SAT February 2015

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South Asia Times Vol.12 I No. 7 I FEBRUARY 2015 I FREE s o u t hasiatim es.com .au Editor: Neeraj Nanda

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Can a South Asian team take the World Cup again?

Read on page 2

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Can a South Asian team take the World Cup once again?

By Shobhit Nanda

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elbourne: The ICC cricket world cup is being held in Australia & New Zealand after 23 years. It was in 1992 against all odds that Pakistan won their first world cup on Australian soil against favourites England in the final. The favourites of this world cup are the hosts Australia & New Zealand and South Africa who have an uncanny knack of getting to the semis but getting knocked off.

The South Asian teams competing are India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

India has been playing in Australia since November last year but has failed to win any test matches or one-dayer in the recently held tri-series which also featured England. At the same time, Sri Lanka and Pakistan have been playing against New Zealand in bilateral series but have found New Zealand too strong on their home turf.

Bangladesh and Afghanistan will no doubt provide good

competition to the other teams.

England, West Indies, Zimbabwe, Ireland, Scotland and UAE make up the remaining teams. While England has shown some promise, it’s hard to see West Indies taking the cup given the manner in which they have been defeated against India and South Africa recently. Zimbabwe and the remaining associate teams have the capacity to challenge and on a good day may prove too good for the major teams like we saw in the last few world cups.

Australia will be the favourites if they reach the final at the MCG but it is high time that New Zealand or South Africa get their hands on the world cup.

Someone in their teams will need to play a brilliant series similar to that played

by Yuvraj Singh for India throughout in the last world cup. The final outcome might surprise us all just as Pakistan did in 1992 by winning their first world cup - so do not count out a South Asian team to take the trophy just yet.

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Cricket Australia targets multicultural communities

By Neeraj Nanda

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elbourne, 18 January: Cricket Australia (CA) is on a mission to promote Cricket as a sport for all. The aim is to make the game reflective of the current and future Australian population, to ensure their involvement and participation all levels of Cricket. Three subcontinent players F. Ahmad, Usman Khawja and Gurinder Sandhu are already in first class Cricket.

It’s ‘National Multicultural Engagement Framework’ for Game and Market Development to grow multicultural participation at all levels of Cricket.

Further, the strategy focuses on the creation of role models across players, coaches, umpires, administrators and officials.

This message was given at an interaction with the multicultural media with CA and ICC officials presenting the strategy followed by a lively question answer session. Those present included CA’s Sam Almaliki,

Sr. Manager Communiuty Engagement, Andrew Ingleton, Ececutive General Manager, Game and Market Development and John Kent, General Manager, Communications and Communiuty Engagement ICC Cricket World Cup 2015.

Pakistan origin Australian

cricketer Fahad. Ahmad also answered questions from media persons.

Answering to a question on the coming India-Pakistan match in Adelaide (during the ICC World Cup), Fahad Ahmad said, the Indian team is good and in the previous World Cup India won against

Pakistan but Pakistan on its day can win.

In their addresses Sam Almaliki and Andrew Ingleton briefed the media persons how the CA plans and resources are driven by the principals of inclusion that will lead to increased access, choice

and opportunities for the multicultural communities.

For more information: www.playcricket.com.au/asport-for-all or Sam Almaliki - sam.almaliki@cricket.com. au or Aaron Dragwidge – aaron.dragwidge@cricket. com.au —SAT News Service.

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Fawad Ahmed: I came here for Cricket

By SAT Sports Desk

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elbourne: Simply, he says, “If there was no cricket my life would have been completely different.”

Arriving from Pakistan in early 2010, having fled his home country for fear of persecution by the Taliban, Ahmed doesn’t understate cricket’s defining role in his new life in Australia.

“I wouldn't be here (in Australia). I came here for cricket because I got a contract with a club,” he says. Cricket, and sport in general, is known for its societal benefits, but few have experienced them as profoundly as Ahmed.

His move from the Subcontinent to Hoppers Crossing in Victoria’s West was for club cricket, but his leg-spinning talents soon took him beyond the suburban grounds in Melbourne’s outer suburbs.

Wickets upon wickets led Ahmed on a rapid course through grade and state cricket, and soon piqued the interest of national selectors.

Thanks to a rare federal legislative change, Ahmed received Australian citizenship in 2013, completing his hasty ascent through the rungs of Australian cricket with his debut for Australia in a OneDay International against Scotland in 2013.

Ahmed hopes his

achievements since arriving in Australia act as motivation for others from diverse backgrounds to get involved in cricket.

“If I can play within three years for Australia everyone can play,” he says. “It's (playing for Australia) a great feeling.

I'm so happy here.” “I [hope I] can be a role model for the community; not just my community but for all youngsters in Australia.

“Things can happen to anyone; there are no impossibles here in this world. You can make it possible if you work hard and believe.”

Cricket’s ability to engage communities is at

the forefront of Ahmed’s perspective on life. He has become accustomed to fielding inquiries from Australia’s diverse communities, having been quickly anointed a role model by them.

“I’ve been approached by so many parents... my message is always going to be the same: 'any sports, not just cricket is good for the kids, especially for their future.”

“Cricket here (in Australia) is for everyone.

Everyone is similar; everyone has got the right [to play]. Beyond immediate plans to return to the Australian team, Ahmed dreams of someday

coaching fulltime.

Soon after arriving in Australia, he began working for Cricket Victoria as a coach working primarily in multicultural communities but has cut back coaching due to playing commitments. “My dream is to coach,” he says.

“I love coaching, especially spin bowling.

I would love to do it on my own, or maybe in cooperation with Cricket Australia to produce some good cricketers for Australia.”

In Australia he sees an enviable cricket system that provides opportunities vastly unlike those available to kids in his native

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Pakistan.

Talking about Australian Cricket programs like MILO in2CRICKET and MILO T20 Blast, which have been specially designed for multicultural communities, Amhed says: “The [cricket] programs in Australia are unbelievable.”

“When I go to schools for a speech or a gathering, I am always saying to them 'You people are really lucky to have such a beautiful system and opportunities in this country'.”

Ahmed has experienced the world thanks to cricket.

His playing days began in rural Pakistan and his abilities have taken him to grounds in the UK, Australia and even the unlikely destination of Holland.

This worldly experience demonstrates cricket’s universal appeal. It brings with it access to new clubs, communities and countries.

And herein lays the enduring beauty of cricket for Ahmed. “The good thing about cricket is that it is an international game – that is why they call it the king of sports.

“It has really helped me make so many friends and connections.”

To get involved in free come and try cricket days in your community and enjoy the action of For more information visit www. playcricket.com.au Source: Cricket Australia

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South Asia Times

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editorial

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Delhi poll results: Shock & Awe!!

This comment was written when the AAP got a landslide victory getting 67 out of 70 seats (3 seats went to BJP) and before Mr. Kejriwal took over as the Chief Minister of Delhi for the second time on 14 February, 2015. - Editor

By Sukumar Muralidharan

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EW DELHI: The Modi wave has broken on Delhi’s shoreline. As it recedes, it leaves behind a ruling party whose reverie of unending years in power has been rudely interrupted and a supreme leader suddenly vulnerable to searching questions from within.

Those questions had begun to be asked from outside but a sense of shock and awe from Modi’s electoral sweep of May 2014 remained. With its dramatic sweep of the Delhi state assembly elections, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) dispels that pall of silence. Normalcy has been restored to politics and the technocratic dream of development that the BJP sold to cover up its hard sectarian political identity, stands exposed as an unimaginative fantasy.

What should have been a solid sixty seat triumph if the voting pattern of last year’s Lok Sabha election had persisted, has become a rout for the BJP which has failed to reach double digits in a seventy member assembly. Lofty silence, which has been Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s preferred recourse so far, is now no option. His authoritarian disregard for party and cabinet colleagues, his intent to go his own way and subtly coerce everybody else into line, his anxiety to secure global approval while maintaining an enigmatic silence on actions and statements within the flock that led to serious worries about the directions the country was embarked upon: all these would now come under deeper scrutiny.

Propelled by a powerful propaganda apparatus, Modi showed the energy through his “maximum campaign” last year, to sell a grandiose dream to the electorate. He now has to summon up the order of political skills he is yet to display, to address complexities on the arena of national politics, rather than the simpler milieu of Gujarat.

For the Congress which has literally been decimated

after three consecutive terms in power in the National Capital Territory (NCT), the challenge is becoming progressively more difficult. History shows that once it slips into third place in any state, it rarely manages to claw its way back to political relevance. The plaintive cries now being heard for inducting Priyanka Gandhi into the top leadership, only compound the party’s crisis of public credibility.

The Congress oversaw a transformation of the city and its environs in demographic and infrastructural terms. It may then have fallen victim to its own conceit that it had secured a lockhold over Delhi’s ambitions, that demography indeed had changed so radically that traditional BJP constituencies where it saw its main challenge, were thoroughly marginalised.

But there were thwarted aspirations just beneath the veneer and a real sense of deprivation and economic disenfranchisement among the masses of working people who kept the city running. In the event, it took an insurgent campaign to tap into these hidden veins.

AAP’s campaign began in scattershot displays of anger against the established order but was then transformed into an organised effort to

change things. The antiestablishment message could take it some distance but had to be enhanced with a positive message to ensure a shift of established political loyalties. This the AAP ensured through an agitation programme in some of Delhi’s least affluent areas, focused on improved delivery of basic needs. Then followed the real organisational effort propelled by the cadre of young and highly-skilled political activists that Arvind Kejriwal managed to rally to the cause.

The AAP sweep in Delhi promises to energise politics in far corners of the country.

Parties of the left had for the first time in years, coordinated their efforts in the Delhi elections. It was always a losing hand and in a final gesture, the left parties had issued a directive that AAP should be the party of choice for the faithful in constituencies where they were not in play.

Curiously, arch rival Mamta Banerjee from distant West Bengal issued an identical directive: that AAP should be the preferred choice of the Delhi voter who set any store by her word.

The Delhi outcome also comes at the same time that the disjointed fragments of the old Janata Dal – Lohia socialists and agrarian populists – seek unity to beat back the

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BJP juggernaut. There is a degree of purpose evident in a rather dubious cause: evicting the dalit chief minister of Bihar, Jitan Ram Manjhi, so that Nitish Kumar can reclaim the office for his coalition of OBCs. The BJP, which briefly sought to stay out of these factional enmities, has plunged in with unseemly enthusiasm to manipulate numbers in the Bihar legislative assembly, further eroding its public credibility.

Finally, the AAP sweep in Delhi represents the promise of an exciting new brand of politics, which goes beyond the tired clichés of the past and points towards a future of exciting possibilities. Through a bruising campaign, with its fair share of dirty tricks and political innuendo, AAP spokespersons showed a rare persistence in maintaining a certain candour and humility in the public discourse. The BJP and the Congress, unable to see the shift in the mood, kept up a steady barrage of insults of the public intelligence. They now confront the harsh consequences of their purblindness. And other parts of the country gaze towards Delhi in the hope that the AAP brand of politics could sprout and flourish more widely.

—TheCitizen

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GST arguments: Growing fat on public purse

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The demise of the Australian car industry does not mark the end of taxpayer assistance in Australia, it marks only the end of highly visible assistance. The free marketeers didn't win, they only defeated the easy targets. The real rorters not only still grow fat on the public purse, they lead the cheer squad for free market principles.

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n the glory days of the 1980s, economic policy and the economic policy debate were simple. There were the protectionists (boo) and the free marketeers (yay) and, as history records it, the free marketeers won.

Yeah, right.

As the back benchers floating the extension of the GST to fresh food quickly discovered this week, tax policy in Australia has as much to with protectionism and favouritism as it does with efficiency or equity.

The coalition of business groups and retired politicians pushing for the GST to be extended to fresh food have been relying heavily on free market economics to justify their position. "Broaden the tax base, lower the tax rate, remove the distortions" goes their cry.

Until you mention that private schools are exempt from GST that is.

Those who remember the economic debates of the 1980s will have no trouble predicting where the free marketeers go next. private schools are special, they say. Helping private schools helps the

community, helps the budget and ensures that consumers have choice.

If you impose the GST on $30,000 school fees people might change their spending patterns and buy fewer services from private schools. It will hurt poor people.

There could be merit in all of those arguments.

They are, however, all of the arguments that were dismissed in the 1980s by the free marketeers who were pushing for the GST. They are also all of the arguments used by people who don't think the GST should be extended to cover fresh food. Whoops.

Governments do think private schools are special and taxpayers already provide generous support to them. A genuine free marketeer who thought that private schools were special wouldn't argue that they should be excluded from the GST, they would argue that specific grants to private schools be increased.

There has been a lot of debate about how much public money should go to private schools. The most common positions are: that they should receive none;

that all private schools should receive the same amount per student; or that more disadvantaged private schools should get more per student than the wealthiest private schools. The leave-the-GSTof-private-schools-alone brigade, however, support a rather novel position.

The parents of children at a $30,000 per year school get a $3000 concession from taxpayers while those at a $5,000 school get $500. You would think it would be a brave free marketeer that says that taxpayer support for private schools should rise proportionately with the fees they charge, but hey, that's Australia today.

Some free marketeers argue that higher school fees will see a flood of students pour into the public schools. The existence of waiting lists not only rebuts that argument but raises the question of why private schools are setting their prices so inefficiently as to leave a queue? Perhaps the free marketeers should be urging exclusive private schools to further increase their prices rather than lobby for GST concessions

for their kid's school.

Of course, it's not just private schools that many so-called free marketeers think should be exempt from the GST. Despite the enthusiasm for broadening the base to include fresh food, many of the base boosters remain strategically silent about the benefits of bringing private health insurance and financial services into the GST as well.

Bizarrely, one of the arguments used to exclude financial services from the GST is the amount of paperwork that might be involved. However, Assistant Treasurer Josh Frydenberg wants to include goods purchased online for less than $1000 in the GST even though the Productivity Commissions says the collection costs of such a change would be greater than the revenue gained. This from a selfdescribed champion of cutting red tape.

Modern protectionists are too smart to out themselves. Rather than make a public case for budget appropriations they prefer to sneak their hand into the taxpayer till via tax concessions and loopholes

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Some free marketeers argue that higher school fees will see a flood of students pour into the public schools.

The existence of waiting lists not only rebuts that argument but raises the question of why private schools are setting their prices so inefficiently as to leave a queue? that few usually see.

The Expenditure Review Committee spends months looking for expenditure savings but it doesn't look at tax concessions and loopholes. It should be core business.

Source: Australia Institute, January 13, 2015.

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community

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Crime Stoppers campaign against con men By our community reporter

be paid on the same day and in cash.

elbourne: Many a times a person can knock at your door and offer services. These people are not qualified and that’s why they offer cheaper rates for services they offer. The fellow can be a con man. To stop this it is essential to say no to these people and immediately report about them to Crime Stoppers.

Crime Stoppers Victoria CEO, Samantha Hunter said that con men tend to be more active in the warmer months and after natural disasters such as fires.

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Consumer Affairs Victoria and Crime Stoppers Victoria are partnering together to warn multilingual communities about the threat of travelling con men. These con men are known to target small businesses and homes of those who have English as a second language.

They offer cheap rates to do driveway resurfacing, painting, repairs and other odd jobs and they will almost always request to

“Con men target those most vulnerable in society; the elderly and those not fluent in English. It is important to look out for your neighbour and report any suspicious activity via the national hotline,” Information on con men and what to do is now available in multiple languages to help the community.

“If you do suspect a con man to be at your door, just say no to them and ask them to leave. Always use a qualified tradesman and check details before anyone is hired.”

The national travelling con men hotline (1300

Information on con men and what to do is now available in multiple languages to help the community.

133 408) is open between 8.30am and 5.00pm Monday to Friday (except public holidays), says a Crime Stoppers media release.

For further information and tips on how best to protect yourself from con men, please visit http:// www.consumer.vic.gov.au/ resources-and-education/ scams/travelling-con-men.

For more information on Crime Stoppers, please visit www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.

—SAT News Service.

“No thanks, I’m not interested.”

“Please leave, or you’re breaking the law.”

“I already have a good tradesman.”

If a tradesman unexpectedly appears at your door with an offer that sounds too good to be true, they may be a travelling con man. You can say no and tell them to leave. Report any details on 1300 133 408.

Supported by Consumer Affairs Victoria

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Seminar on business opportunities in Pakistan

By our community reporter

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elbourne, 12 February: Pakistan is all set to encourage hassle free foreign investment. The topic came up for a power point presentation at the Telstra Business

Centre, Narre Warren. The presentation was presented

by H.E. Mrs. Naela Chouhan, Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Australia.

In her presentation the High Commissioner first introduced Pakistan and then detailed the reasons why one should invest in Pakistan.

The topics touched

included geo strategic location, work force, economic outlook, investment plans, financial markets etc. She admitted the fight against terrorism has cost the country heavily. What Pakistan exports and inports were also told.

On a question put by SAT, the High Commissioner said

those applying for business visas from Pakistan faced too much possessing time in Australia which delayed business people’s visits.

“I have raised the issue with the Australian government,” she said.

She also disclosed the Pakistan government was working within the SARCC framework to increase

Indian Australians honoured at PBD T

By Ashok Kumar

he 13th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas that was celebrated in Gandhi Nagar in Gujarat, the home state of Mahatama Gandhi who had returned to India from South Africa on January 9, 1915.

This year is the centenary celebration of Mahatma’s return to India from South Africa.

Every year, The Pravasi Bhartiya Divas honours prominent Indians who have contributed in the development of their adopted country. This year, a total of 16 people were honoured with the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award from 11 countries. Of these 16, one was from the last year, Ms. Lisa Singh from Australia who could not collect it on previous occasion. She was honoured this year.

Another Indian Australian who received the honour is Mrs. Mala Mehta, who has worked towards promoting Hindi language in Australia and particularly in Sydney.

She runs a Hindi School IABBV in Thornleigh. Mala has run several campaigns in the social media to teach Hindi in Australian schools.

Mala Mehta is well-known for her love of the Hindi language, and for her passion for seeing young ones in our community retain proficiency in their native tongue. In 1987, she established the Indo Australian Bal Bharatiya Vidyalaya in Sydney’s Thornleigh suburb, and since then she has single-handedly pursued the growth of Hindi in the school system here.

It was her efforts that saw it included as a language option at the Year 12 level.

Lisa Singh is a well known politician and a Federal MP from Tasmania, a Labor Senator. Her name to fame is being the first Indian Australian to enter Federal Parliament. Born to a FijianIndian father and English Australian mother, she is grand-daughter of Indo-Fijian Member of Parliament of Fiji, Ram Jati Singh. In her first speech in Parliament, she claimed descent from Rajputs.

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business relations among the subcontinent countries.

The seminar was attended by a large number of people including Inga Peulich, Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Dr. Sahahbaz Chaudhry, SAPAC President, Manoj Kumar, EcoTech, Neeraj Nanda, Vice President SAPAC, Dr. Ali Khan among others.

Every year, The Pravasi Bhartiya Divas honours prominent Indians who have contributed in the development of their adopted country.

Singh was elected to the Australian Senate in the 2010 federal election, making her the first person of South Asian descent to be elected to the Australian Parliament. She began her term in the Senate on 1 July 2011. On 18 October 2013 she was promoted to the shadow ministry as Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Attorney-General. Shorten promoted her to Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment, Climate Change and Water on 24 June 2014.

Source: Indian Subcontinent Times, Sydney.

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Melbourne Indian restaurant punished for 457 breaches

By SAT News Desk

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elbourne 27 January : An Indian restaurant in Melbourne has had its 457 visa sponsorship agreement cancelled and will be barred from the visa programme for five years after failing to meet a range of sponsorship obligations, including providing equivalent pay and conditions.

One employee’s salary fluctuated based on daily takings and another

employee was underpaid by more than $4000. Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash, said the case serves as a warning to other 457 visa sponsors to uphold their responsibilities and act lawfully.

‘This action by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection is a result of months of monitoring,’ Minister Cash said.

‘The business failed to maintain its responsibilities

on a number of fronts, including the obligation to keep records, to provide equivalent terms and conditions, and to not provide false and misleading information.’

The infringement notice was issued in August 2014, and included a fine of $15 300 for failing to keep records. In January 2015, further breaches of obligations were found and the sponsorship agreement was cancelled and a five year ban was placed on future

applications.

‘The Department is constantly monitoring 457 sponsors to ensure they are operating appropriately.

Businesses acting in good faith have nothing to fear, but we want to send a strong message that if you breach your obligations, you can expect to face the consequences, including fines and cancellation of your sponsorship,’ Minister Cash said.

‘The Department of Immigration and Border Protection’s last Annual Report shows the number of sponsors monitored in 2013-14 increased by almost 20 per cent compared to the previous year.’

The number of sponsors sanctioned in 2013-14 increased by 68 per cent compared to the previous year.

In the first quarter of 2014 (January – March), 199 Illegal Worker Warning Notices were issued, compared with 55 for the same period in 2013.

Equally, there was a 28 per cent increase in field action, with 1475 field actions

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The number of sponsors sanctioned in 2013-14 increased by 68 per cent compared to the previous year. occurring between January – March 2014.

‘Under a Coalition Government, Australians can be confident that the Department of Immigration and Border Protection is adequately resourced to ensure that those sponsors and visa holders found to be breaching their obligations are targeted and appropriate action is taken against them,’ Minister Cash said.

—SAT News Service

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Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival – First glimpse

By News Desk

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elbourne: The city is all set for a sizzling fashion bonanza in March this year. The two weekends mesmerising event will host multiple events related to the fashion industry. Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival – 2015 (VAMFF-2015), is supported

by Virgin Australia and the Victorian Government.

The Melbourne Fashion Festival Ltd. (MFF), the for purpose organisation that owns and delivers the Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival, the nation’s largest consumer focused, fashion, business, and cultural event, has been extended to nine days of intensive programming and will be held over two weekends from 14 to 22 March 2015.

“The Cultural Program will return with a robust program that runs the month leading up to the Festival from 15 February to 15 March across Melbourne and regional Victoria. The Festival is also excited to announce the rejuvenation of its globally recognised Business Events Series.

Hosted by Crown, in an inaugural partnership with the Festival, the businessto-business events will feature a new format including dynamic and interactive networking opportunities with an outstanding line up of local and international speakers,” says a VAMFF media release.

Principal Partner and leading Australian airline, Virgin Australia, will bring thousands of people from around the world to the front row through its extensive domestic and international networks. A number of money-can’t-

buy retail packages through Virgin Australia Holidays will help drive tourism to Victoria for the 2015 Festival.

Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival CEO Graeme Lewsey says the 2015 key initiatives re-affirm the Festival’s commitment to the Australian fashion industry and stimulating its growth.

“We are focused in 2015 to deliver a stand-out program of inspirational and thought- provoking events, activities, and new initiatives that captivate our audiences with the ultimate fashion experience. This is just a glimpse of what we have in store and look forward to revealing the full program in February 2015,” Lewsey said.

THE RUNWAYS More than one hundred established and emerging designers will take to the Festival’s world-class runways over nine action packed days, showcasing the latest women’s, men’s and children’s wear.

Kicking off on Saturday, 14 March with the ‘Opening Event Presented by David Jones and Supported by Vogue Australia’ and the ‘Opening Event VIP Party Supported by Fox FM’, the Festival will host a series of sell-out runway shows presented by Australia’s leading fashion magazines as well as unique runway events, including: •Menswear Runway and After Party •The first Famous for Fashion Kidswear Runway Presented by the City of Stonnington and Supported

by AMP Capital Shopping Centres will be held at Malvern Central •The new format Famous for Fashion Boutique High Tea Presented by the City of Stonnington and supported

by Dilmah and Australian Women’s Weekly will feature a designer runway and elegant high tea experience at Malvern Town Hall The Festival will conclude with the ‘Grand Finale Featuring Romance Was Born’ on Sunday, 22 March.

NURTURING TALENT The Festival rests on the industry’s ability to identify, embrace and encourage new talent by providing valuable platforms to help let our creative talent soar.

The Festival’s ‘Tiffany & Co. National Designer Award Supported by Harper’s BAZAAR’ will once again celebrate the best of Australian design talent and provide a highly coveted business development prize package for the winner. The award will be presented in a new format designer presentation on the evening of Monday, 16 March.

The Festival’s ‘National Graduate Showcase

Presented by Target’ will foster up and coming university talent whilst the ‘Future Runway Presented

by Spotlight’, entering its second year, will be dedicated to enabling secondary school students from across the country to showcase and experience the Australian fashion industry.

BEAUTY AND BEYOND In a new collaborative partnership with multiple premium hair and makeup brands, the Festival has partnered with Priceline Pharmacy as its Official Hair and Beauty Partner. Under the direction of specially appointed renowned makeup director Rae Morris and hair director Kenneth Stoddart, these brands will be masterly applied to all of the runways. Festival goers will be able to access an immersive ‘Beauty School’ activation to receive first hand styling advice on

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how to achieve this year’s runway looks.

ONE RUNWAY TO ANOTHER Virgin Australia is launching a dedicated fashion channel on its InFlight Entertainment system to bring the Festival to the sky in 2015. Passengers will be able to watch interviews with designers and models, see what happens backstage, and watch all the runway shows from the Festival.

The Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival will take place 14 to 22 March 2015. Tickets are available now through Ticketek or online at the new Festival website VAMFF.COM.AU. Sign up to the Festival’s electronic newsletter to be the first to receive all the latest program updates and premium seating exclusives.

Source: VAMFF press release.

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Explore Moomba 2015

By News Desk

Zone will play host to a NEW Disney Zone where kids can enjoy Disneythemed activities and movies.

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elbourne Lord Mayor Robert Doyle has crowned iconic ex-cricketer Shane Warne and Bollywood star Pallavi Sharda as the King and Queen of Moomba, as Australia’s largest free community festival prepares to burst into life over the Labour Day long weekend.

More than one million visitors are expected to flock to Birrarung Marr and Alexandra Gardens from 6 to 9 March for the City of Melbourne’s iconic event and explore Moomba’s extraordinary program of free activities and shows.

The Lord Mayor said Moomba is a uniquely Melbourne institution and a must-do for the Labour Day long weekend.

“The Moomba Festival program is bigger than ever this year with local music talent, world class athletes and a wide range of free shows and activities for all ages,” the Lord Mayor said.

“I’m delighted to announce Shane Warne and Pallavi Sharda as this year’s Moomba Monarchs: two born and bred Melburnians who are internationally renowned in their professions.

“Moomba is a festival truly unique to Melbourne which celebrates our diverse cultural identity and extraordinary local talent.”

Moomba’s Main Arena will play host to headline acts including iconic Australian bands Jebediah, You Am I and the Hoodoo Gurus, plus an array of incredible Australian music talent.

Festival favourite the Birdman Rally will be back for 2015 as well as a new addition to the Moomba site, The Green, which will be home to the FReeZA Push Start Battle of the Bands.

As tradition ensues, the Moomba Monarchs will appear among the colour and movement of the

SKATE PARK Realise new skills at the ramp with daily scoot, skate and BMX clinics, demos and competitions.

Plus, watch experienced skaters, scooters and BMXers compete across the weekend. All equipment is provided, and all clinics are free.

RIVER This year the Moomba Masters Championship becomes the first stop in the 2015 Nautique Wake Series. The action starts on Wednesday and Thursday with the junior competition, and heats up over the weekend with competitors fighting for a place in Monday’s finals. To win a coveted Moomba Masters title, athletes will compete across five disciplines – slalom, tricks, jump, night jump and wakeboarding.

The nightly River program will run under lights with the Men’s Wakeboarding, followed by the Men’s and Women’s Night Jump. For the first time, the Moomba Masters will include Women’s Wakeboarding, celebrating the sport’s extraordinary female talent. famous Moomba Parade on Monday 9 March.

Councillor Beverley Pinder-Mortimer, Chair of Council’s Marketing Melbourne portfolio, said Moomba has etched itself into the hearts of Melburnians, and provides something new to discover every year.

“Moomba has been around for decades, yet it continues to evolve and celebrate Melbourne’s extraordinary curiosity and appetite for discovery with new attractions every year,” Councillor Pinder-Mortimer said.

“Adding to the Moomba fun this year will be trail

of Moomba fun-facts as visitors navigate through the site’s five fun-filled and festive precincts.”

MOOMBA 2015 PRECINCTS: Moomba 2015 will be held across five precincts on the banks of the Yarra River at Birrarung Marr and Alexandra Gardens.

MAIN ARENA The entertainment hotspot and heart of the Moomba site, the Main Arena, will stage free music and cultural performances on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, concluding at 9.30pm each evening with

amazing fireworks display.

Performers include brass ‘n beats five-piece party band, The Brow; Triple J Unearthed winners, The John Steel Singers; and high-energy Melbournebased five piece band, Perch Creek.

KIDS ZONE Daily shows from Australia’s oldest circus family, Ashton’s Circus, will headline the Kids Zone. FREE workshops and activities will also be on offer, including face painting, mini golf, lawn bowls, drumming, music, puppetry and craft making.

Plus, this year the Kids

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THE GREEN Step into Moomba’s newest precinct, The Green.

Home to The Push Stage, find sanctuary on the lush green lawn shaded with elm trees while enjoying free music from emerging artists. For the past twelve months, musicians from across Victoria have been battling it out as part of the FReeZA Push Start Battle of the Bands. Don’t miss the much-anticipated Grand Final at The Green on Saturday 7 March.

For further information and full program details visit melbourne.vic.gov.au/ Moomba #exploremoomba Source: City of Melbourne media Release

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Melbourne Durbar Dr. Raman Marar is no more

D

r.Raman Perumpillil Marar is no more.

He passed away peacefully on 31 Jan 2015 at the Monash Hospital, Clayton, is survived by his wife Mrs Sati Marar and two children, Sunitha and Sudhir. Known for his soft and charming personality, Dr. Marar was fully committed to community work. He never shied to help someone in need. He was instrumental in uniting the scattered Indian community in Victoria.

He spent around five decades of his life in Victoria, and was a prominent Indian community leader, through the Malayalee Association of Victoria and the Federation of Indian Associations of Victoria (FIAV) as its longest serving President.

Dr Marar was honoured with the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for Victoria in 2002, but rather well known to be pious, easy to reach and down to

earth leader of the Indian Community in Victoria.

He hailed from Cheranalloor near Ernakulam in South Indian state of Kerala and migrated to Australia in the early seventies, taking up a Masters degree in Monash University, followed by a PhD from the Latrobe University and later retired from the Swinburne University as a Professor. Dr Marar is also one of the founders of the Sri Shiva Vishnu Temple in Carrum Downs.

Various community organisations and the FIAV have paid their homage to this man who stood by the Indian community in thick and thin.

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By Desi Oz

AII@Delhi

A

II, Melbourne boss Mr. Amitabh Mattoo recently ended his tenure at the prestigious institute affiliated to the Melbourne University. He now has a plum posting in Delhi at the newly setup AII@ Delhi. The AII@Delhi, the flagship program in India was inaugurated by the Governor of Victoria at a ‘private’ function at Delhi’s elite Taj Mahal Hotel on 18 February.

The opening of the AII@ Delhi there when the new right wing Hindu nationalist government has not even completed one year assumes significance.

The AII funded by the Australian and the Indian government is supposed to indulge in ‘soft diplomacy’.

PM Modi’s visit to Australia during the G-20 summit in Brisbane and the OzIndia Uranium supply pact signed then is still said to need more inputs. Its actual contents remain a mystery. What role the AII

in Melbourne and Delhi play in it remains to be seen? A dynamic program of lectures, seminars and events will enable thought leaders from India and Australia to engage with each other on current issues across a diverse range of disciplines. The AII @ Delhi will work closely with the Government of India, the Australian High Commission, a range of Indian universities and

think tanks to expand the work of the Melbourne-­ based Australia India Institute, says the AII website.

“The Institute is committed to deepening and enriching the strategic relationship between Australia and India, a relationship that is emerging as one of the most significant Asian partnerships of the 21st century,” it says.

Zubin Mehta to lead AWO tour

A

ustralian High Commissioner Patrick Suckling has welcomed the Australian Government support for a tour to India by the Australian World Orchestra(AWO), led by one of India’s most famous sons, Maestro Zubin Mehta.

The AWO will receive $250,000 in assistance from the Australian Government for its tour to Mumbai, Chennai and New Delhi in October 2015. The AWO was invited to perform in India by Maestro Mehta.

Mr Suckling said the concert tour would be a rare opportunity

for Indian audiences to experience the finest talents in Western classical music from India and Australia. “This is a wonderful example of the growing cultural engagement between Australia and India, which is a critical foundation of the relationship between our two countries,” Mr Suckling said.

“It will be a privilege for our world-class musicians to work with an internationally-renowned Maestro such as Zubin Mehta for a series of high-profile concerts. They will also deliver an education program to young Indian musicians and work with

underprivileged children.”

As part of the tour, the AWO will perform Haydn's Toy Symphony in a series of concerts for underprivileged children, with the involvement of a number of high-profile Australian and Indian cricketers.

The AWO was founded by Australian conductor Alexander Briger in 2010 to bring together Australia’s finest orchestral musicians from around the world to form one unique orchestra.It consists of more than 100 musicians drawn from orchestras including the Berlin Philharmonic, the Vienna

Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the London Symphony Orchestra.

Cultural engagement has been a key priority for both the Australian and India Governments and during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Australia in November 2014, Mr Modi and Prime Minister Tony Abbott witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Arts and Culture.

Indian Prime Minister Modi also announced a Festival of Indian Culture in Australia in 2015/16 to showcase the dynamism and diversity of contemporary Indian culture.

Online visa to increase Indian tourists A

new pilot program for online lodgement of subclass 600 visas for Indian business and tourism visitors will be rolled out through selected travel agents in India. Launching the pilot, Minister for Trade and Investment Andrew Robb said “India is one of the world’s fastest growing outbound travel markets. This trial will make it easier for Indian visitors to apply for visas to travel to Australia.”

“Under the Australian Government’s national tourism strategy, Tourism 2020, India has the potential to contribute between $1.9 and $2.3 billion annually to our tourism industry by 2020. That’s why in the first half of 2015, the Australian

Government is rolling out a trial of online visa applications to capitalise on this rapidly growing visitor market and create jobs,” Mr Robb said.

Mr Robb was leading Australia’s largest ever trade mission to India for Australia Business Week in India from 9-16 January.

Australia is an attractive and popular destination for Indian visitors. For the year ending September 2014, Indian visitors to Australia reached 189,866, an increase of 14.5 per cent on the previous year. Indian tourists contributed almost $800 million to the Australian economy. Tourism Research Australia forecasts arrivals from India to Australia will reach almost 300,000 by 2022-23. www.southasiatimes.com.au - (03) 9095 6220, 0421 677 082

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SOUTH ASIA

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Lanka for own war crimes tribunal

UNITED NATIONS (IPS): Sri Lanka’s newly-installed government, which has pledged to set up its own domestic tribunal to investigate war crimes charges, is seeking political and moral support both from the United States and the United Nations to stall a possible international investigation.

By Thalif Deen

F

oreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera is due in the United States to press the country’s case before U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Kimoon.

The United States was one of the prime movers of a resolution adopted last March by the 47-member Human Rights Council to appoint a U.N. panel, headed by former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari, to probe into “alleged serious violations and abuses of human rights and related crimes by both parties in Sri Lanka” at the end of decades-old war between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) back in 2009.

During his visit to New York, Samaraweera is also scheduled to meet with representatives of Human Rights Watch (HRW).

Asked about the new government’s proposed “domestic mechanism”, HRW’s Asia Director Brad Adams told IPS, “We do not expect the government to conduct a serious investigation.”

He specifically mentioned the former Army Chief Sarath Fonseka – who led the armed forces to victory against the LTTE – being a member of the current government thereby politicising any such domestic investigation.

Adams also hinted the investigation could get embroiled in local politics since the newly-elected president, Maithripala Sirisena, is planning to hold island-wide parliamentary elections in June this year.

“The United Nations should continue to be at the centre of the current process,” he added, but still complimented the government for reaching out to HRW. “We are very encouraged and we are happy to meet with the foreign minister,” Adams said.

David Griffiths, deputy director for Asia-Pacific at Amnesty International,

told IPS President Sirisena and other officials in the new administration have promised Sri Lanka will restore rule of law and conduct domestic investigations into alleged crimes under international law.

He said commitments have also been given to investigate the killing of journalists.

“These are important pledges which are to be welcomed, provided that the investigations are conducted promptly and in good faith, with independence, adequate resources and effective witness protection, and provided that where sufficient admissible evidence exists, they lead to the prosecution of those suspected of the crimes, regardless of their rank or status.”

What’s crucial, said Griffiths, is that a change in rhetoric must be matched by a change in political will and followed by action.

He pointed out that Amnesty International has documented Sri Lanka’s long history of ad hoc commissions of inquiry that have not delivered justice – the new administration must address this legacy of impunity.

“Any domestic investigation would not negate the need for continued international action and engagement to ensure justice and accountability in Sri Lanka, or Sri Lanka’s need to cooperate with the United Nations,” he declared.

Asked about the remote likelihood of Sri Lanka being hauled before the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Dr. Palitha Kohona, Sri Lanka’s outgoing Permanent Representative to the United Nations and a former chief of the U.N. Treaty Section, told IPS, “The ICC acquires jurisdiction over an alleged violator of its provisions only after the relevant state becomes a party.”

Sri Lanka is not a party, but a state could voluntarily submit to the jurisdiction of the court.

Importantly, said Dr. Kohona, it is individuals and groups who can be indicted before the ICC because crimes are committed by individuals and groups.

“An individual can be indicted if his country is a party to the ICC Statute, or if the Security Council has referred the matter to the ICC or if a state voluntarily

accepts the jurisdiction of the ICC,” he explained.

A prosecution is not automatic. It follows a long process of investigation, he added.

According to the United Nations, the United States included Art 98 (2) which prohibits a person being surrendered to the ICC contrary to the provisions of a state’s treaty obligations.

The United States has concluded 143 bilateral agreements, including with Sri Lanka, for this purpose.

The United States signed but did not ratify the Rome Statute that created the ICC. Another possibility, as in the case of non-ICC member Sudan, is that the Security Council can decide on hauling Sri Lankan individuals before the court.

But any such resolution in the Security Council could be vetoed either by China and Russia, or both, since they have close political ties to Sri Lanka –at least to the former government President Mahinda Rajapaksa, which denied war crimes charges and refused to cooperate with the U.N. investigations.

Amnesty’s Griffiths told IPS the adversarial relationship promoted by Sri Lanka’s former leadership

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vis-à-vis the United Nations was unhealthy and unproductive, and the new Sri Lankan government has now vowed to “prioritize” its engagement with the Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

The Sri Lankan government has committed to a large number of important reforms in a very short period of time, and international expertise and technical assistance could help it to fulfil its reform agenda, particularly where truth seeking, reparation and justice are concerned, he added.

“Amnesty International cannot stress enough the need for justice for the victims of appalling human rights abuses and their families,” Griffiths said.

Last year, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein criticised the former Sri Lankan government for its refusal to cooperate with the investigation.

“This continuing campaign of distortion and disinformation about the investigation, as well as the insidious attempts to prevent possible bona fide witnesses from submitting information to the investigating team, is an affront to the United Nations Human Rights Council which mandated the investigation,” he added.

“The Government of Sri Lanka has refused point blank to cooperate with the investigation despite being explicitly requested by the Human Rights Council to do so,” Zeid said.

“Such a refusal does not, however, undermine the integrity of an investigation set up by the Council — instead it raises concerns about the integrity of the government in question.

Why would governments with nothing to hide go to such extraordinary lengths to sabotage an impartial international investigation?” he said.

The report of the U.N. panel is expected to go before the next session of the Human Rights Council in March. But Sri Lanka is seeking a deferment.

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AAP moves on anti-corruption agenda

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NEW DELHI: Aam Aadmi party chief Arvind Kejriwal with his right hand man Manish Sisodia by his side has become a familiar figure in Delhi’s corridors of power having met everyone from President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh to key bureaucrats including the Chief Secretary. In the process the party has been able to emphasise its commitment to eradicating corruption, as the first priority in its agenda.

The Delhi Chief Minister, Mr. Arvind Kejriwal called on the Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi, in New Delhi on February 12, 2015, after the AAP poll victory.

By Thalif Deen

I

n what will constitute a major move AAP plans to appoint whistle blower Sanjiv Chaturvedi as the head of its anti-corruption bureau.

Chaturvedi was removed by the Modi government as the vigilance chief of AIIMS hospital just a few months ago, in August, for what AAP had even then maintained was an effort by him to

expose rank corruption in the medical institute.

Sisodia went on record saying, “Sanjiv Chaturvedi is a very honest officer and it will be great if he joins."

Chaturvedi had reportedly initiated several investigations during his two years at the premier hospital. These included cases of a officials dog being operated at the AIIMS cancer centre, and of foreign junkets by officials without

reason.

Chaturvedi’s sudden sacking had evoked a strong reaction within and outside AIIMS. At least 200 faculty members and researchers had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his reinstatement but were ignored. AAP had carried out a protest outside, with Chaturvedi’s dismissal being seen as a victory of the corrupt within the Institute. His

reinstatement by the new Delhi government will go a long way in strengthening the fight against corruption, AAP cadres said with some glee.

The Delhi government will also introduce the Janlokpal Bill that is now expected to sail through without any opposition in the Assembly.

This was the same Bill on which Kejriwal had resigned when it was opposed jointly by the BJP and the Congress

Boroondara Sri Lanka, Indian and Fijian Cultural Club

M

elbourne: For doing community work last couple years the Boroondara Sri Lanka, Indian and Fijian Cultural Club Inc.was invited to participate in the North Balwyn Multicultural Festival in the last week ofFebruary at the Balwyn Village.We meet monthly in the Balwyn Library ,and our activities like Guest Speaker,Glaucoma Australia,Doctors Professors and relevant speakers to suit our members, we organise Tai Chi Exercise ses-

sion for the members, we enjoy music, Sinhala, Hindi, Calypso and Baila and so on, we provide a very good rice and curry meal for everyone. We are about 35 members and we have Sri Lankans,Indians,Fijians,Ind onisians,Australians, Spaniards and Malaysians in our group. We have organised to show a stage play to the community , the name of the"You is Me" We were invited to participate at the North Balwyn Multicultural Festival. www.southasiatimes.com.au - (03) 9095 6220, 0421 677 082

The Delhi government will also introduce the Janlokpal Bill that is now expected to sail through without any opposition in the Assembly. This was the same Bill on which Kejriwal had resigned when it was opposed jointly by the BJP and the Congress parties at the time. parties at the time.

The Bill will not face any problems in the Delhi Assembly but will need to be ratified by the central government. Sisodia said that the AAP government will look into the objections as and when these emerged.

“There is a new (central) government in power now,” he said.

Corruption remained the theme of AAP’s first meetings and decision. The Janlokpal Bill provides for time bound investigation on corruption cases, and brings the Chief Minister, ministers, legislators and bureaucrats under its purview.

A new section in 2014 Delhi Jan Lokpal Bill in the AAP’s manifesto reads, “Public officials of Delhi will be required to furnish an annual declaration of assets.

Any undeclared assets will be liable for confiscation.”

The new government will revive the anti-corruption hotline in Delhi that did not survive Kejriwal’s resignation the last time around. Reports suggest that at least 3000 complaints are pending action. The helpline functioned through a call centre of 15 graduates in the Chief Ministers office.

Source: TheCitzen

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VIEWPOINT

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From a Liberal Democracy to a religion driven polity

Some 19 years ago, Danish national Kim Peter Davy dropped arms over Purulia, West Bengal, at the instance of the Government of India. New Delhi’s reported purpose was to arm the Naxalites, a militant fringe of leftists, to oust the communist government in West Bengal that had been ruling for more than two decades.

By Kuldip Nayar*

D

avy has admitted in a recorded interview that he did so at the instance of a Member of Indian Parliament. He still has not disclosed the name of the MP. Joginder Singh, the retired Director of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), has confirmed the report. But he too has refused to name the MP who was apparently a Congressman because the Narasimha Rao government was in power at that time.

This disclosure made by the intrepid Arnab Goswami on the Times Now channel has not been carried by the print media, including the Times of India, which owns the channel. “The central government saw and approved the plans to arm the defence of these innocent people,” Davy told television channel. Davy also named Pappu Yadav as the Bihar MP who had helped him escape from India. He said he was in direct contact with the MP “who told me he was in further contact with the PM’s office.”

It is difficult to say why the channel’s own paper or, for that matter, the entire press has not pursued the story. The press generally ignores the exclusive reports by its rivals. But if the information is important it is followed up with a new

intro and angle. The result is that New Delhi’s guilt to dislodge a government in a federal polity has gone unnoticed and unpunished.

The media can be blamed for the connivance because it has not tried to find out who was the MP responsible. Even now, after almost two decades, the MP concerned should be traced. This may reveal the mechanizations at New Delhi against a state government which pursued a different ideology than that of the ruling party at the Centre.

New Delhi’s unofficial explanation at that time was that the arms were meant for Bangladesh. In fact, it only goes on to prove the allegation by Islamabad that the entire uprising in the then East Pakistan was sponsored by India.

Though the true motive is shrouded in mystery and conjecture, the BBC after investigation, alleged that the arms were intended for the so-called socio-spiritual organization Ananda Marga.

This has been disputed by Kim Davy who claimed the central government itself was behind the arms drop to counter the CPI (M) cadres.

An Indian court in 1977 determined that the Ananda Marga group was indeed the intended recipient of the guns and ammunition. Based on the pilot’s testimony, along with other evidence such as a photograph of the Ananda Margaa headquarters on the

aircraft, the judge ruled: “As per the materials available on record, I hold that it has been established that the places where the arms were targeted to be dropped were of Ananda Margis and precisely three storied white building was the target point and at that target point the arms were tried to be dropped from a flying aircraft and the aircraft has been pin pointed as per the evidence and materials on record.”

One thing which is not yet understandable is the reluctance of New Delhi to find out the truth now that Kim Davy has now recorded his confession. At what level the government at the centre was involved? Was it a bureaucratic conspiracy or was the Congress party’s considered thinking?

Whatever the case, it is still not too late to get at the bottom of the truth. The very credibility of the centre is at stake.

New Delhi owes an explanation on another issue and needs to come clean. A well-educated Muslim lady has appealed to me to give her the India that we inherited from the British. That is some 68 years ago. The scenario has changed from a liberal democracy to a religiousdriven polity.

The government may not be an active participant in effecting the change but Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s blessings are there.

His inclusive growth slogan appears to be only a cover for his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), to destroy the pluralistic fabric of the country.

I wish I could help bring back the ethos of our national struggle, that is, secularism. But the militant fringe of the BJP, if not the party itself, has come to develop reverence even for Nathu Ram Godse, who killed Mahatma Gandhi.

Some have even proposed the installation of his statue.

This kind of thinking is making inroads in our pluralistic ideology because the faith in secularism has weakened. Otherwise, it is difficult to explain vandalism against even a film that exposed the god men.

I concede that Modi had no clue of communalism that has been sought to be injected into the whole incident. But he has not condemned, much less arrested those who indulged in the hooliganism. He dare not take action against the RSS which is now part of politics, instead of being a mere guide.

What has shocked me is that the government has not prepared to take action against the extreme elements which may not be saffronizing the atmosphere, but definitely polarizing the society to an extent which was never seen before.

Therefore, the only answer to the question raised by

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This kind of thinking is making inroads in our pluralistic ideology because the faith in secularism has weakened.

Otherwise, it is difficult to explain vandalism against even a film that exposed the god men. the Muslim lady is to unite the disparate forces to reenunciate the values which motivated us to pursue the core of the national movement. *The author a veteran Indian journalist is a syndicated columnist catering to 80 newspapers in 14 languages in India and other countries. He is a former Editor of the Indian Express, India’s High Commissioner to Britain (1990), Member of the upper house of the Indian Parliament in 1997 and a peace and human rights activist, he has written 15 books including his autobiography ‘Beyond the Lines, Emergency, and journalism then and now’.

Source: TheCitizen.

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SENIORS CORNER

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WITHOUT WORRIES

Melbourne: The life is like a river flowing one way. The river starts in the mountain range and flows downhill to disappear in the ocean. Then it loses its identity. The water which came from the ocean via cloud and rain ultimately returns to its place of origin.

Likewise from birth we continue to flow like a river in one direction to disappear out of this world. We came from nothing and disappear into nothing.

By Pravin Vaghani

D

uring the life we pass through various stages.

The childhood passes in playing. Then we engage in building our mind and body and acquire the knowledge to face the challenges of the society. We find the best possible job or work that helps to amass wealth and prosperity to provide the best of happiness to our family.

The children grow up and go away to build their own life. We come to an age when we feel we have struggled enough in the life and need to rest. Thus we have come to retirement age.

We get to be known as ‘Senior’ or ‘Retired’. Over half a century ago, life expectancy after retirement wasn’t much. People hardly survived five to fifteen years after retirement.

There wasn’t much to do.

Lack of physical activity, too much drinking and/or

smoking, bad eating habits, boredom, lethargy, lack of proper medical treatment, such variety of factors contributed to shorten the life. There weren’t many jobs for older people. Even now, people over 55 are considered unemployable.

Insufficient saving made them dependent upon government pension or handouts from the charity organization.

Now the circumstances have changed. There is plenty of information about how to maintain good health. Proper diet and physical exercises or health maintaining physical activities are advised. The researches in medical science are making great advances. They find out in advance what is wrong with your body. Timely operations and medicines prolong your life. It virtually means it is impossible to die. The result is the life after retirement has become longer than before. If you

have retired from the active life say at the age of 60 and you have the possibility to survive up to age 100 years, then it means that your retirement life, without income, will be just as long as your working life if you entered the workforce at the age of 25 years.

Have you thought about it? Have you done any planning? They advise you to save enough money but they do not advise you how you are going to live? Will you be happy and smiling or will be grudging all the time about everything in life?

How is your life going to be if you are living alone and independent in a small or large residence? With the age your body will become weak and you will find it difficult to do your daily chores. Shopping and cooking will be hard. You will eat more stale left-over, or frozen food, or take-away from food court, or meals on wheels. Your health will deteriorate. If you can’t

drive how will you visit doctor, go for blood test or X’ray? How will you visit your friends to play a game of bridge, chess, or darts or just have a drink together?

There are lots of other things in your life that make your life happy.

If you are thinking your children can help you just imagine if you have fallen down from the bed and can’t get up and you don’t have the mobile with you. And even if you had the mobile, hanging from your neck, your son or daughter may be many Kilometers away on job and may take hours to reach you.

Considering all the above circumstances, you will be better off, and having a happy life without any worries, at a place like Jeevan Dhara. You will be living in a safe environment in company of your friends.

Your meals will be cooked fresh daily. You can meet your friends every-day.

There will be entertainment

Your Community Marriage Celebrant • • • • • • •

Marriage registration Notice of intended marriage Overseas Registration Marriage - Notice Special services to overseas students Assist passport applications, overseas visa Interpreting, translating and Secretarial services

For Information contact N.R. Wickiramasingham. CMC JP. Mobile: 0404 059 231 Phone: (03) 9794 7942 Fax: (03) 9794 0414 Email: wickiram@hotmail.com 34 James Street, Dandenong, Victoria 3175 Authorised by the Commenwealth of Australia Reg: A4978

www.southasiatimes.com.au - (03) 9095 6220, 0421 677 082

Now the circumstances have changed.

There is plenty of information about how to maintain good health. Proper diet and physical exercises or health maintaining physical activities are advised. for you indoor and outdoor.

Daily physical and mental exercises will keep you physically and mentally healthy and you will live long and happy life. Think about it. (For information visit www.jeevandhara.com.au)

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SOUTH ASIA

southSouth asia times 25 Asia Times

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south asia 26 South Asia Timestimes

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f e b r u a r y

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southSouth asia times 27 Asia Times

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south asia 28 South Asia Timestimes

NOSTELGIA

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Pankaj Gupta Collection@MCG

A journey down memory cricket tour of Melbourne, MCG: I was at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) media room covering the 2014 Boxing Day Third Cricket Test between the touring Indians and Australia. The test was drawn and my five days at the iconic MCG came to an end with Dhoni (Captain) retiring from Test Cricket and the young firebrand Virat Kohli taking over as Captain. While at the MCG covering the match midst MCG hospitality and rubbing shoulders with journalists from local and overseas media outlets including prominent ex- Cricketers, I took a plunge into MCG history. An MCG official escorted me to the MCG library a distance away from the media room.

By Neeraj Nanda

T

he library was hosting a rather unusual exhibition of photographs called the ‘Pankaj Gupta Collection’ to coincide with the Indian Test tour of 2014-2015. A lady there assisted me to see exclusive black & white (rather dark brown & white) photographs displayed in the library foyer. The oldish photographs looked well preserved and protected. So, what was all this about?

In fact, in 2013 Rajashi Gupta, daughter of Pankaj Gupta donated a collection of original photographs compiled by Pankaj Gupta, the manager of the first tour

of Australia by an Indian cricket team in 1947-1948.

Most of them document that historic tour with others relating to Pankaj’s career as a cricket administrator and team manager.

One of the photographs shows Lala Amarnath leading the Indians on to the field against Victoria, at the MCG on October 30.

Another one shows the Indian captain applauded by spectators at the MCG. There is a picture where captians, Vijay Hazare and Tom Allan, toss prior to India’s match against a Queensland Country Xl at Warwick.

It’s a journey down memory lane. One good

www.southasiatimes.com.au - (03) 9095 6220, 0421 677 082

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senior citizen

southSouth asia times 29 Asia Times

lane with India’s first Australia (1947-48) quality photo shows Gogumal Kishenchand watching Vinoo Mankad and Probir Sen preparing for net practice at the Adelaide Oval. Then added to the Gupta Collection are the hand written score registers which record the match statics.

Interestingly, Pankaj Gupta had a “...number of roles across a range of disciplines, representing Bengal on the BCCI, the Indian Football Federation and the Indian Hockey Federation,” says an article by Ray Webster (The Yorker, Issue 55, Summer 2014/15).

“Gupta’s greatest sporting passion, however, was hockey, his achievements in this sphere as administrator, coach and referee, leading to the appellation of “Mr. Hockey”. As secretary of Bengal Hockey Association for 10 years from 1936, coached the legendary Indian player Dhyan Chand...

He toured with both the 1932

(Los Angles) and 136 (Berlin) Olympic Games, as well as Australia in 1934,” says The Yorker article.

No cricket lover with a passion for reading can ignore the MCG Library. The ‘Pankaj Gupta Collection’ is just one of the possessions of this store house of

knowledge. There is much more to read and explore.

The ‘Pankaj Gupta Collection’ is proudly part of the MCG library, MCG. The library is situated at Level 3, Members Pavilion, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Yarra Park, Jolimont.

The library has regular

activities like exhibitions, book launches, signings and author talks. One can follow the library via Twitter and Instagram --- @MelbCCLibrary and for your posts include #MelbCCLibrary and #MCG1853.

—SAT News Service.

www.southasiatimes.com.au - (03) 9095 6220, 0421 677 082

The ‘Pankaj Gupta Collection’ is proudly part of the MCG library, MCG. The library is situated at Level 3, Members Pavilion, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Yarra Park, Jolimont.

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एक और साल बीत गया सन ् २०१४ समाप्त हो गया और सन ् २०१५ आरम्भ हो गया। सदा की भाँति, विश्व के विभिन्न भागों में आतिशबाज़ी और रं गारं ग कार्यक्रमों के साथ नये साल का स्वागत किया गया। पिछला साल, वायुयान दर ु ्घटनाओं, आतंकवाद तथा इबोला जैसी जानलेवा बीमारी के कारण सुर्ख़ियों में रहा। इस वर्ष भारत से कैलाश सत्यार्थी को और पाकिस्तान से मलाला यूसफ़ज़ाई को नोबेल शांति पुरस्कार दे कर नोबेल पुरस्कार समिति ने विश्व में दो प्रमुख समस्याओं, बाल मज़दरू ी तथा महिला-शिक्षा की ओर विश्व का ध्यान भी केंद्रित किया। भारत में पहली बार ‘भारतीय जनता दल’ को केन्द्रीय सरकार में बहुमत मिला और नरें द्र मोदी के प्रधान मंत्री बनते ही लोगों में नई आशा का संचार हुआ। ऑस्ट्रेलिया में भी नई सरकार बनी और यहाँ पहली बार जी-२० के सम्मलेन में भारतीय प्रधान मंत्री समेत, विश्व के २० दे शों के नेताओं ने भाग लिया। ऑस्ट्रेलिया में पहली बार इस वर्ष राष्ट्रीय स्तर पर कक्षा १ से १० तक हिन्दी पाठ्यक्रम निर्माण का कार्यक्रम आरम्भ हुआ। नये वर्ष से अनेक आशायें हैं । आपके तथा आपके सभी प्रियजनों के लिये नया साल सुख, समृद्धि व शांति लाये। इस अंक के k;Vyku'j स्तम्भ में मुख्यतः नव-वर्ष पर कविताएँ हैं । साथ में, ‘अमृत वृद्धाश्रम’ नामक कहानी का दस ू रा भाग तथा नव-वर्ष पर ‘शुभ-संकल्प’ नामक लेख है । इसके अतिरिक्त ‘पुस्तक-परिचय’, ‘संक्षिप्त समाचार’, ‘अब हँ सने की बारी है ’, ‘महत्वपूर्ण तिथियाँ’ व ‘सूचनाएँ’ स्तम्भ भी हैं | लिखियेगा कि आपको यह अंक कैसा लगा। —दिनेश श्रीवास्तव

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नव-वर्ष

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बड़े बुजर् ु गों का सम्मान हो, आज्ञाकारी हर संतान हो सजग हो कर्मचारी अफसर. सेवा तो हरदम तत्पर दे शभक्ति का जज़्बा हो सबमें, कर्तव्यों के प्रति उत्साह हो सबमें यह नव-वर्ष कैसा हो, मेरे सपनों जैसा हो गुंडा मवाली न होये कोई, सद्चरित कहलावे हर कोई सुरक्षित हों बहन, बेटी हमारी, सम्मान पावें हर नर-नारी कानून निष्पक्ष हो न्याय करे , कहीं न कोई अन्याय करे यह नव-वर्ष कैसा हो, मेरे सपनों जैसा हो

बिना इलाज मरे न कोई, बुरे करम करे न कोई हर हाथ को काम हो, आराम करना हराम हो खेतों में फसल लहराये, वक़्त पे बादल जल बरसाए यह नव-वर्ष कैसा हो, मेरे सपनों जैसा हो

पथ भले ही पथरीले हों, जोखिम भरे रपटीले हों मुसीबतों से टकरायें हम, बाधा तोड़ बढ़ जायें हम लक्ष्य तक चलते जायें हम, विजय पताका लहरायें हम यह नव-वर्ष कैसा हो, मेरे सपनों जैसा हो

मंदिर, मस्जिद गुलज़ार रहे , परस्पर भाइयों सा प्यार रहे

मेरे पंख उड़ने लगूँ पंख लगा के नील गगन तले

फ़ुर-फ़ुर करके उड़ती फिरूँ चाँद-तारों की छाँव तले

कूदने लगूँ, चिड़िया बनूँ पेड़ों की छाँव तले

चहकती रहूँ, चूँ-चूँ करूँ संग मिल के मित्रों के फ़ुदकती रहूँ यहाँ–वहाँ पेड़ों की डाली पे

बहलाती रहूँ मन सबका मैं मीठी धुन से चखती रहूँ मीठे फल पेड़ों पर बैठ के

चुगती रहूँ दाने भी मैं सबकी बगिया में

एक साल बीत गया

-सुमन वर्मा भीगती रहूँ वर्षा में हरी भरी घास पे

झूलती रहूँ तारों पर मैं मंद मंद समीर में

तैरती रहूँ गर्मी में मैं पानी के गड्ढे में

रहने के लिए बनाऊँ घोंसला ऊँचे वृक्षों की डाली पे

घुस जाऊँ मैं घोंसले में ज्यों ही शाम ढले

सबको जगाऊँ साँझ-सवेरे सुरीले गीतों से

उड़ने लगूँ पंख लगा के नील गगन तले

फ़ुर-फ़ुर करती नाचती रहूँ चाँद-तारों की छाँव तले ।।

-रे खा राजवंशी, सिडनी

जीवन की नदिया में

दनि ु या भर में फिरते

एक साल बीत गया

बरसा जब आँगन में

आवारा बादल सा

तन-मन सब भीग गया एक साल बीत गया

कुछ मीठे , कुछ खट्टे

यादों के गुलमोहर

वक्त इस लड़ाई में

द्वारे सूखे तोमर

कुछ कड़वे फल दे कर दे खो फिर जीत गया

खिलते और मुरझाते

एक साल बीत गया

फिर मन को समझाते

आँखों की कोरों से

वह मन का मीत गया

बहते गंगाजल सा

jnvrI Ö f¹rvrI 2015

न किसी से पंगा हो, न कहीं कोई दं गा हो परस्पर रिश्ते गहरे हों, प्यार पर न पहरे हों यह नव-वर्ष कैसा हो, मेरे सपनों जैसा हो

न हो कोई बच्चा अनाथ, अपने सब हों साथ-साथ स्कू ल जाता हर बच्चा हो, हर वादा अपना सच्चा हो सर पर एक छत सबके हो, घर आँगन खुशहाल सबके हो यह नव-वर्ष कैसा हो, मेरे सपनों जैसा हो

अनुभव के पल लेकर

pirixã$â

-सुरेश गुप्ता, मुज्ज़फरनगर

कहीं न कोई भूखा सोये, दध ू को न बच्चा रोये तन पे कपड़ा हो सबके, पेट में टु कड़ा हो सबके बोझ न समझें जीने को, शुद्ध पानी हो पीने को यह नव=वर्ष कैसा हो, मेरे सपनों जैसा हो

भावों की गठरी में

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k;Vy-ku'j

यह नव-वर्ष कैसा हो, मेरे सपनों जैसा हो

जैसे कुछ रीत गया

f e b r u a r y

लौट आएगा वापस

एक साल बीत गया

www.southasiatimes.com.au - (03) 9095 6220, 0421 677 082

नव-वर्ष नव सृजन, नव हर्ष की, कामना उत्कर्ष की,

सत्य का संकल्प ले

-कुलवंत सिंह, मुम्बई प्रेम का प्रतिदान दे

मनुज का सत्कार कर।

प्रात है नव वर्ष की।

त्याग कर संघर्ष का,

कल्पना साकार कर,

खिल रही उद्यान में

नम्रता आधार कर,

भोर नव, नव रश्मियाँ

आगमन नव वर्ष का,

ज्यों नव कली स्पर्श का।

शक्ति का संचार कर।

प्रेम की धारा बहे ,

ज्ञान का सम्मान कर,

नवल वर्ष अभिनंदन

आचरण निर्माण कर,

नया साल

लोचन न आंसू रहे ,

प्रकृ ति का कण कण कहे ।

-प्रेमस्वरूप माथुर, पर्थ

नया साल आया है , बधाई हो ! क्या कुछ नया लाया है , लगेगा पता खुलग े ा अभी तोहफ़े का डब्बा धीरे , धीरे , धीरे ! नयी नयी रं ग रं गीली ख़ूबसूरत क्रिस्टल की बोतलों में क्या होगी वही बदबूदार ज़हरीली पुरानी शराब ? वही जिसको हर दिन का ताज़ा अख़बार ढाल कर लाता है नए ख़बरों के प्यालों में, और हर दिन, हर महीने, हर साल वही दोहराता है मार-काट, जिहाद, फ़साद, आतंकवाद की घटनाएँ वही लूट-मार, वही भ्रष्टाचार, वही अत्याचार, वही व्यभिचार वही भुखमरी, नई-पुरानी महामारियाँ, वही-वही लड़ाइयाँ नस्लों की, धर्मों की - अपने अपने ख़ुदाओं के लिये, अपने अपने पैग़म्बरों के नाम पर लड़ाइयाँ। कुछ नया-नया ही अच्छा होता है शायद माँ-बाप का नवजात शिशु पर प्यार मासूम बच्चों का माँ-बाप पर विश्वास नौजवानों का नया-नया नादान प्यार। तो बोतल पुरानी ही सही मेरी नित नई शराब बनता हूँ, बुढ़ापे में अपना बनाया ज़हर खुद ही पीता हूँ, अकेला आप को भी शौक हो, आइये और कहिये, चियर्स!

f e b r u a r y

southSouth asia times 31 Asia Times

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कहानी - अमृत वृद्धाश्रम (भाग २)

(पिछ्ले अंक में आपने पढ़ा कि लेखक (ईश्वर) एक एम्बुलेंस द्वारा अस्पताल ले जाया जा रहा था जब उसे पुरानी बातें याद आ गईं जब अमित नामक एक युवक अपनी वृद्धा माँ को अमृत आश्रम में छोड़ने आया था| अमित की पत्नी भी उसके साथ थी| उस समय ईश्वर अमृत वृद्धाश्रम में चौकीदार का काम करता था और भारद्वाज जी आश्रम का काम-काज सम्हालते थे और शांति दीदी आश्रम वासियों की दे खभाल करती थी| अमित अपनी माँ को आश्रम में छोड़ने में ग्लानि का अनुभव कर रहा था पर उसकी पत्नी उन्हें जल्दी से आश्रम में छोड़ कर चली जाना चाहती थी| लीजिए प्रस्तुत है आगे की कहानी –संपादक)

अमित चुपचाप हार और बेचारगी को अपने चेहरे पर लिए बाहर की ओर चल दिया। बाहर जाते हुए उसने मुझे कुछ रुपये दे ने चाहे और कहा, "चौकीदार भैय्या, माँ का ख्याल रखना" मैंने उसके पैसे वापस लौटाते हुए कहा, "माँ का ख्याल तो हम रख लेंगे अमित बाबू। आप सोचिए, आपका माँ जैसा ख्याल अब कौन रखेगा। यहाँ पैसे नहीं प्यार का सौदा होता है "। युवक ख़ामोशी से मुझे दे खता रह गया। युवक - युवती कार की ओर चल दिये, बूढ़ी अम्मा शान्ति दीदी के साथ भीतर की ओर चल दी। भारद्वाज जी मुझे दे खते हुए अलमारी की ओर चल दिए और मैं फिर से अपनी जगह गेट पर चल दिया। मेरे लिए यह कहानी लगभग हर महीने की थी। जब कोई न कोई किसी न किसी अपने को यहाँ छोड़ जाता है । हाँ आज की गाथा थोड़ी अलग सी थी। लड़का ज़िन्दगी की जटिलताओं में फंसा था, पर कायर था, ख़ैर। मैंने मन ही मन गिनती की, अब यहाँ २६ लोग हो गए थे। ये वे बूढ़े थे, जिनमें से किसी का कोई नहीं था, इसीलिए वे यहाँ थे और कुछ लोग, कई रिश्तेदार होते हुए भी यहाँ थे। कोई ग़रीब था, कोई अमीर था, पर एक बात सब में एक समान थी, वह यह कि सबके सब इस जगह पर अकेले ही बन कर आये थे और यहाँ आ कर एक दस ू रे से मानसिक और भावनात्मक रूप से जुड़ गए थे। यहाँ की बात कुछ और है । यहाँ सबको

एक अपनापन मिलता है । घर से अलग होकर भी यहाँ घर जैसा प्रेम और अपनत्व मिलता है ।

की पढ़ाई के लिए लन्दन जाना चाहता था और इसी बात पर अक्सर दोनों पिता पुत्र में तेज़ बातचीत हो जाती थी।

||| बहुत बरस पहले ||| इस जगह का नाम अमृत वृद्धाश्रम था। और मेरा नाम ईश्वर। पता नहीं मेरी माँ ने क्या सोच कर मेरा नाम इतना अच्छा रखा था। जब मैं बीस बरस का था, तब मैं अपनी माँ के साथ अपना गाँव छोड़कर यहाँ आया था, तब यह एक छोटा सा अस्पताल था। डॉक्टर अमृतलाल नामक सज्जन इस जगह के मालिक थे। इस अस्पताल में माँ का इलाज होने लगा और फिर मुझे भी कहीं नौकरी चाहिए थी सो मैं इस अस्पताल का वार्ड बॉय, चौकीदार और सारे बचे हुए काम करने वाला बन गया था। माँ का बहुत इलाज हुआ, उसे टी. बी. थी पर वह बच नहीं सकी। क़रीब एक साल के बाद वह चल बसी। अब मेरा इस दनि ु या में कोई नहीं था, इसलिये मैं यही का होकर रह गया। धीरे धीरे अमृतलाल जी का मैं विश्वसनीय बन गया। अस्पताल बड़ा होने लगा, लोग आने लगे। अमृतलाल जी का यहाँ कोई न था जो यहाँ रह सके। एक अकेला बेटा गौतम था जो कि डॉक्टर बनने की चाह में चंडीगढ़ में एम.बी.बी.एस. कर रहा था। यह उसका आख़िरी साल था। अमृतलाल जी चाहते थे कि वह यहीं इसी सार्वजनिक अस्पताल में आ कर काम करे । लेकिन उसके इरादे कुछ और थे, वह आगे

अस्पताल बढ़ रहा था। सस्ता अस्पताल होने की वजह से बहुत से ग़रीब यहाँ आते थे। अमृतलाल जी की पुश्तैनी संपत्ति से यह अस्पताल चल रहा था। मैं अस्पताल का हर काम कर लेता था। सब मुझे पसंद भी करते थे। मैं मेहनती था और माँ के गुज़रने के बाद हर किसी की सेवा करता था। सभी इसी सेवाभाव से खुश थे। अमृतलाल जी मेरा खय ़् ाल रखते थे। मैं उन्हीं के साथ उन्हीं के घर पर रहता था। एक दिन उनके मित्र भारद्वाज जी उनसे मिलने आये। दोनों बहुत सालों के बाद मिले थे। मैंने उनके लिए खाना बनाया। खाने के दौरान भारद्वाज जी ने अमृतलाल जी से कहा कि उनकी बहू उनसे ठीक बर्ताव नहीं करती है और वह बहुत दख ु ी हैं । अमृतलाल ने बिना सोचे कहा कि वह यहीं आ कर रहे और उनके साथ इस अस्पताल की दे खभाल करें । भारद्वाज को जैसे मन चाहा वरदान मिल गया। वह यहीं रह गए। अमृत जी का घर बड़ा सा था, मैं उन के लिए खाना बनाता, घर का रख-रखाव करता और वहीं रहता। दोपहर में अस्पताल के छोटे बड़े काम करता। बस ज़िन्दगी कट रही थी। यह अस्पताल एक बहुत बड़े परिवार का अहसास दिलाता रहता था। (क्रमशः)

s'i=Pt sm;c;r

वी. सी. ई. हिन्दी परीक्षा-२०१४ के परिणाम सन ् २०१४ की वी. सी. ई. हिन्दी परीक्षा में विक्टोरियन स्कू ल ऑफ़ लैंग्वेजेज़ के चार विद्यार्थियों ने ८० प्रतिशत से अधिक अंक प्राप्त किये हैं | ये विद्यार्थी हैं :- प्रिशा दाद ू (४७/५०),रुद्राक्ष रणदे व (४२/५०), कोमल पटे ल (४१/५०) तथा तन्वी परदासानी (४०/५०) इस वर्ष की राष्ट्रीय हिन्दी परीक्षा उत्तीर्ण करने वाले निम्नलिखित विद्यार्थियों को हिन्दी पुष्प की ओर से बहुत-बहुत बधाईख्याति जैन, नौका जोशी, दिवजोत ् कौर, अमित लुहार, किरणदीप मथारू, कविता मेहमी, श्वेता मेहता, रिया पटे ल, शिबि पटे ल, मुकुल

शुभ संकल्प

-विजय कुमार, है दराबाद

रे लन, अश्मिता, रिखिराज, सुप्रिया सिंह (डै न्डीनांग केन्द्र) सार्थक आनंद , मानसी भुरानी, रुद्राक्ष रणदे व, ऋजुता ज्ञानी, आदित्य जोशी, ईशा कट्यार, हरसिमरत संधाल कौर, मीरा त्रिवेदी, वैष्णवी वासवी (सनशाइन केन्द्र), दिव्या मयंक जोशी, स्वर ज्योति, जैन्या खुराना, फोरम पांचाल,हिमानी पटे ल, कोमल पटे ल, रियाबेन पटे ल, वैष्णवी पटे ल, आयुष विश्वकर्मा (ब्लैकबर्न केन्द्र) प्रिशा दाद ू , तन्वी पारदसानी, प्रेरणा कुमारी (ग्लेन वेवर्ली केन्द्र), श्रेया महे श्वरी (बीकंसहिल केन्द्र)

-दे वेन्द्र मिश्र, कनाडा

दस ू रों की नकारात्मक आलोचना में लिप्त व्यक्ति स्वयं का कितना नुकसान पहुँचाता है उसे अगर पता चल जाय तो वह ऐसा कभी भी न करे गा। जैसे कि नकारात्मक आचार, विचार और वाणी सबसे पहले आपको शारीरिक और मानसिक क्षति पहुंचाते है जिसके फलस्वरूप आप माइग्रेन, पेट की बीमारियों, उच्च रक्तचाप, अनिद्रा आदि अनेकानेक बीमारियों से स्वत: ग्रसित हो जाते हैं । नकारात्मक विचारधारा के लोग न तो स्वयं चैन से जीते हैं न ही औरों को जीने दे ते हैं । ईर्ष्या, द्वेष, कलह, क्लेश इनके जीवन का अभिन्न अंग बन जाते है । जिस तरह एक शराबी को जब तलब लगती है तो

पुस्तक परिचय

पुस्तक का नाम- सुमन सरोवर प्रकाशक –अमेज़ॉन.कॉम(यू.के.), पृष्ठ संख्या -१७० लेखिका- सुमन वर्मा सुमन सरोवर पुस्तक की कविताएँ, कथाएँ व संस्मरण त्रिवेणी संगम की याद दिलाती हैं । साहित्य की तीनों धाराएँ अपने निर्बाध प्रवाह के साथ बहती चलती हैं । पुस्तक हाथ में लेते ही स्वतः एक के बाद एक पृष्ठ पर हाथ बढ़ते चले जाते हैं । भावों की विविधता भाषा की कठिन शब्दावली के बोझ से कहीं पर भी डू बी नहीं। समकालीन लेखक अपनी विद्वता की धाक जमाने के लिए कठिन से कठिन शब्दों का चयन करते हैं जबकि यहाँ लेखिका ने कहीं भी कठिन शब्दों का प्रयोग नहीं किया। यही कारण है कि प्रत्येक कविता, संस्मरण तथा कथा आरुषि किरण की भाँति ताज़गी और चमत्कार से भरपूर है । साहित्य के नव रसों का भी स्थान-स्थान पर रसास्वादन होता है । थाली में परोसे हुए विविध पकवानों की तरह पुस्तक भी

mhTvpU,R itiqy;\

१४ फ़रवरी (वैलट ें ाइन दिवस), १५ फ़रवरी (निर्वाण-दिवस, बुद्ध, जैन), १७ फ़रवरी (महाशिवरात्रि), १९ फ़रवरी (चीनी नव-वर)्ष , ५ मार्च (माघ पूजा-बुद्ध), ६ मार्च (होली/होली मोहल्ला), ८ मार्च (अंतर्राष्ट्रीय महिला दिवस), हिं द ू नव-वर-्ष विक्रम सम्वत (२१ मार्च), २८ मार्च (राम नवमी)|

sUcn;E\

1³ s'gIt s'?y; áxinv;r² 7 frvrI¹â tq; Svr s'?y; áxinv;r² 7 m;cRâ Sq;n- vevlIR me@oj¹ p[;”mrI SkUl² 11 kUliMby; @^;”v² ×IlsR ihl² ivK$oiry; ámeLve s‹d.R-71 jI-11â smy- r;t ke 8³00 bje se a;rM.) p[vx e in"xuLk hw) ai/k j;nk;rI ke ilE nIrj áf¹on - 0439 980 551â aqv; ivvek áf¹on-0402 438 654â se sMpkR kIijye aqv; inMn vebs;”$

dei%ye - http://www.sharda.org/Events.htm 2³ s;ihTy-s'?y;- apne log² apnI b;te' áxinv;r² 31 jnvrI² 21 m;cRâ Sq;n- ifi¹ls hor åm² KyU áKew) l;”b[re I² koqm áCothamâ ro@ tq; isivk áCivic) @^;”v ke nuKk@¹ pr² KyU áKew), ámeLve s‹d.R-45 @I-6â² smy - r;t ke 8 bje se 10 bje tk) p[vx e in"xuLk hw) ai/k j;nk;rI ke ilE su.;W xm;R áf¹on-03 9555 4924â² hirhr Z; áf¹on -0433 178 377â y; niln x;rd; áf¹on -0402 108 512â se sMpkR kIijye)

yD¾ kre'ge) ”ske aitirKt² 24 jnvrI se Vwidk ix=; ke ivi.„ p;#(yÞmo' me' p[vex ke ilye ve a;vedn .I a;m'i]t krte hw') ai/k j;nk;rI ke ilye a;c;yR jI cN{p[k;x se f¹on Ã;r; -0403 041 890 pr aqv; émel Ã;r; inMn pte pr kIijyeacaryachandra@gmail.com

4³ holI-mel; xinv;r² 7 m;cR, smy subh 10³30 bje se x;m 4³30 bje tk, Sq;n ÅI ixv-ivã,u m'idr² 52 b;¬N@^I ro@² kwrm @;¬Ns² ivK$oiry;-3201, sMpkR m'idr VyvSq;pk, f¹oná03â 97820878 xinv;r² 7 m;cR² smy subh 11 bje se r;t ke 3³ 61 idno' k; yD a*r vwidk ix=; p;#(yÞm 9bje tk² Sq;n veyrIbI reskosR² veyrIbI áp[vx e vwidk ix=; ivxeWD² a;c;yRjI cN{p[k;x b;ln ro@ Ã;r;â² sMpkR vebs;”$ dei%ye -www. ne sUict iky; hw ik ve 19 idsMbr se festivalsofsouthasia.org.au 17 f¹rvrI ko mh;ixvr;i] tk meLbnR rivv;r² 8 m;cR² smy subh 11 bje se x;m ke kwrol;”n iSp['Gs ¬pngr me' 3 b[es;”@ ke 5 bje tk² Sq;n ÅI dug;R m'idr² 705 nIl ro@² v;k á Brae side Walk) ¾ixv-xiKt-ivã,u r;Žk bwk ' ² sMpkR f¹on - á03â 9747 1628

विविध भावों से भरी हुई है । ऑस्ट्रेलिया में रहने वाली लेखिका की जड़ें भारत-भूमि से जुड़ी प्रतीत होती हैं । ‘भावना’ कविता की पंक्तियाँ :‘भावना दिन रात मेरी, सब सुखी संसार हो’ – सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः की उदार भावना को बख़ूबी व्यक्त करती हैं । बच्चों के लिये लिखी गई कविताएँ भी अबोध-बाल-मानस की सशक्त अभिव्यक्ति हैं । कुल मिलाकर ‘सुमन सरोवर’ पुस्तक पाठक की मानसिक क्षुधा पूरी करने के लिए विविध सामग्री प्रस्तुत करने में सक्षम है । —सुमन सभरवाल, दिल्ली

परिकल्पना सार्क (SAARC) ब्लॉगर-२०१४ पुरस्कार

प्रवासी भारतीय सम्मलेन २०१४

५ से ७ जनवरी, २०१४ को अहमदाबद में प्रवासी भारतीय दिवस मनाया गया| इस वर्ष की मुख्य उपलब्धि रही– भारत सरकार द्वारा विदे शों में रहने वाले भारतीय नागरिकों को मतदान का अधिकार प्रदान करने की स्वीकृ ति| इस अवसर पर सिडनी की माला मेहता, ओ.ए.एम. को ऑस्ट्रेलिया में हिन्दी के प्रचार-प्रसार तथा ऑस्ट्रेलिया व भारत के बीच सम्बन्ध सुधारने के लिये प्रवासी भारतीय दिवस सम्मान प्रदान किया गया| इस अवसर पर जिन अन्य लोगों को सम्मानित किया गया उनमें गायना के राष्ट्रपति,डोनाल्ड रबीन्द्रनाथ रामौतार तथा माईक्रोसाफ्ट के सी.ई.ओ., सत्येन्द्र नडे ल्ला का नाम भी सम्मिलित हैं |

बिना मदिरापान किये उसे चैन नहीं मिलता उसी भाँति एक नकारात्मक सोच वाला व्यक्ति जब तक वह किसी को दख ु दे ने की बात या काम नहीं करता तब तक उसे एक बैचेनी सी महसूस होती है । आइये नव वर्ष में हम एक सकारात्मक आचार विचार और वाणी को अपने जीवन में अंगीकृ त करने का संकल्प लें। जितना समय और शक्ति हम दस ू रों की त्रुटियों या ग़लतियों को ढू ँ ढने में बर्बाद करते हैं यदि उससे आधा समय भी हम स्वयं आत्मचिंतन और अपनी कमज़ोरियों पर विजय पाने में लगायें तो हमारी जीवन की दशा और दिशा सुख शान्ति पूर्ण होगी।

पिछले तीन वर्षों में अंतर्राष्ट्रीय ब्लॉगर सम्मेलन दिल्ली, लखनऊ तथा कठमांडू में

हो चुका है | चौथा वार्षिक सम्मेलन भूटान में १५ जनवरी से १८ जनवरी तक हुआ| इस सम्मेलन में सिडनी-निवासी, हिन्दीकवयित्री, लेखिका, अनुवादक व ब्लॉगर, श्रीमती रे खा राजवंशी (फ़ोटो-बायीं ओर) को पश्चिमी दे शों में हिन्दी के प्रचार व प्रसार के लिये परिकल्पना सार्क (SAARC) ब्लॉगर पुरस्कार से सम्मानित किया गया| इस अवसर पर उन्हें पाँच हज़ार रुपये नक़द, प्रशस्ति-पत्र तथा अग्नि-वस्त्र प्रदान किया गया| इस अवसर पर, अन्य हिन्दी ब्लॉगरों को भी सम्मानित किया गया, जिनमें न्यूजीलैंड की सुमन कपूर भी सम्मिलित हैं |

भारतीय वृद्धाश्रम की स्थापना के लिये ४८ लाख डॉलर का अनुदान ऑस्ट्रेलियाई सरकार ने ऑस्ट्रेलिया-निवासी भारतीय लोगों के लिये एक वृद्धाश्रम लिये स्थापित करने लिये ६० बिस्तरों की अनुज्ञा-पत्र (लाइसेंस) की स्वीकृ ति और ४८ लाख डॉलर का अनुदान दे ने की घोषणा की है | यह आश्रम मेल्बर्न के डैं डीनांग केन्द्र में स्थापित किया जायेगा| इस आश्रम की स्थापना के लिये ‘फ्रेंड्स ऑफ़ इण्डियन एज केयर फ़ेसिलिटी’

पति-पत्नी

ab h\sne kI b;rI hw

पत्नी (पति से) – क्या तुम विश्वास करोगे कि मैं तुम्हें बिना दे खे ही तुमसे विवाह करने को राज़ी हो गयी थी| पति (पत्नी से) – और मेरी हिम्मत तो दे खो| मैं तुम्हें दे ख कर भी शादी करने को राज़ी हो गया था|

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नामक परामर्श समिति स्थापित की जा रही है | इस सम्बन्ध में अध्जिक जानकारी के लिये श्री वासन श्रीनिवासन से फ़ोन पर ०४१२ ५५३३ ७१ अथवा ईमेल द्वारा chair@ciaa.org,au से सम्पर्क कीजिये| स्मरणीय है कि हाल ही में श्रीनिवासन जी को बहुसांस्कृ तिक मामलों में ऑस्ट्रेलियाई सरकार को परामर्श दे ने वाली समिति का सदस्य भी चुना गया है |

विवाहित होने का प्रमाण

विवाहित महिलाएँ मंगलसूत्र पहनती हैं और सिंदरू लगाती हैं , जिससे पता चलता है कि वे शादीशुदा हैं लेकिन पुरुषों के शादीशुदा होने का पता कैसे चलता है ? पुरुष ऑफ़िस जाते हुए ‘टपरवेयर’ ले कर चलते हैं और वापस आते हुए सब्ज़ी की थैली, जिससे पता चलता है कि वे शादीशुदा हैं !

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Sharp decline in press freedom

By Leila Lemghalef

U

NITED NATIONS (IPS): A leading advocacy group warns of a “worldwide deterioration in freedom of information” last year.

Out of the 180 countries being surveyed, twothirds have slipped in standards compared to last year, according to the Reporters Without Borders’ World Press Freedom Index 2015. The best have become less near-perfect, and the worst have gotten even worse.

Finland and Eritrea remain at first and last place, respectively.

Norway and Denmark are in 2nd and 3rd place, while Turkmenistan and North Korea are second runner-up and runner-up to Eritrea, respectively.

India falls in the red coded “very difficult” situation despite being a democracy.

In an interview with IPS, the U.S. Director of Reporters Without Borders, Delphine Halgand, brought up several cases, including China “the world’s biggest prison for journalists”, and Azerbaijan, which has “managed to eliminate almost all traces of pluralism”.

Since 2002, Reporters Without Borders has been publishing the Index to measure the degree of press freedom. The Index is not a measure of the quality of media.

“It’s a way for anybody to be aware of how press freedom, journalists, are attacked, in many countries. Sometimes they don’t have any idea.

Like, ‘we love to go to Turkey, we love to go to Vietnam, but we don’t have the idea that there’re so many news providers that are targeted in these beautiful countries.’ So it’s a way to highlight this very important issue,” said Halgand.

She said that this year, for the first time, a lot of the data has been made public in order to improve the transparency and methodology used in the Index, which uses qualitative and quantitative criteria.

The 2015 Index trends are grouped into seven causes: Total control – “Regimes seeking ever more information control” – in Eastern Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.

Conflict – “News control – the powerful weapon of war” – such as in Ukraine, Syria, and Iraq.

Lawless entities – “Non-

HAJJ 2014

By Sajjad Rehman

M

elbourne: Hajj is the fifth and final pillar and the most significant manifestation of Islamic faith and unity in the world. It takes place in the month of Dhul Hijjah which is the 12th month of the Islamic lunar calendar.

Every year millions of Muslims from all over the word perform Hajj.

The pilgrimage is obligatory for all Muslims once in their lifetime.

However, “there are two conditions. The first is that you must be physically able and the second is that you must be financially able.

During the religious event, those Muslims who make the journey are required to spend five days in the desert surrounding the city of Macca in modern-day Saudi Arabia. They travel between specified points to perform rites laid down

in Islam’s holy book, the Quran.

These rites commemorate the life of Prophet Ibrahim, or Abraham, who built Islam’s most revered structure, the Ka’aba, with his son Ismail.

The Saudi Govt. organise this event through agents in all over the world, they allocate quota for each country then that country allocate quota to different operators operating in their country. It is then the responsibility of those operators to organise Visa for Hajj, transportation, boarding and lodging of those pilgrims, and also provide guidance to the pilgrimage that they should perform safely all the religious ritual of Hajj.

There are many Hajj operators working in Australia including one Cresent Tours operating from Melbourne. This year (2014) they book 70 pilgrimage for Hajj 2014

state groups: tyrants of information” – such as Boko Haram, Islamic State, the Italian mafia and Latin American drug lords. Sacrilege – “Blasphemy: political use of religious censorship” – or the criminalisation of blasphemy, which the index says endangers freedom of information in approximately half of the world’s countries.

Demonstration dangers – “The growing difficulty of covering demonstrations” – seeing an increase in violence against reporters and ‘netizens’ covering demonstrations.

Gaps in the European Union – “European model’s erosion” – EU countries rank from 1st to 106th in the index.

Laws – “‘National security’ – spurious grounds” – among authoritarian and democratic governments alike, to control independent speech.

Measuring up Press freedom and how to measure it is a very complex question today, said Halgand.

“Press freedom in Sudan isn’t the same thing as press freedom in Italy.

So that’s why we try to work around these seven criteria of pluralism,

media independence, selfcensorship, legislative frameworks, transparency, infrastructure, abuses.

“It’s a complex issue definitely and that’s why we need to use many criteria to try to be as precise as possible. But even if we try to put this complicated issue into criteria, of course the situation is always unique in each country,” she told IPS. Charlie Beckett is professor at the London School of Economics (LSE) in the department of media and communications, and is also the director of Polis, which is the LSE’s journalism think tank.

“Whilst at some levels it’s very complicated,” he told IPS, “at some levels it’s very simple.

“If you look at journalists that have been put in jail, if you look at journalists who have been hurt physically, then it’s quite crude but that’s quite a good measure of basic journalistic freedom.

And I know personally, I’ll start to worry about the more subtle things, such as disinformation, I’ll worry about them, but my life isn’t being threatened if I’m a journalist.

“So first give me my basic freedoms and you know, then we can

talk about the more sophisticated problems.”

The more sophisticated problems include surges in data.

“I think it’s increasingly difficult to measure media freedom because increasingly media has become so complex,” Beckett told IPS. “We live in a world where there is much more data available. But how we can trust that data, the source of that data, and how we might understand that data, is subject to all kinds of forces.

He explained that it is no longer straightforwardly about censorship, or laws, or even about the physical manifestation of violence against journalists.

There’s also the “chilling climate” wherein if one journalist gets killed, the other 99 are much more likely to do as they’re told, he said.

“Even where the press is publishing something, you don’t know under what circumstances. Are they being intimidated, are they being bribed, are they being pressurized?”

Another point is that “there’s no point in having free journalists if people aren’t free to share the information, for example, themselves”, as Beckett said.

and charge $8,750 for premier Hajj Package, at the time of booking their attitude and behaviour with the pilgrimage was extremely nice and kind it looks these are the only nice peoples in the world.

As the pilgrimage reached in Jeddah Airport their attitude was different and if anyone asks any question about anything they acted rudely specially Mr. Masood Shareef the main organizer and booking person in Cresent Tour. At the time of booking for Hajj the pilgrims were told they will stay for the Ist. 5-6 days in Azizia Apartment.

This iwas their first lie as instead of Azizia Apartments they stayed in Shesha that is far away from Azizia Apartments and the food they provided was substandard unhealthy.

Some peoples told us that this food they are providing they are getting from the charity

organisations operating their where as they charge each pilgrimage for that food.

During the Rituals of Hajj the behaviour of Mr. Masood Shraeef the chief operator of Cresent Tours was so rude not only with men but also with women also, at one occasion he said, “I don’t care if you cannot walk fast these are the words he said to ladies and the old pilgrims. I haven’t seen such a rude Hajj operator especially on Hajj, where everyone is kind to each other and gone there to ask Allah for forgiveness.

After performing Hajj the pilgrimage were ready to move to Madinah. Mr. Masood Shareef asked the group members to leave hotels at 9.0am and they were sitting on the road side for at least 4 hours where as the can pray Zohar Prayers along with Imam Ka’aba and he didn’t allow any one for that and kept them sitting in the

Bus for more than 2 hours.

On the way from Macca to Medina surprisingly they start begging money from the pilgrimage on the name of Bus driver whereas the transportation cost was included in the package; they have cheated the pilgrims at each and every step. Even when going for the side tours of Madinah they didn’t inform timely to the pilgrimage gust to save their money for their transportation. Many members of Cresent Tours group they missed the side tour of Madinah with them, they organise by themself.

I strongly recommend the Hamadi Group instead of Cresent Tour for the upcoming Hajj and Ummrah as they are $1000 cheaper than Cresent Tours. I even request the Saudi and Australian Government to reconsider allocating quota for Cresent Tours in the coming years.

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Adani's Aussie coalmining project faces ownership allegation At least two prestigious and high-profile international environmental bodies -- Greenpeace and 350.org -- and a research institute, Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), have sought complete clarity and investigation into fresh allegations by Fairfax, Australia's leading media company, about doubtful ownership of the Adani Group's $10 billion Australian coal-mining project. A report in Australian daily "The Age" says Fairfax has raised serious objection to the "use of offshore, low-tax jurisdictions in relation to its Australian operations, and the apparent uncertainty about ownership."

T

he paper quotes Fairfax to say that "Gautam Adani does not ultimately control many of the companies associated with his company's Australian coal developments", and instead "his eldest brother Vinod Shantilal Adani holds pivotal positions." In fact, "Fairfax Media particularly questions Vinod Adani's antecedents, as he has been named in an Indian criminal investigation into the alleged siphoning of $1 billion from Indian shareholders in three Adani companies into offshore accounts."

According the "The Age" the allegations have been "confirmed to Fairfax by an investigator in India's Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, stem from an import scheme in which three Adani companies are alleged to have imported power equipment at an inflated price, with the excess sum siphoned into a Mauritius entity controlled

by Vinod Shantilal Shah – an alias for Vinod Shantilal Adani."

Greenpeace Objection Citing "explosive" Fairfax Media report, Greenpeace Australia Pacific has demanded "an investigation into coal giant Adani’s suitability to operate in Queensland, Australia", It has said, "The scandal revealed inconsistencies between Indian and Australian financial reports.

Adani’s Abbot Point T1 coal terminal and their rail and port expansion projects could in fact be controlled by a complex network of companies run through the Cayman Islands. The investigation into the Adani companies by Fairfax Media, one of Australia’s largest media companies, suggests uncertainty about the

ultimate ownership of the Abbot Point development."

Pointing out that this shows the Queensland government "may not have known if these projects were owned by a publicly listed Indian company or a shadowy group of companies run through a tax haven,” Greenpeace Australia’s Reef Campaigner Shani Tager said, “It’s critical that these explosive revelations are investigated before any of Adani’s coal developments can proceed further.” Tager adds, "In Adani’s home country of India, the company has been fined for a raft of illegal activities, including paying cash bribes to port officials, customs, police and local politicians to receive 'undue favour for illegal exports'."

Greenpace also quotes Environmental Justice Australia's recent report questioning Adani’s "suitability to operate in Queensland given their track record", saying, “We already know Adani doesn't play by the rules. This is

a coal billionaire who will do whatever it takes to make a quick buck.The only sensible response to these revelations is a comprehensive investigation into the Adani Group’s suitability to operate in Queensland given the potential impact of their plans for a mega coal mine, rail line and port in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef.”

350.org calls for moratorium Speaking out in the same vein, 350.org has called for "moratorium on Abbot Point coal port expansion in light of what it calls “Adani-gate” findings." According to 350. org, "The port expansion, which would be the world’s largest, would open up a series of nine mega coalmines in Queensland’s Galilee Basin, tripling Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions."

It adds, "Construction is slated to begin as soon as the project receives Federal approval... However 350.

org believes the approval process must be halted following ground-breaking new information uncovered

by Fairfax, which reveals that most of the companies associated with Adani’s Australian coal operations are not controlled by the public face of the company, Gautam Adani, but by his eldest brother Vinod."

Says 350.org, "Company documents reveal that Adani sold its stake in Abbot Point in 2013 to a Singaporean company, however this was not made known to Australian authorities or the Bombay stock exchange. Adani was also found to still control a number of Australian companies linked to its Carmichael coal project in the Galilee Basin, despite excluding these companies from its 2013-14 accounts.

These disturbing new allegations about Indian company Adani call into question the legitimacy of the approvals process for Abbot Point and the Galilee Basin coal mines.”

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Investigate ownership: IEEFA Chipping into the controversy, Tim Buckley, director of energy finance studies, Australasia, of the US-based Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), also said, "it is critical that a detailed inquiry and investigation by state and federal agencies commences immediately to ensure that financial markets are being provided accurate information about Adani’s proposed coal mine, rail and port projects in Queensland.”

He insisted, “The assertions reported go to the very heart of our continued analysis of Adani’s operations here and overseas. They create even stronger doubts about the key questions of their financial viability, corporate transparency and strategic logic in the face of the structural decline of seaborne thermal coal markets.”

Buckley also said, "As IEEFA has previously documented, the Galilee coal project proposals are highly unlikely to proceed without the support of the four Australian bank majors, plus some of the nine leading global investment banks. While export-import banks like the Korean Export-Import Bank could be material players, given that their focus is more risktolerant towards greenfield projects, even they will be involved only if there is a clear strategic national benefit."

He added, “These reports today should be a loud warning for any investors and financiers until an investigation has been carefully undertaken and completed. A very serious set of questions needs to be answered.”

Source: Counterview

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