The South Asian Times
e x c e l l e n c e
Vol.10 No. 33 December 16-22, 2017 80 Cents
NJ to Get First Indian
American Attorney General
New Jersey: New Jerseys
Governorelect Phil Murphy has
nominated an IndianAmerican to
be the attorney general of the
state, a first on several counts.
I am truly honored to nomi
nate Bergen County Prosecutor
Gurbir Grewal to the position of
Attorney General, Murphy
announced on Twitter.
If confirmed, Grewal will be the
first IndianAmerican of Sikh
ancestry, to be holding the posi
tion of Attorney General in
American history, and the second
IndianAmerican after former
California Attorney General
Kamala Harris. He would also be
the first South AsianAmerican to
Virat weds Anushka
Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli and Bollywood star Anushka Sharma
tied the knot on Monday in a private ceremony, reportedly at a
countryside resort named Borgo Finocchieto one of the most
expensive holiday properties in the world, where Barack and Michelle
Obama had stayed earlier this year. (Photo: Virat Kohli/Tweeter)
India's GDP growth seen rising 7.2%
in 2018, 7.4% in 2019: UN report
Washington, DC: India's growth
rate is projected to accelerate to
7.2 per cent in 2018 and 7.4 per
cent in 2019, the UN said, describ
ing the outlook for the country as
"largely positive."
Despite the slowdown observed
in early 2017 and the lingering
effects from the demonetization
policy, the outlook for India
FASHION 15 VIRAT KOHLI 18
i n j o u r n a l i s m
New York Edition Follow us on TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Democrat Doug
you, Gurbir, for accepting the call
to serve NJ, Murphy added.
Jones wins the
The nomination would be sent
to the state Senate for approval
after Murphy takes office.
Grewal was appointed as Acting
Bergen County Prosecutor on
Alabama
January 4, 2016, and sworn in as
Bergen County Prosecutor on
November 14, 2016. As prosecu
tor, he has been the chief law
Special Election
Gurbir Grewal
enforcement officer of Bergen
County the most populous
A major upset as a Democrat wins
hold that position in the state if
confirmed. There is also Indian
county in New Jersey and home
to nearly 1 million residents liv
in a deeply conservative state
American Vani Vedam, who has ing in 70 municipalities. He has
been an assistant attorney gener a staff of approximately 265 per
al in the Illinois attorney gener sonnel at the Bergen County
als office since 2012. Thank Continued on page 4
Pipe bomb injures 4
at NY Port Authority,
suspect faces
Federal charges
Doug Jones with wife Louise wave to supporters on
Tuesday (Image courtesy: nola.com)
Washington, DC: In a major found itself locked out of power
upset, Democrat Doug Jones won in Washington after the 2016
the Alabama Senate special elec presidential election.
Suspect Akayed Ullah,
a Bangladeshi immigrant.
tion on Tuesday to fill the seat
previously held by Attorney
Flipping a Senate seat narrows
the already razorthin Republican
New York: A man with an ISIS
inspired suicide plot went into one
General Jeff Sessions. The last
time Alabama sent a Democrat to
majority in the chamber, and will
make it harder for Republicans to
remains largely positive, under of New York City's busiest subway the Senate was in 1992. pass any significant legislation. It
pinned by robust private con corridors and detonated a "low Alabama is a deeply conserva might even jeopardize the
sumption and public investment as tech" pipe bomb strapped to his tive state but the race unexpect Republican tax overhaul effort
well as ongoing structural chest with Velcro and zip ties just edly became competitive after currently underway in Congress.
reforms," the United Nations said. as Monday's morning commute got Republican Roy Moore became Democrats face an uphill battle to
In its report 'World Economic underway, setting off mass evacua embroiled in allegations of past win back the Senate in 2018, but
Situation Prospects', released at tions but leaving no one but him sexual misconduct involving winning a seat in the Alabama
the UN headquarters in New York, self with serious injuries, accord teenage girls. race will make their fight that
the UN said, "GDP growth for India ing to city and state officials. The result is a stunning victory much easier. Jones will hold the
Continued on page 4 Continued on page 4 for the Democratic Party, which seat until 2020.
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TheSouthAsianTimes.info December 16-22, 2017
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Bangladeshiorigin man
held for NYC lowtech blast
New York: A Bangladeshiorigin
man was arrested on Monday
after a "lowtech" suicide bomb he
was allegedly wearing went off
injuring him and three others at
the city's transportation hub at
the start of the rush hour.
Police Commissioner James
O'Neil told reporters that Akayed
Ullah, 27, had an "improvised low
tech explosive device on to his
body," which he "intentionally det
onated".
Officials said that Ullah was
from Bangladesh and had lived in
the city for seven years.
Brooklyn resident Ullah was
taken to a hospital.
Former NYPD Commissioner Bill
Bratton told MSNBC that the man
was inspired by the Islamic State
and set off the bomb in its name.
John Miller, the head of police
counterterrorism, said that the
device was a pipe bomb attached
to Ullah's body with velcro. The
Harvard project on 1947 Partition may
Special to
offer lessons to todays problems
The South Asian Times
New York: A multidisciplinary
research project on the 1947
Partition of the Britainruled Indian
subcontinent has been launched
and it is expected to be completed
shortly. A panel discussion at the
Asia Society was held on November
30, jointly presented by the society
and the Lakshmi Mittal South Asia
Institute at Harvard University.
The panelists were Prashant
Bharadwaj, associate professor in
the economics department at the
University of California, San Diego;
Tarun Khanna, director of the insti
tute; Karim Lakhani, professor of
business administration at the
Harvard Business School, and Rahul
Mehrotra, professor of Urban
Design and Planning at Harvard.
They discussed the complexities of
largescale human migration and
resettlements that took place in
India and Pakistan following the
TRISTATE COMMUNITY
Brooklyn resident
Akayed Ullah had arrived
in the city 7 years ago.
bomb went off in a passageway
connecting trains in the Times
Square underground metro sta
tion adjoining the interstate bus
terminal in Manhattan, disrupting
the morning commute for thou
sands of people working in the
Panelists Karim Lakhani, Diane Athaide, Prashant Bharadwaj, Tarun
Khanna and Jennifer Leaning (Photo : Elsa M Ruiz, Asia Society)
Partition. Mehrotra could not be
present and he was represented by
Diane Athaide, also from Harvard.
Lessons from the Partition can
focus on current crossborder dis
placements and the corresponding
growth of urban settlements and
cities, the panelists opined.
The discussion was moderated by
Jennifer Leaning, director of the
FXB Center for Health and Human
city.
The Port Authority Bus
Terminal was evacuated and shut
down as scores of buses headed to
the city from suburbs and other
states, but opened after police
scoured it for suspicious objects.
The Times Square subway station,
the city's busiest, was closed for a
while.
This is the second terrorist
attack on New York in less than
two months. A terrorist drove a
truck into pedestrians near the
World Trade Center on October
31, killing eight people.
New York Governor Andrew
Cuomo described Monday's attack
as "one of our worst nightmares".
"We are a target," he said, "of
those who are against democra
cy". New York Mayor Bill De
Blasio called it an attempted ter
rorist attack and added, "Thank
God, the perpetrator did not
achieve his ultimate goals."
Rights at Harvard. According to the
panelists, the international commu
nity has largely overlooked the his
torical study of the Partition,
though it is one of the worlds
largest humanitarian displace
ments. In the 21st century, forced
migration and the impact of refugee
populations is a major topic of
media and academic interest. The
Partition is a precursor to contem
December 16-22, 2017
Indian Americans face unfair
police treatment in US: Survey
New York: A new survey has
revealed that Indian Americans
face undue discrimination at
the hands of law enforcement
agencies in the country.
Indian Americans were signifi
cantly more likely (17 per cent)
than Chinese Americans (2 per
cent) to say they or a family
member had been unfairly
stopped or treated by the police
because they were Asian, the
results of the survey showed.
This is despite the fact that
Indian Americans were also
more likely (33 per cent) than
both Chinese Americans (16 per
cent) and Southeast Asian
Americans (11 per cent) to say
they lived in a predominantly
upper income area.
The report released this week
is part of a series titled
Discrimination in America
which is based on a survey con
ducted for NPR, the Robert
Wood Johnson Foundation, and
porary forced migration.
Leaning emphasized that a histor
ically sound and deep understand
ing of the phenomenon of forced
migration and refugees requires
proper attention to the Partition.
Bharadwajs team has been devel
oping the use of machine learning
for sentiment analysis of hate
speech in India and Pakistan.
Lakhani channeled his expertise
on crowdsourcing in the Partition
era oral history collection project.
He is working with Khanna.
Athaide, a researcher and gradu
ate student with Mehrotra, spoke
about different effects of the
Partition on urban development in
three pairs of cities: Dhaka and
Kolkata; Delhi and Lahore; and
Karachi and Bombay. The research
to date has noted the diverse reset
tlement policies used by the Indian
government in terms of housing
colonies in Delhi visavis Punjabi
migrants and that of Bombay
toward its influx of mostly Sindhi
3
Harvard T.H. Chan School of
Public Health.
A quarter or more of Asian
Americans in the survey said
that they experienced anti
Asian discrimination in employ
ment and when seeking hous
ing.
Additionally, nearly one in
five Asian Americans said they
faced discrimination because
they were Asian when applying
to or while attending college
(19 per cent) or when interact
ing with police (18 per cent)
Our poll shows that Asian
American families have the
highest average income among
the groups weve surveyed, and
yet the poll still finds that Asian
Americans experience persist
ent discrimination in housing,
jobs, and at college, said Robert
Blendon, Professor at Harvard
T.H. Chan School of Public
Health who codirected the
survey.
refugees.
A Q&A session brought out the
gist of the research, beyond the
methodological bent shared by the
panelists. One question prompted
Lakhani to clarify that they are
interested not only in stories of
migration but also the factors
behind the choice to stay. Some fac
tors include the intersection of ide
ology and socioeconomic status in
local context for many Muslims in
different parts of India. Social loca
tion was a key driver of experience
through the Partition. Caste and
class differently affected the loss of
assets and access to rehabilitation.
Lakhani and Khanna emphasized
that their plan to collect thousands
of oral histories is producing new
data.
Using various techniques from the
social sciences, the team will ana
lyze the data in an unprecedented
way. Historians will be in conversa
tion with the voices documented
from the oral histories.
 4 December 16-22, 2017
IOC congratulates Rahul
Gandhi, newly elected
President of the Party
Rahul Gandhi with George Abraham,
founderGeneral Secretary INOC
New York: Rahul Gandhi represents the
new era and the future for the Congress
party and the nation. Under his spirited
leadership, Congress party will renew its
strength and the youth and dynamism will
usher in a time of renewed hope for the
people of India and we want to convey our
heartiest congratulations to Mr. Rahul
Gandhi on the assumption of the presiden
cy of Indian National Congress, said
George Abraham, founder General
Secretary of INOC and the ViceChairman
of the newly reconstituted Indian
Overseas Congress, USA under the leader
ship of Sam Pitroda (Chairman, IOC).
Rahul Gandhis empathy for the poor
and the disadvantaged in the society and
his pedigree in pluralistic roots will help
to unite the disparate groups working
together for the common goal of social
and economic revival for every citizen of
India. Indian Overseas Congress is ready
and willing to help in bridging the
Diaspora with Indias developmental agen
da to build a stable and prosperous coun
try where its entire people may live in
peace and harmony while striving to reach
their full potential," Abraham added. At
this time, we also pay tribute to the capa
ble leadership of Smt. Sonia Gandhi who
steered the Congress Party for the past
two decades keeping it united while cata
pulting the party to power for two terms
under the United Progressive Coalition.
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TURN PAGE
NJ to Get First IndianAmerican
Attorney General
Continued from page 1
Prosecutors Office (BCPO), consisting of
Assistant Prosecutors, Detectives, and sup
port staff. He also exercises supervisory
authority over approximately 2,700 sworn
law enforcement officers in 72 law enforce
ment agencies that operate in Bergen County.
Prior to his appointment, Prosecutor
Grewal worked as an Assistant United States
Attorney in the Criminal Division of the
United States Attorneys Office for the District
of New Jersey from 2010 to 2016. While at
the U.S. Attorneys Office, he served as Chief
of the Economic Crimes Unit from 2014 to
2016 and oversaw the investigation and pros
ecution of all major white collar and cyber
crimes in the District of New Jersey, accord
ing to his biography on the office website.
Among other notable cases, he was the lead
prosecutor in United States v. Drinkman, et
al., the largest known data breach prosecu
tion in which the conspirators participated in
a worldwide scheme that targeted major cor
porate networks and stole more than 160
million credit card numbers, causing hun
dreds of millions of dollars in losses.
Grewal was also the lead prosecutor in
United States v. Weinstein, et al., a $200 mil
lion Ponzi scheme in which the lead defen
dant was sentenced to 24 years imprison
ment.
Before becoming a federal prosecutor in
New Jersey, Grewal also served as an
Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Criminal
Division of the United States Attorneys Office
for the Eastern District of New York from
2004 to 2007. He has also worked in the pri
vate sector in Washington, D.C. and New York.
Grewal graduated cum laude with a
Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from
the Georgetown University School of Foreign
Service in 1995. He earned his law degree
from the College of William & Mary, Marshall
Wythe School of Law in 1999.
Pipe bomb injures 4 at NY Port
Authority, suspect faces Federal
charges
Continued from page 1
NYPD officials have detained and identified
the suspect as Akayed Ullah, a 27yearold
man of Bangladeshi descent living in
Associate Editor:
Hiral Dholakia-Dave
Contributing Editors: Surekha Vijh
(Washington DC), Suchitra Srinivas (New
Jersey), Shivaji Sengupta, Nilima Madan,
Melvin Durai, Dr Prem Kumar Sharma,
Ashok Vyas, Dr Akshat Jain,
and Ashok Ojha.
West Coast Correspondent
Pooja Jain,
Pooja@TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Brooklyn. Commissioner James O'Neill said
Ullah "did make statements" about ISIS fol
lowing the blast in a blocklong tunnel
between the Times Square subway station
and a stop under the bus terminal around
7:15 a.m. Four commuters were taken to hos
pitals with injuries consistent with being at
the scene of an explosion including ringing
ears and headaches, but all have since been
released.
"This was an attempted terrorist attack,"
said Mayor Bill de Blasio said. "Thank God the
perpetrator did not achieve his ultimate
goals."
When questioned, Ullah allegedly told
investigators he intentionally detonated the
device in that passageway because he noticed
a holiday poster in a corridor nearby and,
angry over U.S. bombings in ISIS controlled
territory, was inspired by ISISstyle Christmas
threats, according to two law enforcement
officials.
Ullah allegedly said he intended for it to be
a suicide bombing and that he watched
Internet ISIS propaganda, read extremist writ
ings and learned how to make bombs through
online tutorials. Law enforcement sources
have said it didn't appear Ullah had direct
contact with the terror group.
Ullah, a licensed city cab driver from March
2012 through March 2015, is believed to
have been the only person involved. Grainy
surveillance video captured the moment of
the blast; a man, whom police said is Ullah, is
seen on the ground after the smoke clears. A
law enforcement source said Port Authority
police officers cuffed him and brought him to
a hospital with a serious stomach laceration
and burns to his hands and torso.
The suspect, an electrician, allegedly told
investigators he bought the materials himself
and that he found the pipe at a job site close
to Port Authority Bus Terminal, around 39th
Street and Eighth Avenue, according to two
senior officials.
In a statement Monday afternoon, President
Donald Trump said the bombing "once again
highlights the urgent need for Congress to
enact legislative reforms to protect the
American people" including fixing the coun
try's "lax immigration system."
"The terrible harm that this flawed system
inflicts on Americas security and economy
has long been clear," he said. "I am deter
mined to improve our immigration system to
New Delhi Bureau
Meenakshi Iyer
Delhi@TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Jaipur (India) Bureau
Prakash Bhandari
Prakash@TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Photographs: Gunjesh Desai/
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Xitij Joshi/xitijphoto.com
Photo Journalist: Sandeep Girhotra
Cartoonist: Mahendra Shah
Art and Design: Dhiraj Kumar Showaan
Vladimir Tomovski
Bhagwati Creations,
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
put our country and our people first."
Gov. Andrew Cuomo said at a news briefing
the situation could have been much worse,
adding, "This is New York, the reality is we
are a target by many."
"This is the most resilient place on Earth,"
de Blasio added. "We've proven it time and
time again."
India's GDP growth seen
rising 7.2% in 2018, 7.4% in
2019: UN report
Continued from page 1
is projected to accelerate from 6.7 per cent in
2017 to 7.2 per cent in 2018 and 7.4 per
cent in 2019."
At the same time, the report said, the per
formance of private investment remains a key
macroeconomic concern.
"Gross fixed capital formation as a share of
GDP has declined from about 40 per cent in
2010 to less than 30 per cent in 2017, amid
subdued credit growth, low capacity utilisa
tion in some industrial sectors and balance
sheet problems in the banking and corporate
sectors. In this environment, vigorous public
investment in infrastructure has been critical
in propping up overall investment growth," it
said.
According to the report, there exists some
degree of uncertainty over the monetary poli
cy stance in India.
"Subdued inflation, coupled with a good
monsoon season, offers scope for additional
monetary easing," it said.
Fiscal deficit in India has declined visibly,
and it is expected to narrow further to 3.2 per
cent of GDP in 2018, it added.
An upturn in the global economy now grow
ing by about 3 per cent paves the way to
reorient policy towards longerterm issues
such as addressing climate change, tackling
existing inequalities and removing institution
al obstacles to development, according to the
United Nations World Economic Situation and
Prospects (WESP) 2018.
"The World Economic Situation and
Prospects 2018 demonstrates that current
macroeconomic conditions offer policymak
ers greater scope to address some of the
deeprooted issues that continue to hamper
progress towards the Sustainable
Development Goals," said UN Secretary
General Antonio Guterres in the foreword of
the report. (PTI)
Web Editor: Bharat Bhushan Chopra
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TheSouthAsianTimes.info
MOCAAPI hosts a successful charity gala
New Jersey: The Monmouth and
Ocean County chapter of the
American Association of
Physicians of Indian Origin
(MOCAAPI) held their sixth annu
al Charity Gala on December 2 at
the Grand Marquis, in Old Bridge,
NJ. More than 325 people attend
ed the meet. Prominent attendees
included Padma Shri Dr. Sudhir
Parikh, founder and chairman of
Parikh Worldwide Media and the
former U.S. Attorney for the
Southern District of New York
Preet Bharara.
Although a final amount of how
much was raised has not been cal
culated yet, Dr. Vinod Sancheti,
the president of MOCAAPI told
Desi Talk that they donated at
least $12,500 to local charities,
including the Food Bank, the
Leukemia Society and Caregivers
of NJ, AAPI Hurricane Relief,
Tata Innovation Center inaugurated
at New York's Cornell Tech
New Delhi: Following a $50 million
investment from IT major Tata
Consultancy Services (TCS), Cornell
University in New York on Tuesday
inaugurated the Tata Innovation
Center on its Cornell Tech Roosevelt
Island campus.
The investment includes a signifi
cant gift for the first phase of capi
tal development on the Roosevelt
Island campus, as well as support
for collaborating on technology
research and expanding K12 digi
tal literacy programs in New York
City.
"The Tata Group and TCS have a
long and celebrated history of
exploring and supporting the ideas
of the future and fostering digital
literacy within the communities in
which we operate," said Natarajan
Chandrasekaran, Chairman of the
Tata Group.
"The Tata Innovation Center will
drive new applied research between
TCS and Cornell Tech in the fields
of humancomputer interaction and
cyber security, benefiting both US
businesses and local communities,"
Chandrasekaran said.
The Center at Cornell Tech aims
to bring academia and industry
TRISTATE COMMUNITY
The MOCAAPI committee with Preet Bharara (center)
Ocean County Prosecutor office
Tina's Place. Dr. Sancheti, who
was appointed as the president of
MOCAAPI in August, had earlier
given a statement about his plans
for MOCAAPI for the next two
years.
together under one roof to share
ideas and research on nextgenera
tion digital technologies and how to
commercialize new areas of collabo
ration.
TCS will become one of the ten
ants in the Tata Innovation Center
which will provide companies from
diverse industries an opportunity to
work alongside the Cornell academ
ic teams.
"The Tata Innovation Center will
become a hub for New York's tech
sector and a global icon for how
academia and industry can collabo
rate to leverage technology for the
greater good," said Martha E.
Pollack, Cornell University
President.
TCS has operated in New York
City for more than 40 years and
invested in many long standing cus
tomer relationships and local com
munity partnerships, said Rajesh
Gopinathan, CEO and Managing
Director of TCS.
"Our joint research with Cornell
Tech is designed to fully leverage
their campus ecosystem and TCS'
industry leading technical expertise
to develop solutions that empower
notable transformation and talent
As a team, we hope to enhance
support and facilitate the delivery
of compassionate, high quality
healthcare to our patients. With a
constantly evolving healthcare
industry affecting us in numerous
ways, I believe now more than
development across industries in an
era of Business 4.0," Gopinathan
added.
To empower New York City youth
to participate and thrive in an
increasingly digital world, TCS and
Cornell Tech will also promote the
integration of computational
expertise in K12 public education,
starting with engagement in New
York City School Districts 2 and 30.
This multiyear community
engagement effort aims to build
digital fluency and computational
acumen among students, educators
and schools in the public school sys
tem, with a special focus on girls,
minorities and the underserved.
"New York City has been proudly
partnering with TCS for years,
including their sponsorship of the
TCS New York City Marathon, work
with local schools, and so much
more," said New York City Mayor
Bill de Blasio.
"TCS' new partnership with
Cornell Tech will help drive New
York's economic competitiveness
and advance digital literacy pro
grams to reach even more schools
across the city," De Blasio added.
(IANS)
December 16-22, 2017
Dr Vinod Sancheti,
President, MOCAAPI
ever unity is the key to our suc
cess, he said.
Dr. Sancheti also mentioned
that for the past several years,
different healthcare organiza
tions have been predicting the
demise of private practice in the
TIME HONORS KANSAS
HERO IAN WHO TOOK
BULLET FOR AN INDIAN
New York: Time
magazine has hon
ored Ian Grillot, the
US national who
took a bullet for an
Indian while trying
to intervene during
a raciallymotivated
shooting in Kansas
early this year.
Grillots name fea
tures in the maga
zine among 5
Heroes Who Gave
Ian Grillot
Us Hope in 2017.
(Image : asianvoice.com)
Grillot, then 24,
was injured when he tried to inter
vene in the shooting by a Navy vet $1,00,000 to help him buy a
eran targeting Indians at a bar in
Olathe, Kansas, in February.
Srinivas Kuchibhotla, 32, was
killed in the shooting that also left
his colleague Alok Madasani, criti
cally injured.
I wouldnt have been able to live my country.
with myself if I didnt do anything,
Grillot said in an article posted by
Time on Thursday.
The magazine saluted the Kansas Olathe has been charged with first
man as the bargoer who stepped
into the line of fire. Without all
5
U.S. Administrative burdens,
financial costs, long hours, and
staffing issues have made several
providers choose hospital based
positions instead.
Though many predictions were
made about decreasing private
practices, more than 60 percent
of physicians still work in private
practices rather than the hospital.
Dr. Sancheti said he wants
MOCAPPI and other physician
organizations to work together.
I strongly believe that working
with one another, MOCAPPI and
other physician organizations can
help navigate the challenges
ahead, he said.
We will work together as pro
fessional colleagues, encourage
and welcome new physicians, and
promote cultural exchange to
meet the needs of our members,
he added.
the prayers and
positive support
from everybody, I
wouldnt be doing
as well as I am right
now. It has been a
wonderful year and
a blessing to be
alive, Grillot told
PTI.
Earlier this year,
Grillot was honored
as A True
American Hero by
the Indian
American commu
nity in Houston which raised
house in his hometown Kansas.
Grillot was watching a televised
basketball game at the restaurant
when a gunman approached
Srinivas and Alok, both 32, and
reportedly told them to get out of
Grillot was shot in the chest in an
attempt to keep the assailant from
harming others. Adam Purinton of
degree murder and attempted
murder in the assaults. (PTI)
 6 December 16-22, 2017 TRISTATE COMMUNITY TheSouthAsianTimes.info

America is a white nation:

racist posters in NJ get replaced
by messages of inclusion
New Brunswick,NJ: Posters
declaring the United States to be
a white nation and urging resi
dents to turn in their neighbors
to immigration authorities, sud
denly appeared this week in one
of the tristate's most diverse
cities.
The reaction against them has
been strong and swift, but it's not
the first time that publications
featuring hate speech have
turned up in the area in recent
months. It has many residents of
New Brunswick calling for a halt
to it.
The north central New Jersey
city of 56,000 has a population
that is onethird foreignborn.
Also, along with a majority white
population, New Brunswick has
one of Jersey's highest percent
ages of Latinos, and no shortage
of people of African or Asian ori
gin. Rutgers University, which is
located in town, is part of the
draw that creates a diverse popu
lation here.
A wide variety of people had
strong reactions when PIX11
News showed them a photo of
the poster, copies of which were
posted on lampposts on George
Street, the citys main retail thor
oughfare, on Thursday. They
were swiftly removed by city
work crews. "What the hell?"
asked Robin Colarusso, as she
read the poster's message: "To all
white Americans: it is your civic
duty to report any and all illegal
aliens to U.S. Immigration (sic)
and Customs Enforcement. They
are criminals. America is a white
nation." The poster also gave the
phone number for ICE, but incor
rectly listed the name of the
organization, which is a division
of the Dept. of Homeland
Security. It was by no means the
only thing that residents said was
incorrect about the posting.
"It's just not right," said Daniel
Gadzanku about the posters
message. "That's not what this
country represents," added the
U.S. citizen who immigrated from
Ghana. Rotary Club of Hicksville South distributed over 150 blankets to needy people in Nassau County, Long
island. The distribution was sponsored by HAB Bank and many members of Rotary Club. Notably in
After the posters were
2017, RCHS distributed over 650 school backpack bags, over 300 Winter Coats and over 1000 meals.
removed, local community
Seen in the photo: (From left) Club Treasurer Arjen Bathija, President elect Roopam Maini, Charter
groups replaced them with President and Past District Governor Kamlesh Mehta, recipient for Glory House, Serena Williams, mem
posters of their own, bearing the ber Anu Gulati, recipient for General Needs Susan Sherman, Sudha Sharma, Immediate past president
messages "No Place for White Dave Sharma, President Dr Urmilesh Arya, CEO of General Needs Lonnie Sherman, recipient for
Supremacy, No Place for Department of Social Services Sunita Manjrekar, Secretary Mukesh Modi.
Oppression," and "America is an
Immigrant Nation."
"It's nice to know that people
have replaced it with a better INOC, USA celebrates Sonia Gandhis birthday
message," said Melissa Russo,
New York: The scene
who works in the downtown
was one of celebration
area.
and jubilation where
Robin Colarusso agreed. "I real
over 100 officers,
ly like what that stands for," she
members and support
told PIX11 News, "and that it
ers of INOC, USA con
says it's against hate, because
verged at its annual
that's really what we're all
meet in New York on
about."
Dec 9, over the pro
The city government released a
nouncements and road
statement to PIX11 News regard
map chartered out by
ing the white supremacist
Sam Pitroda, Chairman
posters. Upon learning of the
of the Indian Overseas
presence of the flyers, said city
Department of All In
spokesperson Jennifer Bradshaw,
dia Congress Commit Members at the cake cutting event
our City officials had them
tee on Dec.2 in New
promptly removed from the
York. Pitroda also gave official Gandhis birthday. speakers recounted her excellent
places upon which they were
recognition to INOC, USA and es George Abraham in a toast to contribution to the development
posted.
tablished an umbrella Board which Soniaji highlighted her passion for of the party and the establishment
Offensive rhetoric of this sort
would consist of Pitroda as Chair pluralism and empathy for the dis of the rule of law. Toasts were
has no place in our community,
man and George Abraham as Vice advantaged. Abraham thanked the proposed, and sincere wishes for
the statement continued, where
Chairman and Dr. Surinder Singh important role she had played in her continued good health and
we celebrate our diversity.
Malhotra as a member. establishing INOC as a vibrant or prosperity were expressed by
(News Source: Pix11.com)
INOC, USA also celebrated Sonia ganization here in U.S. Several every present.

Ramesh Kalicharran: Indo-Caribbean, but model for all communities

l By Surekha Vijh aspora. The Guyaneseborn who and was a founding member of the given time, talent, and resources
TRIBUTE moved to the US in 1970, he would IndoCaribbean Federation which toward the betterment of your

S
urging crowds poured in to
pay their last respects to
Ramesh D. Kalicharran on
December 56 at Bernard Dowd Fu
neral Home and on Dec 7 at the St.
Michaels Cemetery, both in
Queens. That was just an indica
tion of how much this large heart
ed man with sumptuous beard was
loved and respected in the Indo
Caribbean and Indian community.
Through his hurried life, he had
built a huge circle of friends and
admirers in New York and globally.
Popularly known as Kali, the dedi
cated community leader, activist,
business entrepreneur and philan
thropist passed away on December
3 at the age of 68 and will be
missed for a long time.
Although his forefathers came
many generations ago to Guyana
from Uttar Pradesh, he always con
sidered himself an Indian at heart,
like most of the IndoCaribbean di
also be remembered for his Kali
Bharat Yatra that he started many
years ago to help people here dis
cover and reconnect with their
roots in India.
I met him when I came to New
York City from India two decades
ago. He became a family to me
here, with his three lovely kids and
his gracious wife, Judith.
Kalicharran pioneered several
programs and events which pro
moted the interests of the Indo
Caribbean people, including the fa
mous Phagwa Parade in New York.
He was a founder member of GO
PIO and served as its Caribbean
Regional Coordinator. Kalicharran
also founded the Gyaan Bhakti Sat
sangh Mandir, convened a meeting
of Hindu priests from which was
born the USA Pandits Parishad
hosts the annual Indian Arrival
Day celebrations at Phil Rizzuto
Park, Richmond Hill, NY. He also
served as the coordinator of the In
ternational Commission for
Restoration of Shrines and Places
of Worship.
Kalicharran had a humble begin
ning like many immigrants, and
rose to prominence, owning a real
estate company, travel agency and
driving school on Hillside Avenue
in Queens.
He received many laurels for his
achievements and contributions in
New York, as well as India and
Guyana. A citation from the
Queens Borough President best de
scribes his achievements: As an
outstanding business and civic
leader of the Guyanese community
in Queens, you have generously
community and the preservation of
its cultural heritage.
Kalicharran is survived by his
wife Judith, children Jagdesh,
Nadesh and Romanee. He passed
on his love for music and art to
them. His daughter Romanee
learned Kathak dance, his sons
learned tabla and Indian classical
music.
The Indian Diaspora Council In
ternational (IDC) said in a state
ment, Kalicharran was an icon
among IndoCaribbean people with
a longlasting legacy of selfless
service. He will be greatly missed.
There are efforts and process al
ready started by his friends and
wellwishers to rename a portion
of the 169th Street as Kali Av
enue, a fitting tribute to him and
his legacy.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Congresswoman Pramila
Jayapal features in
Politico power list
Washington, DC: IndianAmerican
Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, a fastris
ing Democratic star, has featured in the
Politico magazine's "Power List for the year
2018" for having assumed the mantle of a
House "leader of the resistance."
Jayapal, 52, is in the fifth position and the
only Indian American in the
power list. She is described
by Politico as a "feisty fresh
man Democratic lawmaker
from Washington state's
7th Congressional District
who knows how to punch
back."
"Jayapal, a fastrising
Democratic star and deter
mined critic of President
Donald Trump has
assumed the mantle of a
House 'leader of the resist
ance'," the report said.
"From her spot as first
vice chair of the Congressional Progressive
Caucus, she has worked as a relentless
advocate of civil rights and immigration
reform on Capitol Hill," said her friend and
fellow freshman House Representative Ro
Khanna.
Her most recent drives are a legislative
pushback against Trump's threats to end
Temporary Protected Status for thousands
of Haitians and Salvadorans by allowing
them to apply for permanent residency if
they can prove they would face extreme
hardship if they return to their home coun
Court holds U.S. retailer
accountable for promoting
piracy by selling IPTV streaming
Englewood, Colo : A bankruptcy court in
Florida has ruled that Amit Bhalla, a retail
er of IPTV streaming devices with unau
thorized channels, cannot use a bankrupt
cy case to shield himself from monetary
liability for copyright infringement.
In 2016, the U.S. District Court for the
Central District of California issued a per
manent injunction halting the unlawful
distribution of television content from pro
grammers CCTV and TVB on TVpad
devices. DISH Network, which has exclu
sive rights to distribute much of CCTVs
and TVBs content in the United States
(including through its Sling TV OTT serv
ice), and CICC, an affiliate of CCTV, were
also plaintiffs in that underlying lawsuit,
which began in 2015. The plaintiffs
alleged that the manufacturers and distrib
utors of the TVpad device set up a pirate
broadcasting network designed to stream
CCTV and TVB channels without authori
zation.
The court ordered manufacturers and
distributors of TVpad to pay $55 million in
damages to DISH, TVB, CCTV and CICC,
and the injunction prohibited retailers
NATIONAL COMMUNITY December 16-22, 2017 7
tries. Jayapal also wrote a letter to the
Trump administration in October demand
ing the termination of a new policy of social
media vetting of immigrants and American
Pramila
Jayapal
citizens. "She is a groundbreaker," said
Democracy for America's Robert
Cruickshank, who is also one of Jayapal's
constituents.
"She's really positioned herself to be an
essential player in the future of the
Democratic Caucus in the House."
"With determination, steely drive and
some wellplaced tweets, Cruickshank said,
Jayapal has "taken a deliberate approach to
get there." Jayapal is the first Indian
American woman in the US House of
Representatives. (IANS)
from distributing, advertising, marketing
or promoting TVpad and comparable
devices that deliver CCTVs or TVBs copy
righted content.
Rather than accept responsibility for his
actions, Amit Bhalla chose to file for bank
ruptcy in an attempt to avoid being held
financially accountable. Citing Bhallas
willful and malicious conduct, the plain
tiffs filed a motion for summary judgment
in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the
Middle District of Florida. The court grant
ed the motion, and Bhalla must now pay
plaintiffs $4.4 million for copyright and
trademark infringement.
This ruling sends an important message
to retailers who think they can get away
with profiting off pirated content: you will
eventually be held accountable, and a
bankruptcy filing will not protect you,
said Samuel Tsang, vice president,
Operations for TVB USA.
Our hope is that, as a result of this rul
ing, retailers will stop selling content
obtained through illegal means and
instead serve their customers with legal,
reliable content and devices.
 8 December 16-22, 2017
CNN gets the wrong 'Shah', INDIAN STUDENT
White House sees red SHOT AT IN CHICAGO
Washington, DC: The Trump
administration hit out at CNN after
the news broadcaster displayed a
picture of Indianorigin exObama
administration appointee Rajiv
Shah, confusing him with White
House press ofcial Raj Shah.
White House spokesperson
Sarah Sanders was quick to slam
CNN for the faux pas.
"@CNN this is denitely not
@RajShah45 but it is #FakeNews,"
Sanders said in a tweet as she post
ed a screen shot of the channel dis
playing the wrong Shah.
As USAID chief, Rajiv "Raj" Shah,
44, was the highest ranking Indian
American ofcial in the Obama
administration's rst term.
Currently, he is president of the
prestigious Rockefeller Foundation
in New York.
His namesake, 33yearold Raj
Shah as principal deputy press
secretary is the highest ranking
Indian American in the White
House press ofce.
Last month he became the rst
INDIAN AMERICAN STEM
ACADEMY TO LAUNCH IN INDIA
New York: An Indian American
STEM Academy in Atlanta, Geor
gia, will be opening a Center of
Excellence in Delhi in January
that will introduce the STEM pro
gram to middle and secondary
school students along with train
ing and certifying teachers.
According to a PTI report, the
STEM program, which educates
students in the fields of Science,
Technology, Engineering and
Math, will be launched in selected
schools across India from January
1 and will be available for stu
dents enrolled in grades four
through 10.
The Academys mission is to ig
nite the innovative trait in young
Indian students and create a new
generation of youngsters who will
think out of the box, Amitabh
Sharma, a cofounder of the Acad
emy, told PTI. Sharma added that
the initiative goes along with for
mer U.S. president Barack Obamas
drive to Educate to Innovate as
well as Prime Minister Narendra
NATIONAL COMMUNITY
Raj Shah (left) throughout has been with the Republican party,
while Rajiv Shah is a Democrat.
Indian American to 'gaggle' with out has been with the Republican
reporters on board Air Force One. party, while Rajiv Shah is a
'Gaggle' is the term used when Democrat.
the White House press secretary This is not for the rst time that
holds an informal brieng which is the media both in the US and
on record but bars reporters from India has goofed up with the two
videographing. Raj Shah through Raj Shahs.
ChristianJewBuddhist leaders back Hindu
plea of no sacred mandalas on Tampa roads
Modis visions of Make in India, Nevada: In a remarkable interfaith
Digital India and New India. gesture Christian, Jew and
The program is targeted to stu Buddhist leaders have backed the
dents enrolled in schools affiliated Hindu plea that sacred mandalas
with the Central Board of Second do not belong on Tampa, Florida
ary Education (CBSE), the Council roads; which was recently oated
for the Indian School Certificate by Hindu statesman Rajan Zed.
Examination (CISCE), State School Zed, who is President of
Boards and International Bac Universal Society of Hinduism,
calaureate. pointed out, Mandalas are sacred
It is an interdisciplinary way of symbols and do not belong on the
teaching math and science, inte surface of public roads where
humans and animals tread, dogs
grated with daytoday engineer
ing and technology, Sharma can pee/poo and vehicles trample
added. Sharma has an MBA, a law these under the tires.
degree and a doctorate in market Referencing to South Seminole
ing and has had experience in the Heights road mural Mandala in
oil and gas, information technolo Tampa (claimed to be Tampas rst cials later acknowledged the mis
gy and education fields. street mural), Zed, in a press state
Being the founder of the Ameri ment noted that Hindus would wel
can India Foundations Atlanta come mandalas painted respectful
Leadership Council, Sharma said, ly on the walls but sacred man
STEM based learning in India has dalas on the surface of
been limited due to apparent lack roads/streets were highly inappro
of structure and the STEM Acade priate.
my of USA has developed a unique According to reports, part of this
implementation strategy for 28foot wide mandala, costing
India. about $5,000, was accidently cov
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Mohammed Akbar (Image courtesy: ndtv.com)
Hyderabad: An Indian student bany Park neighborhood at
from Hyderabad was shot at al around 8:45 in the morning.
legedly by an unidentified per Mohammed Akbar, 30, is pur
son in Chicago in the United suing his masters in computer
States on Saturday. His father systems networking and
said he is seriously injured and telecommunications at DeVry
is in the hospital. University in Illinois. His family
Mohammed Akbar's father said lives in Hyderabad's Uppal area.
he was shot at in the cheek by The family has sought Foreign
an unidentified person when he Minister Sushma Swaraj's help
was walking towards his car in to travel to the United States on
the parking area in Chicago's Al an emergency visa.
(R to L):Stephen R. Karcher, Rajan Zed, ElizaBeth Webb Beyer and
Matthew T. Fisher (Image courtesy: George A. Anastassatos)
ered with black asphalt by city Inappropriate usage of concepts or
workers on November 30 after symbols of any religion for com
being mistaken as grafti. City of mercial or other agenda was not
okay as it hurt the devotees.
take. Karcher, Beyer, Fisher and Zed
Stephen R. Karcher, a senior suggested Tampa Mayor Bob
Greek Orthodox Christian priest; Buckhorn, Hillsborough County
ElizaBeth Webb Beyer, a promi Board of Commissioners Chair
nent Jewish Rabbi in Nevada Sandra Murman, and South
California; and Matthew T. Fisher, Seminole Heights Civic Association
a wellknown Buddhist leader; in a (SSHCA) President Stephen Lytle to
joint statement in Nevada; said recreate the mandala on a nearby
that symbols of any faith, larger or wall instead of restoring the dam
smaller, should not be mishandled. aged mandala on the road.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info NATIONAL COMMUNITY December 16-22, 2017 9

216 companies on the Fortune 500 US SIKH GROUP

founded by immigrants or their children
Washington, DC: For a quick
picture of immigrants contri
butions to the US, take a look at
the countrys Fortune 500
firms.
Of the companies that made
the list in 2017, 43% were
founded by an immigrant or
the child of an immigrant,
according to research from the
Center for American
Entrepreneurship.
The share of immigrant
founders in technology is even
higher, 45%though immi
grant entrepreneurs are repre
sented in every sector.
The data are in part a reflec
tion of past immigration waves
to the US. They include iconic
companies such as PepsiCo,
DuPont, and Colgate, started by
European arrivals more than a
century ago. People born in
other countries and their chil
dren have continued to feed the
Fortune 500 list in more recent
decades. Apple founder Steve
Jobs, the son of a Syrian immi
grant, and Russiaborn Sergey
Brin from Googleand its par
ent Alphabetare among the
most famous. But there are
other relatively new companies
with immigrant ties. Marc
Randolph, one of Netflixs
RAISES $210,000 FOR
STUDENT SCHOLAR
founders, is the son of an SHIPS IN PUNJAB
Austrian immigrant. Sol Barer,
New York: The Sikh Human Development
a German immigrant, helped
Foundation (SHDF) has raised over $210,000
start biotech firm Celgene.
for underprivileged students pursuing higher
The immigration policies
education in Punjab during its latest fund
Congress and the Trump
drive, according to the organisation's chair
administration adopt will shape
man, Gajinder Singh Ahuja.
that list in the future. In 100
The Washingtonbased foundation has since
years, will it still show that the
2011 given over $2 million in scholarships
US benefits from the ideas of
based on merit and need to about 5,000 stu
people born beyond its shores?
dents in Punjab and neighboring areas, Ahuja
(Source: quartz.com)
said on Friday.
About 2,700 scholarship recipients have

'India fifth largest overseas already graduated and they include doctors,
engineers and scientists, he added.A Some of
them now work in the United States. Jasdeep

market for Washington, DC'

New Delhi: In 2016, Washington, DC wel
comed 100,000 visitors from India making
it the citys fifth largest overseas market.
"India continues to be a strong and devel
oping market for Washington, DC," said
Destination DC President and CEO Elliott L.
Ferguson II while addressing the media
here.
A delegation from Destination DC, the
official destination marketing organisation
for Washington, DC, is on an India visit to
support Air India's new nonstop service
connecting New Delhi to Washington, DC.
In partnership with Air India and
Washington Dulles International Airport,
the delegation members visited Mumbai,
Hyderabad and are finally in the Capital.
Elliott L. Ferguson, II added that "In
2016, one in every 12 visitors from India
to the US visited Washington, DC."
"We're excited about the potential for
increased business and leisure travel from
Indian visitors, especially since the launch
of Air India's direct flight last July and our
increase in marketing efforts for 2018," he
said.
Singh Juneja, who is an information technolo
gy professional in Dallas, Texas, said, "If there
was no SHDF then I will not be in USA and I
would have been lost in life."
According to Travel Market Insights Inc.,
The SHDF program is run in partnership
visitors from India to Washington, DC
with the New Delhibased Nishkam Sikh
ranked sightseeing, shopping, and visiting
Welfare Council, Ahuja said.
national parks and monuments among
Chairman of the Sikh Council on Religion
their top three activities. Also incredible
and Education, Rajwant Singh said: "The sup
museums and art galleries, exceptional din
porters of this cause can be proud of the fact
ing and nightlife scene, highend designer
that they are holding the hands of the stu
retail along with iconic monuments and
dents who are dreaming to stand on their own
memorials make the city a highly desirable
feet." The latest fundraising drive was
destination.
launched last month at an event featuring
Also, Indian visits to the US capital
Bollywood actor and Punjabi comedian,
increased 25 percent over 2015, adding
Gurpreet Ghuggi. (IANS)
20,000 more visitors than last year. (IANS)
 10 December 16-22, 2017 US AFFAIRS TheSouthAsianTimes.info

#MeToo movement is Time Person Of The Year

New York: It has created a wave of aware
ness and brave confrontations over sexual
harassment and assault, taking down power
ful men in the process. And now the
#MeToo movement has been named Time
magazine's Person of the Year for 2017.
On its cover, Time called the people
behind the movement "The Silence
Breakers." Its story features women and
men who have spoken out including
activist Tarana Burke, who started the hash
tag 10 years ago.
#MeToo rose to prominence as a social
media campaign in the wake of highprofile
accusations against Hollywood producer
Harvey Weinstein. After actress Alyssa
Milano popularized the hashtag, thousands
of women began sharing their stories about
the pervasive damage wrought by sexual
harassment and by "open secrets" about
abuse. The movement's empowering reach
could be seen in the platform on which Time
announced its choice: the Today show. It was
just one week ago that NBC fired the morn
ing program's longtime and powerful co
host, Matt Lauer, over a detailed complaint
of "inappropriate sexual behavior in the
workplace."
While the most highprofile #MeToo sto
ries have come from women and men who
work in the movies and media, the Time arti
cle also features women who work hourly
jobs, some of whom want to remain anony
mous. The magazine's cover portrait
includes strawberry picker Isabel Pascual,
lobbyist Adama Iwu and former Uber engi
neer Susan Fowler along with Ashley Judd
and Taylor Swift.
"The reckoning appears to have sprung up
overnight. But it has actually been simmer
ing for years, decades, centuries," Time's
Stephanie Zacharek, Eliana Dockterman and
Haley Sweetland Edwards write. "Women
have had it with bosses and coworkers who
not only cross boundaries but don't even
seem to know that boundaries exist."
Marking a possible cultural shift back in
October, NPR's Sarah McCammon quoted
associate professor Lisa Huebner saying of
#MeToo, "It helps a lot of people individual
ly, I think, and it also will help us to mark
publicly that this is a widespread occur
rence, and it's not OK."
The shortlist of candidates for the distinc
tion included:
The Dreamers, Amazon founder Jeff
Bezos, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un,
Protest leader Colin Kaepernick, Special
counsel Robert Mueller, Chinese President
Xi Jinping, Crown Prince Salman of Saudi
Arabia, President Trump.
Trump who was named Person of the
Year in 2016 said he "took a pass" on
being named again in 2017. Trump, who
had called it "a tremendous honor" to win
last year, said the magazine had been in
touch to say he would "probably" win.
The president's comment prompted Time
to clarify, "The President is incorrect about
how we choose Person of the Year. TIME
does not comment on our choice until publi
cation, which is December 6."

Trump declares Trump campaigns for Moore

emergency in California Pensacola, FL: President Trump
last Friday urged voters to elect

over SoCal wildfires

Roy Moore to Senate from
Alabama who has been dogged by
allegations of sexual misconduct,
warning that America "cannot
afford" to have a Democrat win the
hardfought campaign instead.
Trump said at a campaign rally
in the Florida panhandle, near the
state line with Alabama: "Get out
and vote for Roy Moore. Do it. Do
it."
"We cannot afford, the future of
this country cannot afford to lose
A liberal group trolled President Trump with a mobile billboard
the seat," Trump said, referring to at his rally in Pensacola featuring how own daughter
his party's razorthin 5248 advan Ivanka Trump's sharp criticism of Moore.
tage in that chamber of Congress.
Trump said Moore's opponent, Nancy Pelosi in the House and Make America Great Again agenda,
Doug Jones, is a "liberal Democrat" Chuck Schumer in the Senate. which involves tough on crime,
Burned cars as strong winds pushed flames across thousands of who would be "completely con "We need somebody in that strong on borders, strong on immi
acres near Santa Paula, California. (Photo courtesy: Reuters) trolled" by Democratic leaders Senate seat who will vote for our gration," Trump continued.

Congressman resigns over surrogacy offers

Washington: President Trump
declared an emergency in
California on Friday as wildfires
continue to char swaths of the
state.
The declaration, which allows
federal assistance to supplement
the state and local response to
the fires, came a day after
California Gov. Jerry Brown (D)
sent a letter to Trump asking him
to declare an emergency in the
state.
The president's order on Friday
allows the Federal Emergency
Management Agency to coordi
nate disaster relief efforts in the
areas affected by the wildfires.
Earlier this week, Brown
declared states of emergency in
Los Angeles, Ventura and San
Diego counties, which have faced
rapidly spreading wildfires in
recent days.
The fires, fed by dry, unpre
dictable winds, have destroyed
thousands of acres of property
and destroyed hundreds of build
ings in just a few short days.
Earlier this year, wildfires
ripped through wine country in
Northern California, killing 44
people and creating billions of
dollars worth of damage.
In his request for Trump to
declare an emergency in
California, Brown said the state's
resources have been "severely
impacted" by a number of disas
ters to strike California this year,
including other destructive wild
fires and severe flooding.
"I have determined this inci
dent is of such severity and mag
nitude that continued effective
response is beyond the capabili
ties of the State and affected
local governments and supple
mental federal assistance is nec
essary to save lives and to pro
tect property, public health and
safety, and to lessen the effects
of this imminent catastrophe,"
Brown wrote in his request.
Washington: House Representative
Trent Franks charged with sexual
harassment by his former aides,
has announced that he was resign
ing immediately instead of early
next year. In a statement on Friday,
Franks said he moved forward the
date of his resignation after his
wife was hospitalized for "an ongo
ing ailment", reports Xinhua news
agency.
The announcement came a day
after the 60yearold Arizona
Republican revealed his decision to
resign at the end of January over
accusations that he asked two for
mer aides to bear his child as sur
rogate mothers.
The eightterm Arizona lawmak
er and his wife have reportedly
struggled with infertility.
In that announcement on
Thursday, Franks acknowledged
having discussed with congres
sional aides over surrogacy, but
child. Another report on Friday
Franks' resignation comes after a
report that he offered a former
aide $5 million to act as a
surrogate for his child.
claimed that he had never "physi
cally intimated, coerced, or had, or
attempted to have, any sexual con
tact with any member of my con
gressional staff.
"Due to my familiarity and expe
rience with the process of surroga
cy, I clearly became insensitive as
to how the discussion of such an
intensely personal topic might
affect others.
"I deeply regret that my discus
sion of this option and process in
the workplace caused distress," he
added.
Franks' resignation comes also
after a report on Friday said that
he has offered a former aide $5
million to act as a surrogate for his
said that Franks made unwanted
advances over surrogacy toward
female aides, who alleged it was
not clear whether he was asking
about impregnating them via sexu
al intercourse or in vitro fertiliza
tion.
A spokesman said that it was
likely Arizona Governor Doug
Ducey will wait until December 11
to announce the dates for a special
election for Franks' replacement.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info US AFFAIRS December 16-22, 2017 11

Trump signs directive to send Trump calls for curbs

astronauts back to moon on immigration after
Washington: President Donald
Trump has signed his administra
NYC attack
tion's first space policy directive, This White House opposes chain
formally directing the NASA to
send astronauts back to the moon migration, and has called for ending
and eventually Mars. the diversity visa lottery program.
"The directive I'm signing today
Washington: The Trump admin The president criticized the
will refocus American space pro
istration reiterated its call for "lax immigration system" and
gram on human exploration and
tighter immigration restrictions said that those convicted of
discovery," Trump said at a White
Monday following an attempted engaging in terrorism "deserve
House ceremony on Monday,
bombing in New York City. The the strongest penalty allowed
Xinhua news agency reported.
suspect Akayed Ullah, inspired by law, including the death
"It marks an important step in
by ISIS, was from Bangladesh penalty in appropriate cases."
returning American astronauts to
and entered the country in White House Press Secretary
the moon for the first time since
February 2011 on an immi Sarah Huckabee Sanders echoed
1972 for longterm exploration
grant visa and is a green card Mr. Trump's call for stricter
and use," he said.
holder. immigration policy during the
"This time, we will not only
"Today's attempted mass mur press briefing Monday after
plant our flag and leave our foot
der attack in New York City noon.
print we will establish a founda
the second terror attack in New "The president's policy has
tion for an eventual mission to
York in the last two months called for an end to chain
Mars and perhaps some day to
once again highlights the migration, and if that had been
many worlds beyond."
urgent need for Congress to in place that would have pre
The Space Policy Directive 1, as
enact legislative reforms to pro vented this individual from
it is called, was based on recom
mendations of the National Space
Neil Armstrong, first human to walk on the Moon in 1969 was an American tect the American people," coming to the United States.
moon by 2020 and then go on to nauts to an asteroid, a controver President Trump said in a state The Trump administration
Council, which Trump directed to
Mars. sial plan known as Asteroid ment. has also called for the end of
reestablish in June.
However, Constellation was Redirect Mission, which was He called for enhanced securi the diversity visa lottery pro
The council was first created in
cancelled in 2010 by then scrapped earlier this year by the ty relating to immigration as gram, after a separate New York
1989 during the administration
President Barack Obama, on the Trump administration. well as the end of fraud and City terror attack on Halloween
of President George H.W. Bush
grounds that Americans "have Vice President Mike Pence, who "chain migration," or the killed eight people and injured
but later disbanded in 1993
been there before" and that chairs the National Space Council, process by which a U.S. immi an additional 12. The suspect in
under President Bill Clinton.
"there's a lot more of space to said the moon will be "a stepping grant already in the country that attack also entered the
It marked a return to the vision
explore." stone, a training ground, a venue sponsors the immigration of country on a Department of
of President George W. Bush,
Instead, Obama said the US to strengthen our commercial and family members from the native Homeland Security F43 family
whose Constellation program
should start by sending astro international partnerships". land. immigrant visa.
aimed to return astronauts to the

New York Senator breaks out Referencing Trump, Peace Nobel

after Franken resignation
Washington: Years before "Me Too"
became a hashtag, Senator Kirsten
Gillibrand (DNY) made her name in
Congress by combatting sexual mis
conduct within the military. Now,
she's ready to lead that movement
through the halls of Congress, and
she's willing to hold people account
able, wherever it takes her. This
week, it struck the heart of her
party.
She went against the her own
party to say that yes, if Bill Clinton
were president now, he would have
to resign after something like the
Monica Lewinsky affair. She was
also the first to ask Senator Al
Franken to resign after allegations
of sexual misconduct surfaced. She
led other female Democratic col
leagues in putting pressure on him
to resign, which he did last week.
Announcing his resignation on
Senate floor, Franken also called out
President Trump, who was accused
by over a dozen women of sexual
misconduct, and Roy Moore, run
ning for Senate seat from Alabama.
Gillibrand too went on CNN to call
on Trump to resign.
She was on this before anybody
Kirsten Gillibrand has now also called
for President Trump to step down
else was, said Brian Fallon, a former
aide to both Chuck Schumer and
Hillary Clinton. Its a moment that
has come to her rather than her
grabbing the spotlight.
The 51yearold Gillibrand has
come to represent a rising genera
tion of Democratic leaders, one who
came of age in an era when equality
of the sexes was something almost
taken for granted. And the buzz
about her presidential ambitions has
only grown.
winner warns Nwar 'a tantrum away'
Oslo, Norway: The world
faces a "nuclear crisis"
from a "bruised ego", the
International Campaign to
Abolish Nuclear Weapons
(Ican) has warned in an
apparent reference to US
North Korea tensions.
Accepting the Nobel
Peace Prize on Sunday,
Ican's executive director
Beatrice Fihn said "the
deaths of millions may be
one tiny tantrum away".
"We have a choice, the
end of nuclear weapons
or the end of us," she Hiroshima survivor Setsuko Thurlow (middle) and ICAN head Beatrice Fihn
added. Tensions over (right) receiving the Nobel Peace Prize to ICAN in Oslo on Dec. 10.
North Korea's weapons
program have risen in recent from nuclear weapons. can come to power in any
months. The risk of such weapons nuclear state".
The open hostility between being used, she added, was Ms ReissAndersen also
President Donald Trump and "greater today than during the acknowledged the contribu
the North Korean leadership Cold War". tions of Setsuko Thurlow, an
under Kim Jongun has at Ican, a coalition of hundreds 85yearold survivor of the
times descended into personal of NGOs, has worked for a Hiroshima atomic bombing
attacks this year. treaty to ban the weapons. and now an Ican campaigner.
Speaking at the ceremony in Prior to presenting the prize White House national securi
Oslo, Ms Fihn said "a moment on Sunday, Nobel committee ty adviser HR McMaster said
of panic" could lead to the chair Berit ReissAndersen last week that the potential for
"destruction of cities and the offered a similar warning, say war with North Korea was
deaths of millions of civilians" ing that "irresponsible leaders increasing every day.
12 December 16-22, 2017 INDIA TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Rahul Gandhi elected Congress President

Rahul Gandhi takes over from mother Sonia Gandhi
who had helmed the country's oldest party for 19 long years
New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi, who is putting up
a spirited campaign against Prime Minister
Narendra Modi in Gujarat, was elected the
President of the Congress, taking over from
his mother who had helmed the country's
oldest party for 19 long years.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratu
lated his political bete noire and wished him
a fruitful tenure.
"I congratulate Rahul Ji on his election as
Congress President. My best wishes for a
fruitful tenure," Modi tweeted.
The 47yearold Rahul will formally take
over the reins of the grand old party on
December 16, two days before the counting
of votes for Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh
elections, the outcome of which could be a
trendsetter ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha
election.
Congress leader and returning of ficer
Mullappally Ramachandran told the media
that a total of 89 nomination papers propos
ing the name of Rahul Gandhi for Congress
President were received. All the nomination
papers were found valid.
"Since the withdrawal date and time is
over and as there is only one candidate, as
per Article XVIII(d) of the Constitution of
Indian National Congress, I hereby declare
Rahul Gandhi elected as President of the
Indian National Congress," he said.
Marking a generational shift, Rahul Gandhi
will be the sixth NehruGandhi scion to helm
the party, taking over from his mother Sonia
Gandhi who steered it through an era during
which it was in power from 2004 to 2014.
"This is a historic occasion. The handing
over of the certificate of election is sched
uled to be held on December 16 at 11 a.m.,"
Congress workers celebrate in Mumbai after Rahul Gandhi
was elected as Congress Party President.
Ramachandran said. He said Rahul Gandhi high traditions and heritage of Congress.
was a stickler for rules and was particular "The only request that Soniaji placed
about ensuring that the elections were con before us was that women, weaker sections
ducted in a transparent and meaningful and youth should be given adequate repre
manner. sentation," Ramachandran added.
"Both Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi Senior Congress leader and Leader of
never interfered with the election authority. opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad
We were given complete freedom to execute said: "Whole nation has a lot of expectations
the onerous responsibility," he said. from Rahul Gandhi. He has shown his mettle
He also said: "We place on record the much before he was elected the president.
exemplary guidance and support given by He knows his responsibility well and has
Sonia Gandhiji and Rahul Gandhiji. At the shown this in Gujarat."
first meet ing of the Central Elect ion Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh
Authority Sonia Gandhiji had given us only Surjewala said: "An aspirational leader,
one mandate i.e. to conduct free, fair and whose most endearing quality is his sinceri
transparent election, keeping in view the ty' and sense of purpose' takes over as new
President of the Congress."
"Congress, its workers are ready to take on
new challenges, traverse new heights and
serve the nation," he added.
Gandhi's brotherinlaw Robert Vadra also
congratulated him on becoming the party
chief and said it is the "dawn of a new era"
and a "proud moment for all in the family".
"My best w ishes to @Of ficeOfRG on
becoming @INCIndia President," Vadra
tweeted.
Cong ress spokesperson Ajay Maken
addressing mediapersons said "only time
will tell what will be his role as party presi
dent". He also added that the programme for
the handing over ceremony scheduled on
December 16 will be released later.
It is expected that former Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh, Sonia Gandhi, current and
former Chief Ministers, senior Congress
leaders, and all PCC chiefs and delegates will
be present at the handing over ceremony.
Gandhi had been the party Vice President
for over four years since 2013.
Among the proposers of 89 nominations
all in support of Gandhi was former Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh who called Rahul
Gandhi the "darling" of the party. Manmohan
Singh accompanied Gandhi when he filed
the nomination papers.
Originally 90 nomination forms were
issued but one could not be filed as there
were not enough number of proposers.
Hundreds of Congress workers and lead
ers from across the country thronged the
party of fice and celebrated the announce
ment of Rahul Gandhi's elevation by burst
ing crackers and dancing to the beat of
drums and distributing sweets.

Congress set to capture

paign after we raised the scam in (Chief Minister Vijay) Rupaniji
the Rafale deal and the alleged have initiated only onesided
spike in Jay Shah's business for development here, the one only
tunes. They shifted their position for five to 10 people. Not every

power in Gujarat: Rahul

Ahmedabad: After mounting a
spirited campaign in Gujarat,
Congress Presidentelect Rahul
Gandhi declared that his party has
taken the BJP head on and is con
fident of forming its government
in the state.
"The BJP has been cornered.
BJP's model of development has
been hollow and the people of
Gujarat has understood this. They
have claimed to have done a lot in
22 years but are not able to tell
the people what they have done,"
he told the media as the campaign
for the second and last phase of
the elections wound up.
"After the first phase voting in
the state (December 9), we are
confident that we are going to
form the government here. After
22 years Congress has stood on
its own feet. Now Congress is
speaking by standing in front of
as the campaign progressed," he
said.
The second and final phase of
the Gujarat Assembly election is
slated on Thursday. The results
will be out on December 18.
Asked how a Congress govern
ment will fulfil the election prom
ises, Gandhi said "Whatever deci
sion we will take, we will do so
after talking to the people. We will
not take unilateral decisions. If
your intention is good you can do
anything. Our record is there. We
don't talk in the air. We have done
in the past too by waiving the
farm loans of Rs 75,000 crore
(during UPA I)," he said.
He questioned Modi's record on
implementation of poll promises
Rahul Gandhi with Congress leader Ashok Gehlot and
Gujarat Congress chief Bharat Singh Solanki during saying he had promised to put Rs
a press conference in Ahmedabad. 15 lakh in the account of each
individual and to provide two
the BJP and challenging it," he Mo di either spoke ag ainst crore jobs every year but failed to
said. "The BJP did not stick to its Congress and or about himself. deliver.
position on the claim of develop Earlier, he used to say we will die He alleged that the BJP's rule of
ment. Even in his last election fighting corruption. But he did not Gujarat had only helped a few.
meeting, Prime Minister Narendra utter the word in his entire cam "In the last 22 years, Modiji and
one has been given their due."
Gandhi said elections are won
on narrative and on issues. "One
who maintains the narrative wins
the elections. They (BJP) have not
been able to maintain the narra
tive," he claimed.
Rahul Gandhi said his party has
changed itself in the state.
He made it clear that no nasty
or filthy language will be tolerated
against the Prime Minister
"I have cleared my position
throug h my words and also
through action. The way Mani
Shankar Aiyar attacked Prime
Minister, I am not going to toler
ate such comments against the
post of Prime Minister. And you
all saw the action," Gandhi said.
Slamming Modi for his barbs
ag ainst his predecessor, the
Congress leader said, "What the
Prime Minister said about
Manmohan Singhji is also not
acceptable. He was Prime Minister
of the country and has done a lot
for it."
TheSouthAsianTimes.info INDIA December 16-22, 2017 13

Manmohan seeks Modi's apology

New Delhi: A "deeply pained and
anguished" former Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh on Monday hit
back at Prime Minister Narendra
Modi, accusing him of spreading
"falsehood and canards" in a des
perate bid to win the Gujarat elec
tion and asked him to "apologize
to the nation".
In an unusually hardhitting
statement, Manmohan Sing h
denied allegations by Modi that he
and others, including former Vice
President Hamid Ansari and for
mer Army Chie f Gen. Deepak
Kapoor, invited to a dinner at
Congress leader Mani Shankar
Aiyar's residence with Pakistani
diplomats, discussed the Gujarat
election. The BJP fielded Finance
Minister Arun Jaitley to rebut
Manmohan Singh's charge, saying
that the former Prime Minister
should admit that engaging with
Pakistan at this moment was a
"misadventure" for which he
should apolog ize instead of
demanding one from Modi.
"I am deeply pained and
anguished by the falsehood and
cussed the Gujarat polls with
Pakistan's High Commissioner to
India and a former Pakistani
Foreign Minister, Khurshid Kasuri,
among others, suggesting that the
Congress was conspiring with
Pakistani leaders to prevent the
BJP from winning the election in
the state.
"(On one hand) Pakistan Army's
former D G is interfering in
Gujarat's election and on the other
Pakistani people are holding a
meeting at Mani Shankar Aiyar's
house," Modi said.
Manmohan Singh made public
the guest list at Aiyar's in Delhi.
Those present included former
Congress leader Manmohan Singh accused PM Modi of spreading
"falsehood and canards" to win Gujarat election. External Af fairs Minister K.
Natwar Singh, former Foreign
canards being spread to score insatiable desire to tarnish every Secretary Salman Haider, former
political points in a lost cause by Constitutional of fice including High Commissioners of India to
none less than ... Mo di," that of a former Prime Minister Pakistan T.C.A. Raghavan, Satinder
Manmohan Singh said. and Army Chie f," Manmohan K. Lambah, Sharad Sabharwal and
"Fearing imminent defeat in Singh added. M.K. Bhadrakumar and India's for
Gujarat, desperation of the Prime The statement follows Modi's mer Permanent Representative to
Minister to hurl every abuse and allegations at an election rally in the UN, C.R. Gharekhan.
latch on to every straw is palpable. Gujarat that guests at Aiyar's Also present in the meeting were
"Sadly and regrettably, Modi is set house, including Manmohan academician Kanti Bajpai and jour
ting a dangerous precedent by his Singh, Ansari and Gen. Kapoor, dis nalists Prem Shankar Jha, Ajai
Shukla and Rahul Singh.
"I reject the innuendos and false
hoods as I did not discuss Gujarat
elections with anyone else at the
dinner hosted by Aiyar as alleged
by Modi. Nor was the Gujarat issue
raised by anyone else present at
the dinner," Manmohan Singh said.
"The discussion was confined to
IndiaPakistan re lat ions," he
added.
Manmohan Sing h said the
Congress needed "no sermons on
'nationalism' from a party and
Prime Minister whose compro
mised track record on fighting ter
rorism is well known.
Talking to the media, Jaitley said
the former Prime Minister and the
Congress should come out with
facts as to what happened in the
meeting and what was the need to
have it.
Referring to Manmohan Singh's
attack on the government's policy
towards tackling terrorism, the
Finance Minister said the govern
ment has a track record which no
other government in the past can
boast of.

Modi takes 'rstever' seaplane Congress confident of forming

ight for campaigning government in Gujarat: Rahul
Ahmedabad: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi
on Tuesday declared that his party was confi
dent of taking power in Gujarat and said the
BJP was on a losing wicket.
"The BJP has lost its position," Gandhi told
the media, a day after he was named the
Prime Minister President of the country's oldest political
Narendra Modi party. "After the first phase voting in the state
being felicitated (December 9), we are confident that we are
during a rally in
going to form the government here," he said.
Ahmedabad.
The second and final phase of the Gujarat
(Photo: IANS)
Assembly election is due on Thursday. The
results will be out on December 18.
Gandhi attacked both Prime Minister
Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata
Party (BJP) over what he said was their
silence on corruption.
"Earlier Modiji used to talk about corrup
tion everywhere. But since we raised the
issues of Jay Shah (BJP President Amit Shah's
son) and the Rafale defence deal (with
France), he stopped talking about corrup
tion," the Congress leader said.
He alleged that the BJP's rule of Gujarat
had only helped a few.
"In the last 22 years, Modiji and (Chief
Minister Vijay) Rupaniji have initiated only
onesided development here, the one only for
5 to 10 people. Not everyone has been given
their due."

Gandhinagar: Prime Minister Narendra

Modi took of f in a seaplane from the
Sabarmati Riverfront to Dharoi Dam, a
reservoir near Ambaji, to hold a rally.
The Bharatiya Janata Party said it was
"the firstever flight by a seaplane in the
country".
With the second and final phase of polls
due on Thursday, Prime Minister Modi has
been in the state consecutively for the last
four days. Since the election notification
for Gujarat, Modi has been a very frequent
visitor to the state to campaign for the rul
ing BJP.
Asked the reason for the Prime Minister
taking a seaplane, Jagdish Bhavsar, an offi
cial of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP),
said, "You can take this gesture of the
Prime Minister as our other programs like
the RoRo Ferry Service, or the Bullet Train
project or the Bus Rapid Transit System
(BRTS). You can take this new program as
one of the initiatives of the BJP."
After reaching Dharoi Dam reservoir,
Modi will have 'Darshan' at the famed
Ambaji temple and then address a pubic
gathering there. In the evening, he will fly
back to Ahmedabad by the same plane.
The Election Commission of India, while
announcing the elections for Himachal
Pradesh, had postponed announcement of
the Gujarat elections, which the opposition
Congress alleged was aimed to allow Prime
Minister Modi and the BJP to launch initia
tives like the RoRo Ferry service, the
Bullet train and other programs.
Earlier, local authorities had denied Modi
and Congress Presidentelect Rahul Gandhi
to hold rallies in the financial capital of
Gujarat, Ahmedabad.
The second phase polls on Thursday will
see around two crore voters decide the fate
of 1,828 candidates fighting for 93 assem
bly seats.
Hardik's rally clocks 52,800
Facebook Live views
Ahmedabad: In an election rally in BJP bas
tion Ahmedabad that fetched a record
52,800 Facebook Live views, firebrand
Patidar leader Hardik Patel once again
exhorted the people to throw out the BJP
from power.
"I am nobody here to say who to vote for
but only that if you pick the BJP, you would
be a traitor for your community. For once,
just teach them a lesson. If you want, vote
them back in 2022," he told his supporters
who had gathered in huge numbers at New
Nikol area here.
"Now, if you don't give an opportunity to
someone else, you would not know if they
are better or worse." In his meet parallel to
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally in
Ahmedabad at the same time in the night
half an hour before campaign closes at 10
p.m., the 24yearold Patel lambasted Modi
for his "foolhardy" allegation of Pakistan's
collusion in Gujarat elections.
"What has Pakistan got to do with Gujarat
elections. Those who boasted of develop
ment during the last 22 years, have
returned to their favourite old chant of Ram
Mandir, HinduMuslim, Pakistan. Do they
talk of development?"
He said was not around for power, but for
three things. "Reservations for youth in non
reserved classes, solution to high unemploy
ment and reduction in farmer distress. If
they assure this now, I shall end the agita
tion right now and here and convert this
into a 'thank you' rally. But he talks of
HinduMuslim, and of Pakistan."
 14 December 16-22, 2017 OP-ED TheSouthAsianTimes.info

l By Chandra K. Mittal

Is Trumps Afghan policy

P
resident Donald Trump
had made an election
promise to conclude
American involvement in
Afghanistan. But ironically, he
ended up proposing exactly the
opposite. Instead of withdrawing
the US troops and letting
Afghanistan take care of its own
security, he announced sending
more troops there.
Trump also redefined Americas
goal in that ravaged country. For
George W Bush it was nation
building, now it is killing the ter
rorists. He has also sought the par
ticipation of India and Pakistan in
curbing terrorist activities in
Afghanistan, and increasing eco
nomic cooperation with the coun
try.
While this strategy may have
been wellintentioned, the reaction
from the region has been luke
warm. Besides, it was oversimplis
tic and unlikely to achieve the
intended objective given the politi
cal and cultural realities of South
Asian region. The policy reflects
more on the American frustration
and weariness with the prolonged
Afghan war which has already cost
some one trillion dollars and signif
icant loss of American lives.
Unfortunately, the history and
culture of Afghanistan is such that
it has consistently worn out foreign
occupiers in the past and com
pelled them to leave. In 1989,
Soviet Union faced a humiliating
fate and was compelled to with
too transactional to succeed?
US President Donald Trump.
draw its troops after 10 years of
occupation, leaving behind com
plete political chaos and destruc
tion.
Today, after 16 years since 9/11,
America finds itself in almost a sim
ilar quagmire as did the Soviets,
except that America has fewer
troops in Afghanistan, which now
has a democratically elected gov
ernment, albeit a fragile one. The
basic problem with Afghanistan is
the tribal and corrupt nature of its
society that lacks institutional
framework of public governance.
So, if America withdraws its troops,
it faces the predicament of a power
vacuum, which will be almost cer
tainly filled back with radicals and
fundamentalist elements like
Taliban, AlQaida. It is perhaps this
realism that is guiding President
Trumps new policy. But he wants
to have more stakeholders in the
game.
It appears that this new policy
was decided almost exclusively by
the US Government without any
consultation or commitments from
all parties in the region. Nor did the
policy makers in Washington DC
take into account the political com
plexities involving Pakistan and
India the two arch nuclear rivals.
Both India and Pakistan are not
fully willing to go along with his
plans, though for different reasons.
On its part, India refused to com
mit its troops for Trumps Afghan
mission but is willing to cooperate
on the economic front. Pakistan, on
the other hand, has expressed its
disdain over Trumps attitude
towards Pakistan as it passed a res
olution in National Assembly con
demning Presidents remarks about
Pakistans role in Afghanistan war
so far.
And then there is the complexity
of IndoPak relationship going back
some 70 years, which is likely to
create operational difficulties for
Trumps plan in Afghanistan.
Pakistan has been already blaming
India for economic cooperation
with Afghanistan and fomenting
terrorism inside Pakistans
Baluchistan. So, President Trumps
prescription for IndiaAfghanistan
economic cooperation is not likely
to sit well with Pakistan.
The success of Trumps Afghan
mission will primarily depend on
the quality and ability of Pakistans
cooperation, which so far has elud
ed America despite significant
investment there. Estimates vary,
but since 9/11 United States has
poured significant economic and
military aid to Pakistan for cooper
ation on Afghanistan. Some put this
number to be between $1820 bil
lion. But results have not been
impressive.
The centerpiece of Trumps
Afghanistan strategy seems to be
economic leverage he can exert on
India and Pakistan to seek their
support. For India, he has men
tioned some $30 billion trade
deficit, and the H1 visa program.
For Pakistan, he has hinted at an
aids package.
But such approach discounts the
fact that South Asian countries are
not driven by just the economy, but
have strong social, cultural and
political anchors that grant them
nationhood. Relationships with
such countries cannot be just
transactional or business as usual.
They seek wider kinship with part
ner countries.
President Trump and United
States will be better served in meet
ing their strategic goals and achiev
ing success in Afghanistan if they
found common ground with India
and Pakistan that is consonant with
their social, cultural and political
values rather than just economic.
(Dr. Chandra Mittal is Professor
at Houston Community College and
CoFounder of IndoAmerican
Association (IAA).

Is the BJP nervous about Gujarat?

l By Amulya Ganguli decades, the BJP has had so much made about the ongoing tussle in

N
ormally, the Bharatiya
Janata Party (BJP)
shouldn't have any wor
ries about the election
results in Gujarat. It is Narendra
Modi's home state and the party
has been in power there for more
than two decades.
Prima facie, it should be cakewalk
for the BJP, not least because its
principle opponent, the Congress,
has been down in the dumps all
these years. Nor is there any sign of
a revival of its moribund organisa
tion. Yet, the BJP doesn't seem to be
at ease. For one, its star and,
indeed, only effective campaign
er, the Prime Minister, has virtually
parked himself in Gujarat, address
ing a large number of meetings all
over the state. As is obvious, it is
unusual for a Prime Minister to
spend so much time in a single
state before an election, especially
when the opponent is supposed to
be weak. If he has nevertheless
done so, it means that he is uncer
tain about the outcome. For anoth
er, the same sense of insecurity can
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses a
party rally in Kalol, Gandhinagar.
be discerned in the increasing bit
terness of his criticism of his pri
mary challenger, Rahul Gandhi,
comparing him with Aurangzeb
while referring to the tradition of
dynastic succession in the
Congress, while some others have
gone a step further to liken him to
Babar, the BJP's bete noire from the
time of the Ramjanmabhoomi agita
tion, and Allauddin Khilji, the
party's latest pet hate. Since linking
flashing its old trump card, commu
someone with Mughals/Muslims
constitutes the worst form of abuse
in the Hindutva lexicon, it appears
that for some reason, the wouldbe
Congress president has got under
the BJP's skin.
The explanation for this vitupera
tive outburst is probably that Rahul
is unexpectedly turning out to be
the first politician to pose a serious
challenge to the BJP in its putative
bailiwick. Over the last two
of an easy run in Gujarat and has
apparently become so used to total
dominance that the slightest sign of
resistance tends to unnerve the
party.
And that, too, from someone
whom the party and its myriad
trolls in the social media have
long been deriding as Pappu, signi
fying an adolescent, who was
expected to fall on his face not
before long. But now that Rahul is
proving to be a different person
altogether who can give as good as
he gets, the BJP is at a loss about
how to respond.
Not unexpectedly, therefore, it is
nalism, to boost its own morale and
rally its supporters. Hence the
posters about the battle being
between RAM (Vijay) Rupani,
Amit Shah and Modi and HAJ
Hardik Patel, Alpesh Thakor and
Jignesh Mewani. Rupani, as is
known, is Gujarat's somewhat
unprepossessing Chief Minister.
The communal undertone of the
message is as clear as the distinc
tion which a Union minister once
the country being between
Ramzade or the children of the
Hindu god, Ram, and Haramzade or
children born out of wedlock.
As before, in targeting the
Congress, Modi has delved into his
tory to project the party as one
which has been consistently anti
Gujarat as its "failure" to make
Vallabhbhai Patel and Morarji Desai
prime ministers showed.
Modi has gone even further back
in time to recall Jawaharlal Nehru's
unwillingness to allow any official
role in a secular state in the renova
tion of the Somnath temple to
depict the first Prime Minister as
antiHindu. There have been a few
missteps on the Congress's part as
well with former MP Mani Shankar
Aiyar using the word, neech, or low
born, to describe Modi. Arguably,
the BJP hasn't helped itself by pre
maturely boasting about winning
150plus seats in the 182member
legislature. Now, its fear apparently
is that it will be a considerable blow
to its hubris and prestige if the
party's final tally of seats falls short
of the projected figure.

The views expressed in Op Eds are not necessarily those of The South Asian Times.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info FASHION December 16-22, 2017
Styling tips for
bandhgalas
New Delhi: During winter season, it is
best to stick to bandhgalas in velvet
and satin in hues of burgundy or royal
navy, say experts.
Sanchit Baweja, CoFounder and
Chief Business Officer, Stage3, and
Saurabh Sharma, Founder and
Director Logicuff, from Delhi, have
shared some tips to keep in mind
while choosing bandhgalas:
Concentrate on
the fabric
Known for gelling his Jodhpuri Get the perfect look with silk
heritage in his style, Raghavendra brocades, velvet and satin for
Rathore (right, seen with actor special occasions and finer silks,
Anil Kapoor at Van Heusen + GQ
cotton, cotton silk, crepe and
Fashion Nights 2017 in Mumbai
georgette for a perfect outfit for
on Nov 11) has put the ageless
a semiformal occasion. Choose
Indian classic, the bandhgala, on
a plain lightweight Jodhpuri
the global map.
dress for a formal look.
For winter weddings,
For the love of black
For a festive opt for velvet band
Black bandhgala is the foun
affair, rather hgalas in rich tones
like burgundy or dation to innumerable outfit
than pairing
options. For an elegant look, try
bandhgala with royal navy. Offset the
wearing it with a white shirt and
churidars, one rich color with lighter
shade trousers, a polkadotted pocket square.
can team it up
with dhotis. pocket square and Wear this with a pair of black
brown shoes. oxfords or Chelsea boots.
15
Pair it well
For winter weddings opt for velvet
bandhgalas in rich tones like burgundy
or royal navy. Deeper colors lend a
richer feel to the ensemble. One can
pair it with black trousers or white
breeches (jodhpuri trousers). Offset the
rich colors with a light, solid colored
pocket square and a pair of tan oxfords
(for white breeches) or black Chelsea
boots (for black trousers).
Pinstripe
Another interesting twist is pin
stripes. Pinstriped bandhgalas or pin
striped achkans paired with churidars
make for a great alternative to a suit.
Keep the accessories simple with a
white pocket square and a pair of
brown brogues.
Style it right
For a festive affair, rather than pair
ing bandhgala with churidars, one can
team it up with dhotis.
This look can be completed with a
pair of embroidered mojaris with
designs matching the designs on the
clothing. Georgette or silk shawls can
also be worn.
 16 December 16-22, 2017
Virat Kohli ties the knot with Anushka Sharma in Florence, Italy.
Virat, Anushka wed,
begin new innings
Florence (Italy): Indian cricket team captain
Virat Kohli and Bollywood actress Anushka
Sharma India's most watched couple
sealed their relationship with a wedding
here amidst close family and friends.
"Today we have promised each other to be
bound in love forever. We are truly blessed to
share the news with you," Virat and Anushka
posted on their social media accounts.
"This beautiful day will be made more spe
cial with the love and support of our family
of fans and wellwishers. Thank you for being
such an important part of our journey," the
statement read. The happy couple shared
their wedding photographs on social media
with fans. In one image, they are seen laugh
ing happily during the 'phera' ceremony,
while in another, a smiling Anushka is seen
holding the garland to place it on Virat, who
is held aloft by friends.
A string of congratulatory messages from
the film and sports fraternity followed the
official announcement. The wedding was
solemnised as per Hindu rituals at 2 p.m.
here, with the bride and groom looking
resplendent in ensembles by celebrated cou
turier Sabyasachi Mukherjee.
For the Dday, Anushka wore a pale pink
lehenga with Renaissance embroidery in vin
Dangal actor
Zaira molested
on Delhi
Mumbai ight
a national
Zaira Wasim is
actor.
award winning
D
angal actress Zaira Wasim has been
allegedly molested on a Delhi
Mumbai ight by a man who was
sitting behind her.
The 17yearold actor has alleged that a
middleaged man sitting behind her on
flight tried to molest her. She shared the
ordeal she had to go through en route
Mumbai in the flight in an Instagram story.
Reportedly, the man was caressing her
neck while she was asleep. She tried to
ULTIMATE BOLLYWOOD
tage English colours embellished with silver
gold metal thread, pearls and beads. The
bridal jewellery, handcrafted with syndicate
uncut diamonds, pale pink spinel and
baroque Japanese cultured pearls, was by the
Sabyasachi Heritage Jewelry collection.
The groom looked smart in an ivory raw
silk sherwani handembroidered in a vintage
Benarasi pattern, with an old rose silk kota
safa. The couple, who has been together for
four years, is said to have chosen a luxury
heritage resort Borgo Finocchieto, a little
over 100 km away from here, for their nup
tials. They appointed boutique wedding plan
ning and production experts Shaadi Squad to
ensure their celebrations were special and
classy.
The couple will be hosting a reception in
New Delhi for their relatives on December
21, followed by a reception for industry
friends and cricketers in Mumbai on
December 26. They will be shifting to their
new residence in Worli, Mumbai in December
once they return from Delhi.
The couple will then travel to South Africa
where Virat will start prepping for the
upcoming series and Anushka will spend
New Year's Eve with him, read a statement
from the actress' representative.
record what the man was doing, but failed
due to dim lights. She, however, managed to
get a screenshot of the mans activities on
the flight to some extent.
The national awardwinning actor called
out to the cabin crew for help but it was of
no use. In the live video, she also expressed
her displeasure with crew members of the
flight. Right after deboarding the flight,
she took to Instagram to narrate her experi
ence in a live video.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
We should attack patriarchy,
chauvinism: Kangana
A
ctress Kangana Ranaut,
who never minces
words, has opposed the
threats issued to "Padmavati"
actress Deepika Padukone, and
said patriarchy in the society
needs to be attacked.
Kangana was at Reebok's Fit
To Fight Awards when she was
asked about her thoughts on
the threats issued to Deepika
over the controversial film
"Padmavati".
She said: "It is absolutely
wrong, but I feel it is not some
thing which is very surprising.
When my sister was in school,
she faced an acid attack from a
student and now when I am in a
professional environment, a
superstar is trying to put me
behind bars. So, this is very
common that happens in our
society.
Kangana will next be seen in a film
"I feel we should not attack on warrior queen Rani Lakshmibai.
individuals, we should attack
patriarchy and chauvinism. For individuals, whether with our work, speech or films. And
we can call them out and say whatever you that is why I feel films are an important
are doing is not right. medium, because we as an industry can
"But I feel this is not restricted only to reach out to people only through our films."
boys, it implies to girls as well, so we have to Kangana is next working on "Manikarnika:
attack that view point and we are doing it The Queen of Jhansi".
REVIEW
'Fukrey Returns': An entertaining deja vu
The cast of Fukrey Returns.
S
equels are expected to be bigger, don of vices Bholi Punjaban (Richa Chadha)
better and ideally build on every and yet tries to date other girls with the
thing that made the original suc help of his closest pal, Hunny (Pulkit
cessful. On paper, "Fukrey Returns" boasts
of everything one expects from a sequel,
Samrat).
While the dialogues with Delhi lingo are
except that the novelty factor which actual peppy and the characters engaging, the
ly made its predecessor popular, is missing. plot seems too farfetched. By the climax,
For those who have not seen the 2013 the writing is slack and predictable.
released film, "Fukrey" is a genial romp On the performance front, Varun Sharma
about four goodfornothing, middleclass as Choocha is the showstopper. Pulkit
boys in Delhi who embark upon a hare Samrat, with no originality continues to
brained scheme to raise money. They do so clone Salman Khan in some scenes. Manjot
by predominantly interpreting Choocha's Singh just happens to be around. With an
dreams, which kicks off the mess. They underwritten role, Ali Fazal is conspicuous
eventually learn that there are no shortcuts by his long time absence on screen.
in life.
Working on the same premise, "Fukrey Richa Chadha as the don Bholi Punjaban,
Returns" continues the saga from its origi though impressive, lacks the persona.
nal. Life is like usual for the quartet, Overall, "Fukrey Returns" is palatable fare
Choocha dreams of romancing the local for those who want a deja vu of "Fukrey".
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Women have been the strongest
people in my life: Shahid
A
ctor Shahid Kapoor says the
strongest people in his life have
been women, especially his mother
Neelima Azeem who has been a single par
ent. He also calls his wife Mira and daugh
ter Misha his "whole world" and says he
couldn't have been happier in his life than
now.
Shahid spoke from Mumbai on the side
lines of Reebok FitToFight Awards 2.0,
where the brand felicitated women nomi
nees from across the country for their spirit
and courage.
"I don't think there is anything which res
onated with me so naturally as this cam
paign did. The strongest people in my life
have been women, starting with my moth
er. She was a single parent and she was the
most powerful and the strongest, and a per
son I would depend on the most," said
Shahid, who endorses Reebok with
Kangana Ranaut. "Today, Mira and Misha
are my whole world and I can't think of any
reason why this initiative would not con
nect with me. It's the most natural connect,"
said the actor, who also believes women are
fitter than men.
"Women know how to deal with situa
tions better than most men do. They are
very independent and selfassured," he said.
Tired of commenting on the row, he said:
"I have spoken enough and I don't feel the
need to say anything more." He also said
PRASHANTT GUPTHA SINGS TO
STIR SOMETHING IN YOU
N
ew Yorkborn Bollywood actor
Prashantt Guptha, who got noticed
for his brief but powerful role in the
film Neerja and has acted in diverse roles in
10 films, is adding one more dimension to his
resume.
He is initiating a campaign on social media
wherein he will create covers of old Hindi
film songs and ghazals that reflect upon the
adversities of our present day world and com
mon issues of people. The covers will be
launched on his new YouTube and Facebook
channel called PRASHN.
Why #Prashn? Prashantt replies: We all
have questions to which we seek answers.
Whether from nature, God, our family, our
selves, our lovers(s), and destiny. I am delib
erately focusing on songs that have their con
text in questions lyrically and so very rele
vant to the times today. My campaign is to
stir not only an awakening to classic songs
and showcase my singing ability, but to ignite
Actor
Prashantt
Guptha was
noticed for
his role in
Neerja.
ULTIMATE BOLLYWOOD
Actor Shahid Kapoor spoke on the
sidelines of Reebok FitToFight Awards.
trolls and backlash are problems emerging
from social media.
"It's very easy to pass a comment when
you don't have to be accountable for it
because nobody even knows who you are."
a drive in people to put their questions forth
into the universe and seek.
The first song he has rendered is the leg
endary O duniya ke rakhwaale from the
1952 classic Baiju Bawra. It was sung by
Mohammed Rafi, composed by Naushad and
penned by Shakeel Badayuni. This song,
Prashantt acknowledges, is very difficult to
attempt for anybody, but he chose it for the
sheer relevance as it soulfully calls upon God
to see our despair, hopelessness, struggles,
loneliness, heart break. Those who have lis
tened to it, find it competent. The bonus is,
Prashantt emotes along the way too. If you
ask how come a boy raised in New York in
the 80's/90's wants to do cover versions of
songs of Mohd Rafi, Talat Mahmood, Hemant
Kumar and Mukesh, he credits it to his father.
I learned about music and developed a pas
sion for Hindi songs and ghazals through him
and developed a deeprooted love and appre
ciation for the black & white era.
On work front, actor Diljit Dosanjh is currently shooting for Soorma.
Feel good after seeing
Kylie Jenner: Diljit Dosanjh
A
ctorsinger Diljit Dosanjh, who is
a selfadmitted fan of Kylie
Jenner and often comments on
her posts over various social media plat
forms, says he feels good after seeing
photographs of the American reality TV
star.
Asked about Kylie's pregnancy news,
Diljit said: "I am a fan of Kylie Jenner. It's
her life. That's good news (if she is preg
nant). Obviously, I am happy for her.
"If she is pregnant why will I be sad? I
Nawazuddin to be face of water
conservation campaign
Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui hails from
Budhana, Uttar Pradesh.
December 16-22, 2017 17
am still her fan She can get pregnant
for 20 times. I just like her, there are no
expectations that I have from her. When I
see her, I feel like I really know her. I feel
good after seeing her (photographs)."
On work front, Diljit is currently shoot
ing for "Soorma" a biopic on the life of
former Indian hockey captain Sandeep
Singh.
Diljit, has previously appeared in
Bollywood films like "Udta Punjab" and
"Phillauri".
A
ctor Nawazuddin Siddiqui, who
comes from an agricultural
background, will now be the face
of a water conservation campaign, which
is an initiative by the Central govern
ment.
He was approached by the Ministry of
Water Resources, River Development
and Ganga Rejuvenation to spearhead
the campaign.
The actor, who was a farmer, is aware
of the various new technological
advances farmers across the world use
to conserve water.
Moved by the plight of farmers and
the water shortage situation in the coun
try, Nawazuddin is all set to extend his
full support to the campaign.
Nawazuddin said: "We will have to
start conservation of water by changing
our habits and this will have to begin at
our homes."
"We will shift focus to water conserv
ing in agriculture soon after. Ten to 12
years ago in my town, within 20 feet we
would find groundwater. But now even if
we go 300 feet deep, there's no water,"
added the actor, who hails from
Budhana, Uttar Pradesh.
He feels fortunate to be associated
with the campaign.
"I think the ministry chose me consid
ering my background in farming and
the connect that I have with common
people," he said.
18 December 16-22, 2017 SPORTS TheSouthAsianTimes.info

l By Shivaji Sengupta

Virat Kohli
Soldier
S
ome time ago, I had written in this
newspaper an appreciation of
Mahendra Singh Dhoni, former
Indian cricket captain across all formats. I
called him the Philosopher. Today, I sit down
to write about the Indian cricket team's pres
Captain
ent captain, across all formats. If Dhoni is
the Philosopher Captain, Virat is the ultimate
warrior in the tradition of The Mahabharata.
If Dhoni is Sri Krishna; Virat is Arjuna.
Just as the epic is full of Arjunas warrior
deeds, writing about cricketers, journalists
harp a lot on statistics; and statistics are
important because they tell us where a par
ticular player is numerically located within
the large spectrum of all the other players of
the game. But those who are already hailing
Virat Kohli as the alltime Indian great, bas
ing their arguments on statistics, they are
not being wise. First of all, it is not fair to
compare players from a different decade,
not to speak of a different era, only by
means of statistics. As someone once
quipped, comparing statistics to womens
bikinis: what they show is important; what
they hide is vital.
I see all the time in newspapers, maga
zines, websites such as cricinfo.com and
cricbuzz.com, citing breathtaking statistics
about Kohli's batting: first Test captain to
score six double centuries, 32 centuries after
having played 202 games...the beat goes on.
8 Virat Kohli celebrates his double century on
Day 3 of the 2nd Test match against Sri
But to say that Sachin Tendulkar did not Lanka in Nagpur on Nov 26, 2017 (Photo: IANS)
have this type of impressive numbers, and,
therefore, Kohli is better than Sachin at this slip fielder. Here is another critique, Arup elegance of those two. Kohli will certainly ers to the beginning of this piece.
stage, and will surpass him when he reaches Ranjan Gupta, who played competitive crick break many existing records, but statistics is The reason for Kohlis success is his having
his retirement age; that is simply not true et at the university level in Delhi, and was not everything. Then also, we need to the temperament of a consummate soldier.
because statistics are about the present. One described by the late Dilip Sardesai, a former remember that Gavaskar not only played After all, we should not forget that Virat gets
cannot extrapolate into the future because Indian Test batsman, as someone in the clas against some of the most lethal fast bowlers his name from The Mahabharata in which
anything can happen. For one thing, sical mold. Comparing Virat with the greats of all time, he did so without a helmet. But King Virat, the great warrior, was host to the
Tendulkar had reached his peak way before of yester years, this is what he has to say: his technique was so good that I do not Pandavas when they were in exile from their
Kohli got properly started. Moreover, the two First: In my cricket dictionary there cannot remember Gavaskar being hit by a bouncer, kingdom. Like Mahendra Singh Dhoni before
are completely different types of batsmen. be another opening batsman like Sunil let alone felled by it. him, time and time again Virat Kohli has
Here is what an Indian cricket critic, Gavaskar and another No. 4 (two down) bats Still, all the pundits agree that Virat Kohli stepped out when his team has been in deep
Amitabh Tripathi writes: man like Sachin Tendulkar. I don't think is inevitably on his way to greatness. trouble. Equally often, he has brought them
Virat is a much busier player than either there will be in future. Second: Whether he will eclipse Gavaskar, Tendulkar out of the woods, to triumph. Its this fero
Dravid or Sachin was. He is intrinsically Because, with the introduction of T20 and and Dravid is to be seen. cious sense of his will, his willingness to
more aggressive, is constantly on the look the popularity of oneday cricket, the class This year, Virat Kohli was adjudged work hard when batting, not taking unneces
out to score, and essentially plays in the 'V'. and quality of bowling has deteriorated and, Wisden's International Cricketer of the Year, sary bravado or chances, that has brought
(V is the term used to indicate the Vshaped with it, batsmanship. Gone are Dennis Lilly, an honor extended to only two other Indians: him out from fire and brimstone, to, ulti
space between two fieldplacers Midoff, i.e. Andy Roberts and Wasim Akram or Richard Virender Sehwag (twice) and, yes, Sachin mately, yet another victory or a century. Not
diagonally straight to the right of the bats Hadley. Nor will you find the equals of Tendulkar. He has just led India to nine con too long ago, when, like a soldier, he
man, facing the bowler; and Midon, diago Murlidharan & Warne. secutive Test series victory, a joint world achieved a difficult victory target, or a
nally straight to the left of the batsman, fac Kohli certainly possesses class but has record, and in 2017, the Indian captain has, matchsaving century, he used to roar out
ing the bowler). His driving is copybook. As never had to face bowlers of the class just in an unprecedented manner, led batting obscenities in Punjabi, to let out all his pent
an athlete, he is, supremely fit: no compar mentioned. averages in all three formats, Test (75.00), up tension and aggression. This behavior led
isons with either Sachin or Dravid, or with Gupta agrees with Amitabh Tripathi that ODI (92.00) and T20 (120.00). Sunil Gavaskar, now a sage commentator, to
almost anyone. However, in technique, Virat Kohli's fielding ability is superior to both So far we have seen Virat Kohli decorated once remark, Virat is a lovely batsman, but I
is surely behind both Sachin and Dravid. He Tendulkar and Gavaskar. Dravid, however, with many medals. How does he do it? When wish he wouldnt shout out profanities like
plays too far from his body outside the off in my opinion belongs to different class of one asks this question, one is immediately that for the whole stadium to hear!
stump something Sachin also did, but usu fielders, Gupta says. Kohli is technically very bombarded with such clichs like it's in his Well, he doesnt any more. He is maturing
ally only after being set; Dravid, rarely. sound and correct, very reliable, but he does character, or he has hunger for success. fast into a public figure par excellence.
Against the moving ball, whether spin or not possess the strokes of Tendulkar or While all these clichs are true (clichs usu When he scored his match saving century in
pace, Kohli has still some ways to go. For Gavaskar who could score all round the ally are that's why they are so boring to Kolkata in the first Test match (after scoring
example, in the recently concluded Test wicket. Nor does he have the balance and repeat!), I would like to bring back my read a duck in the first inning) he did let out a
series against Sri Lanka, he was out to bloodcurdling roar. But all he said was,
Suranga Lakmal in Kolkatas pitch favoring
pace bowling, trying to drive a ball outside
Breathtaking statistics Come on!
Nowadays, the Philosopher and the Soldier
the offstump before he got set. He was out apart, an analysis of play together in the limited overs games,
for a duck. It's the same when it comes to much to the benefit of the team. Kohli banks
quality spin bowling. what makes Virat on Dhonis philosophical calm, is relaxed
Virat has still some distance to go before
catching up with Tendulkar and Dravid in
Kohli excel in all about Dhonis input to the team; Dhoni
depends on Kohlis passion for the game, his
Test cricket. However, he is probably a bet three formats of ability to carry Indias burden, his uncom
ter ODI or T20 batsman than either of them. promising desire to win.
Mr. Tripathi thinks Kohli is superior by cricket and win Hail to the Philosopher! Hail to Virat Kohli,
miles. In fielding, though, Virat is consid
ered superior to both Tendulkar and Dravid
matches and series the Soldier!
Shivaji Sengupta comments on current
in general, though the latter was an excellent for India. affairs and cricket for this paper.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info DIASPORA December 16-22, 2017 19

Indians get more Queensland Premier seeks veto of

British work visas Oz loan to Adani's project
Brisbane: Queensland's reelected
Labor Party Premier Annastacia

than others Palaszczuk has written to Prime

New Delhi: Stating that there has
been a sharp increase in the num
ber of British visas issued to
Indians, the British High
Commission said on Tuesday that
Indians get more work visas than
all other nationalities combined.
Citing figures issued by the UK
Office for National Statistics, the
High Commission said in a state
ment that the number of visas
granted to Indian nationals from
September 2016 to September
2017 stood at 517,000.
"Within this number, visit visas
increased by 11 per cent to
427,000 and work visas
remained steady at 53,000
meaning that Indians still get
more work visas for employment
in the UK than all other nationali
ties combined," the statement
said. Stating that the largest
increase was seen in the Tier 4
student visa category, it said in
the last year over 14,000 student
visas were issued to Indians, an
increase of 27 per cent compared
with the previous 12 months. In
addition, over 5,000 Indians
came for shortterm study in the
UK during the same period. This
is the third successive quarter
that student visa numbers have
increased.
"These statistics show that
India's bridge with the United
Kingdom is as strong as ever,"
British High Commissioner to
India Dominic Asquith said.
"I particularly welcome the
sharp increase in Indian students
choosing to take advantage of the
UK's worldbeating higher educa
tion. Our visa service for Indians
is as good as any other on offer.
Some 90 per cent of applicants
receive a visa and 99 per cent of
those are processed within our
target time of 15 working days."
Stating that he wanted more
Indians to see Britain as their
partner country, whether for
business, tourism, study or work,
Asquith said that visits to India
last week by the Mayor of
London and the Deputy First
Minister of Scotland "showed the
depth of interest in working with
India."
Minister Malcolm Turnbull to veto a
federal loan to Indian conglomerate
Adani Enterprises' A$16.5billion
Carmichael coal project in Galilee
Basin, a media report said.
In one of her first acts after she
was officially sworn in on Tuesday
morning, Palaszczuk has followed
through on the shock announcement
she made during the election cam
paign to block a A$900 million loan
from the Northern Australia
Infrastructure Facility to the Indian
conglomerate to build a common
user rail line in the basin, The
Australian reported.
"My government provides formal
notification for the Commonwealth
that financial assistance should not
be provided to Adani for the North
Galilee Basin Rail Project,"
Palaszczuk's letter to Prime Minister
Turnbull reads.
"As such, the government is exer
cising its veto right under section
13(4) of the Investment Facility
Mandate in response to the Adani
loan application."
An Adani spokesman said the com
pany was still committed to
Queensland despite the veto, and
Labor Party Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk (Image : couriermail.com.au)
insisted the Queensland government
was still supportive of its Carmichael
coal mine proposal for the Galilee
Basin. "We congratulate Premier
Palaszczuk on her government's
election and look forward to working
closely and cooperatively with the
state and federal governments and
regulatory authorities as we get on
with the job of making all of our
projects a reality," the spokesman
said. "Adani Australia currently
employs over 800 people and has
invested over $3.3 billion in
Queensland, which is one of the
biggest investments by an Indian
company in Australia.
"We would not be investing our
time, money and energy in this man
ner if our projects were not viable
and if we were not serious about
delivering our projects which will
ultimately generate more than
10,000 direct & indirect jobs across
all of our projects.
"The projects are viewed in a posi
tive light by the Queensland
Government and considered as criti
cal infrastructure investments. The
projects continue to retain the sup
port of the Queensland Government.
"Adani Australia will now fully con
sider and adjust to the constraints
the veto of NAIF (Northern Australia
Infrastructure Facility) funding
brings. Adani Australia is 100 per
cent committed to Queensland, we
have a strong regional Queensland
presence. This will not change," it
said.

Bhai Boolchand, the unsung Indian

who launched trade with Ghana
Accra: Not much is known about him,
but it has now emerged that trade
relations between Ghana and India
were started by Bhai Boolchand, the
first Indian to arrive in the Gold
Coast Ghana's colonial name in business as Metharam Brothers,
1890. That's some 67 years before
the British colonial government
granted the country independence,
research by the Indian Association of
Ghana has found. "As far as our
records show, Bhai Boolchand (of the
Bhaiband Sindhworki trading com
munity), landed on the shores of the
Gold Coast in western Africa in
1890. Nearly twenty years later, in
1919, the first Sindhi company was
established by two brothers
Tarachand Jasoomal Daswani and
Metharam Jasoomal Daswani," the
Indian Association said.
The duo opened a store
Metharam Jassomal Brothers in
the then capital city of Cape Coast in
1919. "Their business flourished and
branches were opened in Accra and
Kumasi. A few years later, the two
brothers separated and whilst Bhai
Metharam Jasoomal continued the
and optical goods. The Association
Tarachand Jasoomal operated his
business as Bombay Bazaar. These
were the first two Indian companies
that were established in the Gold
Coast," the Association said.
Boolchand's arrival, therefore, pre
dates the historical links between the
two countries that were always
thought to have started between
Ghana's first President, Kwame
Nkruman, and India's first Prime
Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
Boolchand can thus be described as
the one who paved the way for the
arrival of other members of the
Sindhi community, initially as
traders and shopkeepers.
The Indian Association said more
of this group arrived in the 1950s
and 1960s, with a few venturing into
manufacturing industries such as
garments, plastics, textiles, insecti
cides, electronics, pharmaceuticals
said two more Indian firms were
established under the names of
Lilaram Thanwardas and Mahtani
Brothers in the 1920s. This trend
continued in the 1930s and 1940s
with the creation of several more
Indian companies like T.
Chandirams, Punjabi Brothers,
Wassiamal Brothers, Hariram
Brothers, K. Chellaram & Sons, G.
Motiram, D.P. Motwani, G. Dayaram,
V. Lokumal, and Glamour Stores.
Glamour Stores, which was stared
The High Commission of India & the Mahatma Gandhi Institute for
by Ramchand Khubchandani who Cultural Cooperation, in collaboration with The Ministry of
arrived in Ghana in 1929, has grown Community Development Culture and the Arts of Trinidad &
after changing its name to Melcom Tobago presented Rhythms of Manipur, led by Laxmirani Devi
Group to become the largest retail Aribam, at the Central Bank Auditorium Trinidad & Tobago.
ing business in the country.
 20 December 16-22, 2017
China claims Indian
drone invaded airspace
Beijing/New Delhi:
China said an Indian
drone "invaded" its air
space and crashed in
its territory in the
Sikkim section of the
border where the two
countries were locked
in a 73day military
standoff. New Delhi
said the drone crossed
the border by mistake,
and China had been The incident took place in the Sikkim sector.
informed about it.
The claim was first made by
Zhang Shuili, deputy head of the August 28, close to the India
combat bureau of Chinas'
Western Theater Command's
joint staff department, who said
an Indian UAV had recently
intruded into China's airspace
and crashed. Later, the Chinese
Foreign Ministry said it has
lodged a protest with India over
the issue and warned New Delhi
not to use such devices near the
border area any more.
New Delhi meanwhile said
that China had been informed
that the drone, which was on a
regular mission inside Indian
territory, lost contact with the
ground control and crossed the
Line of Actual Control. Sources
said India will, through diplo
matic channels, seek its return.
The incident took place in the
Sikkim sector, where the two
countries were engaged in a
Sri Lanka joins China's
Belt & Road initiative
Colombo: Sri Lankan
Prime Minister Ranil
Wickremesinghe said
that the country has
joined China's Belt and
Road Initiative with the
launch of operations at
the Hambantota Port
through a joint venture
between the two nations.
The port was handed
over to the China
Merchant Ports Holdings
(CMPH) on a 99year
lease agreement at a cer
emony. The Sri Lanka
Ports Authority together
with the CMPH will man
age the operations of the
southern port.
"Today we have made
arrangements for the
management and long
China has taken over Lanka's Hambantota port on a 99year lease.
term success of the
Hambantota Port. This Sri Lankan
and Chinese joint venture, which
has taken over the management of
this port, and its operations will Indian Ocean," he was quoted as
ensure an additional port in the
Indian Ocean," Wickremesinghe
standoff from June 16 to
ChinaBhutan trijunction. The
Indian Army had objected to
road building by China's PLA in
Doklam, which is also claimed
by Bhutan. The exact location of
the area where the drone
crashed or date of the incident
was however not revealed by
either India or China.
China's Foreign Ministry
spokesperson Geng Shuang said:
"Recently an Indian unmanned
aircraft invaded China's airspace
and crashed in the Sikkim sec
tion of ChinaIndia border... The
Chinese border troops took pro
fessional and responsible atti
tude and verified the device."
He said the Sikkim section of
ChinaIndia border has been
delimited and Chinese side
along the borderline is China's
territory.
said. "The Hambantota Port will
add to Sri Lanka's concept of
transforming into a hub in the
saying by Xinhua news agency.
The Silk Road Economic Belt and
SUBCONTINENT
Communist alliance gears up
for landslide victory in Nepal
Kathmandu: T he alliance of
Communist part ies of Nepal
formed by the CPNUMLMarxist
Leninist and CPN CenterMaoist
emerged victorious after 60 per
cent of the vote had been count
ed in biphase general elections.
"T he UML is on track to
become the party with the high
est representation while the
Maoist Center and Cong ress
Party are in second and third
positions respectively," Election
Commission spokesperson
Nabaraj Dhakal told Efe news
agency.
Nepal held the second and last
phase of the historic general
elections which will put an end to
18 years of an interim legislature
and make way for a new bicam
eral parliament approved in the
Constitution of 2015.
In the election, 165 of the 275
members of the federal parlia
ment and representatives of the
provincial assemblies were elect
ed, which in turn w ill he lp
appoint 59 senators of the new
upper house or the National
Assembly.
According to the vote count,
the UML had won 51 seats and
was leading in another 27, while
the Maoists have taken 22 and
are leading in 13 others.
T he UML and the Maoists
reached a preelection agreement
21st Century Maritime Silk Road
Initiative, proposed by China in
2013, aims to build trade and
infrastructure networks connect
ing Asia with Europe and Africa
along the ancient Silk Road routes.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Nepal PM Sher Bahadur Deuba casts his vote at a polling station.
to campaign together and not
contest in the same constituen
cies.
T he ruling Nepali Congress
(NC) party has suf fered a major
setback having obtained 10 seats
and leading the count in another
12.
The Madhesi parties, from the
southern region of Terai, the
most industrialized in the coun
try and the site of constant ten
sions, have won six seats so far
Pak allows Jadhav to
meet mother, wife
on December 25
Islamabad: Some 21 months after
he was arrested and repeatedly
denied consular access, Pakistan
allowed alleged Indian spy
Kulbhushan Jadhav, sentenced to
death by a military court, to meet
his mother and wife on December
25. Foreign Of fice spokesman
Mohammad Faisal told the media
that "complete security will be
provided to the visitors and a
diplomat from the Indian High
Commission will be allowed to
accompany them".
Pakistan had on November 10
and are leading in 15 others.
In addition to the 165 legisla
tors directly elected, another 110
will be elected according to a
system that w ill take into
account the results of each party
throughout the country.
It is expected that the final
count of the direct election seats
will end and that the allocation
of the 110 seats based on the
proportional result should con
clude, according to Dhakal.
Indian spy
Kulbhushan
Jadhav was
sentenced to
death by a
Pakistani
military
court.
granted permission to Jadhav's
wife to visit him "on humanitarian
grounds". New De lhi urged
Islamabad to also allow Jadhav's
mother to accompany his wife
along with an Indian diplomat.
Faisal said India had been noti
fied of Pakistan's decision.
Indian External Affairs Ministry
spokesperson Raveesh Kumar
said: "We are happy to note that
Pakistan has also agreed to our
request for his mother to meet
Jadhav that has been pending
since April 2017.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Arab FMs reject US
decision on Jerusalem
Cairo: Arab Foreign Ministers
declared that the US decision to
recognize Jerusalem as Israel's
capital is illegal, and warned it
could lead to further violence in
the region.
T he ministers from member
states of the Arab League held a
prolonged urgent meeting and
urged the US to withdraw its deci
sion, which they described as a vio
lation of international law, Xinhua
news agency reported.
US President Donald Trump
announced that he acknowledged
Jerusalem as the capital of Israel
and decided to move the US
embassy from Te l Aviv to
Jerusalem an announcement that
received wide criticism and oppo
sition from Arab and Muslim coun
tries.
The US decision has no legal
ef fect, the Arab ministers said in
their final statement, adding that it
undermines peace efforts, deepens
tension, provokes anger and push ing this decision.
es the region into violence and
instability.
They urged world countries to
recognize an independent
Palestinian state on the territories
Maritime blockade would be
declaration of war: N Korea
Pyongyang: North Korea said
that a maritime blockade would
be a declaration of war, in refer
ence to one of the new sanc
tions that the US mentioned it
could impose on Pyongyang
after its latest ballistic missile
launch.
"The US moves for sea block
ade can never be tolerated as
they constitute a wanton viola
tion of the sovereignty and dig
nity of an independent state," an
article published in the state
owned Rodong Sinmun daily
said.
"The US is trying to openly
take the measure of sea block
ade against North Korea and
strangle its economy in peace time. This
is part of its scheme to escalate political
and economic blockade against North
Korea which has lasted for decades."
The article said international treaties
establish that the economic blockade of
a country in times of peace constitutes
an illegal act and is considered an inva
sion, reports Efe news. The new sanc
tions promoted by Washington, com
bined with the joint air drills with South
Korea the largest to date conducted
on the Korean peninsula last week, con
stitute "hideous war criminal acts" to
push the situation to an "uncontrollable"
catastrophic phase and to a touchandgo
phase of a war, Pyongyang said.
The article warned US President
INTERNATIONAL December 16-22, 2017 21
'Britain at crossroads
after Brexit vote
Geneva: Britain will have to
consider its global role after
deciding to leave the European
Union, but it wants close ties
with Europe, the main UK par
liamentary opposition leader
Jeremy Corbyn said in Geneva.
"Britain is at a crossroads," he
said at the UN in Geneva. "The
decision by British people to
leave the EU in last year's refer
endum means there has to be a
lot of hard thinking about our
role in the world," Xinhua
reported.
Corbyn, who leads the Labor
Party, spoke to journalists at
the United Nations in Geneva
after making a speech on
A Palestinian protester hurls a stone during clashes over Jerusalem. human rights and international
cooperation and on a day the
occupied by Israel in 1967, with resolutions of international legiti UK parliamentary opposition
EU said it and Britain had
East Jerusalem as its capital. macy. leader Jeremy Corbyn.
moved closer in agreeing terms
They have pointed out that the Be fore the meet ing, the
of their divorce. wants "to see a close and coop
US has isolated itself as a peace Palestinian National Authority's
He said some people want to erative relationship with our
mediator and sponsor after mak Foreign Minister Riyad alMaliki
use Brexit, its decision to leave European neighbors, outside
said that with Trump's decision,
the EU, "to turn Britain in on the European Union, based on
T hey stressed ad herence to the US had taken sides in the
itself rejecting the outside solidarity as well as mutual
peace based on the twostate solu IsraeliPalestinian conflict and for
world and turn everyone into a benefit and fair trade, along
tion, calling for a UN Security feited its role as mediator.
feared competitor". with a wider proactive interna
Council resolution to af firm that Jerusalem lies at the core of the
But Corbyn said his party tionalism across the globe".
the US decision goes against the IsraeliPalestinian dispute.
War with Islamic State
over, declares Iraq
North Korean leader Kim Jongun
Donald Trump that "should they show
even the slightest movement to put its Iraqi people gather to celebrate the victory of the battles against Islamic State.
attempt at sea blockade into practice, it
will be followed by an immediate and Baghdad: Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al time," Al Abadi said.
merciless counteraction for selfdefense Abadi announced that the country's war The Iraqi armed forces issued a statement
from the North Korea". against the Islamic State (IS) militant group saying Iraq had been "totally liberated"
On November 29, North Korea is over. Al Abadi announced in a press con from the IS.
launched the Hwasong15, its most ference that the remaining Iraqi region The border zone contained the last few
advanced intercontinental ballistic mis under the IS control, nearby the Iraqi bor areas held by the IS, following its loss of the
sile to date, which has put Pyongyang der with Syria, was now under complete town of Rawa in November.
closer to being able to target the conti control of Iraq's armed forces. The Iraqi announcement came two days
nental US. "Our forces are in complete control of the after the Russian military declared it had
As a result, Washington has defended IraqiSyrian border and I therefore accomplished its mission of defeating the
imposing new sanctions on Pyongyang, announce the end of the war against Daesh militant group in neighboring Syria.
which could include the total prohibition (IS). The IS had seized large swathes of Syria
of maritime transport to North Korea, "Our enemy wanted to kill our civilization and Iraq in 2014, when it proclaimed a
according to US Secretary of State, Rex but we have won through our unity and our "caliphate" and imposed its rule over some
Tillerson. determination. We have triumphed in little 10 million people.
 22 December 16-22, 2017 BUSINESS TheSouthAsianTimes.info

India's growth rate to US dollar

declines against
hit 7.2% in 2018: UN major currencies
United Nations: Overcoming the anaemic performance of New York: The US dollar declined against most
slowdown from demonetiza private investment major currencies as investors were still digesting
tion, the growth rate of India's remains a key macro the latest nonfarm payroll report.
economy is projected to accel economic concern." The dollar index, which measures the greenback
erate from this year's 6.7 per "Gross fixed capital against six major peers, was down 0.08 per cent at
cent to 7.2 per cent next year formation as a share of 93.822 in late trading.
and 7.4 percent in 2019 mak GDP has declined from In late New York trading, the euro rose to
ing it again the world's fastest about 40 per cent in $1.1792 from $1.1768 in the previous session,
growing major economy, the 2010 to less than 30 and the British pound declined to $1.3348 from
UN said on Monday. per cent in 2017," the $1.3399 in the previous session, Xinhua news
"Despite the slowdown report said. It added that agency reported.
observed in early 2017 and the there was "subdued The Australian dollar inched up to $0.7535 from
lingering e f fects from the credit g rowth, low $0.7503.
demonetization policy, the out The growth rate will touch 7.4 percent in 2019, making India capacity utilization in The US dollar bought 113.47 Japanese yen,
look for India remains largely again the world's fastest growing major economy. some industrial sectors lower than 113.53 yen of the previous session. The
positive, underpinned by robust and balance sheet prob US dollar decreased to 0.9907 Swiss franc from
private consumption and public invest sign of a healthier economy." lems in the banking and corporate sec 0.9925 Swiss franc, and it fell to 1.2847 Canadian
ment as well as ongoing structural The report painted a rosier outlook tors".
dollars from 1.2871 Canadian dollars.
reforms," according to the World for the world economy overall, saying It also said that there was "some The US Labor Department reported on Friday
Economic Situation and Prospects "it has strengthened as lingering degree of uncertainty over the mone that total nonfarm payroll employment increased
2018 report. fragilities related to the global finan tary policy stance in India." It added,
by 228,000 in November, beating market consen
However, the 7.2 percent growth cial crisis subside" and recorded this "Subdued inflation, coupled with a sus of a 190,000gain. The unemployment rate
rate projected for India next year in year the "highest growth rate since good monsoon season, offers scope for was unchanged at 4.1 per cent.
the latest report is lower than the mid 2011," even though it is only 3 per additional monetary easing. However, Meanwhile, average hourly employee earnings
year update's projection made by the cent. The report said that growth level if inflation accelerates faster than were up by 2.5 per cent yearoveryear in
UN in May of 7.9 percent. is expected to continue over the next anticipated, the loosening cycle could
November, reflecting an acceleration from 2.4 per
China's economic growth for this two years. end abruptly." cent in October but below estimates for 2.7 per
year was 6.8 percent, according to the South and East Asia remain the India's fiscal deficit has declined visi cent growth.
report, putting it slightly ahead of world's most "dynamic reg ions" bly, and it is expected to narrow fur Analysts said the the unexpected strength of pay
India. But the growth projections for accounting for nearly half of global ther to 3.2 per cent of GDP in 2018. rolls was offset by weakerthanexpected average
China is 6.5 percent next year and 6.3 growth in 2017, with China alone con Liu also warned that the improved hourly earnings to some degree.
percent in 2019 tributing about onethird, the report global economic growth "may come at
Investors also kept a close eye on the Fed's policy
Re leasing the report, Under said. "Vigorous public investment in an environmental cost". meeting, with an updated policy statement set to
SecretaryGeneral for Economic and infrastructure has been critical" in "This calls for stronger ef forts to be released after the conclusion of the meeting on
Social Affairs, Liu Zhenmin, said: "The counteracting negative developments. delink economic growth and environ Wednesday.
upturn in global growth is a welcome The report warned that for India "the mental degradation," he added.

Government realized SC TO HEAR PLEA AGAINST

fiscal deficit targets:
Arun Jaitley TAKEOVER OF UNITECH
New Delhi: The Supreme Court will
New Delhi: The government has realized its fiscal deficit tar hear a plea by real estate major
gets and is on course to achieve it for the current year, Finance Unitech challenging the proposed
Minister Arun Jaitley said at a prebudget consultation meet takeover of the management of the The
here, even as economists present at the meeting suggested indebted company by the govern government
lowering of the country's corporate tax rates. Jaitley said the ment. has taken over
government had met its fiscal targets by rationalising expendi The bench of Chief Justice Dipak nowbankrupt
ture and plugging leakages, according to a Finance Ministry Misra, Justice A.M.Khanwilkar and real estate
release. "We have been able to achieve these fiscal targets due Justice D.Y Chandrachud directed
giant.
to focus on expenditure rationalisation, plugging of loopholes the hearing of Unitech's plea along
in public expenditure through the Direct Benefit Transfer w ith other other matters after
(DBT) scheme and the Public Financial Management System, Attorney General K.K. Venugopal
as well as by making innovative revenue raising efforts," he told the bench that government has T he government has taken Managing Director Sanjay Chandra
said, as per the statement. stepped in to take over the manage recourse to the Companies Act and to deposit Rs 750 crore by
The fiscal deficit as a ratio of GDP stood at 3.9 per cent in ment by appointing its own ten moved the National Company Law December. Its order came as amicus
201516, 3.5 per cent in 201617, and is budgeted to be 3.2 directors. As AG said that move to Tribunal (NCLT) for the appoint curiae Pawanshree Agrawal told the
per cent for the current fiscal ending March. appoint 10 Directors was at the ment of its ten directors replacing court that the firm would require Rs
"A suggestion was made to lower corporate tax up to 20 per instance of the government, Chief the earlier ones appointed by the 2,000 crore to refund the more
cent by removing all exemptions in order to make it competi Justice Misra asked: "How the inter promoters of the company, which is than 5000 flat buyers who are now
tive at the international level," the statement said. "Another est of the home buyers will be pro facing pro ceedings under the seeking refund of their money.
suggestion was to give more thrust on disinvestment of public tected?" Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code. Chandra and his brother Ajay
sector units," it said. As senior counsel Ranjit Kumar The NCLT had given its nod to the were arrested in April after
The economists also suggested taxing longterm capital appearing for Unitech told the court government's proposal on investors, who did not get flats in
gains to raise revenue, reducing Minimum Alternate Tax that NCLT order was contrary to an December 8. The real estate giant the company projects as promised,
(MAT), and announce the road map for GST, including for con earlier order passed by the top has moved the top court challeng filed complaints of cheating against
vergence of indirect tax rates. They also recommended giving court, the Chief Justice observed: ing the NCLT's December 8 order them.
incentives to labourintensive industries and to the informal "We are more concerned with home permitt ing the government to They were sent in judicial custody
and unorganized sectors. buyers and not with the company appoint new board of directors of after the trial court refused to
"Tax administration needs to be made more tax payerfriend and fixed deposit holders/investors. Unitech. The Supreme Court had on extend the three month interim
ly," the statement cited the economists as saying. Home buyers are not investors." October 30 directed Unitech's bail granted to them in April.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info SPORTS December 16-22, 2017 23

Sri Lanka thrash India in first ODI

Dharamsala: Sri Lanka dominated
with both bat and ball to outclass
India by seven wickets in the first
Oneday International (ODI) at the
Himachal Pradesh Cricket
Association Stadium here.
After opting to field, Sri Lanka
rode on career best figures of 4/13
from pacer Suranga Lakmal to
restrict India to a lowly total of 112
runs. The rightarm seamer's previ
ous best of 4/30 was ag ainst
England in December 2014.
Opener Upul Tharanga (49) then
helped Sri Lanka chase down the
target with a massive 29.2 overs to
spare, taking a 10 lead in the
threematch series.
For India, pacers Bhuvneshwar
Kumar (1/42), Jasprit Bumrah
(1/32) and Hardik Pandya (1/39)
scalped a wicket each.
Sri Lanka endured a rough start
to their innings, losing Danushka
Gunathilaka (1) and Lahiru
Thirimanne (0) within the first 10
overs.
But the experienced Tharanga
brought the chase back on track,
smashing 10 boundaries in his 46
ball innings. He also formed a 46
run third wicket stand with Angelo
Mathews (25 not out).
However, T haranga was sent
back to the pavilion before com
pleting his half century from a
delivery by mediumpacer Hardik
Pandya which was edged and easily
carried at first slip by Shikhar
Dhawan. Later, incoming batsman
Niroshan Dickwella (26 not out)
Hardik Pandya in action
during the first ODI
match between India
and Sri Lanka at
Himachal Pradesh
Cricket Association
Stadium in Dharamsala.
(Photo: Surjeet
Yadav/IANS)
and Mathews helped their side post
114/3 and clinch victory in 20.4
overs.
Earlier, Lakmal took a fourwicket
haul as Sri Lanka dismissed India
for a paltry 112 runs.
For India, middleorder batsman
Mahendra Singh Dhoni (65) played
a fighting innings to help the hosts
register a threedigit total.
After being asked to bat first,
India lost their top order Rohit
Sharma (2), Shikhar Dhawan (0),
Shreyas Iyer (9), Dinesh Karthik (0)
and Manish Pandey (2) in quick
succession.
Sri Lankan opening bow lers
Lakmal and Nuwan Pradeep (2/37)
combined well.
Later, Dhoni played a cautious
innings, hitting loose balls to the
fence to claim his 67th ODI half
century.
The veteran stumper's valiant 87
ball innings was laced with 10
boundaries and two hits over the
fence.
Kuldeep Yadav (19) from the
other end played a perfect second
fiddle, notching a 41run crucial
eighth wicket stand with Dhoni.
However, Yadav, who hit four
boundaries, was sent back by Akila
Dananjaya when his ball went past
the outside edge. He was easily
stumped by Niroshan Dickwella.

Maradona in Kolkata India to host Afghanistan

on threeday visit for firstever Test
New Delhi: India will host newly promoted
Test side Afghanistan for their firstever Test
match, the Board of Control for Cricket in
India (BCCI) announced. The dates of the his
toric Test will be chalked out later, BCCI act
ing Secretary Amitabh Choudhary
announced after a Special General Meeting
here. He said India will also host 81 matches
across all the three formats from 2019 to
2023 according to the new Future Tours
Program (FTP).
"Afghans were scheduled to play their first
Test in 2019 versus Australia but consider
ing the historic relationship between India
and Afghanistan, we decided to host their
first Test," Choudhary told reporters.
The next FTP cycle at home will include
highprofile series against England, South
Africa and Australia. Among other important
decisions taken at the SGM were lifting the
ban on the Rajasthan Cricket Association,
provided former IPL czar Lalit Modi stays
away from its functioning.
"Yes, the ban on the RCA has been lifted
but with certain conditions," BCCI acting
President C.K. Khanna told IANS.
The RCA was suspended by the Indian
cricket board in May 2014 when exIndian
Premier League (IPL) Commissioner Modi
was reelected its president. Since its suspen
sion in 2014, RCA's cricket affairs are being
looked after by the BCCI.

Argentine football legend Diego Maradona in Kolkata. (Photo: IANS)
Kolkata: Amid much fanfare and tight
security, Argentine football legend Diego
Maradona reached the city for a threeday
visit this week. The iconic player, who is
now coach of the Dubaibased club Al
Fujairah SC, was seen waving at fans
before getting into the car, flashing the
'victory' sign at camerapersons and sup
porters and throwing flying kisses.
He was wearing a navyblue tshirt and
sported a military cap.
"It is such an honor for me to be able to
make this trip. Kolkata is a very special
place and I have good memories from my
trip there many years ago, the fans were
fantastic," Maradona said.
"India is a very passionate football
nation, and I look forward to meeting a
whole new generation of fans while con
tinuing to spread the overwhelming love
that I have for this beautiful game," he
added.
He was accompanied by partner Rocio
Oliva who was seen sitting inside the car.
Maradona will play a charity football
match against former India captain Sourav
Ganguly on Tuesday at Barasat, West
Bengal.
The trip was originally slated to take
place in October but was postponed sever
al times. This is the former Napoli star's
second visit to the eastern metropolis.
The 1986 World Cup winner first came
here in December 2008 when thousands
of fans gathered to welcome him past mid
night at the airport.
HWL Final: India overcome
depleted Germany
Bhubaneswar: India toiled hard for a 21
win over a depleted but resilient German
side in the bronzemedal playoff of the
Hockey World League (HWL) Final at the
Kalinga Stadium here.
S.V. Sunil (20th minute) and Harmanpreet
Singh (54th, penalty corner) scored for the
hosts who earned their second consecutive
bronze medal in the HWL Final.
Appel Mark, a goalkeeper who played as a
striker due to the absence of five players,
scored in the 36th minute for the 2008 and
2012 Olympics winners. Germany had
Martin Haner (204 caps), Christopher Ruhr
(108), Marco Miltkau (70) and Julius Meyer
(32) on the bench due to illness. Timur Oruz
(53) was also sidelined because of a liga
ment injury.
However, the lionhearted Germans played
the game on equal terms with India. They
played with only 13 fit players, including
the two goalkeepers. Though it proved
tough for them, they remained in contention
for the entire 60 minutes. Being short on
personnel didn't allow them to run and
spread the field like they like to do. But with
patience and tactical adjustments, they did
n't allow India to make most of their numer
ical superiority; rotations included. Till Sunil
got India the lead, Germany had already got
two penalty corners although they didn't
materialise into goals.
 24 December 16-22, 2017 HEALTH TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Trump will undergo a As flu cases double,

physical early next year
Dry throat caused the President slurring
in Jerusalem speech: White House
Washington: President Donald
Trump will undergo a physical
examination early next year and
allow doctors to release details of
his medical evaluation, keeping
with past precedent.
Trump will be examined by a doc
tor at Walter Reed National Military
Medical Center in "the first part of
next year," White House press sec
retary Sarah Sanders said last
Thursday.
"Those records will be released
following that taking place," she
added.
Sanders' announcement came a
day after some questions were
raised about the President's health
after he appeared to get a dry
mouth and slurred his words
toward the end of remarks he deliv
ered on Wednesday regarding
Jerusalem as Israels capital.
"The President's throat was dry,
nothing more than that," Sanders
said, criticizing questions about the
incident a day earlier as "ridicu
lous." Past presidents have typically
undergone annual physical exami
nations with a military doctor and
released those records to the pub
lic.
President Barack Obama's first
physical record was released in
February 2010. President George
W. Bush's was first released in
President Trump is considered overweight:
plays golf but dislikes exercise generally.
August 2001.
The records release will be the
first time the American public gets
a legitimate accounting of the
health of the 45th President, who
at age 71 is the oldest of any
President at this point in his tenure.
Trump released a clean bill of
health from his longtime personal
physician last year that was widely
panned as laughable for lacking
details and offering an overthetop
portrait of Trump's health.
"If elected, Mr. Trump, I can state
unequivocally, will be the healthiest
individual ever elected to the presi
dency," Trump's physician of 25
years, Dr. Harold Bornstein, said in
a signed statemen tin December
2015.
Bornstein declared then that
Trump "has had no significant med
ical problems" and called Trump's
blood pressure and lab results
"astonishingly excellent."
Trump's health has also come
back into the fore in recent days
because of a book written by Corey
Lewandowski, in which his former
campaign manager describes
Trump's fast foodfueled diet.
Trump's typical order from
McDonald's, Lewandowski wrote,
consisted of "two Big Macs, two
FiletOFish and a chocolate
malted."
this season could be
particularly bad
Atlanta, GA: Flu cases
this year have dou
bled those from last
year, validating
experts' fears that
this season could be
particularly bad.
Between Oct. 1 and
Nov. 25, 5,070 clini
cal lab tests were
positive for the flu,
up from 2,510 in the
same period last year,
according to data from the
Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC). The number of
Americans who have contracted
the illness is likely even greater,
an agency spokeswoman cau
tioned, since most people don't
go to the doctor and get tested.
This year's flu vaccine may not
be as helpful as in years past.
The one used in Australia was
only 10 percent effective,
according to research published
in October in the journal
Eurosurveillance.
Researchers warned the impli
cations for the Northern
Hemisphere may not be the
same, although the vaccine
Australia used has the same
composition as the one the U.S.
is using. As of Nov. 24, about
148.2 million doses of the vac
cine have already been adminis
tered in the U.S., according to the
CDC.
A spokeswoman for Sanofi
Pasteur, a division of Sanofi that
produces about 40 percent of
the influenza vaccines distrib
uted worldwide, cautioned the
research only analyzed Australia.
These findings may not reflect
what will happen in the U.S., she
said, because there is no guaran
tee the same strains that pre
dominated in Australia will be
the same that predominate here.
The effectiveness of flu shots
can vary each year.
The average number between
2006 and 2017 was 46 percent,
according to data from the CDC.
As for the outliers, 19 percent (in
201415) and 60 percent (in
201011) were the lowest and
highest rates, respectively, of the
bunch.

Viagra goes generic: Pfizer to launch own cheaper pill

Trenton, NJ: The little blue pill that's helped
millions of men in the bedroom is turning
white. Drugmaker Pfizer is launching its own
cheaper generic version of Viagra rather than
lose most sales when the impotence pill gets
its first generic competition next week,
reports ABC news.
Pfizer Inc. has started selling the white pill
at half the $65apill retail price after its
patentprotected monopoly ended. Generic
maker Teva Pharmaceuticals is also ready
with its version but hasnt disclosed the price.
Many more generics go on sale next sum
mer, which will steadily slash the price of
generics, possibly by 90 percent.
"Patients are paying fortunes. When generic
Viagra comes out, they will be very happy,"
said Dr. Nachum Katlowitz, a urologist at New
York's Staten Island University Hospital.
Launched in 1998, Viagra was the first pill
for impotence. It transformed a private frus
tration for many aging men into a publicly
discussed medical condition with an easy
treatment, far more appealing than options
like penile injections and implants. Pfizer's
early TV ads for the little blue pill even coined
the term erectile dysfunction, ED for short. Eli
Lilly's Cialis came out in 2003 and now domi
nates the U.S. market with ondemand pills
and daily, lowdose ones. Viagra is a close sec
ond.
Pfizer says its market research shows 20
percent of customers are loyal to Viagra. So
rather than give up sales to generic makers as
brandname drugmakers once routinely did,
the company is selling its own generic and
also fighting to keep men on its blue pills.
"We believe that the story for Viagra isn't
done. It's just going to be a new chapter," said
Jim Sage, president of U.S. brands for Pfizer
Essential Health, which sells its older medi
cines.
In January, the drugmaker will offer two
new discount programs and increase its
copayment card discounts. Uninsured men
can get brandname Viagra half off through
an innovative online home delivery program,
Pfizer Direct. Many insured patients will be
able to get a month's prescription typically
six to 10 pills, depending on plan limits for
as little as a $20 copayment. "This is the most
Many more generics go on sale next summer, which will
steadily slash the price of the male pill possibly by 90 percent.
comprehensive pricing and marketing
response I've seen to a generic," said Erik
Gordon, a pharmaceuticals analyst at the
University of Michigan's business school. "It's
unprecedented."
Gordon thinks Pfizer's reduced prices will
retain some patients and attract others who
buy pills, often counterfeits, from the internet.
Dr. Matthias Hofer, a urologist at
Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago,
said some of his insured patients who take
Viagra wouldn't want a generic. "They will be
ecstatic if they can save money and get the
brand product from Pfizer," he said.
Last year, more than 12 million prescrip
tions for Viagra and Cialis were filled in the
U.S., generating a combined $3 billion in
sales, according to health data and clinical
research company IQVIA. However, prescrip
tions have dropped more than 20 percent
since 2012, as repeated price hikes put the
pills out of reach for many men lacking good
insurance.
According to health information analytics
firm Elsevier, over just the past decade, retail
prices jumped from about $10 to $62 per pill
for Viagra and from $11 to $61 for Cialis.
Pharmacies and other middlemen add a few
dollars more per pill.
Generic Viagra, called sildenafil, will
become even more affordable starting June
11, when more versions go on sale.
"Many patients already know it's going
generic and they want it," said Aracely Pena, a
medical assistant at San Diego Sexual
Medicine.
Cialis and Levitra, another pill launched in
2003, get their own generic competition next
fall.
In the meantime, some doctors specializing
in sexual dysfunction have found other
options. Some prescribe generic Revatio, the
blood pressure pill Pfizer was testing when
older patients reported stronger erections as
a side effect. It contains onefifth the silde
nafil dose in Viagra and costs as little as $1
per pill.
Northwestern's Hofer arranges for his
patients to receive madetoorder pills from a
couple of specialty pharmacies.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info HERITAGE December 16-22, 2017 25

Frame holistic plan to protect, preserve the

Taj for next 400 years: Indian apex court
T
he Supreme Court last Friday direct
ed the Uttar Pradesh government to
prepare a holistic plan for the pro
tection and preservation of Taj Mahal and
the environment around it so that the his
toric monument could be there for another
400 years and more.
The bench of Justice Madan B. Lokur and
Justice Deepak Gupta also termed as "ad
hoc" the measures spelt out by the state
government that are being taken or will be
taken for the protection of the Taj Mahal
and a clean environment around it.
The state government said that it had
asked the School of Planning and
Architecture to prepare the plan, but the
court said this plan should involve experts
in the field of culture, history, archaeology
and other spheres.
"How can you keep out the people of the
country (in the preparation of the plan).
This (plan making) can't be a closed door
affair," Justice Lokur said as Additional
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta urged the
bench that instead of experts, the court
could ask for consultation with petitioner
M.C. Mehta and advocate A.D.N. Rao, noting
that petitioner Mehta has 33 years experi
ence in dealing with environment matters.
This monument has to be protected not
for just one generation but for 300 to 400
years to come, the bench said.
As ASG Mehta told the court that
November 27 communication by the Uttar
Pradesh government says that the School of
Planning and Architecture would prepare
the plan in consultation with the stake
holder, Justice Lokur quipped if stakehold
er meant the "commissioner of Agra
Division" and told him the court doesn't
want a bureaucratic plan but a holistic plan
addressing the diverse aspects relating to
the monument's preservation and protec
tion and the environment around it.
"They must consult the experts. There is
no shortage of them. There is no hurry. No
need for a bureaucratic response. We have
seen what it (bureaucratic response) means
from time to time," the bench said.
"You can have an interim report. Don't be
in hurry. You are looking for something
that has to last for 400 years," said Justice
Lokur.
Holding that "we have to look at it in a
pragmatic way", he said: "What is required
is a larger look at the picture. Earlier we
had five year plans with some objectives
and goals."
Referring to the Narendra Modi govern
ment's goal of a new India by 2022, Justice
Lokur said: "You can't have a new India
with your hands in pocket...."
Pointing out that 70 per cent of the trees
being planted were perishing, the court
said: "When you don't have a plan and take
ad hoc measures, then such things happen."
Giving liberty to the School of Planning
and Architecture to approach it for any
clarification, the court adjourned the mat
ter for eight weeks.

Kumbh Mela added to UNESCO list To celebrate GI tag, W. Bengal

of intangible cultural heritage
Kumbh Mela is the
largest peaceful
congregation of pilgrims
on earth. The festival,
held periodically in
Allahabad, Haridwar,
Ujjain and Nasik,
represents a syncretic
set of rituals related to
worship and ritual
cleansing in holy rivers
in India, UNESCO said.
creates worlds biggest rosogulla
W
eeks after defeating synonymous with Puri's famous
Odisha in the Jagannath temple, (from which the
Geographical Indication English word "juggernaut" origi
(GI) battle for rosogulla, West nates) Lord Jagannath had
Bengal created a whopping spongy offered kheer Mohana to an angry
dessert weighing 9 kg last month! Goddess Lakshmi in order to
Touted as the worlds biggest appease her so that she lets him
rosogulla, the syrupy sweet was enter his home after the nineday
made to commemorate the victory. rath yatra. Historian Chitra Banerji
Two selfhelp groups in Nadia dis explained that in history, though
trict joined hands to make an enor the mention of sweets was there

K
umbh Mela, the mass
Hindu pilgrimage of faith,
has been inscribed on the
UNESCOs Representative List of
Intangible Cultural Heritage of
Humanity. The Intergovernmental
Committee for the Safeguarding of
the Intangible Cultural Heritage
under Unesco inscribed Kumbh
Mela at its 12th session at Jeju in
South Korea, the External Affairs
Ministry said on Thursday.
This inscription is the third in
two years for India following the
inscriptions of yoga and Nouroz.
The UNESCO Convention for
Safeguarding the Intangible
Cultural Heritage, adopted in
2003, defines intangible cultural
heritage as the practices, repre
sentations, expressions as well as
knowledge and skills that commu
nities, groups and, in some cases,
individuals recognize as part of
their cultural heritage.
According to the ministry, the
mous rasgulla which involved both in the time of Lord Krishna
Intergovernmental Committee West Bengal beat Odisha to get
loads of raw material to give shape and later in Bengal in the time of
observed that Kumbh Mela is the the Geographical Indication (GI)
and taste to the sweet treat. It was Chaitanya Mahaprabhu the use of
largest peaceful congregation of nod for rosogulla.
served to 400 local people. sweets made by cottage cheese
pilgrims on earth.
The announcement in mid Das and Sons. Nabin Chandra first was not there.
The festival, held periodically in
November by the GI registry in established a sweet shop in According to research, after the
Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain and
favor of West Bengal finally drew Jorasanko in 1864. But as he went Portuguese era, Bengal learned
Nasik, represents a syncretic set
the curtain over the twoyearlong out of business soon and after two about the cottage cheese and Oriya
of rituals related to worship and
battle between the state and years, he opened another estab cooks were very popular in Bengal
ritual cleansing in holy rivers in
Odisha over the origin of this lishment in Bagbazar. This is who might have adopted the cul
India, UNESCO said.
sweet. Bengal, known for its mishti where he invented the rosogulla, ture which eventually went to
As a religious festival, the toler
culture was amid a controversy said his descendant. Odisha. However, the sweet has
ance and inclusiveness that
that the origin of rasogolla was in Food historians of India also evolved over time. Starting as plain
Kumbh Mela demonstrates are
Odissa. A group of people in have different observations on the rosogulla now there are several
especially valuable for the con
Odisha observed that rosogolla or matter. The most popular story is varieties of flavored rosogullas of
temporary world. The statement
rasgulla was invented there 600 that Bengalis adopted the use of different sizes. With time there
said that the Committee also took
years ago and was first served at cottage cheese or chhena from the have been many experiments over
note of the fact that knowledge
the 12thcentury Lord Jagannath Portuguese and they used it in the sweet which led to the origin of
and skills related to Kumbh Mela
temple in Puri. The other side making sweets. Unlike Bengal, baked rosogulla which has become
are transmitted through the Guru
opined that it was invented by most sweets across India are made very popular in recent times.
Shishya parampara (gurustudent
famous sweetmeat maker Nabin from various forms of milk, but not Every food has its own history and
relationship) by way of saints and
Chandra Das in 1868. "I don't chhena. Other historians think that it is a part of the cultural heritage
sadhus teaching their disciples
know who started this battle but rosogulla has been part of the Rath of different states. The war over
about traditional rituals and
my family and the citizens know Yatra rituals ever since the food may be a new addition but
chants in order to ensure the con
that my greatgrandfather invent Jagannath temple came into exis the love and the popularity of
tinuity and viability of this festival
ed rasogolla," said Dhiman Das, the tence in the 12th century. rosogulla are beyond any geo
in perpetuity.
recent owner of Nabin Chandra According to mythology, the deity graphical boundary.
 26 December 16-22, 2017 SCI-TECH TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Navigation began in India: Indus Valley

Indians used monsoon winds for sailing
Goa: Indians had knowledge of
harnessing monsoon winds for
navigation long before Hippalus,
the Greek mariner and acclaimed
discoverer of monsoon winds,
according to a study by the
National Institute of
Oceanography (NIO) in Goa.
"The people of Indus Valley
Civilization were already using
monsoon wind and currents for
maritime trade and navigation in
2500 BC," NIO scientist Sila
Tripati has reported in a recent
issue of the journal Current
Science.
Tripati has traced the origin of
navigation in India with the aid of
archaeological findings and liter
ary sources.
He says his research positively
disproves the belief that
Hippalus, the Greek mariner and
merchant who lived during the
first century B.C., is the discover
er of monsoon winds and the
direct monsoon route from the
Red Sea to India over the Indian
Ocean. These were known to
Indians "much before him",
Tripati reports.
The report says that archaeo
logical findings of the Indus
Valley Civilization, as well as the
Vedic and Sangam period texts,
suggest that Indian mariners dur
ing the Indus Valley Civilization
as well as in the later period, who
were trading in the Indian Ocean
and adjoining seas, had knowl
edge about monsoon wind and
currents and their use in mar
itime trade and navigation.
Monsoon is a seasonal wind
that reverses direction twice a
year. Archaeological and histori
cal evidences indicate that sailors
of Orissa were aware of the use
of monsoon winds and currents
for more than 2,000 years.
"This study shows that the
sailors from Orissa set sail during
the northeast monsoon and
returned during the southwest
monsoon. The winds and cur
rents were favorable during their
voyages," says the report.
The Rig Veda the oldest liter
ary work of the Indian subconti
nent as well as the later Vedic
period texts, vividly mention the
monsoon winds, and oceanic cir
culations and terms related to
ships and shipping, says the
report.
For instance, several hymns in
the Rig Veda refer to the wind,
waves and tides, and monsoon
winds are termed as "maruts" in
it. Similarly, the archaeological
findings from Harappa, Mohenjo
Daro and Lothal suggest that
maritime trade existed between
the Mesopotamian and Indus
Valley Civilizations.
"Undoubtedly, people of the
Indus Valley Civilization sailed
across the Arabian Sea," accord
ing to Tripati.
The Harappan seal recovered
from excavations depicts a ship
with mast and sail, while a seal
and a terracotta amulet from
MohenjoDaro depict a ship with
cabin and birds. Clay model boats
have been found from Lothal
excavations.
"There is no change in the sea
sons of monsoon over the past
2,000 years or so and the prevail
ing social festivals celebrated
during northeast and southwest
monsoons indicate the past glory
of India's maritime trade," says
the report.

Time India PROMOTED its technologies Humans may have plateaued out
abroad: Jaishankar limits for lifespan: Study
Bengaluru: Referring to key these were in Geneva, London: Environmental changes,
initiatives like Digital India, Vienna or Paris, he said: "It including climate, may have
Skill India and Startup India, is equally essential to now caused human beings to reach
Foreign Secretary S. start taking the lead, espe their maximum limits for height,
Jaishankar on Thursday cially in deployment of tech lifespan and physical perform
called for promoting indige nologies." ance, researchers have found.
nous technologies abroad. With the Indiainitiated Despite stories that with each
"Technology challenge has International Solar Alliance generation we will live longer
shifted from access now to becoming a treatybased and longer, the researchers sug
absorption, generation and international intergovern gests there may be a maximum
deployment," he said in his Indian Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar mental organization last threshold to our biological limits
address at the Global Wednesday, Jaishankar that we cannot exceed.
Technology Summit here. "It is sought to be described it as a notable initiative. The first of its kind study that
addressed by programs like Make in India, Skill "But as a country, we need to show strong looked at 120 years worth of
India, Digital India and StartUp India. commitment to promoting our technologies historical information, revealed
"Making it easier to do business is also inte abroad through business activities and develop that these biological limitations
grating India into global tech supply chains. This mental partnerships," he said. may be affected by anthro
will accelerate as we appreciate the distinction "This has many facets, including extending pogenic impacts on the environ
between Make in India and Make for India," he lines of credit and facilitating trade in services. ment including climate
said. Giving automakers as an example, Both in and out, our interactions can be centered change which could have a societies have allowed our species to
Jaishankar said, India's technology capabilities more around their technology relevance." deleterious effect on these limits. reach its limits. We are the first genera
were being put at the center of its domestic With Japan being the partner country in the The current declines in human tion to become aware of this,
development agenda. Bengaluru summit, Jaishankar said that Tokyo capacities we can see today are a sign Toussaint added.
"Now, because access issues have eased up, it has a longstanding presence in the Indian econ that environmental changes, including Thus, rather than continually improv
does not mean that technology will automatical omy and society, being "responsible for two climate, are already contributing to the ing, we will see a shift in the proportion
ly come," he said. "Like capital, it must be invited, major technological upgrades of the Indian increasing constraints we now have to of the population reaching the previ
valued and nurtured." economy: the Maruti and the Metro. Both had consider, said JeanFranois Toussaint, ously recorded maximum limits.
Stating that on the diplomatic side, widening ripple effects well beyond their narrow sectors". Professor at the Paris Descartes This will be one of the biggest chal
Indian access to technology has been one of New While Maruti Suzuki had a multiplier impact University in France. lenges of this century as the added
Delhi's "longest standing endeavors", he said on industry, Jaishankar said that the Metro "had For example, human height has pressure from anthropogenic activities
that there have been few countries whose for a demonstrative effect, creating demands from decreased in the last decade in some will be responsible for damaging
eign policy has created that many openings with other cities that were not foreseen". African countries, this suggests some effects on human health and the envi
major technology sources. "Both hold their lessons even now. We are now societies are no longer able to provide ronment, Toussaint said, in the paper,
"While the traditional focus was on nuclear, poised for the third upgrade that combines the sufficient nutrition for each of their published in the journal Frontiers in
defense and space, today it extends to other two one associated with high speed rail tech children and maintain the health of Physiology. The researchers hope their
forms of energy, railroad, urban and agricultur nology," he said. The groundbreaking ceremony their younger inhabitants, the findings will encourage policymakers
al technologies, water resources and health," the of the AllahabadMumbai bullet train project researchers explained. These traits no to focus on strategies for increasing
Foreign Secretary said. was held during the visit of Japanese Prime longer increase, despite further contin quality of life and maximize the pro
Stating that it was important for India to shape Minister Shinzo Abe to India in September uous nutritional, medical, and scientific portion of the population that can
key negotiations and deliberations, whether this year. progress. This suggests that modern reach these maximum biological limits.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info December 16-22, 2017
28 December 16-22, 2017 HUMOR
Humor with Melvin Durai
Too many possessions
that we dont need
M
y wife and I recently
moved from one house to
another. The two houses
are three miles apart within the
same college town, but it was nev
ertheless a stressful move. Thats
because weve accumulated too
many possessions in our 17 years
of marriage. Only three of our pos
sessions are priceless, and moving
them was fairly easy. All we had to
BEST do was say, Kids, the WiFi has
moved to the new house!
RATE Unfortunately, these three valu
able possessions have possessions
FOR of their own, and it was up to us to make sure
they were moved. We are a family of five,
INDIA which means that we had to move five times
as much junk as a single person would. Not
AND all our stuff is junk, of course, but as I moved
our clothes, books, furniture and an assort
PAKISTAN ment of other items, I realized that Id be
quite happy to live with only onefifth of it.
Yes, I could easily manage without all the
belongings of other family members.
New York Head Quarter Actually, most of my belongings are as
unnecessary as my wifes or childrens stuff.
422S Broadway
We could get rid of them and still be quite
HICKSVILLE content at least until we visit a friends
NY 11801 home and see all their stuff.
When you die, you cant take it with you,
5168271010 someone will inevitably say. Thats true, but
you can at least leave it for your kids, so
theyll know that you cared enough about
them to give them the pleasure of organizing
an estate sale.
Until then, youll just have to haul all your
Laughter is the Best Medicine
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
belongings from one house to another, while
wondering why you need all this stuf f. You
realize that your belongings fall into six main
categories:
Clothes: Some of your clothes you wear reg
ularly, some you wear only on special occa
sions, and some you never wear. The latter
includes clothes that dont fit you anymore,
but youve been saving for years, just in case
a miracle happens and you wake up one day
20 pounds slimmer. (Waking up much slim
mer is certainly quite possible, especially
since most of your dieting and exercising hap
pens in your dreams.)
Shoes, sandals and slippers: You need shoes
to match every outfit, of course, and shoes for
every type of weather: sunshine shoes, rain
storm shoes, hurricane shoes. Some of your
footwear, you never wear, of course. But you
dont feel guilty about this, because they still
serve an important purpose, whenever your
kids misbehave. (No, you dont hit them with
those neongreen flipflops. You threaten to
wear them to parents night at school.)
Furniture: All you need to get through life
are two pieces of furniture: a chair and a TV
stand. Everything else is nonessential. Beds
are nice to have, but once you have a bed, you
also need pillows, pillow cases, blankets, com
forters, bed sheets, and bed covers. Trust me,
you can save yourself a lot of hassle and
money by just sleeping on a yoga mat.
Kitchen utensils: All you need to cook is a
pot, but you own two dozen pots of different
sizes. You also own a variety of frying pans,
including one castiron pan thats so heavy,
the only time youve lifted it higher than your
shoulder was the unfortunate night when you
mistook your spouse for a burglar. (Well, at
least the wind doesnt blow off a hat as easily
these days.)
Memorabilia: You have several boxes of
memorabilia, which include not just photos of
your children, but also their school reports,
certificates, concert programs and baby drool
bibs. Youve saved all their artwork, even the
napkin art that your daughter made with
ketchup at McDonalds.
Books: You own hundreds of books, some of
which are extremely heavy. You moved your
piano easily, but needed extra help for the
box containing Leo Tolstoys War and Peace
and Vikram Seths A Suitable Boy. On the
bright side, you can get rid of all your furni
ture, sit on War and Peace and set your TV
on A Suitable Boy.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info ASTROLOGY
By Dr Prem Kumar Sharma
DECEMBER 1622, 2017
ARIES: You succeed in completing proj LIBRA: Businessmen are likely to suf
ects efciently provided you put in all fer some setbacks on failing to meet
your efforts. You are likely to be benet the deadline. Misunderstandings with
ed as family members positively respond. near ones in the family will get cleared.
Financial position will improve later in the Monetary gains are likely to be from more than
week. Traveling proves a blessing in disguise one source. Romantic vibrations from someone
by bringing a love in your life. A cheerful state unknown would lift your spirits taking imagina
of mind brings mental peace. Take a trip, as tions to scaling heights. With a positive outlook
there is some place waiting for you. It might be & condence, you succeed in impressing people
the right time to sale your empty plot as prop around you. Finally you have found the time for
erty rates are at peak. You are likely to plan a your deserving break, travel will be favourable.
trip to pilgrimage. Time to plan a gift for your parents may be
TAURUS: A promising week to start a their dream home. You are likely to hear some
new venture in partnership. All are like good news in later half of the week when your
ly to be beneted. Unexpected visit by struggle & legal battle is likely to end.
old friend could give you a pleasant surprise. SCORPIO: Service people, artists and
Increase in income from past investment is those in creative eld will get several
foreseen. A romantic encounter is likely to add new opportunities. You would prefer to
spice to life. Meditation and yoga prove bene relax and enjoy the company of family mem
cial for spiritual as well as physical gains. If bers in the evening. Improvement in nances is
adventure is your style of holidaying, then plan certain. You will be attracted to someone spe
it and move around. Purchasing of electrical cial. A benecial week to work on things that
appliances can be done. You are likely to get will improve your health. A trip that is uncon
rid from legal tensions in later half of the week. ventional and adventurous will be favourable
GEMINI: Your technical expertise gives a enjoy every minute of it. Investment on con
decisive edge over competitors at work. struction business might give fruitful results.
Good advice from family members will The good news for you in this week is that you
help in reducing mental tension/pressure. would objectively evaluate yourself.
Monetary gains from unplanned sources will SAGITTARIUS: Failure at professional
brighten your week. Romantic partner would front would disappoint you. Children
try innovative methods to catch your attention. would do their best to keep you happy.
A very healthy week when your cheerfulness A new nancial deal gets nalized paving the
gives the desired tonic and condence. A beau way for fresh money. Love life brings immense
tiful vacation you awaited for is on your cards. romantic pleasure. Mental alertness would
A good deal for residential property is ahead. A enable to solve a tricky problem. Adventurous
lady is likely to lend a timely helping hand in holidays, the best way to experience with your
this week. friends, time to enjoy. Its high time to think of
CANCER: Hard work of the past brings purchasing a new ofce. A possibility of an
rich dividends. However continue enhancement in your religious thinking.
enhancing your skills/adopt tech CAPRICORN: Hard work putin the past
niques for further development. Sudden good will yield handsome rewards in busi
news in the evening will bring cheers for the ness. Parents and friends will do their
entire family. New moneymaking opportunities best to keep you happy. Real estate investment
will be lucrative. Initiatives in love bring posi would be lucrative. You are likely to get a new
tive results as you catch the desired attention. friendship opportunity in the evening. Good
You are likely to maintain good health that time to divert attention to spirituality to
would also give you success. Destination with a enhance mental toughness. Great time for per
great deal is on your way, be ready for travel fect family vacation to an exciting destination.
ing. Time to make investments on farmlands. Your plan for a new house will be in process
Make sure you give opinion only when you are very soon. Inner opposition would pave the
asked to do. way for a new development in you.
LEO: Dedication & loyalty at work AQUARIUS: Business partners behave
would bring desired results. Your supportive on executing strategies to
ef forts bring success & happiness at sort out pending problems. A promis
family front. Explore new investment opportu ing week to plan things for your progeny.
nities that comes your way, commit only after Investment in stocks & mutual funds would
considering the viability of the projects. Your help in earning prots. New romance that
generous attitude would contribute much in some of you are going to experience would
your love life. A continuous positive thinking take the worries off mind. A pleasure trip gives
gets rewarded as you succeed in whatever you the muchneeded tonic to health. Travel oppor
do in this week. Be ready to travel with a chal tunities full of challenges are often the begin
lenge, new connections will help you. Your ning of great enterprises. Your loan procedures
investment plans are at full boom and you for pursuing a plot will be in process. You will
might succeed in them. Attraction towards reli be successful in developing some social con
gious activities increases on coming into con tacts for personal use.
tact with a sage. PISCES: Innovative ideas & technical
VIRGO: New ventures start on a positive expertise would enable to win the con
note. You achieve success in personal dence of seniors at professional front.
work with the timely help & support You would be the center of attraction at a
provided by family members. You get some social gathering that you attend especially with
nancial rewards as dedication & hard work family. Longterm investment in stocks & mutu
gets noticed. Extremely supportive & loving al funds will enable to earn prots. You enjoy a
partner would help in withering away your memorable time with partner to cement the
troubles. Creative hobbies are likely to keep lovely bond. Cutting down the number of par
you relaxed. ties and pleasure jaunts would help in keeping
Traveling abroad can be exciting adventure in good mood. You will discover travel destina
that will be remembered forever. Your girl tions that are unique and magical. Investment
friends desire for an apartment might lead to in hotel industry can be the right choice to be
its destination. Performing some ritual ceremo made. By sticking to your beliefs & faith, you
ny will highly benet you. succeed in achieving many personal favours.
Chandigarh, India: +91-172- 256 2832, 257 2874
Delhi, India: +91-11- 2644 9898, 2648 9899
psharma@premastrologer.com; www.premastrologer.com
ANNUAL PREDICTIONS: FOR THOSE BORN IN THIS WEEK
16th December, 2017
Influenced by number 7 and the planet
Neptune, you are trustworthy, affectionate, cre
ative, sensitive and an emotional individual.
You are a person who always wears a million
dollar smile on your face, which makes it very
easy for you to make friends and win favours.
You are smart and talented, but you need to
control your tendency to behave stubborn,
arrogant and extravagant at times.
This is the perfect time to put in maximum
efforts to reap longterm rewards. Your family
members will be supportive and assist you in
making important decisions. Pending jobs and
projects will get completed to your satisfaction.
Your health will be normal but health of a fami
ly member may become reason for stress and
anxiety. A distant journey preferably overseas
brings financial benefits and opportunity to
meet eminent and influential people. The
month of November, March, May and July will
prove to be eventful.
17th December, 2017
Influenced by number 8 and the planet
Saturn. You are smart, practical, honest, disci
plined, methodical and authoritative person.
You are helpful and sincere to your friends and
enjoy enormous respect in your group, but you
need to check your tendency to behave rigid,
extravagant and jealous at times.
You will find many good investment opportu
nities this year, so be highly judicious in mak
ing your decisions. Dont share your ideas and
plans with people you cant trust. Businessmen
will expand into new and more profitable ven
tures. Especially rewarding period for journal
ist, doctors and marketing professionals.
Spouse and children will be supportive, but
require your additional attention. Health of a
near one, possibly a young infant may bring
stress and tension. Wedding bells for those eli
gible. The months of December, February, April
and September will prove to be significant.
18th December, 2017
Ruled by number 9 and the planet Mars. You
are intelligent, energetic, confident, enthusias
tic and courageous person. You make firm
decisions and once you have taken a decision it
lasts forever. You are strong and highly diplo
matic person, but you need to check your ten
dency to behave short tempered and vindictive
at times. This year you should concentrate on
your priorities and your efforts will definitely
bring desired results. Past investments will
fetch returns and long pending property dis
putes will settle amicably. Unexpected gifts and
presents from near ones and friends will keep
you in high spirits. New plans and ventures will
start on a positive note. Family front will be
pleasant as children and spouse will provide
you with love and affection. Health seems fine
but even then, it is recommended that you
avoid overeating and alcohol. The months of
October, February, May and August will prove
to be highly important.
19th December, 2017
Influenced by number 1 and the Sun, you are
authoritative, confident, determined, responsi
ble and creative person. Your are very attract
ed to your father who is generally your inspira
tion and best friend. You are highly decent and
well mannered, but you need to curb your ten
dency to behave careless and spendthrift at
times. This year you will make major gains if
you associate with creative people. Your per
formance will be at its best and you will easily
impress your seniors with your dedication and
December 16-22, 2017 29
ability to handle jobs, which require immense
responsibilities. Property transaction, or con
struction, or renovation will be high on your
agenda. Moments at home will not be all that
pleasant. You will suffer due to the very unpre
dictable behaviour of your spouse. Spiritual
gains provide solace and comfort. A journey
abroad is also on the cards for some of you.
T he months January, April, June and
September will remain significant.
20th December, 2017
Ruled by number 2 and the Moon, you are
highly imaginative, practical, emotional, hon
est, simple and generous person. You have a
very sharp mind, an exceptionally good grasp
ing power and you believe that its never to late
to learn. You have a pleasing personality and
manners, but you need to check your tendency
to behave extravagant and moody at times.
This year your energy will be high and you will
feel strong enough to face any challenge.
Middle of the year seems exceptionally good
for those who are looking for a change in their
career, as they will receive an excellent job
of fer. Frequent and fruitful journeys will be
undertaken. You will also improve your rela
tionship with important people during this
period. Children will win laurels at school and
overachieve the expectations of their parents.
Family members will gather around you pro
viding you with love and affection. The months
of November, April, July and October will be
highly eventful.
21st December, 2017
Governed by number 3 and the planet
Jupiter, you are energetic, honourable, ambi
tious, dignified and an intelligent person. You
are a person with outstanding personality and
ability to make many friends. You are always
appreciated for your sincerity and commit
ment, but your need to check your tendency to
behave over ambitious and dictatorial at times.
This year new plans and projects will be allur
ing but instant gains might not be possible.
Great period for consultants and brokers.
Investment is definitely recommended but sud
den losses due to thoughtless decisions cannot
be ruled out. New romance for some as others
get involved in a matrimonial wedlock. Distant
pilgrimage is certain later in the year. Dont be
too friendly with strangers and avoid disclos
ing your plans, as chances of deceit are very
strong. Be extra careful while lending money
and take extra care of your jewelry, precious
gifts and items. The months of October,
February and August will be important.
22nd December, 2017
Dominated by number 4 and the planet
Uranus, you are simple, energetic, authoritative,
jovial, reliable and highly systematic person.
You possess a persuasive and magnetic person
ality. You have a great potential to handle com
plicated tasks and you seldom complain, but
you need to check your tendency to behave vin
dictive, timid and spendthrift at times. This
year new money making ventures prove highly
lucrative. Your financial position will show
remarkable improvement and you will spend
more on luxuries to increase your comfort level.
Investment in stocks and real estate is recom
mended for longterm gains. Foreign trips will
bring you monetary gains. Your spouse will be
cooperative through out the year and will show
er love and affection. Marriage proposals for
those eligible. Health needs proper care. The
months of Nov. May, June & August will prove
to be important & significant.
30 December 16-22, 2017 SPIRITUAL AWARENESS TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Healing the body through meditation

peace of mind as we continue our us when we perfect our medita
activities throughout the day. As tions.
we perfect our meditations, we can Recent medical studies are draw
maintain that calm state of mind ing a correlation between patients
even in the midst of turmoil and who pray and meditate before and
strife. We would be more in control after surgery and those who do
of our reactions and would main not. Early studies find that patients
tain an even keel in the face of heal and recover more quickly
other people's conflicts. Reducing from surgery when they pray or
our stress throughout the day can meditate before surgery or after
reduce the risk of becoming victim surgery.
to stressrelated ailments. Spending regular, accurate time
By Sant Rajinder Second, meditation can lift our in meditation has been shown to
Singh Ji Maharaj attention to a higher level of con reduce stress. Many medical cen
sciousness so that we do not feel ters and hospitals offer classes in
the pinching effects of any illness meditation as a way to reduce
octors and scientists have

D
we do develop. Through medita stress and eliminate certain illness
been studying the bodymind
tion, we come in contact with a Recent medical studies are drawing a correlation es. Many people have requested to
connection and its relation
stream of bliss and joy within that between patients who pray and meditate before learn our introductory meditation,
ship to physical health. Medical
researchers have linked certain ill
takes our attention away from the and after surgery and those who do not. called Jyoti meditation, taught at
pains of the world. Through mas our Science of Spirituality centers
nesses to our state of mind and to Early studies find that patients heal and recover
tery of meditation, we have a throughout the world as a way to
our emotional condition. They have
refuge of bliss and peace within, more quickly from surgery when they pray or reduce stress.
found that when we undergo men
tal stress or emotional pain or
safe from the ravages of physical meditate before surgery or after surgery. As you continue to meditate, you
pain. will experience the inner peace and
depression, our physical resistance
Although at times we may get at neardeath experiences to see trauma lying below them, but they bliss. As you do this, you will expe
to disease drops. We become more
sick because we break natural laws, how people who undergo excruci no longer experienced any physical rience a reduction in stress.
susceptible to contracting a disease
meditation can help us rise above atingly painful accidents were lift pain until they returned to the Meditation is an effective means to
because our ability to keep our
the discomfort and find solace and ed above their pain when they tem body. This is one analogous situa help us reduce stress and increase
immune system in top working
peace above the consciousness of porarily left their body. They could tion to give us an idea of the power a sense of calm and peace, which
order decreases.
bodily pain. We have only to look see their body with injuries and of protection from pain afforded to can help us heal our physical body.
Science has pinpointed certain
diseases such as digestive prob

lems, breathing problems, heart
disease, and migraine headaches,
to name a few, that are sometimes
stressrelated.
Meditation can help us in several
ways. First, it can lessen our stress,
and in turn, reduce our chances of
developing a stressrelated illness.
In this hectic world, our mind is
often agitated by stress and pres
sures. Life has become so compli
cated that people seem to have too
much to do and not enough time to
do it. Some people hold jobs that
require long hours and too much
responsibility. Other people work
two jobs and raise a family. Too
much pressure often causes people
to seem to snapthey become irri
table, offbalance, and stressed
out. They begin to act in ways that
are not themselves. Sometimes
they take out their frustrations on
their loved ones and hurt those
they should love the most.
Meditation is a way to eliminate
the lack of balance caused by the
mental stresses of life. By spending
time in meditation, we create a
calm haven in which we restore
equilibrium and peace to our men
tal functioning. Researchers have
recorded that the brain activity in
people who meditate reflects a
state of deep relaxation. Their
mind becomes calmer. Meditation
also calms the body. If we could
spend some time each day in medi
tation, we would find our stress
levels would be reduced and our
health would reach a more opti
mum level.
Besides reducing stress during
meditation, there is a carryover
effect. We can maintain more
T Finding a True
rue friends are those who stand by
you always. They will sacrifice them
selves for you, and are people on
whom you can always rely. True friends lis
ten to your problems and share your bur
dens. Truly, if we have even one real friend
in life, we are lucky.
If we think about our childhood friends,
how many are still with us now? Have we
parted ways already? Perhaps they have
moved away, or we have lost contact with
them. Let us consider our close friends to
day. Can we imagine that they, too, will one
day be parted from us just as those friends
from our childhood are gone?
Even if we have one close friend, or even a
few, they can only be with us up to our last
breath, or their last breath. They can only re
main with us in this life and cannot help us
in the moment of our greatest needthe
time of death.
In this connection, there is an interesting
story from the Hindu scriptures. There was a
learned pundit who was the personal minis
ter of King Prikshat. Each day the minister
would read out the scriptures to the king.
The particular scripture said that whoever
hears the scriptures will receive spiritual lib
eration and enlightenment. Month after
month, the king listened to the scriptures
read by the minister. However, he did not at
tain liberation.
One day, the king sat down and thought,
Here I amlistening to these scriptures
every day, and I am not yet spiritually liber
ated. The scriptures say that whoever listens
to these holy writings will receive salvation
once and for all, but I have not.
Therefore, the king called the minister and
said, Look here. I have heard these scrip
tures so many times and have not attained
liberation. I will give you one more chance
to read these scriptures to me from end to
end. If I am not liberated after that, you will
be put to death. Trembling in his shoes, the
Friend
minister began the task of rereading the
scriptures to the king. By the sixth day he
was nearing the end of the scriptures, and
the king was not satisfied. Fearing that on
the seventh day he would be put to death,
the minister sat down in his home and start
ed to cry.
Why are you so sad? asked his daughter
when she saw him.
The ministered explained the situation to
her, The scriptures say that whoever reads
them will be liberated. However, I know that
the king is not liberated, nor am I liberated.
Therefore, tomorrow, I will be put to death.
The daughter was wise and had an idea.
Do not worry, she said. Tomorrow I will
speak to the king. On the following day, the
ministers daughter asked for an audience
with the king.
Why have you come? he questioned her.
She told him, I have come to reply to the
question that you have asked of my father.
But to do this, you and I must go together to
the wilderness. The king was perplexed, but
agreed to go along with her plan. The girl
then sent for her father. She brought along
two ropes and when they reached the
wilderness she tied the king to one tree and
her father to another tree. Both were then
bound, hand and foot. The king was wonder
ing what all this meant when the girl asked,
Father, can you kindly unbind the king over
there?
The minister replied, I am already bound!
How can I free him?
The girl asked, Your Majesty, will you
kindly unbind my father?
The king replied, Foolish girl, dont you
see that I am bound? How can a bound man
unbind another?
That is all she wanted to hear and said,
Then how can you expect my father, who
is not free himself, to liberate you spiritual
ly? The king himself had answered the
dilemma in which he had placed the minis
ter. With that understanding, the king
spared the life of the minister.
At the time of death, we all depart by our
selves. No friends of this world can help us.
They can sit by our bedside and hold our
hand, but they can neither protect us from
death nor accompany us. Knowing this, we
still put our reliance on people of this world.
Looking back at the friendships we have
had in our lives, how many of them led us
closer to God, and how many of them have
taken us away from God? What kind of
friend should we look for then? To be truly
awakened spiritually, we should seek the
friendship of the Lord.
We have only a set number of breaths to
reunite our soul with God. Let us do every
thing possible to attain that goal. The best
way to reach the Lord is through meditation,
sweet remembrance, and selfless service.
These activities safeguard us from being
pulled away by distractions of the world. If
we do these things, then we will be ready at
the time of our death. Having mastered the
art of rising above bodyconsciousness (by
meditating daily on the inner Light and
Sound of God) , we will know what awaits us
in the Beyond.
Befriending God makes our spirit soar.
Waves of divine love make our soul rise to
the eyefocus where we see tremendous
Light. Is there any love or friendship of the
world that can bring us to the eyefocus and
make us rise above physical bodyconscious
ness? Only the love of the Lord can make us
wide awakenot only in this world, but
wide awake into the Beyond.
(For more visit www.sos.org)
TheSouthAsianTimes.info December 16-22, 2017
TheSouthAsianTimes.info December 16-22, 2017