South Asia Times (SAT) - September 2018

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CELEBRATiNG 16TH YEAR OF PUBLICATION

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South Asia Times

Vol.16 I No. 2 I SEPTEMBER 2018 I FREE

READ INSIDE AWARDS

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COMMUNITY

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SOUTH ASIA

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MUSINGS

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HINDI PUSHP

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TECHNOLOGY

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s o u t hasiatim es.com .au Editor: Neeraj Nanda

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SOUTH ASIA TIMES (SAT) gets THE 2018 AWARD FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY

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he award was given on 12 September 2018 by the Victorian Multicultural Commission Chairperson Helen Kapalos in the presence of The Hon. Linda Dessau AC, Governor of Victoria and The Hon. Robin Scott MP, Minister for Multicultural Affairs and others present. SAT has dedicated this award to the community and thanks its printer, designer, advertisers, readers, supporters, friends, writers, staff, photographers and family for helping earn this laurel.This is our 16th year of publication & our digital reach is now all over Australia.

Citation in the official booklet of the awards: "South Asia Times For its reporting of issues affecting Indian and South Asian communities, particularly in relation to domestic violence, crime prevention, and the promotion of community harmony, interfaith, sports and environment events."

Photo: John Kumar, kumarsphotos.com NEERAJ NANDA, SAT Editor

(FULL LIST OF AWARDEES ON PAGE 3)

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PUBLISHER/EDITOR Neeraj Nanda M: 0421 677 082 satimes@gmail.com

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DISCLAIMER South Asia Times (SAT) is a monthly newspaper published in English (2 pages in Hindi) from Melbourne, Australia. Contributors supply material to SAT at their own risk and any errors will be corrected as quickly as possible. SAT does not accept responsibility for the authenticity of any advertisement, text content or a picture in the publication. No material, including text or advertisements designed by the SAT or pictures may be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the editor/publisher. Opinions/stories/ reports or any text content are those of the writers/contributors and not necessarily endorsed by the SAT.

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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.

The Victorian Multicultural Commission honoured to congratulate all recipients of Victoria’s 2018 Multicultural Awards for Excellence.

The state's 2018 Diversity Heroes were recognised at a special ceremony attended by high profile dignitaries and guests on Wednesday 12 September at Government House.

A total of 64 recipients were recognised from 165 nominations across 10 categories highlighting the passionate work of individuals and organisations that are strengthening multiculturalism in Victoria.

Commission Chairperson Helen Kapalos acknowledged recipients and their work at the ceremony alongside the Governor of Victoria The Hon Linda Desau AC and Mr Anthony Howard QC, Minister for Multicultural Affairs Robin Scott, Acting Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police Shane Patton AMP, Parliamentary Secretary for Education Judith Graley MP, Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs Inga Peulich, President of the Legislative Council The Hon Bruce Atkinson MLC and VMC Commissioners.

Victoria’s Multicultural Awards for Excellence honour outstanding individuals and organisations that

foster cross-cultural understanding, support migrants and refugees, and celebrate and preserve the diversity of cultures that make Victoria such a great place to live.

Now in their 17th year, the awards are coordinated by the Victorian Multicultural Commission on behalf of the Victorian Government.

FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF THE AWARDEES. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF SERVICE – The Hon. Hong Lim MP 2018 AWARD RECIPIENTS Award for Meritorious Service to the Community ORGANISATIONS All Saints Australian Hazara Women’s Friendship Network Buddha’s Light International Association of Victoria Diversitat - Geelong Ethnic Communities Council Loddon Campaspe Multicultural Services Multicultural Arts Victoria.

South Asia Times Whittlesea Community Connections INDIVIDUALS – PAID WORK Ai Yun Liu Aloke Kumar BassirQadiri Nagamuthu Ramalingam Wickiramasingham Yohana Jury INDIVIDUALS – VOLUNTARY WORK Bandu Dissanayake Bom Yonzon ChandanaImbulana Christina Despoteris Deepti Alurkar Dilkie (Dilrukshie) Perera Heidy Shiroma Vilasinie Linthotage Fernando Leng Chaiwatanatorn Nalin Sharda

Naureen Choudhry Jazeer Nijamudeen Nurten Kim Hasan Rohit Kumar Said A Said Stephen Chew Uma Vijai Van Tu Tran Wendy Brown Xiao Mei Zhou.

Community Innovation Award WINNER City of Melbourne – ‘Act of Translation’ with the launch of a documentary about the experience, made by lmmaker Irene Metter.

HIGHLY COMMENDED Bonbeach Life Saving Club Police Awards POLICE ANNUAL MULTICULTURAL AWARD Senior Sergeant Marilyn Ross APM Senior Constable Carol Williams Acting Senior Sergeant Adam Davy Senior Constable Rebecca Millin Senior Constable Matt Walker

of Torture Early Years Program WINNER – SCHOOL EDUCATION Croydon Primary School Youth Award Recognises the outstanding contributions young people make to a diverse and inclusive Victoria.

WINNER Sam Shlansky HIGHLY COMMENDED Elvis Martin Sajda Yasmin Yakub Media Award WINNER Benjamin Millar HIGHLY COMMENDED Eugenia Pavlopoulou Multicultural Business Award WINNER Victoria University HIGHLY COMMENDED Billard Leece Partnership Government and Civic Leadership Award

POLICE COMMUNITY EXEMPLARY AWARD

WINNER Moreland City Council

Senior Sergeant EftiAnastasiadis Inspector Clive Williams Senior Sergeant Eugene Kontos Lisa Gray New Recruits - Geelong Police Youth North West Metro Muslim Reference Group Phulvinderjit Singh Grewal Sam Atukorala

HIGHLY COMMENDED Level Crossing Removal Authority Training for the Future Program

POLICE MULTICULTURAL MEDIA AWARD First Constable Kenny Lin Education and Early Childhood Award WINNER – EARLY CHILDHOOD The Victorian Foundation for Survivors

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Premier’s Award for Community Harmony WINNER Tara Rajkumar OAM Emerging Leadership in Multiculturalism Award WINNER Nancy Loomba HIGHLY COMMENDED Preeti Daga Bwe Thay SOURCE: Victorian Multicultural Commission; www.multicultural.vic.gov.au

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Labor pledges to invest $ 14.5 m to buy land for Indian aged care facilities

By SAT News Desk

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elbourne, 28 August: A re-elected Andrews Labor Government will provide up to $14.5 million to purchase land for two new Indian aged-care facilities in Melbourne’s west and southeast. This was announced by the Premier Daniel Andrews at a media conference at the Parliament House.

This announcement is expected to help ensure older Indian Victorians receive the care and comfort they deserve, while also giving their families peace of mind.

Premier Daniel Andrews said, “This represents a monumental investment in our Indian communities.

Many have advocated for this for more than a decade, and only Labor will deliver.”

“Our older generations have contributed so much to our state – it’s only fitting we make sure they get the dignity and respect they deserve in their later years,” he said.

Answering to media questions the Premier said the community will be consulted at various levels

Our older generations have contributed so much to our state – it’s only fitting we make sure they get the dignity and respect they deserve in their later years.

and the funding will help the Indian communities in these regions start the process of having community specific

aged acre facilities.

Aged care services dedicated to specific multicultural communities

can make all the difference in helping older Victorians feel at home.From offering traditional food to hosting dedicated spaces to practice religion and culture, these facilities ensure that older generations remain connected to their roots.

“Research has also shown that those suffering from dementia often revert to their mother tongue. By having staff onsite that speak that same language, residents can be better understood and cared for, “says a media release.

Almost 170,000 Victorians were born in India, making our state home to the largest India-born population in Australia.

This announcement recognises large Indian communities in Melbourne’s west and south-east, with land to be purchased in these locations, ensuring residents can remain close to their families.

The media release says, “Under the previous Liberal Government, public aged care beds were set to be privatised, hurting older Victorians and their loved ones. Only Labor recognises the vast contribution of older Indian Victorians and is willing to make the investments that really matter.”

“Our older generations have contributed so much to our state – it’s only fitting we make sure they get the dignity and respect they deserve in their later years.”

Ayush Conference in Melbourne on 6-7 October 2018

By SAT News Desk

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ELBOURNE, 1 September: The Australian Association of Ayurveda (AAA) has decided to promote the Ayurvedic medical system and medicines in Australia.

In a big step the AAA will be with the support of the Indian government and others hold a two days’ conference and exhibition, 1st International Ayush 2018 Conference & Exhibition on 6 and 7 October this year at the RMIT, Bundoora Campus.

At a media interaction at the Thornbury Theatre, AAA President Dr. Santosh Yadav explained that Ayurvedic treatment is accepted as ‘appropriate treatment’ by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and four private health funds provide rebates for it under Naturopathy.

Dr. Yadav also said AAA looks after all registered

practitioners and maintains the authenticity of Ayurvedic medicine in Australia. The aim of the Australasian Association of Ayurveda is to maintain the highest possible standard of practice in Ayurvedic Medicine.

It was also revealed

that Australia is the only country in the Western world “where the Ayurvedic medicine is accepted by the Department of Health.”

It was also disclosed Australia has about 250 Ayurvedicpractioners.

Many Ayurvedic doctors practising in Australia

were present at the media interaction who answered to many questions raised.

The International Ayush Australia 2018 – Conference & Exhibition will be held in Melbourne (6-7 October 2018), RMIT University, Bundoora Campus, Melbourne. The

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conference will be opened

by Mr. Shripad Yesso Naik, India’s Minister for Ayush.

Many prominent Ayurvedic doctors and Ayush Ministry officials will also be present at the conference. All information can be accessed at – www.ayurved.org.au or www.ayushaustralia.org.

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Daniel Andrews announces $556,000 to kick start Indian Community Centre to be led by the Sankat Mochan Simiti

By SAT News Desk

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ELBOURNE, 15 September: Local families and community organisations in the south-east will benefit from a new multipurpose IndianCommunity Centre to

be built in Monash.

Premier Daniel Andrews and Member for Oakleigh Steve Dimopoulos today visited the Sankat Mochan Samiti (SMS) Temple in Huntingdale to announce $556,000 to kick start the project, delivered as part of the Multicultural

CommunityInfrastructure Program.

In honour of the Sankat Mochan Samiti’s 10-year anniversary, and to make sure the project becomes a reality,Premier Andrews committed to a further $500,000 towards the build, under a re-elected Labor Government.

Addressing a large gathering of devotees and community leaders at the temple Premier Daniel Andrews said, “This investment will provide a dedicated space for Victorians of Indian heritage to come together and

celebratetheir culture and traditions with pride.”

“Labor believes we are stronger for our diversity – and is willing to make the investments to back it up,” he said.

The Centre will be used for events, festivals and activities including adult education programs, as well as providinga dedicated space for locals with Indian heritage to come together and celebrate their culture and traditions.

The SMS will lead the development of the Centre, with every Indian community group in

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Monashable to make use of the facility.

The SMS has grown from a small group of volunteers into a not-for-profit organisation dedicatedto helping those in need, including offering hot meals and helping newly arrived refugee families find their feet.

Member for Oakleigh Steve Dimopoulos said, “Every week, the Sankat Mochan Samiti’s volunteers provide a hot meal and a friendly face to hundreds of peoplein need. This investment will help them continue their vital work.”

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Jaipur Literature Festival coming to Australia

By SAT News Desk

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ELBOURNE, 9 September: The world famous Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF), is coming

to Adelaide, Australia in collaboration with OzAsia Festival, Adelaide between November 9-11, 2018.

For lovers of Indian and South Asian literature it will be a treat to have celebrated

writers and thinkers like Shoba De, William Dalrymple, Namita Ghokale, Sharad P. Paul, Devdutt Pattaniak, Assa Doron, Robin Jaffrey, Sami Shah and many more.

JLF is a cultural phenomenon that celebrates the stories and heritage of South Asia as well as reflecting on a global view of contemporary literature and critical thought.

One can join celebrated writers and thinkers from across the globe for a jam-packed weekend of panels, debates, readings, performances, music and workshops.

All information about OzAsia and JLF, Adelaide can be accessed at – ozasiafestival.com.au

South Asian Communities Ministerial Advisory Council setup to identify issues for an action plan

By SAT News Desk

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ELBOURNE, 29 AUGUST: The Andrews Labor Government has announced the make-up of the newly established South Asian CommunitiesMinisterial Advisory Council.

Minister for Multicultural Affairs Robin Scott said, “Victorians from South Asian background make an enormous cultural and economic contribution to our State and understand their priorities and concerns better than anyone else.”

“The Advisory Council creates a direct line of communication between South Asian communities and the Victorian Government to respond to issues.”

“This Advisory Council will guide, inform and strengthen our work and engagement with

South Asian communities.”

The members of the Advisory Council were selected through a competitive Expression of Interest process andcome from a diverse range of cultural, religious and professional backgrounds, representing Victoriancommunities of Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi, Nepalese and Bhutanese heritage.

The Advisory Council will be chaired by the Minister for Multicultural Affairs Robin Scott and include the VictorianMulticultural Commission Chairperson Helen Kapalos.

Members of the Ministerial Advisory Committee are: Aakash Kumar Amit Zutshi Ayesha Bux BanduDissanayake

BatulGulani BomYonzon Chandra Bamunusinghe Chidambaram Srinivasan

Deepa Rai Deepak Vinayak Iqbal Hossein JamunaParajuli

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Manjula O'Connor ManzoorMian MarshiePereraRajkumar Muhamad Shahbaz Chaudhry Nikki Jain Parsuram Sharma-Luital Raj Saini Rana Shahid Rhea Dhillon RipanSethi SavindhiPerera-Jainudeen Sharif As-saber Tania Jayasinghe VidyaDatta VinayakKolape YogenLakshman The Advisory Council will identify priority issues for south east Asian communities across Victoria such asdiscrimination, education, employment, health and family violence and develop responses to them through theSouth Asian Communities Action Plan.

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Victoria to setup fund to shoot Indian movies

By SAT News Desk

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ELBOURNE, 11 August: More of Bollywood’s biggest blockbusters will be filmed right here in Victoria, with a re-elected Andrews Labor Government to establish our state’s first-ever dedicated Indian Cinema and Bollywood Attraction Fund.

Alongside Bollywood superstar Rani Mukerji, Premier Daniel Andrews today announced the investment at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne.

Premier Daniel Andrews said, “Thanks to the countless contributions of our Indian communities, ours is a multicultural success story. Labor will cement that success by bringing Bollywood to Victoria.”

“This investment will grow Victoria’s film industry, grow Victorian jobs and bring our two nations even closer, he said.”

The $3 million fund will help attract Indian film projects to our state, with Film Victoria working closely with India’s biggest production studios, and offering grants worth up to

25 percent of their spend in Victoria.

The investment is expected to attract a minimum of four blockbuster Bollywood films to our state over the next three years, growing our local film industry, creating local jobs and bringing Victoria and India even closer together.

Minister for Creative

Industries Martin Foley said, “As the proud home of our nation’s biggest Indian community, it’s only fitting that we’re home to Australia’s Bollywood industry too.”

“For local producers and artists, this will provide an opportunity to collaborate and create something uniquely Victorian and Indian, “he said.

Eclipsing Hollywood, India’s film industry is the biggest in the world, last year recording a 27 percent increase in revenue.

Victoria has previously played host to a number of Indian film productions, including box office blockbuster Chak De India, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and Salaam Namaste – the first Indian movie ever to be

As the proud home of our nation’s biggest Indian community, it’s only fitting that we’re home to Australia’s Bollywood industry too. filmed entirely in Australia.

By bringing even more Indian films to our state, a re-elected Labor Government will grow Victoria’s economy, attract new visitors and provide the opportunity to celebrate, collaborate and create uniquely Victorian and Indian films.

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Strong new aged care standards from 1 July 2019

By SAT News Desk

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ELBOURNE, 11 September: Millions of senior Australians are set to benefit from stronger aged care quality standards, as the Morrison Government’s comprehensive aged care overhaul moves into top gear.

Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care, Ken Wyatt AM, said today’s passage of the Single Aged Care Quality Framework legislation through the Parliament would intensify quality compliance across residential, home and remote care, in the first upgrade of aged care standards in 20 years.

“These new single quality standards have a single focus – to protect the rights of senior Australians,” Minister Wyatt said.

“Under the draft new regulations, aged care providers’ governing bodies and boards will be legally accountable for safety and quality.

“There will be mandatory clinical frameworks for each home including disease control, open disclosure, and minimising the use of restraint.

“The focus will be on client care, with providers having to prove their care and services are safe, effective and customer-centred.

“While the overwhelming majority of Australia’s 2700 aged care providers and 366,000 dedicated staff deliver exceptional care, the new standards are about ensuring there are no exceptions.”

The draft Aged Care Quality Standards consist of eight standards: - Client dignity and choice - Ongoing assessment and planning of client’ personal and clinical care - Services and supports for daily living - The provider’s service environment - Feedback and complaints - Human resources - Governance Each of the eight draft standards includes: - A statement of outcome

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for the client - A statement of expectation for the organisation - Requirements to demonstrate that the standard has been met. 11 September 2018 “This Bill is a critical part of the Government’s Aged care reforms, focusing on the best outcomes for senior Australians,” Minister Wyatt said.

“The standards will protect people by placing them at the centre of care in a competitive, marketbased system where consumers drive quality and red tape is reduced for residents, families and providers.”

The legislation brings together the four previous sets of Aged Care standards into one.

“Combined with the new, independent Aged Care Safety and Quality Commission, which comes into force on 1 January, and the Aged Care Workforce Strategy, the single aged care standards herald a new era in certainty and confidence in Australian aged care,” Minister Wyatt said.

The Government has allocated $50 million to assist aged care providers to transition to the new standards.

Full implementation of the new aged care quality standards is due from 1 July 2019.

The new standards have been codesigned with the aged care sector over several years, with further public consultation to take place in coming months.

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The start of the festive season enthrals Melbourne

BY SAT News Desk

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ELBOURNE, 16 September: ‘The Start to the Festive Season� with Gauahar Khan and Priya Patel at the Ultima Reception Centre was an exceptionally entertaining and feel good event. The event was preceded by a meet-greet program at the Angan Restaurant the day before, which set the tone for the main event. The meet and greet at the Ultima was glittering and people asked many questions. Priya Patel sang some folk songs on which many danced as the lights and music mixed to give an amazing ambience. It goes without saying the atmosphere was great at the Ultima and the guest artists made those present happy. Congrats to Nitin and his team for such a mesmerising evening. It will be remembered for long.

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$100,000 boost launches countdown to Sikh Games Melbourne 2019 M

By SAT News Desk

ELBOURNE, 12 September: The Andrews Labor Government has announced a $100,000 events package to assist with the staging of the 32ndAnnual Australian Sikh Games – the premier sporting and cultural event of the Australian Sikh community.

Minister for Sport John Eren today joined

Dalvinder Garcha, President of the Games Organising Committee, atCasey Stadium to officially launch the countdown to the event and announce the package.

More than 3,000 athletes and up to 90,000 spectators are expected to descend on a range of venues throughoutthe City of Casey including Casey Stadium during the games.

Competitors from around Australia will compete in 14 sports ranging from

traditional games such as kabaddi andtug-o-war to more contemporary sports such as cricket.

The games are a celebration of Sikh culture, promote physical activity and health and wellbeing, and provide thewhole community the opportunity to tap in to a unique sporting and cultural experience.

Minister for Sport John Eren said, “Sport plays an important role in the cultural traditions of all Victorians and we’re right behind major sporting events that encourage everyone to get together, keep active and stay involved in their local communities.”

“This is a chance for Victorians to enjoy our state’s strong relationship with India and celebrate all things Sikh.”

Some 135,000 visitors

from India visited Victoria in the 12 months ending September 2017, spending $373 million– a 29 per cent increase on the previous 12 months.

Events like these will boost these figures as the Labor Government implements its ambitious plan – Victoria’sIndia Strategy: Our Shared Future – to nearly triple the expenditure by Indian visitors to Victoria.

The Sikh Games was secured through the Labor Government’s $17.7 million Significant Sporting Events Program,the $20.7 million Regional Events Fund and the Multicultural Festivals and Events Program.

Minister for Multicultural Affairs Robin Scott says, “Sikh migrants have had a strong influence on Victoria’s cultural and social development – I encourage

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everyone to get behind and support the athletes during these Games.”

The Significant Sporting Events Program will secure more than 300 sporting events for Victoria over the next fouryears. More than half of those will be held in regional Victoria, bringing competitors and tourists to local towns,stimulating local economies and getting more Victorians active and healthy through sport.

In his message the Member for Narre Warren North Luke Donnellan “I’m proud to be part of a government that supports this wonderful event – bringing people to the south east to celebrate Sikh sporting and cultural endeavours.”

The 32nd Annual Australian Sikh Games will be held from 19-21 April 2019 in Casey.

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Vibrant Gujarat delegation in Melbourne

FIAV's Indian Independence Day Celebrations at the Heritage Receptions on 18 August, 2018

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Dinosaurs taking over Melbourne

By SAT News Desk

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ELBOURNE: Did you hear a roar?

A stomp? The Dinosaurs are coming!We are pleased to announce that Jurassic Creatures is set to open in Melbourne.These amazing creatures will be taking over St Kilda this September and October.

Jurassic Creatures is an exhibition with over 30 + dinosaurs that will captivate young and old alike.Explore a prehistoric world full of life like moving dinosaurs and be amazed and thrilled as thegreatest creatures ever to walk the earth return before your eyes and come alive.

Marvel at the story of their 165-million-year domination of life on earth.

Watch them move. Hear the roar. From the ripple of their skin to the glint in their eye, youwill think that the dinosaurs really are back!

Apart from this amazing animatronics show, you will be able to become aPaleontologist for the day.

Children will be provided with their expert digger outfit,and chip away at their very own fossil. Plus, there will be many more dinosauractivities to take part in including dinosaur sand painting, dinosaur 3D Jig-saw Land,fossil displays, dinosaur inflatable activity lands, dinosaur eggs to have photos in,walking dinosaurs and so much more.

Pegged as a must-see these, Jurassic Creatures is set to bring allthe wonder and excitement of the prehistoric world of dinosaurs back. Get ready tobe thrilled as you see Triassic period comes to life!

Open from 15 September 14 October - Jurassic Creatures will deliver a realisticanimatronics show like no other that will capture the imagination of children & parents everywhere.

The event includes: • A spectacular dinosaur exhibition with realistic animatronics • An Interactive Fossil digging area

• Dinosaur Sand painting • 3D Jigsaw Land • Dinosaur Inflatable Activity Lands • Plus so many other dinosaur activities for the whole family Melbourne get ready to

feel the Dino-Roar!

JUST THE FACTS Saturday 15 September 2018 – Sunday 14 October 2018 St Kilda Triangle, adjacent to Palais Theatre

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General Admission $31.56.

Family Ticket $99.44 (2 adults, 2 children).

Under 2 year old are free Sessions are 3 hrs each Website www. jurassiccreatures.com.au www.ticketmaster.com.au

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COMMUNITY

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don’t receiveappropriate professional help until they fall acutely ill. Without the appropriate preventative services,their mental health becomes worse and they present to the emergency department in crisis.

On average, a person with a serious mental health issue attends the Victorian Emergency Department every 10minutes. Based on the Victorian Coroner’s “Suicide Register”, 609 Victorians have died by suicide in 20122013with numbers increasing per year, with a most recent count of 686 deaths by suicide reported between 2016-2017.

Despite this information, the good news is that the

addressing 1.1% of 3% of Victorians with a severe mental illness.

The Mental Health Foundation Australia’s guiding principle is to create “Better Mental Health for All” and weare reaching out to 5 million Victorians with our Inaugural Victoria Mental Health Month 7 October to 6November 2018 to raise awareness about mental health in all communities.

To celebrate the Mental HealthMonth, major events include: our Official Mental Health Month Launch on October 8th at Melbourne TownHall; Mental Health Forums across 21 government council areas; a Youth Conference to gain a greaterunderstanding of mental health care from the perspectives of young people; a Multicultural Gala Dinner together with our Multicultural Ambassadors, who represent various ethnicities and better advocate for the interest of their growing communities to foster a more gentler and harmonious society; a Mental Wellbeing Walk on November 4th; and many other events (please visit our website www. mhfa.org.au for further details).

—Supplied

Inaugural Victoria Mental Health Month from 7 Oct. to 6 Nov. 2018

By Neeraj Nanda

M

he Mental Health Foundation (MHFA) is the oldest not-for-profit, non-government mental healthorganisation in Victoria.

We have served the community since 1930s and have successfully organised Victoria Mental Health Week for the last 34 years. With challenges of rising rates of mental illness across Australia andour concerns for Victoria’s chronic underfunding of mental health services, we have organised the InauguralVictoria Mental Health Month 7 October to 6 November 2018.

Chronic underfunding over the past two decades has seen Victoria’s investment and service delivery in mentalhealth fall well below the rest of Australia. Victoria is reported to have the lowest per capita expenditure onmental health in the country, falling 30% below the national average; and the lowest access to mental healthservices, falling 40% below the national average. Only 1.1% of the Victorian population receive clinical mental health care, while the national average

of the population receiving mental health care in Australia is 1.8%.

Dueto this large gap, Victoria fails to meet the needs of 93,600 adult Victorians who are experiencing severemental health illnesses annually but are not receiving mental health services.

For our community, this means that tens of thousands of Victorians with serious and complex mental healthneeds receive no support services, and two out of three young people who need help are turned away. A keyproblem with limited access to psychiatric and other mental health service is that Victorians

2018-2019 Victoria Budget has committed $705 million to acute mental health care.

A definite step in the right direction after a decade of significant underfunding ofmental health and addiction services in Victoria. This budget will cover funding to strengthen the mentalhealth workforce to reduce the risk of occupational violence and provide new acute inpatient beds, emergency departments crisis hubs and regional residential drug rehabilitation treatment facilities in Barwon, Gippsland and Hume regions.

While this is fantastic news, after a significant period of mental health underfunding inVictoria, we are still only

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south asia 18 LETTER FROM SYDNEY South Asia Timestimes

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Deafening silence by IACF creating haze over funds for Modi rally in Sydney

By Ashok Kumar

T

he truth behind existence of the Indian Australian Community Foundation (IACF) has been uncovered by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) documents in possession of The Indian Sub-continent Times (The IST).

The IST wrote in 2016 and again in 2017 regarding IACF, which was formed to organise the rally for Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Sydney in November, 2014.

The IST sought information whether IACF still exists or has been disbanded after Mr. Modi returned to India and what happened to funds, raised by IACF, using the name of PM Modi.

IACF Director, Dr.Nihal Agar, made an announcement at a public meeting in November 2014 in Sydney that once Mr. Modi leaves Australia, the IACF will be disbanded.

Later, Dr. Agar and Mr BaleshDhankhar visited India under the platform of IACF and met Prime Minister Modi in New Delhi in March 2015, implying that it still exists, despite the public undertaking to disband it.

Yet, The IST had emailed IACF office bearers several times, seeking information about its status and funds collected for the Modi rally in Sydney as a number of businesses paid huge sponsorship money to get a ‘darshan’ (a meeting ) of PM Modi but no one answered the emails barring their accountant Mr. Yateender Gupta, who said that under Australian laws he is not supposed to reveal the details except to the clients and asserted on the phone that the IACF has been disbanded. Money was not raised only from the businesses, but was also raised from associations and community members. The IST has the information that one community member paid $250/person for the

tickets. Such is the lack of clarity that nobody knows how many community members and associations paid how much money.

ASIC extract of IACF The IST’s further investigation into the matter from ASIC, reveals that the IACF, formed on 14 Oct. 2014, was renewed on 14 Oct. 2017, thereby busting the lies of its supposed disbandonment.

The document states the principal place of IACF

business as 1/168 Burwood Rd, Burwood, NSW 2134, which, incidentally, happens to be the business address of Mr.Yateender Gupta.

The ASIC document lists Dr.Nihal Agar as the first organisational representative of the IACF. The other representatives listed are Mr. BaleshDhankhar and Mr. RamyavaranRamaswamy. By the way, Mr BaleshDhankhar has spelt his surname variously in different platforms. In Twitter, his

surname is Dhankar, not Dhankhar. The IST wonders why would this be the case.

To clarify the matter more, it should be pointed out that Dr Nihal Agar held the Hindu Council of Australia (HCA) President position for about 9 years and continues to be a director of HCA. He is also a founding member of OFBJP Australia. He has recently been made the chief of Hindu SwayamsevakSangh (HSS) in Sydney by Mr Ramyavaran Ramaswamy, who has been running HSS

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for years. HSS is Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s (RSS) overseas branch.

BaleshDhankhar (also called Dhankar) is the President of Overseas Friends of BJP Australia (OFBJP Australia) since its inception in 2013.

Mr Dhankhar was briefly the Joint Secretary of HCA during Dr Agar’s tenure as HCA President. OFBJP Australia is a branch of India’s ruling party, BJP. Community members say that Dr. Agar, who has been awarded an OAM by the Australian Government in 2015, should live up to this title and come out clean on the matter, before it goes further to Australian Government authorities. Since there is no financial report available and IACF leaders refuse to provide any information in this regard, community continues to wonder as to how much money was raised in the name of PM Modi, how much was spent and how much was left, and what happened to the left-over public money.

IACF was formed on the behest of Mr Ram Madhav, General Secretary of BJP, who visited Sydney prior to Mr Modi’s visit to Australia.

Only people from RSS background were given responsibility to organise the Modi Rally in Sydney.

Community associations throughout Australia were forced to register with IACF, if their members wanted tickets to attend the Modi Rally in Olympic Park in Sydney.

In the absence of any replies to The IST emails and with total silence about the details of the funds’ management, IACF leaders are creating a serious concern in the Indian Australian community and are doing a major disservice not only to the Indian Australian community, but also to the ruling party of India, BJP and the Prime Minister of India, Mr. Narendra Modi, community members say.

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World Bank finds Ganga rejuvenation "substantially" risky; previously it was "moderately" unsatisfactory

T

he World Bank in its latest assessment has found the Ganga rejuvenation project “unsatisfactory and risky”, underlining, the risk today is “substantial”. Noting this, a two-series report on Ganga says, this is a clear departure from its earlier assessment in the report “Implementation Status and Result Report” of May 2018 when it found the project’s implementation “moderately unsatisfactory”.

According to the report, “The Bank was majorly concerned about the disbursement of the project funds”, as the progress on this count was just “13.15% of the projected disbursement of USD 1,000 million, particularly 0.3% (USD 2 million) of IBRD component of USD 801 million seven years since the project approval.”

Authored by well-known environmentalist Himanshu Thakkar of the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP), the report says, while the project is supposed to close in December 2019, the World Bank – always known to be “flexible” to the needs of governments – is now discussing “various options for restructuring the project.”

The World Bank “assessment”, says Thakkar, comes close on the heels of performance audit of “NamamiGange” by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India report of 2017, which found serious deficiencies and shortfalls in almost every aspect of the program. “The most shocking revelation meant that the programme has no long-term road map”.

CAG said, “National Mission for Clean Ganga could not finalise the longterm action plans evenafter more than six and half years of signing of agreement with the consortium of Indian Institutes of Technology. As a result, National Mission for Clean Ganga does not have a river basin management plan even after a lapse of more than eight years of National Ganga River Basin

Authority notification.”

Even on the issue of “nirmal” or “clean” Ganga, said CAG, it found no evidence of improvement: “During 2016-17, total coliform levels in all the cities of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal was very high; ranging between six to 3,343 times higher than the prescribed levels.

Specific parameters for water quality monitoring of the river Ganga have not been prescribed by National Mission for Clean Ganga.”

According to Thakkar, “what ails Ganga” is “a mindset that does not really understand a river and sees it essentially as a water channel that can be endlessly dammed and exploited in the name of development.” This mindset “sees flowing river as a wasteful luxury”, and comes up with “new threats” to the river: “Waterways, dredging, river linking plan, river front development.”

“In Uttarakhand, in the name of Char DhamYatra, lakhs of trees are being cut, fraudulent ways are used to escape scrutiny, all affecting the river in the

name of religious tourism, not even asking who needs that all weather road that looks more like invitation to disaster. Each of them is pushed even without assessing impact of these projects on the river and its health”, he adds.

It is against this backdrop,

says Thakkar, that the Government of India has come up with a “new draft law on Ganga”; aimed at the “Parliamentary elections due, this seems like a new toy to show the people that the government is doing ‘something’ about Ganga.”

He adds, “The government

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seems to suggest that please forget about all the earlier statements, failures, projects that further adversely affected Ganga and promises about Ganga.

Now this new act will take care of it all.”

Source: Counterview, September 9, 2018.

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How Pakistan’s army remains in power without being in the seat of power: Report

By Neeraj Nanda

C

OLOMBO: The Pakistan army is different from armies in other countries in as much as it manages to be in power even without being in the seat of power.

This extraordinary saga began way back in 1953, within six years of the country’s independence, when the first Pakistani Commander-in Chief, Gen. Ayub Khan, was invited to be Defense and Home Minister to end political chaos. In 1958, Ayub seized absolute power in a military coup, the first of several coups in Pakistan’s 71 year history.

But even when out of the seat of power, the Pakistan army has exercised power, decisive power at that, especially when, in its view, the “national interest” demanded it.

As to how this remarkable feat is achieved is explained by a recent study conducted

by Paul Staniland, Adnan Naseemmullah and Ahsan Butt.

In a recent paper entitled 'Pakistan’s Military Elite', Staniland and his colleagues describe the Pakistan army as “a highly professional army in some respects, and remarkably unprofessional in yet others. The very same individuals perform both its military – technical and political – interventionist activities.”

This, they say, is achieved by the fusion of internal bureaucratic discipline with placement of recently retired military elites in positions of civilian power.

The accent here is on “recently retired” military elites because their ties with the military are the closest.

Such elites can be counted on to promote the army’s interest in the civilian institutions they are working in.

The Pakistan army is thus different from armies of many other countries, especially the Western democracies, where the army is not only under tight civilian control but is in no way involved in exercising any civilian authority.

Bureaucratic Set Up And Its Uses Staniland and his colleagues say that there is “strong evidence of high levels of bureaucratic institutionalization and professionalism within the Pakistan Army.”

“The rules within the

organization seem to be generally followed, with limited factionalism and consistent promotion pathways. There is a stark contrast between this cohesive, rational– bureaucratic organization and other political militaries racked by internal fratricide, plagued by factional rivalries, or vulnerable to divide-andrule strategies by ruling elites, like those in 1960s Nigeria, 1970s Bangladesh, or 1990s Indonesia.”

The Pakistan army’s image as a well organized, internally consistent and stable force is one of the sources of its political credibility and strength.

In the midst of almost endemic political chaos, infighting and corruption in Pakistan, the army stands out as a unique institution, a model which other institutions will do well to follow.

This gives the army moral authority among Pakistanis.

Though the people have, from time to time, rejected military regimes and struggled for civilian democratic rule, they have also not been averse to letting the army set the national house in order in times of political chaos.

Collective Responsibility: The Corps Commanders The Corps Commanders, headed by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), constitute the core of the Pakistan army.

It is this body which makes all the key decisions, both military and political. Its membership is not based on the Army Chief’s personal fancies or prejudices but on bureaucratic principles.

The path to the post of Corps Commander is well laid out and traversed consistently as in a bureaucracy. The qualifications have changed with changing needs but

the path to it is well set and predictable at any given time.

As a social group too, the Corps Commanders are well fairly homogeneous and unchanging. In Staniland’s study, 55% were from Punjab and 21% from KhyberPakhtunkhwa (KPK). Only 3% were from Sindh, 3% from Kashmir, and 2% from Balochistan. Age-wise too, the Corps Commanders were a homogenous group largely between 54 and 58. They would also retire more or less at the same time.

“The general clustering of the retirement age suggests an institutionalized organization. In personalized or factionalized militaries, we would expect much higher variance, with favored officers – the son-in-law of the dictator, members of the dominant faction – being promoted early and often,” Staniland points out.

The Corps Commanders have more or less the same service background. 66% are from the infantry, 15% from armor, 14 % from artillery, and less than 5 % from engineering or from air defense. This blend has not dramatically changed over time.

And the Pakistan army is basically an infantry army.

Eight of ten army chiefs came from the infantry. This reflects the composition of the Pakistan military as whole as 21 of the 25 Divisions are infantry Divisions.

Role of Retirement Benefits A key reason for the stability of the army as an institution at the top level is the assurance of good retirement benefits, the researchers say.

Retired Generals and other senior officers are seamlessly accommodated in government institutions and in the many “Fauji” or army owned commercial enterprises such

as Mari Gas, Fauji Fertilizer, Fauji Cement, Askari Cement and Askari Bank.

Over 60% of Corps Commanders worked for the government immediately after retiring. Personnel in these positions change roughly every three years, providing opportunities for the newly retired.

The Fauji enterprises are owned by the Army Welfare Trust administered by the GHQ. But they are public limited companies listed in the stock exchange. Thus, they are as much part of the army structure as they are part of the civilian structure, and represent the military-civilian linkage in the strongest and the most enduring form.

Close and continuous involvement with civilian activities contributes to the army’s influence over civilian life.

“The placement of retired (military) elites has not shifted much across periods of military and civilian rule since the late 1980s: even when back in the barracks, the army has deep reach into the economy and bureaucracy,” the authors point out.

Land and Housing The Pakistan army is involved in acquisition of land both to provide retiring officers with residential property and to participate in the lucrative property market in Pakistan, the researchers say.

“Retired officers often own more than one property; the pyramidal structure of the Army is operative when it comes to land perks. After 15 years of service, officers are entitled to one residential plot, after 25 a second, after 28 a third, and after 32 a fourth.”

“Thus, selling or renting housing to civilians is a common practice, and military officers and civilians commingle in most of the ostensibly military housing companies, which have become some of the most elite locations in urban Pakistan."

The stability the military system and its consistent and lucrative links with civilian Pakistan through commercial activities obviate the need for entering politics to make a living after retirement, the authors contend.

Education Pakistan army lays great emphasis on the education

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of its officer cadre. Corps Commanders are either graduates or post graduates from the military academies.

Commandants of the Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) and the Command and Staff College often become Corps Commanders. And this is increasingly so because the modern army needs leaders with skills other than those acquired on the battle field.

“Of the 54 officers who left service in or prior to 2000 about whom we have prior command data, 35% held a General Head Quarters (GHQ) staff position; 33% held a combat formation command, and 15% commanded an army school. By contrast, of the 96 retirees after 2000, GHQ positions accounted for 48% of pre-corps positions, heads of army schools for 16%, and a combat formation command for only 11%,” the paper says.

The data show the increasing importance being given to academic attainments after 2000.

The other reason for education is to be able to take post-retirement top jobs in the Fauji companies. These need qualifications as the companies are commercial enterprises and answerable to shareholders.

Inter-Services Intelligence Even the “shadowy” InterServices Intelligence (ISI), the main intelligence arm of the Pakistani State, is as bureaucratically organized as the rest of the military and is inextricably linked with the army structure.

It is not a rogue institution which has license to do anything it thinks fit. It is firmly controlled by the army hierarchy. It is not closed or autonomous unit because ISI officers enter from other units and exit to join combat or staff positions in other units. An intelligence background is not absolutely necessary to join the ISI. Its internal authority structure is as bureaucratically run as it is in the rest of the army which ensures continuity and predictability, the authors say.

Like the rest of the army, the ISI is also a Pashtun– Punjabi outfit. But the ISI’s commanding elite are more broadly spread across army units than the Corp Commanders: 41% are from the infantry, 23% from artillery, 18% from armor, and 18% from engineering or signals.

Source: The Citizen

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“We should not wait” — action needed on Myanmar

By Tharanga Yakupitiyage

U

NITED NATIONS, Sep 4 2018 (IPS) After the release of a scathing report on Myanmar’s human rights violations, next steps to achieve accountability and justice remain elusive and uncertain.

A year after the reescalation of violence that forced almost a million people to flee to neighbouring countries, a fact-finding mission found a “human rights catastrophe” in Myanmar.

“The gross human rights violations and abuses committed in Kachin, Rakhine and Shan States are shocking for their horrifying nature and ubiquity,” the report states.

“Many of these violations undoubtedly amount to the gravest crimes under international law,” it continued.

“The U.N. system really failed the people of Myanmar particularly the Rohingya by treading softly.” -- Human Rights Watch’s U.N. Director Louis Charbonneau Triggered by insurgent attacks on security forces, the report pointed a finger to Myanmar’s military, known as the Tatmadaw, for committing the gravest of crimes including indiscriminate killing, burning of houses, and sexual violence.

The investigators identified six generals, including the commander in chief of the Tatmadaw Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, and recommended that they be prosecuted at the International Criminal Court (ICC) or at an alternative tribunal.

“There needs to be an unequivocal message sent that Myanmar’s military cannot act with impunity against ethnic minorities in Myanmar again,” Amnesty International’s Asia Advocacy Manager Francisco Bencosme told IPS. “Never again has to mean never again – and the entire world is watching to see what the international community does,” he continued.

Like Bencosme, Human Rights Watch’s U.N. Director Louis Charbonneau also told IPS that the Security Council should refer the situation in Myanmar to the ICC or create a special criminal tribunal for

Rohingya alight from a boat as they arrive at Shahparir Dip in Teknaf, Bangladesh in 2017. Photo:IPS prosecution.

But how did we get here?

Years of systematic oppression against Myanmar’s ethnic minorities made the crisis “foreseeable”—so what happened?

In 2008, the U.N. failed to heed warnings of increasing violence between the Sri Lankan military and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and did not report evidence of widespread government violations and casualties.

A 2012 internal review found that various U.N. agencies including the Security Council failed at every level to protect civilians and meet their responsibilities in the last months of the civil war in the South Asian nation.

In the wake of the fiasco, the U.N. implemented the Human Rights Up Front Initiative to ensure a better system of monitoring and responding to international crises. Though Myanmar was identified as a situation requiring the Action Plan’s human rights response to crises, the approach was rarely, if ever, used, the report stated.

Instead, U.N. agencies continued to prioritise development goals, humanitarian access, and quiet diplomacy— an approach which “demonstrably failed.”

“The U.N. system really failed the people of Myanmar particularly the Rohingya by treading softly,” Charbonneau told IPS. “Now instead of us saying

‘never again’ after Sri Lanka, Rwanda, Srebrenica—here we are saying well yet again it happened. The U.N. didn’t do what it was supposed to be doing, it didn’t raise the alarm bells to the extent that they could have,” he continued.

The Security Council’s response, or lack thereof, has been equally disappointing. The U.N. organ has had only a handful of meetings on Myanmar and none have resulted in any resolution.

In contrast, Syria has received special attention over the last seven years with numerous meetings in the “triple digits.”

“Given the scale of the crisis in Myanmar, it is difficult to reconcile the different responses of the Security Council particularly given a situation where the U.N. for sometime has been warning about the possibility of the ‘g’ word that is genocide,” Charbonneau said.

“It would be good to see an attempt to really push the Council to try something. We haven’t seen that yet and I don’t know if we will see it,” he continued.

China and Russia, Security Council members with veto power, have consistently pushed back on efforts to act on Myanmar’s crisis, stating that the crisis should only be resolved by the parties directly affected including Bangladesh where over 700,000 Rohingya refugees have fled to.

In the Security Council’s first open meeting on Myanmar in eight years,

Russia’s ambassador VasilyNebenzya warned against claims of ethnic cleansing and blaming Myanmar’s authorities as it “will make it more difficult to achieve lasting interethnic peace inside the country.”

Whether it is genocide or crimes against humanity, Bencosme highlighted the need for the international community to act with respect to Myanmar.

“We don’t need a legal diagnosis to understand that something desperately tragic and clearly unlawful has been happening in Myanmar. What matters most is that a civilian population is under attack because of its race or religion, and that these violations must stop immediately,” he told IPS. Myanmar has repeatedly denied accusations of violations including those most recently published through the fact-finding mission’s report.

“Myanmar authorities have shown themselves to be both unable and unwilling to investigate and prosecute those responsible. As a result, the ICC is the appropriate route to deliver justice,” Bencosme said.

However, since Myanmar is not a member of the ICC, only a member of the Security Council can bring the case to the tribunal.

“The time for rhetoric is over – there needs to be action. There needs to be genuine accountability and justice. There needs to be an honest conversation about referring the situation to the International Criminal

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Court. We need to pursue all avenues of justice for these victims and their families who are the heart of the crisis,” Bencosme concluded.

Urgent Action Needed While Charbonneau expressed hope that the new report will “reenergise” the U.N., he noted that we should not idly wait.

“I don’t think we should be waiting around for the Security Council—too often the Council doesn’t move on issues and it’s more deadlock than ever these days. We may have to keep using these work-arounds like the General Assembly and the Human Rights Council,” he told IPS. Among the alternative avenues for action is the establishment of an impartial mechanism by the Human Rights Council or General Assembly to collect, analyse, and preserve evidence for future potential criminal proceedings in the ICC or another criminal tribunal.

The report also recommends that the U.N. urgently adopt a common strategy to address human rights concerns in Myanmar in line with the Human Rights Up Front Action Plan, as well as a comprehensive inquiry into whether the U.N. did everything possible to prevent or mitigate Myanmar’s crisis.

“The time has past for these feeble condemnations or expressions of concern that we are so used to from the U.N.—we just really need action,” Charbonneau said.

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Balancing Bangladesh’s foreign policy

By Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury

A

ug 13 2018 (The Daily Star, Bangladesh) The relationship between a smaller and a larger neighbourly state, as also between a weaker and stronger one, is often tricky on both sides. Though not always, it requires greater dexterity on the smaller protagonist. This is because more “power” tends to reside with the larger, which is also usually the stronger partner.

The French philosopher Raymond Aron has defined “power” in international relations as the “capacity of a political unit to impose its will upon others”. When one party enjoys such capability, it would be normal for the others to endeavour to erode it. Or at least tame it, in a way so as not to continuously have to play second fiddle to it.

With regard to smaller state options, political theorists have sought to delineate a pattern, to better understand, appreciate and predict it. Regionally, one is what the Scandinavian writer ErlingBjol called the “pilot-fish behaviour”. It implies tacking close to the shark to avoid being eaten.

Finland’s relations with the Soviet Union to him was an example.

A second option would be for the smaller power to go outside the region and enmesh itself in a web of international linkages, drawing strength from beyond the region to redress the regional imbalance.

Just as Pakistan sought to do during the cold war by building alliances with the west to counter India. Third, over half a century ago, the British political author Martin Wight stated that weaker states prefer greater international order as a protective measure, a fact that remains valid to this day. Finally, small and weak states have a penchant for joining multilateral bodies in order to seek security in greater numbers, as also to build a stake for others in their sovereignties.

These elements were factored into Bangladesh’s behaviour pattern in the regional and international matrix from its very inception as an independent country in December 1971. This was done both wittingly, and at times, unwittingly. Quite often, foreign policies are not formulated by cool-

headed rational thinking.

More often, for smaller and weaker states in particular, it becomes a series of tactical reactions to global situations rather than a strategic response as a product of careful calculations. In other words, it tends to be reactive rather than pro-active. The challenge is to balance both in a way that the international environment is rendered into a supportive backdrop to facilitate domestic good governance, development and prosperity.

Bangladesh’s nascence came with some additional peculiarities. It was a rare case of secession, a recognised member of the United Nations breaking up into two. This was at variance with the existing global club rules. Secondly, Bangladesh was totally “India-locked”, just as some countries are “landlocked”, which made “Indocentrism” an inescapable feature of its policies.

When Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman returned from Pakistani incarceration in January 1972, his government had two aspirations which formed ever since the core of foreign policy. One was the strengthening of the young nation’s security and sovereignty, and the other was the quest for resources for development.

The aspirations were co-terminus rather than mutually exclusive. Both cases demanded the building of extra-regional linkages. Foreign policy rested on four pillars: one, the (then) superpowers; two, the Islamic Middle

East; three, China, and four, international organisations (the United Nations, and GATT, later turned into the World Trade Organization).

Four and a half decades down the line, with Sheikh Hasina at the helm, the broad parameters of Bangladesh’s behaviour remain the same— with some variations to accommodate the changes in the ethos of both Bangladesh and India.

Bangladesh was born with massive support from India. That was nearly five decades ago. Both societies have changed enormously since then. Bangladesh is by no means the “basket case” that Henry Kissinger had once the temerity to describe it as. It is about to graduate into the list of middle-income countries and its social indices have surpassed in progress many of India’s.

Still, its infrastructures remain weak, its institutions inadequately developed, and its intellectual resources not optimally utilised. While the essence of national identity remains secular, external linkages have also fed tendencies that in some have led to the encouragement of fundamentalist thoughtprocesses, though not alarmingly. India has, of course, progressed into a power to be reckoned with globally. Still, there are swathes of poverty that in some parts exceed that of Sub-Saharan Africa. But one significant change has been the ascendency of majoritarian sentiments, reflected in the concept of Hindutva espoused by

the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). According to Shashi Tharoor, an Indian scholarpolitician, it could alter the nature of Indian nationhood, eroding its secular and even constitutional character. This could have an impact on the mind-set of Bangladeshis, who are overwhelmingly Muslims.

We may like to believe that the largest country in the region should also have the largest heart. But then, we must also recognise realities of structural constraints and that policies are not necessarily a function of generosity.

All this render very complex the manner in which Bangladesh authorities should organise themselves to deal with India. First, India cannot be seen as a single entity. There is the New Delhi government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the BJP, but at times for Dhaka, Delhi is hanooz dur ast, “much too far”.

Modi is powerful, but is also constrained by the domestic political compulsions. These limitations are often exacerbated by interests of the Indian states that surround Bangladesh, like West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya and the like.

Also, there are pressure groups like the right-wing RashtriyaSevak Sangha (RSS), the champions of Hindutva, the intellectuals and culture-gurus, the regional parties, the oftentimes shrill Indian media, and so forth. Graham Allison, describing American foreign policy-making, has broadly extrapolated that policy outcomes are often the result of competition between pressure-groups, which by logical definition would make policies “irrational”.

So, for Bangladeshi policymakers, India should be seen as an amalgam of many elements, often with conflicting views. Secondly, Bangladeshi policymakers need to be aware that the existing global “order”, which America had helped shape, is giving way to a new “disorder”, which ironically is also being emplaced at the initiatives of America. It is undermining multilateral institutions like the United Nations (UN) and the WTO. To be specific, we cannot bring our multilateral linkages into determining our relations with India. The “decline” of America is being accompanied by the “rise” of what Fareed Zakaria has

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called “the rest”. Changes in international norms, as at times in economics, are often cyclical. So, as before, we are seeing the burgeoning importance of individual nation-states like China. It would also be in consonance with the ideas of my intellectual mentor, Professor Hedley Bull, often seen as the father of Anglo-Saxon school of international relations, who had held that statesystems have come to stay.

This would propel into play theories like “balance of power” of the classical nineteenth century, whereby we may need to create a set of bilateral linkages to enhance our negotiating capabilities in league with those with whom we share commonalities of interests.

It may seem like a tall order. But Bangladesh is blessed with high diplomatic thoughtleadership skills. This is a part of Bangladesh’s nontechnological or intellectual resources. In the past during the Bangabandhuera, against many odds, Bangladesh was able to establish itself firmly in the comity of nations.

At present, during his daughter’s stewardship, we have a new genre of diplomats who have the requisite potentials. Of course there is a need to further sharpen and hone such capabilities with a view to greater capacitybuilding. For instance, apart from key diplomatic agents appropriately located in the field abroad, there should be adequate “back-stopping” in the line-Ministry itself to adopt requisite proactive initiatives and adequately respond to evolving situations in the neighbourhood. This should be resourced as necessary. Think-tanks and the vast available thought-capacity existing in the community must be adequately tapped, as one sees done in Singapore and elsewhere. For as is the case with Singapore, how Bangladesh relates to the world is critical to its destiny, its consolidation as a strong nation-state, and its progress and prosperity. *Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury is a former foreign adviser to a caretaker government of Bangladesh and is currently Principal Research Fellow at the Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore.

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south asia 28 South Asia Timestimes

By Rashid Sultan

MUSINGS

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URBAN NAXALS

Prologue: 1.1.1818.The Maratha confederacy of PeshwaBaji Rao II and the Scindias of Gwalior, the Holkars of Indore, the Gaekwards of Baroda and the Bhonsles of Nagpur is almost over. The Peshwa is making last efforts to resuscitate the moribund alliance. And so, his forces are marching towards Gwalior. The British East India Company decides to obstruct the Peshwa’s march and thus a battle is fought between Peshwa’s 2000 soldiers and 800 soldiers of the British East India Company, under the charge of Captain Francis Staunton at Bhima Koregaon, a small village near Pune (Poona). Captain Staunton’s forces consist of various ethnic communities like Muslims, Jews and the local Mahers (Dalit) while Peshwa’s comprise Marathas and Arab mercenaries. Peshwa’s soldiers are defeated and in recognition of Mahers’ bravery the captain erects an obelisk there.After a visit

by Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar on 1.1.1927 this site turns into an annual gathering of Dalits who like to celebrate their victory over high caste Hindus. The practice continues right up to the present.

Act 1, Scene 1 31.12.2017- Elgar Parishad, a society founded by Justice

Sawant (Supreme Court) and Justice Kolse Patel (High court) holds a meeting, in association with KabeerManch where Dalits are told to make their processions and celebrations completely peaceful and not provoke anybody with their words or actions given the current milieu of the country.

are Maoists and provoked the community with their speeches and songs which brought forth the violence during the procession march. All of the accused are well known lawyers, academics and activists working for various NGOs advocating for social, economic and educational issues of Adivasis and Dalits.

Scene 2 1.1.2018 - The procession is on the move peacefully.

Suddenly, it is attacked by a crowd donning saffron scarves and carrying Bhagwa flags. The violence ensues and results into damage to properties and injuries to some people.

Act 2 Scene 1 (seven months later) 28.8.2018- Maharashtra police issues warrants against another five very well -known activists and arranges to take them to Pune.They claim that they are Urban Naxals (it would be injustice not to praise the BJP for this weird coinage).

Scene 3 An FIR is lodged and two ringleaders, both of the Hindutva brigade, are mentioned- Milind Ekboteand SambhajiBhide.

Ekbote is arrested and soon released on bail while Bhide, allegedly PM Modi’s guru, is unaccounted till date.

Scene 4 6.1.1918 - Another FIR is lodged against Elgar Parishad and, as a result, 5 human rights activists – SurendraGangley, Shoma Sen, Ronon Wilson, Sunil Dhawley and Mahesh Rawat are arrested. Charge? They

They are: Sudha Bhardwaj- lawyer and lecturer at National Law University, who has abdicated her US citizenship to work among the Adivasi’s of Chhatisgarh.

GautamNavlakha-prominent human rights activist for 20 years.

Varavara Rao---poet, activist, sympathiser of Maoists who has been an interlocutor between the government and Maoists in the past.

ArunFereira—lawyer and activist who has been

in prison for 5 years but ultimately cleared of all charges of aiding Maoists and freed.

Vernon Gonsalves— human rights activist, also, freed from chargesof helping Maoists.

Scene 2 29.8.2018 Republic TV (who else?) breaks the news that Maharashtra police has retrieved a letter written by the above accused planning to killPM Modi in the same style as used for the assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.

(A Greek play is never complete without a chorus) So it is the time of Chorus to enter.

RomilaThapar, Prabhat Patnaik, Deviki Jain, Satish Deshpande and Maya Daruwala knock the doors of the Supreme Court and seek urgent injunction.

The Court after hearing the plea, stops the accused from being taken to Pune’s jail and orders to put them under house arrests wherever they are,until the Court has heard more details from both the state and central governments.

Justice Chandrachud observes that there is a difference between being an active Maoist and a sympathiser of their causes. Having sympathy is

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The Peshwa is making last efforts to resuscitate the moribund alliance. And so, his forces are marching towards Gwalior. no crime. Dissenting voices are a safety valve in a democracy else the nation will explode like a pressure cooker.

EPILOGUE ArunShourie says this government is being run by one anda three quarters persons: one is Amit Shah, the BJP president and the three quarters PM Modi.

Mr Amit Shah valiantly declares that if BJP wins in 2019, then it would hold power for the next 50 years (EVMs Zindabad!).

These are author’s personal views.

S E P T E M B E R

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"Subcontinent Friends of Labor( Vic)"

welcomes & supports "Labor Eastern Metropolitan team" for state election on 24th Nov.2018

Dr M Shahbaz Labor for Rowville

Peter Lockwood Labor for Bayswater

Josh Cusack Labor for Croydon

Shaun Leane MLC Member for Eastern Metropolitan

Julie Buxton Labor for Ferntree Gully

Manoj Kumar Labor for Forest Hill

Matt Fregon Labor for Mt.Waverley

Paul Hamer Labor for Boxhill

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Will Fowles Labor for Burwood

south asia 32 South Asia Timestimes

FILM REVIEW

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Stree: Why must Indian cinema always place a female as the main ghost?

By Shoma A. Chatterji

M

ost Hindi films place a female as the main ghost in a ghost film. Stree is no different.

Most ghost characters in Bollywood cinema are female. Why? Probably because then a beautiful actress can play the ghost, wear gossamer-thin, white saris or shararas who suddenly appears from behind swishing white curtains to smile seductively at the hero and then suddenly vanish into thin air.

Alternately, she belts out a haunting song like a refrain that runs through the film, walk down forest pathways with backward glances at her male follower, and disappear into the woods, preferably on a night of thunder and rain.Can you imagine a male ghost doing the same? The audience, male and female, will not be pleased and that is why films like Darna Mana Hai and DarnaZaroori Hai did not appeal to a mass audience.

The responsibility of shifting the onus on to the male performing the ghost fell on Amitabh Bachchan when he played a ghost from beginning to end in Bhootnath followed by Bhootnath Returns. Nawazuddin Sheikh played the ghost chasing his daughter to “take her away” in Aatma but the film flopped. Saaya (2003) starring John Abraham and Tara Sharma was also a ghost film which did not do well. In 1988, Mithun Chakraborty was cast opposite Dimple Kapadia who played a funny ghost in Bees SaalBaad and the film did not do well. “Funny” because the female ghost in the film could simply stretch one hand to reach out of the window to fetch something or other.

She had ‘lost’ her lover, Mithun in her earlier birth and wanted him back in this one never mind if she is a ghost.

Rajeev Mehra’sChamatkaar starring Naseeruddin Shah as the ghost who motivates the hero Shahrukh Khan and his daughter Urmila, to avenge his murder, 20 years after his death is perhaps one of the very few hits in which the ghost is a man.

Most Hindi films place a female as the main ghost in a ghost film. Stree is no different. But the difference lies in that though the ghost the entire small town of Chanderi is scared of is a woman, she is a fierce ghost intent on fulfilling her unconsummated suhagraat by snatching young men during the big,four-day annual festival in the town, calling them by name thrice, the one more terror-filled than the earlier one, stripping away their clothes and taking them away to God Alone Knows where because they are never seen again. The female members of the man’s family shed copious tears over the clothes! Is this female ghost a feminist? There is no answer.

The director decided to place a female ghost as the “shadow” protagonist because if it were a man, then stripping young women and carrying them away naked would have caused problems with the Censor Board. But the men are coy too and all one gets to see are lots of pairs of

male legs that are neither sexy nor attractive while the females in the audience with fulfilled or unfulfilled desires are left to imagine what the rest of these nude male bodies would look like! Just imagine what shapely bare legs of a shapely woman can do to the males in the audience! What a shame young gentlemen, a mere show of a pair of bare legs fails to turn you into eye candy, sorry.

The entire town paints the sentence, “StreeKalAana” in red paint outside the entrance of every single door. Wives of men young enough to trigger the desire of “stree” are commanded by their wives either to remain at home after sundown during the festival nights or to step out in saris with their pallus pulled over their heads. These scenes are hilarious but leave one with the question about why then, are Vicky and his friends never seen in saris?

Or the Panditji who has a string of degrees of every hue and colour but actually sells pornographic books hidden under tomes of normal titles played by the wonderful Pankaj Tripathi who livens up the scenario when one is about to doze off. When one doddering old man evinces fear of being kidnapped by Stree, another man says, “You have nothing to fear, she won’t come for you.” Hilarious true, but much of the audience fails to get the point.

If the men are terrified of being carried away during the nights of the festival, it is perhaps because this female ghost does not wear gossamer-thin, white saris and looks uglier than an ogre though we do not really know what an ogre looks like.

The young girl (Shraddha Kapoor) does not have a name and one has no clue why she suddenly appears in the presence of Vicky (Rajkumar Rao), the magic tailor in the small town and tries to get close to him by switching on her come-hither looks. When the thrilled but somewhat nervous Vicky asks her for her cell number, she says she does not have one but will appear whenever he thinks of her! So, who is she? Later, she tells him and his two friends that she has been coming to this town for the last three years because she has a bone to pick with the female ghost with the heightened libido. What “bone” pray? She is not willing to say. Vicky by now, has fallen

head over heels for her magic charm while his two suspicious friends scare him off with the possibility that his girl is probably the fearful “stree.”

Vicky picks up enough courage to ask her if she really is “stree.” She gives him an enigmatic smile and leaves it at that.

If director Amar Kaushik intended to make a ghost-horror-comedy flick, the highest points should go to the “comedy” element enriched greatly by the classic performances of Rajkumar Rao, Pankaj Tripathy and the young actors who play Vicky’s close friends. However, post-interval, the comedy begins to wear off and so does the film. A ghost film can never be logical so lack of logic is just fine.

But they way this film leaves comedy

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and satire behind to step into more serious territory that demands of Vicky to dress up as a bridegroom and pretend to meet the ghost-bride in a dramatized suhagraat, the film begins to limp and fall on its tracks.

Shraddha Jahagirdar does not help matters at all with her apology of acting.

For me, Stree is not at all a genderbender that pokes fun at machismo and ill-conceived ideas of masculinity though one can glimpse an effort to do just that. But somewhere along the way, the director seems to have lost his grip over his ‘baby’ and the baby decided to run away, or, got into a bus to disappear! The comic disappears suddenly and the terror the film intended to strike the audience with, never existed.

The ghost, in films and in real life, is a charismatic enigma for all of us. The very intrigue it raises in our mindsets, making us vacillate between belief and disbelief, between the reality of science and the unsubstantiated illusion of fairy tales are made of, makes the ghost a very attractive proposition for the mainstream filmmaker. However, it needs a lot of talent, imagination and technical skill to create a very good ‘ghost’ film. It calls for a rare skill that may elude even the best of filmmakers who try their hands at it and fail miserably.

Source: The Citizen.

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1 am to Melbourne 93.1 FM & SBS Radio Hindi................................... .8 pm to 92pm – 97.7 FM Saturday & Sunday 4-5 PM

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

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SIKH BLACKBURN Sri Guru Nanak Satsang Sabha 127 Whitehorse Road, Blackburn VICTORIA 3130, Ph: (03) 9894 1800 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 SHEPPARTON Gurdwara Sahib Shepparton 240 Doyles Road, Shepparton VICTORIA 3603 PH: (03) 5821 9309

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contd from previous page Suite 536, No 1 Queens Road,

Sri Lanka Consulate Melbourne VIC 3004 Telephone: +61 3 9290 4200 Fax: +61 3 9867 4873 Email:mail@slcgmel.org Web: http://www.slcgmel.org

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

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

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

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lAWYERS MLG Lawyers Ronny Randhawa 144 Sydney Road, Coburg Vic Ph 9386 0204 & 138 Walker Street, Dandenong Vic Ph: 9793 9917 Mobile : 0402 256 712 Vera Lawyers Kusum Vaghela Level 1, Suite 2, 373 Lonsdale Street, Dandenong Vic, Mobile: 0433 827 124

Jewellery Bhadra Laxman Jewellers 22ct Gold Jewellery / Silver Pooja (03) 9846 7661

Raj Rani Creations 83-A Foster Street, Dandenong, Vic 3175 Ph: (03) 9794 9398 desi estyle 76 Foster St., Dandenong 3175 (03) 87744853; 0413707685 Heritage India 54-56 Foster Street, Dandenong,

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Ghalib’s Second Love:

The poet in Banaras

By Asheesh Mamgain

M

t is well known that Mirza Ghalib, the great 19thcentury poet, was in love with the city of Delhi. He poured that love through many of his shers.

But there was another Indian city, which though he was associated with it for a very short period of time, nevertheless left a deep impression on Ghalib, at a physical, poetic, intellectual and emotional level. A city for which he even contemplated leaving his Delhi. It was the city of Banaras. If what Ghalib wrote about Banaras in his own words is any proof, then he was totally in love with the town. It all comes out in ‘Chiragh-e-Dair’ (Temple Lamp), a masnavi in Persian which Ghalib wrote on Banaras.

Now for the first time, that masnavi has been translated and recreated in Hindi by Dr Sadiq, who retired from as head of the Urdu department at Delhi University. Sadiq is a well known literary critic and writer of poetry in Urdu and Hindi, having penned several books in both languages. His translation of Chiragh-e-Dair was recently published by the Raza Foundation. According to

Sadiq it is the first poem written on Banaras in a foreign language and is an emotional and affective ode to our syncretic culture.

Chirag-e-Dair is the third masnaviGhalib wrote in Persian. In all he wrote 11 masnavis in the language.

Masnavi is a form of poetic writing prevalent in Urdu and Persian literature in which the writer describes an event or story in verse. It is a long poem; Malik Muhammad Jayasi’sPadmavat written in the 16th century is a renowned example of the form.

It is less well known that Ghalib wrote most of his poetry in Persian, rather than Urdu. In fact, Ghalib himself considered his poetry in Persian to be much more valuable than what he wrote in Urdu. He even wrote a couplet in Persian to that effect, which says his Urdu poetry is colourless in comparison to his variegated Persian poetry.

Going by what he wrote on Banaras it is easy to see that Ghalib had fallen in love with the city. Ghalib’s affair with Banaras was short lived but its impact was profound.

He had no acquaintances in Banaras and it was pure destiny that brought Ghalib to this long-lived Indian city

on the banks of the Ganga.

Ghalib’s visit to the city came about as part of his struggle to get the important matter of his yearly pension sorted out. He was on his way to Calcutta, then the capital of British empire, to present his case in the matter. He would eventually fail in this endeavour but in the process, he discovered Banaras.

Dr Sadiq did a fair bit of research on Ghalib to gauge his state of mind before he had reached Banaras. “Ghalib must have been 30 years old at the time and was experiencing a stretch of poor health before he visited Banaras.

In fact, on his way he spent five months in Lucknow convalescing. After this he spent some more time in Banda and Allahabad, finally reaching Banaras by boat. In

his own words, the moment Ghalib landed in Banaras he experienced a dramatic improvement in his health.”

During his two month stay in Banaras, Ghalib initially lived in a sarai in Navarangabad and later rented an accommodation and roamed the city, its bazaars, its gardens, its temples and most importantly, the banks of the river Ganges. After three weeks there, he was inspired to write.

First he wrote to his friend in Banda, Maulavi Mohammad Ali Khan, pouring his heart out in the letter which is steeped in high praise for the city, its beautiful climate, rich culture and lovely people.

He even wrote 12 couplets in the letter dedicated to the praise of Banaras. And then he started writing

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his masnavi on Banaras containing in all 108 couplets as his offering to the city. The figure of 108 couplets is important as it is considered auspicious by Hindus.

In these couplets written in beautiful Persian, he writes about the natural beauty of the place, the quality of the breeze that flows here renewing the body, its sublime climate, its beautiful inhabitants, and its rich culture and spirituality. In the later stages of the masnaviGhalib gets philosophical too, inspired by his experience in Banaras.

Ghalib so loved Banaras that in a few couplets in Chiragh-e-Dair, he even compares it in favourable terms with his beloved Delhi. At one such place, he points out that if Delhi were jealous of Banaras it would not be mistaken. He writes he loves Banaras so much he has stopped missing Delhi. According to Sadiq, “In the poem Ghalib even contemplates setting up home in Banaras. He mentions that if he could he would have left his religion, put a tilak on his forehead, adorned himself with the sacred thread and sat on the banks of the Ganga, waiting for the salvation of his soul.”

Source: The Citizen.

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Closing Night Treat from the IFFM-2018

Lonely souls in love, divided by class

By Neeraj Nanda

S

IR: 96 minutes; TillotamaShome, VivekGomber, Geetanjali Kulkarni, Rahul Vohra, AhmareenAnjum etc.; Director & Screenplay - Rohena Gera; Cinematography: Dominique Colin; Music: Pierre Aviat; Editing: Jacques Comets; Producer: Brice Poisson.

MELBOURNE, 22 August: Those of us who are from India’s middle class, have a fair knowledge and experience of female ‘maid servants’ from improvised rural families doing our daily chores (cleaning, scrubbing the floor, washing utensils and clothes and even cooking) in big cities.

They run our homes (even if there is a housewife or…) and feed their families back home. Also, known as ‘Mai’ (in Delhi), they face a host of issues seldom crossing the class divide. Life, still, is complex.

The movie ‘Sir’ is much more and the housemaid after losing her husband three months after marriage is called back to Mumbai to look after the home of the professional Ashwin, a

writer(back from the US), who’sj ust held marriage has collapsed. The masterservant relationship moves well and Ratna also tries to learn tailoring to become a fashion designer. The lonely Ashwin copes with the

new situation with ups and downs as Ratna’s presence becomes more and more towards a rather silent relationship with obvious gestures.

As love kindles the lonely souls, they suffer the

din of class. The Mumbai metropolis with all its noise can be noisier with the talk of a maidservant in relationship with her master.

Ratna realises this but for Ashwin it means nothing.

The spark that unites hearts can break class. But it is not easy. Ratna has economic compulsions and is afraid of society. Her making and unmaking is her job as a maidservant. Her ‘Sir’ (Ashwin asks her to call him Ashwin, not Sir) is her employer. The tumultuous relationship swings without a pause. It’s tough and compelling.

So, finally, what happens?

TiloamaShome (Ratna) during a Q-A after the screening of the movie, the closing film of the IFFM2018, said “Those who have a heart will understand the outcome of Ratna and Ashwin’s relationship”.

Ashwin thinks of going back to the US and calls Ratna and for the first time she addresses him as ‘Ashwin’ and not ‘Sir”.

The well-crafted movie has Shome’s (Ratna) excellent acting and VivekGomber (Ashwin) looks composed doing justice to his character.

Cinematography is

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The movie ‘Sir’ is much more and the housemaid after losing her husband three months after marriage is called back to Mumbai to look after the home of the professional Ashwin, a writer(back from the US), who’sj ust held marriage has collapsed. fascinating capturing the Mumbai metropolis. Well done, Director Rohena Gera.

A big relief for those looking for sensible cinema.

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TECHNOLOGY

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southSouth asia times 39 Asia Times

Smart Cities – the cities of tomorrow

BY RAJESH YOGI

M

ore than 55 per cent of the world's estimated 7.4 billion people live in cities. In the context of climate change and resource scarcity, a move to more efficient, healthier urban environments is a necessity.

We want to live in cities that are smart, safe, clean, healthy, inclusive and resilient; cities that provide economic opportunity and a high quality of life; and cities that are crossroads for the most creative and innovative minds.

As cities get smarter, they are becoming more liveable and more responsive and today we are seeing only a preview of what technology could eventually do in the urban environment.

Smart City A smart city is an urban area that uses different types of electronic data collection sensors to supply information which is used to manage assets and resources efficiently.

This includes data collected from citizens, devices, and assets that is processed and analysed to monitor and manage traffic and transportation systems, power plants, water supply networks, waste management, law enforcement, information systems, schools, libraries, hospitals, and other community services.

Smart City is not just

one concept but there are different combinations of technological infrastructure that build a concept of smart city.

1. Digital City: it combines serviceoriented infrastructure, innovation services and communication infrastructure 2. Information City: It collects local information and delivered them to the public portal 3. Intelligent City: it involves function as research or technological innovation to support learning and innovation procedure.

4. Cognitive Smart City: Cognitive smart city expands the concept of the smart city by referring to the convergence of the emerging Internet of Things (IoT) and smart city technologies, their generated big data, and artificial intelligence techniques.

5. Learning City: the learning city is involved in building skilled workforce.

6. Knowledge City: It is related to knowledge economy and innovation process.

In nutshell, Smart cities use data and technology to create efficiencies, improve sustainability, create economic development, and enhance quality of life factors for people living and working in the city.

It also means that the city has a smarter energy infrastructure.

Technology is everywhere in a Smart city • Cloud-based services • Internet of Things (IoT) • Smart phones connected with smart meters & smart devices • Networks of sensors and RFIDs • NFC Point of Sale devices • Smart payments • Blockchain based applications • Artificial Intelligent lifts, boom gates, parking, locks & many more things.

Which things/services are going to be smart in a Smart City Smart Cities are already started coming 1. Barcelona (Spain) has implemented smart irrigation to provide real time data to gardening crews about the level of water required for the plants. Barcelona has also designed a new bus network based on data analysis of the most common traffic flows in Barcelona, utilising primarily vertical, horizontal and diagonal routes with several interchanges.

2. Santa Cruz, California, where local authorities analyse historical crime data to predict police requirements and maximise police presence where it is required 3. Stockholm has energy efficient buildings (minimising heating costs), smart traffic monitoring (minimising the time spent on the road) and e-services

(minimising paper usage).

4. New York City is developing several smart city initiatives. The city service kiosks provide services including free WiFi, phone calls, device charging stations, local wayfinding, and more, funded by advertising that plays on the kiosk screens.

5. The Amsterdam Smart City include flexible street lighting (smart lighting)[87] which allows municipalities to control the brightness of street lights.

6. Glasgowsmart-city information has already enabled certain residents to obtain flood insurance at lower prices.

7. Cisco, Siemens, and IBM have partnered with real-estate developers and governments to build smart cities 8. Alphabet (Google) has announced plans to create a high-tech neighbourhood in Toronto, Quayside, that promises to combine the best in urban design with the latest in digital technology, including buildings that react to weather.

9. Bill Gates has invested $80 million toward the development of Belmont, a smart city in Arizona; plans call for autonomous vehicles and a sophisticated data hub.

10. Adelaide is moving to the front of the pack to be Australia’s first smart city 11. India has announced 100 Smart Cities Risks 1. Harvesting of City data

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compromise the privacy One of the major concerns about large-scale harvesting of data in any smart city is privacy and the possibility that individuals might be tracked.

2. Shortcomings in data modelling by machines We must also recognize the shortcomings in models that presume the objectivity of urban data and conveniently delegate critical, often ethical decisions to the machine.

3. Can lead to a Titanic crash Smart-city connectivity could result in titanic property and liability losses. In the event of a malfunction, or a full system crash, how easy will it be to discover the device, algorithm, component, or person who caused the problem 4. Effect on emergency services Faulty sensors or hardware meltdowns, crashed software, incomplete data, and corrupt analytics. All of these could prevent us from reaching emergency services or other authorities 5. Cyberattacks, Including Cyberterrorism The smarter a city becomes, the more vulnerable to exploits it may become. A whole host of new opportunities for hackers to spy, phish, disrupt and leak is born.

Further, the ante is upped when a cyberattack claims a government entity as a victim.

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