AV 30th May 2020

FIRST & FOREMOST ASIAN WEEKLY IN EUROPE

inside:

inside: 60-million-pound divorce behind, PIO tycoon falls in love again

532 flights take off on Day 1: Nonmetros see highest demand

SEE PAGE 2

SEE PAGE 23

Government minister for Scotland resigns over Dominic Cummings row

India, China fortifying troops along disputed borders

SEE PAGE 8

R

Let noble thoughts come to us from every side

30 MAY - 5 JUNE 2020 - VOL 49 ISSUE 5

'PHYSICAL INACTIVITY IN ASIANS COULD LEAD TO CORONAVIRUS DEATHS’

SEE PAGE 26

Entrepreneurs conquer households with Indian products through doorstep deliveries

Jyoti Patel

Jacob Thundil

Continued on page 9

London court orders Anil Ambani to pay $717 million to 3 Chinese banks

Rupanjana Dutta A study by Surrey and Southampton Universities has recently revealed that people who are overweight or obese and have darker skin tones could be at greater risk of catching Covid-19. The findings may help to explain disproportionate levels of infection among the black, Asian or minority ethnic (BAME) community. It has also been found that Vitamin D levels are crucial to determine the effect of coronavirus within the community.

The research further reveals that while white people have 53% higher Vitamin D levels than people of

BAME backgrounds, people of healthy weight have it 25% more than those who are overweight. The term obese is used for people who are generally considered very overweight, with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of more than 30. According to the NHS, it's a common problem in the UK that's estimated to affect around 1 in every 4 adults and around 1 in every 5 children aged 10 to 11. Being overweight or obese can weaken the body’s immune system which could make people more likely to catch coronavirus and makes it harder for the body to fight the bug. The NHS has previously said people with a BMI of 40 or above have a greater risk of developing complications if they catch the coronavirus.

Continued on page 6

London: In a major blow to Mumbai-based industrialist Anil Ambani, a London court has ordered the Reliance Group chairman to pay $717 million to three Chinese banks ruling that personal guarantee disputed by the businessman is binding on him.

Ambani has been given 21 days to pay the amount to Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd, China Development Bank and Exim Bank of China.

In his order, Justice Nigel Teare ruled at the Commercial Division of the High Court of England and Wales in London: “It is declared that the sum payable by the Defendant to the Claimant (banks) pursuant to the Guarantee is $716,917,681.51.”

Continued on page 4

2 UK

AsianVoiceNews

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

www.asian-voice.com

30 May - 5 June 2020

with Keith Vaz

60-million-pound divorce behind, PIO tycoon falls in love again

Nura Ali Nura Ali is from Somailalnd and grew up in Birmingham. She graduated with a degree from Matthew Boulton College in Birmingham in Fashion and Textiles. Nura is the voice of the East African women within the West Midlands and a distinguished member of the community. As an active citizen, she has been part of multiple Boards of organisations, including the Birmingham East Police IAG, the Neighbourhood Board and the Preventing Violence and Extremism Board. She has also extensive experience in the public and voluntary sector, working among others for Birmingham and Coventry City Council and fundraising for charities.

Influential, effective, hard-working and with excellent work ethic, she combines all the elements of a Leader. Innovator and entrepreneur, she took the step to establish Allies Network ltd in 2008, finally incorporating it in 2014, with the vision to run a platform to assist and resolve the issues of a community that she knows so well.

1

Which place, or city or country do you most feel at home in?

I was raised in the UK, but I was born is Somaliland. I feel at home in both places.

2

What are your proudest achievements?

One of my proudest achievements is leading on Birmingham City Council (the largest local authority in Europe) recognizing The Republic of Somaliland as an independent country. Also, the Birmingham Museum acquiring the first Somali cultural architect of the West Midlands from my family.

3

What inspires you?

towards my career.

6

What is the best aspect about your current role?

Serving many different communities in their developments, supporting and empowering women to end many forms of abuse due to cultural practices.

7

And the worst?

8

What are your long - term goals?

There is no worst aspect, it’s a great honour and privilege to serve humanity.

To help build a better world and a better Britain.

People and communities that meet, and service users.

4

What has been biggest obstacle in your career?

Balancing difficult personalities. Yes, when you run an organisation you come across many different volunteers and stakeholders and some of those can have difficult personalities to manage so i found that very difficult at some points of my career

5

Who has been the biggest influence on your career to date?

I don’t have one role model, there are many inspiring individuals who support me, and my parents were always supportive

9

If you were Prime Minister, what one aspect would you change?

There is not one aspect to change, there are many aspects to change. And a few aspects I would like to change would be the quality of education, health care and entrepreneurship.

10

If you were marooned on a desert island, which historical figure would you like to spend your time with and why?

My grandparents. Because they worked in many different sectors which today the young people like me have forgotten the skills, so it would be great to understand those skills better.

Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies makes online courses available at reasonable fee Various organisations can be a provider of a good education to their members in affiliation with the OCHS. The courses will help to

better understand and communicate tradition in the wider context of Hinduism and society at large.

The facility to organise private groups on online

FINANCIAL A SERVICES MORTGAGES Residential Buy to Let Remortgages

PROTECTION Life Insurance Critical Illness Income Protection

Please conta act:

Dinesh S Shonchhatra Mortgage Ad dviser

Call: 020 8424 C 4 8686 / 07956 810647 77 High Street, Wealdston ne, Harrow, HA3 5DQ mortgage@majorestate.co om ~ majorestate.com

courses gives the flexibility to modify the usual layout The key here is flexibility.

The Oxford Centre of Hindu Studies is truly unique. There is no equivalent centre anywhere in the world. It fosters groundbreaking research in Hindu studies. It is neutral, authentic, and objective.

The OCHS can be an extension to any organisation may advance your objectives in promoting Hindu values.

To learn more about courses, visit ochsonline.org.

For discussion on how the OCHS can serve you through online education, contact Lal Krishna at lal@ochs.org.uk.

The Indian-origin business tycoon Bhanu Choudhrie who has been asked to pay 60 million pounds as divorce payout has reportedly fallen in love with Tamara Ralph, the Creative Director and cofounder of Ralph & Russo.

Ralph is famously known for designing the transparent £55,950 dress which Meghan Markle used for her engagement photographs.

Choudhrie, it seems, has put his past behind with the new link-up and has moved on after losing his purse heavily in wake of the High Court ruling made public only last week.

The Daily Mail reported that the 41-year-old son of billionaire Sudhir Choudhrie was present at the Paris Fashion Week along with Tamara sitting in the front row. A source said that their romance had taken off well before the lockdown was announced.

Tamara has been, herself, a big shot in the design and fashion world. She became the first female Creative Director from the UK in nearly 100 years to exhibit during Paris Haute Couture week.

Also, she was one of only three female Creative Directors worldwide eligible to present their collections during this period.

Ralph has also also featured in fashion publications such as Fortune magazine's 40 under 40 list, the BOF 500 and in 2016 was conferred the "Outstanding Achievement Award".

Even as both persons have refused to comment about their relationship it is definitely a good news for Bhanu since he has been facing the pressure of divorcing Simrin Choudhrie with whom he seemed to have all not so long ago.

The couple stayed at a 20 million pound, six-storey Belgravia home. They had renovated the home in 2015 only adding a twostorey basement that included among others, a cinema, pool and spa complex.

Simrin who has previously appeared on the Channel 4 reality show ‘The Secret

Millionaire’ had sought a whopping 100 million pound from Bhanu in divorce settlement. The court of Justice Cohen dealt with the case in private hearings and had gagged media from publishing or showing detailed reports of the case.

After the hearing, the judge said Simrin is entitled to 60 million pounds of money from Bhanu, an heir of one of India’s richest families. The bitter legal battle over the claim was fought by top lawyers from both sides as they argued over tens of millions of pounds at hearings in the High Court’s Family Division.

Bhanu is the founder of Westminsterbased global private equity firm C&C Alpha Group and hails from one of the wealthiest families in India, with a rumoured net worth of £1.6 billion.

Interestingly, Bhanu and his father, who have donated 1.6 million pounds to the Lib Dems, were subjected to investigation by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) in a probe involving bribes from the Rolls-Royce for availing a defence contract in India.

However, the duo was not charged and subsequently Bhanu tried unsuccessfully to gag Simrin from speaking the inside details about the matter. The case was rejected after Simrit lawyers assured that she would not disclose any information.

University student turns fraudster preying on vulnerable and alone in pandemic A university student exploited Covid-19 pandemic to prey on vulnerable people in a ‘sickening’ scam to swindle them of their savings.

Mohammed Khan, 20, sent thousands of messages inviting his targets to share their bank details in return for ‘Covid-19 tax breaks’. He used logos ‘remarkably similar to UK government websites so one would think it was from Her Majesty’s government’, Westminster

Magistrates’ Court heard.

Khan, a politics student at Queen Mary university, also passed information, along with templates for fraudulent websites, to

other scammers via WhatsApp, reports Metro.

District Judge Alexander Jacobs told Khan: ‘It’s even worse to capitalise on

Covid-19 – a phrase that brings shudders to everybody – and you’re using it to your advantage.’

The judge was particularly concerned that Khan

was targeting the vulnerable who were not able to ‘turn to family members to ask if this message is legitimate’ during the pandemic.

Investigation revealed that Khan operated sophisticated scams since 2017. He lives with his parents and two siblings. He was arrested last week at his home in St Mary Flats, Camden, and appeared at court via videolink. His lawyer Kevin Molloy told the court he did the alleged crime out of

‘abject poverty’. Khan admitted one count of fraud by false representation and one count of possessing an article for use in fraud.

www.asian-voice.com

AsianVoiceNews

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

UK

COMMENTS

3

30 May - 5 June 2020

With great power comes great responsibility There are two key lessons for Dominic Cummings now, two English proverbs that are apt in his situation: “practice what you preach” and “with great power comes great responsibility.”

The prime minister's chief adviser Dominic Cummings at a press conference told the media on Monday bank holiday, that he does not regret driving 260 miles from London during the coronavirus lockdown. He was 30 mins late to start the press conference and revealed that he had not told Prime Minister Boris Johnson when he decided to take his family to County Durham after his wife developed Covid-19 symptoms. He also emphasised that he had acted ‘reasonably’ and within the law, as he interpreted it.

Mr Johnson said he understood "the confusion, anger and pain" felt and people "needed to hear" from his aide, and therefore, Mr Cummings was in front of journalists asking pinning questions. Secretaries and Ministers such as Rishi Sunak, Matt Hancock, Alok Sharma, have all come forward to support Mr Cummings and asked people to ‘move on’. There has been resignations too.

Here is the problem. Mr Cummings is the brain behind Mr Johnson’s successful ‘Leave EU’ campaign. An Oxford graduate, it is believed, he has also been instrumental in removing Sajid Javid from the Prime Minister’s Cabinet.

Responding to the daily press conference, acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said, "The British public have made huge sacrifices over the past two months, losing their freedom, their livelihoods, and in many tragic instances -

someone they loved. Ministers' determination to keep defending the actions of Dominic Cummings are an insult to every single person following the lockdown measures in place…

“If what Dominic Cummings did wasn't against the rules, then why have others been fined for the same actions? There is no answer other than there is one rule for Dominic Cummings, and one rule for the rest of us. The trust between the government and the British public has been broken, at a time when it is absolutely crucial if we are to slow the spread of coronavirus and save lives. The longer Dominic Cummings stays in post, the longer the Prime Minister and his government not only risk public health, but their ability to fight the virus altogether."

The social media is now divided, with a group of British Indians, asking the British media to not make Mr Cummings a ‘scapegoat’ as well as opposing anyone who criticises him.

While the other, believes Labour MP Tahir Ali and Dominic Cummings, both deserve strict punishments for breaking the law during lockdown.

Mr Cummings has been courageous enough to face the fuming British media, and the reporters deserve a special accolade for standing up as the voice of this country’s millions, who have sacrificed so much to abide by law.

This proves Mr Cummings is undoubtedly a very powerful man, mostly above law and a king maker. But what he lacks is humility. Much has been said and many questions asked- without any answers, apologies or excuses. It is evident, that Mr Cummings is the face of a certain privilege that some still enjoy in lockdown Britain. Brevity remains the soul of wit.

UK can’t do without its migrants It is a battle between ‘skilled labour’ and the one that brings value to the work/job they are venturing into. And mind you, skill is rarely in tune with the ‘value’ a work and job has in the UK’s economy or for that matter in the global context.

Recently, Home Secretary Priti Patel, riding high on the 2016 Brexit referendum, thundered that the great United Kingdom was ending the free entry o f outsiders and now onwards they would ensure only a highly-skilled and qualified individual enters this land.

This sounded surreal! Filtering out the unwanted and unskilled lot to ensuring the ‘valuable’ entry of only highly-skilled professionals who earn no less than 25,600 pound a year, is surely going to ensure quality with loads of money for the economy already sinking due to the pandemic. When y ou are on a high trajectory of self-illusion, this is how you vision a world where only a certain set of rules, people and skills are welcomed and the rest become a pariah.

This is like pressing the self-destruct button in a country like ours.

Priti Patel got the unequivocal support of, as expected, her culture secretary who took refuge in the 2016 Brexit referendum that voted for barring free entry from the European Union (EU) countries. If this was not proving enough, the country already has one for the rest of the world.

Their (ministers) tone and tenor sounded like the Kings of old era who decided from their courtyard looking at the long shadows of their eclipsing empire behind a fading sun.

Even though the Opposition Labour MPs slammed what they termed as ‘alienation’ of people of non-British origin, the bill sailed thorough the House of Commons.

Labour’s Nick Thomas-Symonds termed the bill a move to alienate the people Britain relied on during the outbreak.

Exactly right, Mr. MP! Forget the intent involved here, forget the alienation it may aggravate in British society and forget the moolah the government is supposedly going to rake in, the very timing of such a draconian measure is so poor on optics and messaging when an already frail health infrastructure is being shouldered on the body bags of immigrant workers who as reports suggest are at higher Covid-19 risk than their white counterparts.

How thankless and heartless we can be not to stand against

such a biased system. For record, around 13 percent staff at the NHS are of non-British origin and 5.5 percent of them belong to EU c ountries, and mind you, not all of them earn above 25,600 pounds your bill espouses.

If these rules were to come earlier, many of Britain’s finest would not have been born here since their forefathers would have never been allowed entry to this great land. Ironic for a Home Secretary, who by virtue of being Indian-origin, is an immigrant.

And she is not alone — her colleagues — the likes of Rishi Sunak, Alok Sharma may not have seen the Union Jack in their lifetime if these rules were in place years back. Same would be the case with Meghnad Desai, Keith Vaz, Bhikhu Parekh, Dolar Popat, Vikram Seth, V S Naipaul, Nasser Husain, Ravi Bopara, Isa Guha and hundred of others. Probably, the world would never have seen or known them had we not been a welcome host in past (not a host to biased laws and mindset we are right now) Now, lets us look at the current pandemic. Would a local unemployed guy take up the work of an unskilled immigrant worker busy aiding our healthcare sector and the many alike.

As per reports, the great Union Jack is desperately looking for 80,000 workers (unskilled as per new law) to pluck its harvest from the farm fields. This shortfall was usually met by the EU migrants who came d uring this time and left after completing the harvesting season. And, all those furthering the great ‘self-reliance’ model and claiming that migrant labour pushes out the local ones are not in a position to make up for the 80,000-odd shortfall we are faced with.

It is a dimwit argument that migrant unskilled labour edges out the local. No it doesn’t, simply because local unemployed youth is not willing to take up those menial jobs.

What is being touted ‘unskilled’ is not doing a job you can live without, whether it’s shop workers, refuse collectors or office cleaners.

And yes! You can’t have it both ways. We can’t be so hypocritical to bring a law to push out people on one side and clap every Thursday evening for a workforce which has a sizeable migrant population leading out battle against an unseen enemy (Covid-19) in such desperate times.

India's border disputes with China, Nepal India’s border challenges are not new. The India-China border problem dates back to the 1962 war. The lack of a clearly demarcated boundary between the two countries continues despite countless rounds of talks. The current tensions have erupted in an area in Ladakh in Kashmir with Indian and Chinese armies bringing in reinforcements into Demchok, Daulat Beg Oldie and around Galwan river as well as Pangong Tso lake in Ladakh. There is also some tension in northern Sikkim. The current India-China tensions “are a reminder that Chinese aggression is not always rhetorical", said assistant secretary of state for South Asian Affairs of the US state department, at an event in Washington recently.

The India-Nepal boundary issue, too, is decades old. Both countries claim territory that lies at the tri-junction of India, Nepal and China. India and Nepal had both shown Kalapani and Lipulekh in their political maps, but Kathmandu this week brought out a new map that shows a new area, which is Limpiyadhura, within its boundaries. The trigger for the recent rise in tensions was Kathmandu’s objection to India inaugurating a road connecting the Lipulekh pass with Dharchula in Uttarakhand. India said the road lies within Pithoragarh district and will give Indian pilgrims easier access to Kailash Mansarovar.

But Nepal‘s premier KP Sharma Oli said Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura belong to Nepal and vowed to “reclaim" them through political and diplomatic efforts.

On both issues, India has issued measured reactions. India’s foreign ministry spokesman Anurag Srivastava said New Delhi “remains committed to the objective of maintaining peace and tranquility in the India-China border areas". Indian army chief Manoj Mukund Naravane said Indian troops have always upheld peace and tranquility along the frontier. The army said incidents along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) happen because of differing perceptions of where the frontier lies.

Indian and Chinese troops had clashed in eastern Ladakh near Pangong Lake on 5 May and in north Sikkim on 8 May. Soldiers on both sides were injured in the incidents, which marked the first major flare-up along the LAC since the 73-day standoff at Doklam in 2017. As it stands, China claims 90,000 sq km of Indian territory and occupies another 38,000 sq km in Jammu and Kashmir. Besides, under the boundary agreement of March 1963, Pakistan illegally ceded 5,180 sq km of Indian territory in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to China. Former Indian ambassador to China Gautam Bambawale said: “Improvement in transportation and communications have led to the two armies patrolling these border areas better, more frequently. Hence, the possibility of patrols coming face-to-face is greater. This is the dynamics we are seeing. But, there are detailed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to de-escalate such situations and both sides should stick to these."

Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them - William Shakespeare

Alpesh Patel

A Nation of (Online Women) Shopkeepers Lockdown, dear Chancellor, is making more online shopkeepers than ever before. Just look at the share price of Shopify and indeed hedge fund interest in Wix. Our politicians and cobwebbed policy wonks have to keep up with this change. It is after all not only the future but the great potential social mobiliser if the talents in a council flat can be utilised for wealth creation with nothing more than internet connections and a laptop.

"Our high school guidance counselor used to ask us what you'd do if you had a million dollars and you didn't have to work. And invariably what you'd say was supposed to be your career." Office Space, 1999 Issue: Being an entrepreneur for everyone and anyone is an activity they just have to do no matter what, whatever their obstacles are. Some are driven by greed, others by guilt. Men had different motivations to men and those motivations were often swamped by counter-desires which were stronger than for men (eg the desire to make a better product was a comment women’s desire to be an entrepreneur, whereas for men it was to ‘make money and prove themselves’. So the counter pull for women of ‘raising their child and being what they perceived as a good partner/mother over-road their desire compare to a counter pressure on a man which was ‘security’ for family.

Solution: There is nothing wrong with not being an entrepreneur because you want to devote your time to something equally or more worthy. All our choices involve regret and sacrifices in life. The issue is which path has the least regret for you? Then you must put away the guilt of the choice. Easier said than done. Doubt is in each entrepreneur. It’s part of the training. That is why you need mentors and a brain trust. If you really want to be an entrepreneur and are looking for additional pushes – list them. Common ones are: this actually is helping my family; this is not a selfish act; this provides more security "My ability to get through my day greatly depends upon the relationships that I have with women: my mother, my aunt, my girlfriends, my neighbors, the mothers in my children's school. I have this wonderful network of women where we rely upon one another for emotional and practical support. In these women I find a place of comfort and sanity and peace like no other. We ground one another." Michelle Obama, Campaign speech, July 2007 "When I talk with a lot of my women friends who have their careers, sometimes [they will] go into a company or a situation where they often think they should be like somebody else… but when you learn to be yourself, and go where your passions are, I think fantastic things happen out of that... So my women friends and I talk about that a lot: Follow your passions, and just be who you are." Belinda Gates Editor: CB Patel Asian Voice is published by Asian Business Publications Ltd Karma Yoga House, 12 Hoxton Market, (Off Coronet Street) London N1 6HW. Tel: 020 7749 4080 • Fax: 020 7749 4081 Email: aveditorial@abplgroup.com Website: www.abplgroup.com © Asian Business Publications

4 UK

AsianVoiceNews

www.asian-voice.com

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

30 May - 5 June 2020

When Diversity & Inclusion Icons are Stereotyped, I am left out Lakshmi Kaul I am a saree wearing, bindi adorning British Indian who finds it rather frustrating to not see saree or bindi or even salwar kameez in any media campaign except ofcourse when it is a spoof on ‘Asian People’ in popular programmes like Citizen Khan, Goodness Gracious Me or more recently in social media content like The Brown Bar. ‘Diversity & Inclusion’ is a motto most organisations flaunt with pride. Pick up any of their adverts or campaigns on ‘BAME representation’ or ‘Pluralism & Diversity’, you will see a white face, a black face (finally!), definitely a woman wearing a hijab but nobody wearing a saree/salwar-kameez and bindi.

As a first generation immigrant to the UK, I was pleased to hear about the ‘I am an Immigrant’ poster campaign run by the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI), that entailed expensive posters, billboards and visuals all across the London city. I waited patiently for an image that I could relate with so I could proudly take a ‘selfie’ with it and flaunt it.

Sadly, even till this day, I am waiting.

As almost an insult to the injury, a few days back, Facebook prompted me to ‘Create Your Own Avatar’, a cartoon like miniature that social media users can make of themselves by stylising facial features and adding accessories. The service that launched by facebook in UK and USA is yet to be launched in India. The advert that popped up had a few ‘Avatars’

including an image of an ‘Asian’ looking woman wearing the ‘Hijab’.

‘Avatar’ is a Sanskrit word, though adapted in Modern English dictionary in reference to a gaming icon, it actually is a concept where the form of a living being is acquired by the omnipotent, omniscient when He descends as a mortal. It is a concept where ‘Gods’ especially Vishnu descends on Earth in myriad forms including Matsya (fish) as the first form of life on earth; Kachhappa (tortoise) indicating life’s moved from water to land; Varaha (wild boar) representing life’s adapting to land alone in process of becoming a mammal; Narasinha (half man and half animal) evolution of human from animal; Vamana (Brahmana) a dwarf Brahmin who revealed his true form and covered the entire cosmos in two steps; followed by Avatars Parshurama, Rama, Krishna, Balrama, Buddha and the tenth Avatar, Kalki which is yet to arrive in the Kalayuga.

As an ethnic Indian, a Hindu woman, the advert via Facebook did little, if that, to convince me and infact insulted the very concept according to my faith, even though the advert must have appeared as a result of ‘targeted marketing’ campaign on my Facebook timeline.

Even if I ignored this deeper insult, I was shocked that a social media giant with a prominent user base of my ethnic and social profile, Globally, has no ‘Avatar’ to visually represent me. In fact, none of the other social media platforms, or tech user communication interfaces had any visual representation of my social, ethnic profile either.

The famous words of Shirley Chisholm, “If they don’t offer you a seat at the table, bring your own chair’, are etched in my heart. As a rights campaigner, and livid at this oversight and ignorance, this

exclusion, I took to commonly used social media platforms including Twitter, Instagram and ofcourse Facebook sharing my displeasure and unhappiness about this ‘cultural misappropriation’.

As a large employer and community of such multi-cultural users & developers, with offices around the Globe, I wondered what Facebook’s Diversity & Inclusion policy statement indicated so I quote their recently published 2019 report: “Our design choices are important, too.

Designing for inclusivity leads to better decisions and better products.”

Reassuring as it sounds on paper, there is little evidence of inclusivity in product development anywhere. In summary, media & social media campaigns: a. Exclude one of the largest online user community in its representation; b. Misrepresents cultural and social diversity; and c. Stereotypes all ‘Asian’ women as Hijab wearing.

Internet and data usage surged in the recent months since the lockdown, globally owing to COVID-19 crisis. Currently estimated at 574 million, the number of monthly active internet users in India, the largest social media user base for any social media platform, has grown 24% over that of 2019, indicating an overall penetration of 41% in the last year*. Facebook in pursuit of a sizeable, underexplored userbase in India recently took a 9.99 percent stake in Jio platforms, the tech subsidiary of Reliance Industries, giving itself almost a gateway into the country’s currently offline population.

Campaigns promoting saree have been run on platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram increasing their popularity and usage further – remember, #100SareesPact as an example?

Pamela Anderson, Nicole Scherzinger, Naomi Campbell, Paris Hilton, Liz Hurley, Madonna, Michelle Obama, Her Royal

Adda Slough helping the vulnerable Britain is going through one of the worst crisis periods since World War II. London’s BAME populated boroughs are severely hit by coronavirus and notable among them are Newham, Brent and Harrow.

Adda Slough, a West London based Bengali organisation is popular among the diaspora for its homely yet glamorous Durga Puja, Kali Puja and a host of other cultural activities upholding Bengal’s tradition and culture. But in this crisis period Adda Slough has embarked into a new role of serving the society addressing the call of the hour.

Adda Slough in collaboration with other organisations like Slough Mitra Mandal, Slough food bank, Slough Hindu Temple, Sewa Day is reaching out to provide food supplies, essential commodities and medicines to the doorsteps of elderly and the vulnerable. With the help of Slough council and Thames Valley police, Adda Slough has reached out to a total of 50,000 in collaboration with others.

Adda Slough is reaching out to vulnerable families, including the elderly and terminally ill and trying to keep their lives running smooth. The local

community is playing a fantastic role by donating food and essential items.

Not only vulnerable families, Adda is also reaching out to NHS staff, frontline workers and key workers.

Volunteers have able to reach to nearby Wexham Park Hospital serving 500 hot meals to doctors, nurses and health workers every day.

76-year-old Raj (name changed on request) had run out of toilet rolls, emergency medicines & paracetamols and daily groceries. Adda Slough volunteer’s delivery helped her to survive the odd times.

28-year-old Samrat Dutta who is

an MBA student is stranded because of travel bans.

He cannot fly home resulting into a financial crisis.

He has hugely benefited from this initiative. Adda and the volunteering force has reached out to more than such 100 students staying in West London suburbs and Southampton.

Adda President Nilotpal Mandal said, “The support and donations from the local community has been overwhelming making Adda aid a success in these trying times. We are trying to reach out to all segments and ethnicities and pool together the resources of our fellow organisations to penetrate any area where help is needed.”

Member Prasenjit Bhattacharjee added, “Our aim is not only to make a one-time delivery but follow up with regular supplies of items to the vulnerable families to the best of our ability.

We want to direct all possible resources to help the vulnerable cope best in this situation.”

Highness Princess Kate Middleton, British Former Prime Minister Theresa May, Oprah Winfrey all have worn and loved the saree.

Women in countries including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Malaysia, India wear sarees.

Almost forgot that there is even a barbie doll wearing a saree now!

It is now for me, a Social Action Campaign wherein some of us have reached out to Facebook to run a joint Nation-wide campaign to create a repository of diverse images for the social media platform to adopt. Though I am yet to receive even the slightest acknowledgement from Facebook, which in due course I am sure will happen.

Let this debate not die out at creation of cartoons but be part of your mainstream discourse while writing Diversity & Inclusion policies, while designing advertising campaigns on Immigrants and while putting up pictures of a ‘brown’ or a ‘black’ face. Not all of us wear ‘Hijab’, many of us proudly wear a saree and bindi #ThisIsMyAvatar.

Twitter: @KaulLakshmi (*The analysis is part of the ICUBETM report prepared by data, insights and consulting company Kantar and was quoted by LiveMint.)

We are grateful to all letter writers for more and more versatile letters well within word limit. Please keep contributing as always.

If you are new, then write to Rupanjana at rupanjana.dutta@abplgroup.com - AV

Continued from page 1

London court orders Anil Ambani to pay $717 million to 3 Chinese banks A spokesperson for Ambani said the matter pertains to an alleged personal guarantee for a corporate loan availed by Reliance Communications Limited (RCom) in 2012 for global refinancing.

The spokesperson said in a statement that as far as the judgment of the UK court was concerned, “the question of any enforcement in India does not arise in the near future”.

The banks had taken their claim for a summary judgment to the UK high court and in February were granted a conditional order, in effect a deposit to be paid into court pending a full trial in the case.

The banks had sued Ambani in London for allegedly failing to repay $708 million of loans, including interests.

Reliance Communications had taken the loans. According to the banks, Ambani was a personal guarantor to the loans.

The court order said that the nearly $717 million to be paid comprises the principal amount outstanding under the Facility Agreement of $549,804,650.16; interest outstanding as of May 22 of $51,923,451.49; and default interest due of $115,189,579.86.

Referring to an ongoing State Bank of India Insolvency Application in the National Company Law Tribunal in India related to RCom, the order stated that the final amount owed by the Ambani to the banks under the guarantee shall be assessed subject to the outcome of the insolvency action.

The court order vacates a trial date previously set for March 18 next year and also issues a court costs order in favour of the banks, adding a further 750,000 pounds to the overall amount owed.

www.asian-voice.com

AsianVoiceNews

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

30 May - 5 June 2020

5

6 UK

AsianVoiceNews

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

www.asian-voice.com

30 May - 5 June 2020

Continued from page 1

‘Your scientists need you’

There have been more than 261,000 coronavirus cases in the UK, with almost 37,000 deaths.

34% of confirmed cases of Covid19 and 32% of deaths in intensive care are from the BAME community, according to statistics from the Intensive Care National Audit and Research Centre, covering England, Wales and Northern Ireland. This compares with 14.5% of the total population who are of BAME origin (based on ONS 2016 population estimates).

According to the British Heart Foundation, a new analysis of Covid-19 deaths from the ONS found that men of Bangladeshi or Pakistani background were 1.8 times more likely to die than white men, while women were 1.6 times more likely to die than white women. People of other ethnic backgrounds, including Indians were also more likely to die than white people. The reasons could be many.

The number of healthcare workers who have died due to Covid-19 has reached 200, and more than six in 10 of the victims were from BAME backgrounds, according to a Guardian count.

The newspaper analysis looking at staff in hospitals, GP surgeries, care homes and other settings found that 122 of the dead, or 61% of the total, were from an ethnic minority background. Of those staff whose backgrounds could be identified, Asian workers accounted for 34% of the overall death toll, black staff 24% and white workers 36%, while the rest were unknown.

A Government Spokesperson told Asian Voice exclusively, “It is our priority to protect frontline staff and ensure they have the appropriate equipment to feel safe. We’re aware that this virus sadly appears to have a disproportionate effect on people from BAME backgrounds.

“It is critical we find out which groups are most at risk so we can take the right steps to protect them and minimise their risk. We

British Asians are being urged to sign up for a study which will help scientists find out why our communities are at greater risk from Covid-19.

The Covidence UK study, led by Queen Mary University of London, opened on 1 Professor Seif Shaheen Professor Aziz Sheikh Professor Adrian Nitin Ganatra May and aims to from Queen Mary, Director of the Asthma Martineau, lead investigator of the recruit at least University of London UK Centre for Applied Covidence-UK study, who Research and Covidence also runs clinics at Mile 12,000 people from End Hospital UK Lead for Scotland across the UK. King’s Photo courtesy: Tim Clarke/ College London, the DailyExpress London School of “By supplying monthly infordeaths in England reveal that Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, the University of Edinburgh, Queen’s excess deaths are 1.5 times higher mation to our Scientists online you University Belfast and Swansea than expected for the Indian popu- will become one of an army of data University are all partners in the lation, 2.8 times higher for British detectives helping them to learn research, which is funded by the Pakistanis and 3 times higher in about this virus and how to beat it.

It’s especially important for BAME Bangladeshis.

Barts Charity.

Professor Adrian Martineau, a communities so the Scientists can Anyone over the age of 16 can take part in the study. All you need respiratory specialist based at understand why we are harder hit is access to the internet and Queen Mary University in London, and help us specifically. Don’t around an hour a month to fill in a who is heading the Covidence UK worry, it’s completely anonymous survey about your health and study told Asian Voice, “Please help and you can’t be identified but the lifestyle. You will also need to give us save lives by learning why so information will help save lives. the researchers permission to many Asian people are dying from I’ve signed up. Will you?”

Professor Seif Shaheen, from access your medical records, how- Covid-19.

“There are so many big, unanQueen Mary, University of London ever this information is anonymised and encrypted to pro- swered questions about the coron- told the newsweekly, “It has avirus. We need your help to become apparent that adults from tect the privacy of participants.

At the moment, only 1.7% of answer them. By filling in a survey black and minority ethnic commuthose who have signed up for the once a month you can help us find nities in the UK are more likely than Whites to develop COVID-19 study are Asian — yet Asian people the clues to conquer Covid-19.

“We know that some commuinfection, to experience more make up 7% of the UK population.

“We desperately need your help,” nities are much more vulnerable severe infection, and to die from it.

“Furthermore, the majority of says Professor Martineau. “Please to the coronavirus. We have to sign up and encourage your friends find out why, as quickly possible, health care workers who have died so we can reduce that risk and save from Covid-19 have been from the and families to take part. It really lives.” black and minority ethnic populawill make a huge difference.”

Actor, Nitin Ganatra, best tion. The reasons underlying these Experts at the Centre for known for playing Masood Ahmed observations are unclear but Evidence-Based Medicine at the EastEnders, has signed up and explaining the ethnicity-Covid-19 Oxford University have confirmed his message to fans is, “Your link has been identified as an the terrible toll the coronavirus is Scientists Need You.” urgent public health priority. “ inflicting on Asian communities.

Nitin added, “Covid-19 is the For details and to sign up, go They warn, “Evidence indicates a biggest health battle of our times.

I to: www.qmul.ac.uk/covidence. markedly higher mortality risk Spread the word on social from Covid-19 among Black Asian know how easy it is to feel powerless but we’re not.

Now we can media: Facebook: @COVIand Minority Ethnic groups, but deaths are not consistent across help our Scientists to find treat- DENCEUK, Instagram: @coviments and a way to defeat it. Yes denceuk, Twitter: @CovidenceUK. BAME groups.”

Their analysis of hospital you, all of you!

Map Source: The Guardian

'PHYSICAL INACTIVITY IN ASIANS COULD LEAD TO CORONAVIRUS DEATHS’ have commissioned PHE to better understand the different factors, such as ethnicity, that may influence the effects of the virus.

Obesity and coronavirus deaths Retired shopkeeper Ali Kiraz Ozel, from Southend-on-Sea, led an active life but was overweight.

Before the coronavirus outbreak he was still running around with his grandchildren. He was 66 and hadn't been sent a letter telling him to shield but he had been taking extra precautions because he had diabetes.

But his family were shocked to hear his obesity could explain why he died after he fell ill with Covid-19, ITV news reported.

According to reports one of the biggest risk factors leading to hospitalisation for those with coronavirus is obesity. The Sun reported that figures released on May 14 showed that one quarter of all coronavirus fatalities in hospitals in England have been of patients with diabetes, which is often caused by obesity. A survey

by NHS found that more than 60% of patients in the ICU with the virus were classified as morbidly obese. In the past, studies have shown overweight and obese people are at greater risk of serious complications or death from infections, like flu. The extra weight creates problems with breathing, clogs up your arteries according to the World Obesity Federation.

According to the ONS, in the 12 months to November 2019, 62.3% of adults (people aged 18 and over) in England were overweight or obese. White British adults were more likely than average to be overweight or obese (63.3%) 73.6% of Black adults were overweight or obese, the highest percentage out of all ethnic groups.

35.3% of adults from the Chinese ethnic group were overweight or obese, the lowest per-

centage out of all ethnic groups The percentage of adults who were overweight or obese was lower than the national average in the Asian (56.2%), Other White (58.1%) Other (52.6%) and Mixed (57.0%) ethnic groups.

Dr Sreedhar Krishna, who is a Consultant Dermatologist in Croydon University Hospital, has a MPhil degree in Public Health in University of Cambridge and researched on the effects of physical inactivity on the risk of heart attacks. He has also published on the relationship between obesity and high blood pressure in Gujaratis. Speaking to Asian Voice, Dr Krishna said, “BMI is an index of how much you weigh, divided by how tall you are. It is not a great index of if you are really obese. Rugby players are covered in muscles and according to BMI they could be classified as obese.”

For research BMI is an easily calculable index, that’s what all the data is based on. However there are other ways of characterising this, which is a lot better. But they are not easily available or scalable. Hence the government or any such official sources use BMI as a reliable measurement.

“If you are Asian and obese- you will clearly be at more at risk. But there hasn’t been a national strategy

by NHS England as to what to do with very high risk people, and it is left to the individual hospitals to decide.”

Members of minority ethnic groups in the UK often have lower socioeconomic status, which is in turn associated with a greater risk of obesity in women and children.

Stressing on the nature of work and physical inactivity also leading up to these disproportionate deaths,

Dr Krishna added, “Physical inactivity increases risk of heart attack and stroke. The nature of your work makes a huge difference. If you are at a desk job and don’t exercise, then you are in serious trouble. The way fat is deposited in Asian person is different from a Caucasian person. Although Asians get a bad reputation, when we look at the national data, we are not more obese than the general population. In fact for Asians it is actually lower.”

Research says waist size is usually a better and easier thing to measure when it comes to excess fat.

“But underlying heart issues is actually more of a risk factor than obesity. Food habits and genetics contribute to that,” he added.

Vitamin D deficiency In the UK we get most of our vitamin D from sunlight exposure from around late March and early April to the end of September. We need vitamin D to help the body absorb calcium and phosphate from our diet. These minerals are important for healthy bones, teeth and muscles.

“All Asian people should be taking Vitamin D.” said Dr Krishna. “Low Vitamin D is associated with everything from heart disease to suicide risks. Asians with low Vitamin D are at high risk of Coronavirus too. That’s one of the most important factors to look into.

“Poverty and socio economic factors like living in crowded houses also add up to these deficits. Nature of your work – whether NHS, retail or transport, if you are not given PPEs, people from ethnic minorities are less likely to flag it, some of which is cultural- that can lead to risking your health further.

“I feel obesity and Vitamin D deficiency are part of the reasons for these disproportionate deaths. But not the only reasons.”

www.asian-voice.com

AsianVoiceNews

UK

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

7

30 May - 5 June 2020

PRODUCED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH UK GOVERNMENT

SMEs laud Government relief schemes Rupanjana Dutta Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced an unprecedented package of support to protect jobs and businesses across the UK during the ongoing crisis and provide a wide range of financial support.

37-year-old Bilal Majeed’s fabric shop, A&M Textiles, in High Wycombe deals with a range of textiles products. On 20th March as soon as the gov-

ernment’s lock-down measures came into force, Bilal had to shut down his business. But when NHS staff needed PPEs and people needed fabric for events such as funerals, Bilal got a few customers but 99% of his sales were lost.

Bilal said, “We were panicking. We didn’t know how long we would remain closed and how we were going to meet all the expenses and pay the rent and bills.

Later that week came the Government for Small Business Grant Relief which was paid to businesses depending on their rateable values. That was a big relief.”

When asked how easy the application process was, he said, “The application was straightforward, and we had the money within two weeks.”

Though Bilal got £25,000 through the Business Grant scheme, he then applied for the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans Scheme (CBILF), and later applied for a £30,000 Bounce Back Loan. He said, “We had two applications running at the same time. We got an email from the bank saying that they would cancel our CBILS application. Now, the Bounce Back Loan is under process, and we are waiting for the funds to arrive.”

41-year-old Sudharsan Murugavel, the chef and owner of the Dosa Kitchen restaurant in Newcastle upon Tyne told Asian Voice how they have been helped by the government’s business schemes. He said, “What the government is

doing is absolutely great. The government has waived all the business rates, which we don’t have to pay for one year. The application was straight forward. The only challenge is that we have to pay the rent. There is a mortgage holiday for residential landlords but not for business landlords. Since the mortgage depends on our rent, we have to pay it. But the government has offered us £25,000 from the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund (RHLGF) and if that money comes in, paying the rent will be easier.”

He added, “My VAT was supposed to be paid on 7th April. Around 19th March the government sent an email saying that they will defer the VAT payment. I had saved-up cash to pay the VAT. So, the deferral also gave me a buffer to help in our cash flow.”

37-year-old Deepa Sugathan is a solicitor and one of three partners and directors at Silk Route Legal, a small City law firm in London.

They have applied for the VAT deferral scheme as well as CBILF. Deepa said, “Applying for the VAT deferral was relatively straightforward, and we have till March 2021 to pay our March 2019 instalment. We have also applied for CBILF. The government requirement and the initial application has been relatively simple. However, the banks have their own requirements and that has been a bit of a challenge and has delayed the process of approval.”

In her mid-50s, Harjeet Mann is the proprietor of One Nine Seven Early Years Nurseries in KingstonUpon-Thames. She said, “Throughout this unprecedented time, our nursery has remained open for key workers’ children and vulnerable children. As a result of reduced operations, we have had to use the government's Job Retention Scheme, which has helped to avoid lay-offs.

We're very proud of our staff for persevering through this difficult time and we hope to welcome back our regular children soon.”

BUSINESS SUPPORT AVAILABLE The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme • Businesses across the UK can put employees on a period of temporary leave (furlough) and apply for a government grant to cover 80% of those workers’ usual monthly wage costs, up to a cap of £2,500 a month.

• The scheme is now available until the end of October.

Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) • The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme allows eligible selfemployed individuals to claim a taxable grant of 80% of their average monthly trading profits, paid out in a single instalment covering 3 months, and capped at £7,500 in total. Around 95% of people who receive the majority of their income through selfemployment could be eligible.

• To benefit from SEISS, you need to receive at least half of your income from being self-employed and be earning under £50,000 in profits.

• You can use HMRC’s eligibility checker to see if you could benefit from the scheme.

Statutory Sick Pay • The Coronavirus Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme will repay employers the current rate of Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) that they pay to current or former employees for periods of sickness starting on or after 13 March 2020.

VAT deferrals • The Government has given the option to defer VAT payments to UK VAT-registered firms, for payments due alongside VAT returns until the end of June. If you’re a UK VAT-registered business and have a VAT payment due between 20 March 2020 and 30 June 2020, you have the option to either defer the payment until a later date or pay the VAT due as normal.

• HMRC will not charge interest or penalties on any amount deferred.

Business rates holiday and eviction protection • The Government has introduced a business rates holiday for the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors and nurseries, meaning eligible properties in England will pay no business rates this year. This relief is worth almost £10 billion.

• Commercial tenants who cannot pay their rent because of coronavirus will be protected from eviction.

Grants • The Small Business Grant Fund (SBGF) provides businesses with a £10,000

grant per property, for each of their properties which is in receipt of Small Business Rates Relief or Rural Rates Relief. This scheme is only applicable in England.

• The Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund (RHLGF) provides businesses with grants of up to £25,000 per property, for each retail, hospitality or leisure property with a rateable value below £51,000.

This scheme is only applicable in England.

• Local authorities are contacting eligible businesses directly to arrange grant payments. If a business believes they are eligible and has not yet heard from their local authority, they should get in touch with them to ask about these payments.

• On 1 May, the Government also allocated up to an additional £617 million to local authorities to enable them to make discretionary grants to small businesses in their communities, which have been excluded from the SBGF and RHLGF because of the way they interact with the business rates system. This only applies in England.

• We encourage businesses to look out for their local authority’s version of the Discretionary Grants Fund, and to contact their local authority for more information in due course. This only applies in England.

Loans • The Government’s Bounce Back Loans Scheme provides loans of up to £50,000 to small businesses, with an 100% government-backed guarantee for lenders.

These loans will be interest free for the first 12 months and businesses can apply online with a short and simple form.

• The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme is available for loans or other forms of finance of up to £5m.

• The Government will pay interest and any fees for the first 12 months and will provide the lender with an 80% guarantee to support the lending. This scheme is available UK-wide.

• The Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS) supports large businesses with an annual turnover of over £45 million per year to apply for up to £25 million of finance.

Future Fund • The Future Fund will issue convertible loans between £125,000 to £5 million to innovative companies which are facing financing difficulties due to the coronavirus outbreak.

• If your business needs to hire now, government can also help you fill your vacancies by connecting with skilled and experienced people.

8 UK

Point of View

AsianVoiceNews

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

www.asian-voice.com

30 May - 5 June 2020

It's Not That Bad..

Subhash V Thakrar

We keep hearing about doom and gloom. We hear that our economy will collapse and we shall go into deep recession.

Let's take a closer look.

During the economic crisis of 2008/09, the US government injected a fiscal stimulus of $152 bn. In 2020 with COVID crises, that government has committed a stimulus of $2 trillion. This is same as $2000bn, over 13 times that of 2008/09!

For the UK, the figures are £70 bn for 2008 and £330bn for 2020, nearly five times that of 2008. Other major world economies have also followed this trend.

When we look at the ratio of public debt over GDP (Gross Domestic Product), the UK stands at around 86%. The US is 106% and Japan 234%. Back in 1946 post World War II, this ratio for the UK had reached 150%.

So, we have plenty of headroom to go.

The UK fiscal injection has included: 1. Paying up to £2500 per employee per month to sit at home under the so called ‘furlough’ scheme. This money comes straight into the employers’ bank account and paid to the employee. This is free money as the employer or the employee do not have to repay.

2. For the self-employed people, there is a similar scheme paying up to £2500 pm. Again free and not required to repaid.

3. Business interruption loans. These are loans available to businesses where the government will guarantee 80% as security for lenders. The government will also throw in the first 12 month's interest.

4. Business grants of up £25,000 for small businesses.

This is free and not required to be repaid.

5. Business rates holiday. These can be quite large amounts. Again this is free for 12 months not required to be repaid. This is for 2020/21 year and available for those who are eligible.

6. Bounce back loan. These are loans for affected small businesses up to £50,000 and 100% secured by the government. Again first 12 months is interest free.

Does it not sound like the government has a money tree? Well this is more or less the case. The government has thrown a lot of money into the economy. Under normal times these levels of spending would be considered madness.

All this money will see its way into the economy when the recipients start spending which they will do when they gain confidence. Already online shopping is up by 40% and sale of alcohol has jumped up materially also. This spending will boost the economy to recovery.

My own view is that the bounce back will be fast with a V shape.

Yes, some business sectors are suffering and will take a long time to recover. The airlines, pubs and restaurants are all in this sector. But then there are others that will see positive growth. These will include food and groceries, technology, pharma and communications companies. There will also be innovative new ideas that will emerge. There will be eating out concepts where you receive all food material from your favourite restaurant and you cook fresh at home.

Questions are being asked about how and when will all this fiscal injection be repaid. Ultimately the government has to recover from tax revenue and reduction in spending. I feel that the economy will not be ready for large tax increases nor another austerity period. I see therefore that the government will play a balancing long-term act by not increasing taxes quickly nor bring in austerity but allow the recovery process to take place over a longer period. There is room for this given the above mentioned borrowing ratio.

Let's look forward to better times.

Indian economy bright spot in Covid gloom, but there's a long way to go India was was already under fiscal stress before it entered the current economic crisis due to the coronavirus outbreak. The economy had been steadily slowing on the back of a credit crunch and slump in consumption.

India, still, is better off than other countries currently.

As pointed by Subhas V Thakrar, the ratio of public debt over GDP ( Gross Domestic Product), the UK stands at around 86%. The US is 106% and Japan 234%. Back in 1946 post World War II, this ratio for the UK had reached 150%.

So the UK has plenty of headroom to go.

So goes for India, whose public debt level of 77 percent of gross domestic product, according to Fitch Ratings Ltd. The Narendra Modi government has already announced a stimulus. A whopping Rs 20 lakh crore, 10 percent of India's GDP is indeed large enough to pump prime the economy.

The package has underwhelmed

many economists and investors alike.

Some also worked out that the actual fiscal cost amounts to just about 1 percent of GDP, sending stocks and the rupee down in the immediate aftermath.

But many parameters suggest, despite odds stacked against it, the economy is still on the track.

The robust Indian internal market is one of the biggest plus. The famous demographic dividend argument emphasizes immense opportunity in India's growing middle-income group, reports The Financial Express.

The transfers to the underprivileged and most vulnerable segments and investments in projects for employment generation will trigger the benefits of potential markets and resources.

Agricultural infrastructure reforms will also help change the scenario.

Besides solving this long term structural problem, such investments can also help achieve the short-term

objective of rural employment generation.

The looming threat of a credit rating downgrade to junk may have held officials back from delivering a more immediate boost to the economy through, for example, direct cash handouts to citizens.

India's GDP is expected to contract and debt-to-GDP ratio to vault up in fiscal 2021, but Bloomberg economist Abhishek Gupta still doesn't think a ratings downgrade would be justified.

Looking ahead, recent structural reforms announced by the government should, in fact, continue to support the country's investment-grade rating.

India finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman opined that the whole world is hit by coronavirus, so the ratings agencies will have to see each economy in relation to the other. “If my macroeconomic fundamentals are better than many, many other economies, that would come into play,” she told Times of India in an interview.

Cops confirm call to Cummings’ father as Johnson resists sacking cry Amid growing demand for the ouster of Dominic Cummings, senior advisor to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the British police have contradicted the government confirming call to Cummings’father about his 400-km trip to see his wife.

Earlier, Downing Street had rubbished reports of police calling advisor’s home and has been resisting calls from opposition parties to sack him.

British police on Saturday confirmed that an officer had a talk with the father of Cummings about his trip during lockdown. “Mr. Cummings' father confirmed that his son had travelled with his family from London," the Mirror cited the police as saying. "And officer made contact."

The man who played a key role in the 2016 campaign to leave the EU travelled to Durham in late March when

a strict lockdown was already in place.

Defending the act, Johnson's office said Cummings went to his wife’s place to ensure the safety of his 4-year-old son as there was a strong possibility he would not get proper care since his wife was ill with Covid-19.

Ironically, after asking media to stay two meters away from him in accordance with the lockdown guidelines, Cummings said that he had behaved reasonably and legally.

Taking a dig at the

Organised crime gangs cashing on stimulus Package benefits Organised crime gangs latest target is the coronavirus stimulus package and an estimated £1.5 billion has been lost to universal credit fraud alone.

Lynne Owens, the head of the National Crime Agency (NCA), warned that criminals had targeted relief schemes with “instances of fraud against DWP [the Department for Work and Pensions] and HMRC”, reports The Times.

More than 1.5 million people applied for the benefit in the four weeks to April 9 alone, six times the normal number. The BBC reported that usual checks were relaxed to process the claims quickly and that some organised crime groups may have defrauded the system as a result.One official told the

broadcaster that hundreds of millions of pounds had been handed out as advance payments and it would be difficult for fraud investigators to claw back the money as the recipients could not be traced.

The NCA and police said yesterday that criminals continued to adapt to the pandemic and remained active, particularly in fraud.

Ms Owens also revealed that online shopping fraud was up 46 per cent since the beginning of the lockdown, which made it one of the biggest growth areas in crime.

Criminals were playing on people’s fears, offering fake or non-existent items for sale, including personal protective equipment, she said.

They are also using the cover of coronavirus to traffic drugs.

reporters Cummings asked, “You guys are probably all about as right about that as you were about Brexit: do you remember how right you all were about that?"

Ministers too came out in support of the embattled senior adviser.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said that Prime Minister provides Cummings with his full support. Shapps also told that he had no idea as to when the Prime Minister came to know about his visit. Prime Minister’s Office has already said that Cummings' actions were in line with coronavirus guidelines.

Opposition however has been unrelenting with calls to sack Cummings and going as far as seeking an investigation into the journey.

Opposition Labour said in a statement, “The British people do not expect there to be one rule for them and another rule for the prime minister’s

most senior adviser."

The Prime Minister announced a stringent countrywide lockdown in late March, and on March 23, asked people not to meet the family members who are not living in same house till curbs were in place.

Just few days later, Johnson told people that he had tested positive for coronavirus and subsequently Cummings left Downing Street and himself developed symptoms on the weekend of March 28-29.

The lockdown guidelines stipulate that those who have Covid-19 or suspect they have it should self-isolate for at least seven days and not venture outside for any reason whatsoever.

Recently, epidemiologist Neil Ferguson, a member of government’s scientific advisory group, had to quit after it was reported that his girlfriend had visited him during lockdown.

Government minister for Scotland resigns over Dominic Cummings row A Government minister has resigned over Dominic Cummings' lockdown trip to Durham, delivering a massive blow to Boris Johnson and Downing Street.

Douglas Ross, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Scotland and a Tory whip, announced this morning he is quitting the frontbench because he was unconvinced by Mr Cummings' defence of the 260-mile journey.

Mr Ross, the MP for Moray, said in his resignation letter: 'I have constituents who didn't get to say goodbye to loved ones; families who could not mourn together; people who didn't visit sick relatives because they followed the guidance of the government.

'I cannot in good faith tell them they were all wrong and one senior adviser to the government was right.'

www.asian-voice.com

AsianVoiceNews

UK 9

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

30 May - 5 June 2020

Virendra Sharma MP Labour MP for Ealing & Southall

Stop this scandal and stand up for what is right Amongst all the worry and danger embodied so well today by Covid-19 we see not selfishness and meanness but compassion and generosity. Every day I am struck by the good will and the dedication of so many to make the world a better place and to sacrifice something of themselves for someone else. Captain Tom Moore and Dabirul Islam Choudhury have both at the age of 100 given up hours of their time and expended a huge amount of effort to help others less fortunate and to raise money for charity. The response across the country has been heartwarming, and we have seen Churches, Mandirs, Mosques and Gurdwaras all working together for people of every culture, creed and religion.

In my constituency we have seen no less compassion, I am proud to have worked with Kulcha Express, who have delivered food to local frontline staff in the NHS, Police and Fire Service, and helped Vishwa Hindu Sewa Pariwar bring PPE to care homes in Norwood Green. Ealing Council have led London and been given responsibility for purchasing PPE for all boroughs, and not only that, they have also been the swiftest council in the country in distributing grants to eligible local businesses, with over 99.5% of funds already paid out. Our response locally has been world beating. It seems like the whole world is stepping up, and others across my constituency, TKC, VHS and Sarwana Bhawan for example, have also support-

ed thousands of people working on the frontline saving lives, or those who have lost their jobs. All the charities and businesses that have contributed and worked to save lives and help people – thank you.

Sadly, not everyone though is acting so scrupulously. That’s why I am launching this campaign here in Asian Voice calling on everyone to be vigilant, to look out for each other and not be taken in by scams and frauds. I am worried that as the Covid-19 crisis has spread on our streets, so it has emboldened the crooks that pray on the good people wanting to help the most. I have heard stories in my constituency of fake charities writing to people, of false appeals on social media and in emails and of door to door visits collecting cash to fight Covid-19 only for it to end up in the pockets of criminals.

There are a number of worrying trends in fraud, preying particularly on those keen to help those affected by Covid-19. I have heard stories of fraudsters knocking on doors and offering to do shopping for older people who are shielding, before running off with their money. Some burglars have been distracting people with the offer of a free temperature test and then, while the homeowner is distracted, burgling the house.

Online has seen a new range of opportunities for fraud too, and the worries so many have about money means emails impersonating HMRC have become far more common and fake

emails from your doctor or the NHS sometimes look for private personal information. Another regular scam is fake websites offering face masks or hand sanitizer at low prices or when they are sold out elsewhere.

Remember, if it’s not a trustworthy website don’t use it!

We have to stand together to oppose this kind of completely deplorable and unscrupulous behaviour. As such I have asked the Minister for the Cabinet Office what actions his department is taking to combat a worrying increase in scams during the lockdown, to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions about the worrying incidence of older people being defrauded and I have written to the Home Secretary asking her what steps she is taking to ensure that those perpetrating these vile crimes are stopped and punished appropriately.

So, I urge everyone to be vigilant. It doesn’t mean don’t volunteer or give generously, just to check who you are giving to, and make sure they are a trustworthy organisation.

Charities should be registered, and you can check this with the Charity Commission on gov.uk/find-charity-information. There are loads of amazing causes out there, thousands of volunteers giving their time and effort, we just need to make sure that the ones we support are honest and real. Our communities, villages, towns and cities have come together in this crisis. Don’t let a criminal few ruin our wonderful community spirit.

LycaHealth donates 2350 hand lotion bottles to local hospitals LycaHealth, a global healthcare company and part of the Lyca Group, has donated 2350 bottles of hand lotion to Whipps Cross Hospital in Wanstead for use by NHS staff.

Hand lotion has been officially requested by key NHS workers across the country to combat issues caused by the use of alcohol rubs and constant hand washing - providing relief from dryness and hand care at the end of extended shifts.

Although the donation will be utilised largely by staff at Whipps Cross Hospital, a portion will be shared across the Barts NHS Trust hospitals, including in the Tower Hamlets area where the charity is headquartered.

Prema Subaskaran, Chair of Lyca Health said: “Our heroes in the NHS are working

tirelessly, putting themselves at great risk to save lives during the coronarvirus pandemic.

This is just a small way in which we can thank them and make their lives more comfortable during these challenging times.”

A n d r e w Whitfield the Assistant Director of Public Health for Whipps Cross and Barts NHS Trust said: “We are extremely grateful to Prema Subaskaran and LycaHealth for this generous gift which will be greatly appreciated by our hardworking staff.”

LycaHealth encourages anyone that would like to support the heroic efforts of the NHS to contact their local NHS trust or charity.

Entrepreneurs conquer households with Indian products through doorstep deliveries Rupanjana Dutta During the coronavirus pandemic, e-commerce has become prevalent among Asians. People living away from family have often booked delivery for their elderly parents, when physically they have failed to drop off parcels at their doorstep.

The change in shopping pattern has caused retailers to adapt quickly too. Though this could create long term challenges, the e-commerce business is booming, with more and more people shopping online.

40-year-old Preeti lives in Fulham.

Before the lockdown she had never used an online portal to shop for her Indian grocery.

“I liked to go to Ealing, Southall or Wembley to pick up my regular Indian shopping. We are a family of five. My children love South Indian food.

It is rather easy to drive from home and go to West or North West London to shop for our Indian grocery. We occasionally walk into the Indian restaurants around and visit temples too.”

After the coronavirus pandemic, Preeti and husband who are both IT professionals, decided to shop online for grocery and required Indian spices. This was their first interaction with Red Rickshaw, UK’s number one and first ever online Asian grocer.

Red Rickshaw employs a global staff serving thousands of international customers and was founded

by Jyoti Patel. After university, she worked at the London Stock Exchange, but food was always her hobby. It was 2009, when e-commerce businesses were booming, and she thought of Red Rickshaw, now the largest online Asian grocery store in the UK, and a top wholesaler to Michelin-starred restaurants.

Speaking to Asian Voice, a mother of two, 39-year-old Jyoti said, “Mid March before people anticipated the lockdown, there was almost a panic a food shortage. We were inundated with orders. It has further impacted now, and we have worked on our capacity to service everyone purchasing now. The biggest challenge now is the shortage of stock. Whilst we are getting the delivery, we get sold out very quickly. With global supply chain being impacted, manufacture was effected, and we were also impacted. It is still taking a bit of time to get the volume of grocery in. A lot of grocery come from India, if they cant come to this country, there is a scarcity. Even if we dispatched delivery on time, some of the courier companies were held in their depot. But it’s getting much better.”

They use contactless deliveries like DHL courier, which leaves it at the doorstep, specially for vulnerable. Red Rickshaw provides grocery and recipe boxes for NHS staff at a discount.

Speaking about competition, Patel said, “There are so many companies, now even Cash and Carries who are delivering. Many manufactures are struggling with stocks, but those have surplus, who used to deliver to restaurants, have now turned into retail.

“Traditionally people liked to touch and feel their vegetables and so it is difficult to

trust someone else to pick the best of the bunch for them. However, we have found that our customers praise the quality of our fruit and vegetables as it is fresher than what they find on the high street shops. We sort through them, clean them and ensure we only dispatch the best quality of groceries.”

Cocofina online sales grow by 4000%

Jacob Thundil

Exporting organic food and drink to 28 countries, Cocofina Ltd is based across London and Kent, with a shop in Ickenham.

Employing four people in head office, and providing employment to more people indirectly in production and logistics, the coconut experts produce staples like coconut oil and coconut water, as well as specialist products.

However, coronavirus has meant the raw material for Cocofina’s range of products has become harder to source, though their online business has grown by 4000% overnight. Owner, Jacob Thundil, discussed how his company’s structure changed overnight into a buzzing e-commerce wholesaler.

“Coronavirus has affected our supply chain in ways we could not imagine. Although we produce most of our products in the UK, the availability of raw material has caused a lot of issues. We had numerous shipments in transit and getting paperwork to clear the shipments was challenging, although I was pleased with the amount support offered by the ports to avoid disruption.

“We have followed government advice and closed our shop. As a result, we have had to adapt quickly to meet changing customer demands, and ensure existing customers are not left disappointed.

“Our online sales have grown by 4000%, so overnight our business has transformed from a predominately ‘brick and mortar’ retail and wholesale business to a buzzing ecommerce business. This has changed the cost structure and staffing, and we are now constantly evolving, connecting and speaking to customers through a range of digital channels.

“Through the business support schemes available, we have been successful in receiving a Small Business Grant for our retail premises, and a 100% business rates reduction.

Hillingdon Council made the process easy.

“We believe at the end of this period we will emerge as a stronger business - if there is a stress test for a small business, this is it!”

10 READERS VOICE

AsianVoiceNews

30 May - 5 June 2020

Beware of politicians who come bearing gifts In this ancient saying, it is Greeks rather than Chinese, related to a huge wooden horse filled with Greek soldiers left outside the fort where Helen, the most beautiful woman in the history of ancient Greece was held prisoner.

Today China is the wooden horse filled with highly subsidised consumer goods that floods Western market, making Western nations impetuous on industrial stage where they are not able to meet demands of PPE, simple medicines like paracetamol, antibiotics and many more every day necessities, consumer goods we depend on supply from China, allowing China to build a trillion dollar war chest of foreign currencies, mainly US dollar, to subjugate the West.

First turning China Sea into Chinese domain by building artificial islands in international waters, defying Hague Court Judgement, then giving coronavirus to rest of the world and now trying to integrate Hong Kong into mainland China, destroying whatever little independence people of Hong Kong enjoy, breaking every international treaty China signed with Britain when Hong Kong was handed-over to China at the end of 99 years lease.

Chinese kidology is more dangerous than that of Adolf Hitler!

At one time we even wanted China to finance and build our nuclear power station, thus giving China a foothold in our most sensitive technology, ready-made tool to spy. It is high time that our government learn a lesson, understand that China is the real enemy, not Russia, North Korea or even Iran. We would like to make Russia a scapegoat for our failings. Beware of the danger before it is too late! Do we need another Chamberlain and Hitler appeasing policy!

Bhupendra M. Gandhi

By Email

Students can benefit from online classes Due to Covid-19, educational institutions are closed, thus, it has become necessary for students to opt for online classes.

Online classes are not that bad as are propagated by some people. They are very beneficial in self-disciplining. The students have time to balance their studies and personal life too.

In a setting of the classroom, the students have to force their schedules around the timings of their class dates. However, the classes by the online method have made students plan out their sch edules according to their personal preferences. It gives a person more time to interact with their classmates through online chatting.

Because it will help you in online class discussions, especially if you are a shy person, group discussions will be more useful too, and preparing projects will be more accessible.

Although the other person might take a few hours to respond, the answer will be clear and precise. Moreover, it gives students more time to interact with their professors. The discussion that happens online allow the students to ask as many questions as possible from their tutor. And the answer would be precise. In traditional classrooms, the solution to one’s problems might be given in a hurry without any thought put into it. Navigating through the learning system management of your aca demic institution will help in nurturing your overall technical and computer skills. Online classes are also easier to opt for because you can sit in the comfort of your homes and learn. Even if it is 3 am, it will be easy for you to review the material online. These are only one of the many benefits of online classes during this time of crisis.

Jubel D'Cruz, Mumbai, India

Back to school We read the article you wrote about not ready to send our children back to school. It was a detailed piece on which area had how many Asians living- and it told us a clear story about how parents are refusing to send their children to schools. You should ask the parents sending their children to private schools. For many reasons. They are paying for their children to study in a school and its worth knowing what they think of not sending their children, even after paying a hefty sum of money as tuition fee. It was also good to see a cross community voice and many angst parents as well as teachers. Well researched article.

Aditya Narayan London

Could coronavirus rival Spanish flu?

It is almost 100 years ago; in March 1918 Spanish flu hit America with vengeance. It was particularly a nasty H1N1 virus, so tiny that scientists were unable to see it under their primitive microscope, until they introduced a powerful one in 1930. It is estimated that between 20 and 50 million people died as a result when the world population was just 500 million, compared to present day population of some seven billion.

One hundred and eighty thousand American soldiers died in just one month of October 1918 who brought this epidemic to Europe, America being a major contributor to WW1 success, in defeating Germany.

People may wonder why it was called Spanish flu! While there was a complete block out on such moral draining news in allied press, Spanish journalists did not faced such restrictions, as Spain was a neutral country, such restrictions did not apply to them!

Although some 50 million people lost their lives, the epidemic was more or less contained, within Europe and North America. Australia, Latin America and most of Africa were hardly touched, as there was no air travel, no holiday firms and people hardly left their own country. That is why such local holiday hotspots like Blackpool and Lake District were developed and in high demand during British summer. Costa del Sol was not even on the horizon!

One may wonder how dreadful Spanish flu could have been if worldwide travel was as easy, as popular as it is today!

Kumudini Valambia

By Email

Attacks on frontline personnel Reports about attacks on doctors and frontline personnel in India are really disturbing (Asian Voice 2-8 May 2020). Those who are protecting society and common people should be protected by all of us. Doctors and paramedical staff are working under stressful situation with limited resources and dealing with various patients who are naturally under tension especially in the current situation.

The government should give more powers to security personnel to deal with those perpetrators who are not only creating problems for themselves but under the name of religion and minorities, they are creating nuisance in society. Public properties are made from the taxes paid by hard-working people so anybody who damages th ese should be dealt with firmly. There should be a separate mechanism to deal with these cases expeditiously so other people think twice before doing any harm to the property or people. The message is one needs to learn to respect before even think to expect.

Hitesh Hingu London

Eid Mubarak!

Your story on Eid celebration by British Muslims was a good one. This year the lockdown has affected the way we Muslims observe Ramadan. I have not been able to see my elderly parents who are isolating. I spent Eid with my family in our garden. Though the weather was not really great, but we managed to have a barbecue, and we prayed together. We had a zoom call with my parents and my brother and family.

It’s a pity that we spent our holy months like this. Honestly the Ramadan was very good. There were less distractions.

We worked from home, so it was easier to deal with everything. But Eid without my family is the first one, and I feel upset that I had to spend it without my parents. My children had a good time. We decorated the house and there were sacks of presents and they really loved the kind of food they liked to eat, thrown into the menu. Happy Eid everyone!

Mohsin Patel Leeds

Bollywood & Babas I came across an episode from a tv series “Zindagi Ke Crossroads” the other day where they covered a story that how a Baba (Hindu saint) is corrupted and how he runs certain corrupted activities in his Ashram!

I understand that there may be negative people in all faiths. If the industry wants to cover stories, then why target only one faith again & again? On the name of secularism, why all other sects get away by not being portrayed in these serials/movies! It’s not fair.

Is it because they fear for their safety or fear their office being attacked or fear they will be dragged in court?

Just because Sanatan Dharma is more tolerant and doesn’t promote violence and hatred, how fair is it to continuously target this particular faith & portrait it negatively in almost all the stories (movies/serials)?

Few other examples include famous movies such as PK, Oh My God & Gujarati movie Cash on Delivery. Recent Web Series called Paatal Lok is a classic example where not only the storyline but it’s poster itself also mocks Hinduism!

Devang Bhatt London

UK NEWS

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

www.asian-voice.com

Leicester's Indian community condemns action of Leicester East MP Leicester’s Indian community has reacted with fury against the MP for Leicester East Claudia Webbe following her decision to sign a letter calling for self determination for Kashmir.

Hundreds of Indian-origin people have signed a petition through the campaigning group 38 degrees which calls of the beleaguered MP to withdraw her name from a letter she co signed with former Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn. Ms Webbe nearly lost the previously safe Labour seat at the last General Election when the Conservative Candidate Bhupinder Dave slashed the previous majority amassed by former Minister Keith Vaz from 22,428 to just 6,000.

Ms Webbe was imposed by a hard left group on the National Executive Committee in the seat at the last minute. There are nearly 30,000 people of the Hindu faith living in the constituency. She has been severely criticised by local people for still holding on to her position as an Islington Councillor despite being an MP in the Midlands.

The petition states interfering into matters pertaining to Kashmir by any British political party, politicians or even government is not acceptable in the same vein for any overseas bodies to interfere with Northern Ireland or Gibraltar for instance.

The petition included 500 signatures, as we went to press. It said, “We the undersigned, UK population and residents of Leicester East which you represent as MP, hereby write to you to protest in strongest possible terms our displeasure and deep disappointment at the stance that you have taken on the Kashmir issue.

“We unequivocally believe that you have disregarded the facts and the historical dynamics to take a biased anti India stance. We deem there to be political and/or ideological motives that has led to your slur and an outright political misjudgement. This, as well as you presiding as chair over the Labour Party’s motion on Kashmir at its annual conference, has left many of us feeling betrayed and extremely let down by an MP that represents the interests of British Hindus and Indians.

Demanding Claudia’s response to a list of 8 facts (non-exhaustive) they wrote, n Kashmir has always been an integral part of India even before Pakistan came into being. n Pakistan sent invading forces to capture Kashmir immediately after the partition in 1947 and occupied substantial parts of the region, which to date are under its occupation. n The king of Kashmir, Raja Hari Singh, under threat from the invading forces signed a treaty of accession with India merging itself into the Union and thus allowing India to thwart the invading forces. n Pakistan took up the matter with the United Nations (UN). n The UN Resolution 47 laid out a three step process (source: http://unscr.com/en/resolutions/47):I. Pakistan was asked to withdraw all Pakistani nationals and forces that entered Kashmir to put an end to the fighting reverting back to the pre August 1947 position.

II. India was asked to progressively reduce its forces to the minimum level required to sustain law and order.

III. India had been invited to appoint a plebiscite administrator nominated by the UN to conduct a free and impartial plebiscite. n Pakistan has never adhered to its part of the resolution i.e. the first pre-condition set by the UN. It has therefore no right to continually ask for plebiscite. n Following the 1971 war which led to the formation of Bangladesh, Pakistan signed a bilateral agreement with India under the Simla agreement in which it agreed to resolve all matters through bilateral means (source: https://peacemaker.un.org/indiapakistan-simlaagreement72). n The imposition of Article 370 was a temporary measure and implemented through an act of Indian Parliament as deemed appropriate – not by any other country or condition. Its removal has also been an act of Indian Parliament, again as deemed appropriate. There is no right to challenge the decision, there are no violations of human rights or the ghastly rumour mongering that has spread, the sole purpose is for unilateral integration.”

www.asian-voice.com

AsianVoiceNews

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

30 May - 5 June 2020

11

12 MEDIA WATCH

AsianVoiceNews

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

www.asian-voice.com

30 May - 5 June 2020

SCRUTATOR’S Select OCI cardholders can visit India now

India's ministry of home affairs (MHA) has allowed certain categories of Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card holders to visit the country. The coronavirus lockdown guidelines of May 7 had imposed restrictions on OCI card holders travelling home. As per the current MHA order, several categories will benefit from the removal of visa and travel restrictions. These include minor children born to Indian nationals abroad and holding OCI cards; OCI cardholders who wish to come to India on account of family emergencies, like a death in the family; couples where one spouse is an OCI cardholder and the other is an Indian national and they have permanent residence in India; university students who are OCI cardholders (not legally minors) but whose parents are Indian citizens living in India. The home ministry also made it clear the travel restrictions imposed would not apply to any aircraft, ship, train or any other vehicle deployed for bringing back the abovementioned categories of OCI card holders who are stranded abroad due to the lockdown. Officials said the decision to amend the earlier order was taken in public interest.

(The Indian Express)

Harsh Vardhan takes charge as chairman of WHO's executive board

on account of this pandemic. At a time, when we all understand that there will be many health challenges in the next 2 decades.

All these challenges demand a shared response," he was quoted as saying. The main functions of the executive board are to give effect to the decisions and policies of the Health Assembly, to advise it and generally to facilitate its work. Last year, WHO's SouthEast Asia group had unanimously decided to elect India's nominee to the executive board for a threeyear-term beginning May. The proposal to appoint India's nominee to the executive board was signed by the 194-nation World Health Assembly. The chairman's post is held by rotation for one year among regional groups and it was decided last year that India's nominee would be the Executive Board chairman for the first year starting Friday last. It is not a full-time assignment and the minister will just be required to chair the executive board's meetings, an official said. (Agency)

TTD to sell prasadam at 50% discount Authorities of Sri Venkateswara temple have decided to sell 'Tirupati laddu Prasadam' among devotees at 50% discount in Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad and all district headquarters in Andhra Pradesh.

According to a report, the laddu whose actual price on normal days is Rs 50, will be sold at Rs 25 to devotees. The decision has been taken by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) in the view of the prevailing uncertainty over the resumption of darshan at the Sri Venkateswara temple atop Tirumala in Andhra Pradesh.

Those who require bulk quantity will have to contact the Srivari Temple Deputy EO on 9849575952 and Potu Peishkar on 9701092777 for their additional requirement whose delivery would be made at the TTD centres. Darshan at the hill shrine has been stopped since 20 March due to the Covid-19

two months and would also be given for May and June. (Agency)

Swiggy, Zomato to home deliver alcohol

The top two food-delivery startups, Swiggy and Zomato, have started delivering alcohol in some cities, as they cash in on the high demand for booze during the country's coronavirus lockdown.

India was among the few countries to restrict liquor and tobacco sales as it announced one of the world's strictest lockdowns in March. Hundreds of people started queuing up at liquor stores earlier this month when the government eased some restrictions, leading the police to resort to baton-charges to disperse crowds in some cases. The companies will roll out the service in select cities in Jharkhand, starting with Ranchi, Swiggy and Zomato said in separate statements. Swiggy said it was in advanced talks with multiple states to launch the service in more locations, and both firms said the move to allow alcohol orders through smartphones will promote social distancing and customer safety. "By enabling home delivery of alcohol, we can generate additional business for retail outlets while solving the problem of overcrowding," said Anuj Rathi, vice president of products at Bengaluru-based Swiggy. (Agency)

Kerala offers all facilities to migrants

India's health minister Harsh Vardhan took charge as the chairman of the 34-member World Health Organisation (WHO) executive board. Harsh Vardhan, who is at the forefront of India's battle against Covid-19, succeeded Dr Hiroki Nakatani of Japan. "I am aware I am entering this office at a time of global crisis

pandemic. TTD Trust Board Chairman YV Subba Reddy said that they have been receiving a number of emails and phones asking about when Srivari darshan would resume. Reddy denied reports circulating on social media stating that TTD was facing a financial crunch and hence was unable to pay salaries to staff. He said salaries were paid for the last

Amid easing of lockdown restrictions leading to partial resumption of economic and trade activities, the Kerala government said the state does not want to see the exit of migrant workers. Of the 410,000 migrant workers staying in Kerala after the lockdown, 42,230 have returned to their home states via special trains. Of these, 11,157 have returned to Bihar, and 9,186 to Uttar Pradesh. The rest have gone to Jharkhand, Odisha, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal.

The Kerala Labour Minister T P Ramakrishnan said the state will give all legal protection to migrant workers who want to work in the state. “Kerala does not want migrant workers to go back. Those who want to go home can do so. If those who had returned to their states come back to Kerala, the government would offer them all facilities for taking up jobs,” he said. The minister said 42,230 migrant workers had returned to their states after lockdown.

Another 150,000 may leave the state in the coming weeks, he said.

Labour department sources said workers attached to construction firms, contractors or production units are not keen to go back as they are getting regular work. “We have another category of migrant

person in the moving vehicle, staring straight into the camera.

There are no reports of anyone being injured by the tiger. Forest officials are closely monitoring the area to track the tiger's movement. Officials have set up cameras to track the tiger. The district is surrounded by forest area and is less than 3 hours from the Tadoba Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra and Telangana's Kawal Wildlife Sanctuary. This area is home to some tigers that travel looking for prey. In recent days, people have reported spotting a tiger drinking water at a river nearby. There were also

workers who are scattered and look at odd-jobs. They are demanding that they be taken home. Since several trains have been operated for migrant workers, many are patiently waiting at their residential camps even without going out in search of work. They think that the call to board the next train would come at any time,” sources said.

(The Indian Express)

Centre allows states to conduct board exams The Union Home Ministry has allowed the states to conduct board examinations for classes 10 and 12, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said. The ministry has already written to all state governments informing them about the exemptions given for holding the examinations across the country with certain conditions. "Taking into consideration the academic interest of a large number of students, it has been decided to grant exemption from lockdown measures to conduct board examination for classes 10th and 12th, with few conditions like social distancing, face mask etc, for their safety," Shah tweeted. In his letter to chief secretaries of states and union territories, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla said under the guidelines on lockdown measures, opening of schools has been prohibited and as a result annual board examinations being conducted by state education boards, CBSE, ICSE for classes 10 and 12 were suspended. Bhalla said requests were received from the state governments and CBSE for conducting board examinations and the matter has been examined in the home ministry. "Taking into consideration the academic interest of a large number of students, it has been decided to grant exemption from the lockdown measures to conduct board examinations for classes 10 and 12," he said.

Tiger takes a stroll near a mine A tiger was seen near a mine in Telangana's Komaram Bheem district, 306 km from state capital Hyderabad. Workers at the open cast mine who spotted the tiger near a village ran for cover. A 46second video shot by one man who saw the tiger shows the big cat standing on a heap of mud.

The tiger looks down at the

separate reports of a bull and a cow being attacked and killed.

(Agency)

Residents get ration at their doorsteps For the first time, the residents of Simlet, a small island village located off the coast in Panchmahals district, got their ration through the public distribution system (PDS) at their doorsteps. The district administration organised a camp at the village, which is located in the catchment area of the Panam dam. “There had been a few requests from the villagers. Since they were facing difficulties during the Covid-19 lockdown, we decided to organise the camp,” said Amit Arora, District Collector, Panchmahals. A total of 204 persons from over 30 families registered under the National Food Security Act were provided with wheat, rice, chana dal and sugar. A total ration of 2,120 kg were distributed among the beneficiaries. For all these years, the villagers have lived without electricity, school, healthcare centre and shops. Most of the families depend on agriculture, fishing and contractual labour work to earn a living. The villagers have to commute via boat to Mahelan village, almost a km away, to avail all facilities. “This is a very welcome move by the administration. And this is for the very first time that a camp has been organised here. Earlier we would take our own boats through the river to Mahelan. It takes us around 20-30 minutes. Summers are more difficult. Earlier we would pool together on a single boat but due to the pandemic, we had stopped sharing the boats. I hope this arrangement is continued further as well,” one of the villagers said. (Agency)

www.asian-voice.com

AsianVoiceNews

UK

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

13

30 May - 5 June 2020

Govt does a ‘U-turn’, exempts foreign Muslim man arrested for breaking into Derby gurdwara health workers from surcharge The police have arrested a Muslim man for breaking into a Gurdwara in Normanton in eastern England. The cops have linked the attack to a stabbing incident which had taken place earlier in the same area.

The Stanhope Street’s Guru Arjan Gurdwara was attacked on Monday morning and had its front doors smashed. The break-in which took place around 8:40am has been linked by the police to a stabbing in Normanton Road nearby.

In the stabbing incident, a 41-year-old man had been attacked in Polanica Polish delicatessen same morning and had been found unconscious with stab wounds.

The 'Derbyshire Live' reported that the man who has been arrested for the Gurdwara attack has also been linked to the stabbing bid. For now, the cops have ruled out the involvement of any other person but said the probe will continue in the

matter. Cops also thanked the local Sikh community for their cooperation in the probe.

Talking about the incident, the Guru Arjan Sikh Temple wrote on their Facebook page: “From the evidence obtained thus far, the male's attire and the note which was left, appears that he is of Muslim background.

This is an area with a multicultural community, where all have lived and worked together for many years.

Especially durin g these times, faith-based charities have been at the forefront.”

The Gurdwara also said that an individual’s act

should not be construed as an act committed by the community and we should not condemn the whole Muslim community and stay away from any negativity.

Labour MP of Indianorigin Preet Kaur Gill, while condemning the incident wrote on Twitter: “Very sad to see an attack on any place of worship. Thoughts are with the Derby sangat who have been providing 500 meals a day from Guru Arjan Dev Gurdwara."

Baggy Shanker, the local Derby city councillor and a member of the Gurdwara said the attack was an act of ‘cowardice’.

Hundreds prosecuted for Covid-related attacks on emergency workers More than 300 prosecutions for assaults on police and emergency workers were completed during the first month of lockdown, the director of public prosecutions, Max Hill QC, has revealed.

Appearing before the justice select committee, the DPP said 424 defendants had been charged in England and Wales with a total of 660 coronavirus-related offences during April.

After insisting till Wednesday that immigration health surcharge is needed to boost the coffers of National Health Service (NHS) at the time of Covid-19 outbreak, the Prime Minister Boris Johnson did a ‘U-turn’ on Thursday exempting foreign care workers from the surcharge.

His insistence on continuation with the charge had led to massive outcry especially after the role of immigrant healthcare workers had come for massive praise in battle against the pandemic.

Leading the condemnation, Keir Starmer, the main opposition Labour leader, said that levying the foreign workers at a time when they are at the forefront of Covid battle is wrong.

Quoting the Doctors’ Association body (DUK), Starmer said that the tax was “a gross insult to all”.

Announcing the move, Health Secretary, Matt Hancock said, “The Prime Minister has asked me and the Home Secretary to look at how NHS and care workers can be removed from this as soon as possible.” He was responding to media query about the annual Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS). However defending the surcharge he said the whole purpose of the charge is to raise funds for the NHS. Welcoming the move, Starmer tweeted, “Boris Johnson is right to have U-turned and backed our proposal to remove the NHS charge for health professionals and care workers.”

He said, “We cannot clap our carers one day and then charge them to use our NHS the next.

When we emerge from this crisis we need a new settlement where we truly value those who contribute so much to our society.”

Starmer was referring to the weekly clap for frontline workers which takes place in the UK every Thursday.

Earlier on Wednesday, rejecting Starmer view that surcharge was not viable at this point of time, Johnson had said in House of Commons that he does accept and can under-

stand the issues faced by the NHS staff. He said he had seen them at close quarters and has been a beneficiary of its people and carers who belong to all part of the world and had saved his life. He was referring to his hospitalisation after being detected with Covid-19.

He said that however, the country needs to look at the reality where we are facing fund crunch and need to ramp up our resources to battle the pandemic. In that sense, the surcharge is the right way to go, he said.

However, he was attacked within his own party with many members saying that they will vote for an amendment moved by the opposition Labour Party to do away with this injustice.

Welcoming the move, British Medical Association said that they have been campaigning against this unfair surcharge and the move is a recognition of the kind of contribution our migrant colleagues have been making to the health service.

The surcharge, introduced in April 2015, is imposed on anyone in the UK on a work, study or family visa for longer than six months.

In a letter addressed to home secretary Priti Patel, the British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (BAPIO) had asked the government to scrap its immigration health surcharge.

The chair of Doctors’ Association UK (DAUK), Dr Rinesh Parmar had said, “Our colleagues from other countries already pay taxes and national insurance contributions. To not review and scrap the surcharge at this time is a kick in the teeth and betrayal that shows utter contempt and disregard for their efforts during the pandemic.”

The group added that the policy could ‘deter’ skilled healthcare workers from overseas from joining the NHS at a time when they are needed ‘more than ever’.

A study by the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS) has revealed that Indians constitute around 10% of the foreign-born doctors at the NHS.

14 UK

AsianVoiceNews

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

www.asian-voice.com

30 May - 5 June 2020

Record surge in UK jobless claims UK is staring down the barrel. The Covid-19 pandemic continues to batter the country’s economy with the latest unemployment figures reaching gigantic 2.1 million. Exposing the extent of damage, the data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveals that 856,500 people have sought Universal Credit and Jobseeker’s Allowance in April. It also means that the number within the country has risen by around 70 percent in the last month alone.

The ONS added that the number of unemployed jumped by 50,000 to 1.3 million people in the first quarter, compared with the last year figures.

A recent study has also underlined the fact that some areas are specifically facing high number of unemployment which

includes the North West of England, where Blackpool is at top level of unemployment in April.

Addressing the Parliament, Chancellor Rishi Sunak showed his helplessness when he said that he will not be able to save every job and every business and people will have to be prepared to face difficult time ahead.

The UK kicked off the lockdown on March 23 to

arrest the spread of the virus which was backed up by the furlough scheme to ensure job retention with government paying most of the wages of workers. The furlough has been saving eight million jobs at a cost of 11.1 billion pounds to the taxpayer.

According to a report in local media, the furlough, however, has not arrested the job cuts in recent weeks with companies including British Airways preferring to axe thousands of staff despite the government lending a helping hand in saving jobs.

Sunak admitted that the lockdown had wrecked havoc on the economy and they are more than likely to face recession of a kind the country has not seen. He said that the slowdown will obviously have an impact on the jobs and the wages.

Family of cab driver, died of Covid19 after being spat over, help researchers Cab driver Trevor Belle fell ill with coronavirus days after a passenger spat at him. Now his family are helping researchers save lives His patner Kelly told Media, ''I still can’t understand how somebody could do that to another person,”.

Even for a family used to navigating the NHS – their daughter, Ellie-Mae, is a student nurse at King’s College London – Kelly says the following weeks were a desperate battle for information, as they were banned from visiting the hospital, in order to help contain the virus.

Over the course of those agonising weeks, Kelly was approached by a research team at the hospital and asked if Trevor would be willing to donate a sample of his blood to contribute to a new project attempting to sequence the genomes of thousands of sufferers of Covid-19 in the hope of unlocking preventative medicines and – ultimately – a cure. She did not hesitate to give her consent. “I know my Trevor, and he would have

said if you can use that to do something that could help millions in the future, then do it.”

Trevor’s sample (taken from waste blood which otherwise was to be disposed of) was the very first collected at Barts Health by the genomics research team which also includes Queen Mary University of London and Genomics England, and headed by Sir Mark Caulfield, a professor of clinical pharmacology described as ‘one of the most influential researchers in the world’.

The team is working across the country and hoping to collect samples of 20,000 patients severely affected by Covid-19 and a further 15,000 who have had the illness confirmed,

but only reported mild symptoms.

Comparing the two, explains Sir Mark, will help establish which genetic factors determine the severity of the virus.

Last week Dr Hans Kluge, director for the World Health Organisation in Europe, warned of a second deadly wave of infections later this year and the research team are in a race against time to secure as many samples as possible. So far the team has amassed around 4,000 samples and hope to get the first part of sequencing completed this summer, but need many more to come forward. The Barts team is calling on everyone to carry a research volunteer card suggesting a willingness to join in studies if they contract Covid-19. In particular, they are keen to recruit BAME individuals, such as Trevor Belle, to understand why those from ethnic minority backgrounds seem to be disproportionately affected by the coronavirus.

Man held for kicking, spitting at paramedics An Essex man has been arrested after he allegedly kicked and spit at the paramedics who were at the scene trying to help him.

The incident took place on Saturday. Responding to a call that an intoxicated man out on street, the East of England Ambulance Service came to attend to

him but the behaviour of the man went out of control and they had to call police for backup.

As the cops arrived at the scene, they had to detain the ‘abusive’ lawbreaker on charges of assaulting an emergency worker and being in charge of a vehicle whilst unfit.

Later Essex Roads Policing

Unity- North informed about the incident in a tweet: “We were called to assist an intoxicated male, upon arrival he is combative and abusive, he has spat at the paramedics and kicked them. He is now under arrest for assaulting an emergency worker and being in charge of a vehicle whilst unfit.”

His family in US, Gujarat govt hospital makes this 83-yearold covid patient feel at home “We were going through a period of extreme stress and worry that when our whole family is settled back in the US, who will take care of my father in Ahmedabad? But thank you doctors, you are all taking care of my father like your own family member”. These are the words of the US settled daughter Shruti Soni, whose 83year-old father has been tested positive for coronavirus and receiving treatment at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital.

Though they are miles apart, but a father-daughter meeting happens every day when the hospital staff helps them connect on a videocall, at-least once in a day.

The nursing staff and doctors, most of whom are much younger to him, affectionately addresses him as Chinukaka. “We felt almost helpless when learnt that father is down with Covid.

With flights grounded, we

had no idea how to reach to him personally. But we have breathed a sigh of relief after realising that he has been receiving home-like care in the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital”, Soni said, adding, “The best part if the medical staff has made sure that he doesn't feel alone. Though we are in America, but we doctors and staff made us worry and tension-free'.

Admitted at the coronavirus special ward, like other

patients Chinukaka can also receive any visitors.

A realtime Covid command control dashboard has been started by the Gujarat government so that patients' relatives can get the latest information. All the information related to the patient's status, including name, reports, ward, latest condition, admission details, discharge details, are available through the dashboard at the click of the mouse.

Bereavement scheme extended to care workers and NHS support staff After much hue and cry , the Home Office has reversed its decision to exclude the families of NHS carers, cleaners and porters from a scheme that will support the relatives of workers who die of coronavirus.

The bereavement scheme, which offers the children and families of workers killed by coronavirus the right to remain indefinitely in the UK, was extended to cover care workers and NHS support staff.

The government’s original decision to exclude some health and care staff had provoked outrage.

Priti Patel, the home secretary, said: “Every death in this crisis is a tragedy, and sadly some NHS support staff and social care workers have made the ultimate sacrifice in the pursuit of saving the lives of others.

“When I announced the introduction of the bereavement scheme in April I said we would continue to work across government to look at ways to offer further support. Today we are extending the scheme to NHS support staff and social care workers.”

This month Ms Patel had suggested that extending the scheme was unfeasible

because it would cover too many people. In a letter to Yvette Cooper, the chairwoman of the home affairs committee, she said that it could apply to “tens of thousands” of migrant workers in the care sector.

Ms Cooper welcomed the change, saying: “It would be unthinkable to ask a family who had lost a loved one as a result of caring for people with Covid-19 to leave their home and the country when they have already given so much to the UK fighting against this awful virus.”

Boris Johnson revealed in the Commons yesterday that 312 health and care staff had died with coronavirus.

After the General, Municipal Boilmakers (GMB) Union has raised, a video made by Syrian refugee and BAFTA award winner Hassan Akkad, addressing Mr Johson, in tearful voice, put the government under temandous

pressure.

Mr Akkad took a hospital cleaning job 'to help the country through the pandemic'.

Asked about the Uturn Mr Akkad told GMB: 'I feel very proud and honoured to have played a small role in doing this, there was a lot of pressure from the unions and alot of people spoke out including Piers, which I congratulate him for doing. 'I went out and did that video not knowing it would be shared thousands of times and viewed by millions of people. I'm so incredibly grateful to know the public is on our side'.

Some 8 per cent of social care home workers are foreign nationals from outside the EU, while non-UK nationals are also strongly represented among the ranks of hospital cleaners, porters, security guards and catering staff who are regarded as key workers but do not qualify for the bereavement scheme.

Around 3,000 migrant NHS doctors, nurses and paramedics whose working visas expire before 1 October this year have been granted an automatic one-year extension, free of charge.

The visa extension will also apply to their family members.

www.asian-voice.com

AsianVoiceNews

UK

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

15

30 May - 5 June 2020

Bullying allegation hits super-rich school Rohit Vadhwana Coronavirus has changed the way we live and work. One important aspect where Covid-19 has strongly impacted our world is environment. According to the International Energy Agency, global industrial greenhouse-gas emissions is expected to be about 8% lower in 2020 than they were in 2019. It will be the largest annual drop since the second world war. People have noticed rivers are flowing cleaner, sky is blue and air is pure. Ozone layer is healed to certain extent.

Overall, it is helping slowdown the process of climate change.

Interestingly, many analysts have written about impact of lessened activities on our environment, mostly positive.

But how much will it help in reducing the climate change?

Our ambitious goal, as per the Paris Agreement, is climate warmer only by 1.5 degree Celsius t han what it was before the Industrial Revolution. But, just this pandemic will not help us control climate change. Reduced flights, trains and buses are temporary. Unless we adopt it as a lifestyle. The way most of the leaders and businessmen are speaking shows there will be burst of activities as soon as the situation normalises.

We need to learn from the newly acquired experience that without using lo t of energy and fuel, we can work. There will be certainly requirement of production and manufacturing activities to be started at the earliest. But what about rationalising them? Do we again need to go back to crazy shopping sprees? Or we can buy only what is necessary?

Morning till night running around for meetings? Or we can deal with many important issues through emails, calls and WhatsApps?

Shall we use this opportunity to think about the most vulnerable people on the earth? Shall we care for the future generations which will have no chance to reverse the damage we have caused to the climate till now? Of course, we all are paying for the collective sins of our forefathers. Shall we add to them? In fact we have added a lot in last fifty years. Next fifty years will be decisive for the existence of life on earth.

It does not need us to be an environmentalist to understand a simple fact that creation of various species is not in our hand. We are yet not able to control one virus, which has infected more than 5.5 million people as of today. Our whole scientific community has still not reached to an assuring stage of developing a full-proof vaccine against this one kind of virus. This should be enough for us to assess our limitations. Anything gone out of control will cost us more than our imagination.

Let's pledge to avoid adding unnecessary carbon by our activities. It is not the need of humankind which has led us to climate change, but its our greed to have more, beyond our necessities. We can hide in home to protect against corona, but that won't save us against climate, if it goes wrong.

(Expressed opinion is personal)

being asked to leave the room.

Shortly afterwards they claim that the school — with no warning or explanation — told Radhika that her daughter would not be reenrolled the next academic year (this was before legal proceedings began).

The Oswal's claim that harassment has not stopped even after their daughter joined a new school. Children from Le Rosey, allegedly, contacting her new classmates via social media, saying she was a "troublemaker" who had been expelled.

Radhika has also claimed that she knows of other children facing similar situation.

Credit: Le Rosey website

Climate change and us

This school is the top choice of who's who of the world. It's famous for many things. Its exotic location-on a hill in Switzerland with views of Mont Blanc and Lake Geneva.

Super-rich pupils who come from more than 50 countries.

Boarding houses converted from a 14th century chateau. And, a sprawling 28 hectares of grounds with two swimming pools, tennis court, a shooting range and equestrian center and its 12m yatch anchired on Lake Geneva.

Radhika and Pankaj Oswal decided to send their two daughters, then aged 9 and 15, to board at Le Rosey school at a cost of £104,000. They were also attracted by an additional spring term attraction, when students move to Le Rosey;s alpine campus in ultra-chichi ski resort of Gastaad.

What further worked in favour of the couple was the location of the school. Halfway between New York and Dubai, the two cities between which the Indian-born couple — with a £1.5 billion fortune made from fertiliser — travelled incessantly.

What they did not expect was bullying of one of their child-something that school had made them assure won't ever happen at the time to admission, reports The Times.

Seven years after their daughters joined the school, the Oswals are suing Le Rosey in the Swiss courts for failing to protect their youngest child, then 14, from alleged bullying.

Radhika has claimed that they were given a lot of assurance over strict policy the school follows over bullying, physical, mental or emotional.

In their claim, they alleged that last year their child was "mocked and taunted" for her background, leading her to suffer insomnia and anxiety attacks. Yet, they claim, the school never acted on their complaints.

The couple also allege that theirs is not an isolated case, saying that there are numerous reports of children being

harassed because of their background, culture and friends.

The couple now believe that the school's standards have dropped in recent years, and it is now fast becoming a playground for rich students to do as they please.

Le Rosey's alumni list is quite impressive. It includes, the Shah of Iran, Prince Rainier of Monaco, the Duke of Kent, the Aga Khan and the kings of Egypt, Belgium and Spain.

Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece and her sisters Pia Getty and Alexandra von Furstenberg are alumni, along with Dodi Fayed, one of Winston Churchill's grandsons, and the financier Arki Busson. John Lennon, Roger Moore, Diana Ross and Elizabeth Taylor sent their children there, where they studied alongside scions of the Niarchos, Rockefeller, Onassis and Rothschild dynasties.

According to Radhika, for their youngest daughters, who joined the eldest one at the same school, her first five years were happy, with her being awarded "three eagle" status, an accolade given to top students.

Problems started as she grew older and her peers began increasingly to use social media to torment others.

Yet when their daughter approached the teachers, they allegedly seemed reluctant to intervene, leaving her faith in authority shattered.

As she found herself isolated on campus and laughed at by her peers, the Oswals called and emailed the school before having a face-to-face meeting with the school's deputy director, which they say ended with them

In an affidavit, accessed by The Times, a fellow pupil describes being physically pushed around by other pupils, how "three people broke into my room and started having sex", and finding Juul (vaping) pods hidden in their bed. Complaints to teachers were allegedly brushed off. The same pupil was teased for being a vegetarian, in accordance with her religion.

Radhika told that there is whole atmosphere of unrestricted partying, clubbing, drinking and Juuling.

After a failed conciliation hearing, the Oswals say they had no choice but to take the school to court. They're seeking repayment of fees for the summer term their daughter was absent, after being told she couldn't return in September, and the cost of the private tutor hired instead. If damages are awarded they will be donated to antibullying charities.

Lawyers acting for the school say that they cannot comment in detail because of the confidentiality of the court proceedings, but that the Oswals' claims are "false, defamatory and categorically rejected". They confirmed they would not be making any additional comment. Radhika is undeterred.

Gift your loved ones an Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar subscription for Birthday, Wedding & Anniversary Save lots of money by subscribing for both papers

l Exclusive news, Outstanding columnists l Excelent value for your subscription l For 50 weekly issues and several special magazines plus Annual Calendar

Your Voice for 47 years, 200,000 readers

Please detach this form and send it with your payment or credit card instructions to address below

NAME ADDRESS ear One y on for d ripti subsc amachar an ly n S o t s i Gujara oice in UK V n a i s A

RATES VALID FROM 1-2-2018

1 Year 2 Years

UK G.S. A.V. Both G.S. £30.50 £30.50 £36.50 £79 £55 £55 £66.50 £147

Subscribe to Asian voice and Gujarat Samachar TODAY to receive a FREE CALENDAR 2020

Please tick as appropriate:

❏ Gujarat Samachar & Asian Voice ❏ Gujarat Samachar

EUROPE A.V. Both £79 £131 £147 £252

Please Note: Subscriptions are non-refundable after 30 days

G.S. £95 £174

WORLD A.V. Both £95 £154.50 £174 £288

POST CODE TEL: Email: ❏ I’d like to be kept up to date by email with offers and news from ABPL I enclose a cheque/ postal order of £................... made payable to Gujarat Samachar Please charge my ❏ Visa ❏ Mastercard ❏ Credit ❏ Debit card for £ Card Expiry date Card No: Signature

Date

CALL NOW 020 7749 4080

or Email: support@abplgroup.com www.asian-voice.com www.gujarat-samachar.com

GUJARAT SAMACHAR & ASIAN VOICE Karma Yoga House, Unit 1 12 Hoxton Market, (Off Coronet Street) London N1 6HW

16 UK

AsianVoiceNews

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

www.asian-voice.com

30 May - 5 June 2020

Aid for self-employed : Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak divided THE Treasury and the Prime Minister are reportedly not on the same page over whether to extend state aid for the selfemployed during coronavirus pandemic.

The difference in their opinion, has been blamed for the delay in announcing whether the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme (SEISS) will be continued in line with the five-month extension for furloughed workers.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has so far refused mounting calls to extend the scheme, which currently offers grants to self-employed workers of up to £7,500 to cover three months of lost income - covering March, April and May. In contrast, the furlough scheme for employees has already been extended and

Borish Johnson

covers eight months - ending in October.

Self-employed workers have asked Mr Sunak for a decision within days as they witness their coffers drying up fastly.

Self-employed body IPSE warned that the Government would be committing “a glaring injustice” if it failed to extend.

Meanwhile a petition

Rishi Sunak

set up Wednesday for an extension attracted more than 40,000 signatures within the first 24 hours.

One Tory said Mr Sunak wants to extend the scheme until the end of July but limit access to the grants to self-employed people who can prove they have no other income during that period.

Number of new Asian students in UK at record high The immigration of Asian students to the UK has reached its highest level in recorded history.

The rise in the number of migrants from south and east Asia, including China, India and the Philippines, pushed the overall arrivals from non-EU states to 404,000 last year, the biggest total since the Office for National Statistics began collecting the figures in 1975, The Times reported.

Work visas issued to Indians, Nigerians and Filipinos have also risen.

The number of national insurance issued to non-EU citizens rose by 100,000 to 330,000 in the year to March, the biggest annual rise in 18 years. Most of this was because of an increase in registration by citizens from India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Ghana and Turkey, the Department for Work

and Pensions said.

Overall non-EU net migration was 282,000 in the year to December, a figure that has been increasing over the past seven years despite this being an area of immigration the government can control.

By contrast, net EU migration has fallen from more than 200,000 in 201516, to 49,000 last year.

According to the ONS, an estimated 270,000 more people, including the migration of British citizens, moved to the UK than left last year.

Jay Lindop, director of the Centre for International Migration at the ONS, was quoted by media: "For the year ending December 2019, non-EU migration was at the highest level we have seen, driven by a rise in students from China and India, while the number of people

To reach Europe, Bosnia and Herzegovina is apparently used as back door entry by thousands of Pakistanis.

This has reportedly led to a political and diplomatic crisis between the EU and in Balkan country.

The Bosnian border force claims that 3,000 Pakistani citizens have been fraudulently granted visas through the country’s embassy in Islamabad, enabling them to cut out a big part of the 4,000-mile people-smuggling route from Pakistan into Europe, reports THe Times.

Usually, they reportedly travel through Iran, Turkey, Greece, Albania and Macedonia in the hands of traffickers, spending weeks and thousands of pounds in the process and risking arrest, attacks by criminals and even death. With a visa, however, they can fly from Pakistan to Sarajevo, cross the border into Croatia, an EU member,

courtesy: Home office twitter

Bosnia and Herzegovina serve as EU back door entry for Pakistanis

and continue their journey north on the smuggling routes.

Traffickers business has flourished despite crackdowns over the past five years

by Europol. One Urdu-language group on Facebook offers Bosnian visas with a phone number that customers can contact via Whatsapp, while another offers a route from Bosnia to Italy by taxi, warning that it is a “harsh” journey to attempt on foot.

The border force’s allegations have been backed by UN refugee agency. They

show that only about 100 Pakistani migrants arrived in Bosnia in January 2019, but that the numbers started rising sharply in the following months, even though the numbers of arrivals of other nationalities remained constant.

There was then a sharp increase in Pakistanis' arrivals in July last year, with more than 2,000 arriving that month compared with fewer than 1,000 in June. After that the numbers dropped off slightly and then fell sharply again after October.

The Bosnian state prose-

cutor has opened an investigation into the country’s embassy in Islamabad, while Fahrudin Radoncic, the security minister, has seized on the allegations as evidence of a “security threat”.

Mr Radoncic has been pushing to pass a law that would enable all irregular migrants, apart from Syrians, to be deported from Bosnia.

Last month he threatened to make the Pakistani ambassador to Bosnia persona non grata if he refused to co-operate.

However, Sakib Foric, the Bosnian ambassador to Pakistan, has denied the allegations, and said that the Pakistani government was willing to repatriate its citizens if they are proved to be true. Bisera Turkovic, the foreign minister, and Sefik Dzaferovic, the president for the Bosniak part of the country, have also backed Mr Foric and the Pakistani ambassador.

Employers may be asked to pay around 20% of furloughed wage cost If the plan drawn by the Chancellor Rishi Sunak fructifies, the businesses in UK will have to share the burden of government’s furlough programme. According to reports, the Chancellor plans to asks companies to foot at least a fifth of the wages of furloughed employees from August.

According to a report in The Times, Sunak is expected to announce soon that employers will have to begin contributing as the lockdown is eased further. The scheme will be applicable to even those firms which are closed right now.

As part of the plan, the employers will also have the

option of employing the furloughed workers part-time, and all employers using the coronavirus job retention scheme will be required to make the payments.

Those in the government, when asked about the move, refused to confirm or deny it.

The Times reported a treasury source as saying: “We’ve got two full months of support left and afterwards the government will help to pay people’s wages, but it’s fair to everyone that businesses contribute as they get back to work.”

In his earlier interactions, the Johnson government has already confirmed extension of

its job retention scheme — the centrepiece of its attempts to cushion the coronavirus hit to the economy — by four months. Another report quoted a businessman saying, “If the furlough scheme is paying for jobs that don’t really exist, it’s better to release people into the job market to start looking for other work.”

The furlough scheme pays 80% of a worker’s salary up to £2,500 a month, and is supporting about 7.5m jobs. It is estimated that the scheme could cost up to 80 billion pounds to the exchequer.

Last month, the treasury came for a lot of criticism after

one of the official claimed that the nation was getting addicted to the furlough scheme. The government is also going to close the programme for new applicants before the changes, to minimise the chances of a risk of fraud. Already Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has received many reports of potential fraud from the public who suspected that employers could be abusing the scheme.

A source at the HMRC said that it could happen that you’re not being paid by the firms what you’re entitled to, and they might be asking you to work while you’re on furlough.

arriving from EU countries for work has steadily fallen.''

Study remains the most common reason for nonEU migrants coming to the UK, with an 18 per cent rise to 118,000 in study visas for Chinese students in the year to March and a 136 per cent increase to 49,000 in those given to Indians. The ONS said that all available data sources showed an increase in the number of non-EU citizens coming to the UK to work since 2013, adding that Home Office figures showed that 194,000 work-related visas were issued to migrants from outside the EU, the most in 13 years. However, the Home Office highlighted the impact of Covid-19 on work and study applications, saying there had been a significant fall from Chinese applicants in March.

Migrants' boat crossing incidents jump amid lockdown As country battles the pandemic outbreak, it is also faced with the unprecedented inflow of young migrants crossing the Channel from France to Britain.

The inflow has seen a massive rise through the Channel during the coronavirus outbreak, as travel curbs have restricted the movement of vehicles on road.

The Kent County Council in southeast England, which used to get 230 to 250 young migrants a year ago, is now faced with almost double that number with around 470 arrivals in a jiffy.

The attempts to cross the Channel to enter UK has jumped recently despite heavy presence of maritime traffic, strong currents and low water temperatures.

The Guardian reported that the Home Office has launched an initiative to deport migrants who cross the Channel from France to the UK in small boats. This move is in response to the alarming rise in the number of attempts to enter the UK on small boats.

Records reveal that last year, 2,758 migrants were rescued by the French and British authorities while trying to cross the strait, a staggering rise of 400 percent from the previous year of 2018.

The lockdown has only firmed up this trend further with heavily reduced movement of land transport.

A migrant help group’s official said that the vast majority of foreign nationals seeking refuge in the region were male, aged 16 to 30. He said milder weather and calmer seas since the beginning of April may have contributed to the increase in crossing attempts.

Local policemen have admitted that lockdown restrictions may have encouraged them to make more attempts to enter British shores since people are hardly able to report any breaches since they are following ‘stay-at-home’ instruction. They said that with beaches closed, migrants have indirectly taken advantage of this.

Since lockdown imposition on March 23, an estimated 1,000 immigrants have arrived into Britain by small boats. As per data, at least 145 arrived on May 8 alone. Of those, 17 were unaccompanied minors.

Kent officials face the tough task of dealing with the influx while social distancing measures are in place that have added financial pressures to local budgets. The county, which used to have only one migrant reception centre, now has three.

As reported previously, Home Sec retary Priti Patel has been working with France to send back more migrants who arrive by boat in an attempt to deter those thinking of making the dangerous journey.

In northern France, police have registered 230 attempted crossings this year — 128 of which were intercepted by the French border force, and 102 by their British counterparts.

www.asian-voice.com

AsianVoiceNews

UK

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

17

30 May - 5 June 2020

millions of pounds had been handed out as advance payments and it would be difficult for fraud investigators to claw back the money as the recipients could not be traced.

The NCA and police said yesterday that criminals continued to adapt to the pandemic and remained active, particularly in fraud.

Ms Owens also revealed that online shopping fraud

was up 46 per cent since the beginning of the lockdown, which made it one of the biggest growth areas in crime.

Criminals were playing on people’s fears, offering fake or non-existent items for sale, including personal protective equipment, she said.

They are also using the cover of coronavirus to traffic drugs.

Govt faces backlash after 14-day quarantine move for outsiders Even as the Boris Johnson administration announced the 14-day quarantine starting June 8 for people arriving in the UK, the move was slammed as ‘ineffective and unenforceable’ with the Home Secretary Priti Patel facing the ire of the travel & tourism industry and opposition MPs. The government has made it mandatory for everybody — except those exempted — self-isolation for two weeks or face fines of up to 3,200 pounds.

But the subsequent outrage against the move has forced the government to rethink. There were signs on Friday with the Home Secretary Priti Patel stating that the scheme would be kept under review and would be amended in consultation with the travel industry.

Patel also said that ‘air bridges’ between UK and other countries with a similar or lower Covid19 infection rate are expected to be b rought in.

The mandatory self-quarantine clause has exemptions like travellers from Ireland, healthcare professionals travelling to work in the crisis, seasonal agricultural workers and those working in freight and road haulage, among others.

Patel justified the move saying the government wants to minimise the chances of cases being brought in from the outside. She said the scheme is open to review and the UK was not completely shutting down its borders and their sole aim was to contain the spread of virus to avoid a second wave.

The quarantine move can be disastrous for

the aviation industry which is already facing one of its worst crisis ever due to the spread of coronavirus. The lockdown has further aggravated the miseries for the sector with passenger numbers slumping due to curbs.

Even some of the closest allies have not been spared. The French government expressed its unhappiness that despite assurance, UK has not exempted its citizen from the quarantine. Patel said she was working with French officials and they have already exempted ‘frontier workers’ and would also preserve critical supply of goods.

The carriers have expressed dismay and unhappiness with the ‘idiotic’ move.

Michael O'Leary, head of Ryanair, accused the ministers of Boris Johnson of making it up as they go along. Virgin Atlantic termed the move regressive saying that the scheme would stop flights from resuming and the demand would simply dry up as people would not be willing to bear the burden of two-week isolation.

Trade body Airlines UK has said it "would effectively kill" international travel to the UK. There are many who h ave also asked as to why the UK didn’t introduce quarantine earlier, like countries such as South Korea, Spain and the United States.

Under the scheme, those entering UK will have to fill in a form providing their contact and travel information so that they can be traced later on, if needed. Foreign nationals who are not UK residents could be refused entry and removed as a last resort too.

Top PIO cop who sued Scotland Yard settles racism case Parm Sandhu, one of UK’s senior-most Indian-origin woman police officers, who led a ‘Line of Duty’ squad, has settled her racial discrimination case against Britain’s largest police force.

Sandhu who sued the Scotland Yard accusing them of racial and gender discrimination, entered into a secret deal with the yard after she left the force last year post a clean cheat in the case of gross misconduct.

Sandhu, a Chief Superintendent with the Metropolitan Police, filed the employment tribunal case where she claimed that she had been denied promotion and more work opportunities because of her race and gender.

Sandhu led an anti-corruption team which was set up to examine ‘chaotic’ record-keeping in the Met after a report claimed that officers spied on a victim’s family following his racist murder in Eltham, South East London, in 1993.

According to The Mirror report, the former temporary chief superintendent could have collected a six-figure payout from the

Met. Sandhu told the Mirror: “I have settled my claims with the MPS. The terms of the settlement are confidential. I have no further comment to make.”

The settlement, with probably a non-disclosure clause, ensures that the Met doesn’t face embarrassing allegations in an open court.

Sandhu had been investigated over charges that she had broken police honours rules, but was given a clean chit last June.

After leaving the force October last year, Sandhu had said, “Worked with some fabulous people. Had some good times and painful experiences but I know I made a difference.”.

After joining the force in 1989, Sandhu rose through the ranks and became Borough Commander in Richmond-upon-Thames.

In 2006, Sandhu who was one of the topmost senior woman officer with ethnic minority connection, was awarded with the Asian Women of Achievement Award for her role and achievements in the police force.

Overseas nationals who cannot return home due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic will be able to extend their visa until the end of July to give them peace of mind that they can stay in the UK until they are able to return home safely.

The extension will last until 31 July and will apply to anyone whose leave expired after the 24 January and cannot leave the country because of travel restrictions or self-isolation.

While the government has offered this extension to help those who are unable to get home prior to 31 July, those currently in the UK on temporary visas, such as visitor visas, should return home as soon as it is safe and possible to do so.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said: By extending people’s visas further, we are giving them peace of mind that they are able to stay in the UK until the end of July if they are unable to leave the country safely.

This is one of a number of unprecedented measures the government has made to support people during this time, however, as we begin a cautious return to normality those currently in the UK on expired visitor visas should return home as soon as possible.

Today’s announcement builds on the previous extension which lasts until of 31 May, and ensures people who are not able to leave the UK are not impacted by circumstances outside of their control.

A dedicated coronavirus immigration team is continuing to work with individuals to make the process as straightforward as possible. Anyone in this situation, who has not contacted them already, just needs to contact the team via an online form to let

them know their visa has expired and they will be issued with an extension.

To help those who want to apply for visas to stay in the UK long-term, the Home Office is also extending the in-country switching provisions until 31 July.

This will mean people can apply to switch into long-term routes whilst remaining in the UK. UKVI will continue to process applications as quickly as possible, however some applications may take longer than usual due to coronavirus related operational pressures.

Many foreign nationals have found themselves unable to return home since the outbreak of coronavirus due to flight cancellations and border restrictions.

Those who contact the Home Office for these visa extensions will be expected to return to their home countries as soon as possible once flight and border restrictions are lifted. No immigration enforcement action will be undertaken during this time for those who email the Home Office as outlined above.

In light of the current advice on self-isolation and social distancing, the Home Office is also waiving a number of requirements on visa sponsors, such as allowing non-EU nationals here under work or study routes to undertake their work or study from home.

Commonwealth war veterans get illegal immigrants tag Some of the soldiers, with service history in Iraq and Afghanistan as members have spent seven and 12 years in the British military, say they have been left feeling betrayed by the country they served. They say they have been left to face unemployment, homelessness and possible deportation.

Government lawyers have rejected a claim brought by eight Commonwealth army veterans, dismissing their allegations that, on discharge, officials failed to assist them with complex, unaffordable immigration rules, leaving them classified as illegal immigrants, The Guardian reported.

There could be hundreds more ex-soldiers similarly affected, lawyers believe.

One of the claimants, Taitusi Ratacaucau, 49, has been told he must pay more than £27,000 for NHS hospital bills after an emergency operation to remove a brain tumour.

Hospital staff have classified him as an overseas patient, and therefore ineligible for free NHS care. He joined the British army in 2001 and has been continuously in the UK since being discharged from the military in 2011, living with his wife and three daughters and paying tax and national insurance.

Ratacaucau said: “I never in a million years thought that the country I so proudly sacrificed my life for, almost died for, would turn around and leave one of its soldiers behind. I feel so betrayed.”

Another war veteran, MT signed up at a British army recruitment office in Fiji in 2003 when he was 19. He served for 10 years, including a tour of duty in Iraq.

“I did my resettlement course – however, at no time during this process did I receive any information that I had to reapply for my visa to remain in the UK,” says the 37-year-old. He worked for Network Rail for two years after discharge, until his employment agency began to ask people to provide proof of their right to work. Anthony Metzer, QC said, “In the circumstances, they have

been left no recourse other than to proceed with their judicial review claim, which they had hoped might have been avoided if a sympathetic and understanding approach had been adopted,” he said.

Ministry of Defence rules state that Commonwealth-born service personnel are eligible for indefinite leave to remain in the UK after discharge if they have served four years. But the claimants say the army failed to tell them that, on discharge, they needed to make an immediate application to the Home Office for leave to remain in the UK, despite a clear MoD requirement that the process should be explained to all non-British veterans before they left.

With the introduction of the Home Office’s “hostile environment” policy after 2012 they discovered they were in breach of immigration rules.

However, as Home Office visa application fees had risen sharply, from £1,051 in 2015 to the current fee of £2,389, they struggled to change their situation. The fees meant a service leaver and their partner, with two children, would have to pay nearly £10,000 to stay in the UK, an unaffordable sum for most on army pensions.

Vinita Templeton, lawyer for the group who, like colleagues, has been working on the case on a pro-bono basis for more than a year, said the government’s treatment of her clients had caused them “unimaginable suffering”. She said she and colleagues planned to proceed with legal action.

In response to a request for comment, a government spokesperson said: “We cannot comment on the individual case because of ongoing legal proceedings.”

Courtesy: The Guardian

Organised crime gangs latest target is the coronavirus stimulus package and an estimated £1.5 billion has been lost to universal credit fraud alone.

Lynne Owens, the head of the National Crime Agency (NCA), warned that criminals had targeted relief schemes with “instances of fraud against DWP [the Department for Work and Pensions] and HMRC”, reports The Times.

More than 1.5 million people applied for the benefit in the four weeks to April 9 alone, six times the normal number. The BBC reported that usual checks were relaxed to process the claims quickly and that some organised crime groups may have defrauded the system as a result.

One official told the broadcaster that hundreds of

courtesy: NCA twitte

Organised crime gangs cashing on Further visa extensions for those unable to return home stimulus Package benefits due to coronavirus

18 FINANCE - UK

AsianVoiceNews

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

www.asian-voice.com

30 May - 5 June 2020

Dear Financial Voice Reader, Alpesh Patel Some resolutions for you at this difficult time.

Resolution 1: Know how much money your portfolio could lose due to extreme market fluctuations.

Without knowing this, how can you tell if you have a portfolio whose potential losses you can stomach? Before online portfolio tools these used to be impossible things for the private investor to know.

By anticipating the potential losses your overall portfolio may typically incur, you can decide whether to rebalance your holdings.

For instance, imagine you hold £5000 each of a selection of UK companies in the FTSE 100 eg Aviva, Lloyds, Barclays etc.

You may think the worst-case loss would be roughly the same for each stock – they are all FTSE 100 stocks and you hold the same amount of each. Wrong.

You’re likely to lose four times more (around £600) with one of them on a bad day for that stock, than with another.

That may be more than you are willing to accept: time to rejig the portfolio.

What about the average loss you can expect each month holding such a portfolio? Of course all the stocks within it would not have their worst losses on the same day. On the above portfolio, an extreme loss would be around £1,500.

Too much to lose? Swap stocks with high volatility and ‘beta’ and the worst-case average portfolio loss drops to £1,000. Depending on the stock swaps, you don’t necessarily reduce potential reward despite cutting risk.

Resolution 2: Don’t deny Nobel Prize winning research; understand how online tools can warn you about underdiversification.

In 1949 University of Chicago student Harry Markowitz discovered that portfolio performance was down to stock correlation (how much in lock-step stocks in your portfolio move with each other).

He discovered that adding volatile stocks to a portfolio actually decreased the portfolio’s overall volatility if the stocks were not highly correlated: you could increase returns for the same level of risk.

Are some the stocks you own simply mimicking the performance of others already in your portfolio giving the illusion of diversification but thereby latently increasing the risk of loss from a single event?

Similarly is the weighting of a few stocks swamping the effects of others making their inclusion redundant? Thanks to online portfolio tools traders can quickly answer these questions for their own portfolios.

The problem is, how many online traders when picking stocks bother to see how it will affect their existing portfolio?

Resolution 3: Remember it is all in the asset allocation.

In 1986, a study* revealed that more than 90 per cent of a portfolio’s return has nothing to do with choosing the perfect stocks or when you buy and sell. Instead performance depends upon how the investments are divided among stocks, bonds and cash.

Consequently, it’s important to know your risk profile in order to decide how much of your portfolio should be invested in each asset class. Truthfully, how many online traders bother to do that?

Of course there is an alternative viewpoint to all this portfolio pondering. As with Markowitz’s advice, it too comes from a Nobel Prize winner, Paul Samuelson; “You shouldn’t spend much time on your investments. That will tempt you to up the plants and see how the roots are doing and that’s very bad for the roots.” * "Determinants of Portfolio Performance," published in the Financial Analysts Journal (July-August 1986), Gary P. Brinson, L. Randolph Hood, and Gilbert Beebower

Cach tour operators in UK seek govt help to stay afloat Following the lockdown in UK, coach tourism operators said that 40,000 jobs will be at risk unless their business is reclassified as part of the leisure industry. The body representing 300 coach tourist enterprises said that as they are not deemed to be part of the leisure sector, their firms are not entitled to benefits such as rates relief.

The Coach Tourism Association (CTA) said its members, which run tours throughout Britain and Northern Ireland, generate an estimated £6bn a year for the national economy.

The warning comes as more than 2,000 jobs were lost after the collapse at the weekend of one of the largest coach tour operators in the UK, Shearings.

Shearings, which is owned by the Specialist Leisure Group, announced the closure of the business on its website: “All tours, cruises, holidays and hotel breaks booked with the Specialist Leisure Group have been cancelled and will not be rescheduled.” Other coach operators said that they have lost hundreds of bookings since the lockdown.

Tatas seek £1.5bn aid from UK govt to counter Covid The Tata Group, which has a large presence in the UK through its automotive and steel units, has sought financial assistance from the government there to help the diversified enterprise recover from the collapse in car and metal sales brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic.

While the Tatas have not specified the support package sought, British media reported that the group has requested for a loan in excess of 1.5 billion pounds. Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is in talks for a temporary state funding of 1 billion pounds, and Tata Steel UK has asked for a support of 500 million pounds.

Reports also said that

the financial package for JLR could entail conversion of loans into equity shares of the UK company. The government, through an asset resolution fund, plans to hold equity interests in companies accepting state aid. JLR said that it is in regular discussion with the government on a “whole range of matters” and the content of their private discussions remains confidential.

Revenues of JLR and Tata Steel UK have been hit due to the lockdown triggered by the health crisis.

A government spokesperson said that the state department is in regular contact with car manufacturers to assist them through the current crisis.

“We recognise the challenges facing the industry as a result of coronavirus and companies can draw upon

the unprecedented package of measures, including schemes to raise capital, flexibilities with tax bills, and financial support for employees,” the spokesperson was quoted as saying in the UK media.

Following a reduced demand for its products in the wake of the lockdown, JLR and Tata Steel UK had halted production activities at their plants. JLR, which was acquired by Tata Motors in June 2008, also furloughed half of its workforce of over 36,000 people.

It recently restarted production activities at its factories.

Tata Steel UK, which was acquired by the Indian conglomerate in 2007, employs more than 8,000 people.

Mortgage payment holidays extended for three months UK Finance data shows that some 1.82 million mortgage borrowers have been granted a mortgage payment holiday, which accounts for one in six mortgages in the UK. John Glen, the economic secretary to the Treasury, said: “We’re doing everything we can to help people with their finances at this difficult time and that includes making sure people get the support they need with their mortgages.

“That’s why we’re working with the banks and lenders to extend payment holidays if people need them.” He added that homeowners who can pay some or all of their mortgage should do so.

Christopher Woolard,

interim chief executive at the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), said: “Where consumers can afford to re-start mortgage payments, it is in their best interests to do so. But where they can’t, a range of further support will be available.

People who are struggling and have not had a mortgage payment holiday, will also continue to be able to apply until 31 October.”

Stephen Jones, chief executive of UK Finance, said: “For those borrowers who have not already applied for a mortgage payment holiday, the industry supports the extension of the availability of payment holidays until 31 October 2020 as this will provide much-needed breathing

space for borrowers who need it.

“Lenders are also committed to the moratorium on involuntary repossessions to ensure no homeowner loses the roof over their head because of Covid19 related repayment difficulties. “A payment holiday may not be the right choice

for everyone, and borrowers should only apply if they need one. We would encourage any borrowers concerned about their financial situation to check with their lender, starting by looking at their website which will have the latest information on the support available.”

New UK bank holiday in Oct could boost economy

Mercedes-AMG CEO to replace Aston Martin chief

Introducing an extra national holiday in October in the UK could boost the country's economy by £500m, says a leading economist.

Aston Martin Chief Executive Andy Palmer is leaving the business as part of a management shake-up and will be replaced by Tobias Moers, CEO of Mercedes-AMG, a source familiar with the development said. The luxury carmaker said in an emailed statement that it is reviewing its management team but declined to comment on Palmer’s fate.

Palmer and Germany’s Daimler AG, which owns a 5% stake in Aston Martin and supplies the carmaker with Mercedes-AMG engines, also declined to comment. The Financial Times newspaper had reported earlier that the Aston Martin chief was going to leave as part of a shake-up of its leadership, with an official announcement expected soon.

The government is considering the proposal by tourist agency Visit Britain to offset some of the effects of the Covid-19 lockdown.

The holiday could be set around the October school half term break to extend the season and make up for lost earnings from the two May bank holiday weekends.

Douglas McWilliams, deputy chairman of the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR), said an additional bank holiday could see retail, hospitality and catering services double their usual revenue.

“This year it would be quite likely that the boosts to spending from an extra bank holiday after a period of

enforced abstinence might well be double the usual boost, adding up to as much as £440m.

"There could well be a further stimulus from tourism boosting the UK economy by an additional £50m. So a rough £500m a day boost from more spending,” he added. His position is symbolic of a wider shift in thinking by the CEBR which previously asked whether the UK needed so many bank holidays.

In 2012, the CEBR estimated that the average bank holiday left the UK with a bill for £2.3bn due to lost

manufacturing productivity.

But last year the think tank revised its position in view of other research suggesting more paid time off might provide an economic boost.

McWilliams has written about how the UK works 10% more than the Dutch but has a lower GDP per capita than the Netherlands.

He argues that an increase in productivity could pay for more days off and suggested a four-day working week could help the UK’s finances.

He added: “So if one additional day off is a good thing, what about making it permanent and moving to a four-day week as is being suggested for New Zealand?

Our assessment [is] cautiously positive, though making it work would require decisions to constrain public spending and to ensure that business costs did not rise.”

www.asian-voice.com

AsianVoiceNews

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

REAL ESTATE VOICE & INDIA FINANCE

19

30 May - 5 June 2020

Govt asks banks to give loans to small businesses at lower rates The government is pushing public sector banks to provide additional working capital to small businesses at 7.5% interest under the loan guarantee scheme that proposes to provide up to £30 billion, while also asking them to ensure that senior citizens earn higher returns on their fixed deposits.

While paring deposit rates - to ensure that all borrowers benefit from the lower rate regime - bankers have been asked to ensure widespread implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana, which has been extended by three years up to March 2023. Under the scheme, senior citizens will be paid 7.4 % interest during the current financial year with rate to be reset next year.

With the Reserve Bank of India repeatedly reducing rates, State Bank of India has reduced its peak fixed deposit rate to 5.7% for funds parked for 5-10 years. In case of senior citizens, the bank is paying 6.5% a year. The message was conveyed to the bank

Nirmala Sitharaman

chiefs during a meeting convened by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman with implementation of the Covid package being the key focus to ensure that cash-strapped small businesses can access funds, and at lower cost.

Currently, small businesses are borrowing at 11-12% from state-run lenders. Last week, the government had cleared an emergency facility for business enterprises with a turnover of up to £ 10 million and outstanding loans of up to £2.5 million to get

additional 20% working capital through a government guarantee with interest rate capped at 9.25%. Sitharaman has asked bankers to go all out to ensure that all eligible borrowers benefit from it.

Banking sources said that lenders were told that they should also slash lending rates to ensure that the benefits of a reduction in the RBI’s key policy rates are passed on to borrowers. Last week the RBI had reduced repo rate by another 40 basis points. This will mean that state-run lenders will be lowering rates on all loans in the coming months as they adjust their deposit rates.

“Basically, the government wants public sector banks to lend at 7.5% although it may not be possible for all of them. But they will try and work out the rates in a way that they can lend around the indicative rate,” a banking source said.

RBI sees GDP shrinking, cuts repo rate, extends moratorium The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has accepted that GDP growth will slip into negative territory this year, blaming it on the collapse in demand due to a slide in private consumption following the Covid-19 lockdown. The central bank has, however, pointed to the likelihood of some pick-up in growth impulses beginning the second half of 2020-21.

At an out-of-cycle meeting of its six-member monetary policy committee (MPC), 13 days before schedule, the panel cut the repo rate the key policy rate at which RBI lends short term money to banks - by 40 basis points to its lowest level in over 20 years, a move that is being seen as more of a signal rather than aimed at actual outcomes. With this, the RBI has slashed the repo rate by 115 points since the lockdown commenced on March 25.

Analysts are, however, guarded on its impact since short-term rates have already slipped below the policy rate due to surplus liquidity, even as the absence of demand for credit and the lack of risk appetite among banks puts into question the effectiveness of the cut in stimulating growth.

Alongside the cut in its key policy rates, the central bank extended its moratorium on loan repayments by another three months to August 31 to tackle the economic fallout from the

ongoing nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of Covid-19. The six-member MPC which met for three days in an off-cycle meeting opted for the rate cut in a 5:1 majority decision.

However, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said the economic growth in 202021 is likely to be in the “negative territory” as the “macroeconomic impact of the pandemic is turning out to be more severe than initially anticipated”.

A temporary relief to banks Stressed borrowers will get significant relief with RBI extending the loan moratorium facility, but bankers expect a spurt in NonPerforming Assets down the road as nearly six months of non-payment of debt would likely affect credit culture.

A slump in economic activity would have an adverse impact on incomes of people, and impinge on their capacity to repay. Roughly a third of the loan book of banks is under moratorium.

This may only rise as stress builds up in the system.

While the 40 bps cut in the repo rate will make funds cheaper for banks, thus aiding them to bring down lending rates, even though the rate of transmission of the cut in policy rates has been a concern. Banks will also slash deposit rates on various tenures to manage its asset-liability position, which would mean savers and pensioners will see their returns

Shaktikanta Das

coming down.

The RBI has also extended the moratorium on term loan repayment by another three months to August 31.

On March 27, the RBI had announced a three-month moratorium till May 31.

This will help borrowers, especially companies, which have halted production and are facing cash flow problems, to get more time to stabilise their operations and restart their units.

All borrowers, including home loan, term loans and credit card outstandings, will get the benefit of the moratorium extension.

Further, the 40 bps cut in reverse repo rate to 3.35 per cent will prompt banks to make funds available for the productive sectors of the economy.

Now banks have been parking close to £70 to 80 billion at the RBI’s reverse repo window instead of lending these funds.

KKR to buy 2.32% stake in Jio Platforms for £1.13 bn Global investment firm KKR has decided to invest £1.13 billion in Jio Platforms, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL).

The transaction values Jio Platforms at an equity value of £49.1 billion and an enterprise value of £51.6 billion.

This is KKR’s largest investment in Asia and will translate into a 2.32 per cent equity stake in Jio Platforms on a fully diluted basis. Over the last month, leading investors such as Facebook, Silver Lake, Vista and General Atlantic, and now KKR, have announced aggregate investments of £ 7.86 billion into Jio Platforms.

Mukesh Ambani, chairman and MD, RIL, said, “We are looking forward to leveraging KKR’s global platform, industry knowledge and

operational expertise to further grow Jio.” Henry Kravis, co-founder and coCEO of KKR, said, “We view this landmark investment as a strong indicator of KKR’s commitment to supporting leading technology companies in India and Asia Pacific.”

Since inception, KKR has invested over $30 billion (total enterprise value) in tech companies, and today, its technology portfolio has over 20 companies across the technology, media and telecom sectors. In addition, India has been a key strategic market for KKR with a history of investing in the country since 2006, it said.

Hidden gem Suresh Vagjiani, Sow & Reap Properties Ltd

I just went to see a property we are about to complete on, which was purchased for a client. The property is a three bed semi-detached, requiring modernisation. It has been untouched for a few decades; no extensions to the rear or up above.

It seemed the whole street had done a loft or rear extension, apart from this dilapidated property.

The property is in West Harrow. Predictably, the owner next door came out and started a conversation. She had planned to buy the property for her son, but her son didn’t have any interest to live next door. This seems to be an Indian theme, where the parents like to buy the property next door, in the hope the next generation will live next door as one happy family. An increasingly outdated and disappearing ideal.

Our client in this purchase is a first time landlord, who wanted to set up a nest egg for the future.

The price the property was purchased for was £442,000, I would estimate about £100K off the retail price. In an ordinary climate this property could have gone for even more than the retail price because Harrow has the highest concentration of Gujaratis in the UK, and often they buy property not purely because they are getting a deal, but because it’s around the corner from where they live.

All you need is two people with this mindset to boost the price to over what it’s even worth via an Estate Agent.

One contender could have been the next door neighbour.

However, as ‘luck’ would have it, lockdown was in force; thereby the auction rooms went online. Interest drops due to uncertainty about the future, and deals therefore float to the surface, ready to be nabbed by the astute, and he who dares to go against the flow.

This first timer had the audacity to do the deal, though a small deal, it would have been a relatively big step for him to take. We applied for two mortgages for him, just to be sure of ensuring the funds were available for completion, compounded with an extra long completion for safety. The buyer’s lawyers tried to incorporate some clauses tying in the new COVID19 situation, however the seller was not having it.

To be fair one uses the auctions when one wants a deal done and dusted, not half done and dusted. If there’s a problem it’s the buyer’s problem not the seller’s, hence the discount. There are three routes to look at on this deal.

One is as a house, the other as two flats, and the third as an HMO. The second option relies on full planning, a process which I have developed an aversion to.

The third can be done through permitted development therefore full planning is not required. The difference is that permitted development is granted through central government and not local, and the time limit for the approval is guaranteed at 56 days.

Therefore, there is certainty with this angle.

Along with this certainty, comes a higher yield. With five rooms, and approximately £750per room, on full occupancy you will have approx. £3,750 per month coming in or approx. £45,000 per annum. From a tenant’s point of view, the difference between a studio and a nicely developed HMO is very small. Mortgage rates are exceptionally cheap at the moment, even on a BTL basis. One landlord recently secured a 10 year fixed rate at 2.64%.

When this property is completed the client will have an option to extract funds, and will be holding on to a month to month cash generator. Thus, a strong platform to execute his next deal.

NAUNTON BAY LIMITED (IBC Nº 070213) (In Voluntary Dissolution)

NOTICE is hereby given that in accordance under Section 286(b) of the International Business Companies Act 2016: • NAUNTON BAY LIMITED, is in dissolution; • The date of commencement of dissolution is 15th day of May 2020.

• The Liquidator of the company is Mr Serge Rouillon of Suite 14, Kingsgate House, First Floor, PO Boc 1075, Victoria, Mahe, Seychelles.

Dated 15th day of May 2020.

Serge Rouillon Liquidator

20

PAKISTAN

AsianVoiceNews

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

www.asian-voice.com

30 May - 5 June 2020

Pilot of crashed Pak plane ignored warnings thrice: report KARACHI: The Pakistani airliner that crashed into houses close to Karachi airport on Friday last had aborted an initial attempt to land a few minutes earlier without its wheels extended, officials said. An extraordinary sequence of events led to the loss of 97 lives, with only two passengers aboard the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight surviving when the Airbus A320 came down a mile from the runway in the densely populated Model Colony neighbourhood and burst into flames. Nineteen houses were damaged but only four people on the ground were injured.

The two survivors were sitting in the front part of the plane: Zafar Masud, president of the Bank of Punjab, and Mohammad Zubair, an engineer. Zubair, 24, in the 10th row, said that after the crash he could hear passengers screaming as fire engulfed the cabin. “After it hit and I regained consciousness I saw fire everywhere,” he said from his hospital bed. “The cries were everywhere and everybody was trying to survive. I undid my seat belt and I saw some light and tried to walk towards it.

Then I jumped out.”

Pakistani civil aviation officials and the airline confirmed that Flight PK-8303 had in the final seconds aborted a first attempt to land, without its undercarriage extended.

The pilots applied power to “go around” but

before it could climb away, its two engines scraped along the runway gouging a trail for hundreds of yards.

Captain Sajjad Gull, one of PIA’s most senior pilots, began bringing the plane around for a second attempt but the damaged engines failed three minutes later.

Only just before hitting the ground did the crew declare an emergency and report the engine failure. Pilots piecing together the evidence have suggested that the crew neglected to extend the wheels because they were distracted by the stress of an unstable approach. Their focus on a difficult landing may have caused them to ignore an automated chime that alerts pilots to a wrong landing configuration.

“The warning signs are clearly audible during the conversation between the cap-

tain of Flight PK-8303 and the controller,” said Sumanta Roy Choudhury, a veteran Indian pilot. “The pilot does not report an emergency and prepare for a belly landing. Instead, there is a missed approach.”

Mohan Ranganathan, an air safety expert, said that the pilots would have realised the lack of undercarriage when the aircraft failed to slow down normally just before touchdown. “He then might have decided to go around but the engines probably spooled up slowly and the underside came in contact with the runway,” he said.

More than five minutes from touchdown on their original approach, controllers twice pointed out to the pilots that their descent was far too steep and asked if they wanted to go around. One of the pilots declined, saying: “We are comfortable. We can make it.” The pilots failed to follow standard procedure and declare an emergency after the strike, according to the recordings. They only acknowledged a problem when the controller noticed they were failing to maintain 2,000 feet altitude.

He asked them to “confirm you are going for a belly landing”. By then it was too late.

Pak continues to harbour Taliban, Haqqani Network, says Pentagon report WASHINGTON: Pakistan continues to harbor the Taliban and associated militant groups in Pakistan, such as the Haqqani Network, which maintains the ability to conduct attacks against Afghan interests, says the quarterly report submitted by the United States Department of Defense to US Congress.

The report is the first one to be issued since the US and the Taliban signed an agreement on February 29 to facilitate the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan. It comes at a time when the US special envoy for Afghanistan reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad has called on India to hold direct talks with the Taliban.

Pakistan continues to focus on countering Indian influence in Afghanistan and harbours the Taliban and groups such as the Haqqani Network, which have the ability to engage in violence on Afghan soil, according to a new Pentagon report. The report by the inspector general of the US Department of Defense for the January-March quarter pointed to a continuation of Pakistan's

US has not cut Afghan security funds WASHINGTON: The US Defense Department has not withheld $1 billion in funding from Afghan security forces despite Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's vow on March 23 to cut that sum "immediately", sources familiar with the matter said.

The Pentagon has been reluctant to shave the funds announced by Pompeo and Defense Secretary Mark Esper has not provided guidance to his agency on how to carry it out, sources said. It was unclear why the cut has not been made, whether President Donald Trump's administration may have decided not to reduce the funding - no such policy change has been announced - or if there was some disconnect between the State and Defense Departments. The White House National Security Council referred queries to the Defense and State Departments. The State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

efforts to achieve its strategic objectives in Afghanistan, including shutting out India from the war-torn country.

"According to the DIA [Defense Intelligence Agency], Pakistan's strategic objectives in Afghanistan continue to be countering Indian influence and mitigating spillover of instability into its territory," the report said. The DIA also reported to the inspector general that "Pakistan has encouraged the Afghan Taliban to participate in peace talks, but refrained from applying coercive pressure that would seriously threaten its relationship with the Afghan Taliban to dissuade the group from conducting further violence".

Indian and Afghan officials have for long accused the Taliban, particularly its sword arm, the Haqqani Network, of having close links to the Pakistani military leadership.

Most of the Taliban leadership and their families continue to be based in Pakistani cities such as Quetta. The report comes at a time when the US special envoy for Afghanistan reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, has called on India to hold direct

talks with the Taliban. However, the Trump administration's outgoing pointperson for South Asia, Alice Wells, said that it was up to India to take a call on engaging with the Taliban. In his message in the report, Sean O'Donnell, the acting inspector general of the US department of defense, said: "The United States and Taliban agreed to a [one]week reduction in violence prior to the signing of the agreement, but Taliban violence during the quarter overall was high.

"In January and February, both the United States and the Taliban increased operations in order to influence negotiations. In addition, while the Taliban reduced attacks against US and coalition forces, it continued to attack the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces, particularly after the signing of the agreement."

The department of defense didn't provide information on Taliban-initiated attack for the January-March quarter, saying this was "sensitive" as it was part of ongoing deliberations on whether the Taliban is complying with the terms of the agreement with the US.

Two Pak women murdered in ‘honour killing’ ISLAMABAD: Two women in Pakistan have been murdered in a so-called "honour killing" after a video showing them kissing a man circulated online. The cousins, aged 22 and 24, were shot dead and buried on May 14 in a remote village in Pakistan's North Waziristan province, according to police officer Muhammad Nawaz Khan. Khan said the father of one of the victims and the other victim's brother were arrested and confessed to killing the women.

The leaked mobile phone video, in which the women appeared is a year old, but surfaced on social media this month, sparking the family's ire and decision to kill the women, said Khan. The footage shows a young man kissing the two women on the lips, while a third woman laughs alongside them.

The third woman's life is not believed to be in danger, Khan said. Police said they had arrested the 28-year-old man in the video on the grounds of vulgarity. The tribal areas in North and South Waziristan, which borders Afghanistan, are deeply conservative and known for their strict "honour code."

Women are often not allowed out of the house unaccompanied, and a family's social standing is measured by her obedience to family demands, according to Amnesty International. In a statement, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) said that many people who had condemned the Waziristan murders on social media had been "threatened or ridiculed," and called on the authorities to "make it clear to all that it will not tolerate any support for this heinous practice."

in brief LANKA POLL PANEL RULES OUT ELECTION IN JUNE Sri Lanka's independent elections commission said it cannot hold parliamentary elections on June 20 as planned because of the coronavirus outbreak. Saliya Peiris, a lawyer representing the commission, told the Supreme Court that the elections can only be held 10 weeks after health authorities declare conditions are safe. Several former lawmakers and civil groups had complained to the court that their fundamental rights were breached by the commission's earlier decision to hold election on June 20. The election was originally set for April 25 but the commission rescheduled it for June.

Peiris said the commission chose that date expecting the country's lockdown would be lifted by the end of this month. The petitioners also asked the court to annul President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's move on March 2 to dissolve Parliament and reinstate the old Parliament because the constitution says the country cannot run without a legislature for more than three months. Parliament's term was to end in September but the president has the power to dissolve it six months ahead of schedule, and also to reconvene it in an emergency.

The court has not yet said whether it will hear that case.

PROJECT TO BUILD A NEW CRICKET STADIUM ABANDONED Sri Lankan government has decided to stop its proposed project to build what was to be the island's biggest international cricket stadium following a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. 'It has been decided to suspend the proposed new international cricket stadium project in Homagama,' Prime Minister's office said after a meeting attended by former cricketers. It said Rajapaksa had also instructed to direct funds to develop school cricket and local stadiums. Rajapaksa met with the former senior cricketers following a public outcry against the construction.

There was no immediate reaction from the governing body, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) to the Prime Minister's decision. The SLC wanted to build a new stadium nearer to Colombo was needed to host two ICC World Cup events which are scheduled to be held in the years 2023 to 2031. The SLC had done inspection of a site at Homagama, a Colombo eastern suburb where they wanted to build a 40,000 seat capacity international cricket stadium costing 30-40 million dollars. This drew a social media outcry about the need to invest large sums of money on a new cricket stadium given the dire economic times in the Covid-19 pandemic background.

MAHATHIR PROMISES 'VERY BIG TROUBLE' Veteran Malaysian politician Mahathir Mohamad said he would seek to oust Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin at every turn, scolding his successor for bringing back into power a graft-tainted party rejected by voters in an historic election two years ago.

The prospect of more political and policy uncertainty in Malaysia comes at a time when the multi-ethnic Southeast Asian nation is grappling with the health crisis and economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. The 94-year-old Mahathir, who resigned the premiership in February, questioned the legitimacy of Muhyiddin's 21/2 month old coalition with the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO). "It's wrong for this backdoor arrangement to be done. We want to give the people the rightful government that they chose. That is our aim," Mahathir said in an interview.

www.asian-voice.com

AsianVoiceNews

WORLD

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

21

30 May - 5 June 2020

in brief COURT CANCELS BAIL GRANTED TO CHILD PORNOGRAPHER A Pakistani court has dismissed a review petition of a man who was convicted of child pornography two years ago and cancelled the bail granted to him earlier this month. Lahore High Court's Justice Farooq Haider had suspended seven-year sentence of Saadat Amin and ordered his release on bail last week.

Following a strong reaction to the LHC’s decision from the rights activists, civil society, lawyers and even former superior court judges, Justice Haider allowed a civil miscellaneous application on Amin’s appeal against his sentence and reversed his own decision by dismissing it. 'The convict will serve his full sentence,' ruled the judge after hearing the arguments from the convict's counsel and the additional attorney general. Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmad had also taken notice of bail granted to the pornographer and directed the attorney general's office to look into the matter. The Federal Investigation Agency's special court had handed down the conviction on 45-year-old Amin and imposed Rs 12,00,000 fine on him in April, 2018. According to FIA, it was the first-ever conviction in any child pornography scam in Pakistan.

KHASHOGGI'S SONS FORGIVE SAUDI KILLERS, SPARING 5 EXECUTIONS The family of slain Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi announced that they have forgiven his Saudi killers, giving legal reprieve to five government agents who had been sentenced to death for an operation that cast a cloud of suspicion over the kingdom's crown prince. “We, the sons of the martyr Jamal Khashoggi, announce that we forgive those who killed our father as we seek reward from God Almighty,” wrote one of his sons, Salah Khashoggi, on Twitter. Salah Khashoggi, who lives in Saudi Arabia and has received financial compensation from the royal court for his father's killing, explained that forgiveness was extended to the killers during the last nights of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in line with Islamic tradition to offer pardons in cases allowed by Islamic law.

The Saudi court's ruling in December that the killing was not premeditated paved the way for the announcement by leaving the door open for reprieve. Additionally, the finding was in line with the government’s official explanation of Khashoggi's slaying that he was killed accidentally in a brawl by agents trying to forcibly return him to Saudi Arabia.

CHINA WARNS OF 'COUNTERMEASURES' OVER US THREAT Beijing will retaliate if the US Congress passes legislation seeking sanctions against China over the coronavirus pandemic, the spokesman for the country's parliament said.

Tensions between the global superpowers have soared in recent weeks as they have traded verbal blows over the disease.

Washington has criticised Beijing for its initial handling of the virus, which emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year before spreading around the world. US President Donald Trump stepped up the rhetoric by tweeting that China was responsible for "mass Worldwide killing".

Republican senators proposed legislation last week that would empower Trump to slap sanctions on China if Beijing does not give a "full accounting" for the outbreak. "We firmly oppose these bills, and will make a firm response and take countermeasures based on the deliberation of these bills," spokesman Zhang Yesui said at a news conference on the eve of the annual session of the National People's Congress. "It is neither responsible nor moral to cover up one's own problems by blaming others. We will never accept any unwarranted lawsuits and demands for compensation," Zhang said.

Proposal to reopen airports for tourists in Lanka Colombo: The Presidential Task Force established to combat Covid-19 has proposed to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to reopen airports for foreign tourists from August 1st as the country is gradually returning to normalcy, the President’s Media Division said.

It said the Committee members pointed out that it is a remarkable achievement that not a single infected person was reported from the community up to date since April 30. The Covid Prevention Task Force Committee was convened under the patronage of President Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat to discuss ways and means to revive the tourism industry which was badly affected by the pandemic.

The President has highlighted the necessity of following

health guidelines issued by international and local health experts in the event of opening the country for tourists. “There is a possibility to be at the forefront of tourism revival provided a well-planned strategy is in place. Future steps should be taken under the guidance of tourism and health professionals on a priority basis,” President

said.

Under the first phase, it was decided to open hotels and restaurants registered under the Tourism Development Authority for in-house dining.

Based on its progress, steps will be taken to gradually open unregistered eateries under the assistance and supervision of the Army and Public Health

Officers.

The President advised relevant officials to set up Tourist Police units comprising those who are fluent in foreign languages giving priority to popular tourist destinations. “In order to attract tourists it is necessary to have a proper understanding of their preferences. Some prefer the beach while some enjoy seeing archaeological sites and wildlife. Some tourists are interested in scenic beauty. Tourist promotion activities should be planned accordingly,” the President added.

Minister of Health Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation Prasanna Ranatunga, Secretary to the President Dr. P.B. Jayasundera and members of the Presidential Task Force established to combat Covid-19 have attended the meeting.

Indian-American venture capitalist hosts virtual fundraiser for Biden WASHINGTON: A leading Indian-American global venture capitalist has hosted a virtual fundraiser for Joe Biden, who is the presumptive presidential nominee of the opposition Democratic Party.

Deven Parekh, who is the managing director of Insight Partners, was joined by Roger Altman, founder of Evercore, Blair Effron, founder of Centerview Partners, and former ambassador Jane Hartley, in hosting the high-profile fundraiser for Biden for some top 25 Wall Street donors.

With the two key endorsements, decks are now clear for a direct contest between Biden, 77 and the 73-year-old incumbent President Donald Trump, who is seeking re-election in the November 2020 presidential polls. In his brief five minutes of remarks, Biden focused on how unprepared President Trump was to handle the health and economic consequences brought forth by the coronavirus

Joe Biden

pandemic.

Acknowledging the “anxious times” the country is living in, especially New Yorkers, Biden told donors he appreciates how they’ve stuck with him throughout the pandemic by donating to his campaign and rallied them to continue to do so for the next several months.

'We have less than six months to Election Day. Who’s counting as the old saying goes,” Biden jokes. “Trump has been raising money since the day he got elected in 2016.” Biden then mentioned, as he often does, how the 2020 election has

become the most important election in their lifetime, not because he’s running, but because the country’s character and standing in the world is on the ballot.

He then began to criticise Trump's leadership throughout the pandemic, referencing how if Trump took Covid-19 seriously, less Americans would have died. Over 5 million people worldwide have been confirmed infected by the virus, and about 330,000 deaths have been recorded. The US is the worst affected country with more than 93,000 deaths and over 1.61 million infections, according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University.

'If you saw the Columbia study, had the president started one week earlier, there may have been 36,000 fewer deaths. This is absolute, absolute malpractice,” he said. Referencing the spiraling economy that could reach Great Depression era levels, Biden acknowledged how

the virus was “the match that lit the fire,” but that its consequences were exacerbated because Trump “undermined the core pillars of our economic strength” the last three years.

Parekh was a major fundraiser for the former president Barack Obama, during whose administration he served as a board of directors of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation. Parekh has held a number of roles at Berenson Minella & Company between 1992 and 2000, including Principal and Vice President.

Previously, from 1991 to 1992, he was a financial analyst for the Blackstone Group.

As a managing director at Insight Partners, Parekh manages investments in application software, data, and consumer internet businesses globally. He has actively worked with investments in Europe, Israel, China, India, Latin America, and Russia. In India among others he has invested in BharatPe.

Maldives thwarts Pak attempt at singling out India NEW YORK: Maldives has called out propaganda against India at the virtual Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meet at United Nations. In the meet, Pakistan reportedly made attempts to push its narrative of rising Islamophobia in India into the agenda. However, Maldives thwarted the move and said: "Isolated statements by motivated people and disinformation campaigns on social media should not be construed as representative of the feelings of 1.3 billion".

Maldives Permanent representative to the United Nations, Thilmeeza Hussain, minced no words and said alleging Islamophobia in the context of India would be factually incorrect. "Let me state that singling out India, the largest democracy

Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih with Prime Minister Narendra Modi (file Photo)

in the world and multi-cultural society and home to over 200 million Muslims, alleging Islamophobia would be factually incorrect," she said.

"It would be detrimental to the religious harmony in the South Asian region. Islam has

existed in India for centuries and it is the second-largest religion in India, with 14.2% of the country's population," she added. Of late, several Pakistan-based social media handles have been peddling lies to project India as "no place" for Muslims and claiming

rise of Islamophobia in the country. India sees it as an attempt by Pakistan to create a wedge between India and the Arab World. Some Pakistan-based twitter handles even impersonated big personalities of the Arab world to run anti-India propaganda. Thilmeeza Hussain further said: "The world has seen an alarming rise in the culture of hatred, prejudice and racism.

Violence has been exploited as a tool to promote political and other ideologies/agendas. The Maldives stands firmly against such actions anywhere in the world, including Islamophobia, xenophobia or any form of violence to promote political or any other agenda. Maldives cannot support any action within the OIC that singles-out or targets India," she added.

22 WORLD

AsianVoiceNews

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

www.asian-voice.com

30 May - 5 June 2020

India is an important partner in Afghan development: top US official WASHINGTON: Asserting that India has a critical role to play in the Afghan peace and development, a senior diplomat said that the US believed that a 'healthy' Afghanistan is going to need to have a 'healthy relationship' with New Delhi.

US State Department's top official for Central and South Asia Alice G Wells made the comments during the conference call with reporters.

“India is going to be a critical player and is a critical player (in Afghanistan),” Wells said. This is the reason why Special US Representative for Afghan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad travelled to New Delhi during the height of the Covid19 lockdown because it was so critical that these conversations and consultations continue between the two countries, she said.

Khalilzad visited India on May 7 and held extensive talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval over the fast-evolving political situation in Afghanistan after the Trump administration struck a deal with the Taliban in February. The US envoy laid

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani greets Prime Minister Narendra Modi

importance to India's crucial and continuing role in sustainable peace, security and stability in Afghanistan while updating on the US peace and reconciliation efforts in the country.

The Indian side emphasised that putting an end to terrorist safe havens and sanctuaries is necessary for enduring and sustainable peace and stability in Afghanistan. Responding to a question, Wells said that the US defers to India as to whether it wants to engage directly with the Taliban, but in a situation where the Trump administration is seeking through a negotiated political

Trump praises Indian-American girl

settlement, to have the Taliban as part of that political governing structure, that government's relationship with India, should be close.

“We believe that a healthy Afghanistan is going to need to have a healthy relationship with India,” Wells said. India, she said, is an important partner in Afghanistan's development.

After over a year of direct talks led by Khalilzad with the Taliban, the US signed an agreement with them in February in which the Taliban committed to prevent terrorism.

Under the agreement, the US committed to reduce its

forces in Afghanistan while continuing to watch Taliban's actions and to respond when necessary to defend Afghan security forces. Wells noted that progress to the next phase of the political negotiations has been difficult. She asserted that the level of violence in Afghanistan is unacceptable and it's the responsibility of the Taliban to significantly reduce that violence. The US has welcomed the formation of an inclusive government by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, she said, adding that the administration is looking for rapid implementation of their agreement and immediate steps to start intra-Afghan negotiations.

Observing that it is up to New Delhi to determine how best to support the Afghan peace process, Wells said India is a very important actor in Afghanistan. The USD 3 billion in assistance that has already been pledged to the country.

And it has touched literally every province in Afghanistan.

This in addition to the diplomatic and political support that India traditionally has provided to Afghans.

Six Indian Americans named to Biden-Sanders Unity task forces WASHINGTON: As many as six eminent Indian Americans have been named to the Biden-Sanders Unity task forces announced by former Vice President Joe Biden, who is the presumptive presidential nominee of the opposition Democratic Party.

Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal and former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy have been named co-chairs of the Health Care Task Force. The Unity Task Force is a result of the Sanders's endorsement of the Biden campaign.

Donald Trump poses for a photo with Girl Scout Troop 744 member Sravya Annappareddy

WASHINGTON: Sravya Annappareddy, a 10-year-old Indian-American girl, has been honoured by President Donald Trump for donating cookies to nurses and firefighters and sending personalised greeting cards to healthcare workers fighting Covid-19 pandemic in the US, the worst affected country in the world. Sravya is a Girl Scouts Troop member and a fourth-grade student at the Hanover Hills Elementary School in Maryland.

President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump paid tribute to several American heroes who are helping on the front lines of the coronavirus crisis, including Girl Scouts from Maryland who donated cookies to nurses and firefighters.

"The men and women we honor today remind us that the bonds that unite us in times of hardship can also raise us to new heights as we reopen and recover and rebuild," the President was quoted as saying.

Sravya was among three 10-year-old Girl Scouts honoured by Trump for their help.

Her parents are from Andhra Pradesh.

Girl Scouts Laila Khan, Lauren Matney and Sravya of Troop 744 in Elkridge, Maryland, all 10 years olds, donated 100 boxes of Girl Scout cookies to local doctors, nurses and firefighters. They also wrote 200 personalised cards for health care workers, the report said.

Climate change activist Varshini Prakash from Boston is the youngest member of these task forces alongside Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and environmental justice advocate Catherine Flowers. Executive director of the Sunrise Movement, a leading organization focused on climate change among young people, she will serve on the Climate Change group.

Former Secretary of State John Kerry is cochair of this task force.

Legal luminary Chirag Bains has been named a co-chairs Criminal Justice Reform Task Force. Former Acting Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta, according to a statement issued by the Biden Campaign.

Eminent Indian American economist and former lobbyist Sonal Shah has been named to the Economy Task Force. 'Honored to be serving on the Unity Task Force. Look forward to winning in Nov!” she said.

Biden and Senator Bernie Sanders have named a diverse group of respected leaders and experts to Biden-Sanders Unity Task Forces to explore possible policy initiatives in six areas covering: climate change, criminal justice reform, economy, education, health care, and immigration, a media statement said.

The Task Forces will meet in advance of the Democratic National Convention to make recommendations to the DNC Platform Committee and to Biden directly, it said. Building upon the work of the Democratic campaigns to date, the ultimate

goal of the Unity Task Forces is to develop the most successful possible agenda for Democrats in 2020, it added.

In a blog post Varshini Prakash attributed her being named to the Climate Crisis Task Force to Senator Bernie Sanders.

“I am grateful for Bernie Sanders believing in me, I trust his political leadership, and believe this is an opportunity for our movement to continue to advance our fight for a Green New Deal,” she said.

'Our nomination on this task force shows Joe Biden and his campaign are beginning to take seriously that power and the significance of young people within the party if we want to defeat Trump this November,” Prakash said. “We cannot afford another four years of Donald Trump pushing us backward, and I believe in our movement’s ability to begin winning a Green New Deal under a President Biden,” she added. Meanwhile, according to a new Fox News poll on the presidential race, former Vice President Joe Biden leads incumbent President Donald Trump by eight percentage points. The Republican-leaning Fox News in its latest presidential poll survey found that in the 2020 ballot test, Biden leads Trump by 48-40 per cent.

'Biden's eight-point advantage is outside the poll's margin of error. However, given that 11 per cent are undecided or plan to vote for someone else, neither candidate hits 50 per cent support. The race could go either way,” Fox concluded.

in brief KIM JONG-UN CANNOT MAGICALLY BEND TIME, SPACE The official newspaper of North Korea has denied that the regime's leaders can magically bend time and space, putting an end to a long tradition used to idolise the mystical powers of Kim Jong-un and former leader Kim Jong-il. In the latest sign that the secretive regime is turning away from mythmaking about its leaders, the Rodong Sinmun newspaper denied that the Kim family are masters of "chukjibeop", a method of folding space and travelling great distances in a short period of time. Chukjibeop is one of the myths that has been used by the North to deify its leaders. The newspaper said: "In realistic terms, a person cannot suddenly disappear and reappear by folding space." An official at South Korea's unification ministry said that the current regime's trend of demystification is "noteworthy". "It appears to stress patriotism and love for the people rather than mystification of the leaders," the official told Yonhap news agency.

RATS AND EXPIRED FOOD UNCOVERED IN DURBAN RAID At least 15 people have been arrested for operating unregistered businesses and not having the proper documentation to be in the country in a raid on Durban's notorious Point precinct. Rats, expired and rotting food, as well as counterfeit goods were uncovered during the raid at a number of hijacked buildings in the area. KwaZulu-Natal MEC for economic development and tourism Nomusa Dube-Ncube, accompanied by police, crime intelligence, Durban metro police, inspectors from the business regulations and consumer protection unit, and members of home affairs' immigration unit, pounced on a number of hijacked buildings which were reportedly being used to store and sell expired and counterfeit goods. More than 50 businesses operated by foreigners have been shut down in the Durban central business district for selling expired goods. This followed a wave of tip-offs regarding illegal businesses operating in the area. Dube-Ncube said those arrested were a mixture of locals and foreigners, confirming the existence of an international criminal syndicate. “Such unscrupulous elements are involved in cross-border crime and have a disregard of business regulations.

They have been found to be using fraudulent trading permits and their business are not registered as they don’t have identity documents.”

DEATH FOR TWO PAK MILITANTS An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan sentenced two militants to death for their involvement in a suicide bombing at a shrine in Sindh province that claimed 82 lives. According to police, the accused - Nadir Ali and Furqan were identified by the eyewitnesses and judicial magistrate Mushtaq Ali Jokhio through CCTV footage. They were found guilty in the 2017 bombing case in Sehwan Sharif area of Sindh province. The suicide bombing at the shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in Sehwan Sharif on February 16, 2017 killed 82 people and left hundreds of others injured. The convicts had reportedly carried out recce of the shrine with the suicide bomber a day before the explosion. In his statement to the court, Jokhio had identified Ali and said that he had confessed to facilitating the terrorists. The convict had told the magistrate that he rented a room in Sehwan a day before the blast, while also inspecting the tomb of Lal Shahbaz Qalander from the inside to make the bombing successful, the report said. The shrine's caretakers had also identified the convicts, claiming that they had seen them congratulating each other in the parking lot.

www.asian-voice.com

AsianVoiceNews

INDIA

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

30 May - 5 June 2020

532 flights take off on Day 1: Non-metros see highest demand Two months after they were grounded, 532 domestic flights crisscrossed the Indian skies on Monday - the first day of resumption of air services.

Demand for non-metro routes is significantly higher than metro routes, with the Delhi-Patna route witnessing the highest number of bookings for the travel period between May 25 and May 31, according to information. The booking pattern is reflective of a trend which suggests bulk of the demand comprises those going to visit their homes or travelling for health-related procedures.

“From no domestic passenger flights till Sunday to 532 flights & 39,231 passengers on Monday, action has returned to Indian skies.

With Andhra Pradesh set to resume operations from Tuesday & West Bengal from 28 May, these numbers are all set to increase further,” Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said in a tweet.

The Delhi-Patna route is highest in demand, followed by sectors such as DelhiBagdogra, MumbaiVaranasi, Bengaluru-Patna, Delhi-Srinagar, etc. Prior to the grounding of flights announced by the government with effect from March 25, around 2,700 domestic flights operated in the country on a normal day.

According to the standard operating procedures issued by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, only a third of those flights can operate

now.

However, curtailment of the truncated schedule following requests by state governments led to cancellation of several flights at airports throughout the country. At Delhi Airport, the country’s largest aerodrome, more than 80 flights were cancelled.

At Mumbai airport, 47 flights were operated catering to a total of 4,852 passengers, which include 3,752 passengers at departures and 1,100 at arrivals.

The first flight to takeoff from Delhi was IndiGo’s service to Pune, which departed at 5 am. Those who took the first flight out of the capital included paramilitary and army personnel, students and migrants.

In a statement, IndiGo said, “IndiGo plans on flying more than 200 daily flights until May 31, 2020… IndiGo

operations ran smoothly and by afternoon, 85% of our flights have reached their final destination within 30 minutes of scheduled arrival time. There were no major delays or any other disruptions.” IndiGo said it flew about 20,000 passengers on Monday.

Online travel agency Paytm Travel said due to three consecutive lockdowns, several travellers had to stay back in cities such as Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, and were now flying back to non-metro cities including Patna, Jaipur, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Varanasi, Guwahati, among others.

Thousands of passengers reached airports since early in the morning on Monday only to be told by the airline staff that some of their flights have been cancelled causing hardship to them. Many people also

took to social media to vent their anger. Gripped by anxiety and uncertainty, some came from faraway towns and were on the road for several hours wanting to catch the first flight to their respective states.

Bumpy take-off at Gujarat airports A large number of flyers were left in the lurch after three flights were cancelled at Surat and one from Vadodara airports. At the SVPI airport in Ahmedabad, 80 flight movements were handled while three were

cancelled due to rotational issues. In Porbandar, TruJet began operation between Ahmedabad and Porbandar with, only three passengers on the aircraft.

The varied Covid-19 quarantine and self-isolation rules in states and also the Union Health Ministry guidelines for arriving travellers also compounded their travel woes.

The airlines, which were allowed to operate one-third of their pre-lockdown domestic services from May 25, had to further truncate

their flight schedules on Sunday leading to the cancellations. All carriers except GoAir operated their flights on Monday.

The flights were resumed on a day when India registered the biggest single day spike of 6,977 new coronavirus cases - surpassing the 6,000 mark for the fourth day- taking its tally to 1,38,845. India is now in the top 10 worst affected countries by the pandemic, overtaking Iran which was in the 10th position with 135,701cases.

Govt plans calamity cess on Covid deaths in Gujarat continue GST to tide over Covid crisis unabated In line with the disaster relief cess introduced in Kerala last year following the monsoon floods of 2018, the central government is considering a calamity cess on Goods and Services Tax (GST) to tide over the economic crisis triggered by the coronavirus pandemic, according to some sources.

Sources said that a proposal to raise additional revenue from GST, excluding goods and services in the five per cent slab, is with the Finance Ministry.

However, when contacted, at least two state Finance Ministers - from Kerala and Assam - said that such a move would “not be a good idea” as the industry is already facing a “huge crisis”. The issue will be raised at the next GST Council meeting, which is expected to be held in a few weeks, sources said.

Kerala is the only state to have levied such a cess using the Constitutional provision, Section (4) (F) of Article 279 A, which refers to “any special rate or rates for a specified period to raise additional resources during any natural calamity or disaster”.

The GST (Compensation to States)

Act, 2017 also provides for the imposition of cess up to the rate of 15 per cent ad valorem (based on estimated value) on “any other supplies”. Kerala, for instance, started levying 1 per cent cess on GST for two years from August 1, 2019, on the value of goods and services taxed at 12 per cent, 18 per cent and 28 per cent.

When contacted, Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is the Finance Minister of the BJP-led NDA government in Assam, said “the situation is not so appropriate for any cess”. “The industry is not in a mood to absorb any cess now. The mood is low, and there are already paycuts, retrenchments and so on,” said Sarma, who is a member of the GST Council.

The Minister, however, pointed out that a proposal to levy cess on “sin goods” alcohol and tobacco products - could be considered.

“You can consider additional cess, may be in 6-7 months,” he said.

Sarma also said that the “situation is improving”, as the GST collection in his state “is going up from 20 per cent during the full lockdown to 50 per cent now and is expected to go up to 80 per cent next month”.

“There’s a loss of one quarter, and to cover that we should make use of other monetary instruments, such as borrowing, increase in WMA (Ways and Means Advances), overdraft, etc, provided the central government pays the devolution funds,” Sarma said. Last month, the RBI announced a 60 per cent increase in the WMA limit of state governments.

Asked about the proposed move, Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac said: “The states are not able to collect the GST, how can there be an additional cess?”

According to Isaac, the only way out is to lean on the fiscal deficit and take back concessions given to the corporate sector. “The Centre should borrow from the RBI to provide funds to states,” he said.

Meanwhile, sources indicated that the next GST Council meeting would be convened only after the Centre has prepared a response to the states’ demand for pending compensation. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said earlier this week that GST compensation is due for all the states for the four-month period from December to March.

The death march of Covid19 continued unabated in Gujarat as 30 more people succumbed to the virus in 24 hours on Tuesday, pushing the death toll to the ominous figure of 913.

State recorded 396 cases, taking the total tally to 14,864. Of the 30 deaths, 25 were reported from Ahmedabad, three from Gandhinagar and one each from Surat and Anand.

Conforming to the international trend, analysis of Gujarat’s deaths reveal that 65% of male patients had died. Out of 888 deaths so far, 576 are males. Analysis of 548 deaths from May 1to 24 in Ahmedabad shows a slightly higher percentage

of 66.3% deaths of males.

Dr Tushar Patel, citybased critical care specialist, said number of patients with comorbidities is comparatively higher among men. “Two factors of older age and co-morbidities have resulted in high mortality ratio for several patients. It’s the trend also seen in several other noncommunicable diseases like diabetes.”

A senior medical officer at Civil hospital also confirmed the trend. “When we compare patients by gender, men tend to have higher viral load with more exposure to the virus. In most women, it was the transmission through their family. But in higher age

groups, I believe the death rate is nearly the same,” he said. He added that biologically, women are a stronger gender and similar trends were observed in other viral outbreaks in the past. Of the new cases, 310 were from Ahmedabad, 31 from Surat, 18 from Vadodara and 12 from Sabarkantha. It was second highest tally in a single day ever for Ahmedabad district.

On May 5, Ahmedabad had recorded 349 cases.

1,975 fresh cases in India After recording 1,975 fresh cases in the last 24 hours, India's total number of Covid-19 cases surged to 1,51,915 and the death toll mounts to 4313.

4 Indian astronauts resume training in Russia The four astronauts shortlisted for Gaganyaan, India's first manned space mission, have resumed their training in Russia, after it was put on hold due to Covid-19 scare.

Russian space corporation, Roscosmos in a statement said, "Gagarin Research & Test Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC) on May 12 resumed training of the Indian cosmonauts under the contract between Glavkosmos, JSC (part of the State Space Corporation Roscosmos) and the Human Spaceflight Center of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)."

All four Indian astronauts are in good health. "GCTC continues to observe antiepidemic regulations according to which

sanitary and hygienic measures are carried out at all the GCTC facilities, social distancing measures are applied and the presence of unauthorized persons is restricted; all employees and cosmonauts must wear medical masks and gloves," it added.

Roscosmos also tweeted a picture of the astronauts wearing space suit with the Indian flag.

Four Indian Air Force fighter pilots are currently under training in Moscow, and are going to be the potential candidates for the Gaganyaan project.

The pound 1 billion ambitious project is expected to be launched in 2022, the year of the 75th anniversary of India's Independence.

24 INDIA

AsianVoiceNews

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

www.asian-voice.com

30 May - 5 June 2020

SOUTH INDIA

in brief

Tamil Nadu has suffered £3.5 bn revenue loss during lockdown: CM SALEM: Tamil Nadu has suffered an estimated £3.5 billion GST revenue loss during the ongoing Covid-19 lockdown and various austerity measures have been taken to handle the situation, Chief Minister K Palaniswami said. However, development schemes won't be affected from these steps, he said.

During the last week of March, besides April and May, due to the lockdown, the state has suffered an estimated £3.5 billion GST revenue loss, he said quoting the Finance Department. “Various austerity measures have been taken to handle the situation but they won''t affect development schemes as they ensure employment generation," he told reporters, without elaborating.

The Tamil Nadu government had imposed the lockdown on March 24, a day

K Palaniswami

ahead of the national lockdown, to curb the spread of coronavirus in the state. To a question, he said the state will see what announcement the Centre makes on the next course of lockdown as the ongoing fourth phase will end on May 31.

The government would also consult a panel of medical experts, he said, while pointing out at the various relaxations already provided, including in the farming and industrial sectors to resume activity. To

another question, he said there was no community transmission of the pandemic and asserted that the government was taking the right steps to prevent the contagion.

Covid case count crosses 15,000mark With the death of five more people, the number of Covid -19 toll in the state reached 103 as the state which is grappling with the contagion witnessing 759 fresh cases, the health department has said. Among the fresh cases, 49 of them arrived to the state from various places, the health bulletin said. The total number of cases in the state now reached 15,512.

Of those infected were two one-month-old babies from Kancheepuram and Chennai, the bulletin added. Twentyone employees of various companies were among the latest cases, health department sources said.

As many as 363 people have been

discharged taking the total to 7,491, the bulletin said. Chennai leads in the maximum number of positive cases with 624 being added to the list on Saturday totalling 9,989 till date.

With the latest cases, the cumulative Covid-19 positive tally also crossed the 15,000mark to touch 15,512. Saturday also marks the fourth straight day the state has reported over 700 cases. On May 22, it had recorded 786; on May 21, it saw 776 cases; on May 20, it witnessed 743. Five passengers who had returned from the Philippines and seven have tested positive in the exit test conducted after seven days of arrival, albeit having tested negative earlier. On the domestic front, 24 from Maharashtra, three from West Bengal, one passenger each from New Delhi, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh have tested positive for the virus.

PUNJAB

Punjab CM reaches out to MLAs sulking over chief secy issue CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh met with some of the legislators who had objected to the 'unacceptable behaviour' of the chief secretary during a meeting over excise revenue.

Cabinet minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, MLAs Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Pargat Singh and Sangat Singh Gilzian met the chief minister, who is learnt to have invited them for a meeting over lunch at his Siswan farmhouse. State Congress president Sunil Jakhar was also present at the meeting, Randhawa said.

According to an official statement, the chief minister invited them for an informal lunch, during which discussions were held on the prevailing Covid-19 crisis and the prolonged lockdown in the

Amarinder Singh

state. Randhawa told a news conference that he had raised with the chief minister the issue of Chief Secretary Karan Avtar Singh's alleged 'unacceptable behaviour' with ministers during a meeting held recently.

'When he (CM) asked about the chief secretary issue, we told him that the chief secretary's attitude was not right and the way he spoke (with ministers)

cannot be tolerated by anybody,' Randhawa said. The chief minister was told about what had happened on that day and why ministers had walked out of the meeting, Randhawa said, adding that the CM assured them to look into the matter.

The crisis was triggered by a showdown on May 9 between two ministers and the chief secretary at a meeting where the state's postlockdown excise policy was being discussed.

After Technical Education Minister Charanjit Singh Channi opposed any relief for liquor vend owners, the chief secretary allegedly made some 'curt remarks.' Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal and Channi had then walked out.

Later, Badal and Channi announced that they would not attend any meeting where the chief secretary was present.

Though the chief secretary was divested of the additional charge of the financial commissioner of taxation, at least 10 Congress legislators, led

by Warring, had sought a probe against the chief secretary after blaming him for excise revenue loss. Warring said that it was the responsibility of the chief secretary who was heading the department for the 'downfall' in revenue.

Pargat Singh said there was no harm in setting up a corporation for excise if the state's revenue goes up with it.

He had reportedly lashed out at his own government earlier, demanding setting up an excise corporation to boost excise revenue and stop liquor smuggling.

WEST BENGAL

West Bengal issues guidelines for air travel KOLKATA: The Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government has issued guidelines for passengers who will be taking domestic flights to the state. As per the advisory issued by the government, people entering Bengal once domestic flights are allowed in the state from May 28 must submit a selfdeclaration form stating that they had not tested positive for Covid-19 in the past two months.

The passengers also need to undergo health screening after their arrival at the airport, it said.

Although domestic flight services resumed in India on Monday, the Mamata-led

government had earlier said that such services would be started in West Bengal from May 28, the delay owing to the state government's emergency preparations and response in dealing with the damages left behind by Cyclone 'Amphan' on May 20.

Following are the guidelines issued by the Bengal government: All passengers shall undergo health screening at the point of departure and only asymptomatic passengers shall be allowed to board the plane.

On arrival, health screening will be done for all passengers.

Asymptomatic passengers will be permitted to go with the advice that they shall self-monitor their health for 14 days. In case they develop any symptoms, they shall inform the local medical officer or the state call centre.

Samples will be collected for Covid test from all symptomatic passengers. They will be taken to the nearest health facility for sample collection and health condition assessment. Those with moderate or severe symptoms will be admitted to the dedicated Covid-19 health facility and managed accordingly.

Regular sanitisation,

disinfection shall be done at the airport. There should be adequate availability of sanitisers at different points.

All passengers are required to submit filled-up self-declaration form at the time of arrival.

Meanwhile, the Health Department has established a chain of dialysis units after reports that such services were disrupted due the Covid-19 pandemic. The department has also issued another advisory stating that dialysis units, which were closed due to a patient testing Covid-19 positive, might resume operations after proper sanitisation.

INDUSTRIES TO REOPEN IN TAMIL NADU The coronavirus pandemic is hurtling along in Tamil Nadu but lockdown restrictions are being whittled down one by one. The number of new positives topped 740 for four days in a row and the death toll broke through 100 on Sunday, but the state government on Sunday allowed 17 industrial estates in Chennai, the reddest of the red cities, to resume work, but with conditions. Chief among the conditions is that the work force would have to be limited to 25 per cent and safety measures would have to be implemented. Industrial estates situated in non-containment zones can resume work from May 25, but employees residing in containment zones would not be allowed to go to work. There will be thermal scanners at all factories and workshops to screen employees, an official release said.

Social distancing would be followed between workers, and the work places would be disinfected twice a day.

YEDIYURAPPA SLAMS MINISTER FOR ABUSING WOMAN Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa openly reprimanded his senior cabinet colleague J C Madhuswamy for verbally abusing a woman representing a farmers' organisation. Speaking to reporters, the chief minister said 'I'm aware of the matter, I will speak to the woman. I will see to it that such incidents do not repeat.' Madhuswamy on his part has apologised and said he felt 'intimidated.' The woman is a representative of Karnataka Raita Sangha in Kolar and the alleged incident occurred during an inspection. The video footage of the incident in which Madhuswamy is heard asking her to air her grievance and not to command. He is purportedly heard saying he is a 'very bad man.' The minister also asks police to take her away as she questions him about encroachment of a lake.

21% RISE IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES IN PUNJAB Official figures reveal 21 per cent increase in the number of crime against women in Punjab, with 700 cases of domestic violence alone.

The number of cases has risen from 4,709 to 5,695 since March, with domestic violence cases going up from 3,287 to 3,993 during the lockdown period. Deputy Advocate General Deepika Deshwal, who is engaged in counselling of the victims, said women after being subjected to domestic violence suffered from depression and anxiety. “During lockdown, I had been allocated the charge of women and child affairs in the state. Now, all complaints are being monitored through daily diary reports being shared by deputy commissioners of police on a daily basis. We are getting complaints of lactating mothers being separated from their newborns after domestic violence,” she said.

BIG JUMP IN BENGAL COVID CASES The coronavirus disease (Covid-19) toll in West Bengal touched 272 on Tuesday as the state government reported three more deaths - two in Kolkata and one in Hooghly. If deaths due to comorbidities are considered, the toll is 272. Meanwhile, the positive case count registered the highest-ever increase, with 208 people reported to have contracted the virus in the 24-hour period. In total, 3,667 people in the state have tested positive till date. Most infections were detected in Kolkata (52), followed by Howrah (48), Malda (31), North 24 Parganas (21), Hooghly (20) and Uttar Dinajpur (13). The other districts where cases were reported are South 24 Parganas, Purba and Paschim Bardhaman, Murshidabad, Nadia, and Birbhum.

www.asian-voice.com

AsianVoiceNews

INDIA

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

25

30 May - 5 June 2020

The writer is a Socio-political Historian - E-mail: haridesai@gmail.com Dr. Hari Desai

Shahu Chhatrapati, A reformist Rajarshi of Kolhapur • “A prophet ahead of his time” had maintained a close connection with Gujarat • About the 1902 Reservations document, Tilak wrote ‘Chhatrapati lost his mind’ hahu Chhatrapati (26 June 1874-6 May 1922) known as “People’s King” was not just a ruler of the Princely State of Kolhapur, but was a great reformer ahead of his time. Born as Yashwantrao in the Jahagirdar Ghatage family of Kagal, he was adopted by the widow of Chhatrapati Shivaji IV on 17 March 1884 and ascended to the throne on 2 April 1894. At the age of 28 he took revolutionary steps such as introducing 50% reservations for the backward communities in his government jobs when his bureaucracy was dominated by Brahmins and caste Hindus.

S

On 26 July 1902, Shahu Chhatrapati issued a historic document in the gazette of the Karveer (Kolhapur) state. It was a notification in English that reserved 50% of government posts for backward class candidates.

Two days later, the Englandreturned Chhatrapati issued the same notification in Marathi, as was his administrative style.

History had been made, as developments that followed confirmed. He had a close connection with Gujarat too: he studied at Rajkumar College, Rajkot and married Lakshmibai, a daughter of Gunajirao Khanwilkar of Baroda. He was proud of considering himself as a Arya Samaji, a follower of a reformist religious organisation established by Swami Dayanand Saraswati who was born in Tankara near Morbi in Gujarat.

Mahatma Phule, a great reformist and educationist, demanded reservations for backward class in a memorandum given to the British Education Commission but could not succeed in making the British accept his demand. It was in 1882, when Jotiba Phule, in his address to the education commission, or the Hunter Commission, demanded that the British purge the education system and public services of the near total dominance of Brahmins. Phule belonged to the Mali caste, a part of the large groupings categorized as Other Backward Classes (OBC). Shahu Maharaj could take the affirmative action for the upliftment of the backwards even when the British rulers in India were hesitant to displease the Brahmins. When he discovered that the non-Brahmin castes and communities did not have enough qualified candidates to claim the reserved jobs, he started a multi-pronged programme to extend free, universal and mandatory education. In 1917, he promulgated an Act making primary education free and mandatory for every child in Kolhapur state.

Shahu Chhatrapati began his famous programme to set up hostels exclusively dedicated to particular castes and communities. “Though the British considered Brahmins as their enemies, they were wary of taking them on since the latter also had a prominent position in the freedom struggle and administration. But Shahu Chhatrapati had this courage.

Inspired by Phule and instigated by a particularly nasty incidence of personal humiliation, Shahu Chhatrapati took this revolutionary step in 1902 because he was truly committed

to the emancipation of the backward classes," says veteran historian Dr.Jaysingrao Pawar.

When Shahu Maharaj ascended the throne in 1894, Brahmins held 67 of the 71 posts (94.37%) in the administrative department of the princely state. In the ruler’s private administration, Brahmins held 46 of the 53 posts (87.79%).

The remaining posts in both departments were occupied by non-Brahmins like British officers, Anglo-Indians, Parsis, and Prabhus (upper-caste Hindus). “This was what Shahu Chhatrapati called the Brahmin bureaucracy. He discovered the irony that though this was a Maratha princely state, there were hardly any Maratha (nonBrahmin backward classes, including the Marathas (PatilsPatels), OBCs, untouchables, Muslims, Jains, and Lingayats) in the administration," Pawar explains.

The 1902 document of Shahu Maharaj was an “inspiration" behind Dr.B.R.Ambedkar’s constitutional philosophy of reservation. As such the ruler of Kolhapur had developed liking for Dr.Ambedkar and supported him financially not only for his

Next Column Darbar Gopaldas Desai, the forgotten Hero studies but also for the magazine “Mooknayak” he launched a century ago. Unfortunately, Shahu Maharaj died in 1922 and Dr.Ambedkar lost a great supporter. That he was much ahead of his time is evidenced by the astounding trajectory and range of the revolutionary and r e f o r m i s t laws/decrees/manifestos he

issued. Like the quota manifesto, many of these legislations predated, by several decades, similar laws that the Maharashtra legislature or Parliament passed. Like the Compulsory Primary Education Act of 1917, the Legal Sanction to Inter-caste and Inter-religion Marriage Act of 1919, the Law for Prevention of Cruelty against Women, 1919, and the Manifesto against Observance of Untouchability, 1919. There are reasons why Rajarshi Shahu Chhatrapati is considered a classic social revolutionary in the reformist tradition of Maharashtra. Ruler of one of the two seats (the other being Satara) of the Maratha empire founded

by Chhatrapati Shivaji, he consciously exposed himself to outside influences and especially the modern European ideals of democracy, fraternity and individual liberty. Back home, he interacted with prominent rationalists and reformists like Mahadev Govind Ranade, Gopal Krishna Gokhale and Gopal Ganesh Agarkar.

Shahu Chhatrapati travelled extensively in Europe and India, absorbed all that he could, and implemented many of those things in Kolhapur. All India Kurmi (Patels) Mahasabha felicitated him by awarding the title of Rajarshi in 1919 at Kanpur.

Reacting to Shahu Maharaj’s 1902 historic document of reservations, Lokmanya Tilak, in his editorials in the Kesari newspaper, called this notification an undiplomatic and immature step and wondered if Shahu Chhatrapati had lost his mind. If this is what Tilak felt, one can imagine the reaction of other Brahmins!

Centre sends Army, NDRF to help cyclone-hit Kolkata Responding to an SOS from West Bengal, the Modi government on Saturday deployed five columns of the Army and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to help state and civic agencies get cyclone-ravaged Kolkata back on its feet even as anger and frustration boiled over in neighbourhoods still without electricity and water. The super cyclonic storm Amphan has claimed the lives of 86 people in the state.

The first signs of a joint centralstate response came barely hours after the state home department tweeted that assistance would be required along with a gargantuan effort to restore essential infrastructure and services snapped by cyclone Amphan on Wednesday.

Five columns of the Kumaon Regiment were deployed along with road-clearing equipment like payloaders and bulldozers on Southern Avenue and in Tollygunge, Ballygunge, Rajarhat, New Town and Behala, where hundreds of trees were uprooted and roads blocked as Amphan coursed through the city.

“Army support has been called for; NDRF and State Disaster Response Force teams deployed; Rly, Port & private sector, too, requested to supply teams and equipment,” the home department said, adding that it was “mobilising maximum strength in unified command mode on 24×7 basis for immediate restoration of essential infrastructure and services ASAP”.

The state’s appeal and the Centre’s quick response came amid continuing protests in several pockets of the city over the blackout and dry taps since Wednesday.

Officials said trees felled by the severe cyclonic storm needed to be removed from the roads first for power and telecom connectivity to be restored.

CM Mamata Banerjee stepped in to soothe frayed tempers, appealing to residents of various localities to bear with state agencies for a few days. “Behead me if you want. But try to appreciate the difficulties. We are not sitting idle. A total of 225 teams are working in Kolkata. I understand your problem. I have spoken to CESC’s Sanjiv Goenka. It is a private organisation and not under us. It is suffering a manpower shortage because of the lockdown.

They need skilled manpower, not just workers,” she said at Nabanna, the state secretariat.

All state agencies are facing a shortage of personnel, Mamata said, adding: “Offices have been working with reduced manpower because of the lockdown. We don’t have enough people to cut trees. I have told the KMC and Kolkata Police to engage locals.”

Amphan affected 60 million out of Bengal’s 100 million population, the CM said during a visit to Kakdwip in South 24-Parganas earlier in the day. She said the £100 million central “advance assistance” was “too little” given that the damage caused by Amphan was “much more than a national disaster.”

“Our normal monthly income is £600 million but there has been no income for the last three months.

Nothing from the centre has reached us till date. The £100 million central advance assistance is too little compared to the damage,” Mamata said.

PM Modi announces £100 mn relief Earlier Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an advance interim assistance of £100 million for cyclone-hit West Bengal on Friday (May 22). In a video message after reviewing the situation with Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar and Mamata Banerjee in Basirhat in North 24 Parganas district, the Prime Minister also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 200,000 to the families of each of those killed and Rs 50,000 for the injured. At least 86 people have been reported killed so far in the state due to the extremely severe cyclone.

Large-scale damage to infrastructure, public and private property was reported from North and South 24 Parganas, East and West Midnapore, Kolkata, Howrah and Hooghly districts. "Under the leadership of CM Mamata Banerjee, West Bengal is doing its bit in a fighting crisis caused by cyclone Amphan," PM Modi said. "I announce an advance interim assistance of £100 million for the state. A detailed survey will be conducted of the damage to agriculture, power and other sectors, besides damage to houses.

In this time of distress and despair, the entire country and the Centre are with the people of Bengal," he said.

Earlier today, ahead of PM Modi's aerial survey in Bengal, Mamata contended that the calamity is more than a natural disaster. She said it will take time to restore normalcy, with cyclone Amphan having ravaged at least 7-8 districts in Bengal, and adversely impacting 60 per cent of the state's population.

20 killed in Bangladesh The cyclonic storm hitting the West Bengal moved to Bangladesh where it has has caused widespread damage and claimed at least 20 lives, reported Dhaka Tribune. The government estimated that the damage from the cyclone is worth Tk 1,100 crore. State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr Md Enamur Rahman reported that initial estimates by four ministries suggested that Cyclone Amphan had badly affected 26 districts, causing damage to the tune of Tk 1,100 crore.

"According to a primary estimation, based on inputs from the ministries of local government, agriculture, fisheries and livestock, and water resources, the losses add up to Tk 1,100 crore," Rahman was quoted as saying. He further stated that a full estimate would be available only after a week.

26 INDIA

AsianVoiceNews

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

www.asian-voice.com

30 May - 5 June 2020

India, China fortifying troops along disputed borders India's relations with China and Nepal deteriorated recently following the aggressive stand taken by the both the countries on the disputed borders. The Indian Army has taken “requisite countermeasures” by further bolstering troop reinforcements in eastern Ladakh in face of China’s continuing aggressive behaviour in four to five high-altitude locations along the unresolved border.

A few additional infantry battalions have been moved into Ladakh from other areas to ensure they can replace in “rear locations” the acclimatised troops shifted forward to the sites of confrontation with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), said sources. Some other units under the Lehbased infantry division (a division has 10,000-12,000 soldiers) have also similarly moved to “occupy their forward operational alert areas” from their “permanent locations in depth” to cater for any contingency.

The serious nature of the escalation can be gauged from the fact that Army chief General M M Naravane himself visited Ladakh to take stock of the ground situation. But military and diplomatic lines of communication are also being kept open with China in a bid to deescalate the almost monthlong troop confrontations on the northern bank of Pangong Tso (Tso means lake), Demchok and Galwan Valley areas. “The military deadlock, however, persists till now,” said a source.

PLA more aggressive after India created UT of Ladakh There have, in fact, been a few more scuffles between rival patrols since the major violent clash on the northern bank of Pangong Tso sector left several soldiers from both sides badly injured on May 5-6. The Army, on its part, continues to remain tightlipped about what has become the most serious

confrontation since the 73day face-off at Doklam near the Sikkim-Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction in June-August 2017.

The stand-off at Galwan Valley, a flashpoint even during the 1962 war, has become particularly tense with an estimated 1,200 PLA soldiers pitching 80 to100 tents and setting up other fortifications like bunkers in three to four positions in “patrolling point 14” and Gogra post areas, which are ahead of China’s “claim lines” in the region.

Indian positions in the area, around 500 metres away, have also been reinforced to “match” the opposing forces, said sources. Though there have been similar incursions by the Chinese troops in the past – like the 21-day faceoff in Depsang Bulge area of the Daulat Beg Oldie sector in April-May 2013 the much larger PLA presence, with its more aggressive behaviour is somewhat new this time.

“It cannot be the work of local commanders…the directions must have come from the top PLA hierarchy and its Western Theatre Command,” said the source.

China is enraged by the completion of the 255-km Darbuk-Shyok-DBO road, which provides access to the Depsang area and Galwan Valley while ending near the Karakoram Pass,

by India last year. “China is upset with the swift troop connectivity the roads provide to India in the border regions of Ladakh.

Moreover, the PLA is being

much more aggressive about its claim lines after India created the Union Territory of Ladakh,” said another source.

India calls Nepal's new map unjustified After Nepal came up with a new politicla map showing Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura and Kalapani as its territory, India bluntly asked Nepal not to resort to any 'artificial enlargement' of its territorial claim.

The Ministry of External Affairs said the revised map of Nepal included parts of the Indian territory and asked Kathmandu to refrain from such 'unjustified

and evidence. It is contrary to the bilateral understanding to resolve the outstanding boundary issues through diplomatic dialogue. Such artificial enlargement of territorial claims will not be accepted by India,' MEA

cartographic assertion'.

India's angry reaction came hours after the Nepal government released a revised political and administrative map of the country laying claim over the strategically key areas along the border between the two countries.

'This unilateral act is not based on historical facts

Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said.

He said Nepal is well aware of India's consistent position on the matter.

'We urge the government of Nepal to refrain from such unjustified cartographic assertion and respect India's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

We hope that the Nepalese

leadership will create a positive atmosphere for diplomatic dialogue to resolve the outstanding boundary issues,' he said.

The new map was released by Nepal's Land Reforms Minister Padma Aryal during a televised press conference in Kathmandu. The ties between the two countries came under strain after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated a 80KM-long strategically crucial road connecting the Lipulekh pass with Dharchula in Uttarakhand on May 8.

Nepal reacted sharply to the inauguration of the road claiming that it passed through Nepalese territory.

India rejected the claim asserting that the road lies completely within its territory. Nepalese Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali last week summoned Indian Ambassador Vinay Mohan Kwatra and handed over a diplomatic note to protest against India inaugurating the key road.

In the midst of the row, Indian Army chief Gen Naravane said there were reasons to believe that Nepal objected to the road at the behest of 'someone else', in an apparent reference to a possible role

by China on the matter.

The Lipulekh pass is a far western point near Kalapani, a disputed border area between Nepal and India. Both India and Nepal claim Kalapani as an integral part of their territory - India as part of Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh district and Nepal as part of Dharchula district.

Nepalese Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli earlier asserted that Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura belong to Nepal and vowed to 'reclaim' them from India through political and diplomatic efforts.

Addressing Parliament, Oli said the territories belong to Nepal but India has made it a disputed area by keeping its Army there.

The ties between India and Nepal came under strain after New Delhi issued a new political map incorporating Kalapani and Lipulekh as part of its territory in October last year.

International flights could start by middle of June: Aviation Minister There is no need to quarantine air passengers who show "green" status on the Aarogya Setu app, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Saturday during an online discussion with the public to clarify norms governing resumption of domestic flights. Puri made a similar point during a press briefing, during which he revealed details of revised flight operations, including air fares and the seven categories of routes.

"Don't understand the need for quarantine of

passenger who has green status on Aarogya Setu app," Puri said in his virtual meeting, adding the government will try to restart a "good percentage of

international flights", which remain banned for now, before August. "I am fully hopeful that before August or September, we will try to start a good percentage of

international civil aviation operations, if not complete international operations... depending on what is the situation," he added.

Puri was responding to concerns that air passengers travelling during the lockdown may not need to go into quarantine or isolation on arriving at their destination. Following his statement, as many as six states, including Kerala, Karnataka and Assam, insisted that people arriving via domestic flights will have to be quarantined.

Karnataka said incoming passengers from six states

with the most infections will have to undergo seven-day institutional quarantine and seven days of home isolation. Exemptions will be made for the elderly, the terminally-ill, children and pregnant women.

Tamil Nadu urged the centre to rethink the reopening of air travel, citing a surge in coronavirus cases in state capital Chennai and nonfunctioning public transport, which will trouble passengers commuting between the airport and the city - a distance of around 10 km.

Puri pointed out that as per revised SOPs governing air travel during the lockdown, those showing "red" on the Aarogya Setu app, which he promoted as an "excellent contacttracing device", would not even be allowed to enter the airport, let alone board a plane. "I don't know why we are making such a fuss on the quarantine issue. Bhai, this is domestic travel. Same laws will apply here that applies when you travel by train or a bus... People who are positive will not be allowed to board the flights," he said.

www.asian-voice.com

AsianVoiceNews

HEALTH

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

27

30 May - 5 June 2020

Impact of the Covid-19 pandemic more on older adults

The older adults who are already suffering from health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or respiratory illness - comorbidities that we now know raise the risk of severe Covid-19 and Covid-19-related death. In addition, a likely weaker immune system makes it harder for older adults to fight off infection.

As a result, the impact on older adults is notable.

According to World Health Organization (WHO) data from April 2020, more than 95% of Covid-19 deaths were among people over 60 years of age, and more than half of all deaths occurred in people of 80 years-plus. In Sweden, for example, 90% of the deaths from Covid-19 were among people more than 70 years of age.

The Chinese Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offered data in March showing an average Covid-19 case fatality rate of 3.6% for adults in their 60s, 8% for those in their 70s, and 14.8% for people 80 years and above. “Older adults are at a significantly increased risk of severe disease following infection from Covid-19,” said Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe. He said, “Supporting and protecting older people living alone in the community is everyone’s business.”

Covid-19 deaths in care homes While the wider community should indeed be preoccupied with the health and well-being of older adults, there are epicenters to the current crisis, and nursing homes, alongside hospitals, are one such place.

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warn that “nursing home populations are at the highest risk of being affected by Covid-19,” compounding not only the risk for older people but also placing care workers at risk. The New York Times (NYT) gathered recent data showing that in the US, at least 28,100 residents and workers have died from a SARS-CoV-2 infection in a nursing home or in another long-term care facility for older people.

Overall, more than a third - that is, 35% - of all Covid-19 deaths in the US occur in long-term care facilities, comprising residents and workers. “While just 11 per cent of the country’s cases have occurred in long-term care facilities,” say the authors of the NYT report, “deaths related to Covid19 in these facilities account for more than a third of the country’s pandemic fatalities.”

In other parts of the world, the situation looks dire, too.

Data collected by researchers at the London School of Economics (LSE), in the United Kingdom, suggest that the majority of virus-related deaths occurred in nursing homes.

In Belgium, for example, 53% of the country’s entire number of Covid-19 deaths occurred in care homes. In Canada, this proportion was 62%. In France, the figure ranges from 39.2–51%. In Spain, 67% of all Covid-19 deaths occurred in care homes. In the US, nearly 60% of all care home-related Covid-19 deaths occurred in the state of New York.

The danger of the new coronavirus spreading in care homes, and affecting workers as well as residents, is amplified by the fact that most of the cases doctors confirmed in these environments were asymptomatic.

In Belgium, for example, 72% of staff diagnosed with Covid-19 showed no symptoms at the time; neither did 74% of the residents who had tested positive for the new coronavirus. Despite these alarming figures, the US federal government is not keeping track of this data. Withholding key nuanced information about whom the pandemic is affecting hardest is in the way of directing resources where people need them the most.

“It’s impossible to fight and contain this virus if we don’t know where it’s located,” David Grabowski, a professor of healthcare policy at Harvard Medical School, said. Prof.

Grabowski added that knowing this information could help predict where the next outbreak will be; other NGO advocates agree that knowing which nursing homes have the highest number of cases can help states direct resources where the need is the greatest.

Covid threat to drug chains for malaria, other diseases With the lockdown of entire countries, global supply chains of health commodities are at risk. This could lead to shortages of medicines across the world, including treatments for critical illnesses, as highlighted by the US Food and Drug Administration. “While it is too early to know how Covid-19 will truly impact the availability of essential medicines, the pandemic has exposed weaknesses of supply chain systems worldwide.”

This is especially worrying for low and middle-income countries (LMICs) that still bear the brunt of the burden of communicable diseases such as malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis.

Their health systems are likely to be stretched thin in response to a spike in Covid-19 cases and shortages of medicines to treat other communicable diseases like malaria are likely to make matters worse. The impact of Covid-19 on pharmaceutical supply chains could imperil progress made against malaria in Asia Pacific and beyond.

Three trends reveal the vulnerabilities of our supply chains: Disruptions in the production of raw materials may lead to shortages of essential medicines: China’s Hubei province, where the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus outbreak first emerged, is one of the hubs for the production of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), which are responsible for the intended effects of drugs. The twomonth lockdown, including factory closures, sparked worries in countries like India, a major exporter of generic drugs, that rely heavily on China as a source of APIs. As countries turn inwards, global supply chains may reach breaking point: Despite reports of China reopening factories and aiming to resume full production capacity this month, national restrictions on travel, freight and movement of people to limit the spread of the virus will likely continue to impact the supply of essential medicines. The nationalisation of drug supplies and freezing of exports of essential medicines due to fears of domestic shortages could further disrupt procurement operations.

The availability of existing essential medicines on the market is also at risk: Take the example of chloroquine (or hydroxychloroquine) - an antimalarial drug - which has gained publicity as a possible treatment for Covid-19. This has already led to

shortages of the drug due to hoarding as reported for example in Myanmar.

This is likely to be the case in other countries. If this behaviour spreads, it may have implications on the drug’s availability for malaria patients. In response, Myanmar is now enforcing it as a “prescription only medicine” to prevent it from being snatched off the shelves.

The situation is rapidly evolving.

While it is too early to know how Covid-19 will truly impact the availability of essential medicines, the pandemic has exposed weaknesses of supply chain systems worldwide and this could have a detrimental impact on the control of other communicable diseases like malaria.

There are few contingency measures in place to help countries predict how this might disrupt the availability of medicines downstream, or measures that permit quick action to mitigate risks. Even more, shortage of medicines leave an opportunity for substandard and falsified alternatives to slip through the cracks, as evidenced by recent reports of fake chloroquine on the African continent.

These pose a whole other series of consequences for patients including potential treatment failure, enhanced drug resistance or even death.

The Asia Pacific region has made unprecedented progress in curbing the number of malaria cases and deaths putting it mostly on track to meet the 2030 elimination goal. Lower availability of essential antimalarial drugs might jeopardize these efforts. Any shortage in chloroquine, for example, would put patients at risk in countries where the majority of cases are of relapsing malaria, for which chloroquine is an essential part of the treatment. It is imperative that we do not lose sight of the fight against other diseases, while formulating a robust

response to the ongoing epidemic.

We need to ensure that the level of commitment and actions match the level of the threat we face from existing communicable diseases and new pandemic threats: more measures are required to secure and strengthen our supply chains, more collaboration across sectors, better data, political and financial backing to support mitigation efforts around supply chain management issues.

We need more mechanisms in place to closely monitor the supply chains and contingency plans to assess risks and bottlenecks quickly. Realtime data and exchange of information on issues such as potential blockages and shipping delays must be shared by all stakeholders.

Government ministries, manufacturers, customs officials and disease programs must collaborate to come up with shared solutions to anticipated shortages.

There are some good examples.

India formed a high-level committee to discuss possible steps to minimise the impact to the domestic supply chain. Manufacturers are ramping up production and committing to donate tens of thousands of hydroxychloroquine tablets so that those are readily available if proven efficacious against Covid-19. The Pandemic Supply Chain Network - a platform to facilitate collaboration with industry - is working to increase production of Covid -19 products to meet global demand.

We also need better resourced National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs), especially in LMICs. This will enable routine quality monitoring throughout the supply chain to prevent irrational use of medicines, or circulation of poor-quality drugs. NRAs must expedite the introduction of Covid-19-related vaccines and treatments once those are market-ready.

Adding spices to your meals helps reduce inflammation A brand new set of compelling research reveals aromatic spices shall help reduce inflammation in your body.

You heard it right! That gorgeous spice box in your kitchen may just be your biggest friend. A study published in the Journal of Nutrition collected a blend of spices like basil, bay leaf, black pepper, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, ginger, oregano, parsley, red pepper, rosemary, thyme, and turmeric.

The research was based on a prerequisite aim that found that a variety of different spices like ginger and turmeric have anti-inflammatory properties. The study examined 12 men between the ages of 40 and 65 who had obesity or had at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Each participant ate three different versions of a meal high in saturated fat and carbohydrates on three different days in a randomised order.

The meal included one with no spices, one with two grams of the spice blend, and one with six grams of the spice

blend. Researchers drew blood samples before and after each meal every hour to four hours, to measure inflammatory markers. The scientists also cultured white blood cells and stimulated them to get the cells to respond to an inflammatory stimulus.

Study researcher Connie Rogers said, “If spices are palatable to you, they might be a way to make a high-fat or high-carb meal more healthful. We think that's important because it's representative of what would happen in the body. Cells would encounter a pathogen and produce inflammatory cytokines.” The study shows that in comparison to each meal containing two grams of spices or no spices, a meal containing six grams of spices showed that inflammatory cytokines were reduced following the meal.

To Our Readers

We are publishing these items in good faith, kindly consult your Doctor before you try to implement any advice. We do not hold any responsibility for its efficacy...

28 LIFESTYLE & FOOD

AsianVoiceNews

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

www.asian-voice.com

30 May - 5 June 2020

How to overcome anxieties about stepping out after lockdown relaxations Are you anxious about stepping out of your house after lockdown relaxations announced by the government. The anxieties could rise from various concerns, most importantly the risk of exposure to Covid-19 infection, besides other issues like uncertainties of the job and the future or the ability to adjust to a new ‘normal’ environment. This is similar to what has been dubbed as “post-lockdown anxiety” by Anxiety UK, a mental-health charity. “(It’s) the fear or worry of returning to normal life and leaving lockdown.

This can develop from many places, the most common we tend to see seems to originate from health worries or a fear of the unknown. It can range from a worry of being in public spaces to a fear of leaving the house in general,” Samuel Ledger, Anxiety UK, said in an interview.

Is there a way to avoid being exposed to such a situation? No, because we need to earn our livelihood and because we cannot be in isolation forever. That means we have to find ways to cope with our anxiety or it could interfere with our well-being.

How to deal with the anxiety of going out after lockdown Accept: The first thing to do is to accept the reality the pandemic has resulted in, advised Dr Sandeep Vohra, senior consultant psychiatrist. “People will have to learn to accept the fact that we have to live with coronavirus. You

cannot be in denial of that. The more we face the situation, the less anxious we become.”

Take precautions: The lurking fear of Covid-19 infection can be dealt with only if we take necessary precautions.

Our anxieties about stepping out are similar to those we were having during the lockdown. “Our main reason for anxiety was, what if we get the infection? So whether we are inside our homes or out, the anxiety continues.

This anxiety needs to be channelised properly so that we continue with the safety precautions we have been taking all this while. We still need to maintain social distance, sanitisation and wear masks when we go to work.

Here some dos and don’ts you need to keep in mind Speak to your employer, colleagues: A communication gap with the employer regarding their policies post Covid-19 could also be a cause of anxiety so it is better to clarify your doubts.

“Enquire at your office about the policies they have adopted post Covid-19,

Diet changes can help fight body temperature While leaving the house is not really an option anyway in summer, it is important that you keep yourself healthy and hydrated inside the house, too. The body’s temperature needs to be regulated, because it is possible to be dehydrated even when you are not walking out in the heat.

Which is why, it is important that you alter your diet a little and know exactly what kinds of food you need to eat so as to brave the weather and stay fit. Delhi-based nutritionist, reiki practitioner and therapist Urvashi Puri says that digestion plays a key role in keeping the body cool. “It also reflects on the skin,” she says. She recommends the following dietary changes.

Sticking to a meal time is a must, especially the lunch hour, because the body heat is at the maximum during this time. It can make us feel cranky and irritated, and this irritation can then show on the skin.

We must keep in mind to drink water only 30 minutes after finishing a meal. Also, Puri advises against drinking water while having meals as this can affect digestion. “Drink mildly-cold water, and avoid hot drinks as they can heat up the system and cause dryness,” she says.

Consuming alkaline and waterrich foods is the mantra to fight heat and keep the skin hydrated. Certain fruits and vegetables are alkaline and more hydrating in nature as compared to others. Alkaline foods are rich in water content and low in calories, thereby balancing the acidity and pH levels of the bodily fluids.

These foods are also easy to digest, making you feel refreshed and energised, adds Puri.

She recommends the following summer foods: Bottle gourd - Commonly known as ‘lauki’, this vegetable has 96 per cent water content. Lauki juice works very well for the stomach, and is light on digestion. It is a hydrating agent that reduces the body heat significantly.

Pumpkin - This seasonal vegetable is loaded with water and is rich in carotene, polyphenols and other antioxidants.

Cucumber - It is probably the most common hydrating food item. Cucumbers are rich in vitamins A and C, folic acid and fiber.

Alkaline level of cucumber helps in keeping a check on the blood’s pH level as well as acidity. It can be applied on the face as well, to reduce dark circles, puffy eyes and pigmented skin.

Lemon - It is an all-time favourite fruit that is a popular summer beverage, too.

A generous squeeze of lemon juice with water, and sugar and salt combination, makes for a healthy, refreshing drink, which is great for combating heat strokes and dehydration. It is also a great immunity booster.

Melons - Of course, they cannot be missed.

Melons are seasonal fruits, loaded with the goodness of nature and essential nutrients. They are low in fat, and are amazingly hydrating.

including changes in seating for social distancing, sanitisation measures or any other work-related changes. If there are colleagues who have joined the office before you, speak to them and get their feedback on the current scenario at the workplace.

At the organisational level too, people need to allow a little more flexibility because we will continue to experience pressures of work-life balance. So we need to make sure that our empathy towards our employees helps them maintain that balance.

Avoid coronavirus discussion: If you are among those who are constantly keeping track of the number of reported cases or deaths, it is time to take a break. Experts have been advising judicious consumption of coronavirus-related news to maintain good mental health. So, avoid too much discussion or debate about the pandemic unless absolutely necessary.

Keep your mind healthy: For this, we need to have six to eight hours of good quality sleep at night, and do breathing exercises, yoga and other forms of exercise regularly. This can help you feel relaxed. Limit the consumption of alcohol and cigarettes.

Speak to someone: “Most importantly, we need to maintain positivity because mental health outcomes will be a key aspect of the pandemic.

Bottling up your anxieties will not help.

So, speak to someone about the issues, be it a friend, family member, colleague or a therapist.

Bring the salon home with fruit facial Are you missing your salon a little too much in this period of lockdown? Well, while it is natural to miss the experience of stepping into a beauty parlour for a quick treatment, it is also a bit risky right now, since it is a shared space. As such, it is advisable that you take care of your skin and hair at home until things begin to get normal, with simple kitchen ingredients and easy DIYs. If you have been missing a good fruit facial of late, worry not, b ecause you can now do it in the comfort of your house; here is a step-by-step guide.

First clean your face with water and pat dry.

Next, use a milk-based cleanser. Pour a little bit of milk in a bowl and use a cotton ball to gently apply it on the face and neck. Let it dry for 10 minutes.

Instead of washing it off with water, use a natural scrub using lemons to remove dead cells and toxins from the skin. To make this scrub, use one teaspoon of lemon juice and mix it with some baking soda. Make a paste and add some rose water or regular water to build the consistency.

Apply the paste on the face and scrub for a good five minutes.

If you want, you can apply some honey on your face next. Honey is known to clean the skin and also act as a bleaching agent. If you have dry skin, you can apply honey on your fac e and let it stay for 10 minutes before you wash it off with water.

Next, you must steam your face a little so that the clogged pores open up. Add some hot water to a bowl and place it on a table. Bring your face close to it (but be careful you don’t bring it too close), and use a towel to cover the face. Let the steam from the water work wonders.

Now is when you apply the fruit pack. This is the last and t he final step. Take a banana, a cucumber, some neem leaves for their anti-microbial properties, honey and curd. Add all these ingredients to a grinder and make a paste. Let it stay in the refrigerator for 15 minutes, before you take it out and wear it. Let the paste stay for 20 minutes, before you gently clean it off with water.

Your skin will glow like you have just stepped out of the salon.

Also, since it is completely done at home, it is natural and safe. You do not have to worry about anything - your skin is clean and healthy.

Recipe MAKING NON-FRIED NACHOS AT HOME For many of us, a bucket full of nachos or popcorn is synonymous with the movies. But we are sure that much like us, you too have been missing munching on them. But worry not, as you can make some right in your kitchen.

And you don’t even have to worry about eating fried food as this recipe is completely non-fried.

Ingredients 1 cup – Makki atta (pressed and filled) 3-4 tbsp – Whole wheat atta 1 cup – Water, Little salt 1/8tsp or 2 pinch – Baking soda (meetha soda) Method: Boil water in a kadhai and add baking soda to it.

Now add makki atta and switch off the gas. Give it a good mix. Cover and let the dough rest for 8-10 minutes.

While the dough is still hot, add whole wheat flour and knead a soft dough. Divide into small portions and leave covered for sometime.

Roll out the dough in between two plastic sheets. Make sure it is really thin. Lightly grease the sheets, if needed.

Cut it into triangles. Place these on a greased baking tray (lined with parchment paper) and gently brush with oil.

Bake at 180 degrees C for about seven to eight minutes or until the corners start browning and the chips are crispy (the time may vary).

Now its time to enjoy them with your favourite toppings and dips!

VADA PAV Ingredients 2 Tbsp oil, 1/4 tsp hing 1 tsp mustard seeds 2 tsp saunf, 1 onion 2 tsp green chilli - garlic paste 2 nos potato, boiled 1 tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp salt 2 tsp red chilli powder 2 tsp coriander leaves, 2 tsp lemon juice For masala paste: 9 garlic cloves, 5 nos red chilli whole 2 tsp white sesame seeds, 1 cup dessicated coconut 2 tsp peanuts, roasted, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp red chilli powder 1/2 tsp tamarind, 1 cup besan, 1/4 cup soda, 1 tsp salt 1 tsp red chilli powder 4 Green chillies, How to Make Vada Pav Prepare Aloo Vada: 1.Take oil in a pan, put hing, mustard seeds and saunf. Roast together.

2.Add onion and Green chilli-garlic paste and saute well.

3.Now add boiled potatoes, turmeric powder, aa tsp of salt, 2 tsp of red chilli powder and coriander leaves.

4.Mix them well and add lemon juice. Saute to make a paste.

Prepare Masala Paste: 1.Put oil in a pan and add garlic along with red chilli whole, white sesame seeds and desiccated coconut.

2.Mix them well and add roasted peanuts and half a tsp each of salt and red chilli powder. Mix well.

3.Now add tamarind and grind all the ingredients together to get a paste.

4.Next, take a bowl and add besan, soda, a tsp each of salt and red chilli powder.

5.Put some water and mix thoroughly to make a besan mix.

6.Take the prepared masala paste and make a small ball of it.

7.Dip the balls completely into the besan mix and deep fry in the pan.

8.Fry till golden brown.

9.Put some green chillies in the pan to fry for a while.

10.Take buns and put green chutney, masala paste and the fried masala pakodas between them.

11.Serve with the garnishing of fried green chillies on top of it.

Key Ingredients: oil, hing, mustard seeds, saunf, onion, green chilli - garlic paste, potato, turmeric powder, salt, red chilli powder, coriander leaves, lemon juice, garlic cloves, red chilli whole, white sesame seeds, dessicated coconut, peanuts, salt, red chilli powder, tamarind, besan, soda, salt, red chilli powder, Green chillies

www.asian-voice.com

AsianVoiceNews

BOLLYWOOD

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

29

30 May - 5 June 2020

Priyanka Chopra's 'Expectation vs Reality' post is a mood Actress Priyanka Chopra has been in self-isolation with her husband Nick Jonas in their Los Angeles home for over two months now. She has been working really hard from home, utilising her time effectively and learning new skills. She has also been putting out fun posts,

similar to her most recent Instagram post.

The actress posted two pictures of herself on Sunday, joking about the difference between expectation and reality.

She captioned it, “Expectation vs Reality”. In one picture, she is seen in an ultra glamorous mode,

dressed in a pink monokini, while the other picture she is seen in a white laced skirt and blouse with her face covered with a white cloth, snoozing on a couch.

The post had several celebrities ROFL, and dropping a bunch of laughing face emojis.

Happy birthday Karan Johar Hrithik Roshan all praise for

Madhuri Dixit's debut Single

Actor Hrithik Roshan is all praises for evergreen actress Madhuri Dixit for her debut single 'Candle'.

Sharing the original music video of the song on Twitter, the actress wrote, “Have you heard this yet?

What a beautiful voice you have mam.” Madhuri premiered her song of 'positivity' during a Facebook Live, and within minutes, the entire industry poured in with appreciation.

Filmmaker Karan Johar tweeted, “Is there anything my supremely talented friend @MadhuriDixitcannot do ??? Please give this beautifully rendered song a soulful listen! The world of music welcomes you Madhuri!”

Lockdown gets Mumbai to slow down: Sayani Gupta

From filmmaker to producer to actor to reality show judge, Karan Johar wears many hats. On his 48th birthday, did you know he started his career in the entertainment industry as a child artiste in a 1989 Doordarshan series titled 'Indradhanush'?

Contrary to popular belief, Karan did not make his acting debut with a supporting role in Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol-starrer 'Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge'. He spoke about working in the show on Sajid Khan and Riteish Deshmukh’s chat show 'Yaaron Ki Baaraat'.

Karan said that though he shot for 'Indradhanush' when he was around 14 or 15 years old, it came out a few years later, due to a delay in the production.

By this time, he was already in his second year of college. “I was ragged when I was 18 about something I did when I was 15. It was not fair,” he said, adding that he felt embarrassed when he watched it now.

Directed and produced by Anand Mahendroo, 'Indradhanush. was a children’s series which dealt with themes of outer space and time travel. Karan played a young boy named Shrikant.

In a recent interview, actress Sayani Gupta spoke on how the ongoing lockdown has caused Mumbai city to slow down for the first time.

Getting candid about the city that never sleeps, Gupta said, “The city never shuts down.

Even after the terror attacks, the local trains never stopped.

But now, it has come to a standstill. It's like somebody has pressed the pause button on a remote. It's Mother Earth's way of telling us to take it easy else we shall be in a deeper crisis.”

Calling current times “tough” for families, Gupta said, “A lot of families are breaking up and divorce rates are shooting up. People are not used to spending so much time with each other. It must be excruciating for a family of eight to twelve members living in tiny rooms.”

“Human beings needed to slow down. We had been living a life full of hustle,” she said. When asked how she was coping with the

lockdown, she said she has always loved staying home and is currently spending time on herself. “I'm utilising this time to introspect about life. It's a great time to work

out, eat healthy, learn some new recipes, engage in a dance routine and hone my painting skills. I hope I continue to enjoy this me-time.”

30 BOLLYWOOD

AsianVoiceNews

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

www.asian-voice.com

30 May - 5 June 2020

Twinkle remembers her nani on Eid in emotional post

by Vallisa Chauhan

Writer Twinkle Khanna has shared a picture of her family’s Eid feast, along with a note of remembrance for her late grandmother, Betty Kapadia.

Twinkle wrote that she associates Eid with her ‘nani’s kichda’.

She wrote on Instagram, “We rarely made biryani on Eid. Our treat was always Nani’s delicious Kichda and decorated envelopes with our Eidi. This year, our hearts and our table have too many empty spaces without her to fill it all up. #eidmubarak.” The picture shows a plate of the Eid delicacy, along with several accompaniments.

Twinkle’s post has been ‘liked’ close to 50,000 times. “Eid Mubarak,” several people wished her in the comments section, while others wrote about how pretty her picture was.

Twinkle’s grandmother, Betty, died at the age of 80 in 2019. She had been diagnosed with a respiratory disorder.

Genre: Biographical Drama Duration: 118 minutes

A true story about a boy that finds his mother 25 years later Saroo is a young feisty five-year-old boy who travel by train with his older brother Guddu but falls asleep and Guddu goes to do his job. Saroo wakes up and cannot find his brother in the deserted station, this is when life changes for the young boy.

Salman's Eid surprise for fans There are more than one reasons for Salman Khan fans to anticipate Eid; One of them being the actor's fresh release each year. Despite the coronavirus pandemic bringing his plans to a halt this year, Khan released a special Eid treat for his fans. Bhaijaan released a special new song on Monday.

Since 2009, Salman has released a film on Eid every year. This year too, he had plans to release 'Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai' on Eid 2020. However, the mass closure of theatres amid the nationwide lockdown has postponed multiple plans.

During this lockdown, Salman has already released two singles, 'Pyaar Karona' and 'Tere Bina'. While the lyrics of the former were written by the actor himself, along with Hussain Dalal, lyrics of Jacqueline Fernandez starrer 'Tere Bina' was written by Shabbir Ahmed.

Mahesh Bhatt praises Anupam Kher as 'Saaransh' clocks 36 years As his iconic film 'Saaransh' clocked 36 years, director Mahesh Bhatt recalled the portrayal of the central character of the movie by senior actor Anupam Kher.

Bhatt took to Twitter to post a still from the flick featuring Kher. "36 years of SAARANSH! He was just 28 years old when he made his debut in this iconic role of a school teacher who has lost his son in an act of senseless violence," the 'Sadak' director tweeted. "Thank you, Anupam for helping me birth this heartbreaking inspired creation. @AnupamPKher #Saaransh," his tweet further read.

Veteran actor Anupam Kher's debut flick - 'Saaransh' - won him his first Filmfare award in the best actor category. The film revolved around the sequence of events in the life of a retired school teacher and his wife after their son loses his life in a mugging. Helmed by Bhatt, the film also features actors Soni Razdan, and Rohini Hattangadi.

The film opens with two young brothers Saroo and Guddu, one day Guddu is going to work and Saroo follows. Saroo gets tired and falls asleep and so Guddu leaves him at the train station. Saroo wakes up and cannot find his brother and so he boards a train thinking that must be where he is. Saroo falls asleep and in that time the train moves off. 14 hours later Saroo arrives in Calcutta, where he does not speak the language and has no idea what his home town is called.

Saroo wanders the streets and learns how to fend for himself as a beggar. Months later Saroo meets a young man who takes him to the police station. Saroo is sent to an orphanage where life changes for him as he is adopted by a loving family in Australia. He travels to Tasmania in 1987 to meet his new family, The Brierley’s, where he settles in with the family life.

Years later, Saroo is now grown up and has moved to Melbourne to study hotel management. When friends start asking about his childhood this brings up memories for Saroo.

Saroo starts using his knowledge and manages to draw a perimeter on a map of where he may be from using the time he was on the train and the speed of the train. He then uses Google Earth to zoom into different areas until he finds a waterfall he used to play at with his brother.

Saroo returns to his home town and uses his memory to follow through to his old house and he is reunited with mum and sister. An emotional reunion follows and Saroo learns that his older brother actually died not long after he went missing.

The film ends on a happy note where we meet the real Saroo and both his mother’s embrace each other.

This is an emotional filled award winning film that will keep you on your toes hoping and praying that Saroo finds what he is looking for, both as a child and later as an adult.

You can get in touch with Vallisa: djvallisa@gmail.com

www.asian-voice.com

AsianVoiceNews

KOLLYWOOD

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

31

30 May - 5 June 2020

Genelia D'Souza to make a comeback in Tollywood Back in 2006, Genelia D'Souza's portrayal as Madhumati in Allu Arjun's 'Happy' had created a buzz among the audience. Her acting tactics were highly appreciated by the people, which eventually made her one of the favourites of the Telugu audience. The actress, who was last seen in Tollywood in the 2012 movie 'Naa Ishtam' alongside Rana Daggubati, is all set to make a comeback in the Telugu film industry.

As per reports, the actress has been approached by the makers of Telugu 'Lucifer'.

It is said that the actress has given her nod to the makers to essay the lead role in the Telugu remake of Malayalam movie, 'Lucifer'. If everything goes as per plan, Genelia will

reprise the role of Manju Warrier from the Malayalam political drama. It is to be noted that Manju had essayed the role of the antagonist's wife and a mother of a teenager.

The character played by the Malayalam actress was quite challenging, and indeed created an impression on the audience. Well, we are excited to see Chiranjeevi and Genelia on the screen for the first time. However, the makers have not yet confirmed her inclusion in the highly-anticipated project yet. Talking about 'Lucifer's' remake, the movie will mark the maiden collaboration of Chiranjeevi with 'Saaho' director Sujeeth. Megastar will be seen reprising Mohanlal's character from the original movie. As per reports, the director has

completed the script of the film, which will go on floors once Chiranjeevi's ongoing project, 'Acharya' wraps up. There are also rumours of Pawan Kalyan and Ram Charan's inclusion in the movie, which is bankrolled by Konidela Productions.

The 2019 movie 'Lucifer', is the directorial debut of actor Prithviraj Sukumaran. The muchhyped movie turned out to be one of the top-grossing Malayalam films of the year.

Ashwin recreates epic scene from Maddy’s ‘Minnale’ Madhavan’s blockbuster movie ‘Minnale’ released in the year 2001 and is still loved by many. The movie marked the debut of director Gautham Vasudev Menon and music director Harris Jayaraj.

In a particular scene, Maddy, Vivek and their gang are spotted chilling out over a couple of beers. When Maddy asks someone to sing a song, Vivek sings the song ‘Theyn Mozhiye’ in a funny manner, giving the song a touch of his comedy.

This scene is forever etched in memory of the fans as one of the iconic and sarcastic scenes of Tamil Cinema.

A couple of weeks ago, Indian cricketer R.Ashwin’s wife posted a video where Ashwin is singing the song in Vivek’s accent with the exact same lyrics. Surprisingly, this video has come to Maddy’s notice and the star has now replied to the video.

My colour and complexion was their problem: Aishwarya Rajesh Actress Aishwarya Rajesh was last seen in the 2020 film “World Famous Lover”, starring alongside Vijay Deverakonda. The actress also played one of the leads in the multi starrer ‘Vaanam Kottatum’.

In a recent talk show, Aishwarya gave a short Ted Talk, speaking about her journey - from the slum of Chennai to becoming one of the industry’s finest actresses.

She said “I was from a lower middle class family. From a place where people call it slum. I lived in a housing board apartment, along with my 3 brothers and parents. When I was 8, my father passed away. It was my mother who took care of all of us. She is a very strong and bold person. She never made us feel like we missed our father.”

“When I was 11 or 12, my eldest brother passed away. We were horrified after his death. A year or year and a half later, my other brother died in a road accident too. This phase of my life was very emotional. We had no one to support our family.

Later, I got offers to work in Serials, but the pay was really TV Listing less for the amount of work I was to do. That’s when my 23:30: SHAITAAN mom told me I had to go work in films if I wanted a better 0:30: DEV pay. I started looking for movie opportunities, to support my SATURDAY 30TH MAY family. I also had a dance background, as I won a Dance 13:30: MAHABHARAT reality show.”

18:30: INDIA UNLIMITED “One problem I faced in the cinema industry is the 19:00: NAAGIN (SEASON 4) Colour. My color and complexion was a problem for some 20:00: MAHABHARAT people. I didn’t know to dress like all the North Indian * Schedule is subject to change 22:00: SHOOTOUT AT LOKHANDWALA actresses. That was a problem. Some people even rejected SUNDAY 31TH MAY me because I spoke Tamil.”

MON 1ST JUNE FRI 5TH JUNE 2020 11:00: MOTU PATLU “Some directors offered me the role of a lady love of 13:30: MAHABHARAT 11:30: PAKDAM PAKDAI comedians. I didn’t want that. A good character role was my 16:30: NAMASTE BREAKFAST 13:30: MAHABHARAT dream. I did a small role in ‘Attakathi’. Audience really liked 17:00: STYLE CHEF 15:30: MOTICHOOR CHAKNACHOOR that performance. ‘Kaaka Muttai’ was the movie that shaped 18:30: SIRF 30 MINUTES 18:30: DESI BEAT RESET up my career.” Facing all the hurdles in her life all alone, 19:00: CHOTI SARDAARNI 19:00: NAAGIN (SEASON 4) Aishwarya said “Nobody supported me, trust me. Nobody 20:00: MAHABHARAT 20:00: MAHABHARAT believed in me. I supported myself. I believed in myself.

22:00: BIGG BOSS (SEASON 13) 22:00: BROTHERS That’s what made me who I am.”

19:30: KITCHEN CHAMPION 20:30: BARRISTER BABU

21:00: BALIKA VADHU - LAMHE

PYAAR KE

SATURDAY 30TH MAY

11:00: MAHAKALI

17:00: DHARAM THI GUJARATI

* Schedule is subject to change

MON 1ST JUNE FRI 5TH JUNE 2020

8:00:

8:30:

TERE NAAL ISHQ

BHARADWAJ BAHUEIN

13:00: SWARAGINI

15:30: JAI SHRI KRISHNA

16:00: DHARAM THI GUJARATI

18:00: MUJHSE SHAADI KAROGI 19:30: DESI BEAT

20:00: BFFS WITH VOGUE (SEASON 2)

21:00: FEET UP WITH THE STARS

(SEASON 2)

21:30: ZINDAGI KI HAQIQAT SE AAMNA SAAMNA

SUNDAY 31TH MAY

16:30: RASOI SHOW

11:00:

SHRIMAD BHAGWAT

18:00: TUM KAUN PIYA

18:00:

MUJHSE SHAADI KAROGI

17:30: CHHUTA CHHEDA 18:30: DIL KA RISHTA

19:00: MERE HUMRAHI

17:00: 19:30: 20:00:

DHARAM THI GUJARATI DESI BEAT

KAL HO NA HO

32

www.asian-voice.com

30 May - 5 June 2020

AsianVoiceNews AsianVoiceNewsweekly

Ravi Shastri wants first priority for IPL, bilateral series As cricket stumbles its way out of the Covid-19 pandemic, the calendar will look increasingly cramped, with countries scrambling around to find gaps for previously postponed events. The push is on in India right now to prioritise this year’s edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) over the World T20 in Australia in October and, in cricket, what India wants is usually what India gets.

Recently, Ravi Shastri, India’s coach, added his influential voice to the notion that the IPL (and other bi-lateral series between nations) should be given priority over ICC global events on the resumption of play. “The difference between an international tournament and the IPL is that the IPL can be played between one or two cities and the logistics will be easier to manage,” he said, not unreasonably.

The chief-executive of IPL, Rahul Johri, insisted

that any rescheduling would be determined by safety and government directives, but to add weight to Shastri’s voice, Sundar Raman, Johri’s predecessor, released a paper outlining just how important the IPL is to India, and by extension, to the global cricket economy.

Raman estimates that cricket received $1.9 billion (about £1.5 billion) in global revenues last year, of which two-thirds were generated in or by India, about half of which came from the IPL. Raman was the first COO of IPL between 2008-

Ravi Shastri

15, so he knows of what he speaks, in particular of the rapid growth and influence of that tournament. Raman estimates that for a tournament such as IPL, the lack of a potential crowd is less of an economic cost, given that broadcast and sponsorship account for 95 per cent of its revenues, ticketing the rest. Ticketing and match day revenues are relatively more important for the World T20,

scheduled to take place in Australia in October, when crowds are unlikely still and travel uncertain.

The cancellation of the IPL this year would be a permanent loss to the cricket economy, while an ICC tournament can be postponed and played later in the rights cycle with no loss of income.

The present ICC cycle runs until 2023 and is scheduled to include the Australia World T20, a

World T20 in India in October and November next year and the 50-over World Cup, again in India, in February and March 2023. It is increasingly likely that the IPL will replace this year’s World T20, with the Australia tournament pushed to 2021 and the India World T20 to 2022, with the possibility of the 50-over World Cup moved back into the final quarter of 2023.

All this will have a knock-on effect on England’s selections for this summer’s behind-closeddoors schedule, and on their proposed tour of India in September, which was due to form part of the preparations for the World T20. Given the intensity of the allocated cricket, with six Tests, six ODIs and six T20s scheduled to take place in a two-month period, it was always likely that the selectors would have to make some compromises by

separating to a greater degree than is the norm, England’s red ball and white ball teams.

Were the World T20 to take place in October, the selectors would have felt some pressure to prioritise by selecting some of their multi-format players in oneday cricket. If the World T20 is to be postponed, some of that pressure will be alleviated and there will be less incentive to select Ben Stokes, say, and Jos Buttler in one-day cricket over Tests. The six Tests form part of the World Test Championship, which should give them priority.

The next meeting of the ICC chief-executives’ committee is in early June, way before England expect to take to the field against West Indies. A decision on the World T20 in Australia is likely then and the expectation is that the IPL will win the day.

2020 T20 World Cup in Australia set to India's hockey icon Balbir Singh Sr is no more be postponed The 2020 T20 World Cup scheduled initially to take place in Australia later this year is all set to get postponed to a later date.

The mega event would not be held in the duration of October-November as planned. The official announcement regarding the same would hit the headlines later this week itself.

Cricket Australia CEO Kevin Roberts isn’t very optimistic about their nation hosting the T20 World Cup. The COVID-19 pandemic has put most of the cricketing events and the calendar in jeopardy, arriving unannounced.

With Australia’s borders remaining closed until September, there does not seem to be enough time to make all the preparations for the much anticipated T20 World Cup.

“And then of course, there are logisitcs and hospitality to take care of.

If the tournament would’ve happened, it’d have been played to empty stands and that doesn’t make sense for Australia because they lose out on massive gate revenue. Right now, what they’ll be getting out of the

tournament is the hosting and participation fee. They can earn that money whenever the tournament is held next, possibly some gate revenue too.” a source said.

With the upcoming edition of the marquee event most likely being postponed, three options

remain under reckoning now. The first option is for Australia to hold the event in March/April; however, BCCI may not agree due to IPL and endangers England’s tour of India.

The broadcaster may not be in line either since Star India holds the rights for ICC events and India’s bilateral rubbers.

The second choice entails BCCI agreeing with CA hosting the 2021 edition of the T20 World Cup and be the hosts for 2022. That may not work since the Indian Board is already co-operating with their counterparts for the tour down under later this year.

The final option includes Australia as the hosts for the 2022 affair.

That might go well with most of the stakeholders since there are no ICC events planned that year.

Hockey legend Balbir Singh Sr, a three-time gold medallist at the Olympics, died at the age of 95 in a Mohali hospital.

One of the greatest hockey players of all time, Balbir had been battling several age-related health problems for over two weeks. He breathed his last on Monday.

Balbir was under observation at a private hospital in Mohali after suffering a cardiac arrest earlier this month. He was admitted to the hospital in a very serious state with multiple organ failure due to bronchial pneumonia. While in hospital, he had suffered back-to-back mild cardiac arrests.

He was under ventilator support since May 12 and had tested negative for Covid-19. He was cremated with full state honours. The veteran Olympian had tweeted a message on April 5 praying for safety of all amidst covid-19 outbreak.

He lived with his daughter Sushbir Bhomia and grandson Kabir Singh Bhomia at his Sector 36 residence in Chandigarh.

Balbir became the only Indian among 16 legends chosen by the International Olympic Committee across the modern Olympic history. His world record for most goals scored by an individual in the men's hockey final of the Olympics remains unbeaten.

Balbir had scored five goals in India's 6-1 victory over the Netherlands in the gold medal match of the 1952 Helsinki Games. He was conferred with the Padma Shri in 1957 and was the manager of India's World Cup-winning team in 1975.

BCCI moves to SC for full 3-year term for Ganguly, Jai Shah The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has filed a case before the Supreme Court, seeking a change in the board’s constitution. The change in BCCI’s constitution would allow the president Sourav Ganguly and secretary Jay Shah to complete their full three-year terms without serving the necessary cooling period as required by the Justice Lodha commitee.

According to a report, the application was filed by BCCI treasurer Arun

Dhumal. In the application, Dhumal stated that these changes were approved at the AGM on December 1 and was seeking leave of the SC, as per its August 9, 2018 order, to implement them by changing the constitution.

What BCCI’s constitution say about three-year cooling off period?

According to the current rules of BCCI constitution, approved by SC, a three-year cooling off period is compulsory for anyone who had served two terms in

Jay Shah and Sourav Ganguly

state cricket associations or at BCCI. This means, Ganguly and Shah will have to stay away from the board and its activities starting July and June respectively.

Before the appointment as BCCI president, Ganguly was head of Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) while Shah was at helm of Gujarat Cricket Association.

During the AGM, the members also discussed to scrap Committee of Administrators (CoA) prepared constitution that disqualified and person charged with a criminal offence from a BCCI member. The board said these changes were necessary for the smooth administration of cricket and to effectively utilise the administrative talent available in the threetier district-state-national cricket management.

"The draft (constitution) was prepared by persons who did not have ground-

level experience of functioning of this threetier structure in which the transition of cricket administrators is stage-wise, which is in the larger interest of the game of cricket. Any provision which has a direct or an indirect effect of restricting persons with rich and varied experience, whereby they have acquired and strengthened organising capacity, finance generating capacity and administrative skills will be to the detriment of the game of cricket," the BCCI said.