INdia Herald 052919

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India Herald

VOL. 25 • NO. 22 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 2019 • P.O. BOX 623, SUGAR LAND, TX 77487 • PERIODICAL PERMIT USPS 017699 • 25 cents

‘NaMO’ wave blankets BJP victory celebration

At a Modi-BJP victory rally hosted by the Overseas Friends of BJP at the VPSS Hall on Sunday, Fort Bend County Republican Party’s outreach committee chair Craig LeTulle, left, Fort Bend County Republican party Chair Linda Howell and Fort Bend County Pct. 3 Commissioner Andy Meyers.

Hundreds of BJP supporters gathered for a street party at Hillcroft to celebrate Modi’s victory.

By SESHADRI KUMAR India is saved,” with the phenomenal victory of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata party in the just concluded 2019 general elections, the biggest democratic event in the whole world, said Jugal Malani, president of India House on Thursday, May 23.

He was speaking at a victory celebration hosted by India House on behalf of the Indian community.

Malani highlighted the significance of Modi’s historic return to power, by comparing the elections to the Mahabharat

war as remarked by Modi himself at a speech at the party headquarters, immediately after the party’s electoral success.

“When Lord Krishna was asked who he represents, he replied, I stand for no one person or people, I stand for Hastinapur. So if today someone has won, it is India that has won. If someone is victorious in this celebration of democracy, it is the people,” Modi said.

Modi promised to build a new India by ending the caste system. “From here on there will only be two castes - one

caste is poor and the other caste is of those who will contribute in every smallest way possible to help those who need to be brought out of poverty,” Modi said.

Modi, known for his simple, frugal lifestyle, with a small bag of all his belongings, thanked the voters for filling

his fakir’s jholi (ascetic’s bag).

He promised he would not do anything with ill intent, vowed not to do anything for himself and promised to dedicate every moment of his time and every cell in his body to serving the country.

Col. Vipin Kumar (Retd.) executive director of India

House, compered the celebratory event and said the celebration was on behalf of various Indo-American organizations in the area, as the organization is known as “My house, your house, our house, India House.”

See MODI, Page 2

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PAGE 2 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 2019

COMMUNITY

A section of the participants at the India House victory rally with India House President Jugal Malani.

Brij Gopal Pallod, 91, joins the revellers in a victory dance at Hillcroft.

Modi From Page 1 Indian community leader Ramesh Bhutada observed that in 2014, people defeated the corrupt government and reposed their faith in Modi.

But, this election is a positive victory for Modi, has brought strength to him and given him the conďŹ dence to take bold steps.

Bhutada alluded to Modi’s humility, a man with no baggage (but for just one bag in his possession) and stated that he would govern the country without ego. Modi rose through the ranks by serving the people and described people’s faith in him by saying “I feel the burden of people’s expectations.� With Modi’s election as prime minister, India’s stature has enhanced and “now, we can proudly say

we are Indian Americans.�

Brij Gopal Pallod, 91, father of well-known Indian community member Vijay Pallod, who is currently visiting his family in Houston from India, described the election victory as the people’s vote of conďŹ dence in Modi’s performance and not an antiCongress vote as in 2014.

Dr. Virendra Mathur of India House, said Modi’s governance will make Indians proud all over the world. In the last ďŹ ve years, India’s growth has been commendable and Modi helped in destroying the stranglehold of black money from the economy.

Dr. Durga Agrawal, Regent at the University of Houston System, recalled how Modi was quick to accept good ideas that would beneďŹ t society.

Agrawal was referring to

After the formal event, members dance to the victory music.

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INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 2019 • PAGE 3

COMMUNITY Bala Vihar children excel in chanting the Bhagavad Gita

By DISHA UDTHA Chinmaya Mission Houston held their annual Gita Chanting Competition on May 5 to commemorate the birthday of Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda.

It was well-known that Gurudev loved two things the most - children and the Bhagavad Gita. He also felt that children would be more inclined to do their best if it was posed as a competitive event. And hence, the annual event.

This year, over 83 children from ages 4 to 18 participated in the event. The competition began promptly at 9 am on that Saturday with bhajans and an aarti to the Guru.

All participants, parents, judges, and volunteers were welcomed to the competition with a beautiful and encouraging address by Brahmacharini Shweta Chaitanya.

She said that the knowledge of the Bhagavad Gita taught Arjuna, the great warrior and hero of the epic Mahabharata, how to be free from stress, anxiety and uncertainty - not just in his current situation but in all situations.

Learning this sacred teaching is a rare and valuable opportunity for us, regardless of the depth of our understanding at this time. We are planting the seeds for the sweet fruits

of practical wisdom later. She mentioned that it doesn’t matter who won in the competition.

All participants had already won, because they won the heart of Bhagavan Sri Krishna and Pujya Gurudev by learning these shlokas.

This year, the Houston Bala Vihar children were to memorize and recite verses from the 17th chapter of the Gita.

Grouped according to their ages, they needed to also give age-appropriate explanations.

Older children were expected to conduct a deep study of the teachings to present application of this Vedantic philosophy to real-life situations.

The judges were given the daunting task of evaluating the scholarly performances, scoring the well-prepared children based on pronunciation, diction, tune, posture, and understanding of the verses.

The children who were most distinguished in each age group were awarded 1st through 3rd place.

Contestants who clinched the first place with their near perfect renditions were Vashi Banavalikar and Shyam Jayant (KG - 2nd grades); Ahana Rao and Pranav Sriram (3rd - 5th grades); Meghana Prabhakaran (6th - 8th grades), See GITA, Page 5

Photos by Rajesh Thatte

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PAGE 4 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 2019

COMMUNITY

Volunteers who participated in the callathon campaign were given certificates of recognition. At center is a visiting BJP leader Awanish Kumar Singh from Awadh.

Modi

From Page 2

the “Nursing Practitioner Program” where nurses are trained to practice medicine to meet the shortage of doctors.

On hearing about it, Modi immediately instructed his staff to take the information and implement it in India. India has already signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the U.S. to start this program in India.

Kokila Shah, who had been campaigning for the BJP in Gujarat with her husband Ramesh Shah, was back in Houston to join the victory celebration. She narrated her first hand experience with the people who were smart and well-informed about the clean governance of Modi government.

Dr. Kalpalatha Guntapalli, who happened to host Modi in Houston a few years ago, recalled how they spent several hours in a very engaging conversation. She referred to Modi’s campaigning stamina as he addressed more rallies than his young counterpart. She felt as if she was witnessing a great miracle in the election results.

Soon after this formal event, hundreds of BJP supporters descended on a strip mall in the Hillcroft area to celebrate Modi’s victory in a street party, with lot of free food, music and dance.

Volunteers of the Overseas Friends of BJP, who had been campaigning from the U.S. for the BJP in India for several weeks leading up to the election day, danced with joy.

Later, OFBJP hosted a victory reception at the VPSS Hall on Sunday and recognized the volunteers for their service.

OFBJP volunteers from 55 cities in 17 countries and five continents participated in the “Global callathon,” calling their friends and relatives in India and urging them to vote for BJP. Achalesh Amar of Houston was one of the two global coordinators.

Several groups like the OFBJP, I care for India, GIM2019, MissionModi2019, ModiForPm, NRIs4Modi, and a couple of others till mid-

OFBJP senior members and invited dignitaries lit the lamp marking the inauguration of the celebratory event. Among those present were U.S. Rep. Pete Olson’s representative Keshav Kumar, third from left, and visiting BJP leader Awanish K. Singh.

March, cumulatively made 100,000 calls to India, Achalesh said.

“Once we started getting numbers/voter lists from Bharat, a cumulative 2.3 million calls were made from 3.4 million numbers obtained through various channels.

From the US, approximately 1.4 million calls from a total of 30 cities/chapters were made,” Achalesh said. Voters in 108 constituencies were contacted from USA during the seven phases of the election, out of which NDA won in 96 constituencies.

Seventeen critical constituencies were identified, based on input from the ground workers about a tightening contest and the callers jumped in. “Out of these, we won 15, including Macchlishahr in UP which we won with only 181 votes. Deoria, Ballia, Chandauli, Mohanlalganj, Baghpat were some of the seats we won,” Achalesh said.

In the Target Amethi project, 53000 calls went to Amethi, where Congress PM aspirant Rahul Gandhi lost to Smriti Irani of the BJP. For Sadhvi Pragya, about 120,000 calls were attempted out of which approximately 84,000 connected.

This

constituency had the maximum number of callers from all over the world.

According to Achalesh, the Houston chapter alone made close to 300,000 calls. Calling and requesting the electorate in India to vote for a strong, secure, stable and progressive India to help it become a super power was the mission. Being an NRI who have seen and lived in at least two different countries, callers could talk about how things can be improved and how the respect for Indians (and India) has increased over the last five years.

Receiving a call from a concerned NRI left a special impression on the voter and he/she was encouraged to participate in the elections, Achalesh said.

At the victory celebration on Sunday, dozens of volunteers who participated in the Callathon were given certificates of recognition.

Among the special guests at the celebration were Fort bend County Republican Party Chair Linda Howell, Party’s Outreach committee chair Craig LeTulle and Fort Bend County Commissioner Andy Meyers who conveyed their congratulatory message to the OFBJP volunteers and the community members.

Achalesh Amar, coordinator of the Global Callathon, said Houston volunteers alone made close to 300,000 calls to India during the campaign. From U.S., 30 chapters participated and made 1.4 million calls.

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 2019 • PAGE 5

COMMUNITY

DAV Montessori & Elementary School celebrates Annual Day DAV Montessori & Elementary School (DAVMES) of Arya Samaj Houston, only school of its kind in North America, celebrated its annual day on May 19.

Starting with the children of Shekhar Agrawal in the footsteps of Swami Shraddhanand who offered his two sons to start Gurukul Kangri, the school began its operation.

Its director, Arti Khanna has maintained the school’s march forward in the midst of competition from mushrooming private schools. The reason is simple: the DAVMES provides twin goals of Academic Excellence and Spiritual Growth - an ideal mix of the east and west.

The Annual Day celebration began with the customary Havan and blessings from Acharya Suraya Nanda ji, followed

by Director’s annual report.

Regular subjects English, Math, Science, Social studies & technology are supplemented by Yoga, Meditation, Hindi, Vedic mantras, prayers and PE. Teachers and parents function in unison for the holistic growth of the children.

Sensing the need of young working parents, the school acquired three buses to cater for children from Energy Corridor, Katy-Aliana, and Sugar Land.

With its own buses, the school witnessed a surge in its field trips to Museums, Theater and a visit to the Indian Consulate to showcase its extraordinary talents in Hindi during the first ever World Hindi Day. The solemnity of the event was not missed when three batches of the graduating children of KG, 1st and 5th graders walked the red carpet dressed in traditional gowns and cap.

They heard in rapt attention the sort-of Convocation address from young accomplished entrepreneur Swapnil Agarwal.

He successfully conveyed his positive sentiments about the DAV Montessori & Elementary School with something for the fellow parents, and children of different age groups.

What followed thereafter was visual treat of dances reflecting the rich variety of Indian culture from Punjab, Rajasthan. The audience has become accustomed to seeing something unique year after year when the school presents something that surpasses its own benchmark of the preceding year.

What would be the surprise this year or the school has had its climax? – the question was in everybody’s mind.

The well-kept secret came out in the form of Dances from the World, a kaleidoscope of dances from every continent

Top, DAV Montessori School children performance.

Middle, children present a performance at DAV annual day.

Above, First graders graduating to the second grade.

Right, Fifth grade graduates with chief guest Swapnil Agarwal and Director Arti Khanna.

Graduates participate in the havan. when every child of the school appeared on the stage. To say the least, the audience was enthralled with everybody wondering talents of the regular teachers (not a dance teacher!) how they trained the children with a wide range of skills.

Everybody listened carefully to the experiences of the graduating 5th graders who doubled as emcees too – Nirav, Arya, Aryan, Architha, Nayka and Shivani.

As they mentioned their fond memories to carry along, they were advised to stay connected with the spirit of DAVMES by joining the Sunday School of Arya Samaj Houston, the DAV Sanskrit School.

To know more about DAVM or enroll your children in the DAVMES for year 2019-20, visit www.davhouston.org or call 281-759-3286.

Sewa International Family Services Hot Line 832-900-9354

Gita From Page 3 and Bhavya Kethireddipalli (9th - 12th grades).

The 2nd place winners were Cira Parikh (KG - 2nd grades), Diya Parikh (3rd - 5th grades), Aditi Chaubal (6th - 8th grades), and Disha Udtha (9th - 12th grades).

They were followed by the 3rd place winners: Hariharan Jayant (KG-2nd grades), Sree Shodasi Veruva (3rd - 5th grades), Veda Suresh (6th - 8th grades), and Varun Wunnava (9th - 12th grades).

In the chapter 17 chosen this year, the central idea was about Lord Krishna’s guidance to Arjuna about the process to identify the texture of one’s own faith. The Lord says that faith can be classified into three separate groups. Sattvic faith is filled with pure goodness.

Rajasic faith is that which is filled with passion, and Tamasic faith is born from ignorance. This was in response to the question posed by Arjuna when one does not have access to scriptural guidance, would it be okay to use one’s own faith to guide them in making deci-

sions?

Gurudev spent a lifetime spreading this beautiful knowledge to seekers all over the world. Inspired by their Guru’s tireless spirit, a special event team of over 50 Gita volunteers came together this year to make this event a memorable success. For more information about Chinmaya Mission Houston, Sri Saumyakasi Sivalaya and its activities visit www.chinmayahouston.org, www.saumyakasi.org or call temple 281 568 1690 or Jay Deshmukh 832 541 0059 or Bharati Sutaria 281-933-0233.

PAGE 6 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, May 29, 2019

COMMUNITY

ER nurse & business executive, Kermally, seeks Sugar Land City Council seat Since settling in Sugar Land 23 years ago, Naushad Kermally has done everything he could to learn about the community, from graduating from the Sugar Land 101 program, to serving on the city’s Ethics Review Board.

All the while, he’s been working a full-time as the Executive Vice President of a mobile technology company and raising three kids. Now, he hopes to serve the city as councilman for District 2.

“I’ve done a lot of things to help set myself up for today,” Kermally said.

“I love to serve. This is a non-paid position, there’s no glory in it. But I want to be able to be the ear for the citizen and then be the mouth for them in City Hall.”

Kermally began his career as a Trauma and Critical Care nurse at Ben Taub Hospital, and he transitioned to Sugar Land’s Methodist Hospital in 1997.

Kermally maintains his nurse license today even though he now works in the technology sector.

Kermally first announced his candidacy for City Council in February, and he faced off against candidates Nabila Mansoor and David Gornet for

India House Houston

Former and current elected officials, business leaders, and members representing a cross section of the community attended a meet and greet session hosted by Naushad Kermally last week. the position earlier this month.

Kermally led the polls, taking 39.16% of the 4,173 ballots cast.

Mansoor came in close behind with 34.22% of the votes.

Because no candidate received a majority of votes, Kermally and Mansoor face-off again in a runoff, with early voting starting next week and election day happening on Saturday, June 8.

Typically, runoff elections

draw fewer voters than the first round of elections.

Research by Fair Vote found that, in federal elections between 1996 and 2012, the average reduction in turnout between first round elections and run-offs for U.S. House and U.S. Senate elections was 35.3%.

With this in mind, Kermally and Mansoor will need to focus on getting voters out the sec-

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Kermally said he was pleased with turnout in the first round — about 22 percent of the district came out to vote — and he and his campaign team are spending the days leading up to the runoff by continuing to knock on doors and form new relationships.

“I have a great team of friends and volunteers who are out and about all day,” he said.

“My wife and kids help too.

It’s non-stop.”

During his campaign, Kermally has emphasized public safety as a primary focus, committing to help ensure that crime rates continue to decrease in the city.

“We have a beautiful city,” he said. “When I go door to door and I listen to people,

they just want to make sure we have a safe community. Year over year we have less crime happening, so we are doing well. I want to make sure the citizens continue to feel safe.”

Earlier this year, Kermally’s campaign itself dealt with some criminal activity, when, for several days in a row, more than 50 yard signs installed in the Telfair neighborhood were mysteriously stolen. Kermally said the stealing finally ended after he posted about the issue on social media, and multiple media outlets reached out to him in order to run a story.

“We’ve had lots of little challenges, but we’ve moved on from there,” he said.

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INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 2019 • PAGE 7

Fort Bend Coutny Commissioner Andy Meyers congratulates Indian diaspora and the people of India on the epoch-making victory of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the world’s largest democratic exercise.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Rose Garden of the White House, on June 26, 2017.

“Congratulations to Prime Minister @narendramodi and his BJP party on their BIG election victory.

Great things are in store for the US-India partnership with the return of PM Modi at the helm. I look forward to continuing our important work together!” — Donald Trump Political ad paid for by Commissioiner Andy Meyers campaign.

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 2019 • PAGE 8

The Fort Bend County Republican Party congratulates Indian diaspora and the people of India on the epoch-making victory of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the world’s largest democratic exercise.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Rose Garden of the White House, on June 26, 2017.

“Congratulations to Prime Minister @narendramodi and his BJP party on their BIG election victory.

Great things are in store for the US-India partnership with the return of PM Modi at the helm. I look forward to continuing our important work together!” — Donald Trump

Political ad paid for by the Republican Party of Fort Bend County.

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 2019 • PAGE 9

Congratulatory Messages / Tweets from US Dignitaries addressed to PM Kay Coles James, President of The Heritage Foundation • Congratulations to Indian Prime Minister @narendramodi on his re-election and to 600 million Indian citizens who voted in the largest democratic exercise in history at a time when authoriPresident Donald Trump • Just spoke to Prime Minister tarianism is on the march. Great things are @NarendraModi where I congratulated him on his big po- in store for the U.S.-India partnership litical victory. He is a great man and leader for the people of India - they are lucky to have him!

Bill Gates, Microsoft • Congratulations @NarendraModi on a remarkable win Vice President Mike Pence • Congrats to an American ally & friend PM @narendramodi, on his party’s win in In- in #IndianElections2019. Your continued dia’s parliamentary election. This was a strong display of commitment to improve health, nutrition, the Indian people’s commitment to democracy! We look for- and development will signiďŹ cantly improve ward to continuing to work with India for a freer, safer, & lives of many. @BJP4India more prosperous region.

IBM CEO Ginni Rometty • IBM conSecretary Mike Pompeo • Congratulations to @naren- gratulates Prime Minister Modi on his redramodi and the NDA for their victory in India’s election, and to the Indian people for casting their votes in such historic numbers. As the world’s largest exercise in democracy, #India’s election is an inspiration around the world.

President Donald Trump • Congratulations to Prime Minister @NarendraModi and his BJP party on their BIG election victory! Great things are in store for the US-India partnership with the return of PM Modi at the helm. I look forward to continuing our important work together!

election, and I look forward to continuing to work with him on issues that are critical to India and its people - from skills to emerging technologies like AI. Ajay Banga, President & CEO, Mastercard • Congratulations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on this historic win with this decisive mandate from the worlds largest democracy, he will propel the country further on all fronts. We are proud of our long-standing commitment to India and it’s citizens. And, we are excited to expand our investments and local partnerships in the country to deliver on the Digital India vision and help power it’s continued economic growth

HARDIK VYAS

Ivanka Trump, Advisor to the President • Congratulations @narendramodi on a great victory! Exciting times ahead for the wonderful people of India!

Youngest Astrologer in North America Vaastu & Gem Stone Consultant; Hindu Priest for all Pujas & Marriages Languages spoken: English, Hindi, Gujarati & Marathi

Governor Greg Abbott (Texas) • Prime Minister Modi, Congratulations on your election win. I view it as a very important to the future of India. Texas looks forward to continuing to work with you as we advance the economies of India and Texas

Astrologer Hardik Vyas, a famous young face in Vedic Astrology from India is in Houston. Call for guidance on Health, Wealth, Education, Career, Business, Property, Love & Passion, Marriage & Compatibility, Horoscope-Making, Child Problem, Luck & Fortune, Peace & Prosperity, Karma & Economic success.

Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) • Congratulations @narendramodi on your historic victory. Looking forward to seeing you soon.

Congressman Pete Olson (R-TX) • Congratulations to @narendramodi on your big win! I look forward to continuing to work with you on issues critical to Houston, the US & India!

Congressman Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) • Congratulations to @narendramodi on his decisive victory and ďŹ ve more years of leadership. Our countries are natural allies with many shared values and I look forward to building on great US-India relations.

Vaastu Shastra is an ancient science. Fix an appointment for personal visit to your home, plot, business/office, shop, factory, or hotel. Gain peace of mind and prosperity by doing little changes as per Vaastu Shastra. Simple, Easy, Scientific & Affordable solutions/remedies to overcome problems in your Horoscope and Vaastu.

Astrology & Vaastu Shastra are Science of Nature, and are not related with any religion, caste, or community. It is an Occult Science and gift of nature for the welfare of the people.

Listen to Hardik Vyas live on 1320 AM Shoba Joshi’s Geetanajali Radio

Congressman AI Green (D-TX) • Congratulations to @ narendramodi on being re-elected as Prime Minister of India. I wish peace and prosperity for India and its neighbors and look forward to seeing you at India House in my congressional district in Houston, Texas, USA. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) • Congratulations @narendramodi on your signiďŹ cant victory. This was a great eort and we are looking forward to your next visit to the United States of America Congressman Joaquin Castro (D-TX) • Congratulations to the millions in India who participated in the democratic process & exercised their right to vote - the most fundamental civic responsibility. As the world’s two largest democracies, we must continue to work together for the cause of freedom.

Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D) • Congratulations to Prime Minister @narendramodi on his re-election — it was truly an inspiration to see so many Indians exercise their democratic rights, and I look forward to working with PM Modi and the Indian government to strengthen the USIndia partnership.

Congressman Ami Bera(D) • Great job to the people of #India on their historic election. Never before have so many voted in a single democratic election. Congratulations to PM Modi for his win and I look forward to working with his government to strengthen the ties between our two great nations.

Congressman Ro Khanna(D) • One lesson from Modi’s win is that dynastic, establishment candidates are weak.

Democrats need to make sure that our candidate against Trump can connect with people’s frustration and oer a positive vision for change.

Ambassador Nikki Haley , Stand for America • India continues to have amazing potential and is a strong US partner. Congratulations to @narendramodi on your success with the elections and the direction you are taking India. We look forward to seeing our partnership continue to strengthen

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PAGE 10 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 2019

NEWS

Modi’s victory speech Prime Minister Narendra Modi was greeted by BJP leaders including party president Amit Shah at the party headquarters in Delhi as he arrived after trends showed the BJP winning a massive majority in the Lok Sabha elections. BJP supporters crowded around the headquarters amid rain and cheered for PM Modi as he walked towards them and inside the building. The BJP is moving to grab a win bigger than in 2014 with a 300-plus figure. With this, it has become the single-largest party. The BJP has kept its main states – the Hindi heartland, Gujarat and Maharashtra – while posting fresh victories in Bengal, Odisha and the northeast.

Here are the highlights of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s victory briefing: I bow my head before the 130 crore citizens of India. The national elections of 2019 is a historical event. The highest turnout in any election in the country was seen this time.

I’d like to thank the Election Commission and the security forces and everyone else who helped conduct a free and fair election.

After five years of service, we went to the people of India with a promise of a new India.

This is the biggest democratic event in the whole world. When Lord Krishna was asked who he represents, he replied, I stand for no one person or people, I stand for Hastinapur. So if today someone has won, it is India that has won. If someone is victorious in this celebration of democracy, it is the people. And hence, I place this victory at the feet of the people of India.

I want to wish the best to all those who were elected today to parliament, and sincerely hope that everyone in parliament will work together for the betterment of the country and to take the country forward.

There were many state elections too and I want to congratulate those who have been elected in the respective states. I salute them and the federal structure of India. I assure them all that we will work together as a team. The centre will cooperate and work with states every step of the way.

BJP is a special party. Nothing stops us, nothing holds us back.

We work tirelessly and stay focused. In fact, there was a time when we were even down to two seats, even when we were down to two, we never gave up. We never went off track. We kept our focus and worked very hard. And today, we all are here and you all can see that is our story. That is what is special about the BJP. There are many who say Modi-Modi, but this win is not Modi’s win. It is the victory of the earnest and honest Indian. It is the victory of those farmers who work night and day, through blood and sweat so that we get our meals. It is a win for that woman in rural India who waited for ages just to get a toilet. It is a win for those who sat in darkness for decades just to see the luxury of a light bulb. This is their victory.

Narendra Modi beng welcomed by party leaders at the BJP office in New Delhi on Thursday.

Overseas Friends of BJP congratulates Modi Overseas Friends of BJP (OFBJP)-USA congratulates Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, Party President Shri Amit Shah, BJP leaders, millions of BJP volunteers, and volunteers of OFBJP and NRIs4Modi across the globe who have toiled hard for this stupendous victory. Millions of voters including first time voters have participated enthusiastically in this world’s largest democratic elections to elect an able and proven leader, Shri Narendra Modi.

Indian voters have stamped

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their approval for continuing the all-round development with pro-poor, pro-farmer, and pro-business policies of Modi government. The voters have out rightly rejected the unholy alliance of selfish regional leaders and congress party mostly led by dynastic families. The people have rejected divisive politics of opposition and gave a clear message that they value good leaders and good governance.

NRIs4Modi and OFBJP teams have organized more than one hundred programs in the USA during the last 4 months across the nation, and coast-to-coast. Every single week from February through May, various programs were organized around the country. The programs include Chai Pe Charchas, Call-A-Thons, “Chowkidar” Marches, Car Rallies, Yagnas, Flash Mob Dance, Snow Mobile Rally, “Ghar Ghar Modi”, Sampark Abhiyan programs and more. Also, the teams have made approximately one million calls to voters in India.

OFBJP is planning to organize victory celebrations in more than 20 cities around the country, including Boston, New York, New Jersey, Washington DC, Richmond, Raleigh, Charlotte, Columbus, Detroit, Chicago, Minneapolis, Atlanta, Tampa, Houston, Austin, Dallas, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Seattle, and other cities.

OFBJP president Shri Krishna Reddy Anugula Said, “I would like to congratulate BJP and Shri Narendra Modi ji, Shri Amit Shah ji for the massive victory. Prime Minister Modi ji will transform the country and improve the livelihood of the people. NDA government has provided basic amenities like toilets, electricity, gas cylinders etc. in the last 5 years. During next 5 years, NDA govt is going to take India to the next level with the proposed investments in infrastructure, health care, and farming sectors”.

OFBJP Vice President Shri Adapa Prasad has said that the people of India have chosen a strong and incorruptible leader Modi and his vision of New India as they rejected divisive caste and dynastic politics of the self-indulging “Maha-Milavat” opposition. OFBJP Organizational Secretary Shri Vasudev Patel Said “These results support the policies of Shri Narendra Modi led NDA govt. Based on the experience I had on ground as I was expecting this massive victory”

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INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 2019 • PAGE 11

NEWS Leadership sweepstakes and the Modi factor It was patently visible that the BJP was trying to make it a presidential-style campaign, with the Prime Minister a clear 18 percentage points ahead of his rival, Rahul Gandhi Is the 2019 Lok Sabha election essentially a leadership race? The CSDS-Lokniti postpoll data seems to indicate that while leadership was a factor, it was not the most critical issue that swayed electoral preferences.

During the campaign, it was patently visible that the BJP was taking every effort to make it a presidential-style poll, with their candidates seeking votes in the name of the Prime Minister.

The post-poll survey data indicate that more than four out of every 10 respondents (44%) would prefer Narendra Modi as the next Prime Minister. It is a clear 18 percentage points ahead of his nearest rival in the leadership sweepstakes, Rahul Gandhi. It needs to be underscored that this lead has been consistent over time and is similar to what was indicated by the 2014 post-poll survey.

Heartland support In the Hindi heartland, support for Mr. Modi as the Prime Minister is higher than the national average by four percentage points (48%).

Further, for every two voters who back Mr. Modi, only one supports Mr. Gandhi in this region (48% versus 24%).

Support for Mr. Modi as Prime Minister is significantly higher among voters below 25 years of age (5% points higher than national average) and declines with increase in age.

Similarly, half the respondents who have a college degree are likely to support Mr. Modi for Prime Minister and this percentage declines with reduced access to education.

Among the upper castes, support for Mr. Modi as Prime Minister is 18 percentage points higher than the national average and among the Other Backward Classes, it is nine percentage points higher.

More than half the Hindu respondents support Mr. Modi for Prime Ministership, while only one of every 10 Muslim respondents do so.

The leadership factor plays out in another interesting way.

Three-fourths of those who

said that they would vote for the NDA allies of the BJP favoured Mr. Modi as the Prime Minister.

Three of every 10 of those who supported the Left parties opted for Mr. Modi as the Prime Minister. Further a little over one-fourth (26%) of the supporters of nonUPA, non-NDA, non-SP/BSP State-based parties expressed a preference for Mr. Modi as Prime Minister.

The survey directly sought to tap the impact of the leadership factor in voting choice.

Respondents were asked if they would continue to vote for the party they chose even if Mr. Modi were not the prime ministerial candidate of the BJP/NDA. Among those who said they would vote for the BJP, close to one-third (32%) said their voting preference would have changed if Mr. Modi were not to be the prime ministerial candidate. This marks a five percentage point increase since the 2014 postpoll survey. In eight States of India, more than one-third of those who stated that they voted for the BJP said they would not have done so if Mr. Modi had not been the prime ministerial candidate.

In Karnataka, Odisha and Bihar, more than half of those who said that they had voted for the BJP said that they would not have done so if Mr. Modi were not the prime ministerial candidate. In Haryana and the Jammu region, more than four out of every 10 of those who said that they voted for the BJP declared that they would not have voted for the party if the prime ministerial candidate was different.

Interestingly, in the Hindi heartland, the party seems to have taken root and the personality or leadership factor is less critical there for a vote for the BJP. Thus, in much of the Hindi heartland save Bihar, the non-assertion among the BJP voters that Mr. Modi was the key factor in their voting is noteworthy. The presence of the party on the ground was a key factor driving support for it.

In 14 of the 29 States of India (where the survey was conducted), only one-fourth of those who said that they voted for the BJP expressed

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the view that they would not have voted for the party if the prime ministerial candidate was different.

It is important to record that in crucial States such as Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand, much less than onefourth of those who voted for the BJP, said they would have changed their party choice if Mr. Modi was not the prime ministerial candidate.

If close to one-third of the BJP respondents across the country, indicated that they would not have voted for the BJP if there was a different prime ministerial candidate, in the case of those respondents who said that they voted for the NDA allies of the BJP, onefourth of them said they would not have voted for this ally if the NDA prime ministerial candidate was different. Thus the intensity of support for the Prime Minister is much less among the voters of the NDA allies than among the BJP voters.

‘Pull factor’ A final factor that needs to be emphasised is the leadership “pull factor”. Among the respondents who switched sides from the Congress to the BJP (from 2014 to 2019), close to eight of every 10 (78%) preferred Mr. Modi to Mr. Gandhi.

Among respondents who moved from the BJP to the Congress (2014 to 2019), fewer than six of every 10 (56%) favoured Mr. Gandhi over Mr. Modi. Thus, while the leadership factor is an important variable in explaining the support for the BJP/NDA, it may not be the only issue propelling the ruling alliance/party back to power. ( The author is Pro Vice-Chancellor of Jain University and National Coordinator of the Lokniti Network ) In the Hindi heartland, the BJP seems to have taken root and the personality or leadership factor is less critical there

300 first timers in Lok Sabha The Lok Sabha this time will have 300 first-term members, compared to 314 in 2014, including cricketer-turned-politician Gautam Gambhir, Union Ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad and Smriti Irani, sufi singer Hans Raj Hans and Bengali actresses Mimi Chakraborty and Nusrat Jahan Ruhi.

Irani emerged as a giant-killer after dethroning Congress chief Rahul Gandhi in Amethi by a margin of 55,120 votes. A two-time Rajya Sabha MP, she had unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha polls in 2004 and 2014. Gambhir, who was contesting from East Delhi, trounced Congress’ Arvinder Singh Lovely by a margin of over 3.91 lakh.

Controversial BJP candidate from Bhopal and Malegaon blast accused, Pragya Thakur, defeated Congress’ bigwig Digvijay Singh to register her maiden win in a general election.

Prasad, Union Minister and Rajya Sabha MP, who was in the fray from Patna Sahib seat in Bihar, defeated sitting MP and Congress candidate Shatrughan Sinha by a margin of over 2.84 lakh votes, registering his first victory in a general election.

In the national Capital, where the BJP made a clean sweep of the seven seats, BJP’s North West Delhi candidate Hans Raj Hans pipped AAP’s Guggan Singh by a huge margin of over 5.55 lakh votes. But, it wasn’t just BJP candidates who scored their first-ever win in the Lok Sabha election. Congress, DMK and TMC candidates also defeated their rivals to secure a berth in Parliament.

In Tamil Nadu, DMK leader and Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi scripted a win, defeating her BJP rival by over 3.47 lakh votes in Thoothukkudi constituency.

In Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara, Chief Minister Kamal Nath’s son Nakul won his first Lok Sabha poll, defeating his BJP rival by 37,536 votes.

In West Bengal’s Jadhavpur constituency, actress Mimi Chakraborty scripted a maiden win on a TMC ticket over Anupam Hazra of the BJP by a margin of over 2.95 lakh votes.

Another actress and TMC candidate from Basirhat, Nusrat Jahan Ruhi, trounced Sayantan Basu of the BJP by a margin of over 3.50 lakh.

West Bengal unit chief of the BJP Dilip Ghosh also registered a win over TMC’s Manas Ranjan Bhunia by a margin of 88,952 votes.

In Punjab’s Gurdaspur, Bollywood actor Sunny Deol defeated Congress heavyweight and sitting MP Sunil Jakhar with a margin of 82,459 votes. Actor Ravi Kishan also defeated Ram Bual Nishad in Gorakhpur by a margin of over three lakh votes.

Besides, Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Minister Satydev Pachauri, who had unsuccessfully fought the 2004 election, won the Kanpur seat with a margin of over 1.55 lakh votes, defeating Congress’ Sriprakash Jaiswal, who had won over Pachauri in 2004.

BJP’s Rita Bahuguna Joshi and Keshari Devi Patel also registered their maiden win in the Lok Sabha election from Allahabad and Phulpur seats, respectively. Among other winners were LJP chief Ramvilas Paswan’s brother Pashupati Kumar Paras who won from reserved seat of Hajipur in north Bihar while BJP’s Tejasvi Surya triumphed over his Congress rival in Bangalore South.

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PAGE 12 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 2019

NEWS

Caste arithmetic fails to cast its spell

The Samajwadi Party came off worse than its coalition partner BSP as the caste arithmetic by the “gathbandhan” in Uttar Pradesh failed before a BJP wave in the Lok Sabha elections.

Despite its high expectations from the alliance forged with Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party this time, the SP got just five seats — the same number it won in the 2014 elections.

But its vote share fell four percentage points, from 22.35 per cent then to a little under 18 now.

In contrast, the BSP which drew a blank last time won 10 of the 38 seats it contested under the seat-sharing pact this time.

Adding the lone seat won by the Rashtriya Lok Dal, the third ally, the total seats bagged by the Opposition coalition are a mere 15 out of the 80 in the State.

The Bharatiya Janata Party and its ally Apna Dal (S) won 64, compared to the 73 they had won in 2014, a performance which went against what the SP-BSP-RLD ‘gathbandhan’ was predicting.

Analyst Rakesh Pandey attributes the alliance defeat, in part, to its inability to wean away the non-Yadav OBCs, Jats, upper castes and Dalits who had switched to the BJP last time.

He also felt that many beneficiaries of the central welfare schemes — cooking gas connections, rural housing, toilets

and the annual Rs 6,000 allowance to poor farmers — were part of the SP-BSP vote bank.

They have shifted allegiance to the BJP, he argued.

The SP even lost in the Yadav bastions of Kannauj and Badaun, indicating that even members of these castes had moved to the BJP. This is the second time that an alliance experiment by Akhilesh Yadav has failed.

In the 2017 assembly elections, Akhilesh Yadav forged an alliance with the Congress against the wishes of his father and party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav. The SP tally had then come down to 47 from 224 in 2012.

When Akhilesh Yadav formed a coalition with the BSP this time, his father openly expressed disapproval over the idea of giving “half of the seats” to a partner.

Luck did not favour even the Yadavs’ own family.

Except Mulayam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav, contestants from the family failed to re-enter the Lok Sabha Akhilesh Yadav won with a comfortable margin of 2.60 lakh votes, defeating Bhojpuri star and BJP candidate Dinesh Lal Yadav Nirahua. Mulayam Singh Yadav won in Mainpuri by over 94,000 votes, defeating BJP’s Prem Singh Shakya.

But Akhilesh Yadav’s wife Dimple and cousins Dharmendra and Akshay did not make it to Parliament.

In Firozabad, Akhilesh Ya-

dav’s estranged uncle and founder of Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party-Lohia, Shivpal Yadav, was relegated to the third spot, securing about 91,000 votes.

But an SP leader claimed had Shivpal Yadav not parted ways with the party, he could have easily won.

Like Akhilesh Yadav, Mayawati took a big risk in becoming part of the coalition.

The BSP chief not only joined hands with arch-rival SP but also campaigned for onetime sworn enemy Mulayam Singh Yadav in Mainpuri, asking her supporters to forget past bitterness.

But she apparently failed to ensure that the core BSP voters transferred to the Samajwadi Party, wherever an SP nominee was fielded as a joint candidate.

The alliance had high expectations from the elections as the joint rallies held all over the state drew large crowds.

It also gave strength to Mayawati’s apparent prime ministerial aspirations, now shattered due to the poor performance of opposition parties nationwide.

During an election rally in Ambedkarnagar, the BSP chief even said, “If all goes well, I may have to seek election form here because the road to national politics passes through Ambedkarnagar.”

In 2009, the BSP had won its highest ever number of Lok Sabha seats, clinching 20 from UP. In 2014, it won none.

RSS chief: Ram Temple will be built Days after the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) scripted a resounding victory in the Lok Sabha elections, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat said that “Ram ka kaam karna hai, Ram ka kaam ho kar hi rahega (Ram’s work needs to be done and Ram’s work will be done).”

Bhagwat made the comments during his visit to Udaipur on Sunday for a “mandir pran pratishtha” programme in Pratap Gaurav Kendra, where he was accompanied by spiritual leader Morari Bapu.

The programme was first addressed by Morari Bapu. Speaking on the occasion, he said, “Since centuries this country has been chanting the name of lord Ram. Today the country is passing through such circumstances that we need to think of doing Ram’s work too. It makes me happy to see Ram’s name written on the youth’s hands.”

Soon after his address, Bhagwat said, “We should remember the message given by Morari Bapu. Ram’s work needs to be done and Ram’s work will be done. Ram resides in our hearts.

We all need to be active and move ahead to fulfil our goals.”

Bhagwat was on a four-day trip to Udaipur since Friday to attend the RSS-run ‘Sangh Shiksha Seva II’ training camp.

Soon after landing in Udaipur airport on Friday, Bhagwat told the media, “Aa gaayi hai sarkar wapas (The government is back).”

Even before the Lok Sabha elections, the RSS had pitched for the construction of Ram temple in Ayodha, and had asked the Narendra Modi-led government to hasten the process of temple construction. The Ram Temple has been on the BJP manifesto since 2014.

Rashtriya Swayam-sewak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat’s support for a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya has evoked a sharp reaction from the Muslim clergy.

Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahali, Imam of Eidgah and a well known Sunni cleric, said. “It is not right to make such statements when the matter is in the Supreme Court. The mediation process is also on under the court supervision.

“Muslims are waiting for a decision and the Hindu leaders should also exercise patience. Such statements will only serve to create controversy and panic.” Shia cleric Maulana Yasoob Abbas said that since matter is sub-judice, leaders of both communities should refrain from making statements.

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INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 2019 • PAGE 13

OPINION

Reinventing the brand

By SANDHYA JAIN Prime Minister Narendra Modi is accused of making the 2019 general election a presidential race centred on his formidable personality and powerful oratory, thus ensuring the landslide victory of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) 303; NDA 353. However, his principal challenger, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, made the contest monarchical with his family-driven rhetoric and entitlement brigade — scions of political families close to the Nehru-Gandhis, who owe their eminence to proximity. Rahul Gandhi’s closest colleague is sister, Priyanka Vadra, and his political advisors and mentors (Digvijay Singh, Sam Pitroda) are also inherited.

The Congress was hobbled by this baggage. In an age of soaring aspirations and quest for equality, it was clueless how to appeal to rural or urban voters, women, youth, farmers, traders, entrepreneurs and professionals among others.

Decision-making within the party has shrunk to closed door meetings with unknown membership and little regular communication with the rank and file. In contrast, BJP president Amit Shah kept the party on its toes round the year and gave tasks to every booth worker.

The result of the lustreless campaign is evident in the collapse of the political blueblooded: Rahul Gandhi (Amethi), Sheila Dikshit, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Milind Deora, Jitin Prasad, Salman Khurshid, Ajay Maken, Kumari Shailja, Priya Dutt, Meira Kumar,

Vaibhav Gehlot, Manvendra Singh, RPN Singh, Ashok Chavan, Bhupendra Hooda and son Deependra Hooda and Kirti Azad. Indeed, hereditary politicians fared badly across State-based political parties, virtually a guillotine by ballot box.

The more disturbing news for Congress is that it has been reduced to a fringe party, with a decent presence only in Punjab and Kerala. It drew a blank in Arunachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Daman Diu, Dadra Nagar Haveli, Lakshadweep, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Chandigarh. A comeback would take a miracle. Meanwhile, the BJP vote share rose to over 50 per cent in several States.

The Left collapsed with the Congress, given its deep symbiotic relationship. The Leftist stranglehold over the media got huge coverage for Kanhaiya Kumar (CPI, Begusarai, Bihar), who was trounced. But public fatigue with the Left’s shrill and negative rhetoric caused its fall from 59 seats in 2004, 26 in 2009, 10 in 2014 and five in 2019; recovery is unlikely.

Modi’s success lay in shifting the electoral template away from the Nehruvian paradigm of default Muslim vote bank plus sprinkling of castes to fill the electoral kitty towards more inclusive voter participation. The process began in

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2014 but was largely ignored by analysts. Fine-tuned and implemented with greater vigour in 2019, it is being maligned as the rise of “majoritarianism.” Western newspapers and their Indian echo chambers are warning of danger to minority groups. Yet none of these eminences ever criticised minority religious leaders, who asked their flocks not to vote for the BJP, thus tampering with the free will of voters and perverting the democratic system.

Simply put, Modi has removed the minority veto in the polity, a Nehruvian aberration that denied equality to the myriad groups comprising the non-monolithic Hindu community. Henceforth, minorities, like others, must vote as individuals on the issues of the day – nationalism, terrorism, farmer distress, budget and employment among others. The ancien régime, which pressured citizens to “vote your caste/community”, while lampooning them for doing so, has made way for “vote your nation/issue”. This caused the rout of the Samajwadi Party despite its pact with the Bahujan Samaj Party in Uttar Pradesh.

The Congress won only Sonia Gandhi’s seat, which means Priyanka Vadra (who failed to retain Amethi) may not win Rae Bareli if Sonia Gandhi vacates it.

With hindsight, it seems amusing that Sonia Gandhi, Sharad Pawar and Telugu Desam Party’s Chandrababu Naidu were so oblivious of the simmering Modi wave that they proposed a grand Opposition alliance in the event of BJP-NDA failing to win a clear majority and even wanted the

President to call the post-post alliance before the pre-poll pact. They cast aspersions on the integrity of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) even after dodging a previous challenge by the Election Commission to publicly demonstrate that the machines could be hacked. Sadly, former President Pranab Mukherjee joined this chorus and blotted his copybook.

The truth is that EVMs cannot be tampered without physically handling each machine (which is impossible). Each machine is an independent recording device with no internet connection and cannot be hacked via internet/Wi-Fi. The VVPAT trail found no discrepancies. Anyway, Chandrababu Naidu vanished after the TDP’s rout; Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee was chastened. At its working committee meeting, the Congress agreed not to question the EVMs. In Jammu and Kashmir, the National Conference won Anantnag (Hasnain Masoodi), Baramulla (Akbar Lone) and Srinagar (Farooq Abdullah) and the BJP won Jammu (Jugal Kishore), Udhampur (Jitendra Singh) and Ladakh (J.T. Namgyal). The People’s Democratic Party’s rout is a message to the BJP to fulfill its promise to abolish Articles 370 and 35-A, which only needs a Presidential order and political will. In Assembly elections later this year, if a coalition is necessary, the BJP must cut a deal equal to that crafted by the Congress when it gave the Chief Minister’s post to Omar Abdullah. In Delhi Assembly elections, the BJP must field leaders with an

electoral base and shun paratroopers who ruined the party in 2015.

Modi has promised cooperation to the new Governments of Odisha, Sikkim, Andhra Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh; they will naturally reciprocate in Parliament. For India as a whole, some urgent priorities include updating the National Register of Citizens, passing the Citizenship Amendment Bill to protect Hindus fleeing persecution or instability in the neighbourhood, giving equal rights to Hindu refugees languishing in Jammu and Kashmir and scrapping the discriminatory Right to Education Act or applying its provisions equally.

Above all, Modi must give priority to the economy by securing investments and increasing the pace of infrastructure development. Agriculture needs a rethink outside the discredited paradigm of costly fertilisers, pesticides and depleted water tables. The growing health consciousness in society will make organic farming feasible and remunerative.

Modi’s victory marks a tectonic shift in the history of the republic. Unlike Rahul Gandhi, who embodied elected monarchy and had little to offer the citizen, Modi wove city and chaupal together in a grand narrative of nationalism, national resurgence and regeneration. He may have seemed presidential but the spirit was republican.

(The writer is Senior Fellow, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library; the views expressed are personal)

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INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 2019 • PAGE 15

Hari Venkatachalam Hindu Students Association, Board of Directors

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PRESS RELEASE

rid TX of–your staffi ng problems and spend more April 6, 2017Get – AUSTIN, The Hindu Students Association (HSA) would like to regretfully announce that it will be Good Numbers = Good Decisions cancelling its annual Gateway Retreat for the 2017 year. HSA prides itself in building a strong network of young Hindu Americans, and it looks forward to organizing other events in the future that will link students from its various branches.

HSA has been reorienting itself in recent months to doing more grassroots work. “We have been focusing more on accomplishing work on the local and branch level,” said Mrinalini Vijalapuram, National President of the Hindu Students Association. “We have been doing this through many different activities including interfaith events with other religious organizations, building community partnerships, and expanding into other campuses that don’t already have HSA branches.”

While the cancellation of Gateway may come as a disappointment for many prospective attendees, HSA hopes to get feedback from students on other projects and events that interest its branch members. Currently, several projects, including developing HSA’s podcast series and releasing monthly articles that highlight the accomplishments of members from the various campuses have been the focus of the organization’s efforts. HSA welcomes student and community members to get involved in these activities to help further the goals of the organization. “It is important that we meet the needs of the campuses and communities we serve,” reiterated Ms. Vijalapuram. “We want to make sure that we are putting our attention on projects that will truly benefit them.”

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PAGE 16 â&#x20AC;˘ INDIA HERALD â&#x20AC;˘ WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 2019

ANALYSIS

Culture wars

By KUSHAN MITRA The most astounding thing abou/t the 17th Lok Sabha election has not just been the magnitude of the Bharatiya Janata partyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (BJP) victory with Narendra Modi at the helm and party chief Amit Shah as his able general. In a way, they have become a modern-day Octavian and Agrippa combination. But more than the 300 seats, it was the scale of the vote-share that was truly amazing. The BJP and its allies got close to half of the total votes polled. Just think about it for a few minutes â&#x20AC;&#x201D; one in every two Indians voted for Narendra Modi. This can only mean that the vote for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was an all-inclusive one, something that those who are screaming from the rooftops about this being a majoritarian Government, should take note of.

It is almost a 10 per cent climb in the vote share for the alliance since the 2014 polls. And this despite some

economic pressures on the country, the aftermath of demonetisation, a lack of jobs, agrarian crisis and what not.

In the modern democratic era of India following the Emergency, only the vote garnered

by Rajiv Gandhi in 1984 in the aftermath of his motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s assassination exceeds this. Indeed, when one looks at other major democracies, only Margaret Thatcher in the United Kingdom in 1983 in the aftermath of the Falklands war and Ronald Reagan in 1984, thanks to the early 1980s economic boom, have seen sharp rises in popularity among voters. This election has changed so many perceptions of Indian politics â&#x20AC;&#x201D; in the so-called â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;cow beltâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; of northern Indian States, Narendra Modiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s popularity has smashed caste-based politics for good. Of course, many, many tomes, theories and thesis will be written about the 2019 elections that will slice and dice the data to show how India has changed and many of them will be fun to read.

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But when Narendra Modi swept into power in 2014, a whole host of professional agitators came out of the woodwork vowing to resist. These professional malcontents â&#x20AC;&#x201D; from Bollywood celebrities to some journalists â&#x20AC;&#x201D; swelled the ranks. They went around with begging bowls claiming to be bulwarks against the BJPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Hindu nationalismâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and stood ďŹ rmly against Modi and Shah.

Some invented stories of how they were attacked for carrying leather bags and, shamefully, some national newspapers pandered to those myths. And these are the very people, who in their arrogance and immense elitism, blame the voters for the victory of the BJP and its perceived nationalism.

In the last few days, some journalists and failed comedians alike have completely lost the plot on social media, even claiming that they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t recognise India â&#x20AC;&#x153;anymore.â&#x20AC;?

One can argue that they never realised that India was changing right around them â&#x20AC;&#x201D; they wanted welfare programmes for the poor blind to the fact that those very welfare programmes were changing the dynamics of the country. They saw themselves as the arbiters

of Indian culture without realising how India was changing, they made fun of Narendra Modi supporters calling them â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;bhaktsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, they demeaned and laughed at the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;chowkidarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; epithet and it all seemed so funny on social media memes.

They claimed they wanted to wrest back India from the socalled â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Hindutvaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; brigade and went out of their way to demean the nation in the foreign media. Of course, one cannot ignore that some elements of the BJPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s core support base have done several reprehensible things and Modi himself was often too slow to condemn such incidents. There is also little doubt that the BJP and Narendra Modi have been almost blatantly anti-intellectual at a level and have listened to bad advice, demonetisation being the single biggest example of this. But the hypocrisy of these malcontents was remarkable, their selective blindness and amnesia was comical and what one is ďŹ&#x201A;abbergasted that these people did not realise that this double-standard chipped away at their credibility every passing day among the public at large, but deďŹ nitely pleased the literature festival crowd.

These people have lost the

culture wars, they have to accept that India has changed.

The idea that there has to be a resistance like â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;AntiFAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in the US is almost laughable. And the constant and unending use of the term â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;fascistsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is getting tiresome and only harming the need for an opposition. This loud minority must not again be allowed to derail India, their relevance comes from this, their pockets are lined, thanks to this.

Sure, there needs to be an eye kept over the bad and stupid things that the Government will want to do. The media and the citizens of the country must always be ready to protest, but being professionally and perpetually outraged just because the BJP is in power will not cut it anymore. Those people will ďŹ nd that even their echo chamber is now in interstellar space. They have lost the culture wars, they painted this election as a battle for Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s soul but Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s soul has clearly moved on.

That said, the BJP and the Prime Minister should be acutely aware of the fact that even if they might have won the battle for Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s soul, a battle which can easily be framed as a cultural victory, they must not only be inclusive but also try to integrate some of those who have found it diďŹ&#x192;cult to believe in them. Not everybody viscerally opposed to the BJP can be persuaded to change; but others should give Modi a chance.

Narendra Modi did squander a lot of his political capital after his 2014 victory. That plainly ridiculous suit which he wore when former US President Barack Obama came to town was the cherry on top. He should use this political capital wisely to unite even some of those who have not been on his side. Winning this war does not mean ďŹ nishing oďŹ&#x20AC; the enemy as some on his corner believe he should do. It means integrating them.

(The writer is Managing Editor, The Pioneer)

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 2019 • PAGE 17

NEWS

Chorus of voices urging Rahul Gandhi not to quit as Congress president grows louder

The chorus of voices urging Rahul Gandhi not to quit as Congress president grows louder with leaders of the Party and also allies, the DMK and the RJD, on Tuesday saying he remains the “best and competent” person to pull the Party out of the crisis after the Lok Sabha poll debacle.

Adding to the voices of the Opposition, against Mr.Gandhi’s offer to resign, actor Rajinikanth said the Congress chief should stay on as he was a “youngster” and perhaps not got the cooperation of senior party leaders.

DMK chief M.K. Stalin appealed to Mr. Gandhi not to step down, saying he has won the hearts of the people though his party lost the elections while the RJD supremo Lalu Prasad termed the offer to quit as “suicidal”, asserting it would amount to “falling into the BJP’s trap”.

Stalin spoke to Mr.Gandhi over the phone and “appealed to him to give up the idea of resigning as Party president”, a DMK statement said in Chennai.

After his Party’s colossal electoral defeat, Mr.Gandhi offered to quit on May 25 during a meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), which unanimously rejected his offer and authorised him to overhaul and restructure the Party at all levels. Mr.Gandhi is reported to be insisting on his resignation and adamant on having a non-Gandhi installed as the Party head.

Shashi Tharoor, who scored an electoral hat-trick by winning from the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha seat, said Mr. Gandhi has led the Party from the front and still has far more to offer.

Asked about Mr. Gandhi’s offer to resign and if he was still Congress’ best bet in terms of leadership, Mr. Tharoor said attempts in the media to pin all the blame for the party’s electoral setback on his shoulders are simplistic and unfair.

Delhi Congress chief Sheila Dikshit, a former Chief Minister, appealed to Mr.Gandhi to withdraw his decision, saying the Party has bounced back in the past from challenging circumstances to emerge triumphant.

Another Congress leader Pramod Tiwari after meeting Mr.Gandhi said, “Instead of resigning, he should seek resignations of leaders at all levels and restructure the Party.”

M. Veerappa Moily of the Congress, termed the poll setback as a “passing phase”.

Describing Mr.Gandhi as the “inspiration” for the Party, Mr.Moily said it was not appropriate for him to quit his post.

“Just because [Narendra] Modi has won...that is not a criteria to leave the president-

ship. After all, ups and downs are common for the Congress party. We have seen them many a time,” he told PTI in Hyderabad.

Stating that Mr.Gandhi should not insist on his resignation, he said he should “continue to guide the destiny of the Party and the nation”.

“Apart from legacy, on his own personality, he is the most competent person to lead the Party,” Mr. Moily said.

During his telephonic conversation with Mr.Gandhi, Stalin told him though the Congress party has suffered defeat in the Lok Sabha polls, “you have won the hearts of the people”.

Lalu Prasad said Mr.Gandhi’s offer to step down will not only be suicidal for his party but for all the social and political forces battling against the Sangh Parivar.

Mr.Prasad said this in an analysis of the Lok Sabha poll results, published in an English daily, the link of which he shared on his Twitter handle.

Any new president of the Congress would be considered as a puppet of Rahul and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and the perception would continue till the next general election, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president said.

The moment someone outside the Gandhi-Nehru fam-

ily replaces Rahul Gandhi, the Narendra Modi-Amit Shah brigade would paint the new leader as a “puppet” remote-controlled by him and his mother Sonia Gandhi, he said.

Why should Rahul Gandhi give such an opportunity to his political detractors? Mr.Prasad asked.

“Rahul’s offer to resign suicidal. Opposition parties had the common goal to dislodge BJP but failed to build a national narrative. The result in a particular election can never alter the reality in as diverse and plural a country as India,” he said in a tweet.

Asked by reporters in Chennai to comment on

MR.Gandhi’s offer to resign, actor Rajinikanth said, “He should not resign.”

“I won’t say he lacks leadership qualities. The thing is it is very really difficult to handle the Congress party, it is an ageold party where senior-most people are there.”

“As a youngster it is difficult to handle the senior-most people. Even I think, my observation is, the senior Congress leaders – they had not cooperated well. They had not worked hard,” he said.

There was no need for Mr. Gandhi to resign as an Opposition party was as important as the ruling one in a democracy, the veteran star added.

A DISTINGUISHED LECTURE BY

SANTOSH HEGDE FORMER JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA AND A CRUSADER AGAINST CORRUPTION

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Program: Social: 2.00PM, Lecture: 2.30 PM followed by Q & A. About the Speaker: Justice Hegde has served as Advocate General of Karnataka (1984-88), Solicitor General of India (April to Dec, 1998) and Judge, Supreme Court of India (1999-2005). He was appointed as Lokayukta of state of Karnataka (2006- 2012). In his report on mining irregularities, he named 3 Chief Ministers, 9 other ministers, and 700 officers for illegalities & corruption. He was nominated as Man of the year by Times of India for 2 consecutive years. Has been awarded Honorary Doctorates by 6 universities.

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PAGE 18 â&#x20AC;˘ INDIA HERALD â&#x20AC;˘ WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 2019

COMMUNITY CALENDAR Sri Meenakshi Temple 29-May Wed 7:00 PM Hanuman Jayanthi 1-Jun Sat 10:30 AM Hanuman Jayanthi Celebrations Art Museum Kannappan Art Museum will be open for public Tuesday 5.30 PM to 7.30 PM, Saturday 10AM to 2 PM, Sunday 12 noon to 4 PM. Address: 2341 N. Galveston Ave, Pearland, TX 77581.

Ashirwad Classes for Kids in Katy Enrollments are open for Indian Heritage classes for Kids and Teens from 4 to 16 yrs. Class curriculum includes Yoga, Meditation, Sloka, Ramayan, Mahabharat, Bhagwad Githa, Sports Day, VEDIC Fair Presentations, Dance, Drama, Hindi & more. Contact : 281-995-0930 or AshirwadABlessing@gmail.com.

Durga Bari Temple Durga Bari temple is open from 9 to 11 a.m. and 4 to 7 p.m. Mon. thru Sat. Sandhya aarti at 6:30 p.m. Temple closes at 7 p.m. Sunday special from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Temple is located at 13944 Schiller Rd (oďŹ&#x20AC; Hwy 6 bet.

Bellaire & Westpark). Call Ganesh Mandal at 713-797-9057 / 832-4238541.

Arya Samaj Satsang Weekly Havan Satsang every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. DAV Sanskriti School Sundays 10 a.m. to 12 noon. - Havan, Hindi and Naitik Shiksha classes. DAV Montessori School for ages 2 to 7 years. Call Arti Khanna 281-759-3286. Free Yoga classes on Sat. Sanskrit & Upanishad classes Tue. 6-8 p.m. At 14375 Schiller Rd. (bet Westpark & Bellaire oďŹ&#x20AC; Hwy 6). 281-752-0100.

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Chinmaya Mission Summer schedule Both BalaVihar and adult classes will remain closed from May 19th to September 7th.

Classes will resume on Sunday, September 8th. New member registration for Bala Vihar will be conducted in Chinmaya Smrti Hall on SUNDAY, August 4 and 11 from 9 AM to noon. Detailed information will be provided at the time of registration. No registrations will be done for Bala Vihar during September 2019. For more information: Visit www. chinmayahouston.org or call Bharati Sutaria 281.933.0233 Jeeyar Educational Trust Translate knowledge into action classes every Sunday at 10:15 a.m to 12 p.m. at Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple, 10098 Synott Road, Sugar Land, Tx 77498. Call 785 550 3621 or 832-334-9163. Visit www. ashtalakshmi.org for registration.

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lectures & talks on every Sunday 11 am - 12 pm, followed by Arati & Prasad; Bhagwad Gita Class on Tuesdays, 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm; and Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna on Thursdays, 11 am - 12 pm. Rev. Sw. Atmarupanandaji, the Resident Monk, gives all classes, lectures & talks. Ramnaam Sankirtan is on 1st Saturdays 6 pm - 7 pm.

Please visit www.houstonvedanta. org or call 281- 988-7211.

Jain Society Jain Society of Houston, JSH, is located at 3905 Arc Street Houston Texas 77063. Key tenets of Jainism are: Non-violence - Ahimsa, Philanthropy with multicity in views â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Anekantvad, No possessiveness - Aparigrah, Right Knowledge -- Samyak Gyan, Right Path â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Samyak Darshan, and Right Conduct â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Samyak Charitrya. JSH has Jain Pathshala Classed for students of all ages each Sunday starting at 10:15 AM. The center is open M-F from 7:30 AM to 12 Noon and 4 to 7 PM, and Sat, and Sun from 8 AM to 6 PM. Call Jain Center at 713 789 2338 or visit www.jainsocietyhouston.org for calendar of events and other detailed information.

Shiv Shakti Mandir Sanatan Shiv Shakti Mandir, 6640 Harwin. Open daily 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. All major festivals, as well as birthdays, naam karan, engagement and other ceremonies. Call Pandit Virat Mehta 713-278-9099 or Hardik Raval 361-243-6539 for puja or other ceremonies.

Heartfulness Meditation Heartfulness Meditation is a practical technique of tuning inwards to experience our higher selves. Meditation with someone who has the capacity of yogic transmission can help you explore the Heartfulness practice more deeply.

There are no charges for this, and we invite you to experience the unique beneďŹ ts of this transmission. Workshops on Heartfulness relaxation and meditation are held weekly throughout Houston. Web: www.heartfulness.org; Email: houston.heartfulness@gmail.com.

Cell: 713-929-0040.

Hare Krishna Dham Houstonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s original Vedic temple, ISKCON of Houston. At 1320 W 34th St. (77018). Daily Darshan & Arati Times: 4.30 a.m, 7 a.m, 8.30 a.m, 12 noon, 4.30 p.m, 7 p.m, 9 p.m. Sunday Festival: 5.30 pm to 7.30 p.m. Weekly Gita classes for adults; call 281-433-1635 or harekrishnadham @gmail.com Houston Namadwaar A prayer house where the Hare Rama Hare Krishna Maha-mantra is continuously chanted. Weekends: 8-11 AM & 4-7 PM, Weekdays: 7-8 AM & 6-7 PM. Weekly â&#x20AC;&#x153;Gopa Kuteeramâ&#x20AC;? childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heritage classes and Srimad Bhagavatam classes. Call 281-402-6585; visit www.godivinity.org (Global Organization for Divinity).

Saumyakasi Sivalaya Sri Saumyakasi Sivalaya is located at Chinmaya Prabha, 10353 Synott Road, Sugar Land, TX 77478.

Temple timings: Monday to Friday: 9:00 AM - 12:00 Noon and 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM. Saturday and Sunday: 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM. For more information Contact 281-568-1690 or Jay Deshmukh at 832-541-0059 or visit www.saumyakasi.org

Gauri Siddhivinayak Temple Darshan from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. All major festivals as well as birthdays, naam karan, engagement and other ceremonies. Call Pandit Pradip Pandya 832-4669868 for puja and other ceremonies. At 5645 Hillcroft Ste 701, Houston, TX 77036.

Veerashaiva Samaja VSNA Houston is a group of families who believe in Veerashaiva dharma (Basava dharma).

Monthly Mahamane program for prayer and discussion on Vachana Sahitya followed by Prasada. Contact: vsnahous ton@gmail.com or Jagadeesh Halyal 832-744-4166.

Mar Thoma Church Trinity Mar Thoma Church every Sunday at 5810 Almeda Genoa Rd. Sunday School at 9:15 a.m.

Malayalam service at 9:30 a.m. on 1st & 3rd Sunday. Adult Bible class at 9:30 a.m. English service at 10:30 a.m. on 2nd & 4th Sunday. Call 713-991-1557 or 281261-4603.

Telugu Christian Fellowship Telugu Christian Fellowship meets every third Saturday of the month at Triumph Church, 10555 W. Airport Blvd., StaďŹ&#x20AC;ord TX 77477 at 6:30 p.m. Join us for a time of praise, worship and fellowship. Worship is in English.

For information call Chris Gantela 281-344-0707, or Rev. Vijay Gurrala 281-997-0757.

Sri Guruvayurappan Temple Hours: Mon to Fri 6 a.m. -8 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Weekends & Holidays: 6 a.m. to noon and 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Bhajans Saturdays 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Sundays 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. Special poojas (weekends and holidays) Choroon (Annaprasam) for kids, Thulabharam, Vahana Pooja, Nirapara. Temple is located at 11620 Ormandy St. (77035) Tel: 713-7298994 email: temple@ guruvayur.us Preksha Meditation JVB Preksha Meditation Center conducts weekly Meditation, Yoga and Swadhyay sessions inside its unique Pyramid hall under the auspicious guidance of Samani Kanchan Pragyaji and Samani Pranav Pragyaji who are stationed at Houston Center this year. It also runs special events and programs like IChoose, Meditation Camps and Gyanshala program for children ages 4-14 yrs. JVB is located at 14102 Schiller Rd. Houston 77082.

Every Tuesday, 9:30am-11:30am, Samaniji has pravachan for all adults interested in learning about Jainism. Every Wednesday there is Swadhyay class from 7-8pm and meditation from 8-9pm. Every Thursday from 9:30-11am there is special Yoga class for Ladies only.

Every Saturday, there is Yoga Class from 9-10am and Meditation from 10-10.30am. Ist & 3rd Sundays, there is Gyanshala Classes for Kids ages 4-14yrs. from 10-12:15pm followed by Lunch. Visit www.jvbhouston.org or send email at info@ jvbhouston.org for more details.

Patanjali Yogpeeth Free Yoga Classes every Sat/Sun at Arya Samaj from 8 am to 9:30 a.m. Call Anil 281-579-9433. For other free classes, call Indra 281537-0018. For Yoga/Herbal products, call Shekhar 281-242-5000. www.pyptusa.org; www.DivyaProducts.com.

Hindu Temple of The Woodlands 7601 S. Forest Gate Dr, The Woodlands, TX 77382 Temple Hours, Weekdays: 7:30 AM - 9:30 AM 5:30 PM - 8.30 PM Aarti @ 7:30 PM Saturday and Sunday 8:30 AM - 1:30 PM Aarti at 12:00 PM 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM Aarti @ 7:30 PM; Contact 832-585--0001 or temple@myhtw.net Sathya Sai centers Sunday program held at two locations (North Houston: 12127 Malcomson Road, Houston; South Houston: 246 Fluor Daniel Drive, Sugar Land) from 3:00 to 5:30 pm) - Sai Spiritual Education (SSE) classes for children; Study Circle for adults & Devotional singing for all. Service programs - food distribution, canned food drives, nursing home visits, tutoring at schools, etc. Contact Venkat Rao (North) - 602-503-2249 or Ranji Raghavan (South) 281-451-8238.

Visit www.sairegion10.org Sadhu Vaswani Center Sadhu Vaswani Center of Houston holds regular Satsang on 3rd Thursday of the month and daily Arti at 7.30 p.m. Call 281-4630379 or e.mail ramolaj@aol.com Gaudiya Math Shri Govindji Gaudiya Matha is a Hindu Vaishnava temple of Sanatan Dharam and worshipping place of Shri Shri Radha Krishna, Shri Gaur Nitai & Shri Ram Darbar.

Mandir is open daily from 5.30 AM until 8.30 PM. The services are held from 5.30PM to 7.30PM followed by prashad. Daily Aarti times : Mangala Aarti- 5:30 am.

Bhog Aarti - 12:30 pm. Evening Aarti - 7:00 pm. Enroll your child in Sri Govindaji Vedic School. We oďŹ&#x20AC;er Hindi classes for all ages. Sri Govindaji Gaudiya Matha is located in Northwest Houston at 16628 Kieth Harrow Blvd Houston TX 77084. For more information, call at 832-464-4686 or visit our website: http://sggm.org.

Swaminarayan Temple Hindu Satsang at Shree Swaminarayan Hindu Temple, under Shree NarNarayan Dev Gadi kalupur.

Opens daily from 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Daily aarti at 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Saturday sabha from 5 p.m to 7 p.m. followed by aarti at 7 p.m. and Maha-Prasad (free dinner). www.issotx.org. (281) 530-2565.

Sanatan Dharm Maha Sabha West Indian Religious Organization called Sanatan Dharm Maha Sabha Branch # 377 is located at 26100 Tina Lane, Katy, TX 77494.

Durga Mata Pooja is held every Friday from 7 pm to 9.30 pm. Contact Ram Sharma @ 713-412-9985.

Gandhi Library Mahatma Gandhi Library Book Club: Meets 2nd Sunday of each month; 12:30 PM at Arya Samaj Greater Houston, 13475 Schiller Rd. Join the discussion of the great manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s autobiography â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Story of My Experiments with Truth.

Call Manish Wani 713-829-6979.

Sant Nirankari Mission Sant Nirankari Mission holds its weekly spiritual congregation on every Sunday at India House 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. followed by community meals. All are welcome. For further information, call Raj Bhala at (281) 980-2825.

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, MAY 29 • PAGE 19

PAGE 20 â&#x20AC;¢ INDIA HERALD â&#x20AC;¢ WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 2019

Spring Branch Family Dentistry,P.A. 1111, Gessner, Suite B Houston, Texas 77055 (713) 461-8050 (713) 461-4747 WeWe Speak English, Hindi & Gujarati speak English & Gujarati CONVENIENT HOURS Monday: 9 am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 6 pm Tuesday: 9 am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 7 pm Wednesday: 9 am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 6 pm Thursday: 9 am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 7 pm Friday: 9 am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 4 pm Saturday: 9 am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 4 pm (Closed one Saturday a month) '

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