The South Asian Times

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Vol.9 No. 28 November 5-11, 2016 80 Cents

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CLIFFHANGER
In a tightening race, Hillary Clinton was a mere 12 points ahead nationally. Days
before the election, Donald Trump had the momentum, and was making a play
for battleground states to come tantalizingly close to winning the White House.

Election dominated by the

Coming to terms with a possible

Trump phenomenon Hillary Clinton loss

By Parveen Chopra

onald Trumps momentum has

brought him only a heartbeat
away from winning the pres
idency. Luckily for him, he has
peaked at the right time. And bad
news hit his Democratic rival,
Mrs Hillary Clinton at the wrong
time. But whether he eventually
becomes the 45th President of the
United States of America or not, the
2016 election will go
into history books
for the Trump
phenomenon.
T he
real
estate billion
aires candida
cy was con
sidered a
joke ini
tially.
He bam
boozled
his
way

through the Republican primaries, beating

16 other contenders including Jeb Bush,
considered prematurely to be a shooin
nominee. The TV channels loved
Trumps controversial state
ments and offthecuff remarks;
keeping the cameras on him
saw their ratings zoom. The
media made him but could not
undo what they had done. His
remarks about Mexicans,
Muslims and women and others
eventually made him
the
favorite
whipping
boy for the
mainstream

Continued
on page 9
More
election
coverage
on page
911.

By Parveen Chopra

ou are a liberalsecu
lar like most
mediapersons.
You lean Demo crat
like a majority of
Indian Americans. You
pored over newspapers
and news sites for
months, and watched
television for hours and
hours to track the
progress of your favorite
candidate Mrs Hillary
Clinton. You digged neg
ative news about
Donald Trump,
which was plen
ty. T he New
York
Times
and sites like
Huf fington
Post
por
trayed him
like
an

If you are 18-year-old

or above, you must vote on
November 8. Voting is both
a privilege & a civic duty.
anomaly in America, who was a dan
ger to democracy. Mrs Clinton did
not enthuse you like Barack Obama
did in 2008, but your mind was
made up anybody but Trump.
A dip in Mrs Clintons poll num
bers made you skip a heartbeat. Her
steady lead almost unsinkable in
most part of October made you
breathe easy. Women voters
were her firewall as well
as minorit ies. T hen
came FBI director chief
James Comeys letter
last wee k to US
Cong ress
about
reopening the case
of her private

Continued on
page 9

Brexit only after Parliament nod: UK high court

London: Britain's High Court has ruled that
the prime minister cannot trigger the UK's
exit from the European Union without
Parliament's approval a decision that
complicates an already confusing situation
riddled with uncertainties.
The case, the first successful legal chal
lenge since Britons voted in June to leave
the 28nation bloc, throws British Prime

Minister Theresa May's plans for Brexit into

turmoil because she may now have to con
tend with drawnout debates in Parliament
that could reveal her government's negotiat
ing positions to EU officials.
Mays government has confirmed it will go
to the Supreme Court to appeal the ruling,
and a hearing is expected to take place next
month. If the appeal succeeds, Britain will go

ahead with its timetable and activate Article

50 by the end of March next.
If the government loses its appeal, howev
er, May faces a headache because the major
ity of U.K. lawmakers backed the Remain
camp. Now they would have the opportunity
to impose numerous conditions on the
terms of leaving and delay the government's
exit plans by months.

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November 5-11, 2016

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TRISTATE COMMUNITY

US more backward than India in

leadership roles for women
New York: The US is more
backward than India when
it comes to leadership roles
for women, according to H R
Shah, the CEO of TV Asia,
the largest South Asian TV
network
in
America.
Endorsing Hillary Clinton
for president, he said on
Wednesday that US voters
now had a chance to remedy
this failing of the US by
e lect ing a woman and
Indian Americans should
back her.
Speaking at a news confer
ence he ld by Indian
Americans for Democrats
and Friends of Hillary for
President, he said that the

Mrs Indira
Gandhi
(seen with
President
Nixon) was
Indias
Prime
Minister for
15 years.

US was so backward that

in its 240year history it had
not had a woman president
while India, in its short his
tory of about 70 years, has
had a woman Prime
Minister Indira Gandhi, in

office for 15 years. The US

has the opportunity to elect
Hillary Clinton as its first
woman president and Indian
Americans should be a part
of the historic ef fort, he
said. Mike Patel, who served

under Bill Clinton as a mem

ber of the Presidents
Advisory Commission on
Asians and Pacific Islanders
and is a former chairman of
the Asian American Hotel
Owners Association, said
that contributing to election
funds of politicians alone
did not matter and Indian
Americans should also vote
and get involved in commu
nity affairs.
He said that hotel owners
were providing g free rooms
to volunteers who were
working to mobilize voters
in several key states as part
of their involvement in the
civic life of the US.

also appears in the PSA and

directed by Drue Pennella of Pure
Motion Pictures, Menace uses
spoken word to unite people of all
races, genders and sexualities in
one powerful, moving message to
the public.
A peddler of deception. He is
murdering the progress of the last
eight years. He is gutting the soul
of humanity. He is a narcissistic
manipulator who is leaving a trail
of blood stained tears. These are
some of the sentiments shared by
the actors in the getoutthevote
video, which begins with the emer
gency message: Allpoints bul
letin: There is a menace on the
loose. The star of shows like The

Arjun Gupta seen in

Nurse Jackie
Magicians and Nurse Jackie, and
the lone Indian American actor in
the video, Gupta describes Trump
as someone who began his politi
cal crusade by gliding down a gild
ed escalator. He goes on to
denounce Trumps slanderous
remarks about women and other
controversial statements during
his intermittent appearances.

Aakash Dalal found guilty, could face life sentence

New Jersey: The Bergen County
jury found Aakash Dalal a former
Rutgers student guilty on Tuesday
of terrorism and 16 other counts
for his role in conspiring with his
former school friend Anthony
Graziano for vandalism and re
bombing of Jewish facilities ve
years ago. Aakash has been under
solitary connement in the Bergen
County Jail since his March 2012
arrest. According to Bergen County

Prosecutor ofce Aakash was the

brain in a series of antiSemitic
attacks that spanned December
2011 and January 2012.
Aakash Dalals Defense attorney
Brian Neary said Tuesday night
that the family is very disappoint
ed with the verdict.
He said Motions against the ver
dict and for a new trial will be led
before Dec. 21, 2016, the day of
sentencing.

IndianAmerican
paper endorses Hillary
Bay Area, CA: For the first time in 30 years, an Indian
American monthly publication has endorsed a US presiden
tial candidate as it asked its readers to vote for Democratic
presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.
India Currents, a monthly publication from Bay Area, said
in an editorial on Tuesday that it endorsed Clinton as it felt
"intense outrage" after the resurfacing of an old video of
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.
"For the first time in thirty years, we are endorsing a presi
dential nomineeHillary Clinton to be the next President,"
said a joint editorial written by the magazine's editor
Nirupama Vaidhyananthan and publisher Vandana Kumar.
Founded in 1987, the monthly is also being published
from Washington DC for the past few years.
According to the editorial, the news magazine decided to
endorse a presidential candidate after a 15yearold video of
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump resurfaced
in which he is seen making lewd remarks about women.
"The right to vote is both a duty and a privilege, and is
especially so in this election which I am dubbing the ism
election. Racism and sexism have been in full display," the
editorial said.

Maragos calls
for 3.8% cuts in
Nassau County budget

Indian American actor

stars in antiTrump PSA
Los Angeles: A group of Hollywood
actors, including Indian American
actor Arjun Gupta, have united to
obstruct Republican presidential
nominee Donald Trumps path to
the White House.
SAG Award winner Aunjanue
Ellis (Quantico), Ato Essandoh
(Vinyl, Django Unchained),
Daniella Pineda (The Detour)
Tonynominated actress Pascale
Armand, Clifton Cutrary (Luke
Cage), and a host of other New
Yorkbased actors from Broadway,
film, and TV unleash a rant against
the GOP candidate in a new anti
Trump PSA, entitled, Menace
United We Rise.
Written by Tracee Loran who

November 5-11, 2016

Aakash Dalal in court on Nov 2.

Mineola, NY: Nassau County

Comptroller George Maragos has
advised the Administration and
the Legislature today to cut 3.8%
or $82.6 million from the pro
posed $3 billion 2017 budget in
order to avoid raising fees. This
can be achieved by ordering all
county departments, agencies and
elected of fices to revert to their
2016 adopted budgets and fur
ther cut them by about 2.5%.
Alternatively, a 5% reduction
combined with the latest pro
posed Administrative Technical
and Leg islat ive Amendments
would negate the need to raise or
impose the proposed fees, plus
meet the NIFA mandate of less
than a $60 million deficit on a
Generally Accepted Accounting
Principles (GAAP) basis. Cutting
programs or services must be
avoided.
The proposed 2017 County
budget needs to realign priorities
and challenge every department
to economize, rather than ask res
idents to pay more, said
Comptroller George Maragos. All
departments and Elected Offices
should be tasked to reduce their

Nassau County Comptroller

George Maragos has indicated
interest in running for
County Executive.
budgets without reducing pro
grams or services.
The Comptrollers Of fice has
revised its 2017 budget analysis
to incorporate the latest
Technical and Legislative pro
posed amendments. As a result,
the revised NIFA deficit is now at
$145.6 million. Enacting the pro
posed 3.8% departmental budget
ary cuts would save $82.6 million
and would eliminate the need for
new fees. Alternatively, a 5% cut
would eliminate the need for new
fees and further reduce the NIFA
deficit closer to the NIFA goal.

November 5-11, 2016

India will lead world in

almost every category:
Richard Verma
Raipur: Expressing confidence that
by 2030 India would lead the world
in "almost every category", US
Ambassador to India Richard R
Verma has said people are excited
about the IndoUS partnership
which is poised to strengthen fur
ther. "I look out into the future in
India...just take 2030. By 2030,
India will lead the world in almost
every category...You will have the
most people, largest middle class
population, college graduates,
patent holders, massive investment
in infrastructure, urbanization and
discoveries," he said while interact
ing with students at the
Government Engineering College in
Raipur.
"That's why people are so excited
about India's rise and what's hap
pening here. That's why I am excit
ed about the partnership we have
with you (India)... we can't agree on
every issue, but we can get really a
lot of important things done," he
added.
Mr Verma termed the last two
years as the best period in the rela
tionship between the two countries.
He said President Barack Obama
wants India to be a strong, prosper
ous and a successful global power.
"We changed, India has
changed...We were on two separate
tracks for many a decade. Those
tracks are now coming together. If
you ask (US) president about how
he feels about India, he would say
he wants India to be strong and
prosperous," he said.
Speaking about various fronts on
which both the countries have col
laborated and succeeded, he
stressed that the two countries
broke records in several categories

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

TURN PAGE

NDTV India asked to go

off air for 24 hours

Arnab Goswami quits

Times Now

New Delhi: T he Ministry of Information and

Broadcasting has directed the Hindi news channel
NDTV India to go off air for 24 hours for allegedly
breaching broadcast norms in its coverage of the
Pathankot terror attack, informed sources said on
Thursday.
They said NDTV India has been asked to go off
air on November 9. An interministerial committee
had found that the channel had violated broadcast
norms while reporting on the terror attack in
Punjab in January this year: the channel had
revealed some sensitive details of the air base while
relaying news from the spot during the attack.
NDTV Associate VicePresident (Legal) Sheena
Iype said they will come up with a response after
studying the order.

New Delhi: Hugely pop

ular TV journalist and
anchor of Newshour,
Arnab Goswami, has
resigned as editorin
chief of Times Now,
according to reports.
According to an
Indian Express report,
...he announced his
resignation at an edito Arnab Goswami may start his
own venture
rial meeting. Goswami
resigned from the post as he wanted to start something
on his own, said sources.
Sources within the Times Group indicate that Arnab
Goswami may have been in discussions with another
organisation to set up a new television and digital news
venture for the past six months, The Quint reported. It
was also indicated that at least a handful of Times Now
employees will move to the new project along with him.
In Arnabs words, the new project will be a formidable
competition to BBC and CNN..

US ambassador to India
Richard Verma
last year. "We had the highest two
way trade between the two coun
tries ever of $110 billion. US was
the largest export market for India.
"About 1.1 million visitors from
India travelled to the US and equal
ly, one million Americans visited
India last year which was an all
time high. Last year, 1.40 lakh
Indian students were studying in
America. The highest defence trade
number last year was $15 billion,"
he said.
Mr Verma, however, said the two
countries can do a lot more on
peace, prosperity, climate change,
defense and strategic affairs which
he feels will have big impact on
people. He also noted that the visits
of Prime Minister Narendra Modi
have strengthened ties between the
two countries.
He quoted PM Modi's speech at
the US Congress earlier this year,
where the PM had said they have
overcome the hesitation of history
and India is on course of making
the US its indispensable partner.
The US envoy also stressed the
role India and the US can play in
ensuring peace and harmony in the
world.

Meera Gandhi at the World Premiere of 'God vs Trump Only Love Wins' at the IFC Theater in New York
City on November 3 with (from left) Producer Sunil Sadarangani, Director Martin Dunkerton and Producer
Jordan Washington. (Photo by Mohammed Jaffer; courtesy: Patrick McMullan)

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arun.kumar@ians,in

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TRISTATE

November 5-11, 2016

Community leaders endorse Tom Suozzi for Congress

Albertson, NY: Indian American community leaders from Nassau, Suffolk and
Queens came together in the past two weeks
to express their support for Tom Suozzi, a
Democrat who is running for the US House
of Representatives, in the third congressional
district covering parts of the three counties.
Dr. Dipak Nandi, Dr. Bhupi Patel, Dr. Dattatrey Nori, Anumolu Rao, Animesh Goenka,
Sunil Modi, Sekhar Nelanuthala, Gobind
Bathija, Satnam Parhar and 30 other prominent members of the community assembled
at the Albertson home of Ratna and Varinder
Bhalla, hosts of the fundraiser on October 28,
and expressed their strong support in electing former County Executive Tom Suozzi for
Congress on November 8. Many physicians
and community activists gathered for another
fundraiser organized by Dr. Ajay Lodha and
Dr. Vaijinath Chakote in Roslyn on October
23. Varinder K Bhalla, Chairman & Founder

of the Indian American Voters Forum, said,

Tom Suozzi has been a great supporter of
the Indian community for nearly two decades and as Congressman, he will be great
for India, USA and Indo-US relations.
As County Executive, Tom Suozzi had
appointed more Indian Americans in high
level positions in his administration than
any other County Executive in the entire
State of New York, Bhalla added.
Representing the Sikh community, Dr. Harsimran Singh Sabharwal expressed appreciation for Suozzi for helping us to build a gurdwara in Glen Cove when he was its mayor.
Dr. Bhupi Patel made an impassioned appeal
to community to vote for Suozzi. Earlier this
year, Suozzi had said, if I am elected, I will
join the US Congressional Caucus on India &
Indian Americans and work to strengthen the
bond between the worlds largest democracy
and the worlds oldest democracy.

Indian American community leaders at a fundraiser in support of

Tom Suozzi for Congress, hosted by Ratna & Varinder Bhalla.

Running for NY assembly to curb corruption

By Parveen Chopra
Dr Dean Hart is running for New York Assembly District 15, in which Hicksville, the
Little India, falls. A retired optometrist and
businessman, Dr Hart, 58, has entered politics to act against corruption in Albany. The
Glen Head resident ran unopposed in the
Democratic primary. His opponent is the incumbent Michael Montesano, a Republican.
Dr Hart has warm relations with the Indian community, and he even took out a
float at the India Day Parade in Hicksville
this August. He gave this interview to The
South Asian Times.

The South Asian Times: You are running

on the clean up corruption pitch -- but
Newsday endorsed your opponent, arguing
you have not detailed how.
Dr Dean Hart: If we keep a wall between
the politician, public servant and the contractors, then we will increase honesty in

the contracting process. The wall should

be an unbiased Inspector General that has
only one mission and that is to get the best
product for the lowest cost. Sourcing and
procurement are seldom done by CEO of a
large corporation and the process of hiring
needs to create an even playing field for
all. Term limits are excellent to avoid the
elected official from gaming the system for
self-serving benefits. Assembly and Senate
cannot have a title part-timer and clearly
need to have no side businesses to benefit
from the power of the position they are
elected to. New York Senate leader Skelos
and Assembly Leader Silver were lawyers
that operated a law practice and abused
their powers. They have been convicted and
sentenced to jail for what is for all practicality a lifetime considering their age.

Dr Hart took out a float at the India Day Parade in Hicksville this August.

What are the other issues

you will take up in Albany?
Dr Hart: We need to clean up our Island and
improve the environment. It is essential that
the aging population and elderly health care
issues and support be improved. Mentalhealth,
veterans suffering from war trauma, womens
rights, safety by law enforcement, roads and
medical care are issues that need to be worked
and improved upon. Government should also
remember to bring happiness and enjoy the
splendor of this great state and nation. Beauty
and grandeur of and to our ancestors legacy
for the sake of our children is essential. Long
Island must get its fair share of taxes paid to Albany, and not be the cash cow it currently must
endure for the rest of the state of NY. Transparency to the citizens is essential and conversely
the blind-folding of the politicians as to who is
hired is required too. Judges, executives, and
legislators cannot lose site of the Constitution, Bill of Rights and Declaration of Independence. These documents create a framework
that has worked now for a third century, but
we must always be reminded of the words.

Your proposals like erecting a Billy Joel statue outside Nassau Coliseum have made news,
but will that help or hurt your campaign?
Dr Hart: Hopefully people realize that
somebody that ran many businesses in his
life will add great insights to running our
government and participating in business
decisions.

Corruption hit Nassau County last month

with the indictment of County Executive Ed
Mangano and Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor Venditto. What is the root cause of political corruption and what is the long term
solution to curb it?
Dr Hart: Nepotism, cronyism, campaign finance rules, and self-serving interests have
all congealed into a swamp that needs to
be drained.

You ran for Nassau County legislature last

year, and did not win. How do you hope to
win a bigger race for state assembly?
Dr Hart: Since I never held a political position nor ran or yearned for one prior to
2015 I was a novice. As a novice, I almost
won and lost by only a few hundred votes in
a Gerrymandered district designed for Democrats to lose. If you do not live and learn
you are finished growing on the path of life
and hopefully I have learned how to get a
few hundred more votes than last time.

Any comment on the Indian American

community?
Dr Hart: Since I have many patients in the
Hicksville practice that is Woodbury Optical, they are my employees and the same
as all other patients that choose me to render care. We are all the same inside. One
thing I do notice is the immigrants and new
generation that makes up America are hard
working and law abiding, education striving honorable citizens that contribute to
the melting pot that is our great nation.

Any comments on the presidential race

which is dead heat now?
Dr Hart: I prefer presidents that accept all
Americans as equal and important. Prejudice
is intolerable and lying to us is distasteful.

November 5-11, 2016

TRISTATE COMMUNITY

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Kerala Center to honor ve at annual awards banquet

New York: The Indian American
Kerala Cultural and Civic Center
will honor five Indian American
Malayalees for their outstanding
achievements in their field of spe
cialization or for their service to
the society.
The awardees were selected by a
committee consisting of four mem
bers headed by Kerala Center
Board Member and Trustee Dr.
Thomas Abraham.
Kerala Center has been honor
ing outstanding achievers since
1991 and every year we invite
nominations and the committee
has to make a unanimous choice
for a candidate in a category to be
selected to receive the award and
this year is no different from pre

vious years in terms of their

achievements, said Dr. Abraham.
This years honorees are: Arun M
Kumar, Assistant Secretary of
Commerce for Global Markets and
Director General of the U.S. and
Foreign Commercial Service and
leads the trade and investment
promotion efforts of the U.S. Gov
ernment for Service to the US
Govt.; Ram Menon is Partner at
KPMG, a global network of profes
sional firms providing Advisory,
Tax and Audit services and serves
as Global Head of KPMGs Insur
ance Deal Advisory practice for
Corporate Leadership; Dr. Jay Rad
hakrishnan, Professor of Medicine
at Columbia University and Clinical
Chief of the Nephrology Division at

Dharun Ravi
admits he spied
on roommate
New Brunswick: A former Indian student of a US public
research university, whose gay roommate killed himself
in 2010 after being captured in a sexual act on webcam,
has pleaded guilty to attempted invasion of privacy.
The 24yearold Dharun Ravi's plea on Thursday, came
after an appeals court in September threw out a 15count
conviction against him in the 2010 death of 18yearold
Tyler Clementi, USA Today reported.
New Jersey's Superior Court Judge Glenn Berman sen
tenced Ravi to 30 days in jail the time he has already
spent in prison after he was convicted of briefly spying
on Clementi and a man known only as M.B., for a few sec
onds on September 19, 2010, at the Rutgers University.
By pleading guilty to the thirddegree felony, Ravi ac
cepted a deal with state prosecutors to drop all other
charges after an appellate court threw out his conviction.
Ravi is a citizen of India living legally in the US. The plea
that includes no additional penalties, officially ended the
case involving Ravi.
Clementi, an accomplished violinist, leapt from the
George Washington Bridge on September 22, 2010, days
after Ravi, his freshman roommate, livestreamed him in
the sexual act with the other man.
(IANS)

Kerala Center 2016 awardees (l to r): Arun Kumar, Ram Menon, Dr. Jay Radhakrishnan,
Prof. T.V. RajanBabu and Manohar Thomas
the New York Presbyterian Hospi
tal in Medicine; Dr. T.V. RajanBabu,
Professor and Kiberly Chair in
Chemistry at Ohio State University
(Columbus, OH) in Applied Sci
ences and Manohar Thomas, a
Malayalam writer and community
activist who has been very active

for over 30 years in promoting

Malayalam language and literature
of Kerala in US for Promoting Lit
erary Work and Community
Service.
The awardees will be honored at
the Kerala Center's 23rd Annual
Awards Banquet on Saturday, No

vember 5th starting at 6.30 p.m. at

Worlds Fair Marina in Flushing
(Queens, New York City). The chief
guest is Consul for Community Af
fairs at the New York Indian Con
sulate K. Devadasan Nair and the
keynote speaker is US Asst. Secre
tary of Commerce Arun Kumar.

Gandhi Community Empowerment

Conference 2016 held at Queens College, NY
New York: The Indian Diaspora Council
(IDC) organized and sponsored the
Gandhi Community Empowerment Con
ference
2016
hosted
by
the
Asian/American Center of Queens Col
lege, New York on October 23. The
event was cosponsored by Indian Dias
pora Council (IDC); Indian Jewish Coun
cil; American Bengali Hindu Foundation
(ABHF); Holi Sammelan & Festival Com
mittee; New York Guyana Medical & Hu
manitarian Mission; Federation of Hin
du Mandirs, Inc. (USA; IndoCaribbean
Alliance; IndoCaribbean Federation;
Association of Artists & Writers; Inter
faith Council for Comm. Development;
Association of Indians in America (AIA);
Guyana One Air; Travel Span; Richmond
Hill Economic Development Council
(RHEDC); and several others.
Speakers included: NYS Assemblyman
David Weprin; Dr. Madhulika Khandel
wal (Director,Asian/American Center of
Queens College); Jessica Douglas who
read the message from NYC Mayor Bill
de Blasio; Mirna Velasquez (rep US Con
gressman Joseph Crowley); Aliya Latif

Jhairam Persaud, Dr. Shashi Shah, Ashook Ramsaran, NYS Assemblyman David
Weprin, Dr. Tyran Ramnarine, Dr. Madhulika Khandelwal, Darrel Sukhdeo, Santram
Dukhbhanjan, Dr. Tara Singh
(rep NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer);
Dr. Shashi Shah (president of Associa
tion of Indians in America); Richie Lip
kowitz (Cochair, Indian Jewish Coun
cil); Jhairam Persaud (president GOPIO
of Upper New York); Robert Mahesh
(poet and historian); Vishnu Mahadeo
(president of RHEDC).
Keynote speaker on 100 th Anniv.

Commemoration of Abolition of Indian

Indentureship was prominent historian
Dr. Tyran Ramnarine.
IDC president Ashook Ramsaran read
excerpts from letter sent by Ela Gandhi,
granddaughter of Mohandas Gandhi.
Recognition was given to: David
Weprin; Dr. Madhulika Khandelwal; Dr.
Tyran Ramnarine.

MoMI and The India Center Foundation partner to

launch India Kaleidoscope Film Fest in Dec
New York, NY: Museum of the
Moving Image (MoMI) and The In
dia Center Foundation are launch
ing India Kaleidoscope, an excit
ing new festival that will present
film lovers with a chance to im
merse themselves in the unique
sights and sounds that make up
the Indian regional, independent
film landscape. These films, which
delve into the most relevant and
pressing topics facing India, are
being made by todays most pro
gressive filmmakers working in
regional languages such as
Marathi, Kannada, Tamil, and Ben
gali.

Consistent with our mission to

offer a platform for barrierbreak
ing and emerging work from the
subcontinent, the films featured in
India Kaleidoscope film festival
are eye opening studies from all
corners of India, said Priya Giri
Desai, a Founding Director of The
India Center Foundation. The In
dia Center Foundation is proud to
present many of these new voices
for the very first time in North
America. The festival represents
the kind of work we hope to con
tinue: quality collaborations that
result in exposure to new sights
and sounds to inspire our audi

ence.
India Kaleidoscope is an auspi
cious start to MoMIs collabora
tion with The India Center Foun
dation. This dynamic partnership
is proven by the quality of the Fes
tival lineup and the participation
of so many emerging and estab
lished film directors, said the Mu
seums Chief Curator, David
Schwartz. "We are thrilled to turn
the spotlight on Indian regional
cinema, showcasing its diversity
and richness," added Christina
Marouda, Festival Organizer and
MoMI's Director of Development.
The inaugural India Kaleido

scope Festival, taking place De

cember 8 through 11 at the Mu
seum, will feature eight films, in
cluding seven new titles that will
be making their U.S. or North
American premieres and one spe
cial presentation of a classic Indi
an film. Most films will feature di
rectors in person. The Opening
Night film is India in a Day, an am
bitious documentary project initi
ated by Google and comprised of
images shot by thousands of peo
ple throughout India, artfully edit
ed by director Richie Mehta (who
will appear in person on Dec. 8),
and executive produced by Ridley

Scott and Anurag Kashyap.

Other highlights include a pair
ing of Ghatashraddha (The Ritual),
a key work of the Indian New
Wave by pioneer Kannada direc
tor Girish Kasaravalli, with
Harikatha Prasanga (Chronicles of
Hari), the directorial debut of
Ananya Kasaravalli, daughter of
Girish Kasaravalli, with both film
makers appearing in person; and
the Closing Night film Tope (The
Bait), a seductively surreal, folk
loric fable from prominent Ben
gali director, Buddhadeb Dasgup
ta (who will appear in person on
Dec. 11).

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

NATIONAL COMMUNITY

November 5-11, 2016

IndianAmericans raise over

$10 million for Clinton campaign
Washington, DC:
Indian
Americans are believed to have
raised at least $10 million
towards the election campaign to
elect Democratic presidential
candidate Hillary Clinton as the
next president of the US.
At least two of the Indian
Americans philanthropist Frank
Islam from Maryland and Shefali
Razdan Duggal from California
alone have helped raising a mil
lion dollar each for the presiden
tial campaign of the former First
Lady and the secretary of state,
campaign insiders told PTI.
Notably the Hillary Campaign
does not give details of the major
fundraisers and the amount of

money raised by them.

It does have a group called
'Hillblazers' which has list of indi
viduals who have contributed
and/or raised $100,000 or more
for Hillary for America, the
Hillary Victory Fund, and/or the
Hillary Action Fund since the
launch of this historic campaign
on April 12, 2015.
Among those listed in the latest
list of Hillblazers released by the
Clinton Campaign are more than
30 Indian Americans, each of
them raising a minimum of
$100,000. However, these
IndianAmericans are reported to
have raised much more than that,
campaign insiders said.

For instance, Ajay and Vinita

Bhutoria from San Francisco
raised more than $500,000 for
the Hillary Campaign.
Among other IndianAmerican
Hillblazers as released by the
Hillary Campaign are Monica
Arora and Raj Goyle from New
York, Raj Fernando from Chicago,
Mahinder Tak from Maryland,
Seema R Hingorani from New
York, Shekar Narshiman from
Virginia, Kamil and Talat Hasan
from California.
While there is no compilation
of fund raising figures based on
ethnicity, multiple sources said
that they estimate the conserva
tive amount of money raised by

Republicans smear
Indianorigin candidate,
say he is like Trump
Orlando: An Indianorigin Democrat run
ning for a local office has been targeted by
Florida Republicans in an unusual attack a
flyer saying he has a lot in common with
their own presidential nominee Donald
Trump like "scandal, dirty deals and disdain
for women."
Orange County Property Appraiser Rick
Singh, seeking ree lection against
Republican Edward DeAguilera, was the sub
ject this week of another mailer to Orange
County residents painting him as corrupt.
"Rick Singh=Donald Trump," reads the
mailer currently being distributed in the
Orlando area by Leadership for Florida's
Future political committee, a group partly
funded by the state Republican party,
Florida Politics reported.
One side of the mailer features half of
Singh's head next to half of Trump's, and the
other declares that "Like Trump, Singh is
simply unfit for public office".
He has also been targeted in internet and
social media advertising by outside groups.
This mailer, from the Michael Millner
chaired Leadership for Florida's Future
political committee accuses Singh of scan
dals including funneling money from his
public position to his family's charity, and of
be longing to a Facebook group that
demeans women.
"Rick Singh has a lot in common with

Rick Singh
(Image : Orlando political oberservor)
Donald Trump, Scandal. Dirty Deals. Disdain
for Women," the mailer reads.
Unlike several previous antiSingh mail
ers, this one's sources of backing are pub
licly documented and therefore clearly legal,
and significantly Republican Trump's
party. Singh told ThinkProgress that he
finds the strategy bizarre, desperate, and
of fensive. "I'm the complete opposite of
Donald Trump. I was raised by a single
mother who worked three jobs as a maid to
make ends meet...I find it humorous that the
Republican Party of Florida would compare
me to Donald Trump," he was quoted as
saying.

IndianAmericans for Clinton is at

least $10 million.
It is also believed that Indian
Americans are only second high
est fund raiser after the powerful
and influential Israeli American
community.
Among other IndianAmericans
who figure in Hillblazers are
Shradha Agarwal from Chicago,
Ankit N Desai from Washington
DC, Aashish and Dinyar Devitre
from New York, Sanjay Govil
from Maryland, Maneesh K Goyal
from New York, Margaret and
Shashikant Gupta from Virginia;
Amrita and Ashok Mahbubani
from Alabama, Deven J Parekh
from New York, and Reshma M

Saujani from New York.

Rad hika Shah from Silicon
Valley, Rishi Shah and Smita Shah
from Chicago; Kabir and Noreen
Shahani from Seattle, M Osman
Siddique from Virg inia, Amy
Singh from Chicago, Smita Singh
from San Francisco; Pradeep and
Ranjana Sinha from Atlanta have
also raised a minimum of
$100,000 for the Hillary
Campaign.
In addition to these recognised
Hillblazers, several thousand
IndianAmericans have con
tributed to the Clinton Campaign
either through fund raisers at a
much smaller scale or through
(PTI)
online portals.

Sant Chatwal: Our votes

could make the difference
New York: With the race for the White House
tightening, IndianAmerican Democrats are
making a push to get their community to turn
out to vote for Hillary Clinton, saying she's
been a steadfast friend of Indians and India.
Leaders of "Indian Americans for
Democrats and Friends of Hillary for
President" appealed in particular to Indians
living in states expected to play a key role in
the presidential elections next week saying
that despite its small size the community's
votes could have an outsize effect in a tight
race. At a news conference here Wednesday,
New York hotelier Sant Chatwal pointed to
the 2000 elections which Democrat Al Gore
lost by less than 400 votes in Florida and said
that in states like that votes of Indian
Americans carry more weight as a deciding
factor. The key states are those that are tradi
tionally Republican and are called Red States,
and the swing states where the two parties
are almost evenly poised and could go either
way. The latest opinion polls showed that
Republican Donald Trump has narrowed the
gap and was tied with Clinton or was very
close. Chatwal recalled the many visits Hillary
Clinton made to India and said that she
understood the country and was deeply
touched by it, making her a loyal friend of the
community and the nation. Bhupi Patel, a
community leader, spoke of the influence
Indians steadily have built up in US politics
and their impact on IndiaUS relations. He
recalled Indian American Center for Political

Sant Chatwal says Clinton has been a

steadfast friend of Indians and India.
(Image courtesy: Politico.com)
Awareness founded by the late newspaper
pioneer Gopal Raju and how it encouraged
Indians to get involved in politics and helped
India and the US develop closer ties.
Patel said that Clinton's agenda for health
care, immigration reform and improving the
quality of and access to education meshed in
with that of Indian Americans for whom
these were crucial issues.
Chatwal spoke of his close ties to the
Clintons and said that President Bill Clinton
asked him what position he would want in his
administration. He said he replied that he
only wanted Clinton to visit India, which he
did, laying the foundation for deepening ties
between the two nations.
Chatwal, who is leading one of the Indian
American mobilsation drives, was convicted
in 2014 of election finance violations involv
ing $180,000 he gave to three politicians,
including Hillary Clinton, and witness
(IANS)
tampering.

November 5-11, 2016

NATIONAL COMMUNITY

Sikh organizations brief

Congress members
Washington, DC: On October 12,
the National Sikh Campaign organ
ized an event on Capitol Hill to
raise awareness about the Sikh
faith. With the help of the Sikh
Coalition, Muslim Advocates, and
the Truman Nat ional Security
Project, the Sikh organizations
brie fed members of the U.S.
Congress on matters ranging from
hate crimes to elevating knowledge
about the Sikh faith.
Senator Cory Booker (DNJ), Sen.
Kirsten Gillibrand (DNY ), and
Representatives Joseph Crowley (D
NY) and Rep. John Garamendi (D
CA) supported the event and sent
video messages expressing their
support. The event was centered
around a panel discussion about
the misconceptions that many peo
ple have about the Sikh faith and

Major Kalsi (first from right)

fear of "Muslimlooking" communi
ties. The panel also discussed the
dramatically rising hate crime rates
against the American Sikh commu
nity since 9/11.
Major Kamaljeet Singh Kalsi is a
U.S. Army Bronze Star Medal recipi
ent and the first turbaned Sikh sol
dier in over 30 years. Major Kalsi

spoke on the pane l and spoke

extensively about the progress that
US has made with race related
issues but emphasized there is still
more work to be done. Major Kalsi
also emphasized that we as individ
uals need to be proactive in spread
ing knowledge about our communi
ty to the broader American public.

App for ethnic fashion exchange

San Francisco: Ethnic
Thread, a mobile app plat
form to trade your
preloved ethnic fashion,
recently launched on the
iPhone and Android mar
kets globally. This user
friendly app gives women
a chance to exchange, sell
or
rent
personally
Sailee Raje, founder,Ethnic Threads app
owned/designed clothing,
accessories and home decor. In this pany, EthnicThread is founded by
social media era where women are Sailee Raje, a silicon valley techie,
hesitant to repeat outfits once the who wanted to create an easy and
pictures go out, EthnicThread is a guiltfree way to keep her closet sim
fashion platform where women can ple and organized, without compro
monetize their closets by selling new mising the shopaholic in her. It was
and gently used party wear outfits, nt long before she was joined by her
and buy different ones from other equally passionate friends across
women in the community at great USA and India to create a mobile
prices. A primarily women run com friendly solution for it. As the app

started taking shape, her re

search and surveys led to
the discovery of tremen
dous hidden talent in the
South Asian community
homemakers, students and
hobbyists with expertise in
designing, tailoring, embroi
dering, painting, henna,
photography,
makeup
artistry, rangoli, and more.
These talented individuals were ea
ger to help the community by offer
ing their expertise in their spare
time. Until now they mostly relied on
word of mouth to get work.
EthnicThread was born to serve
this purpose of connecting talent to
opportunities. The app provides its
users a major advantage by not
charging any transaction fees.

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Indian teen arrested

for choking 911 lines
San Francisco: An Indianorigin
teenager has been arrested in the
US for carrying out a cyberattack
that swamped Arizona's emer
gency services with several bogus
calls, an incident he claimed was a
nonharmful joke gone wrong.
Meetkumar Hiteshbhai Desai
was taken into custody after the
Surprise Police Department, Ari
zona, notified the Sheriff's Office
of more than 100 hangup 911
calls.
The Maricopa County Sheriff's
Office arrested the 18yearold,
accusing him of carrying out a cy
berattack on the 911 system, ac
cording to a Sheriff's Office state
ment. Desai was booked into a
Maricopa County jail on suspicion
of three counts of computer tam
pering.
Interference with critical infra
structure could have disrupted the
911 system in the Phoenix area
and potentially other states, The
Arizona Republic reported.
Investigators traced the calls
and discovered they originated
from a link posted to Twitter, ac
cording to the statement.
The link was to a site named
"Meet Desai" and its domain was
hosted out of San Francisco. When
the link was clicked, it continually
called 911 and would not let the
caller hang up.
Peoria police and the MCSO also
received a large number of calls,
and the volume had the potential
to shut down 911 service across
Maricopa County, the Sheriff's Of
fice said. "Meet claims that his in
tention was to make a nonharm
ful, but annoying bug that he be

Meetkumar Desai
(Image courtesy: azcentral.com)
lieved was 'funny'," the Sheriff's
Office statement said.
Desai told investigators that he
was approached by an online
friend with a bug. Desai then
tweaked the bug so it would add
popups, prompts to open email
applications and activation of au
tomatic telephone dialing on iOS
devices, all via coding that Desai
wrote himself.
Desai told sheriff's detectives
that he was interested in pro
grams, bugs and viruses that he
could manipulate and change. De
sai said Apple Inc., the hardware
and software company, would pay
and credit him for discovering
such bugs and viruses.
The MCSO cybercrimes unit ex
ecuted a search warrant and
seized multiple items at Desai's
residence that will be forensically
examined, the Sheriff's Office
said.

Republican Hindu body attacks Clinton as 'sympathetic' to Pakistan

Tampa: A Republican Hindu or
ganization is running antiHillary
Clinton advertisement on Indian
American television channels, at
tacking the Democratic presiden
tial candidate as "sympathetic to
wards Pakistan" and her longtime
aide for her Pakistani origin.
"Hillary, sympathetic towards
Pakistan gave billions of dollars in
aid and military equipment used
against India. She was instrumen
tal in blocking PM Modi's visa.

(She) takes contributions from

countries and individuals known to
support radical Islam," says the ad
endorsed by the Republican Hindu
Coalition (RHC). The advertise
ment also attacks former US presi
dent and Clinton's husband Bill,
and her longtime aide Huma Abe
din. "Her current aide Huma Abe
din is of Pakistani origin and will
become chief of staff if she wins.
Her husband Bill Clinton wants to
give Kashmir to Pakistan," it says

and calls on Americans to "Vote Re

publican great for you, great for
USIndian relations and great for
America."
Abedin's mother is of Pakistani
origin and her father is from India.
She was born in Kalamazoo, Michi
gan, in 1976 to Syed Zainul Abe
din, from Delhi, and Saleha Mah
mood Abedin. The family moved to
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, when Abedin
was two. RHC's head Shalabh Ku
mar did not respond to questions

on the ad that began airing days

ahead of the November 8 polls. He,
however, has told The New York
Post that "Huma in general is as
proterrorist as you could be... she's
got a really dark background. I
can't even fathom. I don't under
stand why Hillary will associate
herself with Huma."
IndianAmerican supporters of
Clinton slammed RHC for its com
mercial. "This advertisement is
misleading, incorrect and false,"

said Ajay Jain Bhutoria, a fundrais

er for Clinton campaign."Trump
and RHC are misleading the com
munity with false facts," he alleged.
"Trump showed disrespect for In
dians and has mocked Indian call
centre workers at an election rally
earlier this year.Trump has created
conflict between Hindus and Mus
lims... India and Pakistanis in USA.
We left these kind of religion
based politics back in our home
(PTI)
country," Bhutoria said.

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

US AFFAIRS

November 5-11, 2016

30 mn ballots cast in Melania on her role

early voting
as First Lady
Washington: With over 30 million ballots
cast in the US presidential election early vot
ing, Democrats were building a lead in North
Carolina and Nevada states, while
Republicans maintained an edge in Florida
and Ohio, according to a CNN analysis.
With five days to go till November 8, regis
tered Republicans also led Democrats in early
voting in Arizona, while Democrats were
ahead in Colorado and Iowa, the analysis
revealed on Thursday.
In Arizona, about 1.3 million people have
already voted. Registered Republicans were
ahead right now 71,000 votes or 5.5 per
cent.
In Florida, Republicans were leading by
over 1,695,000 votes, meanwhile Democrats
were ahead in Iowa with more than 41,000
votes. Colorado is a state where the election is
almost entirely conducted by mail. Here,
Democrats were leading by more than 18,500
votes, or about 1.5 per cent.
Reg istered Demo crats were ahead in
Nevada by about 29,000 votes right now over
registered Republicans. Democrats were also

Election dominated by the

Trump phenomenon
Continued from page 1
media. The neverTrumpers too tried till
the Republican convention to withhold the
partys
nomination
from him,
to no avail.
Coming
to the gen
eral e lec
t i o n ,
Trump was
for months
m u c h
behind Mrs
Clintons poll numbers, and the chances of
his winning never rose above the teens.
Worse, Republican partys heavyweights
the Bushes, Mitt Romney, John McCain,
Mitch McConnell were not on his side.
House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senator Ted
Cruz to this day do not utter his name in
public.
Then came the sleazy Access Hollywood
tape starring Trump, the three debates with
Mrs Clinton where he improved with
every debate and allegations of past sexu
al misconduct against him by a dozen
women. For some days the election cover
age seemed like reality TV, the ratings way
above Trumps show The Apprentice could
have ever dreamed of. His poll numbers
fell, and Mrs Clinton could have gone into
hibernation and still won the election by a
landslide. But carrying on, her campaign
started talking of turning red states like
Arizona, Georgia and Utah blue, even going
into Texas. They wanted to improve the
chances of downballot Democrat candi
dates. The Senate control was within reach,
and control of the House was eyed.
Then a fortnight or so before the election,
the pendulum started swinging back. Two
days before Diwali came the bombshell
news that FBI had reopened Mrs Clintons
email case after finding some related

leading in North Carolina by about 243,000

votes.
Registered Republicans expanded their lead
this week in Ohio. They were now ahead of
Democrats by almost 66,000 votes, or about
5 points.
More than 30 million votes have been cast
already across 38 states with early voting.
And with five days to go, both Hillary Clinton
and Donald Trump are encouraging their sup
porters to hit the polls early. Catalist, a data
company that works with progressive candi
dates and groups, voter list connects returned
ballots with demographic and registration
information, such as party registration, gen
der and age, and allows a closer look at who
has already cast a vote, CNN reported.
These are not results ballots are not
counted until Election Day.
But the findings provide clues on who was
voting and which party was turning out to
vote. And in states that track party affiliation,
it was important to remember that not all
Democrats are voting for Clinton, and not all
Republicans support Trump.
emails on the laptop of Anthony Weiner,
the estranged husband of Huma Abedin,
Mrs Clintons right hand woman. Her poll
numbers have been plummeting since. The
race has tightened, particularly in the bat
tleground states, even in Pennsylvania
where she was up by double digits. As of
Thursday night, Trump was up in Ohio; in
New Hampshire, he edged past Clinton.
Florida and North Carolina were a tie. He
was making a play for Colorado and
Virginia. Suddenly her blue firewall did not
seem so impenetrable.
Win or lose, the Trump phenomenon will
be analyzed for years to come. 45% of adult
Americans are expected to vote for him
despite the scandals, the negative publicity
about nonrelease of his tax returns, ques
tions over the Trump Foundation and
Trump University. Not to speak of his
alleged racism and sexism.
Well, there are multiple factors that
explain his Teflon candidacy and staying
power. After eight years of a Democratic
White House, and Mrs Clinton running on
President Obamas legacy, the time was
ripe for somebody promising change and
shaking up Washington. T he stagnant
economy and the middle class just about
making ends meet was a fertile ground for
Trump to make a case for America First in
trade agreements and bringing back jobs
gone abroad. Trump also found a way to
touch the raw nerve of white grievance, the
blue collar white males became his diehard
fans. His invitation to African Americans
the community most disadvantaged and
taken for granted by the Democrats may
even have found some takers. Whether you
are a dove or a hawk, youd approve of his
trenchant criticism of ObamaClinton for
eign policy that has led to a
mess in Iraq, Syria and
Libya.
On the
negative
side,
of
course, dis

Philadelphia: In a rare
Me lania said if she
campaign speech, Melania
becomes first lady, she
Trump, wife of Republican
w ill improve a so cial
president ial nominee
media culture that "has
Donald
Trump,
on
gotten too mean and too
Thursday strongly defend
rough, especially to chil
ed her husband, saying he
dren and teenagers".
would make 'America
"It is never OK when a
g reat ag ain' and she
12yearold girl or boy is
would fight online bully
mo cked, bullied or
ing if she becomes the
attacked. It is terrible
First Lady.
when it happens on the
Speaking at a rally out
playg round, and it is
side Philadelphia, Melania
absolutely unacceptable
said, "I have come here to
when it is done by some
talk about this man I have
one with no name hiding
known for 18 years. And I
on the internet. We have
Melania Trump
have come here today to
to find a better way to
talk about our partnership, our family, and talk to each other," she said.
what I know for sure in my heart, about
"We must find better ways to honor and
this man, who will make America great support the basic goodness of our chil
again."
dren, especially in social media," she said.
Melania in her speech touched on fami
"It will be one of the main focuses of my
ly, her marriage, the campaign experience work, if I am privileged enough to become
and the goals she has as the first lady.
your first lady," she added.

engagement from the world is not an

option in this globalizing world. Also, in the
ICE (Information, Communication and
Entertainment) Age, an average noncollege
educated and nonSTEM person is going to
have a hard time getting ahead in life,
Trump or no Trump.
Worse, the popular movement he has
triggered may even outgrow Trump. If he
loses, the genie he has let out may come
back to haunt the Republican party, caus
ing a rift if not a split between the
Establishment and the Trumpians. He is not
even a true Conservative, which worries the
purists in the party. What may shut the
GOP out of power perennially in the future
is that Trump has alienated the emerging
demographics like the Hispanics and other
minorities and even millennials.

Coming to terms with a

possible Hillary Clinton loss
Continued from page 1
email server. This was the stinker, you
knew. As
bad as the
re lease of
the
lewd
A c c e s s
Hollywood
tape, after
which you
thought
Trump was
toast. Now
Fox News is
saying that the FBI is also looking into the
Clinton Foundations pay for play dealings
when Hillary was Secretary of State, and
worse was to come, not necessarily before
November 8.
Meanwhile, Hillarys numbers are
sinking. Even in the electoral map,
Trump has now
paths to reach
the 270 mark to
clinch the presi
dential race.

The dingdong presidential race had

started affecting you personally, even vis
cerally.
Trumps triumphs seemed like something
odious happening in your life, in your vicin
ity. So how now? How do you cope? How
do you carry on?
One is reminded of saintpoet Tulsidass
lines, Kou nrip hoi hamein ka hani, cheri
chhori hoeb ka rani" (Whoever becomes
the king will have no affect on me; I am not
going to become a queen from a maid.)
Well, even in a democracy, it does take time
for effects of policies to percolate down to
the common man, if at all. So, you start dis
engaging, trying to become a neutral
observer. What will be will be!
Besides, nobody can predict that Trump
will be as apocalyptic as his worst critics
say he will be as President. What leaders
say on the campaign trail is not exactly
what they will do in office.
Remember how a couple of years ago in
India, many secularliberal types, the intel
lectual class, were apprehensive of
Narendra Mo di becoming the Prime
Minster of India. This newspaper endorsed
him there was no alternat ive then;
Congress party was decimated, Rahul
Gandhi did not evince confidence. Modi
went on to win the election by a landslide
and took the helm. He has since proved a
very effective leader of the country. With
development not Ram as his mantra, he
has even kept the Hindutva hotheads on a
leash. His approval rating is intact.
Here, both Trump and Hillary have been
damaged in this vicious campaign season,
and it may turn out to be a pyrrhic victory
for the winner.
But whoever sits in the Oval Office next
year will be our President. So, we should
tap our higher self, support whoever it is,
and send out prayers and positive vibra
tions to make him or her strong and posi
tive and benevolent who will work for the
welfare of all communities and ethnic and
religious groups.

10

November 5-11, 2016

FBI sees no
clear Trump
link to Russia
Washington: For much of the summer, the
F.B.I. pursued a widening investigation into
a Russian role in the American presidential
campaign. Agents scrutinized advisers close to
Donald J. Trump, looked for financial connections with Russian financial figures, searched
for those involved in hacking the computers
of Democrats, and even chased a lead which
they ultimately came to doubt about a possible secret channel of email communication
from the Trump Organization to a Russian bank.
Law enforcement officials say that none of
the investigations so far have found any conclusive or direct link between Mr. Trump and the
Russian government. And even the hacking into
Democratic emails, F.B.I. and intelligence officials
now believe, was aimed at disrupting the presidential election rather than electing Mr. Trump.
Hillary Clintons supporters, angry over
what they regard as a lack of scrutiny of Mr.
Trump by law enforcement officials, pushed
for these investigations. In recent days they
have also demanded that James B. Comey, the
director of the F.B.I., discuss them publicly,
as he did last week when he announced that
a new batch of emails possibly connected to
Mrs. Clinton had been discovered.
Supporters of Mrs. Clinton have argued
that Mr. Trumps evident affinity for Russias
president, Vladimir V. Putin Mr. Trump has
called him a great leader and echoed his policies toward NATO, Ukraine and the war in Syria and the hacks of leading Democrats like
John D. Podesta, the chairman of the Clinton
campaign, are clear indications that Russia has
taken sides in the presidential race and that
voters should know what the F.B.I. has found.
The F.B.I.s inquiries into Russias possible
role continue, as does the investigation into
the emails involving Mrs. Clintons top aide,
Huma Abedin, on a computer she shared with
her estranged husband, Anthony D. Weiner.
Mrs. Clintons supporters argue that voters
have as much right to know what the F.B.I.
has found in Mr. Trumps case, even if the
findings are not yet conclusive.
You do not hear the director talking about
any other investigation he is involved in,
Rep. Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY) said after Mr.
Comeys letter to Congress was made public.
Is he investigating the Trump Foundation? Is
he looking into the Russians hacking into all
of our emails? Is he looking into and deciding
what is going on with regards to other allegations of the Trump Organization?
Mr. Comey would not even confirm the
existence of any investigation of Mr.
Trumps aides when asked in September
by Congress. In the Obama administrations internal deliberations over identifying the Russians as the source of the
hacks, Mr. Comey also argued against
doing so and succeeded in keeping the
F.B.I.s imprimatur off the formal findings. Senator Harry Reid of Nevada,
the minority leader, responded
angrily on Sunday with a letter
accusing the F.B.I. of not being
forthcoming about Mr. Trumps
alleged ties with Moscow.

Festival

All necessary resources

dedicated to Clinton email probe

The new emails were found on the computer device of disgraced

former Congressman Anthony Weiner, the estranged husband
of Huma Abedin, a close aide of Mrs Clinton.
Washington: For much of the summer,
the F.B.I. pursued a widening investigation into a Russian role in the American
presidential campaign. Agents scrutinized
advisers close to Donald J. Trump, looked
for financial connections with Russian
financial figures, searched for those involved in hacking the computers of Democrats, and even chased a lead which
they ultimately came to doubt about
a possible secret channel of email communication from the Trump Organization
to a Russian bank. Law enforcement officials say that none of the investigations
so far have found any conclusive or direct
link between Mr. Trump and the Russian government. And even the hacking
into Democratic emails, F.B.I. and intelligence officials now believe, was aimed at

Washington: Over half of the respondents in a recent US poll said they were
alarmed over the upcoming presidential
election, with most still deciding on which
candidate to choose to lead the nation.
The poll by Suffolk University released
on Tuesday showed that 46 per cent of
respondents held a favorable attitude towards Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and 47 per cent unfavorable, Xinhua
news agency reported. For Clintons Republican rival Donald Trump, 61 per cent
have an unfavorable attitude compared
with 31 per cent favorable.
Forty-nine per cent of respondents said
they would vote for or lean toward Clinton,
with 39 per cent for Trump and another

disrupting the presidential election rather than electing Mr. Trump.

Hillary Clintons supporters, angry
over what they regard as a lack of scrutiny of Mr. Trump by law enforcement
officials, pushed for these investigations.
In recent days they have also demanded
that James B. Comey, the director of the
F.B.I., discuss them publicly, as he did
last week when he announced that a new
batch of emails possibly connected to
Mrs. Clinton had been discovered.
Supporters of Mrs. Clinton have argued
that Mr. Trumps evident affinity for Russias president, Vladimir V. Putin Mr.
Trump has called him a great leader and
echoed his policies toward NATO, Ukraine
and the war in Syria and the hacks of
leading Democrats like John D. Podesta,

the chairman of the Clinton campaign, are

clear indications that Russia has taken
sides in the presidential race and that voters should know what the F.B.I. has found.
The F.B.I.s inquiries into Russias possible role continue, as does the investigation into the emails involving Mrs.
Clintons top aide, Huma Abedin, on a
computer she shared with her estranged
husband, Anthony D. Weiner. Mrs. Clintons supporters argue that voters have
as much right to know what the F.B.I. has
found in Mr. Trumps case, even if the
findings are not yet conclusive.
You do not hear the director talking about any other investigation he is
involved in, Rep. Gregory W. Meeks (DNY) said after Mr. Comeys letter to Congress was made public. Is he investigating the Trump Foundation? Is he looking
into the Russians hacking into all of our
emails? Is he looking into and deciding
what is going on with regards to other
allegations of the Trump Organization?
Mr. Comey would not even confirm
the existence of any investigation of Mr.
Trumps aides when asked in September
by Congress. In the Obama administrations internal deliberations over identifying the Russians as the source of the
hacks, Mr. Comey also argued against
doing so and succeeded in keeping the
F.B.I.s imprimatur off the formal findings.
Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the minority leader, responded angrily on Sunday with a letter accusing the F.B.I. of not
being forthcoming about Mr. Trumps alleged ties with Moscow.

Americans alarmed about

presidential election: Poll
10 per cent undecided on their vote.
Forty-three per cent of respondents,
felt scared about the idea of Trump
eventually winning the election, according to the poll.
It also found that 58 per cent of the
respondents thought the divisions inside
the US were deeper than the past, and
54 per cent are worried that the country
was headed in the wrong direction.
Poll results from Fox, CNN and MSNBC
provided peoples divided viewpoints on

the two presidential candidates.

In stark contrast to the Suffolk University poll, 83 per cent of Fox respondents
said they would vote for Trump, while 77
per cent of CNN respondents and 94 per
cent from MSNBC chose Clinton.
The 2016 presidential election, with
all its twists and turns like Clintons
trust issues and accusations on Trumps
sexual misconduct, is believed to be one
of the most contentious races yet to the
Oval Office.

Prof Amar calls NeverTrumper Republicans to come home

FBI director
James Comey is
facing flak from
Democrats who
have questioned
his recent actions
as partisan.

Warren, NJ: The Indian-Americans for

Trump 2016, that had predicted Trump
victory in December 2015, in collaboration with the New Jersey Conservative
GOP, has imploreed NeverTrumper Republicans to accept the new Republican movement that gave rise to Donald J. Trump.
We are organizing an effort to allow
all NeverTrumpers a forum to endorse
Trump for President or, at the minimum,
declare their vote for Trump. This offering is planned for this week. The venue
will be Woodbridge, NJ, said Dr A.D.
Amar, President of Indian-Americans for
Trump 2016, in a press release.

This will not just guarantee that Republicans keep the House, but would
also assure that they keep the Senate control, in addition to winning the
White House. If the NeverTrumpers do
not come home, we will all lose and they
will be left out of this revolution taking
place in Republican ranks.
We have individually contacted prominent Republicans, New Jersey 2017 gubernatorial candidates, who are among
the NeverTrumpers, and invited them to
come home. We hope they accept, as these
new Republicans will close the doors on
those who decide to stay out.

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

US AFFAIRS

November 5-11, 2016

11

You've got mail! Wikileaks,

FBI and mail order mess
Our job as voters is to judge as dispassionately as possible, whether a) there is, in fact,
anything illegal in what Mrs Clinton has done, and b) whether this email mess really makes
a difference as to who should be our president. My answer in both cases is, no.
COMMENT
By Shivaji Sengupta

n 1998 a romantic film come

dy, "You've Got Mail!" featuring
Tom Thanks and Meg Ryan,
entertained Americans. It was
about a couple falling in love writ
ing emails to each other, but only
one of them knew who the other
recipient was. T he story takes
twists and turns typical of roman
tic comedies with a rather pre
dictable end. The woman finally
realizes that the receiver was the
same man she talked to almost
every day, but it is ultimately the
audience who smoke the jest.
Emails have an anonymous quali
ty to them, and coupled with their
lightning fast instantness, they
have the potential to make real dif
ferences in people's lives, as we
saw in the above mentioned exam
ple and in the brouhaha of the
present presidential elections.
T he medium IS the message:

here, in this case, their secretive

potential, coupled with what is
written in them, make them both
romantic and dangerous; an unde
niable convenience yet portents of
disaster; of desire and destruction.
In Hillary Clinton's case it was its
seductive convenience, coupled
with a false sense of privilege that
as Secretary of State she could
have her own server (but not mix
personal and professional email)
that has been her undoing. She had
bad advice to go with her personal
ignorance about what works and

Surprise Donald Trump

victory could lead to
market volatility
New York: A suprise
Donald Trump victory in
the US presidential elec
t ions would lead to
volatility and uncertainty
in the markets, perhaps
even a large selloff in US
markets, fee l market
experts. Democratic pres
idential candidate Hillary
Clinton's lead over
Republican rival Donald
Trump has narrowed after
FBIs decision to reopen
its investigation into a
fresh batch of emails
linked to Clinton. Market
experts have weighed in

on what a surprise victory

for Trump would mean
for the markets.
"Markets have already
factored in a Clinton vic
tory, so her win will result
in marg inal g ains for
global indices. However,
there might be a lot of
volatility and uncertainty
if Trump comes to power
as he is considered a mav
erick and it will take some
time for market partici
pants to digest his poli
cies," said UR Bhat, MD,
Dalton Capital Advisors
(India).

what doesn't in electronic media.

However, about one thing there is
no doubt: she is guilty of gross neg
lect. Add to that her easy assump
tion that as Secretary of State she
could ignore government and
therefore professional protocol,
makes her more than simply care
less and neglectful. It underscores
her assumption that all men are
NOT created equal; and that some
like herself are entitled to more
power and privilege than others.
Bad news! But I don't buy the
opposition's argument that if as a

mere citizen with public responsi

bility she has been so prone to
break rules, as president she might
run amok.
So now at the cusp of the election
we are being forced to sort out this
mess. To return to the YOU'VE GOT
MAIL analogy, the correspondents
are Clinton and her staf f on the
one hand, the American investiga
tive and judicial system on the
other. We, the audience, are simply
the poor suckers, pawns in the
hands of the politicians.
Neverthe less, we have a job
to do.
Our job here as voters is to judge
as dispassionately as possible,
whether a) there is, in fact, any
thing illegal in what Clinton has
done, and b) whether this email
mess really makes a difference as
to who should be our president.
My answer in both cases is, no.
As to the first, we will do well to
remember that in a court of law
any proof brought illegally is inad
missible. Wikileak is illegal. So

whatever they bring to bear as evi

dence is illegal. Secondly, mixing
up emails, personal and profession
al, and therefore classified informa
tion, is careless and wrong, but not
criminal. That was the judgment of
the FBI back in July because there
was no evidence that classified
information was compromised. It
was a judgment none too pleasing
for the Republicans, but nonethe
less correct. For FBI director Mr.
James Comey now, to throw the
whole election in a flux by almost
perversely remaining vague about
what was found in the emails per
taining to a separate unrelated
case, comes dangerously close to
electioneering sabotage. What
Comey has done is, by maintaining
vagary, encouraged free reign to
rumor mongering and second
guessing.
My own position is that Hillary is
wrong to do what she has done,
and for that she will lose some
votes, but she shouldn't lose the
election.

If the world was voting,

Hillary will be President
New York: So, what to people in other
countries think about Hillary Clinton
and Donald Trump?
Pollfishthe worlds foremost
mobile survey companyasked 3,500
people across six countries (Canada,
France, Germany, Russia, Mexico, and
the UK), as well as Latinos residing in
the US, to weigh in on the US presiden
tial elections.
Across the eight countries, about
50% would support Hillary, 24% of
respondents voiced support for
Trump, and 26% would vote for nei
ther candidate. Mexico showed the
strongest support for Hillarywhile
opinions were more divided among
Spanishspeaking Latinos in the U.S.
Russia is the only outlier, demonstrat
ing preference for Trump over Hillary.

* Mexico: 96% Hillary, 4% Trump

* U.S. Latinos: 60% Hillary, 40%
Trump
* Russia: 15% Hillary, 48% Trump,
36% neither
Asked whether they believe Trump's
lewd comments were locker room ban
ter or potential evidence of sexual
assault against women, 63% respon
dents said the latter. That belief was
strongest in Mexico, Germany, and
Canada. Contrarily, most Russian
respondents felt Trump's comments
were typical banter between men.
80% of the world thinks Hillary
would be better for international rela
tions. Most respondents said Hillary
would create better diplomatic rela
tions with their country. Russia had
the opposite responsewith nearly

three quarters of respondents opting

for Trump. Asked which candidate
would be more likely to provoke a con
flict with Russia in Syria, 66% of
Russian respondents chose Hillary (vs.
34% for Trump).
77% of the world thinks Hillary will
win the election. T hree countries
stand out: France, as the country most
convinced of Hillary's victory; the
Spanishspeaking Latino population in
the U.S., as most divided over which
candidate will win; and Russia, as the
only country that thinks Trump will
win.
The Pollfish survey polled 500 peo
ple in each of six countries, as well as
500 Spanishspeaking Latinos in the
U.S., in their native languages, from
October 2527.

12

November 5-11, 2016

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

INDIA

Kejriwal, Rahul detained as veteran's suicide triggers row

New Delhi: In an unprecedented
move, police detained Delhi Chief
Minister Arvind Ke jriwal, his
deputy Manish Siso dia and
Congress Vice President Rahul
Gandhi after a veteran committed
suicide over the OROP scheme.
Gandhi, detained twice during the
day, Sisodia and finally Kejriwal
were let off at night.
Ke jriwal and Gand hi were
detained amid noisy demonstra
tions in the heart of the capital
after they tried to meet the griev
ing family of Ram Kishan Grewal,
who ended his life.
Siso dia was detained in the
morning after he met the dead
man's son at a hospital. "I went to
meet the family, not to stage a
dharna. What's wrong with that?
W hat kind of system is this,
Modiji," Sisodia asked, targeting
Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Grewal's son Jaswant said he, his

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal was finally let off at night.
younger brother and brotherin
law were beaten and taken to a
police station when they tried to
meet Gandhi. Demanding justice,
Jaswant said he had never wit

SIMI undertrials
not armed:
ATS chief
New Delhi/Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh's antiterror
squad chief Sanjeev Shami stood by his earlier
statement that the eight SIMI activists shot dead
in Bhopal were not armed when they were killed.
His comments came as more political leaders
voiced doubts over Monday's "encounter".
"It is well settled in law when police can use
force and take life. These men were dreaded crim
inals. If the police sees the possibility that such
men can escape, they can use maximum force...
Even if the police are not being fired at," Shami
told NDTV.
Shami was quoted by media as saying that the
eight Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI)
men were unarmed when they were killed.
"I stand by my earlier statement," Shami told
the TV channel when asked for his comments.
The eight undertrial activists of the banned SIMI
were shot dead in an alleged gun battle, hours
after they escaped from a highsecurity jail in
Bhopal.Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar
demanded a highlevel impartial probe into the
killing of the eight SIMI undertrials.
"A probe is a must into the killing of the SIMI
(Students Islamic Movement of India) activists as
several questions have been raised," Nitish Kumar
told the media in Patna.
He said the Madhya Pradesh government
should order the probe by an independent
agency.

nessed such police conduct visa

vis veterans' families.
After nine hours of unexplained
detention, Sisodia walked out of
the Parliament Street police sta

tion at night and drove to the R.K.

Puram police stat ion where
Kejriwal was detained along with
fellow minister Gopal Rai.
Speaking after his re lease,
Sisodia said: "When a former sol
dier commits suicide in Delhi, is it
not my moral and administrative
duty to go and meet the family?
What is wrong with that? Why
were we detained? This is an unde
clared Emergency in Delhi."
As the tug of war played out, the
Bharatiya Janata Party accused
Gandhi and Kejriwal of politicizing
the One Rank One Pension (OROP)
scheme.
Retired soldiers have been alleg
ing that the government has not
addressed their concerns fully
about disparity in pension pay
ments.
Grewal, 70, formerly of
Rajputana Rifles, allegedly took
poison at a park and died demand

ing the immediate implementation

of the scheme.
Before dying, he telephoned his
son Jaswant and told him that he
was committing suicide as a "sacri
fice" for the nation, his family told
the media. De fence Minister
Manohar Parrikar said he was
"saddened by the death".
By evening the soldier's suicide
snowballed into a major political
row with the Congress, Aam Aadmi
Party (AAP) and Trinamool
Congress slamming the govern
ment over the police crackdown.
Scores of AAP and Congress
activists massed outside the Lady
Hardinge Hospital, where Grewal's
body was kept for an autopsy, and
the two police stations where
Sisodia and Gandhi were detained.
Gandhi blamed Modi for the situ
ation. "This is an undemocratic
mentality. A new kind of India is
being created. It is Modiji's India."

Nepal,India ties areunshakeable,

says PM Prachanda
Kathmandu: Ties between Nepal and India
are unshakeable as their bilateral friend
ship is based on a solid foundation, Nepal
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal
'Prachanda' said as Indian President
Pranab Mukherjee began a threeday state
visit here aimed at further cementing ties.
In his address at the twoday "Dialogue
on Nepal and India: Exploring New Vistas
in Kathmandu", organised during the visit
of President Mukherjee, Prachanda said
the two countries, connected by geogra
phy, history and culture, share an enduring
bond of relations "whose entirety and
depth cannot be summed up by of ficial
documents and treaties alone".
"Our friendship stands on a solid founda
tion of amity, which is unshakeable," he
said.
Not ing that while there have been
"episodes of misunderstanding and fric
tion", Prachanda also said that such "tran
sient episodes should not shake the foun
dation of our relations; should not and
could not corrode the atmosphere of good
will".
"We share not only an open border, but
also our aspiration for peace and prosperi
ty," he told the gathering which had people
from both countries.
Mukherjee is slated to deliver a speech at
the concluding session of the dialogue.
Prachanda, who has visited India twice
after being elected Prime Minister in

Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda'.

August, said that Mukherjee's visit to Nepal
the first presidential visit in 18 years
from India has further consolidated bilat
eral relations, and areas of cooperation
between the two countries have been fur
ther enhanced.
He stressed that Nepal and India need to
pursue closer collaboration to capitalise on
genetic resources, biodiversity and organic
farming in which both countries have
tremendous potential.
"If Nepal continues to remain stagnant in
the development landscape, if it continues
to grapple with a dearth of basic things; we
will not be able to successfully navigate the
waters of the coming age. Such plight of

underdevelopment will not be in the inter

est of our neighbours as well," he said.
On trilateral cooperation with India and
China, which he is pushing, Prachanda said
Nepal's location in between two growing
economies offers a promising future, and
they could "forge a successful trilateral
partnership" with a "sole focus on econom
ic growth and development" that would be
beneficial for the peoples of all the three
countries.
He also noted that bilateral ties with
India are not confined only to formal rela
tions and "peopletopeople relations, cul
tural and civilisational bond constitute the
vibrant core of our relations".

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Akalis, AAP protest in

Punjab over 1984 riots
Chandigarh: Targetting the then Congress leadership for its alleged com
plicity in the antiSikh riots of 1984, Punjab's ruling Shiromani Akali Dal
and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) held protests.
The AAP protest in Mohali, adjoining Chandigarh, saw senior party lead
ers highlighting what they said was Congress leaders' role in the riots in
which hundreds of Sikhs were killed in various cities, including national
capital Delhi, and the suffering of affected families who were awaiting jus
tice even 32 years after the riots. The 'Insaaf 84' (Justice 1984) protest
was addressed by AAP Punjab convenor Gurpreet Singh and lawyer
activist and AAP leader H.S. Phoolka. The AAP leaders accused the
Congress of shielding its leaders like Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler in
the riots cases. They said the Akali Dal was using the riots' victims for
political mileage before 2017 assembly elections and did nothing to get
them justice. The Akali Dal's protests were held in Amritsar, Ludhiana and
Jalandhar. Party leaders said the Congress was shielding its leaders who
instigated rioters for over three decades. The antiSikh riots broke out
after the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her
two Sikh bodyguards in New Delhi on October 31, 1984.

May speaks to Modi ahead of India visit

New Delhi: Ahead of her visit, British Prime Minister Theresa May made a
telephone call to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during which the two
leaders discussed the scope for strengthening the bilateral relationship, an
of ficial statement said. The statement said the two Prime Ministers
exchanged greetings on the occasion of the festival of Diwali. "Both lead
ers agreed that there is substantial scope for further strengthening bilat
eral cooperation across a range of sectors, including Science &
Technology, Finance, Trade & Investment, and Defence & Security," the
statement said. Prime Minister Modi said he is looking forward to welcom
ing Prime Minister May in India next week, which will be her first substan
tive bilateral visit outside Europe. May will undertake a threeday visit to
India from November 68, in her first bilateral visit outside Europe.

INDIA

November 5-11, 2016

13

India accuses Pakistan of

resorting to 'tit for tat' move
New Delhi: India has denied as
"baseless and unsubstantiated"
Pakistan's allegations of spying
against eight Indian officials at the
Indian High Commission in
Islamabad and accused the neigh
bor of resorting to "tit for tat" after
a Pakistani official was caught "red
handed" here for spying.
"We completely reject the base
less and unsubstantiated allegations
made by Pakistan against certain
of ficials of the Indian High
Commission in Islamabad. The gov
ernment categorically denies those
allegations," Ministry of External
Affairs Spokesperson Vikas Swarup
said at a briefing here.
He also said that India "protests
strongly" against the manner in
which names and photos of the
eight Indian officials four of them
holders of diplomatic passport
have been published in the
Pakistani media.
"This is against basic norms of
diplomatic practice and courtesy."
The spokesperson also said it was
"regrettable" that Pakistani authori
ties chose to level these allegations
after deciding to recall, "on their
own", six of ficials of the Pakistan

Border Security Force Additional Director General Arun Kumar pays

tribute to martyr Jitender Kumar Singh who was killed in cross border
firing at Line of Control between India and Pakistan.
High Commission. He said some of
them "may have been named" by
Mehmood Akhtar the Pakistan
High Commission of ficial caught
"red handed last week while
indulging in antiIndia activities".
"The allegations against the Indian
officials represent an afterthought
and a crude attempt to target these
of ficials for no fault of theirs," he
said. "We regard this as an unfortu
nate incident. Pakistan is resorting
to tit for tat without any real case
against these officials, and we hope
that such incidents do not recur in

the future".
The spokesperson said the allega
tions were "false" and had the
potential to affect the activities of
the Indian High Commission in
Islamabad.
"We expelled only one person
from India for antiIndia activities.
After that Pakistan decided to with
draw on its own six of their staffers.
And then they decided to put in the
public domain details of eight of
our diplomats and of ficials whose
safety and security has been com
pletely compromised," he said.

14

November 5-11, 2016

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

INDIA

Delhi air quality dips to record low post Diwali

New Delhi: It was straight third
day that Delhi residents woke up
to a "foggy" morning, with many
complaining about irritation in
eyes and a cough, thanks to the
air quality that plunged to the
record low.
A pall of smog was hanging
over the city since the morning
as pollutants hang close to the
surface. The reason was a drop
in wind speed, coupled with
increase in humidity and low
temperature, which worsened
the situation and took the Air
Quality Index (AQI) to the
"severe" level, said air monitor
ing agencies. Anand Vihar recod
ed AQI at 494 on Wednesday
morning. Notebly, the AQI was

Firecracker litter cover Delhi streets a day after Diwali.

improved to "very poor" level
after it was recorded at "severe
level" on after the Diwali night

(October 30). Adverse climatic

conditions, especially low wind
speed have blocked dispersal of

pollutants from the air from last

several days, taking the toxicity
level in the region at its worst
level since Diwali night, said the
air monitoring agencies.
Delhi resident Raunak Khot
said: "Although Diwali is over, I
can still sme ll firecrackers.
Smog can be seen through day,
which is causing breathing prob
lems." Air qualitymonitoring
agencies said the pollution level
will remain 'severe' for the next
couple of days due to adverse
climatic conditions.
According to the Central
Pollution Control Board (CPCB),
the AQI touched the figure of
494 in Anad Vihar area on
Wednesday morning. The aver

Golden Temple illuminated,

less fireworks this year
Amritsar: The Golden Temple com
plex, where the holiest of Sikh
shrines, 'Harmandar Sahib' is locat
ed, was illuminated and fireworks
display took place to mark the
'Bandi Chhor Diwas' and Diwali.
There was festive spirit at the
shrine complex in this Sikh holy
city as tens of thousands of people
came here to of fer prayers and
seek blessings.
With millions of lights around,
the whole complex presented an
attractive look.
However, due to environmental
and pollution concerns, the fire
works display by the shrine man
agement was a reduced one.
"We had less fireworks this year
due to pollution concerns. But all
traditional and religious rituals
were followed. There were con
cerns about damage to the sanctum
sanctorum and other buildings
from chemicals of fireworks," said a
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak
Committee (SGPC) official.
The domes, buildings and floors
of the shrine complex were cleaned

People light earthen lamps at the Golden Temple

on Diwali in Amritsar. (Photo: IANS)
for the festive occasion.
The shrine complex wore a new
look on the outside as the whole
market and residential area around
the shrine has been renovated and
given a fresh look.
"Dal roti ghar di, Diwali Amritsar
di (food from home and Diwali of
Amritsar) is the popular saying.
Lakhs of people have come to mark
the occasion. There is festive spir
it," said SGPC member Manjit
Singh. The day is celebrated in Sikh

People celebrate Diwali in Jaipur. (Photo: Ravi Shankar Vyas/IANS)

religion as 'Bandi Chhor Diwas'

(prisoner liberation day) as on this
day in 1619, the sixth guru of
Sikhs, Guru Hargobind, returned to
Amritsar after being released along
w ith 52 princes by Mug hal
Emperor Jahangir from Gwalior
prison.
The guru and the princes arrived
in Amritsar during Diwali festivi
ties. Since then, the Bandi Chhor
Diwas and Diwali celebrations coin
cide at the Golden Temple complex.

age AQI rating for Delhi and

NCR was 432, or the "severe"
category.
The System of Air Quality and
Weather Forecast ing and
Research (SAFAR) of the
Ministry of Earth Science also
painted a grim picture about the
pollution in the city.
An of ficial said that pollution
level in Delhi is set to remain 'se
vere' for a few more days,
thanks to a drop in wind speed
and temperature, and increase in
humidity.
Delhi has been witnessing low
visibility due to higher concen
tration of pollutants hanging in
the air, made worse by bursting
of firecrackers during Diwali.

No exchange
of sweets at
India-Pakistan
border on Diwali
Attari (Punjab): The Border
Security Force (BSF)
re fused to exchange
sweets and greetings with
Pakistani Rangers along
the international boundary
on the occasion of Diwali.
T he BSF move in the
wake of the recent height
ened tension between the
two countries. India has
accused Pakistan of sup
porting terrorists from its
soil who carried out an
attack on an army base
camp at Uri last month and
unprovoked ceasefire vio
lat ions
along
the
International Border (IB)
and the Line of Control
(LoC) in Jammu and
Kashmir in recent months.
Border guards of both
countries have for the past
several years followed a

tradition of exchanging
sweets on major religious
festivals like the Eid and
Diwali, and also during
Independence Days of
both countries.
The BSF is on maximum
alert in Punjab following
recent ceasefire violations
and Pakistanbacked ter
rorism incidents in neigh
boring
Jammu
and
Kashmir.
In the past 23 years,
border guards have
skipped the exchange of
sweets on a few occasions.
The exchange ceremony
is mainly held at the Attari
Wagah joint check post, 30
km from Amritsar, on the
Internat ional Border.
Punjab has a 553km
barbed wire fenced border
with Pakistan.

Children greet President Pranab Mukherjee on Diwali at Rashtrapati Bhawan. (Photo: IANS/RB)

Festival

Diwali - East & West

November 5-11, 2016

15

(left) A view of spectacularly lit Shri

Krishna Janambhumi in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh for Diwali.(Photo: IANS)
(below left) Diwali was commemorated for the first time at the United
Nations in New York, with its headquarters building lit up in bright hues
and the words Happy Diwali, along
with a diya image projected onto it.
(Photo: PTI) (below middle) Prime
Minister Narendra Modi celebrated
Diwali with soldiers in a remote and
strategic area in Himachal Pradesh
adjoining the Chinese border on Oct
30. He also gave a call to his countrymen to send Diwali greetings to
the Indian armed forces, who keep
India safe. (Photo: IANS) (below) US
President Barack Obama celebrated Diwali by lighting the first-ever
diya in the Oval office at the White
House. It was his last Diwali as
President and he hoped his successors would continue the tradition.

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

November 5-11, 2016

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

OP-ED

November 5-11, 2016

19

ChinaPakistan corridor is against India's strategic interests

By Jai Kumar Verma

he much touted $46 billion,

3,000kmlong
China
Pakistan Economic Corridor
(CPEC) links Gwadar port in the
troubled state of Balochistan to
China's restive autonomous region
of Xinjiang. The project, which is
an extension of China's ambitious
OneBeltOneRoad scheme, passes
through Gilgit and Baltistan areas
which are part of Jammu and
Kashmir which is Indian territory
but illegally occupied by Pakistan.
Hence the CPEC is ag ainst
India's geographical and strategic
interests. The official Xinhua news
agency, in a clear departure from
its past practice, mentioned in
December 2014 about the closure
of the Khunjerab Pass and also
stated that Gilgit and Baltistan
were parts of Pakistan.
Analysts claim that China,
before taking up a project of this
magnitude, wanted to reconfirm
GilgitBaltistan as part of Pakistan
and wanted to observe India's
reaction which was not severe at
that juncture. China would be con
structing several infrastructure
and hydropower projects, indus
trial parks, railway lines and all
weather roads and highways in
Gilg itBalt istan as we ll as in
Pakistanadministered Kashmir.

China would be constructing several infrastructure and hydropower

projects, industrial parks, railway lines and allweather roads and high
ways in GilgitBaltistan as well as in Pakistanadministered Kashmir.
CPEC will also reduce by 12,000
km the distance from Middle East
from where China imports its
crude oil.
Pakistani leaders describe CPEC,
as well as the multifarious proj
ects linked to it, as a great eco
nomic achievement for the coun
try and claim that it will solve the
country's economic problems and
expedite growth. Government
agencies declare that more than
700,000 direct jobs would be cre
ated. Nonetheless, the Pakistani
leadership is worried about gener

ating funds for the main projects,

which have to be financed indige
nously.
T he
Economic
Coordination Committee of the
cabinet has set up a revolving
fund to handle this, but analysts
claim that Pakistan's economic
condition is in a shambles and it
will be difficult for the country to
create funds for the construction
of the mega projects.
There is severe criticism of the
project by nonPunjabis as they
feel that although the CPEC pass
es through their areas, the bene

fits of the project would be

usurped by Punjabis.
The TehrikiTaliban Pakistani
extremist outfit has already
claimed the killing of some
Chinese in Pakistan. Several sepa
ratist outfits in Balochistan are
against CPEC and proclaim that it
is against the interests of the state.
They say they would not allow
this project to be implemented.
Residents of Balochistan also
mention that through the CPEC
project, the government would
settle outsiders in the province,
thereby changing the demography
of the province, and the Chinese
and the Punjabidominated federal
government would exploit the nat
ural resources of the state without
giving it due compensation.
Pakistan has alleged that India is
assisting Baloch and Sindhi mili
tants who are creating hurdles in
the construction of CPEC. They
allege that in May 2016, one
Chinese worker was killed in
Karachi by militants of an India
supported outfit. India has denied
such charges.
Both China and Pakistan claim
that CPEC has only economic
dimensions, but India and the
United States appropriately feel
that it has more strategic signifi
cance. Gwadar would be a future
sea port from where China would

acquire a stronghold in the Indian

Ocean region. China would also
get an access to the Arabian Sea
and would minimize the distance
to the Strait of Hormuz through
which 35 percent of world oil
transits.
The linking of Muslim majority
Xinjiang province through CPEC
would be dangerous for China too,
as the Muslim fanatics of Pakistan
would start assisting the sup
pressed Muslims of the Chinese
province and the secessionist
movement would be strengthened.
Pakistani Jihadists would certainly
spread Islamic extremism in
China. India also feels that China
has already encircled it by incul
cat ing commercial as we ll as
defence relationship with several
countries including Pakistan,
Myanmar, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka,
the Maldives and Somalia. CPEC
would further strengthen the
encirclement.
After completion of the CPEC,
the Chinese presence would
enhance manifold in Pakistan
administered Kashmir, which
would be detrimental for India.
India needs to chalk out a long
term rational policy concerning
CPEC nonetheless it will not be
easy as the Indian public is very
emotional about its relations with
Pakistan and China.

SP imbroglio makes it Advantage Modi in UP

By Amulya Ganguli
he fallout from the
Samajwadi Party's infighting
is clear in Uttar Pradesh. Till
the fratricidal strife broke out, the
party had a fair chance, largely
because of the relatively clean and
forwardlooking image of Chief
Minister Akhilesh Yadav.
T hen, two things happened.
First, the SP's national president,
Mulayam Singh Yadav, decided to
cut the branch on which he was
sitting by favoring his brother,
Shivpal, who has a dubious repu
tation, over his son, Akhilesh, in
the party hierarchy.
Secondly, as the SP's fortunes
plummeted because of the
internecine feud, Prime Minister
Narendra Modi's stars began to
shine more brightly than before
because of the army's punitive
action against terrorist camps in
Pakistan.
Although the Bharatiya Janata
Party (BJP) tried to delink the
party from the army's surgical
strikes, posters depicting Modi as
Lord Ram the warrior were put up
by the party's enthusiasts.
Since then, the BJP has also

The fallout from the Samajwadi Party's infighting is

clear in Uttar Pradesh.
tried indirectly to revive the Ram
temple issue by talking about
establishing a museum on the
Ramayana. But it needn't have
turned to the temple plank since
the party's abandonment of the
Congress's policy of "strategic
restraint" visavis Pakistan has
done enough to boost the BJP's
electoral prospects.
There is little doubt that the
party will gain from the Modi gov
ernment's proactive foreign policy
not only in UP but also in Punjab,
Gujarat and Goa which also go to
the polls next year although the
party does face problems in these

states. If the SP hadn't shot itself

in the foot and if there hadn't
been any surgical strikes, the
main contest in UP would have
been between the SP and the
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) with
the latter hoping to gain from the
antiincumbency factor despite
the chief minister's personal pop
ularity. Confident of faring well,
BSP czarina Mayawati promised
not to repeat the mistake of build
ing statues of herself and of Dalit
icons, which contributed to her
downfall in the last elections.
Her confidence springs from her
image of being a "strong" leader

who will not tolerate lawlessness,

which is the SP's Achilles heel.
But, now, the BSP will have to con
tent itself with the No.2 position,
ahead of the SP and the Congress.
However, the party which is like
ly to suf fer the most is the
Congress. As it is, its campaign
has been spluttering along with
Rahul Gandhi's various forays
evoking ridicule as when his audi
ence at a "khaat pe charcha" was
more interested in running away
with the cots than in what he said.
As for the BJP, the success in
Assam in the country's far corner
was not enoug h to erase the
ignominy of its resounding
defeats in Delhi and Bihar.
The party needs to win in UP,
therefore, to recover its elan and
set the tone for the next general
election in 2019.
A good show in UP is required
all the more because the BJP can
not be too sure of running ahead
of its rivals in Punjab and Goa.
In Punjab, the BJP's partner, the
Shiromani Akali Dal, is living up to
its acronym of SAD because of its
failures on several fronts, of which
the most damaging is its inability
to check the drug habit among the

The views expressed in Op Eds are not necessarily those of The South Asian Times.

youth.
T he Aam Admi Party hasn't
quite been the force it once
appeared to be because of its
internal problems in both Delhi
and Punjab.
The Congress, therefore, can
hope to gain from the antiincum
bency feelings against the SAD
BJP combine if it doesn't make the
mistake of admitting the maver
ick, Navjot Singh Sidhu, to the
party.
In
Goa,
the
Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), known
for its iron cohesion in the saffron
camp, has split and vowed to work
against the BJP.
Only Gujarat can be considered
to be more or less safely in the
BJP's bag while the outcome in
Manipur will be only of marginal
importance.
Therefore, as always, UP holds
the key to a party's nat ional
prospects. For the moment, Modi
has the advantage despite the
sluggishness of the economic
reforms, which is evident in the
country's lowly position where a
businessfriendly atmosphere is
concerned, as noted by the World
Bank.

20

November 5-11, 2016

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

TRIBUTE

SARDAR PATEL

An Icon of National Unity

By Ashok Tandon
n extraordinary leader,
freedom fighter and archi
tect of the integration of
India, Sardar Vallabhbhai
Patel, better known as Iron Man of
India, remains an enduring icon of
patriotism, nationalism and the
spirit of public service. In a fitting
tribute to this giant, India launched
weeklong celebrations on his birth
anniversary on October 31, which
has been aptly designated as
Rashtriya Ekta Divas or National
Unity Day.
A selfmade man, Patels life
story exemplifies the sheer power
of will, hard work and sincerity as
he scripted a new life for himself
first as a lawyer, and then as a free
dom fighter and nationbuilder
amid trying circumstances. Born
on October 31, 1875 in the influ
ential Patidar community, he did
his schooling in Gujarat and decid
ed to study law in London. But the
untime ly death of his father
plunged the family into a financial
crisis. Fired by his steely determi
nation, the young Patel studied
very earnestly for the law examina
tion and resolved firmly to save
suf ficient money for a visit to
England. He finished his LL.B from
the Middle Temple, England in
1912 in a record twoandahalf
years and returned to India. His
formidable legal acumen made him
a much soughtafter lawyer. All this
success, however, did not go to his
head; on the contrary, it only kin
dled his thirst to do something for
society and leave a lasting legacy.
No doubt, my practice is flourish
ing today. I am also doing some
thing big in the Municipality. But,
my practice may or may not be
there tomorrow. My money will be
blown tomorrow, those who inherit
my money will blow it. Let me
leave them a better legacy than
money, Patel wrote later about
this key moment which was to
drive him to dedicate his life to the
nation.

As first Deputy Prime Minister, Patel is

remembered for his iron will and firmness
with which he facilitated the integration of
over 500 princely states into the framework of
federal India. He used his fabled powers of
persuasion and diplomacy, and combined it
with a judicious use of the threat of force to
get the princely states to accede to India.

The Gandhi Moment

A chance meeting with Mahatma
Gandhi at the Gujarat Club in
Ahmedabad in 1915 strengthened
his resolve. Inspired by Bapus life
and philosophy, Pate l became
Gandhis ardent follower, and a fel
low traveler in Indias freedom
journey. In 1918, he transformed
into Sardar Patel when he led the
farmers agitation against the
British who insisted on collecting
tax despite a raging flood in
Khaira, Gujarat. He led a successful
and peaceful No Tax campaign
which forced the British authorities

Prime Minister Narendra Modi paying floral tributes to Sardar Patel at

the inauguration of the digital exhibition Uniting India: Sardar Patel
in New Delhi on October 31.
to return the land taken away from
the farmers. Patels heroic efforts
to mobilize farmers earned him the
title of Sardar, meaning chief in
Hindi.
Sardar Patel later deftly deployed
the Gandhian methods of peaceful
resistance in defending the rights
of farmers, the subjugated and the
exploited. In 1930, he was impris
oned for participating in the Salt
Satyagraha launched by Gandhi.
His eloquent speeches inspired
thousands to join Gandhis mission
of emancipating India from the
clutches of foreign rule.
Despite internal wrangling in the
Indian National Congress, Patel
remained a staunch supporter and
ally of Mahatma Gandhi. The dif
ferences over the course of the
freedom movement came out in the
open when veteran leaders ques
tioned the logic and ef ficacy of
Gandhi's Quit India Movement in
1942. Patel robustly rallied to
Gandhis defense, and eventually
the All India Congress Committee
was compelled to ratify and sanc
tion the Quit India Movement.

Unifier of India
Given his formidable organiza
tional abilities and unflinching
commitment to nationbuilding,
Sardar Patel was appointed as the
first deputy prime minister and
home minister of independent
India, the crucial posts which
brought out the best in him and
help create an integrated and uni
fied India as we know it now. Patel
the Unifier is justly remembered
for his iron will and firmness with
which he facilitated the integration
of over 500 princely states into the
framework of federal India. Patel
used his fabled powers of persua
sion and diplomacy, and combined
it with a judicious use of the threat
of force to get the princely states to

accede to India. This was a monu

mental feat which earned him mass
adoration and gratitude, cementing
his reputation as the Iron Man of
India.
In the aftermath of Partition,
Patel was to show his extraordi
nary concern for refugees, regard
less of their religion. Moved by
their plight, Patel organized relief
for refugees fleeing from Punjab
and Delhi and spearheaded efforts
to restore peace across the nation.

Social reformer
His role as a social reformer and
thinker is equally important. His
ef forts to reform the Hindu reli
gion accompanied his unstinting
commitment to religious freedom.
In the economic realm, Sardar
Patel tirelessly championed self
suf ficiency and promoted the
growth of domestic industries by
harnessing indigenous resources,
talent and expertise.
T he idea of the state as an
enabler of national development
and resurgence animated Patels
thinking. His vision was in tune
with the political values he propa
gated. Nationalism and patriotism
were not only the foundation
stones of a state, but were the core
e lements holding it together.
Individual liberty had to be in con
sonance with the provisions of the
Constitution. To create a modern
nation, he promoted the emancipa
tion of backward communities and
women through the Gandhian pro
grams and expertly utilized the
higher castes for social integration
and political mobilization.
A pragmatist and realist to the
core, Patel was a sharp observer of
the international scene and advo
cated a realistic foreign policy in
place of a symbolic idealism. He
consistently advocated that no
move must be adopted that would

compromise the territorial integri

ty of India, and in particular, cau
tioned against internationalizing
the Kashmir dispute. I should like
to make one thing clear, that we
shall not surrender an inch of
Kashmir territory to anybody,
Patel famously said.
While espousing friendly rela
tions with Indias neighbors, Patel
was quick to recognize that
warmth should not be interpreted
as weakness. In November 1950,
Patel wrote a letter to PM Nehru
outlining how the Chinese troops
entry into Tibet earlier that year
resulted in a situation that for the
first time, after centuries, Indias
defense has to concentrate itself on
two fronts simultaneously. Patel
had suggested that we have to
consider what new situation now
faces us as a result of the disap
pearance of Tibet as we know it,
and the expansion of China up to
our gates. Patels cautionary note
was to prove prophetic when China
invaded India in 1962.

Nation-builder
Sardar Patel may have lived only
two and a half years after Indias
independence, but in those few
months, he shaped the narrative of
a modern, strong and selfreliant
India. He is often compared to
Germanys legendary leader Otto
van Bismarck for his key role in the
integration of princely states into
India. He was a leading light in the
Constituent Assembly of India and
played a pivotal role in appointing
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar as the chairman
of the drafting committee, and the
inclusion of leaders from across
the political spectrum in the
process of scripting the constitu
tion.
Sardar Patel was event the found
ing father of the Indian
Administrative Service and the
Indian Police Service, and intro
duced articles to protect the inde
pendence and impartiality of the
civil services.
Yet, Sardar Patel exemplified
humility and Gandhian ideals of
simple living and high thinking. His
personality was such that he
inspired instant respect and affec
tion, even amongst those who dif

fered with him. Over a million peo

ple attended his cremation in
Sonapur in Bombay, which includ
ed Prime Minister Nehru, C.
Rajagopalachari, and President
Rajendra Prasad. In a tribute to his
role in creating civil services, more
than 1,500 officers of India's civil
and police services gathered to
mourn at Patel's residence in Delhi
a day after his death and pledged
complete loyalty and unremitting
zeal in India's service.

Freedom Song
Decades after his death, Sardar
Patels absolute love and devotion
for India continues to inspire all
those who are engaged in the
resurgence of India. Tributes and
honors continue to pour in for this
legendary figure to this day. Time
magazine put Sardar Patel on the
cover in its January 27, 1947 issue,
and called him The Boss. He was
finally conferred Indias highest
civilian honor, the Bharat Ratna, in
1991.
In his public life and as a found
ing father of the Republic of India,
he tirelessly exhorted people to
live true to their ideals and place
country and society above self. In
the conflicted times we live in,
Sardar Patels address at a meeting
in Alwar in 1948 is an eloquent
reminder to the people of the
responsibilities of a free citizen to
ensure their freedom and that of
their country. "Guns can protect
freedom from aggressive designs
of neighbors or other foreign
states. But internally, it is the hon
est core of the people and the true
realization of the responsibilities of
a free citizen that alone can save
freedom from the machinations of
selfseeking and interested parties
and individuals.

The writer is a senior Indian jour

nalist and a parttime member of
the Prasar Bharati Board.
The Consulate General of India,
NY, in association with FIA, com
memorated the birth anniversary
of Sardar Patel as Rashtriya Ekta
Divas on October 31. Sardar, a
movie by Ketan Mehta, was
screened at the event.

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

DIASPORA

November 5-11, 2016

21

Kolkataborn becomes
Indianborn
taxpayers generate Canada's first Sikh Senator
billions for
Australian economy
Melborne: Indian migrants con
tribution to the Australian econ
omy has been growing every
year.
Figures re leased by the
Australian Business of Statistics
(ABS) have revealed that out of
$53.4 billion income generated
by migrant taxpayers, Indian
born taxpayers generated a
whopping $7.9 billion in the
year 201112.
Migrant taxpayers generated
$53.4 billion in total personal
income in 201112, an increase
in real terms of 17 per cent on
201011.
Most of this income ($49 bil
lion, or 91 per cent) was earned
as an employee, with the majori
ty reported by skilled migrants.
"T his type of informat ion

allows us to get a much better

understanding of the sources of
personal income earned by
migrants each year," said Jenny
Dobak from the ABS National
Migrants Statistics Unit.
"Now that we have three years
of data, we know that for the
majority of migrant employees,
median incomes generally
increase over time."
Skilled migrants had the high
est median employee income at
$51,992, followed by those with
another
permanent
visa
($41,941) and those from the
family stream ($35,620).
Of skilled migrants, profes
sionals had the highest median
employee income ($75,284), fol
lowed by skilled managers
($68,609). (Source: sbs.com.au)

Toronto:
Kolkataborn
former
Scotiabank's Vice Chairman Sarabjit
Singh Marwah has become the first Sikh
to be appointed to the Canadian Senate.
Torontobased Marwah, who retired
from Scotiabank in 2014, was among six
people from Ontario who were appoint
ed to the Senate by Prime Minister
Justin Trudeau.
Trudeau lauded Marwah for his efforts
for showcasing the "rich diversity of
Sikh and South Asian art and culture."
Marwah is one of the founders of the
Sikh Foundation of Canada that pro
motes culture and art among the diaspo
ra community.
Marwah, who was born in Kolkata in
1952, did his his schooling from St Xavier's School.
He is an alumnus of Delhi's St Stephen's College and
the Delhi School of Economics, and holds an MBA
degree from the University of California Los Angeles,
US. Marwah joined Scotiabank in Toronto as a finan
cial analyst in 1978. Rising through the ranks, he
went on to become the Chief Financial Officer (COO)
in 1998. In 2002, he was made the bank's Senior
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.
In 2005, he was elevated as the Vice Chairman and
chie f administrat ive of ficer. In 2008, he was
redesignated.

Sarabjit Singh Marwah

(Image courtesy: sikhsiyasat.net)
Marwah has served on the boards of many famous
Canadian institutions such as the Toronto Star daily,
the Toronto International Film Festival, the C.D. Howe
Institute, the Royal Ontario Museum, the United Way
Campaign, and the Hospital for Sick Children.
Marwah joins two other Sikhs Defence Minister
Harjeet Sajjan and Science Minister Navdeep Bains
in the Canadian Parliament.
While Marwah will be the only Indianorigin mem
ber of the Senate (upper house), there are over 20
members of Indian origin in the House of Commons
(lower house).
(IANS)

Manmeet Alishers killer was

MP Keith Vaz to join new UK
Parliament's Justice Committee earlier treated at mental health
facility: Oz Minister

London: Britain's longest

Parliament.
serving Indianorigin MP
While an investiga
Keith Vaz, embroiled in a
tion by the UK's
sex scandal involving male
Parliamentary
prostitutes, is to join the
Standards Committee
UK Parliament's commit
into any breach of
tee that oversees the
parliamentary code of
workings of the country's
conduct is still pend
courts, it emerged on
ing, the 59yearold's
Tuesday.
membership of the
Labor party MP Vaz,
Justice Committee
who had been forced to
was
reportedly
step down as chair of the
approved by Labor
influential Home Af fairs
MPs after two mem
Se lect Committee last
bers of the Justice
Keith Vaz
month amid the sex scan
Committee stepped
(Image courtesy: theguardian.com)
dal, is to join the cross
down to join party
party Justice Committee after two of its Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn's shadow cabinet.
members took on shadow cabinet roles.
Conservative MP and one of the most vocal
Bob Neill, the chair of the Justice committee, opponents of Vaz, Andrew Bridgen, said: "Keith
told the 'Telegraph': "My duty is to work with Vaz's guile knows no bounds.
whoever the House appoints."
Joining the Justice Committee is particularly
An official announcement of the unpaid role interesting when Scotland Yard has still not
is yet to be made but it can be blocked only if ruled out investigating him on conspiracy to
the House of Commons' chair of appointments supply a controlled substance."
takes an unusual step of blocking the 59year
Vaz himself is yet to comment on his impend
old MP's membership or if an MP objects in ing new role.
(PTI)

Melbourne: A 48yearold
Queensland Police Service
man accused of murdering
and State Coroner in relation
Indianorigin bus driver
to this incident." "Metro South
Manmeet Alisher in Brisbane
Hospital and Health Service
by dousing him in a flamma
will conduct an internal
ble liquid has been con
review of treatment and serv
firmed as a former mental
ices provided to the accused.
health patient.
This is a mandatory process
According to state Health
in cases such as this," he
Manmeet Alisher
Minister Cameron Dick,
said. "However, given the
(Image: theaustralian.com.au)
Anthony Mark Edward
very serious nature of this
O'Donohue had undergone treatment at incident, I believe it is appropriate that there
Queensland Health's mental health servic be an independent external investigation
es.The minister also announced launching an into the treatment provided within the health
independent external inquiry into the treat system to the accused.
ment given to O'Donohue.
"Accordingly, I have requested the
Dick said an independent investigation DirectorGeneral of Queensland Health to
regarding his treatment will be conducted by commission an independent investigation
forensic psychiatrist Paul Mullen and it under the Hospital and Health Board Act
would be completed within eight weeks.
2011 regarding treatment provided to the
"To the extent possible, any findings and accused," the Health Minister said.
recommendations of this investigation will
Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday
be released publicly," Dick said, adding, had raised with his Australian counterpart
"Queensland Health will also assist with any Malcolm Turnbull India's concern over the
(PTI)
investigation or inquiry conducted by the brutal killing of 29yearold Alisher.

22

November 5-11, 2016

SUBCONTINENT

Imran Khan's 70
supporters held ahead
of Islamabad shutdown
Islamabad: Over 70
act ivists of the
Pakistan Tehreeki
Insaf (PTI) were
arrested as they
tried to march to
party chief Imran
Khan's residence
here
be fore
a
planned November
2 Islamabad lock
down
protest
ag ainst
Prime
Minister
Nawaz
Sharif.
The PTI, led by Imran Khan,
Imran Khan had
is demanding PMs resignation.
urged party work
ers to reach his residence in the security forces and set off fires in
upscale Bani Gala neighborhood the wilderness, after which the
of Islamabad even if they had to police resorted to tearg as
"climb mountains" to do so in the shelling, Dawn reported.
The police have erected check
wake of the government's crack
down. Protesters then plan to posts from Link Road to Bani
hold a protest rally in central Gala in Islamabad to prevent the
march.
Islamabad.
T he PTI is protest ing and
The police prevented protest
ers from reaching Bani Gala via demanding the Prime Minister's
lesserknown unpaved routes resignation over alleged money
running through the wilderness laundering by Sharif and his fam
by surrounding them on all sides. ily, allegedly exposed by the
Protesters threw stones at 'Panama Papers' leak.

India asks Pak diplomat to

leave, Pak retaliates
New Delhi/Islamabad: Marking a
sharp downturn in ties, India asked
a junior Pakistani diplomat to leave
for running a spy ring. Pakistan
retaliated with a similar move, ask
ing an Indian official in Islamabad
to leave.
Hours after Indian Foreign
Secretary S. Jaishankar summoned
Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul
Basit in New De lhi to protest
against Mehmood Akhtar, a visa
of ficer at the Pakistan High
Commission, who India accused of
spying, Islamabad hit back.
In the evening, Pakistan Foreign
Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry
summoned
Indian
High
Commissioner Gautam Bambawale
in Islamabad and declared Indian
High Commission of ficial Surjeet
Singh as persona non grata and
asked that he leave the country.
Pakistan denied the espionage
charges leveled against Akhtar as
"false and unsubstantiated", and
alleged that Indian police "manhan
dled" him.
Akhtar, detained and then let off
because of diplomatic immunity,
had served in the mission for over
two years during which he recruited

Mob vandalizes Hindu temples,

houses in Bangladesh
Dhaka: At least 15 temples along
with hundreds of Hindu commu
nity houses were vandalized and
looted by an unruly mob in
Bangladesh's Brahmanbaria dis
trict, in the aftermath of a social
media post allegedly showing
disrespect towards Islam. Police
have filed two cases ag ainst
more than 1,000 people over the
attack, a media report said.
The incident occurred when
hundreds of people armed with
locallymade weapons attacked
the Hindu community at
Brahmanbaria's Nasirnag ar
upazila, reportedly in response to
a Facebook post satirizing the
Masjid alHaram, the holy site of
Muslims.
Later, two temples in adjacent
Habiganj's Madhabpur were also
attacked.
T he attackers ran amok
through eight Hindu localities,
including Kashipara, Daspara,
Ghoshpara, Duttapara and
Nomoshudropara, said Abdul
Quader, of ficerincharge of
Nasirnagar Police Station.
Brahmanbaria Superintendent
of Police (SP) Mizanur Rahman
told the Dhaka Tribune that
around 150 to 200 people
launched the attacks and vandal
ized at least seven to eight idols

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Mehmood Akhtar was a visa

officer at the Pak High
Commission.
Indians to spy for Pakistan's Inter
Services Intelligence (ISI), Delhi
Police Joint Commissioner Ravindra
Yadav said.
He was caught near the Delhi Zoo
receiving defenserelated vital infor
mation from two Indian nationals,
Maulana Ramzan and Subhash
Jangir, who were also allegedly
working for the ISI, Yadav said.
One more person, Sohaib Nagaur,
was arrested in Jodhpur. The three
are residents of Rajasthan and were
being interrogated.
"They had collected information
regarding defense, BSF (Border

Security Force) deployment on the

borders" in Rajasthan and Gujarat
and also carried deployment charts
and maps of some Indian positions,
Yadav said.
The documents, including infor
mation about several retired Indian
Army personnel and BSF of ficers
serving on borders, were given to
Akhtar in exchange of money, he
said. The police officer said Akhtar
initially presented himself as an
Indian citizen and also showed a
fake Aadhar card, claiming he was
Mehboob Rajput of Chandni Chowk
in Old Delhi.
Yadav said after sustained ques
tioning he admitted that he was a
soldier with Pakistan Army's 40
Baloch Regiment since 1997 and
was deputed to India by the ISI in
2013.
The Pakistan Foreign Ministry
said the diplomat was detained for
three hours on "false and unsub
stantiated" charges of espionage
before he was returned to the mis
sion. India categorically denied that
the accused officer was mistreated.
"He was treated with courtesy befit
ting his diplomatic status," Swarup
said.

Myanmar to hold
first national-level
political dialogue

Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi.

A Hindu temple in Bangladesh.

of temples in the area.
Among the temples vandalized
were
Duttobari
temple,
Nomosomudropara temple,
Jagannath temple, Ghoshpara
temple and Gouro temple.
Blaming the JamaatShibir men
for the attack, he said: "Those
who were behind the attack will
be arrested as soon as possible.
Already we have detained six
persons in this connection."
A large number of security per
sonnel from dif ferent agencies

including police, Rapid Action

Battalion (RAB), and paramilitary
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB)
have been deployed in the area.
Locals said the incident started
with a Facebook post by one
Rasraj Das, son of Jagannath Das
from Harinberh village under
Haripur Union Parishad, bdnews
reported. Police detained Rasraj
immediately after the allegation
of blasphemy surfaced against
him and he was sent to jail fol
lowing a court order.

Nay Pyi Taw: Myanmar's Union

Peace Dialogue Joint Committee
(UPDJC), led by State Counselor
Aung San Suu Kyi, has laid out the
structure and work guidelines on
holding the first nationallevel
political dialogue next month,
officials said.
The twoday UPDJC meeting
was able to make nine decisions
required for the nationallevel
political dialogue, making a step
forward with the peace process,
said UPDJC Vice Chairman Tin
Myo Win, Xinhua news agency
reported. The nationallevel politi
cal dialogue will begin in some
reg ions and states in mid
November that are ready to host
them, he said. Aung San Suu Kyi

has on the first day of the meet

ing proposed to hold the national
level political dialogue in three
types which are outlined as those
based on region, national cause
and ethnic affairs. She maintained
that there was only one way to
achieve peace, that is to stop con
flict, calling for all out efforts to
realize it without delay.
The Myanmar government is
making ef forts to pave way for
nonsignatory armed groups to
the Nationwide Ceasefire Accord
(NCA) to join and complete the
signing before the nationallevel
political dialogue next month as
ag reed at the 21st Century
Panglong Peace Conference held
in AugustSeptember.

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

November 5-11, 2016

INTERNATIONAL

23

Canada sets 2017

immigration target at 300,000

Iraq's counterterror forces assemble to launch attacks on Mosul.

Iraqi Army takes control of

official Mosul TV station
Bartella (Iraq): The Iraqi Army's special forces
have captured the headquarters of Mosul's local
television station, military sources announced.
The broadcasting building is located in
Mosul's Gogjali district, considered one of the
main access points that would allow allied
forces to enter the Islamic State's bastion in
northern Iraq from the east, EFE news reported.
Lieutenant General Talib Shagati, Chief of
Iraqi Joint Operations, told journalists at
Bartella base that "taking Mosul's television
means taking the city".
Shagati said that clashes with IS fighters were
still ongoing in the area, although Iraqi troops

are already set to enter the adjacent alQuds

neighborhood in the onslaught on Mosul from
the eastern front.
"At this moment, our troops are inside
Mosul's state television building. It's good news
for the people of Mosul because we have now
really started the city's liberation," Shagati
added.
The offensive to liberate Mosul from IS con
trol was launched on October 17.
The IS conquered Mosul in June 2014, when
it also proclaimed a socalled "caliphate" in the
territories under its control in northern Iraq
and eastern Syria.

South Korean President

reshuffles cabinet
Seoul: South Korean President
Park Geunhye reshuffled the cab
inet, naming a new prime minis
ter, deputy minister for economic
affairs and public safety minister
amid a controversial scandal sur
rounding her longtime confidant.
Kim Byongjoon, former senior
presidential policy secretary
under late President Roh Moo
hyun, was appointed as the new
premier. Kim is currently a pro
fessor at the Kookmin University
in Seoul, Xinhua news agency
reported.
Yim Jongyong, chairman of the
Financial Services Commission
(FSC), the country's financial reg
ulator, was tapped as new deputy
minister for economic affairs who
double as finance minister.
Park Seungjoo, former gender
equality minister in the Roh Moo
hyun administration, was named
as new minister of public safety
and security on recommendation
of the new prime minister.
T he cabinet reshuf fle came
amid allegations on Choi Soonsil,
who is suspected of peddling
influence and intervening in state
affairs behind the scenes by using
her longtime friendship with
President Park.
Park reshuffled her presidential
secretariat, accepting resigna
tions of eight secretaries that
include the presidential chief of

Ottawa: The Canadian government has

announced that it will allow 300,000
immigrants into the country in 2017.
This is the same number as in 2016
even though an expert panel has recom
mended to raise immigration levels.
John
McCallum,
Minister
of
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship,
tabled the immigration proposal for
2017 in the parliament.
"The 2017 levels plan will put Canada
in a strong position for the future and
support our overall economic and social
development as a country," McCallum
said.
A government statement said the 2017
levels are "a thoughtful, responsible
approach that takes into consideration
Canada's need for more immigrants while
balancing our scal responsibilities."
The announcement comes amid warn
ings from the Liberal Party's economic
council of advisers that Canada needs to
raise immigration levels by the tens of
thousands in order to ensure better eco
nomic growth. The council recommended
the government gradually increase immi
gration levels to 450,000 per year over
the next ve years, Xinhua news agency
reported. The target number of immi

staf f and senior secretaries for

civil affairs and policy coordina
tion.
Park's reshuf fle, however,
seems not to be enough to con
tain public anger and condemna
tions from opposition lawmakers
and even from members of the
nonPresident Park faction within
the ruling party.

grants from 2011 to 2015 was 260,000,

but swelled to 300,000 this year because
of what McCallum called the "special cir
cumstances" of the Syrian refugee crisis.
There has been much debate over the
targeted immigration number at a time
when Canada struggles with high unem
ployment.
The 2017 target boosts entries for
those in the economic class skilled
workers, business people and caregivers
to 172,500 from 160,600.
In the family class, the number of spon
sored spouses, partners, children, parents
and grandparents will climb to 84,000
from 80,000.

Venezuelan govt, opposition

ready to talk
Caracas: The Venezuelan govern
ment re leased four polit ical
act ivists while the opposit ion
Demo crat ic Unity Roundtable
(MUD) suspended a political trial in
Congress against President Nicolas
Maduro, a sign showing both sides
may be willing to negotiate. The
opposition welcomed the freeing of
the prisoners but warned more
needed to be done for the negotia
tions to move forward, Xinhua
news agency reported.
The MUD has made clear that,
despite its participation in talks
with the government, it will not
stop pressuring the government in
other ways to restore the derailed
referendum to recall Maduro.
MUD's Executive Secretary Jesus
Torrealba called the re leases
"important but insufficient".
"The releases need to continue.
They should reinstate the recall

Park accepted resignations of

eight secretaries.

John McCallum, Canadian Minister of

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro taking part in a rally in Caracas.

re ferendum or, failing that,
advance presidential elections," he
said. Venezuelan Vice President
Aristobulo Isturiz said that the
recently begun dialogue process
between the government and the
opposition would promote devel
opment and peace in the country.
"Dialogue is crucial for acknowl
edgement between diverse political
sectors," said Isturiz in an interview

w ith the stateowned Radio

Nacional de Venezuela.
Envoys from Maduro's govern
ment and the MUD met late
Sunday. The two sides agreed to
discuss four central topics how
to bring about peace and justice,
making amends to victims and rec
onciliation, social and economic
stability, and setting a general elec
tion date.

China showcases J20 stealth fighter jet

Beijing: China showcased its top
oftheline J20 stealth fighter jets
at an airshow for the first time.
Two of the radarevading jets did
a 60second flypast at Airshow
China, in the southern city of
Zhuhai, in Guangdong province.
The J20 fighter is called Beijing's
answer to the US F22 stealth
fighter and the F35 that is set to

be deployed by the US in the

Pacific. The fighters are being
seen as symbol of Beijing's desire
to modernize and upgrade its mili
tary capabilities. The J20 has
been developed and made by the
Chengdu Aircraft Industries
Group, a subsidiary of Aviation
Industry Corporation of China,
BBC reported.

A The J20 fighter is called

Beijing's answer to the US F22
stealth fighter.

24

November 5-11, 2016

BUSINESS

Frozen for now,

US interest rates may
rise in December
Washington: The Federal Open
Market Committee of the
US Federal Reserve has kept its
short term interest rate intact for
now, but gave an indication that a
hike was on the cards in
December on the back of
economic recovery.
After a twoday, muchwatched
meeting of the committee chaired
by Fed Chief Janet Yellen, the
Committee said in a statement
that while inflation was expected
to rise over the medium and the
labor market strengthen further,
the nearterm risks to economic
outlook appeared roughly bal
anced.
"Against this backdrop, the
Committee decided to maintain
the target range for the federal
funds rate at 1/4 to 1/2 percent
(0.25 to 0.50 per cent). T he
Committee judges that the case
for an increase in the federal
funds rate has cont inued to
strengthen but decided, for the
time being, to wait for some fur
ther evidence of cont inued
progress toward its objectives," it
said.

US Fed Chief Janet Yellen.

"The Committee expects that
economic conditions will evolve
in a manner that will warrant
only gradual increases in the fed
eral funds rate; the federal funds
rate is likely to remain, for some
t ime, be low leve ls that are
expected to prevail in the longer
run."
At the same time, it expected
gradual adjustments in the stance
of monetary policy to expand

economic activity and strengthen

labor market conditions further
the two main stated objectives of
the Committee.
While Yellen, and seven mem
bers voted to keep interest rates
intact, two members voted
against the action and wanted the
target range to be raised to 0.50
per cent to 0.75 per cent.
The committee is scheduled to
meet next on December 1314.

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

S&P maintains
'stable' outlook, India
seeks upgrade
New Delhi: Standard and
Poor's maintained its stable
outlook for India in its latest
update, even as the Finance
Ministry felt that the rating
must be upgraded in tune
with the global investor senti
ment towards the country and
its cont inuing economic
reforms and improved macro
stability.
"We are affirming our 'BBB'
longterm and 'A3' shortterm
sovereign credit ratings on
India. The stable outlook bal
ances India's sound external
position and inclusive policy
making tradition against the
vulnerabilities stemming from
its low per capita income and
weak public finances,"
Standard and Poor's said.
W hile the rat ing agency
lauded the likely introduction
of Goods and Services Tax
(GST) in the first half of 2017
"to replace complex and dis
tortive indirect taxes", it ruled
out any rating upgrade "this
year or next, based on current

set of forecast".
Reacting to the S&P stable
outlook, Economic Af fairs
Secretary Shaktikanta Das
said the rating agencies need
to introspect as to why India's
rating was not improved.
"Cannot understand why
India's rating has not been
upgraded. The rating agencies
need to internally examine the
disconnect between foreign
investors' and rating agencies'
views," Das told reporters.
"Investors agree that India is
highly underrated country.
Many Canadian investors bull
ish on India, have invested
huge chunks in onetwo
years," he said.
Wide fiscal deficits, a heavy
de bt burden, and low per
capita income nonetheless
detract from the sovereign's
credit profile, S&P said.
"India's strong democratic
institutions and a free press,
which promote policy stability
and predictability, also under
pin the ratings," it said.

Goods and services should have standard

GST rate of 18%: CII
New Delhi: Ahead of the twoday
Goods and Services Tax (GST )
Council meet, industry body CII
suggested that the rate of 18 per
cent should be applied to most of
the goods and services.
The Council which met last on
October 1819 had failed to reach
a consensus on the critical issue of
GST rates.
"It is important that the bulk of
goods and services should fall
within the standard rate of 18 per
cent and only as exception to go to
the higher rate of 26 per cent. It is
suggested that the higher rate of
26 per cent should apply only to
'demerit goods' and the term luxu
ry goods should not be used to

"The GST should begin

with an absolute limit
of four rates as
suggested by the
government, and over
time, the government
should commit to
converging these four
rates to one or two
rates," Banerjee said.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

define this category," Chandrajit

Banerjee, Director General,
Confederation of Indian Industry

(CII) said.
The industry understands that
the present situation does not
allow the possibility of having a
single GST rate and therefore, a
beginning needs to be made with
multiple rates, he said.
"The GST should begin with an
absolute limit of four rates as sug
gested by the government, and
over time, the government should
commit to converging these four
rates to one or two rates," Banerjee
said.
The technical issues will be sort
ed out and a formal decision on
GST rates will be announced at the
next meeting, Jaitley, who chairs
the GST Council, had said.

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

SPORTS

Pandya, Gambhir, Ishant in

for England Test series
Mumbai: Middleorder batsman Rohit
Sharma was sidelined due to an injury while
allrounder Hardik Pandya is the lone new
face in the India squad for the first two crick
et Tests against England, BCCI announced
here.
Rohit sustained an injury to his upper thigh
during the OneDay International (ODI) series
against New Zealand while injured openers
Lokesh Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan were also
ruled out from the squad.
"As you know Rohit Sharma had a bad
injury, he might also have to undergo sur
gery," the Board of Control for Cricket in
India (BCCI) chief selector M.S.K. Prasad said
while announcing the team.
Seasoned opener Gautam Gambhir, who
scored a fifty in the second innings of his
comeback Test against New Zealand, retained
his place in the Virat Kohliled side while
Delhi pacer Ishant Sharma made a comeback
to the squad after being sidelined due to
Chikungunya during the threematch Test
series against New Zealand.
Pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has recovered
from a hamstring injury, which he suffered
during the second Test against the Kiwis in
Kolkata, but was not picked for the squad.

Allrounder
Hardik Pandya.

Commenting on handing a maiden Test

callup to Baroda allrounder Pandya, Prasad
said: "Pandya's pace has increased, he is mov
ing the ball, his batsmanship has improved".
"And he has mellowed down as a person.
He is one allrounder we thought is an equal
ly competent bowler and batsman. And a
good fielder too." "Rahul Dravid has worked
hard on the mental side of his game. Now
Anil Kumble is guiding him. We have three
allrounders Stuart Binny, Hardik Pandya,
Rishi Dhawan. In this particular series, he

Ganguly expects another

whitewash against England

Former skipper Sourav Ganguly.

Kolkata: Former skipper Sourav Ganguly
cautioned England from getting white
washed in the upcoming fivematch Test
series, starting November 9 at Rajkot,
when they face an inform Indian side.
The legendary southpaw expects India to
continue their superb form at home which
they displayed during their 30 clean
sweep of New Zealand in the recentlycon
cluded Test Series.
"India are playing superb cricket. I am
expecting another whitewash like the one
against New Zealand. T hey (England)
should be worried," Ganguly told reporters
here.
Ganguly's comments echoed former
England captain Michael Vaughan, who on
Tuesday had said England are bereft of

topclass spin bowlers and their batsmen

have struggled to combat the turning ball
against Bangladesh.
Vaughan said England need to 'park the
bus' in order to stave off the threat from
the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin and
Ravindra Jadeja.
Meanwhile, hot on the heels of Bengal's
backtoback outright victories in the ongo
ing Ranji Trophy, Cricket Association of
Bengal (CAB) president Ganguly welcomed
the boys home with a high tea session
here.
It was announced that 21year old pacer
Amit Kuila, who has impressed with his
performances so far in the Ranji Trophy
will be sponsored by the CAB for his future
endeavors.

scores ahead of Binny. Much quicker and bet

ter bowler than Stuart. With form and fitness,
Hardik is a better option," he added.
The first of the fivematch Test series will
be played at Rajkot from November 9 to 13
followed by the second at Visakhapatnam
from November 17 to 21.
The third match of the series will be played
at Mohali from November 26 to 30 while the
fourth and fifth Tests will be played respec
tively in Mumbai from December 8 to 12 and
Chennai from December 16 to 20.

November 5-11, 2016

25

Uruguay-Argentina
commission to bid
for 2030 World Cup
Montevideo: Uruguay's President Tabare
Vazquez has announced that he
launched a joint commission w ith
Argentina's President Mauricio Macri to
prepare a bid for the 2030 football
World Cup.
"It is a natural right as the internation
al competitions (of football team) were
born in our country," Vazquez told a cab
inet session, alluding to the fact that
Uruguay held the first World Cup in
1930. The two Presidents agreed to this
commission earlier in October, which
will make a formal bid to the interna
t ional football bo dy, FIFA, reports
Xinhua. "There are people, with the best
intentions, that believe it is impossible
for Uruguay and Argentina to have a
World Cup," said Vazquez.
"We can think as Uruguayans what
was done in 1930 to organise a World
Cup during winter. There was one stadi
um at that time and a World Cup was
played here," he pointed out. In 2030,
the centenary of first football World Cup
will be marked, when Uruguay won in
the final at home, beating Argentina 42.

Maybe it's the end

of my career: Saina
New Delhi: London
Olympics bronze medal
ist
shuttler
Saina
Nehwal, who is recuper
ating from a knee sur
gery fee ls her career
may face an abrupt end.
The 26yearold, who
is now eyeing the China
Open Super Series, from
November 15, said she is
working harder to
improve her fitness and
is not thinking about
winning or losing any
more.
"It is okay, many peo
ple will think my career
London Olympics bronze medalist shuttler Saina Nehwal.
will end and I won't come
back. I also think somewhere deep in my injuries are quite painful," the shuttler
heart that maybe it is the end of my career, said.
She further hinted at her imminent
so let's see how it is. Maybe, you never
know," Saina was quoted as saying by the retirement plans by saying that she has
not set any long term goals for the future.
espn.in.
"I am going to think about the next one
Plagued by a right knee injury, the
Hyderabadi was knocked out of the first year, it is year by year now, I am not going
round from this year's Olympics in Rio de to set a target for the next 56 years now,"
Janeiro. Forced to go under the knife, she she said. Considered as the flagbearer of
began her rehabilitation process with Indian women's singles badminton, Saina
physiotherapist Heath Matthews and has had many 'firsts' added to her illustri
resumed her regular training recently ous career.
Besides being the first Indian shuttler to
under her coach U. Vimal Kumar. "I will be
win
an Olympic medal, the former World
more than happy if people think I am fin
ished, it is nice in a way, people think a lot No.1 added another feather to her cap by
about me, maybe now they won't. So for becoming the first Indian woman to reach
me it is just about how to take care of my the finals of the prestigious All England
body and be in good shape because these Open Badminton Championships.

26

November 5-11, 2016

ULTIMATE BOLLYWOOD

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

'Ae Dil...', 'Shivaay':

No reworks at box ofce
T

Amitabh Bachchan at his home.

Amitabh
Bachchan's
Diwali party
brings BTown
together

he Bachchans of Bollywood
turned hosts for a starstudded
Diwali party which saw several
movie celebrities all dressed in ethnic
wear to live up the festive fervor in
attendance. The Bachchan family more
or less looked color coordinated for
the festival, which was celebrated on
Sunday. While Jaya Bachchan decided
to break the monotony by donning a
shimmery, green and red salwarkurta,
Amitabh, Aishwarya and Abhishek took
the limelight away, clad in offwhite
and white Indian outfits.
Big B dedicated the festival of lights
to Indian soldiers.
"A light for them that sacrifice their
lives for us," he posted on Twitter, with
photographs which feature his house
glistening with lights, in the back
ground as he lights up a 'phooljhadi'
(sparkler).
The grand party was attended by
guests like Shah Rukh Khan, Sanjay
Dutt, Ranbir Kapoor, Kabir Khan, Vidya
Balan, Siddharth Roy Kapur, Katrina
Kaif, Mika Singh, Mukesh and Neeta
Ambani, Jackie and Tiger Shroff as seen
in photographs captured and posted on
social media by Bipasha and Karan
Singh Grover.
Others present were Sonu Sood,
Shraddha Kapoor, Farhan Akhtar,
Amrita Arora, Aditi Rao Hydari,
Rajkumar Santoshi, Aftab Shivdasani,
Bhavana and Chunkey Pandey, Kirron
Kher with son Sikander, Dia Mirza,
Prasoon Joshi, Konkona Sen Sharma, JP
Dutta with family, Neha Dhupia and
Remo D'souza.

he Diwali festivities seemed

to have come in the way of
sparkling box office num
bers for Karan Johars "Ae Dil Hai
Mushkil" and actorfilmmaker
Ajay Devgns "Shivaay". T he
movies did not register a hike in
their collections, but trade
experts believe the coming days
look bright.
Both the films released on
October 28 two days before
Diwali.
After collecting Rs 13.30 crore
and Rs 13.10 crore on Friday and
Saturday, "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil",
which released in around 3000
screens in India, only managed to
mint Rs 9.20 crore on Sunday,
thus taking its cumulative total to
Rs 35.60 crore, read a statement
from the makers.
However, the film which fea

A scene from 'Shivaay'

tures Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka
Sharma, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
and Fawad Khan performed
well overseas by collecting $6.15
million (Rs 41.05 crore).
According to its makers, the

film has amassed the second

highest international opening
weekend for a Bollywood film in
2016 and is the highest opening
weekend for a Karan Johar proj
ect. In the US, "Ae Dil Hai

Mushkil" collected $2.1 million,

while in Britain and Australia, the
film raked in $752,000 and
$307,045, respectively.
"Shivaay", on the other hand,
collected Rs 8.26 crore. With col
lections of Rs 10.24 crore and Rs
10.06 crore on Friday and
Saturday, the film has now made
a total of Rs 28.56 crore, says
trade analyst Taran Adarsh.
He tweeted: "Diwali puja and
festivities made a dent in the
business of 'Ae Dil Hai Mushkil'
and 'Shivaay' on Sunday. Business
should witness an upward trend
on Monday and Tuesday."
Delhibased
distributor
Joginder Mahajan told IANS:
"People are more inclined
towards festivities during Diwali.
So this much collection is enough
for both the films.

'After Images' to open IFFI 2016

L
ate Polish director
Andrzej Wajda's "After
Images" a biopic based
on the life of late Polish
painter Wladyslaw Strzeminski
w ill kick of f the 47th
International Film Festival of
India (IFFI) in Goa, Union
Information and Broadcasting
Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu
announced here.
The festival, which will run
from November 2028, will
have the Republic of Korea as
the country in focus.
South Korean filmmaker Kim
JeeWoons "T he Age of
Shadows", which is the coun
try's of ficial entry for the
Oscars next year, will bring the
curtains down on the festival.
Renowned Korean filmmaker
Kwon Taek Im, director of
awardw inning films like
"Chihwaseon", "Gilsoddeum",
"Chunhyang"
and
"Seopyeonje", will be honoured
with the Lifetime Achievement
Award at the festival this year.
A special tribute will be paid
to late Polish filmmaker
Andrzej Wajda and late Iranian
filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami,
both of who passed away earli
er this year.
Special homage will be paid
to actorsinger Kalabhan Mani,
actress Kalpana, Sad hana
Shivdasani and Paramesh
Krishnan Nair.
Out of 1032 entries from
across the globe, IFFI 2016
will screen 194 films from 88
countries.
The festival will recognise

Union Information & Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu and Minister of State for Information
& Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore release the Poster for the IFFI2016 in New Delhi.
young talent under a new com
petition section, Centenary
Award for Best Debut Feature
of a Director.
The section will showcase
some of the outstanding direc
torial debuts of 2016 from
across the world, the winner of
which will get a Silver Peacock
and a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh.
National Awardwinning film
maker S.S. Rajamouli will be
the chief guest at the closing
ceremony.
Veteran singer S. P.
Balasubrahmanyam will be
felicitated with the Centenary
Award for Indian Film
Personality of the year.

No Pakistani films
at IFFI 2016

he upcoming 47th International Film Festival of India (IFFI)

will not screen any Pakistani film as the two entries sent
from the country were "not up to the mark".
Union Information and Broadcasting Minister M. Venkaiah
Naidu along with Union Minister of State for Information and
Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, Deputy Chief Minister
of Goa Francis D'souza and Directorate of Film Festivals Senthil
Rajan, held a press conference here on Tuesday to unveil the
poster and share the highlights of the film festival, which will take
place in Goa from November 2028. It was also announced that
out of 1032 entries from across the globe, IFFI 2016 will screen
194 films from 88 countries, but Pakistan won't be a part of it.
Last year, filmmaker Jamshed Mahmood Raza's Pakistani film
"Moor" was screened at the festival.

TheSouthAsianTimes.info
scar nominee Benedict
Cumberbatch, who plays a
s u r geo n t u r n ed s o r c e r e r
vested with powerful magical pow
ers and skills in "Doctor Strange",
has compared magic with acting. He
says it's all about
making what you
watch seem
possible,
e v e n
though it
is not.
Doctor
Stephen
Strange, his
character in
Marvel Studios'
forthcoming film,
was a celebrated but arro
gant surgeon until an accident costs
him his medical skills and career. In
an attempt to restore his talents, he
travels the world until he encoun
ters The Ancient One, the enigmatic
teacher who offers to teach him the
ways of the Mystic Arts.
One of the inspirations for his
character was the radio show
"Chandu the Magician", which fea
tured a magician who learned
magic in India. Did he get a chance
to get trained by Indian yogis?
"It would have taken me little
longer than I had to do this film,

ULTIMATE BOLLYWOOD

Benedict Cumberbatch.

had I trained with the

yogis. We didn't do that, but
we practised mindfulness and
meditation. It is a superhero film
after all. There is no one who can
teach you how to be a superhero.
It's
an
acting
exercise,"
Cumberbatch said in reply to a
question by IANS in a select media
interaction.
"I had a great team helping me.
So, it was fun. But who knows?
Maybe, one day in future some
magicians might come and we will
have a chat. But I don't profess to
having any actual skills as a magi
cian... like acting, it's about making
what you watch seem possible, even
though it is impossible, and there
are ways of doing that," he added.

'Ae Dil Hai Mushkil':

Ranbir, Anushka
sparkle this Diwali

27

Priyanka finds Dwayne

Johnson's daughter stunning

Acting
is like
creating
magic:
Benedict

aran Johar's "Ae Dil Hai

Mushkil" celebrates love and
heartbreak in all its hues. It
is about the junoon of love and the
'sukoon' of friendship. A romance,
an entertainer and a complete
filmy film, this one boasts of laugh
ter, racy dialogues, relationships,
heartache and unrequited love.
Ayan Sanger (Ranbir Kapoor) is
pursuing his MBA in London, but is
a singer at heart. Brought up with
out a mother, he feels alienated
from his rich business tycoon
father and obviously longs for love
and acceptance. A chance meeting
at a Soho pub with Alizeh Khan
(Anushka Sharma), a bubbly, viva
cious girl, who is nursing a heart
break, and a deep bond and friend
ship ensues between the two.
Laced with a generous dose of
humor, the first half of the film is
fun, light and frothy. Peppered
with well written dialogues replete
with Bollywood lingo, foottapping
music with numbers like "Mere
saiyyanji se aaj maine breakup kar
liya", the film glides through
smoothly. The pace in the second
half drops distinctly, with a focus
on heartbreak and onesided love.
The dialogues get verbose, poetic
and at times, heavy duty. Ranbir
Kapoor is Ayan Sanger from the
first scene and slips into his char

November 5-11, 2016

REVIEW

Actors Ranbir Kapoor and

Anushka Sharma during a
program organized to promote
their upcoming film "Ae Dil Hai
Mushkil" in Mumbai.
acter effortlessly, as the boy who is
deeply in love and craves for it to
be requited. His childlike inno
cence, emotional outbursts, spon
taneity and even pain, is real and
endearing. He lip syncs the songs
with fervour making them seem
real. Anushka Sharma is the joie de
vivre element of the film even
though ironically she portrays a
girl who has gone through the pain
of a heartbreak. She lights up the
screen with her inherent energy
and delivers a spirited perform
ance. She is spontaneous and a
sheer treat to watch in scenes
where she relives her Bollywood
dreams of singing songs in a chif
fon saree and equally tugs at your
heartstrings when unable to
explain the depth of her feelings.

ndian actress Priyanka

Chopra has praised her
Hollywood coactor Dwayne
Johnson's daug hter Simone
Alexandra Johnson, by calling
her stunning.
Priyanka on Tuesday shared a
photog raph on Instag ram of
Simone dressed up as an FBI
agent and said that she looks bet
ter than the "Bajirao Mastani"
star, who essays the role of an
FBI agent in the American drama
series "Qauntico".
"You look stunning Simone.
The Rock, your baby looks way
better than I ever could in that
outfit! Adorable. Alex Parrish.
Halloween," Priyanka captioned
the image that she shared on
Tuesday, a day after Halloween.
On the occasion of Halloween,
Priyanka shared the poster of
her de but Hollywoo d film
"Baywatch", based on the tele
vision series of the same name.
Priyanka will be seen essaying

a neg at ive character named

Victoria Leeds in the Seth
Gordon directorial.
Apart from Priyanka
and Dwayne, the film
also stars Zac Efron,
Alexandra Daddario,
Kelly Rohrbach, Jon
Bass,
Ilfenesh
Hadera, Yahya
AbdulMateen II,
D a v i d
Hasselhof f
and Pamela
Anderson.

Priyanka
Chopra

28

November 5-11, 2016

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

HUMOR

Humor with Melvin Durai

Canada turns away Trump supporters

H

undreds of Donald Trump supporters,

fleeing what they anticipate to be a
rigged election and inevitable Hillary
Clinton presidency, were turned away from
the Canadian border on Tuesday. Traveling

in a convoy of cars, pickup trucks and RVs,

they headed up Interstate 15 through
Montana to the border town of Sweet Grass,
hoping to settle in the conservative province
of Alberta, at least for the next four years.

BEST
RATE
FOR
INDIA
AND
PAKISTAN
New York Head Quarter
422S Broadway
HICKSVILLE
NY 11801

5168271010

Laughter is the Best Medicine

But Canadian border officials, citing a vari

ety of reasons, rebuf fed their attempts to
immigrate to Canada.
Some of them had no documents whatso
ever, not even a library card, said one bor

sitting at a small table beside the play area.

We just wanted to be refugees. We heard
Canada accepts lots of refugees.
The system is rigged against us, her hus
band said. They said theyre accepting

der of ficial, speaking on condition of

anonymity. A few of them wanted to bring
guns across the border. One man showed me
his back, where he had previously tattooed
the name Trump, but had crossed off the
mp and added deau instead. When I told
him that Justin Trudeau is a Liberal, he
almost fainted.
A few other tattoos caught the border offi
cials attention. One man had MAGA tat
tooed on his upper arm. When I asked him
what it stood for, he hesitated for a second,
then said, Make Alberta Great Again.
The border official smiled as he recalled
another tattoo. It was on a womans fore
arm. It said Trump or Death. She apparent
ly believed that moving to Canada is like
death. But I set her straight. Shed better go
somewhere else to die.
Some of the Trump supporters gathered at
the McDonalds in Sweet Grass to lament
their misfortune.
Its so unfair, a middleaged woman said,

refugees from Syria, Somalia, Ukraine and

other countries, but none from America.
Its discrimination, thats what it is, a
thirtysomething man yelled from a table
across the restaurant. White people are
always being discriminated against.
You got that right! the middleaged
woman responded.
An older man, sitting in a booth, grunted
in agreement. He was slumped over his
table, his hands clasped behind his head.
Open borders, he said. Why cant we
just have open borders?
Asked what he planned to do next, he
shook his head. I dont know. Maybe Ill go
to Mexico. Thank God there isnt a wall
there yet.
Yeah, we might head down there too! the
middleaged woman shouted from her table.
Anywhere but Hillaryland.
Lets go to Acapulco, her husband said.
He rolled up his sleeve and pointed to his
MAGA tattoo. Make Acapulco Great Again!

by Mahendra Shah
Mahendra Shah is an architect by education, entrepreneur by profession, artist and humorist,
cartoonist and writer by hobby. He has been recording the plight of the immigrant Indians for
the past many years in his cartoons. Hailing from Gujarat, he lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

ASTROLOGY

November 5-11, 2016

29

Chandigarh, India: +91-172- 256 2832, 257 2874

Delhi, India: +91-11- 2644 9898, 2648 9899
psharma@premastrologer.com; www.premastrologer.com

By Dr Prem Kumar Sharma

NOVEMBER 511, 2016

ARIES: You will be successful in regaining
your professional touch. Evening enjoyed
with family and close relatives brings
immense pleasure. Monetary position is likely
to improve on recovering of delayed payments.
Attending a social event/family function brings
a romantic encounter.
You will be successful in getting rid from ten
sions. Af fordable luxury vacation will explore
your desires. Real estate is one thing on which
you can rely on to invest. Do not reveal informa
tion that is personal & confidential even to the
dearest friends.
TAURUS: Selfconfidence helps in mak
ing an impact at professional front this
week. You are likely to plan a short trip
with family. Investment in antiques & jewelry
brings monetary gains and improvement in
financial position. Your physical charm would
catch the attraction of opposite sex. A sparkling
laughter filled week when most things proceed,
as you desire. Perfect getaway time for you and
your partner. Investment on construction busi
ness would flourish your income. You might
have to make some changes in schedule for
socialising.
GEMINI: Valuable support from a col
league would help in professional mat
ters. Unexpected visit by old friend could
give you a pleasant surprise. Long pending
arrears and dues will finally be recovered. Love
life blossoms paving the way for lovely times
ahead. Your enormous confidence would help in
enjoying a healthy life. A group of friends or
your partner is looking forward for a vacation
with you.
Dealings for older properties can be in process.
Watch out for individual who might try to mis
lead /give false information.

CANCER: Good week for computer pro

fessionals as they realise their dreams.
Good advice from family members will
help in reducing mental tension/pressure. this
week investment concerning residence will be
profitable. A romantic encounter is likely to add
spice to life. A very healthy week filled with
happiness & vitality. A leisure trip will prove to
be a premium time for you. Your possession for
acquiring a plot might be achieved. Secondhand
news should be verified to avoid problems.
LEO: An excellent time for developing
professional contacts. Sudden good
news in the evening will bring cheers for
the entire family. Financial hassles seem to get
over as someone lends a timely helping hand.
Romantic partner would try innovative methods
to catch your attention. Pleasure trip would
help in maintaining sound health this week. You
might get a chance for business trip, which will
help you in new connections. If you invest on
smaller properties then it can be beneficiary for
future investments. Be careful not to make
harsh comments especially if you are pushed
into an argument.
VIRGO: Senior colleagues cooperation
brings success at professional front.
Your efforts bring success & happiness
at family front. Promising week to invest sur
plus money in real estate. Initiatives in love
bring positive results as you catch the desired
attention.
Yoga and meditation would help in keeping in
shape and mentally agile. Traveling overseas
would be an experience full of spark that
enlightens your imagination. Your plan to own
a house is ought to be in the right way. Choose
your words with care while interacting in social
gathering.

LIBRA: Business partners would be

enthusiastic about new plans & ven
tures. You achieve success in personal
work with the timely help & support provided by
family members. A sound financial health would
enable to invest on lucrative schemes. Your gen
erous attitude would contribute much in your
love life this week. Blessings of a saintly person
give peace of mind. Travel plans for better com
munication will be helpful for new horizons. Plan
to invest in cafeteria or a bakery shop; it might
create new opportunities for you. If traveling
make sure you carry allimportant documents.
SCORPIO: Female colleagues would help
in complet ing pending work.
Misunderstandings with near ones in the
family will get cleared. Your brilliant ideas
would he lp in bring ing financial g ains.
Extremely supportive & loving partner would
help in withering away your troubles. Chances
of recovering from physical ailment are high.
Business or vacation traveling is what you need
ed right now. You might apply for bank loan as
to get back the possession of your mortgaged
property. If you run from a situation it could
follow you in the worst possible way.
SAGITTARIUS: A promising week for
ambitious professionals to demonstrate
technical skills & abilities. Children
would do their best to keep you happy. A prom
ising week to earn profits in real estate and
financial transactions. Romantic vibrations
from someone unknown would lift your spirits
taking imag inat ions to scaling heig hts.
Inexhaustible energy enables to participate in
outdoor activities. Implementation of new ideas
to travel will be beneficiary for you on work
front. T here are chances of getting good
amount from an older property of yours.

CAPRICORN: Politicians find a very

smooth sailing as results go in your
favour, thus immensely boosting confi
dence. You are likely to be benefited as family
members positively respond. An improvement
in monetary position makes it convenient to
purchase essential items. Love life brings
immense romantic pleasure. You attain a bloom
in health on sharing happiness with others.
Travel plans for ambitions are in full bloom.
The plot you were looking for can be profitable
from investment point of view. Restrain your
self from spreading false rumours about others.
AQUARIUS: People engaged in tourism
will have the energy to keep pace with
fast taking events thus giving them
selves an edge over others. Parents and friends
will do their best to keep you happy. This week
longterm investment would enable to make
substantial gains. Traveling proves a blessing in
disguise by bringing a love in your life. A cheer
ful state of mind would allow enjoying the per
fect health. A beckon destination sounds tempt
ing to you. It is better to try for your of fice
accommodation as soon as possible. Make sure
you follow all traffic rules, otherwise you might
lend yourself in some serious problem.
PISCES: Betterment awaits people
engaged in the field of graphic designing.
A promising week to plan things for your
progeny. Financial hassles will be eased out with
the help of your friends. You are likely to get a
new friendship opportunity in the evening. Divine
knowledge from a saintly person provides solace
& comfort. Planning a trip for your love will
embrace you and your spouse. Time to think
about your investment plans, as investing resi
dentially might be profitable. You need to take
extra care of luggage while travelling this week.

ANNUAL PREDICTIONS: FOR THOSE BORN IN THIS WEEK

5th November, 2016
Ruled planet: Mercury Ruled by no: 5
Traits in you: As you are influenced by your ruling plan
et Mercury, you are intelligent, unique, sensible, busi
ness oriented, dignified, optimistic and charismatic. You
are also pretty warmhearted and friendly. However, you
need not be restless and impatient always to get your
things done.
Health this year: You will enjoy a better health this year
as compared to last year. However, the health of an aged
family member may deteriorate and that will make you
bothered. You may end up spending lot of money for the
health issues of your family members.
Finance this year: You may go for a property transaction
this year and this will bring you a lot of money. You need
to be decisive to invest on real estate or gold as there are
risks involved. Do not trust any of your new partners as
they may cheat you. You may spend enough money on
buying a vehicle or renovating your property.
Career this year: You need to work hard to prove your
self in your profession. Do not take up minor issues to
an escalation. Try and brush up you knowledge and
skills to perform more efficiently. You may go for a job
change during the last months of the year.
Romance this year: You will share a good relationship
with your spouse. You may decide to turn your relation
ship into marriage if you are not married yet. However,
you need to understand your beloved and provide the
required emotional support for the betterment of your
relationship.
6th November, 2016
Ruled planet: Venus Ruled by no: 6
Traits in you: Your ruling planet Venus makes optimistic,
ambitious, caring, aspiring, and determined. You are
very social and love to make new friends and get into
new relationships. You are a huge follower of intelli
gence and education.
Health this year: You will enjoy a pretty good health this
year. You need to take care of the health of your family
members. You need to take extra care of your health if
you are having some chronic diseases. You may go for
domestic healthcare instead of allopathic medicines as it
will give better results for your ailments and save your
money as well.
Finance this year: Your innovative ideas to earn money
may not meet your expectations. However, you need to
keep trying until you succeed. You will find it tough to
make money this year. You may go for investments in
various sectors like shares, gold, land and so on.
Career this year: You will get new heights in your profes
sion because of your excellent communication skills.
Your employer would be very impressed and will admire

you. You may get few extra responsibilities and salary

will also increase. You will get expert in your domain and
you must go for learning new things in your profession.
Romance this year: Your relationship with your partner
may reach to new heights this year as your love, trust,
care and concern will develop towards your beloved.
You may get married towards the end of this year if you
are yet to marry.
7th November, 2016
Ruled planet: Neptune Ruled by no: 7
Traits in you: As you are governed by planet Neptune,
you are blessed with various positive characters. You are
confident, decisive, generous, humorous, honest, modest
and optimistic. You are not an admirer of arguments or
silly fights. You should work on your nature of being
selfish, pessimistic, and arrogant.
Health this year: You will enjoy a better health this year
as compared to last year. However, the health of an aged
family member may deteriorate and that will make you
bothered. You may end up spending lot of money for the
health issues of your family members.
Finance this year: You may get benefits from your
investments later this year. This year seems to be an
ideal one to start investing in business, land or gold.
Your efforts to earn money may pay off this time. You
may go for new partnerships. However, you should veri
fy the financial background of your partner for your
financial security.
Career this year: You will be successful professionally
this year. You will be additional responsibility and you
will well execute them to perfection. Your success may
get you various awards and rewards as well. You may
share your ideas with the higher management as it
would help you grow quickly.
Romance this year: If you are yet to be in a committed
relationship, you may get into one this year. If you are
already committed, then you may plan for marriage
towards the end of the year.
8th November, 2016
Ruled planet: Saturn Ruled by no: 8
Traits in you: Your governing planet Saturn makes you
confident, unique, creative, dynamic, and intelligent. You
are determined enough to perform any task assigned to
you. So you always remain a step ahead from others.
Along all your good characteristics, you have few nega
tive characters as well. You need to work on your unreli
ability, insensitiveness, and selfishness.
Health this year: Though you would not face any major
health related issues, you should take extra care of your
health. Do not take unwanted risk of putting your health
in stake. Go for regular medical checkups.
Finance this year: Though you will be able to improve

your financial status, you may end up spending a lot of

money in buying luxury and comfort for yourself and
your family. You may put your money in real estate for
better returns.
Career this year: You should take inputs from senior and
experienced professionals to learn new things and grow
professionally. Act diplomatically if you have some pro
fessional issues. Getting emotional and aggressive would
not work though.
Romance this year: You may go through minor personal
disturbances and these could be solved by talking more
to your partner. Do not let the distance grow. Get some
time to talk to your spouse. You may plan a long trip
with your partner to strengthen your relationship.
9th November, 2016
Ruled planet: Mars Ruled by no: 9
Traits in you: Being influenced by Mars, you are believed
to be the master of a charismatic personality. You are
courteous, courageous, energetic, realistic, modest, and
responsive. You follow religion very keenly. However,
you have few problems in your attitude and that needs
to be worked on for the betterment of your individuality.
Health this year: You need to focus on your health a lit
tle more as you may fall sick frequently this year. You
should go for regular medical checkups to maintain a
healthy life. Your parents may fall sick towards the end
of the year and it will put you in immense pressure.
Finance this year: You will get financial benefits if you
have invested in past. For future financial gains, you
may invest on real estate and stock market. You should
study the market well before investing on anything. Do
not be in a hurry to invest as it may go in loss.
Career this year: You should take inputs from senior and
experienced professionals to learn new things and grow
professionally. Act diplomatically if you have some pro
fessional issues. Getting emotional and aggressive would
not work though.
Romance this year: You should avoid any kind of conflict
with your beloved. Plan a long holiday with your spouse
to make your relationship stronger. If you are unmar
ried, you should not get to a marital relationship this
year as the movement of your stars is not favorable for
marriage.
10th November, 2016
Ruled planet: Sun Ruled by no: 1
Traits in you: Due to the positive effects of your ruling
planet Sun, you will have the characteristics of a good
human being. By nature, you are accountable, unique,
courageous, committed, competitive, coordinated and
intelligent. You should work on your negative personali
ty traits such as selfishness, dependency and pessimism.
Health this year: Your health may remain disturbed

throughout the year because of some minor ailments. If

you do not take proper care of your health you may end
up spending a lot of money for your treatment. You
should take preventive actions to avoid health issues.
Finance this year: Your past investments may yield a lot
of money for you this year. You need to be extra cau
tions while investing huge amounts as it is a bit risky to
put money on unpredictable things. Overall, you will
enjoy a strong financial condition.
Career this year: You will be establishing yourself as a
very efficient and important resource in your organiza
tion this year. Your performance will influence your
peers, seniors and higher management. It is the best
time to look out for a new job as it will help you grow
both professionally and financially.
Romance this year: Your marital relationship will move
forward with lot of mutual love, care, respect and admi
ration. You should not get into any kind of argument
with your spouse as it may disturb your peaceful per
sonal life. You should get married this year if you are yet
to marry.
11th November, 2016
Ruled planet: Moon Ruled by no: 2
Traits in you: Your ruler, the Moon makes you a very
friendly individual. You are simple, confident, realistic,
sincere, and optimistic. You are very innovative and try
to perform your work in a different and efficient way.
You need to work hard on your characteristics of being
jealous and insensitive at times.
Health this year: Your health will remain good through
out the year. You need to take utmost care of your
health to maintain it and remain fit. The health of your
family members might be a concern for you this year.
Try and avoid your bad habits and start practicing yoga
for the betterment of your health.
Finance this year: You will be able to stabilize your finan
cial condition by reaping profits from your past invest
ments. You may also plan for new investments this year.
You will find enough new opportunities to start up a new
business that would yield money for you. You should
invest in real estate or stock market for better returns.
Career this year: Being friendly and quick in decision
making, you will create many admirers for yourself in
your professional circuit. Your juniors may seek your
advice in critical times to deliver efficient work. It is
advisable for you not to get involved in office politics.
You should handle official matters diplomatically.
Romance this year: If you are yet to be in a relationship,
this year is the ideal time to find a partner. You will get
ample support from your spouse in any critical decision
you have to take. You should show your love to your
partner as it strengthens your relationship.

30

November 5-11, 2016

SPIRITUAL AWARENESS

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Part three of the discourse 'Olympics of meditation'

Sant Kirpalji was the model

of selfless service
By Sant Rajinder Singh
Ji Maharaj

Time Commitment to
Meditation and
Spirituality
When we observe the life of Sant
Kirpal Singh Ji we find that he
made a time commitment to medi
tation and spirituality far beyond
that made by many others, This
was a key component in his suc
cess in finding God.
When he asked Hazur about how
much time he should put in for
meditation, Hazur told him to
mediate six to eight hours a day.
This was the schedule he was told
to keep even while holding a full
time job and having a wife and
children to support. He also put in
time for selfless service, helping
the sick and needy at their homes
or in hospitals. It is hard to believe
as we try to meditate even two and
a half hours a day, as a minimum,
in our own lives, while working
fulltime and raising our own fami
ly, what an amazing feat this was.
He made the commitment and
stuck to it no matter what.
Sant Kirpal Singh Ji often told
the story of a wrestler who would
go out every night in the cold
weather to practice. It was this
nightly practice that made the
wrestler successful. Similarly, Sant
Kirpal Singh Ji Maharaj would
sometimes meditate on the banks
of a river to help him stay awake.
W hen Sant Kirpal Sing h Ji
Maharaj began his mission, he
started by spending t ime in
Rishikesh. He would put those with
him into meditation for six to eight
hours a day. He lived that example
in his own life and encouraged oth
ers to do the same. Through his
time commitment to meditation
and spirituality he was able to
achieve union of his soul with God
in his lifetime.

The Discipline to Do What

It Took to Be Successful
in Achieving His Spiritual
Goals
Sant Kirpal Singh Ji Maharaj
exemplified discipline. He did
whatever was necessary to be suc
cessful in achieving his spiritual
goal of union with God. This suc
cess depends on meditation, which

he did daily for the longest possi

ble time. He meditated six to eight
hours daily as instructed by Hazur.
Along with this, he lived up to
the ethical virtues prescribed by
the spiritual teachings. T his
involved leading a life of nonvio
lence, truthfulness, purity, humili
ty, and selfless service. He was the
epitome of nonviolence to the
point that he would not even
unnecessarily harm plants or trees.
We could see how in his house at
his ashram he did not want a tree
that grew through the ceiling of
the rooms to be moved. As an
infant I was brought by my parents
to be with Sant Kirpal Singh Ji
Maharaj in Rishikesh at the start of
his mission. When Sant Darshan

were the norm in the field of busi

ness, he himself refused bribes and
told his son, Sant Darshan Singh Ji
Maharaj, to also refuse bribes.
He was the model of selfless
service. He served the sick and
needy all through his life. Even
before he was initiated, when the
great world influenza epidemic
broke out the disease killed mil
lions globally. The disease was so
infect ious that people feared
touching the dead bodies of those
in their families to give them a
proper burial. But Sant Kirpal
Singh Ji organized a team and
helped with the burial of the fami
ly members of the community who
had died from the disease. As part
of his daily routine, he would visit

then stuck to the vegetarian diet

even as a young boy.
He also observed obedience to
the Master no matter what. He
often spoke of follow ing the
Masters commandments in spirit
and letter. He did this himself, and
this helped him achieve the ulti
mate goal of union w ith Go d.
When his Master told him to give
satsang in his town, he did so regu
larly. One time when Hazur hap
pened to visit that town, Sant
Kirpal Singh Ji got word that his
Master was nearby. He was in a
dilemma whether to run to see his
Master or give satsang. He ulti
mately decided that since Hazur
had told him to give satsang he
should do so. Then, when satsang

Sant Kirpal Singh Ji

Maharaj
exemplified
discipline.
He did whatever
was necessary to
be successful
in achieving
his spiritual
goal of union
with God.

Singh Ji Maharaj was collecting

banana leaves from which the food
would be served for a meal, he
brought nine leaves. When Sant
Kirpal Singh Ji asked him how
many people were eating, and he
replied seven, Sant Kirpal Singh Ji
Maharaj told him he should have
only brought seven banana leaves
and we should not unnecessarily
take the lives of any more plants
than were necessary. Just look at
the extent of his nonviolence to
even think like that!
Sant Kirpal Singh Ji Maharaj
made a rule in the house when he
was raising his family that people
should only talk good of others
and not engage in gossip, slander,
or criticism. He practiced this
virtue himself and was a model for
others. He was an embodiment of
truthfulness. At a time when bribes

the sick and needy in their homes

or visit them in hospitals. He also
did a tremendous amount of self
less service for Hazur and the mis
sion, from physical seva in building
the ashram, to helping in publica
tions, writing books, and holding
satsang. He was the only one
Hazur allowed to convey the initia
tion instructions during Hazurs
lifetime.
His ethical life also involved liv
ing on a strict vegetarian diet,
avoiding all meat, fish, fowl, and
eggs, with no alcohol or hallucino
genic drugs. You can imagine how
much discipline would be involved
for a child to tell his nonvegetarian
parents that he did not want to eat
meat. When told by his father that
meat was good for him, he told his
father that he did not want to
make a graveyard of his body. He

was over, he went to the place

where Hazur had been, only to
learn that Hazur had already left to
return to his own ashram. Sant
Kirpal Singh Ji was heartbroken
that he had missed the darshan of
his Master. He then went to see
Hazur later that evening. When he
had a chance to meet with Hazur
he asked whether he had done the
rig ht thing in g iving satsang
instead of going for darshan.
Hazur reassured him that he had
done the right thing in doing his
duty and giving the satsang.
Time and again, Sant Kirpal
Sing h Ji had choices, and he
always chose to do what the
Master wanted him to do. It was no
wonder that Hazur commissioned
him to carry on the spiritual work
since he was the most obedient of
Hazurs disciples.

Focused on His Own

Spiritual Goals Instead of
What Others Were Doing
Sant Kirpal Singh Ji always focused
on his own spiritual goals instead
of what others were doing. He
stuck to his schedule of meditation,
his ethical virtues, and his disci
pline no matter what. Sant Kirpal
Singh Ji was not concerned with
what others were doing. He kept
his attention on what he had to do.
He never got involved in criticism
or backbiting even though others
may have done so. This focus on
his own spiritual progress kept
him from falling into the traps that
many others do of wasting time on
focusing on what others are doing.
This quality helped him use his
precious breaths of life to attain
union with God.

Not Letting Obstacles in

Way of His Spiritual
Goals
Sant Kirpal Singh Ji did not let
any obstacle stand in the way of
achieving his spiritual goals.
Neither physical pain, negativity of
others, or setbacks stopped him
from his chosen path.
Think of the stamina needed to
meditate for long hours, yet he did
so no matter what. Think of the
grueling schedule of work, career,
family, and meditat ion he
observed, yet he never became
sidetracked. Think of the labor he
put in to do seva. After a long days
work he would engage in physical
or intellectual seva to help others.
Although he may have been tired,
he would go out and serve others
after work. He would stay up late
doing seva for his Master, often
working the whole night through.
As tired as his body may have
been, he attended to meditation
and seva.
T hink of the crit icism he
received from others as he made
progress on the spiritual path.
When he had the love and atten
tion of Hazur others became jeal
ous and tried to make things diffi
cult for him. Yet, he never let any
of these difficulties stop him from
doing what was right.

Never Letting Failures

Sidetrack Him
Sant Kirpal Singh Ji Maharaj
never let failures sidetrack him. He
experienced the same ups and
downs of life that every disciple
goes through, but he never let that
stop him from meditating no mat
ter what.

(To be continued....)

TheSouthAsianTimes.info

November 5-11, 2016