust – a charity that provides security advice and training for Jewish organisations, schools and synagogues.

“Terrorism is an act – it doesn’t have a race or a religion.

Terrorists are just like criminals, in that they will need to plan an attack. That is why it is critical that people are aware of suspicious behaviour and how to identify it and report it.

Everyone knows what’s normal for their community, so if you spot anything at all that feels unfamiliar or doesn’t feel right – please report it and dial 999, as your instincts could save lives,” said Police Constable Chris Peel.

The seminar surrounded a discussion around concepts of tailgating, evacuation, invacuation, hostile reconnaissance and anonymous reporting of suspicious activities or people. Apart from the interactive Question & Answer session, there were also explanatory videos, and educative presentations around security of properties and sites. However, politicisation of such heinous crimes was not allowed even in form of debate when concerned members of the public raised questions about the government and the opposition's drawbacks in ensuring safer neighbourhoods.

“We rely on members of the community to be our eyes and ears and many times, their calls have been a vital lead for us.

Everyone needs to be aware of how to spot suspicious behaviour and a whole community working together is exceptionally strong,” said Inspector Tanya Sprunks, in charge of Harrow Neighbourhoods.

Talks also included about creation of a culture of security and keeping religious premises safe, counter terrorism and how to deal with hate crime and prevention from burglary.

“It’s my vision that every single mosque, synagogue, church and temple in Harrow works together to share information and knowledge, so that we are all aiming for the same goal together in tackling these complex issues,” concluded Lead Member for Crime and Community Safety, Councillor Krishna Suresh.

46% CITIZENSHIP APPLICATIONS COME FROM CHILDREN OF COMMONWEALTH BACKGROUND Data obtained following a freedom of information request by Citizens UK indicates that about 46% of the 39,000 citizenship applications came from children who have Commonwealth connections, according to The Guardian.

Children of Indian origin accounted for nearly 5000 applications, followed by those from Nigeria and Pakistan and about 9,000 applications were made by children originally from EU countries. Figures also showed that nearly 900 classified as stateless were asked to pay Home Office immigration fee as part of their application to become British citizens. MPs and campaigners have criticised the charges levied on children.

Stuart Tannock, a sociology professor who works with Citizens UK, said to The Guardian that “access to British citizenship is vital if children are to play a full role in our society and reach their potential. These children have already met the strict criteria and have a legal right to British citizenship, but they cannot access their papers because of the unaffordable £1,012 fee.”

BREXIT MESS FOR TORIES AT LOCAL ELECTIONS The Tories have lost 1,334 councillors, with Theresa May saying voters wanted the main parties to "get on" with Brexit while Labour also lost 82 seats in the local English elections, in which it had been expected to make gains. But the strongly pro-EU Lib Dems gained 703 seats, with leader Sir Vince Cable calling every vote received "a vote for stopping Brexit". The Greens and independents also made gains, as UKIP lost seats. After nine years in government it's not surprising that the incumbent Conservatives have lost a significant chunk of seats many activists have identified Theresa May's handling of Brexit as a root of the problem. Perhaps, the biggest indication of the Prime Minister's Brexit mess could be when she was heckled during her speech to Welsh Conservatives by a Tory activist Stuart Davies who had shouted “we don't want you here”.

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18 FINANCE - UK

AsianVoiceNews

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

www.asian-voice.com

11 - 17 May 2019

Consultant Editor Financial Voice Alpesh Patel Dear Financial Voice Reader, The Financial Times Money Editor, for whom I used to write my weekly column, asked this week if women make better investors. The data suggests that not only do women make better investors, but investing in women gives better returns.

There can be little doubt about male dominance when only one out of a hundred of the UK’s largest companies are headed by a woman. Even in the US, it’s a similar proportion of women who head Fortune 500 companies.

Eighty per cent of women-owned businesses that need credit are under-served worldwide, creating a £1.3 trillion financing gap according to research last week. Also according to the Rose Review “only 13pc of people on UK investment teams are women and 48pc of investment teams have no women at all. This is reflected in the fact that less than 1pc of UK venture funding goes to all-female teams and just 4pc of deals.”

Not only does research show women run business do better, but also those with a more gender balanced board – basically on every metric it makes sense investing in women. But it doesn’t happen. So women have started their own funds, their own investor groups to invest in women led businesses.

How ironic. Research shows 46 per cent of all US businesses are owned by women, and employment at women-owned businesses is growing at 18 per cent, compared with 8 per cent for all companies, according to business magazine Forbes. Actually, US women have an average net worth of £1.96 billion compared with the men, at £1.45 billion.

And when it comes to investment, research also shows women make better investors than men. Women’s portfolios earned 1.4% annually more than men’s did in a study of over 35,000 investors by the University of California at Davis. Indeed, single women earned 2.3% annually more than single men.

Poor male performance is due to over-trading, according to the study. Men trade their accounts 45% more often than women. And single men shuffle their holdings 67% more than single women. Perhaps the adage about men’s fear of commitment is true after all.

A National Association of Investors Corporation tenyear study found all-female investment clubs outpaced all-male investment clubs by producing 23.8% average compounded lifetime annual returns compared to 19.2% for male clubs.

So what lessons are there for men? Fear of making a mistake was 50% to 60% higher among women than among males according to the US National Center for Women & Retirement Research. Consequently, women spend 40% more time than men researching and are also less likely to trade on a ‘hot tip’. Men need to reign in their overconfidence. 52% of men express confidence in their ability to invest wisely, compared to just 38% of women according to the American Savings Economic Council.

Men are overconfident in their abilities to pick market beating stocks.

UK watchdog fines KPMG and partners on auditing of insurer UK's Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has fined auditor KPMG and some of its partners for the auditing of motor vehicles insurer Equity Syndicate Management (ESM) Limited. KPMG has been fined 6 million pounds, its partner Mark Taylor and former partner Anthony Hulse 100,000 pounds each, the FRC said in a statement.

Douglas Morgan, a former director of ESM, has been excluded from membership of Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) for two years. The fines followed the FRC’s investigation on the auditing of Lloyd’s of London car and motorcycles insurer Equity Red Star for accounts

dating back to 2007, 2008 and 2009.

A formal complaint had been filed at the end of the investigation in 2016, it said in a statement. Equity Syndicate Management Limited was the management agent and a corporate member of the Lloyd’s of London, trading as Equity Red Star. KPMG has agreed to undertake an additional internal review and report to the regulator on certain aspects of its 2018 audits of insurance undertakings.

In 2010 Equity Red Star, a UK subsidiary of Insurance Australia Group which insures one in four motorcycles on Britain’s roads, suffered a A$358 million loss after failing to set aside enough cash to cover claims.

Steps to curb executive pay have flopped, says thinktank According to a new research from a thinktank, government measures to tackle excessive executive pay in the UK have flopped. Between 2014 and 2018 – the first five full years of the attempted clampdown – every pay policy put to an annual meeting of a FTSE 100 company was approved by shareholders, the High Pay Centre has reported. In 2016, in the run-up to becoming prime minister, Theresa May proposed allowing employee and consumer representatives to sit on company board before backtracking on the plan.

In 2012, David Cameron, the then prime minister, announced a crackdown on excessive executive pay. As a result, the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 gave shareholders a binding – rather than advisory – vote on their companies’ executive pay policy at least once every three years. This went alongside the existing advisory vote on a company’s pay report detailing what it paid the directors in the previous

year. Investors, though, seem unwilling to use this power to rein in excessive executive pay. Last year, a narrow majority approved a controversial £75m bonus handed to housebuilder Persimmon’s chief executive, Jeff Fairburn, despite widespread anger.

The High Pay Centre also found that across more than 700 pay-related resolutions voted on at annual meetings over the period, the average level of shareholder dissent was 8.8%. Only 11% of pay-

related resolutions attracted dissent levels of more than 20%. And only six advisory votes on the pay packages awarded in previous years were defeated, which was “barely 1% of the total”.

The findings come despite median levels of chief executive pay climbing to £3.9m in 2017, the most recent year for which full figures are available – an increase of 11%. That is about 137 times the annual salary of the typical UK worker, the thinktank said.

“Polling has repeatedly shown public support for more meaningful measures to address very high pay and economic inequality, including caps on top pay and worker representation on company boards,” it added.

Executive pay and perks rows continue to flare up: days ago, MPs stepped up the pressure on Lloyds Banking Group over excessive pensions for senior staff, while last week it emerged that the boss of Britain’s biggest gambling company, the Ladbrokes owner GVC, was paid £19.1m in 2018, potentially putting the company at risk of a clash with shareholders.

Responding to the study, shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey said: “Today’s findings sadly tell us what we already know: that Tory policies have failed to tackle excessive executive pay in some businesses, which is contributing to rampant inequality.”

Crystal Financial Solutions can help boost your retirement pot It has become important to plan your tax saving scheme since the tax year 2019-20 has started on 6th April.

According to Crystal Financial Solutions, investment in pension scheme offers tax benefits and can also boost the retirement pot.

To encourage to contribute more into our pensions, the government gives tax relief on what you put in – up to certain limits. If your pension contributions are coming out of your salary before tax, they won’t be counted as part of your taxable salary, so you won’t pay any tax on them.

So, you get tax relief at your highest marginal rate of income tax. Furthermore, if your pension contributions are paid out of your after-tax salary or you have separate arrangement, your pension scheme will automatically add basic-rate tax relief

Jinit Shah

when you contribute. If you pay higher or additional-rate income tax, you can reclaim further tax relief through your annual self-assessment tax return.

This means a £100 pension contribution will effectively cost £80 if you pay basic-rate income tax, £60 if you pay higher-rate tax and £55 if you pay the top rate of income tax. If you’re a non-tax payer, you can still

get basic-rate tax relief on contributions up to £2,880 (£3,600 including tax relief).

Furthermore, once the contributions to your pension scheme are invested, they grow largely free of taxes. If you run your own limited company, contributing to a pension can bring you significant tax advantages.

Pension contributions can be treated as an allowable business expense and can be offset against your company’s corporation tax bill - up to certain limits.

For those owner managed businesses whether they are limited companies or partnerships can look to invest in a Small Self-Administered Scheme (SSAS). Usually for 12 members or less, the SSAS pension is a neat structure and is an asset that can be inherited without liability to Inheritance Tax (IHT) and,

therefore, kept within the family across generations.

An SSAS provides a means of pension saving that runs alongside your limited company and allows for investment decisions to be made by the business owners. Using the funds in your SSAS, you can purchase commercial properties which can then be leased back either to your business or to a third party. If you then rent your own commercial property, the rent paid by your business to the SSAS is treated as a business expense and the rent received by the SSAS from the commercial property is not taxed.

Whether you are employed, self-employed or running your own limited company, Crystal Financial Solutions we can help you build the right solution.

Please contact Jinit Shah on 0208 901 3737.

May revising strategy if Brexit talks fail Prime Minister Theresa May is hopeful of finding a way to get parliament to approve a Brexit plan without another public vote.

According to reports, if forced, she may go for a second Brexit referendum.

May had discussions with officials and ministers about holding a referendum that would give voters the choice

between leaving the European Union with a deal, leaving without a deal, or not leaving at all.

According to sources, the referendum plan would become relevant if talks with opposition Labour Party failed and a majority in parliament supported holding another public vote.

But another source denied

there had been a meeting to discuss a second EU referendum.

Britain’s 2016 vote to leave the EU, which was split 52 per cent for Brexit and 48 per cent against it, has continued to divide the country and paralyse the political system. May’s minority government missed a March 29 exit date

and there is huge uncertainty over how, when, and even if Britain will leave.

May has publicly opposed holding a second referendum. She has said that if talks with Labour fail, parliament will be asked to vote on series of options on how to break the impasse, but those options have not been decided yet.

REAL ESTATE VOICE

THE POWER OF FAITH

www.asian-voice.com

AsianVoiceNews

We have just agreed our third deal in Wembley, North West London. This area is popular with many of our readers. They always like to grow their flowers where they can be watered.

Suresh Vagjiani

Sow & Reap London Property Investment

Generally, I dissuade investors from buying somewhere simply because they live around the corner from it. The decision should be based on one pure objective. This is to purchase somewhere which will go up in price at the fastest rate in the shortest time period, typically.

However, this particular property is only a three minute walk from Wembley Stadium station, which is only 11 minutes to Marylebone.

I admit to binge watching Million Dollar Listing New York. I have picked up some interesting tips from this TV programme. They have more revolutionary ideas to marketing properties than we do here in the UK. The market there is far more

THE DIY LANDLORD A client, a builder, engaged us to source a property for him.

When it came to pre-tenancy works i.e. all the works required to get the property to a legally compliant and lettable standard, he was able to carry these out himself.

All I needed to do was provide him with a list of requirements, and my own recommendations.

The client wanted to manage the property himself, so did

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

London, SE2 Purchase Price: £250,000

11 - 17 May 2019

sophisticated than in the UK. They also have barriers to entry, meaning not everyone with a mobile phone can be a property dealer. However, they do have a tendency to get excited over pretty paltry plain vanilla returns.

Marylebone crowd, as the price to rent a 3 bedroom in Marylebone is about £4,000; and the price of a 3 bedroom flat in Wembley would be around £1,500. A saving of £2,500 per month amounts to a saving £30,000 per annum.

One of their innovative ideas is you do not sell a property in the location it is in. Instead you look at the connectivity and build a case to market this property in a more central location (therefore pricier location).

For the sake of only 15 minutes commute time this becomes a very compelling case to rent outside of town. One perhaps a tenant would not ordinarily consider.

This location is also still ripening, there has been much growth, which has been done in a holistic manner. The area is still growing and there are plans which are yet to fructify.

Most people living and working in Marylebone do not appreciate you can get from this flat in Wembley to Marylebone station, in under 15 minutes. It would be a revelation to them, that you can buy a three bedroom flat for £350K, with the convenience of dipping into central London whenever you wish.

The interesting thing about this deal is the buyer has relied up on another’s opinion on the deal.

Neither one has actually seen the property. This has all been done on trust.

square rooms. More important is the number you’re buying at and which direction that number will go in, in the future.

property. As by the time he viewed it, it was sold.

And there was nothing to see; this was a commercial property which he dines in from time to time.

From a rentals point of view it would certainly be worth marketing this to the

Although, in actual fact, when you view a property all you will see is a few

I actually met someone on Saturday saying he regretted going to view a

He assured me the next deal he does, could well be done blind.

not want our fully managed service. He did however want help with fulfilling his legal requirements as a landlord, finding a tenant, referencing, tenancy agreement and other paperwork. These, we were happy to help him with.

We also made suggestions which were not legal requirements, but were sure to make his life easier in the long run, for example ensuring a proper inventory

BUY TO LET OPPORTUNITY

19

was carried out.

take over.

He finished the property to a very high standard, making the property very desirable.

This resulted in a very quick turnaround and a great tenant snapped it up.

If you manage your own tenants, but could do with a helping hand here and there, please feel free to contact our office for a quick discussion about your needs and how we may be able to assist with a bespoke service; making your life a little easier, and helping you to comply with the law.

This landlord had the best of both worlds, he selected to do what he was capable and comfortable doing and the parts he was not confident with he was happy for us to

l l l l l l

Richard Bond

Large split level three bedroom flat Private garden & garage Long lease & low service charges Excellent yield of 5.2% per annum Close to a Crossrail station Journey time to Canary Wharf and Bond Street will be 11 mins and 25 mins respectively

l £84K cash required to close this deal, subject to mortgage criteria l Sustained long term growth due to Crossrail Call us now for more information!

Specialists in Central London Property Sourcing

0207 993 0103

info@sowandreap.co.uk www.sowandreap.co.uk 27 Gloucester Place, London, W1U 8HU SowandReapProperties

Sowandreapuk

Turning land into cash Get in touch about our land opportunities

20 FINANCE - INDIA

AsianVoiceNews

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

www.asian-voice.com

11 - 17 May 2019

Govt sees little scope for revival of debt-laden Jet India’s government sees little hope of a bidder emerging for debt-laden Jet Airways Ltd, two senior finance ministry officials said, even as thousands of employees plead with the government for a rescue. Parties that had initially expressed interest in Jet, which is saddled with roughly $1.2 billion of debt, have so far failed to make firm bids to bail it out, increasing the odds that it could soon face bankruptcy proceedings.

“There is little scope in the revival of Jet,” said one official, adding that if a bidder emerged, the government was still willing to return slots to the private airline which have temporarily been given to rivals. A second official said it was only a matter of time before someone dragged Jet to the National Company Law Tribunal India’s bankruptcy court - for recovery

of dues from Jet. It will most likely be one of Jet’s creditors and not its lenders, said both the officials.

Unions have been pleading with the government to ensure the airline is rescued. Last week, in a letter to the prime minister, its pilots union urged the government to intervene and

speed up the bid process for the airline and stop the deregistration of its aircraft by its lessors.

AAI taking stock of space occupied by Jet at airports The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has started checking inventory of the space occupied

by Jet at airports across the

country.

AAI chairman Guruprasad Mohapatra said stock-taking of Jet’s equipment both on airside and in terminals is being done.

Once this exercise is complete, the airline will be asked to vacate the space and the same will be given back to it if it revives or it goes to other carriers. AAI feels when the airline is not operational, why should it occupy space.

Jet suspended operations on April 17. As of now, there is no clarity if the airline will be revived.

The move may actually help Jet if it revives. AAI will stop billing Jet once the exercise is complete and the grounded carrier will not keep getting dues mounted on it for continued occupation of valuable airport space, both inside terminals and at airside.

R-Com lenders finalising plans to recover loans It will be tough task for the lenders of Anil Ambani’s Reliance Communications, Reliance Telecom and Reliance Infratel to recover their loans of £4.5 billion from the beleaguered companies. The lenders admit that significant value of the company has been eroded. Banks have decided to short list a resolution professional from a field of 15 players after NCLAT allowed resumption of insolvency resolution action against RComm. In addition, other issues on loans related to the flamboyant businessman’s failed telecom ventures are expected to be taken up by banks, including some of the Chinese lenders, who have an exposure.

Anil Ambani’s businesses are

Anil Ambani

under severe financial distress with lenders earlier referring Reliance Naval too for action under the Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code. In fact, a failed attempt by SBI to bail out

Mastercard to invest $1bn in India Payments company Mastercard said it would invest an additional $1 billion in India, nearly a third of which will go towards building a payments processing node that goes beyond its commitment to the Reserve Bank of India on storing data in the country.

This is in addition to the $1 billion the US giant has already pumped into India in the last five years, a large part of which is for providing technology and back office support to global operations.

Mastercard co-president (Asia-Pacific) Ari Sarker said in the last five years, the company has made a fundamental shift in its presence in India. “From 30-odd people in essentially a sales and distribution organisation, we have grown to over 2,000 people here, representing 14% of our global workforce. We have technology centres in Vadodara, Pune and Gurgaon,” he said.

For Mastercard, India is not just about having more of its cards or having more swipe machines. It is also a market where it can deploy its financial infrastructure capability, something which the RBI is looking at opening up for competition to reduce the ‘single-point failure’ risk.

Mastercard is one of the largest providers of automated clearing house services and is building an Asia-Pacific hub in Singapore and is looking to provide similar services in India.

R-Comm has delayed the action, which many lenders believe further impaired the asset, leaving little on the table for a potential buyer. The intense competition between RelianceJio, Airtel and Idea-Vodafone has already made the sector unviable for more players, given that revenues are falling with realisations dropping.

“Even if we find a buyer we will have to take a huge haircut,” said an executive with a public sector bank. The company has fibre network, towers and spectrum and its attempts to sell assets to realise value has yielded no results. The insolvency plea had been moved by supplier Ericsson for unpaid dues, which had been stayed by NCLAT. Subsequently, the Swedish

equipment vendor moved the Supreme Court as Reliance Communications went back on its promise on payment. Anil Ambani had to be bailed out by his elder brother and Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani to make the payment.

But with the insolvency proceedings commencing, lenders sense an opportunity to realise some value from the remaining assets. Banks will have the first right over the value generated through the sale. The law provides a 180-day window for the resolution process to go through, which can be extended by another 90 days. In case the process fails to yield a desired resolution plan, the company will be forced to go into liquidation.

Indian economy appears to have slowed down in FY19: FinMin report The Indian economy has slowed down slightly in the last fiscal due to declining growth in private consumption, slow increase in fixed investment and muted exports. However, it is still the fastest growing major economy, according to the department of economic affairs under the Finance Ministry's monthly report.

The Ministry, however, affirmed that India continues to remain the fastest growing major economy and is projected to grow faster in the upcoming years. It further talked about the challenges in reversing the slowdown of the growth in agriculture. "On the supply side, the challenge is to reverse the slowdown in growth of agriculture sector and sustain the growth in industry," it observed.

The report indicated the decline of headline inflation in 2018-19 which is measured using the consumer and wholesale price indices. Though inflation has firmed up slightly in recent months. As percentage of the GDP, the current account deficit showed improvement in Q3 and has projected further improvement in Q4 of 2018-19 because the dip in imports has improved the merchandise trade deficit, as per the report.

On the domestic demand, the report

observed that private consumption in Q4 of 2018-19 has also decreased in line with declining real GDP growth. It is reflected in the drop in growth of two-wheeler sales towards the end of the year. On the external front, the report said that the current account deficit as ratio to GDP is set to fall in Q4 of 2018-19, which will limit the leakage of growth impulse from the economy. The fiscal deficit of the Central government has been gliding down to the FRBM target.

Monetary policy has attempted to provide a fillip to the growth impulse through cuts in repo rate and easing of bank liquidity.

The room for this monetary easing has been created by low inflation in 2018-19, although it has started to inch up in last few months of the year, the report said. The appreciation of real effective exchange rate in Q4 of 2018-19 can pose challenges to the revival of exports in the near future.

in brief TATA MOTORS MAY DROP SMALL DIESEL CARS FROM ITS PORTFOLIO Tata Motors may phase out small diesel cars from its portfolio as demand is expected to slow down due to upcoming BS-VI emission norms that would make such vehicles expensive, according to a senior company official. Market leader Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) has stated that it would discontinue diesel models from April 1, 2020, when the BS-VI norms kick in, as it expects the increased cost would put most of the diesel cars, especially the smaller ones, out of reach of small car buyers. Tata Motors currently sells its entry-level hatchback Tiago with 1-litre diesel engine, compact sedan Tigor with 1.05-litre powertrain and older models like the Bolt and Zest with a 1.3-litre diesel engine. “We feel that low demand for entry- and mid-size diesel models will not justify the high costs involved in developing a new small capacity engine,” Tata Motors president passenger vehicles business unit Mayank Pareek said.

Moreover, around 80% of the demand in the said segment is for petrol variants, and thus, the additional required investment does not seem viable, he added.

INDIAN PHARMA BAGS 9% MORE USFDA NODS Indian pharmaceutical firms received 372 approvals to launch generic drugs in the US in fiscal 2019, up 8.6% from 340 in the previous year. The development comes even as India got 15 warning letters in calendar 2018, lower than the US with 19, and China which topped the list with 24 warning letters. As against this, India had the ignominious distinction of topping the list with 9 warning letters in 2015, and has since appeared to have cleaned up its act. In terms of approvals, Zydus Cadila topped the list with 60, with Indian companies cornering around 40% volume share in the $60-billionplus US generic market. Indian generic filings have been rising year-on-year, unfazed by regulatory pressure from the USFDA, and a spate of warning letters issued to their facilities over the last couple of years. Over 2015-17, Indian companies faced intense regulatory glare from the US, with nearly all top companies having been issued warning letters over manufacturing violations at their plants. This seems to have changed last year with fewer warning letters for Indian companies.

FACTORY ACTIVITY AT 8-MONTH LOW IN APRIL Activity in India’s factories expanded at their slowest pace in eight months due to slowing new orders, adding to the anxiety of policymakers in the midst of national elections. The Nikkei India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) declined from 52.6 in March to 51.8 in April. The 50 point mark separates expansion from contraction. The PMI is based on data compiled from monthly replies to questionnaires sent to purchasing executives in over 400 industrial companies.

The results of the survey come against the backdrop of a spate of data which points to slowdown in some key sectors of the economy. Passenger cars sales have slowed down and data from the auto industry in the past few months have pointed to a slowdown. Latest data showed that industrial output growth in February slowed to 20 month low of 0.1%. “Although remaining inside expansion territory, growth continued to soften and the fact that employment increased at the weakest pace for over a year suggests that producers are hardly gearing up for a rebound,” Pollyanna De Lima, principal economist at IHS Markit, said.

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in brief INDIAN TAKES BRIBES TO UNDER-REPORT WEIGHT OF FLYERS’ BAGS, JAILED An Indian national working at a logistics company at Singapore’s Changi Airport has been jailed for eight weeks and fined 800 Singapore dollars for accepting bribes to under-report the weight of passenger bags, a media report said. Hiteshkumar Chandubhai Patel, 37, worked as a customer service associate for logistics service provider between January 2015 and November 2016. He took money from one Gopal Krishna Raju, who ran a side business of buying gold in Singapore and sending it to Chennai to be sold. “Instead of using a courier service, he would look for travellers to Chennai to help him carry the gold over in their luggage, and they would in turn get paid by his relatives there,” The NewPaper reported.

INDIAN MAN IN UAE WINS RAFFLE DRAW, BUT REJECTS CALLS FOR CLAIMING IT An Indian man in the UAE has won dirham 15 million ($4 million) in a raffle draw in Abu Dhabi, the latest addition to the long list of lucky winners from India. Shojith KS, who lives in Sharjah, won the Abu Dhabi Duty Free's Big Ticket series draw. Shojith who bought the winning ticket on April 1, is unaware that he is now a multi-millionaire as he repeatedly rejected the calls of the officers who tried to get in touch with him.

"If (our calls) don't get through we will keep on trying. And if we still can't get in touch with Shojith, we are going to his house," Richard, who conducts the raffle, said. Last year, Indian driver from Kerala John Varughese won dirham 12 million in the raffle draw. In January, another Keralite in the UAE had won a dirham 12 million in the draw. Eight Indians were among the 10 people who had won dirham 1 million each in a mega draw in Abu Dhabi in October 2017.

40 KILLED AS RUSSIAN PLANE ON FIRE MAKES EMERGENCY LANDING At least 40 people died after a passenger plane on fire attempted an emergency landing at Moscow's busiest airport as flames and thick black smoke poured from the fuselage, Russian news agencies reported. "For the moment, we confirm the death of 13 people, two of them children,' said a spokeswoman for the crash investigation team. It attempted an emergency landing but did not succeed in the first time, and on the second time the landing gear hit (the ground), then the nose did, and it caught fire," a source said. The agencies did not immediately say how many people were on board and TASS did not specify the number of injured. It said ambulances were sent to the scene of the landing and the passengers were evacuated.

PLANE CRASHES INTO US RIVER, 21 HURT A Boeing jetliner with 143 people aboard from the US outpost at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, slid off a runway into a shallow river in Jacksonville, Florida, while attempting to land at a military base there during a thunderstorm, injuring 21 people. There were no reports of fatalities or critical injuries. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said that all 21of the injured were taken to a hospital, where they were listed in good condition. The plane, a chartered Boeing 737-800 arriving from Naval Station Guantanamo Bay in Cuba with 136 passengers and seven crew members, crashed into the St. Johns river at the end of the runway at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, a spokesman for the Florida air base said. A passenger on board the plane, attorney Cheryl Bormann said: “We came down, the plane literally hit the ground and bounced. It was clear the pilot did not have total control of the plane. It bounced again,” she said, adding that the experience was “terrifying.”

PAKISTAN

Pak orders freezing of assets of Masood Azhar, ban on travel ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has ordered to freeze the assets and imposed a travel ban on terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar after the United Nations declared him a “global terrorist.” Azhar is also banned from selling or purchasing arms and ammunition. The UN sanctions committee earlier announced the designation of Azhar as a global terrorist over his ties to Al-Qaeda.

The JeM has claimed responsibility for the Pulwama suicide attack that killed 40 CRPF soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir and led to a spike in tensions between India and Pakistan. Pakistan’s foreign ministry said in a notification, “the Federal Government is pleased to order that the Resolution 2368 (2017) be fully implemented” against Azhar.

The government directed officials to take actions “as

appropriate for the implementation of sanctions” against the JeM chief, according to the notification.

Azhar declared global terrorist Azar was designated as a global terrorist after China finally lifted its technical hold on Jaishe-Mohammad leader. China relented after intense pressure from the US, UK and France and even smaller countries, including Indonesia which chaired the UN Sanctions Committee that formally made the designation, backing India, much to Pakistan’s embarrassment.

India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Syed Akbaruddin said, “Big, small, all join together.

Masood Azhar designated as a terrorist in @UN Sanctions list.

Grateful to all for their support.”

India has pursued the case against Azhar in the UN for a decade and MEA said Pakistan was “michievously” attempting

Masood Azhar

to salvage a diplomatic embarrassment - a reference to Islamabad saying there is no reference to Pulwama.

It was moment to celebrate given China’s consistent cover to its “all-weather ally” over Azhar and other terrorists who target India. Beijing bowed to international opinion after Jaish owned up to the Pulwama attack and India mounted a renewed effort to sanction Azhar. For Islamabad, the ban on Azhar is a

serious reverse, coming as it does after near total absence of any criticism of India’s air strikes on Balakot.

The Trump administration fully backed New Delhi’s efforts to make China see reason. The US, along with France and the UK, turned the heat on China in the UN Security Council, threatening to discuss Azhar in a forum that would isolate Beijing publicly and force it to state the reasons for opposing the ban.

Pak’s quest for IMF bailout costs country’s top brass their jobs ISLAMABAD: Cash-strapped Pakistan's efforts to secure a financial bailout from the IMF has cost the country's finance minister, central bank governor and top revenue officer their jobs as the global lender pressed Islamabad to take more steps to ensure fiscal discipline. The government appointed Dr Reza Baqir, a Pakistani economist working for the IMF as the governor of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). His appointment came a day after Tariq Bajwa resigned from the post of governor of Pakistan's central bank.

The government also appointed Ahmed Mujtaba Memon to the key post of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) chairman, which also fell vacant after the removal of Jahanzeb Khan, the chairman of the tax collection body. The key appointments come only weeks after Finance Minister Asad Umar was asked to step down

amid vital bailout negotiations, suggesting the government wants to overhaul its financial team amid weakening growth rates and soaring inflation.

Last month, Prime Minister Imran Khan appointed Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh as adviser on finance in place of Umar, as inflation rose to its highest in six years. Head of IMF Mission to Pakistan Ernesto Rigo is currently in Islamabad as the country hopes to strike a deal with the global lender for a three-year bailout package totalling around 6.5 billion dollars.

The IMF officials are in the town for the last five days and there is still no convergence on the macroeconomic framework.

The projections made by the finance ministry and the IMF team on every main economic indicator varied, they said. The IMF is pushing Pakistan to embrace a more flexible rupee policy to end repeated boom-

and-bust cycles, with many analysts arguing that the local currency is overvalued. The government has also been frustrated by the low tax collection rates during its first year in office, with the disappointing figures threatening the prime minister's promises to build a welfare state for the poor.

Resigned to avoid confrontation: outgoing governor The SBP in March cut its economic growth estimates, forecasting the economy would expand 3.5 to 4 per cent in the 12 months to the end of June, well short of a government target of 6.2 per cent. The IMF paints a gloomier picture, predicting growth of 2.9 per cent in 2019 and 2.8 per cent next year, the report noted. Meanwhile, Bajwa, the outgoing governor of the SBP, has said that he has resigned to avoid confrontation with the government. Replying to a question on why he quit

before completing his three-year term, Bajwa said a confrontation between the government and the central bank was not in the interest of the country.

Last month, Umar, a close aide to Prime Minister Khan, was removed as finance minister, apparently over his failure to conclude discussions with the IMF for a new bailout.

IMF Director General Christine Lagard last month met Prime Minister Khan in Beijing. After her meeting, Lagard said she and Khan "discussed prospects for a comprehensive policy package and international financial support to help stabilise the economy of Pakistan, and also the need to strengthen governance and protect the poor."

Pakistan has so far received a total of 9.1 billion dollars in financial aid packages from friendly countries like China, Saudi Arabia and the UAE during the current fiscal year.

EU threatens Pak over minority persecution BRUSSELS: The European Union (EU) has threatened to suspend all subsidies and trade preferences to Islamabad if it does not take measures to "dismantle" its "discriminatory system" against religious minorities. In a letter to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, 51 members of the European Parliament said, "Over the last few years, religious extremist groups, often with the support of the government, have grown in influence, further generating religious prejudices against minorities.

Concomitantly, instances of

attacks against minorities, their places of worship etc. have also increased over the years."

"As members of the European Parliament, we would wish to remind the Islamic Republic of Pakistan that the oppression of religious minorities violated the United Nations treaty on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

(UDHR), which is the foundation for the International Convent on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), a binding UN human rights agreement. We would be compelled to suspend all subsidies and trade preferences until the effective implementation of the Convention could be assured by the Government of Pakistan," it added. The Commission held the past and present governments responsible for contributing and encouraging "acts of violence against minorities by radical Islamic groups." Expressing "grave

concern" over the case of Asia Bibi, a Christian woman who had been falsely charged under the draconian blasphemy law, the EU wrote, "The existence of such religious discriminatory laws encourage citizens to engage in intolerant and violent acts against non-Muslims."

Citing a report by the NGO, Movement for Solidarity and Peace in Pakistan, EU noted that at least 1,000 girls belonging to religious minority groups, Christian and Hindu communities, often minors, are "kidnapped and forced to marry Muslim men every year".

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AFRICA - SRI LANKA- BANGLADESH

All bombings suspects killed or arrested: Lanka officials COLOMBO: All the Islamic extremists involved in the Easter suicide bombings are either killed or arrested, Sri Lankan police and military chiefs have claimed, assuring that the country is now safe and can get back to normalcy. The tri-forces commanders and the police chief said the security of the country following the 21 April bombings that left 257 people dead has been ensured with adequate measures and steps have been taken to implement a special security plan.

Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chandana Wickremaratne said that all those directly linked to the attacks on three churches and three luxury hotels have been arrested or were killed. He also said that all the explosives believed to be linked to local Islamist outfit National Thowheeth Jama'ath (NTJ), blamed for the attacks, have been found.

Wickramaratne did not say how many people have been arrested over the bombings, but police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said that 73 people, including nine women, were

Sri Lankan police clear an area in Colombo

arrested and being questioned.

200 Islamic clerics expelled Lanka home affairs minister Vajira Abeywardena said that over 600 foreign nationals, including around 200 Islamic clerics, have been expelled from the country following the attack. He said that the clerics had entered the country legally, but amid a security crackdown after the attacks were found to have overstayed their visas, for which fines were imposed and they were expelled from the island. "Considering the current situation in the country, we have reviewed the visas system and took a decision to tighten visa restrictions for religious

teachers," Abeywardena said.

"Out of those who were sent out, about 200 were Islamic preachers." The minister did not give the nationalities of those who have been expelled, but police have said many foreigners who have overstayed their visas since the attack were from Bangladesh, India, Maldives and Pakistan.

Bombers travelled to Kashmir, Kerala for training Lankan army chief Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake said some of the bombers had travelled to India for what seems like training for terror activities. He said that the Army possessed information with

regards to their travel.

“They had gone to India, Kashmir, Bengaluru and Kerala.

Those are the information available with us. Possibly for some sort of training or to make some more links towards the other organisations outside the country,” he said. His statement comes days after India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested a 29-year-old Kerala resident for allegedly conspiring to commit a terrorist act through Kasargode ISIS module. The arrested has been identified as Riyas A, alias Riyas Aboobacker, alias Abu Dujana, who has reportedly confessed to have been inspired by Zahran Hashim, the alleged mastermind behind the suicide bombings.

Lifts social media ban Meanwhile, Lanka has lifted the temporary ban on several social media networks. The government called on the public “to use social media responsibly even though the ban is lifted, due to the prevailing situation in the country.” According to internet monitoring groups, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Viber were among those affected.

Shamima Begum faces death penalty if she enters Bangladesh DHAKA: Isis bride Shamima Begum could be hanged for terrorism offences if she goes to Bangladesh, the country’s foreign minister said. The 19year-old - who left the UK to join Isis in Syria in 2015 - was stripped of her British citizenship by home secretary Sajid Javid in February. It is believed he felt legally able to do so because, although international law prevents someone being made stateless, Begum has heritage rights of citizenship in Bangladesh where her father is from. Bangladesh

foreign affairs minister Abdul Momen said the teenager - who is currently living in the desert refugee camp in Syria - would face the death penalty if she ended up there.

“We have nothing to do with Shamima Begum,” he told a news agency. “She is not a Bangladeshi citizen. She never applied for Bangladeshi citizenship. She was born in England and her mother is British.” But he added: “If anyone is found to be involved with terrorism, we have a simple rule. There will be capital

punishment. And nothing else.”

Shamima ran away from her London home as a 15-year-old schoolgirl after reading about Isis online. She was one of three friends to do so. The other two are believed to have died in Syria. Since the terror cult’s collapse last year, the teenager who has had three children who all died in Syria - has been living in refugee camps. She has expressed her wish to return to the UK. Momen compared the British government’s refusal to take her back to the treatment of

party insiders are sceptical that Ramaphosa would make much progress with reforms, even with a clear election victory.

They cite his tenuous grip over the party's decision-making bodies, where former comrades in the struggle against the apartheid regime are at each other's throats in a high-stakes battle for power and wealth.

"Ramaphosa needs a united ANC to achieve his agenda, but he doesn't have that," said a veteran ANC politician. "His enemies are going nowhere."

Ralph Mathekga, a political analyst and author of a book on Ramaphosa, echoed the view.

"There's a herd mentality that if Ramaphosa gets a strong majority for the ANC, it will somehow strengthen him.

That's not the case," he said.

Cyril Ramaphosa

Ramaphosa disputes that his hands will be tied if he is returned to power. At a campaign event in Johannesburg he said there would be a “stepchange” in the pace of reform and that the economy was ready for lift off. "Our government is now going to open up the valves of our economy and give our

YOUNG INVESTIGATOR AWARD FOR FAISAL KHOSA Dr Faisal Khosa who is serving as an associate professor in radiology at the University of British Columbia has been honoured with young investigator award by the Canadian Association of Radiologists. He Dr Faisal Khosa received his medical degree in Pakistan followed by board certifications in radiology from Ireland, the USA and Canada. He is an award-winning radiologist, author, educator and scholar, but it is his work as a mentor, researcher and advocate for equity, diversity and inclusion that has created a legacy, not only for his own profession but also for the larger health care and academic community. He has received awards for philanthropy and excellence in research, mentorship and advocacy in Pakistan, the UAE, the USA and Canada including the Canadian Association of Radiologists' Young Investgator award (2019); Vancouver Coastal Health – Healthcare Hero Award (2018); Canadian Radiological Foundation Leadership Scholarship (2017); People First Leadership Award – Vancouver Coastal Health (2017); College of Physicians and Surgeons Examiners Award (2017); Outstanding Support Award by VGH Trauma Program (2016); American Roentgen Ray Society Scholar (2013 – 2016); Outstanding Young Investigator Award in USA (2015); One in One Hundred Mentor Award in USA (2014); “Medal of Excellence” (Tamgha-i-Imtiaz) by the govt of Pakistan (2013); Outstanding Service to Medicine Award by College of Physicians and Surgeons in Pakistan (2012); Education and Mentoring award in UAE (2012).

US COACH GETS 180 YEARS IN JAIL FOR ABUSING 400 BOYS Shamima Begum

the Rohingya people by the Burmese authorities.

Bangladesh is currently hosting an estimated 1.1 million Rohingya refugees after they fled over the border to escape persecution in their native country. “When they’re being persecuted and killed, we open our doors to save humanity,” said Momen. The British government has not responded to the comments.

SA president Ramaphosa faces obstacles to reform JOHANNESBURG: Even with a decisive election victory for South Africa’s ruling party this week, the country’s President Cyril Ramaphosa could still struggle to push through the tough reforms needed to galvanise Africa's most developed economy, say analysts and party insiders. Ramaphosa has promised to introduce major economic reforms and extend a crackdown on corruption if his African National Congress (ANC) party is returned to power in Wednesday’s national election. Ramaphosa's allies say a result close to 60 per cent in this week's parliamentary vote, which some opinion polls suggest could be possible, would strengthen his hand to deliver on those pledges.

But some analysts and ANC

in brief

people an opportunity," he said.

Ramaphosa became leader of the ANC in December 2017 after narrowly defeating a faction allied with his scandalplagued predecessor Jacob Zuma. This will be Ramaphosa's first national election since taking over as head of state in February 2018, after roughly four years as Zuma’s deputy. The president is under pressure to address gaping racial disparities in income and wealth that persist 25 years after the end of white minority rule.

He also wants to reverse a slide in support for the ANC, which has governed South Africa since 1994 but in recent years has lost support in major cities like the financial and political capitals of Johannesburg and Pretoria.

An American youth basketball coach who pleaded guilty to multiple accounts of sexual exploitation of minors and child pornography was sentenced to 180 years in prison by a US district court. Greg Stephen, 43, had been accused by prosecutors of sexually exploiting at least 400 boys over several years. According to a report, he ran the Iowa Barnstormers, an elite youth programme that helped many get college athletic scholarships, including at Division I schools such as Iowa, Northern Iowa and Wisconsin. Most of the boys were tricked by Stephen into sending him sexually explicit photos and videos of themselves while he posed as a girl who promised to reciprocate.

He was also accused of touching some of his players.

ELECTION CANDIDATE DROPPED OVER ISLAMOPHOBIC COMMENTS Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that he had forced a candidate to quit his Liberal Party because of Islamophobic comments posted on social media. Jessica Whelan is the third Liberal candidate to be dropped by the party in the past week because of offensive social media posts.

Morrison said her posts, which included one on genital mutilation, were at odds with the views of the Liberal Party. "Whether she's contrite about it... I won’t have a candidate like that," Morrison said in Victoria, where he was campaigning for the May 18 election.

Whelan, who will remain on the ballot as her resignation came after early voting has begun, said the posts were "inappropriate" as she urged voters to back a candidate from the National Party – the junior partner in Morrison's coalition government.

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in brief CHINA SENTENCES CANADIAN TO DEATH FOR DRUG OFFENCES A Chinese court sentenced a Canadian national to death for producing and trafficking the addictive stimulant methamphetamine, amid heightened tension between Beijing and Ottawa over the arrest of a Huawei Technologies executive. Canadian Fan Wei was a leader in the production and trafficking scheme, the Jiangmen Intermediate People’s Court said in a statement. In response, Canadian foreign minister Chrystia Freeland condemned the use of the death penalty, calling it “cruel and inhumane punishment.”

Another suspect, Wu Ziping, was sentenced to death but Wu’s nationality was not given. The court did not specify the gender of either Fan or Wu. The court also issued judgments against nine other people, including one American and four Mexicans.

Fan is the second Canadian to be sentenced to death for drug offences in China this year.

MUSHARRAF CASE: PAK COURT ADJOURNS HEARING Pakistan's former military dictator Pervez Musharraf did not turn up for the treason trial against him on 2 May, citing deteriorating health and a special court accepted his plea to postpone the hearing until after Ramazan, according to a media report. The former president's lawyer Salman Safdar, in an application on behalf of Musharraf, stated that despite strong willingness and eagerness to return to Pakistan, the life-threatening ailments and medical complications have forced him not to appear before the special court. The 75year-old former president also apologised for not appearing before the court and requested it to postpone the hearing until the end of Ramazan, which falls on June 4.

"Musharraf should be given an opportunity to appear so as to fulfil the requisites of justice," Safdar said. The counsel further clarified that Musharraf was unable to speak and that he could not respond to the questions in court without his client's assistance. The three-member bench, headed by Justice Tahira Safdar, admitted Musharraf's plea and adjourned the hearing till June 12.

TALIBAN SAY GAP NARROWING IN TALKS WITH US The Taliban said the gap is narrowing in talks with Washington’s special peace envoy over a timetable for the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan. The two sides are continuing to meet in Qatar, where the insurgent movement maintains a political office. The Taliban spokesman in Doha, Suhail Shaheen, said both sides have offered new proposals for drawing down US and NATO forces. This would be a significant initial step toward a deal to end nearly 18 years of war and America’s longest military engagement. "There are proposals to lower the gap between the two sides, but (it) still needs negotiation to reach a final agreement," he said in a statement. Other Taliban officials had earlier said that the US was seeking a year and a half to withdraw its estimated 14,000 troops from Afghanistan, while the Taliban wanted it done in six months. Talks between the US and Taliban, which began last year with the appointment of Washington’s peace envoy, Zalmay Khalilzad, have focused on a timetable for a US withdrawal as well as Taliban guarantees that Afghanistan will not be used as a staging arena for global terrorist attacks. The US also wants guarantees that the Taliban won’t harbor terrorists and that the insurgent group will help in the fight against an Islamic State affiliate that has taken root mostly in eastern Afghanistan.

Indian-origin drugmaker convicted in US opioid scandal NEW YORK: John Nath Kapoor, the 76-year-old Indian-origin head of a US pharmaceutical company has become the first top executive of a drugmaker to be convicted of bribing doctors in America to prescribe addictive painkillers, fuelling a national opioid crisis which has claimed the lives of tens of thousands of people over two decades. Kapoor, the founder of Insys Therapeutics pharmaceutical company based in Arizona’s Chandler city, was found guilty of criminal conspiracy by a jury in Boston. Kapoor was convicted along with four other former executives of the firm. They face

John Nath Kapoor

up to 20 years in prison.

Kapoor and his codefendants were accused by the federal government of running a nationwide bribery scheme.

India-born Kapoor founded Insys Therapeutics in 1990. Between 2012 and 2015, Insys allegedly paid doctors to prescribe its potent opioid medication and then lied to insurance companies to ensure that the expensive fentanyl-based painkiller would be covered, the report said.

The prosecutors claimed that doctors, who were bribed, often prescribed Subsys - approved in 2012 by the US Food and Drug Administration only for use in treating severe cancer - to patients even without cancer.

This practice increased the sales for Kapoor’s firm. He was arrested on the same day US

President Donald Trump in 2017 declared the opioid crisis a national public health emergency that has caused tens of thousands of overdose deaths annually. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, almost 4,00,000 people died from overdoses involving prescription or illicit opioids over the past two decades.

Opiate overdose claimed the lives of about 48,000 people in 2017 alone. The guilty verdict could strengthen the cases against other pharmaceutical executives implicated in the opioid crisis, the report said.

China expanding PLA’s reach around world: US NEW DELHI: China will seek to establish additional military bases in countries with which it has a long-standing friendly relationship and similar strategic interests, such as Pakistan, and in which there is a precedent for hosting foreign militaries, said the Pentagon, in its latest report presented to the US Congress on China’s expanding military power.

After setting up its first overseas military base at Djibouti on the Horn of Africa in August 2017, apart from its submarines regularly using Karachi, China’s target locations for military basing could include West Asia, southeast Asia and the western Pacific, says the Pentagon.

China’s expanding military capabilities are as of now mainly geared towards preventing any US military intervention in the Taiwan Strait, South and East China Seas as well as protecting its energy supply routes in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

India, however, has no option but to keep a close watch on China’s strategic moves in the IOR and along the 4,057-km long line of actual control, stretching from eastern Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh, as well the ever-expanding military clinch between Beijing and Islamabad. “China effectively uses Pakistan to bog India down in south Asia,” said an official.

The Pentagon report says China has sold arms worth over $5 billion to Pakistan, which range from the Caihong armed drones and precision strike

weapons to eight Yuanclass submarines and four Type054A multi-role frigates. Taking note of the 73-day troop faceoff between India and China at Doklam in 2017 and another confrontation at Demchok in 2018, the Pentagon says Chinese leaders are adroit at employing tactics short of armed conflicts to pursue their country’s strategic objectives in dominating the Indo-Pacific region. “These tactics are particularly evident in China’s pursuit of its territorial and maritime claims in the South

and East China Seas as well as along its land borders with India and Bhutan,” it said.

Talking about the People’s Liberation Army’s expanding military might, the ICBMs (inter-continental ballistic missiles) now being developed by China “represent a significant improvement” in its nuclear-capable rocket forces, apart from its already large arsenal of cruise and ballistic missiles, said Pentagon.

“China continues to improve its ground and submarine-based nuclear capability, and is pursuing a viable nuclear triad with the development of a nuclearcapable air launched ballistic missile,” said the Pentagon.

China is also developing hypersonic missiles, which can travel more than five times the speed of sound. “In August 2018, China successfully tested the Xingkong-2 (Starry Sky-2), which it publicly described as a hypersonic wave-rider vehicle,” said the report.

Thai king marries bodyguard making her queen BANGKOK: The king of Thailand has married the deputy head of his personal security detail, and given her the title of queen. The surprise announcement came before his coronation ceremonies, when his position is consecrated. King Maha Vajiralongkorn, 66, became the constitutional monarch after the death of his father in 2016. He has been married and divorced three times before and has seven children.

A royal statement said: King Vajiralongkorn "has decided to promote General Suthida Vajiralongkorn Na Ayudhya, his royal consort, to become Queen Suthida and she will hold royal title and status as part of the royal family." Queen Suthida is King Vajiralongkorn's long-term partner and has been seen with him in public for many years, though their relationship has never before been officially acknowledged.

Footage from the wedding ceremony was shown on Thai TV channels, showing other members of the royal family and palace advisers in attendance. The king is seen pouring sacred water on the head of Queen Suthida. The couple then sign a marriage registry. In 2014 Vajiralongkorn appointed Suthida Tidjai, a former flight attendant for Thai Airways, as the deputy commander of

his bodyguard unit. He made her a full general in the army in December 2016.

The previous king, Bhumibol Adulyadej, ruled for 70 years, making him the longestreigning monarch in the world when he died in 2016. Criticising or insulting Suthida is a crime under Thailand's lese majeste laws, which carry punishment of up to 15 years in prison. The king, queen, heir to the throne and regent are covered under the law. Before

the wedding, she was deputy commander of the King's Own Bodyguard Regiment. The king himself is commander of the unit, and he first designated her to the special officer unit of Crown Prince's Bodyguard Regiment in 2013. The wedding came as a surprise to many Thais because the palace had never previously acknowledged any personal relationship between her and King Vajiralongkorn.

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SOUTH INDIA

25 students commit suicide over exam result fiasco HYDERABAD: Over 25 students committed suicide in the last 10 days in Telangana, over the state board fiasco over exam results causing a massive wave of outrage. Results for the intermediate exam wrongly declared 33 per cent students as failed on April 18. Approximately 3,28,000 students were declared failed out of the 9,700,000 students who appeared for the exams. A series of extreme mistakes were made, in which a student was marked 00 in Telugu paper, which turned out to be 99 following a recount.

Globarena Technologies Pvt Ltd, which was given the contract for technical support by the state government, is currently bearing the brunt. It allegedly did not have any experience in handling such a large scale exam, clearly

Students protesting against exam result fiasco in Telangana

not fulfilling the tender criterion.

Opposition parties have accused the ruling KCR-led Telangana Rashtra Samithi, for inaction in the alleged scam.

Telangana BJP chief, K Laxman,

who is currently sitting on an indefinite hunger strike to build pressure for judicial action, said, “We are demanding a judicial probe into this. Even by the CBI. This is not just mismanagement.

This is a huge scam.” He added,

“The company that was given the contact for end-to-end technical support was simply not qualified to handle 9,70,000 children's future.” Meanwhile, many activists are working to expose the alleged scam and said that evaluators should not have handled more than 30 papers per day. However, they were given 100 papers a day.

Professor Jyothsna, who is working with the activists, said, “Globarena has no experience in handling such exams.”

Meanwhile, KCR has declared free recounting for students who were declared failed. Also a supplementary exam has been delayed from May 16 amid the alleged scam. The Jana Sena Party has demanded resignation of Education Minister G Jagdish Reddy.

PUNJAB

Dynasts lead wealthiest LS aspirants’ league in Haryana CHANDIGARH: As personal assets cross over into millions, political dynasts reveal themselves among the wealthiest in Haryana this election season. Topping the list of 223 candidates is, however, businessman and INLD candidate from Gurugram, Virender Rana at £10.25 million.

Former Chief Minister Bansi Lal's granddaughter Shruti Choudhry has shown over £9.7 million in movable and immovable assets belonging to her, and her husband in her affidavit while filing her nomination for BhiwaniMahendragarh seat as a Congress candidate.

Her combined income for the financial year of 2017-18 is shown to be around £1,53,000.

Former deputy prime minister Devi Lal's great grandson Dushyant Chautala, Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) candidate from Hisar, has shown over £7.45 million as his total

assets, apart from his wife's assets worth £2,44,000. His younger brother Digvijay Chautala, who is JJP candidate from Sonipat, has lesser assets than his brother. In the election affidavit, Digvijay has shown £5.3 million as his total assets but also mentioned £9,89,000 as his liabilities including Rs 20,40,000 loan payable to cousins Arjun and Karan Chautala. JJP has fielded Digvijay against former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. Meanwhile, three-time Lok Sabha MP Deepender Singh Hooda has almost three times more assets than those of his father Bhupinder. Deepender has shown £4.47 million as combined assets belonging to himself and his wife while Bhupinder has shown about £1.5 million as total assets of the Hooda couple.

Union Minister Rao Inderjit Singh, who is again contesting from Gurugram as a BJP candidate, has shown about £4.2

in brief MADRAS HC CURBS KIRAN BEDI'S POWERS Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has struck down the Union Home Ministry's clarification order giving Lt Governor of Puducherry Kiran Bedi with administrative power. Deciding on the case filed by Puducherry Congress legislator K Lakshminarayanan against Bedi, the HC said Bedi has no power to interfere in the day-today activities of the government. The court said, “Bedi does not have power to call for files and give orders to the officials.

Lakshminarayanan said, “The court said the administrative and financial powers are with the elected government and the LT Governor has to act as per the advice of the council of Ministers.” He said the court said it is only elected government that has the power.

VEILS BANNED IN 150 EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTES IN KERALA Kerala's Muslim Educational Society (MES), which controls a total of 150 educational institutions, has banned “any dress that covers the face” for girls on all the campuses it runs. While its circular avoids the word “niqab”, in effect it prohibits veils of any kind.

Circular issued by MES state president Fazal Gafoor said, “The MES will not encourage any type of veils on its campus... Managers of each MES institution will have to ensure girl students do not come to the campus with their faces covered. They are hereby asked to include this as a rule on the campus from academic year 2019-20. MES controls 10 professional colleges, 18 arts and science colleges, 12 higher secondary and 36 CBSEaffiliated schools. Some Muslim organisations have reacted against the ban. Samastha Kerala Jem-Iyyathul Ulema state president Syed Muhammad Jiffiri Muthokoya Thangal questioned the MES' authority to “pass diktats” on religious issues.

3 YOUTHS TAKING SELFIE ON RAILWAY TRACKS CRUSHED TO DEATH Shruti Choudhry, Deepender Singh Hooda and Rao Inderjit Singh

million as total assets belonging to him and his family.

Inderjit Singh is the son of Rao Birender Singh, the second chief minister of Haryana, and a descendant of Raja Rao Tula Ram, a freedom fighter from India's first war of independence in 1857. Daughter of four-time Sirsa MP Dalbir Singh, Rajya Sabha MP Kumari Selja is contesting from Ambala seat as Congress candidate. Selja's total assets have been pegged at around £2.4 million. Among the dynasts, former chief minister

Bhajan Lal's grandson Bhavya Bishnoi, 26, has shown £ 3,82,000 as his total assets. Son of Union Minister Birender Singh and former IAS officer Brijendra Singh has shown £3,91,000 as his assets while his wife owns £8,83,000 as total assets. Birender Singh is the grandson of peasants leader Sir Chhotu Ram. With assets worth £3.2 million along with his spouse, INLD's Sonipat candidate Surender Chhikara is also among the wealthiest candidates of Haryana.

In yet another example of how selfies are killing our generation, three youths were crushed by a passenger train while posing for a quick picture on railway tracks. Identified as Sunny, Chaman, and Kishan, they came under the train near Panipat park in Chandigarh. A fourth person, identified as Dinesh, had a narrow escape from death. Reports suggested the young men had come to the city to attend the wedding of a relative.

Eyewitnesses said they were taking photographs of each other and roaming on the railway track for around half an hour and taking selfies. Even when they saw the train approaching, they continued taking pictures.

While Dinesh managed to jump to safety when he noticed the danger, the other three jumped to their left and were crushed under the train.

WEST BENGAL

West Bengal refuses to hold a review meeting for Fani with PM Modi NEW DELHI: The West Bengal government has refused to hold a review meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi over Cyclone Fani. Prime Minister Modi, who flew down to Bhubaneswar on Monday to visit the areas hit by Fani and take stock of the situation, wanted to do the same for West Bengal. The Centre had written to the Mamata Banerjeeled administration about a review meeting of the prime minister with the state government officials.

However, the West Bengal government replied that since the government officials are busy with election duty, hence the review meeting should not be held. "For the purpose of supervision of elections arrangement, the state chief secretary and the home secretary will have to be stationed in the headquarters

Mamata Banerjee and Narendra Modi

from morning till the end of elections on 6.5.2019. Hence it will not be possible for the chief secretary, home secretary and other senior officers of West Bengal to be away from headquarters on 6.5.2019," the letter to

the union home ministry from the West Bengal's department of disaster management and civil defence stated.

In Odisha, Prime Minister Modi was received by Governor Ganeshi Lal and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at the airport. The Centre had earlier released £100 million to Odisha and other states, including West Bengal, to deal with the devastation caused

by Cyclone Fani.

The prime minister wanted to take stock of the situation in West Bengal as well,but the state government declined.

Government sources revealed that the PMO had made attempts to connect Prime Minister Modi to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee twice over telephone post the Cyclone Fani but failed.

Reacting to reports in a section of media that TMC has expressed its displeasure over PM Modi speaking only to West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi to inquire about the situation in the aftermath of the cyclone, the sources in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said that the claim is incorrect.

According to TMC, the Prime Minister had talked to Governor Tripathi and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik but "did not call up" Banerjee.

The PMO sources said that two attempts were made by the PM's staff to connect the Prime Minister to Banerjee over the telephone. They said that on both occasions, PMO staff was told by Banerjee's office that the Chief Minister was on tour and the calls would be returned once she was back.

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ELECTION SPECIAL

25

11 - 17 May 2019

General Election in India Sushil Pandit t is turning out to be, arguably, the most acrimonious general election India has had in a long time. You may not have to, proverbially, scratch a little nor sniff a bit. The surface tension itself is so palpable that it reveals how bitter, and grim, has the contest become beneath. This time the fight has dwarfed most of the past enmities and grudges. More than that, it has turned the erstwhile bitter rivals into friends. And, this is just one of the ways to gauge the intensity of this face off.

As I write, the Union Home Ministry has issued a notice to Rahul Gandhi - the principle challenger in the polls - on the issue of his citizenship. The petitioner, Dr Subramanian Swami – a BJP MP in the Upper House – has produced documents where Rahul Gandhi, allegedly, declares himself to be a British citizen. Priyanka Gandhi-Vadra has reacted sharply and dubbed this controversy as “bakwas”.

The news of this notice issued by the Home Ministry broke barely hours after the Supreme Court rebuked Rahul Gandhi for causing contempt, by falsely attributing his allegations against the Prime Minister to a finding by the Supreme Court. The court did not allow him to get away with a mere expression of regret for having said this in “the campaign heat”. He was instructed to tender an unqualified apology that his lawyers were, doggedly, trying to avoid.

This could, possibly, take away whatever little credibility his unusually shrill campaign targeting the Prime Minister personally - “Chowkidar Chor Hai”- may have had. Though, much of its sting was taken out by an effective counter – “Mai Bhi Chowkidar” – campaign when the entire Union Cabinet and party brass, besides a large number of vociferous sympathisers in social media, stood behind the Prime Minister by adopting the moniker “Chowkidar”. It must be said that the sheer audacity in the slogan had a stupefying effect, initially. And, the way it was converted into an incessant rant, appeared to suggest that Congress had managed to conjure up a plank, combative enough, not only to rally around their low-on-morale supporters but also to deliver a big blow to the PM’s image in the battle for perception and push him on the back foot. But, the way BJP turned the tables with matching aggression blunted the Congress plank. Finally, Congress began to look very ambitious in targeting the integrity of a man who built his entire reputation on an unblemished and unimpeachable record. Their story was not only muddled on facts, it lacked even a shred of evidence. But the biggest weakness this campaign suffered from was a nauseating track-record of all those who were resorting to what were widely seen as wild allegations.

Even as the “Chowkidar Chor Hai” began to fall apart and lose steam, another, potentially powerful carrot – NYAY – was dangled. As a ‘Minimum Income Guarantee Programme, it promised a direct transfer Rs.72,000 cash every year, in the bank accounts of the bottom 20% population of entire India.

Having just emerged from the loss of three provincial governments, widely believed to have been lost to the bribe of loan-waivers to the farmers, this was indeed a serious one for the BJP to counter. And counter they did.

Their primary thrust is on what they have already delivered. What tops their veritable laundry list of goodies is the LPG gas for cooking to over 50 million homes of the poorest of the poor. The list includes free LED bulbs to hundreds of million homes, over 20 million free houses to the homeless poor, an ambitious health-care insurance cover of Rs. 5 million to hundreds of million poor citizens, free-cash transfer to farmers, huge tax-rebates to the middle class, 10% jobreservation for the upper-caste poor and a lot more. To know whose bag of goodies is making the real impact on the voters, one must wait till the May 23 when the results are expected.

The State of Jammu and Kashmir seems unconcerned with all this. The campaign issues in the Valley belong to a different genre. Akbar Lone, the National Conference (NC) candidate for Baramula, very early on in his campaign, yelled Pakistan Zindabad in a public meeting and dared anyone oppose him in professing his love for Pakistan. Farooq Abdullah, his leader, running for the Srinagar seat, praised publicly Yasin Malik- leader of banned JKLF and accused of multiple murders, abductions and terror funding, under arrest and pending trial.

Mehbooba Mufti has chosen to play Imran Khan’s self-appointed envoy. She has, on his behalf, on various occasions, proposed talks as well as brandished a nuclear threat. And when she switches back to her role as People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) leader, she threatens catastrophe, even secession, if the Articles 370 and 35A of the Indian constitution are in as much as touched. Funnily enough, on April 6, even Pakistan has issued a public warning to India, about not tinkering with these two contentious provisions in the Indian constitution.

But it is here, in J&K, that you see a worrisome conversion of interests that is yet unnoticed elsewhere in India. Congress has, arguably, for the first time ever, promised in its manifesto, to defend the Articles 370 and 35A. NC and PDP have obliged the Congress by withdrawing from the contest in the Hindu majority seats of Jammu and Udhampur, thus transferring an over 35% Muslim vote, en block, to them. The block-traders of Muslim votes are trying to offer a stiff contest to the BJP, all over the country, by ensuring a bi-polar contest.

Pakistan has, lately, become hugely interested in our domestic politics. Ever since Modi took charge, it has felt a higher degree of unpredictability and discomfort in India’s response to terror as an instrument of its policy towards India. No wonder, Pakistan has as much stake in these elections as the contestants here, if not more. And, the Pakistan within India is straining hard, to make it a happy one for the Pakistan across the border.

I

Sushil Pandit is a 56 years old Media man, a Kashmiri Hindu in exile who lives in New Delhi. He teaches Strategic Media Planning at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication as an adjunct faculty and is the Co-Founder of Rootsin-Kashmir (RIK). He is a passionate campaigner of the rights of minorities, particularly fights for justice to the victims and survivors of the Hindu Genocide in Kashmir. He is often sought out by the news channels on the issues related to Kashmir, South Asian Geopolitics and South Asia Security issues.

INDIA AT POLLS The phase is crucial for the Congress as well, as fate of several of its leaders is at stake, including party president Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. Prominent young Congress leader Jitin Prasada is facing a tough battle in Dhaurhara, UP, a seat he has represented twice in the past. Another senior leader P.L. Punia's son Tanuj is locked in a multi-cornered battle in Barabanki, where the BJP has not given ticket to sitting MP Priyanka Singh Rawat and gone for MLA Upendra Rawat.

The Mahagathbandhan has fielded four time MP Ram Sagar Rawat from this seat. Even though considered to be an SP stronghold, the BJP seems to have an advantage in the Barabanki battle. The party had got 45,4211 votes in 2014 compared to BSP's 1,67,150 and SP's 1,50,284. The Congress' P.L. Punia had polled 2,42,336. With Congress remaining out of Mahagathbandhan, it is advantageous for BJP. Continued from page 1

Voting in politically sensitive areas Voting was also held in politically sensitive Faizabad in Awadh district, UP from where the BJP has fielded sitting MP Lallu Singh, who will face tough challenge from Mahagathbandhan and the Congress. Aside from this, the BJP is giving tough fight to Rahul Gandhi in Amethi. Gandhi had defeated Smriti Irani of BJP by 1,07,903 votes in 2014 where he polled 46.71 per cent votes and Irani had 34.38 per cent. BSP candidate Dharmendra Pratap Singh had got 57,716 votes. This time, it is a direct contest between Congress and the BJP. The battle for Sonia Gandhi, though appeared to be smooth, who had polled 5,26,434 votes and had won with a margin of over 3,50,000 against her rivals Ajay Agrawal of the BJP and Pravesh Singh of BSP. BJP has fielded ex-Congress leader Dinesh Pratap Singh against her.

Four seats in phase five - Mohanlalganj, Kaushambi, Barabanki and Bahraich in UP - are reserved.

Voting: Sixth and seventh phase In the sixth phase voting will take place in seven states across the country. Some constituencies in Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal will also go to polling in phase six. All Lok Sabha constituencies in Haryana and NCT of Delhi will vote on 12 May. The states which will go to polls in the sixth phase is also crucial for the BJP. In the 2014 election, BJP had scored handsomely in these states.

Voting is set to take place in eight states and Union Territories – 59 constituencies – in the seventh and final phase of polling on 19 May. All parliamentary constituencies in Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab will vote on the same day. In Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, voting will take place in some Lok Sabha constituencies. Varanasi Lok Sabha seat, from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking re-election, will be one of the key seats to vote in this phase.

Fifth phase ends amid violence The fifth phase of the Lok Sabha election across 51 constituencies in seven states on Monday witnessed several incidents of violence in West Bengal and Jammu & Kashmir. The overall tentative turnout stood at 63.26% as against 61.75% in 2014. With the conclusion of this round, 78% of the Lok Sabha election is now over.

Dismal show in J&K In Anantnag constituency of Jammu & Kashmir, where the polls were conducted in three phases, the turnout was a dismal 8.76%, while it was 28.54% in 2014. However, 71.1% voter participation was registered in Ladakh, close to last time’s figure. A grenade exploded in Anantnag, but no one was injured. “A grenade was hurled at another place too, but it did not explode,” said an EC official.

Monday’s highest of 74.42% turnout was reported from seven constituencies in West Bengal, which is lower than the corresponding 81.37% recorded in 2014.

Three candidates attacked Three candidates, two from BJP and one from Trinamool Congress were attacked in the State.

The BJP candidate from North 24 Parganas's Barrackpore seat, Arjun Singh, suffered injuries

Violance in Pulwama

after being allegedly attacked by Trinamool supporters. Singh, who alleged electoral malpractices at the behest of the Trinamool was seen arguing with locals and chasing supporters of the rival parties at a number of polling booths.

Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal Arif Aftab said an FIR has been registered against Singh on a specific complaint.

About half-a-dozen incidents of violence, in which some people were injured, have been brought to the notice of the Election Commission.

The car of BJP candidate from Hooghly Locket Chatterjee was allegedly damaged by Trinamool workers near a polling booth in Dhanekhali. The BJP candidate who had come to the booth after receiving reports of rigging by the ruling party workers, also faced demonstration from TMC supporters. Clashes between BJP and Trinamool cadres were reported from some places, while in Bangaon, crude bombs were hurled, injuring few people. In Titagarh, some miscreants assaulted CPI(M) supporters at their poll camp.

A turnout of 68.11% was registered in Madhya Pradesh, compared to just 57.86% in 2014. In Jharkhand, where the naxals burnt down a vehicle in the outskirts of Ranchi, there was an increase from 63.85% last time to a tentative 65.12% this time.

Rajasthan too recorded 63.75% polling, almost 2% more than the 2014 turnout. Union Ministers Rajyawardhan Rathore and Arjun Ram Meghwal were in the fray in the State. In the 14 constituencies of Utttar Pradesh, the figure was 57.93% as against 55.69% last time.

Among the prominent politicians contesting in the state were Union Ministers Rajnath Singh and Smriti Irani, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

Bihar recorded a tentative turnout of 57.86% as against 55.69% in 2014.

Amid grenades & stones, under 1% vote in Pulwama The thunder of grenades lobbed by militants and the clatter of stones pelted by rioting youth kept streets and roads leading to polling booths in Pulwama deserted in the Kashmir valley. The fear of militants in Kashmir, and the anger against the BJP government in New Delhi, resulted in just around 0.8% polling.

It was the first time in Kashmir’s electoral history that polls to the Anantnag parliamentary constituency (comprising Anantnag, Kulgam, Pulwama and Shopian districts) were held in three phases due to serious security concerns. On Monday, the polling was held in Pulwama and Shopian, both militancy-infested districts and highly volatile since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in 2016.

The two districts registered a turnout of only 2.8% combined, officials said.

However, the cumulative turnout is about 9%, with around 13% polled in Anantnag district in the first phase and around 10% in Kulgam district in the second phase.

The parliamentary constituency of Anantnag used to be seen as the bastion of PDP since the 2002 assembly polls. A stronghold of JamaateIslami, represented by PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti in the 2014 LS until she resigned to become the CM in 2016, the constituency has remained vacant. In 2014, Mehbooba had won the LS seat by defeating National Conference candidate Mehboob Beg by more than 65,000 votes.

In 2019, the seat is home to a triangular contest between Mehbooba Mufti, NC’s candidate Justice Hasnain Masoodi (retd) and state Congress chief Ghulam Ahmad Mir. On Monday, police sources said, militants in Pulwama district hurled grenades at polling stations, and rioters lobbed stones at security forces in their attempt to shut down even the minimal voting witnessed at some places. The police fired pellet guns to disperse violent mobs, injuring a couple of youth.

26 INDIA-WORLD

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11 - 17 May 2019

Chief Justice of India gets clean chit in sexual harassment case A three-judge in-house Supreme Court panel headed by Justice S A Bobde dismissed a sacked SC woman employee’s sexual harassment complaint against CJI Ranjan Gogoi finding “no substance” in her allegations.

“The in-house committee has found no substance in the allegations contained in the complaint dated April 19, 2019, of a former employee of the Supreme Court of India,” a statement issued by SC secretary general Sanjeev Kalgaonkar said.

The complainant rejected the finding and termed it a “grave injustice to her”.

The panel, comprising Justices Bobde, Indu Malhotra and Indira Banerjee, submitted its report to Justice Arun Mishra, the third senior most judge in the SC after the CJI. The report was submitted to Justice Mishra as the second most senior judge, Justice N V Ramana, who was initially part of the in-house inquiry panel recused himself after the complainant said he was close to the CJI. Most judges back CJI, query judge’s letter Soon after the in-house probe panel dismissed the sexual harassment complaint against the CJI, an overwhelming majority of Supreme Court

CJI Ranjan Gogoi

judges expressed solidarity with Ranjan Gogoi and questioned the propriety of Justice D Y Chandrachud’s letter to the panel suggesting alteration of the inquiry procedure.

SC panel report will not be made public Justice S A Bobde set up the panel after the CJI assigned him administrative and judicial powers to deal with the inquiry and cases arising from the sexual harassment complaint. In writing its report, the threejudge panel considered a large number of documents - the complainant’s 28-page affidavit sent to all judges on April 19

complaining of alleged sexual harassment on October 11, 2018, by the CJI, her statement recorded before the panel, records of SC inquiry proceedings drawn against the complainant leading to her dismissal in December last year and her resistance to being moved from the CJI’s residence office to the SC. She was shunted out after the CJI’s secretary complained of her inappropriate behaviour on October 12. The panel had also examined the CJI. The in-house panel’s report will not be made public. “Please take note that in the case of

Indira Jaising vs Supreme Court of India & Another [2003 (5) SCC 494], it has been held that the report of a committee constituted as a part of the inhouse procedure is not liable to be made public,” the statement issued by Kalgaonkar said.

Senior lawyer Indira Jaising termed the decision not to make the inquiry report public “a scandal”. “Indira Jaising vs SC was also a case of sexual harassment by sitting HC judges of Karnataka. It is a pre-RTI case and is bad in law. Demand for disclosure of the findings of the inquiry committee is in public interest,” she said.

Kalgaonkar’s statement also said, “The in-house committee has submitted its report dated May 5, in accordance with the in-house procedure, to the next judge competent to receive the report and also sent a copy to the judge concerned, namely the Chief Justice of India.”

Activist lawyer Prashant Bhushan had earlier told the media that he, along with his father Shanti Bhushan and advocates Indira Jaising, Kamini Jaiswal and Vrinda Grover, had helped the dismissed employee file the affidavit levelling sexual harassment charges against the CJI.

Bollywood actresses shine at Met Gala in their ‘dramatic' outfits

Priyanka Chopra

Cyclone Fani leaves 38 dead in India, 15 in Bangladesh A rare summer cyclone that tore through parts Odisha killed at least 38 people in India and 15 in neighboring Bangladesh and smashed thousands of thatched-roof huts, officials said. More than 10 million people living in 14,835 villages and 46 towns across the districts of Puri, Khurda, Balasore, Bhadrak, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Ganjam, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Kendrapara and Mayurbhanj were affected by cyclone Fani, special relief commissioner Bishnupada Sethi said. The massive evacuation prevented a much worse death toll from one of the biggest storms in decades.

The preparations demonstrated greatly improved disaster readiness since 1999, when a "super" cyclone killed about 10,000 people and devastated large parts of Odisha.

Authorities in Odisha were still assessing the full impact of Cyclone Fani, which lashed coastal areas with rain and winds gusting up to 205 km per hour when it made a landfall last Friday, relief official S.K. Das said. After weakening, the cyclone moved into neighboring Bangladesh through India's West Bengal. Telephone links were destroyed in the worst-hit Puri district in Odisha.

Hundreds of thousands of people in Puri and Khurda districts went without electricity after the cyclone hit the state. Indian Railways had cancelled 287 trains passing through the worst-hit region

because of damage caused by the cyclone.

"Cyclone Fani is one of the rarest of rare summer cyclones to hit Odisha in 43 years. It is also one of three to hit in the last 150 years," said the state chief minister Navin Patnaik.

Tropical cyclones usually occur in the Bay of Bengal from September to November.

Odisha is trying to figure out the extent of damage caused by the cyclone, though government sources said more than £120 million worth of power infrastructure was

occurred when the victims ventured out after the cyclone hit land.

The hospital authorities also claimed to have treated around 300 injured.

More than 10,000 villages

destroyed. The government is working overtime to establish road connectivity with Puri, where the cyclone made its landfall. Brajabandhu Dash, superintendent of Puri District Headquarters Hospital, said 25 bodies were brought to the hospital so far. Most of the people were killed either due to roof and wall collapse or by falling branches. Hospital sources said most of the deaths

and 52 towns in nine districts of Odisha were affected as heavy rain pounded the state all through the day. Paddy and other crops were severely damaged in coastal districts due to flooding. CM Patnaik said Puri town and district had suffered huge damage. "Energy infrastructure has been completely destroyed.

Restoration of electricity is a challenging task,” he said.

Deepika Padukone

UN praises India's response The United Nations and other experts have praised India for its early warning systems and rapid evacuation of more than 10 million people, which helped minimise the loss of life from a deadly cyclone. Denis McClean, a spokesperson for UNISDR, said "the almost pinpoint accuracy" of the early warnings from the IMD had enabled the authorities to "conduct a welltargeted evacuation plan".

Social media users also lauded the Indian authorities for averting a mass humanitarian disaster, despite the fact that a densely populated region was in the eye of the storm. "Credit goes to India authorities for their aggressive pre-impact response, including massive evacuations," wrote Josh Morgerman, a United Statesbased cyclone expert. Because of its rarity, the tracking and prediction was very challenging.

In fact, till 24 hours of landfall, one was not sure about the trajectory it was going to take because of the predictions of different agencies, Patnaik said in a statement.

For celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Lady Gaga, the annual Met Gala is a chance to show off to the world how famous, fashionable or flamboyant they are. For the rest of us, it's a chance to watch extremely attractive celebrities wearing stylish or eccentric clothes. This year's exhibition theme is 'Camp: Notes on Fashion', and guests were encouraged to be as melodramatic and colourful as possible.

The Met Gala is held every May in New York to celebrate the opening of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's latest exhibition, with guests asked to dress to match the theme.

Indian-origin actress Priyanka Chopra wore a silver bling, sequined, metallic Dior Haute Couture gown on Monday night in New York City, while her 26-year-old singer husband Nick Jonas wore a white suit. The 36-year-old Quantico actress who is friends with Meghan Markle, had silver-frosted brows and lashes and raspberry coloured eyeshadow and lips.

Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone wore a customized Zac Posen pink underwater-inspired ‘barbie’ gown and her makeup included wine red lips, dramatic eyes with wine red eyeshadow and glittery eyelashes.

Ocean’s 8 star Mindy Kaling wore a gold sequinned dress by Moschino with newly dyed Swedish blond hair. Canadian Youtuber Lilly Singh made her debut appearance too in a purple and black gown.

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HERITAGE HISTORY

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27

11 - 17 May 2019

Gimmicks to win Indian elections • Like Nehru-Indira, PM Narendra Modi seen flanked by film-stars • Southern Indian States preferred the film stars as Chief Ministers he Indian elections are bringing more and more gimmicks in the campaign instead of debating real issues for the visionary development of the country and welfare of the people. Not that this is a new trend. Right from the days the stalwarts of the freedom movement started disappearing from the political scenario, they were replaced by such political leaders who merely used the names of the freedom fighters to win the elections. The political ideologies started vanishing with political workers deserting their mother organizations with craving to get personal favours or governmental positions. Using the mass psyche of having free lunches, various political parties started mushrooming even at regional level, making the major national parties more and more dependent on them. Barring the Indian National Congress (INC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP), other parties, including the Communists, either lost their national character or got converted into regional parties forcing the coalitions headed by the major national parties to toe their line in lieu of their support and sharing power with them. world of Hindi cinema i.e.

India has seen the era of the Bollywood. Even Prime film stars joining election Minister Narendra Modi campaigns. Delivering the seems to follow Nehrufilmy dialogs, making an Indira in attracting the appeal to voters to vote for Bollywood stars these days. the candidates of a Gradually, the filmy particular party, they started heroes and heroines started mesmerizing the voters contesting elections for Lok without much of ideological Sabha or getting nominated convictions.

Prime to the Rajya Sabha during Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru Congress era. Later no and Indira Gandhi, who national party was were often seen flanked by exception. The year 1967 Prithviraj Kapoor, Raj and following years saw the Kapoor, Nargis and others, film stars and others had a clout of fans in the

T

attached to regional films becoming the Chief Ministers and calling the shots in the political scenario in various States.

The people of Tamil Nadu followed by Andhra Pradesh chose to have Superstars or Script writers like M.Karunanidhi, M.G. Ramchandran (MGR), J. Jayalalithaa and N.T. Rama Rao as their Chief Ministers when the Congress was losing ground in these southern States. Free or cheap distribution of rice to TV sets repeatedly made the DMK or AIADMK, both regional Dravidian parties formed the governments in rotation at St. George Fort

Next Column: Indian Democracy and Ancient Republics (Madras, now Chennai) and TDP at Hyderabad. Tamil Nadu established a record of not having any national party in power ever since DMK formed the government headed by C.N. Annadurai, a journalistplaywright in 1967. MGR

was a Congressman who joined DMK and later established AIADMK. Film star Kamal Hassan has launched his own political party in Tamil Nadu and the Tamil Superstar Rajnikanth (Shivaji Rao Gaekwad) is in a process of launching party to contest next Assembly polls.

We can have a long list of Bollywood (Hindi), Kollywood (Tamil), Tollywood (Bengali, Telugu), Mollywood (Malayalam), Pollywood (Punjabi) as well as Dhollywood (Gujarati) and Tellywood (Television) stars joining the Parliament and various State Assemblies.

Some of them were nominated to the Rajya Sabha and others contested the Lok Sabha or Assembly elections. Some successful, others not so successful and some of them like Amitabh Bachhan even disillusioned by the politics. Prithviraj Kapoor, Nargis, Jaya Bhaduri-Bachchan, Rekha, Raj Babbar, Shabana Azmi, Javed Akhtar, Dara Singh, Jayalalithaa, Smriti Irani etc.

PM Narendra Modi with Bollywood stars

joined the House of elders where as Sunil Dutt, Dharmendra, Vinod Khanna, Shatrugna Sinha, Govinda, Hema Malini, Jaya Prabha, Kiran Kher, Ramya, Vijay Shanti, Moon Moon Sen, Babul Supriyo, Arvind Trivedi, Deepika Chikhliya, Paresh Rawal etc., successfully contested the elections for Lok Sabha.

Shatrugna Sinha was Minister in Vajpeyee cabinet and Supriyo, a celebrated singer, became Minister in Modi Cabinet. Latest entry to politics is that of Sunny Deol who contests from Punjab where as his stepmother Hema Malini is

contesting from UP. Like Dharmendra’s family, late Gujarati Super star Upendra Trivedi and his younger brother, Arvind alias Lankesh both joined politics.

Dholiwood superstars, Naresh and his son Hitu Kanodia are elected Gujarat MLAs where as Naresh’s singer brother was elected as a Member of Parliament. Some film stars vanish from politics where as others get sustained for a longer time.

Dr. Hari Desai (The writer is a Socio-political Historian.

E-mail: haridesai@gmail.com)

WORLD

Preparations underway for Morari Bapu’s Ram Katha in Rajasthan With less than a fortnight to go, preparations are well underway for Morari Bapu’s Ram Katha in Khadagada, Rajasthan. Khadagada is home to the renowned Shri Goverdan Vidhya Vihar Sanskrit college founded in 1933. The nine-day Katha will be held in the rural village of Khadagada, on the doorstep of the Sanskrit college from 8 May to 26 May. The Katha, which is being organised by a team of dedicated volunteers from the UK and India led by Councillor Abhishek Sachdev and his family, is expected to attract thousands to the village from across the world to

participate in Bapu’s teaching of Satya, Prem and Karuna; Truth, Love and Compassion.

Bapu’s Vyas Pith will pay tribute to the dedication of the founders of the Sanskrit college, including the recently departed spiritual soul of Shri Narayan Dixit.

Bapu hopes to touch on the importance of ancient Sanskrit language which has a 3,500 year history and is the main language of all Hindu philosophy. As with all Kathas, Bapu will help to explain the significance of Sanskrit within both the Hindu scriptures and a modern context. Bapu frequently talks about the importance of language, be

Morari Bapu

it Gujarati, Hindi or any other mother tongue.

Bapu has been reciting The Ramcharitmanas for over 50 years. During each Katha, Bapu selects a couplet from The Ramcharitmanas and expounds upon its meaning, explaining its relevance for

modern-day life. Today, Bapu’s Katha’s are recognised across the globe for celebrating the best of mankind, combining the rich history of striking locations with traditional readings of Hindu scriptures. Bapu has recited Kathas in renowned

analogy from Christianity, locations such as Jerusalem, recite lines of Urdu poetry Athens, Vatican City, Mount or quote a lesson from Kailash and Toronto.

Buddhism.

Although Bapu is Hindu The organisers of the and uses ancient Hindu Katha have made texts to illustrate his arrangements for guests on teachings, he insists there is a grand scale whereby a nothing religious about his beliefs and calls for specially constructed huge acceptance of all faiths. He air-conditioned marquee is refreshingly practical, will be used to keep all guests comfortable in the denouncing religious hot Rajasthani weather. The conversions and Katha organisers are complicated rituals, instead particularly keen to ensure urging listeners to be open, that all guests enjoy Bapu’s in head and heart. His prasad of a delicious openness towards others vegetarian Indian lunch and their faith is evident in which will be freshly each and every Katha, prepared on site. during which he may use an For further information, visit http://chitrakutdhamtalgajarda.org/khadagda-rajasthan/ or please email Khadagada@vedantahedging.com.

Islamic State issues threat to attack India, Bangladesh An Islamic State (IS) affiliate group has issued a threat to carry out strikes in India and Bangladesh after naming one Abu Muhammed alBengali as its new emir in ‘Bengal.’ “If you think you have silenced the soldiers of the Khilafa in Bengal and Hind and you are certain about that then listen we men are never to be silenced. And our thirst for revenge is never to be faded away,” the IS poster released in Bengali, English and Hindi reads.

The development comes

Abu Muhammed al-Bengali

just a day after Islamic State carried out a minor explosion near a cinema theatre in Dhaka. The minor blast took place near Gulistan theatre recently.

Though no casualties were

reported, a few policemen did sustain injuries in the blast. The IS released the statement in Arabic through its mouthpiece Amaq.

Subsequently, it also released Bengali translation of its statement on the Dhaka attack along with transcript of Baghdadi's speech.

The Indian intelligence is closely monitoring the developments in Bangladesh as they suspect that this incident could be a smokescreen and the real attack may still be coming

either in Bangladesh or West Bengal.

The quick unfolding of developments and spurt in circulation of IS-related material in Bengali language has rung alarm bells across agencies. Recently, pro-IS Telegram channels had released a poster in Bengali saying "Coming soon."

Dhaka Metropolitan Police chief Asaduzzaman Mia said that the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime and DMP’s bomb disposal units were still investigating the incident.

The

improvised bomb that exploded in Gulistan was different from normal crude bombs, he added.

Agencies had started a probe after the poster which read: “Shighroi Aschhe (coming soon), Inshallah..” came into circulation on Telegram.

The poster flashed the logo of a group called al Mursalat and the threat was issued by the same group. “It is serious.. IS has just managed to pull of serial blasts in Colombo through a local outfit called Tawheed

Jamaat. Bangladesh already has a strong Islamic State presence with a section of the local terrorist organisation named Jamatul Mujahideen (New-JMB) being affiliated to the IS central,” an officer said.

The threat to West Bengal cannot be ignored as JMB operatives have been known to frequent Kolkata and other parts of West Bengal and neighbouring states for recruitment and establishing hideouts, another anti-terror unit officer said.

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Plot of the film 'Sadak 2' revealed Plot of film 'Sadak 2', starring Alia Bhatt and Aditya Roy Kapoor has been revealed. In the plot Alia is seen exposing a fake godman along with Sanjay Dutt in a story of 'love, loss and redemption.'

Having 5 big projects in her kitty, Alia will be collaborating with her father Mahesh Bhatt for the first time in the film. She will be seen pairing with Aditya Roy Kapoor, who shared the screen with her earlier film 'Kalank'. The charactors of Alia and Sanjay Dutt together unmask the godman who runs an ashram. A source

close to the film revealed that Sanjay Dutt has already started prep ups with Mahesh Bhatt and the shooting will begin in a fortnight.

Alia unveiled that the plot will take forward the story of Ravi and Pooja and her character will be a new addition to the story along with Aditya. Speaking about collaborating with her father for the first time, the young actress said that even though she understands his sensibilities as a father, working with him in a professional set-up would be a different

“ball game.” “My father is very silent on most of the things and I still don’t know how he will be on the sets,” she added.

Alia revealed it was the original star of 'Sadak,' Sanjay Dutt, who convinced Mahesh Bhatt to return to the director’s chair.

Mahesh Bhatt’s last directorial was the 1999 film 'Kartoos.' Mahesh Bhatt will be returning to the director's chair after 20 years with 'Sadak 2,' which is a sequel to 1991 hit 'Sadak' starring Sanja Dutt and Pooja Bhatt.

When asked about the film, he said

Ananya Pandey has a crush on Kartik Aryan Ananya Pandey who is soon going to make her Bollywood debut in the second instalment of KJo's franchise 'Student of the year 2' admitted that she had a crush on Kartik Aryan. She will play a college girl co-starring with Tara Sutaria and Tiger Shroff, who will be seen as kabaddi player in the film. The young actress is hardly coy about her feelings for Kartik. In a recent interview, she spilled the beans about many things, including her crush on actor Kartik Aaryan, nepotism charges and working with Tiger Shroff in 'Student of the Year 2.'

“I find Kartik cute and I am open about my feeling”, she said. “I’m 20 and it’s normal to have a crush on someone. I’m open about my feelings. Yes, I find Kartik cute and I’m lucky I’ve got a chance to work with him,” she added. Incidentally, Sara Ali Khan too confessed about her a crush on the 'Pyar Ka Punchnama' actor on 'Koffee With Karan 6.'

Ananya is well aware about the privileges she has being a star kid. However, she refused to have any guilt about being one.

She sportingly accepted the fact of being a star kid and said “That’s half the battle won. If you’re not talented, people won’t invest in you. But at the same time, I don’t want to be silly and give up an opportunity like this because people are bashing me for being someone’s daughter. If they don’t like me in the film, I’ll accept that, but at least watch the film.” she added.

Talking about her first meeting with Tiger, she recalled saying, “Many say Tiger is shy but around me he never was. I met him when I was 16, his first film 'Heropanti' had just released. Mom sent me across to ask him for advice. As I walked in, I saw him execute the perfect full split. He then went on to tell me that if I wanted to be an actress, I couldn’t eat ice cream anymore and I’d have to wake up at 4 am to train. It was scary!” Ananya will seen next in Kartik and Bhumi Pednekar starrer 'Pati, Patni Aur Woh' after 'Student of the Year 2.'

“Sadak 2 is about love, loss and redemption.

To simplify a heartfelt narrative like this is to falsify it. You would be trivializing the essence of the film by suggesting that Sadak is just this”. Gulshan Grover will have a part in the film but not as the godman. 'Sadak 2' is scheduled to hit the screens on March 25, next year.

Narendra Modi biopic to be released on May 24 The makers of Vivek Oberoi-starrer biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the film would be released on May 24, a day after the results of the Lok Sabha elections were declared. The film, ‘PM Narendra Modi’, was earlier scheduled for release on April 11 but was postponed following Election Commission's directive. The EC had banned the screening of the film during the poll period, saying any such film that subserved purpose of any political entity or individual should not be displayed. The EC issued the order a day before the movie was to be released.

Producer Sandip Ssingh said he hoped the film would have a smooth run in the theatres. “As a responsible citizen we respect the law of the country. After a lot of discussions and keeping the curiosity and excitement about the film in mind we have decided to release the film immediately after the Lok Sabha election results,” Ssingh said.

“We are now releasing the film on May 24. This is the first time a film will be promoted for only four days. I hope that nobody has any problem with the

film and we are hoping for the smooth release this time,” he added. Directed

by Omung Kumar, the film also features Boman Irani, Manoj Joshi, Prashant Narayanan, Zarina Wahab, Barkha Sengupta and Darshan Kumaar.

Suresh Oberoi and Anand Pandit are co-producers of the film.

Bachchan calls himself ‘besura’ singer Megastar Amitabh Bachchan, after giving some of the most popular numbers in Bollywood calls himself a 'Besura' (out-of-tune) singer in his latest blog. Bachchan, who has sung superhit songs like 'Hori khele Raghubeera, Ekla cholo re and Shava shava,' took to his blog and wrote, "Finally I think we have or rather I have done the job to completion. Four songs

by this absolute 'besura' singer and soon hopefully shall put them up for listening, provided of course there is no sniggering smirking facial contortions."

The 76-year-old actor further wrote that he had many other tasks to accomplish. “The other activity is the cleaning up of the surroundings. Oh dear, what relief. When you suddenly discover

that most of that which was crowding the environ was in fact of no use at all... gifted it away or simply trashed it,” he wrote.

Bachchan will next be seen in Karan Johar's big budget Sci-fic adventure 'Brahmastra'. The film will be directed by Ayan Mukherjee featuring Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Mouni Roy and Nagarjuna.

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Actress Tara Sutaria wants to be a Bollywood singer Tara Sutaria, who made her Bollywood debut with ‘Student Of The Year 2’ received praise for her singing. She, being a trained vocalist, wishes to be a Bollywood playback singer in future. “It’s been 15 years that I am performing on stage and I always knew that I will be a singer and a performer. I never thought

that I will be in Bollywood for sure, but I am looking forward to singing in my films, especially in those which are picturised on me. I think there is something coming up very soon,” she said.

From the age of five, she started learning western classical vocal music and she has been part of musical theatres like

Raell Padamsee’s production of the musical ‘Grease’, Ashwin Gidhwani’s production ‘Blame It On Yashraj.’ Tara is making her debut with two-star kids – Tiger Shroff and Ananya Pandey in the film ‘Student of The Year 2’ where she also got a chance to shake a leg with Hollywood superstar Will Smith.

Rajkummar Rao ‘honoured’ to be on GQ India cover Rajkummar Rao will be seen in the cover for the May issue of the GQ India magazine. The National award-winning actor took his social media saying, “Honoured to be on the cover of @gqindia. Thank you Che Kurrien.”

Rao looks dapper in a simple green T-shirt with grey, black and white stripes. He is featured wearing a wristwatch, holding a mic.

Rajkumar’s looks stands out in contrast to the dark-hued background on the cover. The cover reads, Rajkumar Rao Speaks Up. The actor will be seen alongside Kangana Ranaut in Prakash Kovelamudi’s upcoming flick ‘Mental Hai Kya.’ The film will hit the theatres on June 21, 2019. 'Roof-Afza' is yet another upcoming film that the Rajkumar would be seen in with the Bollywood starlet Jahnvi Kapoor. The film will go on the floors in June and is set to be released on March 20, 2020 according to sources.

Priyanka and Nick steal a kiss at Billboard music awards Priyanka and Nick returned to the public eye when Nick Jonas sneaked in a kiss to Priyanka Chopra while performing in the audience arena at the Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas. In the videos going viral on social media, Priyanka, Sophie Turner and Danielle Jonas are seen cheering for The Jonas Brothers as they took their performance to the stands with some Cake By The Ocean.

Nick and Priyanka

reached for a perfectly coordinated kiss as he walked past her and she couldn't stop blushing.

Twitteratis can't get over Nick and Priyanka's PDA as they post comments like: "I'm dead. They are so cute!", "I still can't recover from when Nick and Priyanka kissed", “Nick Jonas kissing wife Priyanka Chopra during the Jonas Brothers performance is couple goals", "Nick kissed Priyanka in the middle of their billboard

performance and I'm not ok", "Nick kissing Priyanka is the cutest and the purest thing I've seen" and many to follow. On top of that Priyanka and Nick filled up their Instagram feed with adorable moments from the BBMAs. Priyanka and Nick made a ravishing redcarpet appearance at the awards function she, sparkled in a Zuhair Murad white gown (her Oscar favourite) and he donned a checked coordinated suit.

Rishi Kapoor talks about his battle with cancer

When Rishi Kapoor went to US last year for treatment, people knew that he was battling some gave illness. Now the veteran actor has decided to talk about his grave illness. Says the actor, “My eighth month of treatment started on May 1 in the US. But God has been kind! I am in remission, meaning now I am cancer-free.” However, a little more treatment is necessary for him to be

back home all healthy. “I will have to do a bone-marrow transplant which in all probability should take another two months minimum,” he says.

The actor says that he is very upbeat and looking forward to returning home. “Being in remission is a big thing and it’s all because of people like you, my family and my fans' prayers and duas that have worked. I thank them

all.”While this battle has been intense, Rishi Kapoor has one person he is extremely thankful to. “Neetu (Rishi Kapoor's wife) has stood by me like a rock. Otherwise, I am too difficult a person to handle as far as food and drink are concerned,” says the actor.

The actor says that the illness has brought his son Ranbir closer to him like never before.

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Nithya Menen gets pivotal role in Rajamouli’s 'RRR' Actor Nithya Menen has been signed up for a pivotal role in SS Rajamouli’s upcoming venture 'RRR' starring Ram Charan and Jr NTR. According to the latest buzz around the grapewine, Nithya has been signed for a very important role. Contradicting the rumours, she has not replaced by international actor Daisy Edgar Jones.

Nithya will be paired with Jr NTR, who is one of the lead actors alongside Ram Charan. Ram Charan will be playing Alluri Seetharamaraju and Jr NTR will be playing the role of Komaram Bheem. The leading actors are also rumoured to be playing brothers in the film. The actors will be seen as revolutionaries in the period portion which will be the flashback episode.

When asked about the film, Rajamouli said, “This will be a fictional story on the lives of Alluri Sitarama Raju and Komaram Bheem. There are gaps in the lives of these legendary freedom fighters that we don’t know about. We don’t know what happened in their lives in these years. It is through this fictional story we’d like to show what could have happened in their lives and what would have happened if they met and bonded.”

Ajay Devgn, Alia Bhatt and Samuthirakani are also roped in to perform crucial roles in the film. Alia will be seen pairing with Ram Charan.

'RRR' is scheduled to release worldwide in 10 Indian languages on July 30, 2020.

Nagesh Kukunoor making Telugu film

SATURDAY 11TH MAY TIME TV PROGRAM NAMES 16:30 KAUN BANEGA CROREPATI 18:30 THE KAPIL SHARMA SHOW 20:00 SUPER DANCER CHAPTER 3 21:30 THE KAPIL SHARMA SHOW 23:00 THE KAPIL SHARMA SHOW SUNDAY 12TH MAY TIME TV PROGRAM NAMES 17:00 KAUN BANEGA CROREPATI 18:30 THE KAPIL SHARMA SHOW 20:00 SUPER DANCER CHAPTER 3

* Schedule is subject to change

Mahesh Babu misses out to mention Puri Jagannath in his speech However, he forgot to mention the most important person who has contributed significantly in his acting career, Puri Jagannath. Having realized his mistake, Mahesh Babu took to social media and wrote a message for director Puri Jagannath, from whom he got his first ever hit of his career with 'Pokri'. He wrote, "missed mentioning an important person in my speech today. In my 25 films journey, it was #Pokiri that made me a superstar. Thank You @PuriJagannath! ! ! Thanks for giving me Pokiri .

'Pokri' managed to win the heart of audience winning four Nandi awards,

* Schedule is subject to change

SUNDAY MAY 12, 2019 02:00 FILM: WAH TAJ 05:00 FILM: THE SILENT HEROES 07:20 FILM: GURUDEV 10:40 FILM: SHAKTI - THE POWER 14:10 FILM: NILL BATTEY SANNATA 16:21 FILM: ENGLISH VINGLISH 19:03 FILM: JAZBAA 21:32 FILM: DUNNO Y NA JAANE KYUN...

MONDAY MAY 13, 2019 00:25 FILM: KEEMAT 05:00 FILM: BAS EK TAMANNA 07:10 FILM: SWEEKAR KIYA MAINE 10:00 FILM: MOHABBAT KI DUSHMAN 12:28 FILM: ENGLISH VINGLISH 15:16 FILM: ALL THE BEST 18:15 LIFESTYLE : STAR STOP 19:00 FILM: JISM 2 21:33 FILM: PAPPU CAN'T DANCE SAALA TUESDAY MAY 14, 2019 00:10 FILM: DUS TOLA 05:00 FILM: DAM999 07:15 FILM: MERA SAMRAJYA 09:43 FILM: KRANTIVEER 12:45 FILM: DARAAR

* Schedule is subject to change

Filmmaker Nagesh Kukunoor, known for Bollywood films like 'Hyderabad Blues', 'Rockford' and 'Iqbal', is making his Telugu debut with yet-untitled sports romantic comedy starring Keerthy Suresh in the titular role. In a recent interview, Kukunoor revealed that he’s terrified about finally making a film in his mother tongue Telugu. “I’ve started directing it and the first schedule is over. The official launch will happen soon. I’m terrified doing a Telugu film. It’s my mother tongue but I never learned to read and write in Telugu,” he said. “It’s one of my biggest regrets. So every time I was either offered a Telugu film or thought about it, I was always terrified. It’s like delving into a new language. I knew whenever I do direct, I would have to do a lot of homework,” he added.

The makers officially annouced that the project has already gone on floors. While Aadhi Pinisetty, Jagapathi Babu and Rahul Ramakrishna will be seen in the lead roles, the makers are yet to reveal rest of the cast and crew. Devi Sri Prasad is also on board to compose music.

The film will be produced by Sudheer Chandra which will be predominantly shot in Hyderabad and Pune. The project is set to hit the screens in September.

Makers of Mahesh Babu starrer 'Maharshi' organised a grand prerelease event which witnessed a huge fan gathering from all around Telangana. Just a few days ahead of the film's release, the makers are sparing no efforts in promoting the film.

Mahesh Babu, like always, struck his fans in awe with his dashing personality. The megastar gave an emotional speech during the event mentioning about the directors he has worked with. He mentioned K Raghavendra Rao, Krishna Vamsi, Gunasekhar, Sreenu Vaitla and Koratala Siva to express his heart felt gratitude.

TV Listing

MON 6TH - FRI 10TH MAY 2019 15:30: STYLE CHEF 16:00: THE GREAT INDIAN GLOBAL KITCHEN 2 16:30: RASOI SHOW 17:30: CHHUTA CHHEDA 18:00: RADHA PREM KI DEEWANI 18:30: UTTARAN 19:00: JAHAANARA 19:30: BEPANNAH

* Schedule is subject to change

two Filmfare Awards South, including best popular feature film. Though the film had promising actors like Mahesh Babu, Ileana D'Cruz and Prakash Raj in the lead roles, it was Puru Jagannath's direction that made 'Pokiri' a superhit blockbuster.

MON 6TH - FRI 10TH MAY 2019 18:30: KHATRA KHATRA KHATRA 19:30: UDAAN 20:00: SHAKTI ASTITVA KE EHSAAS KI 20:30: KESARRI NANDAN 21:00: GATHBANDHAN

16:12 FILM: JAZBAA 18:33 LIFESTYLE : STAR STOP 19:05 FILM: DASTAK 22:00 FILM: DHOKHA WEDNESDAY MAY 15, 2019 00:25 FILM: HAIR IS FALLING 05:00 FILM: I AM 24 07:16 FILM: CHORON KA CHOR 09:42 FILM: YEH HAI JUDGEMENT HANGED TILL DEATH 12:30 FILM: MRITYUDAND 15:50 FILM: KHEL 19:22 FILM: WOH LAMHE 22:00 FILM: GANGSTER THURSDAY MAY 16, 2019 00:16 FILM: TADIPAAR 05:00 FILM: GOOD BUDDY GADBADI 07:28 FILM: EK AUR LOAFER 10:38 FILM: JUAARI 13:42 FILM: AWARAPAN 16:12 FILM: JURM 18:40 LIFESTYLE : STAR STOP 19:10 FILM: AITRAAZ 22:25 FILM: GHATAK FRIDAY MAY 17, 2019 01:21 FILM: CHAAR DIN KI CHANDNI 05:00 FILM: MUNNA MAANGE MEMSAAB 07:30 FILM: CHOR BAZAARI-EK ATRANGI PREM KAHANI 09:50 FILM: AAR YA PAAR 13:00 FILM: CHINA GATE 16:31 FILM: DIL CHAHTA HAI 20:21 FILM: VEER

21:30 THE KAPIL SHARMA SHOW 23:00 THE KAPIL SHARMA SHOW MON 13TH MAY - FRI 17TH MAY TIME TV PROGRAM NAMES 16:30 BEYHADH 17:00 EK DUJE KE VAASTE 17:30 KUCH RANG PYAR KE AISE BHI 18:00 VIGHNAHARTA GANESH 18:45 MERE SAI 19:30 YEH UN DINON KI BAAT HAI 20:00 CHANDRAGUPTA MAURYA 20:30 MAIN MAAYKE CHALI JAAUNGI 21:00 PATIALA BABES 21:30 LADIES SPECIAL 22:00 CRIME PATROL SONY MAX 2 PRIME TIME 19:00 AAYE DIN BAHAAR KE SONY MAX 2 PRIME TIME 19:00 TUESDAY JANE ANJANE 19:00 WEDNESDAY JEET 19:00 THURSDAY BAWARCHI 19:00 FRIDAY AN EVENING IN PARIS

20:00: ISHQ MEIN MARJAWAN 20:30: MOHE RANNG DO LAAL 21:00: BALIKA VADHU - LAMHE PYAAR KE 22:00: RED ALERT SAT 11TH MAY 2019 17:30: CHHUTA CHHEDA 18:00: RADHA PREM KI DEEWANI 18:30: UTTARAN 19:00: COURT ROOM 20:00: KHATRON KE KHILADI 22:00: ZINDAGI KI HAQEEQAT SE AAMNA SAAMNA SUN 12TH MAY 2019 18:00: RADHA PREM KI DEEWANI 18:30: UTTARAN 19:00: COURT ROOM 20:00: KHATRON KE KHILADI 22:00: ZINDAGI KI HAQEEQAT SE AAMNA SAAMNA

21:30: ROOP 22:00: SILSILA 22:30: KHOOB LADI MARDANI JHANSI KI RANI 23:00: SITARA SAT 11TH MAY 2019 19:00: DESI BEAT RESET 19:30: COLORS SE SANG ANTAKSHARI KE RANG 21:00: RISING STAR - SEASON 3 22:30: NAAGIN - SEASON 3 SUN 12TH MAY 2019 19:30: COLORS SE SANG ANTAK SHARI KE RANG 20:30: RISING STAR - SEASON 3 21:30: COURT ROOM 22:30: NAAGIN - SEASON 3

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Mahant Swami in Surat

Medical key ring gets students to the county final of Young Enterprise competition

Bochanwasi Shree Akshar Puroshottam Swaminarayan Sanstha head Pujya Mahant Swami is at present in Surat.

Earlier he visited UAE where he laid the foundation stone for the first BAPS Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi. He returned on 29th April and proceeded to Anand. On 5th May there was a Sunday Assembly. A large of number of devotees were present at the Assembly. Mahant Swami described the importance Sunday Assembly. He will be in Surat till 16th May. Thereafter he will proceed to Nadiad where he will stay till 24th May.

Coming Events

Giri Bapu Shivkatha UK-2019 Kenton Hall, Johnbillam Sports Ground, Woodcok Hill, Kenton, Harrow HA3 OPQ. Sangeet Night: Date 11th May, 12th May Time: 9 am to 11.30 am 12-05 2019 to 18-05-2019 Time: 5 pm to 8 pm, Gujar Hindu Union (GHU) Ltd Apple Tree Centre, Ifield Avenue, Ifield Crawley-RH11 0AF Sangeet Night: Date 17th May 19-05-2019 to 25-05-2019 Time: 5 pm to 8 pm, Shree Kutch Leva Patel, Community Centre, Bolton, Crook Street, Opp. Railway Station Bolton-BL3 6AS, Sangeet Night: Date 24th May 26-05-2019 to 03-06-2019 Time 5 pm to 8 pm Leicester Prajapati Hall Ulverscroft Road, LE4 6BW Sangeet Night: Date 27th May, 1st June

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Sneh Joshi

Talented pupils have made the county final of a Young Enterprise competition - after designing a first aid key ring called the 'Nursessity'.

A team of 11 pupils at St Bernard's Catholic Grammar School in Langley Road designed it themselves.

They called their team the Sirens and presented their invention in various rounds of the competition run by the Young Enterprise Company Programme - a national charity specialising in enterprise education for all young people.

They showed it at Windsor Royal Shopping, Nicholson's Shopping Centre in Maidenhead and last week at Telefonica 02 at Bath Road, Slough where it got them into the area final.

Four of the students Sophie Wingrove, Jasmeet Basra, Roop Cheema and Alice Hodge made a presen-

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Life Has A- Meaning - Poem by Kumarmani Mahakul

We think forever for salvation, We cannot live in separation.

Father is great solves situation, Continuous is human migration.

While we come we see garden, Man becomes here its warden.

We cannot escape from work, We have to walk in row of murk.

Life has its own meaning here, We have to live in time in cheer.

Fear we do not we think again, In joy and grief we do remain.

Pain we wash with water nice, Here we read book we see thrice.

Ice melts by getting sun rays sure, By his wisdom we become pure.

Nature is such beautiful narration, Life has a meaning and celebration.

Glory of father we sing in adoration, Father of heaven gives love vibration.

tation in front of 100 people at the Telefonica.

Roop said: "The Area Final was an amazing experience, full of challenges."

Fellow student Alice added: " Not only are we through to the county final but we also won other awards – participation, customer Service and best trade stand – a truly great team effort.”

The county final is on Wednesday, May 14 at Reading.

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Ajit Ninan for TOI

The UK’s leading Vedic writer and TV personality

ARIES Mar 21 - Apr 20 Much enthusiasm goes into pro-

fessional ambitions right now, but you need to be your own boss in many ways. Circumstances will make you more determined to place your lifestyle on a foundation of greater security. Taking a broad perspective on the prevailing cosmic pattern, far-reaching change begins to gather momentum.

TAURUS Apr 21 - May 21 It is a particularly favourable time for dealing with financial interests with a long-term basis, such as investments, insurance and pension schemes, legacies and all jointly held resources. You will be able to sort out any difficulties by taking immediate action. To deal with unfinished business, you will need to adopt a fairly flexible policy in order to accommodate the odd twists and turns of everyday life.

GEMINI May 22 - June 22 Either you or your partner have been going through a phase of inner doubts and uncertainties, and perhaps the main source of tension has simply been the need for breathing space in your relationship and a need to look at things more objectively. Wait before going full steam ahead with grand actions and gestures.

CANCER Jun 22 - Jul 22 Co-operative ventures are likely to generate financial success. So, if hoping to drum up support or backing, it would certainly do no harm to adopt a more pushy and outgoing approach to life. As social life will tend to draw you into a wider circle, the chances of meeting someone attractive are greatly increased. The general pattern of things continues on a progressive and buoyant theme.

It is essential that you adopt a very open attitude now for this is a time of lucky opportunity and a chance to greatly enrich your working life and at home. New windows on the world are about to open and this is bound to have a maturing effect on you from now into the future.

There is a rather secretive aura surrounding new romance, which could turn into something very special.

LEO Jul 23 - Aug 23

It would be a mistake always to blame the other person if your experience and expectations of love turn out to be disappointing. It is said that if you do not learn from past experience you will be condemned to repeat it until you do learn. You now have an excellent opportunity to sort out where things may be going wrong.

The hard part is that you will have to be honest with yourself.

VIRGO Aug 24 - Sep 23

If lately you have had all sorts of demands being placed on you from all sides, don't despair; take some time out to reflect. Try and work out where you want to make changes in your busy life.

Once you know, don't hesitate to implement it systematically. A tremendous amount of planetary activity in your chart signals a time of mixed emotions as well as personal issues to be dealt with.

LIBRA Sep 24 - Oct 23

The prevailing astrological trend indicates increasing vigour and stamina, both mentally and physically. At an ordinary everyday level you can expect this to be a pleasant time, indulging in the good things of life and taking a much needed break. This will urge you towards creating greater independence in your lifestyle.

SCORPIO Oct 24- Nov 22

020 8518 5500

SAGITTARIUS Nov 23 - Dec 21

With Venus traversing your sign of leisure for some time to come, it will put you in the right mood if you intend to indulge your pleasure-loving instincts. Venus, the planet of love and romance throws a pleasing light on affairs of the heart. Existing emotional differences can be easily sorted out now. Your creativity is riding high and you should make the most of this phase.

CAPRICORN Dec 22 - Jan 20

With Sun and Mercury in your 5th house of romance and creativity, you should enjoy a very popular phase in your life where everyone wants to invite you to parties. This will give you a chance to meet people of your own calibre and pursue any romantic liaisons that might present themselves.

AQUARIUS Jan 21 - Feb 19 Domestic and family matters are very much to the fore indicating increased harmony and feeling of contentment in your home life. At a more practical level, property matters are under a highly encouraging trend, making this one of the best times for pushing ahead with buying, selling or renovating your property.

There is an element of disruption or stress which may be hard to avoid, but it appears that there is a strong sense of purpose in the background. A certain amount of sheer hard graft will be necessary for a short while, but the final result will be extremely pleasing. An exchange of opinions ought to prove very enlivening at this time.

PISCES Feb 20 - Mar 20

32

Sport

11 - 17 May 2019

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Mumbai Indians in IPL final Mumbai Indians have beaten Chennai Super Kings on their homeground and entered into the IPL final. The latest chapter in Mumbai's psychological stranglehold over Super Kings came via a comfortable six-wicket win on a pitch affording sharp turn throughout. Both teams went in with three spinners - a legspinner, and offspinner and a left-arm orthodox spinner each - and Mumbai's trio outperformed Super Kings' on the day.

While the pitch wasn't straightforward to bat on, 131 seemed a below-par total considering Super Kings only lost four wickets, and an unbeaten 71 from Suryakumar Yadav steered Mumbai home with nine balls remaining.

Super Kings' Powerplay woes continue Both captains said at the toss that they wanted to bat first, and the coin fell in MS Dhoni's favour. Super Kings came into the match with the worst Powerplay average (20.38) and scoring rate (6.30 per over) of any team this season, and they proceeded to slip up once again. Mumbai used all three of their spinners in the Powerplay, bowling them for four out of six overs, and they took out Super Kings' top three. Faf du Plessis picked out backward point with a cut, while Suresh Raina and Shane Watson fell trying to hit against the turn when the length wasn't in their favour; on this pitch, it was only really a percentage shot if the batsman got to the pitch of the ball or if it was a rank long-hop.

Watson fell off the last ball of the Powerplay, and Super Kings were 32 for 3.

Did Super Kings go too far into their shell?

By the end of the 12th over, the right-handed fourth-wicket pair of M Vijay - brought in for the injured Kedar Jadhav - and Ambati Rayudu had put on 33 in 36 balls. They took no real risks even against the seamers or the offspinner Jayant Yadav, who between them bowled four of those six overs and conceded exactly a run a ball. Vijay was out first ball of the 13th over, stumped attempting to step out and hit Rahul Chahar inside-out. That brought Dhoni to the crease.

Dhoni and Rayudu ramped up the intent a little, hitting Jayant for a six each and then

taking eight off the 15th over, bowled by Hardik Pandya. But they weren't prepared to go after the left-arm spinner Krunal Pandya or the legspinner Chahar, and they carefully played out the 16th and 17th overs, scoring a total of eight runs off them. By that point, Super Kings were 99 for 4.

The last three overs went for 32 - decent, but not the explosion Super Kings may have hoped for - with Dhoni launching successive sixes off Lasith Malinga in the 19th but Jasprit Bumrah proving harder to hit either side of it.

Two early wickets That left Mumbai 132 to get. Super Kings sent back both their openers by the fourth over, leaving them 21 for 2. Deepak Chahar getting Rohit Sharma lbw with an outswinger that beat his attempted leg-side flick, and Harbhajan Singh had Quinton de Kock reaching for the ball and caught at wide long-off.

Suryakumar sparkles Reaching for the ball had been a key element of how Mumbai's spinners kept Super Kings quiet - their line had been outside off stump for most part, and their length short of the driving arc. At the end of the match, Dhoni reasoned that his spinners hadn't managed to emulate them, and had bowled too full a length or too straight a line too often.

This allowed the Mumbai batsmen to pick up key boundaries while hitting against the turn. Ishan Kishan launched Harbhajan Singh over the midwicket boundary to end the Powerplay, and Suryakumar Yadav whipped and drove Imran Tahir for successive boundaries through midwicket in the 11th over.

Before all that, both batsmen had enjoyed moments of luck. Suryakumar was dropped by a diving Vijay at mid-on on 11, off Deepak Chahar, and Kishan edged Harbhajan wide of slip on 2.

Suryakumar made Super Kings pay for the miss, using his feet well to get to the pitch of the ball as often as he could, or waiting on the back foot to use the pace of

Mumbai Indians beat Chennai Super Kings to reach their fifth IPL final

Suryakumar stretched out to defend Jadeja the bowler. Ravindra Jadeja and Tahir are and edged him between keeper and first slip. among the quicker spinners in world cricket, But Shane Watson, diving to his left, couldn't and Suryakumar steered both of them deftly hold on despite getting a hand to the ball. to the third man boundary in the 13th and That was pretty much it, and Suryakumar 14th overs, the second of those shots and Hardik steered Mumbai home with an bringing up his fifty, off 37 balls.

Too little, too late unbroken partnership of 31 in 27 balls.

That left Mumbai needing 32 off 40 balls. It proved a pretty IPL 2019 - Points Table straightforward task, even Teams Mat Won Lost Tied Pts NRR though Tahir took wickets off Mumbai Indians 14 9 5 0 18 +0.421 the last two balls of the 14th 14 9 5 0 18 -0.0131 over. First he bowled Kishan, Chennai Super Kings 14 9 5 0 18 +0.044 who ended up in an awkward Delhi Capitals position after stepping out too Sunrisers Hyderabad 14 6 8 0 12 +0.577 early, and then he had Krunal Kolkata Knight Riders 14 6 8 0 12 +0.028 Pandya caught and bowled to Kings XI Punjab 14 6 8 0 12 -0.251 bring up 300 T20 wickets.

Rajasthan Royals 14 5 8 1 11 -0.449 Super Kings nearly had Royal Challengers Banglore 14 5 8 1 11 -0.607 another wicket next ball, when

Football Association in England launches drive to woo Asian communities The Football Association (FA) in England has launched the second phase its strategy to increase the representation of Asian communities across English football. The initiative was first launched in 2015. This is an important part of FA’s broader inclusion plan. The announcement was made during a gathering of community members and football stakeholders at Aston Villa FC. This campaign focusses on the importance of role models and to raise awareness of the Asian ‘success stories’ in English football. The FA has created a short film featuring four Asian role models referee Lisa Rashid, England Women’s deaf futsal player Lucindha Lawson, Charlton Athletic Women’s manager Riteesh Mishra, and Swansea City FC player Yan Dhanda.

As part of the drive, FA will launch the first Asian inclusion in football online guide, which will share learnings, case studies and provide guidance on Asian inclusion for football at all levels. It will also form an Asian female guidance group, which will inform the actions needed to embed Asian women in football at all levels.

Working alongside the Football Supporters’ Federation, FA will introduce

Asian fans forums, starting with the Euro 2020 qualifier between England and Bulgaria at Wembley Stadium. Paul Elliott CBE, chair of FA’s Inclusion Advisory Board, said: "FA is passionate about helping to create an inclusive and diverse game and we want to continue to encourage and support anyone who wants to enjoy football. We recognise the pivotal role FA can play in helping to break down the barriers that may stop people from getting involved in football as Asian communities have been underrepresented across all areas of the game.

"This campaign also emphasises the crucial effect of positive role models in the game. We want the next generation of young Asians to have those role models to not only inspire them, but to help guide them on whichever pathway into the game they wish to take.

"This announcement is an encouraging step forward in our ongoing work to increase Asian inclusion and participation in football.

We have made good progress in this area, however we know there is much more to be done to ensure our game better reflects today’s society. This new drive reaffirms our commitment to promoting pathways into

the game for people from Asian communities. Working hand in hand with those communities, we want to further build a more inclusive game that is truly for All." FA is the not-for-profit governing body of football in England. It is responsible for promoting and developing every level of the game, from grassroots to the professional game, and successfully generates enough

revenue to support the investment of well over £100m into English football each year.

FA oversees 28 England international teams, across men’s, women’s, youth and disability football, as well as running FA competitions, including the Emirates FA Cup and SSE Women's FA Cup, and the world-class facilities of Wembley Stadium and St. George’s Park.