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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 6th July 2013
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Religious mind
The Politics of Hindu Organisations And Psychiatry Are there different challenges and opportunities facing the Hindu business community of Europe compared to indigenous or other communities? I have been asked to address this issue at the forthcoming World Economic Hindu Forum in Thailand. As co-founder of The Indus Entrepreneurs UK, (TiE-UK) part of over 40 global business chapters and the first European Chapter, and as the longest serving TiE-UK board member, it is an issue I’ve been thinking about for over a decade at least. And now as an Advisory Board Member of the City Hindu Network, an issue I will be thinking about long into the future. But surely business is business. If there is one thing which has only one colour, it is money – and that colour is green. It only has one religion – profits. So are their Hinduspecific or Indian specific obstacles and opportunities? Opportunities, and the obstacles a business faces because of a lack of opportunities, usually occur due to a lack of networks. We trust introductions from trusted parties. We include in our due diligence how much we know about someone already and what others say about them. The more people know you or
your product the greater your opportunities and fewer your obstacles. It’s both rational and emotional. It’s human nature. Therefore the greatest obstacle and opportunity to Hindu or Indian businesses is their access to quality networks. Through those networks, you build relationships, access points, know-how to overcome obstacles, information on which opportunities are available and how to access them. Not being from Europe, or having families here for generations, we may be at a networking disadvantage. Of course some have not been held back, but many of us are. Those without access, for instance to Parliamentarians, often in my experience become bitter about it and critical of those with networks and access. They will criticise those with access to networks as ‘gungadins’ or ‘sell-outs’ claiming those who are well networked are doing it for honours. Such critics do not serve their fellow Hindu. They need the services of psychiatrists. Or take those inside Hindu networking organisations who then become autocratic dictatorial leaders blocking access for all others through their lack of leadership, vision and their constant bullying
and seeking of limelight. These too allow their ego to dominate and destroy service to their Dharma. They too need psychiatric help. It is why I’ve been involved in the establishment and growth of business networks targeted at Indians and Hindus. It is the single most useful thing a businessperson can do for his fellow entrepreneurs – create the infrastructure allowing obstacles to be removed and share opportunities. Indeed if you want to know why Silicon Valley is so successful – it is because it is a network, a cluster, an ecosystem. A network which brings know-how and capital together. It is why the British PM was keen to create TechCity in London – a similar network of capital and entrepreneurs. Through this a virtuous circle of role models and business persons to aspire to can be created. Are there different challenges and opportunities facing the Hindu business community of Europe compared to indigenous or other communities? Yes, not just our lack of Hindu business networks but also our often-times self-sabotaging leaders and our critics who throw stones at the well-networked. By the way, I am on Linked In and you are welcome to use all my connections and networks.
Oxford sex grooming gang jailed for life Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims come together to fight paedophilia
Two pairs of brothers from Oxford who were among seven men who abused girls as part of a sadistic sex grooming ring have been jailed for life. Mohammed Karrar, 38, and brother Bassam Karrar, 34, will serve a minimum of 20 years and 15 years respectively. Brothers Akhtar Doghar, 32, and Anjum Doghar, 31, were both given minimum terms of 17 years, at the Old Bailey. The men's offences included child rape and trafficking, between 2004 and 2012. A fifth man was also jailed for life. Kamar Jamil, 27, who was found guilty of charges including rape and arranging child prostitution, was told he would serve at least 12 years. Assad Hussain was found not guilty of rape and guilty of two counts of sexual activity with a child. Zeeshan Ahmed, was found guilty of two counts of sexual activity with a child. Jurors heard how six girls, aged at the time between 11 and 15, were plied with alcohol and drugs before being forced to perform sex acts. Some were beaten and burned too. The victims were tied up, suffocated and urinated upon, and would
return to Oxford bleeding, injured and carrying sexually-transmitted infections. In a statement read by police, the family thanked the girl for "finding the strength" to speak out Judge Rook said the men had blighted their victims' lives and robbed them of their adolescence. Mosques across the country delivered a hardhitting message condemning the sexual exploitation of children. Part of the sermon, written by imam and youth leader Alyas Karmani, said “with so many individuals from a Muslim - background involved in such crimes, we have a responsibility to condemn this.” Mr Karmani, of Keighley, West Yorkshire, went on: “We need to speak against and oppose this crime and make sure that there is a high level of awareness of this issue among our community, of the damage it does to the victims who, as you have heard today, are very often young children.” He urged Muslims to report suspicions of grooming to police and added: “If you need any motivation other than it is the right and Islamic thing to do, consider this –what if it was your daughter and someone you knew
had not taken that step?” The sermon, read at about 500 mosques, was the start of a campaign by Together Against Grooming in the wake of the case, which involved a sex ring in Oxford, and others where Asian men abused white girls. Ansar Ali, spokesman for the group, said: “We’ve been horrified by the details from recent court cases and, as Muslims, we feel a natural responsibility to condemn and tackle this crime.” In a joint statement by Lord Singh from the Network of Sikh Organisations UK, Anil Bhanot OBE from The Hindu Council UK and Ashish Joshi, The Sikh Media Monitoring Group told Asian Voice, “We welcome last Friday's Khutba Sermon by 500 Mosques to condemn the sexual grooming of children following last week's sentencing of the seven Pakistani men of the Oxford Grooming Group. We also welcome the fact that the sermon was delivered in English aimed to target such confused young men. We also welcome that the fact the media has now stopped referring to those convicted as 'asians.' Over the last few decades sexual grooming of girls in the Sikh and
Hindu communities by males of Pakistani origin has been of serious concern. Sikh and Hindu groups met with the Children's Commissioner last year conveying the plight of Sikh and Hindu parents whose children had been uprooted from their families due to grooming, but our concerns fell on deaf ears and were surprisingly not included in her final report. Although a significant number of cases involving white child victims have made it to the Courts, the Sikh and Hindu girl victims rarely come forward due to community stigma, yet the parents and victim are left to suffer in silence. The attitude of showing disrespect towards non-Muslim girls by a small minority of Muslim men through some confused religious sanction needs to be tackled head on by the Mosques. We welcome the initiatives now supported by the Muslim Council of Britain and the Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board to help convey the message to the grass roots that such acts are evil and cannot be condoned in any religion. We congratulate leaders of the UK Muslim community on their timely initiative.”
These faith healers collect lots of money and live life of luxury. Many godmen practice paedophilia, are covered up /defended by top leaders of that faith who apologise for such pervert practices. Non “saffron robed” priests sworn to celibacy have secret affairs, mistresses, families and illegitimate children. One famous faith offers cathartic sessions, pins guilt on devotee and professes to offer psychotherapy/cure at exorbitant cost. Devotee is forced into poverty to be cured of imaginary malady/forcing them to sell literature and products of that faith organisation. Godmen of another faith deny rights of inheritance/alimony to widows and divorcee ladies. Some indulge in marriage / divorce holidays by bribing poor parents. Inhuman practice of female genital mutilation under name of a religion is no secret. Yet such fraudulent godmen flourish in all faiths. Pointing specifically at “saffron monks” creates prejudice against one faith and cover for others to lure more ignorant, desperate and gullible devotees. Ramesh Jhalla Via Email
Independent public litigation Most of us are concerned about the news of daily scams going on in India, whereby those in power rob the wealth rightfully belonging to Indian people. The only relief that has survived against these rascals is the Supreme Court of India. We read of conscientious lawyers or a well to do awakened Indian citizen who would sometimes move the Supreme court to intervene on such manifest scandals by way of Independent Public Litigation (IPL).. I feel that we NRIs need to provide support, financially if required, to encourage those who wish to move the Court by way IPL. I do not see any other way of curbing the scale of day light robbery openly committed on a daily basis from the wealth rightfully belonging to poor Indian citizens. G Mistry Via Email
Dewani's health shows signs of improvement Shrien Dewani suffered from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression following the death of his wife Anni Hindocha, in the outskirts of Cape Town. Anni from Sweden, was shot when a taxi in which the couple were travelling was hijacked. Mr Dewani has been accused of arranging the killing, which he denies, and is facing possible extradition to South Africa to stand trial for murder. Opening the case for the South African government at the extradition hearing at Westminster magistrates’ court, Hugo Keith QC said Mr Dewani’s mental health had markedly improved. The 33-yearold care home owner, who was excused from attending the hearing, is being treated in a hospital near his home city, but Mr Keith said it would not be “oppressive’’ to extradite him. He said there had been “significant and sustained improvement” in his depression. Mr Dewani’s depression is now moderate, not severe, and in April his PTSD was found to
Shrien Dewani
be “considerably less’’, the court was told. He still has a substantial inability to concentrate and poor memory, the court heard, but he no longer makes references to suicide. The South African government has offered reassurances that he will be admitted to hospital if he is found to be ill, and if remanded in jail will be kept in a single cell, which will reduce the chance of him being attacked, the court heard. Mr Dewani is not currently fit to plead, but Mr Keith said this should not stop the extradition process because his condition will improve. The hearing continues.