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Let noble thoughts come to us from every side

President Trump pulls US out of Trans-Pacific deal

US President Donald Trump took out Washington from the Trans-Pacific Partnership - a t r a d e

Rules the Government cannot trigger Article 50 without Parliament approval

On Tuesday morning, supporters of the Remain campaign thought their prayers were answered, as the Supreme Court dismissed the government’s appeal in the landmark case on Brexit, meaning Parliament would be required to give its approval before official talks on leaving the EU could begin.

Yet within minutes of the court judgment, the Parliament indicated it was not at all sure it was ready to assume such power – especially if it means facing down the result of the June referendum or a media consensus that only the directly expressed will of the people should be sovereign.

The question remains: will the MPs reflect their own view when the bill gets passed in the Parliamemt or will they have to stand for their constituents, who may have supported Brexit in the first place in June 2016?

Jeremy Corbyn in a statement that swiftly closed off any meaningful likelihood of enough MPs opposing the government’s imminent Brexit bill said, “Labour respects the result of the referendum and the will of the

British people and will not frustrate the process for invoking Article 50.”

A No10 spokesperson told Asian Voice, “The British people voted to leave the EU, and the Government will deliver on their verdict – triggering Article 50, as planned, by the end of March. Today’s ruling does nothing to change that.

“It’s important to remember that Parliament backed the referendum by a margin of six to one and has already indicated its support for getting on with the process of exit to the timetable we have set out.

“We respect the Supreme Court’s decision, and will set out our next steps to Parliament shortly.”

What exactly has the Supreme Court decided?

By a majority of eight to three, Supreme Court justices ruled that Prime Minister Theresa May cannot lawfully bypass MPs and peers by using the royal prerogative to trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty and start the two-year process of negotiating the UK’s divorce from its EU part-

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ners in March 2017.

The ruling will stop Mrs May from triggering Article 50 by the end of March and now will entirely depend on the decision of the Parliament.

What happens next?

Attorney General Jeremy Wright said the government would “comply with the judgment of the court and do all that is necessary to implement it”.

The new bill is however expected to be short, as the government’s lawyer during the hearing suggested that ‘one-line’ legislation could be put forward. Both the House of Commons and House of Lords will have to vote in favour of it.

While Tory MPs would like to see it fast-tracked through Parliament, it is natural that many Labour, Lib Dem and SNP MPs will want as much time as possible to discuss a variety of issues and to make amendments. The Daily Telegraph supported this speculation by reporting that SNP Continued on page 5

nificant trade deals, on the very first day of office.

Trump opened 'Day One' of his Continued on page 26

agreement among 12 of the Pacific Rim countries, one of former prez Barack Obama's most sig-

Tamil Nadu burns over Jallikattu

Followed by an enactment of legislation by the Tamil Nadu government to facilitate conduct of Jallikattu, the Centre told the S u p r e m e Court that it would withdraw its 2016 notific a t i o n allowing the bull taming sport in the state, in view of the fresh legislation, passed by the state assembly.

Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi told a bench headed by Justice Continued on page 26

2

ONE ONE with Keith Vaz, MP

Asian Voice 28th January 2017

www.asian-voice.com

to

Andy Keeling

Andy Keeling is the Chief Executive and Chief Operating Officer of Leicester City Council. Andy’s first degree was in Housing and Development, which was the field he spent the first 10 years of his career. After completing his MBA IN 2000 Andy diversified into the Neighbourhood Renewal and Regeneration fields. He was appointed Corporate Director for Regeneration and Culture in January 2007 and then Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Chief Executive in October 2008.

Andy has two children, Jess and Dan both at university and is a fan of Leicester City FC – champions of England!

1) What is your current position?

I am the Chief Operating Officer and Head of Paid Service for Leicester City Council. This means I am the Council’s most senior officer, with shared responsibility along with the City Mayor for all the activities, services and projects of the Council, we have an annual turnover of £1 billion. I have a very capable team of Directors along with 6500 staff and I don’t want to give the impression that this is anything other than a big

team effort.

2) What are your proudest achievements?

I was born at the back of Saffron Lane in 1968 (in Leicester), so to do this job in my home town is an immense privilege and a constant source of pride. I wouldn’t want to take credit for any of the Council’s achievements as so many different people – staff, politicians, partners, citizens of Leicester are involved in all our projects and services.

Slough man slapped with lengthy sentence for drug offences A man has been slammed with a ten year prison sentence for drugs offences.

Djibriel Ahmed, 33, of Goodman Park, Slough, was slapped with the lengthy sentence on Friday January 20. He was found guilty of being concerned in the supply of cocaine on December 19 following a five week trial at Hove Crown Court.

His sentencing is the culmination of a drawn out investigation by the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit (SEROCU) into the importation of cutting agents used to bulk up

drug quantities to create more profit.

Ahmed's accomplice, David Marshall, 31, of Bromley, was jailed for 20 years for conspiracy to supply cocaine and money laundering.

Family of drug dealer ordered to hand over four houses The family of a major drug dealer convicted of being part of a £180 million money laundering conspiracy is facing having to hand over four houses.

The High Court was told that relatives of Alam Zeb Khan must give up a portfolio of properties in Birmingham and Northern Ireland funded by his criminal enterprises.

Alam Zeb Khan, of Birmingham, served sentences starting in 2000 for heroin smuggling, in 2012 for a cocaine supply plot and in 2013 for money laundering. However, fol-

lowing his latest conviction, the National Crime Agency (NCA) went after his family’s assets.

Alam Zeb Khan was part of a A gang of 32 men who laundered more than £180 million for drug traffickers which was jailed for a total of 140 years in 2014.

The huge money laundering scam saw a staggering £44 million deposited into a single bank in Small Heath.

The racket was smashed by National Crime Agency officers, who filmed bags of cash being exchanged in Birmingham.

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3) What inspires you?

The resilience and tolerance of Leicester people. The City has seen many changes over the last 40 years and we are emerging from some very difficult economic times with a sense of community and self-confidence.

economic and physical regeneration of the City and for me personally buy a house, hopefully with a special someone as I’m currently renting.

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

National economic policy, austerity hasn’t worked and only stubborn foolhardiness is keeping it going and within that proper fiscal devolution for local government.

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

My own irreverence and inability to appropriately filter what I’m thinking before I open my mouth. A boss once described my brutal honesty and I don’t think she was paying me a compliment.

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

Two different bosses, one at the beginning of my career, Pat Hobbs, who was a great mentor and guiding hand. The other, Julia, my ex-wife who supported every promotion, studying for my MBA and every evening or weekend worked.

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

I get to be involved in lots of really interesting stuff making no two days the same.

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7) And the worst?

The ridiculous grant cuts by central government – decisions made in Westminster completely devoid of the reality of the situation in towns and cities like Leicester.

8) What are your long term goals?

Balance the Council’s budget to 2020, continue the excellent

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

One is difficult so any of the following: Albert Einstein, Charles Darwin, Che Guevara, or Rosa Luxemburg – I have a notoriously short attention span, if someone doesn’t get to the point in a few minutes my mind moves on but all of these will keep my attention for days and days being interesting, engaging and inspiring.

Businessman quizzed in car number plate fraud investigation A Birmingham businessman is being investigated in connection with an alleged six-figure personalised number plate fraud.

Zahid Khan, 30, who owns two luxury city homes, has been arrested and quizzed by police along with a number of other suspects.

The entrepreneur, who runs a tyre-fitting business in Sparkhill, owns highperformance cars and is learning to be a pilot. He is now under investigation in connection with an alleged number plate fraud.

Mr Khan was arrested last year and his home searched by officers and items taken away for exam-

ination. He is on bail until next month.

West Midlands Police said in a statement: “Police arrested a 30-year-old man on 26 February last year on suspicion of fraud and money laundering. He was re-arrested in April for conspiracy to de-fraud and has been bailed until February.

“Another four men, aged between 30 and 38, have also been arrested on suspicion of fraud. They have been bailed until April.

Officers have searched multiple premises and a number of items have been seized for examination during the course of the investigation.”

Mr Khan became director of the Bulls and Horses Auto Centre in Stratford Road, Sparkhill, in November 2015. He previously put his six-bedroom Yardley Wood Road home in Moseley on the market for £700,000. It boasted a cinema, indoor swimming pool, jacuzzi and steam room.

The businessman said: “I have been in the property for the last eight years and I love the house which I have designed to my own spec. But it’s time for me to move on and I have put the property up for sale at £700,000 for a quick sale.

It is time for me to leave.”

He had also spoken of

his desire to live in the country and said: “I will be looking at a rural location with enough room for a helipad and for my stallion.”

Mr Khan also owns a £500,000 home in White House Close, Solihull.

Schoolboy rejects £5 million for website he created in his bedroom A 16-year-old boy has rejected more than £5 million for a website he set up in his bedroom.

Mohammed Ali is apparently confident his price comparison website weneed1.com will be worth a lot more in the future.

‘The offer was rejected in December, just before Christmas. We met the investors in London, they were a global data driven company, and they didn’t realise I created all the technology involved. The main reason we rejected the offer was because, if the technology and con-

cept is worth millions already, just think how much it will be worth once people use it,’ the A-Level student from Dewsbury, Yorkshire, said.

He said he understood it was a big risk to reject the money from the American investors but wanted to create something for himself and make his website a household name. Ali claims to have developed a new algorithm that provides ‘real time quotes instead of the normal pre-fixed quotes you find on insurance sites.’

He added: ‘The big

thing about what we’re doing is that there are no competitors – this is a real time money saving expert – it’s like a Bloomberg for the general public.’

It’s not the first time the six former has been in

the money. His Project 2006 video game earned him £30,000 back in 2012.

His new venture, which he created with 60year-old business partner Chris Thorpe, will launch on January 28.

C MMENTS

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President Trump’s message to America and the world President Donald Trump is a man given to surprises. In the shortest inauguration speech America-watchers can remember, he abjured the expected rhetorical frills and flourishes for content. He said America’s politicians had milked the country for personal gain, ignoring the interests of the American people, to whom he would return power. American businesses had enriched other nations, while neglecting their own. He likened derelict industrial plants across America to ‘tombstones.’

Transnational trade deals had impoverished America and no such arrangement would now be made or considered. Such pacts would be bilaterally negotiated. His advice to fellow American companies was ‘Buy in America, hire in America.’ The American national interest, he said, would be his foremost priority in the years to come.

President Trump would not impose American ways and values on other natons; American achievements would be his country’s most enduring advertisement.

President Trump spoke of his commitment to the renewal of America’s decaying infrastructure; he pledged to build more highways, bridges and make education dynamic and relevant. He promised to stop the ‘carnage’ in inner cities perpetrated gangs and mobsters.

He promised to renew the American dream through new technologies, and he pledged himself to the annihilation of ‘radical Islam from the earth.’

His message and its vision had a resonance of Democratic party Senator and presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, who, from a different perspective dwelt on the need for the restoration of the American dream in the nation’s public life and its political discourse.

There were shades of Franklin Delano Roosevelt and his New Deal. President Trump addressed a nation deeply divided, but so too did Thomas Jefferson in 1801, Abraham Lincoln in 1860 and Franklin Roosevelt in 1936. They turned out to be three of the greatest American presidents.

China reminded of India’s ‘core interests’ Speaking at the recent Rasina Dialogue in Delhi, India’s Foreign Secretary, S. Jaishankar, the senior-most official in the Ministry of External Affairs, reminded China that India, like itself, had ‘core interests,’ of which Beijing would be best advised to take proper heed. The minatory tone of statements emanating from Beijing, first to Mongolia, then to India, that hospitality to the Dalai Lama by each country infringed ‘China’s core interests’ provoked a firm response from Mr Jaishankar. He suggested that China might be better served accepting India’s rise’ just as India and the international community at large had noted and accepted China’s rise without demur.

China’s uncompromising strategic alignment with Pakistan points surely to an approved understanding on Pakistani jihadi activities across the border in neighbouring India and Afghanistan, the latter perceived by Islamabad as its ‘strategic depth’ in a possible conflict with India. The prime objective of China’s economic corridor in Pakistan is to contain and cripple India.

Pakistan’s material resources have been concentrated domestic development but on military expansion.

China’s ruling elite appears driven by the desire to reduce India to a satisfactory level of subordination in Asia.

One needs only to turn to the pages of the Global Times, Beijing’s ideological organ of choice, to gauge the disdain and arrogance that India elicits from China’s political class and its twisted leadership. These ingrained habits of mind and spirit are unlikely to disappear anytime soon.

Tackling China is best seen in India as a protracted game which requires a blend of unflinching political resolve leavened with diplomatic skill and subtlety in an era unfolding global disorder. Political solutions in an unstable environment are likely to be complex and convoluted rather than simple and straightforward.

Penetrating China’s cultural autism, its Middle Kingdom mindset is best likened to defusing a minefield, but the exercise is best tackled in tandem with other concerned players disturbed by Chinese belligerence. The new Trump administration in Washington and its proclaimed outreach to Moscow should strengthen India’s proven ties both with the US and with the Russian Federation. Japan through a more circuitous route is moving towards a similar goal: it is on track to normalize and take forward its relationship with Russia – a movement fully reciprocated by President Vladimir Putin; Tokyo and New Delhi are on the same page in pursuit of a closer economic and strategic relationship, all of which are predicated on Japan’s long binding security treaty with the United States.

Beijing’s shrill, disjointed rants at India following the successful tests of its Agni V intercontinental ballistic missile and its intermediate-range Agni IV twin, both capable of carrying nuclear warheads deep into China’s Han heartlands may, hopefully, have jolted China’s rulers into a dawning realization that bluster and threats have been, and are, counter-productive, that apart from Pakistan, Beijing enjoys no genuine friendship with any major power in the Asia Pacific region.

Addressing the media in Washington, Chief of the US Pacific Command Admiral Harry Harris made a fairly detailed presentation of the joint workings of the US and Indian navies through joint exercises in the Bay of Bengal in which Japan is now an active participant.

Admiral Harris said: ‘My meetings with the Presidentelect’s [Donald Trump] team and the National Security Council last week underscore the seriousness of the way they view the region’s great importance. I am reassured over where the new teams are on the relationship with India.’ One message is more speed hereon to a closer Indo-US partnership.

New Indian envoy on ways to strengthen UK ties Yashwardhan Kumar Sinha, the India’s new High Commissioner to Britain has urged a closer working relationship between the two governments to meet contemporary and future challenges. Speaking in London, he said: ‘Of course Brexit is a challenge but I see it more an opportunity. Indian companies and Indian businesses are looking forward to engaging more closely with their British counterparts.’

However, he listed as a matter of concern the declining number of Indian students at British universities, which he contrasted this with the more welcoming approach of Australian, American, French and German

institutions whose representatives spared no effort to attract Indian students to their country’s shores.

He dwelt on Indian IT professionals. ‘In Europe, the UK is again our first port of call and I think for us it’s very important our IT professionals can come here and go back. They contribute immensely to not only to the local economy, but also to the global economy, which is what they are doing in Silicon Valley and the rest of the world. It is important that both countries engage in a manner beneficial for both India and the UK.’ One must hope that these words of wisdom do not fall on deaf ears.

Possible deal on Chagos Archipelago Beyond such issues there appears to be a welcome development. The inhabitants of the Chagos Archipelago, who, long years ago, were forcibly removed for reasons of security from the land of their birth to make way for a US military base at Diego Garcia, may have some chance of return. Britain, as a close ally of the United States acquiesced in this brutal act of injustice. As the Chagos Archipelago was under British colonial administration in Mauritius, the hapless islanders were dispatched to Port Louis, the Mauritian capital, where they have lived in poverty and social deprivation to this day.

All attempts to secure justice for this displaced community have failed thus far.

A warning from the present Mauritian government

that it would take the case to the United Nations, thence to the International Court of Justice appears to have jolted Whitehall out of its decades of slumber. Britain, prompted by the United States, has approached India to use its considerable influence with Mauritius with a view to reaching a settlement acceptable to all the parties.

The new British approach appears to have been welcomed by India. In today’s fraught world India too has vital interests in the waters around Mauritius, hence an overall deal which would also meet Indian security interests may well be on the cards. We shall have to wait and see. But hope springs eternal that justice so long delayed will, at last, be done.

To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe - Anatole France (1844-1924)

Bob Blackman MP Member of Parliament for Harrow East

Think carefully, dear Kashmiris A backbench business debate was proposed by my colleague in the Parliament to discuss human rights violations

by India of the people of Kashmir. Twenty seven of my colleagues of the total twenty nine, supported the motion proposed by David Nutall – most of who represented the constituencies with a dense population of people of Pakistani and illegally Pakistan Occupied Jammu Kashmir origin.

Having been a long standing friend of India and the Vice Chair of Indo-British All Party Parliamentary Group, I spoke in defence of India and highlighted the plight of minorities in the Kashmir valley.

With the limitation of time and lack of support from my ‘Friends of India’ colleagues, the debate was hugely biased and one sided. I am grateful to my colleague from Labour party, Virendra Sharma (also the Chair of Indo-British APPG) for having supported me in the debate. I am deeply disappointed in my colleagues representing the Indian diaspora, for not having chosen to participate in this debate whilst on the other side I was impressed to see nearly all my colleagues representing Pakistani and illegally Pakistan Occupied Jammu Kashmir populations in full attendance.

In reference to the very objective of this debate, I take the same view as our Conservative government – Kashmir is an internal matter between India and Pakistan and does not need interference from the UK. However, should a debate such as this go ahead as it did, I certainly Editor: CB Patel

will speak up for my constituents and stand up against propaganda.

The total undivided Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir region (including the Pakistan and China occupied territories) is the size of France, sharing its border with Pakistan, China and Russia. The state government of J& reserves 24 seats in the legislative assembly for PoJK in the hope that one day Pakistan will withdraw its illegal occupation of PoJK. While talking about human rights, it is important to remember the continuing fight for justice of Kashmiri Pandits and the fact that Jammu is under increasing threat of radicalisation with continued attacks in various parts including temples and highways.

To make things worse, Jammu has now become the refugee capital of the country and is home to nearly 60% of the state’s total population.

I was appalled to hear contributions made by MPs who trace their roots to PoJK – they ignored the plight of people of PoJK who call themselves ‘Azad’ (Free) Kashmir. In a seminar that I hosted on 18th January, the day before the debate and which was organised by Kashmiri Pandits Cultural Society commemorating 27 years in exile of the Kashmiri Pandits, I heard the first person accounts of the Kashmiri Pandits, contributions from Dogras on the plight of people living in border villages of Jammu and also a very moving speech by Sajjad Raja from PoJK where he Continued on page 8

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Money launderer threatened to get Russian criminals to murder police after going on the run A money launderer threatened to get Russian criminals to murder the police and a barrister after he jumped bail and went on the run in mainland Europe.

In one of many taunting emails mocking the criminal justice system, Nirmal Tanna attached a photograph of himself in front of the Swiss Alps, saying he had no intention of attending his trial at Leicester Crown Court, relating to £175,000 of stolen cash in his bank account.

In a brazen phone call to the court, the 39-year-old from Oadby, pretended to be a doctor who was caring for Tanna in Switzerland.

However, when challenged by a member of staff, he admitted it was actually him on the phone and said he "enjoyed" wasting the court's time.

But Tanna's months on the run overseas ended on New Year's Eve, with his arrest, on a European war-

rant, in Marbella, southern Spain.

Having been brought back to face justice in Leicester, Tanna was on Monday jailed for five years.

Tanna was convicted by a jury last September - in his absence - of laundering money in 2012.

His two co-accused, businessmen Kevin Hollyoake and Mark Percival, both attended the trial to protest their innocence, but were also found guilty.

Sentencing Tanna, Recorder David Herbert QC said Tanna was the principal offender, "having received a large sum of money in his bank account in 2012".

He said the three men "all told elaborate lies about a bogus scrap metal deal to account for the money".

During the trial, the jury was told a genuine London business received fake instructions to change their

Nirmal Tanna

regular payment details to another business's account, resulting in about £500,000 being stolen – of which £175,000 ended up in a bogus account called Tanna Land Investments.

The bank became suspicious and froze the account.

The police discovered the cash was stolen just as the defendants prepared to falsely convince a court to lift the bank's restraining order.

Recorder Herbert said Hollyoake, of Staffordshire, and Percival, of Barwell, had "assisted" Tanna in his

attempts to persuade a court to authorise the release of the stolen cash and back into his control.

Of Tanna's behaviour while on the run, Recorder Herbert told him: "You sent mocking and taunting messages to the prosecution and showed contempt for the court, the police, prosecution counsel and the proceedings in general, to disrupt the court process."

He said Tanna sent messages claiming he had met with "Russians", and making death threats.

Tanna's barrister, Mike McKeown, said his client had been suffering mental health difficulties at the time.

Mr McKeown said Tanna went on the run to Switzerland, Portugal and Spain, where he intended to look after elderly relatives.

Tanna admitted jumping bail and breaching a suspended jail sentence.

Police release CCTV images after yobs hurl homophobic abuse and attack man outside Oldham club Police are searching for two men after a man suffered two homophobic attacks in Oldham. The victim was with his partner at a city centre nightclub - and was beaten up by two men who had been turfed out of the venue following an argument.

Officers are now investigating the attack outside the club on November 5. The 21year-old victim was in a club with his partner when an altercation took place between himself and three other people.

After the row, two men were thrown out of the club at about 3.20am in the morning.

The victim left the club with his partner for a ciga-

rette and an altercation started again with the two men ejected from the club.

He was repeatedly punched in the face and the men hurled homophobic abuse at him.

A short time later the victim was walking along Yorkshire Street when another confrontation took place. The victim was taken to hospital with facial injuries.

Investigators have released CCTV images of two men they wish to speak to in connection with the attack.

One of the men is described as white, aged between 20 and 25-years-old and wearing a blue-t-shirt.

The other man is

In Brief

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Asian Voice |28th January 2017

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Ex-husband appears in court over body found in suitcase

Kiran Daudia

The man accused of murdering a woman whose body was discovered in a suitcase in Leicester appeared in court last Thursday.

Ashwin Daudia, of Lyme Road, Leicester, has been charged with the murder of motherof-two Kiran Daudia.

The 46-year-old's body was discovery in an alleyway off Cromer Street, near Evington Road, on Tuesday.

Officers say they were called to the scene at 9.36am after a member of public found the body in a suitcase.

Last Thursday, Ms Daudia's family paid tribute to her yesterday, saying she was a "much loved mum, daughter, sister and auntie, and she will be deeply missed by us all".

Daudia, 50, has been remanded into custody and will appear at Leicester Magistrates' Court this morning.

Six British Muslims killed in crash after trip to Mecca

Amir Khan's father hits back at shocking claim 'sex tape' leak was act of revenge

Six Britons, reportedly including a newborn adn his grandmother, have been killed in a road crash in Saudi Arabia after making a pilgrimage to Mecca.

Four members of one family from Manchester were killed in the accident along with a husband and wife from Glasgow.

Several other Britons were also seriously injured.

The group had completed the Umrah pilgrimage to Mecca, a lesser version of the Hajj, and were driving towards Medina when their minibus crashed last Wednesday.

An employee of Haji Tours, the Manchester-based company that organised the trip, said the accident happened after one of the minibus’s tyres burst on the motorway.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We are supporting the families of six British people who have sadly died following a road accident in Saudi Arabia. We are also helping several more British nationals who were injured in the crash. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families at this very difficult time.”

Amir Khan’s father has rubbished claims that one of his disgruntled ex-workers released the boxer’s sex tape.

Sajjad Khan denied the X-rated video was posted online by a sacked employee at his sports empire, after Farylan daughter-in-law Makhdoom implied the clip was released by one of her husband’s close team.

The boxer’s father confirmed Khan Boxing had reluctantly been forced to reduce staff, the Mirror reports .

He said: “A few staff have lost their jobs but I do I think it was one of them, absolutely not. We have had to make some redundancies from the boxing side, this happens in business at times, but I am not discussing who and when.

“I have no idea who was responsible for leaking the video of my son but I cannot image it was one of our staff or former staff even if his wife is suggesting this."

Mr Khan added: “I do

A catholic school has prompted a uniform row by banning a four year old Muslim from wearing a hijab at school. St Clare’s School in Handsworth, on the outskirts of Birmingham, asked the girl’s parents to respect their strict uniform policy, which includes no headwear or scarfs. The primary school’s decision ignited a debate among community leaders after the girl’s father called on town hall officials to intervene.

Waseem Zaffer, Birmingham City Council’s Labour cabinet member for equalities, said that he had met the head teacher and told her the ban on the hijab was against the Equality Act. But his cabinet colleague Cllr Majid Mahmood said that since it is a faith school, St Clare’s is “maybe within its rights to insist upon a particular dress code,” just as a Muslim faith school “may require girls to wear headscarves.”

Dr Mashuq Ally, a former head of equalities for the council, agreed saying there is no religious requirement for girls of infant school age to wear the hijab and that there are demographic changes which lead to a significan number of Muslim children attending a Christian school then the parents should ask the governors to consider changing the uniform policy.

described as Asian, between 5ft 8in tall and 5ft 9in tall, also aged between 20 and 25-years-old. He is of a chubby build and wearing a tshirt. Police are treating the incident as a hate crime.

PC Laura Cheetham, of GMP’s Oldham Borough, said: “We have been carrying

Francisco, the British star and his wife, F a r y a l Makhdoom, clarified that their marriage r e m a i n s strong - and hinted that a family memAmir Khan and Faryal Makhdoom talk about the ber could've leaked the Xsex tape on television rated material. think that the only person or Phillip Chatting to people who leaked the video Schofield and Holly were the ones who recorded it Willoughby, Faryal said: and I have no idea who that "We're here to show that all was.” the divorce rumours aren't He is also confident that true. We're not here to cause the family will be able to problems - we just want to move past its differences, as show that our marriage is fine he said: "I'm speaking to and we're doing well.

Amir and hopefully will see "But we think this haphim soon. Everything will be pened because of what's OK. Time heals." going on. I feel like it was On Monday, boxer Amir done by somebody close to us Khan has hinted his family out of revenge." may have leaked an explicit Instantly, the presenters sex tape in his first TV interpushed for clarification on view since the footage was this. leaked.

She responded: "I have no In a live link from San

out our enquiries for more than two months now but need the public’s help to make further progress.

“We take reports of hate crimes extremely seriously and I’d like to stress that it will not be tolerated on the streets of Greater Manchester.”

idea - it could be a jealous girlfriend passing it on or a former employee who was fired from the Amir Khan foundation. I'm not saying it's a family member, but the timing is strange - it happened now for a reason."

Amir was then quick to jump in. "It happened a long time ago before I was married and before I became a father.

It's somebody trying to put me down and dismiss all the charity work I do. It's upset me more than anything.

"There's a small sense of relief that it's all out there, but it upsets me because I have a young fanbase. But I'm not going to let it get to me - I'm using it as motivation".

Faryal then chimed in: "Being judged over something in the past is sad. Our marriage is brilliant. It's going really well and we're really strong. Our main priority is Amir's next fight.

We're just shaking it all off and being happy."

Muslim community divided over school ban on girl’s headscarf

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Supreme Court puts brakes on Brexit High Commissioner of India discusses student visa problem and Indo-British relationship at media reception

Continued from page 1 responded to the ruling by saying it would table 50 “serious and substantive” amendments.

Labour said it too would seek to amend the bill but would not “frustrate” the Brexit process.

BBC Parliamentary Mark correspondent D’Arcy said the bill could pass through the Commons before the half-term recess in the middle of February, giving ample time for the Lords to then consider it and for it to become law before the end of March.

While there are some MPs who want the process to be delayed, they are vastly outnumbered by those who want the government to get on with it so that the UK will have left the EU by the time of the next election in May 2020.

Can Brexit be blocked?

In theory, yes it can be. But in reality it is extremely unlikely to happen.

The BBC and major daily newspapers reported that few, if any, Conservative MPs are likely to vote against Article 50. Only Europhile former chancellor Ken Clarke has said he will do so.

Given that the Tories have a working majority of 15 in the Commons, this means that the bill is guaranteed to pass – especially since a majority of Labour MPs have now said they will not stand in the way of the process and many will actually vote for Article 50.

Although the Lib Dems, the SNP and some Labour MPs are likely to vote against, this will make little difference.

What perhaps will be more interesting is if a coalition of pro-European Conservatives and opposition MPs join forces to win concessions over the extent of Parliamentary scrutiny of the two-year process.

What happens in the House of Lords?

The government does not have a working majority and there are 178 non-affiliated cross-bench peers – could be more unpredictable. BBC’s Mark D’Arcy said there are murmurings of an organised attempt to resist Article 50 by diehard Remainers.

But amid warnings that any attempt to block Brexit could trigger a general election, in which the future of the Lords would be a major issue – it is likely that the fights will amount to just that and the government will eventually get its way.

What do the Asian MPs and Peers have to say?

Lord Dholakia told Asian Voice, “Our priority is making sure that the people are given the final say on the

Brexit deal in a referendum. We will seek to amend the bill to t h a t effect. Without a referendum on the deal we will vote against Article 50. l “Of course Parliament should have a role in this process. This has never been about what the courts should do, it is about how the government should properly involve Parliament in Brexit. It’s been a costly, time consuming, waste of time, and the government should stop trying to prevent scrutiny.

“We are clear that we will only support triggering Article 50 if the people are guaranteed a referendum on the deal at the end of the negotiating process.

The people voted for departure, but they did not vote for a destination.

“We do not believe that people voted for the Hard Brexit that Theresa May set out last week, but it should be up to them to decide at the end of the process between the deal the government gets and staying in the EU. Liberal Democrats still believe no deal is better than the one we have now inside the EU, but it is up to the people to decide at the end of the process.

“We are also looking at how we can protect EU citizens’ rights, ensure continued membership of the Single Market and Customs Union, and make sure Parliament is allowed full scrutiny throughout the Brexit process.”

Rt Hon Keith Vaz told A s i a n Voice, “I welcome the decision by t h e Supreme C o u r t today. It is important that Parliament is given the ability to formally approve the triggering of Article 50 by the Government.

“The EU Referendum reflected the will of the people, and the people the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union on 23rd June 2016.

“Because of this I will be voting to trigger Article 50 when this judgment comes before Parliament.”

Seema Malhotra MP s a i d , “Today’s Supreme C o u r t judgment confirms the long standing constitutional principle of the sovereignty of Parliament. It has clarified the legal position for the triggering of Article 50 and will allow

Parliamentarians to undertake their responsibilities in contributing and scrutinising the process going forward.

“MPs have a duty to scrutinise legislation as part of the democratic process, including putting forward amendments we consider would be right for Britain’s future.

The Government was wrong to call that democratic process into question and in my view should not have appealed the decision of the courts.

“This path is not going to be without huge challenges.

Leaving the European Union will require major changes to the statute book. In addition to Article 50 and the negotiations that will follow, we expect the “Great Repeal Bill” in the next Queen’s Speech. I believe the terms of Brexit must safeguard crucial British interests such our economic competitiveness, workers’ rights, environmental protection and security issues. The EU-UK settlement must balance the economic imperative of access to the single market and access to skills with the political imperative to respond to the concerns of the British people expressed with regards to immigration. Remaining in a reformed single market to the greatest possible extent is essential for our future prosperity as a country.”

Lord Dolar Popat told A s i a n Voice, “Today’s judgment is an affirmation of the sovereignty of Parliament. The Prime Minister has already stated that Parliament will have a big role to play in the Brexit process – including, as she said last week, voting on the final package – and I welcome that role.

“What is important now is to reflect the result of last year’s referendum and to make Britain a success. I believe last week’s speech by Prime Minister Theresa May set out an excellent vision for how we can go forward, as a freetrading, open and tolerant nation. We are leaving the European Union, but not leaving Europe; we should remain close partners with our neighbours, but we should also embrace the wider-world and the opportunities it holds.”

Former Justice Minister Shailesh Vara MP said: “We m u s t respect the decision of the Supreme Court and the government will proceed

The new Indian High Commissioner to the UK, His Excellency Yashvardhan Kumar Sinha held a reception on 16th January, which saw participation of more than 70 eminent print, electronic and radio media personnel at India House.

During his address, High Commissioner Y.K. Sinha spoke of the recent developments in India's growth story, how the media can effectively partner in furthering IndiaUK relations, and also focussed on the issue of visas for students, IT professionals in the UK, scopes for India in the light of Brexit and economic relationship

His Excellency Yashvardhan Kumar Sinha

goods about 14 billion dollars and another 5 billion dollars in services. But besides that, the UK is a very important in terms of investment scope, being the largest G20 investor

“Australia had 19,000 in 2010 and has 40,000 today. Obviously, there is something going wrong here because the UK has always been the first preference for Indian students.

“We need to see how we can ensure that the UK attracts good students from India because Indian students are doing extremely well everywhere they go,” Sinha asserted, according to the report.

Even countries like Germany have over 10,000 Indian students and France has 5,000.

They are actively going into campuses in India to attract students, he

The new High Commissioner of India addressing the media gathering at India House

between the UK and India.

HE Sinha told the gathering, “Of course Brexit is a challenge but I see it more as an opportunity. Indian companies and businesses are looking forward to engaging more closely with their British counterparts,” reported the Hindu.

He had highlighted the visit of British Prime Minister Theresa May to India last November as “particularly significant” in having further enhanced the “very substantial economic engagement”.

Sinha reportedly said, “We have a very good economic engagement with the UK, with trade in

into India and 800 Indian companies operate here, bringing about a billion plus in taxes to the exchequer and employing over a 100,000 people.”

However, he highlighted the falling number of Indian students in the UK — that had more than halved to 19,000 since 2010.

He said, “In the field of education we have a bit of a problem because the number of Indian students (in the UK) that was 40,000 or so in 2010 has dropped to 19,000.

Compared to figures for the US, which had 104,000 Indian students in 2010 and today they have 166,000,” as reported by the PTI.

said.

He also flagged the issue of movement of professionals as another area of concern because the UK remains the “first port of call in Europe” for Indians due to a shared history and other commonalities.

“In the field of IT, our professionals are renowned the world over. It is very important that our IT professionals can come and work and go back. They will contribute immensely not only to the local economy but also the global economy, which is what they are doing in Silicon Valley and the rest of the world,” the high commissioner told PTI.

accordingly. One thing is absolutely clear – 17.4 million people voted to leave the European Union and there will be no turning back on that decision.”

Virendra Sharma MP in a statement said, “I welc o m e today’s r u l i n g from the Supreme Court.

“It is only right and proper that Parliament should be given proper scrutiny of the Government’s Brexit strategy. Last year when the

public voted to leave the EU they did not necessarily vote to leave the Single Market, the European Medicines Agency or the European Aviation Safety Agency, which certifies aircraft before they are allowed to fly.

“It is important that Parliament is given the opportunity to protect Britain’s interests. Our safety is assured by continued partnership in Europol, Eurojust and the European Arrest Warrant, all of which are vital in fight against serious crime and terrorism.

“I don’t support risking the UK’s prosperity by an

ideological leap out of the Single Market. Parliament needs to be part of the discussion about securing a stronger future for Britain and that is why I welcome today’s judgment.”

6

UK

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Asian Voice |28th January 2017

Vaidehi Patel – an inspiration to Asian swimmers Smita Sarkar She is only fourteen; but Vaidehi Patel has made a name for herself in the UK swimming circles through her performances at various championships in the inter-school and national levels.

This year she will be competing in (100m backstroke and 50m butterfly categories) the under 15 category in London – for the ISA (Independent Schools Association), National Swimming Champs and the Kent County ASA swimming championships in 2017.

This calendar year for her is also peppered with individual club galas and competitions.

Vaidehi has been representing her school from a young age, and swam at the London Regional Swimming Summer Championships, held at the Aquatics Centre in 2015.

She achieved her personal best of 35.02 seconds in the under 13 category girls – 50m backstroke.

She was ranked 13tth in the London region and 148th in the country.

Vaidehi also won two medals at the ISA National Swimming Finals the same year – achieving Gold in 50m backstroke, with a personal best of 35.45 seconds and Bronze in the 50m Freestyle that she covered in 31.57 seconds.

For swimmers like her, it takes hours of practice and years of discipline to reach these personal best benchmarks.

But for Vaidehi swimming and being in water came naturally.

Vaishali Patel, Vaidehi’s mother, says: “Vaidehi had always enjoyed splashing around in water from the age of two. In 2006 when she was four, we found a coach Tim who started giving her oneon-one half-hour sessions on swimming and technique. Two years later, he suggested we take her for time trials at a local swimming club – which we did and her journey began.”

She joined the Beckenham Swimming

Vaidehi Patel

Club in the Development Squad, swimming two sessions a week and is now a part of the top squad – a prestigious membership decided stringently based on the participant’s hardwork, the hours dedicated to swimming regularly and commitment to the sport.

“Vaidehi was swimming an average 16 to 17 hours a week, sometimes twice a day; including before-school sessions,” says Vaishali.

Striking a balance between studies and sports during the formative years can be challenging, but Vaishali says that it is a work-in-progress and as her study load increases, they teach her to manage her time.

“These days there are many day-to-day distractions like the social media, but we try to stay focussed.

Whether it is during a car journey, or between races at the pool-side, homework is done and handed in on time.”

Time management is key, and not every child is the same, says Vaishali.

“We are often asked ‘this is all good, but what about her studies?’ or ‘what is the point of all this training, where will it take her?’

We believe that she will succeed in what she enjoys doing the most. It is important to remember that she may be fast in the pool, but that speed is not always transferred across when it comes to tidying her room,” chuckles Vaishali. “One has to remain patient.”

Asian women are under-represented in sports in the UK, especially in swimming, but the

mind-set is changing among the community. “It is most definitely generational,” says Rajesh Patel, Vaidehi’s father.

“I have family and friends in India whose teenage daughters are paving the way for themselves, both nationally and internationally and are equally encouraged in sports and spending their school holidays at sports camps abroad,” he says.

Vaidehi’s school, family and friends play an invaluable role in shaping her with their encouragement and enthusiasm. “On a daily basis, we are the chauffeur, the counsellor, the parent or the dietitian.

However, it all rolls into one, and is very much a team effort,” says Rajesh.

Over the years, Vaidehi has been inspired by the 2012 and 2016 Olympics.

She was fortunate to meet Olympians and ParaOlympians Ian Thorpe, Derek Redmond and Susie Rodgers.

For most sportsmen, the end-result is what really matters, but for young Vaidehi, the reward is in a workout done well. She looks for rewards in her improvements, those simple moments that may seem inconsequential in the grand scheme of accolades and medals.

“If you accumulate

Work-related stress may cause cancer Stress at work 'could lead to cancer in men'.

A new study conducted by researchers reveals working in a stressful job for 15 years raises the risk of lung, colon, rectal and stomach cancer along with non-Hodgkin lymphoma that develops in the vessels and glands. However, no such link was found in those who had suffered less than 15 years of working in a stressful job.

The researchers believe people under stress may start smoking, overeating or drinking alcohol. These are known risk factors for cancer.

According to the Canadian study published in journal of Preventive Medicine, the most stressful jobs included firefighters, industrial engineers, mechanic foremen and vehicle and railway-equipment repair workers.

those countless little moments where I did it right and did it better, it soon dwarfs the shine of that gold, silver and bronze medals,” says Vaidehi.

Like a young teenager, she is secretive and did not want to share much about her dreams, promising to discourse once she had achieved them. She has a motivational poster by Speedo that says “No matter how slow you go, you are still lapping everyone in the couch.”

“Olympic champions spend years training for that one chance, that one moment. They find value and meaning in what they are doing. You don’t need to be an Olympic champion, or chase some poolshattering record to understand this,” says Vaidehi.

Vaishali describes her daughter matter-of-factly as ‘your average teenager’ who enjoys reading, socialising, listening to music and watching Bollywood and Hollywood movies.

But there is a lot more to this than this extremely talented and robust young lady, and it is a matter of time when she will blossom and make the British Asian community proud with her swimming accomplishments in the international arena. You have all our best wishes, Vaidehi. Go girl!

Troll, revenge porn up crime The number of crimes involving violence in England and Wales has risen to 1,075,000, new Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures show.

Crime estimates for England and Wales have nearly doubled after fraud and cyber offences were included in the total for the first time, the figures reveal.

A change in the recording of cyber crime and fraud pushed the total up to 11.8 million – almost double the level previously reported.

Overall crime recorded by police rose by 8 per cent to 4.7 million offences in the year to the end of September, driven largely by a 22 per cent rise in violence against

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Young woman stabbed husband's teenage mistress A young wife was charged with three years and four months in prison after stabbing her husband's teenage mistress in a park.

Natasha Khan, 18, from Whalley Range, Manchester, knifed Leah Cryne six times after finding out that Cryne slept with her spouse Hamza Farid while she sat with her dying baby at hospital.

According to police, the gruesome incident took place following heated exchange over phone between the two women which culminated in Cryne, 18, snapping and saying: “I hope your son dies and when he does I'm going to dig him up and spit on him.”

In response Khan retorted: “Watch it – when I see you, God help you.”

The child has died since the April 2015 attack, Manchester Minshull Street crown court heard.

Following the stabbing attack, Cryne was taken to the hospital as she had a

Natasha Khan

1.5cm deep laceration to her right shoulder, 4cm laceration to her left forearm and a 2cm graze to her head.

Police arrested Khan near St Mary's Hospital where her one-month-old baby Aydin was lying seriously ill after being born prematurely.

Khan admitted wounding with intent and a separate offence failing to answer her bail. She was also issued with a restraining order preventing her from contacting Cryne indefinitely.

Briton paddles 1,500 miles down the Ganges A 34-year-old Devon adventurer has become one of the first to travel 1,500 miles down the length of the River Ganges on a paddleboard, dodging poisonous snakes, crocodiles and sharks on the way.

Mike “Spike” Reid spent 98 days on a standup board to complete the challenge with his Indian colleagues Shilpika Gautam and Kumaran Mahalingam, paddling for eight hours a day. They camped on the banks of the holy Hindu river.

Spike and Shilpika started at 4,000m above sea level at the Gangotri Glacier in October. They hiked about 100 miles, before cycling a similar distance along mountain tracks. The two were joined

by Kumaran for the paddleboarding section down to the sea.

Spike, Shilpika and Kumaran became the first people to paddleboard down the Ganges, joined by three other European and American paddleboarders for different sections.

Spike, who returned to

London two weeks ago, said: “We saw a large amount of wildlife, including the endangered

the person.

The sharp rise was mainly driven by changes in recording in methods and including additional harassment offences. They included revenge porn – the “disclosure of private sexual photographs and films with the intent to cause distress or anxiety”;

and trolling – “sending letters with intent to cause distress or anxiety” – which also covers emails, texts and social media messages.

Gun crime, domestic burglary, shoplifting and vehicle offences recorded by police forces in England and Wales were also up.

Mike 'Spike' Reid

Gangetic river dolphin, turtles, and a water snake too close for comfort, plus a wonderful plethora a birdlife. Luckily we had no close encounters with the three species of crocodile present or the Ganges shark.”

The videographed journey, which will soon be made into a TV programme, was aimed at highlighting the problem of litter and promoting paddleboarding. Spike said they saw piles of litter along some sections of bank, particularly singleuse plastic such as cups.

Spike was hailed a hero in 2011 after he shot a polar bear that attacked his group in Svalbard Norway, and killed Eton schoolboy Horatio Chapple, 17.

UK Asian Voice | 28th January 2017

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India League and High Commission of India to host Gandhi Martyrs Day The Indian High Commission and India League will host Gandhi Martyrs Day on Monday 30th January, 2017, 11am, at Tavistock Square in the London Borough of Camden.

Like every year, many esteemed members of the British Indian community, including MPs, Peers and Councillors will gather at the iconic statue to pay tribute to Gandhi on his death anniversary, followed by a musical tribute from the students of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (UK).

The programme will include dignitaries paying

floral tribute to the statue followed by short speeches, bhajans and vedic prayers.

This will be the first Gandhi Nirvaan Divas attended by the new

Indian High Commissioner Y K Sinha and Deputy High Dinesh Commissioner Patnaik. They will be joined by India League Chairman CB Patel.

Heroin haul worth £750,000 stopped by Border Force officers at Heathrow Airport A heroin haul concealed inside suitcases was stopped by Border Force officers at Heathrow Airport.

Around 15 kilos of the class A drug estimated to have a street value of £750,000 was seized at Terminal 4.

Officers stopped a passenger arriving on a flight from Nairobi, Kenya, on January 11.

Phil Douglas, Border Force Heathrow director, said: “The skill and expertise of Border Force officers is vital in preventing dangerous drugs entering the UK and ending up on our streets.

“This is an excellent

example of a seizure of Class A drugs which have been stopped from ending up in our communities where they can do so much damage."

A 47-year-old man has been arrested and charged with importing a class A

drug.

Adam Kamaizi Wimana of Peel Court, Slough, appeared at Ealing Magistrates Court on Tuesday (January 17). His next appearance will be at Isleworth Crown Court on February 14.

Yet another Tube strike to hit London Fresh Tube strikes will hit London from Wednesday as drivers will stage a walkout for 24 hours in a dispute over “forced displacement” of staff.

Tube workers on the Central and Waterloo & City lines have announced plans for a 24-hour strike.

RMT Union members who work on both lines will walk out for 24 hours at 9pm on Wednesday.

If the strike goes ahead, there will be no Central line service east of Leytonstone and a reduced service running on the rest of the Central line all day on Thursday,

while the Waterloo & City line will not run at all.

A special bus shuttle service has been arranged to operate between Epping and Chingford.

The London Underground network had come to a grinding halt after a 24-hour strike by station and ticket staff involved in a separate dispute earlier this month.

Members of the RMT union and the Transport Salaried Staffs Association walked out for 24 hours on the evening of January 8.

Mick Cash, RMT general secretary, said: “RMT

negotiators have made strenuous efforts through the Acas machinery to resolve this dispute but the door has been slammed in our faces.”

Peter McNaught, operations director for the Central line, said: “We apologise to customers for the disruption they may experience due to this unnecessary strike. We have made all reasonable efforts to resolve this dispute with the RMT through talking through the issues with them, and we have minimised the number of employees affected from 30 to eight.”

SOAS to promote Bengal heritage School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), has taken up the initiative showcase Bengal's unique heritage and culture in association with British Bengalis, including installation of a Durga idol at its Russell Square campus.

During Chief Minister Mamata Bannerjee's 2015 visit to London, the CM had announced Biswa Bangla postgraduate

scholarships to students of Bengali at SOAS. The college has also tied up with Presidency University in Kolkata for various exchange programmes.

Ahead of the project's launch in London on February 11, which will also see a Bengali food festival, Michael Hutt, the director of the university's South Asia Institute has written to the London

Sharad Utsav to partner the initiative. The project will also work closely with universities like Cambridge to create awareness about heritage buildings and sites in Bengal, the Times of India reported.

Halley Sculptor Goswami will reportedly travel to UK to make the Durga idol at the SOAS campus.

7

Redbridge Muslim charity gets green light to create 10,000 burial spaces in Havering A charity which caters to Muslim burial needs has been given the green light to create a contested 10,000 plot cemetery.

Gardens of Peace which owns two sites in Redbridge – one in Elmbridge Road, Hainault and another at Five Oaks Lane, Chigwell – feared it would run out of space.

But the concerns were alleviated when the planning inspectorate agreed on Monday for the proposals to go ahead.

“It’s good news. I am delighted, of course we will work with the [Havering] council and community every step of the way,” said Gardens of Peace founding member Farouk Ismail.

The new cemetery will

be built on disused land at Oak Farm, Maylands Fields, Harold Wood.

Despite both Havering Council and Gardens of Peace agreeing the development would be an inappropriate use of the green belt and the overall size of the site increased, policy lists cemeteries as a permitted exception.

The planning inspectorate also concluded that the development would safeguard the countryside from encroachment and remain essentially rural in character and appearance.

Commenting on Facebook, Havering resident Dave Wackett said: “[I} do not agree with this, as I think most people in the area. It is a traffic black

Mohamed Omer, founding member of the Muslim Gardens of Peace

spot which would be made far worst if this was to be given the go ahead.”

“I don’t like upsetting anyone from any community. I like community cohesion and we are going to do our very best to make everyone happy. That is what’s important,” Mr Ismail continued.

Met Office issues fresh warnings as more freezing fog and ice forecast The Met Office has issued a severe warning for London ahead of more dense freezing fog and ice. This week has seen the capital hit with a thick blanket of fog which has grounded more than hundreds flights at London’s airports.

On Tuesday the Met Office extended their weather alert for another 24 hours, warning conditions will become hazardous and even more fog is set to descend.

Journeys are likely to take longer and airports might be hit with more delays, the forecasters said.

After many flights were

cancelled on Monday, Heathrow airport told passengers further flights were likely to be disrupted if the fog continues.

8

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www.asian-voice.com AsianVoiceNews

Asian Voice | 28th January 2017

Two men and teenager charged with murder over car park body find Two men and a teenage boy have been charged with murder after the body of a Canadian man was found in a car park.

Suren Sivananthan, 32, was found dead near the Co-op in St Leger Drive in Great Linford, Milton Keynes, at 04:00 GMT on Saturday.

Thames Valley Police Gnanachandran said Balachandran, 37, had been charged with murder Kiroraj alongside Yogarajah, 30.

The men will appear at Milton Keynes

Magistrates' Court along with a 17-year-old boy from Croydon.

The police response to the death has been referred to the police watchdog, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

"The force awaits notification of the IPCC's decision on its mode of investigation," a police spokesman said.

Mr Balachandran, of The Fleet, Springfield, Milton Keynes, Mr Yogarajah of Dunthorne Way, Grange Farm, Milton

The man whose body was found near the Co-op in Great Linford has been named as Suren Sivananthan

Keynes, and the teenager were all arrested on Saturday. A 23-year-old

Statins could halt vein blood clots, research suggests Statins could hold the key to eradicating one of the most preventable causes of hospital deaths after researchers uncovered a new role for the cholesterol-lowering pill.

The medication, commonly used to prevent heart attacks, reduces the threat of a condition affecting millions globally called venous thromboembolism (VTE), where blood clots form in the vein in the lungs or in limbs, by between 15 and 25 per cent.

The conclusion was made following a thorough analysis of 36 studies involving more than 3.2 million people as part of new research published in The Lancet Haematology.

It was supported by NIHR Collaboration for Leadership for Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRC) East Midlands and the NIHR LeicesterLoughborough Diet, Lifestyle and Physical Activity Biomedical Research Unit.

The results of the summary compiled by researchers from Leicester Diabetes Centre and the University of Bristol provide an "extensive body of evidence on the clinical benefit of statin in the occurrence of VTE." The finding could potentially lead to new guidelines and an expansion of the use of treatment, which is already established in cardiovascu-

lar disease prevention.

Co-investigator Professor Kamlesh Khunti, Professor of Primary Care Diabetes & Vascular Medicine at the University of Leicester, Director NIHR CLAHRC East Midlands and Co-Director of the Leicester Diabetes Centre, said: "These findings underscore a potential beneficial role of statin therapy on VTE in addition to its established role in cardiovascular disease prevention."

man arrested on suspicion of murder on Monday remains in police custody.

Drug-resistant superbug may be more widespread

One family of superbugs, known as carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae or CRE, may be spreading more widely than previously thought, according to a study published Monday (PDF) in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

In fact, transmission of these bacteria person-to-person may be occurring without symptoms, say the researchers, from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Broad Institute.

Matru Vandana – A Mother's Day Special magazine

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Indian IT girl killed in 'hit-and-run' accident in Hounslow Himanshi Gupta, a promising IT analyst from Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh, India), was killed and another colleague of hers suffered 'life-changing injuries' in an alleged hitand-run crash on their morning commute.

The accident happened at around 9.30am near Beavers Community Primary School at Hounslow, west London, last week.

Twenty-six-year-old Himanshi was travelling from Hounslow to Kensington, where she has been on a placement for Tata Consultancy Services since July. She was thrown backwards over a hedge when a black Range Rover mounted the pavement and slammed into her and her colleague as they waited at a bus stop, witnesses said.

The 39-year-old driver of the Range Rover was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

The computer expert was flown to hospital by air ambulance where she was pronounced dead soon afterwards. Her colleague, also in her 20s, had undergone emergency spinal surgery at St Mary’s hospital in Paddington.

Niyati Sanghani, a cousin and Himanshi’s only relative in the UK,

Himanshi Gupta

told the Evening Standard: “Her parents are devastated, she was their eldest daughter. They got the call to say she was dead but they couldn’t comprehend it. Her father was very close to her, she was a real daddy’s girl. It’s so sad because her family were planning to find her a man so she could get married when she returned.”

Pictures of Himanshi reveal how she had been enjoying London in her new role. She had sent dozens of photographs home posing by landmarks Big Ben, St Paul’s and the London Eye. Himanshi had been due to return to India in a matter of weeks.

Relatives revealed that Himanshi had a promising future with the Indian IT giant and was doing well in her new role.

Himanshi’s devastated family in Jabalpur are liaising with authorities in Britain to have her body repatriated.

Think carefully, dear Kashmiris

Yaa Devi Sarva Bhooteshu Matru Roopena Samsthita Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namaha Meaning: Salutations again and again to the Devi (Goddess) who resides in all beings in the form of Mother.

Mother is without doubt the most important person in your life – someone with whom you bond and connect immediately and easily. We all know who first held our hand to help us cross the street. You might have slept with no blanket but you know how you woke up with one.

Even if you are born with the ugliest face, you know your Mom is there to love you, unlike the world. For every man, Mummy is their greatest teacher – a teacher of compassion, love and fearlessness. A hug from your Mom can be an antidote to the roughest of days. No matter what the world has thrown at you – that expression of unconditional love is balm for the soul. Certainly, Mothers are the most powerful people, because they shape their children’s personalities. We are who we are because of our Mom.

Matru Vandana magazine will include exclusive interviews and in-depth stories of individual mothers. Stories of single mothers who raised their children single handedly and got success.

• Focus on Stories of remarkable mothers • Exclusive Interviews

• Cover Story: Importance of Mothers in life • Exclusive Profiles of Mothers

For more information and sponsorship / advertising opportunity

please feel free to contact us on 020 7749 4085 or sales@abplgroup.com

Continued from page 3

said: “Azad Kashmiris are anything but Azad! Total population of PoJK is 4.5 million and half of them have emigrated to foreign countries. There are no jobs, no real education, health facilities, electricity, roads are unfit to drive on, rivers are without bridges and people are entirely dependent on Pakistan for each and every one of their basic necessities for life.

Baba Jan and his companions have been jailed for 40 years as they demanded rights of their people; Chairman of All Parties National Alliance, Arif Shahid was brutally murdered in 2013 by Pakistani agencies and years on,

nobody has been arrested and punished. Anyone who is considered a threat to the status quo is picked up, persecuted and brutally tortured.”

In the words of a famous Baloch leader, Harbbyaar Maree: “There are more than 200 hundred independent countries in the world, but none has this prefix azad or independent. For example, France is called France and not independent France and Britain is called Britain and not independent Britain etc. If your country has prefix Azad, then it means there is something wrong. Think carefully, Pakistan is fooling you by giving this false sense of being Azad.”

Over-cooked potatoes, skinny fries ‘up cancer risk’ The Food Standards Agency has warned that roasting and frying starchy foods could increase the risk of cancer.

The government body issued a public warning over the risks of acrylamide – a chemical compound that forms in some foods such as potato products, many root vegetables, olives

and pizza bases when they are cooked at high temperatures (above 120C).

A new campaign tells people how they can cut their risk, including opting for a gold colour – rather than darker brown – when frying, roasting, baking, grilling or toasting. Skinny fries and crisps appear to have the highest levels.

UK Asian Voice | 28th January 2017

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Background

Rani Singh, Special Assignments Editor

One of India’s Finest International News Correspondents - Ashis Ray This year, Ashis Ray completes 40 years as a foreign correspondent. It makes him the longest serving Indian foreign correspondent. He has worked mainly for BBC and CNN, but has also worked for ITN, the Ananda Bazar Group and The Times of India. He now writes for The Tribune and heads RAY – a video news agency.

Winner of the National Press Award in India, honours in Britain and the United States, Ray coined the famous slogan on CNN: “Be accurate, fair and responsible, in addition to being first with the news!” He’s practised what he’s preached by breaking many major stories in different parts of the world. In 1992, he provided the first ever live shot on TV from Kabul while covering the civil war in Afghanistan.

He has interviewed several heads of government in various parts of the planet.

The first interview granted

by Indian Prime Minister P

V Narasimha Rao after the demolition of the Babri mosque was to him on CNN. In 1975, Ray became the w o r l d ’ s youngest Test match commenta-

His two books and as many audio-visual documentaries on cricket are much acclaimed.

He is also the creator of website – www.bosefiles.info – dedicated to chronicling the truth about the last

Ashis Ray

tor. Today he is the world’s second senior-most cricket commentator, holding the distinction of having described ball-by-ball the 1983 Cricket World Cup final at Lord’s on BBC – which resulted in an historic Indian victory.

days and death of Subhas Chandra Bose after a plane crash.

In 1983, Ray became the youngest ever president of the Indian Journalists’ Association (IJA). He was re-elected to the post in 2009.

Mr Ashis Ray was born in Vienna, Austria. His father was a doctor; his mother a homemaker.

He did not study broadcasting or journalism, so he had no formal training when he began his career. But at St Paul’s, Darjeeling – a British boarding school – he began listening to the BBC World Service.

This habit persisted, he says, “Broadcasting seeped, as it were, into my system.

Therefore, when I was summoned to do my first broadcast for the Youth Service of All India Radio at age 19 – that, too, live – it was as if I had done it all my life.

“In 1977, I was given an opportunity to broadcast on the very service that had unwittingly shaped me from a distance of 5,000 miles – the BBC World Service. So I came to London, presented a weekly programme called South Asia Survey and reported on cricket. In 1979, BBC included me in their panel of ball-by-ball commentators for that year’s Cricket World Cup – which made me the first Asian to be so recognised. These days, I generally appear on BBC’s Dateline.”

Biggest Challenge

“This is a difficult one,” contemplates Ashis. “One

9

mind, the reunification of of the biggest challenges I Germany, India’s landencountered was in mark economic reforms, Afghanistan in 1992. There the tearing down by Hindu was no electricity, phone or zealots of the Babri mosque telex connection available in India, the night the there. Our only link Labour government with the outside of Prime Minister world was via a satellite Ashis Ray coined James Callaghan was defeated in p h o n e . the famous a no-confiUsing a CNN slogan: "Be dence motion benzene generator, accurate, fair and in the House of Commons (I we proresponsible, in was present in duced elecaddition to being the press tricity. gallery to witThereby, we first with the ness it), the end could operate news!" of apartheid in a camera and a South Africa, the satellite uplink. election of a coloured Audio and video were president, Barack Obama, delivered to Atlanta in the United States, the (CNN’s headquarters) via Brexit vote, the list is endMoscow. From Atlanta it less.” was beamed live globally.

A true journalist never While I was the leader of rests on his or her laurels; the team – and enjoyed the they’re constantly telling glamour by being the perstories. RAYMEDIA LIMson on-camera – it was a ITED is Ashis’s new venremarkable work by my ture. What is it? technical team in collabo“RAYMEDIA LIMITration with ITN that pulled ED does a variety of things, off what I still believe was a including organising pubmiracle. Afghanistan was lic conversations on interalso challenging because of national affairs. More the sheer danger to one’s about this at life that working there as a www.rayevents.co.uk. journalist posed.”

RAY-NEWS has done a Forty years as a top soft launch. You’ll hear journalist, I wanted to more about both this year.” know about Mr Ray’s flagI ask Ashis how to get ship memories for each to the top and stay there, decade or era. He has so but he downplays his many stories to tell. prowess.

“This is another diffi“I don’t know the cult one. The assassinasecret, otherwise I would tions of Indira Gandhi and have done it!”.

Rajiv Gandhi spring to

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10

READERS’ VOICE

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Asian Voice | 28th January 2017

Brexit and the Inauguration of Donald Trump Brexit and the inauguration of Donald Trump as President of the USA on Friday 20th January both have something in common. Then so called liberals lose a democratic vote, they often resort to litigation, look at the way in which petulant, resentful remainers have taken legal action, in a cynical attempt to derail the ‘Brexit’ vote.

This is a seismic change, because it means that the age of liberal internationalist capitalism, is coming to an end. Too many people have woken up to the fact that their lives are being ruined in the cause of other people’s profit. But the way this has happened, has surprised America. The system is rigged ‘Trump’ told them, and the truth is, that it is, since the 1970s American society has grown radically more unequal, as the union power has collapsed, competition increased and shareholders and managers awarded themselves the lion’s share of income and profit.

It was the message, that our lives matter, that is the message of the ‘Trump Revolution’, delivered with a roar of anger, by people, who have had enough of seeing their jobs, communities, identities and futures torn apart by the rapacious currents of unfettered capitalism. For 40 years they have been sold the promise that free trade deals and the movement of people and capital around the world will bring them prosperity. Instead their incomes have stalled, industries have collapsed, town and cities have decayed.

The rich have got very much richer, yet no one prioritised their loss and anguish, until a billionaire channelled their voice. For too long lives have beein ruined, in the cause of profit. The truth alone triumphs in the end.

Jal Framji Cheshire

Happy New Year to Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar

I would like to wish a very happy and prosperous new year to ‘Asian Voice’ and ‘Gujarat Samachar’, CB Patel, Kokilaben, Kamalbhai Rao, Rupanjana Dutta and the entire hard working staff of these two newspapers as well as their readers, writers and all the people of the Hindu institutions.

May God give all of you a very happy, long, healthy and prosperous life and may God give Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar the strength to publish beautiful articles, views, international news etc of the world which we enjoy so much. Keep it up. Our blessings are always with you.

Sudha R Bhatt Glasgow

The British ancestors

When one looks back at immigration in the last 500 years, one finds that the British indigenous race today is a mixed race. The history of just East End area of London is interesting. In the 16th century Dutch traders began to settle: leather workers and locksmiths, Dutch and French Huguenots (13,000), and Irish, Jews and Chinese also came. In 1880's 100,000 Russian and Polish Jews and about 20,000 German, Austrian, Dutch and Romanian Jews came to East End. In the 20th century immigrants from West Indies, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh came.

All these just in East End. When one considers the whole of United Kingdom, you need to multiply these migration several times over. Leaving free access to the Common Market will average about 50% less (economic and cultural) growth every year for the entire next generation of 35 years as growth has always depended on this continuous flow of immigrants.

Nagindas Khajuria By email

Demonetisation

Referring to Mr Daniel D’Cruz’ letter dated 14/1/17 and the following facts about demonetisation of Indian Rupee, it appears that he is used to giving garbled reports on Mr Modi’s statements and actions to spread false ideas.

Towards the new governments committment to fight against the 70 years old menace of black money and corruption, the supreme court of India had ordered to form the highest level of financial revenue and economic management called ‘Special Investing Team (SLT) involving the heads of Revenue, the Reserve Bank of India, the Intelligence Bureau, the Enforcement Directorate, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Central Board of Direct Taxes and the Research Analysis Wing (RAW) etc as its members under Mr Modi’s chairmanship of Union Cabinet; and as ‘such on Nov 8, 2016 he announced the jointly calculated move of decommisioning of Rupee notes.

Mr Modi neither took the move independently on his own, nor in haste as it was well thought out over a period of two and a half years by SIT in the interest of the health of the Indian economy, and was praised by most of the economic institutions and economically advanced countries of the world.

RN Patel Essex

Kindness vs Corruption

People spend a lot of money celebrating birthdays, weddings and anniversaries. But what they do not realise is that the same money they spend can be spent in feeding the underprivileged children of our country. India is a poor country and we all know that eighty per cent of the people living there do not even get one square meal. They have to rely on charity or handouts for food and to fill their stomach. The same money spent on extravagance can be donated to charitable institutions, where the money can be used for a good cause. Such acts of goodness and kindness will at least put a smile on their faces.

It is also a cause of concern that during the past few years, the image of India has been defaced beyond redemption. A large number of scams and scandals, involving top politicians, administrators and vvips have come to light. They have shaken the entire conscience of the country to the bones. Today, the number of ministers possessing an honest image can be counted on finger tips. Earlier a bribe was paid for getting wrong things done. But now, the palms of officials are greased for accomplishing tasks at the right time. Corruption will only end when people like you and me stand up and speak out. If we do not take the step forward to eradicate corruption from its roots, then Indians won’t progress and will continue to remain an undeveloped country.

Jubel D’Cruz, Mumbai, India

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

Why is the Indian Diaspora silent?

In reference to the debate held recently in UK parliament, I would like to remind you of the Kashmir debate that took place in 2014. You will recall that there were an equal number of contributors on both sides of arguments, making it a fairer debate. This time it was 27 MPs for the motion and 2 opposing it.

I am forced to question the very passion and interest of the Indian diaspora in human rights issues and their discussion in the UK Parliament, especially those that are aimed at vilifying India. I am deeply concerned at the lack of any political lobby in defence of India in the UK eventhough there are numerous organisations, facebook groups representing the direct interests of India and Indian diaspora. 70,000 people gathered at Wembley stadium to welcome the beloved PM Modi and a few thousand could gather again at Wembley to protest against the ban on traditional bull fight in Tamil Nadu, but none in sight to defend India in the UK Parliament against partial representation of facts by propagandists? The various political parties especially Labour, Conservatives and Lib Dems who have Friends of India groups were silent - none of their members came to speak in defence of India. Not even a statement has been issued by their respective Chairmen in defence of India. Fortunately a statement from India’s Ministry of External Affairs came in a timely manner – this too was not shared by any of the Friends of India groups’ facebook groups! I personally wrote to a number of MPs requesting them to speak in the debate which was otherwise one sided - I am yet to hear back!

In a relentless effort to carry on my efforts to reach out to each of you I have launched a social action project - #WeCare4India which attempts to help each of you learn the basics of lobbying your own MP and demanding your constitutional rights. When you get into the habit of engaging with the political system the debates such as the one in question will always have your representation. Knowledge is power, remember?

International lobbying is not always aimed at direct intervention and helping in resolution of regional issues, it never the less plays a very strong role in building the right or wrong narrative and global discourse. The impact of such an effort to alter the narrative cannot be undermined.

As pointed out by a young lady in her discussion with me recently, "there are only two basis of all inaction - first, Someone else will do it, its not my job; and second, bad things won’t happen to me." How true!

Lakshmi Kaul Via Email

Jallikattu (Yeru Thazhuvuthal - Bull Embracing

We have all heard the ongoing saga of Jallikattu in Bharat. On 21 January Shri Modi lifted the ban by an executive order. The ban was imposed by the Supreme Court in 2014 as a result of pressure from Animal Rights and other groups under the pretext of elimination of cruelty to animals. Jallikattu is not only a sport but a cultural event practiced for millennia in South Bharat.

Jallikattu is a part of Pongal (Harvest) festival which is celebrated from the time of ancient Tamil Sangams. The games involving bulls most probably spread from the South to Sarasvati-Sindhu valley, Bactria, Anatolia, Levant and Minoan civilization in Mediterranean Sea where ample pictorial proof is found and was called by the Greek name Tourokathapasia. In modern times it is practiced as bull fight, bull running or rodeo in Americas and Europe. These games may have started more than 5000 years ago as indicated by the tablets found in the Sarasvati-Sindhu valley.

Why these misguided groups do something to stop killing of millions of animals (cows, pigs, goats and sheep) every day which is really the highest form of cruelty? It seems their aim is to erode and possibly eliminate ancient cultural practices. There are millions of wild animals kept in houses. These animals have no chance of even seeing their kind in their life time. Is that not a cruelty?

Narsibhai Patel New Malden

Trump’s electrifying inaugural speech

Although Trump won easily, it was Hillary who bagged two million more votes than his Republican rival Trump. But most neutral may wonder how she failed to defeat one of the most divisive candidates who insulted women and antagonized most people, especially from ethnic minorities who united and voted Hillary.

After unexpected Brexit result, this was on the card, as people are eager for change, for glasnost, as our political elite, out of touch with reality who have failed people time and again. Our crumbling NHS, chronic housing shortage and declining living standard is the prime example of our politicians’ apathy toward real issues that worry most voters. The whole world is watching eagerly how this once TV personality who chaired American version of “Apprenticeship” gaining popularity across the world will reverse the economic decline in America.

Kumudini Valambia By email

Brexodus

By the time this edition of Asian Voice drops on our doormats, the supreme court judges will have delivered their ruling (24 January) whether the prime minister could trigger article 50 and start the ball rolling towards the process of leaving the European Union (EU) without the parliament’s assent.

We await with awaited breath what the ruling would be and whether the British PM can start the talks of leaving the EU regardless of what that decision would be. This process of negotiations will take months to fianalise and the European Union’s Jean Claude Juncker has already commented that the Brexit talks will be “very very very” difficult.

While this is going on, many major banks are making contingency plans to move thousands of their staff and jobs to Paris. HSBC and UBS have already announcesd that jobs will move from London. HSBC have said that 1000 jobs will relocate to Paris and UBS have also made similar annoucements. Therefore what is UK’s loss will be Paris’ gain.

One wonders how would all this affect Britain’s economy as most of our income is generated by the London’s square mile of financial institutiuons. We are not an agricultural country. Most of our food is imported from abroad. We are no longer the manufacturer of goods as cheaper goods are produced by China and other Asian countries.

Therefore, we rely on our financial institutions to generate the income. This would probably suffer on our Brexit from the EU. Dinesh Sheth Newbury Park, Ilford

EDUCATION

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Asian Voice |28th January 2017

School budgets near breaking point, say head teachers School budgets are close to breaking point in England suggests research by a head teachers' union. A survey of more than 1,000 schools by the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) shows the number in deficit has doubled since 2015.

And 71% of the heads polled were only able to balance their budgets by making cuts or dipping into reserves, said NAHT general secretary Russell Hobby.

The government said it had protected the core schools budget in real terms.

The NAHT's Breaking Point survey for 2016-17

shows: n more than twice as many schools in deficit since 2015 - up from 8% to 18% n 71% of heads balance budgets by making cuts or using reserves n 72% fear budgets will be unsustainable by 2019 n 85% save money by

spending less on new equipment The greatest cost pressures on schools, according to heads, are: n government changes which have passed the costs of employing staff on to schools n the decline in local

authority services and the abolition of a central government grant which allows councils to support schools n supporting greater numbers of pupils with mental health issues.

According to the union, almost 80% of schools are providing support for children with mental health issues from general school budgets, "stepping in where cuts in health and social care funding have failed to meet the growing demand for support".

Mr Hobby said 98% of schools were losing funding "at a time when costs are rising and pupil numbers are growing".

Thousands could miss out on free childcare, warns lobby group The government has underestimated the number of children in England eligible for 30 hours of free childcare promised from September, warns a lobby group.

The government says 390,000 three and fouryear-olds will be eligible.

But research for the Preschool Learning Alliance suggests the figure will be nearer 500,000, meaning tens of thousands could miss out.

The government says it is spending more on childcare than any previous administration. It will "hit the ground running" to deliver the extra free hours in September.

The government already funds 15 hours of free nursery care for three and four-year-olds. This is due to rise to 30 hours for

working parents from September.

The basis of the Preschool Learning Alliance (PSLA) warning is twofold: n a survey of 1,700 households suggests the proportion of children meeting the eligibility criteria is 23% higher than government estimates n the government has not allowed for parents increasing their working hours to become eligible for the scheme - to qualify, each parent must earn a weekly minimum equivalent to at least 16 hours at the national minimum wage.

The specialist early years research company Ceeda, which carried out the survey, says an extrapolation of the results suggests 478,000 children meet the eligibility criteria.

Thousands of teachers needed to mark new GCSEs and A-levels, says report

Thousands more teachers will be needed to work as examiners as qualification reforms kick in, suggests a report. About 34,000 examiners currently set and mark eight million GCSEs and A-levels for two million 15-19-year-olds in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

But changes to qualifications and a rise in student numbers mean about 20% more will be needed by 2019, says a panel of exam boards and head teachers. The report heralds a push to recruit more teachers as examiners.

Reforms to exams are under way in all three nations which are, accord-

ing to the report, "creating new challenges for the system".

The report highlights changes to qualifications in England which "are driving a change" in the numbers of examiners needed.

In particular, cuts to the amount of coursework in England will see the hours of exam assessment in most GCSEs increase from two-and-a-half to three-and-a-half, say the authors Additionally, the reformed exams require less knowledge recall from candidates and more analysis and so more of them will "need to be marked by a highly skilled subject expert", they add.

The researchers say that parents increasing their hours could add another 22,000 children, bringing the total to about half a million - 28% higher than allowed for by the government.

And the PSLA says the final figure could be even higher as the Ceeda calculations do not include children of parents not cur-

rently working who take up jobs, encouraged by the offer of free childcare.

The group says that if children meet the eligibility criteria and their parents can find nurseries offering the free hours, the government will have to fund them, even if there are more of them than they have allowed for in their budget.

New targets see 282 secondaries underperforming

A total of 282 secondary schools in England are deemed to be failing by the government, as they have not met a new set of national standards.

From this year, schools are being judged by new measures, which take greater account of pupil progress and their basic ability than raw results.

The Department for Education says the meas-

ures present a clearer picture of how well schools are performing.

Head teachers say the results come amid a funding and recruitment crisis.

Up until this year, schools have been rated predominantly by raw GCSE results - based on what proportion of pupils get five A* to C GCSEs, including English and maths.

11

The Advantages of Lifelong Learning At the moment, we split our lives into three stages: education, working life and retirement.

However, in today’s tough job market there is a need for people to undertake continual education throughout their careers and hence these stages are becoming more integrated and Selva Pankaj overlapping. The idea of CEO Regent Group continual learning is particularly important as many people will not pick the right job first time round. This is demonstrated by the fact that a twenty year old today can expect to make six to seven job changes over the course of a working career (Aslanian and Brickell, 1980). This is partially due to the fact that in our current education system, students are required to choose which subject they would like to specialise in and which career path they wish to pursue at such a young age. Therefore, being willing to learn at any age gives people the opportunity to explore different careers rather than just settling for one they don’t enjoy purely because they studied specifically for it.

One of the main reasons continual education is becoming so important is the increased life expectancy, and therefore increased retirement age of workers. Whilst many older people grew up believing that the knowledge they gained at school or college and being a good, loyal worker would guarantee them employment, these days most young people are aware that they will need a high level of education to secure a good job in the current climate,. Having said this, while young people are generally more educated, as an increasing amount of people go to university, there is still a mind-set whereby education is a means to an end and people are only interested in learning to pass their exams, as opposed to learning and developing new skills. However, due to the changing attitude of employers, in order to be a competitive job applicant, it is important for everyone to be open to learning new ideas and realise that education should not stop when they graduate.

Becoming a lifelong learner does not necessarily mean going back to formal education, but can be easily implemented into everyday life. Whilst getting a master’s degree is an extremely positive way to continue learning, as recognised by the government’s funding for postgraduate loans, there are many cheaper and more accessible ways to develop skills and knowledge. For example, in the ‘tech savvy’ era we live in, there is a wealth of information readily available on the internet, including courses you can do from the comfort of your own home.

There are many benefits of lifelong learning in addition to increasing job prospects and supplementing professional competence. Continual learning and increased knowledge will promote personal growth, allow you to connect with a broader range of people and keep your mind active, which can have many health benefits including reducing the chance of getting Alzheimer’s.

Lifelong learning is an idea which builds on our current education system’s failures, and encourages people to be inquisitive and openminded regardless of their age. Once our compulsory education has finished, it is up to us to take education and opportunities into our own hands.

www.regentgroup.org.uk www.selvapankaj.com

12

MEDIA WATCH

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Asian Voice | 28th January 2017

A suspected Pakistani intelligence hand is believed responsible for two recent rail crashes near Kanpur, in Uttar Pradesh, last November, resulting in 151 deaths and 200 injuries to innocent passengers; this was the backdrop to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech calling on Pakistan to cease its encouragement of jihadi terror groups, trained and armed in the country and sent across the border into India to cause death and destruction. Until Islamabad did so, he said, no talks with Pakistan would be possible.

Rail crash near Kanpur in November

According to Bihar police sources, the involvement of Pakistan’s notorious Inter Services Intelligence directorate (ISI) was revealed, following the arrests of three criminals named Umashankar Prasad, Motilal Paswan and Mukesh Yadav, from Motihari on the India-Nepal border. While the three planted and detonated the bombs, the mastermind and handler was an ISI agent, said Superintendent Jitendra Rana, briefing the media. In his testimony Motilal Paswan claimed that one Braj Kishore Giri, recently arrested in Nepal, had given Rs 300,000 to Dipak Ram and Arun of Adapur village to plant an IED on a railway track in Ghorashan. ‘When they failed to trigger the explosion, Giri killed them in the jungles of Nepal,’ said Paswan.

The conspirators worked in the Gulf kingdoms of the UAE, Pakistan and Nepal. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has been monitoring the situation with the Bihar police; if required the NIA may take over the investigation when proof of the ISI link is firmly established.

Meanwhile the Railways has asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for help in the ongoing investigation as its complexities unfold. Subsequent reports state that Nepal has asked Dubai for the extradition of a Nepalese citizen, Shamshul Huda, who is said to be the ISI mastermind behind the rail bomb blasts (Times of India, Hindu January 18, 19).

Modi’s conditions for dialogue

journey to make. Pakistan must walk away from terror if it wants to walk towards dialogue with India,’ he told an audience which included former Australian and Canadian prime ministers Kevin Rudd and Stephen Harper, and former Afghan president Hamid Karzai.

Also present was Nepal’s Foreign Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat, who acknowledged Mr Modi’s reference to India as the ‘credible first responder’ to Nepal’s times of crisis such as the devastating earthquake that had laid the country low.

On China

Prime Minister Modi referred to Sino-Indian differences, saying that he and President Xi Jinping had discussed the ‘unprecedented business and commercial opportunities’ between their countries.’

Nevertheless, he alluded sharply to the obstacles to a closer SinoIndian relationship. ‘Rising ambition and festering rivalries (in Asia) are generating visible stress points,’ the Prime Minister’s clear reference to freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, and China’s Pakistan economic corridor which traverses part of Kashmir, to which India had just claim.

Russia, US, Japan

In contrast, Prime Minister Modi made warm reference to India’s privileged strategic partnerships with Russia, and to its close ties with the United States and Japan. He said he had spoken with US President-elect Donald

In a speech inaugurating the Ministry of External Affairs Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi, Mr Modi said that India spoke with one voice when he was elected to office with a mandate for change.

‘India alone cannot walk the path of peace. It has to PM Narendra Modi with former PM of Australia Kevin be Pakistan’s Rudd, former PM of Canada Stephen Harper and former Afghanistan president Hamid Karzai in New Delhi

Trump on building on the IndoUS relationship, and had had ‘long conversations’ with President Putin on challenges confronting the world (Hindu January 18).

India, Vietnam ties irk China

On the eve of his visit to Beijing, Vietnam’s senior leader Nguyen Phu Trong, the Chinese fired a broadside at the prospect of Indian missile sales to Hanoi, in accordance with a list supplied to India by the Vietnamese government. Targeting India, the Chinese Communist Party mouthpiece, Global Times, fumed: ‘If the Indian government makes its enhancement of military relations with Vietnam as a strategic arrangement or even revenge against Beijing…China will hardly sit back with its arms crossed.’ Continuing the rant, Global Times said: ‘Due to geopolitical factors, some nations [read Russia and America] have been cosying up to India…which to a large extent led to India’s fruitful development. New Delhi understands that India’s best strategy is to collaborate with all parties, instead of picking a side.’

Advice to India

Global Times quoted an academic satrap, Zhuang Guotu, Dean of the School of Southeast Asian Studies at Xianmen University who, with the lofty disdain of the traditional mandarin addressing a kowtowing tributary, pronounced: ‘India has a dream to grow into a great power. But under today’s international circumstances, it will be extraordinarily hard to achieve the goal on its own [read without China’s help]. What India needs is more pragmatic cooperation with other countries.’ (Times of India January 12).

Understanding the message

No doubt this Chinese counsel was well meant, but India’s strategic partnership, alluded to

by Mr Modi surely points to the sort of pragmatism that China has never quite achieved itself.

After all, baiting India through Pakistan is neither wise nor fruitful. India might well supply Vietnam with its prized supersonic BrahMos cruise missiles, but this will require Russian assent, since the contract for its manufacture clearly states that neither partner can sell the product without the approval of the other. That Russia has waived this right and left its sale to India’s discretion surely carries an appropriate message, whose significance Global Times would do well to understand.

India now Associate member of CERN.

India, last week, became an Associate member of CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research. The agreement, signed around midNovember by Dr Sekhar Basu, Chairman of India’s Atomic Energy Commission and Secretary of the Department of Atomic Energy, and Fabiola

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

Gianotti, CERN Director General, has taken effect a month later.

public private partnerships and and domestic reforms.’ (Business Line January 18).

Becoming Associate member of CERN will enhance participation of young scientists and engineers in various CERN projects and bring back knowledge for deployment in domestic programmes. It will also provide opportunities to Indian industry to participate in CERN projects, said Dr Basu.

India has been active in CERN projects for the past 50 years.

‘Indian physicists and engineers have made substantial contributions to the construction of the LHC accelerator and to the ALICE and CMS experiments, as well as accelerator Research & Development projects,’ said Dr Gianotti (Hindu January 18).

John Chambers, Cisco Chairman and head of the United States India Business Council expects Foreign Direct Investment from the US after President-elect takes over formally as America’s 45th President. He firmly believed that

Indian goal

Women space scientists flying high

The defining picture of India’s successful space mission to Mars received extensive media coverage across continents; the photograph showed a group of women scientists celebrating the achievement at the mission control facility. The New York Times long in the tooth India baiting published a sneering cartoon referring to a ‘cow’ nation in space exploration.

One expects no better.

Transcending male prejudice

‘Slapshots from Afar,’ Breakthrough’s short film, directed by Emily Driscoll, profiles three women scientists at India’s Space Reserch Organization (ISRO), Bangalore. They are Seetha Somasundaram , the Programme Director, Nandini Harinath , Project Manager, Mission Design and Deputy Operations Director, Mars Orbiter, and male associate Scientist Engineer Mrinal Rohit, Project Manager, Methane Sensor for Mars.

The three women have children and families, so their domestic responsibilities are shared with their professional duties as scientists in a highly exacting environment. Patience and discipline are their watchwords. (January 13).

Demonetization to hit India’s growth: IMF

The International Monetary Fund has stated the demonetization could reduce India’s economic growth in the current fiscal, ending March 31, 2017, by 1 percentage point to 6.6 per cent from the previous 7.6 per cent (Hindu January 17).

UN optimism

However, a United Nations report, it would appear, is more optimistic pegging India’s current fiscal growth at 7.7 per cent.

Why so? Because, it says, ‘India has positioned itself as one of the most dynamic emerging economies…Investment demand is expected to pick up slightly, supported by monetary easing, government efforts towards infrastructure investments and

Modi-Trump duo to rev up FDI

John Chambers

India’s GDP growth will power the global economy as would India’s growing digitization. US companies were planning to invest $27 billion in India over the next two years.

‘Modi is among the three smartest people I have met,’ he said. (Times of India January 16).

Boris Johnson holds court in Kolkata

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, before breezing into Kolkata, where he was in his ele-

Boris Johnson

ment as humourist, wit and raconteur. A photograph in a local broadsheet of Mamata Banerjee, the feisty Chief Minister of West Bengal laughing in his company said it all.

Bicentenary celebrations

Thereafter, Mr Johnson visited Presidency University for its bicentenary celebrations, spoke in a debate, interacted with students, before moving to former Indian Test cricketer and commentator, Arun Lal’s cricket academy, where he briefly wielded the willow, much to the amused enjoyment of its youthful aspirants. He made time in his busy schedule to visit an NGO called Future Hope for street and slum kids. ‘What a lovely man Boris Johnson is! He is so engaging and clearly loved speaking to the children, who in turn were totally charmed by him,’ said Sujata Sen, the Chief Executive of Future Hope. Mr Johnson is our shared blessing (Telegraph January 20).

UK Asian Voice | 28th January 2017

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What do I need to prove to win my clinical negligence claim?

India’s Republic Day

May I humbly suggest these words, in contrast to those on Friday you heard. For India’s President on India's Republic Day this 26 January.

Each year that we gather to celebrate our Republic we must affirm the promise of our democracy. We must recall that what binds this nation together is not the caste of our forefathers or the tenets of our faiths or the origins of our names.

What makes us exceptional -- what makes us Indian -- is our allegiance to an idea articulated in a declaration made less than a century ago. That we are an Independent people, slaves of no master, ancient in beliefs, young in outlook.

We heard a Mahatma proclaim that our individual freedom is inextricably bound to the freedom of every soul on Earth. This is what it means to be an Indian.

Entrusting each generation to keep safe our founding creed, the patriots of 1947 did not fight to replace the tyranny of a king with the privileges of a few.

Through blood drawn by lathi and blood drawn by bullet we learned that our strength lay in our non-violence, and that our ability to suffer pain was indeed strength not weakness.

Together, we determined that that we are a nation and refuge for all the world’s faiths for over two thousand years, but our warm welcome should not be mistaken for a lack of steadfastness in our own beliefs.

Together, we resolved that a great nation must be willing to shed the blood of its own sons to protect the values of freedom around the world.

Through it all, we have never relinquished our skepticism of central authority, nor have we succumbed to the fiction that all society’s ills can be cured through

government alone. Our celebration of initiative and enterprise, our insistence on hard work and personal responsibility, these are constants in our character.

India’s possibilities are limitless, for we possess all the qualities that this world without boundaries demands: youth and drive; diversity and openness; an endless capacity for risk and a gift for reinvention.

My fellow Indians, we are made for this moment, and we will seize it.

We are true to our creed when a little girl born into the bleakest poverty knows that she has the same chance to succeed as anybody else, because she is an Indian; she is free, and she is equal, not just in the eyes of God but also in our own. It is now our generation’s task to carry on what those pioneers began. For our journey is not complete until our wives, our mothers and daughters can earn respect equal in deed, not just in word.

We, the people, still believe that our obligations as Indians are not just to ourselves, but to all humanity - commanded to our care by God. Our citizens, seared by the memory of those we have lost, know too well the price that is paid for liberty.

The knowledge of their sacrifice will keep us forever vigilant against those who would do us harm.

You and I, as Indians, have the obligation to shape the debates of our time -not only with the votes we cast, but with the voices we lift in defense of our most ancient values and enduring ideals. Let us, each of us, now embrace with solemn duty and awesome joy what is our lasting birthright as Indians. With common effort and common purpose, with passion and dedication, let us answer the call of history and carry into an uncertain future that precious light of freedom, human dignity and justice.

Unfortunately, mistakes in medical care and treatment do occur, but a mistake does not necessarily mean that you can succeed in bringing a clinical medical negligence claim. In order to be Rebecca Thomas successful in a claim for clinical negligence, there are two tests that you need to prove. The first is called “breach of duty” and the second is called “causation”.

Breach of Duty All medical practitioners owe a duty to their patients to exercise reasonable care and skill when carrying out their professional work.

For a medical practitioner to have been negligent, the client would have to show the standard of care provided by the medical practitioner fell below an acceptable standard of a competent practitioner in a similar field. A medical practitioner is not negligent simply because something has gone wrong. The practitioner would not be liable for making one choice out of two or favouring one school of thought rather than another. The practitioner is only negligent whether treatment provided falls below the standard of a reasonably competent practitioner in that particular field.

Causation If you are able to establish a breach of duty, you then have to prove that it was more likely than not that the injury was caused by that breach of duty and not for some other reason. The legal test is straightforward. It is simply whether the negligence caused the injury.

Expert Evidence Provided we are of the view that your claim has reasonable prospects of success, one of our clinical negligence solicitors will obtain all of your medical records including x-rays and scans. The records will be checked and sorted

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before they are sent to a medical expert who will prepare a detailed medical report. The expert will consider whether there is evidence of breach of duty and provided they are of the view that there was a breach of duty they will also consider whether the negligent act or acts caused or materially contributed to your injury.

Funding At the outset, we will discuss the funding options with you, including the following: l Legal Aid l Conditional Fee Agreements (also called “no win, no fee” agreements) l Pre-existing Legal Expenses Insurance l Private payment l After the event legal expenses insurance Legal Aid funding for clinical negligence claims is only available in limited circumstances. In the majority of cases, we are able to offer our clients’ a “no win, no fee” agreement. In some cases, you may have pre-existing legal expenses insurance and if so, we will advise you to contact your insurers.

Provided you do not have pre-existing legal expenses insurance, we will advise you to obtain after the event legal expenses insurance to protect you against the possibility that you may lose the claim and in such circumstances, you may be ordered to pay the medical practitioners or hospital’s legal costs. We can arrange after the event legal expenses insurance for you and one of our specialist solicitors will explain this fully at the outset.

Author of this article, Rebecca Thomas, is a Director of Clinical Negligence at Duncan Lewis Solicitors.

Rebecca has over 20 years’ experience in her field and represents clients in a wide range of cases including claims involving cosmetic and dental negligence, surgical and orthopedic injuries arising from delay, misdiagnosis or negligent spinal surgery, gastrointestinal and ophthalmic surgery.

CII-UK Announces New Chair for 2017 The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has Dr David welcomed Landsman, Executive Director, pictured, Tata Limited as the new Chairperson to take over leadership of the CII India Business Forum (IBF) in the UK for 2017.

After three and a half years of supporting CIIIBF UK as Chairperson, Mr. Prashant Jhawar, Chairman, Usha Martin handed over to Dr David Landsman, effective from 17 January 2017. On the announcement, Mr. Prashant Jhawar said, “It has been my pleasure to serve for over 3 years as the Chairperson for CII-IBF UK, representing Indian companies in the UK, and to work with its membership on policy and business-related engagements.

Indian companies play a major role in enhancing India-UK business relationships and I will continue to support our shared interests. I wish David all the very best in this

endeavour.”

On his appointment as Chairperson, CII-IBF UK, Dr David Landsman, “I am delighted to be taking on this important role and look forward to working closely with our member companies. This is an excellent moment to strengthen the India-UK partnership as we mark the 70th Anniversary of India’s independence, as well as celebrating our business and cultural ties in this India-UK Year of Culture.

As the UK prepares to leave the European Union, we will be fully engaged in working to enhance the bilateral economic relationship.”

CII-IBF UK is a group of corporate members, primarily Indian companies with existing or planned

operations in the UK. The Forum provides an avenue for senior representatives of UK or Europe-wide operations of Indian companies to come together and discuss relevant issues for strengthening business cooperation.

The TATA Group is among the largest foreign investors and employers in the UK. The diversity of their investments and operations makes them uniquely positioned to represent Indian businesses across a range of sectors.

CII-UK therefore is looking forward to developing a strong and relevant work plan for 2017, working with a number of stakeholders including governments, businesses and entrepreneurs, academia and think tanks, media, and Diaspora, in furthering key business interests such as understanding the postBrexit agenda, access to global talent and labour mobility, as well as supporting two-way sector and state/ regional delegations.

Bid to save FGM support clinic Campaigners are trying their best to save a pioneering clinic for victims of female genital mutiliation (FGM) after council and health chiefs decided to stop its funding.

According to a report in the Evening Standard, the Action African Well Woman Centre, which has done FGM reversal surgery on about 500 women and helped hundreds more since it opened in 2007, is due to shut at the end of March. It follows a decision by Ealing council, which funded an advocacy service there, and the Imperial College Healthcare Trust, which provided a midwife, to end support, the media report said. Midwives and campaigners insist the Acton centre has been providing a

Janet Fyle has been awarded an MBE for her services to tackling FGM

unique service that allows newly wed or engaged women to have their FGM reversed. The midwives and campaigners have begun a petition calling for the clinic to be saved.

A document from the campaigners quoted in the media report says: “We often see women that have never spoken about their FGM before and do not feel

that they can discuss FGM with their GP, and they frequently reveal that they have suffered years of urinary tract infections and painful sexual intercourse prior to accessing our service. The community setting is very important as this is easily accessible and word of mouth brings women from all over London and the UK to our clinic.”

14 COMMUNITY

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Asian Voice |28th January 2017

The Kashmir Propaganda in UK Parliament Lakshmi Kaul On 19th January 2017, the British Parliament saw 29 MPs debate passionately about the human rights violations by India in Kashmir. Each spoke animatedly about the cruel use of pellet guns on 'innocent civilians'. The timing of this debate could not be worse. While the Kashmiri Hindus (Pandits) mourned the bloody acts of 19th January 1990 as they remembered the day when they were rendered homeless at the behest of Jihadi slogans – “Die, Convert or Leave”, David Nutall MP (Bury North – Manchester) decided to hold a debate glorifying the terrorists sponsored by Pakistan!

Not even a single mention of the armed infiltration and terror attacks sponsored by Pakistan in Jammu & Kashmir and certainly no acknowledgement of the significance of this very day by anyone except Bob Blackman MP and Virendra Sharma MP who were the only ones to speak in defence of India in their 10 minutes each of limited speaking time.

While the state assembly in Jammu & Kashmir passed a historic resolution on the safe return of the Kashmiri Pandits; in the United Kingdom MPs justified bloody retribution, killing of innocent civilians and destruction of centuries of heritage. Masked as the freedom struggle of Muslims of Kashmir valley, this ideological fight is against democracy, progress, inclusion, growth, prosperity – it is the justification of painting Kashmir in the colours of Islamic State. The events of last summer leading to Burhan Wani’s death (the so called poster boy of Jehaad in Kashmir) draws parallels with Jihadi John in the West, who use social media and propaganda to promote Jehaad and killings in the name of religion.

The UK government stand on this issue is that of non-interference. The Rt Hon Alok Sharma made it clear to all parliamentarians that this is a matter purely between India and Pakistan.

As for the information of David Nutall and his colleagues, Pakistan’s support has been instrumental in spreading terrorism in J&K, but also in Punjab and North-eastern Indian states through military, logistics and finances. In J&K, however, Pakistan goes further as it openly pledges moral and political support to the Kashmiri jihadists, calling it a

The protest by Kashmiri Pandits

“Kashmiri freedom struggle”. The people fighting against the Indian Army are mercenaries trained in Pakistan with a view to destabilise the region. The recent demonetisation drive has put a sudden halt in any stone pelting activity thereby proving that they were all paid to attack the Indian Armed forces and government buildings. The only human rights that have been brutally violated are those of the minority

Aug 1948. Part II, A1 shows that the first condition of the resolution is for Pakistan to withdraw its occupation as well as troops from the Indian territory. The status quo was altered by Pakistan as it ethnically cleansed the population of Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir so there are no more non-Muslims living there – they were killed, converted to Islam, or forced to flee to India.

Bob Blackman MP at the Parliament debate

Hindu community in the region and of those living in Pakistan Occupied Jammu & Kashmir region.

In the last couple of years the number of ceasefire violations on the Line of Control (LOC) have risen steeply. There were 437 ceasefire violations by Pakistan till November 2016, killing 37 and injuring 179 in the Indian side.

In a recent report to the Upper House of the Indian Parliament, it was stated that there are atleast 200 terrorists active in Jammu & Kashmir.

In response to the huge Propaganda call made by these 27 MPs for India to abide by UN Resolutions, they may note that it was India that, on January 1 1948, went as a complainant to the UN asking that Pakistan vacate the territory it had occupied. A close look at the much discussed, UN Security Council Resolution of 13

Through an Act of Parliament in 1972, it formally annexed Gilgit and Baltistan, all these now called the Northern Territories. It is interesting to note how free (Azad) the people of Azad Kashmir are!

The Interim Constitution Act 1974, Clause 4 (7) 2 states: No person or political party in Azad Jammu & Kashmir shall be permitted to propagate against or take part in activities prejudicial or detrimental to the ideology of the State’s Accession to Pakistan.

International and Indian media personnel, foreign diplomats, the International Committee of the Red Cross, all have had free access to Jammu and Kashmir. The National Human Rights Commission of India and the Jammu and Kashmir State Human Rights Commission are performing a stellar role in investi-

gating any human rights violations by security forces and initiating punitive action, where necessary.

The parliamentarians speaking on 19th January 2017 were obviously not given these necessary details of the issue by the propagandists and it is shocking to see them not do their own homework either! The Home Minister of India has announced an expert committee to find alternatives to pellet guns and are investigating the use of these.

I n d i a n Governments of all colours have consistently maintained that Jammu and Kashmir is part of India and that the matter is internal for India alone. It rejects all third party interference. India is committed to holding dialogues with Pakistan on all outstanding issues including Jammu & Kashmir, through a direct bilateral dialogue process as mandated in the Shimla Agreement. A partisan debate such as the one held recently in UK Parliament has the potential to cause serious harm to bilateral relations between the UK and India and therefore also the interests of Britain.

It would cause a great harm to liberal, democratic & civilized western world.

It sends a message that the largest democracy in the world is not trusted by Britain; while a country (Pakistan) where minorities are exterminated, military coups are a norm and terrorist camps are rife is favoured.

Encouragement of such debates and the media coverage encourages the extremists with Jehadi mentality to bring their reprehensible fight closer to the British soil.

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Indian Ladies in UK protest overnight to grab authority's attention over abuses they suffer One of Britain’s largest Indian community organisations planned an unusual protest in London’s iconic Piccadilly Circus aimed at highlighting the plight of first generation migrant Indian women in the UK who are abused and exploited by their spouses and let down by the system.

Members of Indian Ladies in UK (ILUK) – a 14,000-strong women’s group made up of first generation female migrants from across

India – braved the December cold and become “homeless” for one night, sleeping rough on the frigid streets of London on 23rd December.

They aimed to shed light on the plight of scores of women who have been left physically, mentally and emotionally abused and destitute by their spouses.

The protests came after another year during which ILUK has helped dozens of young women from across India who have fallen victims to abusive partners.

Among those participating in the protest is one woman – originally from Gujarat - whose British-Indian husband took her to India in mid 2016 only to abandon her and kidnap her children and take them to his parent’s home in Madagascar.

The woman – who asked that she be identified only as “C” – was left stranded in the Indian capital Delhi without money or her travel documents. She soon made contact with ILUK which helped organize a passport and an airline ticket back to Britain where she is currently pursuing legal action against her husband and his family.

ILUK and its members have also organised accommodation and counseling for her as well as representing her in

court. Another woman, “S” from Hyderabad, returned to London in October after a visit to India to find that she had been locked out of her home by her IT executive husband who claimed that he had obtained a

divorce through the socalled “triple talaq” system of Islamic divorce which is not recognized in the UK or India.

She was left homeless before she made contact with ILUK who organised help for her.

Many of the victims often have little knowledge about how to find help in what is, for many, a largely alien country and are often turned away by police and local councils with the excuse that they have “no recourse to public funds” – a reference to their residency status in the UK.

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GP blocked pensioner in parking space for five hours ‘to teach him a lesson’

A pensioner was left ‘shivering in the cold’ after a doctor allegedly blocked in his car for several hours to ‘teach him a lesson’.

Mohammed Hossain, a grandad who has high blood pressure after a stroke, parked in a ‘staff only’ car park after running late for a 9.30am appointment.

The 80-year-old later admitted he was in the wrong, however ‘was anxious’ after earlier misplacing his car keys. He added that he couldn’t find a disabled space at the centre on Thursday.

Police were eventually called to defuse the parking row, which allegedly involved Dr Gill Edmondson at Chorlton Health Centre.

Mr Hossain’s daughter Rebecca, who has also complained to NHS England, said the respected accountant was left very upset. He had allegedly returned to his £400 Toyota hatchback after his appointment to find Dr Edmondson’s Lexus parked behind him.

The widower from Chorlton, said he repeatedly apologised and asked if the GP would move her car, but

claims the receptionist said he would have to wait until she finished at 2.30pm. He said he was told in the practice that Dr Edmondson ‘wanted to teach him a lesson’ and was ‘furious’.

Daughter, Rebecca said: ‘He should not have parked where he did, obviously.. He was rushing and anxious and apologetic afterwards.

But it is just pettiness.

Someone else could have moved her car and he wouldn’t have been left shivering in the cold.’ The police called the surgery and within 10 minutes they called me back and told me that the car had been moved. It is wrong that a doctor should withhold someone’s car for any amount of time.’

Five men who played a part in bringing 3.5 kilo grams of heroin into Leicester have been sent to jail.

The defendants all pleaded guilty to various drugs offences at earlier hearings and were sentenced at Leicester Crown Court on Friday 20 January.

The East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU) along with officers from Leicestershire Police, started their investigation in the summer of 2015 after they identified a man was bringing high purity heroin into the city and distributing it to lower level dealers.

In November 2015, after a five month policing operation, Yaqoob was stopped in his car on Asquith Way, Leicester, and officers recovered half a kilo of high purity heroin, and a further 350g of specially made cutting agents.

Officers then raided a “safe house” in Moorfields, Thurnby Lodge, Leicester, in December 2015 and recovered cutting agents, a drugs press and other drug paraphernalia.

The defendants pleaded guilty to the following offences at earlier hearings and were sentenced to: • Robert Duguid, 48, of Moorfields, Leicester, was sentenced to an eight month suspended sentence for allowing premises to be used in the supply of Class A drugs

• Usman Patel, 27, of Oak Road, Leicester, was sentenced to seven years for possession with intent to supply Class A drugs, and dangerous driving • Habeeb Yaqoob, 21, of Barnsley Road, Sheffield, was sentenced to four years imprisonment for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs • Israel Clarke, 22, of Lynwood Court, Stoughton Road, Leicester, was sentenced to six years imprisonment for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and possession of a knife • Hamzah Aslam, 22, of Broadway, Leicester, was sentenced to six years imprisonment for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and possession of a knife* In August 2016, while Patel was on court bail awaiting sentencing, he met with two other men, Hawkins and Mahamed, to deal in drugs. They were arrested by officers in August 2016 and in total, 917 grams of heroin was recovered.

• Joshua Hawkins, 27, of Oak Street, Leicester, was sentenced to five years eight months imprisonment for possession with intent to supply • Ehteshan Mahamed, 24, of Dale Street, Leicester, was sentenced to five years four months imprisonment for possession with intent to supply and supply cannabis at court and convey an article into prison

Mohammed Hossain

Seven men sentenced for drugs offences

Richa Bhalla: Pedals

SP

TLIGHT

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Asian Voice | 28th January 2017

Sunetra Senior

Richa Bhalla is the founder of a one-of-a-kind eco-friendly delivery service: the cleanly and aptly named Pedals. The burgeoning company is based in London, Farringdon and specialises in the distribution of “unique and bespoke” goods, using only the invigorating, green power of the city’s courier cyclists. “We work with a myriad of amazing start-ups around London,” the light-hearted Bhalla shared with us. “And they have all been very supportive. We have found our lively metropolis to be full of SMEs who are similarly passionate about 'Extraordinary their products, but had no affordable products and efficient way of getting these to customers who wanted them most. deserve They wanted a reliable service that extraordinary could transport goods with the deservdelivery' ing care, precision and speed.” And as Bhalla explained, it’s “the personality” of the Pedals business model that’s key. As well as introducing “old-school bicycle delivery”, the environmentally conscious company also takes care to cultivate the job satisfaction of their individual workers: “unlike other courier services out there, we not only focus on making the customer service as high touch and all-encompassing as possible, but also making sure that our team of cyclists are leading happy and fulfilling careers.” With this ethos behind them, Pedals has accelerated at a lightning velocity. They can boast a host of trendy companies, such as Mast chocolate, Pip & Nut and Monmouth Coffee on the regular rotary roster. *** The charismatic Bhalla has also flourished with a micro version of the Pedals business – the simpler flower delivery service Petal and Cycle –and gathered valuable - and impressive - experience from her time in the US’ Silicon Valley where she worked before.

"I worked for 2 Y Combinator companies immersing myself in the tech scene," she told us "concentrating on building a solid network.” Interestingly, of the intense professional period spent there, Bhalla recalls “the time when living with her bosses for 3 months had become mandatory” to get her projects completed: “I learnt so much,” Bhalla stated. “Not just the vital professional know-how, but the defter human element. I grew from observing the way talented superiors were working, and very significantly for the inception of Pedals - from San Francisco’s own thriving cycle delivery model. Observing this I thought: ‘everyone could benefit from a personal and compassionate touch from the delivery of products to their door. In fact, a lot of the heads of SMEs in London have been enthusiastic to work with us because they’ve turned out to be keen cyclists themselves!.” Pardoning the following pun then, Bhalla’s SME has come full circle to epitomise a general rule for all thriving start-ups: that underlying the quest for financial backing and sharpened analytical skills, there must always be a deep and sustained emotional connection, both to others as well as the self.

Who have been the sponsors for the company?

Our first backer was Geovation in April of last year. They are an incubator backed by the ordnance survey tasked to help companies using maps data in innovative ways. Soon afterwards we started to raise money in the market through Crowdfunding. This was a pretty incredible experience as we came onto the platform with no solid investors. Within a few weeks, we managed to convince 181 investors that we were worthwhile and ended up raising £140k!

Tell us more about your unique personal journey on the way to Pedals?

I started off my career in banking and

soon realized that I wasn’t gaining any of the skills I needed to start my own company. I did, however, learn a certain level of discipline and developed a pretty thick skin being in that environment. These traits served me well when I moved to Silicon Valley. This prepared me well for what was about to come when I landed back in London and decided to start my first enterprise: an on demand flowers in the city delivered by bicycle: if I could get flowers from A to B, I could surely deliver anything.

I not only learned a lot about the struggles from a customer perspective, namely high and fluctuating prices for deliveries but also from a cyclist perspective. I started speaking to a lot of riders, from all walks of life

and came to realize how disgruntled they were with the way things were currently being run in the delivery world. They are subject to mandatory shifts, paid really low wages and are required to only work for one company at a time oftentimes with a very unpredictable schedule. This leads to some very unhappy deliveries. I came to realize that there was something we could holistically do here. I also met the now CTO of Pedals through a cyclist no less! He possesses 11 years of experience in the tech industry and was one of the first employees at Secret Escapes.

Please tell us a bit more about the sustainability aspect of Pedals?

Our partners are excited about even the small stickers we put on their packages saying delivered by Pedals, letting the recipients know that it’s come by green means. We also have a button that we insert on our partners websites to let their own customers know that they deliver green.

What’s been the most difficult part of a start up?

Finding the right people. Many want to work in a start-up but sometimes have unrealistic expectations of what exactly that entails. It’s definitely exciting, but you have to be a hard worker that’s ok with very high highs and very low lows.

Do you think having a good online presence has been a big part of your mounting success?

I wouldn’t say so. We’ve actually found the more traditional models to be more successful. Cold calling and door to door sales have worked well.

What has been some of the best feedback so far?

Actually just last week! Apidura (a luxury brand of bike accessories) gave us the feedback. They were told that: “Pedals couriers are the nicest couriers they’ve dealt with in 20 years of working in Logistics. They are always smiling, polite and a pleasure to deal with.”

Finally, what’s a motto you have that gets you though the day?

Extraordinary products deserve extraordinary delivery. Also:everything is reversible! Many start-ups suffer from analysis paralysis and get nothing done. I always ask myself: “what’s the worst that can happen?” and it pushes me to make decisions I’d usually be scared of making.

W

Pedals-Delivery.com

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SPECIAL

A Small Spark To A Much Bigger Flame Asian Voice | 28th January 2017

Tamil Nadu State government promulgated an ordinance with Governor C Vidyasagar Rao's approval to circumvent the 2014 ban on Jallikattu. "The bulls which have been locked up, will come so that the Jallikattu warriors can embrace them," said Chief Minister O Panneerselvam. Thousands of protestors have been camping out at Chennai's landmark Marina Beach for the last five days protesting against the ban and raising their fingers at "outsider" global animal rights PETA. They are unhappy with the ordinance, and believe it is a mere half-measure.

"It doesn't guarantee that the sport won't be banned again," said M Gurumurthy, a 48 year old chartered accountant who feels passionately for the age old bull taming tradition of the state.

Another protestor, Ganesh R, an IT worker who has been at the seafront protest site all week, said, "If they pass a bill and make sure no foreign NGO will ever dictate to us what is and isn't our culture, then I will be happy."

Demonstrations that began against the banning of a state sport, has in a bizarre way

lost its motive, turning more into a nationalist move where half-informed Tamilians have begun to believe it was PETA that ruined their yearly Pongal celebrations.

Along with their demand to allow Jallikattu, protesters now seek a ban on PETA, the animal rights group that had actively campaigned for restrictions against the sport.

They are also calling for amendments in the prevention of cruelty to animals act, especially in light of the Supreme Court's pending decision on Jallikattu.

Protester Shanthi Moorthy said, "The bull must be removed from the list of performing animals. Our protest will continue until that happens."

What is Jallikattu?

Derived from two Tamil words 'Jalli' and 'Kattu', meaning gold or silver coins, and tied, Jallikattu is a bull taming event typicall practiced all through Tamil Nadu on Mattu Pongal day- the third day of the four-day Pongal festival. The sport requires coins to be tied to bull's horns. The bull that

wins is used to service numerous cows preserving the native breed. It is revered as an ancient sport believed to have been practised some 2500 years ago. However, the consequences, injuries and deaths caused because of the sport has made it controversial.

Why the protests?

The Environment Ministry amended its earlier notification last year, initially issued by the UPA government in 2011, declaring the sport be carried on irrespective of the ban imposed by the Supreme Court. This was seen as a direct rebuke with the Supreme Court's order and was challenged by several organisations such as the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). As a result, a stay order was issued by the court.

It was around this time that the organisation became actively involved in the issue.

PETA investigators conducted a research and found that the bulls were being disoriented deliberately. Their tails were allegedly bitten, twisted, they were stabbed, punched, and dragged on the ground.

PETA even found support from several celebrities, all

playing a major role in the banning of the sport.

Tamilians, especially the youth- students and professionals, have vehemently protested against the ban.

They consider bull taming as symbolic to ancient tradition that has been celebrated since ages. There are several references of the sport in Dravidian Literature. The ongoing protests note that the ban insults their cultural identity. They claim that their fight is for Tamil pride and what their culture represents. They reject the allegation that the sport is cruel to the bulls, and demand PETA be banished from the state.

Protesters say the law on cruelty to animals must be amended to include Jallikattu bulls on a list of trained animals used in the military or for educational and scientific purposes.

For and Against Dhivya Balachandar, 28, has been aggressively participating in the mass protest going in the state. "Jallikattu is just the spark, we are fighting to reclaim our rights as Tamilians," he strongly said

AsianVoiceNews

to a newspaper source. A part of the demonstrations since the beginning, he said he coordinates volunteering efforts during the day, and stays at Marina Beach in the evenings. "I grew up seeing these traditions in Melur, my village in Madurai. My father used to take part in Jallikattu. The bulls are considered a part of the family, we used to call them by their name. If a bull died, that day would be a black day for the entire village. They ask why we are hurting the bulls, but that is not how it is. We celebrate jallikattu for one day, and for the remaining 364 days we are taking care of the bulls," he said.

"It is part of our culture," he continued. "But PETA, which is a foreign agency, has collected some rare occurrences, showcased it as jallikattu and got a ban on it.

The Supreme Court did not give the other party a chance to explain. For the past three years after the judgement, we believed that our government would do something. But nothing positive came out of it."

"This year, we asked that just 10 bulls be released through the 'vaadivaasal' for

jallikattu in Alanganallur, which is famous for the sport.

But they did not allow even that. That's when we began protesting at Alanganallur. It was a silent protest. No politicians are involved in this agitation. One of them tried to join us in Chennai but we did not allow him. We are proud that we are united without the involvement of politicians," Dhivya said. "We are very clear about our agenda. It’s not about banning PETA. Our main aim is to get the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act amended so that the ban on using bulls for traditional and cultural practices can be removed. This is a completely peaceful protest."

"If they want to ban (cruelty to animals), why don’t they ban leather exports? But they won’t do that. Whether it’s the Cauvery issue or the proposal to build a dam in Kerala, it is the Tamil people who have to bear the brunt.

When soldiers die on the border in Kashmir, they talk about Indian soldiers. But when fishermen are killed by Sri Lanka, they are Tamilian

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

fishermen. We feel Tamilians are being unfairly treated.

Jallikattu is just the spark, we are fighting for every issue where we need to reclaim our rights."

Meanwhile, social activist Shunmuga Anandam, 28, feels the rallying point for "Tamil Pride" comes from a deeper "sense of grievance nursed over the last few years." He said, "Whenever there has been a disagreement between the Central and state governments, people would take to social media to say Tamilians are suppressed by the Centre.

This created a feeling among youngsters that 'outsiders', whether from Delhi or abroad, are trying to deride their culture. This is a common thread you will find throughout Tamil Nadu, even if you travel to rural areas."

"Most of the people standing on Marina Beach and shouting slogans today are unaware of the facts of jallikattu. They have termed it an issue of Tamil pride after seeing WhatsApp forwards. I believe our youth is being misled and are fighting for the wrong cause. They think there is a ploy to import foreign breeds, to destroy native ones — these are the imaginative theories propagated through social media that are fuelling the protest," he said. "The people protesting do not like to talk about the caste discrimination in jallikattu. If you go deeper into the villages beyond the three main areas where it is held, you will see it for yourself. If Dalits catch the bull of the higher caste during an open competition, they will assault or even kill the Dalit.

They also fail to see that the ban came about because of the legal failure of the state government (to ensure there was no cruelty to the animals during the sport)."

Shunmuga added, "Instead, they are blaming PETA, though the first petitioner is a government body, the Animal Welfare Board.

When I questioned some of the people involved in organising the protests on Facebook, they blocked me.

One of them is the rappersinger duo called Hiphop Tamizha who made a music video supporting jallikattu, which blamed foreign agencies and a conspiracy against the sport. That video went viral and youngsters began believing what was said in it."

Laying out facts, he said, "In Tamil Nadu, according to one estimate, 5,000 bulls are being reared for jallikattu.

But these are not used for any other purpose such as working in the fields. They are trained only for the sport. At the same time, you have 24.5 lakh of native breed bulls in the state according to the livestock survey of 2012. So the theory that jallikattu bulls are important for supporting native breeds does not hold water. But people continue to spin this yarn."

Britons hold protests in support of Jallikattu www.asian-voice.com

SPECIAL Asian Voice | 28th January 2017

17

Jallikattu: To ban or not to ban AsianVoiceNews

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

Rupanjana Dutta

The Tamil community in Britain held peaceful protests outside the Indian High Commission (Aldwych), outside Wembley Stadium and East Ham high street to support the tradition of Jallikattu. More than 3000 people gathered in this cold weather at Wembley on Saturday 21st January to support the initiative. Protests were also held at Leeds and Ireland. East Ham saw many people gathered on the high street on Sunday 22nd January to voice their opinion supporting the sport.

When asked for comments from the Asian community on social media, many people came forward to share their opinion.

Diana Suja Madanraj: I'm going to reflect my husband Madan's views on this. He made a very good point of saying the practice should be allowed to continue, but needs moderation/ rules (ie to stop the people who are cruel to the bulls), and penalties applied to those who abuse it.

Abhiroop SenGupta: I am dead against it, but in the name of tradition I have an idea. May be we can a mechanised much safer version of it be made viable. For example bull riding is a rodeo sport, while we also have mechanised bull riding with safety harness for leisure & fun. We can do something like that be put into play here, using a track based moving mechanised bull.

Arundhati Mukherjee: At first the base or route on what it developed should be found out, it may so happen that those are not applicable in present days, so people may understand the reason to discontinue or start a moderate way. May be you need to explore how and why it started.

Poonam Joshi: Although I am not in favor of any animal being used for any kind of sport or entertainment or even meat but if JalliKattu is allowed it should be with strict regulations in place just like other organizations do whether its Polo or Dog race.

An animal should also be treated with dignity. Men have the choice to decide if they want to get killed by a

Peaceful protest in support of Jallikattu outside the Indian High Commission, London

People in large numbers protest against Jallikattu ban on Marina beach in Chennai

Anand Pillai

Protest outside Wembley Stadium on Saturday

Bull, but a Bull against its will is thrown into a crowd by being fed alcohol, his tail twisted, bitten badly or beaten by sticks and causing acute distress which is totally unacceptable. And people also need to think when they talk about centuries old traditions. We also had the tradition called 'Sati' in place. If traditions were superior than someone's life then a lot of widows would still be burnt alive with their dead husbands.

Tanu Kurien Vaswani: How did this tradition come about? Are reasons still valid?

Bull fighting a tradition from Spain is on the wane. They're thinking of changing traditions. So is it the same for jallikattu? I don't know enough to talk about it.

Anand Thirumoorthy: People protesting for Jallikattu are asking for a removal of ban on Jallikattu.

But here is the basics of what happened and what needs to be done as explained by Karthikeya Senapathy -

founder of the Kangayam Cattle Research Foundation who started this protest many years back.

In 2012 , Mr Jayaram Ramesh - minister for Environment and Forest, "defines or terms" 13 breeds of Cows and Bulls into the list

but all states.

The Goverment cannot overrule/change Supreme Court Decision. But they can amend the act which was amended by the Jayaram Ramesh which will then lead to the invalidation of the ban.

This is what the protesters

of wild animals bringing it under the "Performing Animals Act". This was done out of the blue and in a very clandestine way with no one knowing about it. There was no news and no request made to him. So the only explanation is he was paid to do this by the Corporate organizations behind this.

This is the clause/rule which allowed PETA to file the ultimate case as it was filed using the laws that protect the "Performing Wild Animals". This not only banned Jallikattu but also the participation of Bulls and Cows across India in sports like Rural Olympics. So this not just affected Tamilnadu,

should ask for.

Pooja Gadoo: This practice should be allowed with few rules imposed so that no one including animals get hurt.

The irony is that PETA is banning it for animal protection and they don't care about so much animal slaughter happening in India.

Anita Ghosh: Jalikattu is about protection of one's culture and traditions, rejecting excessive political correctness and and the homogenity of ideas and ideology imposed from the privileged in cities. I understand how they feel but just wish this was not about animals. I wish they were protecting a tradition that did not cause animals to suffer.

Imagine tomorrow if cricket is banned in India on the grounds that it is a dangerous game where many cricketers have died on the field after being hit by the ball, what will be its implications? Certainly entire India will come out on the streets in protest. There will be an impromptu outpouring of public sentiment.

A similar thing happened in Tamil Nadu last week where a sea of humanity thronged the Marina beach in Chennai and other parts of the state to protest the Supreme Court ban on the over 4,000-year-old 'dangerous' practice of Jallikattu, a symbol of Tamil culture and identity.

Yes, recently Australian cricketer Phillips Huges died after being hit by the ball or for that matter India's Raman Lamba died in a similar fashion decades ago – but these unfortunate incidents should not lead to banning the game altogether. Extra care should be taken to avoid such incidents.

Similarly, just because there have been some incidents of bull torture and human deaths here and there during Jallikattu, that should not mean the practice should be banned.

Peta (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) argues that between 2010 and 2014, at least 17 people were killed and 1000-odd injured during Jallikattu events.

If death or injury is a criterion to ban something, then in that case hundreds of people are dying in road accidents daily in India.

Does that mean all the vehicles should be taken off the roads? No. Extra measures must be put in place to avoid accidents. Many die or are lost during the Kumbh Mela, but has anyone ever protested against organising the Kumbh Mela? No. So, stringent rules should be applied and proper care must be taken, like

putting up extra barricades, etc., for the performance of Jallikattu rather than totally banning it.

A key point in this whole debate is that Article 51(a)(g) in the Indian Constitution states: “It shall be the fundamental duty of every citizen of India to protect and improve the natural environment, including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife and have compassion for all living creatures.”

This constitutional provision provides a very strong pointer on how all animals, including bulls used in Jallikattu should be treated.

But the whole Jallikattu episode gives rise to a very pertinent question – that should progressive lawmaking be subject to public sentiment? If that would have been the case then our founding fathers would not have been able to reform the Hindu Code Bill where the widows remarriage Act, child marriage Act and all other archaic social customs of the subcontinent were banned –because there was a huge public sentiment for all these practices.

Sati (where a widow immolates herself on her husband's pyre) was part of Indian tradition and it was revoked by the British government and eventually accepted by the Indian people. So, just because something is a tradition does not mean it should be allowed to continue. There are certain traditions which the society must rethink of continuing with, because they may no longer be appropriate or moving with the times. So why Jallikattu, if it is claimed that it is a dangerous sport and not good for the bulls, can’t fit in that bracket?

At the moment it's a delicate situation in Tamil Nadu where the popular sentiment represented quite visibly by thousands of young and educated Tamilians is pitted against the principles of the law.

And this is a very uncomfortable situation for the law.

Because here the mass sentiment actually is questioning the law.

Let’s hope the Supreme Court does not go by mass sentiment. Because if such a precedent is set, the rule of law will disappear and the law of sentiment will take over, which in the long run is not good for the country.

However, there have been exceptions to this rule.

For instance, the Spanish Supreme Court overturned the Catalan Assembly's bullfighting ban where the judges said the Spanish state has responsibility for cultural heritage and Catalan parliament has exceeded its authority. The Spanish SC believed that there are some sentiments in some traditions that must be observed because they mean so much to the people and the top court came to the conclusion that – don’t pit the law against the mass sentiment.

So, why can’t the Indian Supreme Court take a similar stand on the Jallikattu issue?

Well, in India the Constitution is supreme, and the Supreme Court goes by the Constitution, not by popular sentiment. However, the Constitution does permit the government to amend the law. Take for instance the famous Shah Banu case on divorced Muslim women's maintenance where then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi amended the law under public pressure.

Similarly, the Indian government has a different stand on Triple Talaq, while the conservative elements say Triple Talaq is an essential part of Islam. So, the larger question is about progressive lawmaking. Should the court and the government take into cognisance public sentiment and not go forward with progressive lawmaking? That's the key issue that is coming out of this mass movement.

The advocates of Jallikattu argue that bullfighting and Pamplona bull run is permissible in Spain because they are part of that

country’s culture. Rodeo bull riding is permissible in America because it’s part of that country's culture. Fox hunting has found ways of continuing in Britain even though it is officially banned and now the Conservative government is trying to find a way to lifting the ban. The Jallikattu supporters say if all these are allowed in the modern-day world, why then Jallikattu is not permitted in India?

Well, for the sake of agrument they have a point, but just because other countries permit cruelty to animals does not mean India too should follow suit. The animal rights activists argue that India should be one step ahead of these countries and set an example by avoiding such sports which are dangerous for animals.

Also, there is an issue of double standards here. It is not that cruelty to animals is not happening in India at all. Animals are sacrificed during Eid; Dussehra (famously with Gurkha battalions); Tantric pujas and certainly at Kamakhya temple in Guwahati. If animals are sacrificed and it is accepted by all, argue Jallikattu supporters, then what's wrong with Jallikattu?

By the way, making Peta the scapegoat in the entire episode is also not right as it was not at the forefront of opposing Jallikattu in the first place. The case started in 2006 and Peta came into the picture only in 2011. In between too much water had flown under the bridge.

Unfortunately, it has become the face of the case and has to face the music.

However, one remedy to resolve the issue is – the Tamil Nadu government should re-represent the Jallikattu case again, this time more properly arguing what Jallikattu actually means as a sport, what it means to the people and the bulls, and what it means in the larger perspective of preserving the genetic pool of Indian cattle in our country.

16

SPECIAL

A Small Spark To A Much Bigger Flame Asian Voice | 28th January 2017

Tamil Nadu State government promulgated an ordinance with Governor C Vidyasagar Rao's approval to circumvent the 2014 ban on Jallikattu. "The bulls which have been locked up, will come so that the Jallikattu warriors can embrace them," said Chief Minister O Panneerselvam. Thousands of protestors have been camping out at Chennai's landmark Marina Beach for the last five days protesting against the ban and raising their fingers at "outsider" global animal rights PETA. They are unhappy with the ordinance, and believe it is a mere half-measure.

"It doesn't guarantee that the sport won't be banned again," said M Gurumurthy, a 48 year old chartered accountant who feels passionately for the age old bull taming tradition of the state.

Another protestor, Ganesh R, an IT worker who has been at the seafront protest site all week, said, "If they pass a bill and make sure no foreign NGO will ever dictate to us what is and isn't our culture, then I will be happy."

Demonstrations that began against the banning of a state sport, has in a bizarre way

lost its motive, turning more into a nationalist move where half-informed Tamilians have begun to believe it was PETA that ruined their yearly Pongal celebrations.

Along with their demand to allow Jallikattu, protesters now seek a ban on PETA, the animal rights group that had actively campaigned for restrictions against the sport.

They are also calling for amendments in the prevention of cruelty to animals act, especially in light of the Supreme Court's pending decision on Jallikattu.

Protester Shanthi Moorthy said, "The bull must be removed from the list of performing animals. Our protest will continue until that happens."

What is Jallikattu?

Derived from two Tamil words 'Jalli' and 'Kattu', meaning gold or silver coins, and tied, Jallikattu is a bull taming event typicall practiced all through Tamil Nadu on Mattu Pongal day- the third day of the four-day Pongal festival. The sport requires coins to be tied to bull's horns. The bull that

wins is used to service numerous cows preserving the native breed. It is revered as an ancient sport believed to have been practised some 2500 years ago. However, the consequences, injuries and deaths caused because of the sport has made it controversial.

Why the protests?

The Environment Ministry amended its earlier notification last year, initially issued by the UPA government in 2011, declaring the sport be carried on irrespective of the ban imposed by the Supreme Court. This was seen as a direct rebuke with the Supreme Court's order and was challenged by several organisations such as the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). As a result, a stay order was issued by the court.

It was around this time that the organisation became actively involved in the issue.

PETA investigators conducted a research and found that the bulls were being disoriented deliberately. Their tails were allegedly bitten, twisted, they were stabbed, punched, and dragged on the ground.

PETA even found support from several celebrities, all

playing a major role in the banning of the sport.

Tamilians, especially the youth- students and professionals, have vehemently protested against the ban.

They consider bull taming as symbolic to ancient tradition that has been celebrated since ages. There are several references of the sport in Dravidian Literature. The ongoing protests note that the ban insults their cultural identity. They claim that their fight is for Tamil pride and what their culture represents. They reject the allegation that the sport is cruel to the bulls, and demand PETA be banished from the state.

Protesters say the law on cruelty to animals must be amended to include Jallikattu bulls on a list of trained animals used in the military or for educational and scientific purposes.

For and Against Dhivya Balachandar, 28, has been aggressively participating in the mass protest going in the state. "Jallikattu is just the spark, we are fighting to reclaim our rights as Tamilians," he strongly said

AsianVoiceNews

to a newspaper source. A part of the demonstrations since the beginning, he said he coordinates volunteering efforts during the day, and stays at Marina Beach in the evenings. "I grew up seeing these traditions in Melur, my village in Madurai. My father used to take part in Jallikattu. The bulls are considered a part of the family, we used to call them by their name. If a bull died, that day would be a black day for the entire village. They ask why we are hurting the bulls, but that is not how it is. We celebrate jallikattu for one day, and for the remaining 364 days we are taking care of the bulls," he said.

"It is part of our culture," he continued. "But PETA, which is a foreign agency, has collected some rare occurrences, showcased it as jallikattu and got a ban on it.

The Supreme Court did not give the other party a chance to explain. For the past three years after the judgement, we believed that our government would do something. But nothing positive came out of it."

"This year, we asked that just 10 bulls be released through the 'vaadivaasal' for

jallikattu in Alanganallur, which is famous for the sport.

But they did not allow even that. That's when we began protesting at Alanganallur. It was a silent protest. No politicians are involved in this agitation. One of them tried to join us in Chennai but we did not allow him. We are proud that we are united without the involvement of politicians," Dhivya said. "We are very clear about our agenda. It’s not about banning PETA. Our main aim is to get the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act amended so that the ban on using bulls for traditional and cultural practices can be removed. This is a completely peaceful protest."

"If they want to ban (cruelty to animals), why don’t they ban leather exports? But they won’t do that. Whether it’s the Cauvery issue or the proposal to build a dam in Kerala, it is the Tamil people who have to bear the brunt.

When soldiers die on the border in Kashmir, they talk about Indian soldiers. But when fishermen are killed by Sri Lanka, they are Tamilian

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

fishermen. We feel Tamilians are being unfairly treated.

Jallikattu is just the spark, we are fighting for every issue where we need to reclaim our rights."

Meanwhile, social activist Shunmuga Anandam, 28, feels the rallying point for "Tamil Pride" comes from a deeper "sense of grievance nursed over the last few years." He said, "Whenever there has been a disagreement between the Central and state governments, people would take to social media to say Tamilians are suppressed by the Centre.

This created a feeling among youngsters that 'outsiders', whether from Delhi or abroad, are trying to deride their culture. This is a common thread you will find throughout Tamil Nadu, even if you travel to rural areas."

"Most of the people standing on Marina Beach and shouting slogans today are unaware of the facts of jallikattu. They have termed it an issue of Tamil pride after seeing WhatsApp forwards. I believe our youth is being misled and are fighting for the wrong cause. They think there is a ploy to import foreign breeds, to destroy native ones — these are the imaginative theories propagated through social media that are fuelling the protest," he said. "The people protesting do not like to talk about the caste discrimination in jallikattu. If you go deeper into the villages beyond the three main areas where it is held, you will see it for yourself. If Dalits catch the bull of the higher caste during an open competition, they will assault or even kill the Dalit.

They also fail to see that the ban came about because of the legal failure of the state government (to ensure there was no cruelty to the animals during the sport)."

Shunmuga added, "Instead, they are blaming PETA, though the first petitioner is a government body, the Animal Welfare Board.

When I questioned some of the people involved in organising the protests on Facebook, they blocked me.

One of them is the rappersinger duo called Hiphop Tamizha who made a music video supporting jallikattu, which blamed foreign agencies and a conspiracy against the sport. That video went viral and youngsters began believing what was said in it."

Laying out facts, he said, "In Tamil Nadu, according to one estimate, 5,000 bulls are being reared for jallikattu.

But these are not used for any other purpose such as working in the fields. They are trained only for the sport. At the same time, you have 24.5 lakh of native breed bulls in the state according to the livestock survey of 2012. So the theory that jallikattu bulls are important for supporting native breeds does not hold water. But people continue to spin this yarn."

Britons hold protests in support of Jallikattu www.asian-voice.com

SPECIAL Asian Voice | 28th January 2017

17

Jallikattu: To ban or not to ban AsianVoiceNews

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

Rupanjana Dutta

The Tamil community in Britain held peaceful protests outside the Indian High Commission (Aldwych), outside Wembley Stadium and East Ham high street to support the tradition of Jallikattu. More than 3000 people gathered in this cold weather at Wembley on Saturday 21st January to support the initiative. Protests were also held at Leeds and Ireland. East Ham saw many people gathered on the high street on Sunday 22nd January to voice their opinion supporting the sport.

When asked for comments from the Asian community on social media, many people came forward to share their opinion.

Diana Suja Madanraj: I'm going to reflect my husband Madan's views on this. He made a very good point of saying the practice should be allowed to continue, but needs moderation/ rules (ie to stop the people who are cruel to the bulls), and penalties applied to those who abuse it.

Abhiroop SenGupta: I am dead against it, but in the name of tradition I have an idea. May be we can a mechanised much safer version of it be made viable. For example bull riding is a rodeo sport, while we also have mechanised bull riding with safety harness for leisure & fun. We can do something like that be put into play here, using a track based moving mechanised bull.

Arundhati Mukherjee: At first the base or route on what it developed should be found out, it may so happen that those are not applicable in present days, so people may understand the reason to discontinue or start a moderate way. May be you need to explore how and why it started.

Poonam Joshi: Although I am not in favor of any animal being used for any kind of sport or entertainment or even meat but if JalliKattu is allowed it should be with strict regulations in place just like other organizations do whether its Polo or Dog race.

An animal should also be treated with dignity. Men have the choice to decide if they want to get killed by a

Peaceful protest in support of Jallikattu outside the Indian High Commission, London

People in large numbers protest against Jallikattu ban on Marina beach in Chennai

Anand Pillai

Protest outside Wembley Stadium on Saturday

Bull, but a Bull against its will is thrown into a crowd by being fed alcohol, his tail twisted, bitten badly or beaten by sticks and causing acute distress which is totally unacceptable. And people also need to think when they talk about centuries old traditions. We also had the tradition called 'Sati' in place. If traditions were superior than someone's life then a lot of widows would still be burnt alive with their dead husbands.

Tanu Kurien Vaswani: How did this tradition come about? Are reasons still valid?

Bull fighting a tradition from Spain is on the wane. They're thinking of changing traditions. So is it the same for jallikattu? I don't know enough to talk about it.

Anand Thirumoorthy: People protesting for Jallikattu are asking for a removal of ban on Jallikattu.

But here is the basics of what happened and what needs to be done as explained by Karthikeya Senapathy -

founder of the Kangayam Cattle Research Foundation who started this protest many years back.

In 2012 , Mr Jayaram Ramesh - minister for Environment and Forest, "defines or terms" 13 breeds of Cows and Bulls into the list

but all states.

The Goverment cannot overrule/change Supreme Court Decision. But they can amend the act which was amended by the Jayaram Ramesh which will then lead to the invalidation of the ban.

This is what the protesters

of wild animals bringing it under the "Performing Animals Act". This was done out of the blue and in a very clandestine way with no one knowing about it. There was no news and no request made to him. So the only explanation is he was paid to do this by the Corporate organizations behind this.

This is the clause/rule which allowed PETA to file the ultimate case as it was filed using the laws that protect the "Performing Wild Animals". This not only banned Jallikattu but also the participation of Bulls and Cows across India in sports like Rural Olympics. So this not just affected Tamilnadu,

should ask for.

Pooja Gadoo: This practice should be allowed with few rules imposed so that no one including animals get hurt.

The irony is that PETA is banning it for animal protection and they don't care about so much animal slaughter happening in India.

Anita Ghosh: Jalikattu is about protection of one's culture and traditions, rejecting excessive political correctness and and the homogenity of ideas and ideology imposed from the privileged in cities. I understand how they feel but just wish this was not about animals. I wish they were protecting a tradition that did not cause animals to suffer.

Imagine tomorrow if cricket is banned in India on the grounds that it is a dangerous game where many cricketers have died on the field after being hit by the ball, what will be its implications? Certainly entire India will come out on the streets in protest. There will be an impromptu outpouring of public sentiment.

A similar thing happened in Tamil Nadu last week where a sea of humanity thronged the Marina beach in Chennai and other parts of the state to protest the Supreme Court ban on the over 4,000-year-old 'dangerous' practice of Jallikattu, a symbol of Tamil culture and identity.

Yes, recently Australian cricketer Phillips Huges died after being hit by the ball or for that matter India's Raman Lamba died in a similar fashion decades ago – but these unfortunate incidents should not lead to banning the game altogether. Extra care should be taken to avoid such incidents.

Similarly, just because there have been some incidents of bull torture and human deaths here and there during Jallikattu, that should not mean the practice should be banned.

Peta (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) argues that between 2010 and 2014, at least 17 people were killed and 1000-odd injured during Jallikattu events.

If death or injury is a criterion to ban something, then in that case hundreds of people are dying in road accidents daily in India.

Does that mean all the vehicles should be taken off the roads? No. Extra measures must be put in place to avoid accidents. Many die or are lost during the Kumbh Mela, but has anyone ever protested against organising the Kumbh Mela? No. So, stringent rules should be applied and proper care must be taken, like

putting up extra barricades, etc., for the performance of Jallikattu rather than totally banning it.

A key point in this whole debate is that Article 51(a)(g) in the Indian Constitution states: “It shall be the fundamental duty of every citizen of India to protect and improve the natural environment, including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife and have compassion for all living creatures.”

This constitutional provision provides a very strong pointer on how all animals, including bulls used in Jallikattu should be treated.

But the whole Jallikattu episode gives rise to a very pertinent question – that should progressive lawmaking be subject to public sentiment? If that would have been the case then our founding fathers would not have been able to reform the Hindu Code Bill where the widows remarriage Act, child marriage Act and all other archaic social customs of the subcontinent were banned –because there was a huge public sentiment for all these practices.

Sati (where a widow immolates herself on her husband's pyre) was part of Indian tradition and it was revoked by the British government and eventually accepted by the Indian people. So, just because something is a tradition does not mean it should be allowed to continue. There are certain traditions which the society must rethink of continuing with, because they may no longer be appropriate or moving with the times. So why Jallikattu, if it is claimed that it is a dangerous sport and not good for the bulls, can’t fit in that bracket?

At the moment it's a delicate situation in Tamil Nadu where the popular sentiment represented quite visibly by thousands of young and educated Tamilians is pitted against the principles of the law.

And this is a very uncomfortable situation for the law.

Because here the mass sentiment actually is questioning the law.

Let’s hope the Supreme Court does not go by mass sentiment. Because if such a precedent is set, the rule of law will disappear and the law of sentiment will take over, which in the long run is not good for the country.

However, there have been exceptions to this rule.

For instance, the Spanish Supreme Court overturned the Catalan Assembly's bullfighting ban where the judges said the Spanish state has responsibility for cultural heritage and Catalan parliament has exceeded its authority. The Spanish SC believed that there are some sentiments in some traditions that must be observed because they mean so much to the people and the top court came to the conclusion that – don’t pit the law against the mass sentiment.

So, why can’t the Indian Supreme Court take a similar stand on the Jallikattu issue?

Well, in India the Constitution is supreme, and the Supreme Court goes by the Constitution, not by popular sentiment. However, the Constitution does permit the government to amend the law. Take for instance the famous Shah Banu case on divorced Muslim women's maintenance where then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi amended the law under public pressure.

Similarly, the Indian government has a different stand on Triple Talaq, while the conservative elements say Triple Talaq is an essential part of Islam. So, the larger question is about progressive lawmaking. Should the court and the government take into cognisance public sentiment and not go forward with progressive lawmaking? That's the key issue that is coming out of this mass movement.

The advocates of Jallikattu argue that bullfighting and Pamplona bull run is permissible in Spain because they are part of that

country’s culture. Rodeo bull riding is permissible in America because it’s part of that country's culture. Fox hunting has found ways of continuing in Britain even though it is officially banned and now the Conservative government is trying to find a way to lifting the ban. The Jallikattu supporters say if all these are allowed in the modern-day world, why then Jallikattu is not permitted in India?

Well, for the sake of agrument they have a point, but just because other countries permit cruelty to animals does not mean India too should follow suit. The animal rights activists argue that India should be one step ahead of these countries and set an example by avoiding such sports which are dangerous for animals.

Also, there is an issue of double standards here. It is not that cruelty to animals is not happening in India at all. Animals are sacrificed during Eid; Dussehra (famously with Gurkha battalions); Tantric pujas and certainly at Kamakhya temple in Guwahati. If animals are sacrificed and it is accepted by all, argue Jallikattu supporters, then what's wrong with Jallikattu?

By the way, making Peta the scapegoat in the entire episode is also not right as it was not at the forefront of opposing Jallikattu in the first place. The case started in 2006 and Peta came into the picture only in 2011. In between too much water had flown under the bridge.

Unfortunately, it has become the face of the case and has to face the music.

However, one remedy to resolve the issue is – the Tamil Nadu government should re-represent the Jallikattu case again, this time more properly arguing what Jallikattu actually means as a sport, what it means to the people and the bulls, and what it means in the larger perspective of preserving the genetic pool of Indian cattle in our country.

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FINANCIAL VOICE

Asian Voice | 28th January 2017

Infosys 'releases' 9,000 employees due to automation Infosys Human Resources head Krishnamurthy Shankar said the company "released" 8,000-9,000 employees in the past one year because of automation of lower-end jobs. Speaking on the sidelines of an event organised by the Global Shapers' Bengaluru chapter, Shankar said, "We have been releasing about 2,000 people every quarter and also training them in special courses that will help them in their new assignments." He added that with automation set to increase in intensity, the number of people it hires will come down over time.

Several IT mammoths are putting their money in automation of processes in their traditional businesses

like BPO, application management, and infrastructure management. Wipro has an automation platform called Holmes. Its global HR head Saurabh Govil said around 3,200 people were released through automation to do more innovative work. The target is to take that figure to 4,500 this fiscal.

Infosys added 5,700 people in the first nine months of this fiscal, compared to about 17,000 in the same period last year.

In the December quarter, Infosys' total employee strength actually declined an extremely rare occurrence for India's No. 2 IT services company. The total strength fell by 66 to 1,99,763.

China GDP falls to 26-year low at 6.7% The Chinese economy grew 6.7 per cent on year in 2016, the slowest pace of growth in 26 years, but well within the government's target range, official data said.

Growth in the fourth quarter came in at 6.8 per cent, a boost from the 6.7 per cent in the third quarter, according to the National Bureau of Statistics data. Gross domestic product totalled 74.41 trillion yuan in 2016, with the service sector

accounting for 51.6 per cent. The data showed that major economic indicators softened last year, with industrial output growth slightly slowing to 6 per cent from 6.1 per cent in 2015. Urban fixed-asset investment continued to cool, rising 8.1 per cent year on year, compared with 10 per cent in 2015. Retail sales rose 10.4 per cent, down from 10.7 per cent in 2015.

Many IITians turn down international job offers Breaking over years of tradition, freshly minted engineers from highly rated Indian Institute of Technology, turned down international job offers.

Data reveals that not even 200, from an approximate 10,000 students from the schools took up positions outside India, last year.

"Compared to 20 years ago, a very small percentage of students go abroad today. This is contrary to the general perception.

Twenty years ago, 80 per cent of the Btech class used to go abroad. Now these numbers are insignificant," said IIT-Delhi director V Ramgopal Rao. Fifty students will go abroad from IIT-Bombay, 40 from Delhi, 25 from Kharagpur, 19 from Kanpur, 13 from Madras, 17 from Roorkee and 5 from Guwahati.

Numbers were considerably larger last year, even if not much different. "When we asked companies why they were coming to campus with fewer offers, they said that their requirement was lower and profiles too had changed," said Professor Kaustubha Mohanty, convenor of the All-IIT Placement Committee.

However,

Chair professor at IITBombay, Deepak Phatak said the real question is how many IITians applied for international jobs. "A large number of our students are not seeking jobs outside India."

In fact Phatak was concerned about the quality of graduates when international offers started dwindling a few years ago. "So I conducted exit interviews and found that students perceive that the land of opportunity is here," he said. Moreover, with global companies setting up offices in India, students can join Google in Bengaluru instead of Mountain View, California.

In the early '90s, the outflow of computer science graduates to the US was so high that the World Bank, in a report, had suggested that an exit tax be imposed on IITians and other professionals leaving the country - this, it said, could earn the government over $1 billion per annum.

This year, the US which used to attract most candidates has been pipped by Japan. For instance, 35 students from IIT-B are headed far east as compared to 10 who are going to the US.

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Demonetization to have short-term impact on GDP: RBI Governor AsianVoiceNews

Reserve Bank of India Governor Urjit Patel reportedly forwarded an explanation to the Public Accounts Committee members, assuring them that the cash situation will normalise soon. Sources said that Patel informed PAC members that the RBI was in talks with service providers and banks to reduce transaction costs, and that the notorious demonetisation move would have a short term impact on GDP, but will have a positive impact in mid and long term.

"Members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance had criticised the RBI Governor for his inability to answer queries related to demonetisation. Patel

Urjit Patel

was unable to tell us how much money has come back to the banks," said Saugata Roy, TMC MP. "The governor was unable to tell us how much old currency has come into the banks," Roy added.

Sources also quoted Patel as telling the

Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance that £92 billion in new currency had been introduced into the system.

Patel briefed the panel about the notification and its impact on the economy and the steps taken by the central bank to deal with the cash crunch.

When facing too much heat from the opposition, former prime minister and RBI governor Manmohan Singh came to Patel's rescue, advising him not to reply to questions that could potentially create problems for the central bank. Also present at the meeting other than representatives of the finance ministry, were those from the Department of Economic Affairs,

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Financial Services and Revenue, former Union Minister and Senior Congress leader M Veerappa Moilyu, representatives of Indian Banks Association, State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank, and Oriental Bank of Commerce.

The Bank had earlier given a seven-page reply to the questions raised by the committee, and said it had received advisory instructions from the government to consider the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes. As per the RBI, the government wanted it to consider demonetisation of high value currencies "to mitigate the triple problems of counterfeiting, terrorist financing, and black money" on November 7.

Banks allowed to recover £620 mn Mallya debt The Debt Recovery Tribunal has asked bankers to begin the recovery process of £620.3 million at 11.5 per cent interest from liquor baron Vijay Mallya and his companies. A consortium of bankers led by the State Bank of India, has been fighting the case at different courts across the country, and are rejoiced by the order. They believe the order is a victory for them and the crossing of yet another hurdle for recovery through sale of assets. The banks had previously tried to auction Mallya's bunga-

Vijay Mallya

lows and private jet without success.

"I hereby ask the bankers to start the process of recovery of £620.3 million at the interest rate of 11.5 per cent per annum

from Mallya and his companies, including United Breweries Holdings, Kingfisher Finvest and Kingfisher Airlines," said DRT presiding officer K Sreenivasan. He also disposed of as many as 20 interlocutary applications, including several by banks, Mallya and his companies.

The proceedings have been going on for over three years, during when, Mallya had several run ins and breach of trust issues with DRT, courts, and the bankers. Mallya had given an oral undertaking to the

DRT in 2014, that he would not alienate assets of himself and his indebted compaines, UBHL and KFA. SBI had filed three other applications too, including one seeking Mallya's arrest and impounding his passport for "defaulting" on loans.

Mallya moved to Britain in March last year after being pursued in courts by banks.

Government authorities have been trying to have Mallya -who denies being an absconder - deported back to the country by Britain.

Kingfisher loan: CBI arrests ex-IDBI chief, eight others CBI arrested former chairman of IDBI Bank Yogesh Aggarwal along with four other former officials of the bank in connection with the alleged wilful default of loans by Vijay Mallya-promoted Kingfisher Airlines.

Apart from Aggarwal and his then colleagues, those arrested include former CFO of now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines A Raghunathan, CBI sources said. Aggarwal’s three colleagues, who are now in CBI custody, have been identified as former IDBI deputy MD OV Bundelu, former IDBI executive director S K Srinivasan and former IDBI general manager R S Sridhar.

Sources said all these officials were holding important positions at IDBI when the bank granted a loan of over £90 million to Kingfisher Airlines.

Three former executives of the airlines, apart from its then CFO, have also been arrested by CBI. They have been identified as the assistant vice-president Shailesh Borkar, the senior manager (accounts)

Yogesh Aggarwal

AC Shah and then deputy general manager (finance) Amit Nadkarni.

Confirming the arrests, CBI spokesperson RK Gaur said, “The arrests have followed searches at 11 places, including Mallya’s residence on Sardar Patel Marg in Delhi and three floors of UB towers in Bengaluru. Other places searched by the agency included premises linked to Aggarwal in Gurgaon and those linked to Raghunathan in Gurgaon and Mumbai.”

Sources said searches were also conducted at residences of some other IDBI bank officials in Mumbai

including BK Batra, deputy managing director of IDBI Bank. Later, Batra who was first questioned by the agency officials was also taken into custody.

CBI sources said the agency has found incriminating documents which are being scrutinised.

Yogesh Aggarwal and some executives of Kingfisher Airlines have been questioned in the past by the agency.

It was on the complaint of IDBI bank that the probe on loan default against Kingfisher was launched by the CBI. IDBI complained to CBI about wilful default on part of the airline.

CBI investigations have found that IDBI officials allegedly agreed to grant over £90 million to the airline at low interest rates in March 2009 at a time when the company’s financials were supposedly in dire straits and the airline had declared losses running up to £160 million.

At the bank, an internal note had flagged this deficiency of the company

which would make it difficult to grant a huge loan to it. However, when the executive committee to screen the grant of loan application by Kingfisher Airlines sat, it gave a positive note, CBI sources said.

The agency found that the company at that time had a “BB” rating which is considered “risky” in banking parlance and that Kingfisher should have had a “BBB” rating to qualify for the loan.

According to CBI, the loan screening committee relied heavily on the brand value of “Kingfisher” deriving its importance from the beer brand. The executives involved had then had claimed that the brand had been pledged as a collateral qualifying Kingfisher not only for the loan but also a lower interest rate.

The screening committee also considered the “reputation” of the borrower while granting the loan.

“Clearly, due dilligence was not followed by the concerned executives of the bank before granting the loan,” a CBI official said.

REALESTATEVOICE

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THE LONDON PROPERTY SALE AsianVoiceNews

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

This week we have finally managed to pull in a deal, priced at close to £8m.

The seller was a little paranoid, presumably due to past sales which have fallen through. They required confirmation of who the buying party is and a letter from their lawyer to confirm they have the cash. This was duly provided, twice in fact as we had to raise the offer.

Suresh Vagjiani

Sow & Reap London Property Investment

However, even after the deal had been agreed the seller then asked for a bank statement through a couple of agents who were arranging the deal. This is a little ludicrous, no one wants to show their personal statements to anyone else, especially as the initial letters had been provided through a reputable firm of lawyers,

with the buyer clearly identifiable, and with two agents involved in the deal.

I even appreciated the need for the seller to insist on the initial letter for comfort, as it’s very easy to put in offers and not follow through, this happens all the time. And often agents pretend to be buyers with a view of finding a genuine buyer when the contract is in, and then can’t perform anyway.

Most talk is cheap, there is no follow through when it comes to many individuals and the same is true in the property business. There are very few serious players who get things done, most make noise and hover around deals hoping to somehow or another get some crumbs whilst transactions are done.

Asian Voice | 28th January 2017

This is a very lucrative deal in a prime part of North London. In this market the only deals to do are the most lucrative ones; you can afford to be choosy, as the future conditions are uncertain.

There are many variables in the market, from the new lending criteria coming into play to the softening of the currency and the uncertainty around it; and then you have the consequences of Brexit, which only few understand in totality.

This environment makes people nervous and consequently decent deals start to float to the surface, the likes of which could only have been imagined only twelve months ago.

We are seeing interest

from developers in India and Family Wealth Offices, who want to bring money wholesale into the London property market.

This is the environment they look for and prey on.

The foreign player has the added bonus of a soft pound as well as a soft property market. The two combined can, with a little effort, have the effect of making deals about 40% cheaper. It is rare to see a property sale in London

19

with this much discount.

We have a property developer in South India who has taken the strategic decision to enter the London Market; they are currently negotiating on a site.

Rest assured this window will not last forever, those who purchased in late 2008 and 2009 during the last period of uncertainty are sitting on a tidy fortune.

AGONY AGENT! I am often asked a number of common questions in relation to letting out a property, be it a landlord’s home or an investment property. Over the coming weeks I will be answering your questions, so please feel free to contact me with anything you would like to ask.

Some common questions I am asked…

How do I know I am getting a good tenant?

As a lettings and management specialist I devote more time to ensuring the prospective tenant is fully vetted and

qualified to meet our criteria. We carry out identity and residency checks on all tenants. We use a referencing company to carry out credit, affordability and bank verification checks and call previous landlords to ensure there is no adverse history. If a tenant does not meet ALL of our criteria they will be asked to provide a guarantor (who will undergo the same checks as the tenant). We also have the facility to reference check international tenants.

Do I have to provide furniture for my tenants?

BUY TO LET OPPORTUNITY

ST. LUKES ROAD, W11 Purchase Price: £570,000

No. It is your choice to decide whether you would like to offer your property furnished or unfurnished.

We will discuss this with you before we commence any marketing. Many landlords stay flexible on this option and base their decision on the incoming tenant What is an inventory and do I require one?

An inventory is an integral part of letting your property. Your property is a very valuable asset and an inventory is there to protect your property and its contents. An inventory lists the condition of your

property (such as walls, ceilings, woodwork, doors) and all items being left in the property (such as beds, wardrobes, appliances).

This document is signed by all parties to agree the condition of the property at commencement of the contract. This way there are no discrepancies at the end of the term.

An accurate inventory can save you money in paying for works and decoration that clearly is not needed, provides proof in disputes and most importantly ensures you have that extra peace of mind.

l

Excellent buy to let investment opportunity l Private underground parking l One bedroom l Superb condition l Market value as it is, expected to be around £625,000 Call us now for more information!

Who pays my income tax on my rental income?

If you are a UK landlord it your responsibility to pay any income tax due on rental income earned.

If you are an overseas landlord then the rules are different. You will need to complete a NRL1 form (which we can provide you). This will mean that all rental income earned from your property is paid directly to you less any fees and outgoings. If you do not fill in the NRL1 form either we, as your managing agent, or the tenant must hold back

20% of the gross rent and send this to the Inland Revenue on a quarterly basis.

If you are struggling with any lettings issues at all please do email me at lettings@sowandreap.co.u k and we will publish your question and response in the coming weeks.

Richard Bond Lettings Manager

20

FINANCIAL VOICE

Asian Voice | 28th January 2017

Consultant Editor Financial Voice Alpesh Patel

Dear Financial Voice Reader Wouldn't it be great if you could have the promised returns of trading, but with the guaranteed winning of long term investing?

I am greedy. I want everything. I don't like choice. So why do I have to invest in shares, which with the market at an all-time high makes me think, I could have had even more money than tracking the index.

So do I give it to a professional fund manager? Heck no - you know that's not the answer.

After all, professional fund managers manage to underperform even passive indices - and charge for the privilege.

The hot hand this year invariably ends up in the bottom 25% the next year.

Depressing still private investors turn to stock-picking, or trying to time the market, and end up gambling. We know from brokers and regulators that as many as 90% of private investors who trade end up losing money. They turn to spreadbetting with its leveraged returns and lose their shirts in quick order.

So what's the answer? Some clever algo? Hedge fund?

Some great wealth managing robot? Surely Fintech has solved all our problems?

I couldn't find the answer. Nothing seemed to have longevity. So like any entrepreneur, I decided to create the answer.

2004 - and I created a piece of software to mine all company data, everything (remember I don't like choice - I want it all). Everything from price trends to earnings trends to return on capital.

The critical thing is then to weigh information. How do you do that? I examined all the research I could on what appears to influence share prices. There is a lot of academic research out there unsurprisingly. I had a motivation - I was writing a weekly column for the Financial Times 'Diary of an Internet Trader' so there were a lot of people to share it with anyway.

The final step, having found, then weighed the information, is to simplify it into a simple score. For the past 13 years since 2004 the UK's largest private investor software company (and multi-award winning) then monitored it the rule was simple - buy the highest scoring stocks in equal measure and hold for 12 months and sell any that drop 25% during the year.

Then you take the performance, and this is the bit where an investor becomes like a trader, you leverage it. 2:1.

BUT you only do this when you know consistently, over a 13 year period you will win. Not every stock, not every year wins - but heck on a 2:1 leverage 2017 was a 39% year - and since 2004, £10,000 became a quarter of a million pounds.

Better than traders, better than investors.

And that is how to use spread betting and leverage the better way. Use the tools created for trading, but to invest.

Balance reward with risk in a smarter way.

What did the industry think? Well I put this approach into books which the Financial Times and others published - and the Industry loved it. So what's the problem? How come the fund management industry isn't bust? Is the software some State secret? Some over-priced underground code?

Nope...www.sharescope.co.uk/alpesh - turns out people like to trade even though 90% lose money or invest with fund managers with big marketing budgets. We truly live in a post-truth world.

India beats US, No 1 in Google Play app usage A report suggests that mobile users in India downloaded the most number of apps from app store Google Play, last year.

India, which was in the third position in 2015, crossed the USA as cited by global analytics firm App Annie. Brazil came third with a little over 5 billion downloads, while China was not part of the rankings as it has blocked search engine Google.

"India's phenomenal progress over the past two years is even more impressive when considering its potential for further gains.

In 2016, India surpassed

the US as the second largest smartphone market due in large part to a rise in domestically produced smartphones. This is only the beginning, however, as India's smartphone penetration is still below 30 per cent and its overall economy is poised for massive growth," the report said.

Out of the total of 900 billion hours spent on Android apps last year, 150 billion hours were spent by Indians- followed by Brazil, and then the US. The hours translate to an average of roughly two hours per Android phone user per day.

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Law tribunal dismisses Mistry's plea against Tata Sons AsianVoiceNews

In a big setback to Cyrus Mistry, the National Company Law Tribunal dismissed his company's plea alleging contempt of court by Tata Sons. Two Shaporji Pallonji firms had filed a petition against Tata Sons, on 11th January, alleging contempt. A case of "wilful disobedience" was filed against Tata Sons on behalf of Mistry, by Cyrus Investments and Sterling Investments, after the Tata called an EGM on February 6.

The NCLT had earlier, accepted a caveat filed by Mistry's firms, technically barring Tata Sons from holding "any further actions in the issue" without prior information to NCLT. After filing of case

by Mistry's firms, Tata Sons had released a state-

Cyrus Mistry

ment saying, "This afternoon Tata Sons Ltd was served with a petition under Sections 241 and 242 of the Companies Act before the National Company Law Tribunal.

We understand that the petition has been filed by investment companies of Cyrus Mistry." It further said, "Tata Sons is in consultation with its lawyers and will contest the allega-

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tions therein."

Tatas look to hike stakes in key listed cos Sources said that Tata Sons is looking to hike its stakes in five of its largest businesses, including Tata Motors and Tata Steel.

New Tata Sons chairman Chandrasekaran has been tasked with ensuring the group has sufficient power over major listed companies using the Tata brand, according to sources.

India's largest conglomerate aims to gradually increase its holdings in Indian Hotels Co, which runs the Pierre in New York, as well as Tata Chemicals and Tata Power.

While it owns 73% of Tata Consultancy Services, the group's stakes in the other key companies range from 31 to 39%.

GM puts its investment plan on hold General Motors has put its investments on new models for the country on a hold after facing struggles to make a turnaround in India. The US auto major which had announced plans in 2015 to invest USD 1 billion to enhance manufacturing operations and roll out 10 locally produced models, has not put any timeline for lifting freeze on investments on the new products.

"Given the shift in customer preferences in India, we are conducting a full review of our future product portfolio and have put on hold future investment in our all-new vehicle family for the market until we firm up our product portfolio plan," an official spokesper-

son from General Motors said. Company CEO Mary Barra, while announcing USD 1 billion investment for India, had said that they would strengthen business in the country, China, Mexico, and Brazil, through the development of a new family of vehicles known as Global Emerging Markets platform.

The company's arm, General Motors India, currently sells a range of vehicles, including hatchback Beat, sedan Cruze, and multi-purpose vehicle Enjoy, among others. "If GM is going to make significant investments, we need to be certain that they will generate significant shareholder value," the spokesperson said. "Moving

forward, our priority remains to establish the right business conditions for sustainable profitability."

When asked about GM scaling down India operations and downsizing manpower across verticals, including dealer development, sales and marketing, and after sales, the official refused to comment. "We are consolidating our manufacturing in Talegaon for both domestic market and exports. Exports continue to be an important aspect of our operations in India indeed," they added.

General Motors is currently in the process to sell its Halol plant in Gujarat to China's SAIC Motor Corporation.

Pharma firm lures doctors with gold coins

The annual conference of paediatricians saw a flyer doing the rounds, promising digital weighing scales, gold coins, and stethoscope as gifts to doctors ordering vaccines in bulk for diseases like typhoid and rota virus. While the flyer did not mention the name of any pharmaceutical company, a doctor said it was found only at the booth of one company.

Pharma firms have been banned from offering incentives to doctors to push their products forward. The meet's chief organiser denied the incident. "There's no such thing. There are never any incentives for vaccines. If someone buys vaccines in bulk, they may get a reduction in the overall price," he said. "I have been a paediatrician for 18 years, and believe me, there is no such thing as an incentive offered to doctors."

The flyer offering a "Sankranti bonanza" stated that for a free gold coin, doctors have to order 150 each of both vaccines. "It mentions that doctors ordering 100TCV plus 100ROTA can choose between a digital baby weighing machine or ttmann stethoscope Class III as free gifts," a doctor attending the 54th PEDICON, said.

Germany to finance infrastructure projects in India Germany is ready to finance long-term projects in India, Matthias Machnig, State Secretary, Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs & Energy said after a meeting with visiting Indian CEOs delegation led by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). He also said that German cabinet has decided to finance long term strategic projects in India, particularly in the railway, infrastructure and smart cities sectors.

German government has set up a special unit in the Economics Ministry to implement this decision of German Cabinet. In a meeting with CII delegation, German Federal Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble said that Germany is committed to work with India for mutual benefit.

CII delegation visited Berlin on 23 January 2017 under the aegis of Embassy of India, Berlin, led by Shobana Kameneni, CII

Confederation of Indian Industry delegation in Berlin

President Designate & Vice Chairperson Apollo Hospitals Ltd. This is the largest CII delegation to visit Germany since India’s participation in 2015 Hannover Messe where India was a partner country. The 10 member CII delegation also included Salil Singhal (PI Industries Ltd), Rajiv Modi (Cadila), Sanjay Kapur (Sona Koyo Steering Systems), Prabhakar Atla (Cyient Ltc), Jens Henker (Suzlon), Mohan Murti (Reliance Industries), Mukul Dhyani (Wipro) and Rajesh Menon from CII. The delegation also

participated in a roundtable meeting with German CEOs led by BDI President Dieter Kempf and organized by Federal Association of German Industry (BDI) and Embassy of India. CII and BDI would be jointly working on a program, to intensify their engagements in key areas, including the skill development & VET in many sectors. The CII delegation also interacted with a number of German industry leaders from German Asia-Pacific Business Association (OAV).

CII and The Economic Council (Wirtschaftsrat der CDU e.V.) signed an MoU

to strengthen economic and trade ties between India and Germany at a special event –“GermanyIndia Economic Dialogue” on 23rd January 2017. The agreement between CII and the Wirtschaftsrat which represents the interests of more than 11,000 small and medium sized German firms, as well as larger multinational companies will help in jointly promoting Indo-German business to business ties by means of frequent exchange visits for business cooperation, facilitating investment & business development, jointly organizing road shows in both countries for promotion of investment opportunities, etc.

The focus of the visit of CII delegation to Germany was to interact with key policy makers and industry leaders to formulate a joint road map for promotion of investments in India and strengthen Indo-German business to business ties.

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Unprecedented President

AsianVoiceNews

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

Like it or lump it, Donald Trump is a reality and is here to stay

Anand Pillai

Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of the USA on January 20, 2017, much to the discomfiture of millions in the world, especially the intelligentsia, who had dismissed him as a vulgarian, a showman with big flash and no substance.

But truth is stranger than fiction.

Well, one has to give in to Trump for the kind of strategy he adopted to win over, what he calls, “the forgotten” millions of American voters.

Trump did what no American politician had attempted in ages – unabashedly and unregretfully dividing the united country with his dangerous and divisive rhetoric during the election campaign. With no ideal talk and no politically correct statements, he made his way into the White House.

He flourished on his hard-line views on Muslims, immigrants and climate change, to name a few. The billionaire, surprisingly, convinced the proletariat that he represents the workers of the United States of America and that he was the best person to bring change in the now “Disunited States of America”.

Few know that Trump thrived on his trump card – criticism. The more he was

Donald Trump with his family at his inauguration as the 45th President of the US on January 20, 2017

criticised, the more strength he gained. What the intellectuals failed to understand was that their utter disregard gave him strength. The property tycoon fed off the contempt and used it to grab headlines, to connect to common people.

He uncovered an opportunity others didn’t believe existed.

Whether one likes it or not, the Trump era has begun and today he is the President of the world.

Too much negative has been written about his unprecedented election, but, hitherto, he has proved everyone wrong. For the critics it would be prudent not to judge him and jump to conclusions what his Presidency would be like, as he has just taken charge of the Oval Office.

Taking a cue from Narendra Modi’s election in 2014 in India, a wait and see

approach would do the critics a power of good.

Modi too had been at the receiving end during his election campaign. A similarly hostile media and so-called intellectuals came down heavily on him, especially for the image that he was a divisive figure like Trump and the perception that he had looked the other way when Gujarat was burning during the 2002 riots. Even though Modi was given a clean chit on Gujarat riots by the court, the media did not spare him till the very end. What also went against him was he too was an outsider like Trump. Till 2014 General Elections, Modi was confined to politics in Gujarat only. Trump has not held a political office in his life till last Friday. The media and the intelligentsia were not ready for such an outsider.

Boris Johnson regales students at Presidency University KOLKATA: UK Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Boris Johnson was on a tight schedule during his visit to India - right from meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to spending time with slum kids in Kolkata. He was also the chief guest at the Presidency U n i v e r s i t y International Debate where he had a short round of Boris Johnson prepares to play a pull at the Arun Lal Bournvita questions and Cricket Academy. answers. "Indians Boris had met with PM tic place to study and live contribute in many ways Modi earlier in the in. We have a huge number other than the fees that National Capital for the of international students, they bring in," observed second Raisina dialogue, including 100,000 Chinese Johnson. The statement when he emphasised the students which is a great prompted question on need for a free trade agreeachievement. The number whether his visit will evoke ment between India and of Indians is growing and policy proposals to make it the United Kingdom. In we have a 91 per cent satiseasier for Indian students his speech, he expressed faction rate with visa hanseeking admission and concerns over the uncerdling in India," he said. studying in UK varsities. "I tainties in the international When asked what is the am at the liberal end of political situation and said possible impact of growing argument here. Overseas that the relations between pollution, Johnson said, "I students contributed 5 biltwo major military power just had a fantastic converlion pounds annually 10 in the world, the United sation with chief minister years ago. It's much more States and Russia could Mamata Banerjee. I did now... We must remain undergo transformation suggest cycle tracks along open to talent," Johnson never seen after 1945. He roads to her. But she didn't said in response. also said he hoped India as seem to like it. I am a pasHe also added that UK a country has loomed largsionate cyclist and would had a very good record of er in the consciousness of recommend investing in fighting hate crimes and distant regions and have low carbon transport, light xenophobia. "We are the expanded its footprint in rail. Bicycles are simply the most diverse economy in trade, investments and best and they have reduced the world and speak 300 technical activities which the number of people killed languages. UK is a fantashave been unprecedented. on London roads."

But against all the odds, Modi triumphed and is doing a fantastic job as Prime Minister for India today. One can’t deny that Trump is loved by a large section of America – the 2016 November 8 US elections prove it. Same goes with Modi. Majority of people in India love him, though media may not approve of it.

Another common feature between the two is both are nationalists. Modi wants to take India to the top, while the protectionist Trump wants to make America great again.

Well, after a long hiatus the US and India have been enjoying good relations. They have been coming closer ever since the first BJP-led NDA government (1999-2004) came to power under Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Before the Cold War the relationship was characterised by suspicion and distrust. The ties scaled new heights during the Manmohan Singh-George Bush era, with the signing of the India-US nuclear deal.

Under the congenial Barack Obama, they got even more closer.

As it is 'Trump ki Sarkar' in the US today, let's hope the new White House incumbent brings in 'Acche din' (good days) for India and the world at large

INDIA - WORLD Asian Voice | 28th January 2017

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Pakistan to lift ban on Bollywood films

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan government has decided to lift ban on screening Bollywood films in its theatres. Pakistan blocked Hindi films in its cinemas in a tit-for-tat after Bollywood banned Pakistani artists following the attack on the Army post in Uri. Islamabad moved to allow the screening of Hindi films with PM Nawaz Sharif announcing a fourmember committee to look into demands of local theatre owners who are bleeding financially. The terms of reference of the four-member panel were not mentioned in the notification, but according to the amended law, the PM can allow import of films. Under its import policy order, Pakistan had included Indian films in the list of banned items in the last decade. As per procedures adopted over the years, the commerce ministry issued no-objection certificates (NOCs) at the request of the information ministry for import of Indian films. The ministry has prepared a plan for allowing import of two to three Indian films a month through NOCs for screening in Pakistani cinemas.

Sikh boy denied school admission in Oz over turban

MELBOURNE: A five-year-old Sikh boy has been denied school enrolment in Australia for wearing turban as it does not align with its uniform policy, despite a ruling in 2008 against a private college on the issue. “It is disappointing that my son has been forced to abandon his religious practices and identity to access to an education in Melbourne's Melton Christian College,” Sagardeep Singh Arora said. “We have lodged a claim with the Victorian Human Rights Commission.” The school said, “Our college's history represents over 30 years of inclusive religious tolerance. Non prescribed items are not permitted to be worn in addition to the school uniform.”

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Orlando nightclub shooter's widow pleads not guilty

Asian Voice | 28th January 2017

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA: Widow of Omar Mateen, the man who killed 49 people at an Orlando gay nightclub, has pleaded not guilty in a federal court to allegations that she helped her husband ahead of the massacre. Noor Salman was recently arrested at her parents' home in Rodeo, San Francisco, over seven months after the deadliest mass shooting in US history. She was charged with obstruction of justice and aiding and abetting her husband's material support to ISIS by the grand jury.

Her family has maintained that she didn't know Mateen was going to commit

going to conduct the attack," Handberg told Magistrate Judge Donna Ryu. Outside the courtroom, Noor's uncle Al Salman spoke to the press and described her as a Shooter Omar Mateen and his wife sweet woman who Noor Salman (File photo) knew nothing of the June 12 massacre at the the attack ahead of time.

Pulse nightclub, a two hour "She is a very simple person. drive from their home. The She didn't know what's recent hearing was a contingoing on," he said. He swore uation of a proceeding that that she had "no idea what began last week when that crazy guy is doing. She Assistant US Attorney Roger don't like to see anybody get Handberg laid out the allehurt." gations. "She knew he was Court documents state

Muslim man finds touching note during Trump’s inauguration CINCINNATI: During a time when every minority remains unsure of what the future holds for them, a Muslim family from Cincinnati were pleasantly surprised to receive a note of positivity. The handwritten, unsigned letter read, "Today begins a new stage for our country. No matter what happens, please know there are still a lot of people who will fight for your right to practice your religion, to continue to live your lives without discrimination."

A picture of the note which was received right after Trump's inauguration, was shared on micro-blogging site Twitter, by the

home owner's niece Hend Amry. "This is the America that took us in as political refugees, the America that gave us a new home, & the America that keeps my hope alive today." Her tweet garnered a lot of reaction, including 60,000 likes and dozens of comments.

that Noor aided and abetted her husband from at least April onward. An official said that evidence will show she was complicit and had to know her husband was going to do something bad.

Her Florida-based attorney Linda Moreno said, "Noor Salman had no foreknowledge nor could she predict what Omar Mateen intended to do that tragic night.

Noor had told her story of abuse at his hands. We believe it is misguided and wrong to prosecute her and that it dishonours the memories of the victims to punish an innocent person," she said.

Trump picks another Indian-American WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has picked up IndianAmerican Ajit Vardaraj Pai to head the crucial Federal Communications Commission, making him the fourth Indian-American in the administration at the senior level. "I look forward to working with the new administration, my colleagues at the Commission, members of Congress, and the American public to bring the benefits of the digital age to all Americans," the 44year-old said.

Congratulating Pai, FCC commissioner Mignon Clyburn said Pai was committed to bringing connectivity to all Americans. "I am hopeful that we can come together to serve the public

Ajit Vardaraj Pai

interest by supporting competition, public safety, and consumer protection," Clyburn said.

Republican Senator Jerry Moran said Pai was an excellent choice to lead the FCC. "I know him to be a capable and talented leader and one of the smartest people I have ever met when it comes to public policy," he said.

Global Indians welcomed to register for TIMES NOW ICICI Bank NRI of the Year awards Indians across the world have managed to carve out a niche for themselves and have reached the heights of success. To honor their contribution globally India’s #1 English news channel TIMES NOW has announced the 4th Edition of ‘TIMES NOW ICICI Bank NRI of The Year Awards’ powered by GIIS. Invitations for Global Indians from the field of Entrepreneurship, Philanthropy, Academics, Arts and Business Professionals to let their work catapult them to the top spot!

The awards are open to any NRI, OCI or a PIO who has stayed in USA, Canada, UK, UAE, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand & Singapore for a stipulated amount of time and has made a mark in his/her respective field. In addition to the categories that were present in the past 3 editions, this year the “Startup” category has been added to recognize new entrepreneeurs. The other prominent

awards include India’s Global Icon and The Special Jury Award. The entire process of the awards right from the nominations to choosing the winners will have a five tier evaluation process managed by Ernst & Young. Nominations can be done on www.nrioftheyear.com The last 3 editions of the awards have garnered tremendous response and have witnessed an high quality turnout. Celebrities, business professionals and entrepreneurs from all walks of life have graced the previous events. From Amitabh Bachchan winning the Global Indian Icon of the Year in the first season to Shahrukh Khan wining in the second, the event has seen many prominent faces coming together for the splendid grand finale in Mumbai. With several new initiatives, the 4th season moves the awards a notch higher.

An extensive multimedia high impact marketing campaigns across all

mediums globally over the next 100 days has begun with the theme #youdeserve.

Naveen Chandra, HeadInternational Business, TIMES NETWORK added “Indians globally have excelled and have made the country proud. The NRI of the year awards are India’s distinctive awards to recognize them. This year’s theme #youdeserve will build on the previous seasons and recognize the highly talented Diaspora. The new website takes the nomination process experience to a new level and we hope this will help multiply global entries for the much coveted awards. We are delighted that both our founding partners ICICI Bank and GIIS also continue to expand internationally even as our annual global Indian entrepreneur winners expand their business into India participating in the Make in India initiative, making the NRI of the year a high impact global platform with a distinct contribution to India’s GDP growth.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Vijay Chandok, Executive Director, ICICI Bank said, “ICICI Bank is happy to present the fourth edition of the ‘TIMES NOW ICICI Bank NRI of the Year’ awards. With each passing year, this award scales new heights which is evident from the overwhelming response that it receives every year. ICICI Bank is committed to serve Indians across the globe. These awards give us the opportunity to honour members of the NRI community who are making an impact on society and felicitate them for their outstanding achievements.”

The channel will be showcasing the steps taken to bring to light the Indian’s who have done exceedingly well internationally as well.

All the episodes along with the winner profiles will be broadcasted by them globally in more than 82 countries.

You can log on to www.nrioftheyear.com and register yourself and be a part of TIMES NOW’s act of giving!

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Uzbek national arrested for Istanbul attack

ISTANBUL: A 34-year-old Uzbek man suspected of killing 39 people at an Istanbul nightclub on New Year's eve confessed to the massacre, hours after he was captured in a police raid. Authorities detained Abdulgadir Masharipov, who spent 17 days on the run after the attack claimed by Islamic State terror group, along with three women, one an Egyptian and two others from Africa, and an Iraqi man. “The terrorist confessed his crime,” Istanbul governor Vasip Sahin said. He said the fingerprints matched those of attacker. “He was trained in Afghanistan and can speak four languages. He's a well trained terrorist,” said the governor, adding that Masharipov was believed to have entered Turkey in January 2016. Police also confiscated $197,000, two firearms and clips during the raid, that involved 2,000 policemen.

Death toll from Italy's hotel avalanche rises to 14

ROME: The death toll from an Italian mountain hotel that was all but obliterated by a devastating avalanche has risen to 14. The owner of the hotel begged authorities to evacuate his guests as rescuers who were working through the night pulled five more bodies from the wreck of the hotel.

Eleven people survived the disaster. Fifteen people are still missing. Hotel owner Bruno Di Tommaso sent an urgent email to police and local authorities just hours before the avalanche smothered the Rigopiano Hotel in a blanket of snow, ice, debris and pine trees, last week. He said his guests had been left "terrified" by four powerful earthquakes, that had shaken central Italy that day. Di Tommasso urged authorities to clear the road that connects the hotel, in a remote valley at an altitude of nearly 4,000ft, to the nearest village, Farindola, so that they could be evacuated.

Indian-origin man arrested in multi-million-dollar fraud

NEW YORK: An Indian-origin consultant has been arrested for participation in a multi-milliondollar fraud that falsely billed a heath and retirement fund, New York federal prosecutor Preet Bharara said. Shivanand Maharaj conspired to submit false invoices to the fund "for consulting work never actually performed," Bharara said. The co-head of information technology at the fund, Enrico Rubano, approved the payments and received a cut, he added. Bharara said, "Money that should have gone to help pay retirement and health care benefits were instead allegedly diverted to Rubano and Maharaj." They were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud for their use of electronic communications to carry out the alleged scheme. The court complaint said the amount involved was over $3.4 million.

Transgender beauty queen jailed in Myanmar

YANGON: Transgender beauty queen Myo Ko Ko San has found herself behind bars after a prominent film and soap opera actress sued her over insults posted on a popular celebrity gossip page.

The beauty queen was arrested when she landed at Yangon International Airport after she returned from a Thailand trip. According to reports, she is facing charges under Section 66(d) of the Telecommunications Act after allegedly defaming Wut Hmone Shwe Yi, in a series of administrator posts on Cele Cele Small. While awaiting her flight in Bangkok, less than three hours before her arrest, Myo Ko Ko San took to Facebook to deny any association with Cele Cele Small.

Blast kill 21, wounds at least 50 in northwest Pakistan

PESHAWAR: A bomb exploded in a market in a north-west tribal region that borders Afghanistan, killing 21 people and wounding at least 50, officials said. Dr Sabir Hussain at the main hospital in Parachinar, the capital of Pakistan's Kurram tribal region, said two wounded victims died during treatment, raising the death toll. Shahid Khan, an assistant tribal administrator, said the explosion took place when the market was crowded with retailers buying fruits and vegetables from a wholesale shop. He said the attack was being investigated.

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Gujarat CM vows to boost relations with NRGs AsianVoiceNews

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Nilesh Parmar

After a minor albeit potent glitch in state politics that saw a shift in leadership, Gujarat has steadily eased itself in the shadow of its new Chief Minister. However, modest and humble the reticent CM Vijay Rupani may seem, he remains inflexible and firm in his words. Under his guidance, administration seems slow, but promising.

Gujarat Samachar and Asian Voice publisher-editor CB Patel, Bureau Chief Nilesh Parmar, and journalist/columnist Vishnu Pandya called upon CM Rupani on January 20 at his Gandhinagar residence, when he expressed desire to strengthen relations with Gujaratis settled abroad.

Problems faced by NRGs due to demonetisation, were explained in detail to the chief minister. The Ahmedabad branch of the Reserve Bank of India is not authorised to accept old currency from NRGs for exchange. The unfairness of how these visitors have no other option but to travel to Mumbai in order to get their banned notes replaced, was also elucidated.

When asked to come up with a permanent solution for the inconvenience, Rupani readily connected with the Finance Ministry in New Delhi, on the phone.

Speaking to Additional Secretary GC Murmu,

Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani with CB Patel (centre), Vishnu Pandya (extreme left), and Nilesh Parmar

Ministry of Finance, CM Rupani advocated for NRIs and asked that proper light be shed on their problems. "To ease their problems, provisions should be made in at least one centre in any city in Gujarat," he said. There are no big or small problems for the chief minister, and he tries to bring a solution for each one of them. He said it was Narendra Modi's leadership that brought the state under global limelight. The recently concluded Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit is an example.

National and international companies signed over 25,000 MoUs. "The world recognises Gujarat's growth today, and the government intends to take it to newer heights," Rupani said.

Along with economic growth, Gujarat government also promotes focus on its people. In a move that mirrors Modi's 'Sabka Saath Sabka

Vikas', Rupani's administration makes sure the minorities and socially unrepresented aren't neglected in the race to the top. He said, "Just yesterday we conducted an event in Chhota Udepur where we provided land rights and rights to grow produce to over 70,000 people of the tribal community, putting an end to demands that date years back. These communities are flourishing, which is why, the government cannot afford to displease them."

Millions of Gujaratis have settled down in overseas, and thousands of Gujaratis visit India every year. These visitors face several issues right from the minute of their arrival at the airport. Providing a solution for such problems, CB suggested for an 'NRI Help Desk' at the airport. Agreeing to the idea, CM Rupani said while the decisions relating to airport management lies with

the Central Government, he will talk to the department concerned.

What is Gujarat doing in lieu with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Make in India, and Swachh Bharat campaigns? "Be it the Make in India campaign, or Swachh Bharat, Gujarat's efforts remain noteworthy. Isn't Vibrant Gujarat fulfilling Make in India's needs? When it comes to the implementation of schemes, Gujarat will always be in the forefront."

Referring to the tremendous opportunities provided by the state's tourism department, CB stated that if the sector is used to join Gujarati youth settled abroad, it would benefit a lot of people. He said Gujarat Tourism needs to make efforts to promote tourism. Rupani demonstrated readiness to bring the state and NRGs close. CB offered to make all measures to bridge communications between the country and NRIs. He said if proper bond isn't maintained between the two, it will adversely affect both sides.

CB invited CM Rupani to Britain, asking him to boost relations and interact with the Gujarati community settled in the country. The ever-respectful Chief Minister accepted the invite saying that while he finds himself occupied with several responsibilities, he will visit Britain the first chance he gets.

INDIA - WORLD Asian Voice | 28th January 2017

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Exiled former President 'stole $11.4m' from Gambia

BANJUL: Over $11.4 million were "stolen" from Gambia's state coffers by long-time leader Yahya Jammeh who went into exile last week, an adviser to President Adama Barrow said. In his final weeks in power, the former President, who ruled for 22 years, plundered the state coffers and shipped out luxury vehicles by cargo plane. "The coffers are virtually empty. It has been confirmed by the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of the Gambia," the adviser said.

Financial experts were trying to evaluate the exact loss, reports said. The former ruler had refused to accept election results but finally left after mediation by regional leaders and the threat of military intervention. West African troops entered the Gambian capital of Banjul to prepare for President Adama Barrow's arrival.

Pak won't free the doctor who helped US to find Osama

ISLAMABAD: A jailed Pakistani doctor believed to have helped the CIA hunt down al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden will neither be released nor handed to the United States, Pakistan's law minister has told legislators. Dr. Shakil Afridi, hailed as a hero by US officials, was arrested after US forces killed bin Laden in May 2011 in a secret raid in a northern Pakistani town that plunged relations between the uneasy strategic partners to a new low. Pakistan has accused the doctor of running a fake vaccination campaign in which he collected DNA samples to help the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) confirm bin Laden's identity. Afridi was arrested soon after the bin Laden raid and charged with having ties to militant Islamists, which he denied.

"The law is taking its course and Afridi is having full opportunity of a fair trial," the Daily Times newspaper quoted Law Minister Zahid Hamid as telling the upper house, in response to a lawmaker's query about reports of a possible release.

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Bengaluru is Most Dynamic City in the World In Brief AsianVoiceNews

Asian Voice | 28th January 2017

BENGALURU: At a time when India's IT capital Bengaluru finds itself amidst troubles related to female safety, it has been tagged as the 'Most Dynamic City in the World'. Beating the Silicon Valley, in the US, and Shanghai, China, Bengaluru topped the ranking released by real estate consultancy firm James Lang Laselle at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

The list was derived from a couple of parameters such as population, technology, and R&D, connectivity, output and corporate activity, education, and real estate investment. The city saw close competition from

Hyderabad that found a spot on number 5. Indian capital New Delhi found itself in the top 30 cities, its reputation marred by the unbearable smog situation. In the report, JLL said the cities "integrated change and technology into their DNA."

Pleased by the list, Karnataka IT Minister Priyank Kharge said, "This gives us a boost at the global levelwhether it be with collaboration or investments. The pace at which Bengaluru is growing is perhaps responsible for this tag." Other Indian cities on the

list are Pune, Chennai, and Mumbai, sharing the top 30 slots with New York, San Fransisco, Melbourne, Los Angeles, and Stockholm. The report pointed out that liveability was an important parameter. "For example, affordability and space constraints in San Fransisco (No. 21) contributed to knocking that city out of the top 20 for the first time and Hong Kong out of the top 30.

The environment is also becoming a more critically determining factor in the index. Although in the top 30, Delhi (No. 23), and Beijing ( No. 15) were hindered by poor environmental scores," the report said.

Search for gold to begin Jaya’s niece to join politics in Andhra Pradesh HYDERABAD: Search for gold will resume in Andhra Pradesh as one of the private firms that got licence for prospecting studies has submitted its proposals to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change seeking forest clearance. The studies will be conducted in the forest areas of Sadukonda and Tamballapalle in Chittoor district.

The proposal for hearing came up before the forest clearance panel on January 5.

However the panel kept it pending seeking more information on prospecting studies. Once the panel gave its nod, prospecting studies will be taken up, covering 900 hectares of forest area. The Indian Bureau of Mines estimated that Andhra Pradesh has a potential gold ore of 12.20 million tonnes.

Prospecting studies have been held up in Andhra for over a decade, for various reasons.

The latest proposal, by Geomysore Services Private Limited has revived the hope

of gold prospecting and excavation in AP, which has about three per cent of India's gold ore.

IBM studies reveal "feeble to moderate" values of gold in Tellakonda village in neighbouring Kadapa district.

Jonnegiri in Anantapur district is estimated to produce about 70 tonnes of gold a year.

Banaganapalle, Pagadarai, and Yerragudi in Kurnool and Jaggaiahpet in Krishna district also showed encouraging signs of gold, as revealed by official data. As per state government data on minerals, there are a number of gold-bearing green stone schist belts in Chittoor, Anantapur, Kurnool, Guntur, Prakasam, Kadapa, and Nellore districts.

Officials have already identified about three dozen gold-bearing belts, which extend from 16 km to 185 km in length. The average assay of three to five grams of gold per tonne of ore is present in such belts. About 62,000 kg of gold can be obtained from these three dozen identified sites.

SYL canal dispute decrees can't be flouted: SC NEW DELHI: Supreme Court has warned that decrees passed in the Sutlej-Yamuna Link canal dispute between Punjab and Haryana cannot be flouted, before asking both states to implement its orders.

"We will not allow the decree passed by this court to be flouted and it has to be implemented. How the decree is being implemented is the headache of the concerned parties," said a bench of justices PC Ghose and Amitava Roy. It said the interim order of status quo will continue.

The Court had said that the reports of Union Home Secretary, Chief Secretary of Punjab, and Director General of Police of Punjab, who were appointed as court receivers of the land and other properties of the canal, have indicated that status quo has been maintained. However, senior advocate Jagdeep Dhankar, appearing for Haryana, objected to a finding, saying that the report says the on-site visit by

the committee "no deliberate damage" has been done. "I have a problem with the world 'deliberate' used in the report," he said.

Appearing on behalf of Ministry of Home Affairs, Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar said their reply was ready and can be filed in the course of a week. He said that Haryana has not challenged the Punjab Termination of Agreement Act, 2004, and therefore it has not been set aside till now. "The regulations are still there. The effect of apex court's decree cannot be there unless the Act passed by the legislature is nullified," Kumar said. He added the answers to Presidential reference fell under the advisory jurisdiction and hence, the court has not set aside the Act. Senior Advocate Ram Jethmalani, appearing for Punjab, said the Centre should intervene among the states involved in the dispute and sort out the issue.

CHENNAI: More than a month after the death of former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa, her niece Deepa Jayakumar said she would make her foray into Tamil Nadu politics.

Confirming her political ambitions, Jayakumar announced that “a landmark announcement” would be made on February 24, which happens to be Jayalalithaa’s birthday. she said “AIADMK cadres are already welcoming me.”

Jayakumar, however, denied reports of BJP extending their support to her. “There are many rumours being spread just to defame me, and people don’t know the reality,” she said. She refused to take on newly anointed AIADMK general secretary Sasikala Natarajan, but said that she cannot accept anyone in Jayalalithaa’s position.

Jayakumar also stated that she won’t lay claim to Jayalalithaa’s assets. She also did not disclose if she would form a new party or join any other party when she said, “So far there have been questions expressing doubts if I would enter politics or not, if I would engage in people’s

Deepa Jayakumar

work and whether I will be afraid and run away (from political arena),” she said.

“To end such things, I make it clear on this day (MGR’s birth centenary) that I will enter politics, do people’s work and I desire that,” she told reporters at a crowded press conference, adding, she was “interested in politics.

I am waiting to work for the people.” Earlier in the day, she paid homage to AIADMK founder MGR at his memorial at Marina beach. The party is celebrating his 100th birth anniversary.

Posters of Jayakumar, in which she bears a close resemblance to Jayalalithaa, have been put up by her supporters last week. When Jayalalithaa was admitted at Apollo Hospitals Chennai, Jayakumar was allegedly not allowed to meet her aunt.

Haryana cracks whip; 2 more DSPs chargesheeted CHANDIGARH: Haryana's Khattar government has begun taking strict action against officials indicted in the Prakash Singh Committee report for their alleged negligence of duty during last year's violent Jat quota agitation.

After chargesheeting two Rohtak DSPs, Amit Dahiya and Amit Bhatia, the BJP government chargesheeted another two, Sukhbir Singh, and Satish Kumar, who were already under suspension.

Sources said that the officials would be chargesheeted for departmental actions under a major penalty clause, which included the possibility of dismissal from service.

Additional Chief Secretary Ram Niwas said that the innocent would not be punished, however, those found guilty would not be spared.

Immediately after the violent Jat quota stir, the Haryana

government suspended senior IPS officer and IGP Shrikant Jadhav and Amit Dahiya and Amit Bhatia.

Also suspended, were three HCS officers, Dharmender Singh, Pankaj Kumar and Jagdeep Singh, who were posted as SDMs at Gohana, Jhajjar, and Hansi.

Eight DSPs, in addition to the four already mentioned, Surender Singh, Vijayendra Singh, Pawan Kumar, Jagat Singh, Sandeep Malik, Rajbir Singh, Vinod Kumar, and Sunil Kumar, were also suspended. The Prakash Singh Committee report had allegedly indicted nearly 90 officials, including IAS, IPS, HCS, and DSP-level officers for their alleged negligence during the stir.

The qouta agitation had claimed 30 lives and caused destruction to property worth millions of rupees.

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Governor rejects Karnataka govt’s Lokayukta pick again

BENGALURU: Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala rejected a recommendation by the State's Congress government to appoint Justice P Vishwanath Shetty, a retired judge of the Karnataka High Court, as the new Lokayukta.

The retired high court judge was recommended last week after consultations by a panel comprising the Chief Minister, and Chief Justice of the State, presiding officers of the Legislative Assembly and Council, and leaders of the opposition in both Houses. The file was, however, returned with a suggestion for reconsideration. Appointment of the retired judge was opposed by an NGO stating he acquired properties in violation of laws. With the Governor's rejection, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said his government would study the reply and chart its next course of action. "What is to be done? This happens every time."

US exec held for pornographic viewing, circulating

HYDERABAD: A United States citizen has been arrested by the cyber crime wing of Telangana police for allegedly viewing and circulating videos and images with pornographic content involving children. James Kirk Jones, 42, who worked as the vice-president of a multinational law firm, reportedly confirmed that he began viewing child pornography since he was a child himself. He was arrested after police received an input from the Interpol about an IP address from which child pornography was being shared. "The IP address was traced to the house of the accused at Madhapur. His premises were immediately searched... police seized a laptop containing 29,288 items of child pornography," the police said in a release.

Teen kills 9-year-old, eats his flesh & drinks his blood

LUDHIANA: Ludhiana police detained a 16year old boy for killing a nine year old, chopping his body into six pieces, eating the flesh and drinking the blood of the victim. Deepu Kumar was reported missing for a day before his beheaded body was found dumped in a vacant plot in Dugri area. Both the accused and the victim are children of migrant labourers and live in the same lane. Police officials said that after killing the boy, the teen came home and behaved normally. It was during questioning that he confessed to committing the crime and also eating the boy's flesh.

Kejriwal urges Punjab CEO to withdraw his security

NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has urged Punjab Chief Electoral Officer to withdraw his security and deploy it for public security. In a letter to Punjab CEO VK Singh, Kejriwal said all Aam Aadmi Party candidates have already made it clear that they did not require the security provided to them by the government. "I have noticed that during my tour of Punjab, a large number of police personnel are deployed for my security, which in my view is not required. I want withdrawal of the security provided to me. Our clear position is that given the poor law and order in Punjab, all this security apparatus should be deployed for the safety and security of the people of the state," he wrote. He asked Singh to take a quick decision on the matter and restore public confidence during elections.

695 nominations rejected

CHANDIGARH: Official sources from the Chief Electoral Office said that nomination papers of 695 of the total 1,941 candidates for the February 4 Assembly Elections in Punjab were rejected on different grounds. Five nomination papers were rejected for the Amritsar Lok Sabha by-election, while 120 remained valid. Over 1,040 nomination papers were filed on the last day for filing of nominations for the 117-member Punjab Assembly.

HERITAGE - HISTORY Asian Voice | 28th January 2017

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Mahatma Gandhi and Frontier Gandhi AsianVoiceNews

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Opposed to Partition, Ghaffar Khan spent 37 years in jail in pre and post-Independence period, was branded a Hindu or Hindu agent in Pakistan

Dr Hari Desai

Even before Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan met Mahatma Gandhi, he had interacted with Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. He is better remembered in India as Frontier Gandhi or Badshah Khan. Despite his roots in normally violent Pashtun tribe, Badshah Khan learnt to lead his warrior community to non-violent methods from the Holy Koran even before he met Gandhi in 1928 for the very first time and got involved in the Indian National Congress

Party. Very soon he became Gandhi’s close aide.

Despite their different backgrounds, the two men spent many hours together debating politics, religion and cultural issues and laughing together. After the death of his second wife, Khan pledged not to remarry. For his part, Gandhi also vowed to renounce sexual relations, despite his marriage to Kasturba, so as to concentrate fully on politics.

Gandhi and Khan shared a vision together that was stronger than everything else. They dreamt of an independent, undivided, secular India – an India where both Hindus and Muslims would live together in peace.

Born on February 6, 1890, in a wealthy family of North West Frontier Province of British India (now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa of Pakistan), young Khan was about to leave for studying Engineering in England but his mother did not allow as her elder son was already away in London to pursue Medicine. He applied to join an elite corp of Pashtun soldiers of the British Raj, but refused the commission after realising that even the Guide officers were still second-class citizens in their own country.

Later he joined the Aligarh

Vinoba Bhave and Frontier Gandhi planting a sapling

Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan

Muslim University. After return from the Hajj pilgrimage at Mecca in May 1929, he founded the Khudai Khidmatgar (Servants of God) movement, whose success triggered a harsh crackdown by the British Empire on him and his supporters.

They suffered some of the most severe repression of the Indian independence movement from the British Raj. In 1931, the Congress offered him the presidency of the party, but he refused sayiny: “I am a simple soldier and Khudai Khidmatgar, and I only want to serve.” He continued to be a member of the Congress Working Committee, resigned in 1939 because of his differences with the Party’s war policy. He rejoined the Congress Party when the war policy was revised.

Khan spent more time in prison (37 years) than Nelson Mandela (who spent 27 years in jail), both

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, Sardar Patel, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and Mahatma Gandhi

during the British rule and the subsequent Pakistani governments for demanding equal rights for his people. Nick-named Bacha Khan, he remained

a u t o n o m o u s “Pashtunistan” administrative unit within the country. He and his organisation Khudai Khidmatgar were always branded traitors for following Gandhian methods of nonviolence. He was frequently arrested by successive Pakistan governments.

Even when he died in 1988, he was under house arrest.

Of course, he was buried at his house in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, as per his will.

Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan with Indira Gandhi

opposed to the Jinnah ideology till the very end of his life. Both Gandhi and Frontier Gandhi opposed Partition of British India.

Their dreams were shattered when the Partition took place. When his Pathan homeland became a part of Pakistan following the decision conceded by both Congress and Muslim League, he told Gandhi: “You have thrown us to wolves.”

After the Partition, Badshah Khan pledged allegiance to Pakistan and demanded an

Khan was the first foreigner to receive Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian honour by the Government of India, in 1987.

The Mahatma was shot dead by a fanatic Hindu, Nathuram Godse, on January 30, 1948. Forty years after Gandhi’s murder, Badshah Khan died on January 20, 1988, and he was sometimes referred as the Muslim Gandhi. Both Gandhi and Khan were united in the fight for independence against the British rulers. Both fought

for freedom and an undivided India. They had a very unusual friendship.

Khan popularised Gandhi’s teachings among Muslims.

Some times Khan’s demand for “Pashtunistan” was justified by Gandhi which was condemned even by Sir C P Ramaswami Aiyar, the then Diwan of Travancore State. D G Tendulkar, the biographer of Gandhi and Ghaffar Khan, discusses the issue quite extensively in “Abdul Ghaffar Khan: Faith is a Battle”.

Tendulkar quotes Gandhiji: “If when India is free Sir C P declares that Travancore is independent, it means that he intends to enter into conflict with free India….The Pathans did not seek to be independent.

They only wanted the freedom to frame their own constitution after the full face of Pakistan and the Indian Union was exposed to view. They did not want to be a third state but only autonomous like any of the other provinces, owing allegiance to the Centre but having no interference in their internal affairs…

What Sir C P, however , wanted was a state independent of both the dominions. If this were allowed and the example followed by others, the consequences of it would be that India would be split up into several states….The analogy between Travancore and Frontier Province was again misleading in that Sir C P spoke for the Maharaja, the Frontier leader spoke for the jirga, the people. One was unadulterated autocracy, the other full democracy.”

The saintly leader Ghaffar Khan, who spent almost one-third of his life in jail, expresses agony when he says: “For this independence of the

Pathans, we sided with the Congress and we fought our common enemy jointly.

We were then called Hindus and Hindu agents.”

P S Ramu in his book “Badshah Khan: IndoPakistan Relations” quotes correspondence between Vinoba Bhave, a Gandhian and initiator of Bhoodan movement, and Khan in 1965. Vinoba writes to Khan on April 5, 1965: “I am distressed beyond words to have to admit that in our freedom fight a great injustice had been done to you and you have been practically let down by our friends. But you have borne it all with great patience and fortitude. Your example has been a source of inspiration to all of us.”

Badshah Khan was touched by Vinoba’s observations and wrote back on May 5, 1965: “In the last eighteen years, since Pakistan came into being, I have been, as you know, behind bars for fifteen years – mostly in solitary confinement – with taunts and insults from those who were my wardens…..The Government and people of Pakistan label us Hindus whenever we open our mouth or move in the public. I tried to serve the people of Pakistan, but they do not allow me to do so.

Because of my past association with the Congress, they do not trust me for anything. We are heading towards a catastrophe.”

Both these great souls deserve to be remembered and tribute be given to them for their selfless contribution.

Next Column: The Benevolent Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad of Baroda (The writer is a Socio-political Historian. E-mail: haridesai@gmail.com)

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INDIA

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Khodaldham Temple enters Guinness Book of Records in anthem singing Asian Voice | 28th January 2017

A new world record was set by over 350,000 people at Kagvad, Rajkot during the installation of the idol of Goddess Khodiyar at newly built grand Khodal Dham temple. Hansraj Gajera, member of the temple trust said, "Over 3.5 lakh people sang the anthem during the idol installation ritual in the presence of observers from the Guinness Book of World Records." The new record breaks Bangladesh's 2014 record when 2,54,537 people sang the national anthem. "We received a certificate of the record from the Guinness Book of World Record officials," said Gajera. The trust also created two other records for the Limca Book of Recordsorganising the longest 'Shobha Yatra' and a 1008kund mahayagna. Trust officials claimed that over 5000,000 devotees visited

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Happy 4th Birthday

Rishi Annamalai Madhangopal

DOB: 24 January 2013

One, two, three, now four, my birthday wish for you is to have fun galore.

To a little one who’s just so grand, happy 4th birthday, little man!

- With lots of love,

the temple over the installation ceremony that went on for five days.

The Goddess is particularly worshipped by the Leuva Patel community.

Gajera said the temple was built at a whopping amount of £6 million and that the trust plans to set up an agricultural university adjacent to the temple premises.

Several BJP and Congress leaders, including the Patidar quota agitation leader Hardik Patel have visited the temple.

President Trump pulls US out of Trans-Pacific deal Continued from page 1 presidency by meeting with business leaders at the White House. He hosted breakfast with a dozen of leaders in the Roosevelt Room. Among those present were Kevin Plank of Under Armour, Elon Musk of Tesla, Marilyn Hewson of Lockheed Martin, and Mario Longhi of US Steel.

He said there would be "advantages" to companies that make their products in the United States and suggested he would impose a "substantial border tax" on foreign goods entering the country. The President also repeated a campaign promise to cut regulations "by 75 per cent, maybe more."

Trump also convened a meeting of about a dozen labour leaders, later noting that he had signed a memorandum announcing the US' intention to withdraw from the multi-nation trade agreement - the TransPacific Partnership. He also said he would renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement "at the appropriate time" and said he wanted future deals to be between just two countries. Trump also repeated his criticism of existing agreements, saying it was "inconceivable this was allowed to happen" and blamed the deals for a decline in American manufacturing jobs.

Withdrawing from the TPP is seen as abandoning American interests in AsiaPAcific and ceding influence to China. Foreign police Maven Richard Haas tweeted, "TPP withdrawal will slow US economic growth, cost American jobs, & weaken US standing in Asia world. China would well be principal beneficiary." Experts remain wary of Trump's isolationist

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approach.

Agenda for his day included visiting Defense Department for ISIS police meeting, backing off a campaign promise to immediately end Obama’s program to protect young immigrants from deportation, talks to partner with Moscow to combat the Islamic State group, and stating intentions to never lie.

Trump's inauguration Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States on the 20th of January. A day that will go down in history as the day majority of the country voice their protest against the man who would serve as their leader. The inauguration ceremony was rather drab and saw a visible lack of turnout as opposed to his predecessor's.

It isn't easy being The Donald. Instantly anointed 'Liar-in-Chief' by the media, after his team tried to sell falsified facts to present his inauguration as bigger than it was, tensions between the press and Trump's team reached new heights after the President challenged the media about the size of his inauguration rally. One would think, a world leader with zero experience holding a political office would have better things to do. But if you are as touchy as Don, how can you go the slightest of media flak pass unnoticed.

It all began when Trump spokesman Sean Spicer presented false information seeking to boost the inauguration crowd size at his very first briefing at the CIA headquarters. In mere minutes of fact-checking, the data given by him was known to be so bogus, Spicer's associate Kellyanne Conway had to tell the

media that he was only presenting "alternative facts".

In his inauguration speech, Trump pledged to end what he called an "American carnage" of rusted factories and crime. An address largely tagged as populist and nationalist, the President said American workers have been devastated by the outsourcing of jobs abroad.

"From this day forward, it's going to be only America first," he told thousands of people gathered on the National Mall.

With Obama and three other former presidents sitting near him, Trump chose to accuse previous US administrations of enriching Washington at the expense of the struggling middle class.

He said the US has enriched foreign industry at the expense of American companies, subsidized the armies of other countries, while letting the US military become depleted. "The wealth of our middle class has been ripped from their homes and then redistributed across the entire world," he said. "This American carnage stops right here and stops right now. Every decision on trade, on taxes, on immigration, on foreign affairs, will be made to benefit American workers and American families."

Meanwhile, the muchtouted Women's March that took place during President Donald Trump's Inauguration, saw a massive turn out and was a much bigger success than the Prez's oath-taking.

Celebrities like Scarlet Johansson, Ian McKellen, Emma Watson, Alec Baldwin, Katy Perry, and Robert DeNiro, took to the streets to show up at the

anti-Trump march.

The protests were peaceful, yet sent out a powerful message: a clear view of how divided the country remains as the baton exchanged hands.

'Ugly Betty' actress America Ferrera delivered a powerful speech saying, "The President is not America.

Congress is not America.

We are America, and we are here to stay." Emma Watson interacted with fellow protesters, putting up short videos on her Instagram.

Singer Madonna performed a version of 'Express Yourself,' attracting more attention of unsavoury comments regarding "blowing up the White House".

Katy Perry snoozed throughout Trump's speech, waking up just in time to make it to the march. She took to her social media accounts to say, "Marching with so many sisters today but my heart is most proud to march with my blood sister, Angela, who has always been my guardian angel... I march today because I am not afraid any more and I hope I can be an example of fearlessness and resilience.

I will not let anyone suppress me, silence me or clip my wings... I am here today to break the cycle of suppression and inequality. I stand with you all."

However, it was Sir Ian McKellen who won over the internet with an apt signboard clutched in his hand.

Always outspoken about politics, it wasn't surprising that he took part in the anti-Trump London Women's March. Standing on the streets with a signboard flashing the Captain Picard facepalm Meme, Sir McKellen won the sign competition hands down.

Amma, Appa, Akka, Thatha, Pati, Chithi and Chithappa

Happy 6th Birthday Ryan Mathew

DOB: 1st February 2011 Happy sixth birthday to you!

We wish that your day will be filled with games, giggles, rainbows, presents and parties!

Of course, we also wish six candles on a great big cake… Happy birthday!

- With lots of love,

Mummy, Daddy, Uncles, Aunts, Cousins and Grandparents

Tamil Nadu burns over Jallikattu Continued from page 1 Dipak Misra that the Centre has decided to withdraw the January 6, 2016 notification issued by the Ministry of Environment and Forest allowing the sport. The court said the concerned bench would take a decision on when the application of the Centre would come up for its consideration. The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 2017, piloted by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam was unanimously adopted by a voice vote in the Assembly after brief debate. The new Bill would now be sent for approval to the President.

Meanwhile, protests in Chennai and other parts of Tamil Nadu have turned violent as police cracked down on protesters even after the six-day old Marina Beach demonstration was called off after the bill was passed to replace ordinance allowing the banned sport. Following crackdown, Marina beach, Teynampet and Sellur in Madurai, and Gandhipuram in Coimbatore saw battle between protesters and the police who fired teargas shells and resorted to lathicharge to disperse large crowds. Cases for stonethrowing and burning of vehicles and sundry items have been recorded in several places.

MTC buses were attacked, with several bus passengers suffering

injuries when protesters threw stones at the buses.

Traffic was severely affected on East Coast Road and Old Mahabalipuram as thousands of agitators sat on the OMR. Another thousand held protests near Taramani. Law student Hariharan said, "We would have called off the protest peacefully, but force is the only language people in power seem to understand. We come in peace. We don't trust our leaders who have been trying to gain momentum from our protest."

Traffic police said they were yet to begin clearing up. MRTS train services were suspended, and schools were closed early.

Situation is severe in Alanganallur and Tamakkum Ground in Madurai and in Coimbatore.

Officials believe some of the demonstrators belonged to the ultra-left organisations like CPI-ML and the Revolutionary Youth Front of India.

Former Madras High Court judge Justice Hari Paranthaman tried to calm the agitators by explaining the process of lawmaking through ordinance and said the bill, for the moment, was a "permanent solution" that is a victory for the agitators. Tamil celebrities like Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan expressed their concern over the violence and called for restraint.

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HEALTH&WELLNESS

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Why repeated dieting may backfire?

FOOD

FITNESS

study says that repeated dieting may lead to weight gain because the brain interprets the diets as short famines and urges the person to store more fat for future shortages. The finding may explain why people who try low-calorie diets often overeat when not dieting and so do not keep the weight off.

By contrast, people who do not diet would learn that food supplies are reliable and they do not need to store so much fat, the study said. "Surprisingly, our model predicts that the average weight gain for dieters will actually be greater than those who never diet," said Andrew Higginson, Senior Lecturer at the University of Exeter in England.

"This happens because non-dieters learn that the food supply is reliable so there is less need for the insurance of fat stores," Higginson said. Animals respond to the risk of food shortage by gaining weight, which is why garden birds

are fatter in the winter when seeds and insects are hard to find.

The researchers studied a mathematical model of an animal that knows whether food is currently abundant or limited, but does not know when things will change, so must learn about the changeability before deciding how fat to be.

The model showed that if food supply is often restricted (as it is when dieting) an optimal animal should gain excess weight between food shortages.

The researchers' model predicts that the urge to eat increases hugely as a diet goes on, and this urge would not diminish as weight is gained because the brain gets convinced that famines are likely.

"Our simple model shows that weight gain does not mean that people's physiology is malfunctioning or that they are being overwhelmed by unnaturally sweet tastes, Professor John McNamara of the University of Bristol in England said.

"The brain could be functioning perfectly, but uncertainty about the food supply triggers the evolved response to gain weight," McNamara noted. So how should people try to lose weight? "The best thing for weight loss is to take it steady. Our work suggests that eating only slightly less than you should, all the time, and doing physical exercise is much more likely to help you reach a healthy weight than going on lowcalorie diets," Higginson pointed out.

Why you need to drink more water every day W

ater is a vital ingredient for survival of all living beings. It's simply impossible to imagine a day without that magical substance from which all life springs forth.

The crystal clear substance, which is responsible for several biological functions, is extremely essential for every organ, cell and tissue of our body. Here are some important reasons why you need to sip on a water bottle throughout the day: Water helps regulates everything, including the body temperature. It also protects body organs and tissues, helps dissolve minerals and other nutrients enabling them accessible to the body. Water helps kidneys flush out toxins and waste from the body, thereby aiding the kidneys function properly. Your kidneys won't be able to remove waste products properly if

you drink little amount of water. Water helps keep the joints lubricated and working properly. Drinking adequate amount of water helps prevent dehydration and keeps the lung cells moist. Water helps with digestion and also softens stool, which helps prevent constipation.

Water aids in weight

To Our Readers

We are publishing these items in good faith, kindly consult your Doctor before you try to implement it. We do not hold any responsibility for its efficacy...

Laughter is the Best Medicine

“Here,” says the nurse, handing the patient a urine specimen container. “The bathroom’s over there.” A few minutes later, the patient comes out of the bathroom.

“Thanks,” he says, returning the empty container. “But there was a toilet in there, so I didn’t need this after all.” *** A gentleman calls the doctor's office with questions about an upcoming test he is scheduled for, and talks at length about the procedure.

Patient: I’m sorry to have so many questions.

Doctor: Oh, that’s no problem. You can always call and ask for clarification when you need it.

Patient: Thank you very much, Clara Fication! You’ve been very helpful. *** A doctor tells his wife, “You’re a terrible cook, you spend too much money, and you’re a lousy lover!”

Two weeks later, he comes home to find her making out with his partner.

“What’s going on here?!” he demands.

“Just getting a second opinion,” she replies.

loss, manage diabetes, and also keeps your teeth, skin and gums healthy. Water transports nutrients and oxygen to cells. It helps moisten tissues such as those in the eyes, mouth and nose. Water is also vital for a sound mental health as it helps reduce stress, anxiety and depression.

So, try drinking more water every day to yield the optimum health benefits of

it. In case you find drinking water boring or don't enjoy the taste of it, there are a number of ways and tricks you can do to improve your sense of taste such as by adding your own flavour.

But instead of using flavoring agents you find in stores, use natural fruit juice - lemon, orange or lime – as water flavouring to make it a more appealing drink.

"One says Hindu women should bear four children, while the other believes they should bear ten."

| Asian Voice | 28th January 2017

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LIFESTYLE

A

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Scientists develop molecule that reverses antibiotic resistance

I

n a significant breakthrough, scientists have developed a molecule that reverses antibiotic resistance in multiple strains of bacteria at once. Earlier, infections which were easily treatable have grown immune to antibiotics – but scientists have now created a molecule that attacks an enzyme which makes bacteria resistant.

The molecule reverses antibiotic resistance and could allow us to use medicine that are currently useless. "We’ve lost the ability to use many of our mainstream antibiotics," lead researcher Bruce Geller from Oregon State University, said.

"Everything’s resistant to them now. That’s left us to try to develop new drugs to stay one step ahead of the bacteria, but the more we look the more we don’t find anything new," he said. "So that's left us with making modifications to existing antibiotics, but as soon as you make a chemical change, the bugs mutate and now they're resistant to the new, chemically modified antibiotics.”

These superbugs have been deemed a “fundamental threat” by the United Nations and it is predicted they will kill 300 million people by 2050, according to a report.

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Vijay Sethupathi's Chiranjeevi’s 'Khaidi 'Dharmadurai' wins No.150' continues the Best Film Award its fantastic run AsianVoiceNews

Asian Voice

28th January 2017

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'Bogan' to finally release on Feb 9

R

elease date of Arvind Swamy's 'Bogan' is out, and we are psyched! The movie will hit theatres on February 9, a Thursday as opposed to the trend of releasing films on Fridays.

It features Swamy, Hansika, and Jayam Ravi, and is touted to be a complete masala entertainer.

Release wasn't easy for the film that saw steady delay. Initially, 'Bogan'

was to release last June, then got pushed to December, and now finally, it will take off this February. It also saw several controversies, including director Lakshman being accused of stealing the story from filmmaker Anthony who also filed a complain with a writer's association. In another fun news, Swamy will make his singing debut with this film.

Kajal confirms acting with Vijay in 'Thalapathy 61'

K

a j a l Aggarwal has officially confirmed to play the female lead in 'Thalapathy 61', directed by Atlee. Already rejoicing in the success of her grand Sankranti Telugu release 'Khaidi No. 150', Kajal is currently shooting for her first film opposite Thala Ajith, 'AK 57'. She will soon team up with Ilayathalapathy Vijay for 'Thalapathy 61'.

Produced under Sri Thenandal Films banner, the movie which is expected to commence shooting in February or March and will predominantly shot in USA.

T

Director Raju Murugan for 'Joker' and veteran director Priyadarshan for 'Sila Samayangalil', his AIDS awareness feature filmboth won awards under different categories.

'Dharmadurai' is an all class hit and was vital in lifting lead actor Vijay Sethupathi's star status, fetching him the title 'Makkal Selvan'.

Shruti Haasan recreates ‘Raanjha Raanjha’ with AR Rahman

S

hruti Haasan has sung a recreated version of 'Ranjha Ranjha' from 'Raavan' along with Academy Award winning music composer AR Rahman.

Lending her voice to the Royal Stag Barrel Select MTV Unplugged Season 6, Shruti said, "As a singer and musician, I enjoy challenging myself to push the boundaries and keep trying to do something new. The song 'Ranjha Ranjha' is an unconventional choice for me I would think, especially in a set up like Unplugged."

She added, "But when it came from Rahman Sir, who I've

Fans already going crazy about 'Baahubali 2'

he one question raging on everybody's minds is 'Why did Kattappa kill Baahubali?' Which is why, people can't contain their excitement for the upcoming 'Baahubali 2: The Conclusion'. The first edition of the 'Baahubali' franchise was HUGE and one of the most loved movies of contemporary cinema. Makers of the movie recently shared a post to celebrate 100 days to the film, triggering a massive social

V

ijay Sethupathi's 'Dharmadurai', which was screened in the 14th Chennai International Film Festival under the competitive category as one among the 12 Tamil films released last year, was selected as 'Best Film'. Director Seenu Ramasamy, and producer RK Suresh received a cash prize for Rs 100,000 from the organisers.

media outbreak sending #100DaysToBaahubali 2 trending on Twitter.

The masterpiece made by SS Rajamouli, will see several battles, including Prabhas and Rana Daggubati's much-awaited clash.

Fans will also come to know how Baahubali's son takes revenge on the Mahismati Kingdom. A beautiful combination of visuals, war sequences and architecture, 'Baahubali 2' might just about change Indian cinema for ever.

looked up to, I knew I had to just flow with it.

Singing live and keeping up with an entire orchestra was incredibly exciting and extremely gratifying." The actor said she cherished singing with

the composer as he is one of her "biggest musical influences". The episode of Unplugged will see Rahman perform on songs like 'Enna Sona', 'Mann Chaand Re', 'Aise Na Dekho', and 'Tu Hai'.

T

rust our South superstars to make a grand comeback.

Superstar Chiranjeevi made a recent comeback with his 'Khaidi No. 150', heading towards the £15 million mark as he netted £12 million already. The movie's amazing stint at the box office continues after a brilliant start saw shows running to packed houses and make a worldwide collection of £4.7 million on the first day itself.

Within 5 days of its release, Chiru hit bullseye.

It was a good Pongal for the Telugu film industry as back to back movies released, fared really well and dominated the box office overseas. 'Khaidi No. 150' is the Telugu remake of Tamil movie 'Kaththi',

starring megastar Chiranjeevi in a double role as Kaththi Seenu and Shankar. Director VV Vinayak, who directed the film made sure the script was tweaked to match the star's image. Also making a foray into production, Chiru's son, and actor Ram Charan was overwhelmed with the response. "The film is truly close to my heart because it is my father's 150th film. The kind of love the audiences have shown the film is overwhelming and humbling," he said. Reports suggest that given the ongoing success of the movie, the father-son duo are considering another collaboration. These stars sure know how to keep fans on their toes.

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An unusual 75th birthday for Amitabh Bachchan

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Rishi Kapoor: Today's actors are instant noodles

Asian Voice | 28th January 2017

P

reparations for veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan's 75th birthday have already begun.

A memorable is being organised in tribute to the actor by his close friends and family. The gala will take place a month before his day which he celebrates on October 11 every year. A source said, "Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay Kumar, Jacqueline Fernandez, Sidharth Malhotra, Alia

Bhatt, Ranveer Singh, among others, have been approached for the event.

Son Abhishek and daughter-in-law Aishwarya will be a part of the event too.

The team is planning to approach more stars in the coming weeks. The final list is set to be announced ahead of the rehearsals."

The party will also be aired on television for his fans to be a part of it too.

Priyanka wins 2nd People's Choice Awards for 'Quantico' Actor Rishi Kapoor believes that today's actors are more professional, disciplined and a lot like "instant noodles". Speaking at the launch of his autobiography 'Khullam Khulla - Rishi Kapoor Uncensored', the veteran said, "The boys today are very professional.

They are all updated and have so much exposure.

Today when I see a sixyear-old kid, there is a whole lot of difference from what I was at that age. They are well informed and look at their bodies. They have learned all emotions."

"Whereas in my grandfather's (Prithviraj Kapoor) time, everything was learned by experience. But today's kids are instant noodles. They are well prepared, they know their lives, and are very professional and punctual. But we were all very bad. We never came on time. We were quite indisciplined and never knew our lines. We always had secretaries around." Rishi however, feels the content and quality of songs was much better earlier. "Today there is no content. We don't have any value of music. We have multiplex audience. Still we do see

better films being made today which couldn't have been made 10 years ago."

Known for films like 'Bobby', 'Khel Khel Mein', 'Karz', 'Do Dooni Char', and the most recent 'Kapoor & Sons', Rishi belongs to the first family of the Hindi film industry, and has been associated with the fraternity for the past 85 years.

"When I started my second innings as an actor, one day Rakesh Roshan called me and said, 'Listen I have a role for you and it's a two day part. I just want you to play Hrithik's father in a film called 'Krissh' or whatever he was making'. I said, 'No, I don't think so. It will be a wrong move in my career. Suddenly he started laughing and asked me what kind of career was I looking at. Those words hit me. Then I said to him that now I will prove to you that you can work at this age too. I hold the success of my second innings to Rakesh Roshan."

His autobiography has him reveal several unknown segments of his life, including his father Raj Kapoor's affairs with costars and his take on fatherson relationship.

SRK more comfortable with Suhana

Shah Rukh Khan is not only an amazing actor, he is also known to be a doting father to his three beautiful children. In a recent interview, he revealed that he is more at ease with his daughter, Suhana's company than he is with his elder son Aryan's. "It's just that I am more comfortable in the company of women, and I hope that doesn't sound

wrong. Well, even for simple things in life like watching a match with my daughter and her girlfriends. Though I am nervous throughout the game, I feel more comfortable watching it with them. My son's group are all encouraging and he says the right things like 'Don't worry papa, we will win it', but it is easier watching it with Suhana's girl gang."

P

riyanka Chopra won the People's Choice Award 2017 for the second time in a row.

Winning the prize for 'Favourite Dramatic TV Actress', she beat popular actresses like Ellen Pompeo, K e r r y Washington, Taraji P Henson, and Viola Davis for the award.

The 34 year old, who plays FBI agent Alex Parrish in 'Quantico', thanked everyone for the award, saying it has been an "incredible journey" for her.

"Every single woman, that was nominated with me today... All of these incredible actresses were the reason that I joined television. They were the reason that I wanted to be the actor that I am here today, receiving this award and being in the same category as them is just so overwhelming," she said. She also thanked her entire crew and cast, saying, "I am really psyched. Can I do a little wiggle? I am sorry it's the concussion talking... this (award) means the world to me."

Her co-actor in the upcoming 'Baywatch' movie, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, and her friend and Youtube star Lilly 'Superwoman' Singh were seen cheering for her.

Priyanka bagged her first award in 2016 in the "Favourite Actress in a New TV series" category for her role in "Quantico".

Shraddha is stepping out in burqas these days

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hooting for Apoorva Lakhia's 'Haseena', starring Shraddha Kapoor and her brother Siddhant, has begun in Mumbai. Shraddha was recently seen roaming around Nagpada in a burqa to get under the skin of her character- Haseena Parkar, sister of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim. She also met with top city cops of the time and both Dawood and Haseena's schoolteacher

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Haseena's children, family, aunts, and uncles."

The actress realises she needs to get her research and body language correct because if she doesn't, she will face harsh criticism.

She will be playing the mother of four children and her age will be shown with the help of prosthetic makeup. "The costume designer has used the same materials from the same shops that Haseena used to buy her materials from."

'Deadpool 2'. Jackman further boosted speculations by posting a similar photo on his own social media, captioning it "#wolverinebonddeadpool". Cast for the mutant film has been kept under wraps for quite some time.

Several actors have come forward to play Cable, including actors Kyle Chandler, Stephen Lang, and Ron Perlman.

As for Jackman, it has long been said he may appear in the movie.

However, he has not made an official comment, yet.

Pierce Brosnan in 'Deadpool 2'?

ormer agent with a H 'license to kill', Pierce Brosnan will possibly play Cable in Ryan Reynold's upcoming 'Deadpool' movie.

Reynolds shared a photo on his Instagram featuring Hugh Jackman, Brosnan, and himself posing in a "hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil" pose with a caption that r e a d

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and tailor.

"Apoorva and Shraddha are sparing no effort to make sure that the film looks as authentic as

possible. After visiting Nagpada a few times in a burqa, to get more information about Haseena's mannerisms, she had a big meeting with the cops of that time, at one of the police clubs in South Mumbai.

She met Haseena's and Dawood's school teacher who taught at the same madrasa in Nagpada. She has been having personal meetings with them at Apoorva's home and meeting

'Wolvie. Bond. Wade'.

While nobody knows whether the purpose behind three actors hanging out was purely platonic, fans connected the dots and concluded that the James Bond actor might play Cable in muchawaited

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Asian Voice |28th January 2017

Bowel surgeon defends writing a love letter to patient as 'moment of madness' A bowel surgeon has defended his 'moment of madness' after writing a love letter to one of his female patients in which he invited her for afternoon tea, a tribunal heard.

The Daily Mail reported that Dr Sachiendra Amaragiri, 59, pictured, allegedly said the woman had a 'power' over him and induced 'unusually extraordinary tender feelings' in his 'emotional setting'.

The married consultant is said to have posted the letter to the patient, who he was treating for a stomach complaint, five weeks after performing a colonoscopy on her at a hospital.

But his alleged approach left the woman feeling 'violated' and 'panicked' when she realised the surgeon had acquired details of her home address, a tribunal was told.

Amaragiri, who is believed to have two

daughters, has since claimed the letter was a 'moment of madness' that had been 'interpreted cheaply', adding: 'I was never physically attracted to her.'

The patient complained to police but after an investigation it was decided that no criminal offences had been committed.

The woman, who suffers from an anxiety and depression, then took her case to the General Medical Council and the complaint is being heard at a tribunal.

The hearing continues.

Coming Events

l Shree Sanatan Mandir Leicester has organised a Sunderkand Path at 10.30 am, and a Shri Hanuman Chalisa at 7.30 pm, at the temple, on 28 January.

l Brent Indian Association has organised a flag hoisting ceremony on 26th January at 11.00 am at their premises 116 Ealing Road, Wembley, Middlesex HAO 4TH. It will be followed by refreshments. l Shree Jalaram Mandir – Greenford will raise the flag on 26th January, at 12.00 pm. The ceremony will be followed by singing of the Indian national anthem and eating prashad.

ARIES Mar 21 - Apr 20 Mars, your ruling planet is

transiting your solar 1st house. This transit helps you to assert yourself more than usual. You have lots of energy and are more enterprising. During this transit you may lose your temper more than usual. Avoid being hasty in your decisions and do not step on anyone's toes. Love affairs may also be pleasurable during this period.

TAURUS Apr 21 - May 21 With Mars moving through

your solar twelfth house, this is the time to research and reflect upon your goals. It is also a time when much of your energy is channeled into private matters without any one knowing about your activities. Some may experience insomnia during this phase - a good time to relax and take up yoga.

GEMINI May 22 - June 22 Mars is energizing your

solar eleventh house now. Group activities and cooperative efforts are the best way to achieve your goals right now. You prefer to lead a group rather than follow during this period, and there are certainly ways to do so without stepping on others' toes. The best way to achieve your goals is to work as a team and network.

CANCER Jun 22 - Jul 22 You bring much energy, enthusiasm, and drive to your career as Mars is transiting your solar 10th house. You may be quite competitive during this period, preferring to achieve and accomplish things on your own. This is a good time for pursuing your goals, and, as you are self-motivated now, your enthusiasm can be channelled positively.

Indo-British APPG and Inspiring Indian Women Group felicitate Ms Bharulata Kamble Determination, fearless, tough, strong will powerMs. Bharulata that's Kamble for you. She dreamt big and achieved it.

Her story, full of struggles and challenges seemed almost like a Bollywood plot – 32 countries, one woman, one car, driving over 32,000 kilometres, to be the voice for millions of voiceless girls. The drive entailed the trek of a lifetime, through the Arctic Circle, 2 continents, 6 territories, 9 time zones, 3 desserts, 9 mountain ranges and 32 countries and 12 states of India. And when she returned after successful completion, celebrations and felicitations just could not wait. Her supporters and well-wishers assembled in huge number from various parts of UK and locally.

The Indo-British All Parliamentary Party Group (APPG) together with

Inspiring Indian Women Group (IIW) organised a grand welcome for Ms. Bharulata on 19th January 2017. The event was attended by many important dignitaries and high profile guests. It was hosted by Mr Virendra Sharma MP for Ealing and Southall. The chief guests on the occasion were: Baroness Sandeep Verma

and Mayor of Luton Cllr Tahir Khan, who also chaired the evening's proceedings.

The event commenced with Ganesh vandana by Priyanka Shukla followed by traditional Maharashtrian Lavani Rashmi dance by Narvekar. Each member on the dais felicitated Ms Bharulata with flowers and

greetings.

The event ended with an extract from the musical dance drama 'Shakti' prepared and presented by Darshini Joshi from Sanskruti Guru, wherein she spoke about how Mrs. Bharulata's journey of courage and determination proved to the world that there is 'Shakti' in every woman.

Surgeon accused of lying about his work experience A cancer surgeon is accused of lying about his work experience while applying for the job of consultant general surgeon at Worcester Royal Hospital and Alexandra Hospital, Redditch.

Forty-seven-yearold Sudip Sarker, pictured, lied about the number of keyhole surgery operations he had done so he could get an £84,000-a-year job at the hospital, a court has heard.

Sneh Joshi

According to a report in the Daily Mail, a court heard on Tuesday he claimed to have carried out 51 keyhole surgeries and was given a job by Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust ahead of another candidate who had done around 30 operations.

Sarker spoke only to confirm his name and address and enter a not guilty plea to fraud by misrepresentation when he appeared at

Kidderminster Magistrates’ Court, the media report said.

The fraud took place between May 9 and September 1, 2015.

Chair of Magistrates, Richard Packer, said: “We agree this matter should go to crown court because of the serious nature of the alleged offences.”

Sarker, of Broadstairs, Kent, was granted unconditional bail and ordered to appear at Worcester Crown Court on

The UK’s leading Vedic writer and TV personality

Mars continues to energize your solar ninth house. Others find you easy to be around, as you are courageous and charismatic. You are strong and bold in your beliefs and convictions as well, and others tend to naturally follow your lead. You actively seek out new learning experiences and adventures without any fear.

LEO Jul 23 - Aug 23

VIRGO Aug 24 - Sep 23

Mars is transiting your solar eighth house. This is a great time to find out what is important in your life and get rid of unwanted clutter and negative people who are clouding your judgement. Shared finances can come into focus, and these could lead to disputes and disagreements if you are not careful or insensitive in your dealings with others.

LIBRA Sep 24 - Oct 23

Mars has just moved into solar seventh house. During this period, personal relationships can suffer as arguments arise due to unresolved issues. Tread carefully as some form of conflict, whether intentional or otherwise can rear its ugly head. On a positive note you are full of energy and ready to compete, so make sure you stay the course and win the battle.

SCORPIO Oct 24- Nov 22 Mars animates your solar sixth house and energises your daily routine. You may have a larger workload but things tend to feel sped up during this period. Make sure you use that energy to take charge of your health and start a keep-fit regime.

However, beware of falling out with colleagues and channel that anger into more productive pursuits

020 8518 5500

SAGITTARIUS Nov 23 - Dec 21

With Mars, comes increased creative and romantic energy but be sure to manage this carefully as you want to avoid the trouble that these areas can bring. Your self-confidence will be well-received by others during this period but you are likely to take a few more risks and embrace your competitive nature. Just remember to remain sensitive to the needs of others.

CAPRICORN Dec 22 - Jan 20 Domestic projects and activities will get a welcome boost during this period with more of a focus on feeling secure and consolidating the home front. However, as you focus more on the home, there can be family conflicts or disputes. Your career may also be frustrated by others but don’t use this as an excuse to re-examine old wounds.

AQUARIUS Jan 21 - Feb 19

Ideas and plans will come easily to you during this period but with such volume be sure to channel your efforts well. Pitches and new proposals should be very positive as you will be more articulate than usual. You will also be able to assert yourself more readily but avoid heated discussions and don’t be hasty as it could cost you.

PISCES Feb 20 - Mar 20 Make hay while the sun shines but don’t let money be your god. There is a lot of energy to make the most of money-making opportunities and this is a very resourceful time for you. However, beware of conflicts over ownership and other legal issues. Also avoid being extravagant and trying to prove yourself to others using your material possessions.

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Saina lifts Malaysia Masters title AsianVoiceNews

Saina Nehwal won the Malaysia Masters Grand Prix Gold medal by defeating Thailand's 19-year-old Pornpawee Chochuwong 22-20, 22-20 in the women's final of the event for her first title of the year and the first since knee surgery five months ago.

“It's a good win for her confidence. Her next big test will be in March so she will have some time to prepare well,” her coach Vimal Kumar said. “I still feel she gets out of breath after long rallies so improving her strength and endurance will be a priority. She will also have to lose weight.

However, these issues are natural after a surgery,” said the former international. Saina's next big test overseas will be the All England Open Superseries Premier in March.

Vimal suggested that

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Saina Nehwal

excelling in the Malaysian event was tougher than perceived.“The level is definitely lower but all her opponents - the rising stars of the sport - are quite tricky. They have nothing to lose and come out all guns blazing. Playing under pressure is the most important thing and she has been able to weather that. It's not easy and I'm quite pleased,” he said,

adding that the pressure to perform and her own expectations had drained his ward. “She is doing well overall but that is something she will be working on.” The noted coach said the top-seeded Saina had a few issues in the event in Sibu but did well to overcome them. “I spoke to her a few days ago. She said there was a bit of drift in the hall and she was not

timing her shots well. I told her these are factors she would have to adjust to.

When you are playing against rivals you are expected to beat, these factors can play on your mind.

I'm happy she pulled through. She is definitely on course to getting back to her best. Once she is back in India she will get another six weeks to prepare for the next event,” he said.

Vimal felt Saina would need to relax a bit more in the run up to her next big challenge. “She needs to be more at ease. We keep talking about different things but she says she is most relaxed in training. It's important at this level that she works out her own ways. I'm glad she is finding her way back. There is no one particular way to do things and I'm glad she is coping well,” he said.

India announce U-19 squad for ODI series against England India have announced the U-19 team for the upcoming ODI series against the England. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the 18 member squad for the Indian side for the 5 match ODI series. The squad included some of the usual names who have been part of the squad for almost a year now, and also included some fresh faces as well.

The Indian U-19 side achieved a lot of success towards the end of last year as they cruised through the Asia Cup and came out as winners without losing a single match. They were completely flawless in all their victories and did not face many difficulties against any of their opponents. Shubhman Gill ended up as the highest run-getter of the tourna-

ment while Abhishek Sharma ended up as the 2nd highest wicket taker.

Prithvi Shaw, who had a fantastic outing with the Mumbai senior Ranji side will hope to continue his impressive form for the U19 side as well. Abhishek Sharma, Himanshu Rana, Aayush Jamwal, Heramb Parab and Shubman Gill who were all a part of the Asia Cup winning side of

last year have been included in the squad as well.

The new faces include the likes of Het Patel, Ishan Porel, Mayank Rawat and Rohan Kunnumal.

India Under 19 Squad for One-dayers: Heramb Parab, Het Patel, Himanshu Rana, Ayush Jamwal, Vivekanand Tiwary, Prithvi Shaw, Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Harvik

Desai, Rahul Desraj Chahar, Kamlesh Singh Nagarkoti, Salman Khan, Priyam Garg, Shiva Singh, Yash Thakur, Mayank Rawat, Rohan Kunnumal, Ishan Porel After the five-match ODI series against the England U-19 side, the team will travel to Nagpur to host the Englishmen for two four-day Tests. It will be interesting to see how the Indian U-19 side fares against England. After watching their seniors decimate the English side in the Tests and One-dayers, the youth side will look to emulate their success.

Rahul Dravid, who has been an extremely influential and successful coach will look to continue his impressive run with the youngsters. The first ODI will begin on January 30th at Mumbai.

Australia and England from 21.9% to 15% will hurt the Indian board massively (projected at £90 million). For the next cycle - 2023-31 - the loss is expected to be to the tune of £ 200 million.

Therefore, the total losses likely to hurt India's interests in the next 14 years (between now and 2031) could be pegged at £300 million. ICC's position paper for the 2008-15 cycle clearly suggests that the parent body generated a total revenue of $1.57 billion which was distributed in the following manner: Each Full Member (FM) received $52.5mn, Associate & Affiliate (A&A) distribution was shown at $315mn but only $125mn was directly distributed to A&A members

and the remaining $190mn was spent by ICC as grants, distribution or costs - details of which was not approved by the ICC Board nor its all-powerful Financial & Commercial Affairs Committee.

When the position paper for 2015-23 was drafted, the above details were included to introduce a revised model.

Distribution and costs were allocated based on total revenue ICC would generate. It categorically states that distribution of revenue was earlier done based on India contributing to revenues but it would change now. The move to bring about the Big Three financial model first began when former BCCI president N Srinivasan came on board

as the chairman of the ICC. It was then pointed out that more than 85% of media rights income that accrues to ICC for ICC events are coming from Indian market and almost 100% of the sponsorships for ICC events are from Indian companies.

BCCI was made a member in all important committees of the ICC for taking decisions.

However, the recent bosses of the Indian board now blame Manohar for deliberately keeping them away after taking over. The BCCI's sacked regime says it was Manohar who insisted that some full members of the ICC were unhappy with BCCI earning a larger share in revenue and gave himself the authority to renegotiate.

BCCI could lose close to £300 mn in next 14 years The International Cricket Council (ICC) will meet in Dubai next month to pass a resolution that has serious potential to cause Indian cricket losses in excess of £90 million for the financial cycle between 2015-2023. This will be a direct result of policy changes regarding revenue distribution being planned by majority full members of the ICC. According sources, ICC expects $ 2.5 billion as revenue for the cycle 201523. BCCI is expected to receive at least $ 507 million as contribution costs during this cycle.

However, the decision of the world governing body's independent chairman, Shashank Manohar, to reduce the income of Big Three - India,

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Centre, BCCI told to suggest names of administrators Asian Voice | 28th January 2017

The Supreme Court of India on Tuesday asked the Centre and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to suggest names in sealed covers for appointment in the committee of administrators to run the apex cricket body. A Bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra also allowed the BCCI to suggest three names after following the due process to represent it at the International Cricket Council (ICC) meeting due in first week of February.The Bench, also comprising Justices A.M. Khanwilkar and D.Y. Chandrachud, made it clear that the names to be given for appointment in the committee of administrators and the representative for the ICC meet should be in consonance with the judgment and subsequent orders passed by the apex court in the matter. The Bench asked the BCCI and the Centre to give the names in a sealed cover by January 27 and posted the matter for further hearing on January 30.

Azhar challenges rejection of his nomination

Former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin approached the Hyderabad High Court urging it to set aside the election conducted to the executive committee of the Hyderabad Cricket Association and also sought the clubbing of all the cases that challenged this election in order to have a comprehensive hearing on the whole issue. Justice A V Sesha Sai, who heard the plea, posted the case for a later date. Election to the HCA executive body was held on January 17 and, in tune with an earlier order of the high court, the results of the election have been kept in abeyance. Azhar's counsel Ramakanth Reddy told the court that one T Seshanarayana and few others approached a civil court in Ranga Reddy district with misleading contentions and obtained an order directing the HCA to hold elections.

Bangla cricketer arrested over photos of girlfriend

Bangladesh cricketer Arafat Sunny was arrested by police for allegedly breaching the country's strict internet laws following a complaint by his girl friend. Arafat's girlfriend had accused him of uploading sensitive photos of her on social media and had filed a complaint two weeks ago, local police chief Jamaluddin Mir said.

He was subsequently arrested from his home in the Dhaka suburb. "She said Sunny opened up a fake Facebook account of hers and posted their personal photos, which she found offensive and defamatory."

"We have arrested him and sent him to the court, seeking to take him into custody for five days for questioning." If found guilty Sunny could face up to 14 years in jail or a fine of 10 million taka (USD 126,340) under the controversial law, which local right groups say is being used to crack down on dissent. There was no immediate comment from the cricketer. "It seems to be a personal matter. We don't want to comment now," Bangladesh Cricket Board chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury said.

Australia take ODI series against Pakistan

Australia won the One-day series against Pakistan with an 86-run win at Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday, taking a 3-1 lead in the five match series. After Australia made 353 for six on the back of a David Warner century that was aided by appalling fielding from the tourists, Pakistan replied with 267 from 43.5 overs. Opener Sharjeel Khan made 74 from just 47 balls, but once he fell to leg-spinner Adam Zampa, Pakistan's fate was all but sealed. Warner backed his form with the bat by doing what the Pakistanis couldn't and hanging on to two excellent catches.

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Asian Voice | 28th January 2017

England win thriller; India take series 2-1

England thwarted India's game plan for a clean sweep in the one -day series by winning the third and final ODI in Kolkata's Eden Gardens by five runs. India needed 16 runs from the final over in chase of 322.

Kedar Jadhav blasted the first two balls for a six and a four but Chris Woakes kept his cool to have him out caught for 90 (75b) and eventually hold India to 316/9.

India won the series 2-1 and England found a much needed confidence before the three-match T20I series beginning next week. It was at this venue where Ben Stokes was left holding his head after conceding six fours to hand West Indies WT20 trophy. For two deliveries on Sunday, it seemed the dreadful night had returned to haunt Eoin Morgan's team but this time, they managed to end on the winning side and thus recorded their first victory on the tour having already lost a five-match Test series 0-4 last year.

England posted their third successive 300 plus total after being sent in and yet again India were devoid of a solid start meaning the middle order was exposed

much earlier to their liking.

It was a dead rubber all right but Virat Kohli must have looked to iron out the only flaw in his team, when it comes to batting, seems to have - a dependable opening pair. Ajinkya Rahane (1) replaced Shikhar Dhawan in the playing XI and at the opener's slot but failed.

David Willey let slip a swinging delivery between his defences to clatter the stumps. India lost an early wicket in yet another big chase. KL Rahul (11) too disappointed when his

attempt to play a non-existent pull resulted in a topedge after he had raised hopes with a six and four.

At 37/2 in six overs, it fell to captain Kohli and the middle order to take control of the chase. With last match centurion Yuvraj Singh in tow, Kohli went about his business passing a nervy phase during which he was beaten and dropped on 35. The relatively livelier and bowling friendly track made it a tad difficult for the Indian pair to get into their grooves quickly with

Yuvraj, Dhoni hit centuries In the second ODI at Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, centuries by Yuvraj Singh and M S Dhoni saved India by sure defeat. In reply Eoin Morgan very nearly pulled off a Houdini act as his team chased 382 in the second ODI. The visitors eventually fell short by 15 runs to hand Virat Kohli his first ODI series win.

Morgan's ton (102 off 81balls) was the last of three individual centuries.

It was man-of-the-match Yuvraj Singh -who hammered a career-best 150 (127b; 21x4, 3x6)-and his 256-run fourth-wicket stand with Dhoni (134 off 122 balls; 10x4, 6x6), which clinched the deal for India. Yuvraj chose the best possible platform to silence skeptics, while Dhoni served timely reminder of his superlative

Yuvraj Singh and M S Dhoni

batting prowess. Riding on these two experienced hands, India recovered from 253 to post a mammoth 381-6, the highest total recorded at this venue.

India were struggling at 222 in the third over with - KL Rahul and Virat Kohli back in the pavilion - when Yuvraj strode out.

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The situation looked grim, more so after Dhawan too fell. But then, Yuvraj and Dhoni had other plans.

Looking compact, Yuvraj was restrained initially before gradually unfurling his full array of strokes.

The trademark flicks and short-arm pulls soon started to cause headache in the English ranks. At the other end, Dhoni played his usual cricket, building up slowly for the acceleration in the end.

The duo, who have engineered many Indian victories, also ran the singles hard. With four fielders outside the 30-yard circle in the second powerplay, the duo stepped up gear and pulverised the attack, with southpaw Yuvi reaching the coveted three-figure mark - his first ODI century since 2011-in the 33rd over.

the England bowlers finally finding the discipline that eluded them in the first two matches.

However, a little deviation in line or length resulted in punishment - Kohli unfurling his trademark whiplashes down the leg side and majestic cover drives to settle nerves. With

a couple, he reached his half-century that was peppered with eight fours. But this was a pitch that suited England's bowling and Stokes was the beneficiary when Kohli edged one to wicketkeeper Jos Buttler at 55.

That brought Yuvraj and MS Dhoni together, the stars of India's recovery in Cuttack. Six overs later, Moeen Ali lured Yuvraj into a flick that flew to Billings at midwicket boundary which ended his promising knock at 45. By 32nd over, England had also knocked down Dhoni and with 148 runs to defend, they were the favourites.

But Jadhav and Pandya gave England another scare as they engineered an excellent recovery to raise a century stand for the sixth wicket, hitting half-centuries apiece. It was two consecutive fours off Woakes from Jadhav that signalled the revival in the 39th over. Pandya, who was wildly swinging his bat for

nothing before, managed a top-edge in the next over that flew over third man for a six. Between 39th and 45th over, the duo wiped out 66 runs off the target and the equation became a manageable 47 off 30.

But such has been the template of the series that a straightforward win has been hard to come by. So, Pandya was cleaned up by Ben Stokes for 56 and Ravindra Jadeja dazzled with two fours in a row before departing. Jadhav exploded at the end but it wasn't enough as his tilt at clearing the ropes off the penultimate delivery was cut short by Billings at deep point.

This was after a late surge led by Stokes and ably supported by Woakes powered England to 321/8.

Stokes scored a quickfire 57, his second 50 in three ODIs and Woakes struck a 19-ball 34 to negate India's timely strikes which once threatened England's hopes of a big total.

Southall FC seeks community support to win match The club has reached the last 16 of this season’s FA Vase Competition Southall FC has reached the last 16 of this season’s FA Vase Competition. The furthest the club has progressed since 1986, when they reached the final at Wembley. Exmouth Town reached the Semi Final in 1985 Southall FC will welcome Exmouth Town from Devon on Sunday 29th January for a 3pm kick off.

The game will take place at Hanwell Town FC, Reynolds Field, Perivale Lane, Greenford, Middlesex, UB6 8TL. Southall FC is chaired

by Chana Gill, who is of British Punjabi origin. The club is reaching out to the local community and surrounding boroughs to come and support them on the day and push them to progress to the next round.

Southall FC play in the South Midland Spartan League Division 1 and play

all home games at Hanwell Town where they share the ground.

They are the lowest ranking team left in the competition and this season they have been drawn against higher opposition in every round. In Round 4 they travelled to Bradford Town near Bath and came away with a hard fought 42 win in extra time.

Southall FC again face a side (Exmouth Town) from a higher league who

Chairman Chana Gill

have progressed through the rounds with impressive results and this will be another very tough game for Southall if they are to progress to the quarter finals (last 8).

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