AV 11th January 2014

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Britain prepares for Centenary commemorations of the First World War.

First & Foremost Asian Weekly in Europe

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UK philanthropy needs shake up: Asians step forward to make more charitable contributions.

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A special report on forthcoming Indian election.

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VOL 42. ISSUE 36

Let noble thoughts come to us from every side

80p

Bangladesh poll without victors

*Subject to availability

In a violence hit parliaelection of mentary Bangladesh, ruling Awami League won amid low percentage of voting. As the main opposition party Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) boycotted the election, the results of the polls were obvious.

The election commission has not yet announced the official turnout in the 10th parliamentary election.

The elections were concluded amid high security despite fewer than half of the 300 seats contested. Voters’ turnout was very low and it lacked fervor of general elections.

Hasina's Awami League won 104 of the 147 seats for which polling was held on Sunday. Having won 127 seats uncontested, the party now has 231 seats, giving it a clear threefourth majority in the 10th parliament. A total of 390

Sheikh Hasina

candidates, mostly from the Awami League and its ally Jatiya Party, contested from 147 seats where the number of voters was nearly 44 million. Now, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is all set to form government again.

For over two decades, Hasina and BNP chief Begum Khaleda Zia have been bitter rivals. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, boycotted the polls after her archrival and Prime Minister Hasina rejected the opposition's demand for a neutral caretaker regime for election oversight.

On the day of election at least 18 people were killed and voting was halted at more than 400 polling stations in the country. Lower voter Continued on page 26

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Long term immigrants in UK unwelcoming towards the new

Rupanjana Dutta Britons have always been very skeptical of

immigrants and their contributions in the British society.

Continued on page 2

Manmohan to step down, backs Rahul as successor Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh ruled out serving another term after an election due by May and threw his support behind Rahul Gandhi to lead the country if their party wins the vote.

Singh, the soft-spoken economist, was unusually

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scathing about BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, who is ahead of Rahul in Continued on page 26

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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 11th January 2014

Keith Vazwith MP

Keith Vaz MP

Glyn Jones

have all that they want but everyone must get enough of what they want.

Glyn Jones was appointed Managing Director of London Luton Airport Operations Limited in August 2007. Mr Jones joined the airport from Palletline PLC, where he had been Managing Director since 2003. He is also a Director of the Airport Operators’ Association. Glyn began his commercial career with British Airways in 1985. He then moved to British Aerospace in 1990, marketing commercial aircraft in Asia. From there, he became Commercial Director of the international transport and logistics business, DHL (UK) International before joining Bournemouth Airport as Managing Director in 1999. He holds degrees in English and Italian Literature, Comparative Literature and English Literature. He is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society.

1) Please tell me about your current position?

Managing Director, London Luton Airport 2) What are your proudest achievements?

I am extremely proud of my daughter, Francesca, who is currently studying for a History degree at Bristol University.

3) What inspires you?

6) What is the best aspect about your current role?

The people I work with. We have great customers, supportive shareholders and most of all a team at Luton who are all keen and very able to do what it takes to make the airport work, all day, every day.

Ted Hughes’ poetry, JJ Cale’s music and red kites flying over my home.

4) What has been the biggest obstacle in your career?

Our biggest obstacle is usually ourselves, and I am probably no exception.

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

My father. He was a coal miner

and a trade unionist. He taught me the most important thing I know about running a business, which is that no-one can

7) And the worst?

The lack of control over every aspect of service delivery. The airport company only controls so many processes, although its passengers, understandably, hold it accountable for the whole of their experience. In an ideal world, I would like to be

able to have greater control over the whole experience, both departing and arriving.

8) What are your long term goals?

We are just about to embark on a major improvement of London Luton, which will take us at least five years. In that time, I want to make the airport better, bigger and the best neighbour it can be.

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

The planning system. It is slow, expensive and uncertain of outcome.

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

Isambard Kingdom Brunel. He was such an astonishing engineer he could probably come up with a way of building a bridge or a ship or a tunnel to get us off the island!

Long term immigrants in UK unwelcoming towards the new

Continued from page 1

There was an age of Powell's infamous 'Rivers of Blood' speech, bits of which perhaps UKIP still tries to refer to in their propaganda, but what has taken the Britons by surprise is a recent study that suggests long term immigrants settled in Britain are quite 'unwelcoming' towards the flux of new immigrants.

The survey has proposed that the attitudes of immigrants themselves towards reducing immigration also shift over time – and they tend to become closer to the average for the UK population the longer they have been in the country. For example, 70% of those immigrants who arrived pre-1970 call for at least some reduction in immigration. While this is not quite as high as the aggregate national picture, it is much closer to it than recent immigrant groups.

The report further suggests that there seems to be something of a step-change in attitudes between the 1991-2000 immigrants and the 1971-1990 immigrants, where a clear majority of the latter are in favour of reductions, while the more recent group are closer to those who have arrived since 2000 in their attitudes. This may be a function of both length of time in the UK and the different types of immigrants that

arrived during these periods. This new international survey across 19 countries by Ipsos MORI, a polling firm shows that Britain is by far the most concerned about immigration control. 43% of people in Britain choose immigration control as one of the top 3 most important issues facing the country, with the next highest country being Australia on 32%.

It is quite evident after the recent lift of restrictions over the Bulgarians and Romanians from January 1st, have sparked debates with widespread hostility.

Of course there were two MPs, including Chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee, Rt Hon Keith Vaz, went to greet the first set of those immigrants arriving in the airport, yet a survey by Ipsos MORI, shows that Britons' attitudes are much more varied towards immigrants, including of those who are immigrants themselves, settled in Britain for a while.

Speaking of Britons in general, the report has also established a wide gap in attitude between the people born before 1965 and between 1966-79 and 1980 or later. The report suggests that while people who are born between 1966-79 or 1980 and later are found to be ambivalent towards immigrants, it is

mostly the older generation born between 1945-65 intuitively think immigrants to be a drag. It is an interesting observation as younger generations of Britons are the ones who lose jobs mostly to immigrants, whereas the ones born in 1945 and around, benefit most from cheap carers and cleaners.

It also shows that immigration has only become an issue of concern during the past 20 years, and barely registered as a national concern before 1990.

The report highlights the changing position of party supporters on their levels of concern about immigration over time. It shows that the UKIP voters had actually started with similar levels of concern about immigration to Conservative voters in 2002. However, since then they have grown away from the Conservatives and all other voters in their immigration focus. This no doubt be partly due to UKIP’s shifting emphasis, but also a refinement of their supporter base, as they have attracted more supporters who have a particular concern about this issue.

Second, it is notable how closely Labour and LibDem supporters have tracked throughout the entire period, with LibDem supporters a long way from

Attitudes to the level of immigration by people not born in the UK and their year of arrival (Citizenship Survey, 2010/11)

supporters of their Coalition partners.

And finally, those who say they are undecided on how to vote tend to be closer to Labour and LibDem views than the Conservatives.

However, whatever be one's attitude towards immigrants, and whatever has sparked this debate against Romanians and Bulgarians or any non European immigrants, as Hugo Rifkind writes in his article 'Powell could hardly have been more wrong', that University College London study has proven that immigrants are less likely than indigenous Britons to claim benefits or live in social housing and more likely to pay more in tax than they receive. In other words, they are not destroying the British way of life. They are paying for it.

As he rightly concludes, "Powell did not predict problems. He predicat-

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ed a 'bloody apocalypse', and it did not come. Nor will a handful of Romanians and Bulgarians bring it." Perhaps same applies for any other ethnic minority in Britain.

But on the other hand, Nick Robinson, the BBC’s political editor, has reportedly criticised the corporation for making a “terrible mistake” in censoring concerns over immigration for fear that it would stir racism.

Robinson said that senior figures in the BBC had believed that having an open, uncensored debate about immigration would “unleash some terrible side of the British public”.

“They feared having a conversation about immigration, they feared the consequence,” he said in an interview with The Sunday Times this weekend.

The UK immigration debate has however intensified on Tuesday as Dr Vince Cable, the business

secretary, ridiculed Conservative attempts to cap net migration, while Nigel Farage of the antiimmigration UK Independence party said the social consequences of migration were more important than its economic effects, the FT has reported.

Mr Cable, a Liberal Democrat, warned that the 100,000 migration target was “impractical” and would not be met in time for the next election. He has continuously railed against his coalition partners’ drive to control immigration and only last month compared Tory rhetoric on the issue with Enoch Powell’s “rivers of blood” speech. But on a BBC documentary to be aired on Tuesday, as we went to press, he predicted that the Tories will fail in their pledge to bring net migration down to the “tens of thousands” by 2015.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 11th January 2014

COMMENT

Bangladesh turmoil deepens with flawed election

The Bangladesh general election has been a flawed exercise. Attacks on polling booths across the country by opponents of the Awami League government in Dhaka, spearheaded by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)led, by Begum Khaleda Zia, and assorted groups of Islamists allied to the BNP, are primarily responsible for the breakdown of law and order in the country. The BNP alliance had demanded the government should resign and make way for a neutral caretaker administration under whose auspices the election could best be held. This was unacceptable to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed. Attempts to broker a deal though UN good offices, in particular, having ended in failure, Ms Wajed decided to go ahead with the poll. Voter turnout was low because of the widespread fear stalking the land. The ruling Awami League has claimed victory, but the flawed election reduces its legitimacy as a government.

The genesis of the present crisis was the Supreme Court trial of Islamist leaders for crimes

against humanity (mostly members of the minority Hindu community) during the country’s Liberation War against Pakistan in 1971, when Bangladeshi jihadists collaborated with the Pakistani military in perpetrating genocidal massacres in which millions of innocent citizens perished. Pro-jihadi groups took to the streets protesting at the death sentences passed on those charged with war crimes. Secular forces countered these demonstrations with massive numbers in support of the court verdicts. Truth is that this conflict represents a life-and-death struggle for the soul of Bangladesh and its future orientation: whether Bangladesh is to be a liberal secular democracy or an authoritarian Islamic state entombed in a predatory culture of fanaticism and hatred. Bangla high culture embodied by Tagore, Sarat Chandra, Nazrul Islam and others is the heritage of the full spectrum of the Bengali literati. The overwhelming majority of Bengali Muslims have no working knowledge of today’s Arabic, Persian or Urdu.

Bangla is what they read, write and speak; it is their sole cultural identity.

How the present crisis the country will end is anyone’s guess. Already the country’s economy is suffering grievously, this in one of the world’s poorest nations.. India, which shares the largest border with Bangladesh in the region, is clearly concerned by the uncertain security situation. Under Begum Khaleda’s dispensation jihadis of every stripe were given free rein to strike at Indian targets from hideouts across the brder.. Sheikh Hasina’s regime, in contrast has been a steadfast friend to Indian and reined such activities. Sheikh Hasina’s regime is a high value Indian asset. Sheikh Hasina has not ruled out fresh elections if the opposition ceased its violence and terrorism. With the BNP alliance turning down the offer of a dialogue the future looks bleak. The possibility of military intervention to break the logjam cannot be ignored, as this has happened before. Things could get worse before they become better.

“All the world is a stage/And all the men and women merely players:/They have their exits and entrances…..” Nobody said it better than William Shakespeare and nobody ever will. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced his decision to leave the political stage after India’s forthcoming general election. He pronounced his benediction on Congress Party Vice President Rahul Gandhi as the best possible successor should Congress emerge as the largest force in the country in another likely coalition regime. The Indian people will decide in their own good time as to who is best suited to lead them for the next five years.

Manmohan Singh was the cynosure of all eyes during this critical news conference. Speaking of his time as prime minister, Dr Singh said that history would be kinder to him than were his country’s media and political class. Running a coalition government is never easy, but in India, with its disparate parts, the difficulties are greater than is the case in most democracies. Between 2004-09, the government, hamstrung by Communist parliamentary support from without and the populist Trinamool Congress within, was constrained in fulfilling its economic reform agenda. Few would doubt Dr Singh’s contention that the Indo-US civilian nuclear accord was his government’s stellar achievement during the UPA’s first period in office. The deal freed India from the shackles of the international nuclear apartheid restrictions on nuclear fuel exports to India by signatories to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. Lacking adequate resources of uranium, Indian nuclear power

plants were hobbled and worked at 50 per cent capacity to produce electricity . Nuclear power, he averred, was the way forward for India, a view that jelled with the country’s leading scientists. It is to Dr Singh’s credit that he was able to push the Indo-US nuclear through Parliament despite the opposition of the Communists, ever eager to please China, and the rightwing BJP, which subsumed principle to the conveniences of political power. Also, during this period, India recorded the fastest span of economic growth, which hovered between 8-9 per cent - sometimes a little over - until the world economic crisis brought the years of the fat kine to a shuddering halt.

Domestic factors, without doubt, also contributed to the economic slowdown, with a faltering recovery now on the horizon. Betwixt and between there have been a number of scams, notably the G2 affair, which undermined the moral authority of Dr Singh’s government and lost his party three State elections.

Public perception, right or wrong, was of a government weak and untrustworthy, and this has taken its inevitable toll of the Prime Minister’s image.

Prime Minister Singh’s foreign policy dividends, including the Look East approaches to South East Asia (ASEAN), with Vietnam as the strategic core, and with Japan in the Pacific as the vital industrial and technological cog, while keeping India’s other relationships on an even keel, are sekf-evident. But the poor handling of relations with Pakistan has, understandably, obscured all else. Terrorism from across the border has not been staunched. There can be no closure to the Mumbai’s 26/11 experience until Islamabad accepts responsibility for the tragedy

and brings those responsible for the horror to justice.

Dr Singh’s government failed to gauge public anger against Pakistan; fevered twaddle of Islamabad’s new democratic credentials is taken, rightly, with a pinch of salt.

However, Manmohan Singh’s record in government is not confined to his period as India’s Prime Minister. He was brought in as India’s finance minister in 1991 by then prime minister Narasimha Rao. The international oil crisis had bankrupted India and bold new measures were urgently required to revive the stalled Indian economy going forward. As a former Governor of the Reserve Bank of India and an economic technocrat, Manmohan Singh was given a free hand to turn things around, while Narasimha Rao, as the prime minister, would look after the politics. The stratagem worked brilliantly.

India’s economy bounced back and in five years became one of the fastest growth stories in Asia, attaining its highest trajectory when Dr Singh took the reins as Prime Minister. The higher economic expectations of the population at large and of the emergent middle class, in particular, may have eroded his standing in the country, but as the dust of battle recedes and people reflect quietly on the India here and now and the India that was two decades ago, they will surely better appreciate the legacy, warts and all, of the low-key, understated Manmohan Singh. The silent man delivered much for which India has to be thankful. His government’s investments in science, technology and education are bearing rich dividends. Dr Singh’s overall act will be a hard one to follow.

Tesco, the UK’s 65 billion pound top retailer and the third-largest in the world arrived in India, having picked up a 50 per cent stake worth $110 million in Tata Group’s Trent Hypermarket Ltd. It is surely significant that Tesco has chosen to enter new territory at a time when it is exiting foreign shores.

India’s Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) has given its approval to the Tesco application to enter the country’s multi-brand retail sector. The FIPB also cleared British telecom major Vodafone’s planned Rs10, 141 crore buy-out of its minority shareholders in

its Indian arm. This is a double strike for UK Inc, and it surely bodes well for the Indo-UK economic partnership on which Prime Ministers David Cameron (who recently paid his third visit to India) and Manmohan Singh have done so much to promote.

Prior to its Indian entry, the UK behemoth announced the sale of its US business Fresh & Easy to private equity firm Yucaipa Companies after huge losses amounting to $1.2 billion, thus ending an American sojourn that began in 2007.

Tesco’s experience in the vaunted Chinese mar-

ket hasn’t been a smooth experience either, as it has reduced its stake in the country. In 2012, Tesco’s footprint in Japan became smaller with the 50 per cent sale of its stake to Japan’s largest retailer, Aeon. There are pitfalls in India, with several States opposing foreign direct investment (FDI), and the future uncertain with a looming general election and the Opposition BJP also against FDI in the country’s retail sector. But Tesco must have bet on India as a risk worth taking. With the Tata Group as partner, Tesco may come up trumps.

Faced with mounting financial woes, India’s television networks are cutting corners to make ends meet, to the detriment of its news reports.

Its miniscule Rs 2.000 crore annual income through advertising is spread across 410 national and regional television channels. This vulnerability has led to the rise of shoddy journalism, poor editorial quality and corporate ownership, with some owners using the medium to settle scores with rival corporate houses. Robotic cameras have pride of place with pictures that are misleadingly tailored to suit a given story packaged sensationally for ratings and little else.

Crowds of 5,000 protesters, for example, have been stretched to an impressive 50,000 by sleights of hand. Integrity comes low down the order in the scheme of things, as one editor discovered, when he refused to shape a report to the direction of the channel owner. He duly

resigned rather than compromise his dignity and conscience. News television has exploded in the last few years, giving virtually no time to train and expand the talent pool. Media schools that have mushroomed over the years were, and are, driven by commercial considerations rather than by standards of excellence. This dark side to television news reporting has been subjected to close critical scrutiny in “The Caravan” published by Delhi Press. The article in question says, “Reliance [Industries] and rightwing politics gain at Network 18.” The habit of certain TV channels to plug into party-generated feeds and pass them off as independent reports is surely a disgrace to the profession of the Fourth Estate.

The time for a set of stringently supervised regulatory code of ethics – a News Broadcasting Authority perhaps – has surely arrived.

Otherwise the credibility of the television media

Over and out: Exit Manmohan Singh

Tesco in India, Vodafone’s larger footprint

Indian TV companies cut corners

The greatest and most important problems of life are all fundamentally insoluble. They can never be solved but only outgrown

- Carl Jung (1875 -1961)

will be at stake. Censorship is not the solution in a democracy, but democratic norms need to be refined and strengthened in the national interest.

Read Edward Herman and Noam Chomsky’s classic work, “Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media” for enlightenment and inspiration.

3

MIDLANDS VOICE

Surgeon makes history with operation on unborn baby

4

Sienna Smith made history after surviving an operation that was carried out while she was still in her mother's womb. The first-of-its-kind procedure that took place in a Leicester hospital was crucial because doctors feared she would not be able to breathe when she was born.

Ear, nose and throat surgeon Javed Uddin, pictured, was at the forefront of the life-saving operation, which involved inserting a tube into the unborn baby's throat. Uddin had only previously observed the procedure, during his medical training.

The call for the operation came after doctors spotted swelling on Sienna's neck at a 20-week scan. They were unsure of what was causing the lump but knew that it was pressing on her windpipe, which could prevent Sienna breathing when she was born.

Parents, Sarah-Jane Harrup and Deryck Smith, of Hamilton, Leicester, were warned their baby might not survive.

Mr Uddin said: "If she was born naturally, there was a high chance she

would not be able to breathe and we would not be able to help her. We knew something in her neck was pressing on her windpipe and we needed to plan her delivery very carefully."

Mr Uddin and colleagues decided Sienna's best chance was to have an Exit – ex utero intrapartum – procedure, an operation to clear the blockage while she

Things left behind in hotels: real gold effigies of Indian gods, ÂŁ2000 groom's oufit and alloy wheels.

Leicester hotels have released a list of items which were left in their lost property boxes in 2013 and the results are extremely surprising. A set of 24-carat gold effigies of Indian gods, a suitcase full of belly dancing costumes, a 6ft rubber plant and a ÂŁ2000 groom's outfit are among the bizarre things found in Leicester hotel rooms over the past year.

The golden statues of Ganesha, Shiva, Hanuman, Durga and Lakshmi were found at the Travelodge in Leicester city centre, as well as a large suitcase

filled with comic books.

The most common items left behind, though, were not surprising, with phone chargers topping the list, followed by phones and then books.

Teddy bears are also com-

monly left behind.

Travelodge Leicester spokeswoman Shakila Ahmed said: "Each year, our lost and found inventory report provides plenty

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of revelations."

In another branch of Travelodge, a tarantula was among the items found.

Nationally, the company found nearly 10,000 tablets and smartphones in its hotels in the past 12 months.

"This is a significant increase from previous years," said Shakila. “What is becoming evident after speaking to our customers is that the pace of life has become so fast, and we are so eager to get from A to B, that valuable possessions are easily forgotten."

All items left behind in Travelodge hotels which have not been claimed within three months are donated to charity shops, when appropriate.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 11th January 2014

was in the womb.

Doctors came up with a plan to perform a caesarian section and then carry out the procedure before she was born.

They wanted to leave Sienna for as long as possible, but not so long she might be born naturally so they decided to carry out the operation at 37 weeks.

After performing a caesarian section, they lifted Sienna's head so a tube could be inserted into her throat.

It was vital to keep the baby attached to the umbilical cord to maintain her oxygen supply.

Doctors also needed to prevent the onset of contractions, so fluid was pumped into the space left in the womb

by Sienna's head.

Mr Uddin said: "I'm really pleased to have completed the first operation of its kind here. The best thing was seeing the baby in mum's arms after the operation."

Sarah-Jane, 30, said: "We are so grateful to Mr Uddin. If it had been any other consultant we might have been told to terminate the pregnancy. We cannot thank everyone enough for our beautiful daughter.�

Water Company Worker shaves prizedmoustache for Charity

A water company worker has sacrificed one of his most prized possessions for the charity Water Aid. Jay “Jitu�

Mistry, pictured, a Leicester-based programme manager at Severn Trent Water, is president of the Shree Prajapati Association (SPA) UK and was sponsored to shave off his moustache as his first fund-raising event for the charity Water Aid. He hopes it will help raise money towards his goal of providing clean drinking water for developing world countries.

He said: "Having worked in the water industry for 35 years I know how important it is for people to have access to clean drinking water. I've supported Water Aid since it started and wanted to do my bit.

"We're raising the money doing things such as dinner and dance evenings and religious activities and I was even sponsored to shave off the moustache I've had most of my life."

His shave raised a total of ÂŁ1,000 and Jay expects to raise between ÂŁ18,000 and ÂŁ20,000.

"We're thrilled to have made so much for such a good cause,'' he said.

Average house prices in Leicester increases by 11%

Average house prices in Leicester increased by 11 per cent in 2013 adding Leicester to one of five cities in the UK where house price have risen dramatically.

Nationwide placed Leicester fourth in its table of cities and towns with the highest house price rises, behind only Manchester with 21% and Brighton and Birmingham, with double-digit growth.

Recent figures released by the building society showed the average house price in Leicester rose by 11 per cent last year from ÂŁ152,052 to ÂŁ168,778. While the average UK house price rose by 7.1 per cent, to ÂŁ174,444.

Nationwide have reportedly said that house price rises remain “subdued� but also highlighted the risks of any more increases: “The risk is that if demand continues to run ahead of supply in the quarters ahead, affordability may become stretched.�

4 Muslim men amongst Police hunt for 9 men linked to serious crimes

Two Asians are amongst 9 men who are wanted by the Police team of Leicestershire detectives behind Operation Tiger – the force's ongoing campaign to track down people it believes are involved in crimes such as burglary, drug-dealing and handling stolen goods.

Police originally issued photographs of 10 wanted men a month ago and urged anyone to help them – or for the men to hand themselves in.

Since then, four of the suspects have been identified and detained by police.

Now, the Police has added three more faces to the gallery and urged Mercury readers to help trace them, along with the remaining six suspects.

Superintendent Martyn Ball, who is overseeing the operation, said: "So far, we have arrested four of the people whose photographs we released a few weeks ago, which is a good success rat.�

The four Muslim men Police want to trace are: 1: Faheem Gangat, 28. He is wanted for recall to prison for alleged drug and alcohol offences.

3: Abdi Mahan Osman is wanted for recall to prison for alleged racially aggravated grievous bodily harm.

7: Hamza Fahid, also known as Hamse Fahie, 29, is wanted on warrant for alleged robbery and theft.

8: Mirzaman Ali, also known as Isa Din, is wanted on warrant for alleged possession and production of a class B drug with intent to supply.

100-year-old great-great grandmother celebrates with her family

Five generations joined together to celebrate the 100th birthday of greatgreat-grandmother Ladhiben Ravat.

The100-year-old reached the milestone birthday on New Year's Day but celebrated with a party attended by 15 family members on Saturday.

Ladhiben, who came to Leicester from Kenya in the 1970s, lived in Belgrave for most of her time in the city, only moving to Fosse Court care home when her health deteriorated

Ladhiben Ravat, centre, back, from left, Dinesh Ravat, Hansa Pankhania, Nita Ravat, Nimesh Pankhania, Priya Ravat, Jyoti Patel and David Ravat. Front, from left, Samji Ravat, Kaelan Pateland Narmarda Ravat

about a year ago.

Great-granddaughter Priya Ravat, 25, of Belgrave, said: "She really enjoyed it. She's

been asking where her cake is since her birthday on January 1, so she was really happy to finally have the party.

"She's still going strong and knows everything that's going on around her. She had a card from the Queen, which arrived just before her birthday."

Ladhiben lost her husband, Harji, when he was in his early 20s and never remarried.

She has one son, five grand-children, numerous great-grandchildren and one great-greatgrandchild, with all the generations at the party.

"It was nice for us to spend time with her," said Priya.

UK

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 11th January 2014

Britain prepares for Centenary commemorations of the First World War EXCLUSIVE

5

Tesco worker left crippled by faulty lift

House of Lords holds debate about their plans to commemorate role of armed forces and other personnel from the Indian subcontinent in the First World War

Tanveer Mann

The First World War was a momentous period of time in modern Indian history – it marked the beginning of the end of Britain’s imperial rule over the continent.

Though many remain unaware, India played a crucial role in garnering manpower and support for the impending war, almost immediately after the declaration was made on August 5th 1914. In an extraordinary display of solidarity, over one and a half million volunteers from India came forward to support the war effort whilst 140,000 troops were actively involved on the Western Front.

By the end of the war, the sacrifices India had made were far from few.

The Indian Corps had sustained more than 32,000 casualties by the end of 1915 whilst the notorious Amritsar Massacre, on April 13, 1919, claimed the lives of 379 innocent women, men and children and 1000 casualties in the notorious 10 minutes of firing.

What was it that drove so many to fight in a conflict not of their making?

At least a quarter of those who laid down their lives in Britain’s cause were not British. In India, the locally raised army was a crucial element to the British imperial military structure. Indian soldiers were trained to obey orders and were a critical addition to the Empire’s military resources. Many of the soldiers were from a mixed background of Mahrattas, Rajputs, Pathans, Sikhs, Kats Punjabi Muslims, Dogras, Garwalis and Gurkhas, trained by Britons. It was these soldiers that did much of the fighting outside of Europe along with African soldiers.

In the end, a total number of 600,000 men would serve in WW1.

Within that, the contributions Indians made are not to be forgotten. This year marks a hundred years since the start of the First World War and Lords are attempting to keep their indelible legacy alive by celebrating the bravery and dedication of the many Indian soldiers who contributed to the war effort, by a centenary commemoration this year.

As part of the preparations for the government’s centenary commemorations, a debate was held at the House of Lords on 18th December 2013 by Lord Sheikh. A number of distinguished

Lords attended and spoke at the short debate, including: Lord Sheikh, Lord Parekh, Lord Shipley, Baroness Flather, Lord Lexden, Lord Morgan, Viscount Slim, Lord Stevenson of Balmacara and Lord Bates. Highlighting the role played and sacrifices made by soldiers from all corners of the globe, as well as elaborating on the bravery of particular soldiers such as Khudad Khan – the first nonBritish individual to be awarded the Victoria Cross.

Lord Sheikh began his speech by stating that: “The significant part [Indian soldiers] played is not widely acknowledged and the sacrifice made by the Indians and the suffering they endured need to be fully appreciated.

This matter holds a special significance to me; I trace my family heritage back to India.

That is where my father originally Lord Sheikh l i v e d before moving to Uganda in the 1920s.”

“India raised the world’s largest volunteer army, with a total of 1.5 million people, during the First World War. Indians from all over the world, from such remote countries as Australia and Argentina, came forward to serve the Empire in its hour of need. They were originally called on to help when the British forces were suffering heavy causalities, which reinforces just how historically important their role was.”

On the topic of Sepoy Khudadad Khan and Naik Darwan Singh Negi, he said: “The commitment of these brave men to the war effort often emerged from a strong sense of personal duty to the Empire. Many letters written by Indian soldiers at that time reveal the honour they felt in fighting for their king. It was this loyalty and dedication that endeared many

British troops to them.”

Lord Parekh followed Lord Sheikh and began by saying: “We ought to understand the origins of the First World War and draw important lessons. It was a horrendous war w h i c h resulted in enorm o u s tragedy Lord Parekh and pain, as seen in the letters and poetry that grew out of it. Secondly, we need to commemorate the fact that the war was a collaborative effort. We were able to survive, maintaining our liberties and prosperity because of the enormous contribution of the Commonwealth troops.

Indians alone contributed substantially: 1,250,000 Indians were involved, of whom about 72,000 died, 12,000 won medals and about 11 won the Victoria Cross.”

He then went on giving an account of how WW1 should be commemorated: “First, the Indian community here should be involved in the planning and execution of the various projects, because the whole thing seems to be operating over their heads. Secondly, we should commemorate in such a way that the multiethnic character of Britain is highlighted and our people are able to feel at ease with it. In those areas where large numbers of ethnic minorities are concentrated, it might be useful to devote greater attention than we have done to commemorating the Indian contribution to the First World War so that Indian kids grow up knowing that they were part of this country’s history long before they arrived, and white kids grow up recognising that Indians are not simply arrivals from after the Second World War but have also been making an important contribution.”

Baroness Flather added a more personal anecdote to the debate by talking about the role her

father played in the Great War. She said: “My father volunteered in the first war.

Gandhiji said to Indian students that they should volunteer but not fight to kill. So my father was a stretcher bearer in Mesopotamia. Goodness knows what kind of a time he had there. He would not speak about it, which tells us it was a pretty awful time for him. All I know is that he lived on bully beef.

I remember him saying that and it was the first time I had heard the word.” “ I Baroness Flather remind noble Lords that when the British Expeditionary Force went to France the British standing army was very small and it lost. The first group who came to support them were 150,000 members of the Indian standing army. When they arrived in November they had no warm clothing. It was not just that they were not used to the cold: the army had not thought to provide them with the appropriate clothing. This has happened in many wars. There was also a lot of racism, and many problems with food.

Nevertheless, our people were stalwart, and stayed with the Army and fought—and in such a way that they cannot be said to have been just cannon fodder. They were wonderful people and had a very important role to play in both roles.”

32-year-old Tesco Worker, Mohammad Ferdous, suffered a life-changing accident on August 7, 2009, which left a third of his right foot amputated, after a faulty lift trapped his feet. He was left screaming for help for 10 minutes before colleagues came to his rescue. Blood to his foot stopped after the accident and he was unable to return to work until a year later.

Mr Ferdous’s civil claim against Tesco was

settled out of court for a six-figure sum last year. In a criminal case which concluded last month, Southwark crown court heard that he faced “inevitable”, life-long difficulties walking. Tesco Maintenance was fined £115,000 and lift maintenance contractor Otis was fined £110,000 after both pleaded guilty to a charge each of failing to discharge a duty and contravening a health and safety regulation.

Widow changes will 9 days before suicide, leaving house to GP’s daughter An Indian doctor is being questioned after an elderly patient changed her will 9 days before she committed suicide and left his daughter a share of her £560,000-plus estate.

Lucie Rose, 87, committed suicide with an overdose of pills which her sister said had been prescribed by her GP, Dr Chittaranjan Pillai. 9 days earlier, she had altered her will to state that her late husband’s car and the couple’s £250,000 bungalow should go to the 63year-old GP’s daughter Sharnika.

Relatives believe she was not in a sound mind when changing the will.

Mrs Rose died in

Dr Chittaranjan Pillai

November 2010. She lost her husband John, 86, to cancer 11 days before she altered the will. Her youngest sister, Elke Schmaing, said she was shocked to hear the house and car had gone to the GP’s daughter.

Mrs Schmaing accused police of failing to investigate the matter properly.

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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 11th January 2014

Tilda launches new Indian recipes you know and love made easy!

Spriha Srivastava

Christie’s first ever India auctions gathers US$15.4mn Christie’s first ever auction in India totaled US$15.4 million doubling pre-sale expectations and selling 98% by lot. Taking place at the posh Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai, the auction marks a historic moment for Christie’s, building on a 20-year history in India, and a decade of global market leadership in Modern Indian Art through sales in New York and London.

Buyers at the event came from different parts of India, across Asia, the US and Europe. The presale exhibitions during the past two weeks in New Delhi and Mumbai attracted many visitors and interest from both new and existing clients was so great that an extra room had to be prepared to accommodate clients.

“It has been a true privilege to be in India where we have been honoured by the warm welcome. The response to our sale and events has been extraordinary,” said Steven Murphy, Chief Executive Officer, Christie’s.

The sale’s cover lot, Vasudeo S. Gaitonde’s (1924-2001), Untitled work from 1979, sold for INR23,70,25,000 (US$3,792,400), against a pre-sale estimate of INR6,50,00,000 8,50,00,000. This was the highest price ever paid in India for a modern work of art and a world auction record for a work by the artist.* The influence of Gaitonde’s abstract paintings on modern and contemporary Indian art cannot be over-stated and this work has been requested by the Guggenheim Museum in New York for their retrospective of the artist to be held next year.

Tyeb Mehta’s (19252009) Mahisasura sold for INR19,78,25,000 (US$1,918,903) and was the second highest selling lot of this evening. It is a seminal masterwork form the Mahisasura series painted in the 1990s and depicts the Devi in her most potent form as a lion locked in a struggle with the buffalo-demon.

Painted in 1994, this painting exhibits Mehta’s mastery of composition and economy of line and colour. The acrylic on canvas was estimated at INR7,50,00,0009,50,00,000.

Auctioneer, Dr. Hugo Weihe, International Director of Asian Art, sells Vasudeo S. Gaitonde’s Untitled work for INR 23,70,25,000 (USD$3,792,400) at Christie’s first auction in India.

Within the sale, the 52 lots of predominantly modernist works from the Estate of Kekoo and Khorshed Gandhy, Mumbai-based gallerists and among the most significant figures in the development of India’s modern art scene, collectively made INR26,10,70,000 (USD$4,177,120) and were led by Tyeb Mehta’s Falling Figure which sold for INR9,86,25,000 (USD$3,165,200).

Works by six of the nine modern Indian artists whose works are defined as „National Art Treasures’, deemed of such national importance to Indian culture that they are non-exportable, were also included among the 83 lots. Six artists from this group were represented - Rabindranath, Abanindranath and Gaganendranath Tagore, Nandalal Bose, Jamini Roy and Amrita Sher-Gil and these works collectively sold for INR7,70,00,000 (US$1,232,000).

In addition to the record for Vasudeo S. Gaitonde, 9 further records were broken including for Manjit Bawa, Nasreen Mohamedi, Ganesh Pyne, Bhupen Khakhar and Pochkhanawala.

Hugo Weihe, International Director of Asian Art and Sonal Singh, Head of Sale, at Christie’s said: “With the two top works selling tonight for more than $3 million, this sale proves that Mumbai can already stand alongside London and New York in the global market for Indian art.

Our first auction in India has illustrated the huge

appetite domestically for works by Indian artists.

The saleroom was packed out and buyers who came to the sale had to compete hard with bidders from all over the world, joining online and on the telephone. This is an extraordinary start for Christie’s in India and indicates there will be exciting times ahead for the industry as a whole and art enthusiasts everywhere.”

Christie’s, the world’s leading art business, reached a total of £2.4 billion/$3.68 billion in global auction and private sales in the first six months of 2013.

Christie’s has consistently offered the finest Indian works of art since James Christie, the charismatic founder of the firm, offered four fine India pictures painted on glass in his inaugural sale on 5 December, 1766.

Growing interest in Indian Art led to the opening of Christie’s first representative office in India in 1994. The following year, Christie’s held its first stand-alone Indian Art sale in London. Today Christie’s holds regular sales in New York and London and is the market leader in all categories of Indian art. Collectors from India make an increasingly important contribution to the global art market across international categories. This year alone, Christie’s has lent its support and international reach to the India Art Fair in January and to the Homelands exhibition, organised by the British Council and exhibited in New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Bengaluru.

Let us know what you think.

Email Spriha at aveditorial@abplgroup.com

Tilda is continuing to excite world food lovers everywhere with the launch of its new Tilda Humara rice pouches - a range of five authentic Indian recipes that are perfect for adventurous cooks!

The range, which includes four savoury recipes and one dessert are a delicious meal-time staple for fans of Asian foodies who are short on time. Three of the recipes are made using wholegrain basmati as its been developed with healthy eating in mind and includes recipes for Khichdi, Mushroom Hakka, Hyderabadi Masala, Biryani and Kheer – a traditional Indian rice pudding all of which are under 170 calories per portion.

Each variety is gluten free, suitable for vegetarians and free from any artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.

What’s more each pouch can be re-heated in two minutes either in the microwave or

in a wok.

Introducing the Tilda Humara range: Khichdi: A delicious blend of wholegrain basmati and mung dal lentils steamed together to make this comforting recipe. Khichdi is now enjoyed across all Indian communities and every family has their own version. It is filling and most importantly healthy and contains less than 140 calories per portion.

Biryani: Tasty pure basmati rice steamed together with aromatic garam masala and mint makes this a delicious meal. This recipe is based on the old mogul recipes of biryani that used to use mint as an extra aromatic. Each portion contains a mere 160 calories.

Hyderabadi Masala: Wholegrain basmati steamed together with spicy Hyderabadi masala, kalonji seeds and onions.

The Hyderabadi masala used in this recipe is a blend of unique garam masala, cardamom, ginger

and chilli together with the toasted onions, which makes this a truly authentic meal and it only contains 160 calories.

Mushroom Hakka: A delicious blend of wholegrain basmati rice, mushroom, ginger and soy sauce steamed together to make this iconic Indo-Chinese recipe. Only 161 calories per portion.

Kheer: Pure basmati rice is used to make this delicate rice pudding with a fragrant hint of cardamom and nutmeg. Very different from versions made with condensed milk and only contains 153 calories.

The new Tilda Humara range is available in Sainsburys World food Aisles, Ocado, Waitrose and selected Asian grocery stores, priced around £1.25 for a 240g pouch.

Visit www.tilda.com for a selection of greattasting recipes.Follow them on Facebook www.facebook.com/Tilda Rice on Twitter @Tildabasmati

Pakistani teen brides brought to UK to marry strangers A recent article in the Daily Mail has thrown light on the worrying problem of Pakistani teen brides being brought to the ‘promised land’ of Britain but then being cruelly exploited once they arrive. Thousands of young girls from Pakistan are brought over to start a new life in East London, with a man they most probably have never met before. The rural Pakistani tradition of arranged or even forced marriages – mainly to strangers or relatives - of girls or young women to men living in the UK remains an issue that desperately needs resolving. The girls that are brought over to the UK are young and vulnerable, inexperienced and naive.

A number of examples are given in the article.

One such is Rani, who was interviewed at a ‘safe house’ in Britain — a small terrace in a town far from her former marital home. Born and brought up in Gujarat, a town on the Grand Trunk Road 60 miles north of Imamia Colony, she had ambitions to be a doctor but her parents got her married at 18.

Rani met her husband at their wedding in 2001.

She, reportedly, said ‘When we were finally brought together, my

mother-in-law told me to say “salaam” to him. He just nodded his head and didn’t speak.

My doubts started to grow when I arrived at Manchester airport and was met by my father-in-law rather than my husband. When we got to their house I was put in the attic and my husband slept in the same room as his father. My husband did not speak to me.’

She began to be physically abused, first by her mother-in-law then other family members, later her husband. Embarrassed to tell her family in Pakistan, Rani kept it to herself.

The mistreatment culminated in her father-in-law raping her when she was four months pregnant by her husband. ‘I could do nothing,’ she says. ‘After

being raped I told my brother-in-law’s wife and she said: “Shut your mouth, no one will believe you.” ’ It was not until much later in court hearings, did she discover the truth that her husband had suffered from severe schizophrenia since he was a teenager.

The marriage was a ploy to save his family’s reputation in the eyes of their community, because he might otherwise have remained unmarried.

Rani’s case is not unique, and more needs to be done to stop the exploitation of these young vulnerable girls.

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 www.abplgroup.com © Asian Business Publications AsianVoiceNewsweekly

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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 11th January 2014

EXCLUSIVE

India introduces new custom rules from January 1, 2014 New rules introduced by the Indian government from the beginning of the new year will now ask passengers flying into India, including Britons and NRIs, to fill in a new customs form on their arrival, while the need to fill immigration form for returning Indians is being done away with.

The Indian High Commission in London, in an exclusive note has informed the Asian Voice that, all passengers coming to India will be now filling up an ‘Indian Customs Declaration Form’ seeking details that will be different from the perforated detachable strip which used to be a part of the immigration card at the moment.

In the new customs

form, new fields have been introduced for declaration of dutiable and prohibited goods. l For the first time, travellers would be asked to specifically declare any prohibited articles, gold jewellery (over free allowance), gold bullion and Indian currency exceeding Rs 7,500 in the new form. l Passengers of Indian origin and foreigners of over 10 years of age residing in India (and coming from Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and China) are eligible for duty free allowance of Rs 6,000. A duty free allowance of Rs 35,000 can be availed by such passengers in case they are coming from other than these four nations. l Indian passenger, who

has been residing abroad for over one year, can get gold jewellery worth Rs 50,000 (for man) and Rs one lakh (for woman) without paying any import duty. All passengers are also eligible to bring with them liquor or wine upto two litres, 200 numbers of cigarettes, upto 50 numbers of cigars or 250 gms of tobacco. l Passengers of 18 years and above age can also bring one laptop computer without payment of customs duty. l Customs duty is leviable at the rate of 36.05 per cent (basic) customs duty 35 per cent + education cess at the rate of three per cent) on the value of dutiable goods that is in excess of the duty free allowance.

VisitBritain’s guide describes Indian tourists as ‘amiable’ but ‘indecisive’ Britain is a very popular destination amongst Asian countries, which had more than 50% tourist visas issued in 2012.

However, Indian tourists to Britain have been labelled as ‘amiable’ but ‘indecisive’ in the new guidelines to hotels across UK, issued by the government tourism promotion body VisitBritain.

The government-fund-

ed tourism promotion body, says: “Understand that Indians are amiable but have a tendency to change their minds quite

frequently,” reads the advice from VisitBritain.

Hoteliers are also warned not to poke fun at Indian accents.

7

Search continues for missing teen, Nida Ul-Nasser, 18 The search still continues for missing 18 year old Nida Ul-Nasser, who disappeared on the evening of December 28th in Newport, South Wales.

Her family have made a fresh appeal for her return and have reportedly said that they ‘miss her desperately’.

Nida vanished after she went outside her house to put rubbish in a bin. She has not been since 8pm on Saturday 28th December. New revelations have surfaced that she was upset before her disappearance because her family’s asylum-seeker status barred her from attending university.

At a recent press conference, her sister Shamyla, 23, made an emotional appeal for her sister to return, saying the family “could not live without her”. She said: “We are all worried about you. We all need you. We can’t live without you.

We’re desperately worried about you. Please come back home. We need you at any cost.”

VisitBritain’s guide of do’s and don’ts, which receives around £30 million pounds of government funding each year to boost tourism and promote Britain around the world, is keen on keeping

The teenager was desperate to go to university and she had just fought with her parents just before she disappeared with no possessions, shoes, phone or coat after taking out the rubbish at home.

Her sister explained: “Because we are asylum seekers we are not allowed to go to university. She was angry about that. She was very sad, she was very angry about her future.”

Her father Naseer Tahir, 55, was evidently upset during the press conference. Talking about their last conversation, he said: “We were very angry and crying. She worried about her education.

Maybe she thought I was lazy and not able to provide the education she wanted.”

He also appealed for her to come home saying: “We miss you, we love you, we worry about your future.”

Supt Mark Warrender of Gwent Police said Nida’s disappearance was a “mystery”. He said

investigators had checked her computer, her phone and her bank account and they remained “extremely anxious” for the missing teenager. He also said that “substantial” amounts of CCTV footage was being examined, friends and family had been interviewed and officers had distributed leaflets around her home a week after she went missing.

The family have posted a sign outside the house, which reads: “Nida, please come home.

Don’t worry. We are all missing you.”

When she was last seen, she was wearing jeans and a black top. She is of Asian-Pakistani appearance and has long dark hair, is slim and 5ft 3in (1.6m) tall. Gwent Police have asked anyone with information to contact 101.

visitors from Asia happy.

Its list of do’s and dont’s for the tourism industry is a guide to avoid offending foreign guests to ensure Britain’s position as a welcoming destination.

Despite imprudent

moves by the Coalition government targeting Indian tourists, South Asian visitors continue to flock to Britain and London remains a hot favourite amongst most of them.

Nida Ul-Nasser

8

UK

Lies do not last for ever As I See It

In a democracy election is an opportunity for the voters to choose their government. It is also a sort of a license for politicians to put forward their agenda as well as to denounce that of their competitors. Allegations and acquisitions are a part of the process, but even in India by and large the voter is able to see the wood behind the tree. It is about five months if not earlier when 16th general election is due in India. A week is a long time in politics so said Harold Wilson, the British Prime Minister in mid sixties.

In India, the forthcoming general election is indeed very interesting and has already entered an exciting phase.

Until 20th of December the main competition for the PM’s post were between Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi. With the formation of Congress supported AAP government in the state of Delhi, the equation has changed dramatically.

The indications are that though Narendra Modi and BJP’s campaign is aiming for 272 plus seats in Lok Sabha, the target is becoming extremely challenging indeed. Some believe that AAP could play pivotal role in the result of the election as well as formation of the next government.

3rd January press conference of the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was in a way a non event as far as his Congress party’s future programme was concerned. In his first news conference in more than three years PM Singh said he would not seek a third term. In all honesty the 10 year rule of the Congress led UPA is under so much criticism that Congress is least likely to retain the number of seats (206) it won in 2009.

The most surprising thing was that a mild mannered, honest and intelligent Dr. Singh launched a scathing attack on Mr. Modi, the Prime Ministerial candidate of Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) saying, “I sincerely believe it would be disastrous for the country to have Narendra Modi as a Prime Minister”. In answer to a question Dr. Singh went further, “If by strong Prime Minister you mean you preside over the massacre of innocent citizens in the street of Ahmedabad – if that is the measure of strength - I do not believe that sort of strength this country need.”

Did Dr. Singh really mean this? Was this his idea? Perhaps the Congress party’s “Managers” prevailed upon such a gentleman to utter such a blatant, provocative, counterproductive and highly divisive statement. Perhaps the Congress party has already recognised that their administrative failures, serial of corruption led scandals, the nepotism of the Family as well as the mood of the electorate has made them helpless and are harking on the communal riots of 2002.

Gujarat experienced a very serious

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 11th January 2014

BJP PM candidate Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh

earthquake on 26th January 2001.

Narendra Modi was installed as the Chief Minister by BJP in October. Five months down the line the train compartment was burnt near Godhra Railway station. On the third day riots took place between Hindus and Muslims in the areas from where those who were burnt alive in that compartment hailed from.

Few weeks ago in my column I referred to a long research based article by a French lady, a resident in India since 1975. Nicole Elfi has done a very detailed work on the tragedy at Godhra and the painful riots of first and second March 2002.

Ms. Nicole Elfi’s piece appeared in a magazine called “The Other Side” – a journal of socialist thought and action.

“Rajiv Srinivasan, an American journalist of Indian origin was emailed an anonymous report a dozen times, supposedly written by Anil Soni, a Press Trust of India (PTI) reporter.

Mr. Srinivasan contacted Anil Soni to check on the veracity of this account.

Mr. Soni answered; “some enemy of mine has done this to make life difficult for me, do you understand, sir? I did not write this at all, I am a PTI correspondent, yes that is true, my phone number is correct but it is not my writing.”

This was perhaps the first major lie.

Then series of lies were circulated.

Human Rights Watch, an NGO based in New York published a dossier (April 30, 2002) about the Gujarat events which caused a sensation and fed a large number of articles in the international press.

In this report Smita Narula had an unnamed “witness” who described attack on the former Congress MP Mr. Ehsan Jafri’s house. Amongst other details, she talked about rapes which has taken place at about 3.30 pm “when house was already on fire”. Arundhati Roy’s major article in the Outlook magazine of 6th May, 2002 caught international recognition. After all she is a very

famous and well respected writer.

Amongst her descriptions were very ghastly details. A woman by the name of Madina in the various court hearings and Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigation has confirmed that there was no rape at all when Mr. Ehsan Jafri was so brutally murdered or the rioters ripped open the womb of the pregnant Kausarbanu. However, a doctor who conducted a post-mortem on her body, confirmed that she died of burns during riots, her womb was intact.

Ms Teesta Setalvad, is a Gujarati Hindu woman and the daughter of a Mumbai based lawyer Atul Setalvad. Her grandfather MC Setalvad was the India’s first Attorney General. She is married to a Muslim Javed Anand, who is a journalist, and civil rights activist. What is also of special note that in various court hearings it was found that Teesta’s statements were not trustworthy and several statements by others were dictated by her.

An FIR is also lodged against Teesta, for allegedly usurping fund worth Rs. 1.51 crore collected for turning Gulbarg Society, which was set on fire during Gujarat riots in 2002, into a museum.

Feroz Saeedkhan Pathan who used to live in Gulbarg Society during 2002 riots has lodged FIR against Teesta. Her lies have been exposed in the various court hearings as well as the verdict of Metropolitan judge BJ Ganatra. In spite of all these things at least Dr. Manmohan Singh should not also remember, what happened to Sikhs following the assassination of Indira Gandhi?

At this juncture I would like to reproduce a letter published in The Economist of 4th January 2014.

Controversial Modi

the country over the coming months. The 180-seat aircraft from Tirgu Mures only had 140 passengers on board, he said, most of whom already live and work in the UK. ‘’We’ve seen no evidence of people who have rushed out and bought tickets in order to arrive because it’s the 1st of January. We’d be surprised if they did so, this is after all only a snapshot. But we do need to resolve this issue in the future, and it’s an issue for the whole of the EU to resolve so we don’t get these kinds of dramas at the end.’’

MPs Mark Reckless and Keith Vaz welcomed Spiresau Victor at Luton Airport who was coming to the UK for the first time. The 30-year-old who said he earned 10 euros a day working in construction at home said he

JAGDISH BHAWATI ARVIND PANAGARIYA Professors at Columbia University New York (Normally no one is allowed to reproduce any content of The Economist, a very well respected magazine, but this is a special case.)

Earlier The Economist reports used to contain word like Genocide and Pogroms. I must admire The Economist that in last few months they have made some correction in their reportings. I wish that with the letter from Prof.

Jagdish Bhagavati and Prof. Arvind Panagariya, The Economist will now not use the word “atonement” too.

I am a British, an Indian, and also a Gujarati as well. In the aftermath of the tragedy of February/March 2002, I met many people, especially youngsters who depend as a source of information on The Economist and such publications. I felt very embarrassed or if not ashamed that they believed everything what they read in The Economist or Outlook or other publications. In the light of the more and more revelations it is now becoming clear the series of lies perpetuated over some 12 years are nothing but lies.

There were forces that were hyper active to malign Gujarat and the Gujaratis. If they would have succeeded, Gujarat would have been pushed back many a decades in its development, prosperity and communal harmony. Last 12 years have been distinctly able to prove such propaganda was wrong.

SIR – Your leader on Narendra Modi, the front-runner to be India’s next prime

MP Keith Vaz welcomes first arrivals of Romanians and Bulgarians on New Year’s Day MP Keith Vaz, Chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee and Tory MP Mark Reckless met with Romanians at Luton Airport on the first flight into the UK after labour restrictions were lifted on January 1st. The first Romanians and Bulgarians with unrestricted access to the UK labour market began to arrive last Wednesday despite last minute efforts to prevent a feared influx of new immigration.

Keith Vaz said that those arriving today provided just a ‘’snapshot’’ of those expected to come to

minister, repeated accusations that have been thoroughly investigated and found to be without basis by no less than a Special Investigation Team (SIT) appointed by the Indian Supreme Court (“Would Modi Save India or wreck it ?”, December 14th).

You said that Mr Modi refuses to atone for a “Pogrom” against Muslims in Gujarat, where he is Chief Minister. But what you call a pogrom was in fact a “communal riot” in 2002 in which a quarter of the people killed were Hindus – 170 of them from bullets fired by the police. By contrast, the more numerous 1984 killings of Sikhs after Indira Gandhi’s assassination was indeed a pogrom, directed exclusively at Sikhs.

With not a single charge against Mr. Modi standing up to the SIT’s scrutiny, it is absurd to ask him to atone.

hoped to make 10 euros an hour here but was not planning on settling.

Mr Vaz criticised the worries people have had ahead of the temporary curbs imposed in 2005 on citizens of Romania and Bulgaria being lifted.

- CB

Hundreds of law firms may face closure after this Sunday Hundreds of law firms can be facing closure by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) if they fail to secure professional indemnity insurance (PII) before this Sunday. Over 1000 customers of unrated PII insurer Berliner received letters in beginning of September, urging them to find an alternative cover before the deadline in January.

Experts said that firms would find premiums rise as the market lost capacity, while underwriters wanted proof that firms have a sustainable business model in the light of

potential income cuts, the Law Society Gazette had warned in late 2013.

These closures come after years of turmoil for solicitors’ PII as well as regulatory rule changes that removed a safety net from underneath struggling firms.

UK

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 11th January 2014

Leading Lights

9

Rani Singh, Special Assignments Editor

Happier Helping the Poor than Working on Wall St.

Liberation War had a procommunities to create an Asif Saleh is the Senior found effect on him. He ecosystem in which the Director of Strategy, left his job in London, and poor can seize control of Communications and with the money from selltheir own lives. We train Capacity for BRAC and ing his home, he estabpeople in villages and BRAC International. Prior lished BRAC to rehabilislums to act as caregivers to joining BRAC, he was tate the returning refugees and model farmers for Executive Director at in a remote area in norththeir neighbours.”

Goldman Sachs, and also eastern Bangladesh. Asif Asif feels that there is worked at and it’s 55000 staff now no single cause of poverty GlaxoWellcome. Upon his can materialise their so development must be return to Bangladesh in dreams about Bangladesh tackled on multiple fronts.

2008, he worked as a polithrough BRAC. mandate has BRAC’s cy specialist for the UNDP BRAC’s activities grown to include a range funded project Access to empower Bangladeshi of development intervenInformation Programme people to access the martions such as microfiat the Prime Minister’s ket. BRAC runs enterprisnance, education, health, Office. Asif is the founder es in sectors like textile, legal rights, community of Drishtipat, a global dairy, livestock, poultry empowerment, water and organisation focusing on feed, fisheries, health supsanitation, disaster manthe human and economic plies and green energy. rights of Bangladeshis.

Asif was recognised for I want in Bangladesh a system “We support the clients his work by Asia where everyone has equal we empower by creating supply-chains that Society as an Asia 21 opportunity to prosper and allow them to access Fellow in poor people have equal the mainstream market, 2012. Asif was selected to be a Young Global participation in policy making. get fair prices for their goods and sustainabiliLeader by the World ty for their micro-enterpoverty agement, and Economic Forum in 2013. prises. For example, the alleviation.

He holds a Bachelors in woman who takes out a Born in Bangladesh, Computer Science and an microcredit loan to buy a BRAC is now spreading MBA in Management cow can then sell her milk antipoverty solutions to from NYU Stern School of to BRAC Diary for a fair 11 other developing counBusiness. He is a 2013 price,” explained Asif. tries in Asia, Africa and mentor of the “We are the second the Caribbean. It will start Unreasonable Institute. largest employer and our soon in Myanmar.

BRAC is the largest annual budget is the I asked Asif how development organisation roughly 5% of the national BRAC began. in the world. Asif told me budget. ” “Sir Fazle Hasan Abed in Dhaka, not far from the BRAC is about was an accountant, workbiggest slum in the city empowering women, Asif ing as a senior executive at where BRAC is helping said. Women who started Shell Oil, when the 1971 residents,“We invest in

Family Doctor ‘cupped patient’s breast in his hands’ during cough examination Family Doctor, Dr Abhijit Banerjee, pictured, has denied conducting a sexually-motivated chest examination at a medical tribunal on Monday 6th January in Manchester. The tribunal heard that the doctor ‘cupped the patient’s breast’ in his hands and began breathing ‘heavily and erratically’ as she was examined for a severe cough.

The 42-year-old, married father-of-two Dr Abhijit Banerjee locked the door of his consulting room and instructed the patient to take off her bra before he knelt in front of her with

his head in ‘close proximity’ to her nipples, it was claimed. He was also said to have squeezed the patient’s right breast and appeared to be ‘jittery’ during the routine chest examination.

The woman said that she could not see his face as he listened under her right breast. The alleged incident occurred in March 2012 after the 42-year old woman, known as Patient A, went to see Dr Banerjee at the Abbeyview surgery in Peterborough,

Cambridgeshire.

The woman later confided in a friend as to what happened before alerting her husband two days later. She made a formal complaint by letter to the surgery on May 11 and the case was referred to the Lincolnshire Primary Care NHS Trust.

Chloe Hudson, counsel for the MPTS said: ‘It is standard procedure that a full chest exam requires the doctor to listen to the front, back and side of the chest and because of the abdominal pain he had to listen to the abdomen’

Married Ammaz Qureshi, 35, of Pinner, North London has been charged with killing a one-year-old girl after allegedly ordering his mistress to submerge her daughter in a bucket of water, over Skype. Qureshi is facing charges of premeditated murder and assault in Oslo after being extradited from Britain in December 2012. He is accused of masterminding months of

abuse against the child, including forcing her to eat chilli powder, making her stay awake, and binding her legs for hours on end. Qureshi, an accountant, was introduced to the Norwegian woman by her brother when she visited London in February 2010.

Despite having been married for seven years, he began a sexual relationship with her. The woman returned to Oslo in April

2010, but the relationship continued online and over text. When the mother was arrested, she told police Qureshi had been directing her to abuse the child since their relationship began.

Qureshi has been in custody in Oslo for more than a year, following his extradition, and proclaims he is innocent. The trial is set to start this winter in Oslo District Court.

‘Murder’ for man who ordered mistress to drown baby over Skype

Asif Saleh

as members of our community-based groups have gone on to win local elections. Eighty-five percent of the artisans that work for our fair trade organisation and enterprise Aarong are women.

BRAC is also active in education –it runs the world’s largest private, secular education system with 44,033 worldwide.

Complementing mainstream school systems with innovative teaching methods and materials.“We ensure that 70 percent of our students are girls. Currently there are million students 1.3 enrolled in seven countries and more than 10 million have graduated from our schools.”

Asif showed me a maternity centre in full swing.

“We have over 97,000 community health workers offering their neighbours doorstep delivery of vital medicines and healthy services.

If patients need further treatment, they are referred to BRAC clinics or government-run hospitals. Interventions like this have helped BRAC reduce maternal and neonatal mortality drastically.

Asif is not even earning anything close to what he did on Wall St but told me, “ I am not doing this for financial gratification.

The internal gratification of this job far outweighs any the financial bene-

fit. When I go and visit BRAC schools and see the faces of the children who are getting better education that they otherwise would not have got, I feel that I am doing something worthwhile."He also has ambition for Bangladesh.

I want in Bangladesh a system where everyone has equal opportunity to prosper and poor people have equal participation in policy making.

Young people in Bangladesh have potential which is not being realized for the lack of a better system which is merit based. A lot of them are set for failure from an early stage being deprived of skills and good education. I hope I can do something to change that.

10

YOUR VOICE

Hindus and Sikh launch petition against Asian label

The Term ‘Asian’ is used indiscriminatingly to hide Muslims patently involved in crime. NonMuslim are made to share guilt of crime perpetrated by Muslims. Media are aware about differences between Muslims and others. But they turn blind eye in spite of clear mention of the phrase ‘of Pakistani origin’.

These media barons hide their mischief by introducing the word religion when Muslims are involved. Yet they blatantly defend Muslims when denouncing Islamophobia which clearly equates ‘phobia’ with ‘religion’. Thus their excuse for using religion is a lie, an intentional and malicious mischief.

But fault lies with Non Muslim Asians too. Petition may be useful to draw attention of differences between Muslim criminals and non Muslims, it will not deter mischief mongers from unfair use of the word Asian.

Non Muslim Asians must learn to dictate terms. The effective method is to threaten politician with no vote measures. Withdraw monetary support to such politicians and to BBC. Return all newspapers that flagrantly use term Asian in derogatory manner, to hide identity of non Hindus, or to spread guilt of crimes committed by Muslims.

It is time to be tenaciously effective, aggressive and assertive. Learn from Muslims who always have an upper hand, and media dare not use the term “Asian” loosely.

Why are Lords Bhikhu Parekh, Dolar Popat, Navnit Dholakia, Meghnad Desai silent about this? A petition to awaken them must be addressed to them too.

Fight for proper use of term Asian must be ongoing instead of momentary/ fleeting reaction.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 11th January 2014

Marriage of Soul Mates

Congratulations to AV for presenting in their regular column “As I See It” some facts about the formation of Delhi Government by AAP with Congress support and background scenario. It is portrayed in the media with great fanfare that AAP (David) has slayed Congress (Goliath) from the roof top but it seems they are reluctant to explain the odd marriage between David and Goliath.

Subramanian’s words “to keep Narendra Modi at bay” may somewhat explain the phenomenon.

AAP has captured Delhi Gadi mainly on an anticorruption manifesto but their first actions to provide limited water and electricity free to the public is undisguised communism. Will an entrepreneur be ready to finance further water or electricity supply to the state seeing that the current suppliers are about to be bankrupted? This was also the policy of the Congress since 1947. The Congress Government was distributing essential commodities like sugar, cement, rice and others, in some cases, at law prices through ration cards without paying proper attention to boost supply and market forces. This kept the ancient prosperous nation as a basket case of the world for a long time. Only when they paid attention to the supply side and market forces did the improvised nation become free of hunger and became familiar with some modern amenities like telephone and television. AAP’s actions suggest that it is after all a marriage of soul mates. It is suggested that their married name ought to be “Congres-Saap”.

Narsibhai Patel New Malden

India’s daughters

I am pleased Hindus and Sikhs have launched a petition against “Asian” label especially following Rochdale crime reports. It is about time the media uses proper definition in their reports.

Last year some beggars in Park Lane were identified in the British Media as Romanians and not Europeans or Eastern Europeans. So it seems to be a justifiable action for Indians to express concern when the same British Media reported criminals in Rochdale area as Asians and not Pakistanis. The remarks in judgement also mentioned that all criminals were Muslims, but this aspect was given a very low profile by the media as well as the politicians.

British Media has been notorious about their headlines demeaning entire communities as long as they are not white English.

I hope campaign by Indians may bring some change in British Media reporting.

In a leading article in the Times of 3rd Jan 2014, the Editor has the audacity to list how women are treated in India.

According to him, they are second class citizens, they are cattle for pleasure and are treated like women in Afghanistan.

We all know how hateful is English media to Indians and particularly Hindus.

Let me remind The Times that what our women have achieved world over, they cannot even dream. Our girls are top most scientists, winning space race, we have the best ladies doctors, engineers, judges, parliamentarians, musicians, speakers of the Parliament and President of India. There are so many achievements that English girls fade into insignificance against them. India is a 5000 years old civilisation unsurpassed by any other countries in the world.

The way things are here, 50% of Britain is already carrying begging bowls to social security.

Indians need to be proud of our achievements and no apologies for a few missed points. Nobody has ever been perfect. We at least have the great virtue to adapt ourselves to the changes. British still suffer from imperialistic hangover.

Suresh P Shah Via Email

PC Aggarwal Stanmore

Ramesh Jhalla Via email

What is in a name?

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ASIAN VOICE

Rahul Gandhi and corruption

Rahul Gandhi, the crown prince of the Congress party stated that the root cause of India’s problem is corruption.

He has to look into corruption charges against his family and the Congress party before he talks about corruption in India.

Rahul Gandhi’s father was involved in Bofors scandal and Sonia Gandhi and her family are supposed to have made millions in the deal. The Congress lost the election that time and they got away with the prosecution since BJP Lost the election. Rahul Gandhi in 2001 tried to smuggle thousands of dollars to America and he was let off because of the intervention of former Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee. His brother-in-law Robert Vadra was able to do several shoddy deals with the Congress governments in Hariyana and Rajasthan with the loss of several cores of rupees for the state governments. The officer who cancelled Vadra company’s deal in Hariyana was suspended and was transferred to several departments in one year and he is haunted still by implicating in corruption charges. Sonia Gandhi went to America for cancer treatment as if this cannot be treated in India and she might have spent cores of rupees each time. The medicine would have cost thousands of dollars and her expenses were kept very secret.

There are several scandals in Maharashtra in allocating flats in Adarsh Co-operative society, Himachal Pradesh, misuse of funding in Commonwealth games, coal scam and 2G and so on. Now the Congress party is joining with Lalu Prasad Yadav who was involved in fodder scam and he came out of prison recently.

Before Rahul Gandhi talks about corruption , he should investigate corruption charges against his family and in the Congress administered states.

Arun Vaidyanathan Via Email

Historical exaggerations

Over many years of reading your esteemed paper, Asian Voice, I have noticed that your letter writers often falsify facts and figures by exaggeration. The latest example is from the pen of your veteran letter writer, Mr. Bhupendra Gandhi. He writes: “For thousands of years, India was ruled, subjugated, exploited and looted by Moghus and British, with the connive of Rajput kings” (Asian Voice, January 4, 2014, pg. 10).

Since the first Moghul emperor, Babur, ascended the throne of Delhi in 1526 and the British rule of India ended in 1947, that makes the total of 421 years in all: not thousands. Mr. Gandhi should learn to write his history with greater care and precision.

Burjor Avari Department of History Manchester Metropolitan University

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New Year’s Resolutions

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We have just said “Bye” to 2013 and “Hi” to 2014. Many of us stayed up late in the night till the chimes on Big Ben signaled the arrival of 2014, and also watched the splendour of fireworks on River Thames on our TV. We then indulged in re-capitulations and reflections on what we have achieved in the past year and made resolutions for the coming year. Resolutions normally consist of losing weight, stopping smoking or limiting the intake of alcohol or such similar determinations. However, these are selfish resolutions which we make for the betterment or benefit towards our own well being. What philanthropic or magnanimous resolutions have we made for the improvement and happiness of fellow human beings or animals, like doing voluntary work to help disadvantaged or feeble and frail elderly people? I belong to a local organisation which provides entertainment and dinner free of charge to local senior citizens most of who are frail and lonely and have nowhere to go during the day. These people are usually stuck indoors and feel isolated and miserable. In conclusion it would be appropriate to quote from the widely circulated Quaker saying by Stephen Grellet (or William Penn) which goes “I shall pass this way but once; any good that I can do or any kindness I can show to any human being; let me do it now. Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.”

Dinesh Sheth Newbury Park, Ilford

Dangerous Journeys

I was intrigued reading Sarah Teather’ column in AV dated 4th January. Britain is the most liberal nations in Europe with highest density of population, overtaking Netherlands, giving more in overseas aid than any other nation.

So why do our politicians make us feel guilty when our own people are going through hell, victims of regular flooding that drives some to the edge of despair, even contemplating suicide. Has any politician suffered flooding of their homes? They live in their “ivory Towers’ while people are trapped in their damp, un-hygienic homes- they cannot sell or insure, yet we give millions to Bangladesh for flood control? Does charity begins overseas?

Most tragedies in Africa are selfinflected wounds, South Sudan being prime example. It gained independence from fundamentalist Sudan after forty years of civil war.

Now instead of enjoying their hard earned freedom, building infrastructure using oil revenue, they are fighting tribal war. It is same story throughout Africa, oil and mineral rich continent that could rule the world economically. There are more than billion people world-wide living in abject poverty. What Africa needs is peace, education, birth control and free trade, taking in few thousand refugees is not the answer or the solution.

Bhupendra M Gandhi Via Email

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11

Tower Hamlets launches Primary school makes changes recruitment drive for to holidays for Asian students Muslim adoptive parents

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 11th January 2014

Tower Hamlets Council has launched a campaign to encourage more and more Muslim couples to come forward to adopt children.

The Tower Hamlets Muslim Adoption Campaign is being supported by prominent figures from the Muslim community and a leading adoption organisation.

Starting for the next two months an advert will be shown on Bengali TV channels. It is aimed at Muslims within Tower Hamlets as well as those from across the country.

The 40-second advert features a Muslim couple who do not have children of their own. They look

back at how empty their lives seemed before they adopted, before the advert shows them having fun in the park with their adopted daughter.

The advert is aimed at demonstrating how adopting a child can positively transform the adults’ lives as well as that of the child.

Cabinet member for Children, Schools and Families Cllr Oliur Rahman said: “The number of Muslim adopters coming forward is increasing but is still not enough.

“For the good of the borough’s children, I hope this campaign is successful. Adopting a child could be the best thing you ever did.”

The government has announced that £55m will be ploughed into creating new schools and classrooms across Leicestershire over the next three years by the County council.

It is meant to be used to develop new school places in circumstances where there might be increased births forecast, or families moving to a particular school’s catchment area.

Cllr Ivan Ould, cabinet member for children and young people, told a local

newspaper: “This is excellent news and shows that the government has recognised the need for investment in our schools.

“We are beginning to experience significant demand for school places, especially in the primary sector.

“This money means we can ensure there are sufficient spaces available for children.

“We’re awaiting further information from the Government and this will enable us to work with schools and other partners

The council believes it is important that adopted children are placed with families of the same ethnic background, and it works hard to do so.

As the Muslim population increases, so too does the number of Muslim children who are in need of a new home, often because of abuse or neglect at their family home.

Unfortunately, the number of Muslim couples coming forward to adopt is not increasing at the same rate, so there are more Muslim children from Tower Hamlets waiting to be adopted than there are Muslim families available to adopt them.

£55m ploughed into creating new schools and classrooms

Cllr Ivan Ould

A primary school in Blackburn is changing its holiday pattern to accommodate requirements of pupils from non British heritage.

The school is extending the October break by a week to allow families of Asian background the chance to visit their relatives, especially in Pakistan and other countries when the weather is cooler.

Wensley Fold Primary School, a Church of England academy in Blackburn, Lancashire, said the changes are being made after requests from parents to take their children out of school to visit relatives abroad.

The latest Ofsted figures, from an inspection in 2006, show that the school has an above average number of pupils from minority ethnic groups, with 85% not speaking English as their first language.

That number was up from the 2001 inspection when 66% of pupils were found to have English as an additional language.

There are currently 304 children on the school roll.

In a letter to parents, the governing body on

their official website mentioned, "In light of the changes by the government to holidays in school time and the many requests we have from parents to take children out of school to visit relations overseas, the governor have decided to review the school holiday pattern 2014 - 2015.

In October 2014 the school will close for 2 weeks from 20.10.14 31.10.14 instead of the usual one week closure.

The 5 days will be made up at the beginning of the school year and we will of course, have to comply with the regulatory school openings.

We are giving all parents as much notice as possible in order for you

to book flights, should you wish to do so. The governors have decided that this will be a trial for one year initially and we would welcome feedback from parents in the future."

The new two-week autumn break at this school comes shortly after the government announced more freedom to allow head teachers set term dates.

The changes in the g o v e r n m e n t ’ s Deregulation Bill will pave the way for all individual schools to change the timing and duration of terms and holidays from 2015.

Academies and free schools already have this power.

Book your space in the next

to work up a detailed plan early in the new year.”

Local youngsters get opportunities to work in Ealing council A group of local young people celebrated their graduation from Ealing Council’s vInspired Talent programme in December. vInspired Talent is a 6month structured volunteer programme designed to help unemployed 16-24 year olds into employment, education or training. Ealing Council offers 15 placements. The young people are given the chance to gain confidence, valuable work experience and improve their employability by working in a number of council departments, such as customer services, libraries and youth services. Local organisations, Mencap, Accession and Platform 51 also offered volunteering opportunities. Of those who completed the programme, five are moving on to paid work, one has secured an internship, one is starting an apprenticeship, two are moving on to further education and two are waiting on the outcome of interviews for paid work.

The next vInspired Talent programme will start in March. Young people interested in taking part should attend the

information session taking place at Westside Young People’s Centre on Tuesday 21 January 2014

between 11am-1pm.

Cllr Jasbir Anand, pictured, cabinet member for children and young people, said: “I believe that young people’s passion and talent can make a huge difference to local communities which is why I’m so pleased that we’ve been able to give this talented group a start on the path to education and work."

Indian origin nail artist wins bronze in a national competition A nail artist of Indian origin has stunned judges in a national competition by winning a bronze medal.

Beautician Roohi Saiyed, 31, completed the level three nail technology course last year at Blackburn College and she was in the intermediate nail art section in Birmingham. Roohi, originally from India but who now lives in Blackburn, had to produce 10 different nail art designs, one for each digit, under the theme ‘mysteries’.

She was up against 17 other students and collected a bronze medal.

Blackburn College fin-

ished 12th overall out of all the UK colleges in the World Skills event.

Blackburn College student and stylist Tony Cavello also won the silver medal at this National World Skills competition, in Birmingham.

Karen Robertson, curriculum area manager for hair and beauty at Blackburn College, told a local newspaper: “We are so proud of Tony and Roohi for achieving such high accolades for the college, and helping us achieve 12th nationally out of all colleges in the National World Skills Event.”

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12

MEDIA WATCH

Arvind Kejriwal has hit the ground running. The new Aam Aadmi Delhi Chief Minister has reduced electricity charges by a hefty 50 per cent by a similar increase in the government subsidy, while water charges have also been drastically cut. A New Year gift, proclaimed media headlines, but will Santa Claus forgive the debt come April and May when temperatures begin to soar and power and water consumption do likewise?

Arvind Kejriwal

Manmohan Singh’s recent news conference announcing retirement

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, 81, announced his retirement from office, following India’s general election in May. Congress will have to pull a rabbit out of its hat to retain power in another party-led coalition in Delhi, if present trends are anything to go by. (Comment page 3) A new era opened on Sunday with the launch of India’s GSLV5 geosynchronous space satellite on a cryogenic driven rocket, the sixth country after the US, Russia, France, China and Japan to have accomplished this feat.

The cryogenic engine is an indigenous product, an answer to America’s technology denial regime against India. India’s space programme has truly come of age. (More next week)

Mujahideen nuclear terror threat

A front-page Times of India report (December 30) tells of an Indian Mujahideen (IM) plot to acquire a nuclear bomb for use on the Gujarat city of Surat.

LeT neutralized

Jammu and Kashmir Police have neutralized the Lashkar-eTaiba support base set up by its Pakistani commander Qasim, whose deputy Omar was killed recently in an operation mounted in the Budgam district of Kashmir by Indian paramilitary forces in conjunction with the local police force. Another top Lashkar member, Basharat Ahmed, was arrested somewhere in Budgam district. Lateef Ahmed Rather and Basharat Ahmed Mir were also arrested following a dramatic operation.

An assessment of these and other development have revealed the elimination of the entire Laskkar-e-Taiba guerilla network in southern Kashmir (Hindu December 30)

North-South grid

Yasin Bhaktal

This was revealed during interrogation by arrested IM leader Yasin Bhaktal. Bhaktal told National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and Intelligence Bureau (IB) interrogators that he had approached his Pakistan-based boss Riyaz Bhaktal whether he could have a “small nuclear bomb” delivered for the operation. But such a device would also affect the city’s Muslim population, said Riaz. They would be warned to vacate through notices at mosques, countered Yasin, who was arrested on the Nepal border by Indian security agents before any such plan could take shape.

In what promises to be gamechanger India’s South has been joined to the North in a national power grid, completing the integration into a seamless network for delivering electricity. Not only will this provide relief to the power deficient southern peninsula, it will also improve transmission and facilitate better management of demand, thus guaranteeing grid stability. Easier access to electricity will also lead to lower power tariffs in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

Moreover, the carriage and content scheme, to be introduced in a month’s time, will enable consumers to buy electricity from a power company of their choice and have it supplied to them by a distribution network that services in their neighbourhood (Mint January 2)

Returning power sector investors

New valuations are playing a key part in a revival of investor interest in India’s power sector,

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 11th January 2014

among which is the Piramal Group. “The Piramal Group is looking at investment options and is evaluating investment opportunities. It has resources and the appetite,” said a company spokesman. A power sector analyst cited this statement and pointed to several transactions that were in play at present. He also referred to the declared interest of foreign investors such as JP Morgan Chase and to Singapore’s Sembcorp, Industries Ltd and France’s GDF Suez SA, among others.

The debt-laden Jaypee Group is close selling two of its three operating hydroelectric projects to a consortium led by Abu Dhabi’s National Energy Co. The Piramal Group itself is flush with funds after a 2010 deal in which it sold its pharmaceutical business to US drug maker Abbot Laboratories for Rs 17,000 crore (Mint December 26)

GST rollout to help India

Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, has said implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) will be the surest message to foreign and domestic investors that “India is open for business.” He endorsed the view of the GST being the “single most important tax reform that we have to do” through amendments to the Constitution and the safeguarding the rights of States. Mr Ahluwalia said that reducing customs duty to rates prevalent in East Asia was a further requirement in a globalized economic environment. He averred that globally countries were moving away from customs duties “because the essence of globalization is that you don’t impose too many taxes on trade.

Instead, you raise the same revenue from domestic taxes.”

(Hindu December 27)

Even

New trade routes to CIS as

Russian

President

Vladimir Putin

Vladimir Putin speaks of a new economic union with Belarus and Kazakhstan by 2015, together with the possible participation of Ukraine and Armenia, and one day of India and Turkey as well, India has started exploring the use of the existing road link between Rasht in Iran and Aztaria, Azerbajjan to gain easier access to the lucra-

GSLV-5 satelitte launch

tive markets of Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), which were once part of the Soviet Union. There is also a plan to establish a rail link, but this will take more time to set up. The Commerce Ministry has asked Freight Forwarding Association of India to conduct a dry run to study the feasibility of establishing this road link. The Association will present its report in February or March.

Goal in view

“We are trying to thoroughly explore through a cost benefit analysis. The idea is to use the infrastructure as it is present today. The plan to build the rail is going on separately,” said a Commerce Ministry spokesman.

“We are trying to find out why businesses do not use the existing road link. What are the problems and concerns of businesses.” India is also trying to persuade Iran to act on 165-kilometre rail track linking Rasht and Astara and afford greater Indian access to the markets beyond.

Economy projection

According to the London-based economic consultancy Cebr, India is likely to become the world’s third largest economy by 2028 after the US and China. Ás per the World Economic League table report in 2013, India is now eleventh in the global table with a GDP of $1.758 trillion and by 2018 is likely to reach ninth position with a GDP of $2.481 trillion; by 2023 the country should be fourth, with a GDP of $4.124 trillion reaching $6.560 trillion in 2028. By 2015, Cebr said, the emerging economies should be on the fast trajectory of growth. Its figures are based on International Monetary Fund (IMF) data.

was surrounded by controversy after Italian investigators revealed that top Westland officials might have paid Indian government officials and IAF officers bribes to win the deal.

Agusta Westland denied the charge as has former Air Chief Marshal S.P. Tyagi (Mint January 2).

IAF modernization

Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, 59 (born Purulia, West Bengal), took over as India’s air chief from Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne on December 31, for a full three year term. He pledged to oversee the present transformation of the Indian Air Force, the fourth largest in the world after the US, Russia and China.

He said: “IAF is on a trajectory of modernization. It’s transformation into a strategic aerospace power with full spectrum capability, accretion through new acquisitions, replacement of obsolete equipment with stateof-the-art inductions and upgrade of the vintage weapon platforms will bolster our capabilities.” He underscored “the high operational preparedness and successful conduct of various exercises in India and abroad that have reinforced our professional reputation as a formidable force.” (Hindu, Times of India January 1)

Hardeep Singh Puri joins BJP

Agusta Westland deal cancelled

India has cancelled the Rs 3,600 crore defence deal for the purchase of 12 helicopters from Agusta Westland Limited (Ltd).

The helicopters were to have been used in the communication squadrons of the Indian Air Force (IAF). The Ministry of Defence in a statement said the cancellation was based “on the grounds of breach of pre-contract integrity pact and the agreement by AWL.” The deal

Hardeep Singh Puri

Veteran diplomat Hardeep Singh Puri has joined the BJP. His considerable diplomatic experience extends to security and trade issues and should be a significant asset to a party which hopes to govern India come the May general election.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 11th January 2014

EXCLUSIVE

UK

13

UK philanthropy needs shake up, as government squeezes middle earners Asians step forward to make more charitable contributions

A Century of Remembering

2014 is the hundredth anniversary of World War 1 - and the ties that bind the special relationship between Britain and India and Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs.

As the BBC asked "What motivated men to fight in a war thousands of miles from home, in a cause that did not seem to be their own? Many men, however, also saw it as their duty to bring honour to their clan or caste, by fighting bravely on the battlefield. Some communities liked to imagine themselves as warriors.

A Sikh soldier, Indar Singh wrote home: 'It is quite impossible that I should return alive. [But] don't be grieved at my death, because I shall die arms in hand, wearing the warrior's clothes. This is the most happy death that anyone can die'. “ This quote is reminiscent of the famous remembrance poem: ‘They went with songs to the battle, they were young, Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow. They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted, They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old, Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, We will remember them.’

The BBC continue…”Several Hindu soldiers remarked that being killed in battle, in the service of the King, would end the cycle of death and reincarnation, and would send the soldier directly to paradise. Sikh soldiers occasionally referred to co-religionists who had 'suffered martyrdom' on the battlefield."

As one put it, doubting that he would survive, consoled himself with the thought that his name would be 'written in letters of gold and inscribed in the list of the brave'. Of the near one million Indian soldiers who by 1918 had enlisted, 65,000 died. Their names are indeed carved with pride at India Gate in Delhi.

But also in London, the names of all India’s Victoria and George Cross winners are carved at the Commonwealth Memorial Gates outside Buckingham Palace.

If on this 100th anniversary, you remember nothing else, remember to pay your respects there when you are in London. Read their names. Miss none out.

None.

Sadly a few years later Britain would once again call upon brave Indian soldiers to fight for King and Country. In that, the Second World War a true poem of love was written, in the words of the bible, ‘no greater love hath a man than this, than he lay down his life for another’. You cannot understand duty and honour, nobility and patriotism if you do not understand that it is love that underlies them all.

‘The life that I have, Is all that I have, And the life that I have, Is yours.

The love that I have, Of the life that I have, Is yours and yours and yours.

A sleep I shall have, A rest I shall have, Yet death will be but a pause, For the peace of my years, In the long green grass, Will be yours and yours and yours.’a

Secret Slave workers exploited by own countrymen in Indian restaurants A recent article in the Mail has highlighted the underground network of ‘invisible’ or ‘unseen’ workers of East London’s Brick Lane’ curry houses. Abdul is one of the secret slaves of Banglatown, trapped in an underground world of poverty, illegality, alienation and shame. He came to the UK with promises of a better life for his family back home in Bangladesh but this all turned out to be false.

Today, he is constantly on the run and unable to return home without facing the disaster he has placed himself in.

Abdul is amongst may Bangladeshis who feed Britain’s appetite for South Asian food in Brick Lane. Most of the workers have left Bangladesh as economic migrants because it still remains one of the world’ poorest countries. Hundreds of thousands leave every year, as economic migrants, to come to the UK. Rafique is another worker that is exploited in the kitchens of Britain’s Brick Lane. When it was arranged for him to come to the UK, Rafique was promised £350 a week wages. This would be used to pay back the loan he

used to come to the UK. When he arrived, he was taken to a restaurant in Bishops Stortford, Hertforshire where he was shocked to learn that he

‘he Government is building an immigration system which is more selective.

The restaurant sector, like other businesses, should look to source the skills

Lord Gulam Noon

Although the UK is one of the more generous nations in Europe, just 28% of higher taxpayers make charitable donations, compared with about 98% in the US, the Guardian has reported.

Collectively the 300 richest people in the world have added £320 billion to their estimated wealth, with those investing in the technology sector gaining the most, the Bloomberg has calculated. And, irrespective of the squeeze on middle earners, 2014 is predicted to be a year in which the super-rich fare even better.

The highest ranking Briton on the list is a proof of the value of traditional assets such as property.

Ranked 87th, Gerald Grosvenor, better known as the Duke of Westminster, has an estimated net “worth” of £7.7 billion, according to the Bloomberg index.

But it is evident that ever since the 2010 elections, the UK has become even more unequal. The ratio of spending cuts to tax rises in the recession of the early 1990s was equally split 1:1. Since 2010, it has been 4:1 – four times as many spending cuts as tax rises, the Guardian has reported. At the top it has been even worse. The 267,000 top tax payers received a £10,000 cut in last April.

Where Labour lifted 1 million children out of poverty, this government’s benefit cuts has perhaps pushed another 1million children back into poverty, the report suggested.

So there is much for philanthropy still to do.

Although the UK is one of the more generous nations

Ramesh Sachdev

in Europe, it falls seriously below the US. The UK higher education funding council set itself a 10-year target to raise £2bn by 2022 – in contrast, just US university, one Stanford, raised £4bn in five years.

But this 28% in Britain consists of many philanthropists who are of Asian origin, including entrepreneurs like Lord Gulam Noon, Indian couple Ramesh and Pratibha Sachdev who give away £2m every year to charities and Dr Chai Patel CBE FRCP, Chairman of HC-One who has raised thousands for different charities. Even Asian Business Publications Limited has given away thousands in charities over last few years.

Dr Chai Patel raised over £10,000 for prostate cancer research. From the £33 million appeal that he has led at veteran’s mental health charity Combat Stress, to the minibus he donated to Gleadless Valley Community Forum, it is this positive change that motivates him.

One of his personal goals when he set up The Bright Future Trust, back in 2008. In five years, Bright Future has invested over £4 million in projects in the UK and internationally, including the British Olympic Association, BBC Media Action, the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Special Projects Group, Earlybird Diabetes Trust and The Infant Trust. He has also supported 21st Century Legacy, a charity set up by Olympic legend David Hemery MBE, which uses sports coaching techniques to help

Dr Chai Patel

children fulfil their potential and achieve their personal goals.

In 2011 Dr Patel was honoured to be one of Channel 4’s Secret Millionaires. Speaking to Asian Voice, he said, “Taking part in the programme was an emotional time for me and I was deeply touched by the dedication and hard work of the people I met. I strongly believe that the selfless philanthropic work carried out by unsung heroes across the country should be celebrated and supported. In the two years since the programme aired I’ve kept in touch with Gleadless Valley Community Forum, and now support them in a new project that enables hard-to-reach young people in South Sheffield to seek out and act on positive possibilities for their futures.

“For me, working with charities and voluntary groups is the best way to complement the work I do in my day job, leading organisations that care for vulnerable members of our communities. Working in the caring sector over many years it is clear to me that there are some things that are done best by private sector organisations; some where the public sector naturally takes a lead and other areas where charities are the real innovators.

Throughout my career I have tried to find ways to support all these different sectors and help them to work together more effectively. It has been a great honour and, thanks to the odd moustache (for Movember), quite a lot of fun too.”

Youth Conference would be sharing rooms with eight other employees. He quickly realized that the wages he would receive would also give him a shock –only £20. On this income, Rafique is forced to live like a fugitive, getting food whenever he can or simply staying hungry.

In response to this exploitation problem, a Home Office spokesman is reported to have said:

they need from the British workforce first, and move away from an unsustainable reliance on immigration.

The upcoming Immigration Bill will also take even tougher action against businesses which use illegal labour, and will double the fines levied against rogue employers.’

However, the fact remains that there is no way out for people like Abdul and Rafique.

The time has come again for the annual Asian Voice Youth Conference, hosted by Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar in a Central London venue.

The conference will take place in March 2014 and will be open to 15-30 year olds or students. We are expecting around 200 youngsters to take part this year.

A workshop based conference, it will feature leading professionals from different walks of life who will share their

personal experience and offer practical advice on how young people can fulfil their aspirations and get ahead in the world of work. It will also include scope of networking, interactive sessions and mentoring opportunities.

The conference is in its fourth year and is set to be the best and most anticipated until now.

Date: March 2014 Venue: Central London (TBC) Limited seats available.

Prior registration required.

To register yourself/friends, please email or with your/participant’s full name, age, contact details by Sunday March 2, 2014.

If you are a community organisation registering your young members on behalf of them, please send their names with their age and full contact details (phone and email) to or by Sunday, March 2, 2014.

14

COMMUNITY

A tribute to Dhanjibhai Tanna MBE

Raj Mistry

The former-US President Harry Truman once said: “Men make history and not the other way around.

In periods where there is no leadership, society stands still. Progress occurs when courageous, skilful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better. “The life and work of Shree Dhanjibhai Tanna MBE brings to life this sentiment in a very real way.

His is a life that has been dedicated to the greater good of society and even his nineties he continues to be an inspiration to all that he comes into contact with.

Dhanjibhai was born in 1924 in the village of Kakamega in Kenya, educated in Kisumu and Mombasa and after leaving school he joined his family’s textile business in Kisumu. However at the age of twenty Dhanjibhai began his foray into community work which would continue for another 70 years. Initially he was active within his local community supporting various activities associated with the temple.

However in 1946, inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s mission to secure independence for India, Dhanjibhai travelled to Mumbai and joined the Congress Seva Dal as a freedom fighter.

Soon after arriving in India, he moved to Ahmedabad and became a resident at Gandhi’s Sabarmati ashram where he was instructed to develop a Baal Mandir for 5-10 year old children.

Dhanijbhai was responsible for 30-40 boys and girls and he organised a variety of regular activities which included yoga and other exercise, reading and writing poetry, singing traditional prayers and telling stories about India’s heroes who were instrumental in the fight for freedom.

After his time at the Sabermati ashram, Dhanjibhai then moved to Vinobaji Bhave’s ashram in Wardha where his training as a social worker began. Here he learnt about Bunyadi Talim, which had a twin focus of physical development (hand-eye coordination in particular) along with discipline and moral ethics.

The core philosophy of this training centred on the idea that an intelligent use of bodily organs in a child would provide the quickest and best way of developing his or her intellect.

After witnessing Mahatma Gandhi’s funeral in 1948, Dhanjibhai then returned to Kenya and established the Bhartiya Sarvodaya Sangh. The experience of working for Gandhi

Dhanjibhai surrounded by Shishukunj children at the recent Baal Din celebrations

inspired Dhanjibhai to promote intellectual, cultural and spiritual development along with seva work for the benefit of society. Activities would be held each Sunday morning and children learnt about Indian culture and partook in social work to support the temple; the children also celebrated festivals like Geeta Jayanti and Baal Din (Jawharlal Nehru’s birthday). Each child that attended the school was exposed to a disciplined environment that sought to instil a sense of respect for their parents and teachers. The Bhartiya Sarvodaya Sangh later joined under the umbrella of Shishukunj to provide a sense of unity to the children’s organisations in East Africa at that time.

Dhanjibhai was awarded a citation for his outstanding service to the town of Kisumu by the organisation after completing 12 years as its President.

During Dhanjibhai’s years in Kenya he was also elected President of the Indian Youth League, Vice-President of Kisumu library and served on the committees for various Hindu temples.

Additionally he was responsible for running the blood bank at the Nyanza General Hospital during this time.

In 1964, Dhanjibhai uprooted from Kenya along with his family and after a short stay in India he made the journey to the UK in 1972. He started a stationary and printing business and was also a Sub Post Master for twenty years. However whilst he recognised the importance of establishing a strong foundation for his young family, community work would continue to be his life source.

Along with other inspirational community members (including Vallabhbhai Patel, Devchandbhai Shah, Dineshbhai Dave and Chandrakantbhai and

Bhaskarbhai Thanki) he set about launching the first Shishukunj centre in London and in 1977 he became the organisation’s first President.

Not content with this achievement, in 1981 he became a founder member of the Brent Hindu Council, which acted as the voice of the Hindu population to secure the right to celebrate major Indian cultural events (like Navratri and Holi) in the local community.

From 1985 to 1990, Dhanjibhai served as the Chairman of Brent Indian Association and oversaw its rejuvenation to become a thriving community centre in the heart of Wembley. An example of Dhanjibhai;s unique leadership is the story of a 15 year old boy with divorced parents who had a problem with drink and drugs. This young man came into the BIA seeking help and Dhanjibhai took him into his own home, ensured that he went through a drugs rehabilitation programme, helped him to find a job, set him up with a home and provided the support of a father when he got married. This example shows that whilst Dhanjibhai has provided community service at a macro level, he has also provided much needed support at an individual level too.

In addition to this Dhanjibhai has also acted as Vice-Chairman of Brent Police’s consultatitve group, Governor of Preston Manor High School, President of Lohana Community North London and Chairman and Trustee of Raghuvanshi Charitable Trust.

To appreciate his service to the Indian community the Brent Hindu Council awarded Dhanjibhai with a “Merit Plaque” after the completion of his service. In 1993, he was bestowed with the Brent Citizenship Award and in

1997 on the 50th anniversary of India’s independence he was awarded a Gold Medal as a freedom fighter by the BIA through the High Commissioner of India.

However his proudest recognition came in 1995 when he was awarded an MBE by Her Majesty the Queen for his services to the community in North London.

When I asked Dhanjibhai to reflect on his life’s work and what message it has for future generations he said the following: “God has provided the gift of life, it needs to be treated properly. Children are our future; it is our duty to ensure that all children have vision, inspiration and purpose. Role models are very important – the backbone of society is not those that have a lot of money, but the army of selfless workers who have ensured our progress. Be a good thinker and a philosopher, but more importantly be a good social worker, strife and conflict will inevitably be beaten through compassion and compromise with each other. His biggest learning from the fight for independence was the following: Respect your mother – never forget that she gave birth to yo.

Respect your motherland – your culture and heritage provide the guiding force of a mother.

Respect where you live now – it provides for you now, just as your mother always has.

At the age of 90 he continues to work for the community for one simple reason – “in the same way that hunger needs to be satisfied every day, the community needs to be helped every day – I can’t stop” A true inspiration, the Shishukunj movement has been very fortunate to have had Dhanjibhai Tanna to lean on for the last 38 years.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 11th January 2014

London based Indian journalist passes away Manab Majumdar, a London-based Indian freelance journalist has passed away on early hours of Saturday, Jan 4.

He was 73. Majumdar who had worked for India Weekly for quite some time and CitiBank, was also involved with India League and voluntary agency Care International.

From his base in Belsize Park, there was hardly any area of Indian life in community London in which he was not an active participant, from organising the Durga Puja ceremony to making sure that the bust of Gandhi was garlanded on the Mahatma’s birthday or on Martyr’s Day

on behalf of India League.

Among his close personal friends, he counted some of India’s top cricketers.

Manab is survived by his son Sanjay Majumdar, who is a BBC correspondent in New Delhi.

Hirjibapa’s legacy lives on

Hirjibapa with devotees in Jinja, Uganda, in 1940

Dhiren Katwa

An annual spiritual event to celebrate the life of Hirjibapa, an Indian saint, brought scores of his followers at Leicester’s Hindu Temple last Sunday. The daytime programme of bhajans, or traditional Gujarati folk songs, was organised, as is each year, by the Padia family. One of Hirjibapa’s fondest disciples, septuagenarian Pragjibhai Ladva, of Vishna Bhagwan Bhajan Mandal, one of few such bands in the UK which has sus-

tained the originality of Gujarati “kathiawadi” bhajans, led the programme. Pragjibhai was supported by his son Vijay and Madhubhai Soni, another remarkable bhajans guru who has been serving, in his own way, the Hindu community in Britain, for over four decades. I was listening to an archived audio recording from 1976 in which Madhubhai leads a similar programme.

To find out more about Hirjibapa and his charitable work visit www.hirjibapa.net

Swami Vivekananda’s 150th Birth Anniversary celebrations held in Croydon

The two-day exhibition on Swami Vivekananda (to mark 150 Birth Anniversary) and Indian Ancient Civilisation came to an end with the concluding function on Sunday 5th January 2014.

The event was held at Archbishop Lanfranc School, Croydon and hosted jointly by HSS (UK) Croydon’s SV150 Committee and Subrang Arts (a registered charity based in Croydon) in conjunction with the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Around 1000 people

visited the exhibition over two days on 4 & 5 January 2014. In addition, workshops included Yoga, Ayurveda, Vedic Maths and Indian Classical Dance, all delivered by experts in their fields as a voluntary service.

Visitors to this exhibition included: Chief Guest was Baroness Usha Prashar, Gavin Barwell MP for Croydon Central; Cllr Yvette Hopley, the Mayor of Croydon; Steve O’Connell, Member of the GLA, Cllr Vidhi Mohan and Cllr Jeet Bains to name just a few.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 11th January 2014

Life and

Life

MUSIC

Tanveer Mann

Navin Kundra releases new video ‘Pa Na Na’

WORD OF THE WEEK Aglet - the plastic tip on the end of a shoelace.

DID YOU KNOW...?

Australia has over 10,000 beaches. You could visit a new beach everyday for over 27 years.

it’s different with a powerful message, just like the record.”

Speaking on the song, Navin explained, “PA NA NA is all about YOU! No matter what you do, people are always going to pass judgment on you and have an opinion - the message in this song is to put yourself first and live life on your own terms.”

Watch and share the new music video for ‘PA NA NA’ here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1 D-u5OpqLE Download your official copy of ‘PA NA NA’: iTunes – http://smarturl.it/panana Google Play – http://smarturl.it/pananaplay For more information on Navin Kundra visit www.Navin-Online.com.

Top 5 Apps that you need to kick-start 2014

1. MyFitnessPal

Get your healthy lifestyle in order with this extremely handy App. With over a million foods to choose from in its database, this weight0loss aid helps users keep a record of their daily calorie intake, create personalised diet plans and track exercise sessions.

2. Flipboard

Flipboard is the easiest way to catch up on the news or connect with friends. You can also collect and save pieces you like to build your own magazine. All you have to do is pick a few topics and collate everything from world news to sports, travel and more.

15

If you have any particular topics you would like covered on my page, please let me know.

www.punjabeeblonde.com

Fresh from performing for the Royal Family, Award-winning international artist Navin Kundra is back with a sensational new music video featuring ground breaking 3D Animation and stunning Visual FX for his latest dance anthem, ‘PA NA NA’.

Navin has created something outof-the-ordinary: “They turned me into a 3D model and animated me throughout the video – it’s the craziest thing I’ve ever seen”, said Navin.

He is the first British Asian artist to incorporate complex and life-like 3D animation with special VFX into a music video.

“We had a huge production team working on this music video to create a unique viewing experience and I’m delighted with the way it’s turned out”, said Navin.

The chart topping singer behind smash hits like ‘Shudaayi’ and ‘Tere Liye’ explained why he opted for an animated music video: “I wanted to create something new. I’m always looking to see how far I can push myself creatively, and this time that extended to the visuals as well as the audio. It’s fun and

UK

TECH

3. Endomondo Pro

The latest version of Endomondo lets you craft personalised training plans (duration, days per week and difficulty level) while continuing to deliver audio feedback on performance. Other new features include live tests to measure your fitness when walking and running.

Hyper-sexual world is leading to hyper-adolescent sex

With the average 11-14 year-olds already possessing a smartphone, possessing a Facebook page and being influenced by role-models such as Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus, there is no denying that the world is becoming hyper-sexualized and that too at a very young age. Admittedly, I’m only in my twenties, yet things such as ‘sexting’, ‘porn’ and dressing like a 21-year-old, remained completely foreign to me, despite also having a phone at that age. To me, my Gap jumpers and trainers were enough, perhaps the fact that my pay-as-you-go phone worked up until 7pm was an added bonus.

Yet the consequences of us becoming a gadget-obsessed world is seemingly having a direct effect on how sexualised children are becoming, at such a young age. Apps such as Snapchat, allowing you to send a three second picture of yourself to a friend before it deletes itself, has put ‘sexting’ and sending explicit photos in ‘fashion’. According to a new study, more high school students are sending and receiving sexually explicit text messages or photos, which makes them more likely to engage in other types of sexual activity as well.

The study, which was published in the journal Pediatrics found that a large number of adolescents between 12 and 14 ‘sext’, which is for the wiser ones like myself, sending texts of a sexual nature. Even more worrying is the conclusion of the report which says these children are more likely to kiss, have oral sex or sexual intercourse than their peers, who do not send such explicit content to each other. To make it worse, the number of teens and pre-teens, who send sexually explicit photos over social-media is becoming more frequent because of the lack of teacher and parental guidance of what teens are getting up to on their phones.

In a report by LSE Research titled ‘A qualitative study of children, young people and ‘sexting’: a report prepared for the NSPCC’, it is evi-

4. 4 Pics 1 Word

Whether you’re on stuck on a train, having a little of ‘you’ time in the bathroom or waiting in a queue, this game is guaranteed to keep you entert a i n e d .

Extremely addictive but educational at the same time, you are given four pictures that have one word in common. You get given a number of tokens, which decrease

tanveer.mann@abplgroup.com

every time you ask for a hint and increase every time you get an answer right. There are countless puzzles from easy to hard and you can even get your friends involved by linking your account to Social media sites!

5. Food Spotting

Foodspotting is a visual guide to food and where to find it. Instead of reviewing restaurants, you can recommend great dishes and see what others recommend wherever you go. More focused on the dishes, rather than the restaurants, you can simply put in your location and a number of photos of great dishes in your area will pop up that have been recommended by other food

dent to see, through their examples, that sexting is occurring across a range of ethnic groups. From two school groups interviewed from two different schools, 23 out of 35 students were either black or from minority ethnic groups. An interview sample between an Asian boy and white girl was also included. This demonstrated the double standards generally boys have when it comes to explicit photos and demanding their girlfriends to send them pictures.

So how do we solve this problem? Well, for a start, it is difficult to monitor children’s activities on their mobile phones, particularly as a number of Apps can be accessed without age-restrictions now, but more monitoring is imperative if we want to refrain from allowing a generation of teenage mums and children born out of wedlock.

Apps such as ‘EyeGuardian’ have been produced by parents to alert them whenever explicit or abusive content is shared on their child’s Facebook account. For the less techsavvy however, I would recommend the best and somewhat traditional method of communication, to ensure children and teens are nurtured with the correct values and respect for the opposite sex, as well as knowing the risks of their actions.

Lessons on the dangerous consequences of viewing porn and sexting should also be added to Sex Education classes in the first year of Secondary school. Although teens are much more digitally savvy than their parents, the fact remains that they are young and despite the exterior they give of, their lack of maturity could mean they are unaware of the consequences of their actions. This also links closely to the need for early educating young children on how to safely use social media sites such as Facebook. Viewing their profile as their dirty laundry draw may deter them from viewing it as an open canvas to offload their personal thoughts and activities. spotters. Then, if you like the look of it, you can click to find out what else they have to offer. You can even bookmark foods you ‘Want’ to try and recommend dishes you’ve ‘Tried’ and ‘Loved’.

16

ELECTION SPECIAL

Narendra Modi promises to reform taxation system

BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi promised to reform the taxation system in India, saying it has become a burden on the common man and the need of the hour is to change it.

"The present taxation system is a burden on common man. It leads to bureaucratic control. The need of the hour is to look into it afresh and bring reforms. Our party is already working on it. "...My party leaders and experts have recently met and considered the issue for over three hours.

Some problems may appear in the first sight but we will have a look at it and find new solutions," Modi said at an event organised by yoga guru Baba Ramdev, who had

demanded abolition of all kinds of taxes and pitched for a single 'Banking Transaction Tax' if the BJP leader becomes Prime Minister. Modi’s remarks assume significance as the party has been talking about abolition of taxes in its internal meetings in the past as well. Former BJP president Nitin Gadkari had last month said that he was contemplating incorporating a proposal to abolish income, sales and excise taxes in the vision document of his party. Gadkari is heading the team that is preparing the vision document for the general elections.

Ramdev had also said that once Modi succeeds in coming to power, he should declare the black money being held by

Indians in foreign banks to be national wealth and bring it back and also set up a National Farmer Income Commission.

Modi as well as BJP president Rajnath Singh and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley expressed support for the proposals saying the party would examine them in all seriousness.

"The expectation and hope, which Baba Ramdev has put in the BJP and me personally, we will try our best to live up ton it," Modi said, adding, "If intentions are right, solutions can be found for all problems."

Excessive taxes, Jaitley said, also cause a rise in black money as people stash away money illegally to evade levies.

In a bid to consolidate the mandate received in the recent state assembly elections and achieve the magic figure of 272 in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi launched a mobile application called 'India272+'.

According to Modi's website, the application is available on the Google Play Store and can be downloaded for free by Android users.

The application, which was launched on January 1, seeks to take BJP's

Mission 272 to a wide range of volunteers across the country. The mobile application enables volunteers to participate in open forum and share thoughts, ideas for upcoming speeches by Modi. The application allows volunteers to share latest updates through social media including Facebook and Twitter as well as smartphone applications like WhatsApp. "Launched India 272 mobile app. the app will further empower volunteers to contribute easily, effectively and creatively,"

Modi tweeted.

While launching the mobile application, Modi expressed confidence that it would go a long way in not only strengthening the bond between existing volunteers, but would also draw more volunteers to the India272 platform.

Modi welcomed the innovative use of technology in expanding the larger BJP family and seeking the contribution of the volunteers. Earlier, a website India272.com was launched before the recent Assembly polls in the five states.

The Lok Sabha polls will be held between mid-April and early May in five or six phases and will involve about 800 million voters, highly-placed sources in the Election Commission said. Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim will also go polls for their state assemblies along with the Lok Sabha elections.

“The announcement of the poll schedule would be done in the last days of February or at best the first two-three days of March,” the sources said.

During the 2009 polls, there were 714 million voters against 671 million voters in 2004 LS elections.

Before the announcement for polls, the LS may meet for one last time to pass a voteon-account budget to enable expenditure for six months of the new fiscal year 2014-15 to give time for the new government to present a full-fledged budget in the next Parliament. There is also speculation that a special session of Parliament may be convened shortly to

pass anti-corruption measures by the government in the run up to the elections. The term of the current Lok Sabha expires on June 1 and the new House has to be constituted by May 31. The Commission is looking into the issue of whether to spread the elections over five phases or may be one more phase.

“We already have a list of electoral rolls. We need to update it. We expect that before January end, the lists will be ready,” a top EC official said.

Modi launches mobile application called 'India272+'

LS elections likely in April/May

AAP to fight Lok Sabh www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 11th January 2014

After tasting electoral success in Delhi, Aam Aadmi Party on Monday said it would contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls from 20 states, including Uttar Pradesh, where it would field candidates on all 80 seats.

"The national executive of AAP has decided to contest Lok Sabha polls in 20 states including UP, where we would contest on all 80 Lok Sabha seats," AAP national spokesman Sanjay Singh told reporters.

He said Kumar Vishwas was likely to contest against Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi in Amethi, while candidates against prominent leaders like Sonia Gandhi and Mulayam Singh Yadav would be decided soon.

"We will try to finalise names of candidates by February 15 and all those desiring to contest Lok Sabha polls can apply by January 15. However, those applying would have to be recommended by at least 100 persons each from all the assembly constituencies in his or her area," he said.

The applications would be scrutinized by district and state-level monitoring committees before finalization of names, Singh said.

The party, besides declaring its national manifesto, would also make public its manifesto at local levels covering issues pertaining to that area, he said.

Replying to a question, Singh alleged that leaders like Mulayam Singh Yadav, Ram Vilas Paswan, Farooq Abdullah, Mamata Banerjee, Mayawati and others called themselves secular despite the fact that they were with BJP in the past.

"Now, they are with

Kejriwal asked to rethink on his refusal to fight LS polls Though Kejirwal on Saturday did not seem keen to contest — and fuel speculation of being the "third" PM hopeful - several AAP leaders expressed the view that a bold projection of the Delhi chief minister could prove to be inspirational for the AAP Lok Sabha campaign.

During discussions of the AAP national executive on Sunday, a section of leaders felt Kejirwal had been hasty in ruling out standing for

Lok Sabha as he is the party's nationally recognised face and his projection, even implicit, as a prime ministerial choice could turn out to be a game changer.

The view that the decision not to contest should be revisited surfaced strongly in the deliberations being held in the wake of AAP's highly successful debut in the Delhi election.

Party sources confirmed that the debate on Kejriwal contesting the Lok Sabha election is open, though some AAP leaders feel that he would be more effective in managing the party's ambitious poll effort and overseeing its strategy for the 2014 election. Yet, there are indications that the argument that Kejriwal's candidature would give AAP added momentum and sharply define the alternative it presents could prevail.

At the national executive

Mitra dismissed as hypothetical a question about possibility of post-poll alliance saying at this stage the focus was on fighting the elections with full vigour to dislodge Naveen Patnaik from power.

He said Odisha BJP has resolved to contest the forthcoming state assembly and Lok Sabha election in a spirit of "now or never".

To a query, Mitra admitted that BJP's performance in recent urban civic bodies polls was poor but said these elections were fought on the basis of local issues only.

In the case of assembly and Lok Sabha elections, larger issues would dominate the election scene where BJP would use corruption as its main plank, he said.

"It is time to dislodge the corrupt and inefficient government of Naveen Patnaik in Odisha and Manmohan Singh regime at the Centre," he said. Party leaders, he said, have been asked to to work dedicatedly for a "Congress-free India and a Naveen-free Odisha.”

Describing secularism vs hindutva debate started by major parties as `hollow' meant to divide masses and divert attention from real issues, the Aam Aadmi Party on Monday said that its main agenda in UP in the coming Lok Sabha polls will be Swaraj - direct public participation in governance.

The party will formally launch its Lok Sabha election campaign on January 12 by holding `Jan Vishwas rally' in Amethi from where founder member Kumar Vishawas will challenge Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi. It will also put up strong candidates against Congress president Sonia Gandhi in Rae Bareli and SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav in Mainpuri.

AAP national spokesperson Sanjay Singh told reporters that already over lakh people in UP have applied for AAP membership in last one month and several prominent personalities will join on January 12. "We will contest coming

Congress and labelling themselves as secular," he said.

He said AAP was in favour of diverting development funds of MPs and legislators to mohalla and gram sabhas so that people could decide where public money is to be spent.

On January 12, the party would hold 'Jan Vishwas' rally in Amethi.

BJP rules out any tie-up in Odisha

BJP ruled out forging alliance with any political party, including its erstwhile partner BJD, in Odisha for the elections to the Assembly and the Lok Sabha.

Senior BJP leader and the party's Odisha in-charge Chandan Mitra told reporters, "We will fight the elections on our own without having any truck with any other political party."

The party, he said, would highlight alleged corruption and non-performance during Naveen Patnaik regime in Odisha to dislodge it from power. "I must make it clear that there is no possibility of any alliance with the ruling BJD in Odisha for the 2014 elections," he said.

The party would never be inclined to enter into any form of tie-up with BJD after the treatment meted out to the party five years ago, before the 2009 polls, he said. Asked whether BJP would consider any alliance with Pyari Mohan Mohapatra-led Odisha Jana Morcha (OJM), the BJP MP replied in the negative.

AAP to h

ha polls from 20 states www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 11th January 2014

hasty response to media queries," an AAP leader said.

One group remains of the view that Kejriwal's role and leadership in Delhi were of strategic importance since the state government's policy and actions would prove to be the launching pad for the party nationally. Others feel Kejriwal is widely recognized and respected and his leadership would be a game changer. A final decision can only be taken at a later stage, sources said.

meeting, several leaders expressed surprise over Kejriwal's statement that he would not contest for the 2014 general election.

Party split on Kejriwal as PM There are several calculations at work in the PM projection. Though AAP leaders have spoken of putting up 300 candidates, the party will hope to emerge with a sufficient number of seats that makes it a relevant force in the next Lok Sabha. It's appeal, some feel, will be enhanced by Kejirwal contesting by attracting voters disillusioned with mainstream choices.

According to sources, Kejriwal was questioned on why he had made the statement on his prime ministerial candidature without prior discussion in the party.

"Several party leaders raised the matter and were quite firm on what they felt was a

Kejriwal wins trust vote The minority Aam Aadmi Party government crossed the first hurdle in the Delhi Assembly when its confidence motion sailed through easily with the backing of the members of Congress, JD(U) and an independent.

The motion moved by PWD minister Manish Sisodia was carried after a four-and-a-half-hour debate at the end of which chief minster Kejriwal appealed to the members to decide “on which side they are."

“I want to present three issues. Delhi’s aam aadmi (common man) has taken the lead in telling the country as to which direction the national politics should go.

“They should also decide as to which side they are in the fight between truth and honesty in politics and whether they want to participate in it,” Kejriwal said, in his 25-minute speech winding up the debate.

Promising to take stringent action against anyone corrupt whether in the previous Congress government, MCDs controlled by the BJP and his government, he said he was not seeking support of the members for his party or the government but for

the issues facing Delhi.

At the end of the debate, pro-tem Speaker Matin Ahmad asked those in favour to stand up followed by those against.

Later, he declared the motion as passed and congratulated the Kejriwal before adjourning the house.

The 28 AAP members along with seven of Congress, a lone JD(U) member and an independent stood in support while 31 members of BJP and one member of its ally Akali Dal stood against it.

The fate of the motion was a foregone conclusion after Congress leader Arvinder Lovely declared that his party’s seven members would support the government and said the backing would continue as long as the regime works in the interest of the people, even for five years.

However, the BJP opposed the confidence motion and accused Kejriwal of compromising with the “corrupt” Congress for power and becoming silent on the corruption of the previous Congress government.

Replying to the taunts by the BJP that he has stopped talking of the corruption of the Congress after taking support from it, Kejriwal said, “I want to assure the house that anyone found corrupt whether those in the last 15 years of the Congress government or MCDs or our own government, we will take stringent action against them.”

Giving a definition of who is an aam aadmi, he said that it was one who wanted to live honestly and by truth whether he is rich or poor.

hold rally in Amethi on Jan 12 Lok Sabha elections in maximum possible seats in 20 states including UP. So far, we have received over 1,300 applications for election ticket, of which maximum are from UP. The last date of filing application is January 15.

Thereafter, district and state level committees will scrutinize the names. We will then put up the names of candidates on our website and other social media platforms for public objections and suggestions. Final decision will be taken by AAP's political affairs committee on February 15. The list of the candidates will be declared after thorough scrutiny. Candidates can be withdrawn even at last moment if revealed that they were involved in any corrupt or criminal activity," he said.

In UP, Singh said, major issues are corruption and lawlessness. "We have to put an end to goodagardi (lawlessness) of both the Khadi (politicians) and Khaki (police)," he said

pointing out towards the atrocities by police on common man and criminal activities of SP leaders.

"Like Delhi elections, we will select candidates in UP from among people, draft manifesto for every constituency on the basis of public feedback and make people dictate terms instead of politicians," he said.

He said that real factor in the elections would be `corruption' and not `Modi' or `Rahul'.

"By re-inducting Yeddyurappa, who was sacked by the BJP in Karnataka on charges of corruption, it has showed that corruption is not an issue for the party," he said.

In fact, Congress and BJP are competing against each other on corruption," he said and announced that AAP will also field a good candidate against BJP's prime ministerial nominee Narendra Modi.

Singh accused BJP and SP of orchestrating Muzaffarnagar riots. "All other parties including

Congress and BSP are also involved in dividing people on caste and communal lines but AAP is here to unite people" he said.

"Instead of indulging in appeasement, be it of Hindus, Muslims, Dalits and backwards, our priorities are basic issues like power, water, road, education and employment, which affect all.

We will not play politics in the name of Sachar committee for Muslims and reservation for backwards and Dalits, we will work for the uplift of all sections of the society. The country already has enough resources which if provided honestly to the people would benefit all and bring all round development," he said.

"We want to implement the Swaraj model of governance wherein gram and mohalla sabhas will be formed and people at the grassroots will decide how and where to spend MP/MLA development fund," he said.

ELECTION SPECIAL

17

Gujarat Cong on ‘Sadachar Yatra’ to check Modi

AV Correspondent

With Lok Sabha elections coming closer, Congress is gearing up to check BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi’s quest to Delhi. Senior Congress leaders in Gujarat will travel across the length and breadth of Gujarat as part of ‘Sadachar Yatra’ to highlight UPA government’s achievements in almost one decade. Sadachar yatra kick-started on January 7 and will be concluded on 23rd January in five phases from different locations.

The proposed Yatra will cover nearly 5,000 km and pass through all districts and more than 200 tehsils.

Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Arjun Modhvadia initiated the Yatra from Mahatma Gandhi’s birth place Porbander.

Modhvadia, who also hails from Porbander will travel 1,470 km in five districts of Saurashtra region that include Porbander, Junagadh, Gir Somnath, Amreli and Bhavnagar.

Former leader of opposition Shaktisinh Gohil

will start travelling from Naliya town in Kutch.

Under Gohil, the Yatra would cover 1,115 km and pass through five districts of Western Gujarat including Kutch, Morbi, Jamnagar and Rajkot.

“During the Yatra, there would be public meetings, and get-togethers in which Congress leaders will compare achievements of UPA government with that of NDA government. We will tell the people what both the governments gave to Gujarat.

Besides, being responsible opposition in Gujarat, our party would listen to people’s problem and also tell them reasons for their suffering," said Gohil.

“Apart from senior Congress leaders, local

MLAs, MPs, presidents of district panchayats, Corporators, office bearers of municipalities and other elected members of the party would attend the Yatra. Besides, various NGOs would also participate in it,” said Gujarat Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi.

Former GPCC president Siddharth Patel will lead third phase from Tharad in North Gujarat which would conclude at Vadodara after covering 1,116 km distance. Under Patel, the Yatra will pass through Banaskantha, Sabarkantha, Mahisagar, Dahod, Panchmahal, Chhota Udepur, Vadodara districts. Leader of opposition in Gujarat Assembly Shankersinh Vaghela would cover Mehsana, Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad, Kheda and Anand districts in the fourth phase.

The fifth and final phase of Yatra will start on 19thJanuary under union minister of state for tribal affairs Tushar Chaudhary.

He would cover 490 km passing through Valsad, Dang, Tapi and Surat districts in the South Gujarat region.

Priyanka Gandhi on Tuesday joined her brother Rahul Gandhi during a meeting he was having with senior party leaders, sending a buzz in political circles. Senior leaders Ahmed Patel and Janardan Dwivedi, along with half a dozen other general secretaries, were holding a meet-

ing with Rahul, the party vice-president, at his residence here when his sister dropped in. She was there for around five minutes.

There has been speculation in recent months on whether Priyanka, who has so far confined her politics to campaign for her mother Sonia Gandhi in Raebareli,

would take a plunge into politics fulltime.

Her participating in the meeting fuelled further speculation. Party sources play down the speculation saying," the meeting was to discuss the tour programme of Congress president and Congress vicepresident.

AV Correspondent

members in each of the 26 Lok Sabha constituencies.

It means, we would be able to register minimum 1300,000 members by the end of January,” said Sukhdev Patel, Gujarat state coordinator of AAP. Patel said that his party would field candidates in all the constituencies in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Instead of chasing well-known or celebrities, AAP is in the process to scout for common men having clean image as their prospective candidates in general elections, said an office bearer of the party. He, however said, “If any well-known person with clean image wants to join party, we wouldn’t mind to take him as ‘Aam Adami’.”

A screening process has been introduced by AAP in the state to know about the newly inducted member’s credentials as well as prospective member’s political lineage, said a party leader closely associated with the membership drive.

Arjun Modhvadia

Priyanka attends Cong meet

AAP kicks-off membership drive in Gujarat

Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Adami Party (AAP) has ambitious plans in BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi’s home turf. Buoyed by the impressive performance in Delhi, AAP has kicked-off aggressive membership drive in Gujarat and set target to register 1300,000 members by the end of January.

AAP is already setting up infrastructure keeping upcoming Lok Sabha elections in mind. Apart from state headquarters in Ahmedabad, the emerging party has opened offices in 19 districts of the state.

Sources in the state AAP said that in next one month another four offices would be started in Gujarat.

“Our membership strength has already crossed 100,000 in Gujarat. We are flooded with large number enquiries from across the state. AAP has set a target to register at least 50,000

Former BJP MLAs join party

Two former BJP MLA from Saurashtra region Dr. Kanubhai Kalsaria and Hanu Dhorajia joined the party. Both the MLAs were not given ticket by the BJP in the last assembly elections. Dr.Kalsariya who was elected on BJP ticket from Mahuva constituency in Bhavnagar district came into limelight for his protest against Nirma’s cement plant in Bhavnagar district. In the last assembly election he formed Sadbhavana Manch and fought the election with four other candidates, but all of them lost.

Dhorajia was elected from Lathi constituency in Amreli district but was denied ticket by BJP. Subsequently, he became a known BJP dissident.

18

FINANCIAL VOICE Financial Voice

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 11th January 2014

Dollar is in the forefront as the week starts slow but FOMC minutes and NFPs could make for more Dollar demand Last week ended with the US Dollar gaining again against the other majors, driving Euro and Cable lower. The two high-beta currency pairs had reached yearly highs over low liquidity and reduced participation in the markets during the Holidays' season but it now seems that the demand for Dollars could be intensifying.

We've discussed this scenario in the past and I believe that during the coming sessions this demand could drive the Euro and the Cable even lower. From a technical standpoint both the Euro and the Pound have fallen below important support levels as the European currency broke below the 1.3620 level on Friday and the Pound had fell below the 1.6460 area earlier last week.

As investors and market participants are coming back to their desks and with economic released picking up pace again I am very eager to see whether the data support Fed's decision to taper the asset purchases last month. The last FOMC meeting's minutes will be released on Wednesday and market participants will want to look for any hints on how determined the Fed is on going forward with its tapering agenda.

The weak Dollar on Monday allowed both Euro and Pound to bounce higher on a small relief rally and they are now trading around the 1.3620 and 1.6400 levels respectively. This weakness can be partially attributed to the decline of the ISM index that printed 53 against the 53.9 eyed.

The Euro earlier in the day didn't seem to care about the slightly weaker German PMI Services Index and today's German Retail Sales and Unemployment data could add some fuel to this short-term relief rally.

The British Pound also seemed unfazed by the small retreat in the Services PMI index and received demand mostly due to the rising employment and expectations components of the report that showed signs of continued growth.

Looking ahead this week, investors' attention should be mainly focused on Wednesday's FOMC minutes and Friday's NFP report. The employment component in yesterday's ISM report jumped to 55.8 from 52.5 and this could serve as an important hint for Friday's event. Should the FOMC minutes reveal the members' confidence in the domestic economy and the NFPs print strong then this could prove to be a very strong week for the Dollar.

The FTSE 100 also draws my attention as it seems to me that the UK index has formed a peak formation and a reversal lower could be in play here. The 6,700 points level is key and if this gets breached then we could be looking for some serious retracement for the FTSE. The 6,600 points looks to be the first target to look at if this uptrend reverses all together.

TCS to open world's largest corporate learning centre

India’s largest software services firm Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) said it would set up the world's largest corporate learning and development centre in Thiruvananthapuram with a total capacity to train 50,000 professionals every year.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh laid the foundation stone for the facility.

The learning facility will be built over area of 6.1 million square feet and will have the capacity to train 15,000 professionals at one time and 50,000 professionals annually, TCS said in a statement.

Located on a 97-acre property in the Technopark area of the city, the campus will also

have residential accommodation for professionals and faculty at the centre, it added.

"TCS has been present in Thiruvananthapuram since 1997 and since then it has been the hub of our global learning and development efforts," TCS chief executive officer and managing director N Chandrasekaran said.

The TCS Learning Campus will be the new benchmark for corporate learning worldwide and this iconic facility will produce world class professionals to meet the future needs of the IT industry, he added.

The project will provide direct employment to over 2,000 skilled and unskilled local people for a period of 4 years.

How to make & save money in 2014

Spare 10 minutes to read your money's guide to making, saving and protecting your wealth in 2014.

First, rid yourself of any expensive credit amassed in the run-up to Christmas. Millions put their festive spending on a credit card that offered cashback or rewards such as air miles. A 5 pc discount is not to be sniffed at, and makes a lot of sense if you manage the bills correctly. But you need to act before interest starts accruing. Consider moving the whole sum to a balance-transfer credit card. Here, you can go up to 30 months without paying any interest at all. This deal is available on the Barclaycard Platinum credit card. You must still pay the minimum each month.

A better deal could be the Lloyds Platinum credit card, which offers 24 months free at a cost of 1.5 pc. Lloyds and its sister bank Halifax also offer charges of 0.8 pc for 15

months of interest-free repayments.

Use your investment allowances fully You have three months before this year's £11,280 Isa limit is increased.

Crucially, at that point, anything unused from 2013–14 is scratched, and savers receive a fresh allowance of £11,880 for the following tax year.

Make sure you've invested as close to the full amount as possible. If nothing else, move money sitting in a current account or easy access savings account into a cash Isa. Up to £5,640 can be saved there. The best rate is currently a 1.8 pc easy access deal from the Post Office.

Most analysts expect

the stock market to have another good year. Fund suggestions for the UK include Artemis Income, a solid income-generating fund that follows bigger UK shares, and Old Mutual UK Alpha, which is now managed by the highly regarded stockpicker Richard Buxton.

Those who plan to put more than £40,000 into a pension next year should act before April, using as much of this year's allowance as possible. But if your fund is approaching the lifetime limit, or you have a generous final salary scheme, take a step back. According to HM Revenue & Customs the reduction to £1.25m will affect 360,000 pension savers.

Make New Year resolutions that pay Whatever you have planned, use it to your financial advantage. First, work out how much money you will save. Next,

put that sum of money into an Isa or pension before it is subsumed in your other spending.

Plug the hidden drains on your finances Most of us manage to accumulate a hotchpotch of expensive – and ultimately unnecessary – financial commitments.

From paid-for bank accounts to useless identity theft insurance, cut out the dead wood. An estimated 11 million people pay nearly £15 a month on average for a so-called packaged current account.

These provide a range of benefits such as travel and breakdown insurance.

However, research by MoneySuperMarket.com has suggested that one in three never uses the benefits. Many policies are riddled with exclusions, or provide cover the policyholder has elsewhere.

Finally, it is well worth trawling through your bank statements for rogue payments that you may never have agreed to make.

P r a t i k Dattani has b e e n appointed as the new UK Director for the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) after the former Director for UK and France, Ridhika Batra, left to Washington to take up FICCI's Director position He will be soon joined by Honorary Advisor to FICCI in the UK, Roger Hayes, Senior Counsellor at APCO Worldwide. Pratik is an economist by background, having worked in public policy and regulation for Deloitte.

While Saab remains confident that the less expensive Gripen could regain appeal after India’s economic performance has weakened. Finmeccanica, an Italian state-controlled defence and industrial conglomerate, said it had not received any official formal communication regarding the cancellation of the contract.

Indian ministers have long threatened to terminate the agreement in the wake of accusations that representatives from AgustaWestland bribed officials, contravening a so-called “pre-contract integrity pact” in the 2010 deal.

Global reach of Indian drug producers grows

India is producing almost as many medicines for the UK as those manufactured within Britain itself, according to figures showing the growing influence of Asia in the global pharmaceuticals market.

Data from the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, the London-based medicines watchdog, show it has licensed Indian factories to produce the finished form of 3,685 drugs compared with 3,815 made within the UK. They place Indian companies far ahead of all other foreign producers

for British patients – led by companies in Germany, Ireland and France – and reflect estimates that its fast-growing manufacturers are responsible for a quarter of all medicines consumed in the country.

The British statistics mirror high and rising penetration rates by Indian producers in other industrialised countries around the world and have

raised some concerns over quality as manufacturing shifts beyond national boundaries.

While India has long produced raw materials and the “active pharmaceutical ingredients” to supply others making finished medicines, the statistics show the country’s expansion as fully fledged producers.

A separate analysis conducted by Withers & Rogers, a legal firm specialising in intellectual property, showed an increase from 160 to 450 annual patent filings by Indian companies over the past decade.

India has cancelled a €560 million contract to buy high-end helicopters from AgustaWestland, a subsidiary of Finmeccanica, in move that underlines the unpredictability of one of the world’s biggest defence markets. Sitanshu Kar, a defence ministry spokesman in India, said the agreement had been “terminated with immediate effect” because of “integrity-related issues” in a contract that had been dogged by allegations of corruption.

India has become one of the world’s largest buyers of arms as it modernises its defence forces.

It is also considered one of

the hardest markets in which to gain a foothold.

Contracts take a notoriously long time to come to fruition and political sensitivities surrounding arms purchases have run high since corruption allegations related to the supply of Bofors field guns undermined the government of the late Rajiv Gandhi in the 1980s.The cancellation highlights the uncertainties of the growing Indian defence market, traditionally dominated by Russian supplies but increasingly attractive to European and US companies. It also marks another blight on a corruption-ridden term of office for

Manmohan Singh, India’s prime minister, badly sullied by telecoms and natural resources scandals.

A sudden reversal over a high-profile contract like this will give heart to bids by the Eurofighter consortium and Saab’s Gripen fighter aircraft, which were beaten by Dassault’s Rafale two years ago to supply the Indian Air Force with a new fleet of 126 multi-role combat fighters in a contract worth about $20bn.

David Cameron, the UK’s prime minister, has lobbied the Indian government in an attempt to keep Eurofighter’s Typhoon in contention.

FICCI appoints new UK Director

India cancels AgustaWestland helicopter order

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 11th January 2014

Suresh Vagjiani

Sow & Reap A Property Investment Company

FINANCIAL VOICE

Will this bubble burst?

19

As prices have started rising those who are driven by fear will often hide behind the notion this is a bubble and at some point in time the bubble will burst.

This means this is temporary in nature and it will burst in time.

This is not an intrinsic and sustainable rise in price.

Prices have risen to unprecedented levels with some spots up in London by 30% to 40% over an annual period.

Let's not forget there exists an intrinsic need for property in this country, the demand is huge and is not being currently met, not even by the renewed activity in the development of the new homes sector which has surged.

When you look at population trends it becomes clear the supply of housing does not meet the demand, and nor will it do so in the future.

The level of new houses being built is no where near what is required.

The Barker report commissioned by the government goes into great details into this matter.

Ano ther way of se eing why price s will always rise fu ndamentally is mon ey is print e d prac tically fro m thin air and the ref ore is infinite, prope rty an d lan d can not th ere f ore the y are f in ite; long te rm they will always rise.

And this is the reality, when the dust settles and whatever has come and gone, prices will always rise. One of my favourite sayings is: buying a dud property is like having a bad haircut, if you wait long enough it will always grow back.

However it is difficult to separate the two, and quantify them, how much of the rise is due to the fundamental lack of property and how much is driven by temporary forces which will disappear in a short period of time. Who can say for sure? And how would you measure this? Many of the established property commentators routinely get the overall rises wrong.

So does this mean we should buy irrespective of what's going on in the market? Of course it pays to be aware of what is going on in the market so it can be exploited. If there is a bubble - ride it, don't shy away, but go in with your eyes open.

ing and get off somewhere near the top. As mentioned people have very short term and biased memories. Behavioural finance teaches us investors weigh loss more heavily than gain. This means if someone gains 10% on their investment they are not so elated but if they lose 10% on their investment it will be disastrous for them and it feels they have lost everything. Similarly when it comes to property people forget how much their investment has risen, but you hear them complain loudly when the same investment goes down even by a fraction of their initial gain.

If you're nimble and not stagnant you can also exit the property market prior to it coming down again. Property tends to be viewed as a solid long term asset which cannot be exited quickly, this is only partially true. In the right location property can be sold in 48 hours literally. We have sold property in this time period. Putting it in an auction will ensure you have your funds within 28 days of the hammer going down. There is also nothing to say you cannot reduce this period.

Many banks often allow only 14 days for completion.

I remember at one event I meet an Indian and a Jew. The Indian had amassed a huge commercial portfolio worth £350m, he was offered £330m, he refused. Big mistake. This was in 2007 pre credit crunch. The same portfolio dropped in value to £150m after the crunch. The Jew was in his 60's, he had been through three recessions and managed to sell just before each one hit. There are many in the property market who got the timing right and got out spookily just at the right time.

Peo ple neve r ce lebrate whe n pro pe rty prices g o u p 40% in a year bu t sure as hell they like t o moan when prices dro p by 10%. So it pays t o kno w whether the bu bble is still rising, almost rise n or is abo ut to pop.

There are locations which will act to insure your investment so on the way down prices will not fall but plateau, thereby provide a buffer for your investment. In areas where people do not need to sell, as they are not cash stopped, prices will not decrease because they will simply decide now is not a good time to sell and therefore there will not be much stock on the market to sell. This lack of activity will serve to affect other businesses such as estate agencies and mortgage brokers so you will hear of them going out of business, but in reality there is simply no desperate rush to sell, and even in this state of the market prices will not decrease but level out, generally those who are looking to sell can afford to wait until the price they want has been met.

This was what happened during the credit crunch, prices remained broadly stagnant in certain price sectors in central London, but sales activity dropped.

I do believe this rise which we will experience this coming year has a temporary uplift to it. It is what can be termed as a 'bubble'. There are ways to exploit this too, the obvious way is to get on whilst it's ris-

The Real Deal

S o on e way is t o pu rch ase wh ils t th e ma rke t i s ris in g an d s el l be fo re it g o es d own . If you d o n o t ge t t he t im in g s ri gh t , as th e re is al ways a d an ge r you wil l n ot ge t o u t o n t im e, th is po t en t ial pro bl e m can be n e u tral ise d b y pu rc has in g i n st ro n g l o cat io n s. T hi s wil l me an a g e n e ra l fa ll ac ro ss t h e co u n try wil l on l y re su lt in a te mp orary st agn at io n i n pri ce s in st ro n g lo c ati on s, or at wo rst yo u m ay h ave o nl y a sl ig ht re d uc t io n i n pric e.

Bell Street, London, NW1 Purchase Price: £1.1m l l l l l l l

There are other ways. Some never purchase for capital gain, so to them the rise and fall of the market price has little relevance; they purchase for yield. There are those who purchase property and turn them into HMOs, their game is to ensure they receive a good slush of money every month and they aim to keep long term. Selling makes no sense to them as they would lose the monthly income. Here a bubble or no bubble has not much impact for them. They would be more concerned about a rise in their finance payments as this would decrease their income, or perhaps a change in social housing policy assuming, they were renting to this sector.

Prices have risen, but we believe we are at the early stages of a sharp growth in prices, where the practise of gazumping will reemerge.

A large house in an excellent location Great development opportunity Freehold Period building Good size garden Comes at around £730 per sq ft Can be resold for around £1.65m after works

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Tips of the Week l Beware when purchasing in auctions, this can be used by many traders as a dumping ground. Check who the seller is and do full due diligence prior to bidding.

l When purchasing in auction always check the seller has held the property for longer than six months, otherwise you will have difficulty obtaining finance. Many of these properties are being sold by way of auction.

20

FINANCIAL VOICE maria@abplgroup.com

Tier 4 Students

Maria Fernandes

Students are, on the one hand, being encouraged to come to the UK and, on the other, regulations have been introduced that positively discourage them from doing so. The one problem that recurs time and time again relates to Universities and Colleges refusing to refund fees in circumstances in which it is difficult to see why they cannot do so.

Home students in the same circumstances can choose to abandon courses without jeopardising their ability to select a different one but when it come s to overseas students they are treated differently. These are colleges which have been declared to be highly trusted by the UKBA. There are colleges which close down shortly after sweeping up a whole lot of fees from hapless students. If colleges are visited as often as the UKBA claim, then surely these issues would bepredictable. After all “trusted”status is accorded by the UKBA,after what is described as a rigorous compliance visit and checks of their system.

This means that they should bear some responsibility for the stark failures in the system. There should, at the very least, be a dedicated email address where concerns can be reported and so action taken against the rogue players.

In the meantime the courts are establishing a number of principles. A recent case has decided that time spent before Tier 4 was introduced will count towards the total of 5 years that is permitted.

In another case, the Court of Appeal ruled that the UKBA were not entitled to reject applications for extensions of Tier 4 students on the basis that the College

which issued a CAS had not specified that academic progress had been made. The Court said that academic progress is decided by a College and not by the student and if the college make a mistake the Applicant cannot be expected to take responsibility for this.

Ultimately the UKBA have a system to monitor this and that it is between the UKBA and the college to sort this out.

There are other practical problems that students may encounter which indicate a lack of advance planning on behalf of the UKBA. When students make online applications(and have to send their passport and photograph following this)they have been receiving a letter advising them that these documents have not been received. This is apparently a standard letter that is generated but has been the source of needless worry and tension.

There are numerous incidents in which fraudulent calls are being made to students claiming to be the UKBA and requesting personal information and money.

If students are contacted by the UKBA by telephone or email they are advised not to answer questions and certainly not provide money unless the bona fides of the caller has been established.

Finally, in the course of a recent case the following comments were made by the Judge which sums up the growing complexity of the legislation: “The rules governing the PBS are set out in the Immigration Rules and the appendices to those rules. These provisions have now achieved a degree of complexity which even the Byzantine Emperors would have envied.”

Inflation a concern: Manmohan

Admitting government's failure to contain inflation, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said high prices have helped farmers and asserted the country was heading for better times. "...we have also not been as successful in controlling persistent inflation as we would have wished. This is primarily because food inflation has increased. However, we should remember that our inclusive policies have put more money in the hands of the weaker sec-

tions", Singh said while addressing a press conference.

The worry about inflation, he added, "is legitimate but we should also recognize that incomes for most people have increased faster than inflation."

While making a case for increasing supplies and improving marketing and logistics to contain food prices, especially of perishables like fruits and vegetables, he stressed "much of this work lies in the domain of the states."

Indian firms allowed to issue debentures to non-residents

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 11th January 2014

arrangement by a court, under the provisions of the Companies Act. The permission has been given only for issue of nonconvertible/redeemable preference shares or debentures to non- resident shareholders by way of distribution as bonus from the general reserves.

Further RBI clarified that issue of preference shares (excluding nonconvertible/redeemable preference shares) and convertible debentures (except optionally convertible or partially convertible debentures) would be subject to Foreign Direct Investment Scheme.

The Reserve Bank of India allowed Indian companies to issue non-convertible or redeemable preference shares or debentures to non-resident shareholders from their reserves as bonus.

"On a review and with a view to rationalising and simplifying the procedures, it has been decided that an Indian company may issue non-convertible/redeemable preference shares or debentures to non-resident shareholders...by way of distribution as bonus from its general reserves," RBI said in a notification.

This facility will also encompass the depositories that act as trustees for

the ADR/GDR holders, it said. So far, RBI was granting permission for such issuances on a caseto-case basis. RBI said it simplified the norms following references from

Indian officials are in discussions to cut a record high import duty on gold and relax rules on exports, government sources said, after the measures helped narrow the country's trade deficit and now threaten to encourage smuggling.

India imposed the curbs last year when overseas gold purchases - the country's second most expensive import after oil pushed its current account deficit to a record and undermined the rupee currency.

With three duty hikes last year to a record 10 per cent and onerous restrictions tying purchases to exports, official arrivals shrank almost 90 per cent in the six months to November, helping China displace India as the world's top gold buyer.

The decision to cut the import duty is likely to be taken anytime this month, said one of the government sources, who has direct knowledge of the deliberations but did not want to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue.

With the current account deficit much reduced and little impact seen on the rupee from the

US Federal Reserve's decision to cut back stimulus, the time may soon be right for authorities to make it easier for gold-hungry Indians to buy.

"Earlier, we had argued that we should wait for the Fed's decision on tapering its monetary stimulus.

After the Fed's decision, we are not left with any strong argument," said another source with direct knowledge of the deliberations.

The Fed trimmed its monthly bond purchases at the end of 2013 with little impact on the rupee.

India's current account deficit is now likely to be less than $50 billion in the year to March 31, 2014, down at least $20 billion from earlier estimates, the second source said.

Even the governor of India's central bank, whose insistence that 20 per cent of gold imports be exported as jewellery has hurt the most, has suggested there may come a time for change.

The government of India indicated further liberalisation of the FDI policy in the coming weeks to attract foreign investments into the country.

“The government will continue its endeavour for liberalising the FDI policy further in the coming weeks to ensure that India retains its leadership position for attracting foreign investments,” commerce and industry minister Anand Sharma said.

Last year, the government has relaxed foreign direct investment (FDI) norms in several sectors such as telecom, defence, PSU oil refineries, commodity bourses, power exchanges and stock exchanges.

In 2013, India was rated as the most favoured

investment destination globally, he said, adding “the decisions of the government have resonated with the global community and we have seen results in the last few months”.

The ministry is now working to relax FDI norms in railways and construction activities.

During April-October this fiscal, India attracted FDI worth $12.6 billion, a decline of 15% over the same period last year.

Expressing optimism over the economy in 2014, he said the coming months will see a greater push for development of industrial corridors across the country and work will commence for establishment of the first few cities along the Delhi- Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC).

with the Rs 112 billion capital gains tax dispute, the sources said.

“Vodafone is likely to meet finance ministry officials this month. They said they were keen on further conciliation talks,” according to the sources. The ITAT last week stayed a Rs

37 billion tax claim by the Income Tax Department on Vodafone India in a transfer pricing dispute and asked the company to deposit Rs 2 billion as initial payment and submit bank guarantees for the remaining sum.

“Vodafone is pushing for early resolution of the transfer pricing case. It also wants bundling of all tax cases against it for settlement,” the sources added.

The Rs 112 billion tax dispute relates to Vodafone’s 2007 acquisition of Hutchison

Whampoa’s stake in Hutchison Essar.

The transfer pricing case concerns Vodafone’s issue of shares in its Punebased BPO arm Vodafone India Services to Vodafone Teleservices Mauritius for Rs 2.46 billion in FY08, which, according to the IT department, was undervalued. The Cabinet had approved non-binding conciliation with the British telecom major in June last year. The outcome of the conciliation, however, will need to be ultimately vetted by Parliament as it would require an amendment to the IT Act.

India may ease gold import curbs

some Indian companies to issue non-convertible or redeemable bonus preference shares or debentures to non-resident shareholders from the general reserve under a scheme of

India likely to liberalize FDI policy further

Anand Sharma

Voda want to club all tax claims for settlement

British telecom major Vodafone, which has submitted its response to an offer of non-binding conciliation to resolve a tax dispute, has suggested that all tax claims against the company be clubbed together for settlement.

Vodafone, according to sources, in its response to the Indian finance ministry’s offer for conciliation, had expressed keenness to settle the longpending capital gains tax dispute. The company suggested that a transfer pricing case before the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) should be clubbed

FINANCIAL VOICE

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 11th January 2014

21

Foreign Exchange

Paresh Davdra is the Dealing Director of RationalFX, Currency Specialists.

UK Housing market gaining momentum This week the say UK house prices climb for an 11th straight month in December 2013, adding to signs the recovery is further gaining momentum. Overall prices increased by 8.4% in 2013, far above the expectations of 7.1%. The housing market seemed to follow the wider economy through 2013 gaining momentum as the year progressed. Although the large increase through 2013, house prices remain 5% below the alltime highs seen in 2007.

Growth in Britain’s construction sector moved slightly slower in December 2013 from a six year high in November falling to 62.1 from 62.6. This latest survey marked the eight successive month of expansion for the UK construction sector.

Mortgage approvals also rose to 70,758 in November from 68,029 a month earlier. This is the highest level seen since January 2008 as buyers still take advantage of historically low interest rates in the UK. Annual inflation in Europe slowed in Italy to 0.6% from 0.7% in November 2013, while

in Spain inflation remained flat at 0.3%. The continued high unemployment and declining incomes are still weighing on spending.

Last consumer month the European Central Bank lowered its forecast for Eurozone inflation in 2014 and 2015 to 1.1% and 1.3% respectively. The ECB advised it is still going to stay below the target of 2% for the next couple of years.

Spain returned to growth with its manufacturing data, showing an increase from 48.6 to 50.8. Greece, Germany and Italy all showed an increase from their previous month’s figures. Again the country, weighing down the economic recovery in the Euro-zone was France. They continued to show a decline and also at a faster rate, down to 47 from 48.4 the previous month.

In America, their manufacturing PMI showed an increase from 54.7 to 55 which is an 11 month high in the USA, indicating a solid improvement in business conditions. There were also employment figures out in the USA which did

Weekly Currencies

As of Tuesday 7th January 2014 @ 12.30pm GBP - INR = 102.02 USD - INR = 62.13 EUR - INR = 84.77 GBP - USD = 1.64 GBP - EUR = 1.20

EUR - USD = 1.36 GBP - AED = 6.03

GBP - CAD = 1.76

GBP - NZD = 1.98

GBP - AUD = 1.84 reduce from 341k to 339k but missed analysts forecast.

Construction spending for the month of November 2013 jumped to 1% far exceeding the .6% predicted by economists.

On Thursday amid speculation that quantitative easing in the US could be completed by the end of 2014 the Dollar had its best performing day in 12 weeks against the pound.

There was also positive

news on the US housing front, the S&P Property index showed that house prices rose 13.6% from October 2012 and up from 13.3% for the year ending in September. This data will continue to lift household wealth and will be a massive boost for home owners who have been in negative equity (where the value of their mortgage exceeds home value) throughout the economic crisis.

GBP - ZAR = 17.46

GBP - HUF = 361.55

www.rationalfx.com

Information provided by RationalFX. None of the information on this page constitutes, nor should be construed as financial advice. The exchange rates used are the commercial foreign exchange rates provided by RationalFX. For a live quote or to find out more about how RationalFX can help you, call us on 0207 220 8181.

22

WORLD

In Focus

6 Indians killed in Nepal accident

Kathmandu: Six Indians were killed and four others injured after the jeep they were travelling in fell into a river in central Nepal's Bandipur. The 10 tourists from Kolkata were travelling from the tourist town of Pokahra to Kathmandu when the driver lost control and the jeep fell into the Marsyangdi river, police said. The driver seemed to have fallen asleep while driving which caused the accident, police said. He was arrested.

Afghanistan to free 88 prisoners

Kabul: Afghanistan will release 88 prisoners as planned even though the United States considers them dangerous and wants them to remain in detention, the board reviewing their cases said. President Hamid Karzai instructed Afghan intelligence officials to provide the review board with more evidence against the prisoners, after the United States said there was proof of their involvement in the killing of foreign troops. But the head of the review board said the evidence did not warrant keeping the prisoners any longer.

Deep freeze grips United States

Chicago/Cleveland: A blast of Arctic air gripped the vast middle of the United States on Monday with the coldest temperatures in two decades causing at least four deaths, forcing businesses and schools to close and canceling thousands of flights. Shelters for the homeless were overflowing due to the severe cold described by some meteorologists as the "polar vortex" and dubbed by media as the "polar pig." Temperatures were 20 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit (11 to 22 degrees Celsius) below average in parts of Montana, North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan and Nebraska, according to the National Weather Service.

Indian tailor wins Dubai raffle

Dubai. Fasaludheen Kuttipalakkal from Kerala was the winner of the Infiniti Mega Raffle on the second day of the Dubai Shopping Festival 2014, organisers of the festival said. Kuttipalakkal had been trying his luck at the raffle for the past 10 years without success. He has won two Infiniti top models - QX60 and G25 - besides a cash prize of 100,000 dirhams (Rs 1690,000). He wants to give away one part of the cash prize to help his needy friends and family members back home and wants to put another chunk towards the construction of his house in Kerala. He has not yet decided what he wants to do with the cars.

Musharraf rushed to hospital with 'heart problem'

Islamabad: Pakistan's former military ruler Pervez Musharraf was rushed to hospital after suffering a "heart problem" on his way to court for a hearing in his trial for treason, police and an aide said. The 70-year-old had been summoned to the special tribunal after failing to show up for two previous sessions due to security threats against him. Jan Mohammad, a senior police official told the court in Islamabad that Musharraf had fallen ill while being transported to the hearing under heavy security. "He has been shifted to Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology after he got heart problem," Mohammad said.

China doc held for stealing, selling babies

Beijing: Chinese police arrested an obstetrician for stealing newborn babies from a hospital and selling them off to child traffickers. Police hope to find clues from this case to mount a countrywide investigation into the role of doctors in child trafficking.

The female doctor, Zhang Shuxia, 55, made the startling admission in court in the northern Shaanxi province. She said she would tell parents their newborns suffered from congenital problems and that they should “sign and give the babies up,” court documents show.

Indian Mujahideen more lethal: US report

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 11th January 2014

Washington: The outlawed terror group Indian Mujahideen (IM) is more lethal and resilient because of the support it receives from Pakistan, according to a new report by an American thinktank.

The report 'Jihadist Violence: The Indian Threat' by the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars underlines that the Indian jihadist movement constitutes an "internal security issue with an external dimension."

"The Indian jihadist movement formed organically and as a result of endogenous factors, specifically communal grievances and a desire for revenge, but is more lethal and more resilient than it otherwise would have been, thanks to external support from the Pakistani state and Pakistan and Bangladesh-based militant groups," said the 100page report.

The decentralized IM net-

work has a loose leadership currently based in Pakistan, but moving between there and the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, said the report authored by noted South Asia security expert Stephen Tankel.

"External support was a force multiplier for Indian militancy rather than a key driver of it. Although the IM receives support from LeT, it should not be viewed as an affiliate within the same com-

mand-and-control hierarchy.

This distinguishes the IM from some of the other LeT cells or operatives active in India," it said.

The report is based on research conducted over 20 months from January 2012 to September 2013 and draws on primary and secondary source material as well as on field interviews conducted in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

It argues that the Indian

Mujahideen - the primary indigenous jihadist threat - is part of a larger universe of Islamist militant entities operating in India, many but not all of which are connected to external entities such as the Pakistani militant group LeT and the Bangladeshi Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI-B).

It also asserts that the IM should not be viewed as a formal organization, but instead is best understood as a label for a relatively amorphous network populated by jihadist elements from the fringes of the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and the criminal underworld.

The improper use of the IM label for all indigenous jihadist violence contributes to confusion about its composition and cohesion. The IM connects to and sometimes attempts to absorb smaller cells and self-organising clusters of would-be militants.

Vancouver: A former Birmingham leader of a banned Sikh terror group has been ordered to appear before an immigration panel in Canada to decide whether he should be allowed to stay in the county. Gurmej Singh Gill arrived in Vancouver with his wife to visit family in late November and was supposed to be returning to his home in Edgbaston, Birmingham, on December 22. But he was stopped and ordered to appear before an immigration board due to his alleged link to the banned Babbar Khalsa International (BKI). The armed separatist movement, which is calling for an independent Sikh homeland in Punjab called Khalistan, was outlawed in the UK under the Terrorism Act 2000.

Canada and the US banned it in 2003 – 18 years after it had been linked to the

June 23, 1985 Air India bombing that left 329 people dead after it crashed off the Irish coast. Two men linked to the Babbar Khalsa were charged and later acquitted of the bombing, which remains Canada’s deadliest act of terror. Gill denies being a BKI member and claims he renounced his membership in 2001 after the group was banned in the UK. But he also admitted that he had headed the British branch of the organisation. “I had done nothing wrong. People who do believe in violence – I had nothing to do with them because British law doesn’t allow these things,” he said.

Melissa Anderson, communications adviser in Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, said Gill’s admissibility hearing is likely be held in late February or early March.

London: Over 1,000 aspirants, including 62 from India, have been shortlisted for an ambitious private mission to send four men and women on a one-way trip to Mars in 2024 to establish a permanent colony on the red planet.

The Netherlands-based non-profit organization ‘Mars One’ announced the selection of 1,058 candidates from the applicant pool of over 200,000 hoping to establish human life on Martian soil. The applicants came from over 140 countries and more than 20,000 Indians had applied for the first round. According to SPACE.com, of those who made the first cut, 297 are from the US. Canada is the second best represented country with 75 candidates, followed by India with 62 and Russia with 52. ‘Mars One’ cofounder Bas Lansdorp

described the shortlisted candidates as “first tangible glimpse into what the new human settlement will truly look like.”

All applicants were notified via e-mail of their application status. “The next several selection phases in 2014 and 2015 will include rigorous simulations, many in team settings, with focus on testing the physical and emotional capabilities of our remaining candidates,” Norbert Kraft, Chief Medical Officer of ‘Mars One’, said.

‘Mars One’ plans to establish a permanent human settlement on Mars.

Birmingham Sikh man questioned in Canada

62 Indians in list of 1,000 for one-way trip to Mars

US company refuses to supply guns to Pak

Washington: A US-based arms company has turned down a multi-million offer to supply high-tech guns to Pakistan, arguing that these weapons might end up being used against American soldiers.

The decision by Utahbased Desert Technical Arms to turn down such a lucrative offer to supply sniper systems to Pakistan estimated to be worth $15 million was announced by the company recently on its Facebook Page.

"Our greatest fear was that our equipment might be used against US troops. I started this company to protect Americans not endanger them," wrote Nick Young, owner and president of Desert Tactical Arms, noting that the offer presented a 'moral dilemma' for him.

"In consulting with other arms companies the general responses I got was, if they don't buy it from you, then

they will get it somewhere else, or money is money. After much internal review we elected not to sell to Pakistan," Young wrote on his Face Book page.

"The current US administration is sponsoring FMS (foreign military sales) arms sales to Pakistan forces. In 2013 We had been approached with a multi-million dollar opportunity to legally supply sniper systems to Pakistan. I was never in the armed services but we employ several military veterans," Young said.

The decision has been welcomed by the company, given the comments after the decision in this regard was announced.

"Any arms sold to Pakistan, there's a risk that those arms would end up being used against American service members," Utah Army National Guard Col. Randy Watt, told the local Desert News. Watt said though Pakistan is an ally of the US, and its support is needed, but the growing rift between Pakistan's intelligence agency and government are cause for concern, as it is also a country where the Taliban came from and where terrorism mastermind Osama bin Laden was found.

"The company was founded on the principle of keeping Americans and our allied forces safe," the company sales manager Mike Davis was quoted as saying by the local KSL TV. "We're not saying that Pakistan would get the weapons and do anything bad with them, but there's just a heavy set of unrest over there," he said.

Mandela clan feud resumes in earnest

Cape Town: Nelson Mandela's extensive family has continued the bitter squabbles that began before his death with a dispute over who is now their proper leader, days before the reading of his will is expected. Both his oldest grandson, Mandla Mandela, an ANC MP, who was nominated by the former statesman to be a traditional chief in his home province, and his eldest daughter by his first wife Evelyn, Makaziwe Mandela-Amuah, are seeking to win control of decision-making within the family over his legacy.

Winnie MadikizelaMandela, Mandela's exwife suggested that Makaziwe should run its affairs, in concert with her own two daughters.

INDIA

23

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas: valuable connection with NRIs

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 11th January 2014

Indian Missions are granted to the participants. The SIP was launched by MOIA in SeptemberOctober 2012 at Symbiosis University, Pune (Maharastra), with the participation of 9 youths of Indian origin from four countries, i.e.

Trinidad & Tobago, Malaysia, Fiji and South Africa. Second SIP is in progress at the same Symbiosis University, Pune, with participation of 14 youths of Indian origin from abroad.

K. H. PATEL, Former Indian Ambassador and Presently Hon. Chairman, Non-Resident Gujaratis (NRG) Centre, Gujarat Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Ahmedabad Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD), celebrated every year since 2003 during January 7-9 by Government of India, is a landmark event indicative of Indian Government’s laudatory policy towards People of Indian Origin (PIOs) settled abroad. For the annual PBD, 9th January is particularly significant as it was on January 9, 1915 that Mahatma Gandhi had returned to India from South Africa after spending several years there.

Apart from this annual PBD, Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) has also been holding regional PBDs from time to time in different parts of the world. The 7th such regional PBD was held at Sydney (Australia) in November 2013. This Sydney PBD was attended by the Diaspora from Australia and the neighboring countries, including Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Hong Kong, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Fiji and the Pacific Islands.

Earlier six regional PBDs were held at New York (USA), Singapore, The Hague (Netherlands), Durban (South Africa), Toronto (Canada) and Port Louis (Mauritius). These regional PBDs enable the PIOs, who find it difficult to come to India for the annual PBDs, to attend the Regional PBDs held in their areas. The PIOs, numbering over 25 million settled in most parts of the world, are appreciative of these annual PBDs, as about two thousand of them usually attend these conventions.

PBDs’ Achievements During each PBD, several distinguished PIOs are felicitated with Pravasi Bharatiya Sanman Awards by the President of India in recognition of their contributions of exceptional

merit. The President, the Prime Minister, the Minister in charge of Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, and several other central and state government officials attend the PBDs, testifying the importance India attaches to its Diaspora.

During every PBD, several measures are announced in the interest of PIOs. The decisions about the issue of Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) Cards, facilitating PIOs’ easy visits to India without the requirement of visa, are the results of deliberations at the PBDs. Another important measure announced during the 2007 PBD was the establishment of Overseas Indian Facilitation Center (OIFC) with the objective of supporting the Indian Diaspora to connect better with India and assist them in deepening their economic and intellectual engagement with India. A special insurance scheme for Indian workers abroad and the establishment of welfare funds in Indian embassies for distressed Indians were other important steps announced at the previous PBDs. Another scheme called Study India Programme (SIP) has immense potential in connecting young Indian Diaspora with India through the channel of educational institutions. It enables overseas Indian youth in age-group of 18-26 years to undergo short term courses of 4 weeks in an Indian University to familiarize them with the history, heritage, art, culture, sociopolitical and economic developments etc. of India. Cost of boarding, lodging, local transportation, course fee as well as 90% of the cost of air ticket is borne by Government of India. Gratis visas by

Historical Background It has to be acknowledged that right from its Independence, India has always tried to be concerned with its Diaspora.

Even before Independence, i.e. in 1946, Indian representatives at the UN had vociferously taken up the issue of racial discrimination against the local people, including Indians, in South Africa during the apartheid regime of White supremacists. When dictator Idi Amin had ordered the expulsion of about 60,000 Indians from Uganda in 1972, Government of India had provided valuable assistance in their orderly exit from that country. During Iraq-Kuwait war of 1990, Government of India had provided all the logistical help in evacuating thousands of Indians from the war zone. Thus, it has been the consistent policy of Government of India to assist its Diaspora during their crisis situations.

Steps taken by different States, e.g.

Gujarat, to strengthen relations with their Diaspora A number of states, including Kerala, Karnataka, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat, have been taking important measures to attract their Diaspora for investments etc.

Gujarat has been a pioneering state in this regard.

Government of Gujarat had established Non-Resident Gujaratis’ Foundation (NRGF) in the late 1990s to implement a welldefined and dynamic Diaspora policy to strengthen cultural and economic relationship with NRGs who number about six million in 120 countries. The NRGF has built a comprehensive database on NRGs. It monitors their general welfare, and during times of crisis as in Fiji, Kenya and Australia, it takes up their specific problems with or through the central Government.

Gujarat Government has established NRG Centres in six cities, namely Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Anand, Surat, Rajkot and Mehsana, to deal with matters concerning NRGs in

their areas. These Centres are facilitating the issue of Gujarat Cards to NRGs by Gujarat State NRGF with the aim of providing specific benefits to them in regard to accommodation, medical facilities and shopping etc. These Cards are issued at a nominal fee of US $ 5 or Rs 225. Apart from establishing their identity as NRGs, the holders of these Card are entitled to get some discounts at hundreds of prestigious hotels, gems and jewellery stores, major hospitals, tours and travel firms, banking and finance institutions and other showrooms and organizations in Gujarat. These Centres have been organising varied programmes relevant to NRGs. One of their important activities has been organizing seminars on awareness about NRI marriages when young brides are advised about the care to be taken before marrying NRI grooms so that no problems arise for them later.

Gujarat’s policy of strengthening its ties with NRGs may be worth emulating by other states by setting up similar NRG Centres in different cities and a central body like Gujarat State NonResident Gujaratis’ Foundation (NRGF). It is worth noting that after watching very encouraging results in terms of the flow of huge investments, particularly from NRIs/ NRGs, as a consequence of Gujarat’s bi-annual Vibrant Global Investors’

Gujarat’s policy of strengthening its ties with NRGs may be worth emulating by other states by setting up similar NRG Centres in different cities and a central body, says the author Summits, other States have also started organising such Investors’ conferences when their business Diaspora are invited to attend.

Contributions by PIO PIOs, on their part, have always shown affection and attachment for their motherland through their investments, remittances and funding for numerous charity projects. During the calendar year 2012, their remittance of US $ 70 billion was the highest in the world. Such huge remittances from the Indian Diaspora help the country significantly to reduce its current account deficit. PIOs have also greatly contributed in building schools, colleges and hospitals etc in the

areas of their original domicile. All this indicates that PIOs, even when a number of them hold the prestigious positions in their adopted country, have maintained their sense of belonging and empathy for their motherland having inculcated its culture and heritage.

Addressing 11th PBD at Kochi (Kerala) in January 2013, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi had rightly said that “NRIs could play a major role in sharing their discipline, talent and experience” with India. Earlier during 10th PBD at Jaipur (Rajashtan), Modi had told the Overseas Indians that “this event is for you to acquaint about what is happening in the country and then making the world aware about the development, progress and opportunities in the country” At the same Jaipur PBD, the then Chief Minister of the Rajasthan Ashok Gehlot had rightly emphasised the need for the next generation of Overseas Indians to visit India, particularly their native villages to acquaint themselves with the culture and traditions of their motherland.

Gehlot suggested to PIO delegates to get their children and grand-children visit India to ensure their attachment with their motherland. Gehlot also announced a scheme whereby Government of Rajasthan would provide financial and logistical assistance every year to enable a few young NRIs, originally from Rajasthan, to visit places in the state.

PIOs contribution in Political Sphere In countries like USA, PIOs have significantly contributed in the improvement of relations between USA and India. They had played an important role in inducing US Government to lift sanctions which were imposed on India following its Nuclear explosion in 1998.

Likewise, they canvassed very effectively with American lawmakers, resulting in the signing of Indo-US Peaceful Nuclear Agreement in 2008. In UK also there are several PIOs who are members of the Parliament as well as Ministers in the Government. Their influential position in the country ensures that no laws are passed by the parliament which could be discriminatory and against their fundamental rights. They also contribute to the improvement of relations between UK and India. In short, PIOs have been helping in fulfilling India’s foreign policy objectives. They have proved themselves as valuable assets for India’s endeavours to emerge as one of the important pow-

ers in the world.

Aspirations of PIOs While benefiting from the contributions of NRIs, Government of India probably needs to take note of their aspirations a little more. PIOs in Reunion Island, a French territory where this writer had served as India’s first Consul General, number about 300,000 or almost 40% of the total population. The present PIOs are 5th or 6th generation people of the Indians who migrated there. A number of them have been regularly attending the PBDs with a strong desire to reconnect with their roots.

They have been requesting Government of India to officially recognise them as PIOs. The PIOs of another French island territory Guadeloupe have raised similar demand.

Accordingly, it may be worth-while for the Government of India to consider their request and grant them the same facilities provided to the PIOs of other countries.

Concluding remarks: Having attended a few PBDs in the past, the writer is of the opinion that the Government of India, and particularly Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs do not spare any efforts to make the annual as well as Regional PBDs a grand success, with a view to advancing mutual interests of India and its Diaspora. The PBDs have proved their usefulness in attracting investments into India and connecting PIOs with their land of origin. The PBDs offer valuable opportunities for interactions between PIOs and Indian delegates. These conventions also help in the ‘networking’ among the PIOs themselves as they can share their experiences in various fields and make business deals etc. In short, PBDs have been providing excellent platform for NRIs to remain linked with their motherland.

PBD 2014 Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2014 will be held at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi from January 7 to 9. The main event will be inaugurated on 8th January by Manmohan Singh, the Prime Minister of India.

Pranab Mukherjee, the President of India, will deliver the valedictory address on January 9 and will confer the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards. The chief guest at this year’s PBD is Y.B. Datuk Seri Palanivel, Malaysian Minister of Natural Resource and Environment. The Chief Ministers of Gujarat, Kerala, Meghalaya, Goa and Haryana will deliver special address at the event.

24

INDIA

South

Yeddyurappa to rejoin BJP on January 18

Keen to shore up its political fortunes, BJP has decided to ignore pending corruption cases against rebel leader B S Yeddyurappa and accept the merger with his regional party KJP. The lingayat chieftain, whose departure saw the party crashing to a humiliating defeat in the assembly elections, will return to the fold on January 18, in a decision which acknowledges both his cruciality for the objective to restrict Congress's gains in Karnataka.

Jaya announces Pongal bonus for employees

The Tamil Nadu government on Sunday announced Pongal bonus for its employees and pensioners, which would cost the exchequer a sum of 3.08.28 billion. Chief minister J Jayalalithaa announced a bonus of 3,000 each for Group C and Group D officials and teachers. Those under Group A and Group B, anganwadi workers, ICDS (Integrated Child Development Scheme) employees, village assistants and certain temporary staff would be provided with a bonus of 1,000 each, she said in a statement.

Telugu actor Uday Kiran commits suicide

Young Telugu actor Uday Kiran committed suicide by hanging himself at Hyderabad on Sunday. The 33-year-old actor ended his life in his flat at Srinagar colony around midnight. He was alone in the flat. Kiran's wife Vishita, who had gone out for some work, rushed to the flat after he did not respond to her mobile phone calls. She immediately took him to Jubilee Hills Apollo hospital here, where the doctors declared him dead. Kiran began his film career with Telugu film 'Chitram' in 2000.

The movie proved a super hit. 'Nuvvu Neenu', 'Manasantha Nuvve' and Sriram were some of the other popular films of the actor.

Punjab

French national sentenced to 10 years in jail

A French national with alleged links with Babbar Khalsa International terror outfit was awarded ten years imprisonment by a Sessions Court for possessing arms and explosive material in a two-year-old case. Additional Sessions-cum-Special Judge Navjot Kaur Sohal on December 17 held French national Harpal Singh and two other men, allegedly having links with the banned outfit, guilty of possessing arms and ammunition and unlawful activities.

Guru Gobind Singh's birth anniversary observed

The Sikh community celebrated the 348th birth anniversary of their tenth and final guru - Guru Gobind Singh across India. Guru Gobind Singh was born on January 7, 1666 at Patna in Bihar. People in large numbers visited gurudwaras to participate in the programmes associated with the event. Bhog of Akhandpath and continuous recitation of Gurbani was conducted. Special seminars were organised to remind the teachings of Guru Gobind Singh to the young generation.

Guru Gobind Singh formed the Khalsa by selecting five persons from different castes belonging to different regions. He baptised them as Sikhs, thus giving a lesson of casteless society and national integration.

Battery-run vehicles at tourist hotspots

The Chandigarh administration has decided to run battery-operated vehicles at tourist spots in the city to ferry visitors. The project will be undertaken by the department of science and technology and details are being finalized.

Earlier, there was a proposal to introduce these vehicles at parking bays in the city so that people are encouraged to use underground and community parking areas. To begin with, such vehicles will be used at places like Sukhna Lake and popular gardens so that people do not have to walk long distances to reach the parking areas.

AAP gains ground, may contest from Chennai

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 11th January 2014

A day after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) decided to contest the Lok Sabha polls, it was a busy day for the party in Chennai. From advocates to activists to autorickshaw drivers, doctors, students and IT professionals made a beeline to join the party during enrollment drives held in Anna Nagar, Vadapalani and the party office in Kilpauk on Sunday.

The party, which has been gaining traction in the city since the Delhi elections, will announce its list of candidates and the constituencies where it plans to field them by the end of January.

Chennai is likely to be one of the constituencies.

"A lot of youngsters have expressed their willingness to

contest the polls," Lenin M, co-convener of AAP TN, said. The mood in the party, too, is changing from the idea of merely expanding its base in Tamil Nadu to working towards emerging as an alternative to Dravidian parties, he said. "The general feeling among people is that the

party is capable of running a government and is not mere rhetoric," a party functionary said, adding that social welfare groups and organisations in the city have approached them for support.

While the energy among new members couldn't be greater, many are uncertain of

the party's prospects in the state. "It's a chance for people to transform their frustration and complaints into something constructive," said Huzefa Millwala, who joined as a part time volunteer. "But Tamil Nadu politics is too dirty. It will be difficult for AAP to penetrate now."

So far, 31,000 members have enrolled with the party in Tamil Nadu, which had only 6,400 members before the Delhi elections, said Lenin. In Chennai, more than 4,000 people have enrolled in three enrollment drives held over the last three weeks, with 500 joining on Sunday.

"We began the drive only because more people approached us to join the party," Lenin said.

Having got Telangana leader and legislative affairs minister D Sridhar Babu out of the way, Andhra chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy is all set to move a resolution opposing the state's division in the assembly.

Kiran conveyed this to legislators J C Diwakar Reddy, Vijay Kumar, T Jayaprakash Reddy, Paladugu Venkata Rao, M Ranga Reddy and medical infrastructure corporation chairman Siva Rama Krishna Rao when they called on him.

"The bifurcation process will be stalled," he told them.

"There's no need to become nervous on the issue."

According to sources, the CM's game plan is to move the resolution opposing the division of the state and have new legislative minister S Sailajanath pilot it in the assembly.

"This will put Speaker Nadendla Manohar in a spot," said a source. "The YSR Congress, which has been insisting on the House moving a resolution to keep the state united, cannot openly oppose Kiran's move.

Once the resolution is moved, it'll be easily passed in view of the numerical strength of Seemandhra MLAs. The issue still to be decided is whether the CM will move the resolution in the January 3-10 or the 16-23 period of the assembly session." Defending the move to divest Babu of the legislative affairs portfolio, Kiran said it was his prerogative to allocate portfolios to the ministers. "Changes in the portfolios are the prerogative of the CM," he told the media at the secretariat. "The changes are aimed at initiating a fruitful debate in the assembly."

Shedding his reported reluctance, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah inducted two senior "tainted" legislators into his nearly eight-month old ministry, apparently bowing to pressure from the Congress high command.

Former Congress state unit working president D K Shivakumar and Roshan Baig, who are viewed as "scam tainted", were administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor HR Bhardwaj at a ceremony at Raj Bhavan in Bangalore.

The third ministry expansion comes after Siddramaiah had reportedly resisted for several months induction of Shivakumar and Baig who lobbied hard with Congress high command to make it to the ministry.

Baig, facing a land grab

charge, was a minister in the S M Krishna Government and had to resign after his name was linked to the Karim Telgi stamp paper scam in 2003. Shivakumar is haunted by allegations of illegal mining and land scam.

Siddharamaiah said he inducted Baig and Shivakumar after consulting Congress President Sonia Gandhi but denied suggestions that he was under pressure.

Shivakumar was accommodated to woo the Vokkaliga community, to which he belongs, and Baig to placate the minorities, ruling Congress sources said, explaining the exercise which also spelt additional trouble for Siddaramaiah with several ministerial aspirants unhappy at being excluded.

Radical Sikh outfit Dal Khalsa urged Akal Takhat to summon Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal for allegedly seeking reservation for Jat Sikhs.

The Dal Khalsa urged Akal Takhat head Gurbachan Singh to seek Sukhbir's explanation for his party's "unprincipled stand" on reservation for Jat Sikhs in the OBC category.

The organisation advocated that the reservation should be based on economic criteria rather than caste, party head H S Dhami said in a statement. Both the SAD and Congress had sought inclusion of Jat Sikhs in the category of OBC after the Centre included Jats from Haryana in the OBC list.

Nirmal Yadav, a former judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, will be tried in the cash-at-doorstep case as the Supreme Court dismissed her plea challenging the framing of charges against her.

Rejecting her plea seeking suspension of the proceedings at the trial court, which is set to frame charges against the former judge, a bench of Justice H.L. Dattu and Justice C.Nagappan said the matter relates to 2008 and there already have been several rounds of litigation.

"This is a matter of 2008, how many rounds of litigation by the judge?" the court observed as her counsel S.K.Garg Narwana pressed for restraining the trial court from framing the charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The court sought to know why it should interfere at this stage of framing of charges as Narwana argued that it was not because of his client that the trial in the case has been delayed.

As he argued that there was nothing incriminating against Yadav, Justice Dattu

observed that in the absence of evidence, she would get acquitted.

Finding that court was not inclined to grant any relief to Yadav, Narwana said: "I can persuade the court that there is no evidence against her and that she was being harassed" and "she too has rights as citizens like others".

In 2008, a bag containing Rs.15 lakh in cash was delivered at the residence of Justice Nirmaljit Kaur of the same high court, but it transpired the money was meant to be delivered to Nirmal Yadav. She moved the apex court after the high court dismissed her plea against the framing of charges.

Andhra CM to move resolution against state’s division

Amarinder reiterates his stand on Jat reservation

Former Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh reiterated that denying reservation to Jat Sikhs in Punjab was not justified as members of the community had been provided the benefit in other states.

Singh said he had sought the reservation Jat Sikhs in his capacity as the president of the All India Jat Maha Sabha. Besides, he added, the reservation benefits cannot be provided in parts, it must be granted uniformly across the country.

While Jats in nine states have been granted reservation, in the four remaining states, including Punjab, where the Jats have a significant presence have been excluded from this benefit, he said, adding that "it is not justified".

He said that as long as reservation has been granted on the basis of caste there is no reason why the people of the same caste residing in different regions should be denied the benefit.

Dal Khalsa opposes reservation

Two 'tainted' legislators join Karnataka ministry

Punjab ex-judge to be tried in cash-at-doorstep case

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 11th January 2014

Uncover the ‘Spirit of Australia and New Zealand’

xperience the world like never before with a combined tour to Australia and E New Zealand that takes you to the pool of

utmost indulgence.Uncover the hidden trails of the ‘Great Barrier Reef’ or soak up the rugged ‘Australian Outback,’ from the verdant grasslands of New Zealand to the cliff-lined fjords, the land ‘Down Under’ offers a succession of dramatic landscapes. Pamper your spirits to the thrilling adventures of various ancient, sophisticated and vibrant cities of the two regions in your own unique way!

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nating diversions of Sydney starting with the World Heritage site -Sydney Opera House. Sydney is all about outstanding pursuits like the Taronga Zoo, FeatherdaleWidlife Park, Sydney Aquarium, Wild Life Sydney at Darling Harbour and the world famed Madame Tussauds.

Melbourne being one of the finest cities of Australia boasts of an incredible architectural treasure with sites such as the Federation Square, St.Patrick’s Cathedral, Shrine of Remembrance and the Art Center which will make you fall in awe of their outstanding craftsmanship.

Christchurch is the melting pot of New Zealand’s varied architectural and leisure extravagances. A visit to Punting on the Avon, the Christchurch Gondola, Caterpillar Botanic Gardens and the Christchurch Tram offers the vacationers an exhilarating time in this picture per-

fect city.

Nestled on the shores of Lake Wakatipu encircled by soaring mountains, Queenstown is a destination of a lifetime. Its stunning scenery inspires and revitalizes the travelers to have a thrilling stay in New Zealand. Climb up the highest peak in Australasia - Mt. Cook, before heading to the Church of Good Shepherd at Lake Tekapo and the lakeside resort town known as the adventure capital of New Zealand.

A soothing nature spree brings us to the famous Waitomo Glowworm Caves and Grotto. Take a guided city tour to Mount Eden, MissionBay, Tamaki Drive, Harbor Bridge, Auckland Domain, Queen Street, and the Sky Tower that bid a unique experience in New Zealand.

Places like Victoria, Northern Territory, Tasmania, etc are also worth exploring on your fun-

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So if you fancy a 16 Days Amazing Australia and New Zealand dream tour starting from £ 1940 pp on twin sharing basis (excl. flights and the rate varies depending on the group size), call Brightsun Travel on our dedicated tours line 0208 819 0531 or visit www.brightsun.co.uk

INDIA - TRAVEL

Kite Festival promotes Gujarat’s tourism

25

Though Kite Flying during Uttarayan is common in India and many other countries across the globe, but electrifying atmosphere in Gujarat is unmatched. Knowing the fact, Gujarat Chief Minister clubbed his biennial event Vibrant Gujarat Investors’ Summit with the festival of Kites since the year 2003. Now, the Kite Festival promoted by Gujarat tourism is attracting large number of international tourist to the state.

Mayuri Dave

Since last 26 years, Gujarat is celebrating Kite Festival every year during January. However, it is the vision of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi to project the festival to promote tourism in the state. Ever since he became the Chief Minister of Gujarat, annual Kite Festival has been used to attract tourists from all over the globe.

The week-long International Kite Festival in 2014 has participation from as many as 27 countries and 11 Indian states.

Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Limited (TCGL) has also decided to hold Kite-flying carnivals in Delhi and Mumbai with a theme ‘Chalo Gujarat’ as part of the Kite Festival. In fact, strategically, Gujarat government is organizing the festival in Delhi simultaneously with Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) at Connaught Place to attract maximum number of Non Resident Indians (NRIs).

Though Kites are being flown in various parts of India during Uttarayan, but in Gujarat fervour of the festival is electrifying.

The festival of Uttarayan marks the day when winter begins to turn into summer, according to the Hindu calendar. It is the sign for farmers that the

‘City of Joy’ also witnesses international Kite Festival

Kolkata also known as ‘City of Joy’ witnessed an International Kite Festival on January 5.

Hundreds of giant fancy kites of myriad shapes and sizes on the skyline of Kolkata attracted Beanglis at the Kite Festival 2014.

Renowned kite flyers from Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, Britain, France, Indonesia, and enthusiasts from across India participated in the festival.

sun is back and that harvest season is approaching which is called Makar Sankranti.

All over the State, in the Month of January, the serene blue sky with colorful kites look splendid and since morning to evening remains dotted with vivid splashes of color with kites in a variety of hues, shapes and sizes. The excitement continues with the onset of night.

The International Kite Festival in Gujarat has become a major tourist attraction.

The Kite Festival is also significant for the Vibrant Gujarat – Global Investor’s Summit held during this time.

Since 2003, the word ‘Vibrant’ has become associated with Gujarat in yet another manner, enhancing the national and international reputation of the state.

Gujarat’s Tourism Minister Saurabh Patel said that in the past one decade Gujarat has witnessed 300 per cent rise in tourists because of the state government’s efforts to promote tourism activities in the state. According to Patel, maximum number of foreign tourists, that include NRIs, visit the state during Utarayan, many of them make their itinerary during the Kite Festival. Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan’s tourism promotion campaign also attracted tourists from across the globe to visit the state.

According to Gujarat government in the last financial year Gujarat recorded 14 per cent rise in tourists compared to India’s overall 7 per cent growth.

A dedicated Kite Museum in Ahmedabad has also been developed to woo tourists, especially foreigners. Apart from Delhi and Mumbai, The International Kite Festival will be organised in Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Madhi and Dhordo desert in Kutch and also at Gujarat’s only hill-station Saputara.

26

INDIA

Bangladesh poll without victors

Continued from page 1 turnout is being attributed to death of more than 100 people in the run-up to the ballot. Fears of violence kept many voters away. Apart from a handful of crude bomb explosions, Dhaka was calm. In Satkania, near the port city of Chittagong, a poll official's arms were broken and police were attacked.

The impasse between the two main parties, which showed no sign of easing, undermined the poll's legitimacy and is fuelling worries of economic stagnation and further violence in the impoverished South Asian nation of 160 million.

"The immediate fallout of this dismal voter turnout will be the Hasina government coming under greater pressure to hold talks with the opposition," said Hossain Zillur Rahman, adviser to a former "caretaker" government tasked with overseeing an election adding that it is the ultimate sign of protest by Bangladeshi people and tells us that they are unhappy with the way elections have been conducted.

Meanwhile, Hasina has spoken of holding talks with the opposition

on the conduct of future elections which, if successful, could lead to another poll. The BNP had demanded a halt to the current electoral process. The BNP claimed that low turnout vindicated its denunciation of the poll as a farce.

"The turnout is a clear indication that the common people rejected this election and it is almost an election without voters," Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury, a BNP vice chairman, said in a statement.

Hasina’s act of scrapping the caretaker government was strongly objected by the BNP. However, the Awami League termed it a failure. BNP chief Khaleda claimed that she is virtually under house arrest and many leaders of

her party are either in jail or in hiding. However, the Hasina government refutes the accusation.

Despite all these, Hasina asserted that her reelection was legitimate and appealed to her archrival, BNP chief Khaleda Zia, to shun "terrorism" and severe ties with the fundamentalist Jamaat to strike a deal on the next elections. "A solution can be reached on the next elections only through talks. For that everyone will have to have restraints, tolerance and stop political violence of all sorts," the 66-year-old Hasina said.

The European Union refused to send election observers, as did the United States and the Commonwealth, a grouping of 53 mainly former British colonies. The US has called for fresh polls even as it expressed strong concern over the just concluded general election which it alleged was neither credible nor fair.

Chief election commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad said boycott by some political parties and thick fog were reasons for the low voter turnout. He, however, claimed that the polls were "fair".

Continued from page 1 several opinion polls, saying it would be "disastrous" if he were to become the prime minister.

The 81-year-old Singh has presided over India for a decade at the head of coalitions led by the Congress party.

With growth at a decade-low, he conceded that the government had failed to generate employment in manufacturing, to control inflation and combat corruption.

Those problems will make it a difficult election for Gandhi, who has largely failed to win votes for his party when campaigning in state elections, if he is chosen to lead the Congress into the vote.

"In a few months' time, after the general election, I will hand the baton over to a new prime minister," Singh said at a rare news conference last week, adding a "new generation" would guide the country.

Singh, who was widely expected to step down after the vote, said Gandhi, 43, should be the Congress Party's prime ministerial candidate.

"Rahul Gandhi has outstanding credentials to be nominated as the ... candidate and I hope our party will take that decision at an appropriate time." The Congress is due to hold a top-level meeting on January 17 and is expected to announce its candidate

soon afterwards. Gandhi used to head the Congress party's youth wing and is the party's vice president.

Whoever gets the nod will face off in the election against Modi who is campaigning on a platform to end the red tape and graft that have bedevilled the Congress-led coalition.

Compared with the relatively untested Gandhi, Modi has years of experience as the chief minister of Gujarat, where he has built a reputation as a business-savvy and investorfriendly administrator.

But he has been unable to fully shake off allegations over anti-Muslim riots in Gujarat in 2002.

Modi denies wrongdoing and a Supreme Court investigation found no evidence to prosecute him.

Singh made a pointed reference to the riots under Modi's watch when dismissing a suggestion that he had been a weak prime minister. "If by strong prime minister you mean that you preside over the mass massacre of innocent citizens in the streets ... I do not believe that sort of strength this country needs. Least of all in its prime minister," Singh said.

Rahul styling himself as a maverick leader Many Congress members, particularly young legislators, are calling for Gandhi to be made the prime ministerial candidate

quickly as they hope that will rejuvenate the party's image and deflect public anger with current leaders.

Gandhi has in recent months tried to style himself as a maverick and make clear he condemns corruption. In September, he denounced an executive order from the government allowing convicted lawmakers to stay in office and stand in elections.

The anti-corruption Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has just trounced Congress in Delhi elections and come in a close second to the BJP, barely a year since it was created, proving that graft is firmly on the agenda. Singh endeavoured to salvage the image of his leadership and government, touting welfare measures and saying it was "for historians to judge" his record. "I have every reason to believe that when history is written of this period, we will come out unscathed," he said.

BJP says his comment laughable Bharatiya Janata Party president Rajnath Singh hit out at Manmohan Singh over his remarks on Narendra Modi, saying his comments are laughable. "I condemn the PM's statement on Narendra Modi.

Modi has been given a clean chit by the SIT and by the court. The PM's remark on Modi is laughable," said Rajnath.

Bagum Khaleda Zia

Manmohan to step down, backs Rahul as successor

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 11th January 2014

Parsis take stock, exchange notes on World Zoroastrian Congress

The 10th World Zoroastrian Congress (WZC) recently saw varied views expressed on the Parsi- Irani Zoroastrian identity. While some spoke on what needs to be done to preserve the identity, others on why the identity was disappearing and few on how they managed to keep it intact.

Speaking first at the ‘Panel D i s c u s s i o n : Affirming the Global ParsiIranian Zoroastrian Identity,’ Rohinton Rivetna, founder of World Zoroastrian Chamber of Commerce rated some ‘identifiers’ of Zoroastrianism on which the commu- President Pranab Mukherjee is greeted by members of the nity was faring Parsi community on Day 1 of the 10th World Zoroastrian Congress in Mumbai poorly.

On language, he merged with India’s blamed the Parsis for the said that value of linguissocial, cultural and politdeclining values amongst tic bonding needs to be ical identity and contheir children. “We have re-emphasized. On sartotributed significantly to an abysmal record of edurial identity, he pointed it,” said Mukherjee to a cation. If there is anyone, out that it was fading thunderous applause who is to be blamed it is because Iranians (in from around 2,000 delethe parents. We should Iran) faced difficulties in gates. institutionalise youth to wearing Sudreh and The President said, roots.”

Kushti while in India, “The strength of Successful but Parsis were neglecting it.

Zoroastrinism lies in its shirnking “Parsi names that underlying philosophy Many Parsis are help identity are slowly that humankind is descended from Persians fading especially in the designed to evolve who fled to India to West. We are halfway in towards perfection escape persecution more dismantling what our through a good conthan 1,000 years ago. forefathers left. While science cultivated This group went on to evolutionary changes are through good thoughts, become one of India’s partly responsible, uninwords and good deeds. It most successful commutended consequences of is no wonder that when nities, which includes these changes can hit us the first Zoroastrians setindustrialist Tata family hard,” said Rivetna. tlers arrived in India and the late Queen singer Dinshaw Mehta, their beliefs found resoFreddie Mercury, the son chairman of the Bombay nance in our own Hindu of Parsi migrants to Parsi Punchayet (BPP) dharma.”

Zanzibar. stated that one of the Recalling the pride Scattered across ways in asserting the prominent Parsis took in countries including Iran, identity was community their Indian nationality, the US and UK, their housing, which one could he emphasised the contriestimated numbers have see in Mumbai. “In butions by Parsi women dropped by more than Mumbai there is a strong too.

10% between 2004 and cause of identity. Parsis Amongst them was 2012 to fewer than are living in community Madame Bikhaji Cama 112,000 people. baugs as a conglomerate. who fearlessly in 1907 In India, where most But I doubt, if there is a unfurled the “Flag of Zoroastrians live, the global identity of the Indian Independence”. numbers have halved Parsis,” he said.

Dadabhai Naoroji’s statesince 1940 to about However, there were ment in the British 61,000. some like Sarosh Parliament that “he is First citizen gives pat Bharucha, head of the above all an Indian”. on the back of 'first immiZoroastrian Society of “We are all aware of grants' Ontario, Canada, who the significant contribuPresident Pranab emphasised on how the tion of Dr Homi Bhabha, Mukherjee was all praise community there had first chairman of our for the community. moved ahead while Atomic Energy Mukherjee who inaugubreaking the traditional Commission, Dr Homi rated the meet in ways of living and was Sethna under whose Mumbai spoke at length thriving as a community. leadership India develabout the community, its “We do not ex-comoped her indigenous civil arrival to India and their municate our daughters nuclear energy and J R D contribution. and sisters, who marry Tata who gave India its “Foreign colonialist outside the community. first commercial airline,” never failed to exploit Women get the same privhe said adding the contriIndia’s people and its ilege as men. Navjot and butions it made even in rich resources. On the other ceremonies are carthe defence of the counother hand, Parsis are the ried for all regardless of try by giving people like first immigrants, who the way they want their Field Marshall Sam have not only retained body disposed off,” said Manekshaw of the 1972 their identity and culture Bharucha.

Indo-Pak war fame. but also have uniquely Ketayun Kapadia,

INDIA

In Focus

Ganguly steps down as Bengal rights panel chief

Justice (retd) A.K. Ganguly, facing allegations of sexually assaulting a law intern, on Monday stepped down from the post of chairman of the West Bengal Human Rights Commission. The former Supreme Court judge drove to the Raj Bhavan and handed over his resignation letter to Governor M. K. Narayanan during a 45minute meeting, sources in the know said.

The resignation came hours after the Supreme Court dismissed a petition seeking to restrain the government from proceeding against Ganguly. Ganguly, however, claimed he had "nothing to do" with the Public Interest Litigation. The union cabinet had already cleared the home ministry's proposal for a presidential reference to the Supreme Court for a probe into the allegations. The proposal was being sent to President Pranab Mukherjee, for him to forward to the chief justice of India seeking a probe into the issue. However, Ganguly's resignation from the human rights panel has rendered the reference infructuous, legal sources said.

27 dead as bus plunges into valley in Maharashtra

The death toll from a bus that collided with a truck and plunged into a 120-meter (400-feet) deep gorge in Maharashtra has risen to 27. Police officer Raghunath Yadav says the driver lost control of the bus after it collided with a truck near Malshej Ghat, a tourist spot about 160 km (100 miles) northeast of Mumbai. He initially reported 11 killed but the death toll has since risen to 27 as more bodies were pulled out. Yadav said 10 others were injured, seven of them in serious condition.

17 killed in Goa building collapse

One more mangled body has been recovered from the debris of a building which crashed in Goa two days ago, taking the death toll to 17, authorities said. An unconfirmed number of labourers continue to be trapped under the debris at Canacona. "A lot of cries could be heard from inside the debris on Saturday afternoon, immediately after the collapse," an official said. "By Sunday evening the shouting subsided. There are no sounds from those who are trapped," he added.

The army, police and fire services continue to carry out the rescue work. The mangled body was taken out on Sunday night. "It will be difficult for me to say how long the rescue operation will take," Goa Fire Service chief Ashok Menon said.

India test-fires nuclearcapable Prithvi-II missile

India on Tuesday test-fired its indigenously developed Prithvi-II missile, which is capable of carrying 500 kg to 1,000 kg of warheads and has a strike range of 350 km, from a test range at Chandipur in Odisha.

The test was carried out as part of a user trial by the Army. The surface-to-surface missile was test fired from a mobile launcher in salvo mode from launch complex-3 of the Integrated Test Range.

Gujarat police refuse to file complaint against Modi

The snoopgate case in Gujarat took another twist on Monday, when a police officer refused to accept a complaint filed by suspended Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Pradeep Kumar against Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and the state's former home minister and key aide Amit Shah. Kumar told media that he had arrived at the police station to file his complaint against Modi and Shah in connection with the case which he sees as a cognizable offence. He said that the concerned station house officer first refused to accept the complaint and then later said that the matter was already sub judice and had been placed before a central governmentappointed inquiry committee for a probe.

27

India breaks into elite space club with GSLV-D5 launch

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 11th January 2014

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Sunday successfully launched a geosynchronous satellite launch vehicle GSLV-D5 - which used an indigenous cryogenic engine, putting behind it years of pain and failures.

The launch vehicle lifted off from India's space port at Sriharikota on a clear blue sky and delivered a copy book launch.

The GSLV-D5 injected the GSAT-14, a 1,980 kg satellite, at its precise orbit 17 minutes into the flight. It took ISRO more than 13 years to achieve this success after its first GSLV flight in 2001. ISRO kickstarted the cryogenic project almost 20 years ago.

"Today is an important day for space technology in the country. The Indian cryogenic stage performed as expected and injected the

satellite to the intended orbit," said an elated K. Radhakrishnan, Chairman, ISRO, immediately after the successful launch. "Our toiling of 20 years and excruciating efforts in the last three-and-a-half years have borne fruit."

What has excited the ISRO team is the precision of the launch. According to K. Sivan, Mission Director, GSLV-D5, the satellite was

injected by the launch vehicle within 40 metres of its intended orbit in perigee (closest point of the satellite to earth). "The 1,000 seconds of the GSLV- D5 flight is a fruit of 1,000 days of hard work," he said.

This success comes within four-and-a-half months of an earlier attempt that ISRO had aborted owing to a fuel leak in the liquid second stage. That

incident and the previous failures had raised questions about ISRO's ability to master the advanced cryogenic technology, which till recently rested with a select countries/regions such as the US, Russia, Europe, Japan and China.

This success takes ISRO closer to its objective of positioning itself as a reliable launcher of heavier communication satellites that weigh over two tonnes in the geosynchronous orbit (an orbit where a satellite moves in tandem with the earth's rotation and thus is available to users throughout the day). A few more successful launches will establish this reliability and ISRO could soon be competing with US space agency NASA and the European Space Agency for a pie of a multi-billion dollar market.

Gujarati poet Chinu Modi, 75, who has penned several Gujarati Ghazal collections, has been conferred the Sahitya Akademi Award.

The executive board of the Sahitya Akademi Committee in Delhi announced the award. While Modi was honoured for his Ghazal “Khara Zaran” in the Gujarati language category, the Urdu language section award has been conferred upon poet, lyricist and Bollywood scriptwriter Javed Akhtar. Modi’s award winning Gazal collection is dedicated to his late wife. Modi is the native of Vijapur and worked as a professor in Bhasha Bhavan of the

G u j a r a t University. Earlier, he had been given Gujarat’s ‘Narsinh Mehta award’.

Modi said, “I am pleased with this honour and am thankful to the Sahitya Akademi.”

The award will be given to him by President Pranab Mukhrajee on February 16 in New Delhi.

Be it ghazals, for which he is widely known, or plays or short stories, Modi has made every literary form he touched his own through reinventing the ways of representation and making it contemporary. Modi has been one of the major components in ‘modernist movement’ of Gujarati literature of 1960s and 1970s along with stal-

warts such as Manilal Desai, Ravji Patel, Labhshankar Thakar, Adil Mansuri and Madhu Rye that shaped the contemporary Gujarati literature. While Modi had individually started off earlier, the ‘movement’ also shaped him and brought out the best in him.

According to experts, Modi’s strength lies in seeing the things in new perspective and it is the reason he has excelled in almost all forms he explored – be it metrical or free verse. He lent the modern sensibility to the poetry that was confined to love and romance. He has 52 books to his credit and has explored forms such as novels, short stories, plays, ghazal and poems and has played roles of editor, critic, translator and curator.

The setting up of an anti-graft ombudsman to check corruption in high places was given the Presidential assent last week putting into effect the legislation passed by Parliament on December 18 amid disruptions.

The assent to the Lokpal Bill was one of President Mukherjee’s first actions in the new year setting into motion the process of forming a multi-member anti-corruption ombudsman with the power to supervise CBI investigations into specific cases. The Lokpal will also be able initiate investigations on the basis of specific complaints and its ambit covers the prime minister, ministers and senior public servants.

need to continue "meaningful discussions" with the prosecution.

According to the foreign news agency, Arshack has forwarded a letter to a federal magistrate judge in New York requesting for an extension of the time by which the U.S. Government must file an indictment or commence a preliminary hearing.

Khobragade, who was deputy consul-general in New York, was arrested on December 12 and charged with one count of visa fraud and one count of making false statements about how much she paid her housekeeper.

On the day of her arrest, she was strip-searched. The arresting authority, the US Marshals Service, said the strip search was a routine procedure imposed on any new arrestee at the federal courthouse.

Khobragade was released on USD 250,000 bail. In the aftermath of her arrest, India asked to transfer Khobragade to the United Nations.

The case was adjourned until January 13 by which time the government must commence a preliminary hearing or file an indictment.

Arshack has reportedly asked U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn to extend the deadline by 30 days to February 12.

Preet Bharara, the U.S. attorney in Manhattan, whose office is handling the case, however, said plea discussions can continue following the indictment in the case.

On Monday, State Department Spokeswoman Marie Harf said India's application to transfer Khobragade's accreditation to the Indian mission at the United Nations, which was made before Christmas, was still under review.

"We've received the request for change in accreditation, but the process is ongoing and no official decision has been made yet to do that. So, there's no change in her status as of this point,"

she told a regular news briefing. According to UN guidelines on diplomatic privileges and immunities, documents certifying diplomatic immunity, if approved, are usually issued by the US Mission to the United Nations within two weeks of the initial request. A State Department official said there was no set time period for the process, and noted that the request had been filed just ahead of a period of government holidays. Harf said the United States hoped to see the case resolved as soon as possible in the interest of the bilateral relationship between India and the United States, which has been strained by the case.

"We don't want this to define our relationship going forward and don't think that it will. If you look throughout the region, if you look at Afghanistan, if you look at energy issues, economic issues, we have a whole host of things we work together on, and those are very important and shouldn't be derailed by this incident. The relationship with India is incredibly important, it's vital, and that's what we're focused on," said Harf.

Sahitya Akademi Award for Chinu Modi Lokpal Bill gets Presidential assent

Khobragade issue: India takes strong stand

India has firmly told the United States that there cannot be business as usual between the two countries till the case of Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade is resolved.

Indian foreign secretary Sujatha Singh is said to have conveyed this to US Ambassador to India Nancy Powell when both met at Singh's South Block office in New Delhi. Singh firmly told Powell that the United States is the country that has to resolve the issue.

New Delhi's assertion assumes significance in the context of the January 13 deadline for the indictment of Khobragade on visa fraud charges in New York.

India has been demanding the withdrawal of the case against her and an apology from Washington for the treatment meted out to the 39-year-old diplomat.

Meanwhile, Khobragade's lawyer, Daniel Arshack, has according to a foreign news agency report, sought to postpone proceedings in the visa fraud case that has created tensions between the United States and India, citing the

28

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 11th January 2014

Sameera Reddy

Busy Nayanthara

T

gets engaged!

O

ne of Tamil cinema’s heart-throbs for a large part of the decade, Sameera Reddy, has finally found her better-half and recently got engaged to him. The lucky man is Akshai Varde, a private businessman, with whom Sameera developed a fondness as both the individuals shared a common romance for bikes and biking. Akshai himself is a custom bike builder and he picked Sameera’s birthday, December 14th, as the date for the engagement. The two are set to get married in 2014 and as of now there’s been no word yet on whether Sameera would continue doing films after marriage. Her last Tamil release was “Vettai” in 2012.

he party has ended, the holidays are over and it is time to get back to work in the bustling cine town. And who is the busiest of all this season? Turns out it is Nayanthara who has her calendar chock-a-block with projects. The actress has four projects lined up in Tamil and one in Telugu. Panning closer into her Tollywood project, we bring you some more facts on this Venkatesh-Nayan starrer. The film is titled 'Radha'. It is to be recalled that the pair has already shared the silver screen in two projects previously 'Lakshmi' in 2006 and 'Thulasi' in the following year.

Meera Jasmine’s double treat

W

ith “Inga Enna Solludhu,” Meera Jasmine is making a comeback after her short sabbatical. She stars alongside VTV Ganesh and Santhanam in that movie. Simbu and Andrea have also done extended cameos in the film. Apart from this project, the actress is also a part of “Vignyani.” Also starring Vivek, Sanjana Singh, ‘Boys’ Rajan, Latha Rao, Devadarshini and Thalaivaasal Vijay in pivotal character, the movie is written, directed and produced by Paarthi.

Looks like Meera Jasmine has her plate filled.

Kamal Haasan to play an ageing superstar in his next K

amal Haasan will play an ageing superstar in his next; has also signed Ananth Mahadevan for a part. About 10 days ago, Ananth Mahadevan was surprised by a call from Kamal Haasan.

"He wanted me to play the role of his friend-cum-manager in his next film," reveals the actor-filmmaker.

While Ananth is tight-lipped about the project, a source close to the development said that the drama revolves around an ageing actor trying to exorcise his past who decides to mend the bridges he burned on the way to the top.

“Kamal will be playing his age. It's unfortunate that a 50 plus actor in India doesn't often get the same opportunities. Kamal is trying to break that ceiling," asserts the source.

This is not the first collaboration between Ananth and Kamal. The former also plays a significant role in ' Vishwaroopam 2' which is set to release this month.

John Abraham marries Priya Runchal A

ctor-producer John Abraham has tied the knot with his girlfriend Priya Runchal in a private ceremony.

The 41-year-old “Dhoom” star confirmed the news with a tweet, "Wishing you and your loved ones a blessed 2014! May this year bring you love, good fortune and joy.

Love, John and Priya Abraham." John, who was holidaying in the US with Priya, is said to have tied the knot there with only family and close friends in attendance. John met Priya, an investment banker, in Mumbai in December 2010.

He was previously in a nineyear relationship with actress Bipasha Basu. The actor has always been secretive about his status with Priya and has rarely spoken about her in the media.

Pooja immobile after freak accident

While the rest of Bollywood rang in the New Year at exotic locales and raucous parties, actress Pooja Chopra of 'Commando' fame spent the last days of 2013 in a hospital bed.

The actress suffered a freak accident at her Lokhandwala residence, which has left her bedridden.

Pooja was sipping tea by the window of her apartment, when the glass from the window-pane collapsed on to the floor. One of the pieces pierced her left leg and the actress started bleeding profusely. An alert domestic help, rushed her to a nearby hospital where she underwent immediate surgery, which lasted for over three and a half hours.

Farhan Akhtar, Arjun Rampal in 'Rock On' sequel

ilmmaker actor Farhan Akhatr and Arjun Rampal will star in the sequel to the music F based film 'Rock On'. Actor Purab Kohli will

also reprise his role as KD. Though the cast remains the same, the director who gained fame with Rock On, Abhishek Kapoor, will not be directing the sequel. Ad film-maker Shujaat Saudagar has been roped in instead to direct the much awaited musical. However, the details of the rest of the cast and crew are yet to be finalised. The sequel is slated to go on floors in January 2015.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 11th January 2014

Latest

Is Shahid Kapoor dating Sonakshi Sinha?

f a certain news report is to be then the latest to find Ibelieved, love in Bollywood is Shahid

Kapoor and his 'gandi baat' co-star Sonakshi Sinha!

According to a report, Shahid and Sonakshi who recently delivered a hit with their film ' R...Rajkumar' are apparently dating each other.

The two who became friends while filming of this Prabhudheva film seem to have got closer after the shoot.

The news says that the actors are trying to keep it a hush-hush affair and only close friends of the two know about this development. The two were spotted at a party together sometime back as well.

Shahid had allegedly even gifted a saree to Sonakshi while promoting their film in Ahmedabad.

If this is true then Shahid and Sonakshi will certainly become the latest lovebirds in B-town. While Shahid was earlier in a long relationship with Kaeena Kapoor and then rumoured to be dating Priyanka Chopra, there hasn't been any news of Sonakshi being linked to anyone before.

Katrina declines Ranbir's marriage proposal E ven though the two have remained tight lipped about their whirlwind romance, Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif's alleged love life isn't hidden from anyone. If reports are to be believed then Katrina has apparently declined Ranbir's marriage proposal!

The Bollywood heartthrob, Ranbir who can make any woman weak at her knees needs a dash of luck when it comes to convincing rumoured girlfriend Katrina. According to reports, Katrina said no to Ranbir's marriage proposal as she wants to focus on her career.

A career oriented Katrina declined Ranbir's proposal to focus on her growing career. Ranbir seems to be serious about his relationship with Kat and in an interview even spoken about getting married at the age of 28. Well past that age now, after his girlfriend's alleged refusal to walk down the aisle with him, the 'Besharam' hero will have to wait before he can hear wedding bells.

Katrina and Ranbir's marriage rumours grew stronger after Ranbir's cousin Kareena Kapoor teased him on 'Koffee With Karan' about Kat and even addressed to her as his sister-in-law.

Ramesh Sippy's 'Dhoom: 3' plea against collects over Rs 5.50 bn ‘Sholay’ 3D rejected worldwide A amir Khan has struck gold at the box office with “Dhoom: 3” continuing to grow worldwide and domestic. It has collected Rs 2.50 billion in the domestic market as of January 1.

Meanwhile, globally the film shattering all records, had collected above Rs 3 billion.

In United Kingdom the film has collected Rs 202.4 million; in the US and Canada the film has collected Rs 421.3 million; in United Arab Emirates/G.C.C. Rs 324.7 million and in Austraila + New Zealand 103.1 million and in Pakistan Rs 72.5 million (as of 26-Dec-2013) bringing the grand total to Rs 3.65 billion.

Supreme Court of India rejected the plea of filmmaker Ramesh Sippy asking for a stay on release of 1975 blockbuster movie “Sholay's” 3D version. Sippy moved to the apex court after Bombay High Court refused to grant a stay on release of movie. Jayantilal Gada, the producer of 3D version of movie, said, "In a hearing today Supreme Court rejected Ramesh Sippy's plea demanding a stay on release movie. The court said stay won’t be granted, and if he has any other issue other than stay on release of movie, he can approach Bombay High Court."

29

Salman is most searched Indian actor in Facebook he New Year is spelling good on Bollywood actor Salman Khan, whose T popularity has reached a new high.

Bollywood's 'Dabangg' has beaten his archrival-turned-friend Shah Rukh Khan and has 12 million followers on social networking site Facebook. Salman Khan, who has more than 5 million followers on Twitter, is trending as #12MillionSalmaniacsOnFB. Shah Rukh and Aamir are far behind at nearly 5 million followers. While megastar Amitabh Bachchan is at 8 million followers.

Salman Khan was also named the most searched Bollywood celebrities on Google in 2013. Salman Khan's popularity can be credited to the controversies regarding the recently concluded game show 'Bigg Boss 7' which the actor hosts on weekends. Salman, who hasn't had a single film release in 2013, is also all set to start 2014 with a bang with his upcoming action film 'Jai Ho'. Ever since the first look launch the film has been creating quite a buzz on the social networking sites. Besides 'Jai Ho', Salman Khan has another releasein 2014 – 'Kick', which is under production.

Vivek Oberoi yet to give a nod to playing young Modi V

ivek Oberoi has confirmed that he has been offered the role of a young Narendra Modi in a US-based director's film.

Before entering politics, the Gujarat Chief Minister used to run a tea stall and also worked in the staff canteen of the Gujarat Road Tr a n s p o r t Corporation.

During the promotions of his previous release, Vivek had said that after essaying a drastically different role in the superhero flick, he was looking forward to more challenging offers.

30

UK

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 11th January 2014

3 Asians identified in fatal crash on North Circular Three men, who died in the fatal crash on the North Circular Road in the early hours of Monday 23 October, have been formally identified.

The driver of the Subaru has been identified as Jawad Qureshi, aged 28 (19.8.85) of Headstone Drive, Harrow. The passengers have been identified as Toheed Robani, aged 34 (8.8.79) of Litchfield Gardens, NW10 and Haider Qureshi, aged 28 of Westfield Close, NW9.

All were in the Subaru Impreza. Police were called to the scene at 12.25am after reports of a collision on the A406 North Circular road/Bowes Road, N11 close to the junction with Natal Road.

The Ambulance Service and London Fire Brigade attended after a collision between a Subaru Impreza and a lorry.

Reports suggest that the Subaru was travelling westbound and hit the central reservation before

colliding with the lorry travelling eastbound. The car then caught fire.

Post mortems have taken place at Haringey Mortuary. Jawad Qureshi cause of death was given as multiple injuries; Toheed Robani cause of death was head injuries and the cause of death for Haider Qureshi was given as multiple injuries.

The driver of the lorry suffered minor injuries.

A Vauxhall Astra was also involved in the collision. Two men were taken

to hospital suffering from minor injuries. Both were discharged and arrested.

They have since been bailed until a date in late February.

Both were arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

Officers from the Road Death Investigation Unit at Chadwell Heath Traffic Garage are investigating.

Any witnesses or anyone with any information are asked to call the witness line on 020 8597 4874.

A third of Brits over £200 poorer compared to Jan 2013 The joy of ringing in the New Year may not last very long as new research from VoucherCodes.co.uk discovers the nation is over £200 poorer on average in the first month of 2014 (£214) compared to January last year.

Britons estimate they have £214 less this month than January 2013, with women more cash poor (£224) than men (£203).

The main reason is rising household bills (71%), followed by those who have

had a pay cut in the last 12 months (30%), the increased cost in nonessentials (19%) and overspending at Christmas (13%). A quarter of highearning UK adults admitted they also face a financially tougher January than last year (24%)

Coming Events

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When asked about the state of their finances for January, a third revealed they are worse off compared to last year (32%) while just one in 10 said managing money will be easier now than 12 months ago (13%).

Women seem to be poorer in January with £224 less in the first month of the year compared to men who are £203 poorer and the majority of consumers blame this reduction on the rising cost of household bills, and the cost of groceries (71%). Other leading factors include receiving a pay cut in the last 12 months (30%) and the increased cost of nonessentials like holidays, technology and shopping (19%). Overspending at Christmas also negatively impacted January finances

for one in 10 (13%).

Anita Naik, lifestyle editor of VoucherCodes.co.uk comments: “January is traditionally thought of as a tough month following splurges over Christmas and New Year but while speculation suggests the British economy is slowly improving, it is clear that consumers are not feeling the benefit. A third of Britons actually find themselves financially worse off this month compared to the same time last year. Furthermore, while one in 10 claim that Christmas spending sprees have put them in a precarious situation this month, it is worrying to see the main cause of being over £200 poorer is due to the soaring cost of household essentials and bills (71 per cent).”

ARIES Mar 21 - Apr 20

Much enthusiasm goes into professional ambitions right now, but you need to be your own boss in many ways. You will be determined to place your lifestyle on a foundation of greater security.

Taking a broad perspective on the prevailing cosmic pattern, far-reaching change begins to gather momentum.

TAURUS Apr 21 - May 21 It is essential that you adopt a very open attitude now for this is a time of lucky opportunity and a chance to greatly enrich your life. New windows on the world are about to open and this is bound to have a maturing effect on you from now into the future. There is a rather secretive aura surrounding new romance, which could turn into something very special.

GEMINI May 22 - June 22 Regardless of the limits, you have the capacity to turn the course of your life. Saturn in Scorpio, the sign of depth, will help you organize your priorities and systematically put them into practice. It is about time you moved beyond your established boundaries of safety. You will find ways to be more financially independence.

CANCER Jun 22 - Jul 22

The accent’s very much on relationships.

The opening up of a more diverse social life is a point in favour of romantic attachments, if this is what you want. You will achieve a lot more, especially when you're motivated by your own desires.

The general pattern of things continues on a progressive and buoyant theme.

LEO Jul 23 - Aug 23

Either you or your partner have been going through a phase of inner doubts and uncertainties, and perhaps the main source of tension has simply been the need for breathing space in your relationship and a need to look at things more objectively.

Wait before going full steam ahead with grand actions and gestures.

VIRGO Aug 24 - Sep 23

The presence of Neptune - the planet of illusion and longing - in your partnership sector, you have a tremendous amount of compassion for your partner. Just be wary of becoming too self-sacrificing. Seeing what you want to see, rather than what's real, is the true pitfall of Neptune's rosecoloured glasses.

LIBRA Sep 24 - Oct 23 With the Sun transiting your house of family and home, these areas are your instinctive focus during this period. This is a time when you put down roots and seek to belong.

Besides, the focus can be on cultivating and nourishing your inner foundations that support you and your growth.

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SCORPIO Oct 24- Nov 22 The Sun is transiting your 3rd house of communications. You are more curious and alert than usual, and you could be quite busy with errands, paperwork, phone calls, and light socializing. The ability to express and communicate your ideas is extremely important to you at this time.

SAGITTARIUS Nov 23 - Dec 21 Your focus is on material affairs and comfort issues. Security is a driving force for you at the moment, and you might find that you are especially interested in accumulating possessions. This is the time of year when personal finances and possessions receive maximum attention.

CAPRICORN Dec 22 - Jan 20

The pattern of significant relationships in your life will continue to favour you. It seems that a great deal of mutual benefit will accrue because of various interactions. The underlying trend indicates that deep creative energies are stirring within you and that seemingly insignificant events will play a vital role in the future.

AQUARIUS Jan 21 - Feb 19

There are subtle transformations taking shape in you life and a feeling of helpful influences in the background. There is much to suggest that you are in tune with your inner self and in touch with those hidden forces which often seem to take a guiding hand in one's life. Focus on essentials and establish a solid foundation, so that you feel secure.

Don't take short-cuts in legal or official matters.

It will be only too easy to feel exasperated by bureaucracy but you won't be doing yourself any favours if you lose your cool. This is a fine time for you to get away from the mundane realities of life and relax. Some of you will probably go abroad.

PISCES Feb 20 - Mar 20

India down Pakistan in U-19 final

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 11th January 2014

Indian skipper Vijay Zol (100) and Sanju Samson (100) scored contrasting centuries as India colts posted a comprehensive 40-run win over arch-rivals Pakistan to clinch the Under-19 Asia Cup title, at Sharjah on Saturday.

While Zol's knock came off 120 balls laced with seven fours and two sixes, Samson took just 87 deliveries for his ton that included eight boundaries and four sixes, to help India reach 314 for eight in their allotted 50 overs. In reply, Pakistan could reach 274 for nine, despite a fighting ton from Kamran Ghulam (102 not out; 89b, 12X4s). Put in to bat, India got off to a solid start with openers - Ankush Bains (47) and Akhil Herwadkar (12) putting on 65 runs in 6.4 overs for the opening wicket.

It was medium pacer Zia-ulHaq who got the first breakthrough for Pakistan by removing Herwadkar, while leg-spinner Karamat Ali dismissed Bains to reduce India to 85 for two.

However, the left-handed Zol and the right-handed

Samson shared a massive 180-run partnership for the third wicket to give India the upperhand.

The two batsmen kept on rotating the strike well by taking singles, but punished any loose deliveries that came their way to frustrate the Pakistani bowlers.

Karamat finally broke the partnership when he saw off Zol, who mistimed a shot and lofted it to Zafar Gohar at mid-on. But Samson took

SPORT WORLD

revenge by hitting Karamat for two consecutive sixes off the next two deliveries. He, however, failed to sustain it for long and got out a couple of overs later. But by the time Samson departed, India were comfortably placed at 286 for four in 44.1 overs.

For Pakistan, Zafar Gohar (2/52), Zia-ul-Haq (2/56) and Karamat (2/78) took two wickets each, while Kamran Ghulam chipped in with one. Chasing a massive

target, Pakistan faltered from the very beginning. Left-arm seamer CV Milind got the first breakthrough when he caught and bowled Mohammad Umair (17).

Imam-ul-Haq (18), Hasan Raza (1) and Saifullah Khan (3) too fell cheaply to leave Pakistan reeling at 88 for four. But opener Sami Aslam played a sensible knock and held on to his ground even as wickets kept tumbling at the other end.

national '14 and under' singles events in Delhi (RK Khanna Tennis Centre) and Mumbai (MSLTA Tennis Centre). The top 16 boys and girls from these two events will be invited to the Wimbledon Foundation Junior Masters in Delhi in April with the two boys and two girls finalists invited to compete in the UK HSBC

National Finals on the grass at Wimbledon next August.

"India has a special place in my heart - 2014 marks twenty years since I made my breakthrough on the Indian satellite circuit, winning 18 successive singles matches.

This is pretty much where it started for me and thanks to The Wimbledon Foundation and HSBC this could be the start for a whole generation of Indian children," said Henman.

Philip Brook, chairman of the All England Club, said: "Launching The Road to Wimbledon in India is a major landmark for us and it's superb that both Tim and Dan are going to be so closely involved. We look forward both to a long and successful partnership, and to welcoming the first finalists to the lawns of the All England Club at our UK National Finals next August."

host the Asia Cup should it be necessary.

However, with the BCB having presented a detailed security report to the ACC, the regional body was convinced that Bangladesh could satisfactorily host the event. India, Pakistan, Sri

Lanka, Bangladesh & Afghanistan will take part in the tournament scheduled to be held from 24th February to 7th March.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka expressed to step in and host the cricket Asia Cup one-day tournament and the World Twenty20 if the two events are pulled out of violenceplagued Bangladesh, a top official said. The Asia Cup had been scheduled to be held between February 24 and March 7 in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka, which has been hit by violent protests and strikes in the build-up to general election. Bangladesh is also due to host the 16-nation World Twenty20 tournament, the nation's biggest ever sporting event, from March 16 to April 6.

Henman to launch ‘Road to Wimbledon’ in India

Former Britain No.1 Tim Henman will be in India to spearhead a major new initiative aimed at boosting the development of junior tennis in the country in association with The Wimbledon Foundation.

India will host the first Wimbledon tennis event outside Britain as 11-time-Tour winner Henman heads to Delhi and Mumbai in January to launch ‘The Road to Wimbledon’ in India with a series of coaching clinics and events offering local children the chance to play at Wimbledon next August.

Henman, who kick-started his career in India in 1994 with three successive tournament wins on the Indian satellite circuit, will be joined

by All England Club Head Coach Dan Bloxham, for the activity in Delhi and Mumbai on Jan 6-14.

The Wimbledon

Foundation, the community, charitable and development arm of the All England Club and The Championships, Wimbledon, and HSBC have linked with All India Tennis Association (AITA) on this pilot scheme as the first phase of a long-term plan to support the development of Indian tennis.

The clinics are part of two

Bangladesh to host Asia Cup 2014: ACC

The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has announced that Bangladesh will indeed host the Asia Cup in 2014 from February 25th to March 8th, and also confirmed that Afghanistan will be the fifth team in the competition.

“As of now, the decision has been made that Bangladesh will retain hosting rights of the Asia Cup,” Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) acting CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury said. “We have given a very good presentation to the ACC board members, and they have been convinced that we can host the tournament. Afghanistan has also been added to the tournament, making it a five-team event and the number of matches has gone up to eleven.”

Although Bangladesh was always the first choice to host the event, violence caused by political strikes and blockades in the capital Dhaka had threatened to move it away from the country. Sri Lanka had earlier expressed willingness to

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Wawrinka continues Chennai reign

Roger Federer might have faltered in Brisbane on Sunday, but not his compatriot.

Stanislas Wawrinka, who has lived under the shadow of the Swiss master, mixed power and subtlety in equal proportion to perplex his opponent Edouard Roger-Vasselin and win his second Chennai Open title 7-5, 6-2 without dropping a set. It were his solid serves, quality groundstrokes and the supreme singlehanded backhands that made the difference. Not too many people on the circuit play the singlehanded back-hand with the precision and beauty of Wawrinka, and it was on display all over again on Sunday. He forced Roger-Vasselin to go to his backhand and just when it mattered, brought out the big shot to finish off the point.

Supreme court delays decision on Lalit Modi

The fate of former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi, who contested the Rajasthan Cricket Association polls, is likely to be known on January 17 with the Supreme Court of India saying that it would open the sealed enveloped containing the results on that day. A bench headed by Justice A R Dave also agreed to hear the objections raised by BCCI over Modi contesting the December 19, 2013 election before declaring the results if Modi comes out as a winner. BCCI pleaded that Modi should not have been allowed to contest the election as he has been disqualified by the Board for life from being associated with any cricket association.

The bench, however, said the issue raised by the Board will arise only if Modi wins the election and if it happens then it will hear the plea of BCCI before declaring the results. "Is he (Modi) more powerful that he will certainly be elected," the bench said when the Board insisted that it hear its plea against Modi.

Upcoming IPL may be held in two halves

Cricket lovers of the country may miss out on some matches of the Indian Premier League (IPL) this year as the seventh edition of the league is likely to clash with the 2014 general elections. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is considering hosting the tournament in two halves - one in India and the other abroad. It is one of the options being discussed in the board at the moment. "Keeping the security issue in mind during the elections, IPL may be hosted in two parts — one in India and the other in another country. But it's not yet decided which half will be played in the country. The final decision will be taken only after the election dates are announced," a BCCI source said.

BAI drops case against Jwala Gutta

The prolonged standoff between Jwala Gutta and Badminton Association of India (BAI) has ended with the national federation dropping all the charges against the ace doubles specialist. The experienced shuttler can now heave a sigh of relief and play freely in the Victor Korea Open Super Series starting in Seoul which began on January 7. Jwala and her doubles partner Ashwini Ponnappa were scheduled to play in the year’s first Super Series tournament, but now the pair can officially be a part of the Indian squad. “I am very happy with the decision BAI has taken. I will be playing as a part of the Indian team in future tournaments too. It will be an honour to represent the country as always,” Jwala said. The deadlock between BAI and Jwala was broken last week in New Delhi when she met BAI president Akhilesh Das Gupta personally after the Senior Nationals.

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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 11th January 2014

Another humiliating defeat for England

Australia obliterated England's batting in a shade over 31 overs to claim a thumping 281-run fifth Test victory with more than two days to spare and seal only the third 5-0 sweep in the long history of Ashes series on Sunday. The triumph at a sunbaked Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) completed a remarkable turnaround for Australia, who were in disarray after being swept themselves in India and going down 3-0 in England to lose a third successive Ashes series last year.

A big clue to how Australia managed that turnaround came when paceman Mitchell Johnson was awarded the Compton-Miller medal as Man of the Series after taking 37 wickets at a shade under 14 apiece over the five Tests.

Johnson's ferocious pace again played an integral part in Australia's victory in Sydney, but it was no one man show and his fellow quick Ryan Harris won Man of the Match honours after taking five for 25 as England were skittled for 166 on Sunday.

Johnson's revival was even more remarkable than that achieved by Australia, turning him from a figure of ridicule for England's travel-

ling Barmy Army into a bowler who struck fear into the touring batsmen. It was his intervention after tea on Sunday that turned what had been a stately progression to victory into another humiliating rout for the tourists. After finally dismissing Chris Rogers for 119 and bowling Australia out for 276, England stumbled to the break on 87 for three chasing a highly improbable 448 for victory.

A fifth thumping victory had always looked on the cards after Australia's pace attack tore through England's top order in the first hour of Day Two. A more spectacular collapse in 11 balls after the

second interval on day three made it certain with Johnson dismissing opener Michael Carberry for 43 and Gary Ballance three balls later in the first over.

“Mitchell's bowled a couple of spells in this series that are without doubt as good a spells as I've seen in my career,” said Clarke. “And I've been lucky enough to play with Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie, Brett Lee and Shane Warne.” Spinner Nathan Lyon took over for the next over and he dismissed Jonny Bairstow (zero) and Scott Borthwick (four) to reduce the tourists to 95-7 in a matter of minutes. With England’s top

order having failed yet again, Ben Stokes (32) and Stuart Broad (42) provided their country's stiffest resistance down the order but they could only delay the inevitable. Harris bowled them both before performing the coup de grace on debutant Boyd Rankin and the SCG, bathed in pink in honour of Glenn McGrath’s breast cancer charity rose to hail the Australia team.

Australia had already reclaimed the coveted urn after winning the Brisbane test by 381 runs, the Adelaide match by 218 runs, in Perth by 150 runs and taking an eight-wicket triumph in Melbourne.

does feel like the end of some type of era."

Former captain Michael Vaughan wanted England to make Pietersen more responsible by naming him vice-captain.

"I have my fingers crossed and hope England do not take the easy way out of this mess by making Kevin Pietersen the victim for the Ashes whitewash," Vaughan, who in 2005 became the first England skipper to win the Ashes since Mike Gatting in 1986-87, wrote in his column.

"I accept something has to give. Either Kevin is given

more responsibility, and I suggested at the weekend that he should be made vicecaptain, or he has to go.

There is no point keeping him on as a peripheral figure.

"Alastair Cook needs to use Pietersen properly and ask him how he sees his own future, and his view on the style of cricket the team have to play to become No. 1 in the world again.

"I fear England will not do that and decide to get rid of Pietersen. That would be a sad loss for English cricket, the game cannot afford for that to happen. He is too good a player."

Vaughan felt England could become successful again and that Pietersen was talented enough to retain his place until the next Ashes series.

"It would be a huge loss if this England management cannot get two more years out of Pietersen and let him lead them to playing the brand of cricket we want to see," Vaughan added.

"I guarantee if they give Pietersen responsibility they will win more games, win them quicker and gain new fans.

"At times they will rub the oppositions' noses in the dirt and I like that. Australia have done that to England."

Kevin Pietersen rules out retirement, wants to win Ashes back

England batsman Kevin Pietersen has ruled out retirement in the wake of the 5-0 Ashes thrashing by Australia and wants to help regain the urn when they host the series in 2015.

The whitewash has led to calls by pundits for an overhaul of the England team and setup and coach Andy Flower declined to confirm whether Pietersen, England's fourth highest run scorer of all time and second in the lost series, was safe.

The South Africa-born batsman, however, said he had no plans to walk away.

"Very disappointed to lose 50, and not to score more runs personally.

Tough tour against a top class team," Pietersen, who scored 294 runs at an average of 29.40 during the five tests, wrote on his Twitter page.

"I want to thank all the England fans for their terrific support. And I'm determined to help regain the Ashes in 2015."

Spinner Graeme Swann announced his retirement after the urn was lost following the third test, while batsman Jonathan Trott quit after the first match because of a stress-related illness which is expected to keep him out for the foreseeable future.

Pietersen was one of sev-

eral players who came under fire from former cricketers during the humiliating Ashes loss for his failure to dig in for the under-pressure team and shy away from his flamboyant, attacking style.

Flower said everyone in the set-up would be evaluated.

"This was a bad loss for the England cricket team and as part of our review, we'll be looking at playing personnel and support staff and making sure we have the right people in place," Flower told reporters on Monday.

"But this will be a new start, and so it should be. It

New Zealander hits 36ball ton, betters Afridi’s record by a ball

New Zealand's Corey Anderson clubbed the fastest century in the history of one-day internationals from 36 balls as the hosts cruised to a 159-run win over the West Indies in rain-shortened third one-dayer.

New Zealand reached 283 for 4 from only 21 overs, with the West Indies only able to manage 124 for 5 in reply. Anderson hit 12 sixes and four fours to break the record by one delivery of a 37-ball century scored by Pakistan's Shahid Afridi against Sri Lanka which has stood for almost 18 years. "I went out there thinking I'm going to have to tick over some singles and construct an innings but you hit a couple of boundaries and keep going," Anderson said. New Zealand scored at 13 runs per over, and the 23-year-old allrounder finished on 131 not out from only 47 balls. He put on 191 for New Zealand's fourth wicket with Jesse Ryder who made 104 from 51 balls - the sixth-fastest century in one-day internationals - to show he has lost little of his aggressive stroke-play in his two-year absence. Captain Brendon McCullum set the momentum of the New Zealand innings when he smashed 33 from 11 balls.

Ireland to host Sri Lanka in one-day series

Sri Lanka will play in Ireland for the first time in 35 years after it was announced they would meet in a two-match one-day international series in May. Ireland will use the matches, to be played on May 6 and 8 at Clontarf in Dublin, as part of their preparations for the World Cup. "It's great news for both the team and supporters," Ireland coach Phil Simmons said. "We'll be gearing our preparation towards the 2015 World Cup, and this series is ideal." The Sri Lanka fixtures further underline the associate nation's growing status, although they are yet to beat a full-member nation in the 50over format in Dublin. "We'll be looking to take our cricket to the next level in 2014 by winning from these type of situations, pressing home our advantage when we're on top," Simmons said. "It's a fantastic opportunity for our squad to face players of the calibre of Kumar Sangakkara, Angelo Matthews, Tillakaratne Dilshan and of course Lasith Malinga. "They're going to be tough opposition but Irish conditions in May will be to our advantage."

Serena Williams wins Brisbane International

World number one Serena Williams won the seasonopening Brisbane International tennis tournament when she beat second seed Victoria Azarenka on Saturday. Williams won a close first set then edged Azarenka in the second to win a tense final 6-4, 7-5 in 98 minutes. The defending champion just shaded Azarenka throughout, with her powerful serve proving the main difference between the world's top two players. Williams broke Azarenka once in the first set. Although she lost her serve twice in the second, she broke Azarenka three times to seal victory.