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Hamid Karzai

Karzai tells US: Don't interfere in presidential polls Details on page 5

India-backed varsity set up in Kandahar Details on page 5

Marines issue: Italy recalls envoy to India Details on page 5

Telangana Bill passed by Lok Sabha amid din Details on page 6

INDIA POST SURVEY survey@indiapost.com This week’s question

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Last week’s result

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VOL 19, No. 1014

February 21, 2014

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Periodical Postage

U.S. ROADSHOWS IN INDIA TO ATTRACT $65 MILLION NEW DELHI: The US government is looking to attract investment worth USD 65 million through a roadshow in April from Indian investors who are willing to become permanent residents there.

Under its US Citizenship and Immigration Services EB-5 Investment Immigration Program (USCIS EB5), America wants to attract retail investors with investment capacity of at least USD 500,000 per investor to fund projects.

"We are trying at around 120 investors from India ... in terms of dollars that works out at about USD 65 million," said Mark Hesemann, Managing Director of NYSA USA LLC, the company that represents projects approved by the US government.

To attract the investors, the US Department of Commerce along with immigrant investors association - Invest in the USA (IIUSA) - will organize a road show in Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi, between April 7-11.

"Exhibiting at the roadshow will be Economic Development Organizations representing states and municipalities across the US with a sector focus including manufacturing, healthcare, pharma, biotechnology, ICT, energy and green energy, FMCG, and food and beverages," IIUSA said in a conference here.

Created in 1990, the EB-5 program is US government's immigrant investment facility designed to benefit the American economy by attracting investment from qualified foreign investors.

HIGH FASHION MERMAIDS: Naeem Khan acknowledges applause after

Red carpet & entertainment at Valentine bash Details on page 21

Docs association slams US for pressuring India Details on page 32

showing off red carpet-worthy gowns with a wild twist as part of his Fall 2014

450 Indian migrants died in Qatar in 2012-13

runway collection during New York

Details on page 6

Fashion Week Fall 2014 at The Theater at Lincoln Center on Feb 11 in New York City.

(Details on page 49)

Details on page 12

Certified by “CIRCULATION VERIFICATION COUNCIL Readership 117,765”

Pak-linked terrorists in UK sanctions list Details on page 6

CONTENTS Bollywood ---------------------- 28-29 Classifieds ------------------------- 52 Community Post -------------- 16-26 Date Book -------------------------- 48 Edit Page --------------------------- 54 HealthScience Post --------- 32-35 Horoscope ------------------------- 26 Immigration Post ------------- 44-47 Life Style ----------------------- 49-51 Philosophy ------------------------- 53 Publisher’s Diary ------------------ 4 Real Estate -------------------- 50-51 TechBiz Post ------------------- 12-15 Travel & Hospitality Post ---- 40-43

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Publisher’s Diary

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t would be an understatement, I would think, to say that the hundreds and thousands of Telugus in America are concerned about what is happening in their home state back in India.

I mean, it's one thing to be concerned about the impending bifurcation of the state of Andhra Pradesh, and quite another to suddenly feel rootless, and lose their sense of identity that comes naturally with their place of birth.

I have heard some of my Telugu friends here wonder whether they now belong to Andhra Pradesh or Seemandhra or Telangana.

For those of us not directly impacted by the state of affairs of the beleaguered Telugus, an objective view of the issue may be possible. Currently, even as the federal government is set to adopt the Telangana bill by moving it in the Parliament, it may be worth noting that in Andhra Pradesh itself, the state assembly has rejected the bill; the sitting Chief Minister of the State who, incidentally belongs to the ruling Congress Party at the Center is all set to resign to protest against the formation of Telangana; the main Opposition Party in the State, the Telugu Desam Party is vociferously against the bifurcation; the breakaway YSR Congress (formed by former Congress members) in the State is violently against a separate State; a number of Members of Parliament belonging to the Congress Party itself are against the very idea, with one of them recently resorting to using pepper spray inside the Lok Sabha in protest.

So, what I am trying to understand is: When so many of the state's natives are against it, why is India's federal government so hell bent on dividing the state? Or if it is for the larger good, then why are so many people against it?

Ironic too that a people who are so proactive in having their voices heard by voting for their favorite reality show participants on TV, are unable to democratically voice their opinion on whether they want a separate state or not. A new state has to be of peoples' choice, not that of politicians. A referendum, anyone?

Romesh K Japra rkjapra@indiapost.com

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Boring kiss Bollywood's favorite student Siddharth Malhotra confesses he will enjoy kissing actress Deepika Padukone on screen.

Cover Story: Karzai warning President Hamid Karzai has asked the US and its allies not to "interfere" in Afghanistan's crucial presidential polls.

Community: Pomp & fun The Desi community in Chicago celebrated Valentine's Day with much pomp and fun in Schaumburg

Overhaul system Obama says top priorities for Congress should be increasing the minimum wage and overhauling the immigration system

Life Style: Eye on India India-born fashion designer Naeem Khan hopes to grow his brand back home from where he draws inspiration

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The US government is looking to attract investment worth USD 65 million through a roadshow in India in April

Travel: Nalanda Hot seat of knowledge and learning, Nalanda boasts of a rich culture and tradition that gained worldwide accolades.

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Don't interfere in presidential Marines issue: Italy polls: Karzai tells US recalls envoy to India KANDAHAR: Amid his standoff with the Obama administration on a Bilateral Security Agreement, embattled President Hamid Karzai has asked the US and its allies not to "interfere" in Afghanistan's crucial presidential polls.

Presidential candidates in the war-ravaged country began two months of campaigning on February 2 for an election that Washington and its allies hope will bring much-needed stability before the US-led troops exit after 13 years of inconclusive war.

Karzai, 56, said his government will ensure "transparent and fair" elections to be held on April 5.

"Surely, from our side, it will be transparent and fair and that's what Afghanistan needs and I hope also that the United States and its Western allies will make sure that they refrain from interference and that they allow Af-

ghans to cast their vote and to elect their president," he said yesterday in Afghanistan's second largest city.

He was speaking after he jointly

The Afghan President's refusal to sign the security pact has strained relations with the US. Karzai further escalated tensions by releasing 65 Taliban militants from a former US prison inaugurated Afghanistan's first agriculture university, built with Indian aid, with External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid.

Karzai is ineligible to seek a

third term and among the frontrunners in the polls are his elder brother, Qayum Karzai, former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah and former Islamist warlord Abdul Rassoul Sayyaf.

The Afghan President's refusal to sign the security pact has strained relations with the US. Karzai further escalated tensions by releasing 65 Taliban militants from a former US prison at Bagram near Kabul.

If the security pact is not signed, the Pentagon's biggest challenge will be closing huge military facilities like those in Bagram and Kandahar.

US-led combat operations in Afghanistan are set to end by the end of this year, but the Obama administration is seeking to keep up to 10,000 troops on the ground for counter-terrorism and training missions. -PTI

India-backed varsity in Kandahar inaugurated NEW DELHI: The establishment of war-torn Afghanistan's first agriculture university with India's help in the former Taliban stronghold of Kandahar is a breakthrough in Indo-Afghan strategic partnership, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid has said.

"For India, a strong, prosperous and economically independent Afghanistan is a strategic priority and a key element of our Strategic Partnership Agreement," said Khurshid, who returned from Kandahar after inaugurating the Afghan National Agricultural Sciences and Technology University (ANASTU) in the sprawling Tarnak farm.

"We, therefore, see our participation in this Agriculture University project as an important activity of the India- Afghanistan strategic partnership," he said.

Interestingly, the Tarnak farm was al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden's main Afghan residence during much of the late 1990s.

From there he oversaw al-Qaeda's plot to fly hijacked airliners into the World Trade Centre in New York and Pentagon in Washington in an attack that killed nearly 3,000 people.

Khurshid noted that India has already offered 614 agricultural scholarships for Afghan students who are presently being trained at Indian agriculture institutes. He hoped that many of those being

trained in India would one day return as professors to ANASTU in which India has invested up to USD 8 million.

About 80 per cent of Afghan people depend on agriculture for livelihood. Also, nearly 60 per cent of GDP of the country is from the farm sector which still lacks mod-

of land with irrigation facilities.

"Generally it is a very breakthrough step that we have been able to take up in Afghanistan. It is a small beginning because it is a very difficult place both in terms of connectivity and safety and communications," he said.

Khurshid is the first External

Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid with Afghan President Hamid Karzai meeting a local leader during the inauguration ceremony of the Afghan National Agriculture Science and Technology University, in Kandahar province south of Kabul, Afghanistan, February 15

ern agriculture practices.

Khurshid said Afghan President Hamid Karzai treats the agriculture university as an "extremely important legacy issue for him."

The Karzai government has transferred to the university 2,810 acres

Affairs Minister to visit Kandahar, the second largest city in Afghanistan, since 1999 when the then minister Jaswant Singh came with three terrorists released in exchange for the hostages of a hijacked Indian Airlines flight.-PTI

ROME: In a further strain in Indo-Italy diplomatic ties over the marines issue, Italy has "recalled" its Ambassador to India for consultations, asserting it will decide to deal with the situation of "ambiguous and unreliable" behavior

by Indian authorities.

"The Italian government has ordered the immediate recall of its Ambassador in India, Daniele Mancini, for consultations," Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs Emma Bonino said after the Supreme Court in New Delhi postponed till February 24 the hearing involving marines Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone, facing murder charges.

The hearing was earlier scheduled for Feb 18.

"The main objective of Italy is to get the return as timely homeland of the two Riflemen...," Banino said, adding given "inability of India to manage the affair, Italy will continue and intensify its commitment to the recognition of their rights as a sovereign state in accordance with international law."

Expressing disappointment, Italian government's envoy, dealing with the marines issue, Staffan De Mistura said, "Rome will decide in the coming hours the line to get in front of this situation," Italian news agency ANSA reported.

Justifying Ambassador's "recall", Italian Defense Minister Mario Mauro said, "The decision of the Italian government to recall the Ambassador to Italy is not only justified but unavoidable and reflects the sentiment of our people."

"The measure is full and even

greater is the outrage that invests across the nation and which can not propagate to the entire international community. Upon this case there is no justice, we are faced with a behavior ambiguous and unreliable by the Indian authorities," Mauro was quoted as saying by ANSA. Meanwhile, in New Delhi, official sources said Ministry of Ex-

Daniele Mancini

ternal Affairs have not been informed by Italy about the move.

"There is no need for the Italian government to inform MEA, if they are calling their Ambassador for consultations."

Latorre and Girone are facing trial for allegedly killing two Indian fishermen in February 2012.

Italy has registered strong protest against India for slapping the provisions of the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against Safety of Maritime Navigation and Fixed Platforms on Continental Shelf (SUA) Act against the marines asserting that these provisions are slapped against pirates and its marines are not pirates.

Italy has also lobbied with the European Union and the United Nations in this regard. -PTI

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Telangana Bill passed by Lok Sabha amid protests NEW DELHI: A historic bill to carve out Telangana state out of Andhra Pradesh has been passed

by Lok Sabha amid din and strong protests by members from Seemandhra region, including ministers.

The Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Bill, 2014 was adopted by voice vote along with several official amendments, with main opposition BJP coming on board.

Moving the bill for consideration and passage, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said the Centre will give special financial package to Seemandhra, residual part of Andhra Pradesh, to address the grievances of the people of that region.

A number of amendments

moved by AIMIM member Asaduddin Owaisi and Trinamool Congress member Sougata Roy were negated.

Significantly, there was no live telecast by Lok Sabha TV for 90 minutes during clause by clause consideration of the bill before its passage.

Many members protested the way the bill was passed in the din, saying it was against the democratic norms and a "black day" in the country's democracy.

The Bill was passed after a very brief discussion in which only Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj and minister Jaipal Reddy, a pro-Telangana leader from Andhra Pradesh, spoke.-PTI

Students at Osmania University celebrate the passage of Telangana bill in the Lok Sabha, in Hyderabad on February 18

450 Indian migrants died in Qatar in 2012-13 DOHA: More than 450 Indian The Guardian reported at the On February 11, the Gulf state migrants working in Qatar have weekend that 400 Nepalese mi- issued new guidelines aimed at died in the last two years, data grants had died on building sites protecting expatriate workers, sugshows as the Gulf state is under in Qatar as it prepares for gesting they should be paid proppressure over its rights record football's biggest tournament, erly and promptly and housed ahead of the 2022 World Cup. which it won the right to host in adequately.

In response to a Right to Information request filed by AFP, the Indian embassy in Qatar gave figures detailing the number of deaths in 2012 and the first 11 months of 2013.

On average about 20 migrants died per month, peaking at 27 in August last year.

There were 237 fatalities in 2012 and another 218 in 2013 up to December 5.

The embassy did not give details about the circumstances of the deaths or where they occurred.

It also declined to hand over any correspondence between the embassy and the Indian government regarding the treatment of its nationals.

Qatar's human rights record is under scrutiny like never before as it cranks up building work ahead of the 2022 World Cup, most of which will be done by migrant labor from The embassy did not give details about the South Asia.

Amnesty International said circumstances of the deaths or where they in November that workers were occurred. It also declined to hand over any being treated like "animals," and urged football's world correspondence between the embassy and governing body FIFA to press the Indian government regarding the Qatar to improve conditions treatment of its nationals for foreign laborers.

FIFA executive committee mem- 2010.

The embassy in Qatar says that ber Theo Zwanziger said that the It did not specify the period for the exact number of Indians in World Cup could help improve the the deaths, but it said human Qatar is unknown, but it was esticountry's "appalling" human rights organization Pravasi Nepali mated at close to 500,000 at the rights record by inviting closer Co-ordination Committee would end of 2012, about 26 per cent of scrutiny. give more details.

Qatar's total population. -AFP

Pakistan-linked terrorists dominate UK sanctions list LONDON: India's most wanted chief of finance of the outlawed man Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar and LeT, and India-born Mohammed Pakistan-linked terrorists and ter- Bahaziq, referred to as a Saudi ror groups figure prominently in Arabia-based leader of LeT, which an updated list of financial sanc- carried out the 2008 attacks in tions imposed by the British gov- Mumbai that killed 166 people. ernment.

"HM Treasury is responsible Dawood Ibrahim features un- for the implementation and adminder his various aliases and with istration of international financial his last known address given as sanctions in effect in the UK, for White House, near the Saudi domestic designations under the Mosque in the Pakistani port city Terrorist Asset-Freezing Act of Karachi.

2010," the statement said.

The alleged mastermind of the "Our aim is to reduce the ter1993 serial bombings in Mumbai has been on a consolidated list of as- aish-e-Mohammed or the set freeze targets des- Army of Mohammed, ignated by the United Nations, European blamed for the 2001 attack Union and United on India's parliament, Kingdom since Nofeatured on the freeze vember 2003.

"International arrest list as a key outfit warrant issued by the Government of India.

Also referred to as Hizrat," reads rorist threat to the UK and its inthe latest document released by terests overseas by preventing the Treasury Department. terrorists from using common Jaish-e-Mohammed or the methods to raise funds, or using Army of Mohammed, blamed for the financial system to move the 2001 attack on India's parlia- money and targeting the raising ment, featured on the freeze list and movement of money in and as a key outfit "based in Peshawar out of the UK by terrorists and and Muzaffarabad, Pakistan". disrupting the funding of bodies It is linked with other banned such as Al Qaida," it added. groups like Harkat-ul-Mujahidin, Under the Terrorist AssetLashkar-e-Taiba, Al-Akhtar Trust In- Freezing Act 2010, the Treasury ternational and Harkat-ul Jihad Islami. is required to publish a quarterly Among the individuals on the report to parliament on its operabanned list for years are Haji tion of the UK's asset-freezing reMuhammad Ashraf, described as gime. -PTI

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Chidambaram launches all-out attack on Modi NEW DELHI: Finance Minister P Chidambaram does not think that Narendra Modi has been given clean chit by courts in 2002 Gujarat riots and says the BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate has

the democratic way of governance."

To a question whether he saw any change in Modi in his campaign, Chidambaram shot back, "Of course, the undercurrent is

File photo of P Chidambaram and Narendra Modi

steadfastly refused to acknowledge his "moral and political accountability" for them.

He says it was disappointing that Modi was unwilling to "apologies" for the riots. The undercurrent of his cross-country campaign is majoritarianism and Congress will give a befitting reply to it, says Chidambaram.

"No, I don't think so. There are two aspects to what happened in 2002. One is legal culpability. The other is moral and political accountability. On the first, the matter is still in court. A court has accepted an SIT report but that has been challenged in a higher court.

But I won't say anything more on that.

"But on the second, I am absolutely clear in my mind that the political and moral accountability rests with the Chief Minister. He was Chief Minister for several months when it happened. Yet in the last 12 years, he has refused to acknowledge his moral and political accountability. And what is more disappointing is his unwillingness to even utter the words - I apologies," he told PTI in an interview here.

Chidambaram was asked whether he believed Modi has been finally cleared of all charges by courts in the 2002 riots.

When asked about his reference to majoritarianism in his Budget speech and whether India's multi-religious and diverse society could come under attack from him, the Finance Minister said, "If Mr Modi defends majoritarianism, we will give him a befitting reply.

Majoritarianism is not a way of governance.

Majoritarianism is opposed to

majoritarianism. Please read his speeches carefully. The undercurrent is majoritarianism. The unstated premise of his approach is majoritarianism. And more than that is also I, Me and Mine. Has he made a single speech without I, Me, Mine theme running through it."

Asked if Modi has not changed a bit, Chidambaram said he does not read every word of his speech and reads only what is reported in the newspapers.

"From what I gather, I think he is pushing an agenda based on majoritarianism and I, Me and

Mine theory," he said.

To a question if Modi was a danger to the idea of India, Chidambaram said, "Nobody can destroy the idea of India, much less Mr Modi. The RSS could not destroy the idea of India. The idea of India will survive. It is too strong an idea to be killed by one political outfit or one political leader."

Asked how he saw Modi as Prime Minister, the Minister said he did not know his views on many matters.

"He has not spoken on many matters. He has never addressed a press conference. I have raised a few questions - what are his views on fiscal deficit, what is his philosophy on fiscal deficit, revenue deficit. What is his stand on monetary policy.

"Does he believe in GST because I know Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat were the ones who had opposed the GST. Does he support the reforms of direct taxes. Will he support the DTC?" he asked.

These are question, Chidambaram said, that Modi should answer. And there will be more questions as the days go by.

"Because if you are a Prime Ministerial candidate, you must

articulate your position on a number of matters clearly and cogently. You can't get away with one-liners," he said.

School boys debate Dismissing criticism of his interim budget by Narendra Modi, Chidambaram said, "I don't want to take the level of this debate to a Class 8 school boys' debate."

"What does he mean by a decade of decay? The fact is that we are delivering growth above the trend growth rate. I have pointed out that the growth rate in 1999-2004 was below the trend growth rate.

"In the last 33 years, the last decade (under UPA) has been the best decade for growth. Now these are facts. Now he (Modi) likes fake encounter with facts. I don't think the media should join and repeat his tweets," Chidambaram told PTI in an interview here.

He was asked about Modi's

tweeted: "The only solace one gets from the vote-on-account is that this was UPA's final act of misery after a decade of decay & policy paralysis."

When asked about the other comment of Modi that it was "up to the people to decide whether the Economist PM & FM have been 'hard working' or 'hardly working'," Chidambaram shot back, "I don't want to take the level of this debate to a Class 8 boys' debate."

Chidambaram and Modi have been locked in a war of words over economy. The Finance Minister was critical of Modi's knowledge of economy when he said it can be written on back of postal stamp.

Asked about this comment, the Minister said, "What he (Modi) had said on that day betrayed a lack of understanding and therefore I used that phrase about writing on the back of a postage

When asked about the other comment of Modi that it was "up to the people to decide whether the Economist PM & FM have been 'hard working' or 'hardly working'," Chidambaram shot back, "I don't want to take the level of this debate to a Class 8 boys' debate." reaction to his interim budget calling it "a final act of misery after a decade of decay."

The Bharatiya Janata Party's Prime Ministerial candidate had

stamp.

"But if he articulates himself, then we can engage him in a debate. If a person refuses to spell out his views on economics what else can you say." -PTI

Modi slams Cong for disrupting House proceedings DAVANAGERE, Karnataka: Dismissing charges that the principal opposition party was blocking passage of anti-graft bills in Parliament, BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi attacked Congress, saying its ministers were disrupting proceedings on the floor of the House.

"It is your central ministers, who are disrupting the proceedings in Parliament. Normally, they used to throw dust in the eyes of the public, but now they are using pepper," he told a rally, in an apparent reference to an expelled Congress MP using pepper spray in Lok Sabha over the Telangana row.

Modi's comments come four days after Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi accused BJP of blocking passage of six antigraft bills, which form part of the government's anti-corruption

BJP Prime Ministerial Candidate and Gujarat CM Narendra Modi addresses a rally in Davangere, Kartanaka on February 18

framework.

The BJP Prime Ministerial candidate also said that Congress and corruption were like twins. On Gandhi's remarks about BJP minis-

ters in Karnataka being jailed in corruption cases during the previous regime, Modi said Congress should stop the business of misleading the people of the country.

"In Rajasthan, a Congress minister has been jailed. The 'mahanubhav' (great man) should tell (about this). Not only that, he should say for what crime he has been jailed. Even in Haryana, one of the ministers is rotting in jail," he told the rally at this commercial town in central Karnataka.

Gandhi had launched a stinging attack on Modi, accusing him of ignoring corruption in states ruled by BJP, including Karnataka during the previous regime.

Taking on Gandhi over his stand on empowering women, Modi said, "If the 'mahanubhav' of Congress is really worried about women, he should first reduce the rising prices."

Congress had promised to bring down the rising prices within 100 days of the formation of the UPA government, he said. -PTI

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Gadkari files defamation complaint against Kejriwal NEW DELHI: BJP leader Nitin Gadkari has filed a criminal defamation complaint before a court here against former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for allegedly defaming him by including

Nitin Gadkari

his name in the Aam Aadmi Party's list of "India's most corrupt".

The petition came up for hearing before Metropolitan Magistrate Gomati Manocha who asked Gadkari to record his statement in support of his complaint.

After Gadkari's statement, the court also recorded the testimony of a witness, advocate Neeraj who appeared before the magistrate to back the BJP leader's complaint.

Following recording of the statements, the court posted the matter on February 22 for hearing arguments on the plea for summoning Kejriwal as an accused.

"I will hear the arguments on February 22," the magistrate said.

In his petition filed through senior advocate Pinky Anand and advocate Ajay Digpaul, Gadkari claimed that Kejriwal had leveled "false, baseless, scandalous and

defamatory statements" against him which had lowered his dignity in the eyes of the public.

"Such false, baseless, scandalous, fabricated and defamatory statements have been made with the ulterior motive and wrongful intent to malign and tarnish the image of the complainant and the same constitutes the offence of defamation under section 499 IPC, punishable under section 500 IPC," it said.

Gadkari also alleged that Kejriwal had "deliberately tried to malign" his image though "he is not involved in any wrongful or corrupt act."

"The news circulated and published on the basis of statements made by Kejriwal is per se defamatory and scandalous. He has deliberately released/published the aforesaid list of India's most corrupt mentioning the name of the complainant in a grossly irresponsible manner," he said.

The former BJP President submitted that he was constrained to approach the court as Kejriwal's remarks were carried by various newspapers and the electronic media.

"It is, therefore, most respectfully prayed that this court may be pleased to summon, prosecute and punish the accused person....for committing offence under sections 499 and 500 IPC...," Gadkari said.

He said that Kejriwal had issued a list of alleged "India's most corrupt" on January 31, this year in which he had named various politicians, including him.

Kejriwal "has deliberately and intentionally made the aforesaid scandalous statements which were published in print and (broadcast by) electronic media.

The accused was knowing fully well and having reason to believe that such imputations will harm the reputation of the complainant and BJP which will help the accused to advance his vested political agenda and gain media attention," Gadkari alleged.

On January 31, Kejriwal had accused several politicians of being "corrupt" and said AAP will field candidates against them in

Arvind Kejriwal

the Lok Sabha polls.

He had taken a jibe at BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi for allegedly spending over "Rs 500 crore on branding" and image- building exercise.

After being charged with rape, Tejpal fails to get relief PANAJI: Tehelka founder editor Tarun Tejpal has failed to get any relief from the Bombay High Court, which deferred hearing of his bail plea till next month, a day after he was charged with rape and sexual assault of a junior journalist colleague in November last year.

Justice Mridula Bhatkar of the Goa bench of Bombay High Court posted the matter for hearing on March 4 and asked the prosecution to table a copy of the charge sheet filed against Tejpal by the crime branch before chief judicial magistrate.

The High court has, however, allowed the 50-yearold journalist to apply for bail before a lower court since charge sheet has already been filed.

Tejpal pleaded innocence and alleged he has been framed because of "political vendetta".

"The charge sheet against me is out of political vendetta. I have done nothing wrong," he told reporters while emerging from court.

"The entire truth is in the CCTV footage and it will be known to the world," he said.

Tejpal has been charged with rape, sexual harassment and outraging the modesty of the woman journalist in the lift of a five-star hotel in Goa when they had gone to see off Hollywood star Robert

CM’S LUNCH: Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje having meals with school children during her visit in Dholpur, Rajasthan recently

de Niro to his room. De Niro was there to attend ThinkFest, an event organized by Tehelka.

Tejpal, currently lodged in Sada sub jail in Vasco town near here, was present in the court during the hearing and has been permitted to attend the proceedings on March 4 when his bail application would be heard again.

Dressed in a white kurta and grey trousers, Tejpal was brought in a police van to the court where

Tarun Tejpal

he sat in the front row beside his lawyer Sandip Kapoor.

Goa police has filed a 2,846page charge sheet against Tejpal, in jail since December 1, under sections 354, 354-A (sexual harassment), 341 and 342 (wrongful restraint), 376 (rape), 376(2)(f) and 376 (2)(k) (taking advantage of official position and raping a woman in custody).

Under the new anti-rape law, if convicted, Tejpal can get minimum jail term of 10 years which can be extended to life imprisonment.

The charge sheet, filed in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Anuja Prabhudesai, relied on emails and text messages between the victim and Tejpal, the statements of witnesses, besides CCTV footages of the hotel lobby outside the lift where the alleged incident happened.

It contains graphic details of how the victim reminded the perpetrator of his status and her friendship with his daughter to deter him from violating her.

The victim has narrated the incident in the lift on November 7, when the accused sexually assaulted her for the first time despite she pushing him away asking him to stop, citing reasons that included her friendship with Tiya (Tejpal's daughter) and her employment with Tehelka where he was her boss.-PTI

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Bhagat Singh's house, school Indian student missing in US, family offers reward in Pak to be restored LAHORE: Legendary freedom fighter Bhagat Singh's ancestral house, school and his village in

was born September 28, 1907 at Bangay village, Jaranwala Tehsil in the Faisalabad (then Lyallpur) district of the Province.

Singh's village, Bangay, some 150 kilometers from Lahore, would also become a tourist attraction for people, especially Indians, once his house is reBhagat Singh’s house stored by Punjab Province in Pakistan will this year end, he added. be restored under an Rs 80-mil"Singh's village is just 35 kilolion project. meters from Nankana Sahib.

"We have allocated Rs 80 milIt could be another point of atlion for restoration of the house traction for the Sikh pilgrims," he and school of Independence war hero Bhagat Singh. The amount will also be spent for the uplift of Singh's village where clean drinking water is not available and drainage system is in bad shape," Faisalabad District Coordination Officer Noorul Amin Mengal told PTI. Mengal said that people in Faisalabad "take pride in the fact that Bhagat Singh was the son of their soil" and want the place to be known as "the town of Bhagat Singh".

The celebrated revolutionary

said.

The government has also planned to shift Singh's belongings from Faisalabad Museum and Library to his house, he added.

Bangay has a population of 5,000 people. Bhagat's two-kanal house is owned by advocate Iqbal Virk.

"We will certainly buy the house from the advocate," Mengal said.

On March 23, 1931, following his trial for involvement in the 'Lahore conspiracy case', the British government hanged him at Shadman Chowk, aged 23.

The Punjab government had decided to rechristen the Fawara Chowk to Bhagat Singh Chowk in October 2012.

The plan, however, was put on hold after the report of renaming drew objections from some quarters. -PTI

School where Bhagat Singh studied

Indian in US assaults father with sledgehammer HOUSTON: An Indian-origin man in the US has been accused of brutally bludgeoning his 66year-old father with a sledgehammer over a comment made while playing puzzles.

Vinayak Shanbhag, 33, has been charged with attempted first degree murder after his father was found grievously injured and bleeding in the family's Holly Hill home in Florida, according to an arrest report.

Vinayak confessed to beating his sleeping father with a sledgehammer because of a comment he made after a night of "playing puzzles", police said.

The victim's wife told police she went to check on her husband Pandurang Shanbhag, whom she has a separate room from because of her arthritis, at 6 am when she heard him coughing in bed.

There she found him vomiting blood and extremely bloody. Her

Vinayak Shanbhag

son, soon after, came into the room and said, "I did it," according to the police report.

The wife told police he did not say anything else and she called 911, the New York Daily News reported. When officers' arrived, Vinayak told police that the night

before they were "playing puzzles" when his father stated something to upset him.

"He thought about the statement his father said to him all night and that is when he decided to beat his father," police said.

Pandurang was listed in critical but stable condition at Halifax Health Medical Center, Holly Hill Police Chief Mark Barker said.

He is listed in the Daytona Beach university's website as a chemistry professor in the School of Science, Engineering and Math, The Daytona Beach News Journal reported.

Vinayak majored in chemistry at Bethune-Cookman and graduated in 2000.

The arrest report described officers seeing blood on a car's front headlight and the ground surrounding it. Vinayak was found sitting on a couch next to his mother. -PTI

CHICAGO: A 19-year-old Indian-origin student of the Southern Illinois University has gone missing with his family offering a reward of USD 15,000 for information leading to his recovery.

Pravin Varughese, originally from Morton Grove, was last seen about 11 pm on Feb 12 in Carbondale, Illinois, police said.

The family is now offering a reward of USD 15,000 for information leading to the recovery of Varughese, a statement from the Carbondale Police Department said.

His sister, Priya Varughese, said Pravin, his cousin and a roommate had all gone to a house party in that area that night.

His most recent post on Twitter reads, "Bloody knuckles...guess I was in a fight #backdown."

"I'm not really sure what it means," Priya was quoted by Chicago Sun-Times as saying.

Pravin called a friend later that night and sounded like he was running or arguing during the phone call.

Pravin is a second-year student at SIU studying criminal justice, his sister said. He lives in an off-campus apartment with his cousin and another roommate.

"He's very social. He's just very easy to talk to. He's very easy at lighting up a conversation, and very funny," Priya said.

Friends and police handed out flyers and talked to residents about Pravin, Sergeant Rich Brunner said.

Search efforts are on, he said.

Pravin Varughese

Police are following investigative leads and have conducted visual searches of the area by airplane and helicopter.

Relatives, friends and members of his church have traveled to Carbondale to help search for him.

They have also set up a Facebook page called "Missing: Pravin Varughese" to share updates. -PTI

Indian missions in UAE to hold open houses DUBAI: Indian missions in the UAE will now hold open houses on every working day to make their services more transparent and accessible to Indian nationals.

Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi and Consulate General of India in Dubai have announced that they will hold 'Open House' at their premises, during which any member of the Indian community can interact with concerned officials without any prior appointment, a statement released here said.

The initiative is part of a slew of measures taken by the Embassy for the benefit of Indian nationals.

Indian Community Welfare

Fund (ICWF) has been set up to assist Indians in distress on a case-to-case basis, depending on the need and the financial condition of the individual.

Facilities for transportation of mortal remains, repatriation of Indian workers by providing free oneway air ticket, emergency medical care, boarding and lodging for distressed Indian workers, among others are provided from the ICWF, the statement said.

Embassy has also established Indian Workers Resource Centre (IWRC) which runs a 24x7 toll-free multilingual information helpline.

It also offers free counseling services to Indian nationals on psychological, financial and legal matters.-PTI

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Indian origin ex-MP challenges 'CIA may use new drones to target Pak militants' pornography charge BERLIN: Indian-origin former German lawmaker has challenged the child pornography allegations leveled against him by state prosecutors, accusing them of lying about the probe against him.

Sebastian Edathy, 44, who is facing probe for allegedly possessing child pornography, has denied any wrongdoing.

In a formal complaint filed with justice minister of Lower Saxony, Edathy's lawyer Christian Noll claimed that the chief prosecutor Joerg Froehlich was not telling the truth when he told a news conference that the videos and photos of naked boys acquired by the ex-MP from a Canadian firm were "in the border areas" of child pornography.

"Froehlich did not mention that specialists of the Federal Criminal Office (BKA) in Wiesbaden, the Federal Prosecutor's Office in Frankfurt and the Centre for Combating Internet and Computer Criminality in Giessen have evaluated the videos and photos some

months earlier and they came to the conclusion that the materials were not relevant for a criminal prosecution against Edathy," the 11-page complaint said.

Froehlich also "massively vio-

Sebastian Edathy

lated" the personal rights of Edathy and ruined his professional, social and private life, it claimed.

The letter described as "simply disgusting" the chief prosecutor's assumption that Edathy had acted conspiratorially in ordering the videos and pho-

tos by using credit cards issued for hidden accounts and by downloading these materials with the computers in the Bundestag.

On the contrary, Edathy had ordered the videos and photos under his name, used credit cards issued to him and gave his own address, the letter said.

Edathy's "fully open handling" is exactly the opposite of a conspiratorial behavior, his lawyer said.

Therefore the chief prosecutor's assumption is "defaming" and it is a "proof for his prejudice", the letter argued.

Meanwhile, Edathy has reported to the Bundestag that his official laptop used in the house was stolen.

Prosecutors raided his houses and office, but found very little evidences to incriminate him.

Edathy, son of a migrant from Kerala, charged that the prosecutor's office opened an investigation against him without any concrete charges. -PTI

Indian tourists to Australia up by 8 percent MELBOURNE: The number of Indian tourists visiting Australia has risen by nearly eight per cent annually from January to December last year, as the country remains a popular destination.

According to latest official data, there were 20,600 visitors from India during December 2013.

The total number of Indian tourists during twelve months of 2013 stood at 171,700, an increase of 7.9 per cent relative to the same period in the previous year.

The growing Indian overseas travel market has emerged as an area of focus for Australia's state governments individually as well.

States like New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland have rolled out tourism projects to lure Indians. New South Wales recently launched an ambitious tourism campaign named "Jhappi Time" to attract

Indians.

Launched by Destination NSW, the project used the concept of "jhappi" (Hug) to woo visitors from India by at least 10 per cent over the next 12 months.

The campaign would see four 60 to 30-second commercials showing Indian families hugging

their loved ones living in Australia.

The commercials would be screened at various Indian cities promoting several tourism packages of NSW.

Last year, Queensland roped in cricket star Matthew Hayden for a new tourism campaign for the Indian market.

The "Go Beyond" campaign of the state showcased Queensland's rainforests, beaches and the Great Barrier Reef, which are popular with In-

dian tourists.

Industry estimates say that tourism from India has the potential to grow to between AUD 1.85 billion and AUD 2.25 billion in total expenditure by 2020. -PTI

WASHINGTON: The CIA may challenge will be closing huge start using new jet-powered military facilities like those in drones to target al-Qaeda and Bagram and Kandahar.

Taliban militants in Pakistan to But even if alternative bases overcome some of the logistic are secured, American officials hurdles posed by the slower- said, the CIA's capability to moving unmanned aircraft now gather sufficient intelligence to being deployed from US bases in find al-Qaeda operatives and Afghanistan, according to a me- quickly launch drone missiles at dia report. specific targets in Pakistan's The new jet-powered drone mountainous tribal region will be called the Predator C or Avenger greatly diminished if the spy could figure in the Obama agency loses its drone bases in administration's plans to use Afghanistan. bases outside Afghanistan in case The CIA's targeted killing prothe US is forced to withdraw all gram thus may prove a casualty American forces from Afghanistan at the end of this year, the Los Angeles The new jet-powered drone Times reported. called the Predator C or The Avenger could Avenger could figure in the "get to 'hot' targets in Pakistan much faster Obama administration's and might solve some plans to use bases outside of these logistic probAfghanistan in case the US is lems posed by the slower-moving propel- forced to withdraw all ler-driven Predator and American forces from Reaper drones," said Brian Glyn Williams, a Afghanistan at the end University of Massa- of this year chusetts professor and author of the book "Predators: The of the bitter standoff with Afghan CIA's Drone War on Al Qaeda."

President Hamid Karzai over General Atomics, which makes whether any US troops can rethe Avenger, says it is ready for main in Afghanistan after 2014, combat. So far, the San Diego- as the White House has sought, based company has built four the report said. prototypes, the report said.

The CIA cannot fly drones The report also said that the from its Afghan drone bases withUS was making contingency out US military protection, Ameriplans to use air bases in Central can officials said.

Asia to conduct drone attacks in If the bases are evacuated, the Pakistan in case the bilateral se- CIA fleet of Predator and Reaper curity agreement is not inked drones could be moved to airwith Kabul. fields north of Afghanistan, US ofIf the security pact is not ficials say, without naming the signed, the Pentagon's biggest countries. -PTI

Indian teen in Dubai commits suicide DUBAI: A 14-year-old Indian schoolgirl allegedly committed suicide by jumping from a highrise building here after she was caught cheating in an exam, a media report said.

The body of the girl, who jumped from the 17th floor of Jumeirah Lakes Towers, was found by a cleaner and he then informed police.

Investigations revealed that on the day of the incident, the girl was caught cheating in an exam.

Her teacher warned her that she would be terminated if she was caught cheating again.

A police officer was quoted by

Khaleej Times as saying: "Her parents told us that when she returned home, she was distraught and very upset.

"Her father, who came to know about the cheating, also chided her. She went to her room and locked the door, after which the family heard some sound."

The family learnt of her death only after police arrived at the scene. The family was in a state of shock on seeing her body on the pavement. Her mother became hysterical, police said.

Police recorded the incident as suicide and transferred the body to the forensic department. -PTI

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Pakistan stops issuing NOCs Pakistan appoints Abdul Basit as envoy to India for Indian films KARACHI: Pakistani authorities have stopped issuing "NoObjection Certificates" for the screening of Indian films, holding up the release of new movies like "Gunday" and "Hasee Toh Phasee".

The Federal Information and Broadcasting Ministry has told distributors and exhibitors of In-

Siddiqui said the cinema and catering industries stood to lose millions of rupees they had invested in cineplexes and malls after the government's decision in 2006 to allow the screening of Indian films.

"Investors and business groups are very worried because they have invested millions of ru-

Scane from the movie Gunday

dian films that it is processing new laws and regulations and NOCs will not be issued till these are approved by the federal cabinet.

Nawab Siddiqui, one of Pakistan's leading distributors and exhibitors who runs the Atrium Cineplex in Karachi, said authorities stopped the screening of Indian movies last month.

"The whole process has just been stopped and we couldn't get NOCs for new films like 'Gunday' and 'Hasee Toh Phasee', which were eagerly anticipated in our cinemas," he said.

pees while new parties are willing to channel investment, but now everything is at a standstill for the last few weeks as no new Indian films have been released," he said.

After the 1965 war with India, Pakistan barred the screening of Indian films for nearly four decades and this gave rise to rampant piracy.

"The irony is that pirated copies of 'Gunday' are being aired on cable across Karachi but it can't be shown legally in cinemas," said the manager of Capri cinema.

Siddiqui, who works with the oldest distribution company Mandviwallas, said the screening of Indian films had fuelled the revival of the cinema industry in Pakistan.

"It also led to a resurgence in the Pakistan film industry as new filmmakers came forward and invested money. 'Waar' made Rs 250 million, the highest ever by a Pakistani film at the box office last year while recently 'Dhoom 3', the last major Indian release in our theatres, grossed Rs 300 million in just 21 days. So the business was booming," he said.

Siddiqui said since films were not on the preferential list of items allowed in trade between Pakistan and India, they had to be imported from Dubai.

Importers earlier had to get clearance from the Commerce Ministry but now the Information Ministry was giving clearance.

"Three old Pakistani filmmakers are behind this issue as they have filed a case in the courts against screening of Indian films and this has added to the pressure on the Information Ministry," he said.

He said the government was also losing out on millions of rupees which it earned through customs, censorship fees and other taxes imposed on the import of Indian films.-PTI

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has appointed career diplomat Abdul Basit as its new High Commissioner to India, replacing former Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir.

According to sources, Basit is expected to take over the assignment early next month.

Basit joined the Foreign Service in 1982 and has held various assignments in Pakistani missions and at the Foreign Office.

Since May 2012, Basit has been Pakistan's Ambassador to Germany, said a statement from the Foreign Office. He earlier served as the Foreign Office spokesman.

His appointment comes at a time when the PML-N government is keen on improving ties with In-

dia.

The government had earlier zeroed in on diplomat Ibne Abbas to replace Bashir, who was appointed High Commissioner in

Abdul Basit

April 2012.

It later changed its mind, with officials saying Abbas was too junior to be posted to a key capital like New Delhi. -PTI

Dhoni defends bowlers, finds performance 'quite good' WELLINGTON: India frittered away a golden chance of winning the second Test against New Zealand but skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni inexplicably continued to defend his listless bowlers and even found the team's display during the winless tour as "quite a good performance".

Dhoni, who has invariably come out with bizarre explanations for the team's shoddy performances at press conferences, again ignored to dwell on the bowling frailties and came to the rescue of his "fantastic" bowlers who gave away 680 runs in second innings, saying that they bowled "in the right areas".

Summing up what has turned out to be a disastrous tour, Dhoni said he was disappointed with the ODI results as they failed to capitalize on situations but was more satisfied with the performance of his "young" team in the Test matches.

"Overall, quite a good performance. We have been improving right from South Africa. We have shown that we are a side that's very talented," said Dhoni.

"We did well in the series, in this Test because we fought back pretty well ourselves. We bowled the right areas, which I think is very important on the flat wickets," he said.-PTI

SC commutes death sentence of Rajiv case convicts NEW DELHI: In a major relief to three condemned prisoners in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, the Supreme Court has commuted their death sentence to life imprisonment on the ground of 11 years delay in deciding their mercy plea by the Centre.

A bench headed by Chief Justice P Sathasivam rejected the Center's submission that there was no unreasonable delay in deciding their mercy plea and the condemned prisoners did not go through agonizing experience as they were enjoying life behind the bars.

The bench, also comprising justices Ranjan Gogoi and S K

Singh, said they are unable to accept the Center's view and commuted the death sentence of convicts - Santhan, Murugan and Perarivalan - to imprisonment for life subject to remission by the government. It asked the Centre to give timely advice to the President so that mercy petitions can be decided without unreasonable delay.

"We implore the government to render advice in reasonable time to the President," the bench said, adding that "the executive should exercise its power one way or other in reasonable time".

It said the government should handle the cases of mercy petitions

Arputham Ammal (2nd R), mother of Perarivalan, one of the convicts in the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi assasination case, celebrates with relatives and supporters in Chennai after the Supreme Court verdict

in a more systematized manner.

"We are confident that mercy plea can be decided at much faster speed than what is being done now," the bench said.

Rajiv Gandhi was killed in May 1991. His assassins were convicted by a TADA court in January 1998 and were awarded death sentence, which was confirmed by the apex court May 11, 1999.

The bench had reserved its verdict on February 4 on the petition of the three convicts for commutation of their death sentence to life imprisonment on ground of delay in deciding their mercy plea.-PTI

Tech News Mobile phone tariffs likely to rise NEW DELHI: Mobile phone tariffs are set to increase and freebies and discounts likely to be further brought down, leading mobile service providers have made it clear.

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Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone with Rajiv Srivastava, VP & GM, HP India, during the launch of HP State 6 voice tab and other products in New Delhi

February 21, 2014

US roadshows in India in April to attract $65 million The fresh spectrum purchases at the recent auction were being cited as one of the factors for the likely rise in tariffs.

Marten Pieters, the CEO of the country's second largest service provider Vodafone, said the mobile telecom industry has reached a point where annual tariff increases are needed to sustain itself.

Pieters also said the recent spectrum auction combined with others expected in the next couple of years will worsen the health of the mobile telecom industry at a time when it is yet to recover from the "excesses" of the 2010 auction.

"We have had declining tariffs for 18 years; this cannot be sustained forever. We believe the point has come where we will have to increase our tariffs every year, depending on cost levels," Pieters, who is Vodafone India Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, told PTI.

Thai company to invest over Rs 570 cr in Punjab CHANDIGARH: Thailandbased company Charoen Pokphand will set up five modern units, including a feed mill, in the field of poultry and pig farming with an outlay of over Rs 570 crore.

A memorandum in this regard was signed between the Punjab government and the company.

Under the plan, the company will set up a feed mill at a cost of Rs 120 crore, a hatchery at Rs 24 crore, a breeding farm at Rs 102 crore, a broiler farm at Rs 324 crore and a swine farm Rs 1.2 crore in the state, Charoen Pokphand ViceChairman Chaiyaporn Montha said in a release.

The group intended to commence commercial production by 2014 and complete the proposed investment by 2018. -PTI

NEW DELHI: The US government is looking to attract investment worth USD 65 million through a roadshow in April from Indian investors who are willing to become permanent residents there.

Under its US Citizenship and Immigration Services EB-5 Investment Immigration Program (USCIS EB5), America wants to attract retail investors with investment capacity of at least USD 500,000 per investor to fund projects.

"We are trying at around 120 investors from India ... in terms of dollars that works out at about USD 65 million," said Mark Hesemann, Managing Director of NYSA USA LLC, the company

that represents projects approved by the US government.

To attract the investors, the US Department of Commerce along with immigrant investors association - Invest in the USA (IIUSA) will organize a road show in Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi, between April 7-11.

"Exhibiting at the roadshow

will be Economic Development Organizations representing states and municipalities across the US with a sector focus including manufacturing, healthcare, pharma, biotechnology, ICT, energy and green energy, FMCG, and food and beverages," IIUSA said in a conference here.

Created in 1990, the EB-5 pro-

Created in 1990, the EB-5 program is US government's immigrant investment facility designed to benefit the American economy by attracting investment from qualified foreign investors.

Labor party leader hails 'Indian Way' of management LONDON: A senior Labor party dustry exposes the inadequacy of politician has said that Tata Mo- British managerial ability. Just look tors' turnaround of Jaguar Land at hospitals and banks. We've a Rover had exposed the inad- lot to learn from the 'Indian Way'," equacy of managerial ability in he wrote.

Britain, which has much to learn "Well, everyone knows I'm a from the "InJag man and I dian Way" of observed the doing busidecline of Jagness. uar/Land Rover Lord John companies unPrescott, who der British and was the American mancountry's agement. The deputy Prime bosses blamed Minister bethe workers and tween 1997 and trade unions for 2007, is well the decline beknown here by fore selling lock, his nickname stock and barrel "Two Jags" in to the Indian Lord John Prescott reference to company Tata his proud ownership of two iconic in 2008," he elaborates.

Jaguars from the British luxury "Three years later, Tata has brand's stable. doubled production to 4,25,000 In his regular 'Sunday Mirror' cars, doubled profits to 842 milcolumn, he uses his Jaguars as in- lion pounds, reversed the closure dicative of the hidden success of of plants and is about to build a the "Indian Way" of management new engine plant in the West Midexemplified by Tata Motors' take- lands. All with the same British laover of operations of Jaguar Land bor force and unions that were Rover (JLR). criticized by the previous manag"The revival of Britain's car in- ers," he adds.-PTI

gram is US government's immigrant investment facility designed to benefit the American economy by attracting investment from qualified foreign investors.

The green card holdership under USCIS EB5 will include the applicant, spouse and all unmarried children under the age of 21 at the time of application.

"Typically, in our projects, the entire investment is returned within five years of release from escrow plus 0.5-2 per cent per annum simple interest. The projects and NYSA will make periodic reports to all investors as to project performance," NYSA said. -PTI

Indian-origin 'chicken king' to cut thousands of jobs LONDON: British-Indian nounced it had swung from a businessman Ranji Boparan, full-year pre-tax profit of 42.5 known as the "chicken king", is million pounds to a 33.5-millionset to axe around 1,800 jobs in pound loss, despite a 23 per cent the UK as part of a major restruc- jump in sales to 2.9 billion turing of his food business em- pounds. pire.

It is looking at the closure of The Birmingham-based ty- a site in Corby, coon, known for his mega poul- Northamptonshire, and a cake try-focused company '2 Sisters', factory in Newport, South is planning to shut two sites and Wales. cut jobs to rein in costs.

There are concerns that The company is one of the largest the rapid growth, achieved suppliers of poultry through a string of takeand meat to supermarkets and fast- overs, has come at a food chains in the big price.

UK. The 47-year-old Boparan's A further 230 posts are exempire now includes ready pected to go in Coupar Angus, meals, pizzas, frozen vegetables near Dundee, the newspaper and biscuits, and he has 24,000 said. But jobs are likely to be creemployees at 50 factories. ated in Derbyshire and However, according to the Nottinghamshire at plants that Sunday Times, there are con- have been earmarked for expancerns that the rapid growth, sion. achieved through a string of The firm is the third largest takeovers, has come at a big food company in the UK by turnprice. over and one of the fastest growIn October, the company an- ing private companies. -PTI

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Kejri against crony capitalism, not capitalism cheque-based system.

However, he stressed, there are no easy solutions and invited industry to participate with them in finding solutions to various issues. We need to simplify laws, the judicial system and have a stable tax regime, among other measures that will all work together to boost India's growth, and would like industry's views on how it can be done, he said.

Stressing that his Government had achieved more in 49 days of power than other Governments had over several years, Kejriwal appealed to industry "to join the revolution" in creating a new corruption-free India through greater participation of people and transparency at all levels.

AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal addressing at the CII National Council Meeting in New Delhi on February 17

NEW DELHI: Aam Aadmi Party founder and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has said his party is against crony capitalism not capitalism.

He also said it is not the job of the government to do business, rather it should focus on governance.

"We are not against capitalism, but we are against crony capitalism. We are depressed when spectrum worth Rs 1.5 lakh crore is purchased and sold for Rs 6,000 crore within one week. This is not called business, it is called dacoity," he said while sharing AAP's economic plan at a CII event.

Kejriwal during his 49-day tenure as the Delhi Chief Minister ordered CAG audit of power discoms and initiated action against Mukesh Ambani, Reliance Industries and Oil Minister Veerappa Moily alleging complicity in fixing gas prices.

"There is a very small section of industrialists in our country who are not industrialists or businessmen, but they are looting the country. We are against them but not against you all. If businesses are closed then who will generate employment," he said.

The AAP chief said a corruption-free government can help businesses grow and his party is committed to making India free of corruption.

Kejriwal alleged that government has knowingly kept the judicial system inefficient and said that there is a need to reduce litigation, especially from government side.

"Our judicial system is complicated. It has been knowingly made inefficient. It does not take rocket science to understand that if you appoint more judges and open more courts, then cases which have been pending for the last 20 months are resolved in 6 months.

I think that would improve efficiency to a great extent," he said.

Kejriwal said that the key issue today is "governance". The need of the hour, he said, is "honest and efficient governance" which has been lacking all these years, and

Kejriwal said that "we want to end inspector and license raj and corruption". He spoke of measures such as creating a strong deterrence to corruption, revisiting the existing systems and using technology efficiently due to which even though India was led by the best economists in the recent past, the country's growth has faltered.

He praised industry for driving economic and inclusive growth and said that it was business that is best suited to address needs such as "inclusive growth"

through the creation of jobs. The Government, he said, cannot create jobs; it can only create an ecosystem that supports the creation of jobs.

Elaborating on the role of the Government, Kejriwal said that the Government must provide "security, justice and corruption-free governance" for growth and development to take place.

Sharing his views on improving governance and therefore the eco-system within the country, Kejriwal said that "we want to end inspector and license raj and corruption". He spoke of measures such as creating a strong deterrence to corruption, revisiting the existing systems, using technology efficiently, and decentralizing power that would help them achieve their goal.

Responding to specific queries from industry leaders on issues such as funding of political parties - largely perceived as prone to corruption - Kejriwal said that his party had been exploring viable means of addressing this "serious and complicated" issue and had discussed options such as state funding and a transparent

14

TechBiz Post

India Post

February 21, 2014

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Time to adopt innovative tech in education

F

or being the U.S.'s mostwatched live event ever, Super Bowl XLVIII was pretty uninspiring.

What was inspiring, however, was the uplifting ad Microsoft ad featuring former NFL safety and ALS patient Steve Gleason, along with other people with disabilities, using innovative new technologies to make life easier. Gleason's use of a Microsoft product called the Surface gave him the ability to provide voicing for the commercial in heartrending fashion.

The ad opens with a simple question on the screen as Gleason (in techaided voice-over) asks: "What is technology?" As the answers come, "…it unites us…" "…It inspires us…" "…It has taken us to places we never thought we would go…" emotional scenes of tech in action are shown, including a child running on a pair of prosthetic legs, a deaf woman excitedly using an implant to hear a doctor, and a elderly man once blind now able to use a computer efficiently, exclaiming, "Now I can do whatever I want!" The ad concludes with a simple tagline: 'Empowering us all.'

It's an effective promo. Even though a vast majority of us don't know the technological workings of helping a blind man see, who can argue with the ultimate outcome? It's common sense, really.

As I add another view to the two million the video already has on YouTube, I catch a classroompause, rewind, and instant replay.

It must have been just a millisecond's worth of a clip, but it's there. A classroom full of students ecstatically shares a lesson with another group of their peers remotely through video chat.

"Wow,"I think to myself. "That's common sense too, right?"

Sadly, America doesn't treat it as such, at least not in implementation. The concept is agreeable and runs seamlessly with the rest of the ad's message. For all the first-down tech innovation we apply to our lives' every facet, we fail to take the education of our nation's children with us to the end zone. Each generation of our students will have lives more immersed in tech than the last.

America's first-graders were born

KARA KERWIN

after the iPhone was released.

"What can it do?" the commercial asks.

Ninth-grader Vincent Zhou, the 2013 U.S. Figure Skating Junior Men's National Champion, is an online student who one day might be a part of the same Olympic Games that are happening now in Sochi, Russia. Vincent is also

among the three hundred thousand U.S. students who attended school online last year, and he knows full well what it can do.

Vincent goes to Capistrano Connections Academy in California. Young athletes like Vincent are interested in digital learning, whether wholly online or blended, so they can balance a busy training schedule, just one of many rea-

Nexus Academy, a blended learning educator with locations across multiple states, uses daily online lectures as students do most of their schoolwork independently, meeting regularly to discuss progress and set unique goals with teachers and parents, through face-toface meetings and video calls. sons families around the country make the decision to take an alternative approach to education.

Online public schools mix typical class structure with the ease of online learning. With no tuition

requirement for most online schools, over thirty states offered full-time online schools in multiple districts, respectively, at the end of 2012.

Some online schools belong to a local school district, like Appleton School District in northern Wisconsin. Through online schooling, a student can attend school in Appleton despite living over 100 miles away. No wonder over 60 percent of Americans support digital and blended learning.

Students who graduate from the Ohio Connections Academy, a school authorized by the Ohio Council of Community Schools, receive the exact same diploma as their traditional school peers. Connections is one of a growing number of national educators providing online resources and curriculum to public and private schools across all community demographics.

At Connections, parents and teachers work together to provide several lines of support at home and elsewhere. Schools like Connections provide online portals and digital tools to help students stay organized with everything they need at their fingertips.

Nexus Academy, a blended learning educator with locations across multiple states, uses daily online lectures as students do most of their schoolwork independently, meeting regularly to discuss progress and set unique goals with teachers and parents, through face-to-face meetings and video calls.

Construction for a brand new Wheaton High School is underway in Silver Spring, MD as part of Montgomery County's new plan to infuse "new innovative strategies" into students' education. But the innovation that Schools Superintendent Joshua Starr defines as "embracing the new" is in stark contrast to the common sense applications from that Super Bowl commercial.

The recognition for the need is there. Will we continue to build new housing for old, tired methods, or will we make education adapt to our students, what they need, and the lives they will live beyond schooling?

Kara Kerwin is President of The Center for Education Reform, a K-12 education policy and advocacy organization based in Washington, DC.

LA workers break record for largest concrete pour LOS ANGELES: A Los Angeles project laying the foundation for the tallest building west of the Mississippi broke the world record for the largest continuous concrete pour, a Guinness World Records adjudicator said.

Round-the-clock pouring started at 4:47 p.m. Saturday Feb 15 with 208 trucks making more than 2,100 trips and pouring 82 million pounds of concrete during an 18 1/2-hour period, said Sean Rossall, a spokesman for the project building a skyscraper called the New Wilshire Grand.

Ultimately, 21,200 cubic yards of concrete were poured by 11:30 a.m. Sunday, Feb 16, beating the existing record of 21,000 cubic yards set

by The Venetian hotel in Las Vegas in 1 9 9 9 , Guinness W o r l d Records adjud i c a t o r Michael Empric said. ``We just wrapped up, and we broke the world record,'' Rossall said minutes after blaring horns officially announced the last pour.

Empric monitored the pour overnight by smartphone before meeting with contractors and engineers to check their final numbers. Empric, who had just finished judging a successful Valentine's Day effort to set the record for the most people feeding each other simultaneously, said he has learned a lot about concrete and

concrete poured onto the site came from a plant in Vernon that poured the first concrete in Southern California ever, Rossall said.

Once finished, the skyscraper will soar 1,100 feet, making it the tallest structure west of the Mississippi River. It will boast a 900room hotel, convention space and offices. There also will be an outdoor terrace and a swimming pool on the 73rd floor.

It's scheduled to be completed in 2016 and to open in 2017.

The New Wilshire Grand project, developed by Korean Air, is estimated to cost more than $1

the challenges of such a pour. ``If they don't cool the concrete as it's poured, it'll go into this thermal reaction and crack,'' Empric said.

Each truck made 10 to 14 concrete drops, traveling through the night between eight different concrete plants within a 20-mile radius, Rossall said. The first batch of

Rossall said the crews ``double-planned and tripleplanned'' to ensure no disruptions.

The concrete now must ``cure,'' or set and harden, over the next couple weeks. ``Once that's completed, we're going to start moving vertical on the building,'' Rossall said. ``That's the next big milestone for us.'' -AP

billion and has been a huge undertaking.

For the past several months, crews have prepared the site by digging an 18-foot-deep pit and lining it with 7 million pounds of reinforcing steel.

Because the concrete must be poured within 90 minutes of being mixed, trucks had to arrive on time.

In case of freeway jams, alternate routes were mapped. Rossall said traffic had a minimal impact on the pouring, which had been scheduled to last 20 hours.

TechBiz Post

February 21, 2014

India Post

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Cars, 2-wheelers, TVs, computers set to be cheaper NEW DELHI: Cars, SUVs and two-wheelers along with other consumer items like TVs and refrigerators are set to become

cheaper with Finance Minister P Chidambaram lowering excise duties to lighten the burden on middle class ahead of the upcoming general elections.

Although he did not propose any increase in taxes on other consumer products, a rationalization of excise duties for all categories of mobile phones will lead to a marginal increase in the prices of entry level mobile phones costing less than Rs 2,000.

"To give relief to the automobile industry which is registering unprecedented negative growth, I propose to reduce excise duty..," Chidambaram said while presenting the Interim Budget for 2014-15.

As per his proposal, excise duty on small cars, motorcycles, scooters and commercial vehicles has been cut to 8 per cent from 12 per cent earlier.

Likewise, the Sports Utility Vehicles will attract 24 per cent excise duty, down from 30 per cent earlier, while large cars that used to attract excise of 27 per cent will now be levied only 24 per cent.

Moreover, the excise duty on midsized cars will be 20 per cent from

Govt gives sops on education loans NEW DELHI: In a big relief to 9 lakh families ahead of elections, the government has said it will waive interest component of education loan taken before March, 2009, a decision that will cost the exchequer Rs 2,600 crore.

"Since interest concession is being given to borrowers (who have availed of loans) after April 1, 2009, what we are saying is if there is any outstanding interest on the loan you took as on December 31, 2013, I am willing to take over interest burden," Finance Minister P Chidambaram said in his post budget interaction with media.

"We think, our calculation show Rs 2,600 crore is outstanding interest as on December 31, 2013. We are wiping out that burden from shoulders of families, we are taking over the burden. This is huge relief to 9 lakh families," he said.

He, however, clarified that there is no change with regard to principal amount and interest rate as the contract remains the same.

At the end of December 2013, public sector banks had 25,70,254 student loan accounts and the amount outstanding was Rs 57,700 crore.

Earlier in the day in his Interim Budget proposals, Chidambaram said under the Central Scheme for Interest Subsidy (CSIS) with respect to education loans disbursed after April 1 2009, Government took over the burden of interest for the duration of the period of study and a little beyond.

CSIS was announced in 2009-10.

"However, I have noticed a sense of discrimination among students who had borrowed before March 31, 2009, struggled to

pay interest during the period of study, and continued to service the loans after wards. I think they deserve some relief," he said.-PTI

Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram addressing the Post Interim Budget Press Conference, in New Delhi on February 17

24 per cent earlier.

While giving sops to the automobile sector, Chidambaram said: "I propose to make appropriate reductions in excise duty on chassis and trailers."

With the Finance Minister proposing a reduction in excise on capital goods and consumer non-durables on all goods falling under Chapter 84 and 85 of schedule of the Central Excise Tariff Act up to June 2014, many consumer items are set to become cheaper.

These include TVs, refrigera-

tors, computers, printers, keyboards, mice, hard disks, scanners, vacuum cleaners, dish washers, water coolers, torch lights, digital cameras, hair dryers, electric irons, microwave oven, MP3 players and DVD players. -PTI

India govt acts in 80 cases of black money NEW DELHI: In its crackdown against alleged black money in offshore accounts, the government has begun action in at least 84 cases and many more cases are being probed, although it is getting virtually no cooperation from countries like Switzerland.

The government is deploying "special efforts and alternative measures" to get information on cases of alleged tax evasion through zero or low-tax jurisdictions abroad, Finance Minister P Chidambaram has said.

The statement assumes significance as the issue of black money allegedly stashed by Indians in Swiss banks and other foreign accounts is being seen as a major talking point for the upcoming general elections. Main opposition party BJP, as also the new entrant Aam Aadmi Party, have already been talking about this issue on various platforms.

In his interim budget speech, Chidambaram said the govern-

ment has succeeded through alternative methods and special efforts in obtaining information in 67 cases despite several hurdles in obtaining from the countries concerned.

"Prosecutions for willful tax evasion have been launched in 17 other cases. More enquiries have been initiated into accounts reportedly held by Indian entities in no tax or low tax jurisdictions," he said.

Regarding the 67 cases, Chidambaram later said tax liability would be determined and wherever law requires penalty would be imposed.

"All that we are trying to say is this exercise was started in 2011. It gathered pace in 2013. We faced numerous obstacles. Even now we have virtually no co-operation from a country like Switzerland. We are trying to get information through special efforts and alternative measures," he said. PTI

Chidambaram continues 10 per cent surcharge on super-rich NEW DELHI: Putting an end to speculation, Indian Finance Minister P Chidambaram retained the 10 per cent surcharge on those earning over Rs 1 crore annually.

The government also decided to continue a 5 per cent surcharge on domestic companies with total annual income of more than Rs 1 crore but less than Rs 10 crore. Those with in-

come exceeding Rs 10 crore will pay a surcharge of 10 per cent.

As per the Finance Bill 2014, the surcharge on rich individuals has been continued for one more year, until March 2015. The surcharge will apply to individuals, Hindu undivided families, firms and entities with similar tax status.

The surcharge was imposed in the 2013-14 budget and was earlier scheduled to expire on March 31, 2014.

Chidambaram had expressed anguish that only 42,800 people claimed to have an annual income of over Rs 1 crore.

The super-rich were not expecting continuation of the levy, but the government seemingly decided to continue with it in the next financial year with the aim of getting additional revenue, KPMG Director taxation Vineet Agarwal said.

In the case of foreign compa-

nies, the surchage will be at the rate of 2 per cent where total annual income is between Rs 1 crore and Rs 10 crore and 5 per cent where income exceeds Rs 10 crore.

While imposing the surchage in the 2013-14 budget, Chidambaram had said fiscal consolidation cannot be effected only by cutting expenditure.-PTI

Desi News Red carpet and entertainment at Valentine Bash VIDYA SETHURAMAN India Post News Service

MILPITAS, CA: A red carpet and the treatment that goes with it, a photo shoot, an open bar, sumptuous dinner as well as performance by local artists entertained the heartthrobs during the Star Entertainment's Valentine Bash 2014 presented by Peter Sahjani and Dahya Mistry at the India Community Center, Milpitas on Feb 14. It was one of the most memorable Valentine Day programs of the decade with mujra performance by Elena Elsoukov and Harleen, Belly dance by Natica and other items by Ria Nilawar, Vikas Singh, Sangeetika Advani and Rakesh.

Details on page 21

Kannadigas celebrate Sankranti festival S. BHATTA & NEETHA DHANANJAYA

CHICAGO: Viidyaranya Kannada Kuta (VKK) celebrated Sankranti Festival (Harvest Festival) at Rama temple, Lemont on Sunday February 10 in the presence of a large number of its members and guests, notwithstanding the inclement weather.

COMMUNITY ACROSS AMERICA www.indiapost.com

16 India Post

Free membership drive for support to BJP

February 21, 2014

Details on page 23

Much pomp and fun at Valentine's Day Party Asian Media USA

CHICAGO: Love is like a magic dollar, they say "Lend it, spend it, and give it away, and you'll end up having some more." The Desi community in Chicago picked up the thread from this saying and celebrated Valentine's Day with much pomp and fun on Friday February 14 at India House Banquets in Schaumburg, a north side suburb of Chicago The celebration tiled Aashiqui Forever was organized by Manpasand and India House Banquets and the event was highly patronized by couples from across Chicgoland.

A Bollywood Theme Party, which included the great love songs of Bollywood was perParticipants enjoying Valentine Day clebrations at India House

Details on page 19

Vandalizing of Sikh temple in Kenya deplored SURENDRA ULLAL

CHICAGO: Indian Americans across the country have been upset with reports that a Sikh temple in Kisumu was vandalized by antisocial elements there.

It is leant that a monument in lakeside Kisumu, depicting a praying person and approved by the county, commissioned by Sikh community to commemorate over 100 years of Sikh presence in Kisumu.

Details on page 20

Asshiqui singers

Prominent Indian couples at Valentine Day party

formed by Swar Sarita Group led by Samsuddin and accompanied by Madhuri and Krunal. This made the audience zoom with dance on their feet. Their eclectic blend of percussive music coupled with positive messages created an infectious blend of original Bollywood music with heart and soul.

There were many dignitaries present who enjoyed the day. Some of them are: Jasbir Suga, Kantibhai Patel, John Lawson, Dr. Khaira, Karl Karla, Suryakant Patel, Heena Trivedi, Rita Singh, Raji Modi, Dr. Indrajeet Patel, Dhitu Bhagwakar, Ravi Rawat, Bharat Thakkar and

many more.

There was royal dinner, mood lighting, huge dance floor. There were prizes for the Best Valentine Couple and Free Photo session with your Valentine, where Asian Media offered their services to take Romantic Photos.

Many creative classic and fusion dances were presented. The spellbound audience sat through the whole program. Guests participated in couples' games; they enjoyed appetizer session in the beginning and delicious dinner, live music and dances and went home in a romantic mood. One of the key planners of this Valentine event, Ravi Rawat complimented his entire team and sponsors for the success of the event.

Community Across America

February 21, 2014

India Post 17

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Gayatri Pariwar celebrates Vasant Panchami SURENDRA ULLAL

CHICAGO: Devotees of Goddess Gayatri gathered to celebrate Vasant Panchami festival hosted

by Global Gayatri Pariwar in Chicago land on Sunday, February 16 between 10am to 2pm Dilipbhai and Harshaben Thakkar were the Main Yajman for the Gayatri Yagya.

Kusumben, Bhanuben and Bhaskarbhai sang

Devotees gathered at the celebration

Vasant Panchami Aarti being performed at Gayatri Pariwar Desplaine facility

inspiring Pragya Sangeet. Head of Metropolitan Corporation Mrs. Santosh Kumar was Chief Guest who in her address urged devotees to read and follow Gurudev Acharya Shree Ram literature for resolving day to day problems and stress of the modern life.

In her speech Kusumben Patel, the main organizer of the GGP, talked about Gurudev and his message and observed that he undoubtedly belonged to the lineage and category of divine Rishis and seers like Dadhichi. He pioneered experiments on simple sadhanas, which could be easily pursued by the common masses and initiated program of spiritual and intellectual refinement of people without any discrimination of religion, caste, creed, sex, or social status. His teachings have global appeal, she said.

Sriram Sharma was born on the 20th September 1911 as the son of Pt. Roopkishor Sharma and Mata Dankunvari Devi in Anvalkheda (Dist. Agra, India). That his saintly heart was concerned for the welfare of common masses was clearly expressed since his childhood when, as a small boy, he took a brave step of nursing an old "untouchable" woman suffering from leprosy against the strong disapproval and displeasure of his family.

The eminent patriot, scholar and founder of the Banaras Hindu University Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya initiated Sriram in the worship of Gayatri Mantra when he was nine years old. On the auspicious day of Vasant Panchami festival, January 18, 1926, a guru by the name of Swami Sarveshvaranandji "a great Himalayan yogi" appeared before him in astral form during his Gayatri worship. This sparked the revelation of the divine origin and purpose of his life. Since then Gurudev's birthday is celebrated on Vasant Panchami day.

Gurudev Acharya Sharma fought against blind beliefs (Andh Shraddha) and baneful social customs in the same way as Swami Dayanand Saraswati, who established the reformist socio-religious organization-Arya Samaj, to eradicate prevalent evils in society two hundred years ago. Gurudev inspired millions of youth who joined his crusade for changing the society thru campaign of Yugnirman Yojana of Global Gayatri Pariwar.

Cont’d on page 19

18 India Post

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February 21, 2014

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Lokadharma program to spread Dharma awareness India Post News Service

HOUSTON, TX: Dr. Bala Aiyer, a medical professional and a cofounder of the Lokadharma program said that the bedrock of Dharma traditions is adhyatmic (spiritual) pursuit by individuals, and in households.

Addressing a seminal presentation at a Dharma education seminar held here he added that due to distractions of modern life, indi-

vidual pursuit of adhyatmic practices get a backseat and this needs to be changed. "Many observe rituals and celebrate festivals without knowing their adhyatmic purpose and connectivity to the larger Dharma cultural context. Without this background knowledge, over time, individuals drop practices at home, resulting in an irreparable loss of Dharma traditions," he observed.

The Lokadharma education and

Dr. Bala Aiyer, Co-founder of the Lokadharma Program

training program is designed specifically for parents with young children, to educate and spread Dharma awareness, in addition to providing necessary training on how to pursue the rituals and celebrate festivals in households.

The program is also a useful resource for those in American mainstream who want to partake the pursuit of adhyatma (Dharmic spirituality) without the baggage of "organized" religion.

The Dharma Education curriculum under Lokadharma is the only program of its kind that includes exposition and training in both aastika and naastika darsanas and practices. Further, it is one of the kinds that is not tied to a single guru or personality, and not organized as a western-style singleguru single-deity congregational sampradaya. Cornerstone of Lokadharma program is integrated Dharma education and training that sees Artha, Kama and Moksha as a Dharma continuum, and validates both aastika and naastika darsanas as ways to pursue adhyatma.

As a step into an integrated view of Dharma traditions, Dr. Aiyer informed the seminar participants, about the Temple cleaning program currently undertaken by Lokadharma program participants in India. He said that most temples in India are un-kept and unclean and hence, Aradhana program participants have taken up the task

Dr. Narayan Joshi, a distinguished scholar of Vedas and Sanskrit

Sanskrit. Dr. Joshi presented his new research on Sanskrit showing that Sanskrit was integral part of the ancient Indian culture and Vedic traditions. Sanskrit occupies the same exalted position in modern day Dharma practice. Using his modern scientific knowledge of sound waves he illuminated the hidden perspective of Sanskrit shabdas based on the Varnavaada (phonemic symbolism). This symbolism is not random but based on the solid foundation of physical properties of the articulated sounds produced by human vocal tract. Sanskrit plays an impor-

Karma Yoga in Action: Temple cleaning underway in Chennai by Lokadharma volunteers

of temple cleaning in parallel with doing regular pujas at temples.

Dr. Aiyer also introduced the "Dharma Roots" program which intends to connect overseas Dharma practitioners to villages in India, wherein one or more families in the US can adopt their ancestral village in India for both socio-economic development and cultural empowerment. At present the Dharma Roots program is available in the state of Tamil Nadu, but can be easily extended to other parts of India.

The seminar was also addressed by, Dr. Narayan Joshi, a distinguished scholar of Vedas and

tant and a unique role, and cannot be replaced by any other language, he observed.

The seminar was concluded by a crisp presentation on Makar Sankranti by Sri Chenniyangiri Kuzhanthaiswami, a young Dharma practitioner. His presentation detailed the background and significance of Makar Sankranti to Dharma practice, along with elaborate ways to observe the same at home.

Lokadharma program in the U.S. is offered through Loka Dharma Seva Foundation of America, which is a tax-exempt faith-based integrated community development organization.

February 21, 2014

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India Post 19

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Kannada community celebrates Sankranti festival S. BHATTA & NEETHA DHANANJAYA

The inauguration of the VKK Sankaranti Festival Celebration. Deepak Patil, President - VSNA; Manjunath Kunigal, Secretary - VKK; Vishwanath Baliga, President - AMKA; Prasad Krishnappa, President - VPA Midwest and Shreesha Jayaseetharam, President - VKK.

CHICAGO: Viidyaranya Kannada Kuta (VKK) celebrated Sankranti Festival (Harvest Festival) at Rama temple, Lemont on Sunday February 10 in the presence of a large number of its members and guests, notwithstanding the inclement weather.

The Cultural Committee took

National Anthem by Kannada Kuta kids

props of piles of grain and flowers which brought a festive look.

There is a tradition in India to fly kites during this festival. Therefore a "Kite Decorating Contest" for kids was also conducted. First, Second and Third place prizes were given.

After religious rituals, the pro-

V.K.K. President Shreesha Jayaseetharam welcomed the guests and the Kannada Kuta members.

Special entertainment program of the evening was "Nireeksha" by "Soorya Performing Arts" from St Louis. The team performed dances with music for Kannada lit-

tion, the kids demonstrated their Kannada proficiency by talking about various topics.

There was a Stand up Comedy session which was highly appreciated by a those present. Group of adults and kids sang a group song" Banthu Banthu Suggi" (Harvest season has come). Kids

away recently. Members were also briefed about Kannada related programs happening in the USA and also about other programs conducted by V.K.K such as Winter Olympiad, Sangama - a biannual magazine.

The evening ended with Vote of Thanks by Secretary

Traditional fancy dress by Kannada Kuta kids

great pains and efforts to organize the event with meticulous care and this was evident the way the entire program ran smoothly.

The stage was decorated with kites, props of sun, sugarcane,

gram was formally inaugurated by lighting of lamp by distinguished guests. This was followed by the singing of American and Indian Anthems by students of Sirigannada Kannada School.

erary songs in Bharatha Natyam and Kathak Classical style.

Jugalbandi of Kathak and Bharatanatyam dances and live singing by Seema evoked huge applause.

There were also a variety of other programs performed by junior and senior members of the Kannada Kuta.

Fancy dress depicting famous Indian personalities by kids was eye catching. In another presenta-

performed a group dance to the song "Suggi Kala Higgi Bandithu" (Harvest season has brought Happiness) which gave a glimpse of happiness brought in farmer's life by the harvest season.

There was a solo Bharatanatyam performance by Navya Kamath. In memory of Swami Vivekananda, a song with live orchestra was performed. Tributes were paid to a famous poet, G.S. Shivarudrappa who passed

Gayatri Pariwar celebrates Vasant Panchami Cont’d from page 17

Special program

by Surya Performing Arts, St. Louis

Manjunath Kunigal. After the program a delicious traditional dinner including Pongal, Ellu Bella was served to all present . Indeed it was an evening of celebrations of the Harvest Festival VKK is a non-profit organization that provides a forum for cultural and social activities for Kannadigas which represent Karnataka's regional traditions. It also supports humanitarian causes through the VKK Charitable Fund.

Tributes were also paid to Dwarkaprasad Chitanyaji (May 1936- Jan.2014) who worked closely with Gurudev since 1968 at Gayatri Tapobhumi Mathura.

He was one of the most dedicated workers to spread

Gurudev's literature after Pt. Leelapat Sharma.

It was announced that the GPP will celebrate Mahashivratri, on Saatuday March 1 at 10am and Holi on Sunday March 16 at 4 pm at Gayatri Shaktipeeth in Desplaines, a northside suburb of Chicago.

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February 21, 2014

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Vandalizing of Sikh temple in Kenya deplored SURENDRA ULLAL

CHICAGO: Indian Americans across the country have been upset with reports that a Sikh temple in Kisumu was vandalized by antisocial elements there.

It is leant that a monument in lakeside Kisumu, depicting a praying person and approved by the county, commissioned by Sikh community to commemorate over 100 years of Sikh presence in Kisumu, was removed following mob vandalizing.

Indian Americans across USA have urged Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta and Vice President William Samoei Ruto to show strong political will to demonstrate their support for minorities who have worked for the betterment of the country for hundreds of years.

Rajan Zed, president of Universal Society of Hinduism, in a statement reminded Kenyatta of his "core value" to "treat everyone fairly". Zed pointed out to Ruto that if he wanted to "Transform Kenya into an economic power house", Kenya needed to protect its minorities in order to attract

Sikh temple in Kisumu, Kenya

foreign investments.

He said that ill-treatment meted out to Sikhs on the monument issue in Kisumu should not be acceptable to Kenya's political, societal and religious leaders as Kenya's constitution and other laws/policies protected religious freedom. Kenya should see religious diversity as a national strength and reaffirm its history of religious freedom and tolerance.

Balwinder Singh, a community leader in Chicagoland, has joined Rajan and others in the country asking Kenyatta to visit the Kisumu Sikh temple to show solidarity with the Sikhs and organize a public rally in Kisumu condemning the incidents relating to the mob destruction of the monument, which was a piece of art aimed at beautifying Kisumu.

Madhu Patel, founding presi-

dent of NRI Press Club, said in a telephonic talk that this should be an issue with all religious denominations that profess tolerance and Sarva Dharma Samman philosophy may be Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Jains and others to come forward and express solidarity with the nation's Sikhs who had been living in Kenya for long time and made huge contributions to its success, prosperity

and growth.

Sudhir Vyas, a former editor of Divya Bhaskar USA said that Indians led by their leader Jawaharlal Nehru had supported Kenya's freedom movement unequivocally and the founding father of Kenya, Jomo Kenyatta, all the time preached religious tolerance and equal treatment to all minorities in the country. A continued commitment to advance religious freedom-diversity-tolerance and peaceful coexistence-cooperation needed to be promoted in Kenya.

This would go a long way in reflecting its ethnic diversity as the country is described as "the cradle of humanity" showing earliest evidence of human ancestors giving a vibrant culture.

With its abundant wildlife and scenic beauty, if Kenya wanted to continue attracting tourists and increase their numbers, it had to project a picture of peaceful and harmonious coexistence to the world.

Port city Kisumu is third largest in Kenya, with H.W. Samuel O. Okello as the Mayor.

MKCA elects new committee for 2014 STANY G DSOUZA

CHICAGO: The Mangalorean Konkan Christians Association (MKCA) General Body Meeting was held at Techny Mission Center for electing a new Executive Committee. This was followed by Holy Eucharist Celebration by Rev. Fr. Richard Vaz, SVD. The meeting was called to order by the President Godwin Rego. After the secret ballot elections, Fr. Vaz announced members of the new Executive Com-

mittee as follows: President Steven D'Souza; Vice President Ashok Monteiro; Secretary Roshni Carvallo; Associate Secretary - Stany D'Souza and Treasurer - Mercy Concesso.

Following members were chosen for the Board of Directors: Austin D'Souza Prabhu, Lawrence Mascarenhas, Queenie Mendonca, Francis Mascarenhas, Prima Monteiro, Lincoln Pereira, Lin Martis,

Fr Richard Vaz with MKCA officials

Theresa D'Souza, Vissia D'Souza and Eric Fernandes. Fr.Vaz congratulated the newly elected members and wished them well.

The outgoing President Godwin Rego thanked his Executive Committee and all the members for their unconditional support in successfully conducting number of programs in the past two years' term. The incoming President, Steven D'Souza, thanked all the members present for their support and their trust in his leadership. He mentioned

that with the help of the members, he and his committee will work hard in taking the Association to new heights.

It was announced that for the year 2014, the Association will organize Annual Retreat - April 6th; Special Fund Raising Event (event yet to be finalized) - June 21st; Annual Picnic - August 2nd; Monthi Fest - September 6th; Christmas Around the World December 6th and Nathal Fest December 20th.

The meeting was followed by

the celebration of Holy Eucharist.

Fr. Vaz, in his homily said, "I wish to recognize the spirit that I witnessed in each one of you, the spirit of revival, commitment, dedication and above all to work together in moving ahead with all optimism to make MKCA truly a welcoming family to all. "If you want to walk fast, go alone; if you want to walk far go together".

It was a graceful event, filled with renewed spirit, enthusiasm and hopes to take the MKCA to the greater heights.

February 21, 2014

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Red carpet & entertainment galore at Valentine Bash VIDYA SETHURAMAN India Post News Service

MILPITAS, CA: A red carpet and the treatment that goes with it, a photo shoot, an open bar, sumptuous dinner as well as performance by local artists entertained the heartthrobs during the Star Entertainment's Valentine Bash 2014 presented by Peter Sahjani and Dahya Mistry at the India Community Center, Milpitas on Feb 14. It was one of the most memorable Valentine Day proPeter Sahjani, Elveera Rebello, Aditi, Dr.Rewa Kumar, Pamila Sahu, Dr.Charanjit Uppal, Kim Deol, Phala Sok, Dahya Mistry, Vishal Rajveer Kapoor

grams of the decade with mujra performance by Elena Elsoukov and Harleen, Belly dance by Natica and other items by Ria Nilawar, Vikas Singh, Sangeetika Advani and Rakesh.

The event, which has now become an annual one, has also been geared up this year and coincided with a fashion show of Malabis Couture and special dance numbers by Max Dance Company.

"We wanted to spice up our event so that we do not have the same event like last year. That is why we say bigger and better all the time every year as we add an extra push to what we had we had last year," said Peter Sahjani of Star Entertainment.

Grand sponsors for the evening were Rewa Kumar, Divine Vaastu, 2 Real Estate girls Kim Deol and Phala Sok, Divine Intuitions' Ritesh Kumar. Platinum sponsors were Park Balluchi, India Cash and Carry, Eve dĂŠcor. Gold sponsors were Uppal Dental Care. Media Partners were India Post, Diya TV, Radio Zindagi 1550 am and Azmi Gil of Urdu Newspaper.

22 India Post

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Travel Tourism Expo - ticket to the world

trips, airline tickets, and giveaways, and be entertained with FREMONT, CA: R K Travels of cultural performances. Whether Fremont, California organized the you want to travel the world, or Travel Tourism Expo 2014 this past discover America like never beSunday, February 9 at the Em- fore, you'll meet the experts who bassy Suites in Milpitas. The can help you plan and book your event, the first of its kind in the next trip," said the organizer, South Asian community, attracted Poonam Bajaj of RK Travels.

There were a variety of booths at this event Open to the public, the from the travel industry ranging from travel event offered free parking, agents to airlines, nafree appetizers, and attractionwide land tour operators. The Rajasthan tive prizes including tickets Association for proto shows, adventures moting tourism to around the Bay Area Rajasthan displayed a colorful booth with a very ethnic and attraca diverse group of 600 attendees. tive Rajasthani cultural theme.

In addition to travel and tour"The Travel Tourism Expo is your ticket to the world, to learn ism information, side-by-side the about a variety of travel experi- event had a variety of entertainences, snap up travel deals, win ment throughout the day, with the India Post News Service

hip-hop team of Rhythm G, a high energy dance and fitness company from the South Bay, Bay Area Singers singing melodious Bollywood songs, dance performances by Jyoti Kala Mandir College of Indian Classical Arts plus a DJ had the crowd on their toes.

Open to the public, the event offered free parking, free appetizers, and attractive prizes including tickets to shows, adventures around the Bay Area, museums, concerts, and the grand prize - a round trip ticket on Qatar Airways.

The Gold Sponsor was Qatar Airways who raffled one economy class round trip international airline ticket from any one of the US gateways they operate from. The Silver Sponsor was Magestic Vacations. City of Milpitas Mayor Jose Estevez graced the Travel Expo and presented a Commendation to the Expo organizer, Poonam Bajaj of R K Travels for promoting business in the City of Milpitas and Qatar Airways for being the Gold Sponsor.

Mayor Estevez also pulled the winning ticket and the lucky winner was Dr. Deepak Sachdev.

Poonam Bajaj of R K Travels plans to organize the Travel Expo annually and plans are already underway for a grander event next year, the Travel Expo 2015.

February 21, 2014

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Free membership drive for support to BJP DILIP BUTANI India Post News Service

LOS ANGELES: Overseas friends of BJP, Los Angeles Chapter (OFBJPLA) organized a free membership drive in Artesia on February 8. The objective was to create awareness and support for BJP and its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi for the upcoming parliamentary election this year.

This drive also gave an opportunity to OFBJP, LA executive team members to answer common questions generally asked by individuals who would like to support BJP but don't know how to do so being in the USA. People who visited the booth were satisfied with information regarding various programs currently running in India and goals of BJP such as Mission 272+, Modi's 8 point development for India, Brand India 5 T's, Tea party etc. New members pledged not only to support BJP but also request their family and friends in India to support BJP. "Vote for India, Vote for Modi."

Indians who often visit Artesia during weekends for grocery shopping and to check the latest news, upcoming events, religious functions and delicious food also visited Our biggest achievement OFBJP, LA booth and today is new members were very excited to know more about BJP's joining OFBJP, LA and their plans, membership commitment to request their drive and initiative family and friends in India taken by OFBJP, LA team. Detailed flyers to vote and support BJP" were distributed during the event to help "We are overwhelmed with the people understand why we need response after the interaction with a change in India and if given an people. Our biggest achievement opportunity how India will emerge today is new members joining within the next 60 months based OFBJP, LA and their commitment on Modi's 8 point development to request their family and friends plan.

This was the first event orgain India to vote and support BJP" said P K Nayak Convenor of nized by OFBJP, LA team after its inception in January 2014. The OFBJPLA.

Event Committee discussed and outlined several events in next few months such as Run for Unity, Free Membership Drive in several parts of Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego areas. Team members, volunteers and visitors had very interactive and fruitful discussion with free snacks and tea served by OFBJP, LA. After successful membership drive and tremendous response from visitors event committee, it decided next membership event on Saturday, February 22 in Artesia from 1-6 pm.

Key members present during the event were P.K.Nayak, Anil Mahajan, Dilip Butani, Vijay Patil, Latesh Bhambani, Pranav Desai, Neeraj Pratap, Tushar Shah, Rajiv Srivastava, Onkar Bhasker, Balwinder Garcha, Prashant Dwivedi, Ramesh Ramnani, Manu Patel, Mehul Raja, Bhavin Mehta and Venkat Tungala.

February 21, 2014

24 India Post www.indiapost.com

February 21, 2014

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Readers Write... www.indiapost.com

Remember Indian martyrs too on Valentine's Day

T

he whole world celebrates Feb 14 as Valentine's Day and it has become very prominent in India over the last 20 years.

However, I just found out that it is on this very date, February 14, 1931, that the famous trio of martyrs Bhagat Singh, Shivraam Raajguru and Sukhdev Thaapar were ordered to be hanged to death by the British court in India. They were actually hanged on March 23, 1931.

So, while there may be nothing really wrong about celebrating February 14 as the "day of love", we should also keep these three Martyrs in our mind.

We have the freedom to enjoy

such "day of love" because of sacrifices of such great freedom fighters. There were crores of such fighters.

Remember that they, too, had

So, it is my request to simply remember this trio on each February 14, along with Valentine's Day. It is rather unfortunate that we were and are not taught even their

and am sharing those with you, as above. In fact, the real name of Bhagat Singh was Bhaganwala Singh.

Eighty-two years after Singh,

Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev Thaapar and Shivraam Raajguru

LOVE in their minds - Love of Motherland.

full, proper names. I made some attempts to find their full names

Rajguru and Sukhdev were hanged to death for their revolutionary ac-

Disclaimer :- India Post does not endorse opinions expressed in the letters.

tivities, a section of progressive Pakistanis including members of the Awami Workers Party, trade unionists and journalists have been lobbying to have Fawara Chowk or Shadman Chowk in central Lahore renamed after the legendary revolutionary. Those in favor of the memorial claim the city administration had supported their bid, but extremist groups, including the Jamaatud-Dawah led by 26/ 11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed, called it a heretical move and filed a case in Lahore High Court to prevent it.

Ajit Gandhi and Surendra Ullal Naperville-Addison, Illinois

Horoscope

26 India Post

February 21, 2014

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Your Weekly Future

by Pandit Parashar

FEBRUARY 21 ST - FEBRUARY 27 TH , 2014 (March 21 to April 20)

T

here is a strong chance of some kind of Jackpot. Investment made in the past will get you tons of money and have no fear about new partners in business, they will play on your tune later on. People earlier suffering from ailments will cured with help of new medications. There will be some dramatic positive change in career.

(September 23 to October 22)

T

here will be lots of excitement about an upcoming trip. People in business will see a sudden surge in sales with new first time clients. An old appeal will get accepted and you will receive the confirmation letter. Your car will need minor repairs. Boss will be happy with your performance and make necessary recommendations.

(October 23 to November 22)

(April 21 to May 20)

I

t will be a hectic week, Limited time and so many important places to visit. You will buy some expensive but useful item for the house.

Things will be more relaxed at work and even of of your colleague will offer his help. Transiting Sun in second can get you some money through stocks also. Do not hesitate to try your hands at lottery.

C

hances of making money through stocks are very strong. You will become very ambitious and try your hands in different directions and will get some results too. Some of you may join a short term course to improve your changes in this challenging world. Children will keep you involved and plan more than one trip.

(November 23 to December 22)

(May 21 to June 20)

M

oney may pour in from totally unexpected places. Old payments will finally show up and the business should also pick up suddenly. You will be making frequent phone calls to a sibling and exchange few good news. Your past actions will pay off now and you will be admired by everyone at the party. Let the past go and think positive only.

Y

ou will put some assets in market to reduce ongoing financial pressure. Mind will be inclined towards spiritually and it will help restore peace in mind. You will be invited to couple of upcoming social events. There are strong chances of money through legal procedure. You will call someone for direction and advice.

(June 21 to July 22)

Y

ou may be sending some money overseas for a very good reason. Drive within speed limits when on freeway and traveling long distance. Some one who was too close long ago will once again try to flirt with you. Legal matters will start moving in the right direction and a comfortable settlement is almost within your reach in a few days.

(December 22 to January 19)

H

ealth issues will come under controls with right procedure and medication. You may win some money in lottery too. Spouse will get emotional quick so have patience with her. You will be working on several brilliant ideas and one of them will click soon.Business meetings will go well but results will come next week.

(July 23 to August 22)

P

roperty deal will also close this week. Just watch out for a shady character trying to flirt and come too close. People in business will be cheerful to see their sales almost double up in short period. You are very close to getting some money out of a pending litigation. You may travel to a real nice and warm area with family.

(January 20 to February 18)

S

ome of you will get a lucky break in career. Position you always wanted will be offered with better benefits. You may spend an evening with people from political background. Kids will be excited about an upcoming long distance trip. Money wise you will continue to do well and meet all commitments on time.

(August 23 to September 22)

T

here will be lots of activities in career. You may finally receive more than one contract in your hands. Seems like a female will be instrumental on the other side for these. It will be better to ignore the immature comment from a sibling. You will be going on a short trip with children to attend a social event this week.

PANDIT PARASHAR, CEO & COO Astro Scan USA is also available for individual consultations.

He can be reached at: parashar@parashar.com

(February 19 to March 20)

I

dea of legal action to prove your point will cross your mind. Strategy will silence people who have been taking undue advantage of your generosity. You may be assigned a lighter project by the boss. You will visit an old friend with family this week. There are strong chance of a second source of income opening this week.

510-886-4370 www.parashar.com

February 21, 2014

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India Post 27

TOP TEN HINDI FILM SONGS

1 Tune Maari Entriyaan: Gunday 2 Mann Kunto Maula: Gunday 3 Zehnaseeb: Hasee Toh Phasee 4 Patakha Guddi: Highway 5 Ishq Bulaava: Hasee Toh Phasee 28 India Post

February 21, 2014

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I

n an interview to Filmfare, Bollywood's favorite student Siddharth Malhotra confessed that he will enjoy kissing actress Deepika Padukone on screen.

Siddharth Malhotra who tasted success for the second time with his film 'Hasee Toh Phasee' opposite Parineeti Chopra reportedly wants to kiss Deepika Padukone onscreen. In a series of fun questions in the news

6 Maahi Ve: Highway 7 Jashn-e-Ishqa: Gunday 8 Kinare : Queen 9 Zabaan Jale Hai: Dedh Ishqiya 10 Jugni: Queen

report, Siddharth confessed to the same. Siddharth had expressed a similar desire to get 'intimate' with Deepika when quizzed about the same in the rapid fire round on 'Koffee With Karan'.

In the same interview, Siddharth said kissing Alia Bhatt was "boring in Student of The Year". He further stated that "the kissing scene between Alia and me in SOTY was odd to rehearse. We didn't realize that it was so technical". He went on to add that "there were many things to consider like the angles of our lips, head and nose. After a while it became boring".

After 'Student Of The Year' and 'Hasee Toh Phasee', Siddharth's upcoming film is 'Villain' opposite Shraddha Kapoor.

K

atrina Kaif might have parted ways from Bollywood hunk Salman Khan but she still holds a strong feeling for her ex-boyfriend. As we all know Salman is over protective and over posses sive about the women in his life, whether his sisters, female co-stars, colleagues, female friends or his ex-flames. He still cares for Katrina Kaif even after the latter ditched him.

At the recently held award function, Salman Khan mimicked Karan Johar and grilled him the way Karan used to do his guests at his chat show, 'Koffee With Karan'. When Sallu asked the ace filmmaker cum host to rate Katrina on the honesty meter, Karan rated her low. Not so happy Salman, insisted the filmmaker on having a higher rating for Katrina on the meter.

And days after the event, when Katrina was asked to comment on Salman's stance, she said, "We should always respect what Salman says (sic)."

Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif were couple at one point of time but Kat broke the relationship to establish a new one with Ranbir Kapoor.

February 21, 2014

Bollywood

India Post 29

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S

R

"Each woman should do what she feels like. It's about yourself.

What you wear, be it extensions or lip plumper or short skirt.

It's up to you," added the actress, who made her Bollywood debut with "Rockstar"

N

argis Fakhri be lieves that women should turn a deaf ear to criticism and do what they want to do.

"Everyone will criticize everything. Human beings... it's their nature. Everyone has his/her own viewpoint and perspective on what beauty is," Nargis says in an interview.

"Each woman should do what she feels like. It's about yourself.

What you wear, be it extensions or lip plumper or short skirt. It's up to you," added the actress, who made her Bollywood debut with "Rockstar".

She was speaking at the event to crown the winner of Veet Be the Diva season 3 campaign.

"We had a lovely time judging.

Out of 10 lovely ladies, three were crowned. I liked the platform Veet is giving to young women... an opportunity to showcase their confidence, beauty and personality," said the actress.

eturning post motherhood as a producer is Shilpa Shetty with Dishkiyaoon starring Harman Baweja and Sunny Deol. The action thriller is said to have an item number by Shilpa Shetty.

While her filmy career was taking a new high, the actress had done some popular item numbers like 'Dilwalon Ke Dil' in Shool and 'Shut Up and Bounce' in Dostana. After making a mark with her latkas and jhatkas, the yummy mummy is all set to make a comeback on the big screen with this new item number that is composed by Sachin-Jigar.

Shilpa has previously also been a judge of the popular dance reality show 'Nach Baliye'. Her film Dishkiyaoon is directed by Sanamjit Talwar and also stars Aditya Pancholi and Ayesha Khanna in prominent roles.

“

While her filmy career was taking a new high, the actress had done some popular item numbers like 'Dilwalon Ke Dil' in Shool and 'Shut Up and Bounce' in Dostana

�

hahrukh Khan is a devoted father to his three children-Aryan, Suhana and AbRam. He treats Aryan and Suahana as his true friends and the children also see Shahrukh Khan the same way. Shahrukh's relationship with his children is not of father and children but is more like a friend to them. Shahrukh always inspires his children to live their dream and he backs them in every way to make their dream come true. Suhana

has an inclination towards sports and the superstar always boosts up her confidence. Suhana is Shahrukh's darling daughter and the father got emotional as he posted an inspiring picture of his daughter on twitter.

In the picture, Suhana appears to be optimistic with hair blowing and looking towards her goal. Shahrukh Khan finds the picture very inspiring and he tweeted along with the photo, "Giving more when you feel like givin' up I've seen the light It's in my daughter's eyes..."

When King Khan feels low, he draws strength from the spark of his children's' eyes.

30 India Post

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February 21, 2014

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February 21, 2014

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Fax: (314) 423-0391 www.indiapost.com

„ Health

Line

Bill seeks to insure people in country illegally LOS ANGELES: A state senator has introduced a bill that would allow people living in the country illegally to buy health insurance through the state.

Under the Affordable Care Act, only U.S. citizens can buy policies through health exchanges such as Covered California.

About 2 million immigrants are living in California without legal permission, the most of any state.

Sen. Ricardo Lara says his proposal would help those uninsured who are currently excluded under the federal health care law. The bill calls for the setup of an exchange to be run by Covered California that would cater to immigrants in the U.S. illegally. The exchange would be paid for with state money. -AP

„

Flu deaths in California jump to 243

SACRAMENTO, Calif.: California health officials warned that 243 people in the state have died from the flu this season, and authorities are investigating an additional 41 deaths this year as possibly flu-related.

The California Department of Public Health announced that 41 Californians died from the flu just last week.

Still, the recent numbers show an overall statewide decline in the number of deaths this season, and the number of hospitalizations are tapering back to normal levels, the San Jose Mercury News reported (http://bit.ly/ 1hlBCUX). ``The downward trend in the number of influenza cases is a good sign, but the season is far from over,'' said Dr. Ron Chapman, director of the California Department of Public Health. ``Unfortunately, this influenza season is still severe.''

Health officials said 26 people had died from the flu by this time last year, about a quarter of the 106 reported through last year's entire flu season.

The dominant strain this season is the H1N1 strain, also known as swine flu. The strain seriously affects young and middle-aged people.

Thus far, Los Angeles County has reported the highest number of flu-related deaths at 33. Twentythree people have died in Sacramento County and 19 San Diego County of flu-related causes, Chapman said.

A total of 51 deaths have been reported in the San Francisco Bay area, he added. -AP

Health Science

Pollution as toxic as cigarette smoke for the pregnant Details on Page 34

32 India Post

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February 21, 2014

Docs association slams US for pressuring India WASHINGTON: A Genevabased non-profit doctors association has criticized the US and its pharma lobby for exerting pressure on India over its patent laws, saying such actions undermine the global trading system.

"Every country has the right to take steps to increase access to medicines and implement a patent system in line with its public health needs. We strongly object to the pressure exerted by the US on developing countries, including India, for using legal flexibilities to protect public health," Rohit Malpani of the Doctors Without Borders told the US International Trade Commission.

USITC has conducted a hearing in connection with its investigation "Trade, Investment, and Industrial Policies in India: Effects on the US Economy".

"India's measures are fully compliant with global trade rules and with the laws of India. These attacks undermine the global trading system as well as the independence of the Indian judiciary, which was responsible for the decisions under discussion

today," Malpani told the USITC members.

The measures India has implemented to safeguard public health are of critical importance to protect the health of millions

decisions made by the Indian government under international trade rules taking in to consideration its impact on public health.

Taking to task the strong US pharma lobby, which in the past

of people across the world. India has been nicknamed the "pharmacy to the developing world" in recognition of this fact, he said.

"Losing this 'pharmacy' would be devastating for patients and for treatment providers," he said and urged USITC to evaluate the

one year has launched a campaign against India, the Doctors Without Border representatives said relying on high prices for medicines backed up by intellectual property monopolies is a flawed paradigm to pay for medical innovation.

"It creates both access problems due to high prices - as we have seen and at the same time it does not stimulate innovation for many of the diseases affecting people in developing countries, where patients have limited purchasing power and the private sector sees no incentive," Malpani said.

"Today, we basically have a trade off between innovation and access. If you have wide access, says the industry, you aren't supporting innovation," he said.

"Seeking greater intellectual property norms in countries like India that are the source of access for millions around the world, not only does little for innovation but it perpetuates a failed business model," Malpani said.

"Instead of aggressively pushing governments, such as India, to ignore its legal rights under international trade rules to ensure affordable medicine prices, the US government should work with India and other countries, to invest in and develop new models of innovation that promote both innovation and access," he said. -PTI

Pharma sales in India to touch $27 bn by 2016: Deloitte NEW DELHI: Pharmaceutical sales in India are expected to rise by 14.4 per cent to USD 27 billion in 2016 from last year, but the life sciences and health care industry is up against challenges such as quality management and meeting global standards, says a report.

According to "2014 Global Life Sciences Outlook" by consultancy firm Deloitte, pharmaceutical sales in India stood at USD 22.6 billion in 2012, which is expected to rise to USD 23.6 billion in 2013.

It added: "As a per cent of health care expenditures, pharmaceutical sales were 22.6 per cent in 2012; they are expected to reach 23.6 per cent in 2013 and 27 per cent by 2016."

Despite the exponential

growth, the report said, India's life sciences and health care industry still faces challenges.

"The outcome of new product patents, drug price control, poor regulatory enforcement, inadequate health care infrastructure,

manner," Deloitte said.

India is among the top five emerging pharma markets and has been posting double digit growth on account of several socio-economic factors, including increasing sales of generic medicines,

India is among the top five emerging pharma markets and has been posting double digit growth on account of several socio-economic factors, including increasing sales of generic medicines shortage of skilled workforce, increasing patient expectations, ever-changing technology, and quality management and conformance to global standards act as critical barriers in delivering products and services in a sustainable

continued growth in chronic therapies, and a greater penetration in rural markets, it said.

"Other growth drivers are heightened health awareness, increasing affluence, changing lifestyles resulting in higher inci-

dence of lifestyle diseases, increasing government expenditure on health care, and a nascent, yet fast growing health insurance industry," the report further said.

In addition, the nation's low cost of production and R&D boosts the efficiency of pharmaceutical companies and its comparative cost advantage enhances pharma exports, it added.

"The worldwide demand for cost-effective generic drugs is leading India to rise as a hub of generic drug manufacturing," the report said.

Further, a number of pharma companies are increasing their operations in India, which has 119 manufacturing sites approved by the USFDA, the highest in any foreign country. -PTI

February 21, 2014

Health Science Post

India Post 33

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Safdarjung doctors perform first-of-its kind surgery NEW DELHI: In what is claimed to be the first of its kind surgery in India, doctors in Safdarjung Hospital have used the latest technology to perform a complex operation on a middle-aged woman suffer ring from urge and mixed urinary incontinence.

Doctors performed a surgery called 'Cervico Sacropexy-Vaginal Sacropexy (CESA-VASA)' on the 48-year-old Sudeshna (name changed), who had been suffering from the ailment in which the patient experiences an accidental leakage of urine.

Using the latest technology, doctors planted a mesh inside the body around the uterus to relieve her of the nagging symptoms.

"Anteriorly on cervix, the mesh was fixed to the uterus laterally through the uterosacral ligaments and posteriorly on to the sacrum bone, thus restoring the anatomi-

cal support of the uterus and restorating normal bladder reflux," explained Dr Anoop Kumar, head of the Department of Urology, Safdarjung. As a part of the surgery, inci-

5 Things To Know about Colo.'s air pollution plan DENVER: New air quality rules for Colorado's booming oil and gas industry go under review when health officials start taking public testimony on a set of upgrades meant to reduce air pollution from drilling.

Parts of Colorado haven't meet federal ozone standards for four years. The state's Air Quality Control Commission last year proposed tougher air quality checks for energy producers including the nation's first statewide rule on methane emissions.

The rules also require a new monitoring system of infrared cameras at drilling sites to speed detection of leaks.

WHAT THE CHANGES ARE The rules are intended to force energy producers to cut down on ``fugitive emissions,'' those air pollutants that can leak from drilling sites and storage sites.

The rules include a first-in-the-nation requirement for leak detection from tanks and pipelines using infrared cameras that can spot problems that otherwise may not be discovered. Another first is the statewide methane emissions standard for oil and gas production.

The rules would also force drillers to use flare devices to burn off emissions from facilities not connected to pipelines.

The state has put the tab for inThe rules include a first-in-thedustry compliance to the stricter air rules at about $40 million a year. The nation requirement for leak Colorado Petroleum Association puts detection from tanks and the cost at about $100 million.

pipelines using infrared cameras that can spot problems that otherwise may not be discovered.

5 Things to Know about the rules and what they might mean for Colorado: WHERE THEY CAME FROM Colorado's oil and gas industry is regulated by a special commission that critics have long accused of being too friendly to drillers. But air quality is regulated by an agency in the Health Department, which proposed the regulations in November.

Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper touted the rules as a grand compromise among environmentalists, health officials and the oil and gas industry.

The state's largest oil and gas companies - Anadarko, Encana and Noble Energy - signed on to the proposal. So did the Environmental Defense Fund.

HOW THEY'LL HELP The Commission predicts the rules would trim more than a third of Colorado's air pollution from volatile organic compounds, which contribute to ozone. That's about 92,000 tons a year.

An announcement touting the rules last year said they'd be the equivalent of taking every car off the roads for a year.

The methane limits are being promoted as especially significant. Though drillers don't emit as much methane as carbon, methane traps more heat.

Hickenlooper said last year that the air rules ``represent a significant step forward in addressing a wider range of emissions that before now have not been directly regulated.''

WHAT'S NOT IN THE RULES The proposal doesn't address some of the biggest points of contention about Colorado's oil and gas industry.

Cont'd on Page 34

sions were done on the abdomen.

Dr Kumar said in such conditions, the uterine support structures become weak in these females because of repeated deliveries.

According to Dr Kumar, this is a first ever surgery conducted in India on female urge and mixed urinary incontinence.

The mesh (any substance that gives support to the struture where it is placed) which was used costs 90,000 and is imported from Germany.

"Female urge and mixed incontinence is probably one of the biggest problems in the elderly women and every one out of three women suffer from it. The problem usually starts after 40 years. Women suffering from it suddenly feel an urge to pass urine - a problem which often limits their life so much that they hardly leave their houses. They often don't consult doc-

tors and hide their illness," said Dr Kumar.

Sudeshna started suffering from an urge and mixed urinary incontinence for the last two-years, which women above the age of 40 often suffer from.

She would experience sudden feeling of passing urine and would have to put an effort to hold it.

"At times when I would cough, urine would get leaked.

I started avoiding going outside home for longer hours as I would always be stressed. In fact there was a time when I even stopped going to parties, malls and markets to avoid embarrassment in public," Sudeshna recalled.

She consulted doctors who prescribed medicines but it did not help her.

Dr Kumar said that the treatments available were medication, drugs which would show response in only fifty per cent of the women and the results were short lived.

"Once the medications are stopped, symptoms would recur. Further such drugs have side-effects and cause constipation and dry mouth etc," Dr Kumar said.

"Another solution was giving injections of botulinum toxin into the bladder in which again the effects last for six months after which one again had to opt for repeated injection therapy. -PTI

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Health Science Post

February 21, 2014

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Pollution as toxic as cigarette Chronic stress predisposes brain to mental disorders smoke for the pregnant WASHINGTON: Moms-to-be note! Exposure to air pollution during pregnancy may be as harmful as second hand smoking, a new study has warned.

Breathing the air outside the

The pollutants include two specific types of fine and coarse particulate matter, carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide.

"Foetal development is very sensitive to environmental fac-

homes may be just as toxic to pregnant women - if not more so - as breathing in cigarette smoke, increasing a mom-to-be's risk of developing complications such as preeclampsia, according to the findings by University of Florida.

Researchers compared birth data with Environmental Protection Agency estimates of air pollution in US, finding that heavy exposure to four air pollutants led to a significantly increased risk for developing a high blood pressure disorder during pregnancy.

tors," said Xiaohui Xu. Hypertensive disorders such as gestational hypertension, preeclampsia and the deadly condition it leads to, eclampsia, affect about 10 per cent of pregnancies.

To gain a better understanding of how environmental factors may play a role in increasing the risk of developing hypertension during pregnancy, the researchers examined data from women who gave birth in Jacksonville, Florida, between 2004 and 2005

and environmental data from their communities.

The sample included more than 22,000 pregnant women.

The researchers did not include mothers with chronic hypertension, those who had previously given birth prematurely or those whose babies were born with other complications in the sample.

They then gauged how much pollution the women were exposed to throughout their pregnancies using data the EPA gathered daily to measure the levels of several pollutants.

Among the sample of women, 4.7 per cent developed a hypertensive disorder during pregnancy. Exposure to air pollutants throughout the first two trimesters of pregnancy increased women's risk of developing one of these conditions, Xu said.

"It looks like the whole period has impacts for hypertension," he said.

On the basis of these findings, the researchers say more air pollution control is necessary to prevent dangerous complications in pregnant women and babies.

The study was published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health. -PTI

Ajuba Solutions plans USD 20 mn capex in India MUMBAI: US-based healthcare BPO Ajuba Solutions is planning to invest USD 20 million in its Indian subsidiary soon to meet increased demand created by healthcare reforms in the US. "We have already invested USD 40 million in our Chennaibased subsidiary and looking at investing another USD 20 million in technology, infrastructure facility, big data and analysis processing," Ajuba Solutions CEO Tony Mira told PTI here.

The company proposes to fund the capex through bank loans. It is also looking at raising funds through PE investors.

Founded in 1999 at Michigan, USA, the company provides healthcare revenue cycle outsourcing services to large physician organizations, hospitals and health systems in USA. It commenced offshore operations through its wholly owned Indian subsidiary Ajuba Solutions India Pvt Ltd based in

Chennai in 2001. It has 4 operaHealthcare BPO in US is USD tional centers in Chennai and em- 80 billion market and is growing ploys close to 2,800 people at at 15-20 percent annually, he said. present.

Ajuba is also looking at "We are planning to set up two healthcare BPO opportunities in new facilities and the first one would have a capacity to seat 1,000 employees by 2015. We see a huge opportunity with insurance coverage being expanded through ObamaCare," Mira said.

According to recent reports, the global healthcare IT market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 7 The company proposes to fund the capex through bank loans. It is also looking at raising per cent to reach USD funds through PEinvestors.

56.7 billion by 2017 from USD 40 billion in 2012. The demand for clinical in- UK, Canada and Australia in the formation technology, adminis- near future. trative solutions and services is The Indian healthcare industry seeing a tremendous increase ow- is also providing big opportunity ing to recent Healthcare Afford- like USA, but needs better reguable Act in the US. lations, he said. -PTI

WASHINGTON: Chronic stress causes long-term changes in the brain that can make people prone to mental problems such as anxiety and mood disorders later in life, scientists, including one of Indian-origin, have found.

It is known that people with stress-related illnesses, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), have abnormalities in the brain, including differences in the amount of gray matter versus white matter.

Gray matter consists mostly of cells - neurons, which store and process information, and support cells called glia - while white matter is composed of axons, which create a network of fibers that interconnect neurons.

White matter gets its name from the white, fatty myelin sheath that surrounds the axons and speeds the flow of electrical signals from cell to cell.

Daniela Kaufer, from the University of California Berkeley, and her colleagues, including graduate students Sundari Chetty and Aaron Freidman, discovered that chronic stress generates more myelin-producing cells and fewer neurons than normal.

This results in an excess of myelin - and thus, white matter - in some areas of the brain, which disrupts the delicate balance and timing of communication within the brain.

"We studied only one part of the brain, the hippocampus, but our findings could provide insight into how white matter is changing in conditions such as schizophrenia, autism, depression, suicide, ADHD and PTSD," she said.

Kaufer's lab, which conducts research on the molecular and cellular effects of acute and chronic stress, focused in this study on neural stem cells in the hippocampus of the brains of adult rats.

These stem cells were previously thought to mature only into neurons or a type of glial cell called an astrocyte.

The researchers found, however, that chronic stress also made stem cells in the hippocampus mature into another type of glial cell called an oligodendrocyte, which produces the myelin that sheaths nerve cells.

The finding, which they demonstrated in rats and cultured rat brain cells, suggests a key role for oligodendrocytes in long-term and perhaps permanent changes in the brain that could set the stage for later mental problems.-PTI

5 Things To Know about Colo.'s air pollution plan Cont'd from Page 33

They don't address how far oil and gas wells must be from homes, schools or businesses.

The rules also don't increase in-person inspections of drilling sites, nor do they raise fines for operators that break regulations. ``The compromise certainly isn't everything that all parties wanted,'' said Dan Grossman of the Environmental Defense Fund's Rocky Mountain Regional Office.

But Grossman and the large energy companies that agreed to the rules say they're a good first step.

The Colorado Petroleum Association, which represents those companies but also smaller opera-

tors, is expected to oppose parts of the new regulations, which the CPA says could prove too burdensome for some.

WHAT HAPPENS NOW The public hearings begin Wednesday, and the Air Quality Control Commission has rented space in Aurora because they say their regular hearing room isn't big enough.

Interested parties who can't drive to Aurora will be allowed to give telephone testimony, though they have to register by Monday.

The Commission could approve the rules soon after the public testimony ends, though they could also keep working in response to what they hear. -AP

February 21, 2014

Health Science Post

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Ohio pols weigh forced mental illness treatment COLUMBUS, Ohio: More people with severe mental illness could receive courtordered outpatient treatment and get it sooner under bills before Ohio lawmakers.

The legislation clarifies that such treatment is an option that judges can consider for patients along with hospitalization.

The proposals also set out more behaviors a patient must exhibit to receive courtordered treatment, such as being unlikely to live safely in the community without supervision.

Increasing such options protects the mentally ill in need of treatment as well as their families, supporters say. ``If somebody has a history of hurting themselves or threatening someone else, a family member could get them help before

they require hospitalization or they're picked up by police and taken to jail or, in the worst-case scenario, end up dead,'' said Betsy Johnson, associate executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Ohio.

The proposal would make it clear that judges, who support the legislation, have more options than just hospitalization for people with severe mental illnesses who appear before them. ``Without passage of court ordered outpatient treatment, many individuals and their loved ones will continue to suffer the anguish of untreated mental illness,'' Judge Joyce Campbell of Fairfield Municipal Court said in testimony submitted to the Senate Civil Justice Committee last month.

Earwax can reveal your ethnicity and health status WASHINGTON: Earwax can provide information about a person's ethnicity, health and even tell what they have eaten, scientists say.

Scientists from the Monell Center in Philadelphia found that odor-producing chemical compounds are present in human earwax.

They also found that the amount of these compounds differ between individuals of East Asian origin and Caucasians.

"Our previous research has shown that underarm odors can convey a great deal of information about an individual, including personal identity, gender, sexual orientation, and health status," said study senior author George Preti, an organic chemist at Monell.

"We think it possible that earwax may contain similar information," Preti said.

Earwax, scientifically known as cerumen, is a mixture of secretions from specialized sweat glands with fatty materials secreted from sebaceous glands. It can have one of two physical types: a wet yellow-brown wax or a dry white wax.

Preti's interest in earwax was piqued by the finding that a small change in a gene known as ABCC11 is related both to underarm odor production and also to whether a person has wet or dry earwax.

Individuals of East Asian (eg, Chinese, Korean and Japanese) and Native Ameri-

can descent have a form of the ABCC11 gene that codes both for dry-type earwax and also for reduced underarm body odor relative to individuals of other ethnicities, who typically produce a wet-type ear wax and greater body odor, researchers said.

To explore whether earwax has a characteristic odor, the researchers collected earwax from 16 healthy men: eight Caucasian and eight of East Asian descent.

Each sample was placed into a vial gently heated for 30 minutes to promote release of airborne molecules known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), many of which are odorous.

An absorbent device was then inserted through the vial's cap to collect VOCs from the closed containers, and the chemical compounds were analyzed.

The analysis revealed 12 VOCs were consistently present in the earwax of all the men. However, the amount of VOCs varied as a function of the subject's ethnic background, with Caucasians having greater amounts of 11 of the 12 VOCs than East Asians.

"In essence, we could obtain information about a person's ethnicity simply by looking in his ears.

While the types of odorants were similar, the amounts were very different," said study lead author Katharine Prokop-Prigge, a Monell chemist.

Prokop-Prigge said that at least two odor-producing metabolic diseases (maple syrup urine disease and alkaptonuria) can be identified in earwax before they can be diagnosed using traditional blood and urine analysis.

"Odors in earwax may be able to tell us what a person has eaten and where they have been. Earwax is a neglected body secretion whose potential as an information source has yet to be explored," said Preti. -PTI

Some opponents say the bill will pick winners and losers among the mentally ill by putting the neediest at the front of the treatment line.

Others say the bill could increase the cost of mental illness treatment. They also worry the number of outpatient providers isn't large enough for numerous referrals.

More than 40 states have similar outpatient treatment laws, including legislation in New York called Kendra's Law for a woman pushed under a subway by a man with schizophrenia.

Linda Hutchison is urging passage of Ohio's proposal, saying it might have saved her son, Joey Hutchison, who died in 2008 at age 45 after runLinda Hutchison is urging passage of Ohio's ning into interproposal, saying it might have saved her state traffic in Columbus. He son, Joey Hutchison, who died in 2008 at had struggled age 45 after running into interstate traffic in with mental illness for years.

Columbus. He had struggled with mental He was diagillness for years. He was diagnosed with nosed with bibipolar disorder polar disorder, L i n d a The goal should be funding an inte- Hutchison said. She is pushing to name grated health care system, said Hugh the measure Joey's Law as a way of perWirtz, CEO of The Ohio Council of Behav- sonalizing it to gain authorities' attention. ioral Health & Family Services. Instead, After spending two decades in prison, the proposal ``appears to be focused on her son had earned degrees at Columbus safety issues as a result of tragedies that State Community College when he relapsed have happened.'' and the family struggled unsuccessfully to Backers say $70 million a year that was have him admitted, Hutchison said. recently added to the state budget for com``I want my son's life to have meant munity mental health and addiction ser- something. He wanted to live. I know that,'' vices will help offset costs. They also say said Hutchison, 70, of Columbus. ``He reexpanded Medicaid funding in Ohio will ally would have had a good life if he could free up local dollars that could now go to have come to terms with his mental illoutpatient treatment. ness.'' -AP

36 India Post

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Realty Tidbits

Site approved for modern housing colony in Jammu JAMMU: The Jammu and Kashmir government has approved the site for construction of a residential complex under the modern group housing colony in Jammu's posh Gandhi Nagar area.

Urban Development and Urban Local Bodies Minister Nawang Rigzin Jora approved the site for construction of a modern Group Housing Colony (residential flats) on eight kanals of land.

The minister accompanied by Housing and Urban Development secretary Satish Nehru and the Jammu Development Authority vice chairman visited the site for the proposed housing colony and gave his nod to initiate construction work. There will be provision of about 425 flats for Higher Income Group and Economically Weaker Sections of the society. PTI

No buyers for Surat higher income housing SURAT: Even as the state government focuses on housing schemes for urban poor, city's real estate developers are struggling to find buyers from the higher income group (HIG) and higher middle income group (HMIG).

According to the figures of Surat Builders Association (SBA), as many as one lakh 3-BHK houses priced above Rs 40-45 lakh with an area of 1,500-1,600 sq feet are lying vacant in the city.

The builder's body said that with increasing middle class population, there is a need for housing at least three lakh families in the city in middle income (MIG) and low-income group (LIG).

The two contrasting situations show that the real estate development in the city is not in sync with reality. There are certain areas of the city like Vesu, Parle Point, New City Light, City Light and Piplod where one can't find houses or flats smaller than 1,500 sq feet.

Real Estate 38

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February 21, 2014

'Realty sector may see improvement in 6 months' MUMBAI: Even as the current sentiment remains sluggish, industry experts believe the real estate sector is likely to see some improvement in the next six months when property prices will also witness upward movement.

"As per the stakeholder survey, not just supply and demand for residential property, but price too is expected to witness an upward movement in the next six months," Knight Frank India Chief Economist and Director-Research Samantak Das said here.-PTI

Neighborhood or house? How to set your priorities

I

n a perfect world, every buyer could afford the house of their dreams in a neighborhood they adore. In reality, most buyers need to compromise on something when they buy a home, particularly their first home.

A Realtor can give you expert advice on home values and often can show you homes in communities that you didn't know about or that you hadn't considered. In the end, though, you need to set your priorities so you can decide which home to buy.

Start With a List At the first buyer consultation, your Realtor should ask you to make a list of everything you're looking for in a home - including such things as the number of bedrooms and baths, the placement of the kitchen, the size of the yard, and your preferred location near a particular school, your job, your favorite restaurants or public transportation.

If you're buying with a spouse or partner, you should each make a separate list and then compare notes. Avid watchers of HGTV programs know that both partners rarely agree on every feature, so step two is to talk about which features are mandatory and which are optional.

As soon as you've met with a lender and established your comfort level with a budget you can start matching your wish list with what's actually available in your area.

MICHELE LERNER

Which Comes First, the Community or the Property?

If, like most buyers, you're not finding the perfect home in your ideal neighborhood, you'll have to decide whether it's more important to be in a particular location or a particular size and type of home.

If you decide that location matters more but you can't afford to buy in your preferred area, you

type. If single-family homes in the area are too pricey, you might find a town home with similar living space that's less costly. You can con sider a condominium, but don't forget to factor in the condo association fees to see how that fits into your budget.

• Look for a home in less-thanperfect condition. While you need to be careful about how much cash

have several options: • Look for a smaller home or a smaller lot. If you can live in two bedrooms instead of three, or forgo a large back yard, you may find something affordable.

• Switch to a different home

is required to renovate a property, a home that needs some minor repairs or has flaws that you can live with for a few years can be affordable. You can also look into financing renovations with an FHA 203k loan.

• Rent a little longer while you save for a home. If you can take on a second job to build up a larger down payment, this could be a good decision, but be aware that home prices could rise more before you're ready to buy and could still be out-of-reach.

• Look for a lease-to-own arrangement. Some homeowners may be willing to negotiate a leasepurchase agreement so that some of your rent is credited as a down payment.

If you decide that the type of home is more important than a particular neighborhood, you should work with a Realtor with expertise in your local market who can help you identify other communities where you might find affordable homes.

An experienced Realtor not only can show you different locations but can also talk to you about why some communities have higher home values than others, such as being near commuter routes or a having a reputation for excellent schools. It's important to make an educated decision about where you buy a home so that you maximize your potential for continued property value.

Courtesy Realtor.com

DLF cuts net debt by Rs 2,500 cr NEW DELHI: India's largest realty firm DLF has said it has reduced net debt by over Rs 2,500 crore to Rs 17,400 crore following proceeds from sale of luxury hotel chain Amanresorts, and a refund from DDA. The net debt had increased to Rs 19,926 crore at the end of December quarter, from Rs 1,9508 crore as on September 30.

"Current net debt is at Rs 17,400 crore (approx). We maintain the FY14 guidance of net debt of Rs 17,500-18,000 crore," DLF said in an analyst presentation.

The debt level would continue in this range in short term.

In a conference call with ana-

lysts, DLF Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Ashok Tyagi said: "With closure of Amanresorts and settle-

DLF said it has sold Amanresorts (barring Lodhi property) for USD 358 million (over Rs 2,200 crore) and also settled the dispute with the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) ment of Dwarka project with DDA, we have achieved our net debt guidance. Recovery on sales side

will take couple of quarters.

Rental business is growing well".

Since January this year, DLF said it has sold Amanresorts (barring Lodhi property) for USD 358 million (over Rs 2,200 crore) and also settled the dispute with the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) on the Dwarka Convention Centre project with refund of Rs 676 crore.

Tyagi also said that the company has booked a "pre-tax loss of Rs 400 crore" in the settlement with DDA for Dwarka project, which it bagged in 2007 but was later scrapped.

Cont’d on page 39

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Builders fear more green hurdles for big projects MUMBAI: A new state environment de- and obtaining the preliminary permissions partment circular has raised fears among from the BMC are done at the same time by developers that they may have to face more the developer, thus saving time. But the red tape and delay in procuring green clear- new circular will delay work by a further 6ances for large building projects.

9 months," said architect Manoj Daisaria.

The January 30 circular stipulates that However, environment secretary R A builders must now mandatorily get their Rajeev, who signed the circular, said buildprojects sanctioned by the planning au- ing plans placed for environment clearance thority (in Mumbai, it is the BMC) first and are not the ones which are scrutinized prionly then approach the environment de- marily by the local planning authority. "Unpartment for clearance. der the circumstances, it's difficult to unConstruction industry sources said The new diktat, they said, means a furthat currently developers submit their ther delay in starting their projects. Deplans to the BMC and velopers said environmental clearances environment department simultaneously. in the Mumbai metropolitan region take But the new diktat, an average of 12-36 months. An estithey said, means a furmated 1,000 building project proposals ther delay in starting their projects. Devel- are awaiting clearance in this region. opers said environmental clearances in the Mumbai metro- derstand the proposed concessions in the politan region take an average of 12-36 building plans, which must be verified and months. An estimated 1,000 building certified by the competent authority. This project proposals are awaiting clearance is of utmost importance as these things in this region. are required in deciding the location of enAny construction with a built-up area vironmental infrastructure like sewage of more than 20,000 sq m must be approved treatment plant, tree plantation space, polby state-level expert appraisal committees lution control mechanism in parking slots, (SEACs) and state-level environment im- etc. This is also required in calculating the pact assessment authority (SEIAA). gross pollution load of the project," said "At present, environmental clearance the circular.

Real Estate law should be made applicable on small projects: Panel NEW DELHI: A parliamentary panel has favored bringing small projects within the purview of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Bill, 2013.

The panel has said the law should be made applicable on constructions that are built on 100 square meters of area or more.

In its report on the Bill, the Standing Committee on Urban Development said

It suggested the legislation should be amended to ensure the applicability of the Bill on "area of land proposed for residential construction up to 100 square meters and number of apartments to be developed (not exceeding 3 numbers) instead of 1000 square meters," the panel said.

The committee said that as per the Bill, in case a promoter fails to discharge any obligation, he will be liable to pay a fine. It said the The committee said that as per the Bill, in compensation should be calculated in a judicase a promoter fails to discharge any cious manner keeping obligation, he will be liable to pay a fine. in consideration the principal amount paid It said the compensation should be by the allottee and the calculated in a judicious manner rate of interest.

The panel also said small projects had been excluded from the recommended that under the Bill, it was the purview of the Bill where the area of land is responsibility of the promoter to obtain a less than 1000 square meters or where a completion certificate. It suggested a suitbuilding does not have more than 12 flats. able time limit should be specified for auThe Committee said the Bill provides that thorities to provide completion certificates. the threshold can be further lowered by the The committee also recommended central government on recommendations of clauses should be added in the Bill which states or union territories. empower the Real Estate Regulatory Au"The committee cannot but deplore this thority to give directions to state governcallous attitude of the ministry to leave such ments to put in place a single window sysan important issue in the hands of state gov- tem for all providing all the necessary clearernments," the panel said. ances to a builder or promoter. -PTI

DLF cuts net debt by Rs 2,500 cr Cont’d from page 38

DLF had capitalized Rs 1,075 crore in this project while it got a refund of only Rs 675 crore from the DDA. Tyagi said the company's large mall in Noida comprising 1.8 million sq ft would be launched by October this year. The leasing has been finalized.

DLF said the first phase of divestment of non-core assets, has been completed, but company would continue to sell some smaller assets to fill any gap in cash flow.

When asked about plans to launch Commercial Mortgage Backed Security (CMBS) to replace costlier debt, DLF Executive Director (Finance) Saurabh Chawla said the company would soon get the provisional rating for CMBS from rating agencies and the issue for one retail asset could come in this quarter.

In October, the company had announced plans to raise about Rs 1,000 crore through issue of securities backed by mortgage of

two retail assets.

"Worsening economic conditions during last 2 quarters and continued high interest rates has led to muted sales and profits.

Current forecast is that these adverse economic conditions shall continue through Q2FY15," DLD said.

Given the current economic outlook, the general demand including that for real estate product would continue to be soft in the near term. "In the best case scenario, we can expect slow tapering of interest rates".

Earlier, DLF reported a 49 per cent drop in consolidated net profit to Rs 145.29 crore for the October-December quarter of this fiscal due to one-time provision of loss related to the settlement with DDA. -PTI

40 India Post

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nondescript locale in the outskirts of Rajagriha, Nalanda in Bihar represents a glitzy visage of Indian renaissance. A hot seat of knowledge and learning, Nalanda boasts of a rich culture and tradition that has gained worldwide accolades.

Established in the 5th century, the ancient University of Nalanda flourished under the patronage of various rulers. This tiny village was the favorite of Lord Buddha and Mahavira who had lived here for several years.

There is a fabulous legend behind the name Nalanda, which narrates how this village got its name. The place where the monastery was going to be constructed was the abode of a serpent and while digging the foundation the serpent got injured. The clairvoyants of that time observed that the monastery that would have been constructed in that place would be renowned for a long. Later this Monastery turned to be a great institution of knowledge, whose unparallel credentials gave it a unique seat in the entire history of the nation.

To the outside world, Nalanda still beckons with the remains of this residential school of bygone eras.

But it is not just the remnants of a great institution that Nalanda offers to its visitors. Apart from the ramparts of ancient monuments and Buddhist shrines, this historic place offers some of the popular pilgrim centers and holy spots on your Bihar tour package.

A place that carries

February 21, 2014

the rich history, tradition and culture of a great nation Nalanda proffers some unique experience to the visitors.

A visit to this tiny hamlet is just like going back to the ancient times. While roaming through the ramparts of stupas, monasteries and viharas one would feel they are walking through the doorsteps of various centuries. It is a must visit place for those who are proud of being a part of such a great culture and interested in knowing the colorful incidents of the past.

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Craftspersons showcased their talent at Surajkund Mela from different Zonal Cultural Centres presented folk dances of 16 FARIDABAD, Haryana: The Indian states throughout the Mela Surajkund Mela has come to oc- fortnight.

At the Food Court set up at cupy a place of pride and prominence on the international calen- Mela grounds, there were a numdar for its display of crafts, culture ber of cuisines to choose from, inand cuisine in an aesthetically cre- cluding Mughlai, North Western, ated ambience. A footfall of over 10 Chinese, Continental, Italian and lakh including a record number of Sri Lankan.

Golf carts and battery operated foreign visitors was registered during 15 days of the 28th Surajkund rickshaws were available on reInternational Crafts Mela which quest for facilitating the movement of senior citizens and differentlyended here on February 15.

Over 1,170 craftspersons par- abled persons.

Goa - the theme state of the ticipated in the Mela this year including 39 from foreign countries, Mela for the second time after a gap of 12 years - lent a unique touch to this oneof-its-kind of an event with an impressive display of exclusive crafts, vibrant cultural perMaster craftsman Mahesh Chand Sharma with his formances unique wood carvings and Carni217 national and 101 state val flavors.

The ambience of the Mela reawardees. There were 214 and 112 craftspersons of DC Handicrafts volved around Spring highlighting and DC Handlooms respectively Basant and the profusion of flowand 53 craftspersons from Goa. ers, bees, colours, masks and rainAmong these participants there bows not only accentuated the were 7 craftspersons who have Mela environs but had a big pull been recipients of Shilp Guru and factor this time.

A photography competition 10 have been bestowed with Sant was held for amateurs and there Kabir honor.

The Mela has been a custodian were face painting, drawing, kite of the dying arts and this time, a flying and Rangoli contests special area was created for organised for schools students, craftspersons practising languish- which drew an overwhelming reing arts where they showcased sponse.

Scintillating programs of retheir talent.

About 75 foreign cultural nowned singers, qawwals, theater artistes from countries like artistes and musical groups were Tajikistan, Russia, Kazakhstan, presented at the Natyashala sponKyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Ivory sored by theme state Goa, partner Coast and Sri Lanka gave enthral- nation Sri Lanka, Cultural Affairs ling performances in the Mela. Department, Haryana and About 279 cultural performers Surajkund Mela Authority. .

India Post News Service

Also an Exporters and Buyers Meet was organised with the help of Export Promotional Council that facilitates the possibility of exploring the business opportunities for exporters and craftspersons.

There were performances given by cultural troupes of Goa, Sri Lanka and Tajikistan at the award presentation and closing ceremony of the Mela.

42

Travel & Hospitality Post

India Post

February 21, 2014

www.indiapost.com

NALANDA

Great 5th Century institution of knowledge HISTORY The history of Nalanda goes back to the times of Lord Mahavira and Lord Buddha in the 6th century. Various legends have been associated with the evolution of the name 'Nalanda'. While some believe the name to have been derived from the terms 'Nalam' meaning 'Lotus' and 'da' that means 'to

visited it many times. Various memoirs of Chinese travelers Hieun Tsang and Fi Han confirm them to have been students at the then Nalanda University, which was the first university of its kind in the world.

Emperor King Asoka, a great patron of Buddha is also closely associated with Nalanda. He is said to have built many temples here. It was during this time, i.e. 2nd cen-

give', Hieun Tsang in his documents has suggested a 'naga' to have been the inspiration behind the name of the city. Nalanda is also famed for being the birthplace of Sariputra, an important follower of Lord Buddha.

Nalanda has been an important center for Buddhism point of view as Lord Buddha is said to have

tury B.C. that the renowned alchemist and philosopher Nagarjuna studied and taught here.

However, not much of the history from the Asoka time has been restored. The Guptas ruled here in the 5th century. The city was also an important part in the kingdom of Mauryan king Harshavarshan, who ruled here from 606 to 647

Cont’d from page 40

A.D. The present day Nalanda was established on 6th November 1972, when it was declared as an independent district with headquarters at Bihar Sharif.

ATTRACTIONS Hiuen Tsang Memorial Hall: The one and only traveler who helped a lot to fetch the fame of Nalanda to the outside world, Hiuen Tsang adorns a prestigious place in the history of entire India.

A lot of information is obtained about medieval India from his writings and in fact, India owes much to this scholarly man for his invaluable service.

Nalanda Archaeological Museum: A museum that exclusively exhibits the relics of the ancient Nalanda University and its adjoining areas, Nalanda Archaeological Museum is a treat to the eyes. It offers an authentic peep into the Pala art which proves that the university gave equal importance to creative arts along with intellectual development. Apart from showcasing imaginative skills, the assortment of sculptures exposes the attire, ornaments, and other features of societal life during the Pala period. In effect it is the finest portrayal of the ancient India that gives a great insight to the life and culture of the ancient Indian society.

Nalanda University: A glittering edifice in the entire history of Indian subcontinent, Nalanda University boasts of a rich tradition

Nalanda University revival project

U

nder an international project, the Nalanda University is being revived as an international centre of learning in Bihar.

The university, an initiative of the Indian government and the 18 East Asia Summit (EAS) countries, is coming up around 12 km from the ruins of its ancient namesake that was flocked by thousands of scholars and thinkers from across the world till the 12th century. It was then destroyed by an invading Turkish army of Bakhtiyar Khilji, a general of Qutbuddin Aibak. It was set on fire by the invaders and the blaze in the huge library is believed to have raged for sev-

eral days.

An around eight-km boundary wall marks the 446-acre campus where the modern centre of excellence is to come up.

The residential university, due to be completed by 2020, is to have

that had gained world wide accolades. This renowned institution of the 5th century had been established under the patronage of the Gupta rulers.

Nav Nalanda Vihar: A modern center of Buddhist thought set up by the Bihar Government, in the year 1951, Nava Nalanda Vihar tries to spread the ancient tradition to the modern generation. The insti-

mises.

BEST TIME TO VISIT Nalanda has a hot climate during summers and cool climate during winters. Monsoons during June to September offer medium rainfalls. The best time to visit the place is from October to March.

HOW TO REACH

By Train: Rajgir is the nearest railway station which is 12 km

Hiuen Tsang Memorial Hall

tute is located at the famous lotus pond in Bihar. The centre mainly dealt with research-oriented education in the Pali script and Buddha religion.

The Great Stupa: The great stupa at Nalanda is the end result of seven consecutive accretions.

Flanked by flight of steps and terraces, beautiful sculpture and vo-

away from Nalanda. Regular train services are available from this station to all parts of India. Taxis are available from the railway station for Nalanda.

By Air: Lok Nayak Jayaprakash airport at Patna is the nearest airport, which is 78 km away from Nalanda. This airport is connected to major Indian cit-

environmental studies.

The architectural design approved for the new university has proposed a massive lake at the centre of the campus. The library, a huge dome-shaped structure, would come up in the

Nalanda Archaeological Museum

seven schools - all for postgraduate and doctorate students.

The university, which has Nobel laureate Amartya Sen as its chairperson, is to start its first academic session from this year. The first batch of students would be enrolled for two postgraduate programs in history and ecology and

middle of the lake and be half submerged.

China has already committed $1 million for the project, Singapore has pledged $5-6 million and Australia about $1 million Australian dollars. All the funds have been committed on a voluntary basis.

tive stupas the great stupa offers a glance of the past splendor of Nalanda.

Surya Mandir: Dedicated to the sun god, centuries old Surya temple is a popular attraction in Nalanda. It is situated just near the University premises. Apart from the idols of so many gods and goddess, one can find Buddhist deities inside the temple pre-

ies like Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata. Taxis are available from the airport to Nalanda.

By Bus: Nalanda is connected to other cities by state owned public bus services. Bihar Tourism and Development Corporation provides bus services from Patna to Nalanda, and also from cities like Bodhgaya and Rajgir to Nalanda.

February 21, 2014

Travel & Hospitality Post

India Post

43

www.indiapost.com

Tourists arrival in Valley biggest 22 interchange metro dividend of peace: Omar stations for Delhi

GULMARG, J&K: The highest dividend of peace is the arrival of tourists in great numbers particularly in Valley, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said.

He said tourism has an important role in the state's economy and generation of wide-ranging economic activities for its people.

"Our efforts should be to develop and showcase the state for round the year destination for the tourists from all across the world," the chief minister said, adding, "the highest dividend of peace is the arrivals of tourists in great numbers particularly in the Valley."

Omar said peace conditions will always boost the tourism activities and help rope in large number of tourists.

"This specialty is yet another sphere of attraction for tourists besides mesmerizing, enchanting and amazing natural resorts and

wide-ranging fauna, flora and biodiversity the state is blessed with," Omar said after inaugurating National Ski and Snowboarding Championship here, 52 kms from Srinagar.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah

The chief minister said that organizing sports events particularly winter games give considerable fillip to showcase the state as the ideal destination of different sports.

Omar said winter sports in Gulmarg and other places need to be given further boost to provide opportunities to the participants particularly youth of the state to nurture their talent and develop as world class players.

Normally, youth studying in different educational institutions find occasions and platform to participate and show their sports talent in different games, he said but youth not obtaining education are mostly deprived of such occasions.

"We should also enhance opportunities and avenues for them," he said.

The chief minister said there is a need to promote winter sports particularly skiing in Gulmarg by upgrading ski slopes at Kongdoori and Mary Shoulder.

"This would help in holding the National and International Ski events in Gulmarg," he said. -PTI

Kerala offers 'spice' with adventure MUMBAI: Kerala, a famous leisure destination, is eyeing 10 per cent growth in tourist arrivals this year and is developing adventure and heritage spots to broaden its target audience.

"We are mostly attracting leisure tourists, who come to Kerala for Ayurvedic treatments.

Along with Ayurveda, we now want to develop adventure holiday programs, the Muziris Heritage site and the spice route revival project that will cater to varied taste and can attract tourist all round the year," Kerala Tourism Director S Harikishore told PTI here.

The state was witnessing eight per cent annual growth in tourism till 2013 (calendar year) and with the offer of new destina-

tions, it expects over 10 per cent rise in arrivals in 2014, he said.

The total revenue from tourism crossed Rs 21,000 crore in 2013,

he added.

Muziris is the ancient world's greatest trading port in the east

where Arabs, Chinese, Jews, Romans, Portuguese and Dutch came to trade.

"We are planning more than 25 museums to showcase the Muziris Heritage, of which 11 are ready and will be open for public by the end of this month," Harikishore said.

The state is also planning to introduce Sea-plane project that is aimed towards improving connectivity by air to destinations across the state.

"The sea plane project will be rolled out in a couple of months," he said.

Harikishore said the spice route was the most historic trade route ever navigated by mankind and Kerala is planning to connect 31 countries in Europe, Asia and Far East creating a new experience.-PTI

NEW DELHI: With the completion of third phase of Delhi Metro, the number of interchange stations will increase to 22 from the current nine, leading to a drastic reduction of travel time and saving of commuters' money.

The crisscrossing of lines in Phase III with the existing lines at many places will lead to emergence of several interchange stations, thus, shortening the distance between two different parts of the city by up to 15 kms at some locations.

At present, there are nine interchange stations - Rajiv C h o w k , Kashmere Gate, Central Secretariat, Inderlok, Ashok Park Main, Yamuna Bank, Dwarka Sec 21, New Delhi and Kirti Nagar.

Once phase III becomes fully operational by 2016, Delhi Metro network will have 13 more interchange hubs across the city, which include Hauz Khas, INA, Rajouri Garden, Mayur Vihar phase-I, Azadpur, Netaji Subhash Place, Lajpat Nagar, Anand Vihar,

Karkardooma, Welcome, Kalkaji Mandir, Botanical Garden and Mandi House.

With the coming up of interchange stations at Karkarduma and Anand Vihar in the third phase, the present day distance of these stations from nearest Metro station Welcome will come down drastically to 4.34 kms and 5.49 kms from the earlier 19.26 kms and 20.32 kms respectively if going by a train.

Thus, bringing them closer by almost 15 kms will not only save travel time but will also help in saving money for the passengers.

Similarly, with the coming up of other interchange stations in phase III, commuters in almost all parts of Delhi will be able to change trains without going to the present interchange stations like Rajiv Chowk and Central Secretariat.-PTI

2013 was a record year for tourism in Florida ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.: For tourism in Florida, 2013 was a record year.

Tourism in the Sunshine State increased by 3.5 percent in 2013 compared with the prior year, with about 94.7 million people visiting

of Harry Potter Diagon Alley, adding a new hotel and expanding the CityWalk entertainment complex.

Visit Florida, the state's tourism arm, said the number of direct, travel-related jobs also was at a

Florida in 2013.

Gov. Rick Scott announced last year's numbers at Universal Orlando Resort, where nearly 3,500 new jobs are expected to be created this year. Universal Orlando is building the Wizarding World

record high: 1,088,200 Floridians employed in the industry, a 2.9 percent increase from 2012.

Scott said he is proposing that the Florida Legislature boost Visit Florida's budget by 57 percent to $100 million. -AP

In Brief Dozen immigrants in stolen SUV caught FLATONIA, Texas: A stolen SUV chase in Central Texas has led to a dozen people who were crammed in the vehicle facing immigration or human smuggling charges.

The Fayette County Sheriff's Office says a deputy and a Texas trooper pursued the SUV on Interstate 10 near Flatonia, about 80 miles east of San Antonio. Sheriff Keith Korenek says the driver refused to stop until the SUV ran out of roadway atop a hill.

Flatonia police helped arrest the dozen individuals who tried to run.

Investigators detained the driver on human trafficking and evading arrest charges. The other 11 people were turned over to federal immigration agents in the Houston area.

Authorities did not immediately provide additional information on the immigrants or say a possible destination. -AP

„

Payments approved for monitor for Arpaio's office

PHOENIX: Officials have approved $1.7 million in annual costs for a court-appointed official who will monitor whether the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office is complying with changes ordered by a judge in a racial profiling case.

Joe Arpaio

The expenditure was approved by the county's Board of Supervisors.

Robert Warshaw and his team were picked last month by the judge who concluded Sheriff Joe Arpaio's office has systematically racially profiled Latinos in its immigration and regular traffic patrols.

Arpaio's office has appealed the ruling.

The changes ordered by the judge include installing video cameras in hundreds of patrol vehicles and carrying out additional training to ensure officers aren't making unconstitutional arrests.

The sheriff's office estimated the costs of complying with the court's changes at $21 million over the next year and a half. -AP

Immigration

Why was my PERM selected for audit Details on page 45

44 India Post

www.indiapost.com

February 21, 2014

Obama says immigration, minimum wage top agenda CAMBRIDGE, Md.: President Barack Obama has said that top priorities for Congress should be increasing the minimum wage and overhauling the immigration system, while acknowledging that election year politics could complicate the effort.

Obama and Vice President Joe Biden delivered pep talks to a House Democratic retreat on Maryland's Eastern Shore, less than nine months before the lawmakers face re-election amid widespread voter disapproval of Congress.

The president and vice president called for sweeping changes to immigration laws, but Republican leaders have all but ruled out passage before the midterm election. Obama urged the Democratic crowd to keep working on the issue and insisted some Republicans want a deal. ``But they're worried, and they're scared about the political blowback.

And look, everybody here is an elected official and we can all appreciate the maneuverings that take place, particularly in an election year,'' Obama said.

While Democrats are largely united on immigration, there are

sharp divisions between the White House and some lawmakers over trade. Obama made no mention in his public remarks of

President Barack Obama speaks during the Democratic Issues Conference in Cambridge, Md. Obama has said his top priorities this year include increasing the minimum wage and overhauling the immigration system.

his request for Congress to grant him fast-track authority to move trade agreements with Asia and Europe. Democratic leaders have staunchly opposed that step.

Biden did address the Democratic opposition during a private question-and-answer session with lawmakers. The vice president's office said Biden made the case for why trade negotiations serve

Indian dies in Oz immigration detention centre MELBOURNE: A 27-year-old Indian student, who had overstayed his visa in Australia, died at an immigration detention centre here allegedly by "hanging" himself.

The man hung himself in his cell at the Maribyrnong immigra-

Immigration Minister Scott Morrison

U.S. economic and strategic interests. But a Democratic aide said Biden also acknowledged that lawmakers don't plan to act now

tion detention centre here, Fairfax Media reported quoting its sources.

Immigration Minister Scott Morrison confirmed that the man was found unconscious by staff at the centre. Police, however, said the death was not being considered as suspicious.

The man had been detained in January after overstaying his visa, police said.

The provincial government in a statement expresses its "sympathy to the family and friends of the deceased man and will provide support to the police and other authorities as appropriate to assist with their investigations". -PTI

to give Obama the leeway he's seeking.

The Democrats' hard line comes just days before trade issues dominate a North American Leaders Summit in Mexico, where Obama will meet with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto. A key topic will be progress on the Trans-Pacific Partnership

trade talks, which are designed to expand trade among 12 countries in the Americas, the Pacific and Asia. The agreement has been seen as a vehicle to update the 20year-old North American Free Trade Agreement among the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

Biden was more partisan than the president in his public remarks, suggesting the Republican Party is too fractured to be effective.

He urged the Democrats not to focus ``on the few things we do have problems with'' and argued that Americans back them on issues including raising the minimum wage, expanding early childhood education, immigration reform, gay marriage and even health care. ``Let's go out and make every single effort not just to defend but to aggressively push our agenda,'' Biden said. ``They are with us.''

And for any lawmaker who might not be feeling so confident, Biden said, ``I can imagine our prospects being viewed by the press and everyone else as being a whole hell of a lot brighter by the time we turn to September than now.''

Cont'd on Page 47

Flyers have to declare over Rs 10,000 in India form NEW DELHI: Passengers flying into India will have to declare Indian currency exceeding Rs 10,000 being brought by them, according to new customs rules which will be implemented from next month.

Besides, they will also be asked to declare number of baggage, including hand baggage, while entering into India, said the new rules notified by the Finance Ministry.

According to new rules under Customs Baggage Declaration (Amendment) Regulations, 2014, an Indian citizen would need to fill up the immigration form only when he or she goes out of the country.

There will be no immigration form for Indian citizens returning from abroad.

The regulations will be implemented from March 1, said a notification issued on February 10 by the Finance Ministry.

All passengers coming to India will be filling up a new 'Indian Customs Declaration Form' which will seek details that will be different from the detachable perforated strip which is a part of the immigration card at the moment.

The 'Indian Customs Declaration Form' carries additional fields for declaration of dutiable and prohibited goods, which will help authorities in checking customs duty frauds and keep a record of gold jewellery and bullion being brought into the country, customs officials said.

Cont'd on Page 47

Immigration Post

February 21, 2014

India Post 45

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Why was my PERM selected for audit CORA-ANN V. PESTAINA

T

he filing of a labor certification is often the first step when an employer sponsors a foreign national for permanent residency. The purpose of the labor certification process, known today as PERM, is to ensure that the employer has tested the US labor market for qualified and available US workers at the prevailing wage rate prior to filing an I-140 petition to classify the foreign national under either the employment

jobs they are qualified and willing to do."

Nevertheless, through trial and error, certain triggers have been identifiable. We know that PERM applications can be selected for audit for reasons such as random selection; a foreign language requirement; a family relationship between the employer and the alien; an alien with ownership interest in the employer; layoffs in the same or related occupation; a

We know that PERM applications can be selected for audit for reasons such as random selection; a foreign language requirement; a family relationship between the employer and the alien; an alien with ownership interest in the employer second preference or the employment third preference.

Foreign nationals (and their employers) often want to know why their PERM was selected for audit while PERMs filed on behalf of their colleagues were approved without audit. Many PERM practitioners are familiar with that awful moment when the PERM application for the foreign national who desperately needed a quick approval was issued a Notification of Supervised Recruitment signaling another year, or maybe even two!, on the scary PERM roller coaster.

The mystery behind the PERM audit and supervised recruitment process has been no coincidence.

The Department of Labor (DOL) has purposefully left employers in the dark about their selection process and frequently shifts their mechanisms all to protect against fraud.

Solicitor of Labor Gregory F. Jacob once stated, "Supervised Recruitment is one of many tools the [Department of Labor] uses to safeguard the integrity of the permanent labor certification process and protect job opportunities for American workers. The department takes seriously its statutory responsibility to ensure that American workers have access to

combination of occupations; and more recently because the alien will telecommute; or the employer utilized an employee referral program. Some audits may also be chosen based upon the industry, the employer or the occupation.

In recent times, the DOL has increased Supervised Recruitment for IT employers who will employ the foreign national in a roving or telecommuting position.

The DOL has now shed some much appreciated light on its audit and supervised recruitment

Secretary can certify that the employment of that foreign worker will not adversely impact the wages and working conditions of US workers similarly employed, and that there is a job opportunity for which a US worker is unavailable. As the regulated community knows, the Department of Labor's Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) is responsible for maintaining the integrity and compliance of the primarily attestationbased PERM Program through the use of certain measures, including audit and supervised recruitment, under a broad integrity review authority.

At the time of PERM's implementation, the Department stated that OFLC would select certain applications for audit, employing "auditing techniques that can be adjusted as necessary to maintain program integrity", as well as for quality control. 69 Fed. Reg. 77326, 77328 (Dec. 27, 2004). The Department noted at the time the need for changing audit criteria to focus integrity efforts on program abuse and adjust the audit mechanism as necessary as we gained program experience. 69 Fed. Reg. 77359. Finally, the Department reserved the process of supervised recruitment for a broad application "in any case in which the C[ertifying] O[fficer] deems it appropriate" as a reasonable quality

At the time of PERM's implementation, the Department stated that OFLC would select certain applications for audit, employing "auditing techniques that can be adjusted as necessary to maintain program integrity", as well as for quality control. selection mechanisms. On January 31, 2014, the DOL's Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) published the following statement on its website (http:// www.foreignlaborcert.doleta.gov/): "Section 212(a) (5) (A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act requires the Secretary to certify the admissibility of a foreign national for employment only when the

control mechanism. 69 Fed. Reg. 77360, 77362.

In response to a recent Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, we are releasing and making available to all of the regulated community the following documentation regarding the areas in the PERM Program that have in the past warranted this closer examination. Click here to view the

OFLC Audit Plan. These areas were deliberately chosen to ensure we are carrying out our statutory responsibilities while also recognizing the evolving nature of program integrity and quality control.

We hope the publication of this information assists filers, especially first-time filers, comply with the PERM Program's various requirements."

The OFLC Audit Plan presents Audit and Supervised Recruitment Tiers which specify the types of cases that will be targeted for Audit Review and tagged for Supervised Recruitment. As the DOL has indicated, this plan is being released in response to a FOIA request. Past practice informs us

that the DOL would certainly have preferred to continue keeping us in the dark. The plan is dated March 19, 2013 and there is no way to know whether these audit and Supervised Recruitment tiers remain active or whether new tiers have since been added. However, this information does reveal the DOL's thinking with respect to audits and Supervised Recruitment and helps shed some light on the reasons why certain PERM applications are selected.

According to the plan, there are eight (8) active tiers and (4) suspended tiers.

The active audit tiers are as follows: Cont'd on Page 46

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Immigration Post

46 India Post

February 21, 2014

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Why was my PERM selected for audit Cont'd from Page 45

TIER ONE: PERMs will be audited if the primary requirement in Section H, Field 4 of the ETA Form 9089 is less than a Bachelor's degree, e.g. "none", "Associates" or "High School" AND the position is not classified under SOC Code 45-2093.00 - Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals in Section F on the ETA Form 9089.

TIER TWO: PERMs will be audited where the SOC Code in Sec-

Form 9089.

The logic behind this tier is confusing. It is possible for the employer to indicate a degree requirement in Section H.4; indicate "No" in Section H.6 and yet require experience for the offered position. Section H.6 asks "Is experience in the job offered required for the job?" Section H.10 asks "Is experience in an alternate occupation acceptable?" It is therefore possible for an employer to require no experience in the offered posi-

It is conceivable that these cases would be audited so that the employer can present its proof that an available US worker could not be found since it is typically easier to find U.S. workers in the trade occupations. tion F, Field 2 on the ETA Form 9089 matches one or more of the trade related occupations contained in an attachment.

The attachment was not published. However, this list would presumably include positions like Plumber, Electrician, Helpers-Carpenters or Helpers-Painters. It is conceivable that these cases would be audited so that the employer can present its proof that an available US worker could not be found since it is typically easier to find U.S. workers in the trade occupations.

TIER FOUR: PERMs will be audited where the employer is a public school listed on an attachment entitled PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO AUDIT. The attachment was not published.

TIER FIVE: The DOL will audit 50% of PERMs where the offered position requires a degree but does not require any experience. This will be determined by the information presented in Section H, Field 4 and Section H, Field 6 of the ETA

tion but instead to require experience in an alternate occupation.

Employers commonly offer positions where experience in the job offered is not required but experience in a related position is required. For example, ABC, Inc. may require two years of experience as a Marketing Analyst for the offered position of Marketing Manager. Accordingly, the ABC, Inc. will indicate "NO" to the question in Section H.6 regarding whether experience in the job offered is required and then answer "YES" to the question in Section H.10 indicating that experience in an alternate occupation is acceptable.

Also, in Section H.10-A, ABC, Inc. will indicate the number of months of experience required in the alternate occupation. This means that the experience listed in Section H.10-A is the primary experience requirement rather than an alternate requirement. In FAQs Round 10, the DOL, in the context of a question concerning the need to include the Kellogg language (language well-known to practitio-

ners filing PERM applications as the Kellogg language based on Matter of Francis Kellogg, 94INA-465 (Feb. 2, 1998) (en banc)) on the ETA Form 9089, confirmed that it is perfectly acceptable for an employer to require experience in an alternate occupation and not in the job offered. But based on the information provided on the OFLC Audit Plan, there is a 50% chance that ABC, Inc.'s PERM application will trigger an audit for supposedly requiring a degree and no experience.

Considering the additional processing time brought on by an audit (currently, in its audit queue, the DOL is only processing PERMs filed in October 2012!), the DOL ought to amend its review under this tier so as not to cause unfair processing delays for employers who actually do require a degree and experience for their offered positions.

TIER TWELVE: The DOL will audit 50% of cases where the employer has indicated on the ETA Form 9089 that they have had a layoff. Specifically, if the employer has answered "YES" in Section I, Field 26 which asks "Has the employer had a layoff in the area of intended employment in the occupation involved in this application or in a related occupation within the six months immediately preceding the filing of this application?"

The ETA Form 9089 goes on to ask, "If yes, were the laid off U.S. workers notified and considered for the job opportunity for which

This trigger is interesting because if a PERM is erroneously denied, the employer will usually have to decide whether to refile the application or file a Request for Reconsideration certification is sought?"

Layoffs have long been considered an audit trigger. With the economy continuing to flounder and many employers still reducing their workforce in order to remain competitive, the DOL will continue to more closely examine the employer's good faith recruitment of U.S. workers. The PERM regulations at 20 C.F.R. ยง 656.17(k) (1) state: If there has been a layoff by the employer in the area of intended employment within 6 months of filing an application involving the occupation for which

certification is sought or in a related occupation, the employer must document it has notified and considered all potentially qualified laid off (employer applicant) U.S. workers of the job opportunity involved in the application and the results of the notification and consideration. A layoff shall be considered any involuntary separation of one or more employees without cause or prejudice.

The issue of layoffs is one that PERM practitioners ought to dis-

Employers may not be saving themselves any time by withdrawing and re-submitting an audited PERM but in fact, may be delaying the processing of the application by a year or more if it gets selected for Supervised Recruitment.

TIER ELEVEN: APERM may be tagged for audit and supervised recruitment if it was not filed electronically and had to be manually entered by staff at the Atlanta National Processing Center.

Employers may not be saving themselves any time by withdrawing and re-submitting an audited PERM but in fact, may be delaying the processing of the application by a year or more if it gets selected for Supervised Recruitment. cuss with employers at the outset of the PERM process. If it has been determined that layoffs have indeed occurred (even just one) then the practitioner must go through the PERM regulatory analysis with the employer.

The active Audit and Supervised Recruitment tiers are as follows: TIER SEVEN: A PERM may be tagged for audit and supervised recruitment if it was submitted after a denial within the same calendar year. Specifically, if the employer's name in Section C, Field 1 is equal to one or more of the employer names listed in the DOL's "Denied - Cases table" AND the alien's name in Section J, Field 1 is equal to one or more of the foreign worker names listed in the "Denied - Cases table."

This trigger is interesting because if a PERM is erroneously denied, the employer will usually have to decide whether to re-file the application or file a Request for Reconsideration with the Certifying Officer based on which process appears faster. Clearly, refiling may not always prove to be a faster route.

TIER EIGHT: A PERM may be tagged for audit and supervised recruitment if it was re-submitted after it was withdrawn after audit.

Specifically, if the Employer's name in Section C, Field 1 is equal to one or more of the employer names listed in the DOL's "Withdrawn Cases table" AND the alien's name in Section J, Field 1 is equal to one or more of the foreign worker names listed in the "Withdrawn - Cases table" AND the "Audit Notification Date" in the "Withdrawn - Cases table" is not null.

No employer should knowingly venture down this road.

The OFLC Audit Plan also lists some inactive tiers which are currently suspended and therefore are not triggers for audits or supervised recruitment. These include: TIER THREE: H-1B Dependent Employers.

Hopefully this remains where it belongs as a non-trigger.

TIER SIX: Requiring a degree and indicating that the alien's Class of Admission as H-2A, H2B or EWI (Entered Without Inspection).

TIER NINE: Employers who recently issued layoffs.

The DOL has apparently moved away from auditing every PERM indicating a layoff to now auditing only 50% of PERMs which indicate a layoff.

TIER TEN: Employer with a history of roving.

Practitioners who routinely file PERMs involving roving employees have definitely noticed that the DOL has calmed down its onslaught of audits and Supervised Recruitment Notifications on these types of PERMs. And it didn't come a moment too soon.

This OFLC Audit Plan can be extremely helpful. Rather than waiting until the employer or foreign national demands an explanation as to why a PERM was selected for audit or Supervised Recruitment, the above list of active and inactive tiers allows practitioners to better advice employers thereby making the PERM process a tad less fraught with danger. Just a tad though. * Cyrus D Mehta, may be contacted at 212-425-0555 or info@cyrusmehta.com

Immigration Post

February 21, 2014

India Post 47

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Tale of Ahmad highlights tribulations of immigrants

T

here have been countless tales told of people accused of crimes and acts of which they are totally innocent, but few can match the scale of the one found in "The Immigration Lawyer: Asylum (Volume 1)."

Set in Iran during the reign of Saddam Hussein, the story focuses on Ahmad, a man looking to get out after being subjected to years of torture. The ruling Iraqi government believes him to be working for the CIA and tortures him to get access to information he simply doesn't possess. Ahmad dreams of getting out and getting to the USA, but when he does, a new nightmare begins to unfold.

Despite having a valid immigration visa, Ahmad is viewed by the US government as being a terrorist suspect, which leads to him being arrested as soon as he arrives in California. The location may be the same, but the problems he faces essentially remain the same, as he is a man accused of a crime that he did not commit. This is a story that you will have almost never heard before, but it is certainly one that mirrors what many people are going through in real life.

While the issues that immigrants face when entering the United States are not as extreme as those faced by Ahmad, they are still more than a little trou-

bling. The fact that the book is written by Shah Peerally, an immigration lawyer, makes it all the more galling, especially when you realize that he has seen more than his fair share of these problems, with law-abiding citizens forced to jump through hoops and endure a torturous legal process in order to be allowed to stay. It may not be considered to be as harsh as physical torture, but the emotional toll that it takes on these immigrants cannot be discounted.

want nothing more than to escape the horrors of their home nation so that they can make a new life in the United States.

You may read The Immigration Lawyer: Asylum (Volume 1) and enjoy it as a work of fiction. That said, you should also take a moment to look at the plight of Ahmad in the story and think about how you would feel as an innocent person treated in such a way. Mr. Peerally is able to make you do that through his words,

You may read The Immigration Lawyer: Asylum (Volume 1) and enjoy it as a work of fiction. That said, you should also take a moment to look at the plight of Ahmad in the story and think about how you would feel as an innocent person treated in such a way.

Mr. Peerally is able to put together a tense, gripping tale in his book, but knowing that he must have pulled from some real life experiences makes it all the more incredible. Times have changed greatly in the United States since 9/11, but it has not all been done in the most positive way imaginable.

There is a new level of distrust and fear that is aimed towards those of a certain ethnicity who

which is a testament to how well the book is written and how powerful the reality on which it is based truly is.

The Book The Immigration Lawyer - Asylum is now available on Amazon and Kindle and soon audio on Audible.

Series: The Immigration Lawyer Paperback: 72 pages Publisher: Shah Peerally Productions Inc.; 1 edition (February 7, 2014)

Immigrants improve in fighting deportation WASHINGTON: Immigrants facing deportation are increasingly finding success in immigra-

tion courts.

According to the Transactional Records Clearinghouse at Syra-

cuse University, which collects and studies federal prosecution records, nearly half of immigrants facing deportation have won their cases in the last year.

The government has been losing more deportation cases each year since 2009.

The analysis does not say how many deportation cases Immigration and Customs Enforcement, whose lawyers represent the government in immigration courts, successfully appealed to the Board of Immigration Appeals.

Transactional Records Clearinghouse reports that since the start of the 2014 budget year in October, immigration judges ruled in favor of immigrants in about half of the 42,816 cases heard. In 2013, the government won about 52 percent of cases. -AP

Death of woman in federal custody investigated CHULA VISTA, Calif.: Authorities are investigating the death of a woman from Jamaica who was awaiting immigration proceedings.

Marjorie Annmarie Bell was being held in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement when she was rushed to the hospital for chest pain, nausea and body aches.

ICE spokeswoman Lauren

Mack tells the U-T San Diego the 48-year-old Bell died several hours later.

Mack says the woman's family and the Jamaican Embassy were notified. An autopsy is pending.

Authorities say Bell was detained in December at the U.S.Mexico border after showing a counterfeit Canadian passport. AP

Obama says immigration, minimum wage in agenda Cont'd from Page 44

The president also thanked lawmakers for banding together to increase the government's debt with no strings attached in legislation that Congress approved this week and for standing behind his health care law through its troubled rollout. ``I just want to say thank you for all of you hanging in there tough on an issue that I think 10 years from now, five years from

now, we're going to look back and say this was a monumental achievement that could not have happened had it not been for this caucus,'' Obama said.

Obama's and Biden's remarks came in brief appearances before Democrats before reporters were ushered out of the room as they took questions. The large ballroom was not full, with some empty tables, as some lawmakers apparently skipped the retreat because of the East Coast snowstorm. -AP

Flyers have to declare over Rs 10,000 in India form Cont'd from Page 44

planting material have been retained in the new format.

The passengers will also have to give details of baggage, including hand baggage, being carried by them in a separate column on the form.

The country has 19 international airports in Srinagar, Amritsar, Jaipur, Delhi, Ahmedabad,

For the first time, travelers would be asked to specifically declare any prohibited articles, gold jewellery (over free allowance), gold bullion and Indian currency exceeding Rs 10,000 in the new form, they said.

A passenger will have to give details of countries visited in the past six days and mention the passport number on the new form, which was not there earlier.

Old fields like declaration of satellite phone, foreign All passengers coming to India will be filling up a new currency ex- 'Indian Customs Declaration Form' which will seek details ceeding USD that will be different from the detachable perforated strip which is a part of the immigration card at the moment.

5,000 or equivalent, aggregate value of foreign exchange includ- Guwahati, Nagpur, Mumbai, ing currency exceeding USD Kolkata, Hyderabad, Goa, Banga10,000 or equivalent, meat, meat lore, Chennai, Calicut, Coimbatore, products, dairy products, fish or Tiruchirapalli, Kochi, poultry products and seeds, Thiruvananthapuram and Port plants, fruits, flowers and other Blair. -PTI

Datebook

48 India Post

NEW JERSEY

NEW YORK Upcoming

Upcoming Sat, Feb 22

• Indian Classical Music Competition Venue: Marathi Vishwa Community Center, 143 State Route 35, Old Bridge Township, NJ 08879 Time: 11:00 am Contact: 862-222-0105

Sun, Mar 9

• Indian Classical Music with Chirag Katti Venue: oria Production Theater, 260 W 36th St, New York, NJ 10018 Time: 4:00 pm Contact: 718-672-3211

Fri, Mar 28

• Sangam 2014 Venue: The Hindu Temple Society Of North America, 45-57 Bowne St, NJ 11355 Time: 6:00pm Contact: 732-398-9022

Sat, May 17 • Sonu Nigam Close To My Soul - NY

Venue: Nassau Coliseum, 1255 Hempstead Turnpike, Uniondale, NY 11553 Time: 08:00 pm

Fri, Mar 28 • Sangam 2014 - NY

www.indiapost.com

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Upcoming

Upcoming

Sun, Fed 23 • The Wedding Show for The Modern Bride Venue: Sofitel Hotel, 8555 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90048 Time: 04:00 pm

Venue: The Hindu Temple Society Of North America, 45-57 Bowne St, New York, NY 11355 Time: 6:00 pm Contact: 347-989-6104

Contact: 562-366-3640

Sat, Mar 29 • Zakir Hussain and The Mas-

Venue: Lakkireddy auditorium Shiva

ters of Percussion

Venue: The Theater at Madison Square Garden, Seventh Avenue between 31st and 33rd Streets, New York, NY 10001 Time : 8:00 pm Contact : 866-858-0008

February 21, 2014

Sun, Feb 23 • Sangam 2014 Vishnu Temple, 1232 Arrowhead Ave, Livemore, CA 94551

Sat, Mar 1 • Spring Charity Ball With Bollywood Sensation Preity Zinta Venue: India Community Center, 525 Los Coches Street, Milpitas, CA 95035 Time: 6:30 pm Contact: 408-579-9426

Sun, Mar 9 • Aav Taru Kari Nakhu Venue: Smith Center at Ohlone College, 43600 Mission Blvd, Fremont, CA 94539 Time: 6:00 pm

Time: 4:00 pm Contact: 408-658-0191

Tue, Feb 25 • "Beyond Bollywood: Indian

ATLANTA Upcoming

Americans Shape the

Sat, Mar 15 • Mohit Chauhan Live In Concert With Mamta Sharma

Nation"

Venue: Atlanta Civic Center, 395, Pied-

Venue: Smithsonian's National Museum

mont Ave, NE, Atlanta, GA 30308

of Natural History

Time: 8:00 pm

1000 Constitution Ave. N.W Time: 10 a.m. to noon Contact: (202) 633-0282

Sun, Mar 16 • Chinmaya Tej lighting up the path Venue: South Forsyth Middle School, 2865

Fri, Feb 28 • Simply Bhangra Nights With Live Dholi !!

Venue: Agenda Lounge, 399 South 1st Street, San Jose, CA 95113, USA, San

Old Atlanta Rd, Cumming, GA 30041 Time: 7:00 am

Sun, Mar 16 • Sangam 2014 - Atlanta Venue: AHindu Temple Of Atlanta, 5851

Jose, CA 95113

Highway 85, Riverdale, GA 30274

Time: 9 pm

Time: 5:00pm

ILLINOIS Upcoming • J K Yog Satsang and Bal Mukund Hindi Classes are held every 2nd and 4rth Sunday of Month Chicago Satsang Information: J K Yog, Chicago - Swami Mukundananda Venue: Clarion Inn/Waterford Banquets, Board Room, 933 South Riverside Drive, Elmhurst, IL 60126 Time: 3:30pm-5:30pm Contact: Ajay & Arti Chandhok @ 630-561-4807 Website: www.jkyog.org

1st and 3rd Sunday of Month • Chicago Children's Bal Mukund Character Building Program and Hindi Literacy Classes

Venue: Vogelei Center, 650 W. Higgins Road, Hoffmann Estates, IL 60192 (Next to Nissan Dealership) Contact: Ajay & Arti Chandhok @ 630-561-4807 Website: www.jkyog.org/bal-mukund

Sat, Mar 8

• Free Health Screenings Free Assistance with Enrolling in an Affordable Health Insurance Plan through the New Obamacare Healthcare Law Venue: Where: Warren Park, 6601 N. Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60645 Contact: (312.372.7070

Mondays and Fridays • Free ESL - English as Second Language Classes Where: Metropolitan Asian Family Services Venue: 9015 N Milwaukee Ave, Niles, IL, Time: 10:30am to 12:30pm Contact: 773-465-3105

49 India Post

NEW YORK: India-born fashion designer Naeem Khan, whose creations have been worn by US First Lady Michelle Obama, hopes to grow his brand back home from where he draws inspiration for his creations.

"India is always on my mind and the country plays a tremendously huge role for me, because everything I do comes from how I grew up in India," Khan told PTI backstage before showcasing his autumn/winter 2014 collection at the New York Fashion Week here.

Khan, whose clients include singer Beyonce, Taylor Swift and actress Penelope Cruz, has had his designs grace the silver screen in fashion film classics like 'Sex and the City' and 'Dreamgirls'.

He said he wants to grow his brand in India and have his collection worn by leading Indian actresses like Deepika Padukone.

"I have taken a lot from India and I have still not giving back to it. I have this hope one day that I will go back and make the most amazing collection for India," he said.

Khan, 55, had debuted his collection in India last year at the Lakme Fashion Week in Mumbai but feels that "it is not so easy" to expand the brand in the country since he does not yet have his own pre-standing stores there.

In the US, he said he is used to making clothes in large quantities but in India "selling one or two pieces is not where the business" is for him currently.

He said he would want to design for more Indian actresses, who have seen and appreciate his creations for Hollywood celebrities.

The problem is that "my clothes are not available in India yet," he said adding that hopefully there will be a time soon" when his collection, in-

www.indiapost.com

cluding fragrances and cosmetics will be sold in India.

Khan's autumn/winter collection, inspired by the world of cabaret and boudoir, was showcased at the fashion week to a packed audience, which included model and television host Padma Lakshmi.

The 44 pieces showcased included cocktail dresses, skirts, trumpet gowns, pants evening coats that were embellished with gold filigree embroidery, jewel trims, ostrich feather hems, floral applique work and miuki beads.

Khan, who is from Ujjain, had moved to the US as a teenager and apprenticed for classic American fashion house Halston, where he absorbed the secrets of draping and cutting fabric to create a clean, elegant, timeless silhouette, according to his profile on his website.

He launched his eponymous collection, Naeem Khan, in 2003 and began selling at high-fashion names like Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue. His collection is now sold at more than 100 specialty stores across the world. PTI

February 21, 2014

50 India Post

February 21, 2014 www.indiapost.com

Storm over Anushka's lip lapse

V

irat Kohli is fuming again.

But this time it is over girl friend Anushka Sharma's

lips.

According to a report in DNA, the cricketer has not taken kindly to all the flak his alleged girlfriend has got due to her changed appearance. Her alleged 'lip job' has apparently made her the butt of

The changed look

jokes, and the cricketer feels that it is her private matter and should not be speculated on public plat-

forms.

Quoting a source, a DNA report says that Virat feels that whatever Anushka has done with her lips is her private business. He is apparently unhappy about the fact that his relationship with her was discussed on Koffee With Karan.

The cricketer likes to keep all his affairs private and wants his budding romance with the actress to be kept away from media attention.

Her look on Koffee with Karan e a r n e d Anushka Sharma the sobriquet of 'joker lips'.

Tw e e p l e s wondered if it was a lip job or if she has been accidentally hit by the bat of alleged boyfriend Virat Kohli. The speculation began after the teasers for Karan Johar's

show first appeared on TV and has not ended even days after the show was aired.

Even a statement from Anushka's spokesperson denying a lip job failed to help. "Her competitors are planting stories.

People are surprised because they haven't seen her in a long time as she was busy shooting. It's makeup - Anushka uses a lip plumper," the statement said.

The earlier look

The actress has now cleared the air with a really long tweet in which she says, "For a short while now I have been using a temporary lip enhancing tool and that along with make-up techniques (I have learnt over the years) is the reason why there might be a change in the appearance of my

lips. Having stated this fact let me very vehemently assure everyone that I have by no means gone 'under the knife ' or done any kind of 'plastic surgery' or undergone any intrusive procedure."

She goes on to say that lip enhancing has been part of her 'look' for Anurag Kashyap's Bombay Velvet where she plays a jazz singer in the '60s-'70s.

"Everyone goes through good and bad days. Did I think I looked good on the KWK episode? NO. I do feel I could have done things differently," she adds.

She has also received support from Alia Bhatt, Sonam Kapoor and Karan Johar - the host of the show where Anushka's 'new look' - on her gutsy step to take on the criticism head on.

While Alia called her a 'strong girl', Karan and Sonam also applauded Anushka for her response.

There was no stopping Tweeples though which continued to have a big laugh. A few examples...

They say couples start looking

like each other after they've been together long. Take Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli's pouts for instance...- Jamal Shaikh Virat Kohli can sleep on the new Anushka Sharma lips - Raj

Virat Kohli

ThackerYAY Anushka Sharma's lips are so huge she once tried to kiss her boyfriend but accidentally swallowed him instead - Hardik Rajgor Before: Anushka Sharma 2 plastic surgeon, 'Pls gv me the lips tht Heath Ledger had in Batman' After: Surgeon to Anushka 'Why so serious?' (sic)- Sainath Saraban

Arjun Chudasama: Making a stir in Hollywood in the streets of Los Angeles to create a successful video with already 100,000+ hits in just a few days, an outstanding number for independent work.

India Post News Service

B

orn in Gujarat, India, birth place of Mahatma Gandhi and also known locally as the Jewel of the West, Arjun Chudasama breaks into Holly-

Metropolis 2

Arjun Chudasama

wood to create quite a stir from some of his latest projects. After working as Assistant Director for a hit show call, "Happy go Lucky," in Mumbai, India, he joined a renowned production house in as a line Producer in 2004. In the same year, he went on to win the "Asian Award" for best commercial in Television for the international company, Hanes.

After earning his Bachelors Degree in Media Management from California State University of Northridge, Arjun worked on a couple of famous documentary and non-profit projects with one

of the most well known filmmaker of our time, Jesse Dylan, son of legendary musician, Bob Dylan, who was also named #1 Most Creative Person in 2010 by Fast Company.

Recently, he partnered with a very prolific director, Kumar Sapra, on several music videos for international MTV stars and Bollywood sensations. In their latest music video collaboration for International Bollywood Singer, Ishmeet Narula, they scouted numerous locations

The Event Planner The much awaited project from Arjun Chudasama showcasing a web series call, "The Event Planner" will feature four ambitious friends in their early twenties making it big in a lucrative business of event planner while handling life, drama,

and some unexpected turns.

This exciting project will be a collaboration between two accomplished talents, Chudasama, and his artistic director partner, Kumar Sapra.

After working with Seth Green, a director known for his work in the Austin Powers Series, Arjun has produced some highly anticipated works such as a short film called "Metropolis II - Highway to Heaven." This short film has gone to win several awards including the Accolade award and an award in its category at the NY film festival.

Ishmeet Music Video

February 21, 2014

India Post 51 www.indiapost.com

Will never date an actress: Shahid Desert Festival a big draw

A

ctor Shahid Kapoor has dated some very gor geous actresses likeKareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra and apparently Vidya Balan in the past.

However, if you ask him now that would he ever date an actress again and he will promptly say no.

That is what happened when director Karan Johar asked Shahid on Koffee with Karan whom he would like to date. Shahid said, "Not an actress.... I am so done with that. I am a little scared of dating an actress for sure".

Shahid, who was accompanied by his co-star Sonakshi Sinha, opened his heart and spoke about his past relationships on chat show Koffee With Karan. He refused to remember his former girlfriends and called them 'bad memories'. When Karan asked him what he has learnt from dating ac-

tresses, Shahid says, "Do not date them."

Shahid also defended his costar Sonakshi and said he thought that she was a very nice person and that Bollywood should have more actresses like her. He slammed the comment made by his ex-girlfriend Kareena that Sonakshi

was more like a housewife.

Shahid was in a serious relationship with Kareena and dated her for five years before they broke up in 2008. Since then he has been linked with many actresses like Priyanka, Vidya, Nargis Fakhri, Bipasha, Anushka and Huma Qureshi.

Asin is tired of 100-crore club

A

sin is tired of being part of 100-crore projects and in sists that she will only do films where she is offered meaty roles. The 28-year-old actress worked with Bollywood A-listers including Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn among others in her six year old career. Asin, who was last seen 2012 film 'Khiladi 786', wants to add performance-oriented roles in her resume.

"I have been very lucky in Bollywood that I have got the chance to work with established actors in such a short span of time.

I am happy that most of my films did good business and either set or broke records at the box-office.

I am tired of starring in those films where I am being a part just for the sake of it. In the near future, I have decided on that I will take up only those projects where my character has a scope to perform. From now onwards, doing a film just the sake of being seen onscreen is not my criteria," said Asin.

Asin is currently shooting her next project 'All is Well' with Abhishek Bachchan. The film is

directed by 'OMG - Oh My God' helmer Umesh Shukla and will reunite Asin with Bachchan after 'Bol Bachchan'.

"We are at the second schedule of the film. I am a big fan of Umesh after watching 'OMG - Oh

My God' and it's really fun to work with him. I am working with Abhishek again but in this film we don't share the brother-sister relationship. Rishiji (Rishi Kapoor) is

also a part of this film and we are very fond of each other," said Asin.

Having started her career in Malayalam films at a tender age, Asin also tried her luck in Telugu and Tamil films, and gave many hits. But the actress said she had never followed any plan or agenda for her career. "I had no plan or agenda. I have just been lucky. I am happy with my journey in the Indian film industry," she said.

When asked about Anushka Sharma's recent comments where she denied getting a lip job, Asin said she would not like to comment on it because it was a personal matter.

Asked if she would ever go for a plastic surgery to enhance her beauty, Asin said she is happy with the way she looks.

"It's a very personal choice and subjective too. But I won't ever go for it because I am contended with the way God has created me. I don't want to alter anything on my body.-PTI

I

nternationally popular Desert Festival started at Thar Desert, Jaisalmer in Rajasthan on 12 February. The festival started with a ceremonial procession from Jaisalmer Fort Gate (also called

Gair dancers and the fire dancers are the special highlights of the festival. Further excitement is provided with decorated camel display, turban-tying competition and Mr. Desert contest. The grand fi-

Golden Fort due to its yellow sandstone structure) to Shahid Poonam Singh Stadium. The festival concluded with a kite show and cultural programs on sand on 14 February.

It coincides with the full moon in February when the cherished moments of its glorious past and rich culture are on display. The entire fort is floodlit at night. The Langa and Manganiyar musicians,

nale is a trip to the Sam Sand Dunes where one can have the pleasure of a camel ride and also view the musicians and dancers performing on the dunes.

Colorful craft bazaars are set up for the occasion and a sound and light spectacle is organized with folk artists performing against the splendid backdrop of the famous Sam sand dunes on the full moon night.

52

India Post

Classifieds

February 21, 2014

www.indiapost.com

MATRIMONIALS BRIDE-GROOM WANTED

PROFILE OF OUR SON KAPIL ARORA Dear Parents, We are inviting a matrimonial alliance from a respectable family for our son who is currently working as a Manager in a Big 4 Consulting company .He is handsome ,fair ,5'7'' tall and is having a cheerful disposition.

He is honest with good values and is currently residing in San Jose California. He is having excellent credentials and is a Mechanical Engineer from M.I.T., Manipal and M.B.A (Marketing and Finance) from Symbiosis (SCMHRD) , Pune He is earning a handsome salary and his current remuneration would be gross USD 160 K /annum His Birth and Family details are as under: Birth details: Date: Feb-11-1976 Time: 3:38 PM Place: Delhi Marital Status: Divorced Family Details: Self: Retired Ex Senior Civil Service Officer (KAS) J&K and is in social service.

Wife: A Post Graduate running her own educational institution in Jammu. She hails from Delhi and settled in Jammu post marriage.

Elder Brother :Orthodontist by profession happily married and blessed with 2 kids (son and a daughter) and is residing in Vancouver Canada .

Daughter in Law: M.Sc. Physics (Hons.) - She is working in Vancouver Canada and is also a home maker.

We are a small family of 6 members who are very closely knitted, God fearing people with high moral values having properties in Jalandhar, Delhi and Jammu. Our relatives are well educated, professionals and into business in Delhi and Chandhigarh. We are a family of rich values and looking forward for a good human being as a life partner for our son.

In case you find it suitable, kindly mail the particulars of your daughter along with her photograph Contact Details:

greetings1102@gmail.com; kaparo@gmail.com Regards,

MRS & MR D.P ARORA

US No : +1 408 438 3399, 408 809 2067 India no :+91 96223 03596

Philosophy

February 21, 2014

India Post 53

www.indiapost.com

Page Sponsored by Sahanis RAMAKRISHNA PARAMAHAMSA

S

ri Ramakrishna was sitting on the small couch in his room. Rakhal , M., and, several other devotees were present.

A special worship of Kali had been performed in the temple the previous night. In connection with the worship a theatrical performance of the Vidyasundar had been staged in the Natmandir.

The Master had watched a part of it that morning. The actors came to his room to pay him their respects. The Master, in a happy mood, became engaged in conversation with a fair complexioned young man who had taken the part of Vidya and played his part very well.

Master (to the actor): "Your acting was very good. If a person excels in singing, music, dancing, or any other art, he can also quickly realize God provided he strives sincerely.

"Just as you practice much in order to sing, dance, and play on instruments, so one should practice the art of fixing the mind on God. One should practice regularly such disciplines as worship, japa, and meditation.

"Are you married? Any children?"

Actor: "Yes, sir. I had a girl who died. Another child has been born."

Master: "Ah! A death and a birth, and all so quickly! You are CHAITANYA MAHAPRABHU

"I have taken to the Sankirtana movement instead of the study of Vedanta because I am a great fool."

"And because I am a great fool, My spiritual master forbade me to play with Vedanta philosophy. He said that it is better that I chant the holy name of the Lord, for that would deliver me from material bondage.

"In this age of Kali there is no other religion but the glorification of the Lord by utterance of His holy name, and that is the injunction of all the revealed scriptures.

And my spiritual master has taught me one sloka [from the Brhan-naradiya Purana]: harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha "So on the order of my spiritual master, I chant the holy name of Hari, and I am now mad after this holy name. Whenever I utter the holy name I forget myself completely, and sometimes I laugh, cry and dance like a madman.

I thought that I had actually gone mad by this process of chanting, and therefore I asked my spiritual master about it.

"He informed me that this was the real effect of chanting the holy name, which produces a transcen-

so young! There is a saying: 'My husband died just after our marriage. There are so many nights for me to weep!' You are no doubt realizing the nature of worldly happiness. The world is like a hog plum. The hog plum has only pit and skin, and after eating it you suffer from colic.

"You are an actor in the theatre.

That's fine. But it is a very painful profession. You are young now; so you have a full, round face. Af-

Master: Lust is like the root of the tree, and desires are branches and twigs.

Passions should be directed to God "One cannot completely get rid of the six passions: lust, anger, greed, and the like. Therefore one should direct them to God. If you must have desire and greed, then you should desire love of God and be greedy to attain Him. If you

there will be less of yoga. Furthermore, bhoga begets suffering. It is said in the Bhagavata that the Avadhuta chose a kite as one of his twenty-four gurus. The kite had a fish in its beak; so it was surrounded by a thousand crows.

Whichever way it flew with the fish, the crows pursued it crying, 'Caw! Caw!' When all of a sudden the fish dropped from its beak, the crows flew after the fish, leaving the kite alone.

Worries and anxiety are inevitable with enjoyment

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa

"You are an actor in the theatre. That's fine. But it is a very painful profession. You are young now; so you have a full, round face. Afterwards there will be hollows in your cheeks. Almost all actors become like that�

terwards there will be hollows in your cheeks. Almost all actors become like that; they get hollow cheeks and big bellies. (Laughter.)

"Why did I stay to watch your performance? I found the rhythm, the music, and the melody all correct. Then the Divine Mother showed me that it was God alone who acted in the performance in the roles of the players."

Actor: Sir, what is the difference between lust and desire?

must be conceited and egotistic, then feel conceited and egotistic thinking that you are the servant of God, the child of God. "A man cannot see God unless he gives his whole mind to Him. The mind is wasted on 'woman and gold'. Take your own case. You have children and are occupied with the theatre. The mind cannot be united with God on account of these different activities.

"As long as there is bhoga,

"The 'fish' is the object of enjoyment. The 'crows' are worries and anxiety. Worries and anxiety are inevitable with enjoyment. No sooner does one give up enjoyment than one finds peace.

Excerpted from Chapter 22 'Advice to an Actor' in The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna by M. www.belurmath.com. The 178th birth anniversary of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa will be observed on February 18

dental emotion that is a rare manifestation. It is the sign of love of God, which is the ultimate end of life. Love of God is transcendental to liberation [mukti], and thus it is called the fifth stage of spiritual realization, above the stage of liberation. By chanting the holy name of Krsna one attains the stage of love of God, and it was good that fortunately I was favored with the blessing."

tainly to some purpose.

Chaitanya smiled and said, "Vedanta-sutra consists of transcendental words or sounds uttered by the transcendental Personality of Godhead. As such, in the Vedanta there cannot be any human deficiencies like mistake, illusion, cheating or inefficiency "The message of the Upanisads is expressed in the Vedanta-sutra, and what is said there directly is

covered by indirect interpretations and established as impersonal. Everything that is in the spiritual world is full of transcendental bliss, including the form, body, place and paraphernalia of the Lord.

"All are eternally cognizant and blissful. It is not the fault of the Acarya Sankara that he has so interpreted Vedanta, but if someone accepts it, then certainly he is doomed. Anyone who accepts the

Whenever I utter the holy name, I forget myself completely My spiritual master forbade me to play with Vedanta philosophy. He said that it is better that I chant the holy name of the Lord, for that would deliver me from material bondage.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu

On hearing this statement from Chaitanya, the Mayavadi sannyasi asked him what was the harm in studying the Vedanta along with chanting the holy name.

Prakasananda Sarasvati knew well that Chaitanya was formerly known as Nimai Pandita, a very learned scholar of Navadvipa, and his posing as a great fool was cer-

certainly glorified. Whatever interpretations have been given by Sankaracarya have no direct bearing on the sutra, and therefore such commentation spoils everything.

"The word Brahman indicates the greatest of all, which is full with transcendental opulences, superior to all. Brahman is ultimately the Personality of Godhead, and He is

transcendental body of the Personality of Godhead as something mundane certainly commits the greatest blasphemy."

Excerpted from The Life and Teachings of Lord Caitanya in www.harekrsna.com. The 528th birth anniversary of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu will be observed on February 18

Do not be misled by what you see around you, or be influenced by what you see. You live in a world which is a playground of illusion, full of false paths, false values and false ideals. But you are not part of that world.

- Sai Baba The distinction between the past, present and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion.

- Albert Einstein We're born alone, we live alone, we die alone. Only through our love and friendship can we create the illusion for the moment that we're not alone.

- Orson Welles The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.

-George Bernard Shaw A system of morality which is based on relative emotional values is a mere illusion, a thoroughly vulgar conception which has nothing sound in it and nothing true.

- Socrates The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance - it is the illusion of knowledge.

- Daniel J. Boorstin

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February 21, 2014

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Center must function as Coordinator & Adjudicator

S

ome verities about federalism in the context of regionalism in South Asia are becoming clearer. The proposition that "the (changing) political map of South Asian countries must reflect its social and cultural diversities" is unarguable.

How, then, should the inescapable contentions between the peripheral and Central federating entities be managed, apart from differences between the federating units themselves that are "yielding contrary trends and mixed conclusions"?

I argue that, while respecting regional aspirations, the Centre must function effectively as a coordinating and adjudicatory authority for the whole nation to remain viable.

One is fortified here by the lessons of history. The role of village

PR CHARI

with empires being born, flourishing, reaching their zenith, declining and finally disintegrating over and over again.

This process also revealed the underlying tension between the federal (integrative) and regional (disintegrative) forces within Indian polity. The balance of power must favor the central authority if the federal entity is to survive.

These issues have been dramatized by the regional Aam Admi Party's confronting the Union Government in Delhi. It would be recollected that Delhi became the capital of British India in 1912 after excising it from the Punjab Province.

It was designated a Chief Commissioner's Province, and was directly administered by the Centre. Later, it was designated a Part C state, and, still later, pursuant to

File photo of former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Education Minister Manish Sisodia doing Secretariat work, during a dharna near Rail Bhavan, in New Delhi

republics in Buddhist times, their tradition of democratic functioning with all decisions being taken by consensus, and the local administration being under the vil lage assemblies has been deified. The larger lesson of history is that these village republics were easily overrun by the Mauryan rulers and incorporated into their empire, since these purely local regional units could neither defend their integrity nor implement a common foreign policy.

Coming to British India, Sir Charles Metcalfe, acting governorgeneral of India had minuted in 1830: "This union of the village communities, each one forming a separate little state in itself, has, I conceive, contributed more than any other cause to the preservation of the peoples of India."

Metcalfe was speaking to local government.

He did not appreciate the interplay between centrifugal and centripetal forces in Indian history

the recommendations of the State Reorganization Committee, Delhi was designated a Union Territory.

Under Article 239 of the Constitution, Union Territories are to be administered by the President through an Administrator (Lt Governor).

But, there has been a clamor over the years for granting Delhi full Statehood, which is being echoed by the Aam Admi Party, but is resolutely opposed by the Union Government. In truth, any scheme for the administration of Delhi must appreciate its urban character, and the need for the Union Government to exercise close supervision and control over the capital city.

The Sarkaria Committee, appointed in end 1987 to examine this issue, studied the set-up in other national capitals of the world having a federal set-up; it finally recommended after extensive consultations that Delhi should remain a Union Territory with a Legislative

Assembly and a Council of Ministers responsible to this Assembly. However, matters relating to the police, land and public order were reserved for the Centre.

The Committee further recommended that to ensure stability and permanence to these arrangements, the Constitution should incorporate provisions to accord a special status for the national capital among the other Union territories, which was effected by a Constitutional Amendment in end1991, and the insertion of new Articles 239AA and 239AB. The major reason why the Committee (I was its Member-Secretary) recommended these arrangements was that it anticipated contingencies where the Central and Delhi governments might come into conflict, as is currently occurring, leading to practical difficulties in the governance of the national capital.

For instance, the Delhi government could bring the working of the Union Government to a standstill by populist agitations and boycott movements or even organizing gheraos of Parliament, North and South Block and other Central Government offices. For this reason, the vital subjects of public order and the police, were excluded from the purview of the Delhi government and reserved for the Centre.

This long digression has been undertaken to highlight a special problem of Indian federalism, pertaining to the administration of its national capital, and draws pointed attention to the need for privileging the central authority to counter sub-national populism in Delhi, but also other parts of the country.

Regrettably, regional parties have, thus far, shown little interest in participating in the governance of the country or helping in the process of consensus-building, which further strengthens the argument for having a strong centralizing authority, especially to execute foreign policy and provide national security.

How the increasingly uneasy power equations between the federal and regional authorities will work themselves out in future remains to be seen, but great maturity and restraint will be required on all sides. A hopeful sign is that Article 356 is falling into disuse in contrast to its misuse in the earlier years of one-party and central dominance.

The writer is Visiting Professor, IPCS

India Post AAP second phase

A

rvind Kejriwal has been an enigma for the several media pundits. A section of the media had given him up after his dharna and "anarchist" methods to get his way even as he headed the government in Delhi. As he resigned following the blocking of his Jan Lokpal bill by the BJP and Congress MLAs in Delhi, some thought it was time to write "finish" to his disruptionist bio.

The middle class also has become wary of his destabilizing ways.

They would like a corruption-free government but it should function within the given norms. However, reports say contribution to the AAP party went up 700 percent after he quit the government. In the eyes of the underclass of the urban poor Kejriwal's image has gone up several notches. Here is a man who took on not only the corrupt politicians but also the rich and powerful. By sleeping out in the open in the cold winter he strengthened his bond with the deprived. And since Kejriwal knows his constituency, he has not bothered much about the downswing in the TV image or the 'tut tut" of the middle class.

After his expected jettisoning of the responsibility to govern Delhi, the Aam Admi Party has launched the second phase of its campaign by announcing a list of its candidates to target the big guns of the Congress and the BJP in the coming Lok Sabha elections. Against each of the big guns it had listed as corrupt, it has put up a credible candidate. Even if the AAP candidates fail to win in these constituencies, they would inflict enough damage on the incumbents to return unscathed in Parliament.

The message this gives out is that the AAP is serious about combating corruption. It is its sincerity which is winning the hearts of people. Its candidates will be going all out to expose the corrupt in spite of the hurdles they are likely to face.

Kejriwal has opened a new front by launching an FIR impleading the Ambanis as well as Oil Minister Veerappa Moily in the alleged fleecing gas pricing policy. Kejriwal has pointed out that neither the BJP nor the Congress has said anything against the corporate giants, the Ambanis, because according to him the two parties were being funded by the corporate. He has even challenged Narendra Modi to come clean on his association with the Ambanis.

Nobody in India has had the courage to speak out against the misdeeds of the corporate world. The media doesn't touch them.

Only recently Shekhar Gupta of the Indian Express listed how big industrialists have got away by not returning to the banks the many lakh crore rupees taken by them as loans. India's poverty could have been reomoved many times over by this amount. But the banks have taken no action against them nor has the government forced the banks to recover the loans. If today Kejriwal is taking on these industrialists, he must be lauded for his courage.

What impact this second wave of AAP anti-corruption campaign have on the Lok Sabha results? It is doubtful if AAP will be able to garner a substantial number of seats to make a difference.

It's unusual and disruptionist ways evoke fear of instability once again in Parliament and governance. Already wary of the Third Front anarchy as witnessed in previous such governments, the electorate might opt for stability even if it is provided by the tainted BJP. While the AAP will damage the Congress in a big way, the voter may put faith in the promise of stable development held out

by Narendra Modi.

Modi also has to fashion a response in the present anti-corruption mood in the country. It is not enough to say that he is single and therefore has no one to do corruption for. He must spell out that he will not sell out to the corporates.

February 21, 2014

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