Vol 7 Issue 6 - June 7-13, 2014

The South Asian Timese x c e l l e n c e i n j o u r n a l i s m excellence in journalism Op Ed 19 India-US Ties 9 Vol.7 No. 6 June 7-13, 2014 60 Cents New York Edition Follow us on TheSouthAsianTimes.info Sports 24 Spiritual Awareness 30 New Delhi: Nearly a decade after it denied him a visa and blacklisted him, the US is practically prepar- ing to roll out the red carpet for Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is set to hold a summit meet- ing with President Barack Obama in Washington in September-end this year. According to official sources, Modi has expressed his keenness to give a push to the flagging Indo- US ties and has accepted Obama’s invite to visit Washington. After the swearing-in of Modi, who led the BJP to a spectacular victory in the general election, Obama in a message vowed to work closely together with the new Indian prime minister “for years to come”. Obama was quick to acknowledge Modi’s “resounding” victory in the election and extend- ed an invitation to him to visit Washington, DC – effectively end- ing the visa ban on him. Obama is believed to be keen to patch up the damage to Indo-US ties as fast as possible. His meeting with Modi will be the second with- in the span of a year with an Indian prime minister. He had met Manmohan Singh in September Modi-Obama summit in Sept. to reset India-US ties PM Narendra Modi has accepted President Obama’s invitation to visit Washington in Sept. Continued on page 4 Washington, DC: With their wins or second place finishes in California's "jungle" primaries, four Indian-Americans — Neel Kashkari, Ro Khanna, Ami Bera and Kamala Harris - are set to compete in four key election races in November. In California's open or "jungle" primaries, top two finishers advance to the general elections irrespective of their party affilia- tion. Kashkari, 48, a former Bush administration official, overcame rival Republican Tim Donnelly in the governor's race late Tuesday night. Kashkari, who ran the $700 million bailout program after the 2007-2008 financial crisis, will find it tough to beat Democratic Governor Jerry Brown, who led with 55 percent of the vote. Brown is California's longest-serving gov- ernor, having served three terms. In California' s 17th District, known as Silicon Valley, which is the only Asian American-majority district in the US, Democrat Ro Four Indian-Americans advance to key Nov election races By Parveen Chopra New York: The South Asian Times, the leading newspaper serving the South Asian popula- tion in the USA, bagged an award for "Best Investigative / In Depth Story" at the Ippies Awards 2014 held Thursday at the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism in New York. Jinal Shah (Associate Editor), won the third place in the most competitive and prestigious category for her article - ‘Languishing in the golden cage’. The three-page report, published last November, brings to light the plight of H4 visa holders – indi- viduals who come on H1B1 dependent visa, mostly women, highly qualified and experienced. The article talks about their mis- eries – that ranges from being totally dependent to being subject- ed to domestic violence - while trapped in a golden cage. It also highlights the efforts both from the community as well as legal sources to bring to table the less controversial piece of the immi- gration reform bill. Organized by the Center for Community and Ethnic Media (CCEM) at the CUNY Journalism School, Ippies are the only awards that pay tribute to excellence in journalism in the ethnic and com- munity press in the New York City area. According to CCEM The South Asian Times wins top journalism award (from left) Kamlesh Mehta (Publisher, The South Asian Times), Jinal Shah (Awardee), Jehangir Khattak (of CUNY) and Parveen Chopra (Managing Editor) at the Ippies Awards ceremony. Neal Kashkari will take on incumbent Jerry Brown for California Governor in Nov. California Attorney General Kamala Harris has easily outpolled her competitors Rep. Ami Bera won 49 percent of the vote in the primary Ro Khanna received only 27% vote to Mike Honda’s 49% in California’s 17th district Continued on page 4 Continued on page 4 June 7-13, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info 31st 3 June 7-13, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info TRISTATE COMMUNITY Washington, DC: Even as BJP won a land- slide in the general election in India, Hindu American Political Action Committee (HA- PAC) based here publicly endorsed a slate of candidates for US House of Representatives in the primaries that took place on June 3. Leading the list of candidates winning sup- port from the HAPAC is Democratic Con- gresswoman Tulsi Gabbard from Hawaii, a self-professed Hindu, who, HAPAC said, "has consistently stood by the Hindu-Ameri- can community on every major domestic and international issue." "She has not shied away from her Hindu faith and identity, has attending many events in the Hindu-American community, has met Hindu leaders outside the US and India to share thoughts about problems worldwide, and has inspired many Hindu Americans to be proud of their identity," the committee said, in broadly defining the litmus test for their support. Also winning HAPAC endorsement are California Republican Ed Royce, chairman of the house foreign relations committee and co- chair of the India caucus, and Democrats Brad Sherman, Joe Crowley, Eric Swalwell, and the lone Indian-American lawmaker Ami Bera, who is not a Hindu. Royce and Sherman were recognized for opposition to house Resolution 417 that was seen as anti-pluralist and anti-India while masquerading as one that upholds India's di- versity. Crowley and Swalwell were praised for helping push the FBI into tracking anti- Hindu hate crimes. HAPAC also endorsed Indian-American Democratic candidates Manan Trivedi and Swati Dandekar, fighting primaries in Penn- sylvania and Iowa respectively. Swati polled 18%, losing to Pat Murphy who got 37 % vote. HAPAC activists acknowledged that this is the first election cycle they have been active in although the community has been con- tributing to (and thus endorsing) candidates since the fall of 2013. "With a number of primary elections com- ing up on June 3 in different states, we felt it would be a good idea to collate all of those endorsements together for voters heading to the polls," chairman of the HAPAC board Rishi Bhutada told The Times of India. While HAPAC is nowhere near as powerful as the famed American Israeli Political Ac- tion Committee, which US politicians of every hue try to court, Hindu Americans say theirs is a modest beginning. New York: In another instance of Bollywood meeting Hollywood, a South Asian dance group will perform live on ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ popular show on Fox 5 on June 11 at 8pm. It would also showcase India’s vibrant heritage and culture to the main- stream audience, the Wanted Ashiqz team said, adding ina press release. “Our main goal has always been to give our audience a great entertain- ment experience and we can't wait to show America a side of Bollywood they have never seen before.” Even as they audition for the show, the only way to vote for them afterwards is through Twitter, they informed. The double episode on June 13 will be introduced by Justin Bieber. Wanted Ashiqz have stood out in numerous dance competitions. In 2011, they went on to become the first ever Bollywood team to not only compete, but to also win 2nd place at the World of Dance, a renowned Hip-hop competition. They also became the first Bollywood dance team to win the grand prize at the Kollaboration NY 2011. Recently, they won 1st place 3 consecutive times, at Prelude New England 2014, a prominent Hip- Hop competition. South Asian group to perform on popular Fox 5 dance show New York based Wanted Ashiqz will perfrom live on ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ Tulsi Gabbard: A shoo-in from Hawaii Swati Dandekar: Lost in Iowa By Jinal Shah New York: The Gujarati Samaj of New York on Wednesday announced a 3-day festival showcasing Gujarat’s rich culture, heritage, and its phenomenal growth in recent years to mark the organization’s 40th anniversary. It will be held at St Anthony's Conference Center in Melville, NY. Incidentally, Narendra Modi, credited for being the architect of modern state of Gujarat, has just led his party to a landmark victory in Indian elections. The Gujarati festival and its website were kicked off at the Indian Consulate in the presence of Consul General Dnyaneshwar Mulay and prominent members of the Gujarati community. Praising Gujarat and Gujaratis for their business acumen and achievements both in India and in the US, Amb. Mulay said, “Gujarat is not only known for its culture and Narendra Modi but also its business minded people.” He urged the commu- nity to showcase the vibrant Gujarat to the second gen- eration Gujaratis as well as mainstream America, and added. “Make political representatives accountable, ask them questions on immigration laws, especially H1B1 visas, what they are doing for Indian Americans.” The Cultural Festival of Gujarat (CFG) on August 8-10 will include Garbo, Bhavai, Dayro, fashion show, comedy shows, art auction, award ceremony and also classic Gujarati movies and authentic Gujarati delicacies. “I urge all Indian community members to join us and the business community to support and make it a grand suc- cess,” said Harshad Patel, president of Gujarati Samaj. The festival will hold seminars in Hindi-- for women living in the US, on business, political awareness and also on immigration. Although it is a ticketed event ($50), organizers are working on discounts for senior citizens along with buses from New Jersey and Long Island. “Attraction for second generation Gujaratis include: a raffle with giveaways such as BMW car, Rolex watch, and gold coins; matrimony and rass garba,” said R.D. Patel, chairman of board of trustees. With speculations rife over Modi’s US visit in September, Dr Navin Mehta, one of the trustees of Gujarati Samaj, announced a grand welcome for India’s new prime minister: “Nine years ago, US officials denied Modi a visa to travel to New York to address Indian-Americans in Madison Square Garden. If he comes in September, we will organ- ize a huge program at the Giants Stadium in New Jersey to felicitate him.” Grand welcome planned for Modi (From left) Bharti Desai, Ambassador Mulay, R.D. Patel, and Harshad Patel, president of Gujarati Samaj of New York. (Photo courtesy: Parash Chaitri, Consulate office) Printed Every Saturday by Forsythe Media Group, LLC ISSN 1941-9333 76 N Broadway, Suite 2004, Hicksville, NY 11801 P: 516.390.7847 Website: TheSouthAsianTimes.info Updated Daily Chairman and Co-Founder Kamlesh C. Mehta Co-Founder: Saroosh Gull ([email protected]) President: Arjit Mehta Board Advisors (Honorary) Ajay Lodha, MD, Lakhpat B. Mehta, Esq. 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The editor/publisher does not warrant accuracy and cannot be held responsible for the content of the advertisements placed in the publication and/or inaccurate claims, if any, made by the advertisers. Advertisements of business or facilities included in this publication do not imply connection or endorsement of these businesses. All rights reserved. 4 June 7-13, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info TURN PAGE New Delhi: In a show of solidari- ty with victims of sexual assaults in India, students of Indian origin graduating from Ivy League uni- versities in the US wore a red tape on their graduation caps dur- ing convocation ceremonies this week. Later, several students from Columbia, Harvard and Brown universities participated in a peaceful protest against the rise in sexual violence in India, espe- cially in Uttar Pradesh. “Respect for a women’s dignity is respect for humanity. And that respect starts at home, spreads through communities, extends across university campuses to nations around the world. An assault on one woman is an attack on the entire human race,” Arnab De who completed his PhD from the Columbia University Medical Centre and also served as the stu- dent representative of the Public Safety Committee at Columbia, said over phone from Washington. “There is nothing anyone can do to bring the bravest Nirbhaya (Dec 16, 2012, New Delhi rape victim) back. But if I can invoke her memory to educate people, I would be very proud. In this regard, I am glad that the Nirbhaya trust was recently launched to help victims,” he added. Social media Buzzfeed quoted a spokesperson for Columbia University as stating that it was “a hallmark of Columbia’s values to support and encourage the rights of students to express their views through such peaceful, symbolic speech”. The event was conceived by Indian-American Rakhi Agrawal, a student at Columbia. She asked graduating students to put red tape on their graduation hats to show solidarity for such victims. “As a student of this great uni- versity, I felt it was my responsi- bility to stand up for the basic rights of others. I am happy that our efforts have multiplied and graduates from other Ivy League universities like Harvard University and Brown University wore red tapes during their grad- uation convocation too,” Rakhi, who is originally from New Delhi, said in an e-mail. Washington, DC: As two young- sters of Indian descent spelled his- tory by jointly winning the covet- ed Scripps National Spelling Bee for a record seventh year in a row, they also stirred storm of racially charged comments in the US. The fact that Sriram Hathwar and Ansun Sujoe last week night kept up the victory run of Indian- Americans that began in 1999 pro- ducing a dozen champions in the last 16 years, proved too much for some. Sujoe, 13, a 7th grader from Fort Worth, Texas and Sriram, 14, the lone repeat finalist of Painted Post, New York were declared co- winners after a grueling duel in the final of a contest that attracted 281 spellers from eight countries. It was “for the first time in more than 50 years, two young word- smiths were declared co-champi- ons” as the Washington Post noted. “However, some on social media seemed more preoccupied with their heritage than their way with words.” Among the tweets cited by the Post were: “Where are our American kids?” And: “Nothing more American than a good spelling bee... Oh wait all the Caucasians are eliminated – Cale Pieczynski (@CalePie).” The Post also cited other com- ments on social media arguing “race has nothing do with where these spellers were born.” “wow that blows the spelling bee ends with a tie thats so friggin un-American no wonder the kids that won it are Indian,” tweeted Chris Uhl Jr from Massachusetts. Journalist Jeff Chu collected the tweets and commented; “Why did the tweets hit me hard? I was a bee kid-’91, lost on “rimur.” And I want those kids never to be asked, “Where are you really from?” Another commentator Ezra Klein tweeted “Turns out spelling bees bring out a lot of racists: http://bit.ly/1kPI0n3.” “….so according to these geniuses, only Caucasians are “American” when it comes to the spelling bee?” responded Nicole Forbes from Austin, Texas. “Just because the face on the screen isn’t white, it doesn’t make the #spellingbee finalists any less American, com- mented Rebecca Hong. Modi-Obama summit to reset ... Continued from page 1 last year during the former prime min- ister’s visit to Washington en route to the UN General Assembly. The proposed June 8 visit of US Assistant Secretary of State Nisha Desai Biswal, the Obama administra- tion’s point person for South and Central Asia, to New Delhi is an indi- cation of the urgency with which the US is keen to mend ties with the Modi government. Modi, whose move to reach out to South Asian neighbors during his swearing-in has been laud- ed, gave an indication of his foreign policy thoughts in interviews before coming to power. He had said that individual incidents should not be allowed to cloud bilateral relations – an apparent reference to the visa ban on him by the US. Bilateral ties, which had seen a cooling off during the latter years of UPA-II, suffered a setback with the handcuffing and strip search of Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade last year for alleged visa fraud and underpaying her nanny. The policy paralysis of the previous UPA government is seen to have crept into its bilateral ties as well, with little headway on many ticklish issues. The US is keen to get started with implementation of the Indo-US civil nuclear deal, which is stuck over India’s civil nuclear liability laws. The US is also keen to increase its defense ties with India, a major market, and also keen to push trade with India from the current around $100 billion annual- ly to $500 billion by 2015. The South Asian Times wins top... Continued from page 1 census of New York City’s ethnic and community media, there are 270 publi- cations that serve the immigrant and minority populations, published in 36 languages. Former CBS Correspondent Randall Pinkston, now with Al Jazeera America, emceed the ceremony and Pulitzer Prize winning journalist turned filmmaker and immigration activist Jose Antonio Vargas delivered keynote address. Vargas is the founder of "Define American", a non-profit organ- ization intended to open up dialogue about the criteria people use to deter- mine who is an American. The Ippies competition attracted 158 entries this year across 10 categories from 46 community and ethnic news organizations. The citations were given away by Jehangir Khattak, Communications Director, CCEM. Four Indian-Americans advance... Continued from page 1 Khanna will take on fellow Democrat Mike Honda, who has been a member of the House since 2001. Honda led with 49 percent, followed by Khanna, a former Obama administration offi- cial, at 27 percent. Both Republican candidates, Indian American Vanila Singh and Joel Vanlandingham, failed to make the general in this race. Khanna entered the race more than a year ago and grabbed national atten- tion with a team of former Obama campaign staffers and endorsements from big Silicon Valley tech CEOs and a series of big fundraising hauls. The lone Indian-American House member Democratic Ami Bera will face Republican Doug Ose in California's 7th District in November. Bera won 49 percent of the vote, and Ose won 26 percent, with 54 percent of precincts reporting in the Sacramento- area battleground district, according to Politico. Bera defeated Republican House member Dan Lungren for the seat by three points in 2012, while President Barack Obama carried the district by four points. California' s first female Indian- American and African-American Attorney General Kamala Harris, who is widely expected to seek higher office in coming years, easily out- polled her competitors. Harris, a Democrat, had 54 percent of the votes in early returns. She faced four Republicans, each of whom received less than 14 percent in early returns. Whoever among the four fin- ishes second will face Harris. Indian students in US condemn assaults on women back home Spelling Bee wins draw racially charged comments The spurt of sexual violence in India, especially in Uttar Pradesh, is spurring the protests. 5 June 7-13, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info TRISTATE COMMUNITY By Jinal Shah New York: Breaking the proverbial glass ceil- ing and tearing down the stereotypes, Nina Davuluri made history when she became the first Indian American to be crowned Miss America last year. Following her footsteps now is the 19 year old Indian American – Emily Shah who is set to compete with 49 other mod- els at the Miss USA title on June 8 in Louisiana. If Shah is crowned Miss USA, she will not only become the youngest and first New Jersey title- holder to wear the US national crown but also be the first Indian American representing Amer- ica on an international platform- Miss Universe. Shah was the first Indian American to wear the tiara atop her perfectly coiffed hair in the miss USA pageant, the same year Davuluri won the Miss America ti- tle. Although both the pageants give out titles, tiaras and scholarships, the Miss America and Miss USA pageants are completely different. While the former, much older (began in 1921) is most- ly known for its scholarships the latter, relatively new (began in 1952), not only gets a scholarship but also a shot at Miss Universe and some other perks, like one year of free rent in Trump Tower on 5th Avenue in New York. Following vicious cyber-attacks questioning Davuluri’s ‘American-ness’ all eyes are on Shah to win the national title. Many Indian Americans are pinning their hopes on Shah to see her on an international level representing America, its diversity in true sense. So who is Emily Shah? Originally from Rajkot, Gujarat, her great grandfather was an advisor to Mahat- ma Gandhi. Emily’s resume goes considerably deeper than even her heritage. A native of Edi- son, New Jersey, Shah has shuffled between In- dia and America and dabbled in cinema, having acted in both Bollywood and Hollywood films. She featured in Hollywood movies like 'The Great New Wonderful' with Naseerudin Shah and Bollywood films such as 'Out of Control' alongside Riteish Deshmukh, 'Ta Ra Rum Pum', 'Jaaneman' among others. Shah plans to work as an action actor and to learn that she chose to as- sist stunt director in movies like Captain Amer- ica, Fast and Furious 7 and even assisted Clint Eastwood in Jersey Boys. Her passion for act- ing stems out of the fact that her father, Prashant Shah, who emigrated from India years ago is a producer and distributor in Los Angeles and has been associated with several Bollywood pro- duction houses such as with Karan Johar's, Rakesh Roshan and Shahrukh Khan, in various capacities. Emily is not only proud to be from Edison but extremely proud of her Indian back- ground. “Wow I will be the first Gujarati on the Miss USA stage,” She said via Twitter. Drug case against Vikram Chatwal dismissed after rehab New York: A felony drug- trafficking charge against hotelier Vikram Chatwal, 43, was dismissed by a Florida judge because of the intensive year-long re- habilitation the Indian- American businessman un- derwent.Chatwal, son of hotelier Sant Singh Chatw- al, could have faced 20 years in prison for being caught with drugs like co- caine and heroin on his per- son at Fort Lauderdale airport in Florida last year. Chat- wal posted bail and came back to New York to undergo a vigorously scrutinized drug treatment program. The 17th Circuit Court of Broward County, FL, “to- tally dismissed” the case recently, the New York Post reported. The founder of Dream Hotel in New York, completed a rigorous drug-rehabilitation program which included substance abuse counseling and drug testing, the Post quoted Chatwal’s attorney Mark Heller saying. “Vikram earnestly strove, this past year, to ad- dress addiction issues, and thankfully the Broward County judicial system recognize that Vikram’s arrest was not the product of criminal conduct, but rather the unfortunate medical by-product of substance depend- ency,” Heller is quoted saying. New York: The Devyani Khobragade case came up for a discussion at Harvard Law School with India-born US prosecutor Preet Bharara telling the graduating class that the "intense" criticism and accusation hurled at him for charging the Indian diplomat with visa fraud had upset him. Bharara was invited to address stu- dents and faculty at the prestigious law school on its 2014 Class Day cer- emony last week. The top US attorney in Manhattan spoke about the criticism he faces from all quarters as well as from vari- ous governments because of his work. He added that he has even "been banned from Russia." Raising the Khobragade case, Bharara said he got the most flak for prosecuting the for- mer Indian deputy Consul General even though the case was initiated and investigated by the US State Department and seasoned law enforcements officials. "(It was) not the crime of the centu- ry but a serious crime nonetheless, that is why the State Department opened the case, that is why the State Department investigated it. That is why career agents in the State D e p a r t me n t asked career prosecutors in my office to approve criminal charges. That case basically caused an inter- national inci- dent," he said. Bharara said he became "per- sonally aware" that Khobragade would be arrested only a couple of days before the arrest was scheduled. He became bothered by the "line of attack" made by the Indian govern- ment and media that he brought the case to "serve his white masters, pre- sumably (US Attorney General) Eric Holder and (President) Barack Obama", both of whom are black. "That is an example of criticism that is stupid," he said, adding that as the criticism got "increasingly intense" over time, it bothered his parents and this made him upset. "That was tough because it bothered them," he said. He was also concerned when he had to explain the accusa- tions made against him to his young daughter, he said. "Indian critics were angry because even though I hailed from India, I appeared to be going out of my way to act American and serve the interests of America, which was odd because I am American and the words US are in my title," he said. He said, "putting aside disputes about the merits of the case," the Indian government and media decided that the case was brought by an Indian-American "for all manner of bad personal reasons, never mind that the case was initiated and investigated by career law enforcement officials." Will Miss New Jersey Emily Shah be next Miss USA? VENUE: New Jersey Performing Arts Center, 1 Center St., Newark, New Jersey DATE AND TIME: Saturday, July 12, 2014 3 PM to 8 PM Followed by Gurudev’s personal blessings and Prasad (dinner). Registration is required for this complimentary (no-charge) event. Over 2,100 seats already booked. Only a limited number of seats left. TO REGISTER, VISIT www.GuruPoornima2014.com or call 516 484 0018 Event Promotion Do you know how fortunate are those who get the blessings of a Satguru on Guru Poornima? Get the personal blessings of Satguru Brahmrishi Sri Guruvanand Ji Swami “Gurudev” on this Guru Poornima and become that fortunate person! Brahmrishi Sri Guruvanand Ji Swami “Gurudev” is one of the few living Satgurus. He has invoked all Chakras of his Kundalini and achieved all Siddhis. Free bus transportation will be available from Long Island, Queens and Edison, NJ. Was upset over 'stupid' criticism in Khobragade case: Preet Bharara Indian critics were angry because even though I hailed from India, I appeared to be going out of my way to act American and serve the interests of America, which was odd because I am American and the words US are in my title” -US Attorney Preet Bharara Vikram Chatwal If crowned, she’ll be first and youngest Miss Jersey to win the title and first Indian-American to represent America in Miss Universe pageant 6 June 7-13, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info TRISTATE COMMUNITY IN BRIEF N ew York City May- or Bill de Blasio has appointed Indi- an American physician Dr. Ramanathan Raju to the city’s new Task Force on Behavioral Health and the Criminal Justice System. Raju will serve on the Task Force’s executive committee, along with 18 other individuals hand- picked by Mayor de Blasio, as well as five “expert advi- sors” from various institutions around the country. The purpose of the Mayor’s new Task Force will be to “develop a strategic, action- able plan to transform the city’s criminal jus- tice system, so that it addresses the needs of individuals with behavioral and mental health issues more appropriately and effec- tively,” according to a press release issued by the May- or’s office on Monday. The Mayor’s office’s press release implies that the new Task Force will be- come operational immedi- ately, and will hopefully lead to far better assess- ment of mental illness in crime in the coming years. Mental illness has be- come an increasing concern throughout America in the wake of recent mass shootings, such as the one perpetrated in Santa Barbara last month, and Raju will help lead the charge to control the problem in the Big Apple. In January Raju became the new President and CEO of New York City’s Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC), a position he currently holds. A lawyer for hotelier Sant Singh Chat- wal, who has pleaded guilty to ille- gally donating thousands of dollars to American political campaigns, has re- quested a US court to adjourn the sentencing date to October from July to prepare neces- sary legal briefs. In a submission before US District Judge I Leo Glasser, lawyer Jonathan Sack requested an "adjournment of the sentencing" from July 31 to around October 23 citing the need for more time to gather relevant information for Chatwal's pre-sentence report and sen- tencing submissions on his behalf. Sack said Chatwal has lived in India, Ethiopia as well as the US and "gathering in- formation about his background and substan- tial activities in these locations has proven time- consuming." Sack said the alternate date in October is agreeable to federal prosecutors. Chatwal, 70, a Padma Bhushan awardee and major fundraiser for former US Secre- tary of State Hillary Clinton, had pleaded guilty in April to conspiring to violate the Federal Election Campaign Act by making more than $180,000 in federal campaign do- nations to three candidates through straw donors who were reimbursed and to witness tampering. Chatwal is free on a $750,000 bail and has surrendered his passport. The charges carry a maximum prison sentence of 25 years but under the plea deal with the gov- ernment, Chatwal could be sentenced to a lit- tle more than five years and would have to pay $ 500,000 in fines. I n keeping with its theme, “Building a Better Community, One Step at a Time,” the BAPS Charities 15th annu- al walkathon was held on May 18 in New York City. Over 475 members of the com- munity participated in this year’s walkathon. Coming together to walk for a singular purpose, participants of all ages joined hands and raised funds to support this year’s local beneficiary, Big Brothers Big Sisters of NYC. “Walking for such an ex- emplary organization and cause is a great honor,” said Hasmukh Patel, BAPS Volun- teer. “Being able to organize and bring to fruition this kind of event is always an ex- citing opportunity for BAPS Charities. Walkathons unite members of the commu- nity, no matter the age, to serve other caus- es. The enthusiasm behind this event is re- ally the driving force to ensuring the suc- cess of the today’s event.” “Not only is it amazing how everyone can come together to support one cause, it is also great to walk with others who be- lieve in building a better community,” said Mr Parth Adhia, Walkathon Project Lead of BAPS Charities, NYC. “Benefiting an organization that helps and mentors our children is a great way to bring the com- munity together and getting a chance to walk with a big group of people who feel the same way is a fun way to get some ex- ercise!” Big Brothers Big Sisters is a national or- ganization with local roots that aims to provide mentoring and guidance to chil- dren. “We appreciate BAPS Charities for choosing us as the beneficiary of the walk and it means so much to us,” said Mr Schroder from Big Brothers Big Sisters NYC. Mangano honors community members at Indian American Night I ndian American Forum presented Indian American Night on June1 at Harry Chapin lakeside Theatre, Eisenhower Park, East Meadow, Parking Field 6 & 6A. Program start- ed at 4.00PM by Yoga teacher Elena. Several members learnt and participated in Yoga. Kite Flying Festival started at 5.00pm. Gob- ind Munjal event co-chairperson organized the kite flying competitions. Whole Park was full of colorful kites, children men, women and even grandparents enjoyed flying kites. Weath- er was extremely beautiful and kites were fly- ing all over the park. Jaya Bahadkar Cultural chairperson presented beautiful cultural pro- gram reflecting dances from different parts of India. Students from local dance schools par- ticipated. Vocal performances were organized by Sunita Sadhnani of Glamorous Event Plan- ners the Melody Group from Tri state area con- sisting of 10-12 singers who entertained the audience with their memorable songs. This program is part of 2014 summer con- cert series sponsored by Nassau county De- partment of Parks, Recreation and Museums. Indian American Night is a showcase of Clas- sical Indian music and folk dances from all re- gions of India. Nassau county Executive Ed- ward P Mangano , Nassau County Park Com- missioner Brian Nugent, Legislature Kevin Abrahms, Town of Hempstead Clerk Nasrin Ahmed, Councilwoman Dorothy Goosby and several other elected officials and communi- ty leaders were present. Nassau County Exec- utive Honorable Edward P Mangano wel- comed everyone and commended the Indian American community for their outstanding achievements. Following members of commu- nity were presented with Nassau County Awards: Dr. Surekha Patel, ARCH Founda- tion,Ajay Batra, IVS TV,Mrs. Bhupinder Kaur Thind, noted social worker in Punjab,Sonia Bawa, community worker and Occupational Therapist,Sunita Sadhnani, Glamorous Event Planners Kirit Panchamia, Herricks Group. Community came together to sup- port this year’s local beneficiary, Big Brothers Big Sisters of NYC Dr Ramanathan Raju is NYC’s Health Commissioner Dr Ramanathan Raju appointed to NYC’s health and criminal task force CHI Spring Luncheon raises $25,000 for NY's homeless BAPS Charities hosts annual walkathon Sant Chatwal's lawyer seeks adjournment of sentencing date Nassau County Executive, Edward P. Mangano with honorees. (LtoR)Mohinder Singh Taneja, Sunita Sadhnani, Ajay Batra, Bhupinder Kaur Thind, Ed Mangano, Sonia Bawa, Kirit Panchamia, TOH Councilwoman, Dorothy Goosby, Dr. Surekha M. Patel, Indu Jaiswal. CHI board members with Madhur and Sakina Jaffrey who received the Women of Distinction Awards. (Photo by BNB Photography) C hildren's Hope India (CHI) Spring Luncheon at Water's Edge in Long Island City, Queens, raised $25,000 on May 7. A highlight of the spring luncheon was the presence of the noted culinary authori- ty and actress Madhur Jaffrey and her daughter, actress Sakina Jaffrey who is popularly seen in 'House of Cards.' Both received the CHI Woman of Distinction Awards and made some insightful remarks about succeeding as women in the world of the arts in America. Madhur Jaffrey, who is an advisory board member of Children's Hope, spoke about her long career in food and cinema, the challenges of balancing family and career in a new country and the increased opportunities for the next gener- ation. She showed how much boldness and persistence count in achieving success. Sakina Jaffrey spoke about the new op- portunities for young Indian-Americans, and the power of education. "I have no doubt that at some point every one of you has had to reach back to your education to validate your ticket in life. It’s a security blanket that not everyone enjoys. But by giving time, energy and money to places like Children’s Hope, we can extend that opportunity to others. We can help launch that essential journey of validation for the children who most need it." Dina Pahlajani, CHI board member, talked movingly about the cause of home- less children in NYC, the invisible children who number over 22,700 and shuttle be- tween school in the day-time and shelters at night, living in difficult surroundings. Children's Hope is working with city or- ganizations to identify how the funds raised from the luncheon can best be used to improve their lives. 7 June 7-13, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info NATIONAL COMMUNITY United Nations: To commemorate the Inter- national Day of United Nations Peacekeep- ers on 29 May, the Permanent Mission of In- dia to the United Nations hosted a somber function for all the recipients of the 106 Dag Hammarskjold Medals awarded this year by the United Nations. The function was held in the Dag Hammarskjold Library Building of the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The eight Indian peacekeepers, who laid down their lives while serving on United Na- tions Peacekeeping Operations, were spe- cially remembered on this occasion. In April 2013, five Indian peacekeepers, Lt-Col Mahipal Singh, Naik Subedar Shiv Kumar Pal, Havildars Hira Lal and Bharat Sasmal, and Lance Naik Nand Kishore Joshi laid down their lives in protecting the man- date of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). They were part of a 32- member Indian troop contingent escorting five UN vehicles from Gumruk to Bor in the volatile state of Jonglei of South Sudan. The convoy was ambushed by 200 members of an armed militia, who used rocket propelled grenades and small arms to attack the con- voy. Led by Lt-Col Mahipal Singh, the Indi- an peacekeepers engaged in a fierce battle which lasted for over an hour while protect- ing the convoy. Five injured Indian soldiers, including a Captain, were subsequently evacuated to the capital city of Juba in three UN helicopters for medical treatment. A UN spokesman said that the fierce resistance put up by Indian peacekeepers forced the rebels to withdraw and saved the lives of many of the civilians. In July 2013, UN Security Council Resolution 2109 called on the Gov- ernment of South Sudan to complete its in- vestigations in a swift and thorough manner and bring the perpetrators to justice. In December 2013, former Indian rower Subedar Dharmesh Sangwan, an Asian Games silver medalist, Asian Championship gold medal winner, and rated among the best rowers India has ever produced, along with Subedar Kumar Pal Singh, were the two In- dian peacekeepers killed in cross-fire while protecting civilians sheltering in a United Nations compound in Akobo, South Sudan. A third Indian peacekeeper, who received a chest wound, was evacuated to the UN- MISS facility in Malakal. 43 Indian peace- keepers, six UN police advisers and two UN civilian staffers were present at the base when an estimated 2,000 heavily armed youth surrounded the UN base in Akobo, and opened fire on the civilians seeking refuge inside. In December 2013, UN Security Council Resolution 2132 condemned the at- tack on the Indian peacekeepers, and stressed that efforts to undermine UNMISS’ ability to implement its mandate and attacks on United Nations personnel would not be tolerated. Sepoy Rameshwar Singh died in February 2013, while on escort duty in North Kivu as part of the Indian peacekeeping contingent of MONUSCO, the United Nations Peace- keeping Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo. At India’s initiative, and in a symbolic trib- ute to those who have collectively given their lives in pursuit of international peace and security, the photographs of the 8 Indian peacekeepers were placed alongside a gold- framed board, listing all the 106 peacekeep- ers from Member States of the United Na- tions who had lost their lives during the past year. Candles were lit in their memory on the occasion to demonstrate the solidarity of the United Nations peacekeeping community, and the collective debt owed by the interna- tional community to these brave souls. Earlier in the day, India’s Permanent Rep- resentative to the United Nations, Ambassa- dor Asoke Kumar Mukerji, joined other Per- manent Representatives and Military At- taches of Member States at a commemora- tive ceremony at the UN Peacekeepers Me- morial on the North Lawn in the precincts of the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The UN Secretary General oversaw the wreath-laying at the Memorial for the very first time. The proposal for this com- memoration had been made by India, sup- ported by several other Member States of the United Nations, in the C34 Peacekeeping Committee meeting, and endorsed by the 5th (Budget) Committee of the United Nations and the UN General Assembly last year. New York: High school stu- dent Dhara Patel, a senior in Hillsborough County, Florida got a stunning 10.03 GPA. A student from Plant City High School, the Valedictori- an's GPA was so high, the computer system couldn't rec- ognize 10.03, and defaulted it to a .031, dropping her rank from first in the class to last. Since she was a freshman, Patel had been taking ad- vanced-placement courses. Throughout her high school career, she enrolled in more than 10. During her junior year, her entire schedule consisted of AP classes. She studied all dif- ferent subjects, including calculus, statistics, human geography, European history, psycholo- gy and more. She was also dual-enrolled at Hillsborough Community College, adding even more weight to her GPA. She took so many classes at HCC that she also will receive her associate’s degree of liberal arts in the spring, as well as her high school diplo- ma. At HCC, she studied nutri- tion, astronomy, public speak- ing, among many others. She mostly took classes online but did attend some classes on campus after a full day at Plant City High School. Some even lasted until 9 p.m. With the help of HCC pro- fessor and guidance counselor Sharlotte Henderson, Patel was able to orchestrate a schedule that would earn her an associate’s degree, the Plant City Observer reported. In addition to a full class schedule, Patel is also presi- dent of the Science Club, Civinettes and Future Business Leaders of America; treasurer for Best Buddies; on the board of Executive Council; and competes in science and math competitions. Patel will be attending the University of Flori- da in the fall to study microbiology. She hopes to one day become a dentist or an orthodontist. Washington, DC: American Sikhs have hired a political consultant, who served as a strategist for Hillary Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign, for the first-ever exploration of creating positive percep- tion about Sikhs among Americans. Geoffrey Garin, who also served as the pollster and strategic advisor to Priorities USA, the super PAC supporting Presi- dent Barack Obama's re-election in 2012, will take an in-depth survey of feelings and misperceptions towards Sikhs for the newly formed National Sikh Campaign (NSC). This research will lay the foundation for the largest promotion of Sikhs in the western world coordinated by NSC with messaging that will deliver new informa- tion and visuals that can positively change attitudes toward Sikhs. Gurwin Singh Ahuja, executive direc- tor of NSC who was part of Obama's two election campaigns in Ohio, said, Sikhs have been part of American scene since they first immigrated to North America 100 years ago. "There is no one better than Garin to properly conduct a study that can show how Sikhs can dispel the misperceptions about our community and portray us as part and parcel of American society," he said. Dr. Rajwant Singh, chairman of Sikh Council on Religion and Education (SCORE), said, "Garin will head an un- precedented campaign that will examine Sikhism and its current place within the American psyche." The study "will help us tailor our mes- sage effectively and help us launch the biggest PR campaign for Sikhism and Sikhs in America," he said. "It will create a conducive environment for Sikhs to rise politically, socially and economically even more." Currently president of Hart Research, Garrin has undertaken landmark policy research for many of the America's lead- ing foundations and educational institu- tions on a wide variety of issues. US Sikhs hire Hillary strategist to change perception Dhara Patel (Photo: Plant City Observer). PMI observes International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers on May 29 Indian American teen scores unbelievable 10.03 GPA Commemorative ceremony at the UN Peacekeepers Memorial in NY. The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon oversaw the wreath-laying at the Memorial for the very first time. Eight Indian peacekeepers killed in South Sudan were specially remembered on this occasion. 8 June 7-13, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info NATIONAL COMMUNITY Washington, DC: President Barack Obama is appointing She- fali Razdan Duggal, a top Indian- American fundraiser of his 2012 re-election campaign, as a mem- ber of the governing board of trustees of the US Holocaust Me- morial museum that opened in 1993. Political activist Duggal's ap- pointment to the 55-member US Holocaust Memorial Council for a five-year term was announced by the White House Tuesday with five other key administration posts. "The extraordinary dedication these men and women bring to their new roles will greatly serve the American people," said Obama in a statement. "I am grateful they have agreed to serve in this Administration and I look forward to working with them in the months and years to come." At over 30, Obama admin- istration has more Indian-Ameri- cans serving in high places than in any other previous administration. According to Razdan Duggal's website she is currently also a co-chair for the "Ready for Hillary PAC", an independent political action committee that is "encouraging" former Secre- tary of State Hillary Clinton to run for president in 2016. Razdan Duggal is a member of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) National Finance Committee and is the DNC National Co- Chair for the Women's Leadership Forum, ac- cording to White House. Previously, she was a member of the 2012 Oba- ma for America National Finance Committee, a Co- Chair for Obama Victory Trustees, and a member of the Northern California Fi- nance Committee. US Telugu body creating funds for Andhra, Telengana T he Telugu Association of North Ameri- ca (TANA) is creating two special ear- marked funds for the development of the new capital of Andhra Pradesh and for de- velopment of Telangana after the bifurcation of Andhra. The decision to set up Andhra Pradesh Cap- ital Development Fund and Telangana Devel- opment Fund was taken by TANA Executive Committee at the request of several TANA members who wanted to take a constructive role in the development of the two new states. TANA will consult with the respective state governments regarding the appropriate utiliza- tion and disbursement of these funds, TANA president Mohan Nannapaneni announced Fri- day. TANA board member Jayaram Komati TANA secretary Satish Vemana are working closely with state and central governments in identifying the projects and needs. Based on his conversations with members, Nannapaneni said North American Telugus are quite enthusiastic about helping the develop- ment of their motherland. He anticipates that these members will con- tribute both their ideas and money to the de- velopment of both states. If the two governments respond properly, this enthusiasm can result in millions of dollars for the development of both the states, Nanna- paneni said. An additional incentive for donors in USA is that donations to these TANA funds are tax-de- ductible in USA. Donations can be made to either one or both funds per donor's choice, TANA said. Indian-origin scientist Anil Kulkarni wins Fulbright Nehru Fellowship Washington, DC: Indian-origin scientist Anil Kulkarni, has been awarded with the highly competitive Fulbright Nehru Fellowship. Kulkarni is a professor in the department of surgery at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) Medical School and his academic and professional experience gathered during his travel to India earlier, to teach immunonutrition and functional foods in the global health era, helped him grab this honor. He said that immunonutrition may be a modern term, but through the ages humans and an- imals have learned how to maintain and restore good health by modifying food intake that could enhance the body's defense system. The fellowship will allow professor to work with four universities in India — Sikkim Ma- nipal University Institute of Medical Sciences, Amrita University Institute of Medical Sci- ences in Kochi, Deccan Education Society affiliated Pune University and its Fergusson Col- lege, and Haffkine Institute in Mumbai affiliated with the University of Mumbai. He will also establish the first of its kind Center of ImmunonUTrition in Houston as a part of his scholarship, which will feature the development of basic and translational curriculum in this specific field. Couple donates $500K to UT Medical Center for diabetes research Dallas: An Indian American cou- ple in Dallas, Texas, Satish and Yasmin Gupta, have donated $500,000 to the UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas to sup- port genetic research on Type 2 diabetes among Indian Ameri- cans. Asian Indians are a demo- graphic group predisposed to early onset of the disease, accord- ing to medical data. The research will be done under Dr. Abhi- manyu Garg, chief of the division of nutrition and metabolic dis- eases at UT Southwestern. Participants in the study will be Indian Americans who have ear- ly-onset Type 2 diabetes and their immediate families. In addition to genetic analysis, the study will examine dietary intake, physical activity, insulin resistance and the amount of body fat. Pictured (left to right) with President Obama, are SB executives Arish Gupta, Yasmin Gupta, and Satish Gupta. Courtesy sbisteel.com Top Obama fundraiser Shefali Duggal appointed to holocaust body Shefali Razdan Duggal INDIA-US TIES 9 June 7-13, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info 'Visa issue not to impact how Modi deals with US' Washington, DC: Modi led BJP’s stunning election victory had put behind the issue of US visa for Naren- dra Modi and it's unlikely to impact bilateral ties with the US, according to a not- ed Indian strategic expert. After his election victory, the new Indian prime min- ister had made it clear that how India engages with US bilaterally would not be impacted by how an indi- vidual was treated, Com- modore (retd.) C Uday Bhaskar, Distinguished Fellow, Society for Policy Studies, said. But Modi, whose US visa was revoked in 2005 for his alleged complicity in the 2002 Gujarat riots, was unlikely to visit the US in a hurry, he said in a talk on "India-US Ties Under Narendra Modi" at the Hudson Institute, a Washing- ton think tank. In Bhaskar's view the UN general assem- bly session in September would be the first contact between the US and Indian leaders. Modi's first priority was the seven-nation SAARC and Japan. Modi has little foreign policy experience, yet he "hit the ground running" with an invitation to SAARC leaders to attend his swearing-in ceremony. "With that one act Modi has energized a moribund SAARC," Bhaskar said and he expected the new Indian leader to do the same with "moribund" India-US relations. Comparing the landmark India-US nu- clear deal to the Nixon-Kissinger opening to China, Bhaskar said it had not only "end- ed India's nuclear isolation but also brought India into the larger global politico-diplo- matic grid." He also expected the new Indi- an parliament to revisit the nuclear issue as India's tough liability law has practically stalled the deal. Bhaskar was sure the two sides will be able to find a modus vivendi to resolve the issue. Modi was "very very aware of the global business environment," he said and knows India needs to engage with the US to regain its 8-9% growth rate from the current 4.4%. Washington, DC: As the US reach- es out to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a dozen lawmakers have in- troduced a bipartisan congressional resolution committing to working with his government "to advance shared values and interests". Co- sponsored among others by lone In- dian-American House member Ami Bera and the first Hindu-American lawmaker Tulsi Gabbard, the reso- lution also seeks "to further strengthen our strategic partnership with India, including in the defense, trade, and security arenas". The resolution "congratulates the people of India on holding the largest democratic exercise in histo- ry of the world". Introduced by Republican Aaron Schock, the resolution's other co- sponsors included chairman of the House foreign affairs committee Ed Royce and the top Democrat on the panel Eliot Engel. Schock and fellow Republican Cynthia Lummis, who had both vis- ited Gujarat before the elections, and a couple of other lawmakers also issued statements to voice their commitment to "continuing to strengthen our strategic partner- ship". The resolution "marks a shift in US policy and signals growing con- gressional support, puts forth the of- ficial position of the House of Rep- resentatives on this matter of na- tional and global importance", Schock said. Meanwhile, State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki told re- porters Monday that when Secretary of State John Kerry called new Indi- an External Affairs Minister Sush- ma Swaraj last week to congratulate her, he also invited her to visit the US at the earliest opportunity. US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Nisha Desai Biswal, will be in New Delhi June 6-9 "to meet a range of officials". But Psaki did not have the details as yet. Washington, DC: The United States is ready to give a special role to India in its "Asia-Pacific rebal- ance" strategy and is "flex- ible" to adapt itself to meet the Indian defense needs, a former US government of- ficial has said. The official, who played a key role in India-US de- fense ties in past few years, hoped the Modi-led government with a decisive mandate would clear the high-tech projects that the two countries can co-produce for their respective armed forces. He said the Obama administra- tion is ready to go that extra mile to help India realize its ambition of being self-reliant in defense R&D and production. About 10 months ago, the then deputy secretary of defense Ash- ton Carter had submitted to the then UPA government a compre- hensive list of defense systems, which the US was ready to co- develop and co-produce with In- dia. "Those were projects that our industry would like to do with the Indian industry," the official said. These projects cover a whole gamut of defense system from hi-tech information, command and control and reconnaissance and naval systems. The propos- als also included various kinds of advance aircrafts and weapons systems for the two armies. Many of these proposals are those, which the US wants to in- troduce for its own armed forces, the official said, referring to lev- el of high-tech items that the Pentagon wants to co-develop and co-produce with India in the coming years. US House resolution commits to working with Modi govt 'US flexible to adapt itself to meet India's defense needs' Corporate Office: 385 Seneca Avenue, Ridgewood NY 11385 718.821.3182, www.AtlanticDialysis.Com Republican members of the House of Representatives, Aaron Schock, Cynthia Lummis and Cathy M Rodgers had met Modi in Gandhinagar with a delegation of business leaders in March 2013. An archival picture of Narendra Modi (right) during a visit to Chicago in 1993. 10 June 7-13, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info US AFFAIRS Washington: The Obama administration unveiled a plan on Monday to cut carbon dioxide emissions from power plants by nearly a third over the next 15 years, in a sweeping initiative to curb pollutants blamed for global warming. The 645-page rule, expected to be final- ized next year, is a centerpiece of President Barack Obama's plans to tackle climate change and aims to give the United States more leverage to prod other countries to act when negotiations on a new international treaty resume next year. Under the plan, carbon emissions would be reduced 30 percent by 2030, compared to 2005 levels, putting in motion one of the most significant actions ever on global warming. The proposal sets off a complex regulatory process, steeped in politics, in which the 50 states will each determine how to meet customized targets set by the Environmental Protection Agency. The policy change, which will further diminish the role of coal in US electrical production, carries significant political and legal risks. Those were heightened by the EPA giving states beyond 2016 — in some cases after Obama leaves office in early 2017 — to submit plans. That means even if the rules survive legal and other challenges, the dust won't likely settle on this transformation until well into the next administration, raising the possibility that political dynamics in either Congress or the White House could alter the rule's course. The rule has already drawn intense scorn from Republicans — and even some Democrats waging difficult campaigns this year in energy-producing states. Power plants are the largest source of greenhouse gases in the US, accounting for about a third of the annual emissions that make the US the second largest con- tributor to global warming on the planet. New York: Meteorologists at Accuweather.com are predicting another below-normal hurricane season for the Atlantic basin, with forecasters anticipating that two storms will make landfall in the eastern United States between June and late fall. Last year, two hurricanes, none major, formed in the Atlantic basin — the fewest number of hurricanes since 1982, and well below the six considered normal for the region. AccuWeather.com had forecast five last year. Should the upcoming hurricane season again fall short of normal, that would be just the fourth below-normal sea- son in 20 years, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Accuweather.com said in a release today. The onset of El Niño — a periodic phe- nomenon characterized by above-normal water temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean — would increase wind shear in the Atlantic and “thus suppress the develop- ment of tropical storms this season.” "If we have a robust El Niño develop, then the numbers will be much lower and this could be one of the least active years in recent memory," senior meteorologist Dan Kottlowski said in the release. Still, Kottlowski cautioned people to pre- pare for a bad storm. He recalled 1992 when Hurricane Andrew made landfall after a relatively calm early season. The Category 5 storm and its aftermath killed about 65 people and caused about $40 bil- lion in damage, according to the National Hurricane Center. "All we need is one hurricane," Kottlowski said. "Just because we are say- ing this is going to be an inactive season doesn't mean we couldn't have a couple of very intense hurricanes." This season, areas from the central and eastern Gulf of Mexico up through the East Coast are considered most vulnerable to a tropical system, Accuweather.com said. Warsaw, Poland: For the first time since his speech last Saturday in the White House, President Obama defended his administration' s decision to secure the release of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl amid new questions about his capture in Afghanistan. "Regardless of the circum- stances, whatever those circum- stances may turn out to be, we still get an American soldier back if he's held in captivity. True. Full stop," Obama said Tuesday at a news conference at the Belweder Palace here. "We don't condition that. That's what every mom and dad who sees a son or daughter sent over into war theater should expect from not just their com- mander in chief but the United States of America. "The United States has always had a pretty sacred rule. And that is we don' t leave our men or women in uniform behind, and that dates back to the earliest days of our revolution," he said. The president said the adminis- tration had consulted Congress in the past about the possibility of a prisoner exchange in order for the Taliban to release Bergdahl. The administration has come under fire by lawmakers for not consult- ing Congress prior to the swap. Bergdahl was captured by the Taliban in 2009, after, sources say, he walked away from his remote base, leaving his weapon behind. Taliban videos soon fol- lowed, showing the desperate young soldier pleading for free- dom. That freedom came after nearly five years in captivity. The United States government agreed to a deal with the Taliban to release five prisoners held at the U.S. military facility in Guantanamo Bay in exchange for Bergdahl’s freedom. "We saw an opportunity. We were concerned about Sergeant Bergdahl' s health. We had the cooperation of the Qataris to exe- cute an exchange, and we seized that opportunity," Obama said. "The process was truncated because we wanted to make sure we did not miss that window." Obama acknowledged that the five Guantanamo detainees swapped for Bergdahl's release could pose a future threat to the country. San Antonio, TX: The Miami Heat are looking for a three-peat, as they make their fourth straight NBA Finals appearance on Thursday night in San Antonio when they face the Spurs in a rematch from 2013. Miami cruised to the reach the finals. In the Eastern Conference Finals, they defeated Indiana Pacers 4-2. In comparison, San Antonio barely made it out of the opening round, needing seven games to beat the No. 8 seed Dallas Mavericks. They cruised in the second round, beating the Portland Trail Blazers in five games. In the Western Conference Finals, they got past the Oklahoma City Thunder in six games. San Antonio will host the first two games, followed by two games in Miami. If necessary, Game Five will be in San Antonio, and Miami will host Game Six. The potential Game Seven will be played in San Antonio. It almost goes without saying that James is the most important player in the series. If he performs up to his standards, the Heat will be very difficult to beat. The health of the Spurs’ point guard Tony Parker is a concern as he is dealing with a sprained ankle. President Obama with the parents of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl in the White House in Washington, May 31. Veterans affairs chief resigns amid healthcare uproar Washington: President Barack Obama announced the resignation of the head of the department of veter- ans affairs on Friday because of wide- spread problems plaguing the health- care system for mili- tary veterans. Obama said he accepted Eric Shinseki's resignation with "considerable regret" during a White House meet- ing, just two days after a scathing inter- nal report found broad and deep-seat- ed problems in the sprawling health care system, which is struggling to keep up with the number of vets returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Shinseki, a retired four-star general who had overseen veterans affairs since the start of Obama's presidency, had faced mounting calls to step down from congressional Republicans and Democrats. The controversy has ballooned into a top Washington issue since allegations surfaced that as many as 40 veterans may have died while awaiting care at the healthcare system in Phoenix, Arizona. Obama defends deal with Taliban for Sergeant release Miami Heat likely to win NBA title third year in a row Below-normal hurricane season predicted for Atlantic coast in 2014 Move to cut carbon dioxide emissions from power plants The Miami Heat beat the San Antonio Spurs in seven games in the 2013 NBA Finals. Now they have a rematch. Eric Shinseki quit as Secretary of Veterans Affairs Power plants are the largest source of greenhouse gases in the US, accounting for a third of the annual emissions that make the US the second largest contributor to global warming. INDIA New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accepted an invitation from US President Barack Obama to have bilateral discussions in Washington in September, potentially opening a new chapter in a sometimes edgy relationship between the world’s two biggest democracies. Government sources in Delhi said that the United States has offered September 30 as the date for the meeting, and the Indian side has asked for it to be advanced to September 26, around the time of Modi’s maiden address at the United Nations General Assembly. S Jaishankar, the Indian ambassador to the United States, is flying to New Delhi on June 8 for consultations with South Block and the prime minister’s office (PMO), and will brief Modi on the relationship and how to take it forward. The meeting between Modi and Obama will mean that the US view on the Indian PM has come full circle from the time it imposed a visa ban on him in 2005 in connection with the Gujarat riots three years earlier. The process of rapprochement started in February, when its recently retired ambassa- dor to India, Nancy Powell, went to Ahmedabad to meet Modi, then a PM candi- date. It also comes after an especially diffi- cult period in the relationship, sparked by the arrest and humiliation of Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade in New York over alle- gations of visa fraud, and a particularly sharp retaliation by the Indian side. But there could be a meeting of minds on economic ties: Modi has spoken often of the need to make India’s diplomacy trade- focused, and wants big ticket investments from mega corporations like GE, IBM and Microsoft. The US companies, while broadly enthusi- astic about India, have turned skittish of late due to stalled economic reforms, slow growth, and issues over tax, intellectual property and preferential market access. With Modi’s entry into the PMO, the Indian embassy in Washington has started serious diplomatic efforts to lure investment. For their part, some US defence contractors are keen to sell military hardware to the world’s biggest arms importer. “All pending bilateral issues will be dis- cussed in the one-day meeting as Modi is keen to push the relationship forward for its economic returns for India,” said a senior South Block official. Substantive sticking points are the Indian nuclear liability law that makes it difficult for US firms to build nuclear reactors in India, and the waning US support for India’s entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group, Missile Technology Control Regimes and other export regimes. Apart from that, Modi is understood to be concerned about the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and its impact on Jammu and Kashmir. Modi accepts Obama's invitation to US 11 June 7-13, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info Government sources in Delhi said that the United States has offered September 30 as the date for the meeting. PM asks secretaries to make government people friendly New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he had a "very fruitful" meeting with sec- retaries of all government departments during which he heard their views and asked them to make the government "people friendly". In a series of tweets close to midnight, the prime minister wrote: "Had a very fruitful meeting with secretaries. Heard their views and asked to simpli- fy administrative processes and make government people friendly. "We talked about institutional- ising processes as they will last longer than any individual and give better results to the peo- ple," he added. "I shared my views on the importance of teamwork and usage of technology, which has the potential to address people's grievances." The prime minister met all secretaries at his residence here without involving the ministers concerned. "Such a meeting has taken place after more than eight years," the prime minister' s office said in a statement here. "It was a very interesting exchange of ideas. The PM asked us to tell him what we want him to do for the min- istries. It was very nice and refreshing," a secretary told IANS after the meeting, on con- dition of anonymity. The meeting was in the nature of an interaction where the sec- retaries outlined the sectoral pri- orities. The prime minister "empathised with the sentiment expressed by the secretaries, and their anguish in not being able to realize their true poten- tial because of circumstances", the PMO said. As preparation for this meet- ing, Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth had instructed the various secre- taries to prepare Power Point presentations in not more than 10 slides, which should not take more than 10 minutes. A total of 77 top bureaucrats, including Finance Secretary Arvind Mayaram, Home Secretary Anil Goswami, Defence Secretary Radha Krishna Mathur and Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh, were called for the meeting, original- ly scheduled for Tuesday and postponed by a day because of the sudden death of Rural Development Minister Gopinath Munde in a road accident. Narendra Modi faces enormous challenges to kick-start the slowing growth trajectory and to implement his inclusive growth model. 3 New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his cabinet colleagues took oath as mem- bers of the newly-elected 16th Lok Sabha. Senior Congress leader Kamal Nath, who Wednesday was sworn-in by President Pranab Mukherjee as the pro tem speak- er, administered the oath to Prime Minister Modi, who was attired in spotless white churi- dar-kurta and matching jacket. Senior BJP leader L.K. Advani and Congress president Sonia Gandhi took oath next. The three leaders took oath in Hindi. They were followed by Arjun Charan Sethi of the Biju Janata Dal, P. A. Sangma of the National People' s Party and Biren Singh Engti of the Congress. After them, most of the mem- bers of the council of ministers of the National Democratic Alliance government took their oath as MPs of the new Lok Sabha. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj took her oath in impeccable Sanskrit. The senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader was followed by her party col- league and Mminister for Water Resources and Ganga Rejuvenation Uma Bharti, who too took her oath in Sanskrit as did union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan. Union ministers from Karnataka, including Railway Minister Sadananda Gowda, Minister of Chemicals and Fertilisers Ananth Kumar, and Minister of State for Civil Aviation G.M. Siddeshwara, took their oath in Kannada. Harsimrat Kaur Badal of the Shiromani Akali Dal, who is minister for food processing industries, took oath in Punjabi. Jual Oram, tribal affairs minis- ter, took oath in Odia, while Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Mansukhbhai Dhanjibhai Vasava took oath in Gujarati. Sarbananda Sonowal, minister of state for skill development, youth affairs and sports (Independent charge), took oath in Assamese. Other ministers took oath in Hindi while Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi took oath in English. The 16th Lok Sabha has 315 first-time lawmakers, the highest in 30 years for any house that has 543 elected and two nomi- nated members, according to data compiled by PRS Legislative, a research group that tracks the working of parlia- ment. Modi, Sonia and NDA ministers take oath as MPs 12 June 7-13, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info INDIA By Mohit Dubey R apes in Uttar Pradesh no longer shock - neither the political masters, nor the government and not even the peo- ple. Even as there was a national outcry against the recent twin gang- rape, brutal assault and ghastly mur- der by hanging from a tree in Badayun's Katra Sadatganj, forcing even the UN to sit up and take note, the powers that be in the state are unfazed. Soon after the incident, opposition parties bayed for the blood of the state's Samajwadi Party (SP) gov- ernment but forgot that the situation during their regimes in the past was no different. Congress vice presi- dent Rahul Gandhi rushed to the vil- lage in the company of national and regional TV crews to express his condolences. "This situation is not acceptable. Women are not safe in this government," he declared. Little did he remember, and others present realized, that in 2011 he had said the same thing when a minor while herding her cattle was gang- raped in a Lakhimpur Kehri police station and then hung by a belt inside the premises. The only differ- ence between then and 2014 is that the reins of the state have shifted from Bahujan Samaj Party's (BSP's) "Behenji" (Mayawati) to the SP's "Bhaiyya ji" (Akhilesh Yadav). In 2011, the Congress-led UPA-II government at the centre did noth- ing as it depended on the support of the 43 MPs of the SP and the BSP. This time, BSP supremo Mayawati, broke from her tradition of not visting crime scenes and flew into the village to meet the bereaved family. Before flying off in a private chopper she held a presser to claim that it was her sustained pressure that forced the SP government to okay a CBI probe into the incident as demanded by the family of the victims. She also conveniently forgot that visits by Congress and SP leaders to meet and console rape victims and their families during her stint as chief minister of Uttar Pradesh had drawn sharp rebuke from her. She even termed as "nautanki" (drama) every time some opponent dropped by to meet rape victims. Five of her party's legislators were named in FIRs for allegedly committing rapes. For the Samajwadi Party (SP) government in the state, incidents of rapes continue to be treated with shameful trivialism. Soon after the Badayun incident, a senior police officer, speaking on behalf of the state government said, almost casually, that rapes happen at a rate of 10 per day in the state. He seemed to question, rather brazenly on why there was so much media glare on the Badayun incident or, for that matter, a series of rapes that happened thereafter in Azamgarh, Etawah and Aligarh. He also blamed the "lack of toilets" in the country- side for the rise in rapes and molestations. What makes Uttar Pradesh stand out from other states in crimes against women is the total impunity and lack of fear for the law. No one seems safe and no place sacrosanct. The mother of a rape victim was recently thrashed and intimidated in Etawah for "daring to go to the police." In Nagla Preetam in Farukkhabad district, neighbouring Kannuaj, the parliamentary con- stituency of Dimple Yadav, the wife of Akhilesh Yadav, a 14-year-old girl was torched by a young man, Shrawan Jatav, after he failed to rape her. In SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav' s Azamgarh con- stituency, a girl was gang-raped a week ago. The latest incident has happened in his nephew Dharmendra Yadav's parliamentary constituency of Badayun, and one of the accused is a police constable. A rape victim, dejected at the accused not being arrested by police, consumed poison at an elec- tion rally being addressed by Akhilesh Yadav in April. The inci- dent took place at the KM Inter col- lege grounds in Bijnore, when the rape victim was trying to reach a point near the chief minister but was prevented by the security personnel present at the rally. Not certainly as long as Mulayam Singh Yadav's infamous "boys will be boys and rapes are small mis- takes" and his son Akhilesh Yadav's "you are safe so why worry" state- ments continue. Not only that - in January, Akhilesh Yadav had recom- mended that a rape case against one of his ministers be withdrawn in "public interest". Of the 4,917 rapes committed in Uttar Pradesh in the last three years, more than 3,421 have been reported from the villages. In the last 10 months alone, more than 1,723 rape cases or attempts to rape have been logged with the police, of which 1,300-plus are from small towns and villages. Police officers say the law is lax; the government says it has acted on rapes after they have hap- pened; the opposition says the gov- ernment must go and the people continue to hope against hope. No wonder rapes in Uttar Pradesh do not shock any more. Sadly! Sadly, rapes in UP no longer shock Washington: The US is "horrified" to learn of violent sexual assaults and murders in India's Uttar Pradesh state, the State Department has said. “Like, I think, so many in India, we were horrified to learn of these violent sexual assaults and mur- ders," Marie Harf, US State Department deputy spokesperson, said at the daily press briefing. “Our thoughts are with the vic- tims' families during this difficult time," Harf said while responding to questions on the brutal gang-rape and murder of two teenaged girls last week in Uttar Pradesh's Badaun district. She, however, applauded many individuals, government officials, and civil society groups in India that are working to protect the survivors and prevent gender-based violence. Meanwhile, the United Nations condemned the gang rape and mur- der of two girls in Uttar Pradesh's Badaun district and called for immediate action against the perpe- trators and to address violence against women across India. "There should be justice for the families of the two teenaged girls and for all the women and girls from lower caste communities, who are targeted and raped in rural India. Violence against women is not a women's issue, it's a human rights issue," Lise Grande, resident coor- dinator of the UN system in India, said in a statement. The statement said the UN system in India stands united with people across the country to do what it takes to ensure that every woman and girl can live safely and with dignity. "Every girl and woman should be able to live safely, feel protected and grow up free of violence," said Rebecca Tavares, UN Women' s Representative in India. Tavares said amongst the many actions that need to be taken, the UN encourages the speedier appli- cation of the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act 2013, including the establishment of the one-stop crisis centres. "The justice system is key to address the problem," she said. The UN said the incident also highlights the danger Indian women are exposed to due to lack of toilets. Mulayam Singh Yadav's infamous "boys will be boys and rapes are small mistakes" and his son Akhilesh Yadav's "you are safe so why worry" statements continue. New Delhi: Mulayam Singh Yadav, chief of the ruling Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh, courted controversy after he told reporters seeking his comments on the Badaun rape case to focus on doing their jobs. Mulayam Singh, father of UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, told reporters: "I am doing my job, you should do yours." "Strict action is being taken (in the case). What else can I say," he added. His remarks came after his son told reporters earlier that they should "Google" search the number of rapes happen- ing elsewhere in the country and stop focus- ing on UP. Sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik's sculpture condemning Badaun twin gang-rape and murder case in UP. Badaun rape: Mulayam snaps at media US, UN rap Uttar Pradesh on crimes against women 13 June 7-13, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info INDIA New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Kamal Nath took oath as the pro tem speak- er of the 16th Lok Sabha at R a s h t r a p a t i Bhavan here. He was sworn- in by President P r a n a b Mukherjee. Vice- President Hamid Ansari and Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the ceremony. Asked what can assure the Congress' cooperation to the BJP- led NDA government in parliament, Kamal Nath said the "legislations left incomplete" during the previous government's term should be "taken (up) on a priority (basis)". "Of course, we will oppose but it will be constructive opposition. Not the kind (of opposition) the BJP demonstrated in the 15th Lok Sabha," he added. Explaining further, he said the "first duty is that the interest of the nation and the interest of the people of the country should be served." Asked if the Congress will get to be the main opposition party with Leader of Opposition from its ranks as it lacks the required numbers, he said it was for the "speaker to decide upon Leader of Opposition". "It is necessary the house should have a leader of the opposition. This has been our parliamentary tradi- tion. I believe the speaker will act according (to tradition)," he said. Kamal Nath, one of the longest- serving MPs, advised first-time members of the Lok Sabha to "remember that their first duty is towards their constituency. Otherwise, there will be no second time". The Congress leader, who was the parliamentary affairs minister in the previous UPA government, was elected to the Lok Sabha for the ninth term from the Chhindwara constituency in Madhya Pradesh. Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa presented Prime Minister Narendra Modi a memoran- dum listing projects and schemes involving central investment and assistance running into several thou- sands of crores of rupees. Jayalalithaa submitted the memorandum when she met Modi at his office in New Delhi. According to the mem- orandum, copies of which were distributed to the media here, Jayalalithaa sought a comprehensive special pack- age for the fisheries sector involving a sum of Rs.1,520 crore and a recurring grant of Rs.10 crore per annum. She also sought central assistance to the tune of Rs.2,250 crore for setting up solar power transmission infrastructure. Jayalalithaa also urged the central government to release the Rs.1,576.87 crore shortfall in central grants and Rs.7,039.96 crore towards central sales tax com- pensation. The memorandum also urged the central gov- ernment to fund 50 percent cost of the three desalination water projects planned in the state involving an outlay of Rs.8,442.53 crore. On the transport infrastructure projects, Jayalalithaa wanted central investment in the railway projects men- tioned in the state government's Vision 2023 documents at an outlay of Rs.188,400 crore. Tamil Nadu also wants central funding for express- way projects involving an investment of Rs.21,320 crore and also for the peripheral ring road project to the tune of around Rs.4,800 crore - 40 percent of the total project cost. She also sought substantial central funding of the Rs.10,000 crore scheme for modernization of the police force including housing facilities. Kamal Nath sworn-in as pro tem speaker SEP. Senior Congress leader Kamal Nath after taking oath Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa with Prime Minister Narendra Modi Anjali Damania Jaya seeks huge central investment for Tamil Nadu Anjali Damania quits AAP Mumbai: Anjali Damania, Aam Aadmi Party's senior leader from Maharashtra, has quit the party, officials said here. "Dear colleagues, with a heavy heart, I am ending my association with AAP," she said in her resignation message to top AAP office bearers here. "My greatest regards for Arvind (Kejriwal), who is like an elder brother. All I want to request is that please do not have any conspiracy theories over my exit," Damania said. The AAP state convenor added she had never compro- mised her values and would never do so. 14 June 7-13, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info INDIA Mumbai: Gopinath Munde, a farmer' s son who became the nation's rural development minister, was adept at building bridges with other parties in the state and became the foremost BJP leader in Maharashtra after the sudden death of his brother-in-law, party strong- man Pramod Mahajan in May 2006. This was until his erstwhile junior ministerial colleague in the Maharashtra government in 1994- 99, Nitin Gadkari shot into the limelight on being elected BJP national president in 2009 to sal- vage the party after its humiliating defeat in the general elections that year. Born as the third child among five in a middle-class farmer family of Parali in Beed district in the backward Marathwada region, Munde studied in a modest govern- ment school where classes were conducted under a tree, before join- ing a district-level high school and later did his graduation from a col- lege in Ambejogai. During his college days, Munde met a sauve, soft-spoken young man, Pramod Mahajan, who coaxed him to join the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad. Later, during the Emergency of 1975-1977 he was jailed for nearly three years as an RSS activist. Munde found his political calling when he attended a training camp of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in Pune later and subse- quently took over as an executive committee member of the Pune RSS. By 1980, the Janata Party coali- tion in the capital was on the verge of collapse, and the BJP was born out of the former Bharatiya Jana Sangh. That year, Munde became state president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha and was also elected a Maharashtra legislator. Munde's friendship with Mahajan blossomed into a family relation- ship when he married his sister, Pradnya Mahajan. The couple have three daughters, including Pankaja Munde-Palve, a state legislator elected from their home constituen- cy, Parali. After working as a legislator of the Shiv Sena-BJP opposition in the state, in December 1991 Munde was catapulted to Leader of Opposition - a coveted post he held till March 1995. In the Maharashtra assembly elections held later that year, the saffron alliance emerged the sur- prise winner, ousting the then undi- vided Congress from power when Sharad Pawar was the chief minis- ter. While Shiv Sena's Manohar Joshi became the state's first Brahmin chief minister, Munde was made the deputy chief minister and home minister for the SS-BJP govern- ment's full term before it was voted out in 1999. His tenure as home minister became famous for the free hand he gave the Mumbai and state police to eliminate mafia dons and gang- sters in what came to be known as the dreaded 'encounter killings' by the police. Many ordinary police- men, given a virtually free hand, went around killing gangsters in Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Nagpur and other places and were publicly rec- ognized and eulogized. After Mahajan's death in 2006, Munde gained prominence as the senior-most BJP leader in the state until Gadkari overshot him in the stature in 2009 as the party presi- dent. But, then Munde became the deputy leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha. Despite blowing hot-and-cold, the Munde-Gadkari duo managed a fair working relationship in the party politics. With the BJP-led NDA's historic win in the 2014 Lok Sabha elec- tions, both Munde and Gadkari were made ministers in the union cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, handling important portfolios befitting their stature and experience. This time even Munde's niece, Poonam Mahajan-Rao (daughter of Pramod Mahajan), was elected from Mumbai. Her brother Rahul Mahajan is a television personality. Munde is the second mass leader from the backward Marathwada region of Maharashtra to have died prematurely. Two years ago, Congress' strong- man and former chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh died of illness at the age of 67. who built bridges with others Munde: Rural Development minister Gopinath Munde died of shock and internal bleeding after a private taxi hit his car in New Delhi Munde's last rites held in Beed Beed (Maharashtra): The mortal remains of union minister Gopinath Munde, killed in a road accident in New Delhi, were con- signed to the flames at his birth- place here even as several politi- cians, including Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and MNS chief Raj Thackeray who were present faced the ire of the people demanding a CBI probe into the death. Munde's mortal remains were consigned to the flames with his teary-eyed eldest daughter and legislator Pankaja Munde-Palve performing the ceremony and lighting the funeral pyre as the senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader had only three daugh- ters and no son. Pankaja’s action was symbolic and was expected to send positive signals in the Marathwada region which has been regularly in the news for incidents of female foeti- cide besides heralding her as the claimant to her father's political legacy. Slogans of ' Gopinath Munde Amar Rahe' , ' Gopinath Munde Come Back' and 'Gopinath Munde Zindabad' were raised as the funer- al ceremonies got underway. Thousands of people also raised a chorus for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe and vir- tually cornered several VIPs who had arrived here for Munde's last rites. At one point a crowd surrounded Chavan' s vehicle and started thumping the windows and bonnet forcing the security personnel to carry out a baton charge to dis- perse them. Elsewhere, some miscreants torched an unidentified vehicle and pelted stones at other vehicles and even at a helicopter parked near the funeral venue outside Vaijnath Sugar Factory premises. Among the personalities who faced angry slogan-shouting by the crowds were Chavan, ministers Narayan Rane, R. R. Patil, Chhagan Bhujbal, Harshvardhan Patil, Jayant Patil, Nitin Raut as well as Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray. Supporting the demand for a CBI probe, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray later said that public sentiments must be respect- ed, and he was endorsed by Republican Party of India chief Ramdas Athawale. Both parties are allies of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the state. Minor clashes were witnessed between unidentified mourners and security personnel at various places around the funeral venue in Parali-Vaijnath, Munde's birth- place in Beed district, but later the situation was brought under con- trol. A sea of humanity including sev- eral union and state ministers, political leaders from all parties, BJP activists and locals were pres- ent at the last rites. The state government has declared three-day state mourning for the departed leader. Gopinath Munde's daughter performing last rites in Beed New Delhi: Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari will hold additional charge as minister of rural development, pan- chayti raj, and drinking water and sanitation, a Rashtrapati Bhavan statement said. "The president of India, as advised by the prime minister, has directed that Nitin Jairam Gadkari shall be given additional charge of the min- istries of rural development, panchayati raj and drinking water and sanitation," the statement said. Gadkari to be given charge of Munde's ministries OP-ED June 7-13, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info 15 By Sri Sri Ravi Shankar W hat appears is not and what does not, is." This ancient saying aptly describes the Indian political sce- nario. The Congress-led UPA claims to be secular; peel a few layers and you will find it is steeped in com- munalism. The BJP-led NDA, accused of communalism, does all that it can to get rid of this label and walk that extra mile. No doubt scams, price rise, all pervading corruption, negative industrial growth and unemployment played a major role; but above all it was the communal attitude of the Congress party chief and her overt tilt towards the Muslim minority that derailed the UPA. Perhaps, the Congress did not expect the Hindu majority to join together since they have always been divided on linguistic and caste lines. Soon after assuming the Prime Minister's Office ( P M O ) , M a n m o h a n Singh openly declared that minorities had the first right on India's resources, driving a dagger through the hearts of Hindus who had stood by him. Not once during his tenure did he even acknowledge the mag- nanimity of the majority commu- nity. While many complained that they were not treated with dignity, sops were doled out for minorities to the tune of thousands of crores. Many decisions by the UPA proved destructive for institutions that are the foundations for the country' s democracy. Pranab Mukherjee, the rightful choice for the post of prime minister, was overlooked. Sonia Gandhi chose P.J. Thomas as Chief Vigilance Commissioner in spite of his bad record. The ruling alliance showed little respect towards the Supreme Court. The government machinery through agencies like the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate was made a tool for vindictive politics. The first family was quick to take credit at every possible opportuni- ty but ended up denigrating the PMO. There are a lot of honest and well-intentioned people in the Congress but they felt suffocated, sad and disheartened as everything was controlled by a small coterie. The proposed Communal Violence Bill presumed that the majority community was always the culprit and its members could be arrested with a non-bailable warrant. The UPA came up with several such discriminatory laws. The government also directed pub- lic sector banks to be liberal while sanctioning and writing off loans to religious minorities. The excesses in corruption under the UPA kept becoming more and more embarrassing to explain and difficult to hide. Never before have so many files gone missing from important offices. It seems fire had a great affinity for the files of the Congress government - the last fire accident happened in its last days while leaving office. It is not that the Congress has not done any good at all - it took some very progressive initiatives but the volume of wrongdoings washed them all away. It is time for the grand old party to rethink its strategy, get rid of sycophancy and be true to democracy. A leading Indian spiritu- al guru, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar heads the Art of Living Foundation. It is time for the grand old party to rethink its strategy, get rid of sycophancy and be true to democracy. 16 June 7-13, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info ULTIMATE BOLLYWOOD T he city sucks. And it sucks in the uninitiated, swallows up the inno- cent wholesale, diminishes the indi- vidual's ego. If you happen to be one of the multitude of faceless migrants, you are in for a really grueling time. "Citylights" is Hansal Mehta's ode to the invisible people, those people populating the pavements we often see from our mov- ing cars. Mehta zooms in on the life of one such family. He sucks us into their lives with such intensity and passion that we never can bear ourselves to come out of their world even when their lives become unbearably hurtful. "Citylights" secretes a heart large enough to break in front of our eyes. As Deepak Singh (Rajkumar Rao, that non-actor par excellence), his wife Rakhi (Patralekha) and little daughter relocate from their little universe in Rajasthan to Mumbai, we watch in numbed silence their initiation into the world of disillusionment and heartbreak. As the happy little family's world comes apart at the seams, Mehta's camera captures them in unadorned stark colours. "Citylights" shoots its saga of the brutal cruelty of the concrete jungle with a candour that leaves us flummoxed and frozen. The plot as it thickens in the second half, doesn't allow any elbow room for distractions. The protagonist's journey into the heart of darkness is immediate, and irreversible. What Mehta does is to show us the fatality and finality of lives thrust into the bowels of the city. Not that Mumbai is shown to be entirely lacking in kindness and compassion. Deepak and his wife encounter good people too. It's not the people who are callous. It's the daily grind that makes them self-centred and uncaring. Mehta's ode to the remorseless city is suf- fused in a lived-in pain. Only an artiste who has suffered the first-hand humiliation of rejection and compromise could do the sequence such as the one where Rakhi auditions for a bar girl's job. Mehta furbish- es such stark moments with an astute and rigorous honesty. A remarkable equilibrium runs through the moral fibre of the film. Ritesh Shah's sensitive script doesn't look for villains to make his protagonists look sympathetic. “Citylights” would remain with me for a long time. Gripping, glorious and unforget- table, it is a shattering, life-changing expe- rience. I t will be one momentous night. Nightingale of India Lata Mangeshkar will sing, film- maker Karan Johar will host and stars like Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan will launch Bollywood thespian Dilip Kumar's long-awaited biography here June 9. The biography, "Substance And The Shadow", will be launched at a hotel here, with the who's who of the film industry coming together and being actively involved in the event, a statement said. While Karan Johar will be the host of the mega book launch, Lata will light the inaugural lamp and begin the event by singing a few lines for Dilip Kumar. That will set the stage for Amitabh and Aamir to unveil the book, documented by Dilip Kumar's close friend Udaya Tara Nayar. While Big B will read a verse or a paragraph from the book, Aamir will recite a poem written by Prasoon Joshi. Veteran actor Dharmendra too will read a few lines on the thespi- an, and Vyjayanthimala will speak a few words in honour of the leg- endary actor, whose wife Saira Banu will be by his side. Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Hema Malini, Madhuri Dixit, Tina and Anil Ambani, Kamal Haasan, Priyanka Chopra, Parineeti Chopra and Vidya Balan are other likely guests. Bollywood thespian Dilip Kumar with Lata Mangeshkar Mumbai: Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan, who clocked 41 years of marital bliss Tuesday, are not cele- brating the special day in a big way as the entire family is busy with other commit- ments. However, Big B says their hearts are "together". "Devoid of any celebration, devoid of presence, just devoid...Wife away out of country, children travelling ..but hearts together (sic)," the 71-year-old tweeted. The couple got married June 3, 1973 and has two children - son Abhishek and daughter Shweta. While Abhishek is married to actress Aishwarya Rai and they have daughter named Aaradhya, Shweta is married to businessman Nikhil Nanda and have son Agastya Nanda and daughter Navya Naveli Nanda. Abhishek expressed his love towards his parents on Twitter Tuesday morning by posting a photograph and cap- tioning it: "My parents' anniversary today. 41 years and still going strong! Love you guys." Big B, who has worked with wife Jaya in films including "Zanjeer", "Abhimaan", "Chupke Chupke", "Sholay", "Silsila" and "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham", thanked fans for sending in wishes. Dilip Kumar's biography launch: Lata to sing Review Devoid of celebrations: Big B on 41st wedding anniversary A scene from 'Citylights' Big B says their hearts are "together" ULTIMATE BOLLYWOOD 17 June 7-13, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info F ilmmaker Anurag Kashyap joined hands with Women in Film and Television (WIFT) India to host the premiere of the documentary film "The World Before Her" directed by India-born Canadian film- maker Nisha Pahuja here. Actresses like Kalki Koechlin, Shilpa Shukla and Nimrat kaur also attended the screening, held May 31 by WIFT India' s monthly screening club Cine Corner. The premiere also saw the presence of celebrities like Elli Avram, Pallavi Sharda and Ajay Bahl. The screening was fol- lowed by a question and answer session by Kashyap and the film' s cast - Ruhi Singh, Pooja Chopra and Neera Chopra. "I couldn't have asked for a better platform other than WIFT India! With 50 chap- ters globally, Nisha's connect with WIFT Toronto and now WIFT India proves that being connected is important for the independent filmmaker," Kashyap said in a statement. "WIFT India's support to encourage independent women filmmakers via Cine Corner is a much needed platform for the premiere of ‘The World Before Her'. So, it's going to be a women's show all the way," he added. "The World Before Her" explores the complex and conflicting environment for young girls in India by profiling two young women - Ruhi, who aspires to become Miss India, and Prachi Trivedi, a militant Hindu nationalist with the Durga Vahini - partic- ipating in two very different types of training camps. W hen Vidya Balan was asked to consider a role in "Bobby Jasoos", she thought she will play assistant to a detective a la Kitty to the popular sleuth Karamchand. Little did Vidya know that the makers were asking her to essay a female detective in the movie! In "Bobby Jasoos", produced by Born Free Entertainment, Vidya plays the title role. Recalling her meeting with pro- ducers Dia Mirza and Sahil Sangha, as well as the film's director Samar Shaikh and writer Sanyuktha Chawla Shaikh, she asked them: "Okay, what is the film that you want to make about?" Narrating the conversation, she said: "They told me ' It’s called 'Bobby Jasoos' and I immediately thought that they want me to play Kitty to Karamchand… great!' Then Dia told me we want you to play Bobby Jasoos and I was imme- diately interested because I had never imagined a female detective. "I took the script with me, read it, had a few meetings with Samar and Sanyunktha to understand their vision and, as it was a great con- cept, I immediately agreed to do it." Releasing July 4, "Bobby Jasoos", presented by Reliance Entertainment, also stars Ali Fazal, Kiran Kumar, Arjan Bajwa, Anupriya Goenka, Zarina Wahab and Tanvi Azmi. B ollywood celebrities like Mahesh Bhatt and Javed Akhtar have expressed shock and grief at the sudden demise of union Minister for Rural Development and senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Gopinath Munde in Delhi. The tinsel town remembers him as “leader” and an “inspir- ing gentleman”. Here's what the celebrities posted on Twitter: Mahesh Bhatt: Tragic! Gopinath Munde, a fine human being & leader has 'passed away'. The nation mourns his loss (sic). Asha Bhosle: Condolences to Gopinathji's family. Deeply saddened to hear this news. He was a good friend & well wisher. Javed Akhtar: The sudden demise of Mr. Munde has come as a shock to everyone. My condolence to the family and friends. Subhash Ghai: Personally Shocked n sad. Munde ji was an inspiring gentleman I knew. He would smile n share every- one's grief god bless his noble soul (sic). Madhur Bhandarkar: Shocked to hear about Mundeji. Will miss his rare combination of admirable leadership skills with a down to earth yet vibrant personality (sic). Ronnie Screwvala: Life has its own turns - and we do not always know whats around the bend - RIP Gopinath Munde (sic). Pritish Nandy: Sad. Gopinath Munde. Can't claim his friendship but he was a decent man. Readying to contest for Maharashtra's CM job (sic). Sanjay Gupta: Saddened by the news of Mr. Munde's death. The unpredictability of life... RIP Gopinathji. Atul Kulkarni: Pramod Mahajan, Vilasrao Deshmukh, Balasaheb Thakre, Gopinath Munde. MRashtra politics is changing at the hands of death rather than people (sic). Manoj Bajpayee: RIP Mr. Munde! Condolences to the family and friends! Satish Kaushik: Shocking death of dedicated popular BJP leader from Maharashtra.. May god rest his soul in peace. My heartfelt condolences to the family. Gul Panag: Terrible to hear about the untimely demise of Mr Gopinath Munde. Deepest condolences. RIP. Riteish Deshmukh: I am shocked beyond words - Apart from being a big leader for me Mundeji was my father's clos- est friend - an unfathomable loss. Rohit Roy: Omg... So sad to hear about Gopinath Munde's sudden demise May god bless his soul. Kailash Kher: Shocked to hear about sad Demise of Sensitive Human,Committed Leader Shri Gopinath Munde. Parmatma iss ghadi me parivar ko shakti de, prayers. (sic). B-Town pays tributes to Munde Late Union Minister for Rural Development Gopinath Munde 'The World With Her' premiered in India Director Nisha Pahuja and Nimrat Kaur at premiere of 'The World Before Her' Vidya Balan 18 June 7-13, 2014 COMMUNITY TheSouthAsianTimes.info By Parveen Chopra H e arrives at The South Asian Times office 10 minutes before the time fixed for the interview, such is his humility. His friendly, jolly nature is accentuated by his big bear-like build. Speaking about the circumstances that led him, a community activist but not a politician, to stand for Mayor in the tony Village of Muttontown, Pericles ‘Perry’ Linardos betrays no anger or rancor. He just presents the facts in a forthright manner and delineates the positive changes he will bring about so residents can move on with their lives. Perry’s positive attitude notwith- standing, from all accounts, the incumbent Mayor of Muttontown in Nassau County of New York, Julianne Beckerman has made the residents’ life difficult. Besides, in her self-righteousness, she feels there is no need for anybody to challenge her in the election, which has been kept so low-key that most residents are not even aware that there is an election on June 17. Residents fear that going against her will bring retribution, so they don’t see a way to replace her -- unimag- inable in a country that prides itself to be the greatest democracy in the world! The candidature of Perry Linardos for Mayor along with a slate of three for Trustee chairs should bring the residents hope. But they are running against some odds. First, it took some doing to get 75 registered voters’ signatures on their petition. That they had the permis- sion to run got confirmed only last week. As for funds, people are will- ing to help but do not want money to be traced back to them. Perry says he is running because there needs to be a choice on the ballot -- we live in a democracy after all. “Right now this is a village run by one person,” he argues. “Look at the voting of village trustees at meetings — everything passes unanimously on every vote. That itself should raise red flags. The election needs to be more than a one horse race.” Aware of the frustration of the residents, Perry promises to increase transparency and openness in Village government, an end to exorbitant fees and oppressive and selective enforcement tactics, a non-adversarial relationship between residents and village gov- ernment and an end to microman- agement. Julianne Beckerman, speaking to Oyster Bay Guardian recently, chal- lenged Perry’s characterization of her administration. “Everything we do is in open daylight, transparent,” she asserted. “And we have been lis- tening to residents for eight years, and made sure everyone’s questions are answered.” Beckerman rebutted the micro- management accusation thus, “As a mayor you’re responsible for every action of your administration. It’s a mayor’s responsibility to represent the community’s quality of life issues. You have to balance between the community’s interest and the individual’s interest, which some- times are divergent.” Perry also refers to village funds being squandered in a needless liti- gation where the administration spent a million bucks in legal fees while trying to repossess a piece of property which is worth a hundred thousand only. Many residents of the Village, who want to remain anonymous, complained how it takes them months, even years, to get permis- sions to remove tress, build decks, pools, change the sidings on their homes … every small change to the existing structures and to build new ones turns into a tug of war with the Village administration. Going forward, Perry and his team are knocking on doors to tell voters about the election. In the pri- vacy when they cast their vote, resi- dents may speak out their mind. Even last time, Beckerman could defeate challenger Kevin Spillane by only two score or so votes. Significantly, the Indian community accounts for about 20% of the households in Muttontown located on the North Shore of Nassau County in the Town of Oyster Bay. Perry feels strongly about Muttontown and its community. The 49-year-old has been a resident since 1976 when his surgeon father (an immigrant from Greece) built a home here for his family. “My father wanted me to become a doc- tor too, but felt reconciled when he saw me saving lives as a para- medic.” In his 25 years plus as a volunteer and professional firefight- er / paramedic, Perry has won numerous awards and honors. He will even tell you that he was there to help during the two World Trade Center attacks. Perry is also the CEO of The Certification Center based in Flushing, NY, that provides Healthcare & Safety Training, Life Saving Equipment, and on site Emergency Preparedness Planning & Evaluating. Besides he has a mixed use property on Upper West Side in Manhattan. Perry is a family man – his wife teaches in North Shore Day School in Glen Cove, NY, and they have four school going children. Many residents of the Village of Muttontown in Nassau County complain in private that they have long suffered the high-handed and authoritarian ways of the two-time Mayor Julianne Beckerman, but have been afraid to speak out for fear of retribution. Finally, ‘Perry’ Linardos has come forward to challenge Beckerman in the June 17 election and seeks support to make the Village Hall resident-friendly in a wealthy neighborhood with a fifth of residents being Indian American. Muttontown deserves a change: Perry P eoples Liberty Party Committee has been formed to run in the upcoming Muttontown Village Election scheduled for Tuesday, June 17, 2014 at the Village Hall. Besides Pericles “Perry” Linardos for Mayor, their candidates for Trustees are George M. Chalos, an attorney; Russell Orenstein, business owner dealing in real estate; James Ronaghan, who has been an Auxiliary with the Old Brookville Police Department and as a court officer in the Muttontown Village Court. “It’s time for trustees with experience, intelligence and a friendly attitude to run a village, our village,” Perry says. The press release from Perry said: “We use a quote from Thomas Jefferson as our mission state- ment: ‘When the people fear the government you have tyranny, when the government fears the people you have liberty’.” The release continued: Our current Village administration has done a fair job, the people of Muttontown deserve outstanding. We need to end oppressive enforcement tactics. We need to restore people’s voice and trust and end micromanagement. We need to run a transparent and open Village Government. We need the Village to be a resource rather than an adversary. We need to stress cooperation instead of litigation. We need a team that is customer and public service oriented. We encourage every registered voter in the Incorporated Village of Muttontown to participate in the democratic process without fear of retaliation and retribution. Pericles ‘Perry’ Linardos, candidate for Mayor of Village of Muttontown. Two-time incumbent mayor Julianne Beckerman. Three trustee candidates on Perry’s slate: George M. Chalos, Russell Orenstein and James Ronaghan. Perry Linardos (middle) receiving one of the numerous awards for his voluntary work as a firefighter-medic. 19 June 7-13, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info OP-ED The views expressed in Op Eds are not necessarily those of The South Asian Times. 9-point, 99-day action plan for the Modi govt By Vibhuti Jha T he much needed change in the political leadership in India is truly of gigantic proportions not only because a karma yogi, Narendra Modi, is taking over the reins of taking India in a new direction, but also because he has transformed the mood of the country and its peo- ple. India is experiencing a genera- tive mood of ambition, pride, pas- sion, positivity and hope. The degenerative mood of cynicism, negativity, mistrust, and frustration is on the decline. The work for the new government is cut out. The left-overs and the negative lega- cies of the previous regie need to be trashed. Case in point is the refusal of the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalitha, pampered by Congress and UPA due to coalition compulsions, to attend Modi’s swearing in ceremony because of the invitation to the President of Sri Lanka. Virtually every aspect of India, social, technology, econ- omy and politics, needs a fresh look and many action plans need to be put in place to put the econo- my and social fabric on a stronger basis. This is as much a time for bold declarations as it is for bolder actions. Expectations from Modi have reached levels hitherto unknown. He is a reformer, a doer but not a magician! So, allow his handiwork some time to have the required impact. His detractors are only waiting to pounce on everything that goes even marginally wrong. Modi need not fear but must act towards the launch of the national mood towards action. For far too long we Indians have indulged ourselves in the five V's of our social fabric - Vichar (think- ing), Vimarsh (consulting with each other), Vishlayshan (analysis) , Vimochan (dissertation ) and Vikhyan (pontification)! Mr. Modi has made a different offering by connecting well with the people of India cutting across various dis- sensions because he proved him- self to be a karam yogi. The press, media and all the political pundits are already put- ting out various six, seven or eight point agendas for almost every single central ministry. I recall my grandfather’s teaching, “Great people did not become great because they did great things sud- denly. They became great because they did those small things right over a period in time". With that in mind I am offering a 9 point action plan for the next 100 days that will be the first baby steps towards a giant leap. Every 100 days a new landmark will continue until the completion of the five year term. 9 action issues to attend to in the remaining 99 days: 1. Approve and activate mini- mum 9 power projects, with at least 2 in most deprived regions of the country. Let there be light every- where in India. 2. The cleaning of Varanasi begins NOW... ask ALL bureaucrats to set an example by picking up the broom and sweeping the streets and deposit the waste in the right place in the right bin. Announce that it is everybody's responsibility to keep their city clean. Challenge at least 9 other cities to join in the effort. Create cleaning the city as a waste management practice and business opportunity. 3. Issue immediate instructions that NO politician or bureaucrat will now on participate in the award ceremonies or open a sporting event. Ask HRD ministry to submit a report, within 90 days, to lay a firm ground for organizing college and school sports as it is done in US or other great sporting nations. It is a pity that sports, which respects and necessitates performance as a criterion for success, is not given enough importance due to lack of opportunity at grassroots levels. 4. Announce continuation of Raghuram Rajan as RBI Governor and accept RBI recommendation not to have GOI and RBI nominees on the board of commercial banks in India. This will bring about accountability and responsibility in commercial banks in the way they address and attend to loans and advances and the assets that go sour. Since most of the large loans have to be approved either by a select committee for the purpose or the full board, the RBI and the Government representatives cannot absolve themselves of their respon- sibility if the asset becomes non- performing. Merely adding capital is not the solution to NPAs (non performing assets). Currently Indian economy is saddled with huge number of NPAs. India cannot afford this waste of precious capital. Banks’ job is not only to sell the NPAs to an Asset Reconstruction Company for a pittance but to revive the busi- ness to preserve and enhance the value of capital. 5. Announce the privatization of Air India to recapture the glory days of the national carrier. Even the leadership of the Pilot Association lamented about the ridiculous interferences of the bureaucracy in running down the airline. National carriers carry the national identity to all countries of the world. The world witnesses first hand the management culture of a country through the projection of its image by its performance and offer- ings at its airports and in the sky. I believe very few will give Air India a thumbs up on its performances. India msut began to have a com- prehensive plan to build airports that would create a massive oppor- tunity for the economy in virtually every aspect of life. Instead what the airline policy indulged in was bartering away the existing routes instead of expanding the actual potential that Indian skies offer. 6. Approve 9 hotel projects in and around Indian cultural heritage locations. Commit to developing domestic tourism by building up and protecting Indian heritage, cul- tural sites and historical monuments which in turn will lead to develop- ment of hotel and hospitality indus- try. Again, Indian tourists are being courted and invited to various coun- tries all over the world. While the infrastructure facilities overseas encourage Indians to travel abroad, the cost and inconvenience of domestic travels becomes painful. We have the ability and potential to build a robust tourism industry - not only international but also domes- tic. India has incredible opportuni- ties to make tourism as essential part of development process. Take the example of New York City that became a marvelous example of global tourism with excellent facili- ties for all class of tourists and trav- elers plus safety and security of vis- itors accorded high importance. 7. Mandate that all infrastruc- ture projects be compliant with the needs of the physically challenged. Once we do this we truly imple- ment an inclusionary practice. In addition, to make India a truly inclusive society and country, the government must shift the focus from caste based job creation to skill based occupational growth and wealth creation. India needs to have its own people creating a Nike, an Adidas and wealth creation via waste management practices Just as Bollywood and the sports industry recognize talent and performance based culture, likewise we must focus on talent and skill develop- ment in all aspects of life. Giving respect to what people do is more important than the caste they are born in. Creating respect and oppor- tunity for work is critical rather than looking down on anyone for what they do. The focus com- mences on redefining the caste structure. Those who are in the Government at any level be called the new Brahmins. Those who are in homeland security functions whether in armed forces to police to quasi security agencies be called the warriors or kshatriya. People in trade and commerce be called the banias and finally the service providers be called the Shudras, if at all! The skill of a person will determine the function he performs and the training and learning will contribute to that person’s effective- ness on the job he does. 8. Justice delayed is justice denied - we all know that. Issue instructions to set up 9 special courts to attend to cases pending over 5 years with mandated require- ments for all involved parties to be present to close and arrive at a ver- dict within a period of 90 days. If the involved parties cannot be pre- pared in 5 years’ time, they never will be. This will unburden the court system of files and cases that we need not waste the people’s time and resources. 9. Job creation is the compelling issue affecting the youth of the country. We all know that it is not possible to instantly create jobs overnight yet the ground work must begin now. The specific industries that will attract investments will handle the availability of suitable candidates, but the Government can instantly provide credits and incentives to those young men and women who join the armed forces, police forces and other agencies for homeland security. The training, recognizing the value of learning and performance, will impact the youth positively and inculcate a sense of belonging whereby homeland security becomes the responsibility of every citizen of the country. There is lot to be done and expec- tations are running wild. India is enjoying the ride of being on the technology leap. If we convert that energy into actions, we will reap advantages of reaching our poten- tial. At the moment we remain an unfulfilled ambition. New York based Vibhuti Jha is President, Human Potential Project. Prior to joining HP2, he was a sen- ior officer with American Express Bank International. Virtually every aspect of India, social, technology, economy and politics, needs a fresh look and many action plans need to be put in place to put the economy and social fabric on a stronger basis. DIASPORA 20 June 7-13, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info India evacuates 1,000 nationals from Ukrainian city Petition in Britain to consider Diwali, Eid holidays New Delhi: The first batch of 500 Indians, mostly students, left vio- lence-hit Ukrainian city of Lugansk to Kiev on Tuesday as India made arrangements to evacuate close to 1,000 of its nationals from that city, the biggest such exercise after thou- sands of Indians were evacuated from Libya in 2011. The evacuation arrangements were made in cooper- ation with the Ukrainian govern- ment, the spokesperson in the exter- nal affairs ministry said in New Delhi. According to officials, Indian au- thorities have arranged 500 train tickets for Tuesday to evacuate the Indian nationals. Another 500 train tickets have been arranged for Wednesday to evacuate the remain- ing Indian students and nationals. In a letter to the Rector of Lugan- sk State Medical University, Indian Ambassador in Kiev, Rajiv K Chan- der, said, "The university authori- ties may please inform the local ad- ministration about the en masse de- parture of the Indian students so that adequate security arrangements are made to enable them to reach the railway station safely." Chander requested the university authorities to ensure that the stu- dents board the train and leave Lu- gansk, some 800 km from the Ukrainian capital Kiev. Of the 1,000 Indian nationals, 350 are from Kerala, 300 from Tamil Nadu, 150 from Andhra Pradesh, 60 from Punjab, and 25 each from Jammu and Kashmir and Maharashtra. The remaining Indians are from other states, including 10 from Gujarat. India last week issued an adviso- ry asking its nationals to leave Donetsk and Lugansk regions in eastern Ukraine which are witness- ing frequent violent clashes be- tween pro-Russian separatists and government forces. In the advisory, it also asked citizens in the other parts of eastern and southern Ukraine to remain vigilant about their personal safety and security. London: An online petition to the British House of Com- mons has urged the politi- cians to create a bank holiday for Hindu Diwali and Mus- lim Eid festival in the coun- try, a media report said. The petition has 119,000 signatures and could be de- bated in the British parlia- ment as the e-petition with over 100,000 signatures qualifies to be considered in the parliament under the rules of e-petition scheme in 2011, Daily Mail reported Sunday. The two holidays would be the first non-Christian reli- gious holidays in Britain and could lead to calls from other faiths for their events to also be recognized. Details of the petition are said to have been passed to the Backbench Business Committee of the British House of Commons, which will consider its suitability for debate. The petition, titled "Make Eid & Diwali Public Holi- days", set up by Jon Timmis said: "I believe that, given the number of Muslims and Hindus in this country it is only fair we allow them to have the most important days in their faiths recognised in law." The e-petition has sparked widespread debate on inter- net forums and social media, especially those aimed at British Muslims and Hindus, the report said. The religious and commu- nity leaders have distanced themselves from the idea, it added. Britain has eight bank holi- days every year, the second lowest in the world behind Mexico. London: A British Indian MP has strongly criticized the BBC for a program on India's new Prime Minister Narendra Modi that she stated was not objective. In a letter to BBC Director General Lord Tony Hall dated May 19, Priti Patel, British prime minister David Cameron's Indian dias- pora champion, brought to notice the com- plaints she received about BBC Newsnight aired May 16, which covered the day the re- sults of India's general elections were an- nounced. "Many in the British Indian community, particularly those of Gujarati origin, were of- fended by the reporting about prime minister- elect Narendra Modi," Patel, the MP from Britain's Witham constituency in Essex, stat- ed. She pointed out that the program's presen- ter, Yalda Hakim, referred to Modi as a "con- troversial figure" from the beginning of the program. "Modi's political opponents have portrayed him as being 'controversial', so by using this reference, the BBC, who should be impartial, is giving acceptance to the political position of Modi's opponents rather than reporting ob- jectively," Patel stated. "The term 'controversial' could be used to describe a large number of politicians, which is why many people in Britain's Indian com- munity believe its use purely in relation to Modi in the news item was unbalanced." She also pointed out to the fact that Hakim stated in the program that Modi had "blood on his hands" and he was "India's most divisive politician." "Modi secured the largest democratic man- date in world history in a peaceful and pro- fessional manner, with his party winning a majority of votes throughout India and able form a government. This was a point that was not conveyed by the presenter," Patel, a Con- servative Party MP, wrote. She also referred to the fact that the pro- gram focused on Modi's so-called involve- ment in the 2002 Gujarat riots without going into the details thereafter. Patel was particularly irked by the fact that the program featured a British Indian artist named Anish Kapoor who was critical of Modi. "The decision to interview Kapoor and por- tray him as an expert on Indian politics is bizarre," she stated. "Kapoor has spent the last 40 years living in the UK and is an artist. He has no record as an expert on politics or commentator on Indian affairs. Moreover, the presenter did not offer sufficient or adequate challenge to the as- sumptions he made about the elections and comments he made about Modi." Patel also drew the BBC director general's attention to the introductory part of the pro- gram which had Kapoor stating that "India's dreamed itself a dream with a mass murderer as its main character". "Although the presenter asked him what he meant by mass murderer, she did not chal- lenge him to provide evidence to support his claim. Claiming someone who is a democrat- ically elected politician is a 'mass murderer' is an extremely serious allegation and unless such a claim is substantiated with meaningful evidence, the BBC should not be broadcasting this slur." Patel also took exception to the fact that Kapoor referred to the Indian general elections as "sup- posedly democratic." "Given that there have been no serious allegations of malprac- tice and that the elections in- volved about 550 million people casting their vote, it is concern- ing to see that the presenter did not challenge Kapoor on this claim," she said in the letter. British MP Priti Patel flays BBC over biased Modi coverage Bahraini minister questions draft law banning expats from driving Bahrain: The constitutionality of the new controversial draft legislation that bars expatriates from driving in Bahrain is questionable, a minister said. Bahrain's State Information Minister and official spokeswoman Sameera Rajab said after a cabinet meeting that Bahrain's open minded society cannot turn back, the Gulf Daily News reported Monday. "We have always been moving forward, not backwards," Rajab said, while stress- ing on Bahrain's pioneering approach in dealing with issues related to people's rights. She pointed out that the government was following the development of the con- tentious law. During a session late last month, Bahrain's Shura council approved the disputed Article 20 that bars expatriates from driving unless their job requires it. Bahrain's parliament had approved a draft legislation -- as part of a draft traffic law -- which states that "resident expatri- ates living in Bahrain of non-GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) nationality are not allowed to get a driving licence for a car or machine vehicle unless the nature of his/her job requires it." Bahrain is home to around 290,00 expatriate Indians. British MP Priti Patel 21 June 7-13, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info SUBCONTINENT Violence in Karachi after MQM chief's arrest Islamabad: Unidentified persons torched four vehicles in the Pakistani commercial hub of Karachi following the arrest of MQM leader Altaf Hussain in London on money laundering charges. Altaf Hussain, the self-exiled leader of the Mutahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), who lives in London, was taken into custody Tuesday by Scotland Yard. Reports earlier suggested that Hussain, 60, was being investigat- ed for money laundering to the tune of nearly 400,000 pounds. The British consulate in Karachi has also been closed and sources said that the foreign staff members had left the city earlier. "We are seriously concerned at the police raid on the house of our leader. The action is beyond under- standing," Xinhua quoted MQM leader Farooq Sattar as saying in Karachi. He said Hussain has not commit- ted any crime and the MQM will opt for legal battle. He also asked the MQM' s activists to remain calm and avoid any violence. As the news of Hussain's arrest was received in Karachi, shopkeep- ers started closing shops. Police said miscreants also torched at least eight passenger buses in different parts of Karachi. A massive traffic jam was also witnessed on main roads as people hurried home to avoid any unto- ward incidents. Police also reported some attacks on government offices and shops. Long queues were seen at fuel stations as vehicle owners feared the protests could disrupt life in the city. The MQM, however, denied its involvement in the violence. Security was tightened in sensitive areas of the city. A section of the media reported that the Karachi Stock Exchange ( KSE-100 index) fell 180 points immediately after the news was received in the city. MQM leader Altaf Hussain has been arrested in London on money laundering charges. Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to initiate "cali- brated action" to end attacks by the Sri Lankan Navy on Indian fishermen in the Palk Bay. In a letter to Modi, the text of which was released to the media Sunday, Jayalalithaa said: "May I also request you to proactively initiate an appropriate and calibrated set of actions that will bring about a perma- nent end to the perennial problem that plagues the livelihood of lakhs of Tamil Nadu fishermen who fish in their traditional fishing grounds in the Palk Bay, facing the daily threat of attack and abduction at the hands of the Sri Lankan Navy?" Nearly 33 Indian fishermen and their seven boats were apprehended by the Lankan navy. Such an action would in "sharp contrast to the pas- sive and immobile policy paralysis that characterised the approach of the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) Government for several years", she said. Jayalalithaa also told Modi that there is high expec- tation in the state that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government would act decisively on this sensitive issue. She urged Modi to direct the ministry of external affairs to take up the issue with the Sri Lankan gov- ernment in a decisive manner to secure the release of 33 fishermen and their seven boats. "This resumption of abductions and detentions has sent shock waves throughout the fishermen communi- ty in Tamil Nadu. There was an expectation that, with the change of government at the Centre, there would be a reset in the relations with Sri Lanka and such attacks and apprehensions would cease," she said. Referring to the bilateral fishermen-level talks held this year, Jayalalithaa termed the Sri Lankan stand as obdurate. Kabul: Afghan security forces arrested a sus- pect in connection with the kidnapping of an Indian aid worker in western Herat province, a media report said. Provincial security chief Samiullah Qatra said that the unnamed suspect has been taken into custody for further investigations, Khaama Press reported. Police and intelligence operatives have launched a search operation to free the 47- year-old Indian aid worker, Fr. Alexis Prem Kumar, head of the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) NGO, who was abducted from Zendjan district Monday while he was visiting a proj- ect site. Alexis was visiting a school for Afghan refugee children and had just returned from a trip to Iran and Pakistan. Meanwhile, local residents in Zendjan dis- trict said that the kidnappers might have taken Alexix to Gulran district. No group has so far claimed responsibility for the abduction. Meanwhile, unclear about the fate of the aid worker, his family is praying for his safety and seeking "good news" about him. "We are all in the dark about my brother kidnapped in Afganistan. Please give us some good news about him and his safety," said Albert Manoharan, brother of Father Alexis Premkumar who was abducted by Taliban militants three days back. "The information flow seems to be one way - from our side. There is no news about my brother in Afghanistan," Manoharan said over phone from Sivaganga district where the fam- ily lives. He said his brother was working with an education charity in Herat province. "We spoke to him after the Indian consulate in Herat was attacked by militants recently. My brother said he is safe and there are no threats for him," Manoharan said. According to Manoharan, an official of the Indian embassy in Afghanistan spoke to him and assured him that necessary steps are being taken to rescue his brother. Kathmandu/New Delhi: The death toll in the bus accident in Gothibang in Nepal increased to 20, and seven of them have been identified as Indians, an official said. Ram Bahadur Kurumbang, chief district officer of Pyuthan district, said the Indians were identified as Suresh Kumar Sahu, 16, Gop Raj Gupta, 70, Saraswoti Sahani, 62, Suresh Sau, 15, Urmila Pandey, 66, Suvadra Yadav, 65, and Pinku Ojha, 24. At least 17 people were killed when a jampacked bus swerved off the road and plunged into the Madi river in Gothibang. The bus met with the accident while it was heading to Krishnanagar of Kapilvastu from Bhingri in Pyuthan. Most of the passengers were Indian pilgrims returning from the Swargadwari Temple in west Nepal, a popular pilgrimage site for Hindus. Meanwhile, the Indian embassy sent a team to the accident site to coordinate with the local authori- ties in the rescue operation, the embassy in Kathmandu said in a statement. One held for Indian aid worker's abduction in Herat Islamabad: Pakistan Tehreek-i- Insaf chairman Imran Khan said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was treated like a schoolboy when he visited India to attend Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony last week. By not meeting the repre- sentatives of the Hurriyat Conference in New Delhi, the prime minister had struck a bar- gain on Kashmir, Dawn online quoted Khan as saying. Khan raised questions like if Sharif could meet Indian leaders in Delhi, then why could he not hold a meeting with those repre- senting the Hurriyat Conference. Earlier Sharif' s National Security and Foreign Affairs Advisor Sartaj Aziz had said that Sharif’s India trip for the inaugu- ration of Modi was "in itself such a seismic event - the first time ever for a Pakistani leader - that it would have been unrealistic to expect any substantive break- throughs". The two leaders discussed about issues including cross-border ter- rorism and agreed that terrorism was an issue of mutual concern and that they needed to address all conflicts to end the distrust between the two sides. The Kashmir issue was dis- cussed but not substantially. Sharif did not meet the Hurriyat leadership as it was a ceremonial visit to India, Aziz had said. India treated Nawaz like a schoolboy: Imran Nepal bus crash: seven Indian pilgrims die Jaya urges action to stop Sri Lankan attacks on fishermen Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan Police have launched a search operation to free the 47-year-old Indian aid worker, Fr. Alexis Prem Kumar INTERNATIONAL 22 June 7-13, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info Los Angeles: Alexander Shulgin, who over the course of 40 years of scientific research created some 200 psychedelic compounds, earn- ing the nickname "godfather of ecstasy" for his pioneering work with the drug, has died at the age of 88. Shulgin died on Monday at his home in Northern California, "sur- rounded by family and caretakers and Buddhist meditation music," according to a Facebook post by his wife and research partner, Ann. Though he is best known for pop- ularizing the once-obscure drug now known to the world as MDMA, or ecstasy, some 60 years after it was first patented, Shulgin is credited with creating some 200 other psychoactive compounds. "I've always been interested in the machinery of the mental process," he told the New York Times in a 2005 interview at his home laboratory. A native of Berkeley, California, Shulgin studied organic chemistry at Harvard before dropping out to join the U.S. Navy during World War Two, according to a biography on his official website. Following his service, he earned his PhD in biochemistry from the University of California at Berkeley and went to work as a chemist for the Dow Chemical Company, where he took a strong interest in psychopharmacology after taking mescaline and having what he called a profound experi- ence. Shulgin, who left Dow in 1965, famously first tested many of his drugs on himself, his wife and his friends. He first began studying MDMA in 1976 after a graduate student brought the drug to his attention, and he became first to document its effect on humans, long before it became popular in nightclubs. In 1992 Shulgin and his wife published PiHKAL (Phenethylamines I Have Known and Loved): A Chemical Love Story, a book described by the Times as a "thinly fictionalized" account of his and Ann's lives com- bined with descriptions of 179 drugs and their synthesis. The paper said that book made Shulgin both an underground celebrity and a target for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, which raided his home and lab in 1993. Kiev/New Delhi: The first batch of 500 Indian students has arrived safely in Kiev from Ukraine' s restive eastern region of Lugansk and will be returning to India after the Indian mission facilitated their evacuation. According to external affairs ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin, the students from Lugansk region arrived in Kiev "responding to the advisory to leave the region". The Indian mission in Ukraine has been facilitating the evacua- tion of 1,000 Indian nationals, particularly students, in the wake of growing tension in eastern Ukraine between pro-Russian rebels and the Ukraine govern- ment. The mission arranged 500 train tickets and another 500 tickets for Wednesday for the Indian students and nationals in Lugansk. The embassy said those Indian nationals and students who have booked railway tick- ets for later dates must travel June 3/4 "and not delay their d e p a r t u r e f r o m Lugansk to a later date as the situation may deteriorate further". Among the Indian students in Lugansk, there are 350 from Kerala, 300 from Tamil Nadu, 150 from Andhra Pradesh, 60 from Punjab, 25 each from Jammu and Kashmir and Maharashtra, 20 from Uttar Pradesh and 10 from Gujarat. The total number from the other states is 200, according to an external affairs ministry statement. There are approximately 2,500 Indian students studying medicine and engineering in Ukrainian universi- ties, according to the Indian embassy website. There is also a small Indian business community in Kiev. Cairo: Egypt's former military chief Abdel-Fattah al- Sisi was officially announced as the new president of the country by the presidential election commission. Al- Sisi achieved a landslide victory over leftist candidate Hamdeen Sabahy in the three-day presidential polls held last month. "Presidential candidate Abdel-Fattah Saeed Hussein Khalil al-Sisi got 23,780,104 votes, which rep- resents 96.91 percent of the votes," Xinhua quoted Judge Anwar al-Assi, chairman of the election commis- sion, as saying in a press conference Tuesday. Al-Assi said Sabahy got 757,511 of the total valid votes, about 3.1 percent.More than 25 million of the 53.9 million eli- gible voters joined the polls, giving a voter turnout of 47.45 percent. "The valid votes were 24,537,615, repre- senting 95.93 percent of the votes, while the invalid votes were 1,040,608, representing 4.07 percent of the votes," he said. "Accordingly, the winner of the post of president of the Arab Republic of Egypt is Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi," al-Assi announced. Sisi supporters took to the streets across the country to celebrate his victory after the announcement. Indian students leave east Ukraine, on way home Warsaw: US President Barack Obama was to meet Ukraine pres- ident-elect Petro Poroshenko, in a show of US support for Ukraine's right to chart its own future, before an encounter with Russia's Vladimir Putin. Obama will sit down with Poroshenko in Warsaw, during a trip designed to assuage security concerns in eastern Europe fol- lowing Russia's annex- ation of Crimea and what Washington says is an effort to d e s t a b i l i z e Ukraine. The talks on day two of h i s European tour will come after the president met cen- tral and eastern European leaders in Warsaw and before he heads to a G7 summit in Belgium which is designed to cement Western poli- cy towards Russia. Obama will come face-to-face with Putin during 70th anniver- sary commemorations of the D- Day landings in Normandy, France on Friday. The leaders of Britain, France and Germany will go a step fur- ther and hold one-on-one talks with Putin. The accelerating diplomacy over Ukraine comes as a seven- week pro-Russian insurgency in Ukraine's eastern rust belt grows only more violent after Poroshenko swept to power in a May 25 presidential ballot. Hundreds of separatist gunmen on Monday attacked a Ukrainian border guard service camp in the region of Lugansk on the border with Russia. Obama said that US commit- ment to eastern European security was absolute. "Our commitment to Poland's security as well as the security of our allies in central and eastern Europe is a cornerstone of our own security and it is sacrosanct," Obama said after inspecting a joint unit of Polish and US F-16 pilots. He proposed a "European Reassurance Initiative" of up to $1 billion (730 million euros) to finance extra US troop and mili- tary deployments to "new allies" in Europe. Obama called on Putin to accept Poroshenko's invitation to hold his first talks in Normandy with a Ukrainian leader since the February ouster of Kremlin- backed president Viktor Yanukovych set Kiev on its new westward course. Egypt's al-Sisi officially declared president 'Godfather of ecstasy' Alexander Shulgin dies at 88 There is also a small Indian business community in Kiev. Alexander Shulgin Obama to meet Ukraine's new leader Barack Obama will come face-to-face with Vladimir Putin in Normandy, France on Friday. Egypt's former military chief Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi BUSINESS 23 June 7-13, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info Rajan injects Rs 39,000cr into Modi growth plan MUMBAI: Reserve Bank of India governor Raghuram Rajan did his bit to support the Modi government' s growth plans by releasing over Rs 39,000 crore of funds locked in government bonds. The RBI, in its bi-monthly poli- cy, cut by half a percentage point to 22.5% the mandatory statutory liquidity ratio (SLR), which pre- scribes the extent of bank deposits that must be invested in government bonds. In keeping with expectations, Rajan left the repo rate unchanged at 8%. It's the rate at which the RBI lends to banks. The governor appears to have taken a pragmatic decision by holding his own on rates but at the same time addressing con- cerns of the finance ministry of adequate credit to businesses by releasing liquidity. The biggest beneficiaries of the move will be private banks and foreign banks who are close to the statutory limit on SLR. Banks have invested Rs 22.9 lakh crore in G-secs, which is over 29% of their deposits of Rs 78.9 lakh crore. Given that banks are already over-invested, an immediate increase in liquidity and reduction in rates is unlikely. But the SLR cut will give them headroom to sell G-secs and increase lending if credit demand picks up. With credit growth slackening a bit in the first quarter, banks are already looking at ways to boost retail credit. ICICI Bank cut home loan rates as recently as May 19. The policy was silent on the asset quality of banks but bankers say that concerted efforts by the government would assuage some of RBI' s concerns. On Tuesday, in a meeting with the finance ministry, banks raised the issue of getting promoters to bring in more equity. New Delhi: In a Facebook post after his first week in office, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley emphasized the need to contain inflation and speed up economic reforms to boost low-cost manu- facturing. "Reviving the growth momen- tum, containing inflation and alter- ing the pattern of growth to gainful employment is today an overriding priority," Jaitley posted. "There is a need to boost domes- tic low-cost manufacturing and hasten the pace of reforms. Price stability and growth are inter- twined but may require a different strategy. This will involve fiscal rectitude as a combination of mon- etary and fiscal policy," he added. Pointing to the immediate meas- ures required to strengthen the economy, he said: "Short-term (fis- cal) disciplining till we reverse the present trend will give us long- term benefits." He said there is a need to move towards an era of fiscal discipline with objective to reduce fiscal deficit, contain inflation and improve growth rate. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is expected to continue on its infla- tion-control mode and keep rates unchanged when it reviews its monetary policy Tuesday, its first exercise after the installation of the new union government. Retail inflation (consumer price index) was at 8.59 percent in April year-on-year, after running near or above 10 percent for almost two years through 2013. India's eco- nomic growth remained below the 5 percent mark for the second year running at 4.7 percent in 2013-14. Reserve Bank of India governor Raghuram Rajan Jaitley stresses need to check inflation, revive growth SIT on black money decides on roadmap New Delhi: The Special Investigation Team formed by the government to probe black money stashed abroad met for the first time and decided on a roadmap to proceed further as mandated by the Supreme Court. The SIT, headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice M.B. Shah, during the meeting discussed in detail the apex court' s mandate and the modalities of proceeding fur- ther. "During the meeting, detailed modalities of proceed- ing further with the Honorable Supreme Court mandate were discussed and the roadmap decided," said a finance min- istry statement. The next meeting of the SIT will be convened shortly to take stock of the follow-up of the decisions taken at Monday's meeting, it added. The SIT was formed May 27 after the Supreme Court man- dated deadline to constitute the high-profile team comprising top bosses of country's premier investigation, enforcement and intelligence agencies to probe the large amounts of money stashed abroad by evading taxes or generated through unlawful activities. SIT vice chairman retired Justice Arijit Pasayat and top officials of 11 high-profile agencies and departments were present at the meet. Modi axes all GOMs, EGOMs for fast decisions There were nine empowered groups of ministers (EGOMs) and 21 groups of ministers (GOMs) in operation. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley New Delhi: Doing away with one of the relics of coalition politics, Prime Minister Narendra Modi abolished all 30 ministerial groups to ensure that his col- leagues heading various portfolios take faster decisions with more accountabili- ty. There were nine empowered groups of ministers (EGOMs) and 21 groups of ministers (GOMs) in operation. They were to take decisions on various mat- ters - and several of them on matters seen as tricky - before coming up before the cabinet for consideration. "This would expedite the process of decision making and usher in greater accountability in the system," an official statement from the Prime Minister's Office said. "The ministries and departments will now process the issues pending before the EGOMs and GOMs and take appro- priate decisions at the level of ministries and departments itself." In a way, this decision also poses greater accountability on Modi himself as he will now have to adjudicate mat- ters where there are differences among cabinet colleagues, rather than let a panel of colleagues deliberate on them first. The idea of such ministerial panels first cropped up and was implemented during the regime of National Democratic Alliance (NDA) under Atal Bihari Vajpayee. More then were added under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh' s United Progressive (UPA) Alliance government. SPORTS Bangalore: Manish Pandey' s innings made sure Wriddhiman Saha's valiant knock of 115 not out went in vain as Kolkata Knight Riders beat Kings XI Punjab by three wickets to clinch their second Indian Premier League (IPL) title at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. Put in to bat, the Kings XI were powered to a strong total of 199/4 by Saha's maiden and brilliant century after they suffered an early setback. In reply, Pandey's 94 anchored the 2012 edition champions to victory with only three balls to spare. The Kolkata-based outfit becomes only the second team to win two titles after the Chennai Super Kings in 2010 and 2011. Kings XI didn't get off to a good start and were reeling at 30/2 in the sixth over. Veteran opener Virender Sehwag, who hammered an impeccable 122 against the Super Kings in Qualifier 2 Friday, disappointed the fans by getting out for a paltry 7 off 10 deliveries. Captain George Bailey (1) sur- prised everyone when he promot- ed himself to first down but com- pletely misread Sunil Narine' s delivery to get bowled. Opener Manan Vohra (67) and wicketkeeper-batsman Saha tried to steady the ship thereon. Though the run rate was only run-a-ball, the duo made sure the team didn't more wickets. Slowly the two kept consolidat- ing their partnership and really opened up post the 12th over when they hammered the Knight Riders' bowlers left, right and cen- tre. While Vohra got out after con- tributing to a brilliant 129-run third-wicket partnership off 12 overs, Saha upped the ante to take Kings XI to a challenging total with his brilliant display of batting against his former team. Vohra scored 67 off 52 balls with six fours and two sixes. Saha, on the other hand, hit an incredible 10 fours and eight sixes in his 55-ball innings with an incredible strike rate of 209.09. Bangladeshi spin- ner Shakib Al Hasan did not take any wickets but was the only bowler to boast decent bowling figures with 4-0-26-0. All other Knight Riders bowlers went for at least 9.75 per over. In reply, the 2012 edition champions didn't get a dream start as star opener Robin Uthappa got out for 4 in the first over. Gambhir (23), in order to accelerate, also perished just after the end of power play. However, Pandey joined hands with explo- sive batsman Yusuf Pathan to first steady their innings and then steered them in the direction of their target by putting together a 71-run partnership. Kolkata: Bollywood, cricket and politics united in a lavish ceremony, giving a royal salute to 2014 Indian Premier League champions, the Kolkata Knight Riders, and team owners Shahrukh Khan and Juhi Chawla at a crowded Eden Gardens here. Amid heightened security cover, the stadium's green turf was deluged in a sea of purple as nearly 50,000 fans, decked up in sports merchan- dise, and waiting with bated breath since morning, erupted in joy to get a glimpse of the players flanked by SRK, Juhi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. However, the scenes of merriment in the his- toric ground did not match the chaos outside, as seven sports enthusiasts were injured in stampedes as they clambered over police barricades to gain entry into the arena. While some fell down, others were baton charged by the vastly outnumbered security personnel. Police denied any cane charging, but claimed six of its personnel were injured. Though entry was made free, passes distributed were far less than the huge demand. Passes were even sold at high prices by black- ers. But the gala affair on a 64x32 foot dais at Eden was nothing short of a major Bollywood event. Confetti rained down across the arena as Banerjee entered the stadi- um, and King Khan's arrival after a three-hour delay due to a technical snag in his flight drew tumultuous applause. The Knights flanked by Shah Rukh and Chawla paraded the golden tro- phy for the sports buffs in the stadi- um, while around 1.5 lakh stood out- side, unable to make it inside. Rio De Janeiro : Two-time former champi- ons Argentina, loaded with some of t h e wo r l d ' s top stars, are the c l e a r favorites in Group F while debu- t a n t s Bosnia-Herzegovina will be looking to make an impact in the 2014 World Cup. Also in the group are Iran, who have failed to go beyond the group stage in their three appearances in 1978, 1998, 2006, and Nigeria, who did well to reach the last 16 in 1994 and 1998 but failed to cross the first hurdle in 2002 and 2010. But the spotlight in the group will be on the star-studded Argentina. If they have to win their third World Cup title, a lot will depend on the quartet of Lionel Messi, Angel Di Maria, Sergio Aguero and Gonzalo Higuain. Coach Alejandro Sabella has brought some stability in the side since he took over from Sergio Batista after the team's dismal show in the Copa America in 2011. They had an easy qualifying campaign, beat Colombia at home, won both the matches against Chile and had comfortable home vic- tories against Uruguay and Ecuador. Sabella will be a newcomer in terms of World Cup experience but he has spent a long time as an assistant to Daniel Pasarella with the national team. So when he took over, Sabella's first task was appointing Messi as the captain. It worked wonders for the Barcelona star. Messi, who had a dry spell in 16 matches before Sabella's appoint- ment, found his mojo and scored 20 goals in 21 games. Messi, who had an unimpressive season with Barca, will be key to Argentina's suc- cess. He has often been criticised for not replicating his Barca success with La Albiceleste. This is his chance to make the World Cup his own like Diego Maradona did in 1986. Messi will be playing behind Manchester City's Sergio Aguero and Napoli's Gonzalo Higuain as Sabella is likely to go in with a more conservative 5-3-2 formation that he had used for away qualifying matches. But the formation also offers little defen- sive protection, making it unbalanced and vulnerable. In fact, it is defence that is Argentina's pri- mary concern. Goalkeeper Sergio Romero was forced to move back to Sampdoria after he struggled to get a single game for Monaco. Left-back Marcos Rojo, of Sporting, and Napoli cen- tre-back Federico Fernandez also have little experience at the international level. In 2010, the World Cup was remembered more for Diego Maradona's theatrics as Argentina crashed out of the quarterfinals with a 0-4 thrashing by Germany. This time Argentina surely will have little distractions around. Mamata felicitates KKR, SRK, Juhi at Eden 24 June 7-13, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info Kolkata Knight Riders celebrates after winning IPL 7 against Kings XI Punjab in Bangalore. Knight Riders take home second IPL title Can Messi do a Maradona at World Cup? Lionel Messi Soccer World Cup 2014 The Hague: India conceded another last minute goal as they went down 1-2 to England for their second consecutive loss in the FIH Hockey World Cup at the Kyocera Stadium here. India put on a vastly improved show but a 69th minute goal by Simon Mantell from a rebound off a penalty corner, that was well saved by goalie P.R.Sreejesh, cost them badly. It was a spirited performance by the Indians as they were determined to bounce back from the 2-3 loss to Belgium in their opening match. India started off well but England went into the lead in the 27th minute after Mark Gleghorne converted a penalty corner. But the Indians were back in the reckoning within four minutes through Dharamvir Singh, who received a pin-point pass from skipper Sardar Singh and swung around to hit it straight into the net from the top of the circle. Till the 68th minute, the Indians did well and the match looked to be heading towards a 1-1 draw. But a foul by Gurbaj Singh gave England the winner from the penalty corner. The Indians did contest the penalty corner but it was upheld after a referral and Mantell scored from the rebound after Sreejesh had put on a brilliant effort to thwart the penalty corner shot. Hockey WC: India concede late goal to lose against England West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee with Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla in Kolkata. 25 June 7-13, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info LIFESTYLE Los Angeles: Going on a holiday soon after mastectomy and dreading the thought of wearing a swimsuit? No need to worry as there is the right swimwear for you. Amoena, a lingerie brand, has more than 35 years of experience in helping women regain their sense of femininity and self- esteem following breast cancer. The brand's range is designed to make you look just as gor- geous as you were before sur- gery, since it has come up with some very clever design features that ensure that one feels com- fortable and secure. Thoughtful additions have been added to some styles like a slightly higher neckline and underarm cut, so that one does not have to worry about visible scarring. The breast form will be safely secreted inside the cup of the swimsuit and it won't be able to escape nor will it show -- either through the lining of the costume or if one bends forward. The range has plenty of swimwear, from bikinis to tanki- nis, one-pieces with different styles, from sporty and stream- lined to gorgeous girly, plus wraps, kaftans and sarongs that will keep it all pulled together adding an ultra-chic look. London: It seems fringe details are the current favorite with celebrities like Olivia Wilde, Jaime King and Olivia Palermo wearing them, reports femalefirst.co.uk. Wilde showcased her amazing post-baby body in a black one- shouldered gown that fitted her per- fectly and had a black fringe overlay all over. King chose a white Calvin Klein number for the fashionable evening, which featured fringe tiers and sheer panels. White sandals and a sleek updo completed the look. Palermo too opted for a fringed top and skirt from Ann Taylor. However, she accessorized the look with a mix of gold cuff bracelets, gold drop earrings, a gold choker necklace, Lulu Guinness lips clutch and black feathered strap heels. So, will you be taking inspiration from this red carpet fashion trend and trying the look yourself? New York: So you all along thought you followed only real people on Twitter? Know now that automated accounts called "bots" can infiltrate the defences of the social networking site and emerge influential too, an experiment showed. Automated bots not only can evade detection but also gather more than double an average user's followers and become influential among various social groups. "Over the 30 days during which the experiment was carried out, 38 out of the 120 'socialbots' were suspended," Carlos Freitas from Federal University of Minas Gerais in Brazil and his col- leagues, who let the "socialbots" loose on Twitter, were quoted as saying. It means 69 per cent of the socialbots evaded the defences set up by Twitter to prevent automated posting. The researchers made the profile, defined their gender and a few followers to start off with, some of which were other bots. The bots generate tweets either by reposting messages that others have posted or by creating their own synthetic tweets using a set of rules. During the experiment, the 120 socialbots received a total of 4,999 followers from 1,952 different users. And more than 20 per cent of them picked up over 100 follow- ers, more followers than 46 per cent of humans on Twitter. The researchers also monitored the Klout score (an online service that measures the influence of Twitter accounts) of each of their social- bots to see how they fared. "We find that the socialbots achieved Klout scores of the same order of (or, at times, even higher than) several well-known academi- cians and social network researchers," the researchers added. It is a finding that may have significant implications for certain types of groups on Twitter, MIT Technology Review reported. Mumbai: Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani's sky- scraper Mumbai home Antilia - named after a mythical island in the Atlantic - has been rated as the world's "most outrageously expen- sive property" by Forbes magazine. Two of Indian steel tycoon Lakshmi N. Mittal' s houses in Kensington Palace Gardens in London also figure among the 21 most expensive billionaire homes in the world rated fifth and 18th. "The title of the most outrageous- ly expensive property in the world still belongs to Mukesh Ambani's Antilia," it says. The 27-storey, 400,000-square- foot skyscraper includes six stories of underground parking, three heli- copter pads, and reportedly requires a staff of 600 to keep it running. Construction costs for Antilia have been reported at a range of $1 billion to $2 billion. To put that into perspective, Frobes notes "7 World Trade Centre, the 52-storey tower that stands just north of Ground Zero in Manhattan with 1.7 million square feet of office space, cost a reported $2 billion to build". Mittal's neo-Georgian mansion on 'Billionaires Row' was reportedly purchased from hedge fund billion- aire Noam Gottesman in 2008 for about $222 million. The steel magnate bought another 55,000-square foot mansion from billionaire Bernie Ecclestone. He spent millions into its renova- tion and named it "Taj Mittal". It has 12 bedrooms, a pool and marble sourced from the same quarry as the Taj Mahal, Forbes reported. Brazilian philanthropist and social figure Lily Safra's Villa Leopolda in France is at the second place, while businessman Ira Rennert' s Sagaponack residence in New York is at third place. An unknown owner's $237-million home in Hyde Park, London, is listed fourth ahead of Mittal's residence. Ambani's skyscraper home 'most outrageously expensive property': Forbes Lakshmi N. Mittal's houses in London also figure among the 21 most expensive billionaire homes in the world Mukesh Ambani’s Antilla in Mumbai Fringe - new red carpet fashion trend How 'socialbots' are infiltrating your Twitter account Women who've had mastectomy can wear swimsuit! 26 June 7-13, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info SELF HELP J uggling work, family, friends and hobbies can be a great challenge. After all, there are only 24 hours in a day and seven days in a week. Lis Wiehl knows all too well. As legal ana- lyst and commentator for Fox News Channel, and host of her own weekly radio program, “Legal Lis,” Wiehl has her hands full. But instead of leaving it at those accomplish- ments, this single parent also writes best-sell- ing legal thrillers in her spare time. “We’re all trying to master the art of time management,” she says. To help your juggling act, Wiehl is offering helpful advice: Know your goal: Before you can achieve your goals, you must identify them. If it helps to make a list, jot down what you hope to accomplish in the short-term and long-term, and post it somewhere handy. Know your strengths: Taking on proj- ects that play upon your strengths can save you time and boost your morale. For example, if you want to try your hand at writing a novel, drawing upon your own experiences can make the process easier. For instance, Wiehl’s most recent novel, “A Deadly Business,” is inspired by her life as a prosecutor working on high profile cases in the Violent Crimes unit while juggling the almost impossible demands of single parent- hood. Know your weaknesses: Assess your- self honestly. For example, if you are a terri- ble driver or navigator, don’t take on hobbies or responsibilities that require extra time behind the wheel. Prioritize: You can’t stop the pace of time. So instead of drowning in your to-do list, think of it this way -- what is it that you really need to get done today and what is it that you would like to do? Once you can whit- tle your list to the necessities, it will seem much more manageable. Be realistic: No one is perfect. As jug- glers, the balls will not always stay up in the air. Don’t be hard on yourself when things slip. Be honest: One of the most valuable les- sons is learning how to say the hardest word in the English language -- “No.” Saying “thanks, but no thanks” to things you don’t really want to do will free up some of that most precious commodity: time. Do your homework: Whether you’re thinking of a new business idea or a new hobby, do research. Gather your facts and armed with this information, you’ll be ready to make a decision and move forward. Through prioritizing and honest self-assess- ment, you can become more productive while keeping your sanity intact. U ltraviolet (UV) rays are a danger to skin and eyes year-round, playing a contributing factor to skin damage, skin cancer and eye disorders like cataracts. With people spending more time outdoors in the summer months, it’s a great time to pro- tect your family. “The more time you spend outdoors with- out protecting your eyes, the greater your risk for ocular damage,” says Dr. James Winnick, an optometrist with VSP Vision Care, the largest not-for-profit vision benefits company in the US. Rather than avoid the problem entirely by seeking refuge inside, take steps to mitigate your risk in the sun. Risk Factors: Children don’t yet have the natural protection in their eyes that adults have, so they get most of their exposure before they are 18. Additionally, people living with diabetes have increased light sensitivity. “To constantly protecting your eyes from UV rays and excess light is to opt for pho- tochromic lenses, which are lenses that dark- en automatically to changing sunlight condi- tions when outdoors,” says Winnick. “These lenses can be especially useful for kids and adults who have trouble remembering to switch from their regular glasses to sunglass- es throughout the day.” With these lenses, your eyes will be much more comfortable in all light conditions, helping reduce eye strain and squinting. Choose Wisely It’s important to look for a brand of pho- tochromic lenses that both darken and fade back quickly. For example, a new type of photochromic lenses called sunsync starts darkening within seconds of UV exposure and returns to clear within just minutes of going indoors. More information about sun- sync lenses can be found at www.vsp.com/sunsync. Reflected Light is a Concern Sunlight is reflected off water, sidewalks, buildings -- almost everything -- and it goes in every direction. While sunglasses and pho- tochromic lenses protect from UV light pass- ing through the front of the lenses, a new trend in eye protection takes on the back side of lenses as well. A special anti-reflective treatment can now be added to the back of lenses that helps pre- vent UV radiation from reflecting off of them and into your eyes. The great news is that some lens brands, like UNITY, offer this “backside UV” treatment at no additional cost depending on the options you choose for your new photochromic lenses. StatePoint Protect your family from harmful UV rays T he number of U.S. renters has expanded significantly since the burst of the housing bubble, and renters now represent 34 percent of all households. Meanwhile, rents climbed 3.2 percent last year. So, the better prepared you are, the more likely you are to secure the property you desire. The real estate experts at Homes.com, along with partner ForRent.com, have created a checklist for stress-free renting: Preparation: For a smooth approval process, be prepared with a completed rental application, written references from a previous property owner or employer, and an apartment hunting checklist to remember everything from fees to appliances. Budget: No more than 25 to 30 percent of income should be spent on housing, say experts. Confirm who bears responsibility for utilities and maintenance. Many ameni- ties will be enticing, so be honest about what’s essential to you. Location: Search for rentals by zip code. Search outside the box: Extend your search to single-family homes and town- homes. There are deals to uncover, especial- ly if you’re splitting rent. Also, review for- sale listings. Some people may be willing to rent instead. Walk-through: Do a walk-through of the entire space before signing any paper- work, ensuring all faucets and appliances work. Open cabinets and closets, and be aware of issues that need to be taken care of prior to moving in. Review the lease: Understand all lease terms before signing. Pay attention to details such as termination. Ask the leasing agent or property owner plenty of questions to make sure you have a solid understand- ing. Renters insurance: Your personal belongings aren’t necessarily covered by the property owner’s insurance policy. Renters insurance covers you and your belongings in most instances of theft and damage, and protects you from anyone claiming to have been injured in your rental due to your negligence. The average cost for renters insurance is about $12 per month to cover $30,000 worth of property, accord- ing to Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America. Security deposits: Take pictures the day you move in and the day you move out. Document repairs and modifications made while you’re living there. When your lease ends, insist on a final walk-through with the leasing staff or property owner. Use space efficiently: Use temporary décor ideas to turn your rental into a home, making you feel renewed and unique with- out making significant changes or spending a fortune. 27 June 7-13, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info HEALTH HLL's condom wins Bill Gates Foundation's grant MERS virus toll surges to 282 in Saudi Arabia Infosys unveils cloud-based solution for clinical trials 4 million Bihar schoolgirls to get free sanitary napkins Thiruvananthapuram: An ambi- tious project by HLL Lifecare Limited (HLL), India' s leading contraceptive makers, to produce a new generation condom has won the Grand Challenges Explorations, an initiative funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. HLL CMD M. Ayyappan last week said Lakshminarayanan Ragupathy's, a scientist with the HLL, project aims at developing polyester-based condom that would be cheaper and eco-friendly. Ragupathy won the $100,000 award that would enable him to pursue his work on green condom. Commenting on the award, Ragupathy said he would try to develop extremely thin and bio- degradable condoms, which will ensure increased use of condoms in the days to come. Ayyappan said: "It is a great honor for HLL and Regupathy. Our philosophy is to fuse innovation with social commitment. The pio- neering project will take the con- traceptive revolution further ahead and give a fillip to our initiatives in providing better solution in the area of reproductive health." HLL, headquartered in Thiruvananthapuram, is India' s leading provider of a wide range of contraceptives and hospital products. T he death toll from the Middle East R e s p i r a t o r y Syndrome (MERS) coronavirus in Saudi Arabia has surged to 282 after recalculations, the health ministry announced on Tuesday. A total of 688 cases have been confirmed in the Gulf kingdom since the first case was registered in 2012, according to the ministry's rigorous review. Of those infected, 53 are reportedly receiv- ing treatment, Xinhua reported. Before the review, the ministry's latest tally of cases reached 575, with 190 deaths. The main objective of that review was to ensure a more complete and accurate understanding of the virus outbreak in the country, the ministry said, adding that the review has already enhanced the ministry's policy development process and improved measures already taken to address the situation. MERS is considered a deadlier but less trans- missible cousin of the SARS virus which erupted in Asia in 2003 and infected thou- sands of people. The coronavirus was first discovered in mid-2012 in an old man with acute pneumonia and renal failure. The Saudi government has been criticized by international health experts over its han- dling of the disease, which has spread to several Middle East countries, Asia, and the US. Bangalore: India’s second largest IT firm Infosys Ltd has unveiled a cloud-based solution to speed up clinical trials and lower drug development costs. "The solution helps life sci- ences companies to accelerate clinical trials by driving greater collaboration between pharma- ceutical firms and contract research organiza- tions," the global software major said in a state- ment here. As a new version of the clinical trial supply management, the cloud solution will improve productivity of drug development process and ensure timely supply of drugs to patients at lower cost. "Enterprises using our solution will be able to price their drugs competitively as the software application enables real-time collaboration and helps transform their research and development (R&D) cost model," Infosys` global head for life sciences and services Manish Tandon said in the statement. As the new version is cloud- based, the solution offers tools to manage the entire supply chain of clinical trials, covering demand and supply, planning and distribution across R&D sites. A beta version of the solution is in use for clinical trials at some of the global pharma firms in Europe and the US. "The software product will enable pharma companies to respond faster to changes in demand, based on enrollment and patient turn- around during trials as it can be integrated with enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, incorporating business processes," Tandon said. Being cloud-based, the solution will be offered on pay-per-use basis, which will help pharma and biotech firms and contract research units to avoid investing in and managing expen- sive IT infrastructure for clinical trials. Patna: Nearly four million schoolgirls in government- run middle and high schools in Bihar will be provided free sanitary napkins from this year, officials said. “With the state cabinet approving funds (Rs. 220 crore) for it, the government will start distribution of sani- tary napkins to schoolgirls in the 2014-15 financial year,” an official in the Chief Minister’s Office said. Principal Secretary of Cabinet Coordination Brajesh Mehrotra said the scheme, to be run under the Mukhyamantri Kishori Swasthya Karyakram, will cover girls from Class 7 to Class 12. Last February, then chief minister Nitish Kumar announced the scheme but it was delayed due to the Lok Sabha elections. Bihar Education Minister Brishen Patel said it will boost girls’ education and stem the dropout rate in higher classes. “It will help improve health and hygiene of schoolgirls,” he said. Principal secretary, educa- tion department, Amarjit Sinha said: “The department has decided to tie up with local self-help groups to manufacture sanitary napkins.” 2014 USA Open Sadhna Satsang Under the divine guidance of our beloved Sadgurus, Shree Ram Sharnam is pleased to announce its 5th Open Sadhna Satsang to be held at ARSHA VIDYA GURUKULAM, Saylorsburg, PA 651 Route PA 115, Saylorsburg, PA 18353 Ph: (570) 992-2339 Thursday June 26 at 3pm to Sunday June 29 at 7am. Shri Ashwani Gupta, President - (516) 248-4991 For more information or to register please visit Shree Ram Sharnam Website @ http://shreeramsharnam.azurewebsites.net or email at [email protected] USA Contact Numbers Akash Chabra - (917) 939-2227 Amrit Nayyar - (240) 899-6497 Harish Sawhney - (917) 656-7021 Madhu Chadha - (917) 295-8009 Rajeev Bhambri - (908) 472-0006 Rajan Soni - (847) 571-1116 Sudesh Kumar - (516) 312-8585 Tilak Sharma - (732) 718-9138 Canada Contact Numbers Hari Aggarwal - (613) 727-1144 Rama Kapoor - (514) 932-1567 At last we're getting some appreciation THESE DAYS, people overthink every decision they make. To compensate, more people need to underthink their decisions. Luckily, many people, including this writer, have been doing this automatically for years. Like the man who spent months building a nursery for quintuplets, but learned a few days ago that he just had a fat girlfriend. (Paul Servat of Quebec, if you want to look him up on the net.) Or the guy in Australia who recently got lost in his back garden and phoned the police. “I’m lost.” “Where are you?” “In the garden of my house in Darwin.” “Thought you said you were lost?” “It’s a big garden.” A police rescue team found him 300 meters from his back door, NTnews.com reported. Now I SEE YOU STARTING TO SMILE but it’s really important we DO NOT LAUGH at these people. As Modern Scientific People, we need to consider the positive side of stupidity. *** Exhibit A is the US police force, who rejected an applicant because he scored too high in an intelligence test. The irritated brainy guy, Robert Jordan, sued. His appeal was rejected by the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals after police chiefs explained that less intelligent applicants bet- ter suited the job and stayed longer. Judges looked at the statistical data and agreed. Stupid was better. The case took place several years ago but has been much discussed recently by researchers. Would-be cop Jordan pleaded at the time that he couldn’t help being smart, having been born that way. “I maintain you have no more control over your basic intelligence than your eye color,” he said, according to ABC News. Of course, he should have said: “Me like being brainiac! Woof woof!” *** The good news is that the US police force can bulk-recruit from Asia. Recently, the Delhi police force admitted that it had had missed eight years of on-line corruption tip-offs because no one could remember the email password. When they finally managed to download the messages, they found 600 tips, many referring to people who had already died, moved away or been elected to high office. *** My office is in a university so I actually studied this. Stupidity improves efficiency (Journal of Management Studies), boosts productivity (University of Texas), and increases happiness (University of Edinburgh). Another link. And another. I would give more details, but all the stud- ies are full of REALLY big words. *** I personally learned the wisdom of stupidi- ty when I was 13. In London, I walked into a gang of neo- Nazis who said they had a policy of beating up all Pakistanis. A typical bookish Asian kid, I nervously explained: “Er, actually, I was born 1,499 miles from Pakistan, in a country called Sri Lanka, which is as far from the aforemen- tioned country as London is from Russia, you may be surprised to know.” They beat me up. The next time I walked into them, I just talked rubbish. “Yeah! Cool! Manchester United vs Arsenal, right? Right! I like popsicles! Gary Glitter sucks!” They greeted me as a brother. *** So listen to me. DON’T WORRY ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE WORLD. Consider the wise words of my personal favorite role model, the celebrated thinker known as Homer: “Stupidity got us into this mess, and stupidity will get us out.” This is Mr Jam, over and out. Me like being brainiac. Woof woof. 28 June 7-13, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info HUMOR Funny Bone by Nury Vittachi Laughter is the Best Medicine Stupid people happier and more productive, scientists say 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. 7th June, 2014 Ruled planet: Neptune Ruled by no: 7 Traits in you: As you are governed by planet Neptune, you are blessed with various positive characters. You are confi- dent, decisive, generous, humorous, honest, modest and opti- mistic. You are not an admirer of arguments or silly fights. You should work on your nature of being selfish, pessimistic, and arrogant. Health this year: You will enjoy a better health this year as compared to last year. However, the health of an aged family member may deteriorate and that will make you bothered. You may end up spending lot of money for the health issues of your family members. Finance this year: You may get benefits from your invest- ments later this year. This year seems to be an ideal one to start investing in business, land or gold. Your efforts to earn mon- ey may pay off this time. You may go for new partnerships. However, you should verify the financial background of your partner for your financial security. Career this year: You will be successful professionally this year. You will be additional responsibility and you will well execute them to perfection. Your success may get you various awards and rewards as well. You may share your ideas with the higher management as it would help you grow quickly. Romance this year: If you are yet to be in a committed rela- tionship, you may get into one this year. If you are already committed, then you may plan for marriage towards the end of the year. Lucky month: June, December, April and June 8th June, 2014 Ruled planet: Saturn Ruled by no: 8 Traits in you: Your governing planet Saturn makes you con- fident, unique, creative, dynamic, and intelligent. You are de- termined enough to perform any task assigned to you. So you always remain a step ahead from others. Along all your good characteristics, you have few negative characters as well. You need to work on your unreliability, insensitiveness, and self- ishness. Health this year: Though you would not face any major health related issues, you should take extra care of your health. Do not take unwanted risk of putting your health in stake. Go for regular medical checkups. Finance this year: Though you will be able to improve your financial status, you may end up spending a lot of money in buying luxury and comfort for yourself and your family. You may put your money in real estate for better returns. Career this year: You should take inputs from senior and ex- perienced professionals to learn new things and grow profes- sionally. Act diplomatically if you have some professional is- sues. Getting emotional and aggressive would not work though. Romance this year: You may go through minor personal dis- turbances and these could be solved by talking more to your partner. Do not let the distance grow. Get some time to talk to your spouse. You may plan a long trip with your partner to strengthen your relationship. Lucky month: July, October, February and March 9th June, 2014 Ruled planet: Mars Ruled by no: 9 Traits in you: Being influenced by Mars, you are believed to be the master of a charismatic personality. You are courteous, courageous, energetic, realistic, modest, and responsive. You follow religion very keenly. However, you have few problems in your attitude and that needs to be worked on for the better- ment of your individuality. Health this year: You need to focus on your health a little more as you may fall sick frequently this year. You should go for regular medical checkups to maintain a healthy life. Your parents may fall sick towards the end of the year and it will put you in immense pressure. Finance this year: You will get financial benefits if you have invested in past. For future financial gains, you may invest on real estate and stock market. You should study the market well before investing on anything. Do not be in a hurry to invest as it may go in loss. Career this year: You should take inputs from senior and ex- perienced professionals to learn new things and grow profes- sionally. Act diplomatically if you have some professional is- sues. Getting emotional and aggressive would not work though. Romance this year: You should avoid any kind of conflict with your beloved. Plan a long holiday with your spouse to make your relationship stronger. If you are unmarried, you should not get to a marital relationship this year as the move- ment of your stars is not favorable for marriage. Lucky month: November, January, February and June 10th June, 2014 Ruled planet: Sun Ruled by no: 1 Traits in you: Due to the positive effects of your ruling plan- et Sun, you will have the characteristics of a good human be- ing. By nature, you are accountable, unique, courageous, com- mitted, competitive, coordinated and intelligent. You should work on your negative personality traits such as selfishness, dependency and pessimism. Health this year: Your health may remain disturbed through- out the year because of some minor ailments. If you do not take proper care of your health you may end up spending a lot of money for your treatment. You should take preventive ac- tions to avoid health issues. Finance this year: Your past investments may yield a lot of money for you this year. You need to be extra cautions while investing huge amounts as it is a bit risky to put money on un- predictable things. Overall, you will enjoy a strong financial condition. Career this year: You will be establishing yourself as a very efficient and important resource in your organization this year. Your performance will influence your peers, seniors and high- er management. It is the best time to look out for a new job as it will help you grow both professionally and financially. Romance this year: Your marital relationship will move for- ward with lot of mutual love, care, respect and admiration. You should not get into any kind of argument with your spouse as it may disturb your peaceful personal life. You should get married this year if you are yet to marry. Lucky month: October, December, April and May 11th June, 2014 Ruled planet: Moon Ruled by no: 2 Traits in you: Your ruler, the Moon makes you a very friend- ly individual. You are simple, confident, realistic, sincere, and optimistic. You are very innovative and try to perform your work in a different and efficient way. You need to work hard on your characteristics of being jealous and insensitive at times. Health this year: Your health will remain good throughout the year. You need to take utmost care of your health to main- tain it and remain fit. The health of your family members might be a concern for you this year. Try and avoid your bad habits and start practicing yoga for the betterment of your health. Finance this year: You will be able to stabilize your financial condition by reaping profits from your past investments. You may also plan for new investments this year. You will find enough new opportunities to start up a new business that would yield money for you. You should invest in real estate or stock market for better returns. Career this year: Being friendly and quick in decision mak- ing, you will create many admirers for yourself in your pro- fessional circuit. Your juniors may seek your advice in criti- cal times to deliver efficient work. It is advisable for you not to get involved in office politics. You should handle official matters diplomatically. Romance this year; If you are yet to be in a relationship, this year is the ideal time to find a partner. You will get ample sup- port from your spouse in any critical decision you have to take. You should show your love to your partner as it strength- ens your relationship. Lucky month: August, March and June 12th June, 2014 Ruled planet: Jupiter Ruled by no: 3 Traits in you: As you are ruled by Jupiter, you are dynamic, realistic, affectionate, caring, religious and very helpful. You are very much interested in a happening life. You welcome new ideas in your life and take everything positively. Howev- er, you should work on your nature of being jealous, selfish and rude at times. Health this year: Your health will remain good throughout the year. You need to take utmost care of your health to main- tain it and remain fit. The health of your family members might be a concern for you this year. Try and avoid your bad habits and start practicing yoga for the betterment of your health. Finance this year: You will be among major financial gains this year. You may go for a real estate transaction later this year and this will bring you a lot of money to cherish. You may start up a new business. If you are already into business, you may plan for expanding its territory this year. Career this year: You need to focus on your profession and put your cent per cent effort to achieve your expected goals. You will be appreciated by your peers and seniors for your ef- ficient output. You may be assigned extra responsibilities as you are very decisive and capable of performing wonders. Romance this year: The emotional attachment with your spouse or partner may blossom this year with lot of love, care, and concern. If you are not married, then you may go for a ro- mantic relationship. You will enjoy a very blissful time with your beloved. Lucky month: September, December, January and March 13th June, 2014 Ruled planet: Uranus Ruled by no: 4 Traits in you: Your ruling planet Uranus blesses you with a charismatic character. You are able to impress anyone in your surroundings with your nature and attitude. You are generous, peace loving, disciplined, and creative in nature. Your hard work pays off every time and you get success as a result. Health this year: You will enjoy a moderate health this year. You need to take preventive medicines for weather changes as it may hamper your health conditions. Do not neglect your health if you feel uneasy. Consult doctor regularly and prac- tice Yoga for better results. Finance this year: You will be able to stabilize your financial condition by reaping profits from your past investments. You may also plan for new investments this year. You will find enough new opportunities to start up a new business that would yield money for you. You should invest in real estate or stock market for better returns. Career this year: You will be very impressive in your pro- fessional circuit this year. However, you need to work smart and perform well to grow as a perfectionist. You should take quick decisions to excel in your field. You may have to help your ordinates to drive productivity. Romance this year: If you are yet to be in a romantic rela- tionship, this is the ideal time to go for one. You will enjoy a pleasurable relationship with your spouse or partner. Lucky month: June, October, February and April By Dr Prem Kumar Sharma Chandigarh, India: +91-172- 256 2832, 257 2874 Delhi, India: +91-11- 2644 9898, 2648 9899 [email protected]; www.premastrologer.com Stars Foretell: June 7-13, 2014 Annual Predictions: For those born in this week 29 ARIES: An excellent time for develop- ing professional contacts. You are likely to hear a good news from close relatives. Hard work of previous days brings good fortune enabling to fulfil monetary promises. You are likely to enjoy a pleasure trip that will rejuve- nate your passions. Meditation and yoga prove beneficial for spiritual as well as physical gains. A trip that stimulates and gives opportunity for work is coming ahead. Buying cheap property in the right location can provide you triple gain annually. You are likely to be full of good ideas. TAURUS: Senior colleagues coopera- tion brings success at professional front. An old friend makes a pleasant visit later in the week. You should focus investment on land/real estate or cultural projects to earn profits. Romantic entanglement would add spice to your happiness. A very healthy week when your cheerfulness gives the desired tonic and confidence. A luxurious getaway type vaca- tion with your spouse waiting for you. Investing in property business sounds very appealing. Don’t forget to use your witty nature to brighten a dull atmosphere. GEMINI: Business partners would be enthusiastic about new plans & ventures. Evening enjoyed with family and close relatives brings immense pleasure. You succeed in making some extra cash on playing your cards well. Chances of your love life turning into life-long bond are high on the card. You are likely to maintain good health that would also give you success. Thrilling experience is on your way, as your trip is full of excitement Banks love to finance those, who invest in properties which are under development. A week when your choice of activities would bring gains far beyond expectations. CANCER: Female colleagues would help in completing pending work. You are likely to plan a short trip with fami- ly. A promising week to put your innovative ideas on use to make extra money. Avoid raising controversial issues in love rather enjoy the company. A continuous positive thinking gets rewarded as you succeed in whatever you do in this week. Pack your bags as a happy, fun-filled holiday is looking forward. A good deal on commercial property might occur. Self-disci- pline would enable to manage you better. LEO: Lack of effective communication with subordinates could disappoint you. Unexpected visit by old friend could give you a pleasant surprise. An auspicious week to invest money on items that would grow in value. Make sure you don’t surrender your- self under physical passions to save romantic bond. Creative hobbies are likely to keep you relaxed. An enriching vacation full of fun is what you need. There might be a chance of acquiring a plot from your closed relative. Paintings bring a pleasant relief to people at the time of crisis. VIRGO: Problems at professional front could force to compromise on your prin- ciples. Good advice from family mem- bers will help in reducing mental tension/pres- sure. Investment on long-term plans would pave the way for earning financial gains. Exciting week as your long pending wait for affirmation is going to materialize. With a positive outlook & confidence, you succeed in impressing peo- ple around you. Time to make your vacation a dream come true. You might deal in some ancestral property or any other parental proper- ty. You succeed in cutting yourself away from old ideas & beliefs those have outlived their purpose. LIBRA: Make sure you keep team spir- it going to achieve higher professional goals. Sudden good news in the evening will bring cheers for the entire family. You are likely to raise capital through collecting out- standing debts or asking for funds to work on new projects. Enjoying the company of partner in a lively restaurant would bring immense romantic pleasure. Mental alertness would enable to solve a tricky problem. Affordable luxury vacation will explore your desires. A deal regarding residential property can start moving on its right path. Your efforts keep the atmosphere buoyant around you. SCORPIO: A promising week for ambitious professionals to demonstrate technical skills & abilities. Your efforts bring success & happiness at family front. Improvement in finances makes it convenient in clearing long pending dues & bills. The pres- ence of love would make you feel life meaning- ful. Cataract patients must avoid overexposure to sunlight. Perfect getaway time for you and your partner. Discussing property matters with parents can help for better innovations. Timely action would save from humiliation. SAGITTARIUS: Politicians find a very smooth sailing as results go in your favour, thus immensely boosting confidence. Don’t forget to spend quality time in the company of family friends you care. You could find yourself in an exciting new situation, bringing you financial gains. Love life brings some memorable moments that you could cher- ish rest of your life. A cheerful state of mind brings mental peace. A group of friends or your partner is looking forward for a vacation with you. Investing internationally means you have to follow their laws on real estate. You are like- ly to reap rich achievements with hard work. CAPRICORN: People engaged in tourism will have the energy to keep pace with fast taking events thus giving themselves an edge over others. You achieve success in personal work with the timely help & support provided by family members. Successful execution of brilliant ideas would help in earning financial profits. Your flashing smile would work as the best antidote for romantic partner’s unhappiness. Good time to divert attention to spirituality to enhance mental toughness. A leisure trip will prove to be a pre- mium time for you. Planning a property might explore new horizons for you and your family. Don’t get surprised on waking up to a pleasant surprise in this week. AQUARIUS: Betterment awaits peo- ple engaged in the field of graphic designing. Misunderstandings with near ones in the family will get cleared. A very successful week as far as monetary position is concerned. Sharing candyfloss and toffees with lover/beloved would bring unlimited joy. A pleasure trip gives the much-needed tonic to health. You might get a chance for business trip, which will help you in new connections. Your friends and family will be of great support if you are trying for an office. You will be in an enthusiastic mood as many good things happen around you. PISCES: Self-confidence would immensely help in achieving good results at professional front. Children would do their best to keep you happy. Indications of earning financial profits through commissions, dividends or royalties. Company of love partner would inspire to take initiatives in this week. Cutting down the number of par- ties and pleasure jaunts would help in keeping in good mood. Travelling overseas would be an experience full of spark that enlightens your imagination. It’s time to make some property investments for your kids. Persistent efforts would help in shining in every sphere of life. June 7-13, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info ASTROLOGY S ome people drink alcohol and take drugs. In many places of work, Friday is a time in which people meet for “Happy Hour.” There, they engage in drinking to feel good. There are numerous television commercials for beer and wine, depicting the happiness people experience by drinking. In private circles, people speak of how good they feel when they get high on drugs. There is a tremendous drug culture in modern societies. People seem to feel they cannot be happy without alcohol or drugs. But we all know that that happiness is temporary and comes at a high price. They may feel good for a few minutes, but later they feel sick to their stomach. They may get addicted and require more and more to make them maintain their high. Drugs and alcohol lead to impaired judgment and poor motor skills, which in turn can lead to deadly car accidents. People turn to crime to get money to buy drugs and alcohol. This leads to people getting hurt and those perpetrating the crimes going to prison. In some cases drugs and alcohol lead to dis- ease and death. When people see that we are happy and blissful without drugs and alcohol, they ask us how we can feel so good. We can then explain that meditation gives us a natural state of intoxication. We can explain how the sweet nectar of the divine Wine within provides more intoxication than any intoxi- cation which outer drugs and alco- hol can give us. We can talk about how we get this divine bliss within that lasts twenty-four hours. There is no hang-over. There are no side effects. We do not pass out or get sick. We do not have to steal from anyone to get this bliss. We do not have to cause car accidents or com- mit crimes. Rather than lowering our consciousness through drugs and alcohol, we are raising our consciousness to spiritual heights and even attaining God-conscious- ness. The joy people see we have in our lives will inspire them to also want to partake of that sweet honey within. When people who see us medi- tating notice a change in us, they are also inspired to experience the same change. They see that medita- tion makes us calmer and more bal- anced. They see that we are able to deal with the challenges of life in a much more even manner. They see that even though everyone goes through the challenges of financial problems, health problems, rela- tionship difficulties, and other challenges, we sail through them much more easily than most peo- ple. This makes people wonder what secret we hold that helps us face life’s struggles with more for- titude. Finally, when they see how bliss- ful and intoxicated we are without the use of unnatural means such as drugs and alcohol, they too want such happiness. Just like the princess who saw the joy that peo- ple had when they tasted the sweet- ness of honey and how they wanted to share that delicious taste with others, people will see the joy we experience from meditation and they will want to enjoy that as well. I am reminded of a verse by Sant Darshan Singh Ji Maharaj which says: Who has said that you must drink in secret? This is divine Wine that you must share with others. While drinking this Nectar, forget the sorrows of life and the pains of the world. And hum songs of beauty and love. We can appreciate what a bless- ing it is to have a Master and to receive the spiritual teachings from him. This is a valuable gift that actually is sent to us by God through the Masters. God wants each of us to have the gift. If we are lucky enough to receive such a gift from a Master, we should treasure it and put it to use. We should make the best use of the gift by spending time in meditation. Let us enjoy the divine honey of the Light and Sound within. Let us then travel on the divine nectar back to the Lord. W e often fall into the habit of misjudg- ing others. We can be quick to criti- cize or pass judgment without know- ing the background of a person’s life or situa- tion. It is remarkable how wrong we can be. When we do not know why people act as they do, we jump to conclusions. Someone might even be trying to help us or make things better, yet instead of taking the time to ask why something is being done, we berate them. As we go about our work, we need to think twice before we criticize or pass judgment on someone. When we don’t know the whole story—the motives or reasons a person has for doing something—it is better to take a few minutes to stop and ask about it. Many times, we will find that the person is trying to do something helpful. We can be so wrapped up in our own lives that we do not take the time to find out more. When a person criticizes someone, others tend to jump on the bandwagon to join in. Yet they do not know the situation either, and soon many are spreading false information. It is better to resolve a problem right away, learn the situation, and fix it before it escalates into something bigger and worse than what it started out to be. We need to refrain from judging others. If we get caught up in doing this, then we have filled our minds with thoughts that are not true and that take us away from our own inner peace. Whatever we do comes back to us, so we risk reaping the fruits of our thoughts, words, and deeds, whether positive or negative. When we criticize others, we are bound to get the fruit of our actions, for we have hurt them by our words. To keep peace of mind in our daily life and to meditate with a calm mind, it is beneficial to develop the habit of not jumping to conclu- sions lest we misjudge others. Instead, let us be loving and caring and find out what the per- son’s real story is. This will contribute to our own inner peace and spread out to our environ- ment and the world. T he art of meditation is based on the fact that we are not the body, but the soul that inhabits the body. Medical research on near‑death experiences shows that people who have been declared clinically dead, but were revived, shared common experiences. After the moment of their clinical death they found themselves traveling through an inner tunnel to a region of light and love. They were met at the end of the tunnel by a benevolent, radiant being. They described the bliss they felt in the presence of that light, and they all talked about their reluctance to leave that joy, that bliss, to return to their physical body. This experience has been common to those who passed through the gates of death, whether they were adults or children, whether they belonged to one religion or another. Some of the adults identified the light with the religious figure prominent in their faith. The latest book on this subject describes the near‑death expe- riences of children. The young people interviewed in the book did not associate the light with any particular per- son. Because the children had not yet associated spiritual experiences with any particu- lar religious beliefs, they did not associate the loving light with a particular personality. This mounting evidence, uncovered by doctors and scientists, that there is another dimension of existence, has become more and more accepted by our society. We do not have to wait for a physical calami- ty to have a near‑death experience. Through the process of meditation we can learn an easy, simple, and safe method of separating our soul from the body and traveling to other dimen- sions. By using a method to concentrate our attention at a particular point, our soul can tran- scend our body and enter regions of bliss. By Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj Concluding part of the discourse 'Sharing the divine honey' 30 June 7-13, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info SPIRITUAL AWARENESS Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj is an internationally recognized spiritual leader and Master of Jyoti Meditation who affirms the transcendent oneness at the heart of all religions and mystic tradi- tions, emphasizing ethical living and meditation as building blocks for achieving inner and outer peace. www.sos.org. Jumping to Conclusions The Art of Meditation When people see that we are happy and blissful without drugs and alcohol, they ask us how we can feel so good. We can then explain that meditation gives us a natural state of intoxication. We can explain how the sweet nectar of the divine Wine within provides more intoxication than any intoxication which outer drugs and alcohol can give us. ONLY ON www.aapkacolors.com Advertise with us Ashish Dharia: e-mail. [email protected] · Mob.. +1 586 744 3535 Nikhil Shukla: e-mail. [email protected] · Mob.. +1 973 519 2870 Associate sponsor Now Available on. Ch. 1750 Ch. 3713 Ch. 497 Ch. 697 Associate sponsor e-ma vailable on. Nikhil Shukla: e-m Ashish Dharia: Advertise with us AAv Now ail. nikhil.shukla@indiac ail. ashish.dharia@india 4 C 3713 Ch. cast.com · Mob.. +1 973 acast.com · Mob.. +1 58 497 Ch. 697 Ch. 519 2870 86 744 3535 1750 Ch. a . ww. w w N O Y L N O m o c . s r o l o c a k p a a June 7-13, 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info