SAT November 2015

southSouth asia times 1 Asia Times

SAT

N O V E M B E R

CELEBRATING 13TH YEAR OF PUBLICATION

2 0 1 5

South Asia Times Vol.13 I No. 4 I NOVEMBER 2015 I FREE

Manjit Singh 04 04 04 00 66

s o u t hasiatim es.com .au

I

Ph: (03) 98848096 M: 0421 677 082

LOANSDIRECT LOANS MADE EASY!

I

Add: PO Box 465, Brentford Square, Victoria 3131

Car Loans Home Loans Personal Loans

www.loansdirect.com.au

E FRoE bile M p!

Ap

Melbourne Office: Suite 19, 17-19 Miles Street Mulgrave VIC 3170 Pankaj Goyal P: (03) 9819 4656 F: (03) 9818 3300 E: harry@loansdirect.com.au Like us and Share on:

FREE Consultation!

Call 03 9819 4656

Truck Loans New Homes, Plans & Permits, S/E Development Sites: iaussiebuilders.com.au

Migration Services

MARN: 0901266

Australian Credit License: 385597 Credit Ombudsman Member: M0007205 Real Estate Agent License: 074446L

Editor: Neeraj Nanda

Education Services

- Student Visa, Dependent Visa, - Parent Visa, Tourist Visa, TR/PR, EOI - Student visa extension - Employer Sponsorship (457,RSMS,ENS) - Streamline visa processing (SVP) - Skill Assessment ( TRA, CPN, NIA, ACS, VETASSESS Etc) - Change of course - Family Migration (Parents, Spouse, Child) Admission in college / university - State Sponsorship Services - Expert education advice - MRT, RRT & Minister Intervention

CECA Melbourne Level 7, Suite 703, 227 Collins St, Melbourne, VIC 3000.

03 9663 1318 info@ceca.com.au | www.ceca.com.au

BRIGHTEN YOUR JOURNEY WITH GAURA TRAVEL THIS DIWALI

WWW.GAURATRAVEL.COM.AU 1300 INDIA 359 463) www.southasiatimes.com.au - (03) 9095 FLY 6220, 0421 677 (1300 082

south asia 2 South Asia Timestimes

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

N O V E M B E R

2 0 1 5

N O V E M B E R

editorial

2 0 1 5

southSouth asia times 3 Asia Times

Our connection with the community is strong

By Neeraj Nanda satimes@gmail.com

M

elbourne :The year is ending next month and people are gearing up for year-end celebrations and parties with many preparing their New Year resolutions. But for a publication like SAT, work is as usual. Throughout the month updating the website and social media pages never let us sit ideal.

In an era of citizen journalist’s news breaking on Facebook and Twitter, no media is safe. One has not even reached the office and the stuff is on social media.

In fact, we now compete with common people or may be the news creators push us in a situation where any report or bit of news is relevant.

Here in, SAT and its team tries to do its job. Working behind the news in the community and keeping an eye on South Asia (Indian subcontinent) remains a mission.

In the current (November, 2015) issue a few Diwali events have been covered. The festival programs are still on and we expect more reports in the next (December, 2015) issue.

As usual community reports are the ones that lead the current issue. Reports include the federal government passing legislation on recovering student loans from overseas residents, Trade Minister Andrew Robb in India for the inaugural Australia-India Leadership Dialogue, Goa’s plans to welcome Australian tourists, Aged Care funding review in Victoria and the Adani Coal mine in Queensland challenged again in Court.

In the South Asia pages, India has a prominent place with an election analysis of the recently held Bihar election, the Sri Lanka report deals with the issue of the war missing, the Pakistan story details the slow relief steps in the quake hit Khyber Pakthankhwa state, a report on

South Asia’s record of crimes against journalists, the Nepal report deals with its sinking relations with India and how blogging can get one killed in Bangladesh.

Ram Punyani in Viewpoint analysis the current intolerance and insecurity gripping India leading to top intellectuals returning their awards. The writer says these are no ordinary times as the ‘values of pluralism and tolerance’ have been pushed to the margins.

The Entertainment/Cinema section has a lot to read and see. There is a page (with lots of pictures) on the recently held Mumbai Film Festival, three new Hindi movies – Tamasha (releasing 27 Nov), Dilwale (releasing 18 Dec) and Wazir (releasing Jan 7, 2016) have been previewed.

The films reviewed are Masaan (Hindi) which is creating waves internationally, Rugramadevi (Telugu) and Rajkahini (Bengali) which is a fictionalized historical drama of what happened to a group of women in a in Rajshahi Dist (now Bangladesh) during the partition in Aug 1947.

I am sure, this issue will stir your mind as some of the material is thought provoking. One has the right to differ and if you feel you have a different view please do write to us and we will try to use it as a letter to the editor. Though views expressed in stories/articles are not necessarily endorsed by SAT and belong to the authors.

SAT welcomes any ideas/ suggestions to improve its hard copy, website or the social media pages. We are passing through an extraordinary international hightech revolution with repurcurtions mind-boggling. The community is over-informed but we feel SAT has a unique media role to play.

Our connection with the community is strong and we intend to make it stronger!

ONE OF OUR STRONG CONNECTION TO THE COMMUNITY Karan Gandhok, Tandoori Junction

contents P 18

P2 P3

P6 P 14

P 16

Andrew Robb in India

Mumbai Film Fest

DIWALi

P 20

P 34

P 12

community

view point

P 21

south asia

P 19

P 28

EDITORIAL

P P6 3

P 28

entertainment

P 38

New Movies

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

P 34

south asia 4 South Asia Timestimes

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

N O V E M B E R

2 0 1 5

N O V E M B E R

southSouth asia times 5 Asia Times

2 0 1 5

HAIR & BEAUTY PROFESSIONALS

HAIR CUTTING - MAKE UP - WAXING - MANICURE - PEDICURE

BRIDAL SERVICES - BODY MASSAGE - THREADING - FACIAL

VISIT VLCC FOR EXCITING OFFERS CONTACT US P: 03 8524 3277 M: 0451 705 076

1356 Centre Rd Clayton VIC 3168

(Next to BP Centre Rd.)

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

south asia 6 South Asia Timestimes

DIWALI

i l a Diw AIII leads

ns o i brat e l Ce

e rn u o in Melb

By SAT News Desk

M

elbourne, 12 Nov: Diwali – the festival of lights, was celebrated all over Australia including in Melbourne in homes and through many fairs and events. People lighted their homes and places of work to mark the biggest festival in the Hindu calendar. Sweets shops were flooded with families to buy their Diwali sweets for Laxmi Puja for distribution to relatives and friends. Many Australian friends joined in the Diwali festivals at the various events held to celebrate the

year-end festival. Indian and South Asian shops did roaring business as the community opened up its wallets for the festival.

Thousands attended the AIII Diwali Fair 2015 at the Sandown Racecourse on Sunday 25 October, as it was also the 14th successive Diwali event organized by the AIII since its foundation. An estimated 200,000 people have attended and enjoyed AIII fairs over the years.

It remains the main focus point of Diwali celebrations here.

Contd. on pg 8 www.southasiatimes.com.au - (03) 9095 6220, 0421 677 082

N O V E M B E R

2 0 1 5

N O V E M B E R

2 0 1 5

southSouth asia times 7 Asia Times

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

south asia 8 South Asia Timestimes

DIWALI

N O V E M B E R

2 0 1 5

AIII leads Diwali Celebrations in Melbourne Contd. from pg 8 The AIII fair was full of fun and big entertainment laced with the ambience of exotic Indian snacks, curries and breads. Ethnic jewelry and clothes made a special splash with their colors and glitter. Mehandi was applied to many a hands making designs in the traditional style.

RnB Entertainment mesmerized the thousands of people with excellent ethnic and Bollywood dances and music. The four-

hour non-stop program was well appreciated as it showcased the prominent aspects of Indian and South Asian culture. All the credit for this goes to RnB boss Rajesh Yadav and his efficient team.

The main sponsor of the event was Indya Foods – a leading promoter and distributer of Indian/South Asian foodstuffs in Australia.

Their distribution network spans all over Australia.

Many other businesses that setup stalls and

sponsored did good promotion and business included Gaura Travels, RACV and Vodafone. Many smaller businesses sold their stuff doing massive business in one day.

There was also a VIP session with bipartisan support and they were welcomed. The VIPs also addressed the audience.

They praised the AIII and their committees for the successful fair this year and wished them success in the future.

The other big Diwali fair took place at the Federation Square by the Celebrate India also attended by thousands. A big cultural show with dancers from Rajasthan and Stereo Nation being the major attractions.

It was also attended by VIPs including the Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews.

Other events during this season were - Dussera festival at the Sri Durga Temple, Diwali Festival at Wyndham and the Diwali event held at the Victorian

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

Parliament by the BAPS temple, Mill Park.

It goes without saying that Diwali celebrations this year were on a massive scale and reflected the multicultural depth of Australian society. Victoria being the most multicultural state in Australia naturally reflected the massiveness of the celebrations. The community is now gearing up for Christmas and New Year Eve celebrations next month. —SAT News Service

N O V E M B E R

2 0 1 5

southSouth asia times 9 Asia Times

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

south asia 10 South Asia Timestimes

DIWALI

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

N O V E M B E R

2 0 1 5

N O V E M B E R

2 0 1 5

southSouth asia times 11 Asia Times

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

south asia 12 South Asia Timestimes

community

N O V E M B E R

2 0 1 5

Legislation passed to recover student loans from overseas residents

By SAT News Desk

M

elbourne, 10 November: All those who have taken student loans and now live overseas will have to pay them back as if they were living in Australia. Legislation was passed by the Parliament on 9 November in this regard.

The move is aimed to get back millions lost each year with taking loans moving out of Australia.

Minister for Education and Training Senator Simon Birmingham said it was estimated that up to $30 million was lost annually due to graduates moving overseas.

Senator Birmingham said the passage of the (Overseas Debt Recovery) Bill 2015 and the Student Loans (Overseas Debtors Repayment Levy) Bill 2015 would ensure Australia’s world-class, incomecontingent student loans scheme was fairer and more

sustainable into the future.

“Until now, people who took out a loan under the Higher Education Loan Programme (HELP) or a Trade Support Loan (TSL) and moved overseas were under no obligation to repay their debt as long as they remained offshore residents,” Senator Birmingham said.

“The Turnbull Government is committed to ensuring the future sustainability of Australia’s student loans scheme and

to ensuring it is fair for all Australians.

“From 2016-17, anyone who has a HELP or TSL debt who earns above the minimum repayment threshold (currently $54,126) will be required to make repayments regardless of where they live.

“As well as making the scheme fairer and more equitable, the Government’s changes will improve the sustainability of the scheme with taxpayers to benefit by $150 million over the next

decade.”

Australian taxpayers have lost an estimated $400 million to $800 million due to non-repayment of debts from students living overseas since the student loan scheme started in 1989.

“It is estimated that around $20‑30 million each year was lost due to graduates moving overseas,” Senator Birmingham said.

“From 1 January 2016, all Australians with current and new HELP and TSL debt who move overseas for six months or more will be required to notify the ATO via the myGov website to facilitate repayments.

“And from 1 July 2017, Australians with HELP and TSL debts who are nonresidents for tax purposes will be required to assess their total Australian and foreign-sourced income in order to make incomecontingent repayments, starting with the 2016/17 financial year.”

Senator Birmingham said the Turnbull Government’s changes also enabled Australian and overseas authorities to better share data to support debt recovery.

“Data sharing between countries is critical to ensuring the future sustainability of the HELP and TSL schemes, particularly as we seek to honour Australia’s longstanding commitment to give New Zealand citizens who came here as children and have long called Australia home, access to Australian student loans.”

The Government’s legislation (the Higher Education Legislation Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill 2015) to extend access to student loans to certain New Zealand citizens is currently before the Parliament.

For more information about HELP, go to www. studyassist.gov.au —SAT News Service

Goa to welcome Australian tourists

At the GTDC function in the evening.

By our community reporter

M

Melbourne, 19 October: Goa is all set to welcome you as a tourist to have a fun-packed lifetime experience. A large number of Australian tourists are already visiting it. A popular destination for foreign tourists, the state is very safe for travellers and every visitor is treated as god. This was said by Mr. Nikhil Desai, Managing Director, Goa Tourism Development Corporation who was on

a visit here along with the Goa Tourism Minister, Mr. Dilip D. Parulekar and other officials for a road show promoting Goa tourism.

The issue of safety arose when SAT asked Mr. Nikhil Desai about the recent incident in Bangalore where an Australian couple were harassed and taken to the police station and made to apologise for allegedly having an Hindu god as tattoo on their body.

Mr. Desai while describing the Bangalore incident as ‘unfortunate’ said Goa was safe for tourists and it was the safest destination in

the globe.

“Law and order is good in Goa and apart from the normal security measures, community policing was also widespread in the state.

Detailing the colonial and current history of Goa, Mr. Nikhil said, “Goa was a value for money destination with its multicultural ethos and excellent beaches,” he said.

Later in the evening a function was held for tour operators with lots of Goa style dancing, food and on the spot raffles.

Among those present

Mr. Nikhil Desai, MD, Goa Tourism Development Corporation Ltd.

were the Goa Tourism Minister and the Indian Consul General in Melbourne.

Goa, a former Portuguese territory for 451 years is one of the two Indian states which have casinos (the other being Sikkim), food from 40 countries, 650 life guards, long beaches laced with massive tourism infrastructure.

For all information check – www.goatourism. gov.in.; Facebook / officialgoatourism;twitter/ tourismgoa or email at – deptgoatourism@gmail. com.

—SAT News Service

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

Law and order is good in Goa and apart from the normal security measures, community policing was also widespread in the state.

N O V E M B E R

southSouth asia times 13 Asia Times

2 0 1 5

WAVES

CONSULTANCY

Migration & Education Consultants Your Success Is Our Reward

IMMIGRATION SERVICES Premier Consultancy for Australian Immigration & Education with over 22 years of combined experience.

EDUCATION SERVICES Visit us at : Level 4, 50 Queen Street, Melbourne, Vic 3000 Phone: 9629 4529, Fax: 9629 4629, Email: info@wavesconsultancy.com www.wavesconsultancy.com

MA

Member of Migration Alliance

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

QEAC B070

AUSTRALIA

south asia 14 South Asia Timestimes

community

N O V E M B E R

2 0 1 5

Andrew Robb leads delegation to India for comprehensive economic pact

By SAT News Desk

M

elbourne, 25 October: Trade and Investment Minister Andrew Robb, visited India (24-29 October) for the fourth time this year to advance Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) negotiations towards an early conclusion.

The Minister was leading a few hundred strong delegation of Australian participants in the inaugural Australia India Leadership Dialogue (AILD) held from 25 to 27 October 2015, discussed the prospects for the AustraliaIndia relationship, and how it can be strengthened further.

The Dialogue’s copatrons, Anthony Pratt, Global Chairman of Visy Industries, and Anand Mahindra, Chairman and Managing Director of Mahindra and Mahindra first welcomed the 50 delegates. The co-chair of the Dialogue, Professor Amitabh Mattoo, of the Australia India Institute, told the group that although the idea of an Australia-India relationship had now arrived, for any such idea to come to fruition, a platform was needed where intelligent and creative conversations could take place. The AILD, he said, aimed to provide just such a forum, where thought leaders from both countries could discuss and enrich one of the most important partnerships of the 21st century.

The discussions that followed over the three days of the Dialogue covered a host of issues, including domestic politics, trade, services education and the security architecture for the IndoPacific. Many delegates expressed optimism about the potential of the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) currently being negotiated by New Delhi and Canberra. Officials from both sides were confident the negotiations would conclude soon.

The dialogue’s other co-chair Ross Fitzgerald

said, the centre of global economic and political gravity is shifting to the Indo-Pacific region and working with India offers the greatest opportunity in the world to make a difference. It is in this context the AILD is an important initiative wherein the two countries with shared values and a trustbased relationship can work together in maximizing the economic opportunities and minimizing the security risks “We have made some good progress in recent months in advancing our mutual aim of concluding CECA negotiations. We are striving for a high quality agreement that will promote increased trade in goods and services as well as investment flows between our two countries.

This will help support growth and innovation and importantly create new jobs opportunities for Australia,” Mr Robb said.

“India presents some enormous prospects for Australian exporters on account of a market of 1.2 billion people which includes a rising middle class. In particular, broad ranges of our quality services have the scope to play a notable role in assisting India’s economic transformation. We can provide services directly as well as help build new capacity within the Indian economy to meet increasing demand,” he said.

AILD will bring together

leaders from Australian and Indian business, government and civil society. The respective AILD patrons are Visy Industries Executive Chairman Anthony Pratt and Chairman and Managing Director of Mahindra Group, Anand Mahindra.

“The Leadership Dialogue is a concrete example of our work across the private and public sectors to expand and strengthen links between Australia and India. Importantly, in the tradition of our dialogue with the United States, the Dialogue enjoys strong bipartisan support,” Mr. Robb said.

Participants from Australia were include Attorney General George Brandis, Shadow Trade and Investment Minister Penny Wong, Shadow Treasurer Chris Bowen, Rio Tinto CEO Sam Walsh, Foreign Editor of The Australian Greg Sheridan and Director Pratt Industries Ross Fitzgerald who will co-chair the Dialogue with Amitabh Mattoo, the inaugural Director of the AustraliaIndia Institute, among other participants.

“This important initiative to foster deeper relations comes from the momentum generated by the revitalized Australia-India CEO Forum, at which our top business leaders met in June,” Mr Robb said.

In Chennai, Mr. Robb promoted Australia’s worldclass research, technology

and innovative industries and highlight the expanded opportunities the CECA would offer for two-way trade and investment.

He will also meet with senior investors and attend a concert by the internationally renowned Australian World Orchestra, another great Aussie export.

India is Australia’s 12th largest trading partner with two-way trade worth around $15 billion. It is our seventh largest export market.

“The fact our two-way trade with our biggest trading partner China is worth more than $150 billion underscores the enormous growth potential in our economic relationship with India,” Mr. Robb said.

Members of Parliament from both countries agreed there is strong bipartisan support for stronger Australia India relations. The AILD was seen as providing a great opportunity to strengthen the relationship further.

They expressed the hope that both Prime Minister Turnbull and Prime Minister Modi would carry on the good work of their predecessors and continue to build on this very important relationship.

Lastly, delegates reflected on the Dialogue itself. The Dialogue was seen as a forum, which would make discussion possible among public intellectuals in India and Australia on the very

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

India is Australia’s 12th largest trading partner with twoway trade worth around $15 billion. It is our seventh largest export market. nature of leadership. It might allow the elaboration of an idea of leadership, which is collective and distributed through multiple social networks. It might draw young people into the conversation about leadership, and the nature of power and its distribution, and might thereby lead them to think about the importance of making economic growth inclusive.

Delegates acknowledged the rich history of the Australia India relationship, and the substantial place India occupies in the Australian psyche. They applauded the substantial nature of the dialogue, which had taken place, and the goodwill of those who believe in the AustraliaIndia relationship, which, they felt, would enable bilateral relations at all levels to grow and strengthen.

—SAT News Service

N O V E M B E R

southSouth asia times 15 Asia Times

2 0 1 5

Aged care review chance to fix funding disparity in rural Victoria: VHA

By SAT News Desk

M

elbourne, 11 Nov : The Victorian Healthcare Association (VHA) has claimed its newmodelling commissioned by it shows the disadvantage experienced by aged care providers with less than 50 beds, most of which are located in rural and regional Victoria, under the current federal aged care funding model.

In its submission to the Aged Care Financing Authority (ACFA) Review into Issues Affecting the Financial Performance of Rural and Remote Providers, the VHA highlights the need for a funding model that supports rural aged care providers to be sustainable.

VHA CEO Tom Symondson welcomed the review and said public residential aged care providers in regional and rural areas, which make up 89 per cent of Victoria’s public care facilities, were at a particular disadvantage under the current system due to the higher costs associated with delivering

care to smaller isolated communities.

“We have known for some time that aged care funding hasn’t fully met the needs of smaller public aged care providers which are crucial for ensuring people are able to age in their communities among their friends and family and often within the community they have dedicated their lives to,” MrSymondson said.

“Sadly the current aged care funding arrangements are failing small rural communities where the demand is lower, distance means services are more expensive to run and the economies of scale just aren’t there to make the same efficiency savings as their larger metropolitan

counterparts.

“This modelling confirms our position showing the current funding model favours larger centralised providers that operate 50 or more beds.”

On a sliding scale and based on a conservative average fixed annual operating cost of $100,000, the modelling shows that for aged care providers to be sustainable current funding falls short by an estimated: • $51K per year for aged care providers with 20 beds • $65K per year for aged care providers with 15 beds • $76K per year for aged care providers with 10 beds MrSymondson said, while the Government provides rural aged care services with a viability supplement,

this falls far short of the gap small aged care providers need to be sustainable.

“Rural aged care providers are essential for people who wish to stay in their community in their later years, particularly where a market failure has meant there are no alternative aged care providers in the area,” MrSymondson said.

“We hope the ACFA review is a chance to remedy the shortfall and see the investment in aged care rural providers desperately need to continue providing care to all communities.

“Additionally, as suggested by the newly appointed Minister for Aged Care Sussan Ley in Parliament (page 26), we have high hopes the ACFA review will address the funding issues faced

by Victoria’s seven multipurpose services due to an outdated funding arrangement that is currently seeing MPSs underfunded by $3 million a year.

“This needs to be addressed urgently so that Victoria’s MPSs can continue

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

This modelling confirms our position showing the current funding model favours larger centralised providers that operate 50 or more beds. to deliver the flexible model of care that enables them to meet the individual needs of their communities.

“We are pleased the aged care funding issue is finally under the lens and look forward to working with Minister Ley to ensure all of Victoria’s public aged care providers are supported to not just be sustainable but to thrive.”

—SAT News Service

south asia 16 South Asia Timestimes

COMMUNITY

N O V E M B E R

2 0 1 5

Mantras of success in the corporate world

By SAT News Desk

U

all are the change agent of our global community” said Manoj Kumar to MBA Students at a premium Business School in India. Recently, Melbourne based wellknown executive from the corporate world & Chairperson of the Subcontinent Friends of Labor, Victoria Manoj Kumar was invited by a premium business school in India “ Prestige Institute of Management & Research’ at Indore to give lecture on the success mantras to the MBA students.

Mr. Kumar who is a firm believer of “failure is essential part of success” visited the institute on 30th Sep.2015 and inspired around 700 students by his lecture and success sutras with examples.

Talking to South Asia Times (SAT), Melbourne, Mr. Kumar highlighted the need of more reality based management teaching to MBA students.

He said that the final year management graduate must be able to identify their challenges, opportunities, availability and expectations from different stakeholders.

The student must know the tools/skills available with them to deal with challenges after college to settle into their career.

Mr. Kumar said there is no shortcut strategy above smartness and hard work. Also, strategy worked for one doesn’t mean it will work for the other. Yes, there are some key tips/ways that work for everyone. He gave

You need to keep thinking positive to find solution for each challenge you face. Negative thoughts will only keep you backward.

following tips as success mantras to the students to keep your career moving forward from college to profession and beyond.

Keep Thinking Positive You need to keep thinking positive to find solution for each challenge you face.

Negative thoughts will only keep you backward.

Keep Thinking Ahead If you are not following trends within your particular industry, you could be caught off. He suggested students to look for trends and then train yourself in growth areas.

"Having the right skills at the right time ensures that no matter what is happening around you, you will be needed and

employable," He said.

Keep Your Resume Ready He advised the students/professionals to keep always updated resume, whether you are looking for a job, or you already have one, it is essential for your career.

Having your resume at the ready gives you confidence. Even if you are not looking for work, your resume reminds you of the contributions you make on a regular basis, something you can easily forget when you are immersed in the day-today busy life.

Keep Cultivating Your Network He said “Wherever there are people, there is an opportunity to network.

A good networking within

your profession & beyond is always ready proposal for you.

Keep Your Eyes and Ears Open Now, you are up on the trends. You are networking.

You have got a current resume. You are thinking positive thoughts. Then it's time to get creative by creating your own Manoj Kumar is currently the International Business Head for Middle East, Sub continent, Central Asia & North Africa at the Ecotech Pty Ltd Australia (A Globally well- known environmental equipment manufacturer dealing in more than 50 countries).

He was also the federal Labor party candidate from seat of Menzies in Sep. 2013 Australian parliamentary election against ex-immigration and

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

ex-defence ministerHon. Kevin Andrews.

He has given many lecturers/presentations related to environment pollution and climatic change, sales techniques & leadership at various leading forums and institutions including world Energy conference & exhibition at Abu Dhabi in 2009, Myanmar Engineering Society (University Campus) at Yangon and Australia Thailand Institute etc. He has also contributed many social, political and environmental related articles in various magazine/newspaper including Environmental Technology Magazine.

His recently published articles “ Domestic violence is a serious issue and emergency in our society” in Nepali Times, Australia in March2015 & “ South Asian Leadership in mainstream politics” in Indus Age, Australia in April2015.

N O V E M B E R

COMMUNITY

2 0 1 5

southSouth asia times 17 Asia Times

Adani mine approval challenged in court

By SAT News Desk

M

elbourne, 25 October: Labour leader and leader of opposition in Victoria, Hon. Daniel Andrews, today announced Labour will build an, ‘Indian Precinct’ in Melbourne, if elected to govern Victoria on 29 October, when Victoria goes to polls to elect a new government. The surprise Diwali gift was announced

by Hon. Daniel Andrews at the Federation Square Diwali event, organised by the Celebrate India.

Melbourne, 9 November 2015: The Adani owned Chermichael Coal megamine approval by the Queensland government has been challenged by the Australian Conservation Foundation.

The earlier approval which was struck done by a court was later reapproved last month by the Queensland Environment Minister Greg Hunt. The challenge is a judicial review of the Minister’s approval.

The Carmichael coal mine would be an absolute

disaster for the Great Barrier Reef, our climate and the local environment if it proceeds,” said ShaniTager, Greenpeace Australia Pacific Reef Campaigner in a media release.

“They want a 28,000-hectare coal mine which will be responsible for 120 million tonnes of carbon dioxide every year and

require millions of tonnes of seafloor in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area to be dredged.

“If Minister Hunt and the Turnbull Government were serious about protecting the environment, they would have rejected this mine the first and the second time it came across their desks.

“It’s clear that they

cannot be relied on to make decisions in the best interests of the community and the environment, so this legal challenge by the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACL) is crucial,” said Ms. Tager.

Meanwhile, the Mackay Conservation Group has welcomed the ACF legal action against the mine

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

If Minister Hunt and the Turnbull Government were serious about protecting the environment, they would have rejected this mine the first and the second time it came across their desks. approval, in a media release.

Mackay Conservation Group acting coordinator, Peter McCallum, said "we welcome theintervention of Australia's pre-eminent environmental organization in this legal process."

Queensland treasury officials have called the mine “unbankable” and 14 international banks have said they won’t fund the project, which still needs $16billion to proceed.

—SAT News Service

south asia 18 South Asia Timestimes

COMMUNITY

N O V E M B E R

2 0 1 5

COMMUNITY ROUNDUP

United Voice Of Australia celebrates Diwali

T

he United Voice of Australia celebrated Diwali recently at a big scale at the Heritage Receptions, Epping. The place was overflowing with people.

The highlight of the evening were the fireworks. A massive cultural program also entertained those present. Artists and community leaders were also awarded for their contribution to society.

Rajasthan music-dances

enthrall the audience

I

t was a riot of colors and folk music at its best in Burwood. The music bonanza from Rajasthan was organized by the FIAV, FIMFO, FIMDV, Rajasthan Kutumb of Victoria and backed by India’s ICCR. The beautiful dances were staged by the Kalbolia Dance Group from Rajastan. They have already been to 40 countries. The gathering was addressed by the Indian Consul GenearlManika Jain, VasanSrinivasan among others. The artists were also honored on the occasion.

MR. GAUTAM GUPTA ELECTED Deputy Mayor OF Wyndham

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

Mr. Gautam Gupta cr was on October 29, 2015 declared elected Deputy Mayor of Wyndham Council in a meeting after he and Mr. Intaj Khan cr got five votes each. In a lucky draw Mr. Gupta then won.

N O V E M B E R

southSouth asia times 19 Asia Times

2 0 1 5

Indian students celebrate Diwali at RMIT

By SAT News Desk

M

elbourne: RMIT is a unique house of education.

It celebrates diversity and multiculturalism. Diwali is traditionally a celebration of life and unity in diversity, its enjoyment and goodness, and has a special significance for Indian people at home and overseas, irrespective of their culture and religion, signifying unity in Indian diversity.

The event was held at the RMIT University City Campus Kaleide Theatre (Building 8) Swanston Street on Monday the 9th November from 6-9 pm.

The presence of more than 120 people enriched the life and diversity of this very much awaited event and was celebrated with a delightful Indian style buffet and entertainment including dancing, singing and Yoga presentation.

The name Diwali is derived from the Sanskrit word Deepavali which translates into "row of lamps".

RMIT has a tradition of

celebrating Diwali with a cultural program developed by volunteers from its staff, students, especially from the Centre for Advanced Materials and Industrial Chemistry (CAMIC) and various members of the Melbourne Indian community.

Participants from a variety of religions, countries and beliefs took part in the celebration and Prof Peter Coloe, Prof Suresh K Bhargava and various Indian community leaders Mr Rampal, Mr.Manoj Kumar and Chary Chigurala shared their thoughts and ideas about the multicultural nature of the Australian research and multicultural community, in particular the diversity at RMIT and Victoria and how it contributes to a cohesive workforce.

Pro Vice-Chancellor Research and VicePresident, Professor Peter Coloe, was welcomed in a traditional Indian way by having "Tilak" (vermillion) and rice placed on his forehead, as well as lighting the candle and "Diya".

"As a global university of technology and design,

RMIT is proud to support this significant Indian cultural event," he said.

"The events like this strengthen our links with India and the Indian students, staff and Victorian community, and we hope it will surely lead to further opportunities for collaboration and engagement."

Professor Suresh Bhargava, Deputy Pro ViceChancellor International in the College of Science Engineering and Health, has been the driving force

behind Diwali celebration at RMIT. He is a wellknown “Icon” of the Indian community. He has served the Indian community in various ways; the Indian community still misses his programs at SBS radio Hindi broadcasting. He is the one who has broadcasted an interview of the Former Prime Minister of India and Bharat - Ratna Shri Atal Bhari Bajpai. He was also invited to the Australian Prime Minister’s office in Canberra for consultation in strengthening the Australia

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

– India Relationship.

Professor Bhargava said it was important to share different cultures with people from diverse backgrounds and to make the University feel more like home for staff and students through such a celebration.

Diversity is like the different colours of the spectrum and when they all come together to make the while light, it represents peace, harmony and togetherness in the community.

The event was also attended by distinguished international visitors like Profs Lakshmi Kantam and Murali Sastry from India and Drs Sarvesh Soni, Selvakannan Periasamy and Neda Mirzadeh contributed significantly in organising this successful event.

Many PhD students from the IICT-RMIT research centre, Hyderabad, India, took part in the event, which was also supported by ‘Dosa Hut’ restaurant.

The program was well aligned with the ‘Shape RMIT’ initiative by the ViceChancellor and president of RMIT University Mr Martin Bean CBE. —Supplied

south asia 20 South Asia Timestimes

VIEWPOINT

N O V E M B E R

2 0 1 5

Three murders

by Ram Puniyani

and a lynching

L

aws of nature cannot be applied to human society so directly. Still sometimes these have been used to explainjustify social catastrophes, “When a big tree falls. Earth shakes (in the aftermath of anti Sikh massacre 1984), ‘every action has equal and opposite reaction’ (during Gujarat carnage of 2002) are too well known.

I have been very puzzled from last month or so since the scholarswriters, who have returned their honors and are being questioned as to why they did not do so when emergency happened or anti Sikh violence took place or when the mass migration of Kashmiri pundits took place or when the Mumbai train blasts killed hundreds of innocent lives. I am tempted to think of the laws of physics of ‘qualitative transformation’ during heating or cooling of water, the temperature remains the same but water becomes either steam or ice.

When Dr.Dabholkar, Com Pansare and then Prof Kalburgi were killed over a period of months, the danger signals started being perceived but still it took the beef lynching of Mohammad Akhlaq to give a message that something has drastically changed in the society , and the spate of returning of Sahiya Academy, National and state, awards followed in quick succession.

Their protest was against the rising intolerance in the society. The incidents that followed and ran parallel to these ‘award-returns’ were equally horrific. The killing of a trucker on the assumption that he is carrying cows for slaughter; beating of a MLA in Kashmir Assembly by BJP legislatures and the scattered incidents of attacks on Muslims on the ground of beef consumption are too striking. We are currently facing a situation where anybody can incite the violence by just uttering the word beef, while seeing mutton or some such thing. We are living in an atmosphere where cow cannot be shooed away even if she is blocking the traffic.

The viciousness of atmosphere is not lost on the social perceptions.

The insecurity of minorities has gone up by leaps and bounds. One knows that since the present NDA regime came to power all those ‘spewing hate’ are working overtime. For one AkbaruddudinOwaisi there is an army of SakshiMahraj, Sadhvis, Yogis and what have you. This army of mostly saffron robed or the one’s with the association with Hindu Nationalist politics has high position within their political combine, what is known as SanghParivar.

The prime Minister himself had exerted the Hindu youth to emulate MaharanaPratap to save the honor of Mother cow during the election speeches. During this last over one year, words like Haramjades

Disturbed by what is going on, the President Pranab Mukherjee on three occasions urged the nation to uphold, pluralism, the core civilizational value of the country and to uphold tolerance.

(illegitimate) have been used with gay abandon. On the mere suspicion; a Pune techie MohsinShaikh was done to death. Serial attacks on Churches were passed off as thefts, the love jihad bogey was kept alive and the likes of Yogi Adityanath, the top BJP leader from UP, stated that for every one Hindu girl marrying a Muslim, Hindus should bring 100 Muslim girls. Muslim youth have been barred from participating in festivals like Navaratri. Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, the BJP’s Muslim face advised those wanting to eat beef to go to Pakistan. The glorification of Mahatma’s killer Godse has been stepped up and temples are being planned in his memory, while a BJP MP from Kerala stated that Godse was right but he chose a wrong target. Atmosphere of communal violence has gone up in a big way during the preceding year.

Even after the awards started being returned the BJP leadership looked down upon the writers/ scholars and overlooked the phenomenon which has lead to returning of awards. To mock these writers BuddhiShuddhi puja path (purification of intellect ritual) has been organized and BJP spokespersons are humiliating them in talk shows with all their ferocity. To cap it all the Haryana Chief Minister, an old RSS pracharak, said that Muslims can live here but only if they will give up beef eating.

No doubt the BJP Chief Amit Shah has talked to some of these leaders behind the close doors, but that does seem to be a mock drill as the leaders concerned did say that they went to meet their chief for some other reasons and none of them gave any serious apology.

Disturbed by what is going on, the President Pranab Mukherjee on three occasions urged the nation to uphold, pluralism, the core civilizational value of the country and to uphold tolerance. The Vice President Hamid Ansari reminded the Government that it is the duty of the state to uphold the ‘right to life’ of citizens. The index of the changing social atmosphere is reflected by the statements of two outstanding citizens of the country. Julio Reibero, the top cop, expressed his pain and anguish by saying that “as a Christian suddenly I feel stranger in my own country.” And the renowned actor Naseeruddin Shah had to point out that “Have never been aware of my identity as a Muslim until now.”

These are not ordinary times.

The values of pluralism and tolerance have been pushed to the margins. With this Government in power all the wings of communal politics, the RSS affiliates, have unleashed themselves in full blast.

Communalism is not just the number of deaths due to violence, it is much more. The foundation of this violence begins with the manufacture of perceptions about the religious minorities. These perceptions based on history and some selective aspects of present society are given an anti human tilt and interpretation.

This is used to create hatred for the minorities and that’s where the communal elements can unleash violence either as a massive violence like Gujarat or Mumbai or Bhagalpur or Muzzafarnagar or the one in Dadri. This creates the divides in society which over a period of time is converted into polarization. And polarization is the foundation of electoral strength of party wanting a

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

nation in the name of religion. As per Yale study, the communal violence is the vehicle which strengthens BJP at electoral level.

Communalism has been planted in India over a century and a half ago. The British policy of ‘divide and rule’ used communal historiography as a major weapon. This type of interpretation of history was picked up by communal organizations and given an anti Hindu or anti Muslim tilt and gradually this has been strengthened after every act of violence which has been the outcome of their politics. The present phase is the one where the cup of communalism is spilling out from its earlier levels or boundaries.

The intensity of ‘Hate’ constructed around temple destructions, love jihad has been supplemented by the oft used tool of beef. In the present situation where the divisive elements, who are in center stage of politics also know that they are safe and secure as the present Government precisely wants what they are doing, their contrary posturing notwithstanding.

The present combination of the Government guided by the ideology of Hindu nationalism and the ‘fringe elements’ having same ideology, has a vast network and with a wide reach. This party has the advantage that mostly it does not have to dirty its hands in the local agenda of sectarian nationalism, and so there are many elements which can do the local work for dividing the society.

The so called fringe elements now are occupying the center stage, and so the ‘qualitative change’ in the situation. The flood of awards being returned is due to the situation created by deeper communalization of society. This is manifested in growing intolerance, attack on plurality and is leading to the insecurity of minorities, which has qualitatively transcended the earlier limits. The question is how to uphold the values of Indian Constitution in the current times?

south asia South Asia Times

N O V E M B E R

2 0 1 5

SOUTH ASIA

southSouth asia times 21 Asia Times

Why the BJP lost Bihar?

By Gayeti Singh

N

EW DELHI: It’s been a couple of days since the Bihar election results were announced, and since then an innumerable number of analyses have sprung up on why the BJP lost and who was to blame. A quick recap of the theories include Prime Minister Modi’s diminishing popularity, Mohan Bhagwat’s reservation comments, the beef controversy, the ‘bahri’ (outsider) versus Bihari issue, and my favourite: assertions that the BJP didn’t really ‘lose’ as it forced the Janata Dal (United) and the RashtriyaJanata Dal into an alliance, and the result was purely an arithmetic corollary of that union (isn’t that how results work?).

Lost in the analysis however seems to be what this writer saw on the ground in Bihar. A team from this publication travelled from Patna through Vaishali, Samastipur, Kalyanpur, Muzaffarpur, Jehanabad and Gaya, and using good old fashioned reportage, spoke to the common voter in Bihar. In fact, this publication was amongst the few at the time that roundly predicted a Mahagathbandhan victory, whilst the mainstream media and political pundits -- without stepping out of their air conditioned studios -- droned on about how the 2015 Bihar elections were too close to call.

If anyone had bothered to get on the ground (and in this case at least, traded in their fancy tricks of surveys and exit polls for simpler but far more efficacious journalism), the verdict would have been clear from the start. This was NOT a “close” fight, as was evident in what the voters of Bihar told us. “We are voting for Nitish Kumar,” was the overwhelming response.

As for the response to the questions “why?”

(Why did the BJP lose or Why did Nitish Kumar win?), it is prudent to once again turn to the

voters of Bihar for the answer.

Nitish Kumar (and the work he has done) as a factor As much as the BJP and a section of the political class are attempting to paint the results as a purely mathematical outcome, this vote was for Nitish Kumar. The RJD managed to go from 22 seats in the 2010 Assembly elections to 80 in the 2015 elections.

The Congress went to 27 seats from 4 in the last assembly. The analysis in the media is making a huge deal of these gains.

Is it an RJD comeback?

Is the Congress seeing a resurgence?

As far as the voters were concerned, they were voting for the “mahagathbandhan.”

“Hum teerko vote denge (we will vote for the alliance)” crowds of people chorused. When you asked them why, the answer -- even when the seat in question had an RJD/Congress and not a JDU candidate -- was never about Lalu Prasad Yadav or the Congress party, but categorically in favour of Nitish Kumar.

And what about Nitish Kumar? “Vikas,” was the overwhelmingly dominant theme. As a certain JitendarRajak told us in Phulwari Sharif, “In Nitish Kumar’s tenure we have seen lots of development.

Many roads have come up.”

This is not to deny the fact that caste politics and numbers were at work. The Yadavs consolidated behind Lalu, but the answer to why this happened takes the analysis back to Nitish.

At a tea stall in Hajipur, a group of Yadavs told us why they were voting for the local RJD candidate (LaluYadav wasn’t mentioned even once).

“Nitish Kumar has done a lot for development.

There’s electricity in the village. There’s a road.

There’s safety - ten years ago you couldn’t travel on this road after dark,” said ParichandRai in response to the question “why?”.

A rumour was doing the rounds that at PM Modi’s rally in Samastipur, the PM rhetorically asked the crowd, “bijliaayi?” hoping to elicit answers in the negative. “Aayi, aayi,” the crowd chorused

instead. Nitish Kumar referred to the incident at a press conference in Patna, but its real impact was felt in the villages of Bihar where the issue of electricity galvanised voters to such an extent that everywhere we went, people exaggerated the number of hours their village had electricity in an effort to praise Nitish Kumar’s work.

This story was the same everywhere we went. At a railway crossing, that we were told is known as Sehranjan, the mood was infectious. “Nitish Kumar will win,” a crowd chanted in unison. “He is the number one CM of India,” they said. “Nitish Kumar has given food, clothes, electricity, roads.

He has given us cycles and schools. A lot has changed in Bihar and we want only him,” says a man in the crowd. “There will be a tsunami in

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

Bihar for Nitish Kumar,” concluded a certain Debendra Prasad Rajat.

And a tsunami it was.

The BJP (and communal politics) as a factor Although this victory cannot be taken away from Nitish Kumar, the BJP played its politics all wrong. While the rhetoric played up the beef controversy and divisive politics, the voter on the ground felt more and more alienated.

“I don’t like the way NarendraModi speaks,” Binder Rai near PaswanChowk told us.

“Words like shaitan; this is no way to speak.”

“Modibahutgandaboltahai (Modi speaks very badly),” we heard repeated numerous times.

We made it a point to ask the voters whether the beef controversy that was playing out in election speeches and in the media had any bearing on their vote? It didn’t. In fact, voters made it a point to reiterate that Bihar prides itself on communal harmony, and attempts to polarise the vote were not going to be rewarded.

“No matter what happens in the rest of the world, in Bihar and specifically in Jehanabad, Hindus and Muslims and people of all religions will live together in peace,” said a man named Chaudhary in Jehanabad district.

In Samastipur, the team was the cause of an intense political debate between BJP voters (from the baniya community) and JDU supporters. At a sari shop, the two sides argued intensely. The beef controversy came up.

“Mahagathbandhan has lost favour because of all the beef comments made

by LaluYadav,” said one of the shopkeepers. This was flatly denied by the other side (we too told the group that through our travels, most voters said that the comments had no bearing). “Did it matter to you?” we ask.

“No,” the man admitted.

As quick as tempers had flared, they cooled down, with the opposing sides sharing hot cups of sweet tea with big smiles.

Contd. on pg 23

south asia 22 South Asia Timestimes

south asia

N O V E M B E R

Sri Lanka: A ray of hope for those looking for war missing

By Amantha Perera

P

AVAKODI CHENNAI, Sri Lanka, Oct 29 2015 (IPS) – Thavarasa Utharai’s most treasured belongings are stuck inside several plastic bags and tucked within old traveling bags.

Inside, wrapped in more plastic sheets, are old fading photographs, scrap books, legal documents and even some old bills. These are the only processions the 36-year-old mother of two has to show of her husband. He went missing on March 20, 2009 while returning home after tending to his cattle. No one really knows what happened to him.

“They took him, I know they did, I know the person who did it also,” Utharai says of suspected abductors who she says were linked to government military. The abduction took place as a three-decade-old bloody civil conflict was drawing to an end and government forces were poised to achieve a decisive military victory over the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The separatist LTTE had fought successive Sri Lankan governments to achieve a separate state for the country’s minority Tamils like Utharai.

Utharai hails from the remote village of Pavakodichennai, in the eastern Batticaloa District about 350 km from the capital Colombo.

But distance and lack of public

utilities like transport and a functioning public service have not prevented her from seeking justice. She has sought the intervention of police, a Presidential Commission and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to gain any morsel of information on her husband. So far she has hit a blank wall, except when an officer with Criminal Investigation Department suggested that if she register her husband as deceased her family would be eligible for Rs 100,000 (700 dollars) in compensation.

“Why should I? I will seek the truth, I owe it to him,” the slightly built woman says with a feisty tone.

Her circumstances however are not rare in the former conflict-zone. Tens of thousands are still looking for their missing loved ones six years after the guns fell silent.

The number of the missing has remained contentious since the war ended. A Presidential Commission on Missing Persons that has been conducting interviews since 2013 has so far received over 20,000 complaints, including over 5,000 of missing members of government forces. The ICRC, which has been registering missing persons since 1990, has recorded 16,064 cases.

An Advisory Panel to the UN Secretary General put the death toll during the final phase of the war at 40,000.

Research by the advocacy

group University Teachers for Human Rights from northern Jaffna increased that figure to 90,000.

“It really does not matter how high or how low these figures are, for each family it is vital that they get to know what happened to their loved ones,” VallipuramAmalanayagni said. She has been searching for her husband since he went missing in February 2009.

He went missing while at his paddy field.

Amalanayagni also acts as a community leader for families of the missing. She says the last six years have been some of the hardest in her life. “We were hounded like criminals because we looked for our family members.”

As the then MahindaRajapaksa government fought off wave after wave of international scrutiny on the conduct of the final phase of the war, it did not encourage any action that could fuel international pressure – looking for the missing or tabulating them was one of them. During the last months of his administration, Rajapaksa loosened the grip a bit but not by a lot.

All that changed in January this year, when a new president, MaithripalaSirisena, took office. The new government has renewed engagement with the UN and has pledged to strengthen efforts to trace the missing and provide compensation.

Thavarasa Utharai son Jadusan, 14 years, holds a picture of his missing father and mother. He last saw his father in March 2009.

Credit: Amantha Perera/IPS

It will set up a missing persons office and also issue Certificates of Absence.

Last week it also released a report by a Presidential Commission looking into allegations of abductions and disappearances. The commission has acknowledged that disappearances did take place while persons were in military custody and that military linked groups were involved in abductions.

“This is not a political gimmick, we are serious about what we have set out to do,” Minister RajithaSenarathana, the cabinet spokesperson told IPS. The minister said that investigating the thousands of missing cases was a pledge that President Sirisena, Prime Minister RanilWickremasinghe and their loyalists made while they campaigned to oust the Rajapaksa administration “For a nation to heal we must know the truth, however difficult and uncomfortable it may be,” Senarathana said.

Given the media hype, expectations have also risen that there could be fast tracked action. But Sri Lanka watchers caution not to raise hopes too high and to give the current government enough time to feel politically secure.

“It would be slow progress, the government has shown its inclination that it wants to act on these, it has international support right now, but it would need time to convince

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

2 0 1 5

It really does not matter how high or how low these figures are, for each family it is vital that they get to know what happened to their loved ones.” — Vallipuram Amalanayagni everyone,” JehanPerera, Executive Director National Peace Council, a national advocacy body.

Diplomatic sources in Colombo also say that the Sirisena government is still wary of the Rajapaksa factor and the former president’s core support base of ultranationalists from the Sinhala majority.

For the families of the missing, there is at least a new ray of hope. “Some of us have been looking for loved ones for decades, imagine living without any kind of knowledge of your husband for over a decade, that is a terrible tragedy, at least now there should be closure,” Amalanayagni said.

N O V E M B E R

south asia

2 0 1 5

southSouth asia times 23 Asia Times

Why the BJP lost Bihar?

Contd. on pg 21

“This is all politics,” they tell us. “No matter which side we are on, in the end it doesn’t matter. We live side by side. Nothing is going to change that.”

Another factor that has been glossed over by the media is related to the BJP’s mandate in the 2014 General Elections.

As Mohammad Suhail Khan told us near Gaya, “BJP waale bahoot jhoot bolten hain (the BJP lies a lot)”. What did he mean?

The BJP, in the run up to the 2014 elections made a lot of tall promises in a bid to secure votes; promises the party did not deliver on.

Gajandhar Shah, a customer at a shop in Hajipur told us, “The BJP lies a lot. They told us to open a bank account and that money would be deposited. We sold our goats to do so. Not a penny has come in.”

The Dalit, Mahadalit and Muslim vote All elections come down to numbers, and the numbers in

the Bihar polls were overwhelmingly in favour of the Grand Alliance.

The Yadavs, Kurmis and part of the Muslim vote was behind the Mahagathbandhan, whilst the forward caste vote was rallying behind the BJP, was the consensus.

The Dalit and Mahadalit vote would decide this election. Where the pundits got it wrong, however, was in giving this crucial vote to the BJP. Why? Because of Ram Vilas Paswan and Jitan Ram Manjhi, whose LokJanshakti Party and Hindustani AwamMorcha, respectively, were supposed to win the NDA the backward caste votes.

In the end, in the

38 seats reserved for scheduled castes in the Bihar assembly, the NDA won only 7. This represents a huge decline from the 18 won by the BJP in 2010 and the 24 leads for the NDA in last year's LokSabha polls.

The Mahagathbandhan, on the other hand, increased its tally from 13 leads in 2014 to 29 in the 2015 assembly elections.

For anyone who did the needed fieldwork in Bihar, the fact that this vote was going to the Mahagathbandhan would have been obvious. Why? “Vikas” is the answer.

As VirendarSahni, a customer (who identified himself as belonging to a Dalit caste) at a tea

stall by a small Dalit basti in Samastipur told us, “We have doctors.

We have medicines. We have cycles. We have electricity… How can we not vote for Nitish Kumar?”

At a village off the road linking Jehanabad to Gaya, the team was the cause of an emotional debate.

Thinking we were from the government, a group of women belonging to the backward castes related how difficult life was for them. “Come see our houses if you want to see how poorly we live,” they said. “Do you want a change of government,” we ask.

The crowd remained silent. At that moment, a smartly dressed man who was passing by loudly interected, “Anyone who doesn’t vote for Nitish Kumar is a traitor.” No one disagreed.

In addition to the backward vote, the Muslim vote was hotly debate in the run up to the elections. Pundits deliberated on the question: Will Owaisi and his All India Majlis-e-

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

IttehadulMuslimeen party be a factor in fragmenting the Muslim vote?

As the team traveled through Bihar, stopping in a number of Muslimmajority areas, Owaisi and the AIMIM did not come up even once.

And although “vikas” was the dominant point of conversation, with it seeming like the Muslim community in Bihar was making it a point to steer clear of commenting on divisive rhetoric, the fact that it was more than just vikas was evinced in the following exchange.

“What are you voting for?” we asked a crowd at Phulwari Sharif. “Vikas” answered a man named Mohammad. “And shanti” (peace) he quietly added as the crowd disperses as quickly as it had gathered.

So why did the Mahagathbandhan win this election? The answer is in two words (and a comment): “vikas” and “shanti” (and Nitish Kumar’s record on both counts).

(Follow Gayeti Singh on Twitter: @Gayeti) Source: TheCitizen

south asia 24 South Asia Timestimes

south asia

N O V E M B E R

2 0 1 5

Aid efforts slow in quake hit Khyber akhtunkhwa Earthquake damage in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a province of Pakistan. Credit: AshfaqYusufzai/IPS

By Ashfaq Yusufzai

P

ESHAWAR, Pakistan, Nov 9 2015 (IPS) Jauhar Shah lost everything. His house came tumbling down while his family was sleeping. He survived but his wife and daughter did not. The October 26 tremor measuring 8.1 Richter scale changed his life forever.

“We underwent immense hardships because our home was damaged completely. But then, government and the local people came to our rescue and rebuilt our mud-house temporarily,” Shah, 45, told IPS. Shah, a resident of Shangla district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), said he had received 6,000 dollars compensation for his damaged house.

In some areas, people received immediate help as dignitaries visited hard hit areas, he said. Shangla, of the KP’s 26 districts, is an example. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif rushed to this worst-affected area and gave 5000 dollars for every dead person and 1000 dollars to those who were wounded.

Forty nine others in Shangia died. The total reached 226 in KP, one of the Pakistan’s four provinces but the quick rescue efforts by the central and provincial government helped to avoid complete disaster.

“Now, we are able to

start reconstruction of our houses and pay loans we have taken for the burial of our dead,” Mumtaz Shah, told IPS. It was like doomsday as everything before was swinging, he said. “For a moment I thought that Day of Judgment has happened as the people were heard reciting the verses from the holy Quran loudly in an effort to seek apologies for their sins from Al-Mighty Allah,” he said.

People in worst-stricken areas who were lucky enough received rapid medical and food aid when ministers and dignitaries visited the quake areas.

Maj-Gen Asghar Nawaz chairman National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said that 1632 person sustained injuries and 495 schools were damaged in the earthquake with its epicenter in Hindu Kush. “We established three relief camps and 27 distributions from where affected people are getting foodstuff,” he said.

But the situation in Chitral district near the Afghan border is far from recovery. “We aren’t getting relief goods because of a blockade of roads and land slides,” Abdul Akbar Chitral, a local politician said. In Chitral 15,937 houses were destroyed and 32 people were killed in the earthquake. Enough assitance is not reaching

those in need.

“Chitral is home to natural calamity as in July 25 people died in flash flood which require more assistance,” he said.

KP Chief Minister Pervez Khattak visited Chitral after the earthquake and issued compensation money to the relatives of 32 people killed while compensation for the damaged houses, the most in the province, has yet to be paid out.

Pakistan had an earthquake of 7.6 magnitude that left 90,000 dead and 3million homeless in 2005, mostly in Hazara division of KP province.

The government still hasn’t reconstructed half of the homes destroyed.

“We would extend all sort of help to the quake-harmed people and will not leave the victims alone in these trying times,” celebrated cricketerturned politician Imran Khan told a news conference a day after the tremor in Peshawar, the capital of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Khan’s Pakistan TehreekInsaf Party rules the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. He said 50 million dollars had been released to compensate the people the soonest.

World Health Organisation’sDrSaeed Akbar Khan told IPS that the healthcare situation was under control. “We have provided trauma and diarrheal kits to the

government to provide treatment to wounded people,” he said.

The World Health Organization, in collaboration with the Pakistan government, is carrying out rapid assessment on damaged health facilities to devise a re-construction programme, he said.

Affected populations in many far off areas still complain of shortagse of food, clean drinking water and medicines and were exposed to looting, which occurs after calamities.

“People have developed gastroenteritis. They are exposed to food-borne diseases and children and pregnant women risk malnourishment,” said Dr Abdul Jabbar, a government doctor in a remote hamlet in Chitral.

At least 20 people, who were critically injured when hit by falling boulders and rocks, were taken to Islamabad, capital of Pakistan, for treatment.

People desperately required water-purification tablets to prevent disease, he said. “In some areas, temperatures are below 0 degrees centigrade and elderly people and children face chest problems,” he said. “We have been receiving severely undernourished children who also suffered from flu and scabies,” he said.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

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

Affected populations in many far off areas still complain of shortagse of food, clean drinking water and medicines and were exposed to looting, which occurs after calamities. information minister Mushtaq Ahmed Ghani says the government has sent 15550 blankets, 8750 tents 3500 plastic mats, 14000 tarpaulins, 11 tons of food boxes and 14 tons of bottled water.

JamaatIslami, a religiopolitical party, has called the government incompetent for not providing prompt services.

“The compensation is too little to make for the losses of the displaced people,” SirajulHaq JI’s chief said.

Haq, who belongs to Dir district, where 26 people died and 2397 houses were damaged, said people are unable to sleep as they have no proper shelter.

N O V E M B E R

south asia

2 0 1 5

southSouth asia times 25 Asia Times

South Asia record probing violence against scribes is dismal

N

EW DELHI: Recently, the world marked the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, with the sad realization that most cases of violence against media personnel remain uninvestigated.

According to the UN, in the past decade 700 journalists have been killed, with no convictions in nine out of ten cases.

The Indian subcontinent figures on the fag end of the list for media freedom and safety. According to the 2014 World Press Freedom Index, India ranks 140th in the world; Pakistan ranks 158th, Bangladesh 146th, Sri Lanka 165th, and Nepal performs the best of the lot at a still lowly 120. Here’s a look at media freedom in South Asia.

Pakistan Last year, the plight of journalists in Pakistan has received widespread attention, following the killing of a prominent Pakistani television anchor, Hamid Mir, in Karachi.

Other attacks in the same year included the gunning down of two journalists and one media worker from a news agency were gunned down by unknown assailants in Quetta. In March, noted columnist and TV anchor Raza Rumi’s car was attacked, and Rumi survived the attack, his driver succumbed to injuries. Rumi’s name was on a list issued by the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in February last year, targeting journalists who were opposed to the government’s dialogue with the banned militant outfit. The TTP also issued death threats to journalist and South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA) Secretary General ImtiazAlam.

Peshawar bureau chief of Express News, JamshedBhagwan, has been targeted twice, with a 2.5kg of explosives being found outside his house and grenades being thrown at his residence. The same year, Express News’ live van was fired at in Karachi, resulting in the death of three members of the network’s news crew.

2015 was no better.

Within a span of 24 hours

in September, three separate attacks targeted journalists. Former Geo News business reporter AftabAlam was killed outside his home in Karachi by two gunmen.

A Geo News technician was killed in Karachi when gunmen opened fire on a broadcast van belonging to the privately owned station. In July, Unidentified armed men in Pakistan abducted the Karachi bureau chief of the TV channel Geo News.

Last year, a report by “Reporters Without Borders” on press freedom in the world’s countries, ranked Pakistan a low 158 of a 180 countries in terms of media freedom. The report, which measured the level of freedom of information, recorded seven journalists being murdered in connection with their work in 2013 in Pakistan. Four of them Mohammad Iqbal of News Network International, SaifurRehman and Imran Shaikh of Samaa News andMehmood Ahmed Afridi – were killed in Balochistan, which the report called Pakistan’s “deadliest province.”

The report further highlighted the role of the Taliban, militants and armed groups, but also the military apparatus, and agreed with international observers in calling it a “state within the state.” It also singled out intelligence agencies operating in Pakistan, especially Pakistan’s official Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in connection with posing a threat to journalists

by “spying on media personnel, abducting them, torturing them and even murdering them.”

The reports reflects an environment of impunity, threats by intelligence agencies or attacks by non-state actors, all contributing to a security situation that compromises media freedom and targets the safety and security of media personnel.

In addition to threats by militants, journalists point to the role of Pakistan’s security agency - the ISI. “It is an open secret among journalists across the country that their phones are either tapped or can be by the intelligence, whenever they feel like it,” writes RabiaMahmood for Al Jazeera. Mahmood refers to the intimidation tactics used by the Pakistani intelligence, giving the example of a journalist friend who was told clearly that if he would not stop reporting on the plight of Baloch people, his religious affiliation - of an Ahmadi - would be made public.

Journalist Saleem Shahzad’s death, according to many, can be linked to the ISI. In 2011, Shahzad vanished after writing about links between Al Qaeda and the Pakistan Navy. His body, which was found a few days later showed visible signs of torture. The journalist reportedly told friends and colleagues that he has been warned by intelligence agents to not report on security matters. In October 2010, Shahzad sent Dayan Hasan, a researcher at Human

Rights Watch in Pakistan a note describing a meeting at the headquarters of the ISI directorate where he had been threatened, stating that the note was being sent “in case some thing happens to me or my family in the future.” In July 2011, The New York Times reported that US officials had credible information linking the ISI to Shahzad’s murder, whilst Pakistan’s official commission of inquiry concluded that the perpetrators were unknown.

In 2012, two Taliban gunmen opened fire on journalist Mukarram Khan Atif. Although the Taliban claimed responsibility for the killing on grounds that Atif had been warned not to continue his “antiTaliban” reporting, many believe that the ISI were actually behind the murder. Atif had reportedly told friends and relatives that he had received threats from military and intelligence officials immediately after covering a November 2011 attack

by US led NATO forces on Pakistani army check posts at Salala, near the Afghan border.

According to data collected by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), 54 journalists have been killed in Pakistan since 1992. This figure is probably conservative, as CPJ focuses on figures where there is a “motive confirmed,” i.e., “ a journalist was murdered in direct reprisal for his or her work; was killed in crossfire during combat situations; or was killed while carrying out a

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

dangerous assignment such as coverage of a street protest.”

Amnesty International also issued a report that concluded that Pakistan’s authorities have almost “completely failed” to protect journalists, detailing 34 cases of journalists being killed since 2008. “Journalists in Pakistan live under the constant threat of killings, harassment and other violence from all sides, including intelligence services, political parties and armed groups like the Taliban,” the report said.

In Pakistan, according to CPJ, 56 journalists have been killed since 1992; 32 journalists have been murdered; of which 30 were murdered with impugnity.

Bangladesh This week, yet another secular blogger was hacked to death in Bangladesh. Publisher and secular blogger Faisal ArefinDipan was killed in Shahbagh area while three others, also publishers and bloggers, were hacked and shot in Lalmatia area.

In May this year, bloggeractivist AnantaBijoy Das was murdered in northeastern Sylhet in Bangladesh by unknown assailants.

Before that, atheist blogger Avijit Roy who was hacked to death in February, and blogger WashiqurRahman was killed a month later in Dhaka.

In all the cases, the government and police have come under scrutiny.

Roy’s death, for instance, prompted the country’s Law Commission to comment on the “general” and “helpless” way people are being targeted in the country that has, in turn, compromised faith in the judicial system.

Roy’s wife, who suffered head injuries and lost a thumb in the attack, had initially pointed to police failure in preventing the attack. “While Avijit and I were being ruthlessly attacked, the local police stood close by and did not act,” Rafida told Reuters.

Now, we demand that the Bangladeshi government do everything in its power to bring the murderers to justice.”

Contd. on pg 26

south asia 26 South Asia Timestimes

south asia

N O V E M B E R

2 0 1 5

India’s sinking ties with Nepal

M

adhesi protesters throw stones and bricks at Nepalese policemen NEW DELHI: India, in a first, told told a meeting of the UN Human Rights Council Wednesday that it was “concerned” over “lack of political progress” and incidents of “violence, extrajudicial killings and ethnic discrimination” in Nepal.

At the Geneva meeting of the UNHRC on Nepal’s Universal Periodic Review, India’s Acting Permanent Representative to the UN, B N Reddy said: “The people of Nepal, having endured a devastating earthquake in April 2015, are facing another tough challenge during the ongoing political transition. Violence and instability in parts of Nepal has worsened in the run-up to and after the adoption of Nepal’s Constitution in September 2015. Over 45 persons died, mostly civilians, and hundreds injured. Firings, which had ceased just after the adoption of the Constitution, have reoccurred. We are concerned over the lack of political progress.”

“We note the concerns expressed by UN human rights bodies, UN Country Team and Nepal’s own Human Rights Commission over continuing incidents of violence, extra-judicial killings and ethnic discrimination in the country.

We urge the Government of Nepal to investigate and take credible measures to prevent their recurrence.

Problems facing Nepal are political in nature and cannot be resolved through force or a security-based approach,” Reddy said in a statement cleared by the Ministry of External Affairs.

Madhesi protesters throw stones and bricks at Nepalese policemen

Reddy urged the Nepal government to take the following steps: 1. “Consolidate the constitution building and democratization process by accommodating all sections of Nepal to enable broad-based ownership and participation”.

2. “Ensure effective functioning of Truth and Reconciliation Commission and full implementation of its recommendations, including prosecution of those responsible for violent insurgency”.

3. “Ensure the independence and financial autonomy of the National Human Rights Commission”.

4. “Set up an independent Commission for children and women”.

Nepal’s Deputy Prime Minister Thapa was quoted in the Indian Express saying, “Under any pretext, disruption of supplies, disruption of transit is not acceptable.”

Thapa said Nepal had

incurred losses to the tune of $5 billion in the last two months: “For a country like Nepal, how much suffering can we go through?… Is that justifiable? Can’t Nepal have its own authority to promulgate constitution?”

India-Nepal ties have plummeted since the adoption of Nepal’s new constitution, in which it declared itself a secular state instead of a Hindu rashtra. This has reportedly been a major point of contention for Nepal’s closest ally, India, with reports indicating that the Indian government had levelled pressure on Nepal to declare itself a Hindu Rashtra.

The Indian government, on its part, maintains that its opposition to the new constitution is not to do with Nepal’s status as a Hindu nation, but linked to security concerns as Madhesis are protesting the new constitution in the Terai region of Nepal bordering

India.

The Madhesis state that the new constitution will leave them under represented in Parliament, and have been staging protests for the last month. Violent clashes have led to almost 40 deaths.

In connection with the above, India reportedly imposed an ‘unofficial’ blockade at the Birgunj trade checkpoint, effectively cutting off vital supplies -- including petroleum products -- to Nepal.

India denied imposing a blockade, saying that the restrictions on movement of goods and supplies was linked to security concerns over the violence led by the Madhesis along the border.

Nepal, however, maintained that India had imposed a blockade. "Continued obstruction at border customs points and the IOC halting supply of petroleum products have created an abnormal situation in

fuel supply," Nepal’s home ministry said in a statement.

The fact that the pressure that India probably hoped to level through the blockade has backfired was cemented

by Nepal signing an agreement with China on supply of petroleum products to alleviate shortages.

"Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) and China National United Fuel Corporation formalized a long-term commercial agreement in Beijing on Wednesday afternoon," a senior Nepali bureaucrat told Times of India. Under the agreement, the bureaucrat added, China will supply fuel at international rates, which Kathmandu might find cheaper than its imports from India. To begin with, China will fulfill at least a third of Nepal's requirements.

Nepal’s agreement with China effectively endsIndia’s historic status of Nepal’s sole fuel provider.

South Asia record probing violence...

Contd. on pg 25 Roy’s father, Ajay Roy, also accused the police of negligence in the crime and said officers allowed the attackers to escape, adding that he was "not satisfied" with the investigation.

Tragically, these three deaths are not an aberration. They follow a string of attacks on writers, bloggers and journalists in the country. According to the “2014 World Press Freedom Index” released by Reporters Without Borders in January this year, Bangladesh ranked a low 146 of 180 nations. Ahmed RajibHaider, an atheist blogger was hacked to death on February 2013, by machete-wielding activists from a militant group

associated with the Jamaate-Islami party. Haider, an architect by profession, ran a blog that was instrumental in demanding trials for the perpetrators of the mass killings during the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, a move that was widely seen as aimed at radical Islamists. SagarSarowar and MeherunRuni, two well-known married Bangladeshi journalists were stabbed to death in February 2012; the motive is still to be determined.

Another blogger, AsifMohiuddin, was stabbed and accused of blasphemy. In Bangladesh, according to CPJ, 19 journalists have been killed since 1992; 18 journalists

have been murdered; of which 15 have been murdered with impunity.

India According to the Reporters Without Borders 2014 World Press Freedom Index, India ranks 140th in the list, with the Indian subcontinent witnessing the biggest rise in violence for journalists in the Asian region for the second year running. In India, a record number of eight journalists and one media person were killed in 2013. This was twice the 2012 death toll, and more than the total death toll for Pakistan.

The organization, in its report, states: “Criminal organizations, security forces, demonstrators and

armed groups all pose a threat to India’s journalists.

The violence and the resulting self-censorship is encouraged by the lack of effective investigations by local authorities, who are often quick to abandon them, and inaction on the part of the federal authorities.”

In India, according to CPJ, 37 journalists have been killed since 1992; 24 journalists have been murdered; of which 23 have been murdered with impunity.

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka is 165th in the World Press Freedom Index.

The focus of the index for Sri Lanka was Uthayan - which was the target of two violent

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

attacks within the space of 10 days in April. Two of its employees were injured, its printing press was set on fire and the premises were badly damaged. Uthayan received a Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Prize, remaining the only Tamil newspaper not to suspend publishing at any time during the civil war in Sri Lanka. Six of its employees have been killed in connection with their work.

In Sri Lanka, according to CPJ, 19 journalists have been killed since 1992; 10 journalists have been murdered; of which 10 have been murdered with impunity.

Source: The Citizen, 8 Nov., 2015.

N O V E M B E R

2 0 1 5

southSouth asia times 27 Asia Times

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

south asia 28 South Asia Timestimes

south asia

MI A M Jio i ba m u M 17th Film al v i st Fe T

he 17th edition of India’s biggest film festival, the 17th Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival in association with the STAR India, announced its stellar program took place from October 29th to November 5th in Mumbai, the film festival celebrated the diversity of Indian and international cinema, showcasing the latest cutting-edge independent projects, avant-garde art house films, alongside genre offerings from Bollywood and Hollywood, with a focus on international cult movies. The festival's presenting sponsor was Reliance Jio Infocomm (RJIL) and Associate Sponsor Partner STAR India. Mrs. Nita M. Ambani, Founder & Chairperson, Reliance Foundation was Co-Chair, Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (MAMI) along with Chairperson Kiran Rao. The Festival Director was renowned writer and film critic, Anupama Chopra. Get full information about the festival at – www. mumbaifilmfestival.com. Text & photos courtesy – Sterling Media, London. Plus, two photos from Mitu Bhowmick Lange’s Facebook page.

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

N O V E M B E R

2 0 1 5

N O V E M B E R

2 0 1 5

south asia

southSouth asia times 29 Asia Times

In Bangladesh, blogging can get you killed

C

harbak* who recently escaped Bangladesh after his name appeared on several kill lists, reflects on what the recent murder of Faisal ArefinDipon and others means for the future of free thought in Bangladesh.

I have come to tell you this with so much helplessness, suffering and agony in my heart. The postindependence young generation of Bangladesh – my generation – who collectively dreamt of a secular homeland, has lost another one of our own. Just over a week ago, machetewielding extremists tore Faisal ArefinDipon’s body to pieces, tearing our dream as well.

This time it wasn’t a blogger who was hacked down, but a publisher of secular books. So it seems that any kind of activity that facilitates free expression (not just blogging) will not be tolerated by thesegroups.

In Bangladesh, not many are willing to defend the few of us who are at the frontline of these machete attacks. The regime in power remains undisturbed, our politicians silent in the face of “atheist killings”. Even our artists-scholars-intellectuals say nothing, busying themselves with their “important” pieces of work. They are happy to let freedom of speech, the protection of life of every citizen, and secularism remain safely within Bangladesh’s Constitution – so long as it isn’t practiced in reality.

Extremists release kill list In 2013, Ansarullah Bangla Team, the

group many believe to be behind the recent spate of murders, published a hit list of 84 secular bloggers. My name was on it. (This was not the only list, nor would it be the only time my name would appear on one.)

I was listed because, like many of my fellow writers, I wrote blogs and Facebook posts supporting a scientific outlook, women’s rights, and minority issues. I was also critical of religious fundamentalism.

When on 26 February this year, prominent blogger and Bangladeshi scientist Avijit Roy was hacked to death, I and my fellow writers burned in anguish. We demanded the immediate arrest of those responsible for Avijit’s killing but the government remained silent and inactive.

As we later discovered, Avijit’s killing was not an isolated incident.

WashiqurBabu, AnantaBijoy Das, Niladry Neel and the latest, ArefinDipon, all fell victim to the “machete-reply” – an extremist response to scientific questions, opinions and secular activities. The government’s continued reluctance to bring justice in these cases further endangers other targeted bloggers.

12 November marks six months since the murder of AnantaBijoy Das, who worked closely with Avijit, yet there has been no progress in finding his killers. To date, there has been no serious investigation of any of the other murder cases, including Ahmed RajibHaider who was killed by the same group of extremists in the same way and for the same reason two and a half years ago.

Too afraid to go to work I stopped going to the office after one of the machete killings. I was absent for so long, I was about to lose my job. I was the sole breadwinner of my family – the financial impact would have been dire. But what else could I do? My name was on several hit lists published by extremists yet the police were not willing to protect me. At least, that is how I felt after hearing from other bloggers who asked the police for help without success.

I tried to confine myself to my home.

But, of course that was impossible.

You can’t imagine the panic I felt, thinking I might be chopped to pieces at any time by anyone in the street. I monitored people around me constantly, checking whether anyone was following me. It was as if everyone in the street was my possible killer. It was a horrible, haunting situation.

No one could save me. My killers would never be prosecuted. Rather, they would be regarded as heroes by

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

certain sectors of society. It was not even safe for me at home. Niladri Neel adopted that strategy after asking the police for help, but ultimately he was hacked to death in his own house.

Somehow, with help from Amnesty and other humanitarian organizations, I managed to flee Bangladesh.

Apparently, I am now in a safer place than my fellow bloggers are.

But each time I read about another killing, I know how my friends feel in Bangladesh, and remember how I felt, too – how the cold current of fear would flow up my spine.

A generation living under “machete terrorism” I don’t think any other generation in Bangladesh’s history has lived under the threat of “machete terrorism” for such a long period. No other generation has had to live with the constant fear of death on its mind.

We are not smugglers, killers, rapists or traitors. We simply write blogs and express our opinions. Some of us publish books, some of us write on Facebook walls and many of us have demanded justice for war crimes.

But the irony is that our opinions are seen as heinous crimes, so we are being killed or exiled. Groups of young bloggers, writers and activists are fleeing the country and heading for Europe.

And the number of people willing to condemn these killings shrinks, as pens are being stopped every moment in Bangladesh. *Name changed to protect the blogger’s identity.

Source: Amnesty International

south asia 30 South Asia Timestimes

ihNdI-puãp

ás;¬q

vWR 12² a'k 4

Eixy;

$;”Ms

s‹p;dkIy

बाल-दिवस तथा दीपावली भारत के सर्वप्रथम प्रधान मंत्री, पंडित जवाहर लाल नेहरू का जन्मदिन ‘बाल -दिवस’ के रूप में मनाया जाता है | बच्चे दे श का भविष्य होते हैं | उनकी संख्या, शिक्षा व परवरिश दे श का भविष्य तय करते हैं | इसलिए आवश्यक है कि बच्चों की आवश्यकताओं पर ध्यान दिया जाये| इस महीने दीपावली का पावन पर्व भी है | यह एक ऐसा पर्व है जो सम्पूर्ण भारत में और विश्व के सभी दे शों में जहाँ भारतीय मूल के लोग रहते हैं , धूम-धाम से मनाया जाता है | ऑस्ट्रेलिया में भी हर वर्ष दीपावली के सार्वजनिक उत्सवों की संख्या बढ़ती जाती है | विभिन्न प्रादे शिक संसद भवनों के अतिरिक्त यह त्योहार अब कैनबरा में, प्रमुख राजनीतिक नेताओं की उपस्थिति में ऑस्ट्रेलियाई सरकार के संसद भवन में भी मनाया जाता है | यह अच्छी बात है कि इन उत्सवों में अभारतीय लोग भी भाग लेते हैं और सांस्कृतिक कार्यक्रमों का आनंद उठाते हैं | आपके तथा आपके प्रियजनों के लिए दीपावली का त्योहार मंगलमय हो और भाई-बहनों को भाई-दूज की शुभ कामनाएँ| इस महीने, सिख धर्म के संस्थापक, गुरु नानक जी की जयंती तथा गुरु तेगबहादरु का शहीद दिवस भी है , जिन्होंने बलपूर्वक धर्म-परिवर्तन के विरोध में अपने प्राण न्योछावर कर दिए थे| इन महान व्यक्तियों के जीवन से हमें अपने सिद्धांतों पर दृढ़ रहने, अत्याचार से लड़ने और आदर्श जीवन व्यतीत करने की प्रेरणा मिलती है | इस अंक के ‘काव्य-कंु ज’ स्तम्भ में दीपावली तथा बाल-दिवस आदि से सम्बंधित कवितायें हैं | साथ में, ‘हिन्दी सीखने से लाभ’ नामक लेख है | इसके अतिरिक्त, ‘संक्षिप्त समाचार’, ‘अब हँ सने की बारी है ’, ‘महत्वपूर्ण तिथियाँ’ व ‘सूचनाएँ’ स्तम्भ भी हैं | लिखियेगा कि आपको यह अंक कैसा लगा। —दिनेश श्रीवास्तव

k;

ihNdI

Editor, Hindi-Pushp, 141 Highett Street, Richmond, Victoria 3121 é-mel se rcn;E\ .ejne k; pt; hw- dsrivastava@optusnet.com.au

apnI rcn;E\ .ejte smy² apnI rcn; kI Ek p[it apne p;s avXy r% le')

pirixã$â

nvMbr² 2015

अँधरे ा धरा पर कहीं बाल- दिवस दीप जलाऊँ -भारती बिबिकर, मे ल ्बर्न -डॉ. भावना कँु वर, सिडनी रह न जाए -कुसुम वीर, नोएडा ईमेल- bharatibibikar@gmail.com ईमेल- bhawnak2002@gmail.com ईमेल- kusumvir@gmail.com

रोशन करो तुम इस जग को इतना अँधेरा धरा पर कहीं रह न जाए दीपों की माला सजे द्वार सबके कोई घर तिमिर से ढका रह न पाए नेहों से पूरित हो दीपों की बाती द्वेषों की आँधी इसे बुझाने न पाए सुरीली हो सरगम सुप्रीत इतनी वितृष्णा के स्वर इसमें मिलने न पाएँ

बाल-दिवस मनाऊँगा ,

दीप जलाऊँ

जय जवाहर ! जय जवाहर !

भावों -से भरा

माँ मैं नारा लगाऊँगा,

दीपावली मनाऊँ

फूल खिला कश्मीर में,

एक नन्हा- सा दीया

फैली खुशबू भारत में ,

लेकर चलूँ

ख्याति सुदूर विदे श में,

और मिलके आऊँ

बाल-दिवस मनाऊँगा ,

बेबस माँ से

माँ मैं नारा लगाऊँगा,

जिसका साथी बस

जय जवाहर ! जय जवाहर !

एकाकीपन

फूल गुलाब का वे अपनाते,

हो न ईर्ष्या की बस्ती, न आपस के झगड़े दीवारें मज़हब की खड़ी हो न पाएँ उड़े लें सुधा-रस इतना ज़मीं पर प्यासा कोई फ़िर कहीं रह न जाए

दे आऊँ समेट के

बच्चों के संग बातें करते , चाचाजी वे हैं कहलाते ,

कु छ खुशियाँ

माँ मैं नारा लगाऊँगा,

दीप जलाऊँ ।

चौदह नवम्बर हमारा दिन

चमचमाते

तब घर जाकर

बाल-दिवस मनाऊँगा ,

निर्मल हो मन यह दरिया के जैसा समन्दर सा खारा यह होने न पाए माँगू दआ ु एँ प्रभु से मैं हरदम कपट द्वेष मन में कहीं रह न जाए अपरिमित है साम्राज्य जिसका जगत में सजाता सितारे वह चादर गगन में अद्त भु है सत्ता उस महा प्रभु की मन प्राण जीवन उसी में रमाएँ ये कोठी, ये बँगले बहुत हैं सजाए ग़रीबों कि बस्ती उजड़ने न पाए तृप्ति से पूरित हों हर जन हमेशा शोषित धरा पर कोई रह न जाए दख ु ाओ कभी मत दिल तुम किसी का आह से उसकी कभी बच न पाए जलाओ ज़रा प्रेम कि अमर ज्योति नफ़रत किसी दिल में रहने न पाए

मिठाई,पकवान

जय जवाहर ! जय जवाहर ! जवाहर-जयंती का दिन ,

मैं लेकर खिलौने

भारत मनाता बाल-दिन,

नन्हें मासूम

बाल-दिवस मनाऊँगा ,

बेघर,मजबूर

माँ मैं नारा लगाऊँगा,

जय जवाहर ! जय जवाहर !

लेखक ' भारत एक खोज के '

पत्र-प्रेषक प्रिय पिता इं द ु के, प्रथम प्रधानमंत्री भारत के,

बाल-दिवस मनाऊँगा ,

प्यारे बच्चों की

बिखरी वो मुस्कान लौटा के लाऊँ

तब मन से फिर दीप जलाऊँ ।

उजड़े -से बंजर

माँ मैं नारा लगाऊँगा,

जय जवाहर ! जय जवाहर !

नित मैं उनकी स्मृति रखूँगा, शान्ति-कपोत मैं उड़ाऊँगा,

खलिहानों में

बरसे पानी,ऐसी जी भर कर

तत्पर दे श-हित मैं रहूँगा , बाल-दिवस मनाऊँगा ,

मैं गुहार लगा लूँ

जय जवाहर ! जय जवाहर !

दीपावली मनाऊँ ।

माँ मैं नारा लगाऊँगा,

सलाम-ए-मोहब्ब्त नाम होंठों पर ख़ुदा का सुबह-ओ-शाम आता रहे ।

ihNdI-puãp k; ¬ýeXy a;ŽS$^eily; me' ihNdI k; p[c;r-p[s;r krn; hw) p[k;ixt rcn;ao' pr koé p;irÅimk nhI' idy; j;t; hw) ihNdI-puãp me' p[k;ixt rcn;ao' me' le%ko' ke ivc;r ¬nke apne hote hw'² ¬nke ilye sMp;dk y; p[k;xk ¬Êrd;yI nhI' hw') hStili%t rcn;E\ SvIk;r kI j;tI hw' prNtu ”leK$^^;Žink åp se ¾ihNdI-s'SkOt¾ f¹;\$ me' rcn;E\ .eje' to ¬nk; p[k;xn hm;re ilE ai/k suiv/;jnk hog; kOpy; apnI rcn;E\ ákh;iny;\² kivt;E\² le%² cu$kule² mnor'jk anu.v a;idâ inMnili%t pte pr .eje'-

2 0 1 5

k;Vy-ku'j

आदमी को चाहिये दनि ु या के काम आता रहे ,

p[k;xn sMb'/I sUcn;E\

N O V E M B E R

ज़ोर घट जाऐगा ख़ुद ही जंग के मैदान का,

हर तरफ़ पहुँचे सलाम-ए-ख़ैर जो इं सान का, हर तरफ़ से फिर मोहब्ब्त का सलाम आता रहे |

नाम होंठों पर ख़ुदा का..................................||

आज दनि ु या को भलाई की इनायत चाहिये हर भलाई के इरादे से सख़ावत चाहिये,

यानी प्यासों की तरफ़ भर भर के जाम आता रहे

नाम होंठों पर खुदा का..................................|| आज अफ़साना यह शम्मा का न परवाने का है ,

दीप की लौ

तब दीपक

खुशियों के जलाऊँ

-डॉ. ब्लिस ए. डे विड, मेल्बर्न, ईमेल- blissdavid50@gmail.com ना ग़ुल-ओ-बुलबुल का चर्चा है , न दीवाने का है ,

जो मुसीबत में हैं , लब पे उन का नाम आता रहे |

नाम होंठों पर ख़ुदा का..................................|| दर्द मजबूरों का इतना तो बटाना चाहिये,

कम से कम इं सानियत से पेश आना चाहिये,

दिल से दिल मिल जाये ऐसा भी मुक़​़ाम आता रहे

नाम होंठों पर ख़ुदा का..................................|| कौन जाने कल मुसीबत किस के घर मेहमान हो, इस हक़ीक़त को न भूलो तुम भी एक इं सान हो,

हो नहीं सकता ख़ुशी का ही पयाम आता रहे

नाम होंठों पर ख़ुदा का..................................||

-सुभाष शर्मा, मेल्बर्न, ईमेल- sharmalog@gmail.com

दीप की लौ को निहारो और बाती को संभालो है हवा का तेज़ झोंका, दीप बुझने से बचा लो

एक दीपक बुझ गया और एक में लौ ही नहीं शाम है कोशिश करो, बस रात पर चलता नहीं

हाथ की कुछ आड़ कर लो और आँचल को पसारो पीठ को पीछे घुमाकर, दीप सीने से लगा लो

तुम मुक़द्दर का सितारा, सिर पर रख कर मत फिरो पैरों तले छाया अँधेरा, इस अँधेरे से डरो

दूर तक छाया अँधेरा, एक ही दीपक अकेला दाँव पर सब कुछ लगा कर, दीप बुझने से बचा लो

चाँद मांगे चाँदनी से रोशनी दो-चार पल चन्द्रमा को अमावस्या के अँधेरे से बचा लो

आज मंदिर से दीया और रोशनी दोनों हटा लो अंधे पुजारी भक्त अंधे, अंधभक्ति से बचा लो

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

ज़िन्दगी की चार घड़ियाँ तो उजाले में जियो कांच की टू टी कटोरी में न अमृत तुम पियो

N O V E M B E R

southSouth asia times 31 Asia Times

2 0 1 5

हिन्दी भाषा सीखने से लाभ

-नूपरु गोयल (वी.सी. ई. हिन्दी - २०१०) -तुषार गोयल (वी.सी.ई. हिन्दी - २०१३)

(यह लेख मेल्बर्न के भारतीय कौंसलावास में, १४ सितम्बर, २०१५ को हिन्दी-दिवस समारोह में लेखकों द्वारा दिए गए एक वक्तव्य पर आधारित है – संपादक) भाषा और संस्कृति का चोली दामन का साथ है । एक जाने माने लेखक ‘रीटा मे ब्राउन’ ने कहा है कि “Language is the road map of a culture. It tells you where its people come from and where they are going.” एक भारतीय मूल के ऑस्ट्रेलियन होने के नाते, हमारे लिए यह बहुत ज़रूरी है कि हम अपनी मूल संस्कृति और इतिहास को जानें और समझें। भाषा संस्कृति का प्रतिबिम्ब होती है और यह हमें अपने बारे में और अपने इतिहास को समझने का एक नया आयाम दिखाती है । अगर ऑस्ट्रेलियाई शिक्षा संस्थान, विभिन्न समुदायों को अपनी मातृभाषा पढ़ने का अवसर प्रदान कर रही है , और वह भी वी.सी.ई. स्तर पर, तो हमें उसका लाभ अवश्य उठाना चाहिए। हिन्दी भाषा पढ़ते हुए हमने यह भी अनुभव किया कि अँग्रेज़ी के अतिरिक्त कोई दूसरी भाषा पढ़ने में कितना मज़ा आता है । शुरू में हिं दी भाषा पढ़ने का आकर्षण हमारे लिए यह ही था कि हिन्दी हमारी मातृभाषा है । धीरे -धीरे हम हिं दी भाषा के शब्दों में छिपे हुए अर्थ और भावार्थ का मज़ा लेने लगे। हमने जाना कि भाषा सिर्फ शब्दों व उनके अर्थों का खेल नहीं है । इसमें आपसी संपर्क से अधिक छिपी हुई ढे र सारी अभिव्यक्तियाँ है जो उस समुदाय के मूल्यों, संस्कृति, विश्वास, इतिहास और

अनुभवों को दर्शाती है । ऐसे कई बोल या कहावतें है जैसे: काला अक्षर भैंस बराबर; चोर की दाढ़ी में तिनका; बेगानी शादी में अब्दुल्ला दीवाना; ऊँट के मुह में जीरा; आसमान से गिरा और खजूर में अटका। इन कहावतों को सुनकर हमें हँ सी सी आती है और हम यह सोचतें हैं कि इनका जन्म कैसे हुआ? इन कहावतों का प्रयोग सबसे पहले किसने किया और कैसे किया? इनके अलावा कुछ ऐसी भी कहावतें है जैसे: कहाँ राजा भोज और कहाँ गंगू तेली; लक्ष्मण रे खा पार करना; बहती गंगा में हाथ धोना; न नौ मन तेल होगा, न राधा नाचेगी; घर का भेदी, लंका

ढाये। इन सभी कहावतों पर भारतीय संस्कृति और भारतीय इतिहास की गहरी छाप है । परन्तु यह सब सिर्फ कहावतों और लोकोक्तियों तक ही सीमित नहीं है । बचपन में सुनी कहानियों और चलचित्रों से भी हमारी भाषा बहुत प्रभावित है , जिससे हम अपने दोस्तों को प्यार से शेखचिल्ली, चाचा चौधरी या झाँसी की रानी भी बुला सकते है । अगर इन शब्दों का अनुवाद भी किया जाये, तो दूसरी भाषा में इन शब्दों के रस की केवल छाया मात्र मिलेगी, या शायद वह भी न मिले। इनका असली आनंद लेने के

लिए मौलिक भाषा व संस्कृति जानना आवश्यक है । इसके अतिरिकत, हिन्दी पढ़ने का एक यह भी कारण था कि विद्यालय में हमारे बाकी विषय रसायन शास्त्र, भौतिक शास्त्र और गणित जैसे भारी भरकम विषय थे। इन सब के बीच हिन्दी भाषा पढ़ने से एक राहत की साँस सी मिलती थी और मानसिक तनाव भी कम होता था। बढ़ते हुए विश्वीकरण और ऑस्ट्रेलियाई समाज की भाषायी व सांस्कृतिक विविधता को दे खते हुए भी यह बहुत ज़रूरी है कि हम अँग्रेज़ी के अतिरिक्त अन्य भाषाओं को सीखें, समझें, और जानें क्योंकि इससे विभिन्न संस्कृतियों के बीच आदान-प्रदान बढ़ता है । अगर हिन्दी भाषा का ज्ञान हमें अपनी जड़ों को समझने के साथ-साथ वी.सी.ई. अंकों में भी लाभ दे ता है , तो हम कहें गे सोने पर पर सुहागा। साथ ही साथ हमें भविष्य में हिं दी भाषा में अनुवादक या हिन्दी से जुड़े कोई और व्यवसाय में काम करने का अवसर भी मिल सकता है । हिन्दी भाषा का ज्ञान हमारे लिए एक विशाल साहित्य के द्वार भी खोल दे ता है जो कि बहुत सारे रूपों में उपलब्ध है , जैसे पुस्तकें, उपन्यास, ग्रन्थ, कविताएँ, नाटक, चलचित्र, संगीत इत्यादि। पहले जब हम भारत जाते थे, तो अपनी नानी जी और नाना जी को 'हे लो'

बोलते थे और वे प्रसन्न होते थे। पर अब जब हम उन्हें 'नमस्कार' करते हैं तो वे गद्गद हो उठते हैं । हिन्दी भाषा सीखने का एक यह भी लाभ था। जब आप हिन्दी भाषा सीखते है और भारत जाकर अन्य लोगों से बात करते हैं , तो आप एक विदे शी की तरह नहीं, बल्कि एक भारतीय की तरह बात करते हैं । भारत के साथ-साथ ऐसे और भी कई दे श है , जैसे कि नेपाल, बर्मा, फिजी, बांग्लादे श,पाकिस्तान इत्यादि, जहाँ पर आप आसानी से हिन्दी में वार्तालाप कर सकते हैं । आप इन दे शों में आसानी से सभी सूचनाएँ पढ़ सकते हैं , और समझ सकतें हैं । आप इन दे शों में आसानी से मोल-भाव करके खरीदारी कर सकतें हैं । आप दूरदर्शन पर सास-बहू के सीरियल दे ख सकतें हैं । आप 'कॉमेडी नाइट्स विद कपिल' के हँ समुख चुटकुले भी समझ सकते हैं । आप शाहिद कपूर और हृतिक रोशन के साक्षात्कार सुन सकते हैं । आप पड़ोसियों के बीच की गुप्त गपशप भी सुन सकते हैं । आप चाट-पापड़ी वाले भैया को कम मिर्ची डालने को कह सकते हैं । और तो और, अगर आप ताजमहल दे खने जाएँ और आपको हिन्दी आती हो, तो आपको विदे शी वाले महँ गे टिकट भी नहीं लेने पड़ें गे। इसलिए स्वयं हिन्दी सीखिये और दूसरों को हिन्दी सीखने के लिए प्रोत्साहित कीजिए|

s'i=Pt sm;c;r

वी.एस.एल. के ब्लैकबर्न व ग्लेन वेवर्ली केन्द्रों का हिन्दी वार्षिकोत्सव

विक्टोरियन स्कू ल ऑफ़ लैंग्वेजेस के ब्लैकबर्न और ग्लेनवेवर्ली केन्द्रों के हिन्दी विद्यार्थियों ने क्रमशः २४ अक्तू बर तथा २७ अक्तू बर, २०१५ को रोचक सांस्कृतिक कार्यक्रम प्रस्तुत किये| इन कार्यक्रमों में आरं भिक प्राथमिक स्तर के छोटे -छोटे बच्चों ने भारतीय त्योहारों (होली, राखी, ईद, स्वतंत्रता-दिवस, दीवाली तथा क्रिसमस) का अच्छा प्रदर्शन किया| ब्लैकबर्न केंद्र के अन्य प्राथमिक कक्षा के विद्यार्थियों ने मिल कर मौसम पर स्वरचित कविता सुनाई और दीवाली पर एक नाटिका तथा कविता प्रस्तुत की| इस स्तर के ग्लेन वेवर्ली केंद्र के विद्यार्थियों ने सरस्वती वंदना और डॉ. हरिवंश राय ’बच्चन’ रचित कविता ‘कोशिश करने वालों की कभी हार नहीं होती’ सुनाई और मज़ाकिया मुहावरों पर एक कार्यक्रम प्रस्तुत किया| कक्षा ७ से १० के विद्यार्थियों ने दोनों केन्द्रों में भाषण, कविताओं और गीत के कार्यक्रम प्रस्तुत किये| इनमें सामूहिक रूप से हिन्दी पर एक स्वरचित रचना भी शामिल थी| वी.सी.ई. के विद्यार्थियों ने ब्लैकबर्न केंद्र में एक सामूहिक नृत्य और ‘अंधेर नगरी, चौपट राजा’ नाटक प्रस्तुत किया और ग्लेन-वेवर्ली केंद्र में कविता के अतिरिक्त, हिन्दी सीखने के बारे में अपने विचार प्रस्तुत किये| सभी शिक्षकगण (श्रीमती अनुश्री जैन, सुश्री गुरुशरण कौर, श्री नीरज मित्तल, श्री दे वेन्द्र ठे ठी, श्रीमती वंदना गैन्धर व श्रीमती मंजीत ठे ठी) को इन कार्यक्रमों को तैयार करने के लिए अनेक धन्यवाद | दोनों केन्द्रों में कार्यक्रमों का सञ्चालन, हिन्दी संकाय (फ़ैकल्टी) की संयोजिका, श्रीमती मंजीत

mhTvpU,R itiqy;\

३ नवम्बर (मेल्बर्न कप दिवस), ११ नवम्बर (दीपावली), 14 नवम्बर (नेहरू जयंती/बाल-दिवस), १२ नवम्बर (गोवर्धन पज ू ा), १३ नवम्बर (भाई-दूज), २४ नवम्बर (गुरु तेग बहादरु शहीद दिवस, २५ नवम्बर (गुरु नानक जयंती), ८ दिसम्बर (बोधि-दिवस)|

sUcn;E\

अमेरिका में सर्वाधिक बोली जाने वाली भारतीय भाषा – हिन्दी

ठे ठी ने किया| इस अवसर पर हिन्दी शिक्षा संघ (ऑस्ट्रेलिया) के सचिव, डॉ. कौशल किशोर श्रीवास्तव ने विद्यार्थियों की विलक्षण प्रतिभा की प्रशंसा की और हिन्दी पर अपनी एक कविता भी पढ़ी| हिन्दी-पुष्प के सम्पादक ने कार्यक्रम की प्रशंसा की और ब्लैकबर्न केंद्र के वी.सी.ई. हिन्दी के विद्यार्थियों को प्रमाण-पत्र प्रदान किये| अंत में केंद्र की एरिया मैनेजर, सुश्री केरी ला (ब्लैकबर्न) तथा श्री केविन रायन (ग्लेन वेवर्ली) ने अपने-अपने केंद्र के सभी विद्यार्थियों, अध्यापक-अध्यापिकाओं व माता-पिताओं और दर्शकों को धन्यवाद दिया और सामूहिक भारतीय राष्ट्रगान –‘जन गण मन...’ के साथ दोनों केन्द्रों में कार्यक्रम का समापन हुआ|

स्थान– फिलिप्स होर रूम, क्यू (Kew) लाइब्ररे ी, कोथम (Cotham) रोड तथा सिविक (Civic) ड्राइव के नुक्कड़ पर, क्यू (Kew), मेल्वे सन्दर्भ (४५ डी-६) प्रवेश निःशुल्क है| अधिक जानकारी के लिए सुभाष शर्मा (फ़ोन०४३३ १७८ ३७७) हरिहर झा (फ़ोन- ०३९५५५), या नलिन शारदा (फ़ोन- ०४०२ १०८ ५१२) से संपर्क कीजिए|

३. हिन्दू सोसायटी ऑफ़ विक्टोरिया द्वारा आयोजित ‘दीपावली १. हिन्दी निकेतन का दीवाली उत्सव - (शनिवार, २१ नवम्बर) उत्सव-२०१५’ स्थान – क्लेटन टाउन हॉल, २६४ क्लेटन रोड, क्लेटन स्थान – श्री शिव-विष्णु मंदिर, ५२ बाउन्ड्री रोड, कैरम डाउं स, (मेल्वे सन्दर्भ -७९ सी-२) विक्टोरिया – ३२०१ समय- शाम के ६ बजे से रात के ९.३० बजे तक| ू न (दोपहर, ४.३० अधिक जानकारी के लिए, डॉ. राहुल गुप्ता से ०४३१ ७०० ६४६ या डॉ. तिथि व समय – शनिवार, १४ नवम्बर, लक्ष्मी पज बजे), आतिशबाज़ी (रात के ८.३० बजे) अधिक जानकारी के लिए, शरद गुप्ता से ०४०० २२६ ७९३ पर फ़ोन द्वारा संपर्क कीजिए| मंदिर के व्यवस्थापक को ९७८२ ०८७८ पर फ़ोन कीजिए अथवा निम्न वेबसाइट देखिये- www.hsvtemple.org.au २. साहित्य संध्या (शनिवार, २८ नवम्बर) समय- रात के ८ बजे से १० बजे तक

अमेरिका जनगणना ब्यूरो ने अमरीका में बोली जाने वाली सभी भाषाओं के आंकड़े जारी किए हैं । अमेरिका में बोले जाने वाली भारतीय भाषाओं में हिन्दी सर्वाधिक बोली जाने वाली भाषा है । हिन्दी बोलने वालों की संख्या लगभग ६.५ लाख है । अन्य भारतीय भाषाएँ बोलने वालों की निकटतम संख्या इस प्रकार है : उर्दू (४ लाख); गुजराती (३.७ लाख); बंगला (२.५ लाख), पंजाबी (२.५ लाख); तेलगु (२.५ लाख), तमिल (१.९ लाख); मलयालम (१.४६ लाख); मराठी (७३ हज़ार); कन्नड़ (४८ हज़ार); सिन्धी (९ हज़ार); उड़िया (१३००); कश्मीरी (१७००). जनगणना ब्यूरो ने अमेरिकी समुदाय सर्वेक्षण के २००९ से २०१३ के आंकड़ों

४. चिन्मय मिशन दीवाली - २०१५ उत्सव कार्यक्रम - भजन, लक्ष्मी-पज ू ा, रंगोली, मेहंदी, बच्चों के लिए क्रिया-कलाप आदि स्थान – सेंट स्कु लास्टिका (st. Scolastica) कम्युनिटी सेंटर, ३४८ बरवुड हाईवे, बेनटे ्सवुड (Bennettswood), विक्टोरिया-३१२५ तिथि व समय - शनिवार, १४ नवम्बर; शाम के ६.३० बजे से रात के ११ बजे तक प्रवेश निःशुल्क है| अधिक जानकारी के लिए, ऋषि भाटिया (फ़ोन-०४२१ १०३ ७९३) से संपर्क कीजिए| ५. विन्डम दीवाली -२०१५ (शनिवार, १४ नवम्बर) समय – सुबह ११ बजे से रात के ११ बजे तक स्थान – प्रेसिडेंट्स पार्क , ३७० मैक्ग्राथ (MCgrath) रोड, विन्डम वेल (Wyndam Vale), विक्टोरिया -३०२४. अधिक जानकारी के लिए, निम्न वेबसाइट देखिये - http://www. wyndhamdiwali.org.au/

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

के आधार पर जानकारी दी है कि अमेरिका में छह करोड़ से अधिक लोग घर पर अँग्रेज़ी के अलावा अन्य भाषाएँ बोलते हैं । अमेरिका में घरों में अँग्रेज़ी के अलावा बोली जाने वाली शीर्ष भाषाओं में स्पेनिश, चीनी, फ्रेंच, कोरियाई, जर्मन, वियतनामी, अरबी, टागालोग और रूसी भाषाएँ शामिल हैं ।

—रोहित कुमार 'है प्पी', न्यूज़ीलैंड

ab h\sne kI b;rI hw साहब और बस कंडक्टर एक साहब सुबह-सुबह ऑफिस जाने के लिए बस में चढ़े तो कंडक्टर ने मुस्कु राते हुए पूछाबस कंडक्टर –कल रात ठीक-ठाक घर पहुँच गए थे सर? साहब: – क्यों? कल रात को मुझे क्या हुआ था? बस कंडक्टर – आप नशे में थे! साहब (गुस्से से) – तुम यह कैसे कह सकते हो? मैंने तो तुमसे बात तक नहीं की थी| कंडक्टर: – ऐसा है सर, कल जब आप बस में बैठे हुए थे तो एक मैडम बस में चढ़ी थीं और आपने उठकर उन्हें अपनी सीट ऑफ़र की थी ! साहब: – तो? महिलाओं को सीट ऑफ़र करना गुनाह है क्या? कंडक्टर :– गुनाह तो नहीं है सर, पर उस समय बस में केवल आप दो ही यात्री थे!

—प्रेषक- डॉ. सुरेश गुप्ता, मेल्बर्न

South Asia Times south asia community 32 South Asia Timestimes

quick community guide Radio GUIDE

www.ekantipur.com/en THE RISING NEPAL: www.nepalnews.com.np

SBS Radio's South Asian

SUNDAY Language Program Hindi..................................9 am to 10 am – 93.1 FM BANGLA Urdu................................10 am to 11 am – 93.1 FM Sydney 97.7 FM & SBS Radio 2 Tamil...............................11 am to 12 pm – 93.1 FM Melbourne 93.1 FM & SB Radio 2 Hindi.................................8 pm to 10 pm – 88.3 FM Monday & Saturday Singhalese.......................8 pm to 11 pm –97.7 FM 6-7 PM GUJARATI MONDA Y Sydney 97.7 FM & SBS Radio 2 Hindi....................................3 to 4 pm – 93.1 FM Melbourne 93.1 FM & SBSPm Radio Bengali...............................4 pm to 5 pm – 93.1 FM Wednesday & Friday 4-5 PM Hindi...................................6 pm to 8 pm – 88.3 FM Indian (Fiji)..................................6 pm to 8 pm 88.3 HINDI Punjabi........................1 1 am to 12 Sydney 97.7 FM & SBS Radio 2 noon 92.3 FM Melbourne 93.1 FM & SB Radio 2

Daily TUESDAY 5 PM Hindi.....................................

6 am to 8 am – 97.7 FM Hindi....................................

2 pm to 4 pm – 97.7 FM kannada Sydney SBS Radio 3

Melbourne SBS Radio 3 WEDNESDAY Tuesday 3-4 PM Hindi.................................... .6 am to 8 am – 97.7 FM Hindi.........................................

12 to 1 pm – 93.1 FM Nepali Sydney 97.7 FM & SBS1Radio 2 12 pm - 92.3 FM Punjabi............................

1 am to Melbourne 93.1 FM & SB Radio Hindi................................... .8 pm to 29 pm – 97.7 FM Saturday & Sunday 4-5 PM

THURSDAY PUNJABI Hindi...............................

5.30 am to 7 am – 97.7 FM Sydney 97.7 FM & SBS Radio 2 9 pm – 92.3 FM Tamil....................................

8 pm to Melbourne 93.1 FM & SB Radio 2 Sinhalese..........................

1 1 pm to 3 am –92.3 FM Monday & Friday Punjabi.............................

9 pm to 10 pm – 93.1 FM 9-10 PM SINHALESE FRIDAY Sydney 97.7 FM & SBS Radio 2 Indian.................................. .8 Radio am to 29 am – 88.3 FM Melbourne 93.1 FM & SB Monday & Friday

11AM-12 PM SATURDAY Sinhalese............................ 7 am to 8 am – 92.3 FM TAMIL TSydney amil.....................................

12-12.30 97.7 FM & SBS Radio 2 pm – 88.3 FM Indian.................................... am to26 am - 92.3 FM Melbourne 93.1 FM & SB5Radio Monday & Saturday Punjabi..........................................

12-2 am – 92.3 FM 8-9 PM Indian................................

9 pm to 10 pm – 92.3 FM Punjabi..................................................

11 pm to 1 am urdu Sydney 97.7 FM & SBS Radio24/7 2 Radio stations Melbourne FM & SB Radio 2(Subscription) Indian Link93.1 Radio Wednesday & Sunday 18000 15 8 47 6-7 PM Radio Santa Banta (Internet) Santabanta.com.au WORLD NEWS AUSTRALIA RADIO SydneyJhankar 1107AM88.6 & SBSFM; Radio 1 Thursday; 8 to Radio Every Melbourne 1224AM & SB Radio 1 10 pm; Contact: 94668900 or 0411247320 or Monday & Friday 9404 2111 6-7 am & 6-7 PM

South Asian websiteS India TEHELKA – www.tehelka.com OUTLOOK – www.outlookindia.com FRONTLINE- www.flonnet.com THE HINDU: www.hinduonnet.com TIMES OF INDIA: www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com HINDUSTAN TIMES: www.hindustantimes.com Pakistan DAWN: www.dawn.com THE FRIDAY TIMES: www.thefridaytimes.com THE NEWS INTERENATIONAL: www.thenews.com.pk Sri Lanka DAILY MIRROR: www.dailymirror.lk DAILY NEWS: www.dailynews.lk THE ISLAND: www.island.lk Nepal THE HIMALAYAN TIMES: www.thehimalayantimes.com KANTIPUR NATIONAL DAILY:

PLACES OF WORSHIP HINDU Shri Shiva Vishnu Temple 57 Boundary Rd, Carrum Downs, Melbourne, Vic 3201, Ph: 03 9782 0878; Fax: 03 9782 0001 Website: www.hsvshivavishnu.org.au Sri Vakratunda Vinayaka Temple 1292 - 1294, The Mountain Highway, The Basin, Vic 3154, Ph: 03 9792 1835 Melbourne Murugan Temple 17-19 Knight Ave., Sunshine VIC 3020 Ph: 03 9310 9026 Durga Temple (Durga Bhajan Mandali) Neales Road, Rockbank, Vic 3335 Ph: 03 9747 1628 or Mobile: 0401 333 738 Hare Krishna (ISKCON) Temple 197 Danks Street, Middle Park Vic 3206 Ph: (03) 9699 5122 Email: 100237.354@compuserve.com Hare Krishna New Nandagram Rural Community Oak Hill, Dean’s Marsh Rd., Bambra VIC 3241, Ph: (052) 887383 Fax: (052) 887309 Kundrathu Kumaran Temple 139 Gray Court, ROCKBANK Victoria 3335 Ph: 03-9747 1135 or M: 0450 979 023 http://www.kumarantemple.org.au/

N O V E M B E R

SHEPPARTON Gurdwara Sahib Shepparton 240 Doyles Road, Shepparton VICTORIA 3603 PH: (03) 5821 9309

JAIN Melbourne Shwetambar Jain Sangh Inc 3 Rice Street, Moorabbin, Vic - 3189, Australia. Phone: +61 3 9555 2439 info@melbournejainsangh.org http://www.melbournejainsangh.org

Melbourne West Mosque 66-68 Jeffcott Street, Melbourne Ph: 03 9328 2067

4 Timbarra Crescent, O’Malley ACT 2606 (Australia), Tel: 61-2-62901676, 61-2-62901676, 62902769, 62901879 & 62901031, Fax: 61-262901073 Email: parepcanberra@internode. on.net, Postal Address: PO Box 684, Mawson ACT 2607 (Australia)

Broadmeadows Mosque 45-55 King Street, Broadmeadows Ph 03 9359 0054 Islamic Call Society 19 Michael Street, Brunswick Ph: 03 9387 7100

Sri Lanka Consulate

Islamic Centre of Australia 660 Sydney Road, Brunswick Ph 03 9385 8423

32A Brunswick Street ,Walkerville 5081 Melbourne , Phone: 9898-6760, 9248-1228 Email: rodney@techno.net.au

Australian Islamic Cultural Centre 46-48 Mason Street, Campbellfield Ph: 03 9309 7605

Bangladesh High Commission, Canberra

Coburg ISNA Mosque 995 Sydney Road, Coburg North

43, Culgoa Circuit, O’Malley, ACT-2606 Canberra, Australia, Ph: (61-2) 6290-0511, (612) 6290-0522, (61-2)6290-0533 (Auto hunting).

Fax : (61-2) 6290-0544 E-Mail :hoc@bhcanberra.com

Coburg Mosque (Fatih Mosque) 31 Nicholson Street, Coburg Ph 03 9386 5324 Deer Park Mosque 283 Station Road, Deer Park Ph 03 9310 8811

Consulate of Nepal, Melbourne

United Migrant Muslim Assn.

72 George Road, Doncaster Ph 03 9842 6491, Footscray West Mosque 294 Essex Street, Footscray

SIKH

Heidelberg Mosque Corner Lloyd & Elloits Streets, West Heidelberg

CRAIGIEBURN Sri Guru Singh Sabha 344 Hume Highway, Craigieburn VICTORIA 3164 (see map), Ph: (03) 9305 6511 KEYSBOROUGH Gurdwara Sri Guru Granth Sahib 198 -206 Perry Road, Keysborough VICTORIA 3073 (see map) LYNBROOK Nanaksar Taath, 430 Evans Road, Lynbrook VICTORIA 3975, (03) 9799 1081 HOPPERS CROSSING Sri Guru Nanak Satsang Sabha 417 Sayers Road, Hoppers Crossing VICTORIA 3029, Ph: (03) 9749 2639 WERRIBEE Gurdwara Sahib Werribee 560 Davis Road, Tarneit VICTORIA 3029 PH: (03) 8015 4707

Email: cyonzon@nepalconsulate.net.au Level 7, 28-32 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne VIC 3000, Ph: (03) 9650 8338 Email: info@nepalconsulate.net.au

Glenroy Musala 1st Floor, 92 Wheatsheaf Road, Glenroy

TV News

Islamic College of Victoria (Mosque) 201 Sayers Road, Hoppers Crossing Ph 03 9369 6010

SBS1 – Daily NDTV News - 11 am - Monday to Saturday. (From New Delhi, India).

Urdu news SBS1 - PTV News – 9.30 am - Every Sunday – (From Pakistan).

Huntingdale Mosque 320-324 Huntingdale Road, Huntingdale Ph 03 9543 8037

Readymade Garments

Al Nur Mosque 34-36 Studley Street, Maidstone

Roshan’s Fashions 68-71 Foster Street, Dandenong, Vic 3175 Ph: (03) 9792 5688

Meadow Heights Mosque Hudson Circuit, Meadow Heights

Raj Rani Creations 83-A Foster Street, Dandenong, Vic 3175 Ph: (03) 9794 9398

Springvale Mosque 68 Garnworthy Street, Springvale

EMERGENCY CONTACTS EMERGENCY CONTACTS Police, Fire & Abulance ........................

Victoria State Emergency Service (SES).......................................

Traffic hazards and freeway conditions..........................

Gas escape...........................................

132 771 Poisons information........................

13 11 26 Maternal and Child Line................

13 22 29 Parentline...........................................

13 22 89 Kids Help Line.........................

1800 551 800 Lifeline (provides confidential telephone counselling).................

13 11 14 Suicide Help Line....................

1300 651 251 Animal Emergencies..................

9224 2222

HIGH COMMISSION FOR PAKISTAN,CANBERRA

MUSLIM

Sankat Mochan Temple 1289 A North Road. Huntingdale Morning: 10.30 am – 12.30 pm daily Evening: 4:30 pm – 8.00 pm daily Site: http: www.sankatmochan.org.au Contact: 0427 274 462

BLACKBURN Sri Guru Nanak Satsang Sabha 127 Whitehorse Road, Blackburn VICTORIA 3130, Ph: (03) 9894 1800

2 0 1 5

desi estyle 76 Foster St., Dandenong 3175 (03) 87744853; 0413707685 000

132 500 13 11 70

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

Heritage India 54-56 Foster Street, Dandenong, Vic 3175, Ph: (03) 9791 9227 Site: heritageindia.net.au

southSouth asia times 33 Asia Times

quick community guide

N O V E M B E R

2 0 1 5

contd from previous page DVDs, Music CDs & Film Stuff Baba Home Entertainment 52C Foster St., Dandenong 3175, (03) 97067252 1st Migration PL, Suite 110, Level 1, 672 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn Vic 3122

Travel Agents Gaura Travels 1300 FLY INDIA or 1300 359 463 info@gauratravel.com.au Supa Cheap Travel 381 Burwood Road, Hawthorn 3122 Ph: (03) 98194656; Mobile: 0420201155 info@supacheaptravel.com.au www.supacheaptravel.com.au Mann Travel 329 Clayton Road, Clayton 3168 info@manntravel.com.au www.manntravel.com.au Travel House 284 Clayton Road, Clayton 3168 Ph: (03) 95435123, Mobile: 0425803071 mail@travelhouse.com.au

INDIAN CONSULATE

VIEW POINT

South Asia Times

PHONE NUMBERS Phone Number for General Consular Enquiries(operational only during Consular Working Hours i.e. 0930 hrs to 1230 hrs, Monday to Friday) For PCC and PCC and Driving License Verification enquiries 03- 96825800 02 8223 9908/ 1900 969 969 Email ID for General Consular Enquiries consular@cgimelb.org Visa enquiries: visainfo.inau@vfshelpline.com Passport/Police Clearance Certificate/ Driving License Enquiries passportinfo. inau@vfshelpline.com, OCI/PIO Enquiries ociinfo.inau@vfshelpline.com CONSULAR SERVICES (Passport, Visa, OCI, PIO & Miscellaneous) Please note that all these consular services are handled by VFS Global (Indian Passport and Visa Service Centre) The Consulate General of India in Melbourne will continue to provide to residents of Victoria and Tasmania the following consular services, for which applications would have to be lodged directly with the Consulate: Miscellaneous OCI Services • Miscellaneous Consular Services (such as attestation of documents, transfer of visas from old to new passport, affidavits, birth certificates, life certificates, certificate required to transport ashes or mortal remains to India etc) IMPORTANT: The Consulate does not accept credit cards, EFTPOS, personal cheques or company cheques. Please send only money orders or bank cheques with applications sent through the post. Cash payments are accepted only at the counter.

(MELBOURNE) Address : 344, St. Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia , P.O. Box No: 33247 Domain LPO Vic 3004 General phone: +61-3- 96827836 Fax No: + 61-3- 96968251 Web site: www.cgimelb.org

WORKING HOURS General Working Hours 9.00 am to 5.30 pm Monday to Friday, Consular Working Hours 09.30 am to 12.30 pm Monday to Friday, (except on public holidays observed by the consulate)

MLG Lawyers Ronny Randhawa 144 Sydney Road, Coburg Vic Ph 9386 0204 & 138 Walker Street, Dandenong Vic Ph: 9793 9917 Mobile : 0402 256 712

International Students International Student Care Service (ISCS) www.multicultural.vic.gov.au/iscs Ph: 1800 056 449

Vera Lawyers Kusum Vaghela Level 1, Suite 2, 373 Lonsdale Street, Dandenong Vic, Mobile: 0433 827 124

Property FIRST Property PL, Suite 110, Level 1,672 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn Vic 3122

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

South Asia Times south asia 34 South Asia Timestimes

Entertainment

N O V E M B E R

2 0 1 5

Rudramadevi: Mounted on a large can canvas

We all know that Neil Armstrong was the first man who set his foot on the moon. Great, but who was the second?

Or the third? Similarly, Rudhramadevi suffers from the same lack of firstmover advantage here. For Telugu audiences, who have already had their fill of kings, fiefdoms, battles, and royal intrigue barely two months ago with Baahubali: The Beginning, Rudhramadevi may seem a bit like a ‘once more’ performance.

By ManjuLata Kalanidhi

B

ut one has to try and look at the film on an independent note sans comparisons to any other movie. In that aspect Rudhramadevi (Telugu) is a good effort but somewhere between the attempt and the execution, things seem to have moved a bit from the intended trajectory. The result is that though the film is mounted on a large canvas, the narration is sluggish, the graphics are patchy and the overall impact reminds you more of the soft drink slogan: ZorKaJhatkaDheere Se Lage.

The movie begins with the birth of baby girl in the Kakatiya dynasty. Girls cannot ascend the throne but the King, Ganapati Deva, is in no mood to give up his kingdom for lack of heir and decides to lie about the gender of the child until he decides what to do next.

While one studied in school that Rudhrama was ‘raised like a boy’, the movie shows her growing up in full disguise as a boy named Rudhradevi. Cinematic liberties? Perhaps.

As actor Chiranjeevi’s voiceover tells us about the other parts of her life, we are quickly treated to her friendship with GonaGanna Reddy (AlluArjun), a local bandit chieftain, and prince Veerabhandra (RanaDaggubati), who she marries later. The film then attempts to answer a lot of questions – What happens when the king reveals that the prince is indeed a princess? Do the citizens of the kingdom welcome her as their ruler? How does Rudhrama fight the stereotypes to emerge victorious, both on the personal and professional front? It has to be said here that the film doesn’t succeed entirely. The key scenes where we expect rousing dialogues, a suitably dramatic background score and some evocative camerawork just end up as being there and little more. For instance, how Rudhrama discovers her own gender had interesting possibilities. But there are no cinematic highs here to convey the magnitude of the moment. Even maestro Ilayaraja’s music is at best serviceable and that too just in the solo sung by ShreyaGoshal.

No doubt, the sets are grand and the star cast is impressive to say the least. The highlights of the film include AnushkaShetty’s magnetic screen presence (her height, girth, features and body language befit a fearless warrior princess) and AlluArjun’sTelangana dialect. NithyaMenen and Catherine Teresa too contribute interesting cameos.However, the pace at which the movie moves is a big dampener and tells on the film’s length especially during the last 40 minutes or so. The war scenes involving building a seven wall fort or strategies on how to face the enemy seem like a replay of Baahubali and hence, it is but natural to expect something more. Another downer is the computer graphics work, which needed far more attention to detail.

A hardcore Telugu movie fan might laud director Gunasekhar – for his choice of story and his effort – and the work of Anushka and AlluArjun, but overall for the film to work, it still needs that something more.

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

N O V E M B E R

southSouth asia times 35 Asia Times

film review

2 0 1 5

Rajkahini: Perils of partation

Rajkahini(Bengali) is a fictionalized historical drama that spells out an unique version of what happened to a group of women in a pocket within Rajshahi District (now in Bangladesh) during the application of the Radcllife line in August 1947, dividing India into India and East Pakistan, after Sir Cyril Radcliffe appointed by the British Government defined the line and it was put into action. This line had to pass through an old mansion that was home to eleven prostitutes of different ages and backgrounds and they put up a fight with arms against those who came to destroy the mansion, plant the wooden poles and mark the divided areas with barbed wire.

By Shoma A Chatterji

R

ajkahini is a small, imaginary segment of the world today filled with barbed wires marking out refugees who had to leave their homes to nowhere. Currently, according to a UN Report, there are some 43 million uprooted victims of conflict and persecution worldwide.

More than 15 million of them are refugees who have fled their countries, while another 27 million are people who remain displaced by conflict inside their own homelands — so-called “internally displaced people”. Within this ambience, Rajkahini that elaborates on the history of refugees created during the creation of a new India and a New Pakistan, defines a reminder that forced displacement of human beings is not a new phenomenon in the world.

The inmates of the brothel represent a world in miniature or an undivided India before August 15 1947.

RituparnaSengupta playing Begun Jaan, who is apparently Muslim, gives perhaps the most outstanding performance of her career stripped of her starry airs and heavy makeup and costumes she uses in mainstream films as artillery. The old madam (Lily Chakraborty) appears to be Hindu, is educated and reads out to the smaller girls in the brothel,

from good books and also from Abanindranath Tagore’s Rajkahini. But the parallels between the Abanindranath novel for children and the film seem forced. More forced are the lengthy meetings and dialogues between and among Lord Mountbatten, Sir Cyril Radcliffe and one meeting with Nehru and Jinaah in attendance to discuss the manifestations and strategies of the Radcliffe Line, which are redundant and add needlessly to the long footage. Lectures and meetings tend to detract from the tragedy and threat to the eleven sex

workers who have no clue to their next home. Much of these deliberations are likely to go over the heads of the mass audience. The changing of guards at Attari and Wagah border in contemporary times that the film opens with is also irrelevant, clipped and cut as they are from DVDs of the Change of Guards programme with blurred visuals. What made Mukherji contemporize the story remains a mystery.

Among the other girls is the beautiful teenager (RiddhimaGhosh) who does not have a single word to utter

through the entire film but makes a shocking impact with her explosive silence. Taking off from the Manto short story, in the opening scenes, when her father comes to fetch her in a refugee camp, she sits up, unties the strings of her pyjamas, and spreads her legs. She has internalised rape so deeply into her system that even the father appears as a potential rapist!

Begum Jaan tries to protect her from being violated but is forced to give in when Badshah demands her services as the newest girl. Two of the girls are adivasis (SohiniSarkar and ShaoniGhosh) who wear white saris hitched up above their knees and speak is their local dialects. Begun Jaan speaks impeccable Hindi and also Bengali which is quite confusing because she is basically from Bengal. Another intriguing feature is her talent at singing beautiful thumris which raises the question – why is she then a prostitute and a madam and not a courtesan?

Another beautiful girl, (PriyankaSarkar), apparently a Brahmin, is a vegetarian who sometimes seeks pleasure in masturbation. Another (SudiptaChakraborty) keeps dissuading her growing daughter Bunchki who wants to play with her and does not want to listen to historical and mythological stories from the ‘grandmother.’ Rubina (ParnoMitra) is cleverly manipulated by the diabolic

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

Master (AbirChatterjee) who moves in and out of the brothel playing a social worker but actually aspiring to traffic a girl or two. Rubina falls victim to his charms and is trafficked by him.

One of the most beautiful girls (Joya Hassan) is in love with the pimp Sujan (RudraneelGhosh) while another very young girl (EnaSaha) is an also ran. Srijit has cleverly used his brothel to dot the film with ample skin show and sex scenes that is one too many but may be a crowd-puller.

Begum Jaan, who heads the brothel with a pimp and Salim, a bodyguard-cumsecurity man (Nigel Akkara) is shocked when her main Babu (patron-customer) backs out of rescuing her and her girls from this crisis. The brothel keeps two very skinny and skeletal dogs looked after by Salim and their role in the story form a dramatic twist in the tale. A cache of arms someone had left behind is called to action and the girls and women train in wielding the lathi and the guns in preparation for the final fight against any attempt to destroy the abode. The two officers appointed to oversee the execution, Iliyas (KoushikSen), representing the Muslim League and MrSen (SaswataChatterjee), representing the Indian National Congress, are childhood friends whose friendship is threatened by the hate generated through the Partition.

Contd. on pg 36

south asia 36 South Asia Timestimes

film review

N O V E M B E R

2 0 1 5

MASAAN : Realistic view of a hypocritical society The movie delivers much more than what it promises. It is not just an engaging watch... it is one that leaves you envious, and emotional!

By S.G

I

must accept I had no clue what Masaan meant till I watched this glorious film.

Not being from north of India, there are many words that strike me every now and then when I watch Hindi films. But rarely are words used in such symbolically potent manner as in NeerajGhaywan's first film as a director. Kudos probably would go equally to Varun Grover, better known for his impeccable stand up acts that are also available on Youtube. Who would have thought a man as funny could touch you so deep!

In the middle of this thought-arousing tale is a sweet love story between a

'dom' guy (Vicky Kaushal) and a higher caste girl (ShwetaTripathy). Now 'doms' are underprivileged people who man crematoriums.

They are the ones who will help with cremation but are looked down upon. And you would expect this love story would be torn apart by caste differences. Nah! Masaan is not a commentary on caste issues.

Instead this romance almost consumes you, not letting you look away from the screen.

Running parallel is a slightly darker story. Of greed, blackmail, moral policing and mindsets.

A good old translator's (Sanjai Mishra) daughter (RichaChadda) is caught by the police in a compromising position with her

boyfriend (SaurabhChadhary) in a shady hotel while cracking down on possible prostitution racquet. The policeman in charge (BhagwanTiwari) seizes the opportunity to blackmail the family. Premarital sex taboo!

And Ghaywan brings the two

stories together, almost too easily. He manages to present a realistic view of a hypocritical society. Boosting the director's vision is some beautiful work by cinematographer AvinashArun.

He brings to life the Ganga and brings texture to the story.

The weakest link in Masaan is probably its best known name RichaChaddha. Usually known for powerful performances (even in damp squibs like Tamanchey!) she does not quite seem herself.

An inconsistent effort mars some great scenes. Thankfully she is more than enough compensated by terrific efforts by the rest of the cast.

Special mentions for Shwety, Vicky and Bhagwan.

Masaan delivers much more than what it promises. It is not just an engaging watch... it is one that leaves you envious, and emotional.

SOURCE: Nowrunning

Rajkahini: Perils of partation Contd. from pg 35 This is portrayed beautifully by the two actors, the script and the cinematography that focusses on large close-ups of half of the two faces, the other halves hidden by antique lamps suggesting the impact of Partition on friendship polluted and corrupted by the newly born communal conflict and the hatred it triggers between two communities.

The soft empathy of Iliyas surrenders to the ruthlessness of MrSen, who uses illegal means to throw out the sex workers.

He hires Kabir (JisshuSengupta) and his goons to push them out with terror tactics. Srijit has deconstructed the chocolate boy looks of Jisshu by giving him a make-over as Kabir, who wears the Brahmin sacred thread yet

proclaims he is also circumcised so faith does not bother him.

Wearing a curly wig, stained teeth, a red, elongated bindi dotting his forehead and a dirty, loinlike cloth covering him, Jisshu does a complete about turn and gives the most magnificient performance of his career.

RajatavaDutta as Badshah is relatively a tame version of the regular Babu. KanchanMullick as the brutal police officer Sashi is very good but his is not a convincing characterization when compared with stories one has read and heard of real life Indian police officers under the British Government. His shocking reaction when little Bunchki strips in front of him remains unexplained. Mukherji has fleshed out the character of Master with an against-the-grain

performance of AbirChatterjee, who is a true-blooded villain wearing a kind face.

Avik Mukherjee’s camera caressingly moves into long shots to establish the presence of the haveli that strike emotional notes later on. The siennas, the rusts, the browns, the ochres and the ambers enrich the texture of the film with the datedness it demands and underlines the tragedy of a forgotten phase of the Partition story – untold, invisible and unsung. His camera wanders across butcher shops in the middle of the night, the flaming fires in the distance when the mansion goes up in flames, or when the walking fire, once called SalimMirza, cries for help and Begum Jaan shoots him down till the last scene

when Begun Jaan pulls close the massive doors of the haveli shutting the world outside forever. The ‘discussion’ scenes are depicted mostly in Blackand-White to suggest that these are backgrounders to what happens in the foreground.

The musical score sometimes dominates the scenario with its loud pitch instead of supporting the visuals and the narrative.

The same applies to the sound design – too loud at too many places where muted sounds would have driven the point home better. The editing, except in the opening frames, is really good. The reference to Rani Padmini and her Jauhar with hundreds of Rajasthani women jumping into a well of fire does not work at all. It is the acting of the entire cast of around 20 and

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

more performers that forms the high point of the film.

Rajkahini is more a characterdriven story than a history-driven one because the ‘history’ in the film is quite diluted, colored and manipulated with imagination and fiction. The film will make for more intensive viewing if clipped by at least forty minutes. The bharatabhagyabidhata choice is creative but does not really add to the film’s core. If one takes Rajkahini as a character-driven fiction film, it is really watchworthy because it has some of the best performances in recent times by a repertory of some of the most outstanding actors in Bengali cinema. So please do not go looking for history in any form in this film. But it is certainly SrijitMukherji’s most ambitious and original film till date.

N O V E M B E R

2 0 1 5

southSouth asia times 37 Asia Times

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

south asia 38 South Asia Timestimes

NEW MOVIES

new movie releases Tamasha: * ing Ranbeer Kapoor & Deepika Podukone; Director Imtiaz Ali & Music A. R. Rahaman.

(Releasing 27 Nov 2015) Exotic island, youthful abandon, far far away, Ved and Tara – a story begins. Ved has grown up among stories. As a kid in Simla, he would collect money, even steal money so that the old storyteller would tell him stories. Ramayan, Helen of Troy, Laila Majnu, Heer Ranjha, Aladdin, Romeo Juliet. The storyteller would also say that all stories are the same. Ved wants his story with Tara to be different. So they decide to not tell each other who they are, to only lie about themselves and after returning from the island to never meet each other again. But they do meet again.

The question is whether they will be able to shape their story in the way they want. Will the muse be able to make an artist of a common man, will Ved be able to break the shackles of ordinary existence, escape the corporate rat-race and become the way Tara sees him – the exuberant story-teller? Corsica, Simla,

Delhi, Calcutta, Japan – all the world is a stage – as the drama of Ved and Tara unfolds. Frolic, rage, quirk, laughter.

Defeat, victory. Tamasha.

Dilwale: * ing Shah Rukh Khan & Kajol; Director Rohit Shetty& Music Pritam Chakraborty. (Releasing 18 Dec 2015) This film is a Story about Raj, Meera and their enchanting relationship that travels through years of hatred for each other. Set in a vicious and violent environment, Raj and Meera deal with the conflict between their respective families and the repercussions of merciless violence between them. Not all love stories are destined to have happy endings. But as it is rightfully said that “Every end has a new beginning” Raj and Meera’s story make us believe that Love is a force more formidable than any other. It is invisible and cannot be seen or measured, yet it is powerful enough to transform you in a moment and offer you peace to overcome the most unforgettable memory of your life!

Wazir: *ing Amitabh Bachchan & Farhan Akthar; Director BejoyNambiar& Music ShantanuMoitra.

(Releasing Jan 7 2016) Wazir is a tale of two unlikely friends, a wheelchairbound chess grandmaster and a brave ATS officer. Brought together by grief and a strange twist of fate, the two men decide to help each other win the biggest games of their lives. But there's a mysterious dangerous opponent lurking in the shadows who is all set to give Checkmate them.

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

N O V E M B E R

2 0 1 5

N O V E M B E R

2 0 1 5

southSouth asia times 39 Asia Times

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

south asia 40 South Asia Timestimes

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

N O V E M B E R

2 0 1 5