SAYIT AGAIN

Ripbhavita

BhavitaPatel, 33, has been named as the sixth victim of the Bourke Street incident. She died on 30Janua,y when her family decided to turn offher life support after she was injured in the 20January attack. Young mother and IT consultant Nethra Krishnamurthy is still recovering after the attack. SmltaSharma wrote: May your soul rest in peace. You are in a better place now.

Nandlta Bajaj wrote: Rest inPeace Bhavita, condolences to her family. AnllSingh wrote: Very tragic event, deep sorrow.

NallnlSingh wrote: Sad day for all Australians. RIP.

ComedygroupAIB on PriyankaChopra's Oscarsgown

"I wrote the ending of the Academy Awards 2017. Jimmy Kimmel -we really got them!"

M. NightShyamalanon theOscarsBestPicture controversy

General Practice Aswell As Social Work

RAJNI ANAND LUTHRA spoke with Australia Day honouree Dr Purushottam Sawrikar OAM

Avlnash Kanetkar wrote: Well done!

SangeetaSharma wrote: Congratulations Dr Sawrikar Anita Playoust wrote: Congratulations!

Kasturl Kalmath wrote: Congratulations Dr Sawrikar! Well deserved Kalyan Ram wrote: Dear DrSawrikar, my personal congratulations to you on the honour you have received. I am equally impressed with the work you havebeen involved with in the socialsector for the community in general and our migrants in particular. I am keen to speakwith you about your interest in the area of agedcare.

RECONSIDERYOUR DECISION, MELTONCHRISTIANCOLLEGE

RAJN/ ANAND LUTHRA reported on a Sikh boy denied enrolment at a Melbourne school for wearing the turban

BastianGianino wrote:The school has the right to enforce its uniform policies. These rules are for everyone who attends thatschool, those are the uniform rules; the boys at this school are not allowedto have their hair long or deviate from the standard uniform, i.e. wear different coloured socks that are not in accordance with their dress code. This is a private Christian school and we too mustrespect their rules if we wish for our children to attendthat school.

I am sure that there are a lot of suitable schools in the area which do not have a strictdress code so that you wouldn't have to compromise your religiousbeliefs,but having said that if a Christian childwantedto attend a school of a different faith and didn't, or couldn't, comply with the dress code of that school due to faith I am sure the outcome would be the same. If you want people to respect your religious beliefs, you too have to respect theirs. Babu wrote: Come on, this isAustralia - a land of freedom of choices! A dominant section of our population that is of European origin appears to be feeling some kind of baseless insecurity and going through integration problems themselves in mingling with the other ethnic sections of our society such asSikhs or Muslims. Wearing a turban or veil is in no way appearing to impact the basic Christian nature of Melton Christian College or the belief of any other school.

Any decision from Melton Christian College about its uniform policy points to a discriminatory attitude and passive aggression by a handful in its management committee. Even the law makers in our nation are poorly represented by ethnicgroups - the numbers seem to be disproportionate with the percentage of the ethnic population. This is possibly leadingto double standards when it comes to Court outcomes. As a moderate ethnic citizen ofAustralia, I strongly support Arora's case and hope to see his son being allowed to wear a turban to school. I urge one and allAustralians (allskin colours) to come together, evolve and make this nation a truly multiracialto achieve the best.

Noel Lal, ExecutiveVP,GOPIOlntematlonal wrote to thePrlnclpal ofMeltonChristianCollege: The Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) is the largest organisation for the welfare of PIOs living outside India, and is a non-partisan, secular global organisation engaged in promoting their wellbeing and enhancing cooperation and communication between Indians living in different countries.

GOPIO is extremely saddened with your school's decision to refuse a tiveyear-old Sikh boy admissionjust because he wears a turban, and it does not align with your uniformpolicy.

Your attention is drawn to a landmark case of September 2008, where a Brisbane private school was forced to back down on a strict uniform policy that would have forced aSikh boy to cut his hair and remove his turban.

GOPIO is disappointed that in today's day and age, instead of uniting various communities, your institution is actually dividing them (even at the tender age of five).

GOPIO hopes that the school will reconsider its earlier decision and do the needful by admitting the five-year-old Sikh boy.

IT'S TIME

MOHAN DHALL wrote about the importance of teaching childrenabouttime management and goalsetting for a smoothyear ahead

Slrla wrote: Excellent article and very relevant in this day and age. Well written, Mohan Dhall.

"Indians are at the bleeding end of technology. Trump's move will leadto Indian information technology companies focusing on the domestic problems"

BillionaireMukesh Ambani

"Catching the wrong train can sometimes get you to the right station."

Saroo Brierley promoting thefilm Lion in Kolkata