Indiapost 08 09 2013 by Ghanshyam Bisht

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Sikh Gurdwara in Riverside vandalized Details on page 12

VOL 19, No. 986

August 9, 2013

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TERRORISTS KILL 5 INDIAN SOLDIERS Furor over Pak attack at LOC

Raghuram Rajan will be new RBI Gov.

NEW DELHI: Five Indian soldiers were killed in an earlymorning attack on their post on August 6 along the Line of Control in Poonch, Kashmir, just as the two countries were moving towards resuming stalled peace talks. Responding to furor in Parliament over the killing of Indian soldiers, Defense Minister A K Antony said the attack was carried out by "terrorists along with persons dressed in Pakistan Army uniform" and India will take all necessary steps to uphold the sanctity of the Line of Con-

trol (LoC). The attack took place on the Indian side of the LoC. Antony was making a suo motu statement in both Houses of Parliament on the August 6 incident. An Indian army patrol, comprising one Non-Commissioned Officer and five other ranks, was "ambushed on our side" of the LoC in Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir, he said in identical statements in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. Details on page 6

Swami Vivekananda

Festival of India to celebrate 150th anniversary Details on page 13

'World Without Borders' for Vivekananda Details on page 18

3 Indians in fray in Nassau County polls

Details on page 9 Details on page 9

Does the IRS target Indian community? Details on page 40

Tough norms for food imports from India See pages 26-37

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Faridkot Raja’s daughters get Rs 20,000 crore Details on page 9

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

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Telengana decision will open floodgates? YES 57%

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CONTENTS Family members hold candles during a candlelight vigil at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin to mark the one-year anniversary of the shooting rampage that left six dead

Bollywood -------------------------- 48 Classifieds ------------------------- 60

leaders, government officials and survivors whose lives were shattered by gun violence across the country, from Sandy Hook to Columbine, from Virginia Tech to the deadly streets of Wisconsin and Washington. On August 5, 2012, white supremacist Wade Michael Page went on a deadly rampage at the Gurdwara, fatally shooting six worshippers and wounding six others before turning the gun on himself.

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ere's a bit of interesting information coming from our eminently dependable representative in the New Jersey legislature, Assemblyman Upendra Chivukula. We all know how proactively he works to improve the environment for local communities, which in fact, has a meaningful footprint in the larger scheme of things. Apparently the NJ legislature has voted to close one of the State's major landfills, for emitting 13 times the legally allowed amount of hydrogen sulfide. That such action needs to be replicated for sites across the state and country, or should I say the world over, is understating the urgency with which governments and more importantly, citizens themselves should be taking up the issue of garbage disposal. To the question on what is the best way for getting rid of the massive amounts of waste we produce, Chivukula says it is illogical to continue to develop newer landfills or continue to ship garbage to external locations which is a cost proposition that taxpayers can ill afford to pay. As a third and workable option Chivukula offers the solution of using technology by way of hydrothermal decomposition that takes solid waste and sewer sludge and converts it into energy. For those like me, who are not familiar with this technology, here's how it works: High-pressure steam combined with high temperature converts waste into clean material in the form of pellets, which can be used to generate energy. Through hydrothermal decomposition, small factory plants meet the energy and waste disposal needs of large cities, while preserving the environment by improving air quality. The process essentially vaporizes the waste so that the released gases are not toxic or harmful. Additionally, to operate this process, fossil fuels are not needed. What this process effectively seems to do is spare the communities from hazardous and toxic gas emissions from landfills, groundwater contamination, foul odors; and save municipalities the cost of shipping garbage over long distances. I have always been concerned with the world garbage situation. I wish implementable solutions such as these are adopted soon. Then we can start talking about all the E-waste and bio non-degradable waste in the world.

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HIGHLIGHTS Bollywood: Ranveer Leela Report is doing the rounds that Ranveer Singh now-a-days quite often spends time in Deepika's pad.

Cover Story: Pak attack at LOC Five Indian soldiers were killed in an earlymorning attack on their post on August 6 along the Line of Control in Poonch

Community: Gurdwara vandalized The Sikh Gurdwara in Riverside, California was vandalized on June 29 night in an apparent hate crime.

Immigration: Dems hit GOP Senate's second-ranking Democrat Richard Durbin traveled to Iowa to rebuke House Republicans on immigration

Life Style: Madhuri & sons Madhuri Dixit may be a famous Bollywood diva but her sons - Arin and Raayan - are unaffected by her stardom.

Techbiz: Targeting Indians Many PIOs and green card holders are exposed to penalties related to investments and business activities outside US

Travel: Kodaikanal In this quaint, unspoilt little hill station, the air is intoxicating, the scenery breathtakingly beautiful and serene

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Terrorists kill 5 Indian soldiers Furor over Pak attack at LOC NEW DELHI: Five Indian soldiers were killed in an early-morning attack on their post on August 6 along the Line of Control in Poonch, Kashmir, just as the two countries were moving towards resuming stalled peace talks. Responding to furor in Parliament over the killing of Indian soldiers, Defense Minister A K Antony said the attack was carried out by "terrorists along with persons dressed in Pakistan Army uniform" and India will take all necessary steps to uphold the sanctity of the Line of Control (LoC). The attack took place on the Indian side of the LoC. Antony was making a suo motu statement in both Houses of Parliament on the August 6 incident. An Indian army patrol, comprising one Non-Commissioned Officer and five other ranks, was "ambushed on our side" of the LoC in Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir, he said in identical statements in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. "The ambush was carried out by approximately 20 heavily-

which is 80 per cent more than the violations last year during the same period, the Defense Minister said. He said the Indian Army successfully eliminated 19 hardcore terrorists in July and August along the LoC and in the hinterland in Jammu and Kashmir. The effective counter infiltration grid on the LoC has ensured that 17 infiltration bids were foiled this year, he said.

People holding a protest in Jammu against the killing of five Indian soldiers in an ambush by Pakistani troops in Jammu and Kashmirâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Poonch district on August 6

armed terrorists along with persons dressed in Pakistan army uniform," he said. "In the ensuing firefight, five Indian soldiers were martyred and one soldier was injured," he said. Strongly condemning the "unprovoked incident", Antony said, "I assure the House that our army

is fully ready to take all necessary steps to uphold the sanctity of LoC." He said the Government of India has lodged a strong protest with the Pakistan government through diplomatic channels. His statement came after members expressed anger over the in-

cident and wanted to know how the government was responding to it. Antony said the number of infiltration attempts from Pakistan have doubled this year in comparison to the corresponding period of January 1 to August 5. There have also been 57 ceasefire violations this year

DECEITFUL, SAYS SONIA Meanwhile, Congress President Sonia Gandhi said India would not be cowed down by the "deceitful" killing of five of its soldiers by Pakistan along the LoC and asked the Government to take "appropriate" measures. Expressing deep grief and shock over the incident in Jammu & Kashmir, she said that the entire Congress party as indeed the entire country stands by the families of the martyred soldiers. Gandhi said the Indian nation could "not be cowed down" by such "blatant acts of deceit" and urged the Government to take appropriate steps.-PTI

Anger in Parliament over killing of soldiers on LoC NEW DELHI: The killing of five Indian soldiers on the Line of Control saw anger and anguish in Parliament with BJP and Samajwadi Party questioning as to why the government was feeling "completely helpless" in the face of repeated aggression by Pakistan. The issue saw parties coming together to assert that the country should respond strongly to such provocative acts, not only by Pakistan but also China whose

against formation of Telangana and demands for creation of Bodoland, leading to repeated adjournments. The issue was raised by Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav who insisted that neither Pakistan nor China can be trusted, saying both of them were aggressive towards India. "Our five soldiers have been killed on the LoC. Our army is not weak," he said, questioning what

"The most tragic thing is that our armed forces seem to have been made helpless" in the face of "repeated aggression" by Pakistan, he said, amid cries of "shame, shame" troops have made repeated incursions in India in the recent months. In the Lok Sabha, there were fervent demands for a statement by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the serious issue. Speaker Meira Kumar said a structured debate could be held on the issue if notice was given. Both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha witnessed uproar over the issue as also protests

had been done in response to the provocative action by Pakistan troops in Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir. "This is a matter of national unity, national security and selfconfidence. Tell us why we are not able to stop these attacks," said Yadav, a former Defense Minister. Attacking the government, he said after the previous incident of such nature in January, it had hosted the Prime Minister of Pa-

kistan for lunch. "China and Pakistan are preparing to attack India... We face threat from both China and Pakistan...We need to be alert," he said. . Joining Yadav, BJP leader Yashwant Sinha focused on Pakistan while targeting the government over the "disturbing" incident on the LoC. "The most tragic thing is that our armed forces seem to have been made helpless" in the face of "repeated aggression" by Pakistan, he said, amid cries of "shame, shame" by opposition benches. The former External Affairs Minister, while speaking amidst uproar created by Andhra MPs to protest creation of Telangana, provoked Congress by questioning whether it was not agitated enough on this killing of soldiers. Peeved at the uproar created by MPs from Andhra, he accused Congress of prompting them as soon as he started speaking. There was no protest when Yadav spoke, he noted. Sinha recalled that Pakistani troops had carried out a similar attack on the LoC in January also, killing two Indian soldiers and beheading one of them.

BJP member Yashwant Sinha speaking in the Lok Sabha in New Delhi on August 6

"There was Mumbai attack. There was beheading of soldier ...After that there have been regular incidents of Pakistani aggression," he said, adding Pakistani troops were violating the ceasefire on the LoC to aid infiltration by

terrorists. Targeting the government over these developments, the BJP leader questioned why Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was absent in the House when such a crucial issue was being raised.-PTI

August 9, 2013

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Pak denies troops were involved in cross-LoC attack ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has denied that its troops were involved in an attack across the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir that killed five Indian soldiers, saying it was committed to the ceasefire agreement of 2003. "Pakistan rejects the allegations carried by some sections of the Indian media of an

India summons Pak Dy High Commissioner, lodges protest NEW DELHI: India on August 6 summoned Pakistan Deputy High Commissioner and lodged a strong protest over killing of five Indian soldiers along the Line of Control in the Poonch sector in Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan Deputy High Commissioner Mansoor Ahmed Khan was summoned by Joint Secretary in Ministry of External Affairs Rudrendra Tandon in South Block and delivered a strong diplomatic message, sources said. In an audacious and provocative attack, Pakistani troops entered Indian territory along the Line of Control in the Poonch sector in Jammu and Kashmir late and ambushed a patrol killing five Indian soldiers. The attack was carried out by 20 heavilyarmed terrorists along with persons in Pakistan army uniform, Defense Minister A K Antony told Lok Sabha. A Subedar and four jawans of the 21 Bihar Unit were killed in the attack which took place at around 2 AM, the defense ministry sources said, adding the attack took place 450 meters from the LoC on the Indian side. The killing came just as India and Pakistan were preparing to resume peace talks stalled since January when tensions rose following the beheading of two Indian soldiers along the LoC. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif are slated to meet in New York next month on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session.-PTI

Modi: Death of Indian soldiers unacceptable AHMEDABAD: Describing the killing of Indian soldiers by Pakistani troops as "dastardly", Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi accused the Centre of being lax in securing the borders. "Dastardly ambush by Pakistan at the Chakan da Bagh area of Poonch leading to death of five Indian soldiers is unacceptable," Modi said in a tweet. "From China's intrusions to Pakistan's ambushes - UPA government has been absolutely lax in securing the Indian borders. When will Centre wake up?" Modi wrote on the micro-blogging site twitter. "My heartfelt condolences to the families of the brave soldiers who laid down their lives in Poonch," he tweeted.-PTI

attack across the LoC in the Poonch sector in which five Indian soldiers were claimed to have been killed. These are baseless and unfounded allegations," Foreign Office spokesman Aizaz Chaudhry said. "Our military authorities have confirmed that there had been no exchange of fire that could have resulted in such an incident," he said in a statement. Pakistan is committed to the ceasefire agreement of 2003, which is "an important Confidence-Building Measure and should be respected in letter and spirit", Chaudhry said.

Islamabad further called for "abiding by and strengthening existing military mechanisms to ensure that such ill-founded reports that have the potential of vitiating the atmosphere, are avoided". Earlier, a Pakistani military official told PTI: "No such incident has taken place on LoC as there was no violation of the ceasefire by our troops." The Foreign Office spokesman said Pakistan is "committed to a constructive, sustained and result-oriented process of engagement with India and looks forward to an early resumption of the dialogue pro-

cess". "It is important that both sides make serious efforts in maintaining the positive atmosphere and avoid negative propaganda," he said. India and Pakistan put in place a ceasefire along the frontiers in Jammu and Kashmir, including the LoC, in late 2003. The bilateral dialogue process was put on hold after an Indian soldier was beheaded and the mutilated body of another soldier was found following an attack by Pakistani troops in Poonch sector on January 8.-PTI

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Gurdwara shooting victims honored on anniversary OAK CREEK, Wisconsin: Nearly a thousand people from different faiths gathered here on August 5 to pay homage to the six Sikh worshippers gunned down inside a Gurdwara by a white supremacist here last year, as a sea of candles and emotional tributes marked the tragic incident's anniversary. The people paid their respects to the Sikh victims at a candlelight vigil and called for an end to the gun violence that kills at least 12,000 Americans a year. The people, from all walks of life, included religious leaders, government officials and survivors whose lives were shattered by gun violence across the country, from Sandy Hook to Columbine, from Virginia Tech to the deadly streets of Wisconsin and Washington. On August 5, 2012, white supremacist Wade Michael Page went on a deadly rampage at the Gurdwara, fatally shooting six worshippers and wounding six others before turning the gun on himself. The candlelight vigil was the

Worshippers gathered at Wisconsin Sikh temple

final event in a four-day commemoration of the massacre. On all the four days, langar (free community meal) was served at the Gurdwara. Six Sikhs killed in the tragic incident were Suveg Singh Khattra,

Satwant Singh Kaleka, Ranjit Singh, Sita Singh, Paramjit Kaur and Prakash Singh. Family members offered moving tributes to each of the victims, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

At one point, temple president Kulwant Dhaliwal asked the crowd, candles in hand, to join in a Sikh hymn and send their prayers to revered priest Punjab Singh, who remains paralyzed in a rehab facility.

US issues half a million grant for Wisconsin victims

Sikhs sidestep fights over Wisconsin rampage donations

WASHINGTON: The Obama pers at the Gurdwara in Oak Creek Administration has announced a at the hands of a lone gunman. grant of more than half a million This heinous act of hatred and dollars for the victims of the Oak terror also seriously injured sevCreek Gurdwara shootout a year eral other worshippers, as well as ago, as the Sikh community be- Oak Creek Police Lieutenant Brian gan a four-day memorial service Murphy, who was shot 12 times observing the tragic incident in at close range while attempting to Wisconsin that killed six Sikh wor- save others, said the Attorney shippers. General. "I'm pleased to announce that Holder said the attack in Oak the Justice Department's Office on Creek was particularly jarring not Victims of Crime will offer an emer- only because of its scale, and the gency assistance grant to the Wisconsin Department of Justice pro- "These funds are intended to viding over USD assist all those affected 512,000 to help reimincluding family members, burse, and continue to pay for, mental health witnesses, first responders and trauma services for and the wider Oak the victims and survivors of this horrific Creek communityâ&#x20AC;? shooting," US Attorney General Eric Holder said in a blog number of victims involved, but posting. also because it occurred in a place "These funds are intended to of worship; of fellowship; and assist all those affected - includ- above all - of peace. ing family members, witnesses, Referring to his visit to Oak first responders and the wider Oak Creek a year ago to stand in soliCreek community - as they con- darity, Holder said that day he was tinue to rebuild their lives and inspired by the response of the keep displaying the extraordinary Sikh community, by the outpourresiliency so many of us have ing of support from members of come to admire," he wrote. other faiths, and by the heroism This Monday, August 5, marks of the Oak Creek Police Departthe first anniversary of the sense- ment officers who rushed to aid less murders of six Sikh worship- victims. -PTI

OAK CREEK, Wis.: In the af- decision, said Harcharan Gill, a termath of shooting rampages in temple trustee. Colorado, Virginia and elsewhere, ``There were no issues about, victims' families have clashed over `Why did you give this much to how to distribute money donated this person?' They're all just thankby well-wishers. But after a gunman ful for what they got,'' Gill said. killed six worshippers at a Milwau- ``There was some rethinking kee-area Sikh temple last year, sur- about the need basis, about the vivors and their families vowed not age in life. But the people advised to let money divide them. us that a life is a life and the value In the weeks following the Au- is the same.'' gust 2012 shooting, $1.1 million Each family's total amounted to in donations poured in to the Sikh more than $125,000. The family of Temple of Wisconsin from the U.S., India, Canada, England and Among the victims were a elsewhere. Contribu- 41-year-old mother of two, tions came from indiher family's primary breadviduals, corporations, churches, other Sikh winner, and an 84-year-old temples and even el- man who retired ementary school childecades earlier dren. Among the victims were a 41-year-old mother of two, another victim, a 65-year-old her family's primary breadwinner, priest who has remained nearly and an 84-year-old man who re- comatose since he was shot in the tired decades earlier. Their differ- head at close range, also received ent life circumstances raised diffi- about the same amount. Another cult questions: Do their families priest was shot twice in the abdodeserve an equal share of the men and survived; his family got money? Or should the families of about $75,000. younger or higher-earning victims Surinder Kaur's husband, Sita receive more? Singh, was among the dead. She In the end, on the advice of and her four children, who range outside counsel, temple leaders in age from 9 to 20, came to the divided it equally among all six U.S. from India immediately after families. It was a controversy-free the shooting. -AP

The vigil was somber and yet hopeful, focusing on the Sikh tenet of Charhdi Kala, a relentless optimism even in the face of great hardship, and the shared humanity of those gathered. "We come here because of the values we share, the respect for human life and the dignity of every person," said the Rev Jean Dow, who offered a prayer on behalf of the Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee. "The candles we hold tonight are many," she said, adding, "but there is one source of light and life that inspires us all". Looking out on a sea of candles, two young children recounted the horror that unfolded at the Gurdwara of Wisconsin a year ago last August. They told how they had heard what sounded like gunshots and how their father, priest Prakash Singh, urged them to hide with their mother in the basement. When the shooting stopped and they re-emerged, the children tried to wake their lifeless father, who, his daughter noted, had suffered a gunshot wound through the eye. "We could hear Satwant Kaleka's last words. They were waheguru, waheguru (wonderful God, wonderful God," Singh's 13year-old daughter told those who gathered for a prayer vigil commemorating the anniversary of the Gurdwara shooting. "We will never forget that day," she said in halting English. "My heart broke in two when I realized my father was gone." "Tragic shootings like the ones we had in Wisconsin and Newtown have opened the country's eyes to the fact that we have a serious gun problem in America," said Carlee Soto, whose sister Victoria, was killed protecting her students at Sandy Hook Elementary School last year. "Thirty-three Americans are murdered with guns each day in this country," she said. "And it's time for our leaders in Washington to take meaningful action to stop the bloodshed." As part of its "No More Names" campaign family members of one victim read just some of the more than 7,000 names of those killed since the Sandy Hook massacre that left 26 people, 20 of them children ages 5 to 10, dead nearly eight months ago. "When people go to pray on a Sunday and are murdered, something is wrong with our country," said Satwant Kaleka's oldest son, Amardeep. "When children go to school and are murdered something is wrong with our planet."- PTI

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3 Indians in fray in Nassau County polls NEW YORK: In a first, three Indian-Americans and one with a strong Indian connection are running for elected offices as the running mates of a Democratic Party leader contesting for the Nassau County Executive post. County Executive job is similar to Mayor in metro cities in the US. Tom Suozzi who has been the friend of Indian-Americans of Nassau County and who ran unsuccessfully against Governor Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic gubernatorial primary said he and his running mates need to make Nassau County, immediately east of New York City, an attractive and affordable place to live once again. "For over three years the present County Executive a Re-

publican Edward Mangano has presided over the decline of our County. I've seen the county taken over by a state agency and mismanaged from one man-made crisis after another. We have to do better," he told PTI. Tom Suozzi is trying to wrest County Executive position which he narrowly lost in the last election. Mili Makhijani is running as a Democrat for the position of Town Clerk for the Town of Oyster Bay. She is an attorney, currently working as a Law Clerk to a Justice of the Supreme Court in Nassau County. "I believe that my background in the legal justice system, my degree in finance, and my interpersonal skills will be beneficial to the

residents of the Town of Oyster Bay. I will bring a fresh and mod-

Nelanuthala, a successful businessman is stepping on to the political stage for the first time to reverse spending and irresponsible tax increases on the Town of Oyster Bay residents ern perspective to the Clerk's Office," Makhijani said. Andhra Pradesh-born Shaker

Nelanuthala is contesting for the post of Council Member of the Town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County. Nelanuthala, a successful businessman is stepping on to the political stage for the first time to reverse spending and irresponsible tax increases on the Town of Oyster Bay residents. Shanker believes his strong background in business management makes him an ideal candidate for this job. The third Indian-American in the fray is Sid Nathen, who is running for North Hempstead Town Council Member, District 3. He is currently working for the Town of North Hempstead and is on leave of absence to run for the elections. Laura Gillen, a person with a

strong India connection and a practicing attorney, is a candidate for Nassau County Clerk. Gillen embarked on transformational journeys in 1995-96 to destinations in India, China, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. The focal point of her travel was an extended volunteer mission in Kolkata with the Missionaries of Charity, where she worked in Mother Teresa's home for the dying. "Indian-Americans owe a lot to Tom Suozzi for his confidence of choosing three Indian candidates as his running mate and another with India connection," Kalathil Varghese, a Democratic Party leader of Nassau County and cofounder of Indian-American Friends of Tom Suozzi, said. -PTI

Faridkot maharaja's daughters to inherit Rs 20,000 crore assets NEW DELHI: After over a twodecade-long wait, two daughters of the erstwhile Maharaja of Faridkot are set to inherit assets worth a staggering Rs 20,000 crore that include Faridkot House in Delhi's posh Central Vista, two forts, vintage cars and jewellery. The ex-royals struck the fortune after a local court ruled that Faridkot's former ruler Sir Harinder Singh Brar's 31-year-old will was "fictitious" and "forged" by servants in connivance with lawyers and others. Brar's eldest daughter Amrit Kaur had challenged the will in 1992 which had entitled a trust as the caretaker of the estates and assets including the Faridkot House at Copernicus Marg near India Gate, palace and Manimajra Fort in Faridkot in Punjab, properties in Mashobra, Shimla, besides bank deposits, jewellery and vintage cars including a Rolls Royce.

The assets of the Maharaja, who died in 1989, include large number of properties in Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh,

that the will was "forged and fabricated", making Amrit Kaur and her sister Deepinder Kaur heir to the estate and assets worth Rs

Faridkot House near India Gate in New Delhi

Haryana and Hyderabad. Chief Judicial Magistrate Rajnish Kumar Sharma declared

20,000 crore under the Hindu Succession Act, according to the Maharaja's family's advocate

Pak court adjourns Musharraf's hearing till Aug 20 ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's former military ruler Pervez Musharraf failed to appear before an anti-terrorism court due to "security reasons" for his trial in the assassination case of former premier Benazir Bhutto, prompting the judge to adjourn the hearing till August 20. Musharraf, who had been summoned to face charges of criminal conspiracy and the murder of Bhutto, was not

Pervez Musharraf

brought to the Rawalpindi court due to threats to his life.

If convicted, 69-yearold Musharraf can be sentenced to death or life imprisonment. Police told Judge Chaudhry Habibur Rehman that it was not safe enough to bring Musharraf to the court due to threats against his life. Judge Rehman adjourned the indictment until August 20 and ordered Musharraf to appear then. -PTI

Vikas Jain. His third daughter Maheepinder Kaur died in 2000 in Shimla. Amrit Kaur resides in Sector 10, Chandigarh while Deepinder Kaur is in Kolkata. As the will forged on July 1, 1982 has been declared "illegal" and "void" by the court, the 'Meharwal Khewaji Trust' has also become illegal, the advocate said. The suspicion about the will arose as the Maharaja excluded his mother Mohinder Kaur and his wife Narinder Kaur while all the servants, irrespective of their designation, and lawyers were appointed trustees. Amrit had been divested of all the powers of heiress on the grounds that she had

married against the wishes of the late Maharaja. Deepinder had been appointed trust chairman on paltry salary of Rs 1,200 per month while Maheepinder Kaur was given a salary of Rs 1,000 a month. At the time when the will was forged, Sir Brar was in depression as his only son Tikka Harmohinder Singh Brar had died. The will was executed on June 1, 1982 eight months after Tikka's death. After the purported will came to light in 1989 following the death of the erstwhile ruler, Amrit Kaur filed a suit challenging it in 1992 stating that her father had never made any such will and she was with her father till his death.-PTI

Raghuram Rajan will be new RBI Governor NEW DELHI: Chief Economic Advisor Raghuram G Rajan, who as IMF economist had predicted the 2008 global crisis, has been appointed the new RBI Governor. Rajan, 50, will succeed D Subbarao, who by his hawkish policy stood his ground on continuing with a tight monetary policy despite repeated entreaties from the government to ease interest rates to boost growth. Subbarao will demit office on September 4. "Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has approved the appointment of Dr Raghuram Rajan as the Governor of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for a term of three years, vice Dr. D. Subbarao upon completion of his (Dr. Subbarao's) tenure," an official release said.

Rajan, a former IMF chief economist, was appointed as the Chief Economic Advisor in the Finance Ministry in August last year. His appointment as the 23rd central bank chief comes at a challenging time, when the economy is battling industrial slowdown, declining rupee, rising prices and all-time high current account deficit (CAD). "These are challenging times for the Indian economy and the RBI and government will work together," Rajan said in a statement shortly after the announcement. "We don't have a magic wand to make the problems disappear. But absolutely we will deal with them." Rajan noted that the RBI has a tradition of integrity, independence and professionalism.-PTI

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Al-Qaeda chief's attack order prompted closure of US missions WASHINGTON: Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri's intercepted conversations with his deputy in the Arabian Peninsula ordering him to carry out one of the most

serious attacks since 9/11 prompted closure of several American diplomatic missions in the region, a media report said. The intercepted message between

Zawahri and Nasser al-Wuhayshi, the head of the Yemen-based Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, revealed one of the most serious plots against American and Western interests since the attacks on September 11, 2001, the New York Times reported. "Zawahiri ordered the leader of Al Qaeda's affiliate in Yemen to carry out an attack as early as this past Sunday (July 28)," the paper quoted American officials as saying. The paper said that no targets had been singled out in the talks, but that a possible attack appeared to be imminent. The conversations of the top al-Qaeda leaders and the imminent nature of the sus-

pected plot "help explain why the US, as well as other Western governments, took such extraordinary steps in the past few days to close embassies and consulates in the Middle East and North Africa," it said. The US closed 22 missions across the Middle East and extended the closures of 19 of them till August 10. "This was significant because it was the big guys talking, and talking about very specific timing for an attack or attacks," an American official, who had been briefed on the intelligence reports in recent days, was quoted as saying. 62-year-old Zawahiri, an Egyptian physician and Islamic theologian, took over alQaeda's command after the killing of the group's former chief Osama bin Laden in a covert military operation by US Special Forces in Pakistan's Abbottabad in 2011. Zawahiri carries a USD 25 million reward on his head. In recent weeks, Zawahri has elevated Wuhayshi to what one official described as the new "general manager" of the global terror network, making him the second most important man in the organization, the paper said. The American officials also said that it was highly unusual for senior al-Qaeda leaders in Pakistan to discuss operational matters with the group's affiliates. "The communication between the two men seems to indicate that Zawahri whom administration officials have portrayed as greatly diminished and hindered in running a global terror network while deep in hiding still has a strong influence over a group in Yemen that has become Al Qaeda's most powerful offshoot," the NYT quoted officials as saying. Last week, in a 15-minute audio message posted online, Zawahiri had accused the US of orchestrating former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi's ouster. -PTI

US not seeking to broker India-Pak talks on Kashmir WASHINGTON: US is not seeking to act as a broker between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir issue said an official as Secretary of State, John Kerry is expected to bring up the Kashmir issue during his talks with Pakistan. "We are in no way seeking to broker any sort of conversation on Kashmir between India and Pakistan, though US is supportive of the moves that both the countries have made to normalize the relations," an official traveling with Kerry to Pakistan said. He added that great strides on economic front in the last few years have really paved the way for better and more constructive talks on the political side. "During his June trip to India, Kerry has urged both India and Pakistan to continue the process of facilitation, while asked Pakistan to do things like providing most favored nation (MFN) status to India," he said. -PTI

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Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos Indian team to visit Iran on upgradation of Chabahar port buys Washington Post TEHRAN: India will soon send a delegation to Iran to discuss upgradation of the strategically important Chabahar port and the two sides will begin negotiations on a trilateral transit agreement to ship goods to the landlocked Afghanistan. The two issues were part of discussions between Vice President Hamid Ansari and Iran's President Hassan Rouhani soon after his swearing-in ceremony here, senior officials told reporters. India had held discussions with Iran on the Chabahar port during External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid's visit here in May. A delegation led by Director General, Shipping from India will soon go to Tehran to discuss the details of the project, they said. The Government had given inprincipal clearance for Indian participation in the project and negotiations will begin soon to work

out cost and other issues along with the proposed transit agreement. The transit agreement involves India, Iran and Afghanistan. The upgradation process is

India and Iran have long economic ties where oil is the biggest item of Indian import from Iran. But India feels there is a lot of scope for increasing Indian exports to the Persian country expected to take two or more years, Khurshid had said. Chabahar port is strategically crucial as it gives access route to

Afghanistan. Chabahar port, which is surrounded by a free trade zone, is vital particularly since Pakistan does not allow transit facility from India to Afghanistan. During the meeting with Rouhani, Ansari said India wants to work closely with its near neighbor. India and Iran have long economic ties where oil is the biggest item of Indian import from Iran. But India feels there is a lot of scope for increasing Indian exports to the Persian country particularly in pharmaceuticals and food. However, efforts to enhance trade have been facing hurdles because of sanctions imposed by the UN and European Union, which make payment difficult. There are also problems like reinsurance of oil refineries and transportation of consignment from Iran because of the sanctions. -PTI

Indians win 11 golds in World Police Games BELFAST: Indians produced an excellent performance at the XVth World Police and Fire Games 2013 here, pocketing 11 gold, six silver and four bronze medals so far. The 39-member Indian team is taking part in a number of disciplines - athletics, archery, boxing, judo, swimming and wrestling - in the August 1 to 10 event. The first medal was pocketed by S I Nandar Anand Divase of BSF after he finished on top in the men's 400m freestyle swimming by clocking 4:12:21 minutes. Divase followed it up by another gold by also winning the men's 200m individual medley in 2:19:12 minutes. Indian team comprising Divase, Rohit Kumar of CRPF, Rajvir Singh of Punjab Police and Tulse Chetanya of Andhra Pradesh Police then went on to win the 4x50m freestyle relay in 1:44:26 minutes. Rajvir Singh bagged a silver in men's 50m butterfly. In athletics, India ended up with two medals on the first day. Long distance runner Anuradha Singh won gold in 5,000m for women, while Tajinder of Punjab Police stood second in Hammer Throw event for men. The second day saw the Indians adding as many as eight gold, four silver and three bronze to their kitty. While Ravinder Rautela of Uttarakhand Police pocketed the gold in 1500m for men, S Sini of Kerala Police emerged victorious

Tulasi Chaitanya, a member of the Indian team which won the relay gold in the World Police Games swimming championship in Belfast, seen with his mentor Rajiv Trivedi, Additional DGP (Sports)

in 200m for women. Mukesh Rawat of Uttarakhand Police (5000m for men), Chinchu Jose of Kerala Police (1500m for men) and Anuradhapura S The World Police and Fire Games are the third largest international multi-sport event in the world and are being held in the European continent for the first time. The games are organized by the World Police and Fire Games Federation since 1989. It is open to all working and retired police and fire department personnel from all over the world. More than 7,400 athletes and sportspersons from 56 countries are participating in the Games. -PTI

3 Indians die from inhaling methane in Bahrain DUBAI: Three Indian workers have been killed after inhaling poisonous methane gas in a sewage trench in the suburbs of Bahrain's capital city of Manama. Murugesan Konar, 40, Shanmuga Jeganathon, 25, and Balrusa Ayyakkannu, 23, were about to carry out maintenance work in Nabih Saleh when the tragedy happened, authorities said. An initial probe found that

"one of the worker fainted while trying to fix pipes inside the hole. The two colleagues tried to help him but they met with the same fate after inhaling the gas," the Gulf country's Civil Defense department said in a statement. Emergency services were called to the site, but the men were already dead by the time firemen pulled them out from the 9-meter depth hole, it said. -PTI

WASHINGTON: Amazon founder and chief executive officer Jeffrey P Bezos has agreed to buy the newspaper assets of The Washington Post Company for USD 250 million, the daily has announced. This would be Bezos's maiden entry into the newspaper indus-

Watergate scandals and disclosures about the National Security Administration's surveillance program in May, has been unable to escape the financial turmoil that has engulfed newspapers and other "legacy" media organizations. "The rise of the Internet and

Jeffrey P Bezos

try, which in the last few years has the epochal change from print to seen a decline in circulation and a digital technology have created a drastic drop in print revenue. massive wave of competition for "This will be uncharted terrain traditional news companies, scatand it will require experimenta- tering readers and advertisers tion," he said in an interview to across a radically altered news The Post. and information landscape and "There would be change with triggering mergers, bankruptcies or without new ownership. But the and consolidation among the key thing I hope people will take owners of print and broadcasting away from this is that the values properties," the daily said. of The Post do not need chang"Every member of my family ing. The duty of the paper is to started out with the same emothe readers, not the owners," he tion-shock-in even thinking said. about. But when the idea of a "This is a day that my family transaction with Jeff Bezos came and I never expected to come. The up, it altered my feelings," said Washington Post Company is selling the newspaper that it has owned Seattle-based Amazon will and nurtured for eight have no role in the purdecades," The Washington Post publisher chase; Bezos himself will Katharine Weymouth, buy the news organization said in a note to Post and become its sole owner employees. However, Seattle- when the sale is completed, based Amazon will have probably within 60 days, no role in the purchase; Bezos himself will buy the Post reported the news organization and become its sole owner when Donald Graham, the Post Co's the sale is completed, probably chief executive. within 60 days, the Post reported. "The Post could have survived According to the daily, while under the company's ownership the discussion in this regard was and been profitable for the foregoing on for the past six months seeable future. But we wanted to now, very few people were aware do more than survive. I'm not sayabout it. ing this guarantees success but it For much of the past decade, gives us a much greater chance however, the paper, whose report- of success," said Graham whose ers have broken such stories as family held the newspaper for four the Pentagon Papers, the generations. -PTI

Desi News Acharya Rakesh Prasad to bless Vadtal Dham site India Post News Service

FREMONT, CA: LNSO has announced the visit of Vadtal Acharya Maharaj Shree Rakesh Prasadji and Santo (Shastri Dev Prakash Dasji and others) from August 15-18 to bless the new Vadtal Dham temple site in Fremont at 48437 Warm Springs Blvd. There will be a public reception event plus Sri Krishna Janmashtami celebration at the Fremont Hindu Temple. The announcement says ladies are encouraged to meet Gadiwala Baa (Respected Mother) coming for the first time to San Francisco Bay Area. The program is as follows: Saturday Aug 17: 8 AM to 12 PM, Hari-Yag & Maha-Puja at New Temple Site on Warm Springs Blvd. 3:30 PM to 6 PM - Sri Krishna Janmashtami Celebration and Public Reception for Shree Rakesh Prasadji at Fremont Hindu Temple on Delaware Drive in Fremont. 6 PM to 8 PM - Mahaprasad at Fremont Hindu Temple Delaware Dr., Fremont. Locations: New Temple Site Event At 48437, Warm Springs Blvd. Fremont, Public Reception At Fremont Hindu Temple, 3676 Delaware Drive, Fremont.

'World Without Borders' for Vivekananda

COMMUNITY ACROSS AMERICA

Details on page 19

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India Post News Service

LOS ANGELES, CA: The Sikh Gurdwara in Riverside, CA was vandalized on June 29 night in an apparent hate crime. The word 'terrorist' was spray painted around the complex. The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) has been in direct contact with Riverside County Sheriff Department, the Riverside Police Department, the FBI and Department of Justice CRS urging them to investigate the incident as a hate crime. "It is horrible to see an attack of hate on a place of worship as we reflect on the lives lost one year ago during the attack on the Oak

SALDEF has urged all Sikh Americans to immediately report any incidents of harassment, bullying or assault to SALDEF and the local authorities. SALDEF has advised Sikhs to hold emergency meetings in all gurdwaras to brainstorm about ways to keep gurdwaras safe; provide CC cameras for the boundaries of the gurdwaras to videograph the possible culprits. It also urged them to educate neighbors and adjoining communities by outreach programs like public langars and participation in American government and cultural activities and memorial parades and engaging mainstream American Media. They should also invite American friends,

India Post News Service

Details on page 18

Dr Mamta Joshi enthralls with Sufi music VIDYA SETHURAMAN India Post News Service

FREMONT: Bay area witnessed the peaceful calmness of Sufi music and soulful notes of Dr Mamta Joshi last month. Details on page 14

August 9, 2013

Sikh Gurdwara in Riverside vandalized

RAMESH SOPARAWALA

CHICAGO: Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam meaning the whole world is my family is basic to Indian philosophy and thinking for millenniums. Picking up a thread from this really secular thought, over a dozen Indian organizations decided to pull their talents and resources together to celebrate the 150 the birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda on a grand scale next month with the central theme of World Without Borders 2013.

Dialogue, not war to solve problems: Cardinal Goerge

Graffiti on Riverside Gurdwara wall

Creek Gurdwara. Attacks and vandalism against any of the nation's houses of worship must be condemned by all Americans. These acts strike the very foundation of religious tolerance, a fundamental freedom this country was built upon," said SALDEF Executive Director Jasjit Singh. "We call upon local and federal law enforcement agencies to rightfully classify this incident as a hate crime and bring the perpetrators to justice to show that hate and violence are not tolerated in our society." No witnesses have come forward yet but anyone with information regarding this situation should please contact the Riverside County Sheriff's Department directly.

bosses, colleagues and neighbors to their gurdwaras. American Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (AGPC) coordinator, Pritpal Singh said that some unidentified vandals had spray painted the word 'terrist' on the wall that surrounds the gurdwara in Jurupa Valley. "It is a very unfortunate incident. We are in touch with the federal authorities through American Sikh Congressional Caucus and hope that the culprits would soon be put behind bars," he said. Singh said the incident was a 'hate crime' as the graffiti had been painted twice on the wall. Earlier too, there had been incidents like these, when Sikhs had become the victims of 'hate crimes', especially after the 9/11 terror attack in the

Sikh Gurdwara Riverside

United States. He informed that the co-chair of the American Sikh Caucus, Judy Chu and David Valadao, had already initiated a major campaign to educate the public about the Sikh community. While condemning the incident, the Jathedar of Akal Takht, Giani Gurbachan Singh said in Amritsar that every Sikh should condemn the incident and actively participate in the awareness campaign in US. "These reports are very unfortunate and international Sikh organizations should take up the issue at every level," he said. The president of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, Manjit Singh GK, said that the

should ensure the safety of Sikhs and their religious places," he said, adding that the incident should be used to educate people about Sikh identity. CAIR EXPRESSES SOLIDARITY ANAHEIM: The Greater Los Angeles Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-LA) has expressed solidarity with the Sikh community following an apparently bias-motivated attack on a Gurdwara, or Sikh house of worship. "We stand in solidarity with the Sikh community and against the actions of a tiny minority of

Singh said the incident was a 'hate crime' as the graffiti had been painted twice on the wall. Earlier too, there had been incidents like these, when Sikhs had become the victims of 'hate crimes', especially after the 9/11 terror attack in the United States incident proves that not much was being done to spread awareness about Sikhs and their unique identity. "Time and again, Sikhs are being subjected to hate crime; which instills a sense of insecurity among them. It should stop now and the US government

bigots who violate our nation's longstanding principles of religious tolerance and inclusion," said CAIR-LA Executive Director Hussam Ayloush. "As we have stated many times, an attack on any house of worship is an attack on all houses of worship."

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Festival of Arts celebrates fun in the Sun VIDYA SETHURAMAN India Post News Service

FREMONT: The Fremont Festival of the Arts celebrated 30 years of fun in the Sun on August 3 and 4. It is the largest free street festival west of the Mississippi River with an attendance of over 385,000 and at least 650 artisans. The festival was held along Paseo Padre Parkway, Capitol and Beacon avenues, as well as parts of State, Liberty and Hastings streets. The festival poured an average of 23,552 mugs of ice cold beer. The festival hosts a wide variety of activities and entertainment for the entire family; over 650 top-quality artisan booths delight the most discerning shoppers,

music lovers enjoy continuous music featured on three stages, children are thrilled with the many games and activities found in "Kid City," and Gourmet Marketplace offers gourmet specialties for the discerning cook. Kid City is the place to be where kids of all ages enjoy various rides and attractions, including a giant slide, puppet shows, storytelling and jugglers. Whole Foods, which will soon be coming to Fremont's

downtown, had a cooking stage at the festival where culinary demonstrations were held every hour. In addition to the vintners featured within the event, the Festival offers the exclusive Wine Garden, a shady retreat from the

Priya Nayar, City Council member Dr Raj Salwan and Ritu Maheshwari

crowds with premium wines. "It's a Fremont tradition," Mayor Bill Harrison said. "And the festival is a great tool to draw people to downtown Fremont."

"The festival is the largest in West Coast. Each year it gets bigger and better and with more ethnic group participation, it shows the diverse Fremont. The City is constantly seeking to show people where our downtown is and to show them what we have planned there in the future" Raj Salwan, City Council member, City of Fremont said. Multi cultural Federation of Indo Americans of Northern Cali-

fornia, FIA had a booth in the festival and kicked off the publicity for their own "Festival of India, 2013" , a gala event which would happen at the same place in two weeks time. Fremont residents were eager

to know about the Indian festival and are looking forward to the FIA event which is spread for two days with cultural programs, parade, trade booths, free health fair, etc.

Festival of India celebrates 150th Vivekananda anniversary RITU MAHESHWARI India Post News Service

FREMONT, CA: Swami Vivekananda is perhaps the most revered and well known emissary of Hindu religion who brought the teachings to west. His lecture series a century ago are still well known and remembered widely. In 1900, Swami Vivekananda was invited by Rev. Benjamin Fay Mills to First Unitarian Church of Oakland. Swami ji delivered a series of lectures on 'The Claims of Vedanta on the Modern World' and 'Vedanta and Christianity'. For four months Swami Vivekananda lectured and taught classes in San Francisco, Oakland and Alameda, traveling back and forth across the Bay, sowing the seeds of the exalted, universal ideas of Vedanta. His lectures were an instant hit and many people had to be refused access to the church at that time as there was no room to accommodate everyone. Festival of India and Parade this year has adopted Swamiji's 150th Birth Anniversary celebration as a key theme this year. There are

many activities planned to commemorate the event. A special exhibition and float are being built as part of the festival. Many Bay area children are preparing for special rendition of Swami Vivekananda's teachings. The

Swami Vivekananda

events are planned for both the days of Festival on August 17th and 18th. For more details and participation please visit fiaonline.org or call 510-565-9993

SAADA invites first day stories of South Asians India Post News Service

n 1959, 18 year old Tariq Abbas departed from Lahore and ar rived in New York City, en route to Dallas where he had been placed through the American Field Service foreign exchange program. Texas, he soon realized, wasn't exactly the America he imagined: "I only knew of New York …I had no idea, no concept of what to expect or where I was going." In 1973, Mamata Misra left Mumbai for Maryland with her husband of six weeks, and came to her own conclusions about the country she had just adopted: "I realized that for days and months I would be meeting only strangers talking strange and it was up to me to make friends out of strangers and create familiarity out of the unfamiliar." These two snapshots form a part of the "First Days Project," a new initiative by the South Asian American Digital Archive

(SAADA) to collect and share stories from South Asians about their first day in the United States. An ambitious and interactive online exhibition, the First Days

“As the South Asian American community is starting to see its second and third generation in the US, it is imperative to begin to document these stories and provide a way for generations to connect with each other” Project creates a platform for community members to upload and share the story of their first day in

the US. As Abbas and Misra's stories illustrate, the first day in a new country can be full of both excitement and anxiety, a sense of loss and gain, and a mixture of other emotions. It was with that in mind that SAADA Executive Director Samip Mallick began to imagine the First Days Project. "As the South Asian American community is starting to see its second and third generation in the US, it is imperative to begin to document these stories and provide a way for generations to connect with each other," Mallick explains. "Through interviewing my parents about their first days I learned something new about their experiences, hopes and dreams when first arriving in this country." With the First Days Project, SAADA continues its longstanding effort to showcase stories that reflect the diversity of the South Asian Diaspora. Cont’d on page 14

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Dr Mamta Joshi enthralls with Sufi music VIDYA SETHURAMAN India Post News Service

FREMONT: Bay area witnessed the peaceful calmness of Sufi music and soulful notes of Dr Mamta Joshi last month. Dr Mamta Joshi, a renowned Sufi singer with a Ph.D in music hails from Chandigarh, India. She performed two magnificent live performances in her maiden USA tour. Influenced by different cultures over the course of time and history, Sufi music is a musical rite of passage used for

self-awareness of body and soul that helps to understand life. The concert was organized by Dr Harmesh Kumar, Beats of Life Entertainment, LLC. The Bay area concert was held at Sunnyvale Hindu Temple on July 20. The event was sponsored by Master Deepak, KLOK Radio 1170 AM and Raj Bhanot of Sunnyvale Hindu Temple to raise funds for flood victims of Uttarakhand tragedy. Dr Mamta had a passion for singing from the age of nine. She has won six gold medals in major

Dr Mamta Joshi at Sunnyvale temple

Mamta Joshi with Master Deepak and Dr Harmesh Kumar

singing competitions in India and has performed for the Prime Minister of India, Chief Ministers of Punjab and Haryana along with major festivals in Bollywood, Punjab and India. She is working as Head of Music Department and Professor in

Rep Honda seeks parole for 'Dream 9' India Post News Service

WASHINGTON, DC: Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.) has delivered a letter to President Obama, co-signed by 33 members of Congress, asking him to grant humanitarian parole and allow nine DREAM Act-eligible young adults to remain permanently in the United States. Members of the "DREAM 9" - as they have become known in the media - were detained at an Arizona border crossing recently attempting to reenter the U.S. from Mexico in a protest that has gained national attention. All nine were brought to the United States at a young age and consider this country their only home. "These courageous, undocumented young people shine a light on the painful family separation caused by our broken immigration system," said Rep. Honda upon the letter's delivery. "One who took part in this protest is Lizbeth Mateo, a constituent. It had been 15 years since she last saw her family in Mexico, and overcame incredible

odds to gain admission this fall to Santa Clara University Law School. While we are working hard to achieve comprehensive reform in Congress, DREAMers like Lizbeth need action now for the opportunity to live, learn, and succeed in our country."

Mike Honda

Remarked Fr. Michael Engh, President of Santa Clara University: "I applaud the courage of Lizbeth and other young individuals in similar situations who wish to preserve a connection to their heritage while not jeopardizing their future in the United States. I reiterate my support for a policy that reunites fami-

lies and puts a hold on deportations as immigration reform legislation is being debated." Added Fr. Stephen Privett, President of the University of San Francisco: "Ms. Mateo and her fellow DREAMers are courageous and fearless in their determination to publicly tell the story of the undocumented. Like all major civil rights movements, it is the act of bold and committed persons who lead the way and personalize the struggle of all those who are disenfranchised." The U.S. Jesuit Conference also released a statement in support: "Last week, Jesuit University presidents joined other Catholic college presidents in a letter calling for immediate, comprehensive, moral, and humane overhaul of our country's broken immigration system, which continues to separate families and trap aspiring Americans in the shadows. We echo this call, and we stand with the DREAMers who crossed seeking a humanitarian parole policy."

Govt. College for Men in Chandigarh, India. The audience was so enthralled with Dr Mamta Joshi's singing that the concert lasted over four hours. Dr Harmesh Kumar thanked the audience and media for making the program a grand success. Sufi

music is popular all over the world for its healing touch. He added healing power of music goes beyond psychological benefits, helping physiological problems as well. Master Deepak thanked Dr Mamta Joshi for her enthralling and divine performance.

SAADA invites first day stories of South Asians Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 13

According to the 2010 census, there are more than 3.4 million Americans of South Asian heritage, a growth in 81% between 2000 and 2010. In other words, 1 in every 100 Americans traces their heritage to South Asia, which includes India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Maldives. Yet there is also a critical danger in narratives of South Asian Americans being lost, particularly the ones left out of history books and not featured in the media. Stories like Tariq Abbas and Mamata Misra's underscore just how diverse and complex the lives of South Asians in the US have been. The First Days Project reveals the intimate details of arrival that are often lost in the grand sweep of history. "Often, members of our community don't feel as though they have a story to tell or that their story matters," Mallick mentions. "The First Days Project demonstrates how individual stories come together to tell a

community's history. Each and every story adds to that tapestry." First Day stories will be accepted through August 31, 2013 and can be submitted as video or audio (up to 3 minutes) or text (up to 300 words). "Submit your own story or interview a family member or friend. No story is too big or too small. We want to hear from you! You can browse stories, learn more and submit your story at http:// www.saadigitalarchive.org/ firstdays," says Mallick. About SAADA Based in Philadelphia, the South Asian American Digital Archive (SAADA) is the only independent nonprofit organization in the nation working to document the rich histories of South Asians in the United States and ensuring that this community's stories are protected and preserved for future generations. All of the materials and stories that SAADA collects are made freely accessible to the public through its website at http:// www.saadigitalarchive.org

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Well-known teacher of spirituality coming to Chicago SURESH SHAH

CHICAGO: Swami Mukundananda, world-renowned teacher of spirituality, yoga, and meditation is presently on his annual tour of the US to promote the message of his Guru Swami Kripaluji Maharaj, founder of J.K.Yog, a spiritual institution for universal love and peace. Swamiji will be in Chicagoland from Saturday September 14 to Wednesday September 18 and will have religious discourse on Yoga Meditation, Science of Devotion and Grace at Meadows Club in Rolling Meadows, a northwest suburb of Chicago. Swamiji will also conduct a Spiritual Retreat from Friday September 20 to Sunday September 22 at Clarion Inn, Waterford Convention Center in Elmhurst, Illinois. Swamiji plans holding similar programs in over 43 cities in US this year. S w a m i Mukundananda received his degrees in engineering and management from two globally renowned institutes in India, IIT and IIM. He has inspired people all over the world on the path of spirituality, holistic health, yoga, meditation, service to society and God-realization. He has been invited to speak at various Fortune 500 companies like Google, Oracle, etc. For the youth, Swamiji has conducted programs at prestigious universities such as Princeton, Stanford, Kellogg, MIT, and Duke University. For the children, he has established a special personality development program, called "BalMukund Character Building Program." Swamiji's enlightening discourses clarify the deepest concepts of the Vedic scriptures with wit, humor, and perfect logic.

Alongside the discourses, in the "Wellness for Life" camps, he teaches the comprehensive system "Yoga for the Body, Mind and Soul." Swami Mukundananda has been teaching in Chicago Land area for the last six years every summer. He has been honored several times by Mayor and Village of Rolling Meadows for his efforts in teaching healthy mind and body lifestyle to society. A scholar of

Swami Mukundanada

Vedic literature he has also studied the Bible, Quran and great Western intellectuals, especially American English philosophers to provide comparative studies of the universal messages contained in their works. Details about the Chicago event starting Sept 14 to Sept 18 at Meadows Club in Rolling Meadows can be found at: http://www.jkyog.org/ 2013-events/rolling-meadows. Or with Shri Ajay Chandok at 630 561 4807. For information on retreat on September 20 to 22 at Clarian Inn visit www.jkyog.org/2013-events/ retreat-chicago.

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'World Without Borders' underlines Vivekananda Birthday celebrations RAMESH SOPARAWALA India Post News Service

Swami Vivekananda on a grand scale next month with the central theme of World Without Borders 2013. This universally appealing theme has induced the Council for Parliament of World Religions not only to lend its full support but also act as a co-host with other social, religious and service organizations overseeing the celebrations. It is learnt that the Council with other member organizations

Representatives of Swami Vivekananda Birthday celebration committee: L to R Harendra Mangrola, Shamkant Sheth, Vandana Jhingan, Jitednra Digvenkar and Neerav Patel

of the Celebration committee will clapping that lasted for more than work with the Art Institute of Chi- three minutes." cago to have the lamp lighting The two days of celebrations ceremony held at the Institute beginning Friday September building in Chicago Downtown on 27and running thru Saturday SepSaturday September 28. It was hundred years ago that S w a m i Vivekanand, a relatively little known monk from India, had come to Chicago to attend the Parliament of World Religions held at the Institute. He won the heart and minds of Celebrating 150th birth anniversary of Swami American Vivekananda in Chicago people with his straight from the heart talk and simplicity tember 28 at two different centers of approach. He commenced his - Meadows Club in Rolling Meadaddress with an unusual saluta- ows on Friday and Jain Temple in tion -"My Brothers and Sisters of Bartlett on Saturday - are but a part America" and the 7,000 people in of the year long program that is the audience, immediately feeling going on across the country parthe depth of his sincerity, rose to ticipated by hundreds of young their feet "went into inexplicable and adult Indian Americans. rapture with standing ovation and Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 19

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Dialogue, not war to solve problems: Cardinal George THAKAR BASATI

CHICAGO: Cardinal George was the Guest of Honor at the Iftar Party hosted by the Council of Islam Organizations to celebrate Ramadan, at Muslim Education Center in Morton Grove, a north side suburb of Chicago, on August 1. While addressing the gathering, Cardinal George said, "Dia-

Theological Union. Dr M. Cherif Bassiouni, Professor DePaul University was another Keynote speaker who spoke about his bringing up in Egypt. He is consultant with the US Government on International control of drugs and terrorism. Samina Hussain opened the program by welcoming the audience. She also emceed the program. She "Dialogue is the solution to showed great comtoday's conflict in the world. mand and passion of English language. War never resolved Tayyaba Ahmad anything, it created more started the program by reciting Quran verses in problems." His views were a beautiful voice. She is echoed by first Keynote a student of MEC. speaker, Dr Scott M o h a m m e d Allemuddin, President Alexander, MCC (Muslim Community Center) shed some logue is the solution to today's light on community cooperation in conflict in the world. War never coming together to raise awareresolved anything, it created more ness about Islam in US. problems." His views were echoed Dr Mohammed Kaiseruddin by first Keynote speaker, Dr Scott Chairman CIOGC thanked the volAlexander, Professor Catholic unteers who put up this program,

Iftar party in Morton Grove

most of who were young Muslim boys and girls. Mayor of Morton Grove welcomed the efforts of Diverse Communities to make Morton Grove a proud place where

'World Without Borders' underlines Vivekananda Birthday celebrations Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 18

Another city declares Oct 25 as 'Rajan Zed Day' SONIA SIDHU India Post News Service

EXETER, CA: City of Exeter in California has become the seventh city in USA to declare October 25 as "Rajan Zed Day" after Hindu and interfaith statesman Rajan Zed. Cities of Hartford (Connecticut), Taylorsville (Utah), Madera (California), Sparks (Nevada), Chowchilla (California) and Sanger (California) have already declared October 25 as "Rajan Zed Day". City of Reno (Nevada) has also proclaimed a day in Zed's recognition twice in the past. A proclamation, signed by Mayor Robyn Stearns, mentioned Zed's intent to "bring various religious communities together throughout the world so that all may live in peace and mutual trust, and may enrich their experiences through dialogue." "Increasing awareness of the plight of Roma (Gypsy) people of

Europe and the issues that surround their treatment and living conditions", was listed among his

Rajan Zed with Mayor Robyn Stearns

diverse efforts in this proclamation. "City of Exeter thanks Rajan Zed for his efforts to share his faith, outreach, and concerns for

humanity with our community", the proclamation read. October 25 is Rajan Zed's birthday. Zed, President of Universal Society of Hinduism, opened the Exeter City Council on April 23 with its first Hindu invocation in 102 years of incorporation containing verses from world's oldest existing scripture, and after sprinkling few drops of water from river Ganga of India considered holy by Hindus. Located at the base of the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, female majority "Citrus Capital of the World" Exeter is known for the "sweetest oranges in the world", whose population takes "great pride in the town's heritage" and which was recognized as "One of America's Prettiest Painted Places". There are 29 murals in its "outdoor art gallery" and more are planned. Jack Allwardt and Randy Groom are Mayor Pro Tem and City Administrator respectively.

people of different ethnic backgrounds live happily together. He said, "It is not tolerance but acceptance that is needed to welcome other religions and cultures." Chief of Police and Fire Department were also present and so were many Council members from Morton Grove and Chicago. President Cook County Toni Preckwincle was also present along with Cook County Clerk David Orr. Many local churches were also invited. Sikhs were invited and their presence was appreciated by many prominent personalities. Many members of the Sikh community were present. Closing remarks were given by Kamran Hussain, Vice-President MCC. It was an interfaith event to celebrate opening of their Ramdan Fast. Sumptuous food was provided.

Besides, Shamkant some of the members of the Celebration Committee are Harendra Mangrola, Jitendra Digvenkar, Neerav Patel and Vandana Jhingan. They were present and briefed the media representatives. They informed that the two-day celebration in September was part of an year long program that will held at many cities across the USA. It was made clear that the celebration has no religious connotations as Swami Vivekananda represented Indian culture and thought that has no

The Friday banquet in the evening will have noted Guest speakers - Bhaiyyuji Maharaj of Shri Sadguru Datta Dharmik Evam Paramarthik Trust Indore, Stephen Knapp, a Vedic scholar and a prolific writer, and Jeffery Armstrong, a Western Master of Eastern Wisdom - addressing the gathering besides a cultural program. The Saturday program will start with the lamp lighting ceremony at the Chicago Art Institute in the morning and attendance is by invitation only. The day long program The Saturday program will at Jain Temple in Bartlett start with the lamp lighting will commence at 11a.m. and will last till 5 p.m. ceremony at the Chicago Shamkant Sheth, a Art Institute in the morning spokesman of the Celebration Committee, in- and attendance is by formed the ethnic Indian invitation only media at a press meet here that Baba Ramdev, a master in Yoga Ayurved with borders. Some of the members of the huge following across the world, will specially fly from India to at- Host Committee overseeing the celebrations besides Vishwa tend the meet. There will be Cultural Expo Hindu Parishad are Parliament of showcasing rich spiritual and cul- World Religions, Kaivlya Gyan tural heritage of India, a specially Mandir, Vivekanand Vedant Socidesigned Souvenir Book that will ety Manav Seva Mandir,Gayatri detail Swami Vivekananda's his- Gyan Mandir, Ekal Vidyalaya, toric visit to this country, his SEWA, National Federation of Inspeech at the Parliament of the dian Associations, Jalaram Mandir, Word Religions, reactions and re- Hindu Mandir of Greyslake, Hari ports in the American newspa- Om Mandir, Friends of India Socipers, and activities of Vedanta ety International , Swaminarayan Society that seeks to promote Mandir, Art of Living and HSS. Jitendra Digvenkar said that universality of Sanatan Dharma. Culminating the day long program more and more organizations are will be cultural performances and showing interest in co-hosting the event. Prasadam, Shamkant said.

Â&#x201E; Health

Line

Mobile vaccine vans for children launched JAIPUR: National Teeka Express, an initiative to protect children from life-threatening diseases, has been launched by Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad in Rajasthan's Alwar district. "Vaccines of seven deadly diseases will be distributed in villages and hamlets under this scheme. This affirms our commitment to vaccinate children in remote areas," Azad said during the inauguration ceremony of the program here. Appreciating Rajasthan government's role, Azad said other states should also follow and effectively implement health and medical related schemes of the Centre in order to provide relief to the common man. Under this scheme, over 1,000 vehicles would be used to distribute vaccines and complementary logistics in 69 high priority districts, an official release said. The vehicles would also serve as a mobile healthcare delivery unit in these areas. In the first phase of the scheme, six districts of Alwar (Rajasthan), Sharaswati (Uttar Pradesh), Mewat (Haryana), Doda and Poonch (J & K) and Tikamgarh (Madhya Pradesh) have been covered by such 120 vehicles.-PTI

Â&#x201E; US lawmakers want end to ban on gay blood donors CHICAGO: Illinois Congressman Mike Quigley has joined more than 80 members of Congress in a renewed push to end a ban on donating blood by men who have engaged in gay sex. The lawmakers sent a letter to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius requesting an update on the agency's reevaluation of the policy. Quigley, a Chicago Democrat, said that despite blood shortages ``perfectly healthy wouldbe donors are turned away based solely on sexual orientation.'' The ban was established in 1983 at the advent of the HIVAIDS crisis. But lawmakers and others say there is no scientific evidence to support it. There have also been advances in blood screening technology. The letter says progress in Health Department studies to support a policy change has been slow. -AP

Health Science Dubai-based group to offer free heart surgeries 20

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Democratic governors nervous about implementing health plan MILWAUKEE: Democratic governors say they are nervous about getting the new federal health care law implemented but add they will be better positioned in next year's elections than many of their Republican counterparts who have resisted the far-reaching and politically polarizing measure. Several of the 12 Democratic governors shared that sense of nervousness-veiled-by-optimism at the National Governors Association meeting in Milwaukee. ``There's some angst, and you can see that from the decision the administration made a couple weeks ago,'' said Delaware Gov. Jack Markell. ``There's a lot of work to do.'' By next Jan. 1, most people will be required to have insurance. States have to set up exchanges by Oct. 1, when uninsured individuals can start buying subsidized private health coverage that would go into effect Jan 1, and businesses with more than 50 employees working 30 or more hours a week were supposed to offer affordable health care to

their workers or risk a series of escalating tax penalties. But businesses said they needed more time, and on July 2,

forms for their residents to use to comply with the law. Although the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Affordable Care Act in June 2012,

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker

President Barack Obama's administration abruptly extended the deadline one year - to Jan. 1, 2015. That caused some Democrats in Congress to worry the program would not be ready on time, as states are building online plat-

the Republican-controlled House has voted 40 times since Obama signed the law in 2010 to repeal, defund or scale it back. As Congress prepared to head home for a five-week recess, Obama sought to calm jittery

Democrats, assuring them that they are ``on the right side of history'' despite problems with the law's launch. Republicans have stated openly they plan to use the slow economic recovery and the health care law to attack Democrats in the 2014 congressional elections. But Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, a Republican, said GOP governors could get blamed next year, even if they worked to meet its requirements, a situation that could be aggravated by Republicans in the U.S. House who continue to hold votes to attack it. ``My approach is not to complain about things, but to get it done best we can,'' said Branstad, who has been a vocal critic of the law. ``It's our responsibility.'' Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, the governors' host and a possible 2016 Republican presidential prospect, said Obama delayed the employer mandate out of fear that voters would blame Democrats in the 2014 elections if the economy suffered as a result of the new law.-AP

Tough norms for food imports from India WASHINGTON: Indian food companies seeking to enter American markets may soon face a tough screening process, as the US health watchdog FDA has proposed a new Foreign Supplier Verification Program for such products. The new rules, once adopted after an ongoing public consultation process, would apply to all foreign companies supplying food products for human as well as animals in the US and would vary as per the type of food product (such as processed foods, farm produce, and dietary supplements) and category of the importer. The regulations would require importers, from countries including India, to go through a screening process that ensures that food being imported has

been produced in compliance with the processes and procedures required for the US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) standards. About 15 per cent of all food

tries in terms of import refusal of food products by the FDA. Besides, several food-borne disease outbreaks have been traced to imported food, including outbreaks resulting from consumption of The new rules, once imported fruits, vegadopted after an ongoing etables, and nuts. Amid recent conpublic consultation procerns related to imcess, would apply to all ported food, tighter foreign companies suprules have been deplying food products signed to provide the same level of public consumed in the US is imported, health protection as those required while the ratio is even higher at 20 under the hazard analysis and riskper cent for fresh vegetables and based preventive controls and as high as 50 per cent of fresh fruit. standards for produce safety secAccording to FDA, India is the tions of US Federal Food, Drug, second largest drug exporter and and Cosmetic Act. seventh largest food exporter to Although FDA applies the same the US. At the same time, India safety standards to domestic and also figures among the top coun- imported food marketed in the US,

the regulator has long taken different regulatory compliance approaches to the products produced domestically and abroad. The logistics associated with conducting unannounced onsite inspections in most foreign countries make it difficult for the FDA to conduct inspections similar to those in the US. The same is true of "for cause" inspections when FDA has evidence of a compliance problem. FDA also has to overcome very significant hurdles to conduct foreign civil and criminal investigations and prosecutions when violations occur. These difficulties associated with foreign inspection and enforcement are compounded as there are more foreign firms registered with FDA than domestic firms.-PTI

August 9, 2013

Health Science Post

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Bill soon to regulate expanding business of surrogacy NEW DELHI: Keen on bringing a new bill to regulate the fast expanding business of surrogacy and assisted reproductive technology clinics, the Department of Health Research has said there is no proposal to have an expert committee to relook the proposed legislation. Holding that the bill is a comprehensive legislation framed after discussions with all stakeholders and which takes care of the interests of the woman and child during surrogacy, the Department of Health Research in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare wants the legislation enacted soon. Besides framing regulations for surrogacy, the draft Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Bill circulated to various ministries seeks to regulate the ART clinics and banks across the country and proposes to set up a national registry for them which will be a central data bank. The Department has called for early enactment of the bill saying a lot of time has gone into holding of discussions and seeking of suggestions from various stakehold-

Lupin gets US nod for Armodafinil & Doxycycline NEW DELHI: Drug firm Lupin says the company's US subsidiary has received tentative approvals for its Armodafinil tablets and Doxycycline capsules from the US health regulator. The company's US subsidiary, Lupin Pharmaceuticals Inc, has received tentative approvals for its Armodafinil tablets in the strengths of 50 mg, 100 mg, 150 mg, 200 mg and 250 mg. It has also got nod for Doxycycline capsules in the strength of 40 mg (30 mg immediate-release and 10 mg delayed-release) from the United States Food and Drugs Administration (USFDA), Lupin said. "The company's tablets are ABrated generic equivalent of Cephalon Inc's Nuvigil tablets 50 mg, 100 mg, 150 mg, 200 mg and 250 mg strengths," it added in a statement. As per the IMS Health data, Nuvigil tablets in the five strengths had sales of nearly USD 420 million for the twelve months ending March, 2013 in the American market, Lupin said. The product is indicated to improve wakefulness in adult patients with excessive sleepiness associated with treated obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), narcolepsy, or shift work disorder, it added. The company's Doxycycline capsule is generic equivalent of Galderma Laboratories' Oracea capsules in the strength of 40 mg. Oracea capsules had annual sales of nearly USD 319 million for the twelve months ending March, 2013 in the US as per the IMS Health data, Lupin said.- PTI

ers. "At present, there is no proposal to have any expert committee in the Department of Health Research to look into the draft ART (Regulation) Bill," said a senior official in the Department. "There is urgent need to have a law to regulate ART clinics and put in place regulations for surrogacy. This is a very important bill and we are very serious to introduce it in Parliament," he said. Officials said the interests of the mother and child during surrogacy have been taken care of in the proposed legislation and all stakeholders have been taken into confidence.

"We have discussed the Bill with all stakeholders... All discussions have taken

"Women and children rights have been adequately addressed and we feel the bill is comprehensive and addresses all concerns." place, but we are open to all suggestions at various stages," he said.

"Women and children rights have been adequately addressed and we feel the bill is comprehensive and addresses all concerns," they said. The Department of Health Research has held several rounds of discussions with various stakeholders starting in 2005 and around 3,982 suggestions have been received and many of them included in the draft legislation. The bill seeks to regulate the functioning of ART clinics and banks to ensure that the services provided by them are ethical and that medical, social and legal rights of those concerned are protected.-PTI

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Dubai-based group to offer free heart surgeries DUBAI: A Dubai-based healthcare conglomerate, DM Healthcare, has pledged to provide free of cost heart surgery for 25 Afghan nationals, who will be operated on at the group's facility in India.

Azad Moopen, Chairman & Managing Director, DM Healthcare, said that the selected patients will be provided Indian visa for their travel and treatments at the group's Malabar Institute of Medical Sciences in Calicut.

Dr Moopen's Foundation, the not-for-profit arm of DM Healthcare, announced 'Healing Touch' Free Heart Surgery program, a part of its 'Care Beyond Boundaries' initiative, which will provide free surgery to 25 deserving adults and children of Afghanistan over a period of a year.

Moopen made the charity promise at an Iftar gathering hosted by DM Foundation here recently in the presence of top ranking officials of Afghan and Indian missions in the UAE. Consul General of India in Dubai Sanjay Verma, Afghanistan Ambassador of the UAE

Najibullah Mojadidi and Afghan Consul General Atiqullah Atifmal were present on the occasion. Verma hailed the humanitarian initiative and offered all support in implementing the program. Commenting on the initiative, Atifmal said, "We are extremely happy and grateful to the DM Foundation for this big hearted initiative that helps Afghani heart patients. We hope this project will reach out to many people in need of these surgeries and help provide them a new lease of life." "We will provide 25 cardiac surgeries over a period of a year, valid from Aug 1 2013, for the deserving Afghani nationals. The needy patients will be chosen with recommendation and reference of the Afghan government," Moopen said. "Our goal of is to extend the reach of this 'Healing Touch' initiative to more countries in the Asian and African continents, where there is an acute requirement for intervention in the delivery of healthcare to the poor and needy," he added.-PTI

Cause of stomach illness difficult to detect WASHINGTON: Donna Heller thought she had cancer. But multiple visits to the doctor after a month with debilitating nausea and diarrhea didn't yield any answers. Convinced she was dying, she met with her lawyer to get her will in order.

Donna Heller

Then she saw a television report about an outbreak of cyclospora possibly linked to bagged salad mix. The stomach illness matched all her symptoms and is easily treatable with antibi-

otics. She told her doctor she suspected that could be the cause, and tests showed she was right. ``It went so long and nobody was able to give me answers,'' said Heller, a 54-year-old teacher in Crowley, Texas. ``It didn't seem like anybody wanted to take you serious because there are so many stomach problems that resemble each other.'' A mysterious outbreak of the parasitic illness usually found abroad is growing, with more than 400 confirmed cases in 16 states. FDA officials said they had discovered the source of some of the illnesses, but not all of them. The agency said that the illnesses from Iowa and Nebraska are linked to salad mix from a Mexican farm that was served at Olive Garden and Red Lobster restaurants. Those make up around half of the cases.-AP

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Realty Tidbits

Bigger area needed for success of malls: DLF NEW DELHI: Large shopping malls with right mix of tenants and good infrastructure would have a greater chance of success going forward, a top official of realty major DLF said here. "Going forward, game changer will be size of the shopping malls. Sizes are becoming an important factor," DLF Managing Director (Rental Business) Ramesh Sanka said at a conference. The size of shopping malls, except those which cater only to luxury retail, should be at least a million sq ft, he added. "Brand makes the mall a success. Customers want right mix of tenants," Sanka said, adding that infrastructure like access to mall and parking place too play an important role. Lifestyle International Managing Director Kabir Lumba said that affordability of retail space is also key factor along with location, size and tenant-mix. "Enough space is available, not lot of quality space." Realty firm Ambience Group Chairman Raj Singh Gehlot welcomed the FDI in multi-brand retail, but said the country needs to have space for retail. However, he said that most of the developers are not interested in developing mall. Sanka of DLF said that everyone is excited with FDI in retail, but said large amount of balance needs to be created. -PTI

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Developers to build Metro parking NOIDA: To address the parking space crunch to some extent, Noida Authority has asked two developers to build multi-level parking lots for 4,500 vehicles at two of the busiest Metro stations - City Center and Sector 15. The lease agreement with the developers has a provision wherein parking lots have to be developed without the Authority shelling out funds for the purpose.

August 9, 2013

Simple home luxuries for less DEBORAH ABRAMS KAPLAN

ven in these days of economic uncertainty, we'd all like some luxuries in our lives. Sure, a home addition or kitchen renovation would be nice, but there are plenty of low-cost changes you can make to upgrade your home without spending a small fortune. Adding in little touches here and there can make a regular room stand out and are an easy way to provide a bit of extravagance. Here are a few home luxuries you can acquire that won't break the bank. Wine coolers

temperature and cost around $100 to $150. Undercounter built-ins will run you a bit more -- from $600 to $1,900 -- but they come in 15- or 24-inch sizes and usually store 30 to 50 bottles of wine. Once the space under the counter is open, they're easy to install. All you need to do is plug in the cooler and slide it into place. Spa shower The bathroom is the place where we like to pamper ourselves. Without remodeling the room, there are plenty of luxurious changes that won't cost a fortune, says Annette Denham, a kitchen

areas, towels don't necessarily dry as quickly as we'd like them to. It's nice to have a warm towel," Denham says. For those who don't want to hardwire the towel bar into their wall, there are plug-in models for both the floor and wall that run $125 to $2,000, she says. Indoor fireplace Have you always wanted a fireplace in your house but don't have a chimney? Thanks to electric and gel fireplaces, you can now add one that gives off heat and flickering flames without the need for a flue. Whether mounting it on the

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Reliance forays into Kenya realty market

NEW DELHI: With real estate in East Africa fast emerging as a big opportunity, Reliance Industries, in a joint venture with Delta Corp, has purchased land worth Rs 200 crore in Kenya for development of housing and office properties and is already making good profits. Out of the ten prime plots purchased by this joint venture, Delta Corp East Africa Limited (in which RIL holds 58.8 per cent stake) has completed construction of at least one low-cost residential complex and one office-block project, the other JV partner Delta Corp has said. Jaydev Mody-led Delta Corp, which is present in the businesses of gaming, entertainment, hospitality and real estate in India, Sri Lanka and Kenya, holds a 39.2 per cent stake in Delta Corp East Africa Ltd (DCEAL), which was set up along with RIL to develop real estate assets in Kenya. Mody and RIL chief Mukesh Ambani are known to be good friends. -PTI

Spa shower

Wine coolers

Wine cellars are big sellers in new homes, but there are spaceand price-conscious ways to bring wines to the appropriate temperature in a snazzy way. "A unique wine cooler is one of those small features that really speaks to people," says Yuma, Ariz., homeowner and landlord Molly Blake, who installed built-in wine coolers in her rental-home kitchens and her own home. A wine cooler can also help sell or rent a home. "My renters said it was one of the top three reasons they chose our house," Blake says. "The coolers are not necessarily about wine, but more about small, inexpensive upgrades that show you are not just building or renting out a house, but a home." Ben Argov, co-owner of International Wine Accessories in Cotati, Calif., agrees. "It shows it's a more affluent, sophisticated consumer, and it adds value to the home." Wine coolers come in a variety of sizes. Tabletop coolers store up to 12 bottles at the proper serving

and bath designer and general remodel contractor with Ultimate Kitchens and Baths in Gilbert, Ariz. One idea, she says, is to switch out the regular shower head for a "rain" shower head. These are typically installed from the ceiling, but you can also install a rain shower head that attaches to the wall via an extension arm. Another way to upgrade the shower head without re-plumbing is to install a sliding vertical bar with a hand-held shower head, says Denham. "You can raise and lower it based on the height of the family member," she says. "The advantage of a handheld is that it's easier to clean the shower or tub. With a shower head only, it makes it difficult to clean. Plus, there are so many different options for shower heads. You've got soft flow, massaging, different strengths, body sprays." Love stepping out of the shower into a cozy towel? Install a heated towel bar. "I'm a really huge fan of heated towel bars because in most

wall or setting it on the floor, a freestanding fireplace can easily make a room feel cozier. "I'm seeing the trend with electric fireplaces," says John Hoang, president of PortableFireplace.com. "Consumers are buying more, especially with wall-mounted units, after seeing them in restaurants and in places like Las Vegas." Denham agrees, saying the long, rectangular gel units are gaining popularity with her clients. Electric fireplaces have improved in recent years, and flames no longer look fake, says Hoang.

Indoor fireplace

"LED (lighting) technology allows the embers to glow just like pulsating embers. A lot of people confuse them with real fire," he says. In contrast, gel fireplaces use canisters with gel fuel -- the flames are real. Hoang says that 90 percent of his customers purchase electric units because they're safer around children and there's no fuel to purchase. Styles for gel and electric fireplaces vary from traditional to modern and generally cost between $300 and $1,000. Because these aren't built into the wall, these kinds of fireplaces can be moved around the room anytime. The fireplaces can even be used outdoors, but the heat won't be as effective, Hoang says. Sound system Big, fancy houses often have elaborate screening rooms and intricate sound systems on which to play their movies and music. But you don't need to spend a fortune to get the most out of your TV and music collection. One simple solution is a "home theater in a box," says David Berman, vice president and general manager at Stereo East Home Theater Design Studio in Frisco, Texas. The system provides five speakers, an amplifier and subwoofer for one room, starting at $299, though the better ones are generally around $1,000, he says. You can also plug your other tech items up to it, such as a Blu-ray player, stereo system or computer. "It's very inexpensive for someone who's looking to get better sound than (their) TV is capable of," he says, noting that as televisions become flatter and thinner, there's no room for decent stereos inside.-Bankrate.com

Sound system

Real Estate Post

August 9, 2013

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Will I lose land by adverse DLF to cut debt by Rs 4,000 cr in FY'14 possession? STEVE MCLINDEN

ear Real Estate Adviser, I've just discovered through a land survey that my neighbor has been using a 20-foot strip at the very back of my 1-acre piece for upward of 20 years. This strip, it turns out, comes within inches of his house. Can I reclaim this even though the neighbor considers it his? - C.J. Dear C.J., Most of the letters I get on the ancient issue of adverse possession, or "squatter's rights," are from or about someone who's trying to pull a fast one. But your case is actually representative of why such laws were crafted in the first place -- an observation that, alas, offers you little solace. First off, adverse possession is a somewhat hazy law applying to parties who have used a property openly with no objection from its "real" owner for a minimum number of years - a "statute of limitations." Laws vary from state to state, but the period of possession can range from five to more than 20 years, depending on circumstances. The use of the property in question must typically be continual and conspicuous ("open and notorious" say most laws) and without your consent. Typically, homeowners who are given no reason to believe that a side-yard abutting their homes isn't their own will feel entitled to

it and hence maintain or even improve it, plant flowers or shrubs on it, or even put a driveway or temporary structure there. While such cases are seldom cut-anddried, your neighbor does seem to have a leg up on a valid adverse claim after 20 years' worth of unimpeded use. You don't say whether you've breached the subject with the neighbor yet, but it looks as if you're wisely learning your rights

Typically,homeowners who are given no reason to believe that a side-yard abutting their homes isn't their own will feel entitled to it and hence maintain or even improve it before planting any possible seeds of discord. If you don't know a real estate attorney, contact your area bar association for a referral and hopefully, a free initial consult. If you're serious about moving forward, talk to at least one other attorney first, but proceed quickly because your window may be closing or already be closed. Ideally, your attorney will be experienced in

adverse possession cases which, by the way, aren't especially uncommon. If you do go the legal path, pull together all the supporting documents: the new survey, your deed, a copy of the neighbor's deed records (available from city hall) plus your tax records. You've probably been paying taxes on that strip all these years, by the way, which would be a plus in your column. Additionally, if your state's adverse possession statutes happened to change in those 20 years of use -- dropping from 25 years to 20 years of possession, for example -- the neighbor may be held to the original law. Nonlitigious options include offering to sell the neighbor all or part of the strip of land, seeking compensation for taxes you paid on it, swapping a like-sized but less-essential chunk of his land that abuts your property, or some combination of those choices. Approach said neighbor cordially, though. Depending on your state law, he may already have the most leverage. I strongly suggest you try to reach a friendly accord before threatening litigation. No matter how the matter shakes out, it will be best to take care of it before you try to convey the property, because any boundary dispute may be a turnoff for some potential buyers. -Courtesy Bankrate.com

Godrej Properties inks JV with landowner NEW DELHI: Real estate firm Godrej Properties has said it has entered into an agreement with Oasis Buildhome, which owns nearly 14 acre of land in Gurgaon, to develop a premium housing project. This would be the fourth project of Godrej Properties, which is part of realty arm of Godrej Group, in the national capital region (NCR). In a filing to the BSE, Godrej Properties informed that it has "entered into a development agreement with Oasis Buildhome Pvt Ltd to develop a 13.76 acre property situated on Northern Periphery Road (NPR) in Sector 88A/89A, Gurgaon". The project would be developed as a premium residential

group housing project and is expected to offer 1.2 million sq ft of saleable area, it added. Godrej Properties is currently developing two residential projects in Gurgaon and has recently added a new project in Okhla in the national capital where it plans to undertake a premium housing project.

As with most Godrej Properties projects, this project is being done as a joint venture. "We are happy to add this new project in Gurgaon to our development portfolio. NCR is an important growth market for us and this is the second new project we have entered in NCR in FY14," Godrej Properties Managing Director & CEO Pirojsha Godrej said. The project fits well with the company's strategy of growing its presence in India's leading real estate markets, he added. Godrej Properties is currently developing residential, commercial and township projects spread across 87.6 million square feet in 12 cities. -PTI

NEW DELHI: India's largest realty firm DLF will cut debt by about Rs 4,000 crore this fiscal as targeted even if the company is unable to close the USD 300 million deal to sell the luxury hotel chain Amanresorts. Last month DLF said that it has started discussion with other potential buyers of Amanresorts as

listed firms and its stake in Star AluBuild Pvt Ltd, a curtain walling firm. When contacted, DLF Executive Director Finance Saurabh Chawla said: "I cannot comment on the specifics but can say that we are fully committed and on target to achieve our net debt guidance for 2013-14 fiscal".

well after the deal with founder and Indonesian hotelier Adrian Zecha could not be concluded within the June deadline. This development has raised some concern in the market whether DLF would be able to achieve its net debt reduction guidance of Rs 17,121 crore by March next year from Rs 21,731 crore at the start of this fiscal. Sources, however, said that the target would be achieved as DLF has already raised Rs 1,860 crore in May by selling shares through IPP and expects to garner about Rs 2,200 crore from sale of noncore business/assets, excluding Amanresorts, for which the agreements have already been signed. DLF has entered into an agreement to sell wind energy projects and its 74 per cent stake in life insurance JV for about Rs 800 crore and Rs 300 crore, respectively. It would mop up Rs 900 crore from land sale in Hyderabad and Noida. Nearly Rs 200 crore is expected from sale of investment in

Sources further said that DLF expects to sell Amanresorts by September end and if that happen, the company could reduce its debt to Rs 16,000 crore level. The company is in discussion with three potential buyers including some global private equity fund, to sell Amanresorts even though it has not scrapped the deal with Zecha. The non-closure of the deal by June deadline may prove to be beneficial for DLF due to fall in rupee value against dollar, sources said. When the USD 300 million deal was announced in December rupee was ruling at Rs 55 and now it is over Rs 60, which means that the company could gain Rs 150 crore if the deal is around same level in dollar term. In its analyst presentation in May-end, DLF had spelled out its three-year strategy to reduce net debt to less than Rs 10,000 crore by FY'16 by which time its annual rental income could be touching Rs 2,800 crore.-PTI

India Post

August 9, 2013

www.indiapost.com

All eyes on 2014

SURENDRA ULLAL & RAMESH SOPARAWALA

olumbus came to America thinking he came to India in 1492. Four decades later, an Indian monk Swami Vivekananda came to America and brought real India to America. This August 15th is the 67th Indian Independence Day and it happens to coincide with the 150th birthday of Swami Vivekananda. We at India Post wish to celebrate this double jubilee with a salute to Swami Vivekananda for what he has done for cementing cultural and spiritual relationship between these two countries and cultures. India Post also takes this opportunity to salute the great number of martyrs - unsung heroes - who laid down their lives so that India could be a free nation. In this time of reflection, we remember the leaders who shepherded In-

We at India Post wish to celebrate this double jubilee with a salute to Swami Vivekananda for what he has done for cementing cultural and spiritual relationship between these two countries and cultures

dia to achieve freedom and become the largest democracy in the world viz Mahatma Gandhi, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, Baba Saheb Ambedkar, Lokmanya Tilak, Khan Abdul Ghafarkhan, Sarojini Naidu, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Phirozesha Mehta, Veer Savarker, who provided guidance and directions to all Indians fighting for their freedom. India Post's guiding mission has been to gauge India from the Indo-American eye. This perspective is especially important in the context of the forthcoming general elections which are meant to pave the way for Parivaratan or 'Change for better'. To bring this perspective to the reader we posed four questions to Indian Americans in the Chicagoland area and have their observations published here. The questions asked were: 1. Do you think that the Indian electorate would give a clear a mandate to one single political party to lead the government or it will still be a Khichdi (Coalition) at the center? In the case of latter, who do you think would emerge the lead group - Congress or BJP? 2. Many fear that Money, including huge flow of funds from abroad, would play a significant role. Would you share your views and offer comments? Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 28

India Post August 9, 2013

All eyes on 2014 Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 26

3. To what extent the muscle power and political manipulations, including misuse of governmental machinery would help swing the outcome? 4. Whom would you prefer to lead the country after 2014 elections? Two potential contenders are Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi. You can suggest your own candidate. The consensus was that there would be a Khichdi government at the Center even after 2014 elections. Most agreed that the blatant misuse of government machinery would swing the results, and so also money-muscle power. Some feared huge inflow of funds from abroad while most agreed that it would be local plumping. All agreed for a strong and good leader and the majority favored Narendra Modi for his experience and image of a strong leader. AJIT GANDHI, a front ranking financial advisor in Chicago land, said there will be a Khichdi government - guaranteed. Congress

Ajit Gandhi

will manipulate the numbers to maintain power, even though BJP will have a decent showing, mainly due to Narendra Modi. The only unknown factor is some kind of wave in either direction. Talking about money influence, he said that is nothing new. Not only will money play a big role, it will be actually the BIGGEST factor. Also, the amount spent will be the biggest ever, with Congress outspending all other parties. The real unfortunate part is that people want that too. They want the "free" money and the goodies of-

fered during the elections. Muscle power, manipulations and usage of government machinery is also a known, old story which will continue. This time it will not only be used but done openly. There is no shame left. On choice of future PM, Ajit Gandhi said he would prefer Narendra Modi because he has qualities that are needed very, very badly by the country, mainly clean character and chances of that changing are not very high. Remember how Rajiv Gandhi changed so fast? In contrast to that, Modi will not be corrupted because he has no such family

Anil Shah

history and he has no family to provide for the next seven generations. At this time, it is not clear whether Rahul Gandhi is the contender or not. So far, he has shown reluctance. Of course, that can be a show only. I'd not be surprised at all if his candidacy is declared in advance just in time or at the time of manipulations after the elections. ANIL SHAH, is CEO and President of World Money Exchange, one of the most premier financial service firms dealing in foreign exchange in precious metal. He has no hesitation in asserting that the forthcoming Parliamentary elections will tread the same path and no party will gain clear majority. "It will be a Khichdi government one more time, but with a change - it could be BJP-Led," he said. Unlike many others, he feels that money power is not likely to sway electorate. "The election is in India and not in Pakistan," he said. He however, conceded that the misuse of government machinery and muscle power might be in evidence but the Indian elector-

Dr Ashok Jain

ate is getting wiser and this could swing results 20 per cent only. With regard to choice of Prime Minister, he was clear in his opinion that Rahul Gandhi should not be heading the government DR ASHOK JAIN, a noted radiologist and an AAPI member, said that surveying the scene, local and regional pulls may make it difficult for any national party to win a clear cut mandate to rule the country without support from other groups. There would be a Khichdi government as has been the case for the past many years. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 29

India Post August 9, 2013

All eyes on 2014 Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 28

"The regional parties are obstructionist to national policy making and coalition government will be making a lot of compromises," he observed. Dr Jain says that "money has always played big role in Indian politics" and it could be the same cycle this time also. For ensuring fair elections, he believes that the government at the Center should be "corruption free" which is not the case. It is more than likely that the ruling party at present will be doing everything in its power to maintain its grip on the government, he added He said that "Narendra Modi is my choice as PM because he has a clean image and has lot of experience steering the ship of Gujarat state. BASATI THAKAR, a leading Sikh community activist, said that India has to pull on with Khichdi coalition government even after 2014 as no party will gain majority. He felt that the Congress party stood better chance in gaining

Thakar Basati

more seats and the government will be formed by a group of parties with Congress at the helm Basati said that "unfortunately money will try to buy votes. People in India still do not value the importance of vote. They look at their immediate need for money and get swung by the money they are given. Worse is the use of drugs and alcohol." He felt that muscle power may influence a little bit, Government machinery not much. "The Election Commission has been very

active in watching, controlling and ensuring a smooth process," he opined. With regard to the choice of PM, Basati said he did not favor either Narendra Modi or Rahul Gandhi. "None of the above. Modi still has Hindutva influence, he won't carry minorities and Rahul is still naive. There are other options. After Manmohan Singh, Chidambaram is good, intelligent," he added. DR BHARAT BARAI, a front ranking community activist and an

Dr Bharat Barai

The regional parties have narrow agenda and usually blackmail the Federal Government, getting away with special considerations. They paralyze the Government and have been known to have even toppled governments Oncologist from Indiana, observed that it looks doubtful if any one party will get simple majority in the Indian Parliament. I am hoping that the voters get enlightened after the decades long experience that it is in best interest of the country and the people to have two party systems and one party should get a clear mandate. The regional parties have narrow agenda and usually blackmail the Federal Government, getting away with special considerations. They paralyze the Government and have been known to have even toppled governments. There is a small chance that with his skills, oratory and clear image, Narendra

Modi is successful in convincing the electorate to give a chance to BJP with absolute majority. In the long run, they can see a change. He felt that various political parties have used money to influence elections and buy votes. Lot of money generated from scams is used to influence voters. "There is no question that money will be used in huge proportion. My hope is that electorate is getting more mature and will ignore the money influence. Money from abroad is illegal officially. Scam money will find itself in elections thru Havala transaction, with Congress being the undisputed leader in doing so. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 30

India Post August 9, 2013

All eyes on 2014 Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 29

Congress as the ruling party has history of using its power to manipulate with money, muscle power, CBI, even judicial system to stay in power at any cost. Some other parties may do the same like Samajwadi Party, with ongoing saga of IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal. I hope it backfires on them. If the electorate does not vote wisely, and doesn't get rid of mafias, goondas, looters and vote bank politicians, India has a bleak future," he observed. With regard to PM choice after 2014 elections, Dr Barai said, in his opinion there is no contest here. Narendra Modi is the son of

the soil: a bold, be a Himalayan non-corrupt, disaster for the development people of India. oriented, true If he does come secular visionto power, he ary leader who can beat the can change record of India's fortune Bahadur Shah for the better. Zafar, the last He has huge exMogul Emperor perience and of India. He will proven track bring sunset to record. Rahul Nehru Gandhi Gandhi has no dynasty in Bhimshanker Dhake experience of Delhi with running any adgross incompeministration. He has come up on tence and misrule. dynastic consideration, not on his BHIMSHANKER DHAKE, merits, and fumbles when trying president of Dhake Industries in to answer any question. He will Michigan, said there is small

chance of any single party gaining majority in the federal elections slated next year but he feels that BJP with relatively cleaner image should emerge as a major political party or group. "Khichdi government " will be the form of the day with lot of regional parties calling shots. He felt he would not be sur-

winner but they have to work hard and get united now. Although everyone in India and abroad acknowledges Modi as a leader but unfortunately his party is taking time to declare him as their leader. This is hurting the BJP. Any split or lack of unity can damage the party. However, the Congress is united and has one voice of Sonia.

Corrupt politicians who want to continue to exploit the country will use the oft applied philosophy which is "Sam, Dam and Dund". They will use all three. Threats, kidnapping, murders, bribery and political negotiation for bargaining of their interest will continue as has been in the past prised if vote buying is practiced on a wide scale. Citing what is happening in Karnakata where one kg of rice is offered at Rs one in the context of local elections, capturing the federal government will be much more tempting and hence, hefty use of money power, muscle power and behind the scene bargaining. Rank manipulation would order of the day. Dhake says that Narendra Modi stands a better chance to form the government if BJP bags good seats and this is in spite of opposition from some quarters. He said he would not countenance any other candidate to be PM, unless Rahul Gandhi decides to stay away clearing the way for a new face or old guard Manmohan Singh. DR DAYAL MESHRI, a front ranking scientist with global presence, said that unfortunately India does not have a two-party system like the US or the western world due to various cultures, religions and the regional social differences. Minorities are emotionally exploited. Unfortunately 20% population of the Muslims in India is being exploited by the Mullahs, fundamentalists and politicians. Terrorists take advantage of them. Thus the swing vote of 20% Muslims for a particular party plays an important role. He also felt that no single party will come out as a majority. India has 25+ parties so unfortunately, whoever comes to power has to look for support from other groups. It will be Khichdi - a coalition government. "Hopefully BJP might gain an upper hand but still it will be a coalition at the Center. Political bargaining will start at the Central and State level," he opined. "I want to see BJP emerge as a

In the BJP, everyone is Sonia! Everyone wants it his way. Bad for the party and bad for the leadership of Modi. I would not be surprised if BJP topples Congress this time." He said that money from abroad will play a very important role. From USA, UK, and Europe there would be outflow of funds. But it will be a small portion compared to the billions of dollars that will be poured by the oil rich

Dr Dayal Meshri

Middle East and possibly Pakistan. Fundamentalists want to see the whole world turning into Muslims - stoning women, keeping them behind veils and butchering non-believers! No education, no music. India is a challenge to the Muslim world because it has survived as a secular nation. Democracy and respect for every human being and every religion. Fundamentalists feel that if they can break India and USA, it will have a domino effect and others will fall automatically. In nutshell, lots of foreign money will buy votes and parties. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 35

India Post August 9, 2013

All eyes on 2014 Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 30

Harendra Mangrola

BJP second. Congress has a wider base and attracts solid support from minorities. They will carry the banner of (pseudo) secularism. BJP is affected by internal squabbles with no strong leadership," he observed Money and alcohol flow like water in Indian elections. Indian democracy is 'Monocracy'. Votes can be bought with money. I doubt if huge flow of funds from abroad will take place. Many NRIs are disenchanted with the political situation in India - ineffective Central government, and corruption, castes, racism, regionalism dominating society.

The government will definitely use muscle power and its machinery to gain votes. It has been the 'norm' during the past many elections and it is no exception this time. It will sway some people to vote for the party governing the States and at the Center. But I doubt it having a major impact in the electoral decision. I cannot think of any better candidate to lead the country than Narendra Modi. As an individual and as a selfless leader he proved his mettle in the last four general elections in Gujarat. Rahul Gandhi became a leader carrying the flame of Nehru dynasty promoted by his mother and her inner circle. Otherwise he has no qualification to lead a large country like India. With no administrative experience he is still a 'child' in the political play. I cannot think of any other desirable candidate to become next Prime Minister of India. HARENDRA MANGROLA, an engineer by profession and a former head of Indo American Democratic Organization (IADO) said that he has no hesitation in saying that the 2014 elections would not throw up any single party with a clear majority and this would result in the formation of a Khichdi-coalition government at the Center. He ruled out the possibility of huge funds flowing from aboard to influence the elections outcome in India. "I believe that the funds from local businessmen and mafias will play a significant role," he said. He agreed with majority of the people in the survey that Government machinery will be used to advantage by the people in power. With regard to his choice of PM, he felt that Narendra Modi is indisputably "my choice and choice of majority of Indians." The only thing is that the BJP should come to the power, he added DR KIRAN PATEL, a former president of AAPI and a front ranking community activist in Florida, said that with multiplicity of parties and factions, no single party would be in a position to secure majority at the Center in 2014 elections The people with greed are at the helm and they wood like to retain their hold. There would be of pandering, compromising of principles and values. "To me Congress will forge ahead over BJP as the latter with it's supposedly Hindutva philosophy Dr Kiran Patel is not gaining universal approval. The rampart use of money in winning elections is now a world wide phenomenon. It is a political process around the world. I would not be surprised if the Indian elections too see the power of money

in critical areas and States." Patel did not rule out the possibility of the use of government machinery and other manipulations to win the elections. "It will be a huge factor in a country like India where politicians use all government agencies as their own private /business/ entity. With regard to the choice of PM, Patel said that the Nehru Gandhi family had an opportunity to shape the country for over 50 years. Now it is time for a change. "I would go for Narendra Modi, a leader with clear cut vision and integrity," he observed. NARENDRA PATEL, a community activist from Chicago who headed Association of Indians in America Illinois and is the chief of Vishva Gujarati Samaj, said that he will be pleasantly surprised if there is one party rule at the Center after 2014. "It will still be Khichdicoalition with no party gaining absolute majority," he said. Congress may have more Narendra Patel seats. BJP will emerge the lead group. He said that funds from abroad are always an issue and in coming elections, he would not be surprised if large amount comes from overseas groups "Foreign funds will be one of the factors in the outcome of results," he said Narendra Patel said that the muscle and political manipulation both go hand in hand but money power will have large weight with Indian elections. "The dirty power of money will score over the muscle power." He feared that rampart misuse of governmental machinery will swing the outcome. Narendra Patel said that he strongly preferred Narendra Modi over Rajiv Gandhi to lead the country. Modi's past record is way better than that of the Congress party, including Rahul Gandhi. He has led the Sate of Gujarat admirably and he will do one better at the Center leading the country," he said. NIRANJAN SHAH, a former head of the Federation of Indian Associations and recipient of number of Awards including PBS and Ellis, said that in the present situation, there is little chance of any party getting a clear mandate. "And it is perfectly alright to have coalition government reflecting huge diversity of India," he said. He did feel that money, huge money will play important role in dictating the outcome of the elections. "But in India, one has to understand that money pays important role even in day to day, regular activities. We read Bhagwat Gita and Swami Vivekananda but we are far from being detached," he said. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 36

India Post August 9, 2013

All eyes on 2014 Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 35

Shah said that muscle power and misuse of government machinery are not confined to or monopoly of ruling party. Opposition can and does make up by doing other things, he added With regard to favoring one candidate or the other for PM post, he said "I do not know Rahul Gandhi's domestic policy. But if Narendra Modi becomes PM, he will do three things which are very important for India's foreign policy and self respect," he observed. First, he will increase defense spending by purchasing most modern arms and improving living standards besides providing good military training to military personnel. Secondly, he will stand up to

Niranjan Shah

China and stop the nonsense about Chinese troops crossing Line of Control. "You don't allow any one to violate nation's sovereignty. You must put a stop to it" he said. Third, he will handle Pakistan better. After attack on Taj Hotel, India didn't take strong ac-

tion. "And all these issues are important in my heart as a person who grew up in soil of that great land," he said. SOHAN JOSHI, President of National Federation of Indian Associations, sailed with many other Indian American leaders in stating that the Indian electorate would not give a clear and straight forward verdict in favor of a single political party to lead the government in as much as there is huge diversity within India and that results in diverse pulls. The ultimate result will be Khichdi coalition government at Center and that is an unwelcome development in the context of critical period that the world is passing through. Sohan Joshi felt that the influence of money from abroad thru

Sohan Joshi

local agents and from local bigwigs would play a big role in the election results. He however, he decided to offer no comments on the question of misuse of government machinery or mafia muscle power in manipulating election outcome. Responding to the question about his preference for a PM candidate, he said he would like

realties, no party or group will be a clear cut winner whether it is the NDA, UPA or third front or group. There will be a coalition in alliance with NDA or UPA after 2014 elections. India's ruling coalition, the Congress-led UPA for the ninth straight year has failed to revive the economy or deliver the goods. The government has been labeled as the most corrupt since Independence as the people have witnessed 2G, 4G, Coal G and God knows how many more Gs From the recent poll conducted and compared to the last elections of 2009, BJP has gained ground while the Congress has lost. The BJP challenge will not be from so called outside secular forces but from within the party and its allies. This will have crucial impact on the outcome of elections. While the UPA government starts its 10th year at the helm, its trust with the people has

The flow of funds as in the past from foreign countries will surely impact the results. All eyes are on 2014 elections and undoubtedly Indians across the world are looking for an able leader making India prosperous and a world leader. It would be a contest between a young and experienced leader. Rahul Gandhi is young while Narenda Modi, with successful stint as Gujarat CM, carries lot of experience a strong leader like Narendra Modi. "He is honest, hardworking, has lot of experience running the government and is liked by most Indians. Rahul Gandhi has no knowledge

Sunil Shah

of administration. "My own choice is Modi," he declared. SUNIL SHAH, a founder president of Federation of Indian Associations in Chicago, said that according to prevalent political

dipped to an all time low as it is heavily buffeted by scams, scandals and corruption. The gainers will be the Third and Fourth front who would flex their muscle by imposing and compelling the leading party with unrealistic demands. The people will have to bear with a Khichdi government. The flow of funds as in the past from foreign countries will surely impact the results. All eyes are on 2014 elections and undoubtedly Indians across the world are looking for an able leader making India prosperous and a world leader. It would be a contest between a young and experienced leader. Rahul Gandhi is young while Narenda Modi, with successful stint as Gujarat CM, carries lot of experience. Gujarat flourished under his leadership and the people want a leader with broad vision, who can rise above politics, corruption and take the country to new heights.

India Post August 9, 2013

Anna Hazare, Vidya Balan to join NY I-Day parade NEW YORK: Bollywood actress Vidya Balan and anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare have been invited to take part in the annual Indian Independence Day parade on August 18, considered one of the colorful events of New York.

Anna Hazare

The India Day Parade marks the Independence Day (August 15) celebrations organized by the 43-year-old Federation of Indian Associations (FIA) New York and New Jersey chapter in the streets of Man-

hattan. The 33rd edition of the Parade will also see Balan as its Grand Marshal. Joining the two at the event, dubbed as the largest Independence Day Parade outside of India, will be former Indian Chief of Army Staff Gen V K Singh and Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda Baldwin Spencer, FIA (NY-NJ) President Sanjay Amin, said. Tamil film star Sarath Kumar who is also the president of South Indian Artists Association and a sitting MLA from Tamil Nadu, and his wife Radika Sarath Kumar, a television and film actress will march as Parade Marshals on the occasion, Amin said. There will be marching bands and procession of 40 floats depicting Indian culture and will be represented by various Indian and American companies. Also, this year the guests will be doing the opening bell at the Nasdaq stock exchange at 9 am local time on Aug 19 in honor of the Independence Day celebrations as many IT companies are listed on Nasdaq. There will be cultural shows, dance and

music by local artists and children after the celebrities gathering at the review stand to wave to the cheering crowd, Treasurer and Media Coordinator Ankur Vaidya, said. This year's highlight includes erection of a replica of the Red Fort on a 80 feet by 10 feet area in Manhattan near the parade route to showcase the heritage of India. City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Governor Andrew Cuomo, Indian Ambassador to the US Nirupama Rao, New York Consul General Dnyaneshwar Mulay and US Senators and Congressmen are expected to join the festivities, Amin said. Celebrities who have led the Parade in the past years include film personalities Amitabh Bachchan, Raj Kapoor, Shah Rukh Khan, A R Rahman, Dev Anand, Rajender Kumar, Anil Kapoor, Rajesh Khanna, Saif Ali Khan, Hema Malini, Madhuri Dixit, among others. Guest from outside the film fraternity in the past include Indian-American astronaut Sunita Williams, cricketer Anil Kumble, businessman Vijay Mallya and singer Pandit Jasraj. For the past few years, the 103-storyed

Vidya Balan

Empire State Building, an iconic city landmark has been joining in the festivities of FIA by switching on the tricolor tower lights to mark the occasion.-PTI

Briefs Â&#x201E; Suspended IAS officer gets a pat from HC LUCKNOW: The Allahabad High Court had a word of praise for suspended IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal, who took on the powerful sand mafia in Gautam Budh Nagar, sayng she "bravely" exercised her jurisdiction. "We have gone through the pleading on record. We feel that the officer Nagpal bravely exercised her jurisdiction to seize 24 dumpers and stopped illegal mining in Noida. Fifteen alleged offenders have also been arrested," the court's Lucknow bench observed. "Special Flying Squads were formed by her to check the menace of illegal mining at Noida," the court added. The bench comprising Justice Devi Prasad Singh and Justice Ashok Pal Singh made the observations while seeking a reply from the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government on the issue of illegal mining in the state while hearing a PIL for revoking the suspension of the 28-year-old officer.-PTI

Â&#x201E; HC asks Google, FB to inform about complaints NEW DELHI: Google and Facebook have been asked by the Delhi High Court to spell out their mechanism to deal with complaints including misuse of social networking sites by children below 13 years of age. "You inform us about the procedure you follow to deal with such complaints," a bench of Acting Chief Justice B D Ahmed and Justice Vibhu Bakhru said while hearing a PIL alleging that the websites have no mechanism for protection of children from on line abuse. "Let us see how do they deal with the complaints," the bench said and asked the petitioner to hand over at least one complaint with regard to minors having accounts on such websites and posted the matter for hearing on August 23. -PTI

India News 38

India Post

www.indiapost.com

August 9, 2013

UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi with Nepali Congress President Sushil Koirala during a meeting at her residence in New Delhi on August 6

Punjab should also be declared suicide-affected state DR K. GOPAL IYER

he central issue of farmer's suicides in Punjab is the debt trap. As per the census enumeration of Punjab Agriculture University, and two other universities of Punjab, the number of suicides committed by farmers and agriculture laborers in all the districts of Malwa region were nearly 7000. 57.22% of the suicides were committed by farmers and rest 42.7% by agricultural laborers. It needs to be pointed out that the incidence of suicides of agricultural laborers in such high percentage is unique and specific to Punjab. Debt was found to be positively associated with suicides. The amount of debt was much higher than their income. Over 40% of the farming families sold the land and other assets and were reduced to the status of agricultural laborers. IMPACT ON FARMERS The suicides among farmers have been committed mostly by marginal and small farmers. Debts were taken mostly from the commission agent followed by banks, cooperative societies and relatives. The loans invariably carry 24% annual interest. Loan has been taken for economic reasons including the cost of agriculture production, crop failure, low returns from crops, high land rental value etc. There are also cases of pauperization and proletarianisation of Jat Sikh farmers as acute indebtedness has led to sale of lands. Some of the farmers have

been reduced to the status of agriculture laborers which is a new emerging phenomenon. It is mostly the young and middle aged persons who have committed suicides. They are either illiterate or have very low modicum of education. IMPACT ON AGRICULTURE LABORERS For the surviving families it is the beginning of another battle. For the children of laborers,

a special feature of rural suicides in Punjab. The major victims of suicides committed by farmers and agriculture laborers are their young widows who are required to shoulder the economic responsibility, educate the children, manage the marriage of their daughters, meet the medical treatment and also carry the mental agony of clearing the accumulated loan. The poor in Punjab are paying a heavy price in the form of

The suicides among farmers have been committed mostly by marginal and small farmers. Debts were taken mostly from the commission agent followed by banks, cooperative societies and relatives. The loans invariably carry 24% annual interest. the absence of a father meant a childhood stolen. The average annual income of the laborers was Rs. 19410 but the average debt owed is Rs. 70036. The average debt-income ratio is 3.63.Due to heavy mechanization of Punjab agriculture, the agriculture laborers get hardly ten-fifteen days of work in a month. Among the agriculture laborers the major reasons for committing suicides is the loan contracted from land owners, shop keepers, moneylenders and relatives @ 24% annual interest. Both casual daily wage laborers as also bonded laborers have committed suicides. The linkage between bondage and suicides is

dowry; many suicides are related either directly or indirectly to increased indebtedness because of this burden. ROLE OF THE GOVERNMENT The Punjab Govt. has announced that the bereaved families will get compensation of Rs 2 lakhs in two instalments (Rs onelakh in the Fiscal Year 2012-13 and another Rs one lakh in the next Fiscal year 2013-14). The Punjab Government should send the census figures of farmers suicides in the state to the Government of India. The Central Government should declare Punjab as a suicide affected state, similar to Andhra Pradesh,

Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Kerala The Central Government package should be announced to Punjab as well on the same pattern as the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Kerala. The census survey of rural suicides should also include suicide victim families during 1990-1999 and such families should also be eligible for compensation and rehabilitation package. Widow, old age, and handicapped children should invariably be given monthly pension of a minimum amount of Rs 1000 per month. ROLE OF SGPC & NGOS Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee, which has massive financial control, should show its interest in relief and rehabilitation measures. The only silver lining was that an NGO named MASR which established Baba Nanak Educational Society with rescue and revival mission as its main objective. Baba Nanak Educational Society has adopted 300 families by providing them Rs 1000-1500 per month in the form of assistance for their livelihood and keeping educating their children in the schools. NRI and other women activists groups can play active role in imparting vocational training to the youth consisting of both boys and girls. The writer is Prof. in Sociology (Retd), Punjab University, Chandigarh.

Central Bank ups FCNR deposit rates DIANA GABRIEL India Post News Service

Shri Rajeev Rishi

MUMBAI: Central Bank of India has upped FCNR-B Deposit rates with effect from July 31. The Bank now offers interest of 4.56 % for USD Deposit of 5 years, 4.41 % for GBP Deposit of 5 Years, 4.20 % for Euro Deposit

of 5 years, 5.26 % for Canadian Dollar Deposit of 5 years and 6.42 % for Australian Dollar Deposit of 5 years. These rates are revised based on the rates announced by FEDAI on 31/07/2013 and are valid till 31/ 08/2013. Meanwhile, Shri Rajeev Rishi has been appointed as Chairman

& Managing Director, Central Bank of India with effect from August 1. . Prior to his appointment, Shri Rishi was the Executive Director of Indian Bank since October 2010. Before joining Indian Bank, he was the General Manager of Oriental Bank of Commerce and amassed rich experience in bank-

ing having worked in various parts of the country such as Chandigarh, Bhubaneswar, Kolkata, Dehradun, Pune, Mumbai, Ludhiana etc. He belongs to Chandigarh (UT) and holds a degree in BA, LLB. He has served as a Director of Ind Bank Housing Ltd. from June 13, 2011 to June 27, 2013.

August 9, 2013

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Tech News LME, Goldman sued over aluminum storage HONG KONG: The London Metal Exchange and Goldman Sachs are being sued in a U.S. court over alleged anti-competitive and monopolistic behavior in aluminum storage. The metal exchange will fight the class-action lawsuit, which its management believes is without merit, the LME's owner, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd., said in a statement here. Wall Street banks are facing increased scrutiny of their involvement in businesses that store and transport commodities such as oil and aluminum. The LME and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. are named as co-defendants in the suit alleging ``anticompetitive and monopolistic behavior in the warehousing market in connection with aluminum prices.'' The lawsuit was filed Aug. 1 by lead plaintiff Superior Extrusion Inc., a maker of aluminum tubing and beams, in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. A growing number of buyers have complained about rising metal prices stemming from long waiting times at warehouses. To address those concerns, Goldman said last week that it is taking measures to make more aluminum immediately available to customers at its metal storage business, Metro International Trade Services, which operates under LME regulations. -AP

ISRO to focus on R&D, industries' pie to be scaled up BANGALORE: Industries' contribution to India's space program would be significantly scaled up as ISRO looks to focus predominantly on Research & Development (R&D), the space agency's chairman K Radhakrishnan has said. Radhakrishnan said the industries associated with Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) are all currently "jobbing partners" but their role would go up further, in view of programs to enhance the production of satellites and rockets. According to ISRO officials, more than 500 small, medium and large-scale industries participate in the space program in the form of hardware development and supply, software and other services. Radhakrishnan, also Secretary in the Department of Space, said nearly 80 per cent of direct cost of Polar Satellite Launch vehicle, for example, flows to industries, a figure which would go up further, but hastened to add that ISRO would continue to have a role.-PTI

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Skin care firm Galderma eyes Rs 500 cr sales in India NEW DELHI: Swiss-based Galderma, a joint venture between Nestl and L'Oral, has said it is aiming at around five-fold growth in sales to Rs 500 crore by 2018 in its dermatology business in India, on the back of new product launches and aggressive marketing. The company, which produces and sells a wide range of skin health related products, said sales is expected to touch Rs 100 crore by the end of this year, Galderma India Managing Director G Sathya Narayanan told PTI.-PTI

August 9, 2013

Is the IRS targeting Indian community?

any PIO (Persons of In dian Origin) individuals in the Indian community with US citizenship or legal permanent residence (green card) status are currently exposed to penalties related to undisclosed investments and business activities that are outside the United States. The area of concern involves a great number of unjustified penalties that are being assessed under the IRS Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Initiative (OVDI). In March 2009, the IRS announced the first of several programs through which US citizens and green card holders could voluntarily step forward and declare prior years' unreported foreign income and file delinquent foreign bank account reports (FBAR) on Form TDF 90-22.1. If an individual voluntarily informed the IRS regarding past years' omissions, the service would impose a 20% [now 27.5%] penalty on foreign account balances in lieu of potential criminal sanctions and substantial civil penalties. The purpose of this commentary is to alert the reader to the benefit of opting out of the OVDI process if their past underreporting is due to being

BRIAN ROWBOTHAM

poorly advised, or if one can demonstrate that they did not willfully disregard the reporting rules. The OVDI information does not make clear that an individual has the option to withdraw from the OVDI program after the assessment of penalties has taken place. This option often results in an assessment that is a fraction of the

If poorly counseled, a taxpayer will often agree to the assessment without debate, in part, just to end the process of uncertainty, but also to cap the ongoing costs of tax advisors and legal representation. From the government's perspective, once the taxpayer has entered the program, the penalty assessment and collection is easy

Their public statements on collecting $5 to $6 billion to date, and announcements that India, Israel, and other countries will continue to be targeted, indicate that the IRS will put additional resources into this area and continue to aggressively track down taxpayers with unreported foreign accounts. amount assessed in the program. The IRS has not taken the liberty of informing taxpayers involved in the OVDI process that they can chose to opt out after the assessment has been made. In fact, at a recent presentation by the IRS, when commenting on the OVDI program, the speakers themselves seemed unaware of this option. It's clear that the IRS is not taking steps to bring this matter to the attention of the taxpayer during the OVDI process.

money since the taxpayer is required to fully disclose all foreign income and financial accounts in order to participate in the OVDI program. While official statements from the IRS rebut accusations that the US government is looking at this area as a new revenue source, their public statements on collecting $5 to $6 billion to date, and announcements that India, Israel, and other countries will continue to be targeted, indicate that the IRS

will put additional resources into this area and continue to aggressively track down taxpayers with unreported foreign accounts. In 2011, the U.S. Department of Justice issued a John Doe summons to HSBC in India which requested the names of all U.S. owned accounts. This is similar to what the United States did when it discovered that thousands of U.S. taxpayers owned or controlled accounts in Swiss banks and had failed to report the related income on their returns or disclose the existence of such accounts on annual FBAR filings. There are significant factual distinctions between taxpayers who are under investigation due to undisclosed accounts in Switzerland versus taxpayers who have accounts in India. In the former instance, Swiss bank representatives in the United States met with, and encouraged, taxpayers to move their investments offshore. The IRS found clear evidence of tax evasion on a large scale. Our experience with representing taxpayers in the Indian community is that nondisclosure of foreign accounts usually relates to the following: Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 43

Air India generates cash surplus of Rs 460 crore NEW DELHI: A series of cost cutting measures and an aggressive marketing strategy have led Air India to generate cash surplus of Rs 460 crore in April-June on the back of a consistent growth trend since last July. The all-round improvement resulted from a strategy that encompassed a review of Air India's fleet and network, pricing, schedules and revenue management, airline sources said. With the turnaround plan (TAP) in operation, the national carrier had gradually reduced its running cash loss from Rs 512 crore in October-December 2011 and Rs 432 crore in JanuaryMarch 2012 to just Rs 37 crore in April-June 2012. The airline started making a surplus over its variable costs since July-September last year

when its surplus was Rs 51 crore. It jumped to Rs 312 crore in October-December, Rs 361 crore in January-March this year and Rs 460 crore during April-June, official data showed.

swing since September-October last year vis-a-vis its key competitor Jet Airways and other airlines. Its seat factor, or average seat occupancy per flight, has been hovering between 70-80 per cent

"For the past 18 months, Air India's financials have shown a consistent quarter-over-quarter improvement, including a distinct jump in its financial performance in the first quarter of this financial year," a source said. Air India's domestic occupancy has also been on the up-

since last October and crossing the 80 per cent mark on at least four occasions, the figures showed. Regarding right-sizing of its fleet, they said the airline has practically completely withdrawn its Boeing 747 Jumbos and was in the process of replacing its B-

777 Long Range aircraft with the B-787 Dreamliners, the sources said. As many as 14 Airbus A-320s were reconfigured into alleconomy class with 168 seats, they said, adding that this move was taken to effectively compete with the no-frill carriers. Several measures have also been taken towards better pricing and revenue management, including a market-driven and responsive pricing policy, an automated revenue management structure and supporting tools and 30 or 60 days advance purchase fares, the sources said. While a new call centre has been opened this January, Air India has started getting a growing number of users on various social media platforms like the Facebook, they said. -PTI

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UN agency lauds Kerala plan Greed lured even literate investors into emu scam to revive 'Spice Route' THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Indian state Kerala's initiative to revive the two millennia-old spice route that linked the south western coast of India up to Europe, through tourism has received a boost, with the UN pledging its support.

Suman Billa.

Delegates at a three-day international meet on Silk Road tourism organized by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in the northwestern

Chinese city of Dunhuang from August 1-3 appreciated a presentation on Spice Route made by the Kerala Tourism Secretary Suman Billa. According a released statement from the Kerala Tourism, the presentation focused on 'Protecting Heritage and Promoting Peace through the Spice Route initiative', emphasizing the importance of the route that linked 31 countries in Asia and Europe with India, particularly spice-rich Kerala. "With the recent archaeological evidences excavated from Muziris, the major port of entry to India from the West for the ancient spice trade, we have been presented with a historic opportunity to revive Spice Route for the modern world," said Billa. He said the Silk and Spice routes could together emerge as powerful symbols of peace in a strife-torn world and revival of the Spice Route would enable people

from around the world to once again travel through the road used by traders for over 2,000 years. Billa was invited by the UNWTO for the meet which was co-hosted by China National Tourism Administration and the Chinese provincial government of Gansu. UNWTO's Asia-Pacific regional director Xu Jing, who moderated the session, lauded the 'Kerala model' of tourism development and commented that Kerala Tourism's Spice Route initiative is an important project that UNWTO could promote. Besides re-establishing Kerala's maritime trade relations with the 31 countries associated with Spice Route, the project seeks to rekindle interest among the modern travelers, prompting them to undertake voyages and excursions. Apart from India, countries including Afghanistan, Burma, China, Denmark, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Greece, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mozambique, Netherlands, Oman, Pakistan, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Syria, Turkey, UK and Yemen were part of this historic trade route. -PTI

Japan puts talking humanoid robot into space TOKYO: Japan has launched the world's first talking humanoid robot ``astronaut'' toward the International Space Station. Kirobo - derived from the Japanese words for ``hope'' and ``robot'' - was among five tons of supplies and machinery on a rocket launched from Tanegashima in southwestern Japan, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, said. The childlike robot was designed to be a companion for astronaut Koichi Wakata and will communicate with another robot on Earth, according to developers. Wakata is expected to arrive at the space station in November. Robot designer Tomotaka Takahashi, of the University of Tokyo, advertiser Dentsu and automaker Toyota Motor Corp. worked on the robot. The challenge was making sure it could move and talk where there was no gravity. Ahead of the launch, the 34centimeter (13-inch) tall Kirobo

told reporters, ``one small step for me, a giant leap for robots.'' Japan boasts the most sophisticated robotics in the world, but because of its ``manga'' culture, it tends to favor cute robots with

a new chapter in the history of communication. ``I wish for this robot to function as a mediator between person and machine, or person and Internet and sometimes even be-

human-like characteristics with emotional appeal, a use of technology that has at times drawn criticism for being not productive. But Takahashi said sending a robot into space could help write

tween people,'' he said. JAXA said the rocket launch was successful, and the separation of a cargo vehicle, carrying the robot to the space station, was confirmed about 15 minutes after liftoff. -AP

ERODE, TN: Most of the duped investors in the multi-crore emu contract farming scam in the district last year were literates and very knowledgeable and had been lured by 'greed', according to a survey by Reserve Bank of India. The investors had been lured by attractive schemes offered by the emu farms, RBI Chief General Manager V Vasanthan said here. The survey covering 800 investors in 22 villages from Erode, where a maximum number of investors had been cheated in the emu racket, was held from July 19 to July 22 he told a meeting of self-

ments, triggering collapse of several such firms, leaving in lurch both the investors and the birds. The Economic Offences Wing of police have arrested proprietors of several firms and the cases are being heard by a special court. Vasanthan said before investing, people should find out whether the finance firms had been registered and authorized to receive money. People from Erode, Tirupur and Coimbatore had invested not only EMU farms but in country fowl farms and Agar tree development schemes.

Emu farm

help groups and farmers to create awareness about problems in investing in unregistered private firms. Hundreds of people had been cheated crores of rupees after they made investments in contract farming of the Australian bird on promise of very high returns like any ponzi scheme. The emu scam came to fore in August last year after Susi Emu Farm in Perundurai near here failed to make assured monthly pay-

He urged the people to invest money only in registered firms as there was no law to control the unregistered firms. The official said the RBI would soon release ten rupee plastic currency notes. On fake currency circulation, he said most of the counterfeit notes came into the country through Nepal, Pakistan and Bangladesh, adding serious steps had been taken to curb them. PTI

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August 9, 2013

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Consumer protection chief puts focus on student loans

taggering student loan debt has the same kind of ripple effect on the economy as the subprime mortgage crisis did, the head of the Consumer Financial Protection Board says. "It is a big priority for us," CFPB director Richard Cordray said in a meeting with USA Today's Editorial Board. Distraught borrowers "come to our complaint line now and they come by the thousands." The bureau tries to get relief for consumers with valid complaints, provides financial education tools for borrowers and has jurisdiction over large banks and other providers of consumer finance products and services and can take civil action against wrongdoers. The bureau received 2,000 complaints about private student loans from Oct. 1, 2012, to March 31. Borrowers report problems with payment processing, obtaining documentation about their loans, finding accurate information about their loan status and repayment options, and accessing basic account information, according to CFPB's mid-year complaint review released last week. Cordray, formerly Ohio's attorney general, received Senate confirmation as CFPB director last

month after Congressional Republicans stalled his nomination for more than 18 months. The bureau was created in 2010 under the Dodd-Frank financial reform act. Cordray said it's sad to hear borrowers burdened with student loan debt talk about what they would have done differently had they understood what they were getting into. "And now their lives are effectively ruined or certainly potentially held back for many years," Cordray said. "Frankly, those are the people we should care about as much as anyone in our society as they are young people with some amount of promise and talent and they just lack the means." In a May report, the CFPB found that massive student loan debt could be delaying borrowers from reaching many of the financial and cultural milestones historically obtained by 20-somethings, including buying a car, starting a business, buying a home and starting a family. Military borrowers may face particular difficulty managing their debt. Some lenders and loan servicers are dealing with borrowers' concerns, but "the problem hasn't gone away," said CFPB stu-

dent loan ombudsman Rohit Chopra. "Regrettably, we continue to receive complaints from servicemembers with student loans having trouble accessing benefits" under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), Chopra said. The list of benefits and qualification standards for more flexible repayment options under SCRA are often complicated and difficult to navigate, the CFPB report shows. CFPB has authority over banks that service student loans. In March, it proposed a rule that would give it oversight of nonbank student loan servicers that handle more than 1 million borrower accounts. The bureau estimates the rule would give it the authority to supervise the seven largest student loan servicers, which handle most of the student loan servicing market, or 49 million borrower accounts. The bureau is also encouraging better financial education for young people and more use of its tools, including the "Know Before You Owe" financial aid shopping tool, to help them make the right loan choices.

How to get out of a car loan

f you have a car payment that you can no longer afford, or if you would like to move on to a different car, you may be thinking about getting out of your car loan. One of the most common hindrances to getting out of a car payment is finding out that you have negative equity, or what's called an upside-down loan. Negative equity is a common circumstance caused by paying (finance) more for a car than what it's worth, having a long-term or high interest rate car loan, buying a car that depreciates faster than you can pay it off, rolling the balance of an old loan over onto a new car loan and/or purchasing a car with no down payment. If you are upside-down in your loan for any of these reasons, or if you simply want to stop making payments on your auto loan, you have a few options for how to get out of a car loan. 1. Transfer your loan. Depending on your bank's regulations, you may be able to transfer your loan to a trusted party and let them assume your payments. 2. Lease a new car. Because leases come with significantly lower payments than auto finance

loans, it is possible for you to roll your negative equity balance into a new car lease and still lower your monthly payments. By the end of the lease term, you will have paid off the upside-down loan, too. This only works if you make your payment every month and complete the full term of the lease. 3. Refinance. Negotiate a refinance loan with your lender in order to either drop the interest rate or lower your monthly payments to an amount your wallet is comfortable with. 4. Sell your car. If you can sell the car for at least what you owe on it, then you will get out of your auto loan without affecting your credit. If you are in an upside-down loan, then you will not be able to sell your car without coming out of pocket to repay the remaining loan balance. 5. Walk away. Tell your lender you can no longer afford your payments and that you are opting for a voluntary repossession. The lender will take possession of the car and file for collection on your account balance. If you do not pay your balance, a judgment will be entered against you for the amount you owe.

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Is the IRS targeting Indian community? Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 40

1. Three decades of immigration where PIOs have attended U.S. universities and proceeded to obtain resident visas and U.S. citizenship while still maintaining their connections to family businesses and investments in India have been fully reported and taxed in India. Family gifting is generally uncomplicated by tax reporting in India because there is no gift or estate tax currently in place. Gift-

of remaining outside the program. Amending returns may be the best option. However, if the omissions are high, then the individual would be well advised to join the program in order to limit criminal prosecution as well as substantial civil penalties. That being said, an OVDI participant should first and foremost select an advisor who understands the program, has experience with all alternatives, can properly advise the participant about

Due to growth in the Indian economy, cross border investment and business activities and the related movement of funds have grown exponentially, during which time the reporting requirements have been ignored by many advisors. ing is often done by setting up joint bank accounts. Due to many PIOs acquiring US residency and citizenship, accounts in India that previously had no US reporting requirements now suddenly have become the target of the IRS. 2. Due to growth in the Indian economy, cross border investment and business activities and the related movement of funds have grown exponentially, during which time the reporting requirements have been ignored by many advisors. 3. Extensive exchange control rules and restrictions apply to funds in India. Since funds in India were being fully reported and taxed locally, and they were also limited with respect to transfers outside of India, many advisors incorrectly ignored the US reporting requirements. The incidence of willful disregard of reporting requirements that are related to foreign banks or financial accounts is rare in the Indian community. However, the current 27.5% penalty that is assessed for unreported offshore financial accounts, along with the IRS policy of not negotiating the penalty inside the OVDI program, fails to differentiate even between the accounts of an innocent minor with accounts in India that are related to family gifts from the offshore accounts of active tax evaders. Before opting to participate in the OVDI program, a taxpayer should decide whether their total tax omissions are considered to be minimal or high. If minimal, then it is usually not recommended that the individual participate in the program since their omissions are unlikely to expose them to criminal sanctions. Also, the costs of entering the OVDI program will be far greater compared to the option

the alternatives and risks, and is willing to make a recommendation to the participant based on their specific facts. In order to do this, an advisor needs to be able to project the likely outcome of the participant's case. A potential OVDI participant should expect to go through the following steps: 1. The engagement of an advisor to inform the IRS Criminal Investigation group (CI) about the delinquency. The CI group must determine that the taxpayer is qualified to enter the OVDI program. If an individual is not currently under investigation, and the source of undisclosed funds is not related to illegal activities (e.g. drug trafficking or money laundering), CI will usually approve the taxpayer's request to participate in the OVDI program. If the taxpayer qualifies for the OVDI program, their case will then be passed on to the civil exam division. 2. The undergoing of the civil exam process involves the auditing of the taxpayer's past 8 years' tax returns. At the end of the process, the civil exam division will assess additional taxes, interest, and penalties on unreported income, in addition to the 27.5% penalty on undisclosed foreign accounts. For some taxpayers, the 27.5% penalty is deceptive. There have been situations where undisclosed foreign accounts are leveraged up to much higher amounts by the IRS if foreign investments or properties are financed or acquired with undisclosed cash. The full value of related investments can and will be used to calculate the penalty. Taxpayers usually discover this after they've entered the program when it's too late to turn back out. The ability to negotiate a lower penalty within the OVDI program is at best re-

mote due to policies that restrict IRS agents within the OVDI program. While there are reasonable cause exceptions that can result in reduced penalties, these exceptions are often interpreted in a way that makes it almost impossible to qualify within the OVDI program. What happens when one opts out of the OVDI program? Outside the program, the taxpayer is no longer protected from a range of civil penalties that are waived within the program. By withdrawing from the OVDI program, the taxpayer is now subjected to the normal examination process. However, at this point, the CI group within the OVDI program has already done a thorough review and has cleared the taxpayer to move forward and be processed by the civil exam division. The taxpayer's 8 years' returns have already gone through a detailed review by the civil exam group, so typically, there are no new revelations to worry about during the normal examination process. It's critical at this point for the advisor to assess the following: Inside the OVDI program, the IRS will limit civil penalties related to FBAR violations up to 27.5% of the highest balances for the past 8 years. Outside the program, this penalty can be reduced or eliminated, but other penalties that are waived within the OVDI program may then be considered during

the normal auditing assessment. In some instances, the client may end up worse off due to other non-reporting penalties outside the program as compared to the 27.5% penalty that is applied within OVDI. An experienced advisor is needed to assess the tradeoffs. If other non-reporting penalties are minor, the taxpayer can show that tax advisors were consulted, or the taxpayer can provide evidence that they acted with due care and attention when pre-

penalties outside the program were minor, the taxpayer was better advised not to accept the OVDI assessment and to withdraw from the program. We compiled evidence and testimonies from advisors and third parties in order to prove that the taxpayer did not willfully disregard the FBAR disclosures. Since the IRS had no facts or evidence to the contrary, the FBAR penalties were waived in full. This outcome could not have

Many taxpayers are not fully informed about their options regarding the OVDI process, and in particular, about opting out of the program. As a result, many taxpayers are paying grossly unfair assessments. paring their U.S. returns, the burden then shifts to the IRS to prove that the taxpayer willfully disregarded the disclosure rules. In one instance, we represented a taxpayer who was initially assessed $8 million in FBAR penalties after having gone through the OVDI program. Our own analysis involved determining whether there was any risk outside the program that was related to criminal fraud or substantial civil penalties. Since the facts were clear that the omissions did not involve any criminal risk, and potential civil

happened inside the OVDI program. Unfortunately, the IRS is targeting specific countries, including India, with respect to unreported accounts held by US taxpayers. It's clear that many taxpayers are not fully informed about their options regarding the OVDI process, and in particular, about opting out of the program. As a result, many taxpayers are paying grossly unfair assessments. Brian Rowbotham is Managing Partner, Rowbotham & Company LLP

Obama administration overrules Apple import ban President Obama's trade representative has vetoed a ban on imports of some Apple iPads and older iPhones, dealing a setback to rival South Korean electronics company Samsung. U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman overruled a June decision by the U.S. International Trade Commission, which had banned imports of the iPhone 4 and some variations of the iPad 2. The commission ruled that the Chinese-made Apple devices violated a patent held by Samsung and couldn't be imported. The ban never went into effect, though, because the Obama administration had 60 days to decide if it would uphold the commission. Obama is against import bans on the basis of the type of patent at issue in the Samsung case. The White House has recommended that Congress limit the ITC's ability to impose import bans in these cases. Samsung and Apple are in a glo-

bal legal battle over smartphones. Apple argues Samsung's Android phones copy vital iPhone features. Samsung is fighting back with its own complaints.

In an email, Apple spokeswoman Kristin Huguet said the company applauded the administration ``for standing up for innovation.'' Samsung said in a statement that it was disappointed in Froman's ruling, saying the ITC

``correctly recognized that Samsung has been negotiating in good faith, and that Apple remains unwilling to take a license.'' Froman wrote in a letter to the commission that he has concerns about patent holders getting too much leverage over competitors that use their technology under licenses. Companies license patented technology to competitors so the devices can communicate as part of an industry standard for cellphones. Under the ``standardsessential patent'' legal theory prevailing in federal courts, holders of such patents are obligated to license them to all comers on ``fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory'' terms. U.S. courts have ruled that such patents cannot be the basis for import bans. The International Trade Commission follows a different standard than the courts, but the Obama administration wants it to adhere to the same principles.-AP

In Brief Companies help immigrants obtain US citizenship SANTA ANA, Calif: For immigrants working toward the American Dream, some employers are now helping them reach their dream of becoming Americans. Health clinics, hotels and a clothing factory are pairing up with immigrant advocates to offer on-site citizenship assistance as one of the perks of the job. The effort in greater Los Angeles, Miami, Washington and Silicon Valley is billed as a win-win for employee and employers: Workers avoid legal fees and having to shuttle to and from law offices to complete applications; companies create a deeper bond with immigrant workers and there's little cost as nonprofits pick up the tab. Since last year, 19 companies have signed up to participate in the effort by the Washington-based National Immigration Forum. There are about 8.5 million legal immigrants eligible to become U.S. citizens. -AP

40 Indonesians missing as boat sinks off Malaysia KUALA LUMPUR: At least 40 illegal immigrants from Indonesia, including women and children, went missing when a boat carrying them home to celebrate Eid-ulFitr sank off Malaysia's coast. The boat, carrying 44 immigrants, sank after being hit by strong waves around midnight on July 1, about 13.55 nautical miles off Tanjung Siang in Kota Tinggi of Johor state, located in the south of Peninsular Malaysia. The incident came to light when a group of fishermen rescued three of the survivors clinging to a plastic drum. A fourth survivor was rescued by a Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) patrol boat. None of the survivors, aged between 26 and 31, were wearing life jackets. A MMEA official said two ships, four speedboats and two helicopters have been dispatched to step up rescue efforts, but none of the missing, including women and children, could be spotted. Kota Tinggi police chief Superintendent Mohammad Nor Rasid said search and rescue operations by the Marine Operations Force and MMEA are still ongoing. The Indonesian consulate in Johor has offered help to illegal immigrants who want to return, saying they could be issued temporary travel documents and even get funds. It urged them not to risk a boat ride, Bernama news agency reported.-PTI

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Can an H-1B employee pay premium processing fee? Details on page 45

Dems hit GOP on immigration in top critic's home AMES, Iowa: Kicking off an August of likely intense debate over immigration, the Senate's second-ranking Democrat traveled to Iowa recently to rebuke House Republicans who oppose major changes embraced by the Senate. Sen. Richard Durbin's strategically targeted visit was a fairly small and calm foretaste of planned demonstrations by opponents and supporters of the proposed immigration changes during Congress' summer recess. The Senate measure would heighten border security and provide a pathway to citizenship for millions of immigrants living here illegally. Durbin, of Illinois, joined Iowa Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin at a forum in a college town represented in Congress by Republican Rep. Steve King. King is among Congress' fiercest opponents of granting citizenship to immigrants now here illegally. Republican leaders have denounced King's most inflammatory remarks, but some Demo-

crats depict him as a symbol of widespread GOP resistance. Harkin said Iowans ``are compassionate, caring people and we don't characterize people with

ans. But for each of those, he said, ``there's another 100 out there who weigh 130 pounds, and they've got calves the size of cantaloupes because they're

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-III), right, speaks during a forum on immigration as U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-lowa) looks on, Aug 2, in Ames, lowa.

hateful, spiteful, degrading language.'' King said in a July interview that some Hispanics brought to the country illegally as children become high school valedictori-

hauling 75 pounds of marijuana across the desert.'' Durbin focused on the socalled DREAM Act, which would offer eventual citizenship to some immigrants brought ille-

gally to the U.S. as children. ``If we can fix this immigration system, we can build the American economy and we can do the right thing,'' Durbin told the Ames gathering. ``To suggest these are petty criminals or drug smugglers just doesn't square with the reality of the DREAM Act.'' The forum featured potential DREAM Act beneficiaries. Hector Salamanca, 20, came from Mexico as a child with his parents, who stayed in the United States after their tourist visas expired. His undocumented status made him ineligible to attend a state university or receive government-sponsored grants or loans, he told the audience of about 200. Salamanca said he earned an associate degree at a community college and will attend Drake University. He said he tells Hispanic youths, ``Don't let your undocumented status prevent you from achieving your goals.'' Cont'd on Page 45

Lawyer: Snowden has a place to live in Russia MOSCOW: National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden has determined where he will live in Russia, but is still figuring out what he will do during his stay, his Russian lawyer said. Russia granted temporary asylum to Snowden, allowing him to leave the Moscow airport where he had been holed up for almost six weeks. Snowden can now remain in Russia for at least a year as he evades charges of espionage in the United States. The move infuriated the U.S. administration, which said it was ``extremely disappointed'' and warned that the decision could derail an upcoming summit between President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Snowden ``is in a safe place,'' but the location will remain secret out of concerns for his se-

curity, his lawyer, Anatoly Kucherena, told Russian news agencies.

Edward Snowden

Kucherena said Snowden, an NSA systems analyst who revealed himself as the source of reports in The Guardian newspa-

per of a vast surveillance program by the National Security Agency, needs time after his ordeal at the airport to figure out what to do next. ``As soon as he decides what he will do, I hope he will announce it himself,'' the ITARTass news agency quoted the lawyer as s a y i n g . Kucherena said he expects Snowden to speak to journalists in the near future. Snowden's temporary asylum allows him to work in Russia, with some restrictions, said immigration lawyer Bakhrom Ismailov.

``Snowden has the same rights for employment as a Russian citizen except that he is not allowed to work as a public servant or take a job in law enforcement agencies,'' said Ismailov, a managing partner at Yurinvestholding. Article 14 of the law on temporary asylum states that a person with this status is entitled ``to receive assistance'' in traveling out of Russia. Ismailov said that this assistance could mean issuing a travel document, but this is not normally done for people with temporary asylum. Venezuela, Nicaragua and Bolivia had offered Snowden asylum and he told human rights figures during a meeting in mid-July that he wanted to visit all those countries. But Kucherena said that Snowden no longer has such plans. -AP

Immigration Post

August 9, 2013

India Post 45

www.indiapost.com

Can an H-1B employee pay premium processing fee? CYRUS D. MEHTA & MYRIAM JAIDI

n employer is in the process of preparing an H-1B extension for an employee. The employer is preparing the petition several months before the expiration of the employee's current H-1B status, and therefore

fee in the H-1B context only; payment of the premium processing fee by a beneficiary of an I-140 immigrant petition is allowed without question.) This is a gray area, like so many things in immigration law, because

There is no clear rule on the issue and different government agencies have taken different stances on the issue over time, and of course, no one approach is clearly definitive. has determined to file without premium processing. Moreover, pursuant to 8 CFR ยง 274a.12(b)(20), the employee can continue working for the same employer for a period not to exceed 240 days after the expiration of the H-1B status provided a timely request was filed. The employee, however, has approached the employer, expressing a need for premium processing because of upcoming travel plans or other personal reasons. If the employer does not need premium processing for its own business reasons, and premium processing would be only for the employee's benefit, may the employee pay the premium processing fee, which is currently $1225? (Please note that this article addresses the premium processing

there is no clear rule on the issue and, believe it or not, different government agencies have taken different stances on the issue over time, and of course, no one approach is clearly definitive. Anecdotal data provides some guidance, as so much in our practice comes from cumulative experience on issues like the one here, i.e., whether a beneficiary may pay the premium processing fee. Although no agency has opined on the issue since 2009, allowing the H-1B beneficiary to pay the premium processing fee may be defensible where the benefit inures solely to the employee, the employer has no need for the premium processing, and the payment of the premium processing fee does not drop the H-1B beneficiary's wage

below the required wage. In 2001, legacy INS (the agency that was dissolved in 2003 and reconstituted as three agencies within the Department of Homeland Security, specifically US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (USICE), an US Customs and Border Protection (USCBP)) confirmed with AILA (American Immigration Lawyers Association) liaison that "there is no bar to employees providing the Premium Processing fee checks." See ISD Liaison Report for 8/9/01 (AILA InfoNet Doc. No. 01082431 (posted 8/24/01)). On August 12, 2009, the Vermont Service Center (one of the Service Centers of USCIS) issued a practice pointer prepared by their Adjudications Branch that made the following statement on page 12: "The petitioner, attorney, or beneficiary can pay $1000 Premium Processing fee." See Adjudications Branch, Vermont Service Center, VSC Helpful Filing Tips (August 12, 2009; AILA InfoNet Doc. No. 09112363 (posted 11/23/ 09)). No restrictions on the beneficiary paying the premium processing fee were noted by legacy INS or USCIS. Interestingly, also in August 2009 the Department of Labor,

Dems hit GOP on immigration in top critic's home Cont'd from Page 44

Some House Republicans have expressed interest in a version of the DREAM Act, although King calls it ``backdoor amnesty.'' The Obama administration and many activist groups have said they will not settle for the DREAM Act alone. They are pressing the GOP-controlled House to embrace something similar to the Senate bill. Many House Republicans resist the idea. They point to GOP primary voters in their districts who oppose ``amnesty'' for

people here illegally, and who say a Democratic administration can't be trusted to keep promises to tighten the border with Mexico. Durbin noted that President Barack Obama won re-election with strong backing from Hispanic and Asian-American voters. Many Republican strategists say their party must improve its relationship with these groups, and backing broad immigration changes could help. ``If Republicans in the House don't respond honestly and in a comprehensive way, this will continue to overshadow any other political issue among certain

groups of Americans,'' Durbin said. Opponents of the Senate bill say they will use the August recess to stiffen House resistance. About 100 individuals and groups, led by the Tea Party Patriots, sent a letter last week to all House members expressing opposition to any legislation ``that bears any resemblance to ... the Senate amnesty bill.'' Meanwhile the pro-immigration-reform group America's Voice said its activists ``are on the move with hundreds of grassroots events planned from coast to coast'' this summer.-AP

Wage and Hour Division issued a Fact Sheet (http://www.dol.gov/ whd/regs/compliance/ FactSheet62/whdfs62H.pdf) that conflicts somewhat with the USCIS position on the premium processing issue, but does not prohibit the

655.731(c)(9)), including . . . any expense, including attorney's' fees and the premium processing fee (INA ยง 286(u)) directly related to the filing of the Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker (Form I-129/I129W) (20 CFR ยง655.731(c)(9)(ii)

Other things included in that list were tools and equipment, travel expenses while on employer's business, and any expenses, including attorney's fees employee from paying it. That Fact Sheet states that an H-1B employee, "whether through payroll deduction or otherwise, can never be required to pay the following. . . .Any deduction for the employer's business expenses that would reduce an H-1B worker's pay below the required wage rate (20 CFR ยง

and (iii)(C)." Other things included in that list were tools and equipment, travel expenses while on employer's business, and any expenses, including attorney's fees, directly related to the filing of the Labor Condition Application (LCA). Cont'd on Page 46

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Immigration Post

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40 arrested in Washington pro-immigration protest WASHINGTON: Police arrested 40 people outside the US Capitol last week dispersing a protest against Congress' failure to pass immigration reform legislation. Shouting "Undocumented, unafraid!" protesters sat down in a street adjacent to the Capitol and blocked traffic until police began handcuffing them and putting them into police vans. Organizers said four undocumented immigrants were among those arrested, and that further civil disobedience actions were planned at Capitol Hill locations later in the day. "Today we're hundreds, tomorrow we'll be thousands, and if we have to bring a million people to Washington DC we will do that, too," Democratic congressman Luis Gutierrez told the crowd. "Do I believe that goal and objective (of immigration reform) is within reach? Yes. But you must maintain a consistent and persis-

tent demand on the Congress of the United States to act," he said. Gutierrez has been instrumental in seeking to cobble together a broad reform plan in the House

after the Senate passed comprehensive immigration legislation in June. House leaders have said the lower chamber would ditch the Senate's approach and pass piece-

meal bills separately addressing issues like border security and what to do with the so-called "Dreamers," undocumented children brought to the United States

through no fault of their own. But the Republican-controlled House is signaling it will not pass a bill that puts the 11 million people living in the shadows on a path to citizenship, as the Senate

Can an H-1B employee pay premium processing fee? Cont'd from Page 45

The only other statement from the DOL was a decision by an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) in 2008 where the ALJ cited the regulation provision referring to the then $1000 training fee to find that the regulation requires that the employer pay the premium processing fee. See Toia v. Gardner Family Care Corp., 2007-LCA00006 (ALJ Apr. 25, 2008) at page

like the ALJ decision purporting to ban that practice, the DOL Fact Sheet leaves room to allow a beneficiary to pay a premium processing fee if doing so does not drop the wage below the required wage. The immigration law treatise, Buffenstein & Cooper, Business Immigration Law & Practice, Volume 1, Nonimmigrant Concepts (AILA 2011), confirms this is a gray area, and provides no conclusive answer. The discussion

There is anecdotal evidence, based on surveying attorneys on a private list serve, that the DOL in at least two LCA investigations did not consider the premium processing fee to be an employer's expense where the employee has requested premium processing for the employee's benefit. 20. This was clearly an erroneous decision because the ALJ was confusing the premium processing fee, which the regulations do not specifically prohibit payment by the H-1B beneficiary, and the training fee, which the regulations specifically state must not be paid by the H-1B beneficiary, because both happened to be $1000 at the time of the decision. The DOL Fact Sheet is in fact more amenable to the idea that a premium processing fee could be paid by a Beneficiary because un-

in the treatise supports the argument that where premium processing is pursued at the insistence of the beneficiary, it could be considered the individual's expense. The crux of the matter is whether the premium processing fee would be viewed as a "business expense" of the employer under the DOL regulations governing the H-1B LCA, in which case the DOL could view it as a wage & hour issue and analyze whether the deduction of the premium processing fee worked an

impermissible dropping of the H1B employee's wage below the required wage (the higher of the actual or prevailing wage). his is something of a distinction without a difference because in any cases where you have more than one similarly situated employee in a position (i.e., where the position is not unique) the deduction of the premium processing fee would always drop the wage below the actual wage. In positions that are unique, whatever is paid to the unique employee is the actual wage so the premium processing fee would not necessarily drop the wage below the prevailing wage. There is anecdotal evidence, based on surveying attorneys on a private list serve, that the DOL in at least two LCA investigations did not consider the premium processing fee to be an employer's expense where the employee has requested premium processing for the employee's benefit. Many attorneys on the AILA list serve seemed to agree that premium processing should not be considered an employer expense, but this thread has not been updated since 2007. To be continued * Cyrus D Mehta, may be contacted at 212-425-0555 or info@cyrusmehta.com

bill did. "The urgency of the situation is too great," Eliseo Medina, a member of the Service Employees International Union who was arrested, said in a statement. "People are dying in the desert as they try to cross the border from Mexico, thousands of immigrants have been deported and every day families are being torn apart. We need to fix the system and we need to fix it now." Senators hope to conference with members of the House after the August recess to strike what could be the most sweeping US immigration reform in a generation,

but critics say the lower house has been slow to act. "We are angry that they are not producing action and we're willing to escalate to risk arrest and get arrested because what's happening is unjust," Kimberley Propeack, director of pro-immigration group CASA in Action, told AFP. Congress goes on summer recess at week's end, and House members have shown little urgency about the issue despite a flurry of action earlier this year when a "Gang of Eight" senators unveiled their huge bill and helped push it through the Senate. -AFP

France tries 1 more cure for volatile suburbs PARIS: Two weeks after a spurt of rioting in a far-flung Paris suburb, President Francois Hollande is injecting a new dose of funds to help cure one of France's most persistent problem areas - the suburban housing projects with their volatile mix of joblessness, high immigration, crime and despair. The Socialist government is counting on state-sponsored jobs

east of Paris, the town that since 2005 has symbolized urban unrest. Three weeks of fiery riots that started in Clichy-Sous-Bois hopscotched around the housing projects of France. The unrest was France's wakeup call to the urban misery long hidden from view, in part because of poor transport to the nearby hub cities. Two days of riots two weeks

French President Francois Hollande, center

and improved lodging to help the millions of people living in pockets of poverty that ring major cities. Many are immigrants from former French colonies in Muslim North Africa who suffer from discrimination, notably in their search for jobs. Hollande's cure, some 5 billion euros ($6.6 billion) of direct state investment with the hope it will attract 15 billion euros more, is a small response to a problem that has dogged three presidents and, Hollande has said, has only longterm solutions. But he is optimistic. The plan was presented to the Cabinet two days after Hollande visited Clichy-Sous-Bois, north-

ago, with dozens of cars set afire in Trappes, a suburb southwest of Paris, was a new reminder of the simmering anger. The unrest there was triggered by the arrest of a man who allegedly attacked a police officer for ticketing his wife for covering her face with an Islamic veil - banned in French streets. But urban experts and residents said the veil issue covered the deep concerns over unemployment, discrimination, poor integration of many residents and despair over the future. ``Social misery is deep. All of that came to the surface over a veil,'' said Trappes resident Armel Angoula, 38, a home nurse.-AP

August 9, 2013

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India Post 47

TOP TEN HINDI FILM SONGS

1 Bhaag Milkha Bhaag: Bhaag Milkha Bhaag 2 Mera Yaar: Bhaag Milkha Bhaag 3 Titli: Chennai Express 4 Ye Tune Kya Kiya: Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai Dobara 48 India Post

www.indiapost.com

August 09 , 2013 5 Alvida: D-Day 6 Maston Ka Jhund:

eport is doing the rounds that Ranveer Singh nowa-days quite often spends time in Deepika's pad. He secretly visits her home at night and both spend quality time together. A leading tabloid quoted a source, "Ranveer and Deepika have been going steady. Though they have been carrying out their romance over hush-hush lunches and dinners, they are spending quality time together inside the cosy confines of her home. Critics may say it's all for the publicity of their upcoming film, the two are very much in love." Their love relationship surfaced in media when Ranveer got too intimate with her in a party in Dubai. It does not

Bhaag Milkha Bhaag 7 Get On The Dance Floor: Chennai Express 8 Chugliyaan : Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai Dobara 9 Tum Hi Ho: Aashiqui 2 10 Lungi Dance: Chennai Express

stop here, the actor also confessed his love for the 'Cocktail' actress on twitter. Ranveer Singh said, "I am not dating her (Deepika). Bhansali wanted us to develop a comfort level, as the film we are doing is a passionate and intense love story. And while working on it, I grew fond of her." Ranveer Singh also compliments Deepika's looks. He said in Deepika's praise, "We hang out together like youngsters do. Just because she is Deepika Padukone and I am an actor doesn't mean anything. I am a hugger and kisser and I do that with everyone.

anbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif are the new alleged couple of Bollywood. Their romance is the talk of the town. They are seen at public places together. Under such circumstances, Katrina for sure does not want to keep any memory of her ex boyfriend, Salman Khan. It can be said that the actress has moved on and so she wanted to get rid of an expensive gift that Salman showered to her, when they were in a relationship. Salman had gifted Katrina an expensive black colored SUV on one of her birthdays. The news buzzed in the industry and people talked about their intense love, though Salman and Katrina never got open about their relationship. Now Katrina wanted to sell off her sparkling SUV. According to a close source, "Back when Salman and Katrina were dating, the star showered many lavish gifts on her. Though they had never admitted to their romance, his gifts said a lot.

ountless women have taken advantage of modern medicines to supply a few additional touches to their beauty. It seems that Anushka Sharma is the latest Bollywood beauty is now swelling their ranks. Since her appearance in Jab Tak Hain Jaan, the fuller lips of the actress have been the talk of the media. There was also a rumor that the actress had got both a lip job and a nose job done. However, Anushka is not at all happy about the speculation. According to a source who worked closely with the actress in Jab Tak Hain Jaan, "I interact with her on a daily basis and was surprised to see her full lips. She has done a lip job for sure." "I saw her through the shooting schedule and then during the film's promotion, but never spotted such puffy lips ever before. I was surprised by that sudden change," the source added. Since then Bollywood gossip has remarked on the fuller lips of the actress several times. When asked to comm e n t , Anushka said, "I have read this and you want to make me feel uncomfortable (by asking this)... This is a highly personal question."

August 9, 2013

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India Post 49

Datebook

50 India Post

August 9, 2013

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NEW JERSEY

NEW YORK

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Upcoming

ILLINOIS

Upcoming

Sat, Aug 17

Aut, Aug 10

• Heart To Heart With Gazal Maestro Pankaj Udhas

• Salute 66: An Indian Independence Day Bash

Venue: North Brunswick High School, 98 Raider Road, North Brunswick, NJ 08902 Time: 8:00 pm Contact: 7186392881

Venue: Cellar Bar at Pranna Restaurant, 79 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10016 Time: 9:00 pm Contact: 419 855 2742

Sun, Aug 18

Thu, Aug 15

• Sri Sita Rama Kalyanam

• DJ Rekha Presents Basement Bhangra August 15

Venue: Ukrainian Cultural Center, 135 Davidson Ave, Franklin Township, NJ 08873 Time: 10:00 pm Contact: 609-297-8797

Venue: Le Poisson Rouge, 158 Bleecker Street, New York, NY 10012 Time: 7:00 pm Contact: 718-207-0058

Sat , Aug 24

Sat, Aug 17

• The Journey of a Legend Venue: George Street Playhouse, 9 Livingston Ave, New Brunswick, NJ 08901 Time: 7:00 pm Contact: 9734621695

• Ratha Yatra Parade Venue: Sri Sri Krishna Balarama Mandir, 111-14 101st Ave, Jamaica, NY 11419 Time: 1:00 pm Contact: 347-480-5357

Sun, Aug 11 • Silent River Film & Literary Society Venue: Irvine City Council, 1 Civic Center Plaza, Irvine, CA 92606 Time: 4:00 pm Contact: 949-394-5148

Sat, Aug 17 • Acharya Rakesh Prasad to bless Vadtal Dham site Venue: New Temple Site Event At 48437, Warm Springs Blvd. Fremont CA Hari-Yag & Maha-Puja Time: 8 am To 12 pm Sri Krishna Janmashtami Time: 3:30 pm To 6 pm Mahaprasad Time: 6 pm To 8 pm Contact: 805-404-9836

Sat, Aug 17 • 21st Festival of India and

Sun, Age 18 • Satsang Premodaya

• J K Yog Satsang and Bal with

Swami

Venue: Bhakti Yoga Shala, 207 Arizona Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90401 Time: 7:00 pm Contact: 310-497-1899

Sat, Age 24 • Vibe 2013 Venue: Curtis Theatre , Civic Center Cir, Brea, CA 92821 Time: 5:30 pm Contact: 682-554-6301

Sat, Aug 24 • Miss India America Venue: LAX Sheraton Hotel, 6101 W Century Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90045 Time: 6:00 pm Contact: 310-994-9500

ATLANTA Upcoming

Parade Venue: Corner of Paseo Padre and Walnut Ave., 39439 Paseo Padre Pkwy, Fremont, CA 94538 Time: 10:00 am Contact: 510-565-9993

Sat, Aug 10 • Pankaj Udhas Live In Atlanta Venue: Atlanta Event Hall, 3750 Venture Dr, Duluth, GA 30096 Time: 8:30pm Contact: 404-934-9991

Sun, Aug 18 • Satsang with Swami

Sat, Aug 24

Premodaya

• Festival Of India 2013

Venue: Bhakti Yoga Shala, 207 Arizona Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90401 Time: 7:30 pm Contact: 310-497-1899

Venue: Gwinnett Center, 6400 Sugarloaf Pkwy, Duluth, GA 30097 Time: 8:00 pm Contact: 404-317-5474

Sat, Aug 24 • MISS INDIA AMERICA w/ Mr.

Wed, Aug 28

& Mrs. India America Venue: LAX Sheraton Hotel, 6101 W Century Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90045 Time: 6:00 pm Contact: 310-994-9500

• Sri Krishna Janmastami Venue: Atlanta Hare Krishna Temple, 1287 Ponce De Leon Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30306 Time: 4:30pm Contact: 404-377-8680

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

Fri, Aug 16 • India’s Independence Day Gala Banquet Venue: India House, 1521 W Schaumburg Rd, Schaumburg, IL 60194 Time: 6:30 pm Contact: 630-951-0012

Fri, Aug 9 • FIA independance day Gala Banquet Dinner Venue: India House Banquet, 1521 W Schaumburg Rd, Schaumburg, IL 60193 Time: 7:00pm Contact: 630-251-5843

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ucked away among the Palani Hills in Tamilnadu, in South India, and jealously guarded like a prized jewel by the dark forests, is Kodaikanal. In fact, the name itself means 'gift of the forest' in Tamil. A more appropriate and evocative name could not have been imagined for this quaint, unspoilt little hill station, where the air is intoxicating, the scenery breathtakingly beautiful, and serenity seldom found in other hill stations. Cradled in the southern crest of the upper Palani Hills, in the Western Ghats, 120 km from Madurai, Kodaikanal is located 2133 m above sea level. Founded by American missionaries in 1845, Kodaikanal is steeped in history. Relics and artifacts of the Paliyans who once lived in these hills can still be seen in the Shenbaganur Museum. Even today, a few Paliyans can be seen near Kukal Cave. In the early days, there were no roadspeople had to travel by bullock-cart and palanquin, braving the dangers of the forests. Slowly Kodaikanal developed, missionaries established church properties, many

www.indiapost.com of the then ruling princes built summer holiday-homes, clubs were opened, school and hotels were built, and civic amenities were introduced. Dramatic experience Driving into Kodaikanal from Palani is a dramatic experience, reminiscent in parts of the drive up the Ghat road from Kallar to Ooty. It is a relief to leave the hot, dusty plains behind and drive up into the cool hills. The vegetation changes gradually from palm-fringed paddy fields to wild brush with flaming blossoms to plantations interspersed with stately silver oaks. The view of the Amaravathi Dam, a shimmering sapphire sheet of water is an unforgettable sight. Driving higher, banana trees give way to tall eucalyptus trees, and the whole countryside is dotted with wildflowers in jeweled colors, magenta and purple predominating. There is a marked nip in the air, as one reaches for one's cardigan, or shawl. At a bend in the road, the shimmer and roar of the Silver Cascade waterfall welcomes the tourist. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 54

August 9, 2013

Travel & Hospitality Post

54 India Post

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Kodaikanal: Prized jewel guarded by dark forests Cont’d from page 53

Arriving in Kodai town, one is greeted by orchards of pear trees with their graceful branches silhouetted in artistic curves against the

evening sky like stark Zen etchings. Buildings with gabled roof dot the skyline. Broken fragments of light from the setting sun are caught and kindled in the windrippled water appearing like a myriad lamp floating on the lake. Tourist attractions The Kodai Club gives the im-

pression of stepping back into colonial India. As one relaxes in the comfortable chamber of the Kodaikanal Club, a The names of the buildings in Kodaikanal are very evocative: 'Loch End' and

ing hosannas to the skies. Magnolia trees guard their 'escaping' fragrance, while cherry trees sweep in graceful pink arcs. On the east side of the lake is Bryant's Park, named after the for-

'Mansarovar' - these two houses by the lakeside bridge the time span from colonial times to the present. Hillbrook, Furzbank, Wood-cote, Whispering Pines and Rock Cottage all conjure up the beauty and spirit of their natural ambience. Jacaranda trees burst out in purple profusion, as though sing-

est officer who planned its layout around the turn of the century. Beautiful pine and eucalyptus trees grow here. About a kilometer from the lake is Coaker's Walk, named after St. Coaker of the Royal Engineers, offering a fantastic view of the plains and the distant hills. There is a rugged pristine beauty about

New Zealand eyes 30 pc increase in Indian tourist arrivals NEW DELHI: Tourism New Zealand is looking at achieving a double digit growth in the number of Indian travelers visiting the country during the current fiscal as it tries to hard-sell it as one of the preferred global destinations. The country, which received nearly 30,000 visitors in the financial year ended June 2013, said apart from Indian honeymooners, it is also looking at business trav-

Mischa Mannix-Opie

elers to drive the growth as it focuses on the meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) segment. "We are looking at double digit growth in the number of Indian travelers visiting New Zealand in the current financial year," Tourism New Zealand South & South East Asia Regional Manager Mischa Mannix-Opie told PTI. For Tourism New Zealand, India is one of three key emerging markets from where it sees the potential of getting lots of visitors, the others being Indonesia and Latin America, she added. "To make this happen the budget to tap the Indian market has been increased by four times to NZD 3.5 million," MannixOpie said. Indians look at traveling to New Zealand mainly for honeymoon and family vacations. Now Tourism New Zealand has also started targeting

the MICE market in India, she added. The increasing spending power of Indians are also making them an attractive target. On an average, a visitor from India spends NZD (New Zealand dollar) 3,400 (around Rs 1.64 lakh) per visit, excluding airfare. This is well above the global average of NZD 2,300, Mannix-Opie said. Tourism is the second highest in foreign exchange earnings for New Zealand after dairy and around one in 10 jobs in the country is linked to it, she added. On the marketing plans of Tourism New Zealand in India, she said the target market here is being tapped by its global '100 per cent Pure New Zealand' campaign. It has been adapted for India to specifically focus on the family, honeymoon and business events (incentives) market, she added. "Partnerships with travel trade and airlines will continue to be part of our ongoing strategy in India," Mannix -Opie said. Tourism New Zealand is the organization responsible for marketing the country to the world as a tourist destination. It is funded by the New Zealand government and governed by board members who are appointed by the Minister of Tourism. - PTI

these vistas, and the mist rising in veils from the valley below, gives the place an unreal quality. Driving along the cool green darkness with the trees making a canopy overhead, one reaches Green Valley View. Gnarled cypress roots make a natural crazy path to the sheer drop of 1,000 feet that overlooks the Vaigai Dam. The exclusive Kodai Golf Club is very near Green Valley View. Past the Golf Club is the 114acre Golf Links, another colonial legacy- an undulating green velvet carpet. Thick woods line the road leading to the Pillar Rocks. These are three vertical pillars standing shoulder to shoulder measuring 112 m. The ground drops sheer below them, creating a dramatic impact and affording a stupendous view of the valley below. The abundance of pear orchards is a striking feature of the Kodaikanal landscape. A sheer lacy curtain of water, so aptly named 'Fairy Falls,' is nearby. About five and a half km from the lake is the Shenbaganur Museum, maintained by the Sacred Heart College, a Theological Seminary founded in 1895. The stuffed-birds and the butterfly collection are remarkable. The archeo-

logical collection is meticulously documented. Places around There are several excursion spots in and around Kodaikanal. Dolphin's Nose, located about eight km from the lake, is a flat projecting rock from where one can have a breathtaking view of the yawning chasm below. The Perumal Peak, about 11 km from Kodaikanal, is a trekker's delight. Climbers begin their ascent from the Neutral Saddle. Berijam Lake supplies drinking water to Periyakulam town, and is 21 km from Kodaikanal (beyond the Pillar Rocks). It is a popular picnic spot with a beautiful view. Kukal Cave, 40 km from Kodaikanal, is a favorite camping site for trekkers. Reportedly, descendants of the Paliyans still live here. How to reach: Air: The nearest airport is Madurai, 120 km away. It is well connected to other airports. Rail: The nearest railhead is Kodai Road Railway Station, which is 80 km away. Road: Kodaikanal is connected by road with important towns like Madurai, Palani, Kodaikanal Road, Theni, Dindigul, Tiruchirapalli, Kumuli (Thekkady) and Coimbatore.

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5 free things in Rhode Island, from art to beaches PROVIDENCE, R.I: It only takes about an hour to drive across Rhode Island, which is wedged between Massachusetts and Connecticut and straddles picturesque Narragansett Bay, but its pleasures are many. It boasts stunning wide, sandy beaches and architecture that goes back to Colonial times. Newport and other communities became a summer playground for the rich during the Gilded Age, but you don't have be a Vanderbilt to enjoy the Ocean State. Many of its most interesting spots don't cost a thing. Cliff Walk A walking trail that dates back centuries is one of Rhode Island's most impressive attractions. It runs alongside the Atlantic Ocean and some of Newport's most beautiful mansions, known as ``summer cottages'' to the families that built them in the 1800s. Around twothirds of the 3.5-mile (5.6-kilometer) trail is currently closed because of damage from Superstorm Sandy, but the most heavily traveled parts are still open. The walk runs along private property, so stopping for extended periods is not allowed. But there is a seating area along the trail outside The Breakers mansion, built for the Vanderbilts, and it's the perfect spot to eat a picnic lunch. Waterfire This simple concept, lighting bonfires in the rivers of downtown Providence, has become a wildly

successful public art project, drawing tens of thousands of people to each lighting. It runs more than

a dozen nights a year, and on some nights stages are set up that feature free live music or dancing. Despite the crowds, the mood is calm and relaxed as people chill out listening to music piped into the riverway, watching fire dancers or gazing at the flames from the shore. The schedule for the rest of 2013 includes lightings scheduled for Aug. 10, Aug. 24, Sept. 7, Sept. 21, Sept. 28, Oct. 5, Oct. 12 and Nov. 9. The Providence Athenaeum With roots dating back to 1753, this private library is one of the oldest in the country. It is housed in a Greek Revival-style granite building that neighbors Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design. Edgar Allan Poe

Alaska City experiences first sunset in month JUNEAU, Alaska: For the first time since May, the sun has set in what is billed as the northernmost city in the United States. According to the National Weather Service, the first sunset in Barrow, Alaska, since May 10 occurred at 1:57 a.m. July 2. The sun rose again at 3:12 a.m. Barrow has continuous daylight for so long because of its location, hundreds of miles north of the Arctic Circle, and the tilt of the earth's axis of rotation. The town of about 4,500 people will gradually lose sunlight each day until November. After that, the sun won't rise again until January - again, because of the rotational tilt. The first sunset in months was a nonevent for some residents like Bob Green, an area resident since 1978 who didn't stay up to watch it the sunset.

`Ì've seen enough of them,'' he said. `Ì'm just glad that it's happening. I've had enough sun. I much prefer the winter.'' Green, reached at work at Pepe's North of the Border restaurant, said Barrow seems to run better ``when it's frozen.'' There are no bugs or mud to deal with during the winter months, he said. Also, it's easy to make light in the winter but hard to get rid of that ``big light bulb'' that is the sun in summer. While some people might find it strange to live somewhere with extended periods of sunlight or darkness, Patuk Glenn, museum curator at the Inupiat Heritage Center, said residents have grown accustomed to the seasons. ``Most of us, anyway, don't really suffer from that seasonal affective thing,'' she said, adding: `ìt's just part of life.''-AP

courted poet Sarah Helen Whitman here, and legend has it she called off their wedding within the

Athenaeum's walls. You don't need a membership to browse, and just as interesting as the books are the

surroundings, which include a skylit central room surrounded by stacks. The Athenaeum is closed to the public from Aug. 4 through Aug. 18, but otherwise open MondayThursday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m., Fridays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturdays 9 a.m.-1 p.m. From September to May, it's open Saturdays until 5 p.m. as well as Sundays 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Benefit Street On the doorstep of the Athenaeum is historic Benefit Street, a mile-long (1.6 kilometer-long) stretch of notable buildings. The brick sidewalk will take you past Colonial, Federal and Greek Revival-style homes, Rhode Island's Old Statehouse and the white stone First Unitarian Church, built in 1815. You'll also pass alongside

the First Baptist Church in America, a congregation founded by colonist Roger Williams, champion of the separation of church and state, an idea later enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. Watch Hill A seaside village in Westerly on the Connecticut border, Watch Hill has become known most recently as the summer home of pop star Taylor Swift. She recently bought a house here and has been spotted frequently. The area was hit badly by Superstorm Sandy, which washed away much of the sand on the beaches and deposited some of it in its quaint shops. Watch Hill has recovered from the damage, and its sandy beaches on Block Island Sound are, as usual, the best reason to visit.-AP

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adhuri Dixit may be a famous Bollywood diva but her sons - Arin and Raayan - are unaffected by their mother's stardom. The 46-year-old raises two kids with doctor husband Shriram Madhav Nene and likes it that her children get excited to see her on TV. "I have no idea if they understand it and I like it that way. I want them to be as innocent as possible. Even today they come running to me and say that mom you are on TV. My little one comes to me and says, 'really are you that famous'. But they are untouched by it and that's the way I like it," said Madhuri, who is currently hosting the dance reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 6 on Colors. The Hum Aapke Hain Kaun superstar is judging the current season of the dance

August 9, 2013 reality show along with director-producer Karan Johar and choreographer Remo. Madhuri, a great dancer herself, wants youngsters to take up classical dancing as it is closer to Indian culture. "There is more of western dancing coming in because I think today youth wants everything fast and it is easier to learn. Our classical is where the whole treasure lies. Once you learn classical you can learn any form of dance. So I think it is very important to have that base. I would urge people to learn more classical," she added. After marriage, Madhuri relocated to US for almost a decade. In 2011, she shifted her base back to Mumbai along with her family. She is working on two Bollywood films - Gulaab Gang and Dedh Ishqiya.

Madhuri's sons get excited to see her on TV as she judges Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa.

Jagdish Raj passes away S

Jagdish Raj

everal Bollywood stars and the friends of be reaving Raj family turned up to attend the prayer meet of veteran actor Jagdish Raj, held in Mumbai on the evening of July 30. Anil Kapoor was seen offering condolences to the late actor's daughter Anita Raj and her husband Sunil Hingorani. The actress, who starred in several 1980s' films alongside Kapoor, was recently roped in for a part in the actor's upcoming television show 24. Jagdish Raj passed away at the age of 85 on July 28 in Mumbai. Celebrities expressed grief over the demise of the veteran actor who had the record of playing a police officer 144 times in various Bollywood films. "He was not keeping well for the past two years. He had lung and respiratory problems. He passed away due to respiratory problems," the actor's son-in-law Rakesh Malhotra said. "Shri Jagdish Raj, the official "Police Inspector" of the Indian film industry, passed away. RIP," director Rahul Rawail wrote on microContâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 57 blogging site twitter.

Anil Kapoor offering condolences to the late actor's daughter Anita Raj and her husband Sunil Hingorani.

August 9, 2013

India Post 57 www.indiapost.com

US band Bloodhound Gang booted from Russia concert MOSCOW: The American rock group Bloodhound Gang was kicked out of a Russian music festival and pelted with eggs after

pants at a recent concert in Ukraine. Russian prosecutors are even considering whether to open a criminal case in the matter, which

Jared Hasselhoff

videos emerged of its bass player shoving a Russian flag down his

comes amid a rise in US-Russian tensions.

Videos posted online of concert in the Ukrainian city of Odessa show bass player Jared Hasselhoff pushing the Russian white, blue and red flag down the front of his pants and pulling it out the back. He then shouted to the audience: ``Don't tell Putin,'' a reference to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The incident outraged the Russian government. Maria Minina, a spokeswoman for the weeklong Kubana festival in southern Russia, said that the band's headlining performance the previous evening had been canceled because of its treatment of the flag.

The American band is known for its sexually explicit songs, including ``The Bad Touch,'' with its unforgettable lyrics: ``You and me, baby, ain't nothin' but mammals, so let's do it like they do on the Discovery Channel.'' Russian Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky tweeted that he had spoken with officials in the southern Krasnodar region, known as Kuban. ``Bloodhound Gang is packing its bags,'' he said in the Twitter post. ``These idiots will not perform in Kuban.'' Hasselhoff was questioned by police, according to the Russian Interior Ministry, which said prosecutors have been asked to decide if the musician could be charged with defaming the Russian flag. The bass player apologized at a news conference held at the music festival in the city of Anapa, the local Yuga.ru news portal reported. He was quoted saying that he had meant no offense and explaining that it was a band tradition for everything thrown from

the stage first to be passed through his pants. Hasselhoff said he decided to throw the flag because some fans had seemed disturbed to see it hanging on the stage. The scandal caused by the American band in Russia comes at a time of heightened tensions between the two countries over National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden, who was given temporary asylum in Russia last week to help him evade prosecution in the U.S. As the Bloodhound Gang members were driving to the Anapa airport, activists from a pro-Kremlin youth group threw eggs and tomatoes at their vehicle, Yuga.ru reported. The band members were taken off their flight to Moscow after they had already boarded the plane, Russian news agencies reported, citing airline officials. After being questioned by transport police, they took a later flight, the reports said. -AP

Exhibit recalls Bob Hope, who Jagdish Raj passes away made troops laugh Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 56

NEW ORLEANS: Bob Hope entertained 11 presidents at the White House, hosted the Academy Awards 19 times and told thousands of jokes to some 10

Bob Hope

million U.S. troops over the course of four wars. Now the long life and legacy of the beloved actor and comedian, who died 10 years ago at age 100, is being celebrated at the National

World War II Museum in New Orleans, where the World Golf Hall of Fame & Museum has brought the ``Bob Hope: An American Treasure'' traveling exhibition. More than 160 mementos from Hope's life capture his passion for golf, relationships with presidents, pride in his country and appreciation for military service. The exhibit includes vintage photographs of Hope entertaining troops at USO shows overseas, an honorary Oscar statuette and PGA of America money clip. But the highlight is Hope's jokes, which are printed on displays and included in video clips throughout the exhibit. ``It was important to make it funny,'' said Jack Peter, senior vice

president of the World Golf Hall of Fame and Museum, who was in New Orleans for the opening. ``That was one of the requests of the family.'' And funny it is. ``I left England when I found out I couldn't be king'' is the Hope quote in the section of the exhibit about his immigration to America from England as a young boy. ``He was very proud to be an American immigrant, that he was able to come here and succeed, and he wanted to give something back,'' said Anthony ``Tony'' Montalto, Hope's longtime accountant, who over the decades became a good friend and remains a trustee of Hope's estate. There are pictures and jokes of Hope's time spent playing golf with presidents Dwight Eisenhower, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, Richard Nixon and others.-AP

Filmmaker Ashok Pandit said, "Sad to know Jagdish Raj is no more. The industry lost its grt Police officer. RIP." "RIP Jagdish Raj, the quintessential police officer for generations in Indian films. Your works will live on," actress Soumya Tandon said. "Not seen any news channel cover the demise of Jagdish Raj. Sad," Tanuj Garg of Balaji Telefilms said. The last rites of the actor were performed at the Pawan Hans crematorium here. "Only family and close friends

had come for the last rites. From the industry, Rishi Kapoor, David Dhawan, Rahul Rawail had come," Malhotra said. Born as Jagdish Raj Khurana in Sargodha, British India (now part of Pakistan), he acted in films from 1960 till retirement in 1992. Some of his popular movies include "Deewar", "Don", "Shakti", "Mazdoor", "Imaan Dharam", "Gopichand Jasoos", "Silsila", "Aaina" and "Besharam". Though Jagdish occasionally played a villain and a couple of times essayed the role of a judge, he was best known for being cast a record 144 times as a police officer.-PTI

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August 9, 2013

Horoscope

August 9, 2013

India Post

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Your Weekly Future by Pandit Parashar

AUGUST 9 TH - AUGUST 15 TH , 2013 (March 21 to April 20)

here is an overseas trip in the air and you will be travelling for a good reason. Money wise you still have some more time to hit some kind of financial jackpot so keep thinking positive. Planets will improve health and self confidence. With new strategy you will overcome even the strongest competition and do well in career.

(July 23 to August 22)

our bright ideas will bring the results. You will make good use of few people who are capable to help your cause. Jupiter's transit in eleventh will bring some pleasing changes in career and the signs should become visible now. Relationships will keep getting stronger and the final commitment is also in the air.

(April 21 to May 20)

ou will be doing some cleaning in and around your property. Money will come and disappear but you will be able to meet your commitments. Some anxiety about a child will be over. You will enjoy an evening with some well known people of society. Keep working on your professional ideas as success is just around the corner.

(August 23 to September 22)

upiter transit in tenth is auspicious. It will bring peace in mind and you will finally make up your mind about an important issue bothering you for past six months. You will regain confidence and start taking intelligent decisions in life. There will be some dramatic developments in career and new doors will open.

(May 21 to June 20)

ou will meet few interesting people during the course of a trip or business meeting. A big promotion or change in the same organization is imminent. People you rely on will not let you down. Business should pick up from now and on. You may call an old friend after long interval and may even invite him at your place for dinner.

(September 23 to October 22)

ou will be relaxed and enjoy life. Getting mad on the phone will only cause unnecessary delay in getting results. A long awaited payment will finally come. It will be a promising week for people working as brokers. You need to keep an eye on your caffeine or nicotine consumption. Invitation for the big event will come in mail.

(June 21 to July 22)

ontract you had been working on should be finally in your hands. Jupiter will bring new associations and open doors for new partners. Strong Venus on the other hand continue to ease off financial pressure. You should be getting ready for another upcoming and important business trip. Get together will be entertaining.

(October 23 to November 22)

here will be some improvement on financial front. You will make final payment on few debts and obligations. Planets help those who are in sales. You will write two important letters and wait for response. You will be offered another opportunity but little away. You may get rid of money making stocks and pocket profit. (November 23 to December 22)

roperty related issues will get settled. You may be market to purchase another vehicle. Image and self confidence on path of recovery. Chance of getting big amount through a litigation improves. You will be full of bright ideas and receive valuable guidance also. You will be slowly working on an upcoming trip. (December 22 to January 19)

upiter's transit in sixth is very auspicious. You will not feel stuck anymore and will be free to take decisions independently. Expect financial growth from now and on. A new member will be added in the family soon. You will get rid of some ungrateful people from your life.Expect settlement in ongoing legal matters this week. (January 20 to February 18)

ealth issues will come under controls. Expect financial growth from now and on. Very favorable time for people in finances. Soon you will be leaving for an important business trip. Prepare yourself as it is going to be a bigger opportunity than your expectations. Family will be excited about upcoming overseas trip. (February 19 to March 20)

upiter's transit in fourth is very favorable. It will bring peace and prosperity in life. Some one close will benefit from your advice. Financially you will continue to be stable. You will be spending more time with a child and may even help with studies. Some uncertainty and tension at work should disappear too. Pandit Parashar, CEO & COO Astro Scan USA is also available for individual consultations. He can be reached at: parashar@parashar.com

510-886-4370 website: www.parashar.com

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Philosophy

August 9, 2013

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Page Sponsored by Sahanis HELENA PETROVNA BLAVATSKY

ssuredly one who is acquainted with Gnostic literature can hardly help seeing in St. John's Apocalypse, a work of the same school of thought. For we find John saying (chap. x. 3, 4), "Seven thunders uttered their voices . . . and I was about to write . . . (but) I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, 'Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.' " The same injunction is given to Marcus, the same to all other semi and full Initiates. Yet the sameness of equivalent expressions used, and of the underlying ideas, always betrays a portion of the mysteries. We must always seek for more than one meaning in every mystery allegorically revealed, especially in those in which the number seven and its multiplication seven by seven, or forty-nine, appear. Now when the Rabbi Jesus is requested (in Pistis Sophia) by his disciples to reveal to them, "the mysteries of the Light of thy (his) Father" (i.e., of the higher SELF enlightened by Initiation and Divine knowledge), Jesus answers: "Do ye seek after these mysteries? No mystery is more excellent than they which shall bring your souls unto the Light of Lights, unto the place of Truth and Goodness, unto the place where there SWAMI CHIDANANDA

ulasi-Ramayana, popularly known as RamacharitaManas, was started by Tulasidas upon one Sri Rama Navami Day, and it is said that on that particular Rama Navami Day, the heavenly bodies presented the exact identical conjunctions and astronomical juxtapositions as were present upon the actual day of Sri Rama's Avatar upon earth, many thousands of years ago. Thus it may be said that in the birth of this inspiring and lifetransforming poetical work of the great Tulasi Das, we have a reincarnation of that very divinity (this time in a different form) as appeared in the person of Lord Rama previously. The sacred Ramacharita Manas is, therefore, Bhagavan Sri Rama Himself manifesting and expressing through the written word. Tulasi Das himself was fully aware of this fact, for he states in unmistakable terms: "That man who recites or listens to or sings the life story of the ornament of Raghu's Race (Rama) gets cleansed of all impurities of this Iron Age and without difficulty attains straight-away to the divine

is neither male nor female, neither form in that place but Light, everlasting, not to be uttered. “Nothing therefore is more excellent than the mysteries which ye seek after, saving only THE MYSTERY of the seven vowels and their FORTY AND NINE POWERS, and their numbers thereof; and no name is more excellent than all these vowels." "The Seven Fathers and the Forty-nine Sons blaze in DARKNESS, but they are the LIFE and

equally to divisions of time, to cosmography metaphysical and physical, as well as to man and everything else in visible nature. Thus these Seven vowels with their forty-nine powers are identical with the three and the Seven Fires of the Hindus and their forty-nine fires; identical with the numerical mysteries of the Persian Simorgh; identical with those of the Jewish Kabalists. The latter, dwarfing the numbers (their mode of blinds), made

half-man and half-bird - the Vahan or vehicle on which Vishnu (who is Kala, "time") is shown to ride is the origin of all other such allegories. He is the Indian phoenix, the emblem of cyclic and periodical time, the "man-lion" Singha, of whose representations the so-called "gnostic gems" are so full. "Over the seven rays of the lion's crown, and corresponding to their points, stand, in many cases, the seven vowels of the

There is more than one meaning in every mystery

Helena Petrovna Blavatsky

In every esoteric interpretation of exoteric beliefs expressed in allegorical forms, there was the same underlying idea - the basic number seven, the compound of three and four

LIGHT and the continuation thereof through the Great Age" says the Commentary speaking of the "Fires." Now it becomes evident that, in every esoteric interpretation of exoteric beliefs expressed in allegorical forms, there was the same underlying idea - the basic number seven, the compound of three and four, preceded by the divine THREE ( ) making the perfect number ten. Also, these numbers applied

the duration of each successive renewal (what we call in esoteric parlance Round) of the seven renewals of the globe only of 7,000 years, instead of, as is more likely, 7,000,000,000, and assigned to the total duration of the universe 49,000 years only. (Compare § "Chronology of the Brahmins.") Now, the Secret Doctrine furnishes a key which reveals to us on indisputable grounds of comparative analogy that Garuda, the allegorical and monstrous

Greek alphabet [[AEEIOUO]], testifying to the Seven Heavens." This is the Solar lion and the emblem of the Solar cycle, as Garuda is that of the great cycle, the "Maha-Kalpa" co-eternal with Vishnu, and also, of course, the emblem of the Sun, and Solar cycle. This is shown by the details of the allegory. Excerpted from the Secret Doctrine. The 182nd birth anniversary of Madame Blavatsky will be observed on August 12.

abode of Lord Rama." Study of this rare treasure is, therefore, like a dip in the transcendental ocean of Satchidananda itself. It is a nectarine lake bathing in which you attain freedom from all afflictions and casting aside the shackles of birth and death, you rise up into the realm of eternal bliss and immortality. Hail, all Hail, to the divine Ramacharita-Manas.

They hired two murderous ruffians for this purpose, who were to break into the house of Tulasi Das at dead of night and bring away the manuscripts. When these fierce felons had gained entrance into his abode on a dark night and were stealthily moving towards the altar wherein the manuscripts reposed, lo, two shining youths with blazing eyes and

save us, oh, save us from these wrathful, young warriors with terrific looks." Thus, it was that in the life of this great saint a tangible presence and the ever-protecting hand of the Lord was a living fact. Similarly did the divine presence come visibly to his aid, when the then emperor tried to persecute the saint. Lord Hanuman as-

'Tulasi Ramayan a manifestation of Ram himself' The declaration of the Lord in the Gita that he ever abides by those, who constantly think of Him is practically demonstrated in the experience of Tulasi Das. All glory be unto its saintly author. The life of this great saint is filled with a number of inspiring incidents which come as a flood of light revealing to us certain lofty truths of spiritual life. Upon one occasion the jealous enemies of the saintly Tulasi Das wished to destroy the precious manuscripts then being written day-by-day, by the saint.

angered looks confronted them with drawn bows wherein glittered sharp and deadly arrows ready poised to spring forth upon the midnight marauders and make quick end of them, then and there. The ruffians were struck down with fear. They cry out in terror, run up to the sleeping saint and fall at his feet entreating him to protect their lives. They cry: "Oh, sire,

A human being is an eye - the rest is just flesh and bones. Whatever your eye sees, you are that. -Rumi The self I bother about does not really exist, never will, never did - except in my own imagination. -Thomas Merton Those who are nothing particular are noble people. Don't strive - just be ordinary. -Linji Nobody can hurt me without my permission. -Gandhi You will have peace to the extent that you have God, and the further you are away from God the less you will be at peace… -Meister Eckhart Remember: if you can cease all restless activity, your integral nature will appear. -Hua Hu Ching

Tulasi Das

sumed innumerable forms so devastated the capital that the emperor had to come to his knees and ask pardon of saint Tulasi Das. The declaration of the Lord in the Gita that he ever abides by those, who constantly think of Him is practically demonstrated in the experience of Tulasi Das. The 516th birth anniversary of Saint Tulasi Das will be observed on August 13

If you're afraid of being grabbed by God, don't look at a wall. Definitely don't sit still. -Jiyu Kennett Do not grasp it. That which remains when there is no more grasping is the Self. -Panchadasi

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Cards in favor of Pak; Will the US yield?

India Post

D SUBA CHANDRAN

he much awaited strategic dialogue between the US and Pakistan has now resumed after the visit of US Secretary of State John Kerry. Resuming the dialogue is important for both countries, for different reasons. More than the visit by Kerry (and whom all he did or did not meet) and the decision to resume the Strategic Dialogue between the countries, it is important to focus on the following two important questions. Has Pakistan agreed to help the US in easing the exit in Afghanistan especially by reducing its support to the Taliban, primarily the Haqqani network? In return, is

nuclear weapons, ICBMs, air-craft carriers, nuclear submarines and B-52 stealth bombers and be the most powerful nation in the history of mankind. But come 2014, Afghanistan will be seen as a huge American military failure. How will history record the US presence, its success (if any) and its failure in Afghanistan? Will it be seen as worse than Vietnam and Iraq? Even more importantly, what will happen to Afghanistan after 2014? Will it remain stable, or go the Iraqi way? How will national and regional history see American presence in Afghanistan? What will the international reputation of

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif (L) shakes hands with Secretary of State John Kerry prior to their meeting at the Prime Ministerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s House in Islamabad

the US willing to provide a civilian nuclear deal to Pakistan, along the lines of the Indo-US nuclear deal? Other questions, involving the drone attacks, Pak-Iran cooperation on gas pipelines, economy and the new military leadership after General Kayani, are all likely to be secondary and tertiary issues in the strategic dialogue. As of now, Pakistan holds the trump card. The Americans need Pakistan more than the other way around. The Afghan exit, perhaps, is one of the most important strategic choices that Obama's administration has to make at the global level. Certainly, the Obama administration does not want Afghanistan to become another Iraq - towards the end of the American presence, and after the exit. One of the primary objectiveS for Obama's administration in Afghanistan is to exit with a "face", without much of a violence and mayhem, tarnishing the American reputation in achieving its military interest in a third country. The US may have the maximum number of

the US be? The immediate concerns of the Obama administration in Afghanistan are twofold: first, to have a decent and face-saving exit without losing much blood on the ground, and more importantly, its international image. And second, to ensure that there is a semblance of stability in Afghanistan after 2014. For both the above concerns, the US needs Pakistan. In fact, the Pakistani support to the US efforts to reach out to the Taliban in Doha is a calculated move. Without the tacit support of the military and ISI Chiefs in Pakistan, US would not have reached Qatar. It is ironic that the process failed, primarily because of the same reason. Karzai and his administration were aware of the Islamabad and Rawalpindi link to Doha, and were afraid that there was an external solution being imposed on Afghanistan with Pakistan's active inputs. Pakistan is well aware of American needs; obviously, neither

Islamabad, nor Rawalpindi are likely to provide Washington what the latter wants, without getting their pound of flesh. Why would they? For the US has been using and abusing Pakistan in the last six decades, for its own strategic interests; and in return, Pakistan has been smart enough to push its own little regional game, and get away with it. The US was well aware of the genocide in East Pakistan, pilferage and Islamization under Zia and the subsequent nuclearization; but looked the other way, looking at the "larger" picture. What would Pakistan want in return? To stop drone attacks? Economic assistance and aid? Or a civilian nuclear deal? There is a huge misperception that preventing American drone attacks is the most important issue for Pakistan. Utter nonsense. To expect Pakistan's military of being incapable of shooting down the drones would be impossible. Forget about shooting the drones down - how many times were they fired against, either as a warning or as a strategy? Is Pakistan incapable of firing, does it lack sufficient fire power, or is it simply afraid? Remember the Salala raid by the Americans inside the Pakistani territory, resulting in the killing of multiple Pakistani soldiers? After that, Pakistan upped the ante, stopped the NATO supply line and the strategic dialogue. Did the Americans cross the Durand Line again? The Americans are aware of Pakistan's red lines; drones are certainly not one of them. There has always been a clear understanding between the US and Pakistan's leadership (political and military) on the drone attacks. Internal protests and statements are purely for domestic consumption. Even if Pakistan raises the drone attacks in the dialogue - it will remain rhetoric, but the ultimate aim will be something else. It is likely that Pakistan will pitch for a civilian nuclear deal with the US. There have already been proposals from American think tanks that Pakistan should also get a similar nuclear deal from the US. Pakistan is bound to insist to the US: If you want a decent exit from Afghanistan, give us a nuclear deal. As of now, the cards are in Pakistan's favor. Will the US yield? The writer is Director, Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies New Delhi

The last mile

fter 66 years of Independence, India is still discussing its development model. Obviously, if the Nehurvian model had succeeded, there would have been no debate. Today, top economists of the country led particularly by those conveniently settled abroad, are lined up in two camps: one advocating priority to health and education which would bring about growth and the second calling for focus on growth first and the fruits of that growth then can be distributed to bring about health and education and so many other benefits. Both these models continue to talk about policies and are limited as intellectual exercises. On the ground however it is not the policies but their implementation which matters. However grand the policies, India has been failing in their implementation because the exigencies of the last mile are not taken care of. This has been brought home in a stark manner in the case of an IAS officer in Uttar Pradesh who has been suspended for doing her duty. What value are policies if at the point of implementation vested interests block the way of those who are supposed to implement them. So many pious policies have been designed by de facto ruler Sonia Gandhi and her clique in the National Advisory Council and passed obediently by Parliament. But not much care is given to the implementation of these polices. The policies may not be flawed but the men and women entrusted with its implementation have been compromised. Even those belonging to the IAS cadre, trained to implement policies, find to their dismay minor politicians wielding power in their regions preventing them from enforcing law and order. The implementers have been rendered ineffective. And if they defy the mafia like local bosses to implement the lawful orders, they are suspended by their governments or transferred to some ineffective post. In the latest case which has created a nationwide fury, a young IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal has been suspended for taking action against corruption and launching a massive drive against illegal sand mining within her jurisdiction of Gautam Budh Nagar in Uttar Pradesh. Under pressure of this sand mining lobby, which earns hundreds of crores from this illegal business, the young officer was suspended on the ostensible ground of demolishing an illegal mosque wall. Giving a reason the State government feared the demolition of the wall would create communal disturbance even though the District Magistrate of the area has reported that there were no such fears. The controversy over the young woman's suspension has taken on high political color. Congress President Sonia Gandhi has written to the Prime Minister to see that she is not be penalized for standing up against "vested interests." Her letter has evoked a sharp retort from Mulayam Singh Yadav's ruling Samajwadi Party which has asked Sonia to write two more letters: one about the Haryana IAS officer Ashok Khemka who was suspended by the Chief Minister and another to the Rajasthan CM for suspending two IAS officers. In both the cases, the name of Sonia's son-in-law Robert Vadra cropped up. These cases were related to land deals. So, she should write two more letters to PM so that justice is done in all these cases, an SP leader remarked. What this to and fro allegations prove is that governments whether at the Center or in the States frequently keep transferring inconvenient bureaucrats and officers who might be doing just what they are supposed to be doing. When these officers come up against wrongdoings by their own masters, either they kill their conscience and become pliable instruments or they dare to take action and get transferred or suspended. That is why the policy benefits do not reach the last mile and poverty continues to be a stark reality. It is high time the governments paid attention to not only implementing the policies but taking care of those who are entrusted with implementing polices.

August 9, 2013

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