India Herald 010919

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India Herald

VOL. 25 • NO. 2 • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2019 • P.O. BOX 623, SUGAR LAND, TX 77487 • PERIODICAL PERMIT USPS 017699 • 25 cents

Local Indian American youth raise funds for charity clinic

India House ushers in New Year with grand party

More than 200 community members attended the New Year’s Eve party hosted by India House in grand style. The evening began with sumptuous appetizers at 8 p.m. and then dinner was served from 9:30 to 11 p.m, catered by Bombay Brasserie. Bollywood singer Atanu Das of Atlanta performed live with DJ Scoop playing dance music mixing old and new songs and keeping the guests on their feet. Among several door prizes at the event, the best dressed couple award was given to Jugal and Raj Malani. The couple, instead chose to present the award to another couple, Krisha Tripathy, right, President of the Youth Committee of the second best- dressed among the party revelers. Above, singer Atanu Das, left, Raj Malani, the Indian Center of Clear Lake, presented a check for $750 India House Trustee Bal Sareen, Jugal Malani and India House Executive Director Col. Vipin to K.C. Mehta, left, president of Indian Doctors Charity Clinic.

Kumar (Retd.)

“This is a very inspiring story about how a young girl in High School chose to help the charity clinic. This clearly shows that you do not have to be on any committee or on the board to raise funds for the cause,” says Mehta. See story on Page 3.

FIS joins MLK Grande Parade

The Foundation for India Studies will participate in the 25th Annual MLK Grande Parade Celebration on Monday, January 21.

The Parade start time is set for 10:00 a.m. The 2019 Parade will originate at the corner of Elgin & San Jacinto. The parade route is approximately 1.5 miles and will last 2 hours.

In order to connect India with mainstream America through Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of Non-violence and Peace which Martin Luther King Jr. had adopted in his civil rights movement, FIS routinely participates in the Annual MLK Grande Parade, said Krishna Vavilala, FIS founder-chairman.

The Foundation for India Studies (FIS) is a non-profit 501(c3) organization which aims to promote knowledge about India’s contribution to the world in the field of languages, literature, arts,sciences, engineering,politics,economics and spirituality.

It has broad goals of engaging the broader Houston community with Indian culture, arts, sciences and languages, and to provide educational and thought-provoking materials for public consumption.

FIS has participated in the MLK Jr. Grand Parade for a number of years, through which it seeks to demonstrate Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violence and civil disobedience, which was critical to Martin Luther King Jr’s successful non-violent political action in the U.S. In 2015, FIS was awarded the MLK Jr Grand Parade’s Grand Marshal Award. The MLK Grande Parade organizers also announced that this year Krishna Vavilala will be honored, along with other grand marshals at a VIP reception on Jan. 19.

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PAGE 2 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2019

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2019 • PAGE 3

NEWS

Chitra Divakaruni’s The Forest of Enchantment released in India Houstonian Chitra Divakaruni’s new novel, The Forest of Enchantments, based on the Ramayana and told from Sita’s point of view, published in India by Harper Collins was released on January 7.

Chitra will be touring India extensively. “I am excited and nervous and ask for all your good wishes as I go on a major 7 city tour— Chennai, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi, Kolkata, Jaipur (for the Lit Fest) and Hyderabad,” she said.

India Book Tour, 2019 Chennai: Jan 12-13 Lit for Life Festival (organized by The Hindu newspaper), Lady Andal School, Sri Mutha Concert Hall. 2 events. Jan 12, Saturday, 3.40 p.m to 4.40 p.m, “The Language of Myth,” and Jan 13, 2019, Sunday, 12.55 pm to 1.40 pm “The Epic Storyteller,” a discussion of The Forest of Enchantments.

Mumbai: 2 events. Jan 16, Wed. 6.00 p.m Reading and book signing event at Crossword Kemps Corner; and Thurs Jan 17, 6:30 p.m, HarperCollins/LiteratureLive Bombay/ G5A Foundation for Contemporary Culture, G5/A Laxmi Mills Estate, Shakti Mills Lane, Mahalaxmi.

In conversation with Ashwin

Sanghi.

Bengaluru: Saturday Jan 19 evening HarperCollins/Algebra Event at the Leela Palace Hotel. More details to come.

Delhi: 2 events. Sunday, Jan 20, 5 p.m. Gurgaon Event, DLF The Crest Club; and Monday, Jan 21, 3 p.m. at the India International Centre, Multipurpose Room.

Kolkata: Jan 22-24 Tata Kalam Literary Meet, Victoria Memorial. January 23, 2 p.m.: The Forest of Enchantments: Chitra Divakaruni on her new novel.

Jan 23, 7 p.m.: Retelling stories from old scriptures: Chitra Divakaruni and Gurcharan Das in conversation with Malavika Banerjee.

Jan 24, 2.50 p.m: Reading Sita and Draupadi today: Chitra Divakaruni discusses why the women in the great epics still fascinates us.

Jaipur: Jan 25-28, Jaipur Lit Fest. Diggi Palace. Details to come.

Hyderabad: Jan 30. In conjunction with InkTalks. Details to come.

In this book, Sita, the main female character in the epic, will tell her story in her own voice, her joys and sorrows, her agony and her triumph, her

heartbreak and her resilience and her understanding of what love is.

‘A terrific read! Chitra Divakaruni has pulled off the near impossible by penning a story even more compelling than The Palace of Illusions’ —Ashwin Sanghi ‘Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni turns the Ramayana around by telling it in the voice of Sita …

This inversion is a gift – it presents us a with a way to know an already well-known story better and to love an already beloved story more’—Arshia Sattar ‘This inspired evocation of the goddess Sita is an epic song of strength and solidarity told with joy and intensity. It brings to life the personalities and predicaments of the Ramayana’ —Namita Gokhale ‘Among the many, many Ramayanas there are now even— thankfully—some “Sitayanas”, but I know of none with the special magic that Chitra Divakaruni … brings to the telling’— Philip Lutgendorf ‘Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s Sita … is an epitome of courage and self-respect, showing a path for all women.

While weaving a familiar story, Chitra provides deep and surprising insights’ —Volga

High school senior gives back to the community

By KRISHA TRIPATHY Bruce Lee once said, “Real living is living for others.” It is this altruistic nature of the field of medicine that drew me to donate to the Indian Doctor’s Charity Clinic.

Currently, I am a senior at Clear Lake High School, and I involve myself in Debate, Orchestra, Red Cross, DECA, Student Government, Indian Culture Club, and many more clubs at my school.

I have always had a desire to leave my mark on the communities I am involved in, whether it is by involving myself in school activities or playing an active role in my city.

Giving back to the communities that have given me a place to grow and learn, and contributing to the greater good of society has been the main priority for me.

After hearing about the selfless mission of the Indian Doctor’s Charity Clinic, I knew that it was the perfect opportunity to make an impact on others’ lives.

Supporting a clinic that believes access to medical care is a human right, regardless of the ability to afford it, was invaluable to me. My desire to promote this noble service was my motivation for working hard to raise funds throughout the

year.

As President of the Youth Committee in the local Indian Center of Clear Lake, I had to find a balance between immersing the youth in cultural activities and simultaneously pushing community service.

With the help of a very supportive Executive Committee under Kalpesh Patel’s Presidential Leadership, we planned numerous events throughout the year- including a kite-flying festival, Holi, Garba, Diwali, a car wash, and a restaurant fundraiser, each of which we actively tried to raise funds at.

We also held different charity events, such as a canned food drive and a clothing drive, which we used to help those in need by working with the Clear Lake Baptist Church.

Over the course of the year, we raised over $1,350, the most the Youth Committee has ever raised. After working so hard to raise this amount, we decided to donate $750 of our profits to the Indian Doctor’s Charity Clinic, fulfilling our goal from the beginning of this year, and surpassing the amount we had expected to raise for donation.

Being able to accomplish this goal as a team was the most rewarding part of our service to the community.

Knowing that we are helping to sustain the amazing volunteer work of these doctors and management who dedicate their time to providing free services to various patients, regardless of who they are, is a priceless feeling.

We hope to continue this mission of donating to the Indian Doctor’s Charity Clinic for years to come and help bring much needed healthcare service to those in need.

(Krisha Tripathy is President of the India Center of Clear Lake Youth Committee 2018)

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PAGE 4 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2019

VIEWS

Pulling Young Americans Back From the Brink

By DANIEL DAVIS During the 2016 campaign, Hillary Clinton often delivered the line: “America is great, because she is good.

It was a feel-good line, deployed then as code for “America is too good to elect Donald Trump.�

Notwithstanding the thick irony of Clinton claiming to be the virtuous alternative, her statement on its own terms made sense: If a nation would be great, it must be morally upright—and America, despite all its aws, is fundamentally good.

This view puts Clinton increasingly on the fringes within her own movement. In 2018, the prophets of wokeness are calling progressives to “wake up� to the reality that America, at its core, is racist, misogynistic, homophobic, transphobic, and economically unjust. The system, they say, is “rigged.�

And today’s young adults are heeding those voices and increasingly embracing their viewpoint. A recent study showed that 1 out of 5 Americans under the age of 37 do not think Americans should be proud of their history. One out of 5 millennial Americans see the ag as a sign of intolerance and hatred, and 2 out of 5 said it’s OK to burn the ag.

Clinton’s generation, the baby boomers, were most likely to say America has been, is, and will continue to be great, with 70 percent saying so. But only half of Americans under the age of 37 agreed, and a full 14 percent of millennials said America was never a great country to begin with, and never will be.

The survey, which was conducted by the polling ďŹ rm YouGov and commissioned by the Foundation for Liberty and American Greatness, a nonproďŹ t devoted to restoring civics, showed that it’s not just younger Americans who have a dim view of our nation.

Fifty percent of respondents across all age groups said America is sexist, and 49 percent said it is racist.

The survey does give some reason for hope. Americans across the board remain patriotic in a general sense, and that includes millennials and Generation Z. But the data do show a clear fault line: Young people are more likely to be skeptical and critical of America than their parents and grandparents.

This is a growing divide not just between the left and the right, but between the old left and new left.

In a recent op-ed, New York Times columnist David Brooks

put it this way: The older liberals are appalled by President Trump, alarmed by global warming, disgusted by widening income inequality, and so on, but are more likely to believe the structures of society are basically sound. You can make change by voting for the right candidates and passing the right laws. You can change individual minds through education and debate.

The militants are more likely to believe that the system itself is rotten and needs to be torn down. We live in a rape culture, with systemic racism and systems of oppression inextricably tied to our institutions. We live in a capitalist society, a neoliberal system of exploitation. A person’s ideology is determined by his or her status in the power structure.

This divide within the left is real, and it will inevitably impact the nation as a whole if things don’t change.

Clinton is 71 years old. Her views, though certainly liberal, reect a strong conďŹ dence in the goodness of America and our system of government that is common among her generation.

Younger Americans increasingly part with that view—and we shouldn’t be surprised given what is increasingly taught in

schools. Students are taught to “see through� inherited institutions and ways of doing things, and to view society in terms of an ongoing struggle between oppressor and oppressed.

This oppressor-oppressed lens doesn’t make much room for the way we’ve traditionally conceived of America. In a world where there are only oppressors and oppressed, there can be no free men and women, no genuine liberty, no real selfgovernment, and no common good. There are only people seeking raw power according to their self-interest.

Such a one-dimensional outlook would leave anyone cynical about America, even life itself. And it has done just that.

Many students have become disillusioned about our society and our system of government, even pushed to despair. And despair turns them into revolutionaries ready to dismantle the system.

Of course, there is much to reject about “the system,� if by system we mean everything coming from Washington, D.C. Conservatives are quick to decry crony capitalism, the growth of the sprawling administrative state, and the misuse of power by life-appointed judges.

But these are corruptions that have grown up around the system, not integral defects within the Founders’ design.

Our actual system of representative government, codiďŹ ed by the Constitution, remains fundamentally good. It is a testament to our forebears who slowly wrung liberty from the hands of autocratic rulers—a process dating all the way back

to Magna Carta in 1215.

What younger Americans on the left need to appreciate is that our Constitution and political traditions are essential for achieving even their own liberal vision of justice.

This system has secured a host of gains that liberals often take for granted, from the abolition of slavery to the enfranchisement of women and the civil rights movement. Each of these hard-won advances was achieved through our system of representative government, and to this day they are preserved by the rule of law.

By design, our system makes it very diďŹƒcult to change the law, but equally diďŹƒcult to undo changes from the past. It turns out “the systemâ€? is actually your friend if you care about preserving past achievements.

This means every American who seeks to change policy— whether liberal or conservative—must take on the mindset of a reformer, not a radical. Before we even enter the policy arena, we must settle it in our minds that the system we are partaking in—the exquisite structure of republican government handed down from centuries past—is not up for debate.

This American project is an achievement of human civilization, and though it may fall short at times, it’s the best shot at justice we have. We tear it down at our own peril.

Daniel Davis is the commentary editor of The Daily Signal and co-host of The Daily Signal podcast.

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VIEWS

India House /SOS continue the Life After Seminar Series: Role of insurance in retirement HOUSTON India House and Share Our Secrets Organization (SOS. ORG), plan to conduct a free seminar on one of the most vexing issues faced by the retired and elderly. The seminar is scheduled on Sunday, February 10th, 2019 from 4 – 6.30 pm at the India House, 8888 Bellfort Avenue, Houston, Texas.

Our next seminar in the “Life After” series will address the issue of insurance.

Seniors, often, do not realize the gaps that exist in their retirement plans that could threaten a comfortable retired lifestyle. For example, as seniors face health issues, they may be relying on long-term care and assisted living, which can be a significant drain on their asset pool. In order to mitigate these risks and meet their evolving needs, seniors are exploring various insurance options. The primary purpose of this seminar is to discuss how life insurance, long-term care insurance, and medical insurance can be used to fill the gaps during one’s retirement. We hope to respond to questions and misconceptions on how these insurance plans work and what is covered and not covered through these policies. Insurance and annuities for cash flow is to be addressed in the next seminar.

The panelists have legal, financial and personal experience on this subject. They work with seniors on identifying risks in their retirement plans, finding the appropriate options to cover those risks, and implementing/monitoring those policies over time. Our speakers for February 10th event include an eldercare attorney, Insurance Advisor A. J. John and SOS Founder Biki Mohindra. Anasuya Kabad, CFP, will moderate the program.

As in our last seminar, the event will conclude with small group-huddle sessions, allowing the attendees to raise more specific questions with the speakers/panelists. We encourage both spouses to attend the seminar and come prepared to gain maximum benefit from the seminar.

Our plan for the rest of 2019 is to hold three additional seminars on major topics, and deep dive hands-on workshops between those seminars.

We also appreciate receiving input on topics for future seminars and hands-on workshops that can be held between these seminars.

The information presented is for educational and informational purposes only. The information presented should enable the individuals to review their respective situation with their family and develop

The Life After Series: Role of Insurance in Retirement FREE EVENT the most suitable strategy and plan. Seniors are also encouraged to send us the questions ahead of the seminar (to sosoutreachteam@gmail.com with the title “Questions for Feb 10th seminar”), to enable the speakers to address your questions, and make the best use of the available time.

Share Our Secrets (SOS) is an educational organization, which conducts a gamut of programs for educated young people to teach them skills that are not taught in college curriculums, and enabling them to succeed in their careers. SOS also conducts various community outreach events, on topics of interest to Houstonians, and specifically for seniors that could benefit them in their retired lives.

India House is a community center which provides a myriad of services & activities, either free or at a highly discounted price, including Charity Clinic, Sareen Harris Health Clinic, Yoga, Meditation, After-School and Summer Care, Technology Classes for Seniors, Hindi and Sanskrit Language Classes, Legal Consultations, Dance Classes, Cricket, table tennis and informative/educational seminars. India House, in partnership with Food Bank of Houston, has recently started a program for free food distribution to disadvantaged members of the neighboring community.

All are welcome to volunteer at these events.

India House and SOS have a strategic partnership, and have been conducting seminars and workshops of relevance to the seniors in our community, who face multiple challenges.

In “Life After” seminar series, two sessions were held on the subject “Loss of Spouse – Life After” to help the seniors to face this reality, and provide experience-based tips to cope with the gamut of challenges involved.

During these seminars the attendees identified several topics of foremost concern and

interest. As a result of the feedback, the third seminar in “Life After” series was conducted on October 7 on the broad topic of Estate Planning, including some specific issues raised by our seniors. This seminar was attended by over 300 members of our community. The results of a structured survey conduct-

ed post-event gave us further feedback for future seminars.

Also, for the first time, we also introduced small huddle sessions at the end of the seminar with the experts that gave the attendees an opportunity to get deeper into the issues nagging them.

For further information,

please contact one of the following: SOS: sosoutreachteam@ gmail.com India House: vipin@indiahouseinc.org, (713) 929-1900 To Register: https://www. indiahouseinc.org/life-aftersession-4/

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PAGE 6 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2019

NEWS/VIEWS

Something to ponder …

By CHANDNI KAMNANI Welcome to the New Year, and unfolding yet another chapter in our lives.

Now that we have resumed our normal lives, let’s take a few minutes, rewind and go back a month to Christmas – the month of excitement, adventure and making great memories.

Spending time with family and friends. Posting pictures online. Going shopping and telling the world what we bought. Catching up with friends and colleagues over meals and uploading pictures of the delicious dishes on Facebook. Travelling far and near, once again taking lots of pictures and sharing them with the world right away and waiting for the responses. Getting excited at the number of likes, waiting for comments and responding to it right away so we can proudly say, “We gathered

memories along the way”.

The question is, “In what form is our memory?”

Almost all of us have our memories captured on our phones, in the form of pictures but did we actually capture those moments for ourselves to enjoy them later or did we capture them to show the world and in doing so we actually forgot to enjoy that moment. We were so engrossed in showing the world what we were doing that we ignored the company we were with.

So who were we creating the memories for – ourselves or the world?

Those moments, when we were with our spouse, friends or family, we forgot to enjoy the beauty around us and capture it within our hearts and instead went click, click, and click!

Just as a pathway leads somewhere and the flickering

flame of the candle can burn for hours, a memory can lead us to an adventure or give us happiness for a lifetime. If only we could pay attention to our surroundings instead of our smart phones.

Don’t misunderstand me – pictures are a great form of capturing memories, but the actual ones are the ones we create by seizing the moment and capturing it in our minds so we won’t need to see a picture in the future to remember that moment again. Just the mere thought of it will bring a smile on our face and we will be able to relive that event in time.

Let’s create memories for our present today and future tomorrow. Not to get “Likes and Thumbs up” on social media.

More thoughts next time.

For comments, please email: ckamnani@hotmail.com

Overseas Indian Conclave on Higher Education IIT Gandhinagar is hosting an Overseas Indian Conclave on Higher Education on Feb 22-23, 2019 at IIT Gandhinagar. The Conclave will celebrate IITGN’s overseas supporters and brainstorm on ways to engage more widely and deeply with overseas Indians and global professionals who are keen to advance India’s educational stature on the global stage. The Conclave will feature intellectually stimulating discussions on various aspects of overseas Indian contributions to Indian higher education. Heritage visits of Ahmedabad, India’s only UNESCO World Heritage City, and Lothal, a Harappan-era site, as well as tours of IITGN’s labs, research centers and physical facilities are also planned. NRIs, returned NRIs, PIOs, and overseas professionals from various backgrounds and professions, such as education, business, finance, technology, healthcare, hospitality, transportation, retail and wholesale trade, arts, etc. will be attending the Conclave. Additional information about the Conclave is available in the attached brochure and online at events.iitgn.ac.in/2019/overseas-conclave/ The Institute invites nominations from overseas Indians for the Conclave and will provide complimentary local hospitality, transportation and on-campus accommodation to all participants. IIT Gandhinagar Director, Prof Sudhir Jain said: “Over the years, IITGN has benefitted immensely from the support of several overseas Indians who are excited by its innovative programs and keen to contribute to educational development back home. We look forward to exploring innovative ways to engage with overseas Indians in advancing higher education in the country.”

200 railway stations to get airport-like security Soon, you may have to reach railway stations 20 minutes ahead of departure Just like airports, railways plans to seal stations as part of the new security plan Railways is planning to seal stations just like airports and passengers would have to arrive 15-20 minutes before scheduled departure of trains to complete the process of security checks.

The security plan — with high-end technology — has already been put in motion at Allahabad, in anticipation of the Kumbh Mela which begins this month and at Hoobly railway station in Karnataka with a blueprint for 202 more stations ready for imple mentation, Railway Protection Force (RPF) Director General Arun Kumar told PTI. “The plan is to seal the railway stations. It is primarily abou identifying openings and to determine how many can be closed There are areas which will be closed through permanent boundary walls, others will be manned by RPF personnel and yet others wil have collapsible gates.

“At each entry point there will be random security checks. How ever, unlike at airports, passengers need not come hours in ad vance, but just 15-20 minutes ahead of their departure times to ensure that they are not delayed because of the security process,” he said.

Mr. Kumar said that while security will increase, presence o security personnel will not.

“If we are inventing in technology, then manpower requiremen will reduce,” he said.

These steps are a part of a security plan under the Integrated Security System (ISS) which was approved in 2016 to strengthen surveillance mechanism at 202 railway stations.

The ISS will comprise CCTV cameras, access control, personal and baggage screening system and bomb detection and disposal system which together provide multiple checking of passengers and baggage from the point of entry in the station premises till boarding of train. The anticipated cost of the ISS project stands at ₹385.06 crore.

“The security plan envisages a layered security check where passengers will be scrutinised even before they enter the station premises to ease the pressure at stations during peak hours,” Mr Kumar said. It will also include real-time face recognition software which will alert the RPF command centre of any known offenders Passengers will be checked randomly — every eighth or ninth passenger will undergo the process on his arrival at the station,” he said.

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INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2019 • PAGE 7

NEWS

India’s Atlantic challenge

Trump’s ‘America First’ policy and the Brexit deal could pose more challenges this year.

By MARTAND JHA While 2019 is a year of hope and perhaps provides an opportunity for a reset in some areas of policy for India, a lingering concern is that the choppy waters of the Atlantic Ocean may throw up many economic challenges that might rock India’s boat of stable economic growth.

This is because, first, U.S. President Donald Trump’s ‘America First’ policy could

Supreme Court revives Maggi suit against Nestle Bench says the report on the Maggi noodles sample will form the basis for proceedings The Supreme Court spelt trouble for the Indian branch of the Swiss food giant Nestle on Thursday by resuscitating a ₹640-crore class-action suit filed by the government on behalf of thousands of consumers of the iconic Maggi noodles.

The suit was filed by the Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution in the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) in August 2015 against Nestle India Limited on grounds of “unfair trade practices, sale of defective goods and sale of Maggi Oats Noodles to the public without product approval.”

The suit was filed under Section 12(1)(d) of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986.

This provision allows the Centre or a State, either in its individual capacity or as a representative of the interests of the consumers, to file a complaint in the consumer forum.

The department claimed that Nestle was liable to pay ₹284.55 crore along with punitive damages of ₹355.4 crore for “gross negligence, apathy and callousness” on its part. Thus, the government demanded a total of ₹639.96 crore.

On Thursday, a Bench led

by Justice D.Y Chandrachud revived the suit in the NCDRC, which would hear it on the basis of a report filed by the Mysuru-based Central Food Technological Research Institute in 2016.

lead to more tariff and subsidy hiccups, culminating in protracted trade battles, in the context of protectionism. And second, if the U.K. has a ‘hard Brexit’, India may be looking at unexpected complications regarding trade adjustment, and a U.K.-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) may be out of the question.

Considering the U.S. first, the Trump administration is attempting to replace the rules-based trade order with a bilateral trade agreements and sanctions network, a system that has distinct disadvantages for India.

The trade experience of 2018 provides a sense of what could happen in 2019 vis-à-vis India-U.S. trade relations. Last year, when Mr. Trump gave the

green light to start a trade war by escalating tariffs between U.S. and its three main trade partners – the EU, China and NAFTA – a relatively small yet strategically significant tariff spat broke out between Washington and New Delhi.

Both countries engaged in a tit-for-tat tariff policy, giving momentum to global trends towards trade protectionism.

When India was denied an exemption by the U.S. from increased tariffs on steel and aluminium imports, it reciprocated by hiking import duties on 29 American export products, including pulses and iron and steel products.

This show of strength against Washington’s deep-pocketed lobbies was, however, at odds

with India’s original stand on this issue, which was pro-globalisation. Indeed, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech at Davos in January 2018 gave considerable time to the reasons why trade protectionism was a worrisome phenomenon.

A broader disadvantage for India of a spiralling trade war with the U.S. is that it could easily spin out of control and create rifts in other areas such as security and diplomacy.

If that happens, it may be of considerable benefit to China, which India — and ironically the U.S. too — wants to contain.

With the U.K., India’s trade in 2019 depends on the twists and turns of Brexit politics, both in London and in Brus-

sels, with the March 29 deadline for the same looming ever closer.

However, for India to secure its trade interests, it needs to renegotiate with both the EU and the U.K. for goods and services. Also, the discussion on FTA with the EU must be resumed and a similar conversation must be launched with the U.K. If these negotiations are managed carefully, Brexit may even emerge as an opportunity for India to recalibrate the legal terms of its trade with the U.K. and the EU, at the multilateral level, and through free trade agreements.

(The writer is a Junior Research Fellow at School of International Studies, JNU.) —The Hindu

PAGE 8 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2019

NEWS The Accidental Prime Minister: Bihar court orders lodging of FIR against Anupam Kher, Akshaye Khanna

A court in Muzaffarpur, Bihar, on Tuesday ordered the lodging of an FIR against actors Anupam Kher, Akshaye Khanna and 15 others associated with the upcoming movie The Accidental Prime Minister based on the tenure of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Sub Divisional Judge (East), Gaurab Kamal directed the Kanti police station in the district to lodge an FIR based on a complaint from advocate Sudhir Kumar Ojha, who moved the court on January 2 last with the complaint that the movie presented Mr. Singh and a number of other public figures in “bad light.”

In his complaint, Mr. Ojha named Mr. Kher (who plays Manmohan Singh), as well as Akshaye Khanna, who plays Mr. Singh’s media advisor Sanjaya Baru, on whose book the movie is said to be based upon.

Others named in the complaint include actors essaying the roles of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Congress president (then national general secretary) Rahul Gandhi, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, his deputy Lal Krishna Advani and RJD leader Lalu Prasad.

The movie’s producer, director and other key persons associated with the project were also named in the complaint.

The complainant had alleged that he felt hurt upon watching the promos of the movie, scheduled for release on January 11, wherein the public figures were portrayed in a manner that projected a poor image of the country.

The advocate had lodged his complaints under IPC sections 295, 153, 153A, 293, 504 and 120B which relate to promoting enmity between different groups, sale of obscene objects, insult with intent to provoke breach of peace and criminal conspiracy.

Game changer for political cinema The Accidental Prime Minister producer Sunil Bohra says he knew there will be conjectures about it being a propaganda film, but he is also certain it will be a game changer for political cinema in India.

“In my opinion, then film is certainly going to be a game changer as far as political cinema is concerned. It took two years to write, about half a year to make, but shall be remembered for a long long time as it is the first film where all the characters are addressed real names,” Bohra said in a statement to IANS. The film, starring Anupam Kher as former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, is based on the 2014 memoir of the same name by Sanjaya Baru, Singh’s media advisor from 2004 to 2008.

While the BJP shared the trailer on its Twitter timeline, some Congress leaders have objected to its content.

There has been talk about The Accidental Prime Minister being a propaganda film ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

What does Bohra have to say?

“I am aware, and I knew it would surely happen but it will all be cleared once the film is out in cinemas. People will re-

spect the work and hard work rather than raising any other issue,” he said.

Bohra, who has earlier backed films like Gangs of Wasseypur, Shahid, Tanu Weds Manu and Mastram, said risk is involved in each and every film.

“Without risk no film can be made,” he commented when asked about the risks involved in making a political film in India. He is ready for the reactions that may come his way after the Vijay Ratnakar Gutte directorial releases.

Anupam Kher Veteran actor Anupam Kher, who is essaying the role of Manmohan Singh in The Accidental Prime Minister, said that it is common knowledge that the former Prime Minister was controlled by a family.

As reported by Firstpost Hindi, Kher said, “Let Congress say whatever they want to... Rahul Gandhi recently tweeted on freedom of expression, so maybe he should reprimand his leaders. Such ‘goondagardi’ will not be tolerated,” adding that the film is a “game changer” in political biopics as it does not shy away from taking real names.

The film is based on the book of the same name, written

by Sanjay Baru, who served as Singh’s media advisor 2004 to 2008. Akshaye Khanna features as Baru. Asked if the ruling BJP government, which lost three state elections recently to Congress, would use the film as a tool in the run-up for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Kher said, “If I would have been in politics I would have definitely told them to do so.

But I am an actor, they will decide.”

We did not start the film thinking that this kind of political scenario will be there.

It is a political film based on a book, whatever the book has said we have tried to make that,” he added.

Kher said the film is open to interpretations and it would be wrong to say that it supports or criticises a particular political party.

“There will be different kind of interpretations and one can have their own interpretation.

People release patriotic films during Independence Day or Republic Day. This is a political film and we would like to release it in the election time.

What is the problem in that?” he said at the trailer launch of

Vivek Oberoi to play Narendra Modi in biopic Vivek Oberoi is set to portray Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an upcoming biopic and the actor, a self-confessed fan of the leader, calls it a role of a lifetime.

The biopic will be directed by Omung Kumar, who has films such as Mary Kom and Sarbjit to his credit.

At the poster launch of the film, Vivek said he hopes to become a better person by the end of the shoot.

“I am extremely fortunate. Today, I am feeling like I felt 16 years ago, during ‘Company’ days. I am feeling the same kind of excitement and hunger because this is a role of a lifetime for any actor. I truly believe at the end of the journey, I pray I become a better actor and a better human being,” he told reporters.

“Narendrabhai is one of the tallest leaders in the world and to bring his personal qualities on screen is an incredible challenge and I want all your blessings that we can complete this incredible journey,” he said.

The film’s poster was launched in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in 27 languages. It features Vivek, dressed in a yellow kurta with the Tricolour in the backdrop. The tagline reads, “Deshbhakti hi meri shakti hai [Patriotism is my strength].”

Mr. Fadnavis said it was great that a film on this scale was being made on Mr. Modi “under whose leadership India is not only touching new heights but the hopes and expectations of every citizen of India are being fulfilled”.

Actor Suresh Oberoi, Vivek’s father, is co-producing the film along with Sandeep S. Singh. The film is yet to go on floors. the film.

The actor, who has been a vocal supporter of BJP, said he does not need to harbour political ambitions to voice his concerns about the country.

“I don’t need to have political ambitions to talk about my country as people think either he is bhakt (devotee) of a party or bika hua hai (he is a sell-out). I have the right to talk about the country. If that goes in favour of some party, that is a different issue. Unfortunately, when you speak about politics in our country people think you have political ambition.” The actor revealed his wife, actor-BJP MP Kirron Kher suggested him to “be” Singh and not “act out”.

“That ‘be’ is important and it is not easy to portray him. It is easy for a character to become caricaturish. I was constantly walking on a razor’s edge. Our director Vijay is a good criticiser, he is difficult to please.”

Describing Singh as a shy person, Kher said, he was “not a trained politician”.

“He was an economist brought in as a finance secretary and then finance minister and then he became the prime minister, that is how he was the Accidental Prime Minister. I like his sense of humour as recently he said he was not only an accidental Prime Minister but accidental Finance Minister as well.”

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2019 • PAGE 9

COMMUNITY

Indo American Chamber hosts successful Houston trade delegation to India

Houston Trade delegation led by Mayor Sylvester Turner met with India’s Vice President Venkaiah Naidu in Mumbai.

Houston trade delegations signed a memorandum of understanding with Indo American Chamber of Commerce and the All India Association of Industries.

IACCGH President Swapan Dhairyawan, right, signs a MOU with his Indian counterparts. Rear, Executive Director Jagdip Ahluwalia and Mayor Sylvester Turner.

The Indo American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston played a major role in planning and executing Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner’s trade delegation to India recently.

Chamber Executive Director Jagdip Ahluwalia, President Swapan Dhairyawan and Past President Sanjay Ramabhadran, joined the delegation and ensured a smooth set of meetings in India in November.

The Chamber worked close-

ly with Dr Anupam Ray in arranging the official meetings for the Mayor and other officials including meetings with the Union Tourism Minister, the Union Infrastructure Minister, Minister of State for Home Affairs and thanks to Chamber member Hasu Patel, the delegation met with the Vice President of India Shri VenkaiahnNaidu in Mumbai.

The Chamber arranged joint meetings with Indo American

Chamber of Commerce and the Confederation of Indian Industries in Delhi and Mumbai featuring Houston with presentations by the Greater Houston Partnership, the Mayor and other chamber participants.

Other events were co hosted with the Punjab, Haryana and Delhi Chamber in Delhi and the World Trade Center in Mumbai MOU’s were signed between IACCGH GHP and IACC- India in Delhi and Mumbai.

A MoU between IACCGH and World Trade Center and All India Association of Industries was also signed in Mumbai.

As a result of the Houston trade delegation’s visit, a joint delegation of several chambers from India will be visiting Houston in 2019.

In Mumbai, Mayor Turner visited the Mayor of Mumbai Mahadeshwar, with a select group and discussed the opportunities of trade and commerce with Houston.

The delegation visited the

Reliance campus in Navi Mumbai where they were exposed to the great work the company is doing in communities across India. Reliance also provided an overview of their business in India and across the world.

The delegation was invited to a soiree hosted by Houston First; the day before departure where Houston artist Gopal Seyn, painted a canvas capturing the essence of the bilateral relationships between Houston and India which was presented to IACC, and will be displayed at the various art galleries in Mumbai,courtesy of IACC Mumbai.

Other highlights of the delegation was a visit to the Humayun tomb as guests of Murad Ajani, of the Aga Khan Council of Southwestern US. This UNESCO heritage is being developed and maintained by the Aga Khan Foundation.

A visit to the Akshardham Temple in New Delhi led to a pleasant surprise when “Swami GM” turned out to be a native

Houstonian who after an illustrious corporate career became a sadhu and is now responsible for maintaining and coordinating the upcoming New Jersey temple. He amazed the delegation with his deep love and knowledge of Houston, and all attendees felt he was the best person marketing Houston in India.

The delegation was a grand success with an official meeting with the US Ambassador to India Ken Juster and a dinner at the residence of the Deputy Chief of Mission of US embassy, Mary Kay Carlson, co hosted by the U.S. India Business Council..

The attending delegates were very excited with the various meetings and also the attendees at events in Delhi- Mumbai were provided with a wide spectrum of opportunities.

The warmth and positivity in the relationship was felt in both cities. For more information visit www.iaccgh.com

PAGE 10 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2019

COMMUNITY

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India House adds Table Tennis to sport activities

India House, Houston, has taken a major step in hosting sports activities that are popular in the Indian subcontinent. Cricket is already being played for about a decade, but now table tennis enthusiasts have found a new home at India House.

Launched in mid-October, table tennis enthusiasts can attend Friday evening sessions from 6-8pm. Two brand new Stiga table tennis tables are available for participants. Both tables were purchased through the sponsorship of Pankaj and Avni Malani. For those awaiting their turn, a carrom board is also available.

Participants enjoy both singles and doubles games and many of the games are surprisingly close. Players are required to ďŹ ll out a medical disclaimer form. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is an opportunity for table tennis players at all skill levels to enjoy the sport,â&#x20AC;? explained Table Tennis coordinator Jyoti Kulkarni. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For the introductory sessions, we had players ranging in age from 30 to 77, both men and women, players from the nearby community, and even a player from Hong Kong.

India House Executive Director Col. Vipin Kumar (Retd.) has promised that the Center will arrange for other play times and hold a tournament soon. For additional information and registration, visit www.indiahouseinc.org/programs-services/table-tennis/

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Dassehra Producer Aparana S Hosing Making her Directorial Debut with â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kaanbhattâ&#x20AC;?

In India, if cinema is religion, then the directors and producers are its curators. Today, the face of Bollywood has changed and the reason behind this brilliant alteration is the amazing mind of directors and producers. After making a foray into production with the movie â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Jeena Hai Toh Thok Daalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Uttpattangâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Dassehraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; (Staring Neil Nitin Mukesh), Producer Aparana S Hosing is now set to venture into Direction with â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kaanbhattâ&#x20AC;? (Marathi Movie) under the Banner of Rash Production Pvt Ltd. Producer-Director Aparana S Hosing will start the shoot from 25th February in Mumbai and Uttrakhand. However, other details about the movie are still unclear.

Aparana is currently working on the Casting of the movie and the lead character is ďŹ nalized. While talking to Media, Aparana S Hosing Said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kaanbhatt is the story of a young boy about his dream and desire but destiny has something else for him for which he went on a diďŹ&#x20AC;erent path. We are almost near to ďŹ nish the casting of the ďŹ lm and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going on ďŹ&#x201A;oor from 25th Februaryâ&#x20AC;?.

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2019 • PAGE 11

COMMUNITY Varsha Naik team represents Indian culture at UN headquarters

United Nations Spice club (Society for promotion of Indian culture and experience in UN) invited Varsha Naik for their annual holiday gala event at UN headquarters in New York city on December 7, 2018 .

The “SPICE Club at United Nation headquarters hosted their annual gala where Varsha Naik and her team from Navrang Dance Academy showcased the culturally oriented folk fusion dances of India .

The SPICE Club was established in 2007 as one of the clubs under the United Na-

tions Staff Recreation Council (UNSRC) The club’s main objectives are to stimulate interest and promote diversity in Indian arts and culture, and foster a spirit of harmony and understanding.

Keeping up with the theme and cultural value of India ,Varsha Naik’s team of beautiful performers danced to Indian folk songs and latest hits like Ghoomar, Chogada and many more.

The team was excited and put its best foot forward. Varsha was happy and excited to be performing for the second time at the United Nation. .

Bollywood choreographer Sandip Soparrkar, left, and Varsha Naik

“I feel humbled and honored to perform in the UN for the evening and it was exciting to perform in the presence of such esteemed guests,” said varsha Naik.

There was live music by DJ Ashish Suri and Darshan Shah , Herbal Heena and few more dance performance of India .

As an artistic director and owner of Navrang Dance Academy, Varsha Naik remains passionately involved as a teacher, choreographer, and artist.

PAGE 12 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2018

NEWS Taral Patel is Chief of Staff to County Judge

County Judge KP George, right, with his Chief of Staff Taral Patel, left and Director of Communications Xavier Herrera, after the swearing ceremony at the Fort Bend County Justice Center on Jan. 1.

KP George sworn-in as County Judge KP George, Fort Bend County Judge, takes the oath of office on Jan. 1, with his wife Sheeba holding the family Bible, which they brought from their home in India and District Judge Brenda Mullinix, left, administers the oath. Rev. Libin Abraham of the Sugar Creek Baptist Church rendered the invocation and Pct. 3 Constable Wayne Thompson, led with the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States and Texas Flags. The Jury Assembly Room was overflowing with the public standing inside and outside the room as enthusiastic members wanted to participate in the significant event in Fort Bend County’s political landscape.

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INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2019 • PAGE 13

NEWS Supreme Court reinstates Alok Verma as CBI Director A three-judge Supreme Court Bench, led by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi on Tuesday set aside the “overnight” divestment of Alok Verma as CBI Director on the intervening night of October 23-24, saying statute empowers neither the State nor the Central Vigilance Commission to hamper with the tenure of the CBI chief.

The judgment was written by Chief Justice Gogoi who, however, was on leave. The puisne judges on the Bench, Justices S.K. Kaul and K.M. Joseph, pronounced the verdict in open court.

Justice Kaul read out excerpts of the judgment.

The judgment upheld Mr. Verma’s contention that he should not have been divested from the CBI directorship without the prior approval of the committee of the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice of India and the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, which has, in the first place, the statutory authority to recommend the appointment of CBI Director under the DSPE (Delhi Special Police Establishment) Act. The statute gave neither the CVC (Central Vigilance Commissionnor the government the power to disengage him from his functions and duties. These authorities cannot assume superintendence over the CBI Director when there is no legislative intent to back their assumption.

‘No policy decision till CVC probe is over’ The judgment said Mr. Verma shall, however, take no “major policy decision” till the high-powered panel takes a call on his fate. This committee has to meet within a week. Mr. Verma is retiring by the end of this month.

The court held that the very legislative intent behind amending the DSPE Act and empowering the Prime Minister-led panel to recommend the appointment of a CBI Director was to insulate the functioning of the agency from the State and political higherups.

The judgment extended the interpretation of ‘transfer’ of the CBI Director to also mean his divestment. The Section 4 of the Act requires the prior approval of the panel before transferring the CBI chief before his statutory two-year tenure is over. Henceforth, any change in the tenure — whether transfer or divestment — of the CBI Director would be done with the prior approval of the panel.

On December 6, 2018, the Bench reserved order on Mr. Verma’s petition and another filed by NGO Common Cause.

On the last day of hearing, Chief Justice Gogoi quizzed Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CVC, about its tearing hurry to divest Mr. Verma “overnight” of his powers on October 23.

The enquiry against Mr. Verma was based on a complaint of misconduct filed by CBI Special Director R.K. Asthana with the Cabinet Secretary on August 24 in the background of a bitter feud between the two. The complaint ultimately led to Mr. Verma’s removal on the intervening night of October 23-24. Mr. Asthana was also exiled the same day.

Mr. Mehta had countered by terming the sudden action a result of an extraordinary situation. “Two senior-most CBI officers [Verma and Asthana] had turned against each other. Instead of probing cases, they were raiding each other, registering FIRs against each other. They may tamper evidence. This was a surprise situation!” he said.

‘Why no prior approval from panel?’

The court had repeatedly asked why neither the CVC nor the government chose to take prior approval from the Prime Minister-led panel before removing Mr.Verma before the end of his statutory two-year tenure.

The government and the CVC had vehemently argued that there was no need to consult the panel The court had indicated that the government and CVC had not come out with a reason for not consulting the panel before removing Mr. Verma.

The Chief Justice had questioned the ambit of Section 4 of DSPE Act. It said that CVC’s superintendence over CBI was restricted to only probes in corruption cases.

Can the CVC go beyond Section 4 of DSPE Act, the Chief Justice asked on the last day of hearing.

Mr. Mehta had argued that Mr. Verma’s divestment of his powers did not amount to a ‘transfer’. “Word ‘transfer’ would mean a person is divested permanently from one place and invested permanently in an equivalent position in another place... On October 23, considering the seriousness of the allegations, we decided to do something [divestment] which was less than a transfer,” he said.

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Lok Sabha passes Indian Citizenship Amendment Bill A bill seeking to provide Indian citizenship to nonMuslims from Bangaldesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan was passed by the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

Piloting the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019, Home Minister Rajnath Singh told the Opposition that the bill was not against the provisions of the Constitution and would give succour to persecuted minorities in the three neighbouring countries.

The Bill provides for according Indian citizenship to the the Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan after six years of residence in India instead of 12 years currently even if they do not possess any document.

“They have no place to go to, except India,” he said, adding several leaders including first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru were in favour of giving shelter to persecuted minorities in the neighouring countries.

He said although Indian leaders signed pacts with leaders of Pakistan and Bangaladesh for protection of minorities but unfortunately it had not happened.

Even former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh while speaking as leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha had asked the then BJP-led government to be more liberal in dealing with the issue of persecuted minorities in Bangaladesh, the minister said.

Rejecting the contention that bill sought to discriminate people on the basis of religion, Mr. Singh said “anyone eligible under the provisions under the law will be accorded citizenship”.

Seeking to assuage the concerns in the Northeast, which saw an 11-hour bandh on Tuesday against the legislation, Mr. Singh said the proposed law will not be confined to Assam

alone.

“The burden of those persecuted migrants will be shared by the whole country. Assam alone should not have to bear the entire burden. Government of India is committed to give all help to the State Government and people of Assam,” he said.

It may be recalled, that the BJP appears to have been isolated over the issue. The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), a partner in the BJP-led Assam government, broke up with the saffron party while the NDA allies, the Shiv Sena and the JD (U), have opposed this legislation.

Mizoram and Meghalaya governments have opposed the bill by adopting a resolution against it in their respective cabinet meetings.

The home minister said the Union Cabinet has also approved grant of ST status to six communities of Assam namely Tai Ahom, Koch Rajbongshi, Chutia, Tea Tribes, Moran and Matak.

The Union Cabinet’s decision can been seen as a balancing act by the Central government to strong opposition to the bill in Assam.

According to the Home Minister, “At the same time, full safeguards will be provided to protect the interests, rights and privileges of existing Scheduled Tribes of Assam.

“A separate Bill will be brought to grant ST status to Bodo Kacharis living in the Hill districts of Assam and Karbis in the plains. Sixth Schedule of the Constitution is also proposed to be amended to strengthen the Autonomous District Councils,” he said.

Mr. Singh said the migrants - Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis were earlier given protection against legal action in 2015 and 2016.

“Long term visa provision was made for them. The

amendment will make these persecuted migrants eligible to apply for citizenship,” he said.

Mr. Singh said citizenship will be given to them only after due scrutiny and recommendation of district authorities and the State government.

The legislation also seeks to provide relief to persecuted migrants who have come through western borders of the country to states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and other states, the Home Minister said.

The bill will apply to all States and Union Territories of the country and the beneficiaries of Citizenship Amendment Bill will be able to reside in any state of the country.

The bill was originally introduced in 2016 and was later sent to the JPC, which submitted its report on Monday.

On the basis of the recommendations of the JPC, a fresh bill was introduced on Tuesday.

Opposition parties have raised objections to the bill.

The Congress said many States have opposed the bill and it should be sent to a select committee. As the government did not heed to the demand, the Congress staged a walkout.

TMC’s Saugata Roy dubbed the bill as “divisive” and “insidious” that goes against the basic tenents of the constitution.

“This is the worst form of vote-bank politics”, Mr. Roy said.

The Bill was also opposed

by P.R. Kunhalikutty (IUML), Jayprakash Narayan Yadav (RJD) and Asaduddin Owaisi (AIMIM) who all contended that it was against the Constitution.

Bhartruhari Mahtab (BJD), Arvind Sawant(Shiv Sena) Mohammad Salim (CPI(M)) and Badruddin Ajmal (AIDUF) also spoke.

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PAGE 14 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2019

NEWS Sabarimala: Six from Tamil Indian Science Congress: Principal Scientific Adviser wants complaint lodged Nadu, on way to Vavar mosque at Erumeli, arrested against VC’s pseudoscience talk VijayRaghavan, a biologist and a former Secretary of the Department of Biotechnology, listed out examples of how pseudoscience, when it made its way into policy, has caused harm.

Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India K. VijayRaghavan, in response to a pseudoscientific discourse at the ongoing Indian Science Congress at Phagwara in Punjab, has said in a blog post that a formal complaint should be lodged against the speaker, and the country’s science academies must voice their objection to it.

“It is unfortunate that sitting vice chancellor of a great State university — and a biologist to boot — says something that is scientifically completely untenable. His Chancellor should receive a formal complaint

from those who were present in the audience, and he will also surely hear from individual scientists and our vocal science academies,” he said.

In a speech last Friday, Andhra University Vice Chancellor G. Nageshwar Rao said that the Kauravas of the Mahabharata were born due to stem cell and test tube technologies and that India possessed knowledge about guided missiles thousands of years ago.

Mr. VijayRaghavan said, “When lay people, including politicians, make random and erroneous statements linking religion, culture, history etc, to science, the problem must be addressed by collegial communication. When scientists make such links, they should be addressed more squarely.

If there’s a chance that such views may enter policy, the

amount of engagement needs to go up.”

Mr. VijayRaghavan, a biologist and a former Secretary of the Department of Biotechnology, listed out examples of how pseudoscience, when it made its way into policy, caused harm. For instance, when former South African President Thabo Mbeki and his health minister Manto Tshabalala-Msiang advocated that HIV didn’t cause AIDS, it led to unnecessary loss of lives.

The same threat continues to be posed by powerful leaders who deny climate change.

The Indian Science Congress, a gathering of students, researchers, government officials and scientists, routinely faces criticism for giving a platform to speakers who advocate pseudoscience.

Police confirm 46-year-old Sri Lankan woman offered prayers at Sabarimala Sasikala, a 46-year-old Sri Lankan woman, offered prayers at the sanctum in Sabarimala temple late on Thursday. Photo: Special Arrangement Sasikala, however, tells reporters that she did not offer prayers at the sanctum and the police dissuaded her.

The Kerala police on Friday reconfirmed that Sasikala, 46-year-old woman from Sri Lanka, offered prayers at the sanctum of the Sabarimala temple on Thursday night.

Ms. Sasikala, however, later told reporters that she did not do so and the police dissuaded her.

A top official told The Hindu that the police have video footage of her entering the shrine and they were ready to produce it if sought by a court or any competent legal authority. But, he said, matters of faith were highly personal and inextricably linked to the Right to Privacy and the police would not officially contradict Ms. Sasikala’s statement.

The woman and her family had intimated their arrival to the police in advance and sought their protection. Plainclothes officers escorted her to the temple and she prayed in front of the sanctum at 9.30 p.m. They accompanied her downhill to Pampa by 11.30 p.m. Her passport gave her date of birth as December 3, 1972.

Ms. Sasikala’s temple entry at night came after the day witnessed a maelstrom of protests and violence and that left scores injured, disrupted life in general, and resulted in wanton destruction of public and private property across the State during a hartal called by right-wing organisations against the entry of two women into the temple in the early hours of Wednesday.

Police have upped security at the pilgrim centre in the wake of reports that activists of the Sabarimala Karma Samathi, a Hindu Aikya Vedi construct, had marshalled their cadres to thwart any further police bid to escort women between the age of 10 and 15 to the temple ‘’Sannidhanam’’.

Centre seeks report from Kerala on Sabarimala violence The Union government has sought a report from Kerala Government regarding the spate of violence after two women entered the Sabarimala shrine last week.

The Ministry of Home Affairs sought the report on the violence that erupted in the State. The houses of several CPM and BJP leaders were attacked.

Governor P. Sathasivam on Saturday briefed Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh about the law and order situation in Kerala. On Friday, the Governor had sought a report from the State government on the incidents of violence and destruction of public property at various places in the State.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan sought to dispel the Opposition’s accusation that the police had failed to contain the CPI(M)-BJP conflict that saw widespread violence in the State since Wednesday. He said there was “no failure on the part of the police. The force had acted maturely and responsibly. The RSS had unleashed the violence. The government would not allow the Sangh Parivar to hold Kerala at knifepoint.”

The police on Saturday said they had arrested 3,282 suspects, an overwhelming number of them BJP-RSS activists, responsible for the Sabarimala-related violence. The violence had abated in most parts of the State, except for a few rural pockets.

A vast majority of the accused were let off on bail from station houses after the police recorded their statements. As many as 487 persons were remanded in judicial custody by various courts.

The police have stepped up mass arrests and round-ups in the State. An officer said the police had focussed on arresting persons suspected to be responsible for the attack on houses of elected representatives and political leaders. Law enforcers and plainclothes squads were working in tandem to detain the accused.

District Collector Mir Muhammed Ali clamped prohibitory orders in the areas under the Thalassery and New Mahe police station limits under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code for two days beginning on Sunday.

Six people, including three women, who wanted to visit the famed Vavar mosque at Erumeli near the Sabarimala temple, were arrested on charges of trying to create animosity between religious groups, police said on Tuesday.

All the six, said to be members of the Hindu Makkal Katchi, hail from Tamil Nadu and wanted to visit the Vavar mosque, which is related to the Sabarimala pilgrimage, they said.

The Erumeli Nainar Juma Masjid, also known as Vavar ‘Palli’ (mosque) is dedicated to Vavar, the Muslim companion of Lord Ayyappa, the adopted son of the erstwhile Pandalam king as per Hindu belief.

The devotees of Lord Ayyappa visit the mosque during the November-January annual pilgrim season.

They do not enter the prayer hall but circumambulate the mosque, provide Kanikka (offering) and break coconut at the premises as part of traditions.

Cases under various sections of the IPC, including for promoting enmity between various religious groups, punishment for criminal trespass, unlawful assembly and punishment for rioting were registered against them.

The arrested women are Sushila (35), Revathi (39) both from Tirupur, and Gandhimathy (51) from Tirunelveli.

The men- Tirupathi (50), Murugaswamy (75) and Senthil Kumar (31), hail from Tirupur and Coimbatore, Kozhinjampara police, bordering Tamil Nadu.

The six were arrested on Monday and remanded to custody on Tuesday, police said.

The Sabarimala temple had witnessed violence protests when two women had trekked the holy shrine and offered prayers on January 2.

A hartal called the next day to protest against the temple entry had seen large scale violence all over the state.

Sabarimala: Kerala CM vows to suppress attempts to create communal trouble Pinarayi Vijayan said the trick of the Sangh Parivar to reap political dividend by creating rifts between communities in the name of religion would not work in Kerala Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday vowed to “mercilessly suppress” what he described as the attempt by the BJP and RSS to foment communal trouble in Kerala.

In a strongly worded public post on his Facebook account, Mr. Vijayan said the well-rehearsed trick of the Sangh Parivar to reap political dividend by causing a schism between communities in the name of religion would not work in Kerala.

The Left Democratic Front (LDF) government would not cower in fear in front of any threat, he said.

The CM’s comment came close on the heels of the reported “threat” by Union Minister of Textiles, Smriti Irani, that the Kerala government would face dire “constitutional consequences” if it pursued its “anti-faith” agenda in Sabarimala.

Some quarters also construed the CM’s comment as a riposte to Nair Service Society (NSS) general secretary G. Sukumaran Nair, who had blamed the government earlier in the day for “unleashing anarchy” in Kerala by mishandling the Sabarimala controversy.

The CM said that the government had implemented the Supreme Court verdict which said men and women had equal rights when it came to matters of faith. The government had met its constitutional obligation.

The forces that threatened the Kerala government with dire consequences for upholding the law were those that were inimical to the constitution and the rule of law, he said.

He blamed the RSS and BJP for the violence in Kerala. They had conspired to illegally upend the implementation of the SC order to sow chaos in the State. Their ploys would fail. The Kerala police had no political colour and had prosecuted persons responsible for the rioting, irrespective of their party affiliations, he said.

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INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2019 • PAGE 15

NEWS

Yadagirigutta: Making a temple out of a mountain

One of the frescoes on the outer walls of the Yadagirigutta temple near Hyderabad.

Conceived by Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, the sprawling four acre Lakshmi Narasimha temple has been built over a hillock, supported on concrete piles.

Among the theories on the origin of the monolithic Kailasa Temple in the Ellora caves is one that says aliens chiselled through the hill from the top to create the mammoth temple from a single block of stone sometime in the eighth century during the reign of Krishna I of the Rasntrakutas.

Some 13 centuries later, on a dusty road leading to Warangal, a hill of granite is being sculpted into a temple, standing atop the small hillock of Yadagirgutta.

The new temple is the brainchild of a modern day ruler, albeit one who has been elected — Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao. Mr. Rao consulted the well-known Vaishnavite figure Chinna Jeeyar Swamy for the temple, dedicated to Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy, while film set designer Anand Sai designed it. The State government has allocated ₹250 crore for the temple in the current budget. It had allocated ₹100 crore over the last two budgets taking the

total allocation to ₹450 crore.

“By March, the temple will be ready to welcome pilgrims,” says G. Kishen Rao of Yadagirigutta Temple Development Authority.

Yadagirigutta, a 1.5 acre plateau, was home to a small cave temple dedicated to Narasimha and a rock with a carving of Hanuman. “It was a small temple which people from Hyderabad visited on Saturdays and other festive occasions and returned home by evening.

There was hardly any queue of pilgrims and very few amenities. Now, we are waiting for the main temple to open,” says Vijayalakshmi, a devotee from the village, offering prayers at the adjacent makeshift replica of the new temple.

The new temple now sprawls over four acres on a platform constructed of reinforced concrete piles rising from the base of the hill. A road is being laid to accommodate the expected traffic.

Inside the cavernous mandapam (temple coutryard) leading to the new cave temple, a cloud of stone dust hangs in the air as the shrill noise of drills and saws echoes, drowning out any conversation.

But S. Sounder Rajan, the sthapati or sculptor, who has ex-

Craftsmen race against time at the Yadagirigutta temple near Hyderabad. ecuted the colossal structure is a man possessed, and doesn’t let a few drills stifle his passion.

“This is one of the biggest temples in the country carved in granite, with the rajagopuram (pyramidal tower at the entrance) being a seven-storied structure. I have had to race against time though the engineers believe that this can be done in a jiffy. This is granite, not RCC! It takes time to cut, chisel and shape. I made 1500 plans over one year and eight contractors were employed to execute the work,” says Mr. Rajan, standing in the cloud of dust.

His team of deputy and assistant sthapatis share his enthusiasm and add to the story of how the colossal temple is taking shape.

Work on the new temple began in October 2016 and a replica of the cave temple was made for pilgrims to offer prayers.

“The original cave temple of Narasimha Swamy and the rock with a carving of Hanuman have not been touched.

Everything else is new,” says Sanjeeva Kumar, a deputy sthapati who has trained in temple architecture in Tirupati.

“The Kakatiya temples are known for their exquisite work where a paper can pass behind a dancing figurine. We have tried to do the same with many sculptures having designs where even a palm can pass through it,” says Mr. Kumar.

In the race to finish the temple there have been a few accidents. Five craftsmen lost their sight when the blade of the cutter splintered, sending pieces of metal all around. Other workers have suffered injuries to their arms, according to officials at the site.

“There are risks. But we have to work. I like to work on something that people say will last for a long time,” says Murugesh, a craftsman from Tiruchirapalli, speaking in halting Telugu. For Shaikh Rabbani, all work is worship.

“We are working on the rajagopuram. Working at a height of 50 feet is tough but I come from a family of craftsmen.

My father and grandfather too

worked on carving temples, so this is nothing new for us,” says Mr. Rabbani, who hails from Guntur, and speaks chaste Telugu.

According to Mr. Rajan, 2.5 lakh tonnes of granite from a hill in Gurjepally in Praksham district have been transported to Yadagirigutta to build the temple. In other words, a 9.4 sq kilometre mountain has been moved to create the temple. In the process, a 30-tonne monolithic block has been transformed into a 15-tonne image of Alwar (a Vaishnavite saint).

There are 12 statues in various positions inside the mandapam, which is 202 feet long, 103 feet wide with 36-foot high walls.

“The temple had a gold sudarshan chakram as the finial.

By March, it will again be back in position over the vimana (tower over the sanctum sanctorum). The main gopuram will have a two mm gold plating weighing 700 kilos which is estimated to cost about ₹70 crore and will be ready soon,” says Mr. Kumar.

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To advertise in India Herald email editor@india-herald.com Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the President of India inside the cave temple of Sri Narasimhaswami at Yadagirigutta, near Hyderabad on July 10, 1958. | Photo Credit: THE HINDU

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PAGE 16 • INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2019

NEWS Artificial Intelligence roped in to manage Kumbh crowd

To tackle the massive rush of visitors during the upcoming Kumbh Mela, the Uttar Pradesh Government will use artificial intelligence software which will help in prediction analysis of crowd at a particular spot of the venue or a particular point of time during Kumbh from January 15 to March 4 at Prayagraj.

This is the first time that artificial intelligence is being used to control crowd during such event. The UP Government Additional Chief Secretary, Avinash Kumar Awasthi, told The Pioneer that this will also help to keep the crowd under control during Kumbh.

On Monday, UP Government Sugarcane Development Minister Suresh Rana came to Delhi to invite Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia for Kumbh mela on behalf of the State Government.

The UP Government has spent Rs 4,300 crore on infrastructure in Prayagraj for this year Kumbh mela.

“Artificial intelligence will

provide video analytics service using AI for crowd control, several powerful CCTVs will be set up to monitor the situation. Also, LED screens will be installed for displaying information. An integrated command control room has been set up to monitor crowds at Kumbh”, Awasthi said.

He said the UP Police has developed software based on artificial intelligence which is also known as agent-based modelling, which will be helpful in crowd management as well as in knowing more about crowd behaviour.” Artificial intelligence is an area of computer science that emphasises the creation of intelligent machines that work and reacts like humans.

According to Awasthi, it is expected that 12 million pilgrims will attend the event on January 15 (Makar Sankranti), 5.5 million pilgrims on January 21 (Paush Purnima), 30 million pilgrims on February 4 (Mauni Amavasya), 20 million pilgrims on February 10 (Basant Panchami), 16 million pilgrims on February 19 (Maghi Purni-

ma), and 6 million pilgrims on March 4 (Mahashivratri).

A whole city would come up temporarily at Prayagraj spread across 3,200 hectare on the banks of the Ganga and Yamuna.

He said for the first time Saraswati Kund will be opened for visitors.

With the investment of Rs 4,300 crore for Kumbh in 2019, as compared to just Rs 1,214 crore in 2013, the State Government has already completed 671 schemes in Prayagraj.

The Government has allocated more than 264 road construction work projects.

Besides, 40,700 LED lights installed in the Kumbh city and more than 500 shuttle buses for pilgrims. “The Kumbh in 2013 had only 34,000 toilets, while this year, we have 1.22 lakh toilets, 20,000 dustbins and 15,000 sanitation workers,” Rana said.

Considered to be the world’s largest religious event, it is expected that more than 100 million devotees and Hindu ascetics will attend the almost two-month-long Kumbh.

150 potters begin their ‘sweaty’ effort to salute Gandhiji On Monday, when Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) Chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena was flagging off the project of making of 150 square meters clay mural of Mahatma Gandhi — made of ‘Kulhads’ from the hands of 150 village potters across India — at Morbi in Gujarat, back home in Delhi, for someone from Gandhi family, it was ‘Srishti ki Aaradhana (Worshipping the nature)’ and ‘A Renaissance of human civilisation’.

Noted Gandhian philosopher and Mahatma Gandhi’s granddaughter Tara Gandhi Bhattacharjee said that making the grand mural of Mahatma Gandhi is the fittest tribute to Gandhiji and his grammar and philosophy on Khadi. “As Bapu always advocated for empowering the village craftsmen and laid stress on adoption of swadeshi products, this grand mural — made directly from the village artisans — will definitely showcase the cultural integrity and unity of Gandhi’s India,” she said.

Meanwhile, enthused with the presence of the potters — hailing from hilly Leh to seaside Maharashtra and from dense jungle area of Chhatisgarh to Gangetic Varanasi — the KVIC Chairman said that it was like starting a yajna (holy ritual), when 150 pandits (common surname of potters in many parts of India) have gathered here, to introduce the unity of Indian civilisation with their individualities. “At a time when the nation is celebrating Gandhiji’s 150thbirth anniversary, the KVIC decided to mark the occasion with practical display of Gandhian thoughts on village industries.

With the co-operation of these 150 highly-skilled potters from all over the country, we will make a 150-square-metre (15 x 10 metres) wall mural, using their Kulhads,” he said, adding, “They have brought clay of their respective regions which has been mixed to produce the Kulhads for the mural. Kulhads of 75 mm diameter and 90 mm height are being made on electric pottery wheels given by KVIC. The potters will finish the Kulhads as per tradition and design requirements.

Altogether 5,000 Kulhads will be produced, of which the best 3,870 Kulhads — making them all-weather proof by baking at high temperatures and glazing – will be used in the final design.

Ahmedabad-based designer terracotta and ceramic arts studio, Clay Club Innovations, had designed the artwork.” Expressing his happiness on this tributary endeavor of KVIC, the Minister of State for MSME Giriraj Singh said that it would certainly be a tribute with a difference. “It will really be a proud moment for the nation, when KVIC’s grand mural will prominently be displayed in the heart of the national Capital,” he said.

98-year-veteran Gandhian Gokul Dasji Kala, who was also present at the flagging off ceremony at Morbi, also hailed KVIC’s novel way of paying tribute to Mahatma Gandhi.

It may be noted that the New Delhi Lok Sabha MP Meenakshi Lekhi, along with the KVIC Chairman and the NDMC Chairman, had made a vast survey for the selection of prominent site, where the 150 square meter wall mural could be mounted. Later, it was unanimously decided to mount that mural on main building of NDMC in Connaught Place. The grand wall mural is expected to be inaugurated on 30th January – the ‘Shaheed Diwas’ and the martyr day of Mahatma Gandhi. The KVIC has also requested the Prime Minister, for giving consent to grace this function as the Chief Guest.

So far, KVIC has distributed more than 5,000 Electric Potter Wheels’ sets in the country, under its ambitious ‘Kumhaar Sashaktikaran Yojana’ and the distribution of another 7,000 Electric Potter Wheels is already in the pipeline.

Construction of Ram temple should start at earliest: Mahant Ram Janmbhoomi Trust Chairman Mahant Nritya Gopal Das on Monday said construction of a grand Ram Temple in Ayodhya should start at the earliest and hopes of crores of devotees are with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to get this issue resolved.

He also said seers would take a “concrete decision” on the temple issue at a ‘Dharma Sansad’ from January 31-February 1 during the ‘Kumbh Mela’. “The grand temple construction should start soon as hopes of crores of Ram bhakts (devotees) still are with Modi.

The extension of dates by the

Supreme Court is emotionally hurting Hindus, who feel it should be considered (by the court). For past 70 years, the matter is pending in courts.

They should get justice now,” Mahant said in a statement here.

The Supreme Court on Friday had said an “appropriate bench” on January 10 will fix the date of hearing in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land title dispute case. On the same day, the court also dismissed a fresh plea that demanded urgent hearing on day-to-day basis in the Ayodhya land dispute matter.

The petition was filed by advocate Harinath Ram, who had

submitted that in view of the inordinate delay in the adjudication of the matter and in the prevailing sentiments surrounding, the Ayodhya land dispute matter should be given a hearing on priority.

“Not only us, but the entire Hindu community hopes that PM Modi will ensure that the matter is resolved and pay real tributes to ‘karsewaks’ (volunteers) killed by Mulayam Singh Yadav Govt in 1990,” Mahant said. On a call given by the VHP, a large number of ‘karsevaks’ had assembled in Ayodhya near the disputed site and several of them lost their lives

after Yadav, then Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, ordered police firing on October 30, 1990.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Tuesday reminded Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the the BJP’s Palampur resolution on Ayodhya in 1989 and its election manifesto for 2014 after the latter in an interview to ANI said that an ordinance to aid the construction of a Ram temple was possible only after the legal process was dealt with.

The RSS and its affiliate, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), have been pushing for an ordinance on the construction of a

Ram temple before the conclusion of the case before the Supreme Court which doesn’t appear close to a resolution.

The Supreme Court Tuesday set up a five-judge Constitution Bench to hear the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land title dispute case.

The bench would be headed

by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and comprise of Justices S A Bobde, N V Ramana, U U Lalit and D Y Chandrachud.

The Constitution Bench is scheduled to hear the matter on January 10.

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2019 • PAGE 17

FEATURE

These Rohingya refugees actually want to return to Myanmar. The difference is they’re Hindus

By Vidya Krishnan In the world’s largest refugee camp, where 1.1 million Rohingya Muslim refugees reside, 105 families have been stranded — caught in a war that was not theirs.

Unlike the rest of the refugees, these families are Rohingya Hindus — a small minority within a minority that had lived peacefully for generations in Myanmar’s western Rakhine state alongside Muslims and members of the Buddhist majority.

In the violence that engulfed Rakhine beginning in August 2017 — when Rohingya Muslim militants attacked police checkpoints and the army responded by killing or maiming thousands of Muslim civilians — 99 Hindus were killed and burned in mass graves. The Hindu villages were attacked by members of a militant group called the Arakhan Rohingya Salvation Army, or ARSA, that was also responsible for the attacks against the police.

Fifteen months into the crisis, the Hindus’ minority status has sharpened: While Rohingya Muslims have categorically rejected a plan that would repatriate the refugees, Hindus are ready to return to Myanmar, a view that has placed them at odds with the vast majority of people in the camps.

In May 2018, the United Nations struck a deal with the Myanmar government under which refugees would be allowed to return to Rakhine, although not necessarily to their original villages, many of which have reportedly been razed or occupied by Buddhists. The deal was widely criticized for not meeting the Rohingya Muslims’ main demands: a restoration of citizenship rights that they have been denied for decades, freedom of movement and guarantees of safety.

Within hours, the Hindu families were packed and ready to go. But many Muslim refugees protested the terms by striking from jobs they hold as teachers, health workers, translators and builders in the camps. Human rights group assailed the plan as unworkable.

The United Nations refugee agency has shelved the plan — a welcome move for the majority of refugees, but one that has pushed the Hindus to the edge of their endurance.

“We were told the repatriation process will begin Nov. 11,” said 50-year-old Jushna Pal, a mother of five. “We were told to be ready. Our bags have been packed since then.”

Muslims make up the vast majority of the more than 1 million ethnic Rohingya who once lived in Rakhine. Although many families trace their ancestry in Rakhine back

several generations, Myanmar regards Rohingya Muslims as Bangladeshis who migrated there illegally and has denied them citizenship, freedom of movement and other basic rights, and frequently subjected them to state-backed violence.

Hindus, by contrast, still hold citizenship in Myanmar and enjoyed greater rights there.

On Aug. 25, 2017, the same day that militant attacks on police checkpoints left 12 officers dead, masked assailants attacked the Hindu village of Fakirabad in Rakhine’s Maungdaw township. An Amnesty International report found that the attackers “robbed, bound, and blindfolded [villagers] before marching them to the outskirts of the village, where they separated the men from the women and young children.”

The report described the attackers as members of ARSA and said they later executed 53 Hindus, starting with the men.

Another 46 Hindus were believed to have been killed in an attack in another village, Amnesty International said.

Far more widespread massacres occurred in Muslim villages, leading the U.N. to declare the Myanmar military campaign as a “textbook example of ethnic cleansing.” More than 800,000 Rohingya fled across the border to Bangladesh, joining refugees who had fled earlier rounds of violence and swelling the populations of the makeshift camps along the southeastern border.

In Bangladesh, the more than 400 Hindu refugees, most of them children, live in a settlement known as Hindu Camp just outside one of the 27 refugee settlements that make up the sprawling Kutupalong and Balukhali complex. The Bangladesh government segregated the Hindus, who live under around-the-clock security in the only camp to have a constant police presence.

Families living in Hindu Camp are suspicious of outsiders and cagey with journalists. They detest their Rohingya Muslim neighbors, blaming them for their losses, for spawning the ARSA group and for opposing the repatriation plan.

The animosity is mutual: Many Rohingya Muslims accuse Hindus of benefiting from the violence, alleging that Hindu families that stayed behind took property and livestock that had belonged to Muslims.

In September 2017, weeks after the mass arrivals into the camps, two Hindus were killed and nine admitted to hospitals after violence broke out between the refugees.

“It is terrifying to live like this,” said Shishu Sheel, a 32-year-old leader in the Hindu Camp. “We are under threat

A Hindu girl from Myanmar cleans a temple at a refugee camp in Bangladesh. (K.M. Asad / AFP/Getty Images) because we don’t blame the Myanmar government for the violence. It goes against the testimonies given by Rohingya Muslims.”

Bangladesh’s Refugee, Relief and Repatriation Commission, which is responsible for the camps, said repatriating Hindus and not Muslims is not an option.

“We treat all refugees the same way and will not be prioritizing repatriation of the Hindu refugees over Rohingya Muslims,” said Shamimul Huq Pavel, the commission official who oversees the Hindu Camp.

The Hindu families have appealed to the Indian government for help, but so far New Delhi has provided only humanitarian aid and words of concern. Prime Minister Nar-

endra Modi’s government has also taken a tough line regarding Rohingya Muslims who fled to India, describing the estimated 40,000 refugees as a security threat and deporting a dozen of them back to Myanmar despite the threats against them.

Officials in India’s foreign ministry did not respond to requests for comment.

Sheel said the Hindu refugees expected more from Modi, a nationalist whose party has built a strong voter base by emphasizing the supremacy of India’s majority religion.

“India is a land for all Hindus. Mr. Modi is a Hindu. Why is he not helping us?” Sheel said.

The Hindu families say they are growing increasingly des-

perate and that if help doesn’t come soon, they will consider trying to sneak back across the Naf River into Myanmar, despite their fears of leaving their camp and of being shot or captured at the border by Myanmar soldiers who might mistake them for Muslims.

“We cannot live like this any longer,” said 35-year-old refugee Madhuram Pal. “The Muslim families are being prioritized, but no one is telling us when we will be sent back.”

(Krishnan is a special correspondent. Times staff writer Shashank Bengali contributed to this report from Singapore.)

—Los Angeles Times

Jushna Pal, center, and her neighbors in the Hindu Camp in southern Bangladesh. (Amir Hamza / For The Times)

PAGE 18 â&#x20AC;˘ INDIA HERALD â&#x20AC;˘ WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2019

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Brahma Kumaris The Brahma Kumaris Raja Yoga Meditation Center is open 7 days a week. The center oďŹ&#x20AC;ers free Raja Yoga Meditation classes: MonFri @ 6:00-6:45am and 7-8 pm, BUY

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Sat-Sun @ 7:00-8:30am, 10 am-2 pm. Visiting hours are Sat-Sun @ 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Contact us at (832) 379-8888, houston@bktexas. com, or bktexas.com to sign-up for classes. All Raja Yoga Meditation teachers at the Houston center are samarpit and have 15+ years of teaching experience.

Chinmaya Mission Sunday satsangs for adults, youth, and children. A unique Bala Vihar program for each grade, from PreK to Grade 12. Satsangs in two sessions between 8:35 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. and 11:20 a.m. - 1p.m. Bala Vihar students can take shloka, bhajan and orchestra classes or language classes for Hindi, Telugu, Marathi, and Gujarati. Chinmaya Mission is located at Chinmaya Prabha, 10353 Synott Road, Sugar Land, TX 77498. New members may visit the welcome desk between 8 a.m. - 8:45 a.m. or 10:15 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Please visit www. chinmayahouston.org or contact Bharati Sutaria 281.933.0233 for more information.

Jeeyar Educational Trust Translate knowledge into action classes every Sunday at 10:15 a.m to 12 p.m. at Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple, 10098 Synott Road, Sugar Land, Tx 77498. Call 785 550 3621 or 832-334-9163. Visit www. ashtalakshmi.org for registration.

Vedanta Society Vedanta Society of Greater Houston, VSGH (oďŹ&#x192;cial Branch Center of Ramakrishna Math, Belur), 14809 Lindita Dr. (77083), has lectures & talks on every Sunday 11 am - 12 pm, followed by Arati & Prasad; Bhagwad Gita Class on Tuesdays, 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm; OLD

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ČąĹ&#x2014;Ĺ&#x161;Ĺ&#x17E;Ĺ&#x2013;Čą ȹȹČ&#x160;Čą Â&#x160;Â?Â&#x17E;Â&#x203A;Â?Â&#x160;¢Â&#x153;ČąĹ&#x161;ČąÂ?Â&#x2DC;ČąĹ&#x153;ČąÂ&#x2122;ÇŻÂ&#x2013;ÇŻ Listen to Open Forum on 106.1 FM Informative programs with doctors, in Houston. lawyers, politicians and other Every Saturday 4.00 PM to 6.00 PM. newsmakers.

Studio line 800-444-1061

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Classes in Houston, Mission Bend, & Sugar Land

and Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna on Thursdays, 11 am - 12 pm. Rev. Sw. Atmarupanandaji, the Resident Monk, gives all classes, lectures & talks. Ramnaam Sankirtan is on 1st Saturdays 6 pm - 7 pm.

Please visit www.houstonvedanta. org or call 281- 988-7211.

Jain Society Jain Society of Houston, JSH, is located at 3905 Arc Street Houston Texas 77063. Key tenets of Jainism are: Non-violence - Ahimsa, Philanthropy with multicity in views â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Anekantvad, No possessiveness - Aparigrah, Right Knowledge -- Samyak Gyan, Right Path â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Samyak Darshan, and Right Conduct â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Samyak Charitrya. JSH has Jain Pathshala Classed for students of all ages each Sunday starting at 10:15 AM. The center is open M-F from 7:30 AM to 12 Noon and 4 to 7 PM, and Sat, and Sun from 8 AM to 6 PM. Call Jain Center at 713 789 2338 or visit www.jainsocietyhouston.org for calendar of events and other detailed information.

Shiv Shakti Mandir Sanatan Shiv Shakti Mandir, 6640 Harwin. Open daily 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. All major festivals, as well as birthdays, naam karan, engagement and other ceremonies. Call Pandit Virat Mehta 713-278-9099 or Hardik Raval 361-243-6539 for puja or other ceremonies.

Heartfulness Meditation Heartfulness Meditation is a practical technique of tuning inwards to experience our higher selves. Meditation with someone who has the capacity of yogic transmission can help you explore the Heartfulness practice more deeply.

There are no charges for this, and we invite you to experience the unique beneďŹ ts of this transmission. Workshops on Heartfulness relaxation and meditation are held weekly throughout Houston. Web: www.heartfulness.org; Email: houston.heartfulness@gmail.com.

Cell: 713-929-0040.

Hare Krishna Dham Houstonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s original Vedic temple, ISKCON of Houston. At 1320 W 34th St. (77018). Daily Darshan & Arati Times: 4.30 a.m, 7 a.m, 8.30 a.m, 12 noon, 4.30 p.m, 7 p.m, 9 p.m. Sunday Festival: 5.30 pm to 7.30 p.m. Weekly Gita classes for adults; call 281-433-1635 or harekrishnadham @gmail.com Houston Namadwaar A prayer house where the Hare Rama Hare Krishna Maha-mantra is continuously chanted. Weekends: 8-11 AM & 4-7 PM, Weekdays: 7-8 AM & 6-7 PM. Weekly â&#x20AC;&#x153;Gopa Kuteeramâ&#x20AC;? childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heritage classes and Srimad Bhagavatam classes. Call 281-402-6585; visit www.godivinity.org (Global Organization for Divinity).

Saumyakasi Sivalaya Sri Saumyakasi Sivalaya is located at Chinmaya Prabha, 10353 Synott Road, Sugar Land, TX 77478.

Temple timings: Monday to Friday: 9:00 AM - 12:00 Noon and 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM. Saturday and Sunday: 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM. For more information Contact 281-568-1690 or Jay Deshmukh at 832-541-0059 or visit www.saumyakasi.org Gauri Siddhivinayak Temple Darshan from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. All major festivals as well as birthdays, naam karan, engagement and other ceremonies. Call

Pandit Pradip Pandya 832-4669868 for puja and other ceremonies. At 5645 Hillcroft Ste 701, Houston, TX 77036.

Veerashaiva Samaja VSNA Houston is a group of families who believe in Veerashaiva dharma (Basava dharma).

Monthly Mahamane program for prayer and discussion on Vachana Sahitya followed by Prasada. Contact: vsnahous ton@gmail.com or Jagadeesh Halyal 832-744-4166.

Mar Thoma Church Trinity Mar Thoma Church every Sunday at 5810 Almeda Genoa Rd. Sunday School at 9:15 a.m.

Malayalam service at 9:30 a.m. on 1st & 3rd Sunday. Adult Bible class at 9:30 a.m. English service at 10:30 a.m. on 2nd & 4th Sunday. Call 713-991-1557 or 281261-4603.

Telugu Christian Fellowship Telugu Christian Fellowship meets every third Saturday of the month at Triumph Church, 10555 W. Airport Blvd., StaďŹ&#x20AC;ord TX 77477 at 6:30 p.m. Join us for a time of praise, worship and fellowship. Worship is in English.

For information call Chris Gantela 281-344-0707, or Rev. Vijay Gurrala 281-997-0757.

Sri Guruvayurappan Temple Hours: Mon to Fri 6 a.m. -8 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Weekends & Holidays: 6 a.m. to noon and 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Bhajans Saturdays 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Sundays 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. Special poojas (weekends and holidays) Choroon (Annaprasam) for kids, Thulabharam, Vahana Pooja, Nirapara. Temple is located at 11620 Ormandy St. (77035) Tel: 713-7298994 email: temple@ guruvayur.us Preksha Meditation JVB Preksha Meditation Center conducts weekly Meditation, Yoga and Swadhyay sessions inside its unique Pyramid hall under the auspicious guidance of Samani Kanchan Pragyaji and Samani Pranav Pragyaji who are stationed at Houston Center this year. It also runs special events and programs like I-Choose, Meditation Camps and Gyanshala program for children ages 4-14 yrs. JVB is located at 14102 Schiller Rd. Houston 77082. Every Tuesday, 9:30am11:30am, Samaniji has pravachan for all adults interested in learning about Jainism. Every Wednesday there is Swadhyay class from 7-8pm and meditation from 8-9pm.

Every Thursday from 9:30-11am there is special Yoga class for Ladies only. Every Saturday, there is Yoga Class from 9-10am and Meditation from 10-10.30am. Ist & 3rd Sundays, there is Gyanshala Classes for Kids ages 4-14yrs. from 10-12:15pm followed by Lunch.

Visit www.jvbhouston.org or send email at info@jvbhouston.org for more details.

Patanjali Yogpeeth Free Yoga Classes every Sat/Sun at Arya Samaj from 8 am to 9:30 a.m. Call Anil 281-579-9433. For other free classes, call Indra 281537-0018. For Yoga/Herbal products, call Shekhar 281-242-5000. www.pyptusa.org; www.DivyaProducts.com.

Hindu Temple of The Woodlands 7601 S. Forest Gate Dr, The Woodlands, TX 77382

Temple Hours, Weekdays: 7:30 AM - 9:30 AM 5:30 PM - 8.30 PM Aarti @ 7:30 PM Saturday and Sunday 8:30 AM - 1:30 PM Aarti at 12:00 PM 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM Aarti @ 7:30 PM; Contact 832-585--0001 or temple@myhtw.net Sathya Sai centers Sunday program held at two locations (North Houston: 12127 Malcomson Road, Houston; South Houston: 246 Fluor Daniel Drive, Sugar Land) from 3:00 to 5:30 pm) - Sai Spiritual Education (SSE) classes for children; Study Circle for adults & Devotional singing for all. Service programs - food distribution, canned food drives, nursing home visits, tutoring at schools, etc. Contact Venkat Rao (North) - 602-503-2249 or Ranji Raghavan (South) 281-451-8238.

Visit www.sairegion10.org Sadhu Vaswani Center Sadhu Vaswani Center of Houston holds regular Satsang on 3rd Thursday of the month and daily Arti at 7.30 p.m. Call 281-4630379 or e.mail ramolaj@aol.com Gaudiya Math Shri Govindji Gaudiya Matha is a Hindu Vaishnava temple of Sanatan Dharam and worshipping place of Shri Shri Radha Krishna, Shri Gaur Nitai & Shri Ram Darbar.

Mandir is open daily from 5.30 AM until 8.30 PM. The services are held from 5.30PM to 7.30PM followed by delicious prashad.

Daily Aarti times : Mangala Aarti5:30 am. Bhog Aarti - 12:30 pm.

Evening Aarti - 7:00 pm. Enroll your child in Sri Govindaji Vedic School. We oďŹ&#x20AC;er Hindi classes for all ages. Sri Govindaji Gaudiya Matha is located in Northwest Houston at 16628 Kieth Harrow Blvd Houston TX 77084. For more information, call at 832-4644686 or visit our website: http:// sggm.org.

Swaminarayan Temple Hindu Satsang at Shree Swaminarayan Hindu Temple, under Shree NarNarayan Dev Gadi kalupur.

Opens daily from 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Daily aarti at 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Saturday sabha from 5 p.m to 7 p.m. followed by aarti at 7 p.m. and Maha-Prasad (free dinner). www.issotx.org. (281) 530-2565.

Sanatan Dharm Maha Sabha West Indian Religious Organization called Sanatan Dharm Maha Sabha Branch # 377 is located at 26100 Tina Lane, Katy, TX 77494.

Durga Mata Pooja is held every Friday from 7 pm to 9.30 pm.

Contact Ram Sharma @ 713-4129985.

Gandhi Library Mahatma Gandhi Library Book Club: Meets 2nd Sunday of each month; 12:30 PM at Arya Samaj Greater Houston, 13475 Schiller Rd. Join the discussion of the great manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s autobiography â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Story of My Experiments with Truth.

Call Manish Wani 713-829-6979.

Sant Nirankari Mission Sant Nirankari Mission holds its weekly spiritual congregation on every Sunday at India House 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. followed by community meals. All are welcome. For further information, call Raj Bhala at (281) 980-2825.

INDIA HERALD • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2019 • PAGE 19

FOUNDATION FOR INDIA STUDIES

Invites you to join us in

Monday, January 21, 2019,10 am Parade walk will be about 1-mile. Wear weather appropriate clothing and walk shoes.

Free holiday parking on side streets. For parade route map, please visit: http://www.mlkgrandeparade.org/. For other information, call:

Nish Bhan 832-474-8561(Event Chair) / Sahil Verma 832-469-1015/ Raghu Nednur 713-927-8126 / Krishna Vavilala 713-795-5169.

PAGE 20 â&#x20AC;¢ INDIA HERALD â&#x20AC;¢ WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2019

Spring Branch Family Dentistry,P.A. 1111, Gessner, Suite B Houston, Texas 77055 (713) 461-8050 (713) 461-4747 WeWe Speak English, Hindi & Gujarati speak English & Gujarati CONVENIENT HOURS Monday: 9 am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 6 pm Tuesday: 9 am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 7 pm Wednesday: 9 am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 6 pm Thursday: 9 am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 7 pm Friday: 9 am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 4 pm Saturday: 9 am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 4 pm (Closed one Saturday a month) '

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