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South Asia Times Vol.14 I No. 9 I APRIL 2017 I FREE s o u t hasiatim es.com .au Editor: Neeraj Nanda
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SAT NEWS BUREAU/Australia (Melbourne) Neeraj Nanda satimes@gmail.com
SAT NEWS BUREAU/South Asia (New Delhi, India) RAJIV SHARMA rajeev.anchor@gmail.com PRASHAT TANDON news.prashant@gmail.com
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The Australian Prime Minister Hon. Malcolm Turnbull MP, visited India from 9 to 12 April 2017. He met the Indian President Parnab Mukherjee, Vice President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj among others during his visit. The visit has been widely reported in the traditional and social media. Following is the joint India-Australia statement issued during the visit.
India-Australia Joint Statement during the State visit of Prime Minister of Australia to India
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he Prime Minister of Australia, the Hon Malcolm Turnbull MP, paid a state visit to India from 9 to 12 April 2017 at the invitation of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. Prime Minister Turnbull called on President Pranab Mukherjee and Vice President Mohamad Hamid Ansari. External Affairs Minister Smt. Sushma Swaraj called on the visiting Prime Minister. Prime Minister Turnbull will also travel to Mumbai for engagements with Indian business leaders and a meeting with the Governor of Maharashtra.
PARTNERS IN THE INDO-PACIFIC
The two Prime Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to a peaceful and prosperous IndoPacific, based on mutual respect and cooperation. Australia and India share a commitment to democratic values, rule of law, international peace and security, and shared prosperity. The strategic and economic interests of both countries are converging which opens up opportunities for working together in a rapidly changing region. The Prime Ministers agreed to draw on the strengths of each country to create jobs and investment and raise living standards. Prime Minister Turnbull and
Prime Minister Modi agreed that Australia’s resources and experience could support India’s ambitious economic reform path and that India’s strong growth offered opportunities for Australian investment looking for long term stable returns. The Prime Ministers underscored the vital role of people-to-people links and especially of the vibrant Indian-origin community in Australia, which makes a strong contribution to Australian society and to the growing bilateral relations. Australia is a growing destination of choice for Indian students, and the New Colombo Plan is building the knowledge
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of hundreds of young Australians of India. The Prime Ministers welcomed progress in the flourishing knowledge partnership between Australia and India, building on the strong links in higher education, skills development and science, technology and innovation. Recognising that an economically prosperous Indo-Pacific region is underpinned by stability and security, the two leaders underscored the importance of respecting the maritime legal order based on the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Both leaders recognised that India and Australia
south asia 4 South Asia Timestimes share common interests in ensuring maritime security and the safety of sea lines of communication. Both leaders recognised the importance of freedom of navigation and overflight, unimpeded lawful commerce, as well as resolving maritime disputes by peaceful means, in accordance with international law, including UNCLOS. STRATEGIC - WORKING TOGETHER The Prime Ministers committed to deepening the bilateral defence and security partnership. They welcomed the significant progress achieved through the bilateral Framework for Security Cooperation agreed in 2014. The two countries have achieved a broad-based defence and security partnership, which continues to expand. The Prime Ministers agreed that the bilateral maritime exercise first held in the Bay of Bengal in 2015 (AUSINDEX) will be repeated off Western Australia in the first half of 2018. As fellow Indian Ocean nations, the two Prime Ministers also underscored Australia and India’s joint commitment to enhancing regional cooperation in promoting maritime safety and security. The leaders welcomed the important role of the bilateral White Shipping Agreement. Both countries remain strongly committed to the breadth of their defence ties, including through ongoing annual staff talks for Army, Navy and Air Forces. The two Prime Ministers recalled the Special Forces Bilateral Exercise conducted in October 2016 and looked forward to the next iteration of the Exercise later this year. They also welcomed a decision for the first bilateral Army-to-Army exercise to take place in 2018. They looked forward to the inaugural secretaries’ defence and foreign affairs dialogue in the "2+2" format as a new mechanism to build on the deep strategic partnership. As the Defence relations expand, enhanced defence representation is envisaged on both sides over the coming years. Recognizing that terrorism constitutes one of the most serious threats to peace and stability, the two Prime Ministers reiterated their strong commitment to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and stressed that there can be no justification for acts of terror on any grounds whatsoever. They asserted that the fight against terrorists, terror organisations and networks should also identify, hold
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accountable and take strong measures again stall those who encourage, support and finance terrorism, provide sanctuary to terrorists and terror groups, and falsely extol their virtues. They emphasised the need for urgent measures to counter and prevent the spread of terrorism and violent extremism and radicalization and expressed their determination to take concrete measures to step up cooperation and coordination among the law enforcement, intelligence and security organisations. Noting that both countries have been victims of terrorism, the two Prime Ministers welcomed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Combating International Terrorism and Transnational Organized Crime. This overarching security understanding will allow links between Australian and Indian law enforcement, border and intelligence agencies to grow – ultimately improving both countries’ ability to address global and regional security threats. They also welcomed the Indian Ocean Rim Association’s (IORA) Declaration on Countering and Preventing Terrorism and Violent Extremism, adopted at the IORA Leaders’ Summit. India and Australia already cooperate closely on counter-terrorism through the bilateral Joint Working Group on CounterTerrorism. The two Prime Ministers expressed their support for peace, stability, prosperity, security and integrity of Afghanistan. They emphasized the need for an early peace and reconciliation through Afghan-owned and Afghanled process; and called for ending external support for terrorism. TAKING OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR REGION AND BEYOND Australia and India share a commitment to strengthening the international rules-based system. The two Prime Ministers agreed to strengthen cooperation across regional and multilateral institutions and coordinate more closely on strengthening the regional architecture. The two Prime Ministers welcomed continued and deepened trilateral cooperation and dialogue among Australia, India and Japan. They agreed to invest in trilateral consultations with third countries to enhance regional and global peace and security. The Prime Ministers committed to working together to strengthen the
East Asia Summit (EAS) the premier regional forum for leader-led strategic dialogue and addressing strategic, political and economic issues. They reaffirmed that building cooperative maritime partnerships should be a priority area for EAS engagement. Agreeing to share experiences and build partnerships for protection of marine resources, prevent environmental degradation, and tap the potential of the blue economy, the two Prime Ministers took note of the EAS Conference on Maritime Security and Cooperation organised by India in Goa and the EAS Seminar on Maritime Security Cooperation organised by Australia in Sydney in November 2016 which contributed towards realisations of these objectives. The two Prime Ministers underlined the need to address the challenges of irregular migration, people smuggling and human trafficking. Both countries are committed to preventing the abuse and exploitation of migrants and refugees at the hands of smugglers and traffickers. They recalled that Australia and India had recently signed the EAS Declaration on Strengthening Responses to Migrants and Trafficking in Persons. They committed to deepen efforts to deter and disrupt people smuggling and human trafficking, including to ensure the return of persons, subject to verification by Indian and Australian authorities. They resolved to facilitate investigation and prosecution of offenders and ensure humanitarian treatment of trafficked persons during the pendency of procedures. They agreed to develop guidelines to enhance cooperation, consistent with both countries’ sovereignty, international law and respective domestic laws. The two Prime Ministers welcomed both countries’ increased engagement with ASEAN, including recent milestones and achievements in their respective relationships, forthcoming Leaders’ Summits in both countries with ASEAN, and noted the growing strategic importance of South-East Asia. They recognised ongoing cooperation in other regional bodies such as the ASEAN Regional Forum, and ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM+), and the Asia Europe Meeting. Prime Minister Turnbull reiterated Australia’s support for India’s membership of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC).
The two Prime Ministers highlighted their shared desire to ensure that Indian Ocean architecture keeps pace with regional issues and addresses emerging threats and challenges in the region. They reaffirmed their strong commitment to IORA and noted with appreciation that Australia and India had co-sponsored the IORA Declaration on Gender Equality and Women’s Economic Empowerment in October 2016. The two Prime Ministers reaffirmed the importance of reform of the UN system, including the Security Council, to better reflect contemporary realities. Prime Minister Modi welcomed Australia’s continuing support for India as a permanent member in a reformed United Nations Security Council. The two Prime Ministers reiterated their support for continued bilateral nuclear cooperation. Prime Minister Turnbull noted Australia’s strong support for India’s membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group. Australia welcomed India’s joining of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) which would strengthen global non-proliferation objectives. Australia also expressed its support for India’s membership of the Australia Group and the Wassenaar Arrangement. The two Prime Ministers reaffirmed the importance of the G20 as the premier forum for international economic cooperation. They discussed the maintenance of efforts towards trade liberalisation and reform and the need to implement G20 anti-protectionist measures. The two Prime Ministers reasserted their commitment to meeting the challenges of climate change and implementing the Paris Climate Change Agreement. They were pleased to witness the signing of the MOU on Environment, Climate and Wildlife to strengthen collaboration on domestic action on climate change and improve environmental data collection. SHARED PROSPERITY Recognising India’s strong economic trajectory, Prime Minister Turnbull informed Prime Minster Modi he would commission an India Economic Strategy to define a pathway for the Australian business community to collaborate with India on its reform agenda. Prime Minister Modi welcomed the announcement and acknowledged Australia as an important partner to support India in its growth path. The two Prime Ministers
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agreed that shared prosperity and growth prospects are best served by an open, global trading system and a rules-based international, order. India and Australia are keen to secure a timely conclusion of a high quality Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). RCEP can provide a boost to regional economic confidence in a time of global uncertainty – but to do so it needs to deliver commercially meaningful outcomes for business. The Prime Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to the conclusion of a commercially meaningful Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), which addresses the priorities of both sides. The two Prime Ministers looked forward to the next Australia Business Week in India, planned for the second half of 2017. They recognised the importance of the Australia-India CEO Forum to explore practical measures to support further business engagement. ENERGY, RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT The two Prime Ministers agreed that energy and resources will continue to remain an important aspect of the bilateral relationship. Opportunities for collaboration will continue to expand as India’s energy mix evolves, including through the Australia India Energy Dialogue. Prime Minister Turnbull underlined Australia’s position as a reliable and innovative partner in meeting India’s energy security needs. The two Prime Ministers agreed to build on collaboration on a wide range of energy resources. Prime Minister Turnbull congratulated Prime Minister Modi on his leadership in advancing solar energy globally through the establishment of the International Solar Alliance. Prime Minister Turnbull announced that Australia intends to join the alliance. Prime Minister Modi welcomed the passage of the Civil Nuclear Transfers to India Act through the Australian Parliament and both Prime Ministers anticipated commercial exports of Australian uranium could begin soon, opening up a new avenue for Australia to support Indian electricity generation. Prime Minister Turnbull briefed Prime Minister Modi on the Australia-India mining partnership at the Indian Institute of TechnologyIndian School of Mines (IITISM), Dhanbad. Partnership activities with Australian institutions include
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research and development collaboration, training and technology transfer. EDUCATION AND SKILLS Noting the centrality of education to the bilateral relationship, the Prime Ministers welcomed the growing numbers of students in each other’s countries. Australia is the second most popular destination for Indians studying overseas. An increasing number of Australians are coming to India to study, including under the New Colombo Plan, through which more than 1790 undergraduates have sought the opportunity to study and intern in India since 2015. The Prime Ministers welcomed the growing opportunities to partner in the skills sector. Prime Minister Turnbull emphasised the role Australia’s industry-led vocational education and training system, qualifications and training providers could play in India’s program to train 400 million people by 2022. INNOVATION AND SCIENCE The Prime Ministers celebrated the tenth anniversary of the Australia India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF). Since its establishment,
EDITORIAL page the two governments have committed over $100 million (Rs 500 crore) to the AISRF and the program has supported some 300 collaborative activities including joint projects, workshops and fellowships. Its projects have delivered practical outcomes to improve agricultural productivity, develop vaccines for infectious diseases and advance work on quantum computing. The Prime Ministers were pleased to note that a further seven project teams of Indian and Australian researchers will be supported over the next three years following the successful conclusion of the most recent AISRF funding round. Recognising the need for innovation in reaching shared aspirations in productivity and efficiency, the two Prime Ministers agreed to continue fostering collaboration between entrepreneurs developing innovative products for commercial application. They also noted both Australia and India were pursuing Smart Cities agendas and had expertise and experience to share. The two Prime Ministers welcomed the deepening bilateral collaboration to address water management challenges, including
sustainable water use. With India launching large-scale infrastructure projects in water, strong existing bilateral cooperation has laid the foundation for building commercial partnerships. The two Prime Ministers welcomed the signing of the two Implementing Arrangements between Indian Space Research Organization and Geoscience Australia on cooperation in space technology. SPORTS AND HEALTH COOPERATION The two Prime Ministers agreed to continue to develop opportunities through connecting Australia’s global reputation for sports excellence and expertise with India’s ambition to improve its sports administration and infrastructure. The two Prime Ministers were pleased that Australian universities were partnering with the Indian Government to establish an Indian National Sports University. The Prime Ministers welcomed the renewal of the Australia-India MOU on Sports Cooperation, expanding cooperation to include sport sciences, sports governance and
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integrity, athlete and coach training and grassroots participation. Prime Minister Turnbull was also pleased to invite elite Indian sports teams to train in Australia ahead of the 2018 Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast. The two Prime Ministers were pleased to build on longstanding collaboration in the health sector through an MOU and committed to continue cooperation in this field. BUILDING ON OUR CULTURAL AND PEOPLETO-PEOPLE LINKS Prime Minister Turnbull noted the significant contribution of the Indian diaspora in Australia, both in economic and cultural terms. With increasing two-way tourist numbers, both Prime Ministers noted that people-to-people links are vital to promoting mutual understanding and respect between the two countries. Prime Minister Turnbull congratulated Prime Minister Modi on Confluence, the Festival of India in Australia, which toured Australian cities in 2016 to great acclaim. The two Prime Ministers highlighted the importance of bilateral parliamentary exchanges, and looked forward to greater official parliamentary cooperation
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in 2017. AGREEMENTS The following bilateral memoranda of understanding were exchanged in the presence of the two Prime Ministers: i. MoU on Cooperation in Combating International Terrorism and Transnational Organized Crime ii. MoU on Cooperation in the Field of Health and Medicine iii. MoU on Cooperation in Sports iv. MoU on Cooperation in the Field of Environment, Climate and Wildlife v. MoU for Promotion and Development of Cooperation in Civil Aviation Security vi. Implementing Arrangements on Cooperation in Space Technology Prime Minister Turnbull renewed his invitation to Prime Minister Modi to visit Australia at a mutually convenient time. Both sides agreed that the visit of Prime Minister Turnbull to India led to strengthening of the cooperative relations between the two countries, and will provide further impetus for the future development of the strategic partnership. Source: Facebook page Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, Monday, April 10, 2017.
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Hindu Society of Victoria ordered to pay $ 77,000 to Indian worker in compliance verdict
‘Ignoring a Compliance Notice is a contravention of the Fair Work Act’ By Medianet & SAT News Desk
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elbourne, 23 March: The Hindu Society of Victoria (HSV) has been slammed with a compliance notice to pay a $ 77,000 to an Indian man working as a foreign worker for it in Melbourne, found to have been underpaid the said amount. The order came on a review by the Fair Work Ombudsman. The damning compliance order comes amidst rumours the Indian man was actually ready to do a deal with the HSV for $ 3,000 plus an airfare to return back home in Chennai, India. But the HSV did not agree for unknown reasons. Dr. Noel Nadesan, Editor of Udhayam Tamil newspaper (now a website) talking to SAT said, “Many years back a similar issue came up in the Helensbrg Temple in Sydney and Uthayam raised the issue. Through a union intervention the matter was settled. Hopefully the Fair Work Ombudsman order will be a lesson to the HSV and other businesses who bring in workers from poor countries, under pay them and get away with it.” “Breaching the law is no excuse for claiming to be doing a religious/social activity”, he said. The case involves an Indian man, aged in his 40s, who was sponsored by the Hindu Society of Victoria (HSV) on a 428 religious worker visa to come to Australia to work at its Melbourne temple, located at Carrum Downs. The worker was employed at the temple from June 2011 until November 2012, when he severely injured his hand on a flour-grinder while performing cooking duties in the temple’s canteen. After the worker subsequently lodged an underpayment allegation, the Fair Work Ombudsman investigated and determined the worker had performed a significant amount of work in the temple’s canteen for which he was entitled to have been paid the minimum entitlements for a grade one cook under the Restaurant Industry Award.
This included minimum hourly rates of more than $16.50 and $17 an hour, plus penalty rates of between $20.71 and $41.43 an hour for weekend, public holiday and overtime work. However, the Fair Work Ombudsman determined that the HSV had paid the worker less than $15 an hour for 2823.5 hours of work and nothing at all for a further 2014.5 hours of work. The Fair Work Ombudsman issued the organisation a Compliance Notice requiring it to back-pay the worker a total of $77,754. The HSV lodged an application in the Federal Circuit Court challenging the Notice. This is the first time an employer’s application to review a Compliance Notice in Court proceeded to determination. In a significant interlocutory ruling during the course of the case, Judge Grant Riethmuller found that when contesting a Compliance Notice in Court, the employer bares the onus of proving they have paid employees correctly. “The employer is uniquely positioned with respect to the production of evidence to demonstrate that the allegations in the compliance
notice are not correct,” Judge Riethmuller said. “In the event that the employer is keeping records as required under the regulations, one would expect that these would be relatively easy matters to prove.” In the substantive hearing, the Hindu Society of Victoria submitted that the Fair Work Ombudsman’s assessment was wrong and the Restaurant Industry Award did not apply - but Judge Riethmuller has now dismissed the argument, which means the Hindu Society of Victoria must now back-pay the employee according to the Compliance Notice. In his judgment, Judge Riethmuller noted that the annual gross revenue of the temple’s canteen was more than $280,000 during the Indian worker’s employment and had subsequently increased to more than $600,000. “The takings of the canteen and the extent of its work (particularly with catering) makes it clear that the canteen had significantly outgrown a purely religious service,” he said. Fair Work Ombudsman Natalie James says that the Agency will continue to use Compliance Notices to secure
back-payment for underpaid employees outside of the Courts, saving significant resources. “Compliance Notices will continue to be an efficient and effective tool precisely because they enable us to secure back-payment for underpaid employees without the cost to the public purse associated with appearing in Court,” Ms James said. The Fair Work Ombudsman identifies more than $20 million in underpayments at thousands of Australian businesses each year. The large majority of these cases are resolved through the Fair Work Ombudsman working co-operatively with employers to assist them to voluntarily back-pay employees and put processes in place to ensure ongoing compliance. However, in a minority of cases in which employers refuse to co-operate, Fair Work Inspectors have the power to issue a Compliance Notice demanding backpayment within a short time frame, such as 14 or 28 days. Ms James says: “We will continue to issue Compliance Notices in situations where, after careful consideration of available evidence, we are satisfied that an employee
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has been underpaid – but the employer is refusing to co-operate and back-pay the employee. “We respect the right of any employer who believes we have erred to contest a Compliance Notice in Court – but employers pursuing this avenue should note that they must be ready to present evidence to prove they have paid employees correctly.” Ms James says employers should also note that simply ignoring a Compliance Notice is a contravention of the Fair Work Act and can result in an employer facing a penalty, in addition to having to comply with the Compliance Notice and back-pay employees in full. Employers and employees seeking assistance can visit www.fairwork.gov. au or contact the Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94. An interpreter service is available by calling 13 14 50 and information on the website is translated into 27 different languages. Resources available on the website include templates for pay slips and time-andwages sheets and the Pay and Conditions Tool (PACT), which provides advice about pay and other entitlements.
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Sankat Mochan’s ‘Rang Barse’ a big success
By SAT News Desk
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Melbourne: It was big fun, entertainment, music, dances and lots of colours at the Holi-Rang Barse Festival of Colours 2017 at the Clayton Campus, Monash University. It was sunny with the temperature hitting 32, thousands danced around throwing colours at each other. The Culturalprogram offered by the SMS children, youth and senior teams was the highlight of the day. Kidsenjoyed the variety of rides including the most popular Camel rides. Playing with beautiful dry coloursand smearing it on each other’s face was tremendous fun, DJ Ash provided the continuous stream ofmusic and the climax was uninterrupted dancing. It was great fun full of spirit of sharing the good will, friendly comradeship bringing thepeople with different cultural, religious and national background.
The festival brought the people and thecommunities together sharing the ambience of better understanding of Indian culture and togetherness. The day started with the Ganesh Vandana and Sankat Mochan Path by Arvind and Dr. Sunila Shrivastava in the morning, while the crowd was just starting to build. By mid-day the colours stall got busy and people started to chase their friends and family members to share the colour. People along with the kids were lining up to get their turns on the different rides. The crowd was graduallyswelling up and the music was also inviting them to dance. As the guests arrived they were welcomed by the the SMS committee. Hon Steve Dimopoulos MP representing the Premier and theMinister of Cultural Affairs, Cr. James, Stuart - Deputy Mayor City of Monash, Dr. Mimmie Watts -Commissioner VMC and Mr Vladimir PrpichExecutive Director, Campus
Community Division MonashUniversity were invited to give speechs. The speakers praised the efforts of the SMS and the contributions of the City of Monash, VMC and Monash University for the event, which brought the people with differentbackground together. Jan Garjana Drum
players then entertained the audience with their rhythmic andinteresting beats. The young dancers of 6 years of age then mesmerized the audience with their Bollywooddance. The seniors group then entertained with 50’s Bollywood number, which enthralled every one.
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The dedicated efforts of Mr. Darren McLeodof Monash University, Ms. Emma Smith of the City of Monash, and event coordinator Raj Yadav madethis dream come true. The SMS Holi committee, volunteers and the participation of the Monash Hindu Society worked hard to make it a successful event.
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Next 19 months exciting: Mathew Guy
By Neeraj Nanda
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elbourne,25 March: The Daniel Andrews Labour government came under heavy criticism from the Leader of opposition and Liberal leaderMr. Mathew Guy who was addressing a Liberal fundraiser organised by the Multicultural Liberal Business Club (MLBC) at the Hungarian Centre today evening. Mr. Guy described “the next 19 months as exciting” leading to the Victorian elections. “Victoria can do better and we will govern for all Victorians, not just
chosen unions”, he said. Referring to the Labour Government abandoning the East-West Link project, Mr Guy said, “I will build the East-West Link.” The
fundraiser attended mainly by multicultural Liberal branches and supporters saw a cultural segment with dances followed by an Indian dinner.
Farewell to Madhu Menon after 4 years stint in Australia
By our community reporter
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elbourne, 16 March: Air India staff, community leaders and the travel fraternity today bid farewell to Madhu Menon, who is joining as international marketing head at the Air India headquarters in New Delhi soon. Madhu Menon has completed his four year’s termwith Air India in Melbourne and is credited with kicking off and
consolidating Air India’s services between Australia and India. Addressing the gathering Madhu Menon said, “the Air India Australia sector was the most successful one.” “Air India has been successful in this sector because of the support of the community and the hard work of its staff,” he said. Monika Thukral, the new
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Airport Manager, Melbourne said, “Madhu has been a big support in her new assignment in Australia.” Many including MituBhowmick, Mind Blowing Films, the travel fraternity including Ashwani of Gaura Travels andSrikant among others wished Madhu all the best for his new assignment and felt he will be missed here.
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community
Colourful Holi in West Footscray A By SAT News Desk
massive Holi celebration took place in West Footscray’s Barkly Village on Sunday 26 March. The predominantly Indian and multicultural road saw the throwing of colours, cultural games, roller disco, craft activities, jumping castles, face painting, henna, Tattoos, fiood stalls, street dancing, live music and lots of other entertainment. The highlight of the colourful day was the presence of mainstream Australia in great numbers. It was, no doubt, a multicultural celebration. The program was
sponsored by the West Footscray Neighbourhood House, Festival Chip, Maribyrnong City Council, VMC, The Indian Weekly, SAT, Katoomba, Bharat
Traders, Aangan and Bollywood Beauty. The organisers did a good job and participation of local businesses was great.
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where businesses can sign up and resolve any complaints that are raised. Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade Philip Dalidakis said, “Victoria’s new voluntary Code will give big businesses the chance to help our economy and take a stand on this important
payment lags as long as 120 days beingreported in some instances. Managing cash flow is consistently reported as the most important issue facing small businesses, with latepayment of invoices negatively impacting small businesses trying to creating new jobs and expand. Late payment times cause a ripple effect throughout the economy, as they are transmitted throughout the supplychain, successively reducing cash flow for all businesses along the way. The new Code will be open for public consultation to give businesses the opportunity to have their say on theissue before 1 July 2017. The Victorian Small Business Commissioner Judy O’Connell said, “Managing cash flow is critical for the success of small businesses and late payments can cause major headaches,so this new code will play an important role in strengthening this crucial sector which makes such an importantcontribution to our economy.”
Victoria’s Fair Payment Code to plug late payments By SAT News Desk
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Melbourne, 11 April: The Andrews Labor Government will introduce an Australianfirst voluntary Fair Payment Code of Practice to helpcrack down on late payments and encourage all businesses to pay their small business suppliers on time. Victoria is taking the lead on this important national issue, which has a serious impact on the resources of smallbusinesses who often need cash flow to continue to be viable and take on new jobs. Based on a similar initiative in the UK, the Fair Payment Code of Practice will require businesses to voluntarilypledge to pay suppliers on time, communicate clearly with suppliers, resolve disputes quickly and adopt fairpayment practices throughout their businesses. Under the Code, businesses will be required to pay small and medium sized business suppliers
within 30 days ofreceiving a tax invoice and to not change the settlement period without a valid reason. The Code will come into effect on 1 July 2017 and will be administered by Victorian Small Business Commissioner(VSBC), who will manage a new website
issue which negatively impacts so many small businesses across our state and nationally.” Evidence in Australia and overseas has shown that some larger businesses are implementing increasingly longerpayment times, with 60 to 90 day terms becoming common practice and
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Fair Work Ombudsman: Widespread worker exploitation at United Petroleum outlets By SAT News Desk
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elbourne, 6 April: More than 40 per cent of audited outlets of the United Petroleum retail fuel sites have been found to be underpaying employees, a Fair Work Ombudsman Activity Report has found. Nineteen employees were underpaid $12 105.09 during the Activity period. Many of the underpaid employees were migrant workers who had minimal knowledge of their rights and entitlements. The Fair Work Ombudsman commenced compliance activity at United Petroleum fuel retail sites in September 2015 after media reports alleged that some console operators were being underpaid. The twelve sites reviewed included eleven that were owned by franchisees or commission agents and one site that was staffed by Keycomp Pty Ltd employees. Keycomp is an associated entity of United Petroleum. It engaged employees to work in United Petroleum outlets where ownership of a particular site was in a period of transition. Fair Work Inspectors audited the pay records of 80 console operators who were employed at United Petroleum by franchisees, commission agents or Keycomp. Of the twelve outlets included in the activity: Five outlets (representing more than 40 per cent of the 11 outlets with employees) were non-compliant with Fair Work Laws and the relevant award, the Vehicle Manufacturing, Repair, Services and Retail Award 2010. Forty oneof the employees engaged by franchisees, commission
backgrounds with minimal knowledge or experience of Australia’s workplace laws. United Petroleum did not have any process or system in place to test whether its franchisees or commission agents were paying employees correctly or applying the modern award correctly. At the request of the Fair Work Ombudsman, United Petroleum then conducted an audit of all Keycomp console operates. This audit found that a further 27 employees were owed $8,445.74 in underpayments. All of the underpayments identified during the audits resulted from franchisees, commission agents and Keycomp Pty Ltd applying flat rates of pay for all hours worked and incorrectly applying modern award penalty rates, in particular weekend and overtime rates. Acting Fair Work Ombudsman Michael Campbell says the findings
involved migrant workers. We know that migrant workers, especially student visa holders, can be vulnerable if they are not fully aware of their workplace rights and they are often reluctant to complain,” Mr Campbell said. “In one instance, a franchisee was found to have paid five casual student visa holders just $18.70 per hour when, under the relevant award, they should have received at least $25.05 per hour.” To date, the Fair Work Ombudsman has responded to the Activity findings by: Entering into two Enforceable Undertakings with two outletsand issuing two Compliance Notices and two Letters of Caution to a franchisee and a commission agent for underpaying casual employees. Issuing a further Letter of Caution to a second commission agent for
at any of its fuel outlets. However, the Fair Work Ombudsman is still considering expanding its investigation into the compliance history of Keycomp Pty Ltd. This would include the potential involvement of its Directors in contraventions of workplace laws, says a Fair Work Ombudsman media release. United Petroleum’s new Chief Executive Officer has commenced discussions with the Fair Work Ombudsman canvassing systems and processes that can be implemented to ensure future compliance with workplace laws at its outlets. The Fair Work Ombudsman confirmed that in addition to any new Requests for Assistance it may receive which require an investigation as to allegations of serious noncompliance, it will also be conducting a follow up compliance activity to
agents and Keycomp were visa-holders, including 31 student visa holders. Many of the franchisees and commission agents operating United Petroleum outlets were from non-English speaking
are concerning, especially given that many of the contraventions relate to vulnerable migrant workers. “During our Activity we found that a significant number of the contraventions identified
underpaying part-time employees their minimum entitlements. “United Petroleum has advised the Fair Work Ombudsman that Keycomp Pty Ltd no longer employs any console operators
ensure the United Petroleum network is complying with the law. Tools to assist employers to comply with workplace laws are available at www.fairwork.gov. au.Resources include a
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The twelve sites reviewed included eleven that were owned by franchisees or commission agents and one site that was staffed by Keycomp Pty Ltd employees. Pay and Conditions Tool (PACT) that employers can use to determine the pay rates applicable to their employees, including base pay rates, allowances, overtime and penalty rates. Intelligence can be provided confidentially at www. fairwork.gov.au/tipoff. —Source: AAP Medianet.
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Trident – Indian fusion ensemble By SAT News Desk
audience on a memorable journey
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elbourne: India. A land known for its diversity and its rich musical heritage. And when it comes to India’s music, it truly is a colourful offering of differing tastes and genres. There’s folk music. There’s spiritual music. There’s classical music of two kinds – Hindustani and Carnatic. There is the IndiPopmusic segment and then of course, there is Bollywood and Kollywood music. What do you get when you combine all of that? Mouth-wateringly delectable FUSION. That’s what you get. Trident is one such band, which will serve up a wonderful platter of music, each song capturing various moods of India.But wait there’s more! Trident combines the best of India with the arrangement styles of the West. So belt-up and prepare yourself for an evening like no other on ay 20th at the Drum Theatre. Commissioned by the Drum Theatre and Patterson Cheney Toyota, this fusion show is expected to be one of memorable shows of
the year. The melodies, the rhythms, the voices and the sheer energy of this show will stay with you for weeks to come. SIYER - Lead Vocals SIYER is a hugely versatile singer and with over 17 years of experience, he has enthralled audiences across various countries. With more than 500 concerts to his name, he has worked with the best in the industry.
As a singer-songwriter he is comfortable across many genres, be it spiritual, folk, western and Indian. He has worked with legends of Indian music, like Shankar Mahadevan and GRAMMY award winner Ricky Kej. When it comes to live performances, SIYER has built a strong reputation as an entertainer and regardless of the type of performance, he always succeeds in taking the
Jay Dabgar - Tabla / Percussion Our 'Master-Blaster' Tabla player Jay Dabgar comes from a family of Tabla makers in India, and brings with him the legacy of the BenarasGharana style of Table playing. Having learnt the art from his Gurus, PanditNandan Mehta and PanditPooranMaharaj for more than 25 years, he has won several accolades, and has performed extensively with many renowned musicians in India. He has also made a remarkable contribution to the Australian music arena since moving here in 2006 and is one of the first-choice tabla-players for touring artistes - both international and western. Jay is an accredited All India Radio (AIR) and a recipient of a music scholarship from the Government of India, having performed with GRAMMY award winner Pt. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt and many more. Ravi Madhawan Harmonium/Keys Multi-instrumentalist Ravi
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Madhawan brings something special to Trident. Keep your eyes peeled for Ravi, for he can go from playing the Keyboard to the Harmonium, to the rhythm section and on the vocals quite seamlessly.He lends Trident immense flexibility and is key to Trident being able to blend both the choice of instruments as well as the various genres of music. Ravi has a deep interest in spiritual and sufimusic and is a massive follower of the Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan brand of music. Along with these three musicians the show will feature seasoned musicians like GurinderBhogal on the drums, Sanjay Chand on Bass, DeepshValob on Octopads&Mridangam and Nitin Toora on Lead Guitar to complete the Trident setup. Accompanying Siyer will be Sneha Mahajan as the female lead vocalist for the night. Along with this exciting six-piece fusion band, the show will feature a six-piece backing vocals section with some of Melbourne’s finest singers. So hurry and select your seats for this wonderful concert.
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Robin Scott announces Indian hub for Monash By SAT community reporter
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elbourne. 12 April: Monash in Melbourne’s south east could be home to Victoria’s next Indian cultural centre. The Monash City Council has been granted $50,000 for a feasibility study to examine the needs of the local Indiancommunity, identify service gaps and assess the viability of a community centre for the area. With sites already earmarked for Dandenong and Wyndham, these hubs provide a space for Indian people tocome together and celebrate their culture and heritage with the broader community. Minister for Multicultural Affairs Robin Scott was today joined by Member for Oakleigh Steve Dimopoulos andlocal Mayor Rebecca Paterson to announce the study, which is expected to take three months. Addressing a select gathering of community activists and leaders, Minister for Multicultural Affairs Robin Scott said,
“We should be proud of our multiculturalism, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t require work. This study will help usdirect our efforts.” “These hubs provide another opportunity to celebrate and share Indian culture with the broader local community,” he said. Talking to SAT about the
progress of the proposed Indian prescient in Dandenong, Mr. Scott said, “It was with the Dandenong Council and consultations were on. An announcement is possible soon as consultations end.” Monash’s local demographics have seen a significant transformation over the past decade, with
the Indianpopulation more than doubling between 2001 and 2011. It’s a change that means the south eastern corridor accounts for almost a third of Melbourne’s South Asianpopulation. Victoria is home to Australia’s largest Indian community, with more than 111,700 Victorians having
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been born inIndia. State Member for Oakleigh Steve Dimopoulos said, “We’ve got a rapidly growing Indian community in Monash and it’s vital we support and embrace that. This is a first step in identifying opportunities that will give Indian people a greater sense of belonging andcontribution.”
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Commemorating Commonwealth Games with currency By SAT News Desk
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anberra, 30 March: Borobi, the official mascot of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games (GC2018), has not only found a spot in many Australian hearts, he has also now taken over one of our currency – the $1 coin – revealed at the Royal Australian Mint here. Sports Minister Greg Hunt, Tourism Minister Steven Ciobo and Small Business Minister Michael McCormack this morning joined Gold Coast Corporation Chairman Peter Beattie, as well as Royal Australian Mint CEO Ross MacDiarmid, to unveil the new coin. Sharing the dream by visiting Canberra for the very first time, Borobi made his mark on a new collectible $1 coin, proving to be the perfect souvenir to celebrate the excitement and lead-up to the Games. Sports Minister Greg Hunt said it was exciting to have Borobi visit Canberra and get the nation excited about the Commonwealth Games and sport participation. “Borobi is the perfect mascot not only for the Games and this coin but also for encouraging participation in sport which ultimately brings communities together, improves our health and celebrates Australian culture,” Mr Hunt said. Minister for Tourism, Trade and Investment and Gold Coast-based MP Steven Ciobo said the coin will be a great souvenir for the many tourists who will want to celebrate the sport, art and culture of the Games. “The Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games will be a significant driver for tourism in Australia and a meaningful yet fun souvenir is the perfect way to help showcase the Gold Coast and Australia to the world,” Mr Ciobo said. Small Business Minister Michael McCormack, who is responsible for the Mint, said featuring Borobi in colour on these coins is a great way to share the excitement of the Games with both the young and young at heart. “The Royal Australian
Mint plays an important role in commemorating significant national events and Borobi on a coin is a fun way to celebrate and remember the Commonwealth Games for years to come,” Mr McCormack said. Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation (GOLDOC) Chairman Peter Beattie AC said the commemorative coin was a great anniversary present for Borobi. “Just over 12 months ago, Borobi announced himself to the world in spectacular fashion, arriving with great
fanfare from the back of a
helicopter hovering over Burleigh beach,” Mr Beattie said. “Borobi has won hearts and minds across the Commonwealth over the past year and is proving to be a great ambassador for all things GC2018.” GOLDOC CEO Mark Peters said it is fantastic to see the Royal Australian Mint supporting GC2018. “The Games are biggest event in the Gold Coast’s history and the release of this special collectible coin in the lead-up to the Games
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helps to share the story of the Jimbelung (friendly) Games,” Mr Peters said. “GC2018 will create history on the Gold Coast and the series of coins being produced is a perfect historical memento to celebrate this major international event.” The Borobi collectible coin is the third coin to be released in the GC2018 Coin Program, following the release of the Queen’s Baton Relay coins out earlier this month. Retailing for $15 each, the 2018 $1 Coloured Frosted Uncirculated Coin can be purchased by visiting eshop. ramint.gov.au or by phoning 1300 652 020.
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24k Gold men’s undies from aussieBum
By SAT Business Desk
where three lucky people will win a pair of the limited edition 24K Gold underwear. The 24K Gold yarn was developed in Germany and knitted into fabric in Queensland. It was designed by company founder Sean Ashby, and made in Sydney, Australia, says a company media release. Sean Ashby, founder and Managing Director of aussieBum said, ‘The Gold Rush era was one of the most exciting and prosperous times of Australian history. I’m mesmerized by the thought that people travelled from around the world to seek their fortunes in Australia.
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elbourne, 9 April: Australian underwear brand aussieBum has created the most expensive men’s underwear ever in history and selling it at AUD RRP $14,695. One pair has already been sold to an international customer. The customer, who wishes to remain anonymous, has been a huge fan of the brand since its inception in 2001. “To give other underwear collectors the opportunity to own a pair of the 24K Gold underwear, aussieBum is running a competition
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Now, people don’t have to travel down under to find their fortunes, they can find it online at aussieBum. com.’ aussieBum, manufactures its products in Sydney, Australia, and enjoys international success. In the last financial year, the company sold more than one million pairs of underwear and swimwear around the world – a statistic very few Australian fashion companies can boast. Cheeky, irreverent and always sexy, Australian owned aussieBum stands by the mantra; ‘If you doubt yourself, wear something else’.
Tropical Forestry Services rebranded as Quintis, eyes the Indian market
By SAT Business Desk
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elbourne, 23 March: The holder of the world’s biggest Sandalwood supplies, the Perth based Tropical Forestry Services (TFS) rebranded as Quintis is all set to conquer the Indian market. It wishes to get partners from within India’s top natural/Ayurvedic companies to market diverse Sandalwood products. Talking to SAT on the sidelines of its rebranding party at the Melbourne Park’s elite Glasshouse, Mr. Frank Wilson, CEO Quintis said, “We are going to India in May this year on a mission to get business partners and are confident our products will be accepted in India.” “We will talk to the big guys Dabur, KSVL,
Patanjali and others but these will be very early discussions. The company’s brand ambassador and investor Adam Gilchrist has introduced us to a number of companies in India,” he said. About Adam Gilchrist, Mr Frank Wilson said, “Gilchrist has all the qualities our products have.” Answering a question from SAT Adam Gilchrist said, “It has been a wonderful experience to mix passions Cricket and Sandalwood. For the first time I will be endorsing products in India.” “We are the custodians of this amazing product which is high in quality and produced in a sustainable way,” he said. Mr. Frank Wilson said, “In the coming five years our projection for the Indian market is small but going forward in the decade will make India our biggest
trading partner because it’s a natural and big market.” “We will sell Indian Sandalwood to Indians which will be authentic and premium product,” he said. A Quintis brochure says,
“Our first harvest was in 2014, and we now care for over 5 million Sandalwood Album trees, located on over 12,000h across one of the most genetically biodiverse and visually stunning visuals
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our planet has to offer.” “Over 500 passionate and inspired individuals work as an international team to achieve our ambition for the future of Sandalwood Album,” it says.
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‘Religion-based nationalism is back in full force’
By Romila Thapar
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ew Delhi, 29 March: In the 1960s we were confident that the use of religion for political mobilisation would decline because nationalism, namely, the secular, all-inclusive, anticolonialism nationalism that brought us independence, would, despite Partition, be firmly established. This was in some ways such a firm belief that it was not thought necessary to specify the inclusion of secularism in the Constitution at the initial stage. This has not happened. Religion as political mobilisation, and religionbased identity as the core of nationalism, sometimes called communalism, is back in full force. Historians and other social scientists do not make predictions. Our inability to do so is because there may always be some irrational factor in our society that intervenes. So we can only analyse what went wrong and make some suggestions for how to put it right. It is useful to consider the changing contours of communalism in post-colonial India since the parameters and the historical context are no longer the same as they were in colonial times. There was, to begin with, an anti-colonial relatively secular nationalism that predated and was distinct from communalism, both Muslim and Hindu. Communalism was born out of colonial policy, and took as its foundation the dubious two-nation theory that culminated in two categories of communalism – Muslim and Hindu. The first led to the creation of Pakistan. Hindu communalism is awaiting its fulfilment. Communalism continues to have a role in the politics of post-colonial India, but this is not identical with its earlier role. The prime reason for anti-colonial secular nationalism has ostensibly been removed after independence, since we are no longer a colony and do not require an anti-colonial nationalism. But we still have to contend with the kind of communalism, that is aspiring to a Hindu Rashtra, of the 1930s vintage. Interestingly the defining
of this form of a nation, is embedded in the colonial interpretation of Indian society. It goes back to the nineteenth century interpretation of Indian history by James Mill who spoke of the two nations that have always constituted India – namely, the Hindu and the Muslim. The two-nation theory fuelled communalism, assisted by another colonial contribution which was the Census that led to describing Indian society as consisting of a majority community and minority communities. To this was added the colonial theory of the foundation of Indian civilisation being the Aryanism of the Vedas. This contributed to the concept of the nation as a Hindu Rashtra and the Hindu therefore being the primary citizen of India. Whereas the major nationalism of anticolonialism led the movement for independence, the colonial perceptions of the history and society of India, gave root to the two communal nationalisms in the form of the Muslim league and the Hindu Mahasabha – to be replaced with the RSS. These latter two did not support secular anti-colonial nationalism but instead focused on opposing
each other. Subsequent to Independence, secular nationalism was no longer confronting a colonial power, but instead, it had to confront the power of identity politics that draws on religious extremism. The need for awareness to check the activities of religious extremism was underestimated. Both Islamisation and Hindutva took the path of concretising Islamic and Hindu identities as oppositional. Indian Governments have each to a greater or lesser extent, been party to such politics. We have experienced extreme violence against various minorities – Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Dalits. It has been and continues to be a serious threat to democracy in India. It is difficult to establish a functioning democracy in a society where there are special categories of privileged and underprivileged groups, and majority and minority communities based on religious identities with varying rights; and an ideology that endorses the two-nation theory, where religion, caste, and language, become identities. It is
difficult because democracy requires the reverse of this - it means equal rights for all and an equality in laws applicable to all citizens. Many of our problems come from an unquestioned inheritance that we have accepted of colonial policy, administration and law. We continue to base our identities derived from religion and caste on those that the colonial system imposed on us. If we were to question these, something different may well emerge. I often wonder whether all post-colonial societies nurture continuity and conservatism by clinging to what their colonizers had taught them about who and what they were and are? It would be interesting to do a comparative study with African and Caribbean nationalism, for instance, that saw the emergence of theories such as Negritude and where people read Aimee Cesare and Leopold Senghor when constructing their nationalisms. Did they also go back to colonial versions of their past or did they question these versions? Are the ideologies of religious and cultural extremism invariably drawn from the interpretations of the society and culture of the ex-colony as constructed by the colonisers? In other words, do we have to endorse the identities that British colonialism imposed on us? Can we not instead question these identities and consider alternatives. The continuation of such identities is inherently anti-democratic. They were meant for a colony not for a free democracy. This debate has been going on for a while now. There is a need to change the premises. Instead of speaking of the past only in terms of who victimised whom, (and as we all know such theories of victimisation are easily constructed), we should instead look more carefully at what we want from the present and what from the past can help us construct a more positive present. We have to recognise that we too, like every other society with a long past, have not been a society characterized by tolerance and non-violence. However much we may wish to believe that we were tolerant and non-
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violent, it simply isn’t true. Such theories served their purpose in the days when we were contesting colonialism. But they are not of much help now with the constant daily actions that we witness or even experience, of intolerance and violence, and it seems to increase by the day. But we cannot suddenly have become violent and intolerant. There have to have been some elements of such behaviour in us in the past as well, which we perhaps kept under better control. It would be salutary to investigate why there was less of violence and intolerance in the past, if that was so? Our texts from preIslamic times tell us that there were two streams of dharma that were dominant – the Brahmanical and the Shramanic. The latter were the Buddhists, Jainas, Ajivikas and such like. There are rulers that insistently call for tolerance among the sects as in the edicts of AshokaMaurya, or there are references to conflicts between sects in Sanskrit texts, or in accounts of visitors to India in those times. Patanjali, the great grammarian of around the second century BC, refers to the two streams of dharmaas dominant, and adds that their relationship can be compared to that of the snake and the mongoose. Buddhism was finally exiled from India. Sectarian conflicts continued into Islamic times with now an additional factor. As far as intolerance goes, we must also remind ourselves that every religion in India discriminated against what we today call the Dalits. Even the religions that claimed that all men are equal in the eyes of God, did not give them equality. Islam and Christianity did not have a category of Dalits outside India, but in India, Muslim, Christian and Sikh Dalits were segregated and lived separately. These are aspects of our society that we still have to come to terms with. We cannot claim to have been a tolerant society in the past by ignoring our treatment of some sections of society that we are now trying to amend. Intolerance does not refer only to religion. CONTD. ON PG 25
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Hon’ble Minister Shri Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary and MPs photographed with the ertwhile scavenger women
December 7, 2015 The Hon’ble Minister of State for Home Affairs, Government of India, Shri Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary along with Hon’ble Shri Chunibhai Kanjibhai Gohel, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha), Hon’ble Dr. Kirit Premjibhai Solanki, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha), Hon’ble Shri Dilipbhai Pandya, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) and
Hon’ble Shri Shankarbhai N. Vegad, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) visited Sulabh Gram and saw the various Sulabh technologies and also interacted with the erstwhile scavenger women, widows of Vrindavan, schoolchildren, students of the Sulabh Vocational Training Centre and the members of the Sulabh School Sanitation Club.
Smt. Hema Malini, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) sharing some of her experiences in the absence of toilets with the villagers of Rawal village
January 16, 2016 Hon’ble Smt. Hema Malini, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha), inaugurated the first set of individual toilets built and funded by Sulabh International
at Rawal village, district Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. Talking to the villagers she emphasized the need to give top priority for toilets, without which people face so many health problems.
HE Mr. Alexendre Cécé Loua of Guinea watching the excreta-based biogas mantle lamp
January 19, 2016 His Excellency Mr. Alexandre Cécé Loua, Ambassador of the Republic of Guinea, visited Sulabh Gram. Addressing Sulabh associate members he said: “I belong to a developing country and today I know the reason why the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has taken the decision to build toilets all over the country; the Sulabh Technology has to be exported”.
His Excellency Shri Deep Kumar Upadhyay being welcomed by the liberated women scavengers from Alwar and Tonk, Rajasthan
January 20, 2016 His Excellency Shri Deep Kumar Upadhyay, CoChairperson, B.P. Koirala India-Nepal Foundation and Ambassador of Nepal to India, visited Sulabh Gram and interacted with the liberated untouchable scavengers and also acquainted himself with the various technologies invented by Dr. Pathak. Addressing the gathering he said: “The Founder of the Sulabh Organisation, renowned Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak! We don’t have much to say about you. You are a great performer in India. We have
Hon’ble Varanasi Councillors in a group photograph with Dr. Pathak during their visit to Sulabh Gram
January 31, 2016 Dr. Pathak welcomed Hon’ble Mr. Mahatam Yadav, Zonal Officer, Municipal Corporation, Varanasi at Sulabh Gram, along with the Municipal Councillors. They saw the various technologies invented by Dr. Pathak.
Actor Akshay Kumar visiting Sulabh Gram
Dr. Pathak explaining the Sulabh technologies to the Ambassadors and High Commissioners of the African Continent
January 18, 2016 The Ambassadors and High Commissioners of some African countries visited Sulabh Gram. His Excellency Mr. Ernest Rwamucyo, High Commissioner of the Republic of Rwanda to India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, His Excellency Dr. Mbuya Isaac Munlo, High Commissioner of Malawi to India, His Excellency, Mr. Andre Sanra, Ambassador of the
Republic of Benin to India, His Excellency Mr. Daniel P. Othol, Ambassador of the Republic of South Sudan to India, His Excellency Mr. Alam Tsehaye Woldemariam, Ambassador of the State of Eritrea to India and His Excellency Mr. Bothata Tsikoane saw the various Sulabh activities and technologies and also interacted with the liberated scavengers, the widows of Vrindavan and schoolchildren.
Hon’ble Mr. Subash Razdan interacting with the students of the cutting and tailoring class of the Sulabh Vocational Training Centre
February 2, 2016 Hon’ble Mr. Subash Razdan, Chairman, Gandhi Peace Foundation Atlanta, Georgia, USA, visited Sulabh Gram and saw the various activities and technologies. They also interacted with the liberated scavenger women, widows, schoolchildren and trainees of the Sulabh Vocational Training Centre.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in Sulabh Gram
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been nicely introduced here. We have been in the political field for about 45 years, but as a diplomat, it is for the first time we are here in Delhi. We speak the language of socio-political field, but are not able to deliver. This is our biggest lapse. Dr. Pathak, you have ideas and you gave material shape to them; only performers like you can do so. We appreciate your work and felicitate you on our behalf, as well as on behalf of our colleagues. We salute Dr. Pathak and all of you here at Sulabh. Please accept our thanks; our congratulations.”
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Dr. Pathak receiving the Humanitarian Award Hon’ble Shri P. Chidambaram, former Union Finance Minister and Senior Congress leader, keenly watching the treated water taken out from the Sulabh Effluent Treatment Plant.
April 4, 2016 Hon’ble Shri P. Chidambaram, former Union Finance Minister and Senior Congress Leader, visited Sulabh Gram, saw the various Sulabh technologies, including effluent treatment, and also interacted with the erstwhile untouchables, widows, schoolchildren, students of the Sulabh Vocational Training Centre and members of the Sulabh School Sanitation Club. Addressing the Sulabh
volunteers he said, “I have not come here to tell you anything; I have come here to learn about what can be done; I have known Dr. Saheb for many years and have closely watched the remarkable pioneering work that he has been doing for 47 years. What governments have not been able to accomplish a single individual working with dedicated people has been able to accomplish bringing change to the lives of people.”
April 12, 2016 HUMANITARIAN AWARD 2016: The New York Global Leaders Dialogue conferred the 2016 Global Humanitarian Award upon Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak in recognition of “dedicating his life to the upliftment of the downtrodden, his compassion, social activism and inspiring philanthropy.” The Chairman of the organization, Mr. Phil Scanlan, applauded Dr. Pathak for his numerous humanitarian achievements that brought joy and hope in billions of lives worldwide.
Water from a well at Haridaspur, Kolkata, is treated and purified as Sulabh Jal
June 23, 2016 Inauguration of the Sulabh Safe Drinking Water at ISKCON, Haridaspur, Kolkata. The Sulabh Purified Drinking Water is the latest technological initiative of Sulabh. Impure water from rivers, ponds, wells, water bodies and taps is purified using Sulabh technology; the treated water becomes safe for human consumption. Sulabh has installed water treatment plants at six sites of West Bengal— Madhusudankati in North 24 Parganas, Murshidabad, Mayapur in Nadia, Suvasgram in South 24 Parganas, ISKON Haridaspur in North 24 Parganas and Chaksultan in
West Midnapur. Raw water is drawn from the river Ganga in Mayapur and Murshidabad, while in Madhusudankati it is taken from a local pond. In Haridaspur, Chaksultan and Mirzapur, (West Midnapur) it is taken from well. After its treatment at the Sulabh Water Treatment Plant, the water becomes pure and absolutely safe for drinking. Sulabh is bottling this water which is known as Sulabh Safe Drinking Water. It is available for 50 paise per litre in West Bengal. At the entrance of Sulabh Gram in New Delhi, such purified water is available for Re 1 per litre at the Sulabh Water ATM.
Dr. Pathak accepting the Proclamation Award from New York City Mayor
April 14, 2016 Mayor of New York City Hon'ble Mr. Bill de Blasio honoured Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak with the proclamation and declaring April 14, 2016 as "Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak Day", for being a "pioneer" in advocating for human rights in India by campaigning for social reforms and developing innovative and environmentally-sound sanitation technologies. The Mayor said Dr. Pathak took his vision to help the oppressed and through his work and organisation, created new technology that improved public health and environment and ‘fundamentally changed the reality’ for many communities. “I commend Dr. Pathak for his outstanding work to improve health and hygiene, provide vocational training, promote gender equality and give dignity and hope to impoverished people in India and far beyond”.
Hon’ble Shri Rabindra Kumar Jena keenly watching the process of making sanitary napkins.
Hon’ble Ms. Pankhuri Gidwani, spending her happiest moments at the Sulabh International Museum of Toilets
April 23, 2016 Hon’ble Miss India 2016 (2nd runner-up) Pankhuri Gidwani visited Sulabh Gram, saw the various Sulabh technologies, Sulabh International Museum of Toilets, which has been listed as one of the off-beaten destination for tourists, and interacted with the erstwhile untouchables, widows, schoolchildren, students of Sulabh Vocational Training Centre and members of the Sulabh School Sanitation Club. In her speech she said: “I thank Hon’ble Bindeshwar Pathak ji for giving an opportunity to visit and address you all here. For one thing, in this prayer assembly I
have learnt many good things, i.e. we should all work together and shed all discrimination based on caste and creed. In these 10 minutes that I have been here I learnt that, given an opportunity to work with this organization in future, I can learn a lot. As we are told, the scavenger women, who are present here, once used to clean human excreta and now after getting training in different trades were brought into the mainstream of society. The opportunity which they never received in their homes is now being given by Sulabh International. This is indeed a great thing.”
Inauguration of World's biggest toilet at Pandharpur, Maharashtra, built by Sulabh International Social Service Organisation
July 6, 2016 The clusters of threestorey mega-toilet buildings of the world’s largest toilet complex at the pilgrim centre of Pandharpur in Maharashtra which will cater to the need of 1.5 lakh people were opened. The complex consisting of 1,417 toilets in eight clusters was constructed by Sulabh International and financed by the Government of Maharashtra. Terming the project as a landmark Sulabh Founder Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak expressed hope that the project would give a boost to the Prime Minister’s ambitious ‘Clean India’ campaign.
Hon'ble Shri Tarun Vijay and Hon’ble Dr. Sachchidanand Joshi watching a small ball of dried human excreta
World famous Toilet Musium in Sulabh Gram, New Delhi
August 6, 2016 Hon'ble Shri Tarun Vijay, an eminent thinker, writer, cultural activist, and former member of the Rajya Sabha and Hon’ble Dr. Sachchidanand Joshi, Member Secretary of Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, Ministry of Culture, Government
of India, visited Sulabh Gram, saw the various Sulabh technologies, Sulabh International Museum of Toilets and also interacted with erstwhile untouchables, widows, schoolchildren, students of the Sulabh Vocational Training Centre and members of the Sulabh School Sanitation Club.
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July 28, 2016 Hon’ble Shri Rabindra Kumar Jena, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, Odisha, visited Sulabh Gram, saw the various Sulabh technologies, Sulabh International Museum of Toilets and also interacted with the erstwhile untouchables, widows, school children, students of the Sulabh Vocational Training Centre and members of the Sulabh School Sanitation Club.
A group photograph with the arsenicaffected people from Madhusudankati village, West Bengal
August 2, 2016 Hon'ble Prof. Amitabh Kundu, Visiting Professor, Institute for Human Development and Senior Fellow, Delhi Policy Group and Hon'ble Shri Tempa Tsering, Representative of His Holiness Dalai Lama in New Delhi visited Sulabh Gram, saw the various Sulabh technologies, including the water purification project of Madhusudankati village in West Bengal, Sulabh International Museum of Toilets and also interacted with erstwhile untouchables, widows, schoolchildren, students of the Sulabh Vocational Training Centre and members of the Sulabh School Sanitation Club.
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Hon'ble Shri Manoj Tiwari, interacting with the erstwhile women scavengers Hon'ble Shri Satyapal Singh keenly watching the Sulabh two-pit pour-flush compost toilet
August 11, 2016 Hon'ble Shri Satyapal Singh, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha), Sambhal (Uttar Pradesh), who visited Sulabh Gram, saw the various Sulabh technologies, including the two-pit toilet system, excreta
Hon'ble Shri Devji Patel watching the model of the Sulabh roofless toilet. This type of toilet has been specially designed for those who require fresh air while using the toilet facilities
October 13, 2016 Hon’ble Shri Devji Patel, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha), Jalore, Rajasthan, visited Sulabh Gram, saw the various Sulabh technologies, Sulabh International Museum of Toilets depicting the ancient medieval and modern types of toilets and also interacted with the erstwhile untouchables, widows, schoolchildren, students of the Sulabh Vocational Training Centre and members of the Sulabh School Sanitation Club. November 22, 2016 Dr Bindeshwar Pathak was nominated as Member of the National Legal Services Authority of India (NALSA). On a suggestion by the Hon’ble Supreme Court through NALSA, Sulabh had taken up the programme for improving the living conditions of the widows of Vrindavan and Varanasi.
based biogas plant, Sulabh International Museum of Toilets and also interacted with erstwhile untouchables, widows, schoolchildren, students of the Sulabh Vocational Training Centre and members of the Sulabh School Sanitation Club.
September 6, 2016 Hon'ble Shri Manoj Tiwari, President of the Bhartiya Janta Party, Delhi State and an eminent actor of the Bhojpuri genre of the Indian Film industry, visited Sulabh Gram, saw the various Sulabh technologies, Sulabh International Museum of Toilets and also interacted with erstwhile untouchables, widows, schoolchildren, students of the Sulabh Vocational Training Centre and members of the Sulabh School Sanitation Club.
Dr. Pathak accepting the scroll of Brand Ambassador of Swachh Rail Mission from the Railway Minister
November 2, 2016 Hon'ble Union Minister of Railways, Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu, declared Dr. Pathak as the Brand Ambassador of Swachh Rail Mission at a function in New Delhi by presenting a scroll.
Dr. Pathak accepting the “Honorary Citizen of the French city of Montier” award
November 19, 2016 Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak was honoured as an “Honorary Citizen of the French city of Montier” by the Mayor, Mr. Jean Jacques Bayer, at a colourful event during the four-day International Festival of Animal and Nature, at Montier-en-Der, France.
Hon'ble Shri Ramesh Chandappa Jigajinagi smelling a pod of odourless dried human excreta taken out from the Sulabh two-pit compost toilet
September 27, 2016 Hon’ble Shri Ramesh Chandappa Jigajinagi, Minister of State for Drinking Water and Sanitation, Government of India, visited Sulabh Gram and saw the various Sulabh technologies, Sulabh International Museum of Toilets and also interacted with erstwhile untouchables, widows, schoolchildren, students of the Sulabh Vocational Training Centre and members of the Sulabh School Sanitation Club.
Hon’ble Shri A.T. (Nana) Patil smelling the treated water taken out from the Sulabh Effluent Treatment Plant
HE Mr. Niankoro Yeah Samake, along with his wife and Hon’ble Ms. Hawa Deme with the erstwhile women scavengers
Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak celebrates holi with widows
December 16, 2016 Hon’ble Shri A.T. (Nana) Patil, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha), Jalgaon, Maharashtra, visited Sulabh Gram, saw the various Sulabh technologies, including the water treatment project, Sulabh International Museum of Toilets and also interacted with the erstwhile untouchables, widows, schoolchildren, students of Sulabh Vocational Training Centre and members of Sulabh School Sanitation Club.
Hon’ble Mr. Justice Tirath Singh Thakur being briefed by Dr. Pathak on the working of the Sulabh Effluent Treatment Plant, and how the treated water is made pathogen-free and safely used for floriculture and horticulture
Hon’ble Shri Amit Shah watching a demonstration of the use of Sulabh biogas for warming oneself during the winter season
December 20, 2016 Hon'ble Shri Amit Shah, National President of the Bhartiya Janta Party, visited Sulabh Gram, saw the various Sulabh technologies, Sulabh International Museum of Toilets and also interacted with erstwhile untouchables, widows, school children, students of Sulabh Vocational Training Centre and members of Sulabh School Sanitation Club. In his speech he said: “….How the concept of zero waste, absolute zero waste, can be best applied to the issue of sanitation has now been made clear to the whole world by Pathakji. And I think since 1968, the year he started the work, Pathak Saheb has dedicated his entire life to this cause. Pathak Saheb has got numerous awards for his work....”
February 2, 2017 His Holiness Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, a cultural Icon, an Ambassador of Peace, and Founder of the Art of Living Foundation, visited Sulabh Gram, saw the various Sulabh technologies, Sulabh International Museum of Toilets and also interacted with erstwhile scavengers, widows, schoolchildren, students of the Sulabh Vocational Training Centre and members of the Sulabh School Sanitation Club. In his speech he said, “The models you have made include all the basic elements which we need in our daily life; lighting a lamp, operating a motor and water are all also available here. You moved forward to meet all the requirements of life. God is with you. As you have mentioned in your anthem God lives in our heart, nowhere else. And these works are only possible by the inspiration of God, otherwise it is impossible to achieve all this. You have done a very great work. I wish your work spreads to each and every village. There should be Sulabh toilets in every village of India. My Art of Living also has a programme named ‘Hygiene’, one of the five Hs in it.”
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December 31, 2016 Hon'ble Mr. Justice Tirath Singh Thakur, Chief Justice of India, visited Sulabh Gram. He saw the various Sulabh technologies, Sulabh International Museum of Toilets and also interacted with erstwhile untouchables, widows, school children, students of the Sulabh Vocational Training Centre and members of the Sulabh School Sanitation Club. In his address he said: “….I am thankful. Dr. Pathak himself went to my village, 800 kms away from here. It’s a struggle just getting oneself there, first due to the tough mountain roads and secondly, because people avoid going to Kashmir because of the insurgency in the area. But he went to my village Ukhral, met the people there and talked to them. He was not there to ask for votes or to contest elections. He opened two vocational training centres one for teaching computer and the other for sewing for girls. Both these centres are now operational. Most importantly he constructed toilets. Today people tell me they are very happy and praise Dr. Pathak for his gesture. Some people requested me to help them to construct more toilets in their areas.....”
Hon’ble Chaudhary Mehboob Ali Kaiser smelling a pod of odourless dried human excreta taken out from the Sulabh twopit compost toilet
January 16, 2017 Hon’ble Chaudhary Mehboob Ali Kaiser, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha), Khagaria, Bihar, visited Sulabh Gram and saw the various Sulabh technologies, Sulabh International Museum of Toilets and also interacted with the erstwhile untouchables, widows, schoolchildren, students of the Sulabh Vocational Training Centre and members of the Sulabh School Sanitation Club.
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In conversation with Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak BY RAJEEV SHARMA
H
e was dressed in a simple, white kurta pajama, and like always, his face was gleaming with an enchanting smile. The sun was scorching outside, and the 42 degree temperature was nearly killing. Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak attracted my attention towards the soothing coconut water kept in front of me and said: “Ye peejiye, amrit hai ye. (Drink it, it’s like elixir on a hot day)
Remembering his mother “You know, my mother has been the first one to open the horizons of my heart. I have learnt a lot in my life from her. She used to say: “One who has learnt to give, has learnt to live too.”(jisne dena seekh liya, usne jeena seekh liya). He said in the outset. “My mother has sowed in me the first lessons of loyalty. Help people in need as much as is possible for you, and when I remember her words, I also realize that in my ongoing journey of this life, loyalty is the first stepping stone to success. As a matter-of-fact, any misdeed has a very short life span. At the most, you can survive with it up to two-three years, not fifty years. Secondly, you must not be overtaken by greed, lust or pride. Also, you must never underestimate any work as a lowly or menial work. As for myself, I have even pulled a cart and spent my nights, slumbering on train platforms.” He recounted his life’s journey.
From a teacher to the founder of ‘Sulabh’ “In the beginning, I had contemplated about being a lecturer at Patna University, but the course of my destiny changed overtly after I was associated
with the Bihar Gandhi Centenary Celebration Committee.” Dr. Pathak said, confessing a very dramatic childhood experience. “Many years back, as a child, I had unknowingly touched a sweeper who was considered untouchable and this created an inconvenient uproar in my family. My grandmother had gone to the extent of using cow dung and cow urine on me to sanctify me according to the ancient rituals. In fact, my father and also my father-in-law had never liked the community work that I was involved in. But I was passionate about materializing the dreams fostered by Mahatma Gandhi.”
Appreciation for Narendra Modi He added that our current prime Minister of India, Mr. Narendra Modi happens to be the only person following the footsteps of Mahatma Gandhi, who has emphasized so much on cleanliness and on building sanitary toilets in public spaces. With his groundbreaking announcement from the historical Lal Quilla, Modi jee has affected a big revolution in terms of attaining public cleanliness. “It would be our mission to appoint at least one representative of Sulabh Foundation for each of the 6 lakhs 46 thousand villages of our country by 2019. This will be our independent initiative, apart from the Governmental level intervention as usual.” He specified.
Tough challenges: In 1969, when Neil Armstrong came back from his expedition to the moon, he had made a famous statement. He said that if he had knew that after reaching the moon, he would have to lose his
precious friends, he would have never gone to the moon in the first place. A famous or successful person is bound to be a victim of jealousy. Likewise, I have also been a victim of jealousy as people have made false charges against me, but I have never allowed myself to be swayed by such momentary turbulences. I have always maintained my sense of calm and patience, which has been one of the reasons why my work has been appreciated so much. Today, there are more than 50,000 people associated with the core activities of his organization Sulabh Foundation. “In 1995, a woman worker of Sulabh Foundation had been affected with brain tumour, the doctors had declared she had only six months at her disposal. When I came to know about her condition, I had advised her to go for a surgery, whereas the doctors had already said that the chances of success with the surgery was only 10%. I had trusted my instincts and our organization had donated 7 lakhs for the surgery, which was a success eventually. Today, the woman is completely cured and is still working for us.” He said. “In addition to this, when the Supreme Court approached Sulabh Foundation on behalf of NALSA (National legal services Authority of India) to do something to enrich the lives of the widows of Vrindavan, we came to their help.” He recalled a noteworthy incident of those days when Aarti Dhar, a journalist of The Hindu had published an article on the lives of nearly 800 widows of Vrindawan, where she had stated the grim reality of their lives in the holy city. The widows were deprived of even the basic food and after their death, they
Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak presenting first copy of his book to Prime Minister
were not even properly cremated. Their dead bodies were cut into pieces and thrown away at the Yamuna river. Today, such widows are looked after very gracefully by the Sulabh Foundation. Not only do they get proper food and nutrition, but they are also endowed with Rs. 2000 as their monthly pension. They are also trained in stitching and other special skills, and even celebrate community festivals including Holi, Diwali and Christmas. “In an archaic culture like ours, where widows have always been excluded from festivals of all kinds, I always salute the selfless philanthropic work that great people like Raja Ram Mohan Roy and Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar jee have done for the widows of our country”. He said.
Future Plans “Since I have been selected as the Brand Ambassador of the Indian railways, I have focused on maintaining the cleanliness of the Sulabh Foundation platforms and the cleanliness of the toilets inside trains.” Dr. Pathak said, and added that Sulabh foundation has also opened a university dedicated to the concept of sanitation. Sulabh is taking steps to
Bindeshwar Pathak Day celebration I n a rare honour, New York City declared this year’s April 14 as ‘Bindeshwar Pathak Day’ in recognition of the contributions made by the Indian social activist and ‘Sulabh International’ founder for improving the lives of people engaged in the “most dehumanising situation” New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio honoured Pathak for his outstanding work to improve health and hygiene and ‘moving the world forward’. “Pathak has been an example of someone who saw a great injustice, saw something that to many people was impractical and permanent and had the creativity, energy, drive and hope to make the change,” he said at the ceremony on April 14 attended by Pathak, 73, himself. New York City Mayor Bill de
Dr. Bindeshwar Day celebration in New Delhi
Blasio honoured Pathak for his outstanding work to improve health and hygiene and ‘moving the world forward’. Pathak was presented with the New York Global Leaders
Dialogue Humanitarian Award earlier this week. The Mayor said Pathak took his vision to help the oppressed and through his work and organisation, created new
technology that improved public health and environment and ‘fundamentally changed the reality’ for many communities. He presented Pathak with the proclamation declaring April 14, 2016 as Bindeshwar Pathak Day, honouring Pathak for being a “pioneer” in advocating for human rights in India by campaigning for social reforms and developing innovative and environmentally-sound sanitation technologies. “This visionary humanitarian has improved quality of life for millions and increased opportunities for education and employment. “I commend Dr Pathak for his outstanding work to improve health and hygiene, provide vocational training, promote gender equality and give dignity and hope to impoverished
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initiate by opening of Sulabh International University of Sanitation (Proposed) that will help in bringing hygiene and sanitation related awareness to the youth and the general public at large. Students passing out of the university will work as missionaries of sanitation that will result in a clean and livable environment. The Sulabh International University of Sanitation (Proposed) will provide different courses for youth, consultants and professionals working in international development and public health sectors. These courses will train students in the essential skills and knowledge required to plan and implement along with communities, water supply and sanitation projects and programmes worldwide, particularly in less developed countries.
Regrets in life "As such there are no regrets in my life but sometime I feel I should have spare some more time for my family. ". says Mr Pathak. He further added that I have a great respect for my wife. Though she had her complaint but she never stopped me.
people in India and far beyond,” the proclamation read. It added that Pathak’s “lifelong” dedication to championing human rights has helped break the cycle of poverty and disenfranchisement throughout India. The mayor lauded Pathak for improving the lives of people who worked in the “most dehumanising situation” and being a catalyst of change for them. Sulabh, which engages nearly 50,000 people, has constructed nearly 1.3 million household toilets and 54 million government toilets based on an innovative design. Apart from construction of toilets, the organisation is leading a movement to discourage manual cleaning of human waste.
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‘Religion-based nationalism is back in full force’ CONTD. FROM PG 18
It also refers to the demeaning of another human being. If we want a democracy then it has inevitably to be secular, and not give rights to privileged groups. This is irrespective of whether the claim is that such rights are justified by status or by numbers. It means that institutions of society have to be so organized that privileging a group becomes redundant. This means a constant check on the functioning of those institutions that sustain a democracy to ensure that they are doing so. This also means being aware, for instance, that institutions of education where we learn about secular democracy, and are socialised to belonging to a democratic society, are not dismantled, or are replaced with teaching that is antidemocratic. This is a serious threat. It also means changing the mind-set of institutions and people to encourage them to understand and support a democratic society. What are the major
institutions that would be involved with this? The Constitution is based on values of secular democracy but most of us know so little about it. Perhaps we should be more aware of how it defends democracy. This would also involve greater knowledge about the functioning of the judiciary – so crucial to the current many crises. Code of Civil Laws should be geared to eliminating the continuing discrimination
against Dalits, Adivasis and women. We also need to check from time to time to ascertain as to how affirmative action is working and who is benefitting from it.It does seem curious and this question is now being commonly asked - as to why dominant castes in so many parts of the nation are taking to violence to ensure that they be given reservation rights, some of which are reserved only for those that have an under-privileged status. A major positive change
can be brought about if quality education is made available to all. The aim should not be just for literacy but also to teaching the young how to think, how to question their world, and how to improve it. The aim should be to impart how to handle knowledge and why this is important. Education is not just the acquiring of information. We have to remember that in the coming generation virtually half the population will be young adults with aspirations. We have to ensure basic human rights so that five hundred million Indians can live with dignity. We have to think of how we can perhaps insist that our administrators, those that run our institutions as well as those that are required to protect us, be taught that their prime function is to protect the rights and the person of the Indian citizen? Subservience to authority is not what is required from them. They have to be encouraged to be helpful to the citizen. May be that if we begin to make these our demands and do so with a firm commitment, then some of the indignities
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associated with the communal mind-set, and that are so common in our society, may start to fade. Communalism is ultimately an attitude of mind among people based on the assumption that whatever is told to them by their mentors is all they need to know. It shows a disinterest in knowing better. To focus therefore solely on the rights of religious communities – whether of the majority or the minority – ultimately has a limited purpose. This will not terminate communalism. It seems to me that we have to think of other ways by which identities are defined. We seem to have arrived at a point when communal ideas and activities are taken as legitimate nationalism. We have to disentangle nationalism from communalism. No group has a monopoly on claiming that its activities alone, constitute nationalism, and all others are anti-national. We have to reconstruct nationalism in an inclusive, secular mode, to allow every Indian to participate equally and with equal rights. —Source: SR
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The Nefarious Money Bills By Prabhat Patnaik
c
ompanies would obviously fund only those political parties which are in power or likely to come to power; and they would do so in expectation of gains to be made through that party returning the favour when in power. Such cozy deals would now escape all public scrutiny and can assume unlimited magnitudes because of the BJP’s proposed amendment, from which it obviously hopes to profit handsomely. New Delhi: True to form, the BJP government is all set to change the texture of the Indian State into a snooping and terrorising institution whose bonding with corporate capital will now get even closer and beyond any public scrutiny. And the content of the change it is unleashing is as damaging to democracy as the manner in which it is doing so. The manner of its doing so consists in introducing important legislation in the guise of “money bills”. Now, any important legislation has to be approved by both houses of parliament before it can become the law of the land, which is why, failing its passage in the Rajya Sabha, the Land Acquisition ordinance has still not become permanently legally binding. In the case of “money bills” however even if the Rajya Sabha objects to a proposed enactment, this fact cannot prevent its becoming the law of the land as long as the Lok Sabha continues to back it. Using the deception of calling important legislations “money bills” even when they palpably are not, or of incorporating into the Finance Bill, which is indubitably a “money bill”, all kinds of basic changes in our polity which are not confined to budgetary matters per se, the BJP government is using its majority in the Lok Sabha to push through far-reaching changes in the texture (though not of course in the basic class nature) of the Indian State. In the case of the Aadhar Bill for instance, it sought to make the Aadhar card virtually compulsory for all citizens. It did not enter into any debate on the subject, and persisted despite protests from opposition parties as well as from several voluntary organisations, and despite a Supreme Court directive to the contrary, by pretending that it was only a “money bill” where the Lok Sabha’s majority opinion was all that
mattered, and not a piece of legislation which had wider implications, including for the citizens’ right to privacy. The Bill made the possession of an Aadhar card an essential prerequisite not just for applying for a Pan Card, a driver’s license, and a bank account, but even for accessing the mid-day meal scheme, for applying for work under the MGNREGS, for obtaining subsidised provisions under the public distribution system, and for getting provident funds and pensions for the aged, the widows and the differently-abled. This was a transgression of a Supreme Court order of October 15, 2015, which had said that Aadhar cannot be made mandatory for welfare programmes. The Supreme Court in an order of March 27, 2017, has once again reiterated, in response to a contempt-ofcourt petition filed against the government’s proposals in the Aadhar Bill, that access to welfare schemes, like MGNREGS, subsidies under the PDS, mid-day meals, provident funds and pensions, and the Jan DhanYojana, must not be made conditional upon the possession of an Aadhar card. But it has allowed the government to make Aadhar mandatory for opening a bank account (other than under the Jan DhanYojana), and for applying for a Pan Card or a driver’s license, on the grounds that these are not welfare services. The Supreme Court’s use of the “welfare”- “non-welfare” distinction for deciding on whether Aadhar should be mandatory is extremely unsatisfactory and misses a basic point. MGNREGS for instance is not just a “welfare” measure, but a de facto right conferred on the rural BPL population through a unanimous resolution of both houses of the parliament. It is not just a “do-gooding” act, but a right of the people.
Making Aadhar mandatory for applying for work under the MGNREGS is not just snatching “welfare” away from the people; it amounts to snatching a right away from the people. In any case however, no matter what one thinks of the logic of the Supreme Court judgement, the BJP government’s intentions are clear: it is to make Aadhar mandatory for all and the danger of doing so is quite clear. The Aadhar Bill allows for unprecedented surveillance of every citizen and a massive invasion of privacy. The government can use these to target political opponents, critics, dissidents, and others who may be “straying out of line”. Because it enables data sharing even by private companies, it renders all citizens vulnerable to identity theft, fraud, cyber-piracy, data breaches and other uses of their personal data with very serious security implications. Even though the Bill has some protection and cyber-security provisions, they are grossly inadequate. And yet this is what the BJP government wants to foist on everyone without even the approval of the Rajya Sabha. A second area where the government is seriously trespassing on citizens’ rights under the guise of a “money bill” relates to the draconian powers being given to income tax authorities in the new Finance Bill. Until now search and seizure operations could be ordered by the income tax authorities only if they had reason to believe that “certain documents are in the possession of the assessee which he is not likely to disclose or that certain bullion and other undisclosed assets are in his possession which he is not likely to disclose”. An order to this effect had to be issued by the officer before search and seizure operations could be carried out, which enforced
a degree of accountability, and hence restraint, upon the officer because this order could be challenged. Now however such restraint is being removed, which makes tax raids on opponents and dissidents and seizures of their assets that much easier. The State, through the personnel of the income tax department, is now set to assume a far more intimidating form than till now. While this measure is being justified in the name of eliminating corruption and black money, another provision in the same Finance Bill serves ironically to legitimise corruption. The biggest source of corruption in the country, as is wellknown, lies in the nexus between the corporate sector and the ruling class politicians. Now, under the existing Company Act, only a company that has been in operation for at least three years can contribute to a political party, and there is a political funding cap of 7.5 percent of the net profits of the company. Besides, any such funding has to be done through a Board resolution, which must also state the name of the beneficiary political party. The BJP government is amending the Company Act to do away with the cap and also the need to name the political party which is being funded. This means that any company can contribute any amount of money to any political party without anyone knowing anything about it. Companies would obviously fund only those political parties which are in power or likely to come to power; and they would do so in expectation of gains to be made through that party returning the favour when in power. Such cozy deals would now escape all public scrutiny and can assume unlimited magnitudes because of the
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BJP’s proposed amendment, from which it obviously hopes to profit handsomely. This amendment of the Company Act is a massive assault on democracy, a strident move towards the disempowerment of the working people, a legitimisation of the fusion of corporate and State power, and a license for big-ticket corruption. The BJP government in short is, in the most blatantly undemocratic manner, that is, in the guise of “money bills” steamrolled through its majority in the Lok Sabha, introducing basic changes in the texture of the State which would make it a snoopy, and intimidating State working in close cahoots with corporate capital. Until now we have seen vigilante mobs of Hindutva ruffians roaming the streets, terrorising people, lynching individuals, and branding those they dislike as being “anti-national”. This ruffian attitude incidentally is not confined to only some fringe Hindutvaelements; the other day even a former home secretary of the country, RK Singh, whose official duty had been to uphold the law of the land and who is now a BJP member of parliament, expressed the view that “we are nationalists” and cannot avoid assaulting anyone who is “anti-national”. But now, in addition to these roaming ruffians, the organs of the State are also going to be let loose upon anyone who dares to criticise the ruling party, which, in addition to such strong-arm tactics from diverse sources, will also have access to unlimited corporate funding for fighting elections. And this is the government, ironically, that imposed a massive demonetisation upon the people, whose effects are still being felt by them, in the name of fighting corruption and black money! —Courtesy: Peoples Democracy, April 3, 2017.
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special report
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Malaysia seeks Indian expertise to control child abuse By Amitabh Srivastava
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ew Delhi, April 7: Grappling with serious issues of child abuse (it ranks third highest among the ASEAN countries) the Malaysian government is all set to bring its Sexual Offences Against Children Bill 2017 in parliament on which both the ruling and the Opposition parties are united for a change. This was revealed by none other than Ms.RosmahMansor, wife of the Malaysian Prime Minister who was in India on a six day visit to India along with the Prime Minister Najib Rajab. During her visit, Ms. Mansor who runs an NGO called PERMATA since 2007 found out time to visit Prayas an NGO in Delhi that has been working on issues of Child Rights and is a member of almost all legislations brought in involving children, youths & women in the last three decades. Prayas today, through its 246 centres including 47 Homes/Shelters for children/women, across the country in 09 States/ UTs directly serves more than 50,000 marginalized, deprived, negelected& street working children, youth and women, Prayas addresses multiple issues and runs programs relating to child protection and juvenile justice, trafficking of children and women, vocational and life skills, empowerment of women through Self-Help Groups and Income Generation Programmes, promotion of entrepreneurship, facilitating credit through bank linkages and direct micro finance operations. Prayas led by Mr. Kanth is served by 700 professionals and several hundred volunteers from India & Abroad. Mr. Kanth is India’s leading social activist and a former bureaucrat who founded Prayas since 1988. The urgency of the Government of Malaysia seems to have been accentuated by the conviction of 30 year oldBritisher Richard Huckle who was handed 22 life sentences at the Old Bailey in UK IN 2006 after admitting to abusing
children in Malaysia. His youngest victim was just six months old while oldest was 12. It is believed that he must have abused up to 200 children over a decade while functioning as Christian from a church in Malaysia. Editorials in newspapers in Malaysisa were shocked that "Huckle was able to use both religion and his 'status' as a white foreigner to gain the trust of communities eager to accept help in fighting a difficult battle against poverty," read an editorial in The Star. "The battle against child sex offenders in the country still faces a major stumbling block due to the absence of a national sex offenders registry," wrote Emmanuel Santa Maria Chin in The Malay Mail Online. With such horrific crime rate in her country Ms.RosmahMansor revealed to the media that besides lack of suitable laws in Malaysia newer technology was also becoming a major threat to the safety of children’ She said that Darkweb a porn website had been found to provide the worst kind of porn to children on the latest mobiles that one had just to shake to watch porn and strongly advocated that children should not be given too sophisticated
phones for their own good. The good news she stated was that their police had been able to break the code of this website but it had become an additional headache for her country which was already grappling with serious issues of child porn. Another kind of crime against children which had surfaced lately according to her was known as ‘sexual grooming’ where gangs of criminals managed to brainwash children into believing that they were their well-wishers by providing them good clothes, food and other facilities and gradually trapped them into child sex. Mr.AmodKanth, General Secretary of Prayas made a powerful presentation before her and her team on
rules governing child safety in India including Prevention of children against Sexual Offences (POCSO), the Juvenile Justice Act, the new bill on sexual offences passed by Indian Parliament after the Nirbhaya incident and the Crisis Intervention Centres (CICs) started by Prayas for the first time to deal with sexual offences, in all of which Prayas had played a leading role in drafting of the new laws. During the presentation, Ms. Mansor asked very pointed questions regarding the role of lawyers and prosecutors in this process and also expressed interest in visiting children courts in India. Earlier, Ms. Mansor went around the Prayas Shelter Home for Girls at Tughlakabad Institutional
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Area housing around 45 To 50 girls who have been either trafficked or are victims of domestic violence or runaways. She also asked questions from the girls in the vocational training classes run by Prayas. She was presented portraits of herself and her husband painted by two artistes Sapna and Anil, who are promoting Katran Art. On her arrival Ms.Mansor watched a small cultural program and won over the hearts of the audience when she asked a girl performing to ‘Ram RatanDhanPayo’ whether she was performing like Rani Mukherjee. When told that this dance was performed by Sonam Kapoor she said “Oh I have heard only of Rani Mukherjee.”
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SUNDAY Language Programs Hindi..................................9 am to 10 am – 93.1 FM BANGLA Urdu................................10 am to 11 am – 93.1 FM Sydney 97.7 FM & SBS Radio 2 Tamil...............................11 am to 12 pm – 93.1 FM Melbourne 93.1 FM & SBS Radio 2 Hindi.................................8 pm to 10 pm – 88.3 FM Monday & Saturday Singhalese.......................8 pm to 11 pm –97.7 FM 6-7 PM GUJARATI MONDA Y Sydney 97.7 FM & SBS Radio 2 Hindi....................................3 to 4 pm – 93.1 FM Melbourne 93.1 FM & SBSPm Radio Bengali...............................4 pm to 5 pm – 93.1 FM Wednesday & Friday 4-5 PM Hindi...................................6 pm to 8 pm – 88.3 FM Indian (Fiji)..................................6 pm to 8 pm 88.3 HINDI Punjabi........................1 1 am to 12 Sydney 97.7 FM & SBS Radio 2 noon 92.3 FM Melbourne 93.1 FM & SBS Radio 2
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11AM-12 PM SATURDAY Sinhalese............................ 7 am to 8 am – 92.3 FM TAMIL TSydney amil..................................... 12-12.30 97.7 FM & SBS Radio 2 pm – 88.3 FM Indian.................................... 5 am to 62am - 92.3 FM Melbourne 93.1 FM & SBS Radio Sun, Mon, Wed, Sat Punjabi.......................................... 12-2 am – 92.3 FM 8-9 PM Indian................................ 9 pm to 10 pm – 92.3 FM Punjabi.................................................. 11 pm to 1 am urdu Sydney 97.7 FM & SBS Radio24/7 2 Radio stations Melbourne FM & SBS Radio (Subscription) 2 Indian Link93.1 Radio Wednesday & Sunday 18000 15 8 47 6-7 PM Radio Santa Banta (Internet) Santabanta.com.au WORLD NEWS AUSTRALIA RADIO SydneyJhankar 1107AM88.6 & SBSFM; Radio 1 Thursday; 8 to Radio Every Melbourne 1224AM & SBS Radio 1 10 pm; Contact: 94668900 or 0411247320 or Monday & Friday 9404 2111 6-7 am & 6-7 PM
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PLACES OF WORSHIP HINDU Shri Shiva Vishnu Temple 57 Boundary Rd, Carrum Downs, Melbourne, Vic 3201, Ph: 03 9782 0878; Fax: 03 9782 0001 Website: www.hsvshivavishnu.org.au Sri Vakratunda Vinayaka Temple 1292 - 1294, The Mountain Highway, The Basin, Vic 3154, Ph: 03 9792 1835 Melbourne Murugan Temple 17-19 Knight Ave., Sunshine VIC 3020 Ph: 03 9310 9026 Durga Temple (Durga Bhajan Mandali) Neales Road, Rockbank, Vic 3335 Ph: 03 9747 1628 or Mobile: 0401 333 738 Hare Krishna (ISKCON) Temple 197 Danks Street, Middle Park Vic 3206 Ph: (03) 9699 5122 Email: 100237.354@compuserve.com Hare Krishna New Nandagram Rural Community Oak Hill, Dean’s Marsh Rd., Bambra VIC 3241, Ph: (052) 887383 Fax: (052) 887309 Kundrathu Kumaran Temple 139 Gray Court, ROCKBANK Victoria 3335 Ph: 03-9747 1135 or M: 0450 979 023 http://www.kumarantemple.org.au/
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JAIN Melbourne Shwetambar Jain Sangh Inc 3 Rice Street, Moorabbin, Vic - 3189, Australia. Phone: +61 3 9555 2439 info@melbournejainsangh.org http://www.melbournejainsangh.org
Melbourne West Mosque 66-68 Jeffcott Street, Melbourne Ph: 03 9328 2067
Indian Consulate Address: 344, St. Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia P.O. Box No: 33247 Domain LPO Vic 3004 Consular Enquiries: +61-3-9682 5800 (9.30am-12.30noon only) General Enquiries (other than Consular): +61-3- 9682 7836 Fax No:+ 61-3- 9696 8251 Email: consular@cgimelb.org Web site: www.cgimelb.org
Broadmeadows Mosque 45-55 King Street, Broadmeadows Ph 03 9359 0054 Islamic Call Society 19 Michael Street, Brunswick Ph: 03 9387 7100 Islamic Centre of Australia 660 Sydney Road, Brunswick Ph 03 9385 8423
Indian Consulate Consular services are handled by VFS Global Visa / Passport / PCC / IDLV / PIO / OCI services contact VFS +61 2 8223 9909. Address: Part 4 Suite, Level 12, 55 Swanston Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 Site : www.vfsglobal.com/india/australia/
Australian Islamic Cultural Centre 46-48 Mason Street, Campbellfield Ph: 03 9309 7605 Coburg ISNA Mosque 995 Sydney Road, Coburg North
Services handled by Indian Consulate Melbourne itself: OCI Misc. services, Registration of Birth, Birth Certificate, Renunciation of Indian Citizenship, Surrender of Indian Passport, New Passport Details on PIO, Transfer of Valid Visas, Marriage Certificate, Affidavit for Applying Child’s Passport in India, Documents Attestation.)
Coburg Mosque (Fatih Mosque) 31 Nicholson Street, Coburg Ph 03 9386 5324 Deer Park Mosque 283 Station Road, Deer Park Ph 03 9310 8811 United Migrant Muslim Assn. 72 George Road, Doncaster Ph 03 9842 6491, Footscray West Mosque 294 Essex Street, Footscray
SIKH
Heidelberg Mosque Corner Lloyd & Elloits Streets, West Heidelberg
CRAIGIEBURN Sri Guru Singh Sabha 344 Hume Highway, Craigieburn VICTORIA 3164 (see map), Ph: (03) 9305 6511 KEYSBOROUGH Gurdwara Sri Guru Granth Sahib 198 -206 Perry Road, Keysborough VICTORIA 3073 (see map) LYNBROOK Nanaksar Taath, 430 Evans Road, Lynbrook VICTORIA 3975, (03) 9799 1081 HOPPERS CROSSING Sri Guru Nanak Satsang Sabha 417 Sayers Road, Hoppers Crossing VICTORIA 3029, Ph: (03) 9749 2639 WERRIBEE Gurdwara Sahib Werribee 560 Davis Road, Tarneit VICTORIA 3029 PH: (03) 8015 4707
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Sankat Mochan Temple 1289 A North Road. Huntingdale Morning: 10.30 am – 12.30 pm daily Evening: 4:30 pm – 8.00 pm daily Site: http: www.sankatmochan.org.au Contact: 0427 274 462
BLACKBURN Sri Guru Nanak Satsang Sabha 127 Whitehorse Road, Blackburn VICTORIA 3130, Ph: (03) 9894 1800
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Glenroy Musala 1st Floor, 92 Wheatsheaf Road, Glenroy
Islamic College of Victoria (Mosque) 201 Sayers Road, Hoppers Crossing Ph 03 9369 6010 Huntingdale Mosque 320-324 Huntingdale Road, Huntingdale Ph 03 9543 8037 Al Nur Mosque 34-36 Studley Street, Maidstone
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Springvale Mosque 68 Garnworthy Street, Springvale
EMERGENCY CONTACTS EMERGENCY CONTACTS Police, Fire & Abulance ........................ Victoria State Emergency Service (SES)....................................... Traffic hazards and freeway conditions..........................
Student Welfare Officer in the Indian Consulate Melbourne Consulate General of India, Melbourne Address: 344, St. Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC – 3000 Phone: 03-96826203 Fax: 03-96968251 Email: cgo@cgimelb.org Website: www.cgimelb.orgExternal website that opens in a new window Contact person for Students welfare: Mr. Nirmal K. Chawdhary Designation: Deputy Consul General Mobile: 0430020828
000 132 500 13 11 70
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Sri Lanka Consulate 32A Brunswick Street ,Walkerville 5081 Melbourne , Phone: 9898-6760, 9248-1228 Email: rodney@techno.net.au
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contd from previous page Bangladesh High Commission, Canberra 43, Culgoa Circuit, O’Malley, ACT-2606 Canberra, Australia, Ph: (61-2) 6290-0511, (61-2) 6290-0522, (61-2)6290-0533 (Auto hunting). Fax : (61-2) 6290-0544 E-Mail :hoc@bhcanberra.com
Consulate of Nepal, Melbourne Email: cyonzon@nepalconsulate.net.au Level 7, 28-32 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne VIC 3000, Ph: (03) 9650 8338 Email: info@nepalconsulate.net.au
TV GUIDE SBS1 – Daily NDTV News - 11:05 am - Monday to Saturday. (From New Delhi, India). Urdu news SBS1 - PTV News – 9.30 am - Every Sunday – (From Pakistan).
SOUTH ASIAN Garments Roshan’s Fashions 68-71 Foster Street, Dandenong, Vic 3175 Ph: (03) 9792 5688
Travel Agents Gaura Travels 1300 FLY INDIA or 1300 359 463 info@gauratravel.com.au Travel House 284 Clayton Road, Clayton 3168 Ph: (03) 95435123, Mobile: 0425803071 mail@travelhouse.com.au
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MLG Lawyers Ronny Randhawa 144 Sydney Road, Coburg Vic Ph 9386 0204 & 138 Walker Street, Dandenong Vic Ph: 9793 9917 Mobile : 0402 256 712 Vera Lawyers Kusum Vaghela Level 1, Suite 2, 373 Lonsdale Street, Dandenong Vic, Mobile: 0433 827 124
Jewellery Bhadra Laxman Jewellers 22ct Gold Jewellery / Silver Pooja (03) 9846 7661
By Shilpa Dhnarthia Raj Rani Creations 83-A Foster Street, Dandenong, Vic 3175 Ph: (03) 9794 9398 desi estyle 76 Foster St., Dandenong 3175 (03) 87744853; 0413707685 Heritage India 54-56 Foster Street, Dandenong, Vic 3175, Ph: (03) 9791 9227 Site: heritageindia.net.au
DVDs, Music CDs & Film Stuff Baba Home Entertainment 52C Foster St., Dandenong 3175, (03) 97067252
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elbourne: I was once told that even if life was a bed of roses we would still need to look out for thorns. This, I finally understood as an adult when I entered a mode where I felt like I was constantly fire-fighting to attain some semblance of balance in life. We attest our happiness to a job, a partner, finances and various material possessions.So in our quest to keep it all together we forsake peace and sometimes health. Kintsugiliterally translates to “to patch with gold”, this is a Japanese art of fixingthings. A method of repairing broken ceramics using a lacquer mixed with metals like gold, silver or platinum. The idea is to recognise and respect the history of the object by visibly highlighting the repair instead of concealing it. The object is transformed into unique works of art through this process. I cannot help but draw a parallel here and think that travel is the gold that helps us fix our cracks. When we are away from the daily mundanethe peace that envelopes us, the deeper musings and sharper focus on details of things around us; all combine to rejuvenate us. So, if you are nursing a heartbreak
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or are bogged down by work or are in general fatigued,a dosage of travel is highly recommended. Travelling to break free and unlearn is of the best kind. When we open ourselves to the possibility of travel as therapy, we accept its holistic impact on our lives. There are chemicals like melatonin, serotonin, endorphins that help ascertain mental wellness and studies prove that travelling releases them in abundance. By no means am I suggesting that one must travel to a new far-flung destination for a long time, even going home or revisiting a place that equates to happiness in our minds is enough. Might I also add that digital detox is a bitter pill that you might actually appreciate on this journey, since you will find yourself connecting more with people around you rather than virtual folks. The beautiful and the mundane, the spiritual and the material, the metaphysical and the factual are all woven together in a journey that has the power to set you free. Travel for yourself, travel for your wellbeing. And while at it see if you can help a needy or two (or more) along the way. Nothing beats the fulfilment that comes from watching people smile.
south asia 34 South Asia Timestimes SYDNEY FILM FESTIVAL
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Movies treat at the Sydney Films Festival (7-18 June 2017)
By SAT News Desk
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ydney, 10 April: The month of June this year will see a movies bonanza from all over the world including South Asia. Movie buffs will be treated by the 64th Sydney Film Festival with 28 prominent new films to be featured in this year’s 7-18 June event, and the first of over 150 Festival guests: award-winning British filmmaker Nick Broomfield, director of the hotly anticipated Whitney Houston documentary Whitney ‘Can I Be Me’. Two Indian movies ‘Hotel Salvation’ by award-winning director ShubshashishBhutiani and ‘Sexy Durga’ by directoreditor Sanal Kumar Sasidharan are also part of the prominent movies to be shown. The 2017 Oscar-winner for Best Foreign Language Film, The Salesman, the haunting thriller by Iranian master AsgharFarhadi (A Separation), will get its South Western Sydney debut on Friday 7 April at 7:30pm. Also revealed in advance of the full program launch of 200+ films on Wednesday 10 May is a new Festival location: Randwick’s iconic Ritz Cinema. “These films bring together thousands of talents and perspectives from across the globe, to create a lens - a way of looking at and experiencing aspects of the world and ourselves,” Sydney Film Festival Director NashenMoodley said. “And it’s as entertaining as it is enlightening.” “From the view backstage with Whitney Houston to the view from the top in Mountain or An American Werewolf in London viewed
through the windscreen of your car, the 2017 Festival is a collection of film from every angle, from everywhere, for every kind of film lover.” Leading the pack… Leading the titles announced today in the Festival’s sneak peek is high-profile documentary Whitney ‘Can I Be Me’, Nick Broomfield’s never-beforeseen backstage look at the height of six-time Grammy winner Whitney Houston’s stardom. Also topping the list are non-traditional horror A Ghost Story, starring Oscar winner Casey Affleck (Manchester by the Sea) and Rooney Mara (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), and Filipino independent filmmaker Lav Diaz’s haunting drama The Woman Who Left, winner of the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival.
an extensive portrait in Winnie, and Rumble: Indians Who Rocked the World is a celebratory examination of Native American musicians and their role in the development of American popular music. Ethan Hawke and Sally Hawkins (Happy Go Lucky, SFF 2008) star in Maudie, based on the life story of Canada’s best known folk artist Maud Lewis.
Industry masterclass guest The first of many Festival guests to be announced is award-winning filmmaker Nick Broomfield (Whitney ‘Can I Be Me’) who is renowned for his iconoclastic documentaries Kurt & Courtney, Biggie and Tupac, Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer, Soldier Girls and the dramas Battle for Haditha and Ghosts. He will also be presenting an industry masterclass at the Festival.
New films from Australia and New Zealand Closer to home, the Festival will premiere the new Australian feature That’s Not Me, a hilarious local indie with a strong Australian cast including Isabel Lucas and actorwriter-producer Alice Foulcher. Mountain is a new documentary from acclaimed Australian director Jennifer Peedom (Sherpa – SFF 2015) with a score created by Richard Tognetti and performed by the Australian Chamber Orchestra. Controversial documentary The Opposition is finally screening at Sydney Film Festival after being suppressed by a court order last year, as well as Spookers, a look into the inner workings of the Southern Hemisphere’s largest horror theme park and the tight-knit New Zealand family who run it.
True stories Highly anticipated true stories include Oscarnominated I Am Not Your Negro: a timely perspective on race in America using the words of James Baldwin narrated by Samuel L. Jackson. Controversial post-apartheid South African first lady Winnie Madikizela-Mandela gets
New venue In 2017 the Festival will continue to bring films from the world’s top film festivals to venues across Sydney including for the first time at Randwick’s Ritz Cinema – celebrating its 80th birthday this year. The State Theatre, Dendy Opera Quays, the Art Gallery of NSW, Event Cinemas
George Street, the Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace Cremorne, Dendy Newtown, Casula Powerhouse, and the Skyline Drive In Blacktown return as official festival screening venues. An expanded virtual reality program will also pop up at the Festival Hub at Sydney Town Hall premiering cutting edge films. Horror at the Drive In Of the 28 films announced in the preview, 14 are new features and 13 are new documentaries, including 16 Australian Premieres and one retrospective. The retrospective being cult classic Oscarwinning horror comedy An American Werewolf in London, directed by John Landis (The Blues Brothers), screening under the full moon at the Skyline Drive In on Friday 16 June. Big festival winners Prestigious new features included in the preview are Amat Escalante’s imaginative drama The Untamed, which won the Silver Lion at the Venice Film Festival for Best Direction. Cristian Mungiu’s tale of moral compromise, Graduation, won the filmmaker the Best Director Prize at Cannes 2016, and Afghanistan’s first female director Shahrbanoo Sadat’s debut feature Wolf and Sheep won the Art Cinema Award at Cannes Directors’ Fortnight. Documentary prize-winners include Nowhere to Hide (main award-winner at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam), and three winners from the 2017 Sundance Film Festival; Winnie, Motherland, and Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked
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the World. Quirky hits Other feature highlights include delightful family animation, the Oscarnominated My Life as a Zucchini, voiced by Ellen Page (Juno), Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation) and Will Forte (Saturday Night Live), and Malaysia’s answer to Kill Bill, Mrs K, with an all-star cast including Hong Kong’s leading lady Kara Wai, Taiwanese rockstar Wu Bai, and martial arts film legend Lau Wing. Outstanding documentaries Outstanding documentaries remain essential to the Festival, and this year’s program has many award-winners and enthralling themes from factual filmmakers around the world. Untitled is the final film of the late Michael Glawogger (Whores’ Glory - SFF2012), created after his death by collaborator Monika Willi. Slovenian metal band Laibach and their LatvianNorwegian film crew get unprecedented access into North Korea in Liberation Day, and Hoop Dreams director Steve James’s David vs Goliath tale Abacus: Small Enough to Jail is a story about America’s financial crisis that actually manages to paint a bank as the small guys. The Festival is supported by the NSW Government, through Screen NSW and its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW, the Federal Government through Screen Australia, and the City of Sydney. The full Sydney Film Festival program will be announced on Wednesday 10 May at 11am.
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southSouth asia times 35 Asia Times
Gurinder Chadha to promote ‘Viceroy’s House’ in Australia
By SAT News Desk
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elbourne, 6 April: The 1947 subcontinent partition set forth in the Indian Independence Act 1947 resulted in the dissolution of the British Raj and the gave birth to India and Pakistan at midnight on 14-15 August 1947. Millions were displaced and killed in communal riots. The grim consequences of partition reverberate to this day. The final months of the British Raj
were tense and tough. It is the events in these months that Director Gurinder Chadha captures in her new movie ‘Viceroy’s House’. Director Gurinder Chadha, will be here this month end to promote ‘Viceroy’s House’ scheduled to release in Australia on May 18. Gurinder Chadha, will present her new movie to audiences at a series of Q&A screenings in Sydney and Melbourne. ‘Viceroy’s House’, stars Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey), Gillian Anderson
(The Pak), Michael Gambon (Emma, The Ha, Potter films), Manish Dayal and Huma Qureshi. The movie in English has music is by A.R. Rahman and runs for 106 minutes. The movie tells the true story of the final months of British rule in India. Viceroy's House in Delhi was the home of India’s British rulers. After 300 years, that rule was coming to an end. For 6 months in 1947, Lord Mountbatten, great grandson of Queen Victoria, assumed the post of the last Viceroy,
charged with handing India back to its people. The film's story unfolds within that great House. Upstairs lived Mountbatten together with his wife and daughter, downstairs lived their 500 Hindu, Muslim and Sikh servants. As the political elite - Nehru, Jinnah and Gandhi - converged on the House to wrangle over the birth of independent India, conflict erupted. A decision was taken to divide the country and create a new Muslim homeland: Pakistan. It was a
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decision whose consequences reverberate to this day. It is a story that is deeply personal to Gurinder Chadha, whose own family was caught up in the tragic events that unfolded as the Raj came to an end. Gurinder Chadha’s is best known for the hit films Bhaji on the Beach (1993), Bend It Like Beckham (2002), Bride and Prejudice (2004), Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging (2008), and the comedy film It's a Wonderful Afterlife (2010).
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book review
By Romi Mahajan
enormous wealth, life, and outright economic leadership in the world. Tharoor’s sense of history, knowledge of politics, and deep abhorrence of the racist violence (physical and economic) perpetrated by the British are written majestically into the narrative, making The Era of Darkness not only important but at once both emotionally inspiring and draining. Inspiring because the book reminds us the power of the pen to start the process of seeking justice for wrongs (to the extent that is possible) and draining because of the cruelty that cannot be undone. As with Mike Davis’s Late Victorian Holocausts, Tharoor’s book will provoke anger that must be channeled into progressivism. The Bust of Churchill in the Oval Office should now be a symbol of protest against the greed, malevolence, and thirst for blood that characterized both the British in India and also, sadly, the dispensations we see popping up all over the world. The best crystal ball, Tharoor reminds us, might indeed be the rear-view mirror. Romi Mahajan can be reached at romi@ thekkmgroup.com —Source: Counter Currents, January 2017 (Heading changed)
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Why Reading “An Era of Darkness” By Shashi Tharoor Is Necessary?
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riters are every now and again given a gift from the “news,” a nugget that serves to be an easy opening gambit. The 45th President of the United States, Donald Trump, delivered a perfect one recently by installing a bust of Churchill in the Oval Office. One would indeed get this impression from the typical romantic (and racist) hagiographies that pass as “history.” To read such pabulum is to be at play in the fields of elision. When it comes to India and Indians, Churchill’s virulence, racist, and thirst for blood was at its worst. In perhaps the most shameful episode of imperialismas-genocide, Churchill let 3-4 million Bengalis starve in the early-mid Forties while India contributed massively to the European War. MadhusreeMukerjee’s brilliant and searing account of Churchill’s active and racist connivance in the Bengal Famine – Churchill’s Secret War– is a salutary corrective to the canonical and ahistorical narrative of Winston-as-savior. Unfortunately, the false narrative is the one that has carried the day. This is not just a case of “to the victors
go the spoils” even when it comes to the production of knowledge. No. There has been a deliberate attempt by former colonizers and former colonists to converge on a convenient history of forgetting. India is covered with restaurants, hotels, road and neighborhood names, and other artifacts and symbols of respect to the oppressor. I remember an incandescent moment in my own life when dining in the “Curzon Room” in a hotel in Delhi. I don’t remember the taste of the food, only of my own bile. In just such times- when history is beckoning to being written and written fairly- Shashi Tharoor has given us An Era of Darkness, a poetically written and accessible fulmination against British Colonialism in India and its apologists. Tharoor has produced a work- as important a popular book as I have seen recently- that describes the myriad ways in which the British lied, stole, murdered, and legislated their way into the biggest crime in history- one with an unimaginable body count. With deindustrialization and the forcing of famine, with onerous taxation to outright murder, with racist hypocrisy and unimaginable malevolence, the two-century British encounter with India denuded the latter of
MUSINGS
COUP DE GRACE By Rashid Sultan
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he landslide victory by the BJP in the recent elections in Utter `Pradesh (U.P), was nothing less than a coup de grace. All the psephology and punditry, written and broadcast before the elections nosedived once the results started coming in. U.P is the most populous and important state in the country. So populous that in its own right it may become the 5th largest country in the world. And Muslims account for 20% of the population. Akhilesh Yadav, the chief Minister of Samajwadi Party had an impeccable record of achieving big- ticket developments in his tenure,
and had also entered into an alliance with the Congress before the elections. What happened? So many theories are still incurrency. Take your pick. --- BJP won on the back of Hindu Consolidation. (remember the kabristan and shamshanghat rhetoric of Narendra Modi in the middle phases of the election?). --- Carefully crafted class conflict obscured by a cynically chosen common enemy. ---Muslims did not vote as a block, as they are traditionally known to. ---A mix of a split in Muslim vote and many in the community voting for the BJP (remember that not one Muslim candidate was chosen by the BJP to fight in
this election). ---In several seats, split in Muslim votes helped the BJP. ---The BJP won 62 of 82 constituencies where Muslims comprise a third of the population. ---Samajwadi Party, Congress Alliance and the BahujanSamaj Party had jointly polled more votes than the BJP in 370 of the state’s 403 seats. And now, the choice of the new Chief MinisterSwami Adityanath, the Hindutva mascot par excellence. Let us hear some of his most ribald comments, before elections, against Muslims: ---This man has talked of forcibly converting Muslims to Hinduism; of installing Hindu idols in mosques and
even exhorted his followers to kill Muslims; if they kill one Hindu man, we will kill 100 Muslim men. (Arun Dhillon in the Age). ---Mother Teresa is Christianising the country. ---Muslims opposing Ram Mandir have to go to Pakistan. And now the question why Narendra Modi installed such a divisive person at the helm? ---Narendra Modi, despite his talk of development, plans to consolidate Hindus behind him by turning Muslims and other minorities into the ‘other’ in the run-up to the 2019 general elections to secure a majority; Modi and the BJP are Janus-faced, where it suits them they speak of a modern developed India where all citizens are equal; where it doesn’t – such as where they want to win Hindu votes-they spew a hate-filled agenda designed to make Indians turn on one another (AmritDhillon ).
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---BY embracing him Modi has lost all plausible disassociation from Aditaynath and any useless controversies will not leave him or the Centre unscathed ( BurkhaDutt ). Adityanath, after swearing in, echoed His Master’s voice’SabkaSaath sab kavikaas’. Verbal Flatulence!!!!! And the first two executive orders by him ? ---Anti Romoeo Drive – Love Jihad ( say Hindu Muslim romance) ---Closure of illegal slaughter houses throughout the U.P (unemploying 2.5 million and hitting at the export of Buffalo meat and depriving U.P of 14,000 crores in export earning alone). By the way, who owns these so-called slaughter houses? The story on these socalled illegal slaughter houses, next time. (The views of the author are personal)
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sports
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GC2018 unveils largest competition events schedule in Games’ history By SAT Sports Desk
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old Coast,4 April: The largest competition events schedule in Commonwealth Games history was today unveiled, with the Official Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games (GC2018) Ticketing Guide allowing spectators to start planning their experience ahead of ticket requests opening on 24 April. Boasting the largest medal event program and the most number of sessions in Commonwealth Games history, the GC2018 Competition Events Schedule details all 23 sporting disciplines across the integrated sport and Para-Sport program, as well as all competition dates and times. The release of the competition events schedule coincides with today’s One Year to Go celebrations across the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne as the countdown continues ahead of 4-15 April 2018 event. The key considerations which have been factored into the design of the
GC2018 Competition Events Schedule are: Maximising exposure for all 23 sporting disciplines; through both ticket sales and television audiences. Maximising the spectator experience, including assisting Transport operations by staggering event start and finish times; Scheduling a variety of events within sessions to maximise the spectator experience; athlete performance by considering factors such as recovery periods; Maximising broadcast content for national and international viewers across multiple time zones; Among the highlights of the GC2018 Competition Events Schedule are: 13 sports will be showcased on Day 1 (Thursday, April 5); The first gold medal to be awarded will be the Women’s Triathlon on Day 1 (Thursday, April 5); The highly anticipated 100m final (Men’s and Women’s) will be held on Day 5 (Monday, April 9); Day 10 (Saturday, April 14) will act as “Super Saturday”, with the most number of medals to be awarded (44 gold medals in total); The Rugby Sevens finals for men and women will be the final gold medal events on Day 11 prior to the closing ceremony. The Official GC2018 Ticketing Guide, available online at www.gc2018.
com/tickets, also explains the process for how to complete a ticket request. In order to make it fair for everyone, GC2018 tickets will initially be available via a Ticket Request phase. Ticket requests will be accumulated over a fourweek period from midday on 24 April until midnight on 22 May 2017 (AEST), and no orders will be confirmed or payments taken until after the Ticket Request phase closes. Any sessions that have more ticket requests than there is availability will have tickets awarded via a fair and equal draw. The fair and equal draw is made by computer and processed randomly, in addition to being independently audited by KPMG. Spectators can place a ticket request at any time during this phase and no preference will be given to the time of day or date a ticket request is placed. Whilst placing a ticket request does not guarantee success, it provides spectators with the best chance to secure tickets for the most in-demand sports sessions. Visit www.gc2018. com/tickets for more information. Spectators can look forward to inclusive, accessible and affordable ticket prices for GC2018, with adult tickets starting from as low as $20 and half price children’s tickets available from $10. The ticket price includes all fees and free public transport on event days
within the South East Queensland TransLink transport network, as well as the Cairns TransLink and Townsville qconnect bus networks. Tickets for people with accessibility requirements will be available for all events and as GC2018 is affiliated to the Queensland Companion Card program, accessible seating will be provided with a complimentary companion ticket. Infants under the age of two are granted free entry, provided they do not occupy a seat. GOLDOC Chairman Peter Beattie AC said, “As we celebrate our One Year to Go milestone, it is exciting to announce the largest competition events schedule in Commonwealth Games history. GC2018 will see Beach Volleyball and Women’s Rugby Sevens making their Commonwealth Games debuts, helping us become the first major multi-sport event in the world with an equal number of medals between men and women,” he said. GOLDOC Manager Sport Services, Venues, Operations and Sport Brenton Rickard said, “We are proud to present the GC2018 Competition Events Schedule after many months of planning and coordination with all relevant stakeholders. We have factored in many different considerations into the design of the competition event schedule
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and believe the outcome is one that everyone from athletes to broadcasters and international sporting federations will be happy with.” Highlights of the GC2018 Ticket Pricing Program include: 80 per cent of all tickets will be priced $80 or below Over half of all tickets will be priced $40 or below Opening Ceremony tickets will be available from $100 for adults and $50 for children Closing Ceremony tickets from $70 for adults and $35 for children Athletics tickets will be available from $20 for adults and $10 for children Rugby Sevens tickets will be available from $30 for adults and $15 for children Beach Volleyball tickets from $30 for adults and $15 for children Swimming tickets from $40 for adults and $20 for children Track Cycling tickets from $50 for adults and $25 for children Children’s tickets will be available for people aged 16 and under Infants under 2 years are granted free entry to all events providing they do not occupy a seat. The Gold Coast will welcome 6,600 athletes and team officials from 70 nations and territories across the Commonwealth - representing more than one third of the world’s population.
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southSouth asia times 39 Asia Times
Festival 2018 to extend Commonwealth Games experience beyond the stadiums By SAT Sports Desk
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old Coast, 4 April: The Commonwealth Games 2018, Gold Coast are a year away and they are not just games but 12 exciting sport laced with a mega Festival 2018, aspirational 12-day celebration that will inspire audiences with a high quality program of live performances, art installations and interactive cultural experiences. The arts and culture program that will light up the Gold Coast and Commonwealth Games event cities in 2018 through the Festival 2018. The festival will be a free public celebration that will run concurrently with the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games (GC2018) Competition Events Schedule, released today for the 4-15 April 2018 event. Generating a festive atmosphere during the Games time across the Gold Coast and event cities Brisbane, Cairns and Townsville, the celebration will extend the GC2018 experience beyond the stadiums and into transformed public spaces, parks and beaches. On the Gold Coast, Festival 2018 will be curated and programmed by the internationally-renowned, Brisbane-based, Queensland performing arts company, Circa Contemporary Circus. The arts and culture program will also feature Bleach* Festival performances,
commissions and activities, supporting the local Gold Coast arts and culture industries. Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation (GOLDOC) Chairman Peter Beattie AC says, “Festival 2018 will feature extraordinary and memorable artistic events that celebrate the spirit of the Commonwealth, reflect Queensland’s lifestyle, culture and creativity and capture the authentic spirit of the Gold Coast and event city communities. Festival 2018 will shine a creative light on the Gold Coast and event cities complementing a world-class sports program. Reflecting diverse abilities, perspectives and cultures, the program will challenge and inspire audiences of all ages.” “Festival 2018 will also provide a unique opportunity for the Gold Coast to grow as a cultural hub by providing the opportunity for artists to collaborate with, learn from and perform with other artists from around the world,” Mr Beattie said. Queensland Premier and Minister for the Arts Annastacia Palaszczuk said, “Festival 2018 will be a significant attraction for cultural tourists, locals and visitors to the Gold Coast and Queensland during the Games. In line with increased State-based funding for the arts, Festival 2018 will provide a great opportunity for Queensland artists to showcase their work.
Festival 2018 will be a vibrant and diverse arts and cultural experience that will entice all Queenslanders to experience the Commonwealth Games.” Minister for Education and Minister for Tourism, Major Events and the Commonwealth Games Kate Jones felt, “The Festival 2018 program will transform the Gold Coast and event cities and provide a hands on experience for those looking to immerse themselves in
the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games experience.” City of Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said, “Festival 2018 is an unprecedented catalyst to help drive the Gold Coast’s vision of creating opportunities over the next 10 years to innovate and challenge the current cultural landscape.” GOLDOC CEO Mark Peters was of the opinion that the “Festival 2018 will provide an opportunity for the Gold Coast and all of Queensland to feel a part of the Games.” The Festival 2018 will be a bold, aspirational 12-day celebration that galvanises the Gold Coast and event cities Brisbane, Cairns and Townsville with inspiring art installations, live performances and interactive experiences to extend the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games (GC2018) beyond the stadiums. Festival 2018 is a globally significant celebration that will transform the cultural life of the Gold Coast and provide Queenslanders with unique and world-class participation and engagement opportunities. Festival 2018 will be delivered for the duration of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games (GC2018) from 4 -15 April 2018, with a program of events and activations delivered concurrently with the GC2018 Competition Events Schedule. —Based on media release supplied by AAP Medianet.
Cricket Australia to launch Beastwear National Indoor Cricket League BY SAT Sports Desk
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elbourne, 3 April: Australia’s best indoor cricketers will compete in a new national competition beginning this month, the 2017 Beastwear National Indoor Cricket League (NICL). Ten open men’s divisions and six open women’s divisions will feature, with up to 75 teams set to compete for the title of National Champions and more than $50,000 in prize money. The NICL promises to be a fast, fun, exciting new competition, with regular matches held across the country. Matches will be played weekly from April through until the NICL Finals Series in September, with around 750 participants expected to compete in matches at almost 50 indoor cricket centres Australia-wide. Cricket Australia has partnered with Beastwear as the naming rights sponsor of the NICL for two seasons,
with this being the first major commercial partnership of its kind with indoor cricket in Australia. Cricket Australia’s Executive General Manager of Game and Market Development, Andrew Ingleton, said: “The launch of a new national competition, the Beastwear National Indoor Cricket League, is an exciting step forward for Indoor Cricket in Australia.” “There are more than 180,000 participants in Indoor Cricket across Australia, and this competition will play an important role in raising the profile of Indoor Cricket and also offer a clear pathway for our indoor cricketers. “We believe the NICL will help to drive participation across the country and also assist with players’ skill development, leading to a higher standard of Indoor Cricket overall. “This is a significant year for Australia’s indoor cricketers. A number of major events are fast
approaching, including the 2017 Indoor Cricket National Championships in July – which will combine open and junior divisions for the first time – plus the 2017 Indoor Cricket World Cup for our national teams in September
and the inaugural NICL. “It’s great to be joining forces with Beastwear, who have signed on as the major partner of the NICL for two seasons. We look forward to a successful partnership with them.”
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The men’s divisions will include: ACT, NSW Metro, NSW Country, North Queensland, South-East Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria East, Victoria West and Western Australia. The women’s divisions will include: New South Wales, South Australia, South-East Queensland, Victoria East, Victoria West and Western Australia. Divisional finals will be played in the first two weeks of August, ahead of the National Indoor Cricket League Finals Series from 1 September to 3 September. A National Match of the Day will be live-streamed on each Sunday during the competition, starting on 23 April. This will include one women’s match and one men’s match from 6.15pm AEST, live and free to watch through the Cricket Australia Indoor Facebook Page and a new tournament website, www.nicl.com.au, which will go live later this week.
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