AV 27th March 2021

FIRST & FOREMOST ASIAN WEEKLY IN EUROPE India records more than 43,000 new Covid cases on a single day

Eating for better health needn’t be expensive SEE PAGE - 8-9

SEE PAGE - 23

Keeping children safer at school

India abstains from UNHRC vote on Lanka’s human rights record

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SEE PAGE - 16-17

Let noble thoughts come to us from every side

SEE PAGE - 26

27 MARCH - 2 APRIL 2021 - VOL 49 ISSUE 46

WE REMEMBER

inside: Maninder Sidhu appointed as Canadian Parliamentary Secretary SEE PAGE - 22

India, US to further strengthen defence ties

Priyanka Mehta

On the anniversary of Britain’s first lockdown, an independent research report by the British Academy warned that society will continue to feel the impacts of Covid-19 for a decade or more without an urgent public policy overhaul. Their review ‘The Covid decade: Understanding the long-term societal impacts of Covid-19’ appeared as Britain observed a minute’s silence over the lost lives of 146,487 people who are believed to have diedof Covid-19.

The Academy forecasts that significant intervention will be needed to avoid an acceleration towards poorer health, social and economic outcomes and a more extreme pattern of inequality. Most concerningly it has warned about the lost and likely unrecoverable access to education at all levels, exacerbating existing socio-economic inequality and impeding progress towards a prosperous, high-skilled economy.

Continued on page 6

India and the US resolved to further strengthen their robust defence ties as a bulwark against China’s belligerence in the Indo-Pacific, even as US secretary of defence Lloyd J Austin raised human rights issues and India’s impending induction of the Russian S-400 missile systems.

Continued on page 25

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with Keith Vaz

Birmingham Council launches Charter for Faith Settings

Ektaa Kumar Ektaa Kumar was born in Essex where her parents Suresh and Mona live. She grew up in East London and went on to read Mathematics and Statistics at Queen Mary University of London. During her time at university, she was employed by The Royal Society of Arts where she played an active part in identifying and supporting young entrepreneurs in securing funding for cutting edge business proposals.

After graduation, Ektaa used her analytical skillset along with her passion for communication with people and began to carve out a niche within the Tax Recruitment Space.

With over 10 years of Industry experience behind her, Ektaa Kumar now leads the Tax Recruitment Team for International Recruitment & Consulting GroupMorgan McKinley across 9 countries globally including China & Australia.

Passionate for igniting change across the Corporate Space, she now sits on the Diversity & Inclusion board for Morgan McKinley which promotes a diverse & equal workforce across offices globally but also works externally with her global & UK national clients on achieving their goals around creating a more balance & accepting workforce.

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Which place, or city or country do you most feel at home in?

London. I was born in East London and have spent most of my life in Central London so despite the extensive travel that my role and personal pursuits reward me with- nothing beats a good Earl Grey & Digestive biscuit in my city!

What are your proudest achievements?

My family. I was fortune to be raised as part of a family who gave me the value of hard work but also instilled in me very early on that it’s ok to feel the knocks! You can make her cry, but you cannot make her quit was the motto and I’m most proud of that support system.

What inspires you?

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What is the best aspect about your current role?

Being a part of the bigger picture for Corporate Companies. I'm a firm believer that a Firm is only as good as it's people and working alongside International Companies to work on how to attract the best talent to really advance the ship makes my job really interesting.

And the worst?

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The inconsistency!! No two days are the same- one day I will be working with a big corporate on a staffing strategy the next I will be negotiating global commercial terms for a partnership. It really is a rollercoaster role, but you know what they say… variety is the spice of life!

What are your long-term goals?

Passionate people. One of the best things about my role is the plethora of individuals I get to meet and converse with on a daily basis. I am extremely lucky to meet people from all walks of life who have had experiences, both good & bad, that I draw inspiration from.

What has been biggest obstacle in your career?

The theoretical 'Glass Ceiling', for sure! There have definitely been times that have been particularly challenging where I've felt underrepresented or under served by the rigid frameworks created by the corporate world. But I learnt very quickly that the glass ceiling doesn't apply when you're building your own house.

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

My father. Someone that taught me when the world knocks you down, you dust yourself off and you try again.

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As a member of the Diversity & Inclusion board for Morgan McKinley and a Female leader in the corporate space myself, I hope to play a significant part in Large Corporates re-evaluating their talent attraction strategies and considering a more diverse pool of candidates for senior positions in the corporate world. Diversity = Business Competitive Edge!

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

A 3-day weekend! I think we all deserve it after the last 12 months!

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

George Sand! I would like to ask her what literary genius her mind would provide now that she didn't have to pretend to be a man to be published

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Places of worship across Birmingham are being urged to sign up to a Charter for Faith Settings, a commitment to operate within Covid-19 controls. The City Council has worked closely with faith leaders since the pandemic began last year to develop a programme that will support all faith settings in meeting legal requirements.

It aims to help faith settings protect their congregations, ensuring they are supported in understanding legislation and guidance, and able to put that into practice to reassure worshippers. A range of measures including a Covid-secure tool kit to help risk assess venues, fortnightly online meetings and a mentoring system to support venues working towards compliance - were developed by the council’s Environmental Health and Public Health teams.

In a statement, Cllr John Cotton, Cabinet Member for Social Inclusion, Community Safety and Equalities, said, “Since the doors of our places of worship reopened, our officers have been working closely with faith communities and Birmingham Multi-Faith Partnership to develop and implement this programme – designed to keep people safe wherever they worship.

“Seeing the charter certificate displayed in faith settings across the city will provide confirmation of best practice in reducing the risk of the spread of Covid-19 as restrictions are gradually lifted. I very much welcome and endorse this important initiative.”

The Birmingham MultiFaith Partnership – which

nage A system is in place for checking Covid-19 symptoms of worshippers and faith workers - A cleaning regime in place - Hand washing facilities - Taken steps to maintain 2 metre social distancing – if not possible, implemented risk mitigations - Ensure all staff wear adequate Personal Protective Equipment - Ensure all attendees wear a face covering - A contact tracing system in place to collect visitors details - An internal early outbreak management procedure.

Officers will visit venues to ensure compliance with these requirements, and those which meet them will receive a certificate, to be displayed to show worshippers the venue has met an approved standard.

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Cllr John Cotton

brings together representatives from the West Midlands Faith in Action, Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), Church of England and the Nishkam Centre in Handsworth – was formed to help support faith groups and settings across the city to be able to interpret, communicate and execute current restrictions and become Covid compliant.

In order to achieve Charter status, venues must have: - Completed a Covid-19 risk assessment - Display Covid-19 safety sig-

Jailed for class B drugs Three men have been jailed after a cannabis grow was found in Leicester by officers executing a warrant.

Emirjan Qehaja, Bexhet Tafhasi, and Filiz Muja, had all tried to flee initially but officers assisting the operation detained the men in the city centre a short while later. Now, a search of the premises was carried out which recovered a cannabis grow of around 600 plants.

Qehaja, Tafhasi and Muja, were arrested and charged, later all pleading guilty to conspiracy to produce class B drugs at Leicester Crown Court. All three were each sentenced to 20 months imprisonment.

Detective Constable Kam Kalia was the investigating officer.

He said, “This was a substantial cannabis farm set up in the city.

Drugs are a danger to society and cause untold harm in our communities.

“Leicestershire Police is committed to tackling drug misuse and will continue to investigate and bring to justice anyone who is involved in drugs offences.”

“Anyone who has any information about drugs in their community should report it to police.”

Drayton Park collapses into administration Drayton Park has been fined £1m after a girl died on a ride, but the penalty will never be paid as it is in administration it has been reported.

In May 2017 during a school trip 11-year-old Evha Jannath was on the Splash Canyon rapids ride at Drayton Manor when she was "propelled" into the water and an inquest jury in 2019 had concluded that the little girl who could not swim, died accidentally. Drayton Manor Park Ltd previously admitted a breach

under Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act, after the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) brought the prosecution.

Richard Matthews QC, representing Drayton Manor Park Ltd, told the Evha Jannath hearing the park had cowaste of a young life…there was operated with the HSE investino prospect of the fine being gation fully and had no previpaid" given the company operous convictions. ating the park at the time had During a sentencing hearsince gone into administration. ing at Stafford Crown Court on "It is important that lessons Thursday, Mr Justice Spencer are learned and the seriousness said, "This was an utterly tragic of the defendant company's failing in this case is marked by an appropriate punishment," Mr Justice Spencer said.

Between 2011-2013, park records show there were four FINANCIAL A SERVICES instances of people falling into PROTECTION MORTGAGES the water at the ride before it Life Insurance Residential was closed following Evha's Critical Illness Buy to Let death demonstrating longIncome Protection standing negligence and breach Remortgages of safety guidelines.

Former Leicester East MP Please conta act: Keith Vaz, in his statement to the BBC, said, "No-one has lost Dinesh Shonchhatra S their jobs as a result of this, the Mortgage Ad dviser company will not pay this fine, Call: 020 8424 C 4 8686 / 07956 810647 no individual has said they are responsible, but there remains a hole in the heart of the fami77 High Street, Wealdston ne, Harrow, HA3 5DQ ly," he added. mortgage@majorestate.co om ~ majorestate.com

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27 March - 2 April 2021

UK-EU vaccine war The UK won’t concede defeat. For all its cracks, Brexit is a living example of the Euroscepticism that is still prevalent in the country and perhaps one that has grown deeper. The EU will do well to remember this even as it continues to remain locked in a war of words over vaccine export and distribution. EU officials have noted that AstraZeneca has a plant in the Netherlands’ Leiden Bio Science Park, producing vaccines. The plant, run by the subcontractor Halix, has not exported any jabs to the EU as yet as the facility is yet to be given approval by the European Medicines Agency. AstraZeneca’s production for the UK market is largely covered by production in Oxford and Staffordshire, with input also expected from the Serum Institute of India (SII).

And this has become the latest point of contention between the already soured UK-EU relations.

It is rather unfortunate not to say petty in the least that at times such as these the great European Union which is formed in public interest with the general aim of uplifting lives and rendering justice has stooped to playing with the lives of millions.

And for what? Perhaps, the EU is living in the disillusioned misconception that the UK is out of options and is solely dependent on the bloc for accruing the AstraZeneca vaccine. The 5 million vaccine doses that the UK has recently imported from India show another reality to the EU. This is part of Lord Eddie Lister's efforts. Johnson’s fixer and ally, has travelled to India and will be visiting SII to secure millions of doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine.

Johnson who is himself slated to visit India in April will further try to cement stronger UK-India ties in light of growing hostility from China.

Johnson’s admiration for and ideological synergies with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi dates back to the times when Johnson was the Mayor of London. Joining Quad will certainly not be a fire drill, if and when that happens. Defence experts and diplomats will concede it is only a matter of when and not if. In the meantime, critics would argue that India will be cautious of its own supply chains given the rising number of covid cases in her own country. While that is certainly going to be a challenge both for the UK and India, the EU should remain cautious in taking much joy out of such hindrances. The world is an oyster and if fragilities around Covid-19 has proved anything it is this: mutual co-operation, partnerships and collaborative efforts will pave the way for dealing with all pandemics.

Science has illustrated that coronavirus is certainly not the first and most definitely won’t be the last pandemic.

If one were to dig deeper into the psychological end and resolution of the crisis, then many would draw comfort in the belief that what goes around comes around. If the EU deludes itself into thinking it can get away with bullying the UK into agreeing to their absurd terms and conditions by sheer force of majority? It is a temporary quick fix. Even when the band-aid is ripped, the scars will remain, some uglier and more pronounced than others. Today, the EU may be defying British citizens of their right to be vaccinated, what when these Britons become the source of contagion in their countries as the travel industry opens up? It is not wishful revenge but nature has its own way of correcting inequalities and injustices.

Perhaps, the EU may want to borrow a leaf from India’s vaccine diplomacy.

Be the change you want to see Britain’s relation with race has always been complex. With hundreds of years of colonial history and a Commonwealth to follow, it is a thorny subject among many of the diaspora. It is also one of the least understood and most debated as a topic.

On 23 March, Sporting Equality held their Race Equality: State of the Sector digital event which talked about the latest data regarding the situation at UK’s sport sector.

On Sunday 21 March, was actually the international Day for the Elimination of racial discrimination. This year’s theme was “Youth standing up against racism” and it engaged the public through #FightRacism, which aims to promote a global culture of tolerance, equality and anti-discrimination and calls on each and every one of us to stand up against racial prejudice and intolerant attitudes.

On Monday 22 March 2021 was the fifth death anniversary of Dr Arun Vaidyanathan, one of our esteemed letter writers (see page 10 for seminar details) in the past. In remembrance of her father’s death anniversary, his daughter Rajini Vaidyanathan (BBC News South Asia Correspondent and Anchor) shared the obituary she wrote for the newsweekly five years ago, on her Twitter handle.

In her eulogy for her father in 2016, Rajini wrote in Asian Voice, she spoke about Britain and racism and how her father fought racism for 25 years. “My father’s activism was set in the backdrop of a different era. When he arrived in the UK in the 1960s, racism was far more prevalent. Despite experiencing discrimination on so many levels, he worked to eradicate prejudice, and never let us - his children - believe anything was impossible…”

But Britain’s complex relationship with racism still continues.

Two weeks back, it was Prince Harry’s wife and former actor Meghan Markle came out in the public talking about an unnamed member of the royal family asking about their son Archie's skin

colour, inciting a racial undertone in it.

As Pankaj Mishra in several of his opinion pieces said that a ‘royal’ Meghan was not going to end Britain’s racism. The annual State of Hate 2021 report in the UK, which analysed trends and changes in far-right extremism, said that victims of racism in the two leading political parties have been “let down” by the way the issue has been handled.

Hope Not Hate reported that 40% of ethnic Britons have experienced or witnessed racial violence in the past 12 months; 45% have experienced or witnessed racial abuse. Over half (54%) think Britain is institutionally racist, but 45% still believe that Britain is one of the least racist countries in Europe (26% disagreed). Two-thirds (65%) agreed that the debate around tearing down historical monuments has distracted from important discussions on racism in Britain. While most ethnic Britons have seen little change in the lived realities of racism, many have seen Black Lives Matters’ messages taken up by white friends & colleagues. There was a racist backlash to the BLM protests, with overt racial nationalism replacing previous far-right attempts to moderate their language. Patriotic Alternative organised 66 events under the ‘White Lives Matter’ banner. Football hooligans and far-right activists organised 26 anti-BLM protests.

Even in the NHS, with so many reports being published which highlighted how race disparity led to disproportionate effects of Covid-19- nothing really changed. A second wave came, killed more people, and a third wave is probably on its way. Vaccination started and over last 4 months, left the minority ethnic people still at the bottom of the priority chain.

So, what does it say about race in Britain today? The time of denial is over. It’s indeed ‘woke’ not to just discuss something as complex and oversimplify it by constant debates, but start pushing those in power to make the changes we want to see.

China - a threat to democratic nations China has become a threat to democratic nations all over the world with its model of authoritarian government and a capitalist economic system. China seeks to portray itself as a superior model for the world and to overthrow the liberal order. China seeks hegemony over all of Asia and the Pacific. It aggressively cultivates ties with ethnic Chinese communities to sway policy in countries like Singapore and Australia. It aspires to challenge the United States for global leadership on all fronts – economic, political, technological and even military. With its massive economic and military power it is trying to change the world order.

In recent years, China is the largest bilateral source of foreign assistance, surpassing even the US. Its growing influence in Africa, South East Asia and Latin America is notable. The bulk of this aid is in the form of export credits or loans. This type of lending can plunge weaker economies into a debt trap that requires them to sell off their strategic assets to China. With its Belt and Road Initiative, China earmarked more than a trillion dollars to forge a bloc of economic and strategic ties stretching throughout south, central, and west Asia, all the way to Europe and Africa.

New found economic power is sooner or later translated into military power and may eventually lead to geopolitical conflict.

China will inevitably seek to build its own world order, fashioned by its own world view, economic and political interests.

According to reports, China has increased its defence spending nearly five fold over the last decade. It can now challenge American military supremacy in the places that most matter to it: the waters around Taiwan and in the disputed South China Sea. The United States’ withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership has been a gift to authoritarian China and a blow to democratic aspirations in South East Asia. These days more people are attracted to China's model of dictatorship and state-run

capitalism. From Turkey to Poland and Hungary, there is a growing list of democracies that have developed a fascination for China’s “authoritarian capitalism.” Its increasingly domineering claims to the South China Sea, its territorial disputes with India and other Asian countries, and its buying up ports and infrastructure, should be raising red flags in Washington and other Western capitals. The US and the UK, traditionally the two leaders of the free world seem to have lost their way. One of the most alarming elements of China’s rising international profile is its regular recourse to disinformation, deception, coercion, bribery, and penetration of the political and civil institutions of open societies to try and shape the narrative about China.

The Quad summit held on March 12 by US, Japan, India, and Australia did not name China directly, but Beijing saw a major challenge to its dream of China centric Asia Pacific following the joint statement at the summit. The Quad called for a free, open, inclusive, healthy, Indo-Pacific region. Quad’s assertion to support the rule of law, freedom of navigation, overflight, democratic values, and territorial integrity has added to frustration of Beijing.

During US defence secretary J Lloyd's visit to New Delhi, India and the US resolved to further strengthen their robust defence ties as a bulwark against China’s belligerence in the Indo-Pacific.

After a wide-ranging meeting with defence minister Rajnath Singh, Austin said elevating the India-US defence relationship is a “priority” for the Biden administration while describing the partnership as “a stronghold of a free and open Indo-Pacific region”. Mentioning the “Quad” as a key element of cooperation, Austin said: “PM Modi has stated that India stands for freedom of navigation and overflight, unimpeded lawful commerce, and adherence to international law. This is a resounding affirmation of our shared vision for regional security in the Indo-Pacific.”

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart.- Helen Keller

Alpesh Patel

The UK’s Economic Firepower I’d like to share my interview with Adi Raj, which he did for his school newsletter. He’s applying to Oxford so wish him well!

Brexit would have been the only thing in the news had Covid not happened. Does the UK has the economic firepower to overcome the impact of both these challenges simultaneously?

Alpesh: For any economy, let alone the world’s fifth largest, these significant events will hurt.

However, the UK government’s debt issuance is an excellent indicator of people’s willingness to lend money to the government based on the country’s strong economy. Our government has not had any significant difficulty in raising funds from global markets; its bond issuance programme is continuing.

My bet is on the economy to cushion the impact.

Perversely, it can also be that this economic shock leads to a stronger rebound.

Indeed, the opposition argues that the government should be providing greater firepower to the economy. Right. My analogy is that I am going to find my inner strength and come up with the best ideas of getting back on my feet.

We cannot afford to get complacent; we have to find every single resource we can to fight back and come back stronger. That’s where the government safety net comes in.

How optimistic are you about UK’s economic prospects post-Covid19?

Alpesh: I put my money where my mouth is, and see where people are putting theirs! In 1999, in my very first column in the Financial Times, I said that I invest in US equities not UK ones, and in the 21 years since, the FTSE 100, have stayed put, while the US ones have shot through the roof.

This year, I am expecting the UK to catch up.

Partly because of the overreaction from market participants on the UK corporate scene, and partly because I think that is where the money is flowing to, as well as the capture diversions which will narrow.

The data on venture capital investment from abroad coming into the UK has actually been growing and this trend has sustained. Data shows that the fall in the pound made investing in the UK rather attractive. Our intellectual capital, skilled workforce, the infrastructure, the ability to create intellectual property for commercial advantage, world-leading universities, are all instruments that we have to create sustainable growth. Therefore, I am very optimistic.

UK is currently eighth in the ease of doing business rankings according to the World Bank. How do you think Brexit will affect this and what regulatory reforms are needed to improve the ecosystem for foreign investment and business in the UK? Alpesh: This government has openly stated that it wants fewer regulations. If you look at the ease of doing business index, you would think that it should be easy to climb up that table – just look at what the countries above you are doing and replicate it.

There's a problem with that. Some regulations are there for very good reason, e.g. protecting employees, environment, etc. It could be that we do not want to be higher as reducing regulations may lead to negative externalities. As a result of Brexit, we may be able to deregulate and that should see us moving up the rankings, however we need to be sure that we don’t become the wild west of doing business either. There is that balance protection of consumers, workers and small businesses as well.

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Sanjay Suri happily surprised to win the 67th National Award for the best book on cinema Journalist Sanjay Suri has been awarded the National Film Award 2019 for his book “A Gandhian Affair: India's Curious Portrayal of Love in Cinema.” His book competed with 24 other nominations to win the award. The 67th National Film Awards for the year 2019 were announced on Monday.

Born in Jalandhar, Sanjay Suri has been a London-based journalist since 1990. He studied at Delhi University and the London School of Economics. He is the author of Brideless in Wembley, Naked Rain and Other Poems and 1984: The AntiSikh Violence and After.

Speaking to Asian Voice on this stupendous win, Suri said, “It's such a happy surprise to have been picked for

this. I only knew when a colleague attending the event messaged me. So I wasn't exactly waiting. In fact the award was waiting to deliver itself that long and was delayed no doubt due to Covid. Having been picked for this, I feel most honoured. I do hope this may encourage more people to read the book, and to consider the argument it makes.”

In the synopsis of his book, he says, “how cinema was made within welldefined moral fences that were built with dos and don'ts about sex and money." This line is more relevant than ever today as we see the Indian streaming space being under the government’s surveillance for content. Sanjay said, “The book demonstrates through

Sanjay Suri

stories of the films themselves how heroism for two generations after Independence arose from a compulsive portrayal of the hero triumphing over temptations of both sex and money. In that triumph lies his heroism. The book demonstrates that together these values arose from popular notions of Gandhi who lived a life of simplicity and celibacy. Those morals were

of course adapted into love stories into all sorts of ways.

But they drive the plot, and they direct the course of the cinema.”

Sharing his thoughts on the sudden upsurge in relevance of our nation's former leaders like Gandhi, Bose, Tagore among others who still resonate with the public after so many years, Suri said, “History never just drops curtains to end anywhere. So many of the values associated with Gandhi, with Bose are still being discussed. Gandhi versus Nehru, Nehru vs Sardar Patel, consequences for the politics and the economy of India in their days spill over heavily into current disputes. Their overhang has never gone away. We fight over them, we don't forget them.”

Shaun Bailey pledges protection for Indian High Commission The Conservative Candidate for London Mayor, Shaun Bailey, has pledged to protect the Indian High Commission from future unruly and violent activity, if elected.

Shaun Bailey met the High Commissioner of India, Her Excellency Gaitri Issar Kumar, virtually via Zoom on Thursday 18th March.

Shaun Bailey underlined that he would do everything in his power to prevent future potentially violent protests from taking place, as well as to safeguard diplomatic staff and visitors as a top priority.

The London Mayoral

Mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey and Indian High Commissioner of India to UK, HE Gaitri Issar Kumar

candidate and the High Commissioner also spoke of unlocking opportunities between the UK and India across the ‘Living Bridge’ – including new student visas for Indian students, as well as the importance of the Indian diaspora in London.

Shaun Bailey, Conservative Candidate for Mayor of London, said, “I was delighted to meet the Indian High Commissioner, H.E. Gaitri Kumar. I underlined in our discussion that the unruly demonstrations that have taken place out-

side the Indian High Commission are absolutely unacceptable, and that if elected as Mayor I will do everything in my power to offer protection for staff and visitors.

“If necessary, this would include banning demonstrations that are deemed to put staff and visitors at risk. We also celebrated the strong bond between our two nations, and the rich contribution of the Indian diaspora in London.“As Mayor, I’ll work with the Indian High Commission to help unlock opportunities across our Living Bridge.”

BIJA and Mizrahi Tefahot Bank close successful Winter Social Action Campaign feeding 8,000 Londoners BIJA has concluded its Social Action campaign feeding 8,000 Londoners in partnership with Mizrahi Tefahot Bank.

The campaign to provide food packages was carried out in partnership with Amrit S Maan’s Punjab Restaurant. Its initial target had been to raise the money for 2,000 parcels, but due to the excellent response, over 8,000 parcels were reached.

BIJA raised the money from a number of donors and Mizrahi provided matched funding.

Zaki Cooper and Natalie Machta-Joseph from BIJA visited the Highgate and Newtown Food Bank to see the impact of the donation.

BIJA Co-Chair Zaki Cooper said, “We were delighted by the response to this fund-raising drive. It showed how our two communities can work together, inspired by our ancient faiths, to address common social problems. Covid has made life extremely difficult for so many and hunger is one manifestation of this.

Food poverty is a blight on our society and faith communities can and must work to combat it.”

Matthew Plax, Head of Corporate Banking at M i z r a h i Tefahot Bank, said, “Following a long and bleak winter, exacerbated by the pandemic, it was fantastic to hear how successful this campaign was. A huge thank you to everyone who donated and helped BIJA to smash its target and deliver so many meals to those in desperate need!”

Amrit S Maan,

Managing Director of The Punjab Covent Garden, said, “This generous donation from BIJA and Mizrahi Bank will go a long way in supporting the Punjab Covent Garden's Londoners in Need campaign, helping to provide up to 8,000 meals. To date our campaign has supported over 40,000 meals across food banks, community centres and charities, and prior to that the restaurant since March 2020 served approximately 100,000 meals. It’s sad to see so many people from all walks of life dramatically impacted by the pandemic. Thank you BIJA and Mizrahi Bank for your support to help Londoners during this difficult time.”

Beginners are at an advantage in a fast-changing world Rohit Vadhwana Beginners have a chance to become expert in due course if they continue to work on their skills. But the experts, who do not have the mindset of learning, will one day become obsolete. Yes, this is true for all the sectors of profession, creativity and life. An expert in technology has to be updated on the development in his field, with a learning mindset. If he doesn't do so, he will become outdated. The best typists in court compounds have lost their jobs when computers have taken over the field.

Beginners have the flexibility to decide what to learn and how to imbibe a new skill. But the experts, who are already established in the industry have inertia. They cannot leave the progress they have already made in their field.

Going to a new area means putting themselves up in the competition of all newcomers. This washes away their advantage in the field which is acquired after years of hard work. This is a genuine problem with them. But at the same time, progress and matching steps with the changing time is essential. Therefore, it is praiseworthy if an established person can make up mind to learn new skills.

However, be it a beginner or an established expert in any field, hard work and an open mind are essential. As we have heard time and tide waits for none, so is the changing technology, dynamics of the modern world and new preferences also change with time. Generations are changing fast and so is the requirement for change in adaptability.

Better flexibility and adaptability is a sure formula for success in today's world. Those who cannot adapt to new situations are in danger of becoming obsolete. Therefore, beginners are at an advantage in the fast-changing world.It will be a good exercise to examine your ability to change with time, to adapt to the new situation, interest in learning new skills, and finally to become an expert in new areas.

(Expressed opinions are personal.)

Bradford, hosts a ‘pop up’ blood donation centre From Friday March 19th eligible volunteers from the city and surrounding areas will be able to donate a blood sample at a temporary, Covid-secure centre in the city. The unique GenOMICC Covid-19 Study analyses the genes of people who have had the virus to discover why some experienced no symptoms while others became extremely ill. The study is already contributing to the fight again Covid, with preliminary results helping identify possible new treatments.

However, for the study to continue to make progress and generate meaningful results, the scientists urgently need to recruit more people from all backgrounds – but are especially seeking the help of members of Bradford’s South Asian and Pakistani communities.

Local Muslim communities have enthusiastically backed the scheme, with leaders agreeing to help distribute thousands of information leaflets and posters – translated into Urdu, Bengali, Gujarati, and Punjabi – to its members. They welcomed the opportunity to get involved

after researchers in the medical study issued an urgent cry for help to the city’s ethnic and minority communities.

James Morgan, an Intensive Care Consultant and Principal Investigator for the Genomics project at Bradford Teaching Hospitals said, “To date, 46,000 local people have contracted Covid – and the virus has tragically killed 1,200 people and over 3,000 others have been hospitalised.

“Through my work in intensive care, I’ve met many patients and their families who have agreed to participate in this research to help others, at one of the most difficult times in their lives. They know that by taking part in the study, they’re taking ownership of what’s happened and can be part of the solution.

“Many of these patients were from South Asian and Pakistani backgrounds - that’s why we urgently need suitable people from these communities to join the study to provide a comparison. To date we’ve recruited around 80 people but need more to sign up.”

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WE REMEMBER Continued from page 1 In a statement, Hetan Shah, Chief Executive of the British Academy, said, “A year from the start of the first lockdown, we all want this to be over. However, in

Hetan Shah

truth, we are at the beginning of a Covid-19 decade.

Policymakers must look beyond the immediate health crisis to repair the profound social damage wrought by the pandemic.

“This means looking across education, employment, welfare, urban planning, community support and digital policies. It will require investing in civil society and our social infrastructure to strengthen our local communities, especially in our most deprived areas. Science has given us the vaccine to respond to the health crisis, but we will need social science and the humanities to meet the social, cultural and economic crises we face in the Covid decade.”

The report further cautions about widening geographic inequalities on measures such as health and wellbeing, local economic risk and resilience, and poverty. It further notes that there would be worsening social development, relationships and mental health – impacts which will vary according to age, gender, race and ethnicity, and levels of social deprivation.

While, the review paints a grim picture amidst concerns around a third wave of coronavirus from neighbouring EU countries as

Britain progresses to unlock, not all has been doom and gloom. In what can be seen as the first signs of Britain bouncing back, reports have emerged thatwholesale marketplace Faire has picked London as the location for its first European office. Valued at £1.9bn, it has already hired 10 people in Britain, and plans to have 40 to 50 staff in the country by the end of the year, with an office opening once coronavirus restrictions ease.

Success stories of the West Midlands According to an analysis by the Centre for Economics and Business Research, a year of Covid-19 lockdowns has cost the UK

Dan Storer, Chief Investment Officer at the West Midlands Growth Company

economy £251bn. Their analysis notes that in contrast to London, Scotland, Wales and regions such as the West Midlands, East Midlands, and the East of England, had suffered Covid-induced losses larger than their typical contributions to the economy. But industry experts offer the other side of the coin and celebrate the success stories of the region.

Dan Storer, Chief Investment Officer at the West Midlands Growth Company – the region’s official Investment Promotion Agency (IPA) – said, “Clearly the pandemic has impacted businesses all over the world, and the West Midlands is no exception to these challenges.

Despite this, we have seen compelling evidence of

industry resilience across the region, resulting in a number of successes we can proudly reflect on.

“Summer 2020 saw the West Midlands crowned the UK’s leading location for attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) outside London for a fifth consecutive year, with India once again among the prominent sources. Recent major investments from TVS Motor Company and leading IT specialist Microland confirm the strength of the region’s offer for Indian companies – a relationship that our newly launched West Midlands India Partnership (WMIP) is seeking to nurture more closely.

As the anniversary of the Partnership’s inaugural year approaches, we are finalising development of a new strategy that will set a clear direction for strengthening the living bridge of trade and tourism opportunities for mutual benefit.

“Elsewhere, the region’s thriving landscape of innovation and creativity saw Birmingham emerge as the UK’s premier regional startup hotspot, while our advanced clusters of expertise in Data Driven Healthcare and Life Sciences and Connected and Autonomous Vehicle (CAV) Modelling and Simulation recognised the West Midlands as a high potential investment destination for emerging industries of the future.

“Looking ahead, the region is primed to bounce back stronger to the international arena with exclusive major events – such as Coventry as the UK’s City of Culture and the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games – set to kickstart a widespread cultural and economic revival. These once-in-ageneration moments will showcase the UK and the West Midlands to a worldwide audience at a poignant time for the global economy, offering unique oppor-

tunities to build on the region’s existing economic alliances.”

Religious and faith leaders pray for the bereaved In the meantime, reli-

Julie Siddiqui, Together we Thrive

gious leaders from across different faiths have asked people to join them in a national day to rememberthosewho have died from any cause during the pandemic and to showsupport for everyone who has been bereaved.

Spearheaded by the charity Marie Curie and supported by the Together Coalition, over 200 organisations are already behind the National Day of Reflection and today 82 prominent leaders from religious groups including the Buddhist Society, British Sikh Nurses, Professional Women of Faith, Catholic Union, the Islamic Society of Britain, the Church of England, Commonwealth Jewish Council and Interfaith Matters have signed an open letter backing the day.

The letter noted, “As faith leaders we know how important the ability to grieve properly is and how high the cost will be of our inability to do that. While we can’t turn back time, we can build opportunities to mourn as a nation. That’s why this Tuesday (23 March) – on the anniversary of the first lock down – we are asking the nation to join us in doing two things. To take a minute to reflect by taking part in the nationwide

silence at noon, and then take a moment to connect; to reach out to someone you know is grieving and who might like your support.

Julie Siddiqui, founder of Together we Thrive, who coordinated the letter, said, “As people of faith embedded in our communities, we have seen first-hand the scale of the loss over the past year. We have comforted so many who have lost so much.

“As a society we can’t fix that now, but we can make clear that we hold them in our hearts and prayers.

That’s why this day is so crucial. A signal that we care about each other’s loses, but also encouragement to reach out and provide whatever healing balm we can. One of the few positives to come out of this crisis has been feeling more connected to our communities - if we are to deal with this new epidemic of grief we must now build on that."

It is not just the loss of life. But the pandemic has exacerbated physical, emotional and mental health vulnerabilities particularly among the Indian, Bangladeshi and Pakistani communities who have been twice as hard hit by the underlying socio-economic inequalities.

Children and women coping through anxiety, depression and domestic violence have fallen through the cracks and become increasingly dependent on help from the third sector. While charities have struggled in accruing the funds to sustain the pandemic, Barnado’s spotted the need to launch and run a dedicated service particularly for children from under-privileged minority backgrounds.

Boloh the only service for underprivileged children from minority backgrounds Barnardo’s Chief Executive Javed Khan said, “Children and families from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities are

Javed Khan, Barnado's

really suffering as a result of the pandemic. They are more likely to be bereaved or have parents who have lost jobs or wages, and many will need support with their mental health for years to come.

“One in five children and young people we support is BAME – just over 70,000 last year. They urgently need support to deal with a complex and unique range of issues which is why Barnardo’s has set up a new Boloh service.

“Boloh is the only service specifically targeted at South Asian, Black and other Minority Ethnic communities who have been affected by Covid - and our advisers and team of psychotherapists can speak English, Urdu, Punjabi and Hindi and others. For many children and parents, speaking to someone from their own community, who understands cultural norms or traditions, can feel safer and easier.Our Boloh advisers and psychotherapists have helped vulnerable children and parents with an overwhelming number of deaths, unemployment, increased stress and mental health difficulties and poverty. The helpline is providing a lifeline for families and restoring children’s hope for the future.” *Anyone can call Boloh on 0800 1512605 or go to helpline.barnardos.org.ukT he service runs between 1pm and 8pm Monday to Fridays and on weekends between 10am and 3pm.

Sardar Patel Memorial Society (SPMS) UK welcomes nominations for new Committee The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Sardar Patel Memorial Society (SPMS) UK will be held on Sunday, 11th April 2021 from 5pm to 7pm via Zoom Election of Executive Committee. The election takes place every two years and therefore, there will be Election of the New Committee at this AGM. Sardar Patel Memorial Society UK is a voluntary organisation and was established in 1985 by the followers and admirers of Sardar. It is the Sardar Patel Memorial Society (SPMS) UK’s aim to bring awareness on the life and work of the great leader, not only to our children, but to the wider communities. The SPMS UK has major responsibilities to discharge obligations within the frameworks of aims and objectives of the Society.

To date SPMS has held a number of events to propagate the legacy of Sardar

Patel in the spirit of Unity.

Several events, exhibitions Annual celebration of Birth Anniversary and Nirvana Day – with well-known speakers paying tribute to the Iron Man of India.

Sardar died in 1950, The then Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao (1991–96) bestowed Bharat Ratna Award upon Vallabhbhai Patel in 1991, 41 years after his death. Over the years his legacy and memory has only been lauded.

In 1990, Shree Narendra Modi, then the Secretary of BJP and now the Prime Minister of India, addressed the large audience at Brent Town Hall during Sardar’s Birth Anniversary. Exhibitions have included display of photos, showing of films and display of other literature relating to SPMS. Lectures on Sardar’s life by dignitaries Other lectures include series of those

delivered by Shree Rajendra Bhagat in Leicester, Preston and other towns in Midlands. In 2002 Shri L K Advani, Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of India unveiled a bronze bust, donated by SPMS UK and various voluntary organisations, in presence of H.E. Mr Ronen Sen, at India House.

A bronze bust was also installed in Brent Library. SPMS brought variety of publications from India including, a book titled ‘Patel A Life’ by Rajmohan Gandhi. At the Annual General Meeting of SPMS UK, held on 12th May 2018, a new executive committee unanimously elected CB Patel, as Chairman.

At present – The current Executive Council constitutes 3 Trustees: Jitubhai Patel, Sumantrai Desai and Sharad Parikh Officers: Chairman C B Patel, Vice Chairman – Lord Rami Ranger,

Secretary General – Krishna Pujara, Treasurer – Deepak Patel Committee Members: Bhanubhai Pandya, GM Patel, G P Desai, Hemesh Patel, Jayant Patel, Kala Patel, Mahendra Jadeja, Rajesh Patel and Sulochana Sethi.

Hon: Chief Executive – Kanti Nagda If you are a member of SPMS UK - then you are welcome to submit your nomination to join the Executive Board of SPMS UK. The AGM gives members the opportunity to hear about SPMS UK’s work and meet with other members of the organisation.

For further information and to receive relevant papers of the AGM, please contact Krishna Pujara on 07931 708028 or email spmsmembers@gmail.com RSVP: spmsmembers@gmail.com

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ATI W THE UK GOVE PRODUCED IN ASSOCIA TION WITH ERNMENT

EA ATIN TING FOR F BETTER HEAL H LTH LTH NEEDN’T T BE EXPENSIIVE Making small, simple changes to wha what and d how h much h you are eating, ti and d drinking can really help you lo ose weight.

Better Health is here to help yo ou feel better and healthierr..

We know that 2020 has been a difficult year. But there has never been a better time to have a go g at some new heathier habits. Gaining weight is oftten a slow and ggradual process p as a result of modern-d day liffee and the odd unhealthy habit. If you want to losse weight or get active, it’s not about getting it right, but getting started.

Making small, simple changes to whatt and how much you are eating, and drinking can reallyy help you lose weight. Whether you want to lose weigh ht or get active, the NHS has lots of free ideas to help you u along the waayy.

Healthy changes start with little changess.

Extra weight causes fat to build up u around vital organs, making ki it h harder d for for the th bod b d to body t fight fi ht against i t diseases like cancer, heart disease. Lossing weight has many health benefits. For help and support s to lose weight and get active go to https://www w.nhs.uk/betterhealth.

Rupanjana Dutta Azmina Govindji RD MBDA, a registered dietitian, consultant nutritionist, best-selling author and d global l b l speaker, k worked k d in a clinical setting with hin the NHS and then spent eiight years as Chief Dietitian and Head of Diet Infformati ormation Servicess to Diabetes.

Speaking to Asian Voi Voice, Azmina discussed th he importance of nutritious diet, “Meat, fish,

A Apps to help you you mo ov ve m more

eggs and dairyy are nutritious and important ffoods, ood ds, but cutting down on foods foods such h as red meat and eating more off whole grains, beans,

C Couch to 5K

Active10 ve10 e

Apps to he elp yo you eat well/lose wei eigh ght

Easyy M Mealss

len ntils, fruit, vegetables, nuts and d seeds has been associated with h go ood long-term health.

“This is relatively easy ffor orr South So th A Asian i communities iti where h e fo oods ods like lik dal and beans aree po opular staples. A diet rich in fruitss an nd vegetables are often lower in n caalories so increasing the amountt yo ou eat can help you ffeel eel fuller ffor orr lon nger, whilst keeping an eye on n th he calories you’re having.

“The good news about eatingg fo orr better heal health is that it needn’t bee m more expensive; in fact, healthierr

NHS W Weigh eight Loss Plan foods incl include low-cost item ms like whole grains, dried lentils ls and canned chickpeas or kidney beans.

Buying vegetables at the end d of the d y iis often day ft cheaper h – and d it reeduces d food waste. Eating fewer fewer tak takeeaw wayys and ultra-processed ffoods oods in favvour of home-cooked dishes and nd roti r can often be more cost-eff ffective. ff ective.

And ffor or us to watch our weigh ght, it’s important to be mindful of porti portion sizes, so that cuts your food food d costs automatically!

“Within the South Asian communities, we tend to haaave ve lots l

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5 top tips to ea att health a hy y from Azmina A 1. Become ‘porti p on’ aware swap your usuall plate or bowl ffor or one that’s small maller in size and try to saayy no o to secondhelpings.

2. Swap white te rice with brown rice and use coarse wholemeal atta ffor or chapatis i t d of white instead hite flour fl ffor or better-ffor or-you carbs. arbs.

Trry health 3. T hier snacks such as a handful of roasted channa, whole almonds, unsalted peanuts, or who olemeal pitta bread strips ps with two tablespoons of hummus.

4. The fibre in fruit and vegetables can help keep you fuller ffor or longer, and most vegetables are low o in calories - great ffor or helping ng you watch your weight.

5. Keep an eyye on how much juice you drink – even unsweetened fruit uit juice can havve a lot of sugar gar - so stick to 150mls or a small ll glass a day.

off dried ingredients at home, likee ch hapatti flour, basmati rice, beans an nd lentils so you can create meals aff ffordabl or y and eff ffortl ortlessly just by ad dding a ffew ew spices spi and some extra veegetables and protein.”

Asians w wh ho are overw verw weight ei have higher health risks ha Data reveals over 56% of Asian D ad dults are overweight or obese, pu utting them at greater risk off becoming b i seriously i l ill from f diiseases including cancer, heart diisease and type 2 diabetes.

Azmina thinks making simple stteps towards heathier eating can haave a significant signifi impact on your riisk of diabetes and heart disease.

T Better Health website is useful The iff you want to eat healthier food food an nd become more active. So, ffor or tiips, apps and tools, see https:// w www.nhs.uk/ better-health.

“In In many South Asian families, w show our love and care byy we feeding e our families famili large portionss off fo food; it’s a beautiful part off ou ur culture - but this can lead to o ovvereating and weight gain. T Trry to o off ffer er more mor appropriate portion n siizes to preserve your long-term m heealth.

“Whenever you eat lunch orr diinner, imagine your plate splitt in nto four four quarters. Fill two of thesee qu q uarters with vegetables g such ass cu urried vegetables or salad (orr a piece of fruit eaten after yourr m meal), one with carbs (such ass brrown basmati rice) and one with h prrotein (such as chicken curry orr daal). Whenever you sit down to a m meal, visualise this image, or justt th hink of the letters VVPC. “And if you’r y e feeling feeling hungry h y in n between meals why not tryy heealthier snacks such as a smalll haandful of roasted channa, wholee allmonds, l d unsalted l d peanuts or frruits, such as apples or oranges.

“Most traditional South Asian foods o such as dals, pulses and veegetables can be healthier choices bu ut the way we prepare them m es a diff mak ffer erence.

“T Try to avvoid frying your food food - instead steam, bake, boil or grill for o a healthier heal alternative. They taaste just as great! Using olive or raapeseed oil in cooking rather than bu utter ghee, utter, ghee or coconut oil, oil for for exxample, can help to reduce the caalories as well as being better for for yo our cholesterol.

“We tend to pour oil straight frrom the bottle because that’s ho ow our recipes have v been handed do own but try and aim to use about on ne to two tablespoons of oil for for a cu urry that serves four four people. peop The Better Health website is full of free tiips, apps and tools to help people m g their weight, manage g , through g eaating healthier and becoming m more active.”

What you eat has a direct im mpact on your health. Food in nfluences your weight, your m mood, your energy levels and your lo ong-term health. But you don’t neeed to stop eating your favourite v foods o to eat healthier. heal

Azmina Govindji RD MBDA

Weiigh ight loss mak kes es me feel g good ood 39-year-old Vivekanand Jaganathan is a Solicitor and one of the Founding Partners of a laaw w firm in the City of London.

In early 2019, during a routine health check-up, NHS ffound ound him to be a border line diabetic.

He was put under the X-PER RT T Diabetes Programme by NHS to encourage him make lifesty festyylle changes.

A fformer ormer proffessi essional volleyball player, Vivekanand immediately resumed competitive level volleyball games, and balanced it with nutriti i ious and d heal h lth hy ffood. ood. He lost 14 kgs within one year and then the pandemic hit.

“When the lockdown started, I was worried about its impact on my health. It was an absolute necessity for for

me to exercise and eat health hyy. So, I immediately downloaded the NHS Weight Loss app to strictly monitor sugar and calories in food food and look up tips for for a health hyy diet as well as motivation to exercise. I also used tips from the app for for quick and eff ffective ective exercise indoors and walking outdoors, as long as the weather permitted.

“I stuck to home cooked food ffor or a whole year, often prepared using ideas from the Easy Meals app, keeping our food food well balanced and within permitted i d calloriies. I ha h vve lost a further 5 kgs and it makes me ffeel eel really good.”

For help and support to lose weight and get active go to https://www w.. nhs.uk k// better-health. t

So ome ex xercise is good, o b but ut more is m be etter

The more time you are active, ve, the greater gr the healtth benefits. Remember everyy minute counts! It is never ever too late to get active ve to improve impr your healtth, so start small and build d up starting from 10 mins of brisk walk is recommended. d d The Active 10 app pp rrecords every minu ute of walking you do (anon onymously). Just pop yourr p phone in your pocket and away you go. The app: track ks your steps, helps you set goals, shows yyou yourr achi achievements and givess you y tips to boost yourr activity activity. For more see: https://www.nhs.uk/ h betteer-health/get-active/ •T To o stay fit and healtthy, adults should get around und 20 to 30 min minutes of ph hysical activity a dayy. For example, a daily brisk k walk can boost your y energy rgy, lift your mood and mak ke everyday activities easieer.

• Don’t take on too much hw when you start out: It can n be tempting p g to mak make ambiti itious plans that prove difficcult to stick to. If you want to get more active, why not start with some brisk k walking? The free fr Activve 10 app on nhs.uk/ betteerhealth can help you track k and build up your y dailyy walks, starting with just 10 minutes.

• Find something you enjoy: y: Getting active can b fun, be un, so it’ it’s important to try diff ffer erent things. If you’rre doing something you enjoy enjoy, it will help give you mor more energy and will be good ood ffor or yyour mental healtth too. Download the free C Couch to 5k app if you’rre stuck for for ideas.

• Exercise at home: If you’rre stayying indoors or don’t feel feel like lik braving the cold exercise at home can be just ust as eff ffective. ective. You You can find home workout work routines ines that do not requ uire equipment at nhs. uk/b better-health/getactive ve – all you y need to do is cleear some space and follo ow along.

10 READERS' VOICE

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KHICHADI Follow me on Twitter: @kk_OEG Kapil’s

British summer time begins On Sunday 28 March 2021, the clocks will go forward one hour from 1am. Don't forget to change the time on your clocks and watches.

Bengali Hindu Genocide of 1971 OPEN LETTER TO PRIME MINISTER JOHNSON Kapil Dudakia

Oxford university It is not at all shocking that Oxford University has an agenda that is against India and Hindus, which according to "Kapil's Kichadi" the Indian student group had invited Rajiv Malhotra and Dr Subramianiam to the campus and knowing that these two individuals speak with facts about the concerted efforts by the western academia, media to whitewash a brutal history of Islamic invasions and colonisations by Europeans, was not allowed.

The United States is also not immune to anti India and anti-Hindu propaganda in the academia realm. One example is Rutgers University at which the Hindu Students filled a petition on one of the professors and asked RutgersNewark University to take strong action against Professor Audrey Truschke for demonising Hinduism, the institution has instead decided to whitewash her bigoted anti-Hindu and falsehoods as ‘academic freedom’.

We have seen the West also does not give credit where credit is due on the whole, we see Indian meditation, yoga, Ayurveda and herbs being marketed and made money from in the West, but it is all guised in the terms such as "ancient secrets", "universal healing", "new age", but do not mention India as the source in general.

Visvas Patel

Bully EU, passive UK

Lord Ahmad’s visit to India Visit of Lord Tariq Ahmad prior to Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s visit to India is very significant (AV 20-26 March 2021). Other ministers have also visited India recently to prepare a ground for the ensuing visit of the PM in April 2021.

However, a double standard adopted by the UK government emits mixed signals among the people of both countries. Allowing a debate about an internal matter of India into the British Parliament is a clear indication of meddling into domestic affairs of a legitimately elected democratic government. Farmers’ agitation is purely a domestic issue of India and there is no need to internationalise the same. Only some farmers mainly from Punjab, Haryana and UP are creating issues for the general public.

There are plenty of more pressing and urgent issues like Covid-19, vaccination programme, Brexit, human rights violations in China, Myanmar, aggressive behaviour of North Korea etc are not debated in the parliament as far as I know. Even if they are discussed, concrete and visible actions are rarely taken against any other country.

I think, when the PM Boris Johnson is planning to make a historic visit to India, it is time to reflect and make a more conducive atmosphere for both the counties to make significant progress. The UK need India as a strategic partner to kick start the economy as soon as Covid19 comes into control as a sequel to a robust vaccination programme. A myopic view by some MPs for their short-term gains may harm the good relationship between the two countries.

Hitesh Hingu London

Dump this myth!

I am fed up with all the rubbish being spouted about “people of colour”. We are all people of colour. White, believe it or not, is a colour too, just like black, brown and yellow. What’s more, we all have red blood in our bodies and, guess what, red is a colour as well. Instead of saying “people of colour” let’s just say “people”. Let us banish forever the myth that the colour white is somehow superior to other colours of the human race.

Rudy Otter By email

Since the referendum resulted in favour of UK leaving EU, it has behaved like a bull in a china shop, having lost the hen that laid golden eggs for its coffers. The fault-line lies fairly and squarely at the door of our passive, gullible and holier than thou politicians who behave as if we have empire to run and duty to police the world.

As a result, UK has become laughingstock on the world stage; even tiny states like Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, bordering Russia have the audacity to gang up with France and Germany to humiliate UK on Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine front. When Russia was carrying-out military exercise on the border of these tiny nations that caused panic, it was Britain, not France and Germany who sent troops to guard their borders.When Iranian tanker carrying oil for Lebanon, breaking UN sanctions, was sized by Britain and anchored in Gibraltar, although it had sailed off the coast of France, Portugal and Spain without any hindrance. Iran, a proud nation, seized two British registered tankers, forcing Britain to release its oil tanker, an unnecessary action just to satisfy British ego, resulting in humiliation. Did we learn any lessons!

Now Britain wants to spend billions to replace our aging tanks, field guns and armoured vehicles which are offensive weapons rather than defensive and break UN brokered nuclear warheads limiting treaty to safeguard our borders, against whom? Russia, who is equipped with more than 20K nuclear warheads and thousands of ICBM, can wipe out Britain off the world map!

President Putin was boasting, after successful launch, that Russia has developed supersonic missiles that travel through space before descending on targets, thus bypassing anti-missile defence of the West. It is time to cultivate friendship with Russia, like France and Germany have, Germany even paying for the pipeline that would deliver Russian oil and gas to Europe.

It is time for Britain to take stock of its foreign policy, cut defence budget and spend the money on NHS and Social Services to help long suffering British people.

Bhupendra M. Gandhi London

Stand up for India On Monday 15 March 2021 the House of Lords repeated what the House of Commons had done earlier which is to condemn India and the so-called loss of freedom in the country. One Lord said that up to now India had followed a democratic path which the British left in India! However, India was now increasingly dictatorial our Lords observed.

The departure of Amnesty International was given as an example of creeping failure of democracy. There was no one to mention that Amnesty had failed to declare its accounts and follow government guidelines for foreign NGOs. Not a single Indian Peer was there to present an alternative argument.

Where were Lord Bilimoria, Lord Popat, Lord Dholakia, Lord Rami Ranger, Lord Swaraj Paul, Lord Desai and many more? Why could they not stand up for India?

Nitin Mehta London

Dear Prime Minister, Re: Bengali Hindu Genocide of 1971 I am writing to you to highlight one of the most sickening humanitarian disasters, and crime against humanity of the 20th century: the Bengali Hindu Genocide. This year, on March 25, 2021, it will be the 50th anniversary of the beginning of this horrendous genocide committed by the Government of Pakistan.

It was on that date the Government of Pakistan launched military action called ‘Operation Searchlight’ in the capital city Dhaka of the then West Pakistan. This targeted attack unleashed the massacre of the Bengali Hindu population leaving thousands dead in its wake.

Historians have estimated that some 2-3 million people, primarily Hindus, but also Muslim intellectuals and secular nationalists, were murdered. This state sponsored savagery escalated and some 200,000+ women were raped and over 10 million people displaced. Most finding shelter in India.

At that time, the leading western nations were fully aware of this Pakistani state sponsored genocide.

This was history repeating itself with nations turning a blind eye. In fact, in a telegram titled “Selective Genocide” to the U.S. State Department, American Consul General Archer K. Blood wrote “Here in Dacca we are mute and horrified witnesses to a reign of terror by the Pak military. Moreover, with support of Pak military, non-Bengali Muslims are systematically attacking poor people’s quarters and murdering Bengalis and Hindus. Full horror of Pak military atrocities will come to light sooner or later.”

The UN Human Rights Commission in its 1981 report on the occasion of the 33rd anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UNHRC) stated that the genocide committed in Bangladesh in 1971 was the worst in history. The UNHRC report said even if a lower range of 1.5 million deaths was taken, killings took place at a rate of between 6,000–12,000 per day, through the 267 days of genocide.

I understand you will be visiting India shortly, the nation that freed Bangladesh from the genocidal Government of Pakistan. I believe it would be fitting if you can make a public declaration commemorating March 25th as Bengali Hindu Genocide Remembrance Day. The history of Great Britain, and its historic relationship with the Indian sub-continent is well documented. So are the atrocities that have been committed, but all too often forgotten, neglected and hidden.

Is it not now time to begin the process of remembering the victims?

We see that those who were enslaved, exploited, suppressed, persecuted, oppressed have today become the engine of global growth. India has now become the ‘pharmacy of the world’ by providing the vaccine that will save billions around the world.

As a nation we have many reparations that need to be made to salvage our honour and dignity. Every Prime Minister is afforded history making opportunities, but all too often these are missed. As our Prime Minister you have the opportunity to become one of the first western leaders to call out the Bengali Hindu Genocide for exactly what it was, the state of Pakistan committing human rights abuses that are not too different to the persecution of minorities by the Nazi’s during the 20th Century.

To stand on the right side of history on Brexit ultimately paved way for you to become our Prime Minister. I hope that on this occasion you will once again be on the right side of history and lead the international community to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Bengali Hindu Genocide.

“For the dead and the living, we must bear witness.” ― Elie Wiesel 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

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On the morning of 20th March, my father, Rajendra Deo Shukla, didn’t wake up from his sleep. Sometime during the night, he left us on his final journey. He passed away peacefully, almost as if he had decided the time of his passing away, making sure that his family members were with him.

My earliest memory of my father is from early childhood, soon after my second sister was born. My mother was preoccupied with the new baby and the focus of attention was suddenly shifted from me. It was my father who ensured my emotional well being by reassuring me that I was loved and wanted.

Thereafter, I recall him sitting cross legged on the floor, with one daughter on each knee, reading to us from a newspaper. It was on one such Sunday morning that he explained to us that our motherland is greater than heaven. He imbued us with commitment and values from an early age. Later, when my youngest sister was born, he placed her in my lap and told me that I was her second mother. The tight bond amongst the three sisters has endured through all these years.

Having three daughters in those days brought a great deal of pressure on him to have a son. He always said that his daughters were like his sons, and would make him proud through their achievements. When he was pressured to teach us to cook, he would respond that he wanted his daughters to become capable of hiring a cook and focused on our education instead. There was no book that he wouldn’t get for us. Once he got six scholarly books when I had just asked for one.

His commitment to our education and delight in our progress, pushed us to do better. I joined the Indian Foreign Service in my first attempt, my younger sister similarly joined the Indian Revenue Service, and the youngest followed my father and became an Electrical Engineer.

Throughout his life, he remained committed to women’s empowerment. He gave wings to our dreams and pushed us to reach high. His three daughters achieved professional success in their respective fields. Till the end, he remained interested in our progress. But his interest was not limited to his own daughters.

A tribute to my father

from it. To deal with his He was a loving mentor fear of public speaking, to others as well, once he once stood on stage setting up his desktop without speaking for in our cook’s room so one minute. Thinking his daughters could that he was nervous, the learn how to use comaudience started puters. encouraging him. After He joined the a minute, he explained Rashtriya Swayam that he was trying to see Sewak Sangh (RSS) at a what would happen if young age. This was a Ruchi Ghanashyam he stopped speaking out shock to his father, a of stage fright. He subprominent leader of the sequently became a proCongress Party and a lific public speaker. freedom fighter, who Even as a child, when had endured several jail we faced an unpleasant terms. Being a rebeltask ahead, he would lious man, perhaps it explain things to us was his way to rebel rationally instead of against parental sugar-coating or using authority. In 1949, as an bribery to divert us. He engineering student at would always say, you Banaras Hindu face fear and it will vanUniversity, he was put ish; run away from fear, behind bars along with Seated from L to R: Prachi Sinha, Ruchi other members of the Ghanashyam, Rajendra Deo Shukla, Pushpa Shukla and it will continue to RSS in Varanasi. My Standing from L to R: Dinesh Sharma, Abhay Sinha haunt you. and A. R. Ghanashyam grandfather came to get Once in Islamabad, Seated below from L to R: Aniket Ghanashyam, him released. He was our High Commission’s Gunjan Sharma and Anant Ghanashyam brought out protesting Gardener was picked against his release, but bent forward to touch up by the local agencies. Upon release, he his father’s feet when some roasted Chana nuts came to my office traumatised and shivering fell out of his shirt pocket. He quickly held his with fear, wanting to return to India. I remempocket with his left hand to save the rest of the bered my father and took him out of the buildnuts. This unconscious gesture melted the old ing, walking with him to where the agency freedom fighter’s heart and brought reconcilipeople were sitting and watching. We stood ation between the two. there for sometime talking to each other, till He believed in the RSS throughout his life, he was reassured. He overcame his fear and though his progressive ideas were at variance served two terms in that posting. Several times with what is generally believed to be the conin my life, when I faced a difficult choice, I servative right wing thought. He wanted everywould hear his voice in my head. As a young one to focus on nation building, to take India electrical engineer, he joined Bharat Heavy to the 22nd century, to progress, not regress Electricals Ltd and rose high up the ladder till through backward thinking. He also did not he took voluntary retirement. Despite occupybelieve in rituals, believing in spirituality ing a managerial position, he had friends rather than religion. He was opposed to those across the hierarchy. I have fond memories of who sought to use religion as a profession. His some of his friends who worked on the shop ideas were way ahead of his times. floor of the factory. The position or wealth of He taught us to face fear and not run away the person was never a factor, everyone was

welcomed equally warmly and respectfully to our home. Throughout his life, he remained humble and respectful of others, despite his own achievements and the achievements of his daughters. A few days before his death, he told me that I should credit my achievements in life to my mother’s hard work and loving guidance, not to him. It was almost as if he was ensuring my mother’s place in my heart for when he had gone. My father had a larger than life personality, one that would not be ignored in any setting. He was always trying to help people. During his career, he helped a number of people to get jobs, or guided and mentored them. He even asked his family to help out people if that was required. He was warm and loving, rarely got angry, and took an interest in everyone’s well-being, regardless of their station in life. He was so courageous and fearless, living life on his own terms. He was honest and truthful, caring and compassionate, kind hearted and always ready with an affectionate smile. Zinda dil, cheerful and so very progressive. Though filled with several imperfections, he was a good soul, a Punya Atma.

He seemed to have some foreknowledge or premonition that his time had come. He ensured that my mother was with him at the end, and that we were in touch with him before he left, either physically or over the phone. In a way, he seemed to be trying to bring closure for us and himself before completing his journey on earth and making a peaceful departure. We often rush through life with our eyes closed. Busy making ends meet and moving ahead, looking to the future and postponing the essential to a later date. The most precious relationships often get neglected in this rat race. If I could have my father back, I would tell him how much he was responsible for shaping our destinies.

We have to remember not to wait to show our love and gratitude to our loved ones.

Tomorrow may be too late.

(With inputs from Prachi Sinha and Gunjan Sharma).

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SCRUTATOR’S Split in SC collegium over selection of woman judge The Supreme Court's five-member collegium headed by CJI S A Bobde failed to reach consensus over recommending Justice B V Nagarathna, a judge of Karnataka High Court, for appointment as judge of the SC as some said it would lead to supersession of many HC chief justices, who are far more senior than her. CJI Bobde and another judge had placed Justice Nagarathna's name for consideration before the collegium with the hope that if she got through the process, then she would go on to become the first woman CJI after retirement of Justice Surya Kant as CJI in February 2027. But some members of the collegium argued that recommending Justice Nagarathna's name, would lead to supersession of several HC chief justices, including, Justice Abhay S Oak (Karnataka) and two other senior judges from Karnataka. A few members said if Justice Nagarathna's name was to be recommended, then it should be along with that of Justice Oak. But if both the names are recommended then it would breach the balance in regional representation among SC judges. Now the collegium is caught in a Catch-22 situation and it is not clear if the collegium would be able to meet before the retirement of CJI Bobde on April 24. (Agency) Baby born on flight with help of doc on board

A baby girl was delivered onboard IndiGo’s BengaluruJaipur flight last week. A doctor who was travelling on the flight, assisted by the cabin crew, helped the woman who went in labour during the journey deliver the baby. "Jaipur airport was immediately informed to arrange for a doctor and an ambulance on arrival. Both the baby and mother are stable," said the airline in a statement. "Dr Subahana Nazir, who helped deliver the baby, was welcomed into the arrival hall and a thank you card was handed over by our Jaipur staff. Great teamwork by all our staff concerned," the airline added. Last October, a baby was delivered on IndiGo's Delhi-Bengaluru flight with the help of a doctor who happened to be on board, ably assisted by the cabin crew. Some airlines abroad have in the past given a lifetime of free travel for babies born on their flight. It remains to be seen if Indian carriers do the same. (Agency) Chhattisgarh recruits 13 transgenders as constables Chhattisgarh police have

recruited 13 transgenders as constables, in an effort to boost the confidence of people from the community and change the society’s perception towards them. This is the first time that transgenders have been inducted into the state police force, a senior government official claimed. “Thirteen candidates from the transgender community have been recruited as constables

on the basis of merit. Two others are in the waiting list,” Chhattisgarh’s Director General of Police D M Awasthi said. “We welcome them and believe many others from the community would join the police force in future,” he said.

The examination was held in 2017-18 and the results were declared on March 1 this year, government official said. Shivanya alias Rajesh Patel (24), one of those recruited as constable, said she is happy to be clad in police uniform after overcoming the social dogma and bias against their community. “I never thought in my dreams that I would be a cop.

Despite facing various odds, 13 of us have finally made it,” said Patel. This has not only boosted the confidence of the entire community, but it would also change the perception of society towards transgenders, the constable said. (Agency) Train runs backwards as brakes fail The Delhi-Tanakpur Purnagiri Jan Shatabdi Special with 43 passengers travelled backwards for about 20 km and crossed two stations at high speed until a mound of sand and boulders hurriedly piled on the tracks finally stopped it. The loco pilot, his assistant and the guard were suspended later. The train was close to its destination, Tanakpur, when an animal strayed onto the tracks.

“The engine brakes failed after the train hit cattle,” Izzatnagar railway division PRO Rajendra Singh said. The loco pilot appears to have hit the brakes hard, because of which the air pressure vacuum pipe burst. “The driver may have lost control of the engine and the train started moving backwards,” a railways official said. There was panic inside the compartments.

“Initially, we thought the train was going back to change tracks.

But it gathered speed, and we realised something was wrong,” said Dev Singh, a TTE on board the train at the time. (The Times of India)

Dog bite: Pet owner jailed for 6 months Nearly seven years after a dog bit a nine-year-old child, a court of judicial magistrate first class in Nagpur awarded six months simple imprisonment to the pet’s owner. While convicting Dr Sangita Vijay Balkote for the offence, the court also slapped a fine of Rs 50,000 on Sangita.

This amount would be handed over to the child’s mother, who had lodged a complaint. “Due to the negligent act of the accused, the victim’s life is in danger till date because of the infection from the dog’s bite. It may flare up at any time. Hence, considering the fact and nature of offences along with submission of the accused, awarding six months imprisonment would meet ends of justice,” the judge said. As per the Section 289, “whoever knowingly or negligently omits to take such order with any animal in his possession as is sufficient to guard against any probable danger to human life, or any probable danger of grievous hurt from such animal, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to six months”. (Agency) Action against flyers for refusing to wear masks The airlines are now taking action against passengers who refuse to wear masks or PPE kits during flights despite repeated warnings. Three airlines last week handed over five passengers to the security agencies for further action. Two passengers were taken off aircraft before takeoff for not wearing PPE gowns. DGCA chief Arun Kumar has ordered surprise checks across airports to see how effectively local management, airlines and security agencies are cracking down on those disobeying Covid protocol of wearing masks/PPE and maintaining social distancing. Passengers violating these norms could be banished from flying up to two years under DGCA’s unruly passenger rules. The DGCA action comes after a Delhi high court Justice observed an “alarming situation” while flying from Kolkata to Delhi on March 5. Taking suo motu cognisance, the court

passed an order on March 8 to agencies for ensuring strict compliance of Covid norms by flyers. The DGCA then ordered security agencies not to allow airport entry to passengers not wearing masks; asked airlines to deboard passengers who refuse to wear masks properly before takeoff and begin action under unruly flyer rules for those do not wear a mask properly inflight. (Agency) Karnataka waqf board bans loudspeakers

The Karnataka State Board of waqf has issued a circular to all mosques and dargahs in the state banned the use of loudspeakers between 10 pm and 6 am, saying the ambient noise level around these structures has “deleterious effects on human health and the psychological well-being of people”. In the circular dated March 9, it said, “The loudspeakers shall not be used at night time, which shall mean from10 pm to 6 am.” Further underlining the “silence zones”, it said any violation will be liable for penalty. “The areas comprising not less than 100 metres around hospitals, educational institutions and courts are declared silence zones. "Whoever uses sound amplifier or burst soundemitting firecrackers, uses a loudspeaker or public address system in a silence zone is liable for penalty under the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act-1986," the circular read.

These decisions were taken at the board's meeting held on December 19, 2020 regarding a strict adherence to the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000 in Karnataka and "it unanimously resolved to create awareness amongst the managements of Masjids and Dargahs". (Agency)

Uttarakhand CM's ‘ripped’ jeans remark draws flak

Women rights activists and the opposition Congress criticised Uttarakhand chief minister Tirath Singh Rawat’s comments that wearing ripped jeans is not Indian culture but aping of the West. “Showing bare knees by wearing ripped jeans just to look like rich kids is the value given now which is just a race towards westernisation when the Western world today is following us. Ripped jeans pave the way for societal breakdown and is a bad example parents set for children,” he said. Heera Jangpangi, a women’s rights activist, said the statement is completely unwelcome.

“Nobody has the right to ...[speak about] one’s attire,” she said. “It is just a sign of patriarchal mindset.” Congress leader Garima Dasauni said being the chief minister does not give Rawat a right to speak on anyone’s lifestyle choices.

“It was a highly derogatory statement... He has no right to speak on anyone’s attire or food habits...” Amitabh Bachchan’s granddaughter Navya Naveli Nanda had posted an Instagram story saying, “Change your mentality before changing your clothes.

Because the only thing shocking here is the message comments like this send to society.” BJP leader Devendra Bhasin said Rawat was just drawing attention towards the deterioration of values. “He stressed the importance of decency, which is a positive message. But if Congress finds negativity in it, then it means it does not believe in societal values...” (Agency)

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14 WOMEN'S PAGE

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The Asian community can help by challenging misinformation Shefali Saxena According to a poll conducted by British Red Cross, Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority Brits are nearly twice as likely to get information about the vaccine from friends and family; trust family more than any other source of vaccine information other than health professionals; and are much more likely to have discussed their decision about whether to have the vaccine with extended family. They are also much more likely to have seen or heard information encouraging them not to have the vaccine (62% compared to 42% of the national sample).

Professor Geeta Nargund, Vice-Chair of the British Red Cross and senior NHS consultant spoke exclusively to Asian Voice to further address the main talking points about the vaccine.

Please explain to our readers about why the vaccine is essential and why they shouldn't believe in any misinformation around it.

We have seen in the UK and around the world that immunisation saves lives and we want to

make sure that communities, particular those most at risk, have the facts they need to feel confident getting vaccinated.

Some of the false information out there is very concerning and can understandably make many people feel anxious about the jab. It’s really important that you take the time to read and understand about the Covid-19 vaccines – then make an informed decision. For information you can trust, come to the British Red Cross website or look on the NHS or World Health Organisation websites.

How can the community come forward to help the NHS and the staff to make the vaccination drive smooth?

There are different ways you can help. You can help by having conversations with your friends and loved ones, so that people feel comfortable about getting the vaccine. You can help by challenging false information when you see it. You can help by volunteering - British Red Cross and other organisations are supporting NHS vaccination centres across the country, you can check the Red Cross website to see if there are any open oppor-

tunities, or check with local NHS volunteering websites.

Once the pandemic is over, what lessons must we as a community take away for the future?

We've learnt so much during this pandemic, about how important it is for us to support people in our communities. So I hope we keep that strong sense of local community, and continue to reach out to help each other. Thinking about how the pandemic has affected people particularly in South Asian communities, and other people of BAME backgrounds, it's clear that Covid has exposed the many overlapping factors that create health inequalities. Now that we have that momentum, that insight, we need to continue to address those issues.

What kind of help and assistance do NHS frontline warriors need from the BAME community in the new normal? Do doctors and staff have enough help and services to personally navigate through the pandemic?

It's been incredibly tough and challenging for NHS frontline staff, who have shown the

The power of putting yourself first The Asian Women Festival 2021 took place virtually this year.

Award-winning BBC Radio Presenter and Deputy Director as Asian Woman Festival Shay Grewal moderated all sessions.

The opening address was delivered by Festival Director, Shani Dhanda.

The Power of Putting Yourself First Dr. Radha is a practising NHS GP, broadcaster & campaigner for wellbeing. She

Shani Dhanda

Shay Grewal

Dr Radha Modgil

explored why we don't put ourselves first, how to put boundaries in place, navigating our own identities in a culture based on co-dependency and dealing with community guilt. Many women (over 1500 viewers across the globe) joined the festival and asked questions regarding putting yourself first which Dr Radha addressed.

Some of the key takeaways from this session were about self love, giving time to yourself, finding 30 minutes to just quietly reflect on your day, finding your favourite things to do, and navigating through joint families in South Asian cultures while trying to make our own identities as women.

How To Take Control and Live Life On Your Terms Award-winning founder of Asian Women MEAN Business, Rupinder Kaur is quite passionate about helping Asian women to reach their full potential. Her session centred around why unrealistic, generic milestones don’t matter and how to set your own.

Award-winning poets Nikita Gill and Shagufta Iqbal also participated in the festival this year.

Nikita is a poet and writer.

She has written and curated six volumes of poetry. She uses social media to engage her audience and she has 605,000 followers on Instagram with just over 370 posts. Shagufta is the founder of The YoniVerse Poetry Collective and Kiota Bristol. longlisted for the Jerwood Compton poetry fellowship, is an award-winning writer, filmmaker, workshop facilitator and Tedx Speaker.

Cut the BS and Reframe Your Mindset Poonam Dhuffer, a wellbeing practitioner and founder of YSM8. took the viewers on a journey connecting their minds via their body and energy through self-reflection, mindfulness practices and lovingkindness meditation.

The workshop included self-reflection prompts, practical tips that you can implement on a daily basis.

This Friday, to celebrate Muslims Women’s Day, NHS Muslim Women are asking you to shout out all their #NHSMuslimWomen.

All you have to do is, post a picture of someone who inspires you and tell what makes them inspirational.

You have to use the hashtags #NHSMuslimWomen & #muslimwomensday. More details can be found out on @NHSMuslimWomen Twitter handle.

Geeta Nargund

utmost dedication in fighting this virus, and taking care of patients - and their families.

They have been a lifeline, especially for families who couldn't visit loved ones, so they have been providing medical and pastoral care to an immense degree.

I'd encourage anyone who can to get involved with volunteering to support the NHS, it's something practical that can make a difference. For example, Red Cross volunteers were there to help with things like taking personal possessions home to relatives, or making sure ward staff had food and drinks. Doing these things makes a difference to families, and hospital staff too. It doesn't stop when the pandemic ends, the help will always be needed. Red Cross also have volunteers who provide psychosocial support, so they're on the end of the phone - it's the kind of volunteering you can do from home and provide a listening ear for someone. We've provided this for NHS staff and for anyone affected by Covid-19.

The curious case of “ripped jeans” Uttarakhand Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat was travelling on a flight, where a woman with two kids was "wearing boots, jeans ripped on the knees, and had several bracelets on her arm". The woman

told him she worked for an NGO. Unable to control himself from interrogating the woman about her attire, he asked, "You run an NGO, wear jeans ripped at the knees, move about in society, children are with you, what values will you teach?" He also added that wearing such attire is like "running towards nudity" and "while people in India were wearing ripped jeans, those abroad were covering their bodies properly and doing yoga". The head of Delhi Commission for Women tweeted: “Rapes happen not because women wear short clothes but because men like Tirath Singh Rawat propagate misogyny and fail to do their duty.

Stand in solidarity with the women in #RippedJeansTwitter !” Many female and male celebrities also condemned the CM’s remark on ripped jeans as it trended on the internet in India.

53 LORDS AND MPS WRITE A LETTER TO BORIS JOHNSON AMID A “WATERSHED MOMENT” 53 cross-party MPs and Lords have written a letter to PM Boris Johnson to identify the alleged murder of Sarah Everard as a “watershed moment” to address violence against women and girls. While the Met Police was being critiqued by senior politicians and campaigners for aggressiveness towards this vigil, the letter am into light. The letter was spearheaded by Labour MP Zarah Sultana who cited policing as a “far from an adequate response” According to The Independent, “The letter outlines nine key demands for the government which involves calling for greater funding for women’s services, which have been hit by austerity measures over the last decade.” “For years, women’s rights campaigners have attempted to shed light on the rampant misogyny in this country, but they have either been met with a resounding silence, accused of hyperbole or dismissed outright,” states the letter.

PENSION AGE FOR 3.8 MILLION WOMEN NEGLECTED BY THE DEPARTMENT FOR WORK AND PENSIONS The Department for Work and Pensions has finally admitted that they have never given a thought to studying the effect of their decisions to raise the pension age from 60-66 for 3.8 million women. Their letter reads: “The Act does not oblige a public authority to create new information to answer questions; nor does it require a public authority to give advice, opinion or explanation, generate answers to questions, or create or obtain information it does not hold. If you ask a question, rather than requesting recorded information, we will provide you with the recorded information that best answers the question. Once we have provided the recorded information, we have met our obligations under the Act; interpreting the information provided is up to you. Your request makes statements and seeks to engage us in debate which you want us to respond to. This would need new information to be created.” The Department has released the White Paper that preceded the 1995 Pension Act and the impact statement the coalition government produced before implementing the 2011 Act which speeded up the rise. The statement also says, “We do not hold any recorded information of an impact assessment of the effects on women of the State Pension Age that informed the rises of 1995. However, you may find the following explanation useful. We have provided this outside our obligations under the FOI Act”.

REFUGES ARE FULL AND FUNDS ARE LESS AS DOMESTIC ABUSE IS ON THE RISE Solace Women's Aid and Hestia, two of London's largest providers of refuges, which runs 22 refuges in the capital, have seen a 53% rise in referrals between January 2020 and January 2021. It fears that the numbers will further rise as the lockdown restrictions are eased out. Meanwhile, the government says that tackling domestic abuse is their “top priority”. “Domestic violence charity Women's Aid said refuges were being hit by a "funding crisis" which was leading to "women and their children being left with nowhere to go”,” the BBC reported. In response, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said they had "provided unprecedented additional funding of £76m to help domestic abuse survivors" during the pandemic. "This remains a top priority for this government," a statement added.

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in brief in brief

Labour leader visits Swaminarayan Mandir

On Monday 22nd March, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer visited the Shree Swaminarayan Mandir in Kingsbury, praising the efforts of the temple leaders in encouraging members of the community to get the Covid-19 vaccine.

Swaminarayan Mandir tweeted, “@Keir_Starmer and @BarryGardiner pay their respects to #AcharyaSwamishreeMaharaj, who founded #KingsburyMandir, the world’s first #EcoTemple. It’s through His inspiration that the temple & #volunteers give time & resources to serve society #SocietyBeforeSelf #Charity @UKLabour.”

Sir Keir Starmer tweeted, “An honour to visit Kingsbury Temple today and see first-hand the incredible role the local Hindu community, NHS staff and volunteers are playing in delivering lifesaving vaccines.

Thank you @NHSEnglandLDN and thank you @SGadiLondon”.

Home Secretary labels Bristol protests as thugs Home Secretary has once, again labelled the protestors in Bristol as thugs after a Kill the Bill protest turned violent where activists had smashed glass windows of a police station, set a riot van on fire, and assaulted 20 officers.

Two officers were taken to hospital after suffering broken bones and in a public statement Priti Patel has said that thuggery and disorder would never be tolerated. Bristol mayor Marvin Rees, who said he had “major about the concerns” Government’s Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill also condemned the thuggery but said the disorder would be used to justify the legislation.

Priti Patel

Police dogs were used to keep some at bay as fireworks were aimed at the crowds.

Others tried to set fire to a police van’s tyres before it was extinguished by riot cops.

In a statement on Twitter Avon and Somerset mounted

police called the night’s events “upsetting”. They tweeted, "After some very upsetting scenes in Bristol this evening all six horses and their riders are still on duty but safe. Thank you to everyone for your concern. It’s been a very long shift."

Home Secretary condemned the actions of the minority of protesters on Twitter. Priti Patel

tweeted, “Unacceptable scenes in Bristol tonight. Thuggery and disorder by a minority will never be tolerated. Police officers put themselves in harm's way to protect us all. My thoughts this evening are with those police officers injured.” The Avon and Somerset Police had earlier requested citizens to not attend the Bristol protests.

The Police, Crime Sentencing and Courts Bill would give the police in England and Wales more power to impose conditions on non-violent protests, including those deemed too noisy or a nuisance.

Those convicted under the proposed legislation could face a fine or jail.

Stabbing in Walthamstow shocks social media, detectives make arrests Detectives investigating the fatal stabbing of Hussain Chaudhry in Walthamstow have charged a man with murder. An 18-yearold boy was arrested on suspicion of murder in Bedfordshire on Sunday, 21 March. Earlier A man was arrested at the same location on suspicion of assisting an offender. Both remain in custody.

Officers from the Met's Specialist Crime Command began an investigation after

being called to reports of a stabbing on Lea Bridge Road. Police attended along with the London Ambulance Service and found an 18-year-old man with stab injuries. He was pronounced dead at the scene. He has since been formally identified as Hussain Chaudhry. A postmortem examination held on Thursday, 18 March gave his cause of death as hypovolemic shock and a stab wound to the neck.

Hussain Chowdhury

Two other people – a man in his 20s and a woman in her 40s were found with slash injuries to their hands. They were taken to an east London hospital for

treatment. They are both related to the deceased and have both now been discharged from hospital.

Marvin Ward Westwood Road, Ilford, was charged with one count of murder, two counts of attempted murder, robbery and possession of an offensive weapon.

More than £17,000 has been raised on a GoFundMe page to build a mosque in Hussain Chaudhry's memory.

Navnat Centre becomes a Community Vaccine Hub The Navnat centre is based in Hayes located in the south of the London Borough of Hillingdon. Navnat is a registered charitable organisation and the centre is a community hub for the Jain religion where members are able to participate in worship, religious festivities, education, sport and community gatherings.

Due to its outstanding facilities such as a large sports hall and secure car park, the centre is also made available to hire for other activities such as weddings.

In the heart of a high need area with a multi-ethnic population with high social deprivation, surrounded by wards which experience high rates of COVID-19 infection, the centre was well placed and equipped to be transformed into a productive Community Vaccine Hub in support of the national vaccination effort to protect people against COVID-19.

The Navnat centre hall has been converted into a NHS vaccination Site.

From L to R - Viral (Sunny) Doshi Lead Pharmacist - Hillingdon Public Health, Dilip Mithani (President Navnat Vanik Association), Hasmita Doshi (Hall Secretary Navnat Vanik Association).

Dilip Mithani (President Navnat Vanik Association), Hasmita Doshi (Navnat Vanik Association Hall Secretary).

From L to R - Ramesh Shah (Treasurer Navnat Vanik Association), Dilip Mithani (President Navnat Vanik Association), Hasmita Doshi (Hall Secretary Navnat Vanik Association). and Viral (Sunny) Doshi Lead Pharmacist Hillingdon Public Health

The planning for the Hub began only in late December 2020. Through ‘community spirit’ and to at no cost to the NHS, the opportunity for the Navnat Centre to serve in the

local vaccination programme was recommended by Viral (Sunny) Doshi, the lead Hillingdon Public Health pharmacist, his mother, Hasmita Doshi who is the Hall Secretary for the Centre, and Dilip Mithani, the President of NVA (UK). Working in partnership with the Hillingdon NHS Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and The Confederation, the centre was prepared to the highest operational standards of safe practice to initiate the roll out of the vaccine. This is an excellent example of joint working between the local Indian Community and primary care.

When possible and In appreciation of their hard work, NHS staff and volunteers within the Navnat vaccination centre are provided with complimentary lunches organised by the Navnat committee.

From L to R - Viral (Sunny) Doshi - Lead Pharmacist Hillingdon Public Health, Dilip Mithani (President Navnat Vanik Association), Hasmita Doshi (Hall Secretary Navnat Vanik Association). and members of the NHS vaccination team.

Residents of Hillingdon have praised the Navnat centre due to its facilities including ample, secure free parking and the well coordinated vaccination service led by the NHS CCG & Confederation. The vaccinations administered have been an outstanding, averaging over 800 per day.

Navnat Centre, Printing House Lane, Middlesex, UB3 1AR

Tel: 020 8848 3909 07702 811 381

16 UK

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27 March - 2 April 2021

PRO RODUCED IN ASS SOCIA ATI TION

KEEPIN NG CHILDR REN SAFER AT SC SCH HOOL OO Protectiiv ve m measures are in place e in schoo hools and colle eges through ughout En nglan gla and to ensurre ep pupils are as safe as po ossible On Monday 8 March, schools welcom med back the millions of pupils who haavve been learning remotely durring this latest lockdo ow wn. While man nyy parents heaavved a sigh of relief w when hen Pr Prime Minister Borris Johnson announced th he plan, man nyy others wer w re understandably concerrned about the rissk of pupils catching Covvid-19 during lessons. Bu ut thanks to a raft of existing sting g a fast and a efficient test to pick up p prev previouslyy undetected ccases p and new meaasures – including of coronaviru us – parents can be assureed their children and fam mily are as saffee as possible possib e. he Covid-119 rapid lateral flow w test has been exten nsively trialled these past few few months on some of the 15 per cent of childrren who had still been atteending.

Regular rapid testing is also being made aavailab vailable to staff and paren nts of school, nursery and a college students as well as a adults in their household, childcare and support bubb bles.

Of course, paarents know just how im mportant it is ffor or yyoungsteers to have proper lessons. While W remote learning has helped pupils, it’s no longterm substitute ffor or the classroom.

To help them them, m, the Government has provided £700 million in n new funding on top of £1 billion ffor or an edu educati ucation and recovery pack kage to

T

TESTING WILL HELP LIF FE GET BA AC CK TO NORMAL L Newcastle Sixth h Form College was onee of the schools to trial t the rapid Covid d-19 test that it’s hop ped all pupil, parents, staff s and adults in th heir household, chilldcare and support pp bu ubbles will take twice a week.

Eight special baays y were set up to admin nister the swabbing of staff and students an nd to teach them how w to do it themselves, because b after the first th hree

help youngsters catch up on lost learning. It has also provided £8 million for for a wellbeing programme that has funded expert support training support, and resources ffor or staff to respond to emotional and mental health presssures youngsters may bee facing.

It’s important ffor or children cchildr to be back to education for for so many reasons.

“There’s so mu uch more that schools give tthan just teaching facts and d figures,” sayyys Dr Gavin Morrgan, g , educational psych hologist at the University College C London. “They’re essential for a child’s child wellbeeing.

“Children can catcch up on lessons they’vee missed,

tests in school, they’lll be expected to do it at a home home.

“We saw testing as something that would help us get out of the pandemic and find the road back to some semblance of normality,” saays ys Gerard Garvey, principal of the 1,250-pupil college.

“Our students were keen because theyy really want things to return to normal as well. While it didn’t change their dayy today experience, it reassured them.”

The good news is that regular rapid

but what yo ou can’t replace arre those incidental aspectss of educattion so importtant for the their eir develop pment, such as play p and developingg social skills.

“The lon children sta from school, the m unhappy, withdraw lacking in those skills they’ll become. And unhappy children learn.

“It’s understandab parents to be conc but it’s about balan – the risk to a child health from Covid is minimal, so it’s immeasurably better for for them to be in school.

“We need to trusst that our teachers know what w they are doing. Scho ools look very diff ffer erent to o how they did a year ago.”

Here, schools revveal the measures in place ce to keep staff and childrren as saffe as possible. possib

testing is now also available for availab for parents and adults in their households, childcare and support bubbles.

“If you believe, as I do, that having young people back in the classroom is the right thing to do, then that’s where we need to put our energy,” sayys Gerard. “We need to make that happen by pullingg together p g and making it work.

“The huge benefits of havving them back here with us will make all the protective measures we have v to set in place completely and utterly worth it.”

Gerard Gaarvey

Enass Al-Ani

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27 March - 2 April 2021

WITH UK K GO OVERNMENT VERNMENT

SO HO OW W ARE PUPILS I GOING TO BE KEPT SAFER A ??

Regular e rapid Covid-19 tessts are a key tool in breaking e chains of traansmission. If parents givve permission, secondary sch hool and college stu uden d ts aged d 11 and over wiill be given a swab to rub b around the inside of their nose or mouth, which h is then tested ffor or siggns of the virus – results v are availab le in around 30 miinutes. These quick and sim mple rapid flow tests are eff ffective ff ective in finding those who h don’t have v symptoms bu ut may be transmitting thee disease. As these could acccount ffor or up to onein-three cases, detecting theem is vital. After pupils haavve had three tests at sch hool or college, they’ll begin doing them at home wiith tests they collect from o school.

RAISIN I G MORALS WHIL LE CHILDREN ARE KEPT K SAFER When alll pupils returned to Small Heath Leeadership Academy in Birmingh ham last week, they didn’t just find new protective measures in place. Like all school heads, Small Heath e ’s principal Enass Al-Ani is making the health and wellbeingg of pupils a priority.

“We are doing d some extra things this timee back specially to raise morale, e,” she says. y “W We’re haaving ving extra assemblies and rewards ffor or students. We’ve also had posters put up, wel w coming everyone back.

“There will be activities with staff and d team-building exercises.

We’re plaanning to haave ve a fun element as part of our programme ffor or return n to school.”

Pupills will also be able to do all the activities that were put on hold during lock o down including drama club, arch hery and Cadet Force.

“Rem mote teaching cannot substitutte the complete experien nce our students receive – the friendships, e conversations, interactions with teachers, time in the playg yground and extracurricular activitiess,” sayys Enass. “We’ve got a wide ran nge of events taking place at school every day.”

SC CHOOL IS WHERE CHILDREN NEED T BE TO Geetting children back into the classroom right no ow is vital ffor or all their fu utures, saays ys headteacher Kaate Jeff fferson. erson. But the ch hildren who haave ve returned to o Millbank Academy in Westminster, which has 30 00 pupils aged from three to o 11,, have v ffound ound their school looks a bit diff ffer erent.

Th hey are continuing the prrotective measures taken th hroughout this lockdown, when h just 60 children tu urned up for for lessons each daay.

“We’ve had staggered brreak times,” says Kate.

“Diff D ffer erent key stages have v brreaks at diff ffer erent times and staaggered school entry and exxit times and d points.

“We’ve improved veentilation in classrooms, so o we’re now keeping the wiindows open. That’s really important, and an un nderused measure.

“We’ve had extra cleaning e staff on site during

thee day working between lesssons when the children go o out ffor or breaks. They clean e high-traffic areas, such as handrails, door handles, an nd desks in classrooms.”

Virtual assemblies, lotts of handwashing and soccial distancing – although it’s hard with such young ch hildren – are also the order of the day. Staff are having v tw wice-weekly Covid-19 tessts and are wearing face coverings when in close contact with pupils. It is a

small price to pay ffor or a return to near normality. Regular rapid testing is now also availab v le ffor or adults in staff and parents’ households, childcare and support bubbles.

“T Teachers eachers are very excited to havve the children back and to welcome them, them ” saays ys Kate. “School is where children need to be. It’s where they see their friends, it’s wher h e they socialise, and tho ose social skills are the corrnerstone of our modern wo orld.

“It’s really essential to being a child that they can np pla lay with their peers and d connect with the com mmunity.

“School allows children to havve those building blocks o to lead a purposeful and d fulfilling liffe; e; it brings cho oice, it brings freedom, and d it levels the plaaying ying fielld.”

Usin U s ng sin g them is an e eas asy four-s u sttep processss: 1. Sanitise the testing area e and your hands, un npack the kit and read thee instructions.

2. Swab your throat theen nose.

3. Place swab into thee liquid in the tube provided o , then squeeze thaat liquid onto the test device.

4. Laayy test device on n a flat surface – after 30 minutes it will give a ressult.

When someone tests po ositive, they and the resst of their household, sup pport and childcare bu ubble should self-isolate im mmediately. The person who h tested positive sho ould also tak kee a PCR tesst (the kind given at offi fficial Covid-19 testing sit i es)) and d ffo ollow the h latest l Go overnment guidance.

Reniaa Ganguly, Year Year 7 student at King Edward VI High Schoool for Girls in Birmingham heading to school wearing a protective mask

It’ t s also vital that no child d showing symptoms of corronaavirus virus attends h ld classes l es – parents should book a test ffor or their child and selfs isolate until they receivve the results. Parents or adul dults of a household, childcar dcare, nurseries or suppo ort bubble can either: 1.. Get an assisted test at work ork if it is avvailable.

2. Attend a test site to get tested ested (where you will be ab ble to see how to take the test) est) or pick up tests to do att home.

3. Order a test to do at home. e.

It is hoped that househo eholds will get into the habit of testing themsel mselves regularly.

O Other protective meassures in schools include u teaching in bubb bles, ventilating classrrooms,, washing hands more frequently and stagger gered break and lunch times. s. Staff and pupils in secondar condary schools are beingg advised to wear face coverings at all times sociaal distancing can’t be main m tained including in thee classroom and comm munal areas. The samee is true for for both staff and adult visitors at primary level, although childr dren do not need to.

To T o find out more inform mation visit gov go v..uk/backtoschoo ol or speak k to yo your child’’ss nursery y,, schoo oll or coll olleg ge e. *** For more informa Fo ati tion on testing t please visit: govuk/ go v.. /c corona avirus virus-schoo oll-household-testing

18 UK - FINANCE

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27 March - 2 April 2021

Dear Financial Voice Reader, Alpesh Patel Tech stocks were strong performers last year. Some people’s pensions I have seen, have gone up 50% in just one year!

The pandemic meant that providers of remote services like Zoom Video Communications or Peloton Interactive experienced massive sales growths, while a whole host of cybersecurity and cloud hosting companies did well alongside the usual big players like Microsoft, Apple and Amazon. However, as the economy bounces back from the disruption of COVID-19, tech stocks have slumped.

What this sell-off means is a big question for investors. Is it time to get out of Tech stocks? And if so, what sectors are a safer bet for 2021?

Why Are Tech Stocks Losing Value?

Several factors have contributed to Tech stocks decline in 2021. Bond yields, considered poor performers for a long time, have begun to improve. This has made them a more attractive destination for investment at the expense of tech stocks.

Another significant factor connected to bond yields is rising interest rates. Speculative, high-growth tech companies are reliant on future cash flow rises, so any sharp inclines in interest rates affect their future value, lowering their investment appeal.

Additionally, as COVID-19 vaccines roll out and the economy powers back, many investors are exiting Tech positions that performed well in 2020 and investing back into areas that should grow over the next year.

Stocks that are linked to an economic comeback are looking more favourable.

Is It Time To Buy Cyclical Stocks?

If tech stocks are looking a little shaky, is it time to move into cyclical stocks? If the economy roars back, these stocks could be some of the biggest beneficiaries.

JPMorgan’s Mislav Matejka certainly thinks so, and he suggested while some cyclical stocks values looked a bit “toppy” after a strong 2020, he wouldn’t recommend anyone to cash out just yet. Matejka went on to suggest that until bond yields came down, cyclical stocks should perform well.

Which Type of Cyclical Stocks Are Good Alternatives to Tech?

Right now, Industrials, Energy and Communications stock all stand to benefit from the economic recovery and Joe Biden’s $1.9tn stimulus package. Banks and automotive stocks also look attractive.

While the road to recovery is not clear yet, there is a good argument for investing in solid cyclicals with a good track record within specific sectors as the vaccine rollout continues.

Additionally, there are plenty of cyclical hospitality stocks that could be of interest to investors too. Travel and leisure companies like cruise lines have seen their valuations rise in recent weeks as the market speculates on the end of the pandemic. While these could turn out to be a good bet, there is too much uncertainty around travel and tourism to make this anything except a risky, speculative play. Caution is advised.

Should I Stick With Tech Stocks?

For some tech stocks, like Tesla and Invesco, this market correction was severe. Many US tech stocks had been aggressively priced and were reaching bubble territory. However, while bond-yields are high, it’s still not time to write off tech stocks. There are too much innovative and potentially market-disrupting technologies to believe this downturn will continue across the board.

Apple, Microsoft and DocuSign should all expect a reasonable 2021. Interestingly, stocks like Uber and Lyft — which both had disappointing sales growth in 2020 — should bounce back as global lockdowns recede.

Again, resilient stocks with good fundamentals are here for the long haul. While some pretenders will come and go, strong performers like Netflix, Apple, and Amazon will weather the storm.

Conclusion Ultimately, while tech stocks have taken something of a dip lately, they aren’t going anywhere. Individual stocks will come and go, but the broader tech market will continue to show strength. It would be wise for investors to keep some tech stocks in the portfolio, with assets like Microsoft, Apple and Amazon good bets to ride volatility over the long term.

As tempting as it is, now is not the time to chase quick returns by gambling on news and fads. Investors should Look to have resilient holdings across a few different sectors, including, but not limited to, tech.

I want everyone to learn how to invest for themselves, or at least the right questions to ask their fund manager, or financial advisor. I create a Campaign to teach for free people how to invest better and so they feel they are seated next to me, connect with me on instant messenger and see what I see. It’s all free on www.campaignforamillion.com

Sunak's online sales tax move postponed until Autumn this year Chancellor Rishi Sunak is set to shelve plans for the new 'Amazon Tax' on online sales until Autumn, as he announces a set of proposed changes to the country's taxation system. The pandemic saw a soaring growth in online shopping, prompting calls for a new levy on transactions made over the internet. Treasury officials are said to be working on it since last summer.

Supporters of the move justify it as a levelling of the field with brick-and-mortar retailers who pay business rates on their premises.

A report by the Financial

Times states Sunak's final decision on the online sales tax will have to wait until later this year. He is reportedly in talks with the new US administration about coordinating an international approach to the taxa-

tion of these internet giants.

Sunak has also been weighing up reforms to discourage polluting activities and push up investment in green technology.

It include Rishi Sunak could VAT exemptions for building refurbishments, paid for by higher taxes on aviation or heating.

A media report quoted Matt Kilcoyne of the freemarket Adam Smith Institute as saying, “The Treasury is right to park any

introduction of an online tax on the disabled and those currently staying at home doing the right thing.”

A levy of 2 per cent on goods bought online could raise £2bn each year. On the other hand, business rates, which are a prime source of revenue for the government, generates about £30bn. The move will seriously impact US tech giants, and had even prompted the previous US president Donald Trump to walk out of negotiations last year.

Sources reveal the Biden administration has sought to soften its stance.

Labour MPs seek probe into Cameron's Greensil lobbying The Labour Party has called for an investigation as media reports called out former prime minister David Cameron for meeting Treasury officials to lobby for Greensill Capital.

The Financial Times reported that Cameron, an adviser to Greensill, tried to increase the specialist bank's access to government-backed Covid-19 emergency loan schemes.

The Treasury reportedly confirmed the meeting, however, decided to not take things further.

The Financial Times

revealed that public records show 10 virtual meetings between March and June last year between Greensill representatives and the two most senior officials at the Treasury. A Treasury spokesperson was quoted as saying, “Treasury officials regularly meet with stakeholders to discuss our economic response to Covid. The meetings in question were primarily about broadening the scope of CCFF [Covid Corporate Financing Facility] to enable access for providers of supply chain finance,

which - following a call for evidence and discussions with several other firms within the sector - we decided against and informed the businesses concerned.”

Labour's shadow chancellor, Anneliese Dodds said, “Taxpayers and businesses deserve answers about why it appears Greensill was given so much access to the Treasury. The government

David Cameron

must thoroughly investigate into the issue.”

Greensill, a key backer of Sanjeev Gupta's Liberty Steel, collapsed last week putting his empire and 5,000 jobs at risk. It's collapse has given birth to grave concerns about the future of these employees.

TfL agrees on £500mn emergency funding to support network Transport for London (TfL) and the government have concluded on an emergency funding worth around £500mn to boost the capital's tube, train, tram and bus network until after May local elections. The capital's transport, which is primarily dependent on fare income, especially from the tube, has been hit severely because of the coronavirus.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the settlement was extending the deal made last November on the same terms, until a longterm agreement could be made with a newly elected mayor. An initial payment of £260m will be topped up with a further grant based on actual revenues, a figure TfL estimates will be about £225m. He said it would mean more than £3bn had been given to TfL since March 2020 “under the condition that the network must take efficiency savings so it can reach financial sustainability as soon as possible.”

Dramatic losses suffered by the TfL has forced it to raise fares above inflation, with London mayor Sadiq Khan threatening to bring in

further road charges in a political standoff that began since the start of the pandemic.

Khan said, “This sevenweek extension will enable TfL to carry on running the safe, reliable and frequent services that will be vital as lockdown restrictions begin to ease. These discussions will continue as it is essential that TfL has further financial support and a long-term capital funding

deal that will allow it to support a strong and robust

recovery for London and the UK.”

UK set to launch four regional trade hubs to boost exports The UK government is all set to create four regional trade and investment hubs to help boost the economy. Secretary of State for International Trade Liz Truss said the hubs would be located in Edinburgh, Cardiff, Belfast, and Darlington. The aim is to boost exports by providing localised advice from export and investment specialists to firms.

The new hubs are expected to provide support and advice to help regional businesses to access major trade markets and boost exports. Truss said, “I am determined to use UK trade policy to benefit every part of the UK. These trades and investment hubs will help this country to an export and jobs-led recovery.” She added, “They will mean we can channel investment into all corners of the country, and that exporters – whether

they're selling Scotch beef, Welsh Lamb or cars made in the North of England – have access to the expertise they need to sell into the fastest growing markets.” Recent data by the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) reveals plummeting British exports attributed to a combination of Brexit and weak demand in Europe. Cheese, whisky, and chocolate exports took a steep nosedive according to an year on year analysis. Meanwhile, exports of certain goods like salmon and beef almost stopped with declines of 98 per cent and 92 per cent respectively. The figures closely followed data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showing trade between the UK and EU took a massive hit in the face with overall exports down by 40.7 per cent in January compared to December.

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FINANCE & REAL ESTATE 19 27 March - 2 April 2021

RS passes bill to hike FDI cap in insurance sector to 74% The Rajya Sabha last week passed the Insurance (Amendment) Bill, 2021 which seeks to raise the foreign direct investment (FDI) cap in insurance sector to 74% from the current 49% - by voice vote, amid assurance by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman that sufficient safeguards had been built in to protect the interests of policyholders.

A higher foreign investment cap will pave the way for several international investors to increase their stake in Indian ventures, something that they have been eyeing, since the sector was opened to private players over two decades ago.

The bill was passed amid a walkout by the opposition parties. Earlier, Mallikarjun Kharge, leader of the Opposition in the Upper House, demanded that the bill be referred to a standing or select committee, arguing that its provisions were against people’s interests.

This led to a string of

Nirmala Sitharaman

adjournments, amid sloganeering and din in the House.

However, the demand to refer the bill to a Parliamentary panel, endorsed by many opposition parties, was not accepted by the government as it underlined that investment was needed in the immediate future, particularly in view of the hit that the economy had taken due to Covid-19.

While responding to issues raised by the Opposition regarding the impact of the foreign control on people’s money invested in insurance schemes, the finance minister said that the insurers would continue to be barred from investing policyholders’ funds outside

India and they will also be required to retain a specified portion of their profits in the general reserve. The reserve will protect the citizens’ claims regardless of the foreign investor’s financial condition, she said.

Stating that foreign control and management was being allowed with enough safeguards, said the Sitharaman majority of directors on the board and key management persons would be resident Indians and subject to the law of the land, with at least half the board comprising independent directors.

Stating that raising FDI limit to 74% was not a compulsion but only a maximum limit for receiving money from a foreign company, the minister said it was for the company and promoters to decide to what extent they would allow the FDI. She added that higher FDI would help supplement domestic long-term resources, with a view to furthering insurance penetration in the country.

HC order restraining Future-RIL deal stayed The Delhi High Court on Monday stayed a single judge’s order restraining Future Retail from going ahead with its multi million deal with Reliance Retail to sell its business. A division bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and justice Jasmeet Singh also issued notice to Amazon on Future Group’s appeal challenging the single judge’s March 18 judgment on the deal which has been opposed by USbased e-commerce giant.

The bench will now hear the matter again on April 30. On Monday, the

bench further stayed the single judge order asking for attachment of assets of Future Group’s Kishore Biyani and others and also the part where the single judge had directed them to appear in court on April 28.

Justice J R Midha’s order had come on Amazon’s plea seeking direction to order enforcement of the award

by Singapore's Emergency Arbitrator on October 25, 2020, restraining Future Retail from going ahead with its £2.47 billion deal with Reliance Retail.

Senior advocates Harish

Salve, Iqbal Chagla and Rajeev Nayyar appeared for the Future group and urged the court to immediately stay the ruling. The counsels pointed out that even the Supreme Court had not interfered with an earlier stay by the HC division bench against an interim order by the same single judge. Justice Midha on March 18, while upholding the Emergency Award passed against the Future-Reliance deal, also imposed cost of Rs 20,00,000 on Biyani and others.

Tata Group, SpiceJet promoter shortlisted for AI bids Reports say that Tata Group and SpiceJet promoter Ajay Singh have been shortlisted for the bid to buy out Air India. The two will now have to submit financial bids after completing due diligence on the national carrier’s books, agreements and liabilities. In their financial bids, the parties have to state the quantum of AI’s debt they will be willing to take up and the upfront payment they will make for the asset. Whoever quotes the highest economic value for AI will be the winner of the bid.

At least 15% of AI’s enterprise value has to be paid in cash and the balance can be taken as debt. AI has a debt of over £9 billion. It is estimated that the national carrier would report a £1 billion loss this fiscal. While Tata Group will be putting in its bid through AirAsia India, in which it holds a controlling stake, Singh has firmed up plans with a Middle East sovereign fund for the acquisition, it is learned.

Sources said that Tata Group has been wooing its Southeast Asian full-service carrier partner Singapore Airlines to come on board for the AI bid. The conglomerate

and Singapore Airlines run Vistara in India but the latter has shown an unenthusiastic response for AI as the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted its balance sheet. Industry has been speculating that AI would most likely go to the Tata Group.

The government hopes to complete the AI divestment by the second quarter of next fiscal. It is expected that the government will handhold the AI winner in the initial transition period when they anticipate trouble from unions and other stakeholders.

Value is in the eye of the beholder Suresh Vagjiani, Sow & Reap Properties Ltd

Currently, we are negotiating on a property on behalf of a client. The property includes a commercial unit on the ground floor, and has been on the market for the best part of a year; and yes, this time COVID19 can be blamed for the lack of movement.

As far as the agent and seller are concerned there is little which can be done to the usage class of the property. Therefore, from their perspective, the value is to be derived primarily from the rental income and the strength of the tenants; as the value of a commercial property is mostly derived from rental yield. Of course, the location and the development potential have an impact as well.

This property is, therefore, being sold as a straight commercial investment.

The yield will govern the price, both the current yield and the future stream. This will bring the price of the property down to a sensible level.

However, our angle is not as a yield play. We know there is potential to change the usage of the building, if it is structured in the right manner.

This gives us an edge, which both the seller and the agent seem to be unaware of, and it seems the rest of the market who has viewed the property. By changing the usage of the building we hope to double the value our client will pay for the property.

At the moment, we are negotiating the offer; the fact that the property has not sold for a year, the current environment, and a few other issues which can be evidenced, should hopefully secure us a good price.

If it is accepted, the aim would be to get a late completion period, in order to have all the planning in place at the point of completion.

So, at the point of completion you are no longer completing on the same value of property you exchanged upon, but something which has a far higher and enhanced value.

The process we will use in this particular situation means that permissions should take no longer than 56 days to obtain.

This is an interesting proposition, as you’re not necessarily buying a cheap property according to conventional thinking. The value is in having the knowledge to enhance the investment, which the majority, including the agent, cannot see.

Tata Motors CEO-designate opts out In a surprise announcement, Tata Motors said that former Daimler executive Marc Llistosella, who was named chief executive officer (CEO) of the company a little over a month ago, will not join the firm.

The Tata Motors statement did not give any reason for the change of decision. Llistosella, a German, was to join the Mumbai-based company on July 1. The development drags Tata Motors

back to square one as chairman N Chandrasekaran will have to find a replacement for outgoing CEO Guenter Butschek. Butschek, whose five-year term at the company ended in February, is on an extension till June 30.

Llistosella, said sources, had attended virtual meetings of Tata Motors to become familiar with the affairs of the company. When the automotive expert was appointed as Tata Motors CEO.

20 WORLD

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27 March - 2 April 2021

Muslims in Bangladesh protest against visit by Prime Minister Modi DHAKA: Muslims and ‘student activists’ in Bangladesh took out a protest march ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Dhaka.

PM Modi is scheduled to join his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina on March 26 during the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the country’s independence.

Following the Jummah (Friday prayers), a group of about 500 Muslims marched on the streets outside Baitul Mokarram Mosque in Dhaka.

In a video that has now surfaced on social media, hordes of Muslims were seen sloganeering against India and Prime Minister Modi. They were also seen holding their chappals (floaters) in the air to express their demand for the cancellation of his trip to the country.

A second protest march was taken out by the ‘student activists’ of the Left at the campus of Dhaka University. The protestors carried a banner that

read, ‘Go Back Modi’, ‘Go Back India’, and ‘Go Back Killer Modi.’ The demonstrators alleged that PM Modi and his ‘Hindu nationalist party’ have been ‘oppressing’ Muslims in India. They further claimed that several Bangladeshis have been killed by Indian border security guards, while in reality, such deaths occur when they try to smuggle, infiltrate into the Indian territory.

We will become Taliban, says protestor “India’s subordinate government of Hasina has invited Modi, we are here to protest against that,” commented one Hossain Mohammed Anwar. In another video shared by Bangladeshi Hindu activist Raju Das, an Islamist was heard saying, “If Narendra Modi is allowed to come to Bangladesh, we will have to turn into terrorists. Bengal will become Afghanistan, and we will become the Taliban.”

In February last year, thou-

sands of Muslims took out a march from the main mosque in Bangladesh capital Dhaka to protest against the Indian government for the riots in Delhi which left at least 52 dead and hundreds injured. Thousands of Muslims left the Baitul Mokarram Mosque, joined the rally and shouted slogans against Narendra Modi.

The protesters went on to demand that Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina drop

her plan to invite Modi on the 100th birth anniversary of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The protesters claimed that the invitation was an insult to the 1971 liberation war of Bangladesh and disrespect to the non-communal freedom icon of the nation. The march was organized by six Muslim political groups at the initiative of Jamiat Ulema-e Islam general secretary Nur Hossain Qasmi.

Imran tests Covid positive days after getting Chinese vaccine shot ISLAMABAD: Pakistan PM Imran Khan has tested positive for Covid within 48 hours of receiving his first shot of the novel coronavirus vaccine, his top health care aide Faisal Sultan said.

PM Narendra Modi of India was among the world leaders to send Khan get-well-soon messages. “Best wishes to Prime Minister @ImranKhanPTI for a speedy recovery from Covid19,” he posted on Twitter.

Khan is self-isolating at home, Sultan said. Khan had got a shot of the Covid vaccine on Thursday. The 68-year-old is reported to have received the first shot of the Chinese-pro-

duced Sinopharm vaccine, the only anti-Covid jab available in Pakistan. It is likely he was infected prior to being inoculated, officials said.

Faisal Javed, a senator of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-iInsaf (PTI), said the PM was experiencing mild symptoms and would continue to work from home. Khan has attended several meetings and public events in recent days. On Friday, he had visited Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where he inaugurated a new academic block of Malakand University and addressed a gathering of students without wearing a mask.

Earlier, three minor girls, Aarti Meghwar, Kavita Odh,and Reena Meghwar had been allegedly abducted and converted to Islam.

Kavita, 13, was forcibly converted to Islam on March 11.

“Living in Sindh has become a nightmare... And the government does nothing other than watching every incident like a mute spectator and even trying to hide such incidents from the media,” said a Hindu resident of Karachi who didn’t wish to be identified.

Vankwani said so far, no one had approached Pakistan Hindu Council to hold a meeting with the parents as mutually agreed between PHC and Islamist clerics Pir Mohammad Ayub Jan Sarhani, Mian Mitha in the recent past.

INDRA NOOYI MEMOIR TO BE PUBLISHED ON SEPT 28 Former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi has a memoir coming out this fall that her publisher is calling an “unvarnished take” on her rise to becoming one of the world’s most powerful women. “My Life in Full: Work, Family and Our Future” will be published Sept. 28, Portfolio Books announced. Nooyi, 65, will trace her life from her childhood in India to her experiences as an immigrant at Yale University’s business school to her many achievements as the rare woman and person of color in the upper echelons of the corporate world. The Indian American executive worked at PepsiCo for 24 years, 12 of them as CEO, before stepping down in 2018. While she was CEO, PepsiCo’s revenues grew from $35 billion to $63.5 billion and she became known for promoting such “good for you” snacks as Baked Lay’s potato chips and Naked juices made of fruits and vegetables. The mother of two children, she also spoke candidly while at PepsiCo of the difficulties in balancing commitments.

INDIAN CHARGED WITH CYBERSTALKING An Indian cybersecurity expert in Seattle, Washington, has been charged in a US federal court with cyberstalking five people, including a deputy prosecutor and a police officer investigating him, and sending them threatening messages, according to Acting Attorney for the Western District of Washington Tessa Gorman. A grand jury indicted Sumit Garg on the cyberstalking charges. He was detained in a federal detention center on March 15 and will be produced before a judge on March 25. According to court documents, he also sent threatening emails to local judges with an implied threat of assassination in a list of judges and prosecutors killed. He used email and social media platforms, including some under fake identities, to cause "reasonable fear of death and bodily harm" and "substantial emotional distress" to various people over a year, the documents revealed.

INDIAN ARRESTED FOR ABUSING SIKH YOUTH ON FB Imran Khan

Meanwhile, Khan urged people not to be deterred from getting vaccinated. Pakistan's vaccination roll-out has been met with widespread vaccine

hesitancy, and Khan's positive test could serve as a setback to the mass inoculation drive in the country of 220 million people, health experts said.

Fourth Hindu girl abducted, Taliban warns of ‘reaction’ converted to Islam in Pak’s if US fails to withdraw troops by May 1 Sindh in 36 days Islamabad: In a fourth incident of its kind in the Sindh province in Pakistan in the past 36 days, a 13-year-old Pakistani Hindu girl was allegedly abducted and converted to Islam. Pakistan’s Hindu Member of National Assembly (MNA) Ramesh Kumar Vankwani said Pooja Meghwar was allegedly abducted from Husri town of Hyderabad district.

“We have got an FIR registered, but the facts would be revealed only after Pooja is rescued by police,” said MNA. Sources said Pooja’s father Chetan Meghwar, a textile mill worker, tried to lodge a complaint about the abduction, but police didn’t listen to him. The FIR was registered only after the intervention of Hindu politicians, they added.

in brief

MOSCOW: The Taliban warned Washington against defying a May1 deadline for the withdrawal of US and Nato troops from Afghanistan, promising a “reaction”, which could mean increased attacks by the insurgent group. The Taliban issued the warning at a press conference in Moscow, the day after meeting with Afghan government negotiators and international observers to try to jumpstart a stalled peace talks.

President Biden’s administration says it is reviewing an agreement the Taliban signed with the Trump administration. Biden said in an interview that the May 1 deadline “could happen, but it is tough”, adding that if the deadline is extended it won’t be by “a lot longer”. “They should go,” Suhail Shaheen, a member of the Taliban negotiation team, said, warning that staying beyond May 1 would breach the deal. “After that, it will be a kind of violation of the agreement. That violation would not be from our side. . . Their violation will have a reaction.” He did not elaborate on what form the “reaction” would take, but in keeping with the deal they signed last year, the Taliban have not attacked US or Nato forces, even as unclaimed bombings and targeted killings have spiked.

He also reaffirmed that the Taliban were firm on their demand for an Islamic government. Shaheen didn’t elaborate on what an Islamic government would look like or whether it would mean a return to their repressive rules that denied girls education and imposed harsh punishments. Shaheen did not say whether the Taliban would accept elections, but he emphasised that the government of President Ghani would not fit their definition of an Islamic government.

An Indian-origin man living in New Zealand was arrested for posting threatening and derogatory comments against a Sikh youth and also abusing a couple of others. The offensive comments were posted on the wall of a Facebook group named "Indians in New Zealand." The Sikh youth, on whose complaint Auckland police registered a case and then arrested the Indian, was called a "Khalistani terrorist", his mobile number was listed on the website, and he was accused of running a malicious hate campaign against all Indians.

His photographs were also posted on the social media site and people were urged to report about him to police. The accused, in his comments in the same FB group, had threatened he would reach the Sikh man’s house "to teach him a lesson". He had also abused two others in the same comment.

NEPAL'S NOD TO EMERGENCY USE OF INDIA'S COVAXIN Nepal last week gave emergency authorisation to India's Covid-19 vaccine Covaxin, becoming only the third country to approve the shot, developed by Bharat Biotech and a state research institute. Covaxin was shown to be 81% effective in an interim analysis of latestage trial data on some 26,000 people in India.

The vaccine was approved for emergency use in India in January and Zimbabwe cleared it early this month. "Conditional permission has been granted for emergency use authorisation," Nepal's Department of Drug Administration said in a statement. Wedged between India and China, the Himalayan country has already received more than 2.3 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from India, including 1 million doses as a gift. China has also promised 800,000 doses of its own vaccine but the time for the delivery of the Chinese shots is unknown.

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in brief PAIR SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR RAPING WOMAN IN PAK Two men have been sentenced to death for raping a woman in front of her children on the side of a motorway after her car ran out of fuel near Lahore in Pakistan. Abid Malhi and Shafqat Hussain were also sentenced to 14 years' imprisonment, time that must be served before any executions can take place, a judge in Lahore said. The sentence is seen as a key landmark in Pakistan where many rapes remain unpunished, but many death sentences are later commuted to life imprisonment. Prosecutors said Malhi and Ali found the woman waiting for help in her car after she ran out of fuel. She had locked the car doors but the attackers broke a window and dragged her outside where they attacked her at gunpoint in front of her terrified children. The men also stole money, jewellery and bank cards before fleeing.

HINDU TEMPLE ATTACKED IN BANGLADESH Miscreants attacked and damaged the murti of the Hindu goddess Kali at a temple in Uttargaon village of Thakurgaon’s Ranisankail Upazila in Bangladesh. Police said the attackers vandalised the temple and burned the Kali murti. The local people rushed to the spot, however, the murti was already reduced to ashes, the police said. The police officer said patrolling in the area has been stepped up and an investigation is underway. Sadhan Bosak, general secretary of Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council’s upazila unit said a complaint will be registered in this regard.

DENMARK BANS FOREIGN COUNTRIES FROM FUNDING MOSQUES Denmark has banned foreign countries from funding and financing mosques in the country.

This step comes after reports of Muslim countries like Algeria, Kuwait, Libya, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar and UAE disbursing hundreds of millions of Euros to spread Islam in Europe. The new law garnered support from all major political parties of Denmark. The country’s Social Democrat Immigration and Integration Minister Mattias Tesfaye labeled the law as an important step to curb ‘Islamist extremism’. The law states, “The purpose of the Act is to prevent natural and legal persons, including foreign state authorities and state-run organizations and companies, from working against or undermining democracy and fundamental freedoms and human rights by making donations.” “Anyone who receives donations above DKK 10,000 within 12 consecutive calendar months, from a natural or legal person who is included on the public ban list … is punishable by a fine.”

WOMAN ACCUSES US ACTOR ARMIE HAMMER OF RAPE A woman accused US actor Armie Hammer of raping her four years ago in Los Angeles and police said they were probing the matter.

Hammer’s lawyer called the claim “outrageous” and said all the actor’s sexual relationships were “completely consensual”. The allegation follows claims on social media by several women who accused the 34-year-old actor of emotional and physical abuse, and said he shared violent sexual fantasies. Hammer said at the time that he would not respond to “vicious online attacks”, but he was dropped by his representatives and from two projects. Last week, a woman who identified herself only as Effie told a video news conference that she had been in a four-year relationship with the actor, who was married to TV personality Elizabeth Chambers at the time. “On April 24, 2017, Hammer violently raped me for over four hours, during which he repeatedly slammed my head against a wall, bruising my face... I thought that he was going to kill me,” Effie, now 24, said.

Lanka, Bangladesh sign six MoUs to enhance cooperation COLOMBO: Sri Lanka Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina held bilateral talks on Saturday at the Bangladesh Prime Minister’s Office in Dhaka. The two leaders discussed all aspects of Bangladesh-Sri Lanka relations and also discussed contemporary international and regional issues of common interest. They recalled the shared bonds of history, tradition, culture and multitude of other commonalities between the two countries.

They reiterated their firm conviction to further strengthen the bilateral relations with a pragmatic and mature approach based on sovereignty, equality, friendship, trust and understanding for the mutual benefit of the people of the two countries.

Rajapaksa appreciated the

leadership of Hasina for the effective handling of the Covid19 pandemic in Bangladesh. He thanked for her government’s support of Covid-19 related medical accessories to Sri Lanka under the ‘SAARC Covid-19 Emergency Fund’. Rajapaksa also thanked the Bangladesh government for their steadfast support in combating terrorism in Sri Lanka, and in this context, for extending support to Sri Lanka at international fora, including the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and other United Nations bodies and international organizations.

Rajapaksa expressed the hope that Bangladesh will continue to stand in solidarity with Sri Lanka at the ongoing 46th Session of the UNHRC in Geneva.

The two Prime Ministers emphasized the need for

enhanced interaction and increased high-level exchanges, including at the level of parliamentarians. Referring to the formation of the Bangladesh-Sri Lanka Parliamentary Friendship Association, the two leaders agreed to revive the Association with newly elected MPs and encouraged the legislators to play catalytic role in deepening relations between the two coun-

tries. Both the leaders emphasized on reinvigorating the existing institutional mechanisms between the two countries including the Foreign Office Consultations (FoC), Joint Economic Commission (JEC), sectoral Joint Working Groups (JWGs), Joint Programmes / Work Plans as an important catalyst for further enhancing the overall bilateral relations.

200 killed, 40,000 displaced by ADF militia in DR Congo, says UN KINSHASA: The United Nations refugee agency reported an "alarming increase" in attacks by the notorious Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) - a historically Ugandan Islamist group present in eastern DR Congo since 1995.

Since the start of the year, attacks blamed on the ADF "have killed nearly 200 people, injured dozens of others, and displaced an estimated 40,000 people in DRC's Beni Territory in North Kivu province as well as nearby villages in Ituri province," UNHCR spokesman Babar Baloch said.

"In less than three months, the ADF has allegedly raided 25 villages, set fire to dozens of houses and kidnapped over 70 people," he told reporters in

Geneva. The ADF has the reputation of being the bloodiest of the 122 militias that plague the eastern DRC. It killed an estimated 465 people in 2020.

According to the Kivu Security Tracker (KST), an NGO that monitors violence in the DRC's troubled east, the group has killed more than 1,200 civilians in the Beni area alone since 2017. The massacres have

become more frequent since the army launched an offensive in October 2019, forcing the ADF to break up into smaller, highly mobile units, say experts.

Baloch said the latest surge in attacks appeared to be due to reprisals by armed groups, their search for food and medicine and accusations against communities of sharing information on ADF positions.

Funding shortage Those forcibly displaced this past month had fled to the towns of Oicha, Beni and Butembo.

"The majority are women and children, as men stay behind to protect properties, exposing themselves to the risk of further attacks," Baloch said. The dis-

placed people, he said, were now living in dire conditions, without shelter, food, water or health care. Families also lack essential items such as blankets and cooking materials - a major concern in the context of Ebola and Covid-19. Even before the recent mass displacement, some 100,000 internally displaced people were already in need of shelter and protection in Beni, according to UNHCR figures.

But funding shortages were seriously limiting the agency's ability to provide shelters and other aid, Baloch warned. Last year, UNHCR was able to build more than 43,000 family shelters in eastern DRC, but this year, it so far has funding to build just a tenth of that.

UK tutoring scheme uses under-18 Lankan youths at low pay LONDON: The Department of Education in UK has announced immediate suspension of use of under-age tutors in the national tutoring programme (NTP).

This step was taken following the disclosure of the use under18 Sri Lankan youth for a pay of as little as £1.57 by NTP. The tutoring programme has been supported from £1.7 4bn found provided by the government as part of the pandemic response.

Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union, said: “First of all there’s a question about whether it’s ethical to be paying £1.57 to £3.07 an hour, outsourcing in this way. It also raises a bigger issue about why this money is being paid to the private sector whose objective in life must be to make a profit.”

The Sri Lanka-based tutors were provided through Third Space Learning (TSL), one of 33 tuition providers approved by the NTP to deliver one-to-one and small group tuition. An NTP spokesperson said that TSL was “one of the most popular

providers”, supporting more than 800 schools since the programme was launched in November. TSL, which works with one tutor centre in Sri Lanka and two partner centres in India, had a minimum age requirement of 17 with pay per tuition session as low as 425 Sri Lankan rupees, the equivalent of £1.57, rising to an average of £3.07. The £350m national tutoring programme promises high quality subsidised tuition for disadvantaged children.

Schools can choose from the approved tuition partners and pay 25% of the cost while government picks up the rest of the bill. The TSL founder and chief executive, Tom Hooper, said: “Using tutors in India and Sri Lanka is a part of the solution to try and make tutoring more accessible to children from disadvantaged backgrounds. They are all Stem [science, technology, engineering and mathematics] graduates and receive training and ongoing professional development which is overseen by our UK-

based team of teachers.”

After being confronted with details from the website of Third Space Global, TSL’s wholly owned subsidiary in Sri Lanka, Hooper corrected himself and said tutors were in fact a mix of graduates and undergraduates. Asked in FAQs on

the Third Space Global website about the minimum qualification to apply, it says: “You should be skilled in maths and English and pass our initial online test.” Another question – “Why is the payment only 425 rupees?” – appears to have been removed.

Samia Suluhu Hassan sworn in as Tanzania's first female president DAR ES SALAAM: Samia Karume. Under the constituSuluhu Hassan was sworn in as tion, Hassan will serve the Tanzania's first female presiremainder of Magufuli's second dent after John Magufuli died five-year term, which does not from heart failure. expire until 2025.

The 61-year-old Hassan's inautook the oath of guration comes two office in Dar es days after she Salaam before announced the inspecting troops death of President at a military John Magufuli, who parade and receivhad not been seen in ing a cannon public for more Samia Suluhu Hassan salute. than two weeks. In her first public address, she The inauguration was witannounced 21 days of mourning nessed by members of the for Magufuli and public holidays Cabinet and Tanzania's former on March 22 and on his burial presidents Ali Hassan Mwinyi, day which will be on March 25.

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8 Indian Americans among Barron’s list of 100 most influential women in US CALIFORNIA: At least eight Indian Americans executives were included in Barron’s list of 100 most influential women in US. Women have made enormous strides in the past year in the public sector, the Barron’s news release said.

America elected its first female vice president, Kamala Harris, in November. Janet Yellen now serves as the nation’s first female secretary of the Treasury, and the 117th US Congress includes a record 143 women, or 27 per cent of its total membership.

Women are also achieving greater prominence and power in the private sector, and particularly in the world of finance, the release said. Among the highly accomplished, pathbreaking women named to Barron’s second annual list included Indian Americans Anu Aiyengar, Nandita Bakhshi, Rupal J. Bhansali, Sonal Desai, Seema Hingorani, Gunjan Kedia, Saira Malik and Savita

Subramanian.

Aiyengar is the co-head of global mergers and acquisitions at JP Morgan. Early in her career, Aiyengar had an intellectual interest in mergers and acquisitions. She is now the co-head of global M&A for JP Morgan, whose parent company, JPMorgan Chase, is the largest US bank by assets, her Barron’s profile said.

Aiyengar studied finance and economics, but notes that deal making is the perfect career for people who are equally intrigued by crunching numbers, studying legal contracts, and building client relationships.

Bakhshi is the CEO of Bank of the West and co-CEO of BNP Paribas USA. As an immigrant from India who started her career as a part-time bank teller, Bakhshi had an inspiring path up the corporate ladder, her profile notes. Last year, she grew the bank’s assets by 3 per cent, leading a team that worked

remotely to meet the needs of 1.8 million customers, it said.

What Bakhshi, 62, loves the most about the job is the chance to serve individual consumers.

“I came into banking by accident, but I stayed because I like what it did,” she told the publication. “I truly believe banking is a noble profession.”

Bhansali is the chief investment officer and portfolio manager of international and global equity strategies at Ariel Investments. Her mission is to make sure that women enter the finance profession and rise to prominent roles in the industry.

In that respect, Covid-19 became an opportunity, the profile notes. “My mission in life is to empower women,” she says. The pandemic, with a tragic number of deaths and illnesses across the globe, has been a humanitarian crisis, but it has also opened up new conversations around diversity and the lack of it. Last year’s Black Lives Matter movement for racial justice also

magnified the issue. “The markets need diversity just as democracy needs plurality,” says Bhansali, 51, who is also a member of Barron’s investment Roundtable.

Last year, Bhansali joined the boards of 100 Women in Finance and Columbia Law School’s Ira M. Millstein Center for Global Markets and Corporate Ownership. Barron’s noted in its release that profiles for all the honorees, a group of about 90 individuals, including Desai, Hingorani, Kedia, Malik and Subramanian, will be released on a weekly basis.

Desai is chief investment officer at Franklin Templeton Fixed Income Group; Hingorani is the founder and chair at Girls Who Invest; Kedia is the vice chair of wealth management and investment services at US Bancorp; Malik is the head of global equities at Nuveen; and Subramanian is the head of US equity strategy and quantitative strategy at BofA Securities.

Maninder Sidhu appointed as Canadian Parliamentary Secy TORONTO: Indo-Canadian Maninder Sidhu was appointed as a parliamentary secretary to International Development Minister Karina Gould by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Reacting to the development, Maninder, a firstterm Parliament member, said he was "excited and truly honoured."

Maninder replaces another IndoCanadian lawmaker Kamal Khera.

Maninder’s appointment was part of a reshuffle done by Trudeau.

"Parliamentary secretaries support ministers to deliver real, positive results for Canadians. I am confident that this team’s dedication, skills, and experience will help us continue to fight the global Covid-19

pandemic, keep Canadians safe and supported, and build a more resilient Canada for everyone," Trudeau said in a statement.

Maninder is among 23 IndoCanadians who were elected to Canada's House of Commons in the 2019 general elections. He was elected from Brampton East. A Sikh by faith, Maninder hails from India's Punjab state.

Prior to venturing into politics in Canada, he ran a customs brokerage business.

Maninder is an alumnus of the University of Waterloo. He is married and has two daughters. Arif Virani is the other Indian-origin parliamentary secretary in the government. Indo-Canadians

Services Minister Diversity Youth Chagger.

and Procurement Anita Anand and and Inclusion and Minister Bardish

Biden decries violence against Asians ATLANTA: US President Joe Biden deplored a surge in antiAsian violence in the US after a deadly shooting rampage in Georgia, and asked all Americans to stand together against hate while visiting Atlanta. Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris met for more than an hour with leaders and state lawmakers from the Asian-American and Pacific Islander community, which has been rattled by this week’s murders of eight people, including six women of Asian descent, after a year of rising anti-Asian violence.

“They’ve been attacked, blamed, scapegoated and harassed. They’ve been verbally assaulted, physically assaulted, killed,” Biden lamented after meeting with Asian-American leaders in Atlanta. “It’s been a year of living in fear for their lives. Hate can have no safe harbour in America. It must stop. And it is on all of us, all of us together, to make it stop,”

Joe Biden

Biden said after the meeting, calling on US lawmakers to pass a Covid-19 hate crimes bill that would expand justice department review of hate crimes exacerbated by the pandemic. “Our silence is complicity. We cannot be complicit. We have to speak out.

We have to act.”

Harris, the first AsianAmerican vice president in US history, tied the violence to the long history of racism in the US and likened it to the targeting of

Muslims after the September 11, 2001, attacks. “Racism is real in America, and it has always been.

Xenophobia is real in America, and always has been,” she said.

“The president and I will not be silent. We will not stand by. We will always speak out against violence, hate crimes and discrimination wherever and whenever it occurs.”

6 Asian women among 8 shot dead Meanwhile, eight people, six of them women of Asian

MYANMAR PROTESTERS DEFIANT

Demonstrators in Myanmar maintained their dogged opposition to military rule despite a rising death toll, with two more people killed as the junta appeared equally determined to resist growing pressure to compromise. The country has been in turmoil since the military overthrew an elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi. One man was shot dead and several were wounded when police opened fire on a group setting up a barricade in Monywa, a doctor there said.

Later, one person was killed and several were wounded when security forces fired on a crowd in the second city of Mandalay. At least 249 people have now been killed since the coup, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners group.

'MASSIVE' FIRE IN ROHINGYA CAMPS FORCES 50,000 TO FLEE Bangladesh has launched an investigation into a huge blaze that ripped through a sprawling Rohingya refugee camp and forced at least 50,000 people to flee. Seven people are feared dead in the biggest fire to hit the shanty settlement to date. Nearly 1 million Rohingya refugees from Myanmar live in cramped and squalid conditions at the camps in the Cox’s Bazar district. Officials said the fire was believed to have started in one of the 34 camps before spreading to two other camps. Police have so far confirmed only two deaths after recovering the bodies. But Rohingya witnesses said several people had died in the blaze that has left tens of thousands with no shelter.

GURDWARA TURNS INTO A VACCINATION CENTRE IN LUTON

Maninder Sidhu

comprise 3 per cent of the population of Canada. There are three Indo-Canadians in Trudeau’s cabinet - Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan, Public

in brief

descent, were shot dead in a string of attacks on Atlanta-area day spas last week, and a man suspected of carrying out all of the shootings was arrested hours later in southern Georgia, police said. Although authorities declined to offer a possible motive for the violence, the attacks prompted the New York Police Department's counterterrorism unit to announce the deployment of additional patrols in Asian communities there as a precaution.

Robert Aaron Long, 21, of Woodstock in Cherokee County, was taken into custody for the crime. Police said that the same suspect was the gunman in all three shootings. A separate statement from the Atlanta Police Department said the suspect was connected to all the attacks by video evidence from the crime scenes.

Investigators were still working "to confirm with certainty" that the shootings in Atlanta and Cherokee County were related.

This development also marks Vaisaki, which is celebrated in April every year by Sikhs to mark the anniversary of Sikhism becoming a collective faith. “Whilst coronavirus restrictions have prevented them from celebrating in the usual way, Luton's Guru Nanak Gurdwara (temple) set up the Vaisakhi vaccine clinic,” ITV reported. One of the members of the Gurudwara spoke to ITV and said, “We think we can bring the community together again. We can help the people and celebrate. There is a lot of fake news on social media about the vaccine and we need to take it.”

GANGSTER FROM GUJARAT ARRESTED IN THE UK Jaysukh Ranpariya, popularly known as Jayesh Patel is wanted in India for committing murders and other crimes. Patel, who hails from Gujarat was arrested in London on Wednesday, March 17, 2021. The 41-year-old was born in Jamnagar. He fled India with a fake passport to Dubai and was allegedly a part of arranging contract killers to murder Jamnagar’s leading lawyer Kirit Joshi in Paris 2018. He was taken into custody by Bromley police in south-east London before being produced at Westminster Magistrates’ Court. “He told the court he did not consent to his extradition to India to face murder charges,” The Times of India reported. He was remanded in custody at the Wandsworth prison where Nirav Modi was also being detained. Patel’s next appearance in court is due on March 24.

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BJP promises CAA on Day one, Rs 10,000 per year for refugee families BJP came out with a please-all manifesto for West Bengal polls - catering to all sections, placing special focus on women’s empowerment and giving emphasis to backward sections and ethnic groups and castes. Called ‘Sankalp Patra’ and released by Union home minister Amit Shah, the manifesto takes politics to new lengths and reflects the party’s self-avowed confidence that a regime change in Kolkata is imminent.

The manifesto promises to regularise the citizenship of refugees immediately after assuming office, an assertion which at once tries to convey fidelity to a poll plank which resonates with a significant section of the electorate. “Refugees have been living here since the1970s, and are pained at not having citizenship. We will implement CAA in the first cabinet meeting and provide citizenship to them,” Shah said.

The document also contains a host of schemes for women and girls. Notable among them was a free education scheme, termed “from KG to PG”, and special bonds to SC, ST and OBC families for girls’ welfare. The manifesto

also promises to bring Mahishya, Teli and other Hindu OBCs under the ambit of OBC reservation. On the healthcare front, the party proposed three new AIIMS - in north Bengal, Jangalmahal and the Sunderbans. A £1 billion healthcare infrastructure fund was also proposed.

Tagore Prize The manifesto promises a Tagore Prize “on the lines of the Nobel Prize”, and a Satyajit Ray Award, “on the lines of Oscar”. If voted to office, the party also promised to keep aside £50 million for Kolkata to get Unesco Heritage City tag. Stressing on a “zero tolerance to infiltration” policy, Shah said a special fund would be creat-

ed for refugees, from which each family would be provided Rs 10,000 per year after they receive citizenship. A corpus of £10 million was announced for that.

Regarding the “KG to PG” scheme, he said there will be a corpus of £50 million to provide financial assistance to meritorious girls. Apart from a special Rs 50,000 bond for families with a girl child, the manifesto also announced Rs 100,000 to women from the SC, ST, OBC and economically weaker sections at the time of their wedding. Also, the manifesto promised “free public transport” to women and girls.

Apart from establishing specific development boards for the nine Scheduled Tribe communities like Santhals, Oraons, Mundas and Bhumijs, the manifesto also included increased funding to Matua, Rajbangshi, Bauri and the Bagdi development boards. Shah

announced a £100 million fund to incentivise weavers, carpenters and tanners. For ST-dominated blocks, Shah announced 200 days’ work under the MGNREGA scheme. The wage for tea garden workers was proposed to be increased to Rs 350 from Rs176 per day at present.

“We will constitute a Sonar Bangla economic revival task force that will formulate new industrial policy to promote Bengal as an investment destination and revive

sick industrial units,” Shah said.

Assuring to bring Bengal among the top three states in terms of ease of doing business, he said Invest Bangla will be formed on the lines of centrally sponsored Invest India.

While all dues of the state government towards MSME units will be cleared, electricity will be provided at Rs 2 per unit for these units. A special corpus of £50 million was also proposed for collateral-free loans to the units.

Didi pledges income for all, Hosable is new RSS general secretary line of credit to students Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee unveiled a "developmentoriented" manifesto for the upcoming assembly polls in West Bengal, promising an income scheme for all families, a student credit card and constitution of a task force to examine the inclusion of several communities under the OBC category.

Claiming that her government has reduced poverty in the state by 40 per cent, the manifesto also promised to increase annual financial aid to farmers from Rs 6,000 to Rs10,000.

"For the first time, every family in Bengal will be extended a minimum basic income. Under this,16 million general category families will get Rs 500 a month, whereas SC/ST category families will get Rs 1,000.

The money will be directly transferred to the woman head of a family," Banerjee said.

A new student credit card scheme will be introduced with a credit limit of Rs10,00,000 and an interest rate of only 4 per cent will be charged, the West Bengal chief minister said. "We will set up 10,00,000 new MSMEs and 2,000 new big industrial units in the next five years," she said. "We shall appoint a Special Task Force to examine and propose OBC status to all the communities which are not recognised as OBCs like Mahishya, Tili, Tamul and Sahas. We will also ask the Government of India to

grant ST status to Mahatos," the TMC chief said.

A Special Development Board would be set up for the development of Terai and Dooars region in north Bengal, she said.

'Model Nandigram’ Five years ago, Mamata Banerjee returning land to the tion in the 2016 manifesto.

Singur agitators was among The scheme, which kicked the primary thrust in the off that year, has now TMC manifesto. Now, reemerged as a universal Mamata pledged a model health insurance scheme.

Nandigram. In March 2016, The party’s much-discussed Mamata had said their “first programmes Kanyashree, task” was to “resolve the Sabuj Sathi and Khadya Singur issue as quickly as Sathi find mention in the possible. Landowners and 2016 manifesto. All these farmers of Singur will get programmes were later back their property and digextended to beneficiaries nity - that is our foremost beyond the targeted bloc. aim,” she had written in the The 2016 manifesto manifesto. Six months later, spoke of Kanyashree Plus, the land was returned after which was later extended to the Supreme Court verdict. high school and collegeNow, Mamata mentioned a going girls. Sabuj Sathi has ‘Model Nandigram’. now been extended to all “Nandigram will be school students and is not developed into a model limited to girls. Both the town, with better infras2016 and 2021 manifestos tructural facilities, includlay thrust on industry. In ing well-connected roads, 2016, it was said the infras24x7 affordable electricity tructure of industrial parks and piped drinking water at Panagarh, Goaltore, supply for all. A new univerVidyasagar and Haringhata sity will be constructed to would be improved. The latprovide greater access to est manifesto said 500,000 higher education for the additional lowcost housing youth,” it read. The manifacilities would be built to festo also mentioned that reduce slum population among the five separate from 7% to below 3.6%, and health districts set up in 25,00,000 additional lowWest Bengal, one was in cost houses would be built Nandigram. Trinamool’s to reduce kutcha houses to flagship health insurance less than 1%. scheme had found a men-

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) last week elected Dattatreya Hosabale its sar- karyawah or general secretary.

Hosabale replaced Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi, 73, who completed four terms of three years each.

Elected by nearly 1,500 members of the Akhil Bhartiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS), RSS’ highest decision-making body, Hosabale will hold the position for three years, after which the post will be open for re-election. He has been the joint general secretary or sah-sarakaryavah of the organisation since 2009.

Popularly known as Datta ji, Hosable is from Karnataka’s Shivamogga. He joined RSS in 1968 and became a full-

Hosabale

time ABVP worker in 1978.

He served as ABVP’s general secretary for 15 years in Mumbai.

Due to the pandemic, this year’s election, usually held in Nagpur, took place in Bengaluru. About 600 ABPS delegates voted physically and the rest cast their

votes virtually from their respective headquarters. To elect a sar-karyawah, ABPS meets for three days in the month of March. This year, it was for two days. The annual meeting is held at various venues around the country, but once every three years.

India ranks fourth for having strongest armed forces China has the largest military force in the world while India stands at number four, according to a study released by defence website Military Direct. The USA, despite their enormous military budgets, comes in 2nd place with 74 points, followed by Russia with 69, India at 61 and then France with 58. The UK just about makes the top 10, coming in 9th place with a score of 43, said the study.

The study said ultimate military strength index was calculated after taking into consideration various factors, including budgets, number of inactive and active military personnel, total air, sea, land and nuclear resources, average salaries, and weight of equipment. China has the strongest military in the world, scoring 82 out of 100 points in the index, it noted.

Based on these scores, which account for budgets, men, and things like air and navy capacity, it does suggest that China would come out as top dog in a hypothetical super conflict, it mentioned. The biggest military spender with a budget of USD 732 billion per year is the USA, it noted, adding that China comes second with USD 261 billion, followed by India at USD 71 billion. China would win by sea, USA by air and Russia by land in this hypothetical conflict, it said. USA wins in an aerial war with 14,141 total airships vs Russia with 4,682 and China with 3,587. TheRussian Federation wins in a land war with 54,866 vehicles vs USA with 50,326 and China with41,641, it mentioned. China wins in a sea war with 406 ships vs Russia with 278 and the USA or India with 202, it said.

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UDF, LDF woo poor with sops, welfare measures in Kerala THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Congress-led United Democratic Front and the ruling Left Democratic Front in Kerala released their manifestos last week by announcing a number of sops and welfare measures for the poor and marginalised. Unlike its Left rival, UDF’s manifesto made a commitment to protect the beliefs and traditions of Sabarimala devotees and promised an end to political violence in the state.

The Nyuntam Aay Yojana (Nyay) envisaged by Rahul Gandhi - assuring a minimum income of Rs 6,000 per month for economically backward families, Rs 2,000 per month for unemployed homemakers in the 40-60 age group who are not part of Nyay scheme, 5 kg rice for all white ration cardholders, a hike in welfare pensions from

Rs 1,600 to Rs 3,000 - and maximising PSC job possibilities are the main welfare-oriented highlights of the manifesto.

Reaching out to the vast majority of women voters, the front has assured a two years age relaxation for mothers appearing for examinations for government jobs. Free food kits to those who had been affected

by Covid-19 and no bill hospitals are among the other schemes of the front, Benny Behanan MP, chairman of the manifesto

committee said.

LDF promises pension for homemakers The LDF promises ‘pension’ for homemakers, creation of 40,00,000 jobs for the youth and 15,000 startups over next five years. It also assured raising the social security pension to various categories from the present Rs 1,600 to Rs 2,500 in phases and pledged to increase the income of farmers by 50%.

The LDF’s poll document said pension would be given for

homemakers “acknowledging the value of their work”, becoming the latest party in the current poll season to woo women with such a dole after the ruling AIADMK, DMK and actor-politician Kamal Haasan’s MNM in Tamil Nadu and Trinamool Congress in West Bengal. The LDF, however, did not give details of the amount of pension or any criteria for it.

The manifesto assured 15,000 startups in coming five years to provide jobs for 100,000 people.

PUNJAB

Punjab sees 44 deaths, 2,669 Civid cases in a day CHANDIGARH: Punjab reported 44 deaths and 2,669 cases on Sunday, the worst-ever for the state. This is the highest figure as far as both cases and deaths are concerned this year.

The first case of Covid was reported in March last year.

Since then, the total number of cases has reached 213,000 and 6,324 deaths have been reported.

In January, the daily average of cases had come down to around 200. But now, over the past one week, an average 2,000 cases are being reported.

Among districts, Jalandhar reported the highest 393 cases in the last 24 hours, Ludhiana reported 330, SAS Nagar 327, Hoshiarpur 259 and Patiala reported 244 cases. As far as deaths are concerned, Hoshiarpur topped the chart with 10 deaths, followed by Ludhiana with eight deaths, Gurdaspur seven deaths,

Jalandhar six, Amritsar five, Tarn Taran two and Ferozepur, Kapurthala, Pathankot, Patiala, SAS Nagar and Sangrur reported one death each.

The state government had recently closed all educational institutions other than medical and nursing colleges in the state till March 31 and issued stricter guidelines to contain the fresh surge. Night curfew has also been imposed in 11 districts from 9 pm to 5 am. The Punjab Police acted tough on people not wearing masks at public places and made 4,400 violators undergo RT-PCR testing. In addition, 1,800 persons were issued challans. The police also distributed free face masks to over 12,000 persons.

2nd wave likely to be more severe The second Covid peak is yet to come and is expected to be higher than the first one. By

the end of this week, almost 3,000 cases a day can be expected. A study by LudhianaChristian Medical based College, based on mathematical calculations, has predicted that the state could see the peak again later this week and through the first week of April.

This will be followed by a flattening of the curve, but when the decline in daily cases will start cannot be predicted immediately, says Dr Rajesh Bhaskar, state nodal officer for Covid.

This is why it is important to gear up all healthcare infrastructure immediately and ensure that all protocols are followed strictly by the people, Punjab Chief Secretary Vini Mahajan said. Managing the state’s strategy to deal with the second wave of the pandemic, Mahajan says that the government’s focus is on saving

lives as well as livelihoods.

Asked about the possibility of imposing another lockdown, the Chief Secretary says that there is no situation, as of now, of bringing the economic activities to a halt. “Hopefully, with the cooperation of the people, wherein they follow all norms, we will come out of the dire situation,” she says. “Of the 1,500 beds in level-3 facilities, 22 per cent are occupied and of the 8,000 level-2 facilities, 15 per cent are occupied,” she says.

WEST BENGAL

Modi, Mamata trade barbs at separate poll rallies K O L K A T A / K H A R A G P UR : Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday launched a frontal attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, alleging her lawmaker nephew Abhishek Banerjee was the only “single window” in the state without crossing which no work gets done. Addressing his second rally in three days in West Bengal, the prime minister said industries were closing down while “syndicate culture and mafia raj” was flourishing.

He also accused the TMC supremo of presiding over an administration full of “tolabaj” (extortionists) and corrupt people. “In Bengal, too, exists a single window.... the single window of ‘Bhaipo’ (nephew) without crossing which no work gets done,” he said without naming Banerjee’s nephew and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee.

Rejecting the outsider tag Mamata Banerjee has given to his party, the prime minister said,” the BJP is the only real party of Bengal. Syama Prasad Mookerjee founded Jana Sangh, the BJP’s forerunner.

He was the son of Bengal.

Bengal is in BJP’s DNA.” Ridiculing Banerjee over the “khela hobe” (game will happen) slogan, Modi said, “Didir khela shesh hobe, vikas aarambh (Didi’s game will be over and development will start). Didi will not be allowed to play with the future of Bengal.”

“Mamata Didi stands like a wall to block all development schemes,” he alleged. Referring to the 50-minute outage of WhatsApp, Modi said people got upset with it. “But in Bengal development has been down for 50 years....your dreams have been down for 50 years,” he said. Flaying the

T M C government over “rampant corruption”, the prime minister said, “She (Banerjee) gets angry when asked about irregularities in cyclone relief, Narendra Modi and Mamata Banerjee she sends to jail people and torturing Dalit girls. those who question the theft of “BJP is the biggest ‘tolabaz’ ration (during lockdown), has (extortionist) in the world... people beaten up with sticks Just see the amount of money it when they ask about coal theft, collected under the PM Cares and gets burnt the houses of Fund. If the people of West those demanding jobs.”

Bengal want peace and a state Meanwhile, Mamata slammed free from riots, then the the BJP, branding it as the Trinamool Congress is the only “biggest extortionist” in the option,” she asserted. The chief world, which should never be minister, bound to a wheelchair allowed to rule the state. after suffering injures during Banerjee, speaking at an campaigning earlier in the election rally in Haldia in East month, also accused Prime Midnapore district, also Minister Narendra Modi of accused the saffron party of embarking on a “selling spree”. orchestrating riots, killing

in brief POLICE SERVE NOTICE TO CHANDRABABU NAIDU The Andhra Pradesh CID police served a notice on former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu in the 'Amaravati land scam,' which the Telugu Desam Party called the "most frivolous FIR" filed by a ruling YSRC MLA. The FIR was filed under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and also the SCs and STs (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. CID investigating officer asked Naidu to appear in person at the CID regional office in Vijayawada. The FIR was registered by CID on March 12, based on a complaint filed by YSRC MLA Alla Ramakrishna Reddy on February 24, over a month after the High Court struck down a case pertaining to "insider trading" in the Amaravati land scam, naming Naidu and former minister P Narayana as accused."

The issue pertains to pooling of land for the development of the state's new capital city Amaravati back in 2015.

TRS CANDIDATES WIN TELANGANA MLC POLLS The ruling TRS candidate and sitting MLC Palla Rajeshwar Reddy retained his seat by winning the election to Telangana Legislative Council from WarangalKhammam-Nalgonda Graduates constituency. He beat his nearest rival Teenmar Mallanna, an independent, by 12,806 votes. Earlier, fFormer Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao's daughter Surabhi Vani Devi, who was the ruling TRS candidate, won the election from the MahabubnagarRangareddy- Hyderabad Graduates' constituency. She defeated her nearest BJP rival and sitting MLC N Ramachander Rao. Both Reddy and Vani Devi thanked the electorate for reposing faith in them and said the results proved that the people are with Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.

POLICE KILL TWO NIHANG SIKHS Two Nihang Sikhs, accused of murder in Nanded, Maharashtra, were shot dead by police in Tarn Taran on Sunday. Two SHOs were injured in the fracas that ensued when the Nihangs - an armed sect of the Sikh community - refused to show their identity proofs and attacked the policemen with swords. Tarn Taran senior superintendent of police D H Nimble said they had received intelligence inputs that the two Nihangs – Gurdev Singh and Mehtab Singh Khandewala - were hiding at Dera Sur Singh in Tarn Taran district after murdering Gurdev Singh in a dera in Nanded. “We conducted a raid to arrest them, but both had fled the dera,” Nimble said. Tarn Taran police sounded an alert. When the police tried to arrest them, the two Nihangs attacked them. Police opened fire in self defence and shot the two Nihangs.

TMC, BJP WORKERS INJURED IN NANDIGRAM VIOLENCE The friction between Trinamool Congress and BJP in Nandigram escalated into violence last week, leaving several party functionaries on both sides injured and prompting the administration to rush additional security forces to potential flashpoints across the constituency. TMC moved the Election Commission for action against "those who incited violence", suggesting that BJP candidate Suvendu Adhikari's rally with Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan was the trigger for the clashes. Police teams worked throughout the night to remove roadblocks set up by local people protesting an alleged assault by Adhikari’s security detail. Trinamool MP Dola Sen was among those who reached Nandigram Hospital to meet the injured.

Adhikari visited a hospital in Reyapara, where some BJP workers were being treated.

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Gandhi Peace Prize for Sheikh Mujibur India, US to Rahman, late Sultan Of Oman further strengthen defence ties

The Gandhi Peace Prize for the year 2020 is being conferred on Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the culture ministry said.

The prestigious prize for the year 2019 is being conferred on late Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said of Oman in recognition of his vision to strengthen relations with India, and his efforts to promote peace and nonviolence in the Gulf region, the ministry said.

The Gandhi Peace Prize is an annual award instituted by the Government of India since 1995, the 125th birth anniversary commemoration year of Mahatma Gandhi.

The award is open to all people regardless of nationality, race, language, caste, creed or sex.

The jury for Gandhi Peace Prize is chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and comprises of two ex-officio members, namely the chief justice of India and leader of the single largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha.

Two eminent members are also part of the jury - Om Birla, Speaker of

the Lok Sabha, and Bindeshwar Pathak, Founder of Sulabh International Social Service Organisation.

The jury met on March 19, 2021 and after due deliberations, unanimously decided to select Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Oman's longtime ruler Sultan Qaboos for the prize, an official statement said.

PM Modi said Bangabandhu was a champion of human rights and freedom, and a hero to Indians as well. He also said that the legacy and inspiration of Bangabandhu has made the heritage of both countries more comprehensive and deep-

rooted, and that the path shown by Bangabandhu has laid a strong foundation for the partnership, progress and prosperity of both countries over the last decade. As Bangladesh celebrates Mujib Borsho, India is honoured to be commemorating his legacy jointly with the government of Bangladesh and its people, the statement said.

The award carries an amount of £100,000, a citation, plaque and an traditional exquisite handicraft/ handloom item.

"Sultan Qaboos was the architect of the special ties between India and Oman.

He had studied in India and

always maintained a special relationship with India.

Under his leadership, India and Oman became strategic partners and our mutually beneficial, comprehensive partnership strengthened and scaled newer heights," the statement added.

According to the statement, PM Modi had recalled the contribution of Sultan Qaboos to IndiaOman ties when he passed away by saying that he was "a true friend of India and provided strong leadership for developing a strategic partnership between India and Oman". The prime minister had also remembered him as a "visionary leader and statesman" and "beacon of peace for our region and the world."

Recent awardees of the Gandhi Peace Prize include Vivekananda Kendra, India (2015); Akshaya Patra Foundation, India and Sulabh International (jointly, for 2016); Ekal Abhiyan Trust, India (2017) and Yohei Sasakawa, Japan (2018).

Comtinued from page 1 After a wide-ranging meeting with defence minister Rajnath Singh, Austin, who was a four-star general in the US army, said elevating the India-US defence relationship is a “priority” for the Biden administration while describing the partnership as “a stronghold of a free and open IndoPacific region”. At a briefing of journalists, Austin said he had “conversations” with Indian ministers on the “specific issue” of human rights, though he did not get the opportunity to talk to PM Narendra Modi on the matter.

Austin said, “India is our partner, and whose partnership we value. And I think partners need to be able to have those kinds of discussions. And certainly, we feel comfortable doing that. And you can have those discussions in a very meaningful way and make progress.”

On the strategic partnership front, mentioning the “Quad” as a key element of cooperation, Austin said: “PM Modi has stated that India stands for freedom of navigation and overflight, unimpeded lawful commerce, and adherence to international law. This is a resounding affirmation of our shared vision for regional security in the Indo-Pacific.”

Underlining the new US administration’s policy to strengthen alliances and partnerships to foster “credible deterrence” against China, Austin said, “I reaffirmed our commitment to a comprehensive and forward-looking defence partnership with India as a central pillar of our approach to the region.”

Rajnath Singh, in turn, said India too is keen to work together with the US to “release the full potential” of the bilateral “comprehensive global strategic partnership” with the agenda, including furthering intelligence and logistics cooperation.

Isro taking ties with Quad members to a higher orbit As Quad takes a leap forward, India is deepening space ties with the US, Japan and Australia - the other three member nations of the group.

Known as the “Quadrilateral Security Dialogue”, the Quad grouping held its first virtual summit recently.

The four countries plan to establish a series of working groups that will focus on climate change; critical and emerging technologies, including working to set technology

standards and norms and jointly developing some of the critical technologies of the future, officials said.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) recently shipped the S-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) to US space agency NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory as the joint NASA-ISRO SAR (NISAR) mission moved forward.

NISAR is a joint collaboration for a dualfrequency L and S-band SAR for earth observation.

“NISAR will be the first

satellite mission to use two different radar frequencies (L-band and S-band) to measure changes in our planet’s surface less than a

India’s vax exports almost double the shots given locally While the total number of Covid-19 jabs has slowly crossed 32.9 million doses since vaccinations began on January16, India has shipped nearly double the amount – 58 million doses - to 70 countries. The overall vaccination figure was put out by the health ministry, while MoS (health and family welfare) Ashwini Kumar Choubey gave a written reply in the Rajya Sabha about the export of Covid-19 vaccines.

The goal of vaccinating India’s millions could fall sharply behind at the existing rate of vaccination, experts said. The highest number of vaccinations in a single day - over three million shots - was recorded on March 15. There is at present a surge in cases, with certain states caught in what may be a second wave of the pandemic. This has led to demands for expediting vaccinations across the country by opening up inoculations to those outside the priority population as well as giving more doses to states that are the worst affected.

Several health experts, doctors, as well as Mahindra Group chairman Anand Mahindra and Biocon executive chairperson Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, have

urged the government to speed up vaccination of the general population to prevent a further surge in infections.

“Vaccinations need to be increased rapidly … The government should consider much greater private sector involvement and outreach vaccinations to get vaccines to the UK Prime Minister's former chief of staff, Sir Eddie Lister has travelled to India "to discuss bilateral relations”- believed to be mainly discussing vaccine diplomacy. He is due to visit Serum Institute too, the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, in a bid to secure more jabs for Britain, as the vaccine shortfall in the UK increases. vulnerable… No doses should be wasted; so, while we continue to vaccinate the priority population, all excess vaccines should be utilised on non-priority populations. Where cases are increasing or are predicted to increase, we should consider all-age vaccination in defined high-risk areas,” Gagandeep Kang, a professor at Christian Medical College, Vellore, said. At the existing rate of vaccination, it seems nearly 2% of the population would have been vaccinated.

centimetre across”, according to NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration).

The mission is targeted for launch in 2022 from ISRO’s Sriharikota spaceport in Andhra Pradesh’s Nellore district.

NASA is providing the mission’s L-band SAR, a high-rate communication subsystem for science data, GPS receivers, a solid-state recorder and payload data subsystem.

ISRO is providing the spacecraft bus, the S-band radar, the launch vehicle and associated launch services for the mission, whose goal is to make global measurements of the causes and consequences of land surface changes using advanced radar imaging. On March 11, Bengaluruheadquartered ISRO and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) reviewed the ongoing cooperation in earth observation, lunar cooperation and satellite navigation.

“Both sides have agreed to explore opportunities for cooperation in space situational awareness (SSA) and professional exchange programme”, according to ISRO. On the occasion, ISRO and JAXA signed an ‘Implementing Arrangement’ for collaborative activities on rice crop area and air

quality monitoring, using satellite data”. ISRO and JAXA have planned a joint mission - Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX) - to explore the Moon’s south pole in 2023.

LUPEX received a boost as Japan reportedly earmarked 2.8 billion Yen (USD 26 million) for it for the fiscal 2021. In February, ISRO and Australian Space Agency (ASA) inked an Amendment of the ‘2012 India Australia InterGovernmental MoU for cooperation in civil space science, technology and education.’

This amendment makes India’s department of space and ASA as the executive organisations and provides scope for other related entities to conclude implementing arrangements for specific cooperation activities.

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India abstains from UNHRC vote on Lanka’s human rights record India on Tuesday abstained from a crucial vote at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on Sri Lanka’s rights record, though New Delhi called on Colombo to carry forward the reconciliation process and address the aspirations of the Tamil minority.

The 47-member UNHRC adopted a resolution – sponsored by a group of countries that includes the UK, Germany and Canada – which gives UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet the mandate to collect and preserve evidence of crimes related to Sri Lanka’s civil war that ended in 2009 with the defeat of Tamil Tiger rebels.

A total of 22 countries voted for the resolution that was very critical of Sri Lanka’s failure to address human rights violations that occurred during the civil war.

The resolution also contended the human rights situation has

deteriorated under the Rajapaksa administration and that rights defenders and ethnic and religious minorities are facing problems.

Eleven countries, including Bangladesh, China and Pakistan, voted against the resolution, while 14 countries, including India, Indonesia, Japan and Nepal, abstained. In a statement before the voting on the resolution on “Promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka”, Pawankumar Badhe, first secretary at India’s permanent mission in Geneva, said New Delhi believes states have the primary responsibility for protecting human rights.

“We would urge the government of Sri Lanka to carry forward the process of reconciliation, address the aspirations of the Tamil community and continue to

engage constructively with the international community to ensure that the fundamental freedoms and human rights of all its citizens are fully protected,” Badhe said.

India’s approach to human rights in Sri Lanka, he said, was guided by “two fundamental considerations” – support to the Tamil minority for equality, justice, dignity and peace, and ensuring the unity, stability and territorial integrity of the island nation. “We have always believed that these two goals are mutually supportive and Sri Lanka’s progress is best assured by simultaneously addressing both objectives,” he added.

India also supports the world community’s call for Sri Lanka to fulfil its commitments on devolution of political authority to the Tamils, including through early holding of elections to

provincial councils and ensuring that these councils are able to operate effectively in line with the 13th amendment to Sri Lanka’s Constitution, Badhe said.

Though the Sri Lankan government reached out to India to vote against the resolution at the UNHRC, New Delhi has been irked with Colombo for reneging on a 2019 tripartite India-JapanSri Lanka agreement for developing the East Container Terminal at Colombo port.

The Sri Lankan government scrapped the deal last month following pressure from labour

Mithun Chakraborty missing from BJP's final list for Bengal The West Bengal BJP on Tuesday released what could be its final list of candidates for the upcoming Assembly polls. It has 13 names - but no Mithun Chakraborty. From Rashbehari, the seat many believed was reserved for the 'Dada' of Bengali cinema, the party has fielded retired Lieutenant General Subrata Saha, who was in charge of Kashmir during crucial years. BJP sources had earlier said that the prestigious south Kolkata seat was being kept open for the actor ever since he shared the dais with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the BJP's mega Brigade Parade Ground rally in Kolkata on March 7.

That's also where the actor delivered his popular line from the Bengali film MLA Fatakeshto: "I will hit you here and your body will land at the crematorium." He also delivered a new election line that day: "I am not a harmless water snake or a harmless desert snake. I am a pure cobra. With one strike, I will turn you into a photograph." All this to a rousing reception.

On top of it, in recent weeks, he had also enlisted as a voter in Kolkata, transferring his voting card from Mumbai. For the moment, though, hopes of him contesting the polls have been dashed. However, there is nothing to stop him from being fielded later, replacing an existing candidate. The polls in Bengal are, after all, scheduled across eight phases and the last date of nomination for final phase comes around mid-April.

In some consolation for his fans, Chakraborty is scheduled to campaign in Nandigram on March 30 for Suvendu Adhikari. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is likely to be present at that roadshow.

Meanwhile, former Chief Economic Advisor Ashok Lahiri, fielded earlier from Alipurduar in North Bengal and then replaced, is back as candidate from Balurghat.

A key change in the list published pertains to Gaighata in North 24 Parganas district where the new candidate is Subrata Thakur. He is the brother of Shantanu Thakur, the BJP

unions and instead offered to develop the West Container Terminal with Indian and Japanese investors.

Sri Lanka’s foreign minister Dinesh Gunawardena made a distinction while thanking countries that voted against the resolution or abstained. In a tweet, he appreciated “the support shown at Geneva” by countries such as India and Japan that abstained, and in another tweet, he extended a “very warm Thank You for solid support” shown by countries that voted against the resolution.

Will sell produce in Parliament, says Rakesh Tikait MP representing the Matua community, believed to be upset with the party for failing to implement the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and lifting the uncertainty over their citizenship. It was also said to be upset over no Matua member being fielded in the 30-40 seats where they hold the deciding vote. Thakur is reported to have met with Shah, after which the party decided to name his brother for Gaighata. Names have also been changed for Chowringhee and Kashipore-Belgachia, where those listed earlier had protested saying they had never agreed to become the party's candidates. Shikha Mitra, the former Trinamool MLA from Chowringhee and the wife of the late Congress leader Somen Mitra, was furious at being named without her consent. The original candidate named by the BJP for KashiporeBelgachia turned out to be an active Trinamool member.

Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait said that food growers will sell their produce at the Parliament complex as part of the protest against the Centre’s farm laws, assuring they will not be divided. “They tried to split us on the lines of caste and religion. But we will not be divided. You will have to march towards Delhi with your tractors. You will have to sell our produce at Assemblies, Collectorate and the Parliament. The Prime Minister said you can sell your produce anywhere. We will sell it anywhere, even in Parliament. There can be no bigger mandi than the Parliament,” said Tikait at a Kisan Mahapanchayat in Jaipur’s Vidhyadhar Nagar stadium.

He added that the day the Sanyukta Kisan Morcha gives a date, people from Rajasthan should surround Delhi. “Delhi has been surrounded from all sides. Our movement has spread to the entire country. You will have to rise. Especially our youth, it is your responsibility to take this movement forward,” said Tikait, who, of late, has been addressing a number of Kisan Mahapanchayats across Rajasthan. He added that the country will be saved only when slogans of Jai Ram, Jai Bhim, Allahu Akbar and Har Har Mahadev are chanted. Tikait also appointed Raja Ram Meel, president of the Rajasthan Jat Mahasabha, as the Rajasthan president of the Bharatiya Kisan Union. The other speakers at the rally included Bhim Army founder Chandra Shekhar Azad and Yogendra Yadav. Azad said that in order to get freedom, farmers, labourers and all those who love the country will have to unite. Citing the current prices of food crops such as moong, wheat and bajra in Rajasthan, Yadav said farmers are forced to sell their produce at much lower prices than the minimum support price (MSP) fixed by the government.

India records more than 43,000 new Covid cases on a single day India recorded 43,846 new coronavirus cases in a day, the highest single-day rise so far this year, taking the nationwide Covid19 tally to 1,15,99,130, according to the Union health ministry data. Registering an increase for the 11th day in a row, the total active caseload has increased to 3,09,087, which now comprises 2.66% of the total infections, while the recovery rate has further dropped to 95.96%, the data stated.

The daily rise in infections was the highest recorded in115 days. The death toll increased to1,59,755 with197 daily new fatalities, the highest in 97 days. As many as 44,489 new infections were recorded in a span of 24 hours on November 26. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to1,11,30,288, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.38%, the data stated.

India’s Covid-19 tally had crossed the 20,00,000 mark on August 7, 30,00,000 on August 23, 40,00,000 on September 5 and 50,00,000 on September 16. It went past 60,00,000 on September 28, 70,00,000 on October 11, crossed 80,00,000 on October 29, 90,00,000 on November 20 and surpassed the 10 million on December 19.

According to the ICMR, 23,35,65,119 samples have been tested up to March 20 with 11,33,602 samples being tested on Saturday.

Maharashtra also recorded 92 deaths, by far the highest in the country, followed by Punjab (44), Kerala (15), Chhattisgarh (11), Tamil Nadu (8) and Karnataka (7).

Besides Maharashtra, 15 other states reported their highest daily cases since January or earlier. Punjab, in the midst of its worst surge in cases since the pandemic's peak, reported 2,587 new infections on Saturday, the highest in over six months since September19 last year.

Karnataka reported 1,798 new cases, the highest since November 24; Gujarat 1,565, highest since November 28; Madhya Pradesh1,308, highest since December 10; Chhattisgarh 1,273, highest since December 23 and Tamil Nadu 1,243, highest since December14. Infections were inching up in Delhi, which logged 813 fresh cases, the highest since December 24.

Gujarat Covid cases double Analysis of weekly cases in Gujarat reveals that the state recorded a spike of 82% in seven days – higher than the Covid19 surge in the post-Diwali period. In fact,

10 out of 33 districts or 30% of the state districts at least doubled the cases. Only two districts – Anand (-9.8%) and Gir Somnath (-17.9%) – recorded negative trends, whereas 31 recorded rise in the cases. Gujarat in 24 hours added 1,580 new cases and reported deaths of seven patients. Out of four major districts, Surat saw an increase in cases by 116% (1,270 to 2,746) whereas Ahmedabad by 112% (1,052 to 2,232). Rajkot and Vadodara reported a rise of 72% and 22% respectively.

Among the districts reporting at least 20 new cases, Surendranagar (from 6 to 29) and Narmada (from 21 to 87) tripled the cases.

In a virtual interaction with the chief ministers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the disease seemed to be spreading in Tier II and III cities, in areas that were till now safe from the infection, and this could potentially put villages at risk. He said controlling the disease in villages would pose a serious challenge to the health infrastructure. Referring to use of vaccines, Modi said all efforts should be made to ensure minimum wastage and referred to a couple of states like Telangana and Andhra Pradesh where more than 10% of the shots were going waste. He said this meant people

needing the shots were being deprived. "Set the goal of zero wastage," he said.

He urged the chief ministers to act in a manner that does not create panic, noting that India has done well in combating the pandemic with a recovery rate of 96% and a low fatality rate. He said India's response to the pandemic was being praised but also said there was no room for slackness given that vaccination would help but was not the only solution. "It’s the same with any disease. If you have been treated for a cold, you will still use warm clothes." The PM urged the states to stress on micro containment zones, scaling up of RT-PCR tests and mass vaccinations to halt a countrywide outbreak once again.

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Holi: The Festival of Colours

The second biggest festival in the Hindu calendar after Diwali, Holi is around the corner. It announces the arrival of spring and welcomes new beginnings. Holi falls on Purnima or the day of the full moon in the Hindu month of Phalguna. Holi is celebrated for two days.

The first evening of the festival is called Holika Dahan – burning of the demon Holika. It is also referred as Chhoti Holi. In the evening, a bonfire is lit for a puja. It is meant to cleanse and burn away all the bad and evil. The second day of the festival is more of a fun day. People play with coloured powder and water. It is called Dhuleti, Dhulendi or Phagwah.

Significance Holi signifies the victory of good over evil. Tradition suggests even enemies turn friends on Holi and forget any feeling of hardship that may be present. There are no differences on this day. The rich and the poor, and people from separate social strata celebrate the festival together with a spirit of bonhomie and brotherhood. Holi also serves as the giving of thanks for a good harvest.

Mythology There are many interesting stories asso-

ciated with the origin of the festival.

However, the most popular relates to the burning of demon Holika. According to legends, there was a demon king Hiranyakashyap who wanted everyone to worship him. However, his son Prahlad, who was a staunch devotee of Lord Vishnu, refused to do so. Hiranyakashyap wished to end Prahlad's life and asked his sister Holika to take Prahlad in her arms and jump into blazing flames. Holika had been granted a boon that made her immune to fire. What she did not know was that the boon only applied when she entered the fire alone.

The incident proved fatal for her, while Prahlad was left unscathed. Ever since, the day is celebrated as the victory of good over bad.

Celebration The days nearing Holi are much more vibrant and cheerful. On the first night of the festival, people burn a community bonfire, gather, sing and dance around it. They burn coconuts, throw in popped barley, and pray for the safety of their loved ones. The next day, people play with colours, visit family and friends and make a day out of it.

Coloured water is splashed at each other,

and powdered colours are applied. The celebration usually ends by lunch, when a community feast is enjoyed.

Holi is mainly celebrated in India and Nepal. In India, Holi holds much significance in Mathura, Vrindavan, Gowardhan, Gokul, Nandagaon, and Barsana. Barsana's Lathmar Holi is known around the world.

How to protect your body and hair on Holi As vibrant as Holi colours are, many of them are chemically made. These are much cheaper than the alternative natural options and more accessible. These chemical-ridden colours possess harming qualities and can really mess up your skin and hair for days. In this article we give you a few tricks to protect your body this Holi.

1) Oil Before you venture out of your house, oil your hair and massage your scalps thor-

oughly. This will help avoid direct contact with synthetic colours.

2) Tie your hair up Never play Holi with open hair. If glamour is your concern, opt for a braided ponytail or other hairstyles that requires tying up your hair. Open hair can lead to tangles and knots and removing them can cause severe hair breakage and loss.

3) Opt for headgear One other option is to wear bandanas or a cap/hat to protect hair from roughness and dryness.

4) Apply petroleum jelly to exposed skin The same way as you apply oil to protect your hair, applying a light coat of Vaseline petroleum jelly to exposed skin which could be a fantastic way to easily wash off the colours after a day of playing with them.

Transferred ex- Mumbai police chief moves SC Former Mumbai police commissioner Parambir Singh on Monday filed a petition before the Supreme Court about his transfer to Home Guard Department. He sought direction for immediate "unbiased, uninfluenced, impartial and fair" CBI probe into alleged corrupt malpractices of Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh. In his petition, Singh said that his transfer was done in an "arbitrary and illegal" manner "without the completion of the minimum fixed tenure of two years".

"The said transfer was maliciously effected purportedly under Section 22N(2) of the Maharashtra Police Act, 1951 with the reason that the transfer was necessitated by “administrative exigencies”. It is settled law that the orders have to stand on the reasons contained in the same and no reasons can be supplemented later," the former top cop said in the petition.

Singh also said that as commissioner of Mumbai police, he ensured that the investigation in the Ambani security threat case is carried out in a fair and transparent manner, and also did not obstructed the probe by the NIA. The transfer is smeared with malice, and is solely based on conjectures, surmises and pure speculation, the petition further said.

Singh, a 1988 batch IPS officer, was last week transferred from the post of Mumbai police commissioner in the midst of a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the recovery of an explosives-laden SUV which was found parked outside the south Mumbai residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani on February 25.

Reacting to his transfer, Deshmukh said that Singh was removed because some "serious lapses" surfaced in the police probe in the Ambani bomb scare case. But Singh hit back with a letter to chief minister Uddhav Thackeray which has since shaken the polit-

Parambir Singh

ical field in Maharashtra. Singh claimed in the letter that Deshmukh asked arrested cop Sachin Vaze to extort money to the tune of £10 million per month from various establishments in Mumbai like hotels and bars.

While the constituents of the ruling Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) have stood behind Deshmukh, meetings are being held

by Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress to discuss how to resolve the crisis.

ATS arrested convicted cop, bookie Meanwhile, the Maharashtra anti-terrorism squad (ATS) arrested a convicted cop out on parole and a bookie for the alleged murder of Mansukh Hiran whose Scorpio was found laden with explosive near industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s residence on February 26.

The arrested have been identified as Vinayak Shinde (55), a constable convicted for the fake encounter of Chhota Rajan associate Ram Lakhan Bhaiya in 2007, and Naresh Ramniklal Gore (31), a bookie. Shinde, on parole since May 2020, worked with Sachin Waze in a team led by retired encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma. ATS suspects more policemen are involved in the killing prompted by Mansukh’s reluctance to take the rap for planting the explosives. Waze is alleged to have ordered the hit but may not have been

present when Mansukh was murdered.

Gore and Shinde were produced before the Thane ATS court, which remanded them in police custody till March 30. ATS chief Jaijeet Singh said bookie Gore had procured five SIM cards and handed them to Shinde who was in touch with Waze since his release on parole. These arrests are merely the tip of the iceberg, said an official, adding that more suspects, mostly cops, will be apprehended in a day or two. The two accused have not only admitted to their role but also spilled the beans on Waze and a few more cops who extended logistics support, the official said.

Waze had asked Mansukh to take responsibility for planting the explosives but

he refused, officials said. There are two theories regarding Waze’s reasons for fabricating a terror case. “Waze would crack the case and become a super cop. Or he and some other cops including a senior officer were hoping to get into a private security firm being launched by a corporate,” said an official.

Preliminary investigations suggest Waze eliminated Mansukh because he feared the latter would succumb to pressure and disclose the plan. The plot to kill Mansukh was hatched on March 2 during a meeting Waze held with two colleagues. It was the same day Waze asked Mansukh to draft a letter through an advocate alleging he was under pressure from police and the media, which was not the case.

No Holi celebrations in Gujarat Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel said the state government will only allow the ritual of Holika Dahan - lighting of Holi pyre - during the upcoming festival of HoliDhuleti in limited numbers and that no permission will be given for Holi celebration, like playing with colours.

“The government has not given permission for any Holi celebration that include crowd gathering, and throwing colours while running after each other. I am hopeful and confident that people of Gujarat, especially the youth, are quite aware and will follow the government rules by not playing Holi to contain Covid-19,” Patel said. Later, in an official release, Patel said that the state government has not imposed any kind of prohibition on lighting of Holi pyre during the festival and that people were free to light the pyre in limited numbers. Patel also appealed people to stay from celebrating the festival as a safety precaution owing to ongoing Covid-19 surge.

The statement added that strict police action will be taken against those who violate the order, a decision on which was taken at the meeting of the core committee headed by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. The annual festival of Holi-Dhuleti falls on March 28 and 29. Patel also said the Covid19 infections, which were emerging in the state, were having normal symptoms if compared to the first peak of the pandemic, and so “people need not panic but be careful”. He added there were enough facility to treat Covid-19 patients and the number of recovering patients has increased too.

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who went live on his social media account, reiterated that there won’t be any lockdown in the state and people need not panic. “Now, no new lockdown is going to be imposed.

Nobody’s business-occupation are going to be shut. Things will be normal with some restrictions. Nobody is required to panic by relying on rumours,” Rupani said.

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‘... for your tomorrow, we gave our today’ Commemorating the role of women in partnership with the Royal British Legion, Commonwealth Day and International Women's Day were celebrated by The Memorial Gates Council on March 8.

In his opening address, Lord Bilimoria CBE DL (Chairman, Memorial Gates Council) said, “This time, last year we held the Memorial Gates Ceremony at the Memorial Gates. How the world has changed over the last year, where the global pandemic and health crisis, economic crisis that has reverberated around the world.

And here we are holding this virtual commemoration event.

At the outset let me thank the whole British legion for their support and partnership with the memorial gates. We are this time, this year, celebrating the contribution of women. Just look at the women today. Her Royal Highness, Princess Anne has been to the rank of General in the Army and Chief Marshall in the RAF. Many women in the Commonwealth enlisted in the Women’s Auxiliary AirForce, the Auxiliary Territorial Service, served in Britain in the Second World War. India had its own Women’s Auxiliary Hall.”

He also explained how women were involved in telephony, calligraphy, and in deciphering codes and symbols.

They were mechanics, engineers, and they also interpreted aerial photographs.

Many members of the WAF worked in the Radar Control Systems and reporting, later

HAMPSTEAD THEATRE ANNOUNCES ITS FIRST LIVE PERFORMANCE DATES FOR 2021 Lord Bilimoria CBE DL

guiding fighter planes against German bombs. Probably the most famous member of the WAF was Noor-un-Nissa Inayat Khan whose family were from India, who served as a special operations executive.

She was an SOE agent under the codename Madeleine she became the first female wireless operator to be sent from the UK into occupied France to aid the French Resistance during World War II. Inayat Khan was captured after being betrayed, and at Dachau executed concentration camp. She was posthumously awarded the George Cross for her service in the SOE, the highest civilian decoration in the United Kingdom.

“It is sacrifices like Noor, service like hers and other women that we celebrate and commemorate. The 5 million individuals who served in World War I and II, in South Asia, Africa and the Caribbean, without their service and sacrifice, we wouldn’t enjoy the freedom we have today. They gave their today for our tomorrow. We thank you, we will always remember you and we will always be inspired by you,” he added.

Other keynote speakers

Major General Celia Jane Harvey OBE TD VR

included Lieutenant General James Ian Bashall CB CBE (National President, Royal British Legion), Major General Celia Jane Harvey OBE TD VR (Deputy Commander Field Army). Prayers were performed

by The Rt Rev and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally DBE (Bishop of London) and Ode to the Fallen - Catherine Davies (Head of Remembrance Programmes and Partnerships, Royal British Legion).

Major General Celia Jane Harvey OBE TD VR - Deputy Commander Field Army said, “The story of women in the British Army has been a journey of continuous service and ever increasing contribution. That contribution traces its roots back to the early days of nursing support in Crimean war, the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps in World War I, the Auxiliary Territorial Service in World War II and the Women’s Royal Army Corps. In 1992, women were integrated into noncombat arms and more recently into roles and hence ranks in the British Army, including infantry and special forces; an important milestone for equality and inclusion. That golden thread of women in British Army campaigns for 150 years continues today with

Major Mani Rai MBE DL

women confidently fulfilling their potential and taking up more leadership roles than ever before. The coinciding events of International Women’s Day and Commonwealth Day offer an ideal opportunity to observe and reflect and celebrate the service and contribution of female and Commonwealth soldiers through that journey of service. Currently, women make up about 12% of the army and over 4000 soldiers are from a Commonwealth background including nearly 400 women.

These officers and soldiers bring not only the knowledge and skills which any modern army needs, they also bring the richness and variety that is our Commonwealth. The sense of belonging permeates Defence as we respect, value and understand colleagues from different backgrounds all of whom share our values, the values of the British Army.”

Representing His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales was Major Mani Rai MBE DL. He laid a wreath on behalf of HRH The Prince of Wales.

Major Mani Rai was followed by Ms Gerardine Hogarth who represented the Memorial Gates Council and Catherine Davies who represented the Royal British Legion.

Nitin Sawhney to celebrate the release of his new album ‘Immigrants’ in a live streamed event Multi-award-winning musician, composer, songwriter and cultural pioneer Nitin Sawhney has announced a one-off live streamed event taking place on 27th March, celebrating the release of his brand new album ‘Immigrants’.

Nitin Sawhney is one of the most distinctive and versatile musical voices around today, achieving an international reputation across every possible creative medium. His endless creative curiosity in the worlds of music, film, video games, dance, and theatre have made him a formidable polymath across the whole artistic range of media associated with the music industry. With over 20 studio albums to his name, including solo albums, film soundtracks and compilations, along with

Road to Vrindavan With a runtime of 83 minutes, Road to Vrindavan is a project that is written and directed by Ravinol Chambers and produced by Ravin J Ganatra. The documentary has already been selected for several international film festivals. The documentary follows Ravinol on a

in brief

over 50 film scores, he has received a substantial number of major national and international awards for the work, including the Ivor Novello Lifetime Achievement award.

Recorded at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse which forms part of Shakespeare’s Globe on London’s Southbank, the intimacy and cultural importance of Nitin’s music is reflected in the surroundings of this filmic production, lit only by candles underneath the ornately painted ceiling in the replica Jacobean theatre, one of the most exceptional venues in the UK. The performance will be filmed in multi-camera HD, featuring live performances of tracks from ‘Immigrants’, alongside his extensive back catalogue, as well as a Q&A with

BBC Radio 4’s Anita Rani talking through his extraordinary career.

Nitin Sawhney said, “I am really looking forward to this performance at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, as it will be the first since lockdown in March last year. I particularly love this gorgeous and intimate venue for its mood and history, and feel it presents a fantastic opportunity to premier three tracks from the new album. plus more familiar material, live in such a beautiful space.”

The album is a unique celebration of immigrants around the world and showcases works inspired and contributed to by artists who either identify themselves as immigrants, are from immigrant heritage, or wish to express support for

1800Km Tuk-Tuk adventure across the west coast of India where he meets girls trying to overcome extreme cases of gender stereotypes. An award-winning filmmaker, Ravinol's company Be Inspired Films makes films designed to impact social change Ravinol is a multi awardwinning Irish born film director focusing on stories that cross boundaries and aim to connect us as humans at the deepest level. As a teenager in Dublin he wanted to be a stock broker, however life was

those international immigrants who have found themselves judged or disadvantaged by pure accident of birth.

Tickets for the event are available to purchase from and screened on Moment House.

There will also be an opportunity for fans to purchase tickets to an afterparty Q&A with Nitin, and a one-to-one meet & greet webchat. Full Stream Times: March 27 ––UK + Europe + Africa (6pm GMT, 1pm EST).

to take him on a very different journey. After studying a degree in Psychology he spent most of his twenties as a full time Krishna monk living and traveling in Ireland, Africa, India and the U.K. Road to Vrindavan is his debut feature documentary.

Ravin has worked as an actor and producer for over 25 years and is passionate about telling stories of human relationships and connecting characters across the divide. The phone call inviting Ravinol on this life-changing

Hampstead theatre has announced its first live performance dates for 2021. Alfred Fagon’s darkly compelling drama, the death of a black man will run from 28 May – 10 July 2021 on the main stage. With its witty and complex characters, Dawn Walton directs this rare revival from the black british playwriting canon, making her Hampstead directorial debut. Hampstead downstairs will reopen with the world premiere of Raya, Deborah Bruce’s funny and tender new play, from 11 June – 24 July 2021. Raya will be Hampstead theatre’s artistic director Roxana Silbert’s first downstairs production. Raya will feature acclaimed stage and screen actors, Claire Price, Bo Poraj, and Shannon Hayes. Both productions will be staged with social distancing in place for the duration of their runs. Public booking opens from wednesday 24 March at 10.30am. Plays to follow in 2021 include other Hampstead originals by Tennessee Williams and Marsha Norman and world premieres by Tom Wells, Mufaro Makubika and Katie Mitchell. Future programme details will be released as social distancing rules evolve.

EVERYTHING HAS BEEN THOROUGHLY PLANNED AT JOHN LYON SCHOOL John Lyon School, Harrow On The Hill is fully prepared to take the post-Covid world head on and wants to ensure that children have a conducive learning environment.

Speaking to Asian Voice, Ed Holmes, Director of Marketing & Communications John Lyon School said, “The school site has reopened successfully and we’re thrilled that classroom learning has resumed and to have busy pupils back on site participating in face to face lessons, as well as sport, music and drama among other activities. The largescale rapid flow testing has run smoothly, while all of the other measures we had in place last term continue to operate: from one-way systems, to increased mask wearing, and the numerous sanitation stations, to fixed classroom seating plans and different areas where each year group spends their break times. Everything has been thoroughly planned and it’s really good to see all pupils and staff working well with the measures that have been put in place for everyone’s safety.”

adventure that would begin with the Tuk-Tuk challenge came from Ravin and the rest as they say is history.

The documentary follows Ravinol on a life-changing journey across India. Ravinol had

previously lived in India as a monk in his 20s where he adopted many questionable sexist views about women. Being called "a brave, beautiful and inspirational" film by Malala Yousafzai's father Ziauddin, this 4 years in the making feature-length documentary focuses on the challenge millions of girls in India face as a result of gender. One of the key takeaways includes the importance of educating boys differently if we want a safer, better world for women.

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Alia is the best bridesmaid for BFF Rhea Chatterjee If the internet is to be believed, Alia Bhatt had quite the blast at best friend Rhea Chatterjee's wedding earlier this month. The actress attended the Jaipur wedding and recently shared some pictures of the festivities. Several fan accounts shared photos and videos from the venu. Some pictures show her applying mehendi on the bride's hands, while others showed her shaking a leg on stage.

Alia had previously shared a picture of herself with her friends. She captioned the photo, “We keep this love in a photograph, we make these memories for ourselves.” A lot

has been said about the actress and her boyfriend Ranbir Kapoor's possible wedding. Kapoor had said last year that they would've tied the knot already had it not been for the pandemic. Alia also delighted fans recently with an advertisement featuring her as a bride.

On the work front, Alia has multiple projects in the pipeline like Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Gangubai Kathiawadi', SS Rajamouli's 'RRR', and Ayan Mukerji's 'Brahmastra'. She also recently announced her production venture 'Darlings'.

No one questions you when things are going well: Siddharth Malhotra Sidharth Malhotra has already spent a decade in Bollywood since his debut with Karan Johar's 'Student of the Year'.

Living with a jam-packed schedule, he says is a part of the game. “Every actor, at any level in India or anywhere else in the world, will experience both highs and lows. They all come with their set of learnings. I think the lows teach you much more than the highs.”

While his last theatrical venture, 'Marjaavaan' was a success, he said there were several films that did not meet the audience and box office expectations. “I think no one questions you when things are going correctly, when movies are working well. No one really introspects, questions or even criticises you. But

Sonu Sood honored by SpiceJet, featured on aircraft Sonu Sood has become the first Indian actor to be honored by a domestic airline. Private airline SpiceJet dedicated an aircraft livery for a Boeing 737 to the actor for his humanitarian efforts during the coronavirus crisis. It included a picture of him with a text saying, 'A salute to the saviour Sonu Sood.”

Sonu Sood said in a statement, “To be honest, I am quite taken aback by this huge honour. This is a really sweet and touching gesture on SpiceJet's part and I am overwhelmed with such a lovely present. I hope that I can keep making everyone proud with my work. I am also thankful to SpiceJet for their effort of bringing back so many Indians from different parts of the world safety to their homeland during the pandemic.”

Sonu Sood grabbed headlines last year for his philanthropic efforts when he helped migrants working in big cities reach home to their villages and towns. He provided transport and succour to them, and even mortgaged his own property in Mumbai to raise £1 million to help the needy. He even wrote about his life and experiences in his memoir 'I Am No Messiah', which was published in late 2020.

when the low comes, that's when the real learning comes in. You get that kind of feedback, you want to work much harder, on yourself, stories, scripts etc. I think it definitely drives you.”

Sidharth says his experiences in the last nine years has driven him much more. “There was a certain drive when I was struggling as an actor who came to Bombay... there were highs and lows as well. And today, I'm an established actor, working in many movies – there's a different drive. So, I think my way of dealing with the lows is the most aggressive and typical. I go into my own space and try to work on what I feel is needed and try to work harder and look forward.”

Akshay reveals Jacqueline, Nushrratt's hidden talents Actors Akshay Kumar, Jacqueline Fernandez and Nushrratt Bharuccha are currently in Ayodhya for the “muhurat puja” of their next film 'Ram Setu'. Akshay has been constantly posting updates on the trip. He also posted a funny video with both the actresses showcasing their talents.

Posting a video where Jacqueline and Nushrratt are both doing their make-up in a moving bus, he wrote, “Sharing the view on my left and right. . . our version of India's Got Talent What say? @Asli_Jacqueline @Nushrratt”. Akshay had earlier shared a photo of all three together, with a caption that read, “A special film, a special start. . . Team #RamSetu of to Ayodhya for the mahurat shot. And so the journey begin. Need special wishes from all you guys”.

Directed by Abhishek Sharma, 'Ram Setu' will be co-produced by streaming platform Amazon Prime Video along with Abundantia Entertainment, Lyca Productions and Akshay's Cape of Good Films.

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Priyanka on Oprah Winfrey show, talks family and career Multinational star Priyanka Chopra's interview with 'Super Soul' host Oprah Winfrey aired over the weekend, garnering a lot of buzz. The topic of conversation weighed heavily on the actress' recently released memoir 'Unfinished: A Memoir'. Through her book, Chopra talked about her childhood, career, family, and relationships.

During the interview, she talked about her father's test, stating that her faith was tested. When asked about it, she said, “I was very angry. My relationship with God changed a little bit. But then at the same time, I feel like God helped me find salvation and come out of it too. But at that time, it was tested.

Oh man, I went to every temple there was to go to.” She said she did everything in her capacity to prolong his death.

She spoke about religion, and said India exposed her to nearly every major

Genre: Indian Drama Duration: 6 episodes Streaming On: Netflix

Bombay Begums

About her relationship, she said that with Nick, she may have judged the “book by its cover.” Priyanka said, “I may have judged the book by the cover.

I didn't honestly take it very seriously when Nick was texting me. I was 35, I was like, 'I want to get married, I want to have kids. He's in his 20s, I don't like if that's something he'd want to do'. I did that to myself for a while, till I actually went out with him.”

religion and its practices. Priyanka also talked about her time in Boston as a teenager. Calling herself a target of intense racially-provoked bullying, she said, “High school is hard anyway. To be coming of age, to understand your body as a woman. At the same time being devalued for something I couldn't change. I wasn't aware that this is something I should feel embarrassed about.”

Bombay Begums is an Indian TV series that has recently started streaming on Netflix and it is based around the lives of five women living in the bustling city of Mumbai who are from different backgrounds and social statuses, who find their lives start becoming interconnected.

Best Hindi film award for Sushant's 'Chhichhore' The National Awards for films released in the year 2019 were announced in New Delhi on Monday. 'Chhichhore', starring Sushant Singh Rajput who committed suicide last year, won Best Hindi Film. Kangana Ranaut won her fourth National Award - Best Actress for her work in the films 'Manikarnika' and 'Panga'.

The Malayalam film 'Marakkar Arabikadalinte Simham' won Best Film; it also picked up the award for Best Special Effects. The National Award for Best Actor was shared by Manoj Bajpayee for his performance in 'Bhonsle' and Dhanush for 'Asuran' which also won Best Tamil Film. Vijay Sethupathi won Best Supporting Actor for 'Super Deluxe' and Pallavi Joshi was awarded Best Supporting Actress for 'The Tashkent Files.'

Sikkim was declared the most filmfriendly state. 'Gumnaami,' based on Netaji Subhash Bose, won Best Bengali Film and Best Adapted Screenplay.

'Jallikattu', the Oscar entry from India this year, won Best Cinematography.

The story is narrated by Shai played by Aadhya Anand. But from the outset it is made clear that it centres around Rani played by the magnificent Pooja Bhatt. Rani is a business woman who managed to climb the professional ladder and is appointed as the CEO of a bank. However, with this comes the responsibility of hiding some dark secrets and problems. Rani is also finding it very difficult to connect with her stepdaughter. She also has issues with her son who crashes his car into someone.

Fatima works under Rani and through her life she does everything to try and please her husband.

She is also trying to climb that professional ladder but a surprise pregnancy stopes her in her tracks.

Then there is a Lily who lives in a chawl, a lowincome residential estate. She was a bar dancer but now she is on a mission to make a better life for her and her son, but to do so she is scamming her way through life. Finally, there is Ayesha, who a bisexual from a small town in India and has recently moved to Mumbai.

The list of winners: Best Feature Film: 'Marakkar Arabikadalinte Simham' (Malayalam); Best Direction: Bahattar Hoorain; Best Actress: Kangana Ranaut ('Manikarnika', 'Panga'); Best Actor: Manoj Bajpayee for 'Bhonsle' and Dhanush for 'Asuran'.

Best Supporting Actress: 'The Tashkent Files', Pallavi Joshi; Best Supporting Actor: Vijaya Sethupathi, 'Super Deluxe' ; Best Children Film: 'Kastoori' (Hindi); Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of Director: Helen (Malayalam); Special Mention: 'Biryani' (Malayalam), 'Jonaki Porua' (Assamese), 'Lata Bhagwan Kare' (Marathi), 'Picasso' (Marathi).

Taapsee works on cover drive for 'Shabaash Mithu' Actor Taapsee Pannu is seemi n g l y working hard for her upcoming character Mithali Raj, for her biopic titled 'Shabaash Mithu'. The actor, who began preparing for the role earlier this year, has been sharing a lot of updates on her social media. In the latest post, we see Taapsee working on her cover drive. She shared a picture, with a caption that said, “Taking the cover drive literally!”

The post saw a comment from Shahid Kapoor, who called it “sharp”.

The actor himself shot for a cricketbased film recently. He will soon be seen in the official Hindi-remake of Nani's Telugu hit 'Jersey'.

Meanwhile, Taapsee also shared another photo on Instagram. She quoted cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in her caption. She wrote, ``People throw stones at you and you convert them into milestones.”

On the work front, Taapsee recently wrapped 'Looop Lapeta', and also shot for Anurag Basu's 'Dobaara'.

Taapsee also has 'Haseen Dilruba', 'Rashmi Rocket' and 'Woh Ladki Hai Kahaan' in her kitty.

As we watch these women navigate their way through Mumbai we will find as viewers we relate to a lot of the issues and problems they are facing and the series touches on various subjects and the struggles of women.

Although from the outset it seems like this is another Four More Shots Please the women in Bombay Begums are very different to those in Four More Shots Please. The Writer/Director Alankrita Shrivastava has said she is hoping that women in India and across the world will be able to connect with the characters and appreciate the plight of working women.

You can get in touch with Vallisa: djvallisa@gmail.com

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Kajal Aggarwal reveals real reason why 'Indian 2' shoot has been stalled It is no secret that Kamal Haasan-starrer 'Indian 2' came to a screeching halt in February last year after a freak accident on sets killed three technicians. In a recent interview, actress Kajal Aggarwal revealed why the shoot has continued to be stalled. Interacting with the media during a promotional event for her upcoming Telugu release 'Mosagallu', Kajal said that since most of the crew members of the film are from the US, they have been unable to travel to India due to the pandemic, pushing the shoot to be delayed indefinitely.

Kajal was present on set when a crane with heavy-

duty light came crashing down, leaving three dead and 10 injured. The team announced an aid of £100,000 each to the family of the deceased. They handed over cheques last week to the family members in the presence of Film Employees Federation of South India (FEFSI) president RK Selvamani. Another Rs 90,00,000 was handed over to another severely injured technician named Ramarajan.

'Indian 2' marks the reunion of filmmaker Shankar and Kamal Haasan after two decades. Being produced on a lavish budget, the movie stars Rakul Preet Singh, Siddharth, and Priya Bhavani Shankar among others.

Being an actor is a full time job, says Malavika Mohanan Actress Malavika Mohanan has spent eight years in the film industry, and yet finds it difficult to comprehend the need for actors to look their best round the clock.

In a recent interview, she said, “The one thing I still don't get is looking glamorous all the time. I can't. And this paparazzi culture, arre yaar, yeh kya hai?

(What is this?) I am somebody who loves to dress up, but when stepping out to go to a salon or restaurant, I am always in loose clothes with

my hair tied in a bun. I do not like putting on makeup every single day, and like to let my skin breathe.”

She adds, “When you get papped in these kinds of clothes, you look ridiculous. And then you realise, you are going to be clicked, so you have to put on some makeup, which is another process.

It is an added two hours to getting ready. So you have to look good all the time.”

The actress has taken off in Telugu and Tamil industry with films like 'Master' and 'Petta'. She will be next seen in Bollywood with 'Yudhra', starring opposite Sidhant Chaturvedi.

TV Listing

Fahadh Faasil set to play antagonist in Allu Arjun's next

Makers of Allu Arjun's upcoming Telugu venture 'Pushpa' have announced the role of Malayalee actor Fahadh Faasil as the antagonist. They made the announcement via a special video. The movie

will mark Fahadh's debut in the Telugu industry. He had made his Tamil debut a few years ago with the role of antagonist in 'Velaikkaran'.

Producers Mythri Movie Makers posted a tweet saying, “Welcoming #FahadhFaasil on board for the biggest face-off @alluarjun @iamRashmika @aryasukku @ThisIsDSP @PushpaMovie #VillainOfPushpa #Pushpa”. The movie is tipped to be a forest-based thriller. Arjun's maiden pan-Indian project, it will be released in five languages. The movie is based on red sandalwood smuggling. 'Pushpa' also stars Rashmika Mandanna in the female lead.

* Schedule is subject to change

MON 29 MAR FRI 2 APR 2021 14:30 KASAM 16:00 THE GREAT INDIAN GLOBAL KITCHEN 19:00 UDAARIYAAN 19:30 CHOTI SARDAARNI 20:00 SHAKTI 20:30:00 MOLKKI

Nani introduces Adivi Sesh as star for upcoming Telugu production Actor Nani took to social media to introduce Adivi Sesh as the lead in his Telugu production 'HIT: The 2nd Case'. Unravelling a poster to mark the announcement of the second chapter in the franchise, Nani wrote that Sesh will be seen playing an even more badass character than Vishwak Sen's role in the first part.

“AS is KD @AdiviSesh is Krishna Dev :)) Double badass Welcome onboard officer #HIT2 @KolanuSailesh @PrashantiTipirn @Garrybh88 @maniDop @Meenachau6 @komaleeprasad @JohnSEduri @ManishaADutt pic.twitter.com/EwaKAsevQ9”, he wrote.

Sesh will be seen playing Homicide Intervention Team (HIT) character Krishna Dev. The project will be produced by Nani and directed by Sailesh Kolanu. Nani made a blockbuster entry into productions with 2018's

* Schedule is subject to change

'Awe'. It was exceptionally well received by audiences and fared well at the box office. The movie featured Kajal Aggarwal in the lead as a character suffering from multiple split personality disorder.

MON 29 MAR FRI 2 APR 2021 8:30 BHARADWAJ BAHUEIN 16:00 SILSILA BADALTE RISHTON KA 16:30 THE RASOI SHOW 17:30 CHHUTA CHHEDA 18:00 TUM KAUN PIYA 18:30 DIL KA RISHTA 19:00 BHAGYA KA LIKHA 20:00 DIL SE DIL TAK 20:30 BARRISTER BABU 21:00 BALIKA VADHU - LAMHE PYAAR KE

21:00:00 PINJARA KHUBSOORTI KA 21:30:00 BAWARA DIL 22:00:00 NAMAK ISSK KA SATURDAY 27 MAR 16:00 THE GREAT INDIAN GLOBAL KITCHEN 18:30 DESI BEAT RESET 19:00 UDAARIYAAN 19:30 CHOTI SARDAARNI 20:00 SHAKTI 20:30 BEST OF DESI BEAT 21:30 DANCE DEEWANE 3 SUNDAY 28 MAR 16:00 THE GREAT INDIAN GLOBAL KITCHEN 18:30 MIRCHI MUSIC AWARDS 2020 21:30 DANCE DEEWANE 3

SATURDAY 27 MAR 11:00 DESI BEAT SEASON 2 16:00 SILSILA BADALTE RISHTON KA 16:30 THE RASOI SHOW 17:30 DESI BEAT SEASON 3 18:00 KHATRA KHATRA KHATRA 19:00 BHAGYA KA LIKHA 20:00 DIL SE DIL TAK 20:30 BARRISTER BABU 21:00 BALIKA VADHU - LAMHE PYAAR KE SUNDAY 28 MAR 11:00 DESI BEAT SEASON 2 16:00 SILSILA BADALTE RISHTON KA 16:30 THE RASOI SHOW 17:30 DESI BEAT SEASON 3 18:00 KHATRA KHATRA KHATRA 19:00 BHAGYA KA LIKHA 20:00 DIL SE DIL TAK 20:30 DESI BEAT RESET 21:00 BALIKA VADHU - LAMHE PYAAR KE

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India take 1-0 lead in ODI series Debutants Krunal Pandya and Prasidh Krishna made the big stage their own to give an allround India a convincing 66run victory over world champions England in the first ODI of the three-match series, on Tuesday. After under-fire opener Shikhar Dhawan delivered with a solid 98, Krunal (58 not out off 31) smashed the fastest fifty by a debutant to fire India to 317 for five following England's decision to field. At 135 for no loss in the 15th over, with Jason Roy (46 off 35) and Jonny Bairstow (94 off 55) going strong, England seemed to be running away with the chase before Krishna (4/54) and Shardul Thakur (3/37) shared seven wickets between them to script a winning comeback.

The 25-year-old Krishna's figures were the best by an Indian debutant as England's innings ended at 251 in 42.1 overs. Considering the nature of the surface, it was a commendable effort from the Indian bowlers, who carried on from the T20 series to defend gettable targets with remarkable ease. Krishna, who leaked 37 runs in his first three overs, came back strongly and troubled the batsmen with his

ability to generate extra bounce.

Thakur once again provided the breakthroughs when the team needed and senior pro Bhuvneshwar Kumar too chipped in with a couple of wickets towards the end.

England had the game in the bag but were guilty of throwing it away, failing to build on the flier of a start given Bairstow and Roy. Earlier, Dhawan and Virat Kohli (56 off 60) shared 105 runs for the second wicket before Krunal (58 not out off 31) and K L Rahul (62 not out off 43) sent England on a leather hunt with their unbeaten 112-run stand off 57 balls to take the team past 300. Dhawan hammered 11 fours and two sixes in his 106-ball knock while Krunal plundered seven fours and two maximums in his entertaining innings. Rahul also got welcome runs after a lean run in the T20 series.

Put into bat, Rohit Sharma (28 off 42) and Dhawan shared 64 runs for the opening wicket.

Dhawan hammered two successive fours, a square-cut and drive, in the seventh over, while Rohit struck two successive boundaries in the ninth over.

Dhawan, who lost his place

in the playing eleven for T20s after a wretched run of form, got a 'life' when he hooked over fine-leg to get his fourth boundary. India were placed at 64/0 after 15 overs. However, Rohit soon perished, getting an outside edge to wicket-keeper Jos Buttler off Stokes. Skipper Kohli joined Dhawan and the

Kohli and Dhawan took on Ali, and the 29th over fetched India 15 runs. Kohli, who raced to his 61st ODI fifty in 50 balls, was dismissed, after he was caught in the deep off pacer Mark Wood (2/75).

India lost their way in the middle overs before Krunal and Rahul went on the offensive.

two rallied the innings. Kohli got his first boundary, a cover drive, on the 17th ball and was in his element as he relied on drives and pulls.

Dhawan brought up his fifty with a maximum, a slogsweep, off 68 balls, in the 24th over, and then changed gears.

He got another life after Moeen Ali dropped a sitter at deepmid-wicket off Adil Rashid.

Dhawan pulled one straight to Eoin Morgan at mid-wicket to miss out on a hundred. There were a lot of injuries in the field with Shreyas Iyer, Sam Billings and Eoin Morgan going down.

Both Billings and Morgan returned to bat but Shreyas could not take the field after dislocating his left shoulder, which also puts him in doubt for the IPL starting next month.

India beat England, clinch T20 series After the blistering halfcenturies by skipper Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, Indian bowlers restricted England to 188/8 to register a 36-run win in the fifth T20I at the Narendra Modi in Ahmedabad on Saturday. With this win, India clinched the five-match series by 3-2 and now both the teams will face off in the three-match ODI series.

Chasing a mammoth target of 225, England had a miserable start as their opener Jason Roy (0) was sent back to the pavilion by pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the first over of the innings.

Dawid Malan joined Jos Buttler in the middle and the duo started the onslaught on Indian bowlers and kept the scoreboard ticking with a healthy run-rate.

Malan and Buttler scored all around the park and kept on scoring boundaries at regular intervals.

The duo guided the side to the three-figure mark in the 10th over. After the completion of ten overs, England’s score read 104/1.

Meanwhile, Malan completed his half-century off 33 balls in the 11th over. In the next over, Buttler too completed his fifty off 30 balls.

When the things looked beyond India’s reach,

Bhuvneshwar brought hosts back in the game and scalped Buttler (52) in the 13th over.

Buttler’s knock was studded with four sixes and two fours. Buttler and Malan had a 130run partnership for the second wicket. Jonny Bairstow came in to bat at number four but his stay did not last long as Shardul Thakur scalped two wickets in his 16th over and India on top.

Thakur bagged Bairstow (7) and then skipper Eoin Morgan (1) in the same over.

New batsmen Ben Stokes and Chris Jordan arrive at the crease to rescue the side.

England were at 144/5 in 16 overs. The side required 81 runs off the last four overs. In search of quick runs, Stokes got victim of T Natarajan and departed after scoring 14 runs. Jofra Archer (1) too returned cheaply on the last ball of the penultimate over. He fell short of his crease and was run out. In the end, England was only able to score 188/8 in their allotted 20 overs. Sam Curran remained unbeaten on 14 runs off three balls.

For India, Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowled very economically and built pressure

in brief TEAM INDIA PLAYERS TO GET BREAK BEFORE IPL The members of the Indian ODI team will have a break of a maximum of four days post the three-match series against England in Pune before entering the bubble for this season’s IPL. According to the standard operating procedures (SOP) released by the Indian cricket board (BCCI), players who are part of the ongoing series will not have to serve mandatory seven-day quarantine if they move in to the franchise bubble directly from the bubble of the Indian team. “After conclusion of the India-England series, the players are moved directly to the franchise team hotel either in the team bus or on a chartered flight.

The BCCI chief medical officer (CMO) must be satisfied with the arrangements,” says the SOP. The series against England ends on March 28. Majority of players who have been in a tough bubble since last August may opt for a break and go back to their homes before the 50-day tournament gets underway. With the IPL starting on April 9, the players will have to get inside the bubble latest by April 2.

IPL franchises can start pre-season camps with seven-day hard quarantine. However, the BCCI is still awaiting the government nod to make vaccines available for elite athletes.

SHARATH, MANIKA SEAL MIXED BERTH FOR OLY India’s Sharath Kamal and Manika Batra had their task cut out against World No. 5 South Korean pair of Sangsu Lee and Jihee Jeon in the mixed doubles finals of the Asian Olympic qualifiers in Doha on Saturday. Ranked No. 18 in the world, the Indian pair came up with a stunning come-from-behind 4-2 win (8-11, 611, 11-5,11-6,13-11,11-8) to seal a Tokyo berth.

With this being the last chance for Sharath and Manika to seal their places in the mixed doubles draw, it was important to start well.

But the Korean pair cruised to a 2-0 lead after winning the first two games11-8,11-6.The match turned on its head in the third when Sharath and Manika opened up a decisive 9-2 lead and sealed the game 11-5. The fourth game saw both pairs pocketing a majority of points on their opponents’ serves. India got a 7-3 lead and closed out the game11-6. The fifth game had India calling the shots early on.

SINDHU CRASHES OUT on the English batsmen. He returned with the figures of 2-16 in his four overs. Shardul Thakur bagged three wickets while Hardik Pandya and T Natarajan scalped one wicket each.Earlier, skipper Kohli played a knock of 80 runs while Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav played knocks of 64 and 32 respectively as the hosts posted 224/2 in the allotted twenty overs. However, the telling blow, in the end, came from Hardik Pandya as the swashbuckling all-rounder played an innings of 39 runs off just 17 balls.

Put in to bat first, India got off to their best start in this series as openers Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli put on 60 runs inside the first six overs. Both batsmen accumulated boundaries and the hosts were looking set for a big score. Rohit continued with his carnage and as a result, he brought up his half century in the eighth over of the innings.

In trying to further accelerate the innings, Rohit (64) ended up getting an inside edge and the ball went to the stumps and as a result, he was dismissed by Ben Stokes.

Suryakumar Yadav came into bat at number three and he made his intentions known from the very start as he dispatched his second and third balls for a maximum off the bowling of Adil Rashid.

Suryakumar Yadav (32) was in full destruction mode, but Chris Jordon pulled off an effort for the ages at the boundary rope as he helped in sending the right-handed batsman back to the pavilion. In the final four overs, Pandya and Kohli went berserk and the hosts ended up with a total of more than the 220-run mark.

Brief Scores: India 224/2 (Virat Kohli 80*, Rohit Sharma 64, Ben Stokes 1-26); England 188/8 (Dawid Malan 68, Jos Buttler 52; Bhuvneshwar Kumar 2-16, Shardul Thakur 3-45).

PV Sindhu crashed out of the All England Championships with a 17-21, 9-21 loss to Pornpawee Chochuwong of Thailand in the semifinals last week. A day after her brilliant show against Akane Yamaguchi of Japan, which she won 16-21, 21-16, 21-19, Sindhu struggled against Pornpawee. Perhaps, the tiring one hour, 16 minute encounter against Yamaguchi earlier took its toll on Sindhu.

Pornpawee will face Nozomi Okuhara of Japan in the final. Sindhu started well, but at 6-9 in the first game, she misjudged a couple of line calls and allowed Pornpawee to move ahead 11-6. The Indian soon cut the deficit to 15-16, but could not hold on and lost both the sets. “I have to learn from my mistakes and take the positives. I don’t have a tournament for another month so I have time to prepare and come back stronger,” Sindhu added.

SA PLAYERS TO MISS PAK T20 SERIES None of the players contracted in the Indian Premier League will play for South Africa in a Twenty20 international series against Pakistan, Cricket South Africa said. Quinton de Kock, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, David Miller and Anrich Nortje will play for their country in three ODIs against Pakistan but will miss a fourmatch T20 series in order to play in the IPL. Former captain Faf du Plessis, who also has an IPL deal, was not included in either squad. This is in accordance with an agreement between CSA and the Indian cricket board.