The Indian Panorama

Month: February 2019

  • AIR CANADA IGNORING ITS PUNJABI CUSTOMER BASE

    AIR CANADA IGNORING ITS PUNJABI CUSTOMER BASE

    No Flights from Vancouver & Toronto to Amritsar

    By Harjap Singh Aujla

    As the number of Punjabis swelled to over a million in Canada. Air Canada decided to start Toronto – New Delhi flight on all seven days of the week. Who advised Air Canada to take this decision is not known. The fact remains that more than 80% load of Air Canada Toronto – New Delhi flight originates from areas around Amritsar International Airport. Long ago, Air Canada could shun Amritsar Airport on the grounds that Amritsar had no five star hotel. Now both Taj Swarna and Hyatt Regency are truly 5 star hotels. There are other hotels also almost in the same category. Now Air Canada has no excuse to shun Amritsar International Airport. This airport has a 12001 foot long runway, which was recently strengthened to take heaviest planes. There are at least 15 fully functional parking spots for planes and the finest taxi-ways. This airport has the latest instrument landing system ILS CAT 3, which enables planes to land with 50 meter visibility and take off with 125 meter visibility. Now all flights coming from Europe and North America can land at Amritsar during poor visibility at New Delhi Airport.

    It is the paramount duty of all modes of transportation, including the railways, airways and road transportation to serve the customers as conveniently as possible. Punjabis are settled in Canada since early 1900s. They started with a few hundred landing in small numbers in Vancouver area prior to World War I and their numbers kept swelling in later years. Most of them were from the districts of Lyallpur, Montgomery, Lahore, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur and Kapurthala. After the 1947 partition of Punjab, most of the immigrants from Lahore, Lyallpur and Montgomery moved to the districts of Ferozepur, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur. All this area is served by Amritsar Airport, the oldest in East Punjab, in operation since 1944.

    After independence of India, the Canadian immigration laws were made more liberal and during the 1950s, the numbers of Punjabis swelled to over 100000 in whole of Canada, most of them were clustered around the city of  Vancouver in the British Columbia Province. When air travel picked up steam, during the 1960s, the Ontario Province, which was geographically closer to the United Kingdom and India, started getting more Punjabi immigrants from Great Britain and the Indian Punjab. Toronto, being the largest city in Canada and its surrounding areas started getting bulk of the immigrants of Punjabi origin both from England and India. Vancouver got most of the rest.

    When I reached the USA in 1980, the number of Indian Punjabis in Canada had exceeded half a million, the majority of them were in British Columbia. Ontario had the second biggest concentration, followed by Alberta and Quebec. Air India, in a business savvy decision, around early years of 2000s, decided to fly to Toronto. They already had a service from Amritsar to Birmingham. It was wiser on their part to extend the Air India service to Toronto. For a few years the Amritsar – Birmingham – Toronto service of Air India was running with a load factor of 80 to 90%. Very high for Air India compared to other flights. Turkmenistan Airlines also had a successful operation between Birmingham – Ashgabat – Amritsar and they were running in decent profit.

    Sensing success of Amritsar – Birmingham – Toronto service of Air India, a newly emerging company Jet Airways also started a six days per week service to London (Heathrow). It was also running with a passenger load of 80 % to 90%. Air India had three slots per day (21 slots per week) at the most sought after Heathrow Airport in metropolitan London. They were operating one flight every day from Bombay and New Delhi to London. For quite some time, their third slot was not being used. Heathrow, being too much in demand, decided to cancel the third slot. Air India did not want to lose this costly slot. So they decided to skip Birmingham and route their Toronto flight through London Heathrow. This move temporarily reduced the load of Jet Airways. In a jiffy, Jet Airways decided to cancel their Amritsar – London operation. After  sometime, GMR built a new terminal at New Delhi Airport called T-3. Somehow Air India decided to fly first thrice weekly from New Delhi via London to Toronto and subsequently they started New Delhi – London – Toronto daily flight. Changing gear quickly, they started flying on Amritsar – New Delhi – London route daily and commenced a new service to Toronto from New Delhi. Subsequently Amritsar was dropped from the route to the dismay of all Punjabis.

    As the number of Punjabis swelled to over a million in Canada. Air Canada decided to start Toronto – New Delhi flight on all seven days of the week. Who advised Air Canada to take this decision is not known. The fact remains that more than 80% load of Air Canada Toronto – New Delhi flight originates from areas around Amritsar International Airport. Long ago, Air Canada could shun Amritsar Airport on the grounds that Amritsar had no five star hotel. Now both Taj Swarna and Hyatt Regency are truly 5 star hotels. There are other hotels also almost in the same category. Now Air Canada has no excuse to shun Amritsar International Airport. This airport has a 12001 foot long runway, which was recently strengthened to take heaviest planes. There are at least 15 fully functional parking spots for planes and the finest taxi-ways. This airport has the latest instrument landing system ILS CAT 3, which enables planes to land with 50 meter visibility and take off with 125 meter visibility. Now all flights coming from Europe and North America can land at Amritsar during poor visibility at New Delhi Airport.

    Of late Air Canada has started another non-stop service from Vancouver to New Delhi. For this flight too, 80 to 90% load comes from Amritsar region. Who advised Air Canada to take this step beats my imagination? More over Amritsar is the home to the most sacred shrine of the Sikh community, the Golden Temple, where every Punjabi likes to bow his/her head on arrival as well as at the time of departure. Things have changed for the better at Amritsar International Airport.

    Amritsar is very well connected to the Middle – East. There are three daily flights to Dubai and one to Doha. Amritsar has three flights per/day to Mumbai, which connect Amritsar to Manchester (UK) too. Birmingham is served thrice a week from Amritsar by Air India and four times a week by Turkmenistan Airlines. The European community had barred Turkmenistan from operations over the European Union. But they have hired other planes to continue their operations unhindered.

    The Punjabi diaspora living in all major cities of Australia, including Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Gold Coast, Adelaide and Brisbane is served very well by one Singapore based Scoot Airlines and two Kuala Lumpur based companies Malindo Airlines and Air Asia X. They pick up passengers daily from Amritsar and transfer them to the Australian flights. Scoot now serves Auckland in New Zealand too. Similarly all the Pacific rim countries are served by flights from Kuala Lumpur  and Singapore. Now the Punjabi origin passengers bound for South East Asian countries and Australia/New Zealand do not have to travel to New Delhi for seven to eight hours by cars and buses.

    The story of Canada is totally perplexing. This great nation has the largest contingent of high level elected officials of Punjabi origin, including MPs. Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, the member of parliament from Slough (London) is single-handedly toiling hard to connect London with Amritsar. But none from the nearly two dozen MPs of Canada is even making a well meaning attempt to directly connect Punjabi diaspora living in Canada with Amritsar International Airport.

    All that the diaspora wants is direct Air Canada flights from Vancouver to Amritsar and from Toronto to Amritsar. Can’t they hold meetings with Air Canada to exert pressure to start these flights. We have very fine hotels in Amritsar at half the prices compared to New Delhi and Mumbai. Amritsar has been adjudged as the fastest growing large airport in India for the year 2018.

    The “Amritsar Vikas Manch” and its offshoot “Fly-Amritsar Initiative” spearheaded by Professor Mohan Singh and assisted by Manjit Singh Saini, Kulwant Singh Ankhi, Charanjit Singh Gumtala, Er. D.S. Kohli, Sameep Singh Gumtala, Yogesh Kamra and Michael Raul among others have launched a signature campaign to connect two major cities of Canada and London (UK) with Amritsar by direct flights. This campaign is in full steam, already about 20000 signatures have been obtained. It will be submitted to Air Canada and other organizations for action. Hopefully something positive will emerge.

    (The author can be reached at harjapaujla@gmail.com)                                 

  • Letter to Editor :Mea Culpa

    Letter to Editor :Mea Culpa

    Dear Editor:

    Re : The recent piece of mine on Gurduara Troubles in Glen Cove, New York  that you kindly published in the Indian Panorama just days ago.

    True that it was not the first of my opinions on our dysfunctional gurduara management, but very deliberately and carefully in the past I NEVER identified by name any of the persons involved in any altercations.  Why?  Because shaming people was never my intent NOR is it now.

    The note that you published under my name identified some of the  responsible people and that created unforeseen problems.   This note was NEVER intended for publication and general distribution.  It was intended for only a limited audience to spur them to use discretion and good sense in an effort towards working for an amicable resolution for the greater good.

    For this reason I had NOT submitted this note to you for publication.  Apparently,  someone from one side or the other,  sent it to you perhaps hoping to shame people into better sense.  Unfortunately shaming did what it usually does – it makes them aggressively self-defensive.

    I witnessed firsthand the unfortunate result today.   At an unrelated  function loyalist  of both sides accosted me. They were offended for having been named in print.  In the melee,  the intent of my piece was lost.  My theme was that the gurduara is not  meant to divide our community into “Friends and Foes” but to create an ambience where we transform a divided people  into collaborators and allies that work towards the common good of the community despite our differences.

    The public shaming from seeing their names in print very likely kills any incentive for peace and for that I offer regrets  — a sincere Mea Culpa.

    I.J. Singh

    (ijsingh99@gmail.com)

    North Bellmore, New York

    February 18, 2019

  • “Fire & Fury” Trump nominated by Abe for Nobel Peace Prize

    “Fire & Fury” Trump nominated by Abe for Nobel Peace Prize

    “I applaud and join PM Shinzo Abe, whose nation saw North Korean ICBM rockets flyover Japan, to nominate President Donald J. Trump for the Nobel Peace prize. Unlike prior presidents who could deliberate into inaction, President Trump charged in with “Fire & Fury” and “Little Rocket Man” and promised devastation of DPRK and Chairman Kim jong Un. The rest, as they say is history as the North Korean Missiles have stopped flying.

    While it isn’t easy to always agree with Trump’s “ways & means”, his foreign policy goals are more often than not – dead on. Credit the disturbed Deep State has a hard time comprehending, let alone supporting.

    The Arab Spring was started by a male Street Vendor in Tunisia after he was insulted by a female cop, and after unsuccessfully trying his best to protest, he self-immolated. Trump gave voice to the overwhelming number of unhappy and angry hardworking Americans who feel they and their children had been dealt out of the American Dream by lobbyists and Special Interests (who created the most unnecessary and corrupt 4Trillion dollar TARP as a reward to those who had then just destroyed America’s pensions & 401Ks in 2007).

    Trump is the updated version of Teddy Roosevelt, as he changed “walk softly and carry a big stick” to “walk loudly and carry a big stick!” In today’s noise-filled life, Trump has cut through the status quo with his unending Tweet-storms, disrupted geopolitics, and made America stronger and safer, even if not liked as much as before. The British Empire’s biggest empire-building asset – “it’s been decided” – no matter if right or wrong – it was followed through as ‘it’s been decided.” Trump is a ‘decider” and the American Empire is on the march to greater peace & security.”

    Ravi Batra Esq.

    (ravibatralaw@aol.com)

    New York

  • US regards India as the “Closest Ally” & will be ready to support its war on terrorism

    US regards India as the “Closest Ally” & will be ready to support its war on terrorism

    It is for India to take advantage of a sea of  US goodwill

    By Ven Parmeswaran

    The US has recommended that India must get rid of Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba thru surgical strikes.  It is implied that once India decides, both the U.S. and India would jointly formulate military strategy and execute it.

    Pakistan sponsored Jaish-e-Mohammed, a terrorist organization,  killed 41 Indian para  military personnel  on February 13th.  Immediately upon hearing the news, a  chain of successive events took place in Washington D.C.  The Secretary of State and the National Security Adviser issued statements of strongest support to India.  This was followed by discussion on the situation  in the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives.  All important and leading senators and congressmen/women condemned Pakistan and extended political support to India.  The Chief of the US Central Command, General Joseph Votel  gave his assessment to  the Congress and offered support to India.

    The US has recommended that India must get rid of Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba thru surgical strikes.  It is implied that once India decides, both the U.S. and India would jointly formulate military strategy and execute it. Indian Ambassador Shringla said: “The designation of India as a Major Defense Partner was also codified into law by the US Congress in the National Defense Authorization Act of 2017, thanks to the unstinted  support of the members of the India Caucus.”

    President Trump has been demanding  that Pakistan dismantle all terror cells and organizations inside Pakistan.  He is the first US President  to cancel military aid to Pakistan. Prime Minister Imran Khan of Pakistan  has been wanting to meet President Trump to seek support for loans from the I.M.F. President Trump has told him that unless he gets rid of all terror outfits and terrorists from Pakistan, he would not support Pakistan’s request.

    Pakistan was defeated by India in three conventional wars.  India defeated Pakistan in its third war and Pakistan lost East Pakistan. Since then, Pakistan has been using the homegrown terrorist organizations, such as Jaish-e-Mohammed; Lashkar-e-Taiba; and others as proxy to fight India.  This resulted in attacks on the Indian Parliament, , New Delhi shopping mall, and the City of Mumbai that killed 165 Indians and foreigners.

    Pakistan is controlled by its military and the I.S.I.,  its intelligence agency.  The military has selected its Prime Minister and therefore the Parliament is a joke.  Because India so far has not retaliated, Pakistan has taken advantage and continues to use the terrorists to attack India.

    India’s new Ambassador to the U.S.A., Harsh Vardhan Shringla  after presenting his credentials to President Trump was given the most enthusiastic reception at the Capitol Hill.   This was attended by more senators and congressmen/women than ever before.   The grand reception given to Ambassador Shringla is a reflection of India-US relations, with India now  branded as “CLOSEST  ALLY”. The chain of events in Washington after Pakistan’s attack in Kashmir reinforces President Trump’s new policy towards South Asia.  India should be pleased because the “CLOSEST ALLY” status has bipartisan support. It is time for India to take full advantage of the US support and  draw up a plan to end the scourge of terrorism from inside Pakistan.

    (The author,  in  the U.S. for 65 years, lives in Scarsdale, N.Y. He  is a Senior Adviser to Imagindia Institute, New Delhi, a think tank. He can be reached at vpwaren@gmail.com)

  • Saudi Crown Prince’s visit: The lure of geo-economics vs ‘brotherly love’

    Saudi Crown Prince’s visit: The lure of geo-economics vs ‘brotherly love’

    The times have changed. Till recently, Saudi Arabia would go along with vitriolic Pakistani resolutions on Kashmir at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Visiting Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s commiserations over the Pulwama attack fell short of expectations. The Prince did not mention Pakistan, leave alone indicting it for cross-border terror like the Americans and the British usually do. Some renitence is understandable — Pakistan army serves as Riyadh’s Praetorian Guard, there are 20 lakh Pakistanis in Saudi Arabia, and for decades, the US-Saudi-Pakistan troika has acted in close concert to superimpose its foreign policy on the region. Nor do the Saudis have very clean hands, having involved themselves in backing non-state actors, from Afghanistan to Syria.

    Despite these constraints, India’s success in breaking into the Saudi security calculus is laudable: there is an offer for real-time intelligence sharing, which was recently in evidence when Riyadh deported half a dozen Lashkar-e-Taiba suspects along with the prospect of a partnership in maritime security that matches with India’s desire to keep a military eye on its sea lanes of communication carrying bulk of its energy supplies. But more important is the move towards erecting formal structures for interaction on anti-terrorism and investment.

    India has played its cards well to elicit a shift in the Saudi approach which could have implications for Pakistani behavior, though Riyadh also stands diminished after its stalemate against the resource-strapped Houthis and the clumsy murder of a journalist in Turkey. But the catalyst may have been geo-economics. Mohammed has set his country on the path of modernization — women can now drive; female preachers are encouraged, and the Saudis are raring to enter downstream areas in petroleum overseas. India is among the eight countries identified for an expanding economic footprint with talk of $100 billion in investment. The Crown Prince also advised the Pakistanis about the need to gain from India’s economic resurgence, provided they had a ‘great leader’. The Saudis have come a long way. They not just condemned the Pulwama attack, but also denounced it. The lure of the market seems to be triumphing over brotherly love.

    (Tribune, India)

     

  • US regards India as the “Closest Ally” & will be ready to support its war on terrorism

    US regards India as the “Closest Ally” & will be ready to support its war on terrorism

    It is for India to take advantage of a sea of  US goodwill

    By Ven Parameswaran

    The US has recommended that India must get rid of Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba thru surgical strikes.  It is implied that once India decides, both the U.S. and India would jointly formulate military strategy and execute it.

    Pakistan sponsored Jaish-e-Mohammed, a terrorist organization,  killed 41 Indian para  military personnel  on February 14th.  Immediately upon hearing the news, a  chain of successive events took place in Washington D.C.  The Secretary of State and the National Security Adviser issued statements of strongest support to India.  This was followed by discussion on the situation  in the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives.  All important and leading senators and congressmen/women condemned Pakistan and extended political support to India.  The Chief of the US Central Command, General Joseph Votel  gave his assessment to  the Congress and offered support to India.

    The US has recommended that India must get rid of Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba thru surgical strikes.  It is implied that once India decides, both the U.S. and India would jointly formulate military strategy and execute it. Indian Ambassador Shringla said: “The designation of India as a Major Defense Partner was also codified into law by the US Congress in the National Defense Authorization Act of 2017, thanks to the unstinted  support of the members of the India Caucus.”

    President Trump has been demanding  that Pakistan dismantle all terror cells and organizations inside Pakistan.  He is the first US President  to cancel military aid to Pakistan.   Prime Minister Imran Khan of Pakistan  has been wanting to meet President Trump to seek support for loans from the I.M.F. President Trump has told him that unless he gets rid of all terror outfits and terrorists from Pakistan, he would not support Pakistan’s request.

    Pakistan was defeated by India in three conventional wars.  India defeated Pakistan in its third war and Pakistan lost East Pakistan. Since then, Pakistan has been using the homegrown terrorist organizations, such as Jaish-e-Mohammed; Lashkar-e-Taiba; and others as proxy to fight India.  This resulted in attacks on the Indian Parliament, , New Delhi shopping mall, and the City of Mumbai that killed 165 Indians and foreigners.

    Pakistan is controlled by its military and the I.S.I.,  its intelligence agency.  The military has selected its Prime Minister and therefore the Parliament is a joke.  Because India so far has not retaliated, Pakistan has taken advantage and continues to use the terrorists to attack India.

    India’s new Ambassador to the U.S.A., Harsh Vardhan Shringla  after presenting his credentials to President Trump was given the most enthusiastic reception at the Capitol Hill.   This was attended by more senators and congressmen/women than ever before.   The grand reception given to Ambassador Shringla is a reflection of India-US relations, with India now  branded as “CLOSEST  ALLY”.    The chain of events in Washington after Pakistan’s attack in Kashmir reinforces President Trump’s new policy towards South Asia.  India should be pleased because the “CLOSEST ALLY” status has bipartisan support. It is time for India to take full advantage of the US support and  draw up a plan to end the scourge of terrorism from inside Pakistan.

    (The author,  in  the U.S. for 65 years, lives in Scarsdale, N.Y. He  is a Senior Adviser to Imagindia Institute, New Delhi, a think tank. He can be reached at vpwaren@gmail.com)

  • UN Security Council condemns Pulwama attack

    UN Security Council condemns Pulwama attack

    Sources at the UN said the UNSC statement was released after prolonged Security Council negotiations.

    UNITED NATIONS(TIP): The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Thursday, February 21,  issued  a statement condemning the Pulwama attack and underlining the need to hold those responsible, accountable. Significantly Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) has been named on the statement as having taken responsibility for the attack.

    “The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the heinous and cowardly suicide bombing in Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in over 40 Indian paramilitary forces dead and dozens wounded on February 14, 2019, for which Jaish-e-Mohammed has claimed responsibility,” the statement said.

    Sources at the UN said the UNSC statement was released after prolonged Security Council negotiations. China had wanted additional time to think it through as it had some concerns, they said. France is also working, in parallel, to sanction JeM chief Masood Azhar at the UNSC. Similar action against Azhar in 2017 was blocked by China (India had moved the 1267 Sanctions Committee to ban Azhar twice before in 2009 and 2016). On Tuesday, UN Secretary General António Guterres had called on India and Pakistan to defuse tensions and for “meaningful mutual engagement.”

    Condemning terrorism in all its forms as one of the most serious threats to international peace, the UNSC offered its condolences to those impacted by the attack.

    “The members of the Security Council expressed their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims, as well as to the Indian people and the government of India and wished a speedy and full recovery to those who were injured,” the statement said.

    In what appears to be a thinly veiled reference to Pakistan, the Council has asked countries to cooperate actively with the Government of India.

    “The members of the Security Council underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice, and urged all States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with the Government of India and all other relevant authorities in this regard,” the statement read.

    “The members of the Security Council reiterated that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed. They reaffirmed the need for all States to combat by all means, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and other obligations under international law, including international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts,” it said.

  • TV Asia Chairman Padma Shri H R Shah awarded honorary doctorate by Desh Bhagat University in Punjab, India

    TV Asia Chairman Padma Shri H R Shah awarded honorary doctorate by Desh Bhagat University in Punjab, India

    EDISON, NJ(TIP): Padma Shri H R Shah, chairman and CEO of leading South Asian American channel TV Asia, has been awarded an honorary doctorate by Desh Bhagat University  in Punjab, India on Feb 14.

    Mr Shah was recognized for his services as an Indian American entrepreneur, a turnaround specialist, philanthropist and an endearing community leader. He was the chief guest at the university’s annual event, along with Pawan Kumar Chamling, Chief Minister of Sikkim, who also received an honorary doctorate and was the keynote speaker.

    Dressed in ceremonial robes, Mr Shah accepted the honorary degree from Chancellor Dr Zora Singh, Pro Chancellor Tajinder Kaur and Vice Chancellor Dr Virinder Singh. The award was presented by Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling.

    In receiving the honorary doctorate, Mr Shah was cited for his selfless services for the cause of humanity. “It is your multi-faceted personality, exceptional vison, deep commitment toward culture, literature, political philosophy and educational activities that are an inspiration to the young generation,” the university said.

    Among others who also received the honorary doctorate at the event, included Bharat Ratna and former President of India Pranab Mukherjee (In absentia); Dr Huzaifa Khorakiwala, CEO of Wockhardt Foundation; V R Shankara, president and general counsel of Hindalco Industries; conservationist Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal; actress Priti Sapru; Lov Verma, former health minister; and Lt Gen.  Shokin Chauhan. The Chancellor’s Distinguished Leadership Award were given to: R S Basnet, principal secretary of Assam; Shrabani Patnaik; Mata Jarnail Kaur; Dr Vikas Jindal; Dr Naresh Mittal of Dhanwantry Ayurvedic College; Dr S P Singh, chairman of Apex Group, Dubai; Prof R P Kaushik and Binay Kumar.

    As chairman & CEO of TV Asia Group, Mr Shah heads a veritable powerhouse of several business verticals spanning the media and entertainment landscape in North America, with presence in the television, OTT, IPTV, radio, print, digital, ecommerce and events marketplace.

    Mr Shah is the first NRI to own and operate a 24/7 TV station, TV Asia, launched in 1993 by legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan, in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. He is credited with pioneering Indian television and entertainment in the Western hemisphere. Using mass media as his tool of influence and with 38 news bureaus in North America currently, his vision is to expand to 60 news bureaus across the world. This, he believes, will serve his mission to preserve, support and promote Indian heritage for present and future generations of the Indian Diaspora settled across the globe, making TV Asia the “voice and mirror of the community.” TV Asia has long been known as the Indian community’s “Home Away from Home.” The channel works closely with Indian Consulates in the US in their outreach programs for the Indian American community.

    For over 35 years, Mr Shah has generously given his time, energy and resources as a pillar of the Indian American community, always supporting various social work, cultural, educational and related activities in the US and India. He has been a major supporter and has given strong backing to many worthy causes.

    He is the chairman and trustee of Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan USA, the world famous institute of Indian culture, literature, education, music and the arts. The Bhawan has dedicated an auditorium, “Romanti Auditorium,” in memory of his late daughter.

    In 2017, Mr Shah received the Padma Shri, one of Indian government’s highest civilian awards.

    He also received the prestigious Ellis Island Medal of Honor in 2005. The award is bestowed only on those who display significant contributions to their own communities and to the United States at large. The US House of Representatives and the Senate both unanimously passed resolutions sanctioning the Ellis Island Medals of Honor. Each honoree is listed in the Congressional Record.

    Additionally, Mr Shah is the recipient of numerous community and business awards in the US as well as India.

    During the 4-hour long convocation at Desh Bhagat University, around 1,200 students received degrees, diplomas and medals in various courses, including, Agriculture Sciences, Animation, Applied Sciences, Art & Craft and Fashion Technology, Ayurveda, Commerce, Computer Sciences, Education, Engineering, Hospitality and Tourism, Hotel Management, Languages, Management, Media, Nursing, Performing Arts, Physical Education and Social Sciences. The university offers more than 150 graduate and undergraduate courses and has an enrollment of over 8,000 students.

    In his acceptance speech, Mr Shah extended his sincere appreciation for Chancellor Dr Zora Singh and his staff and the meaningful work the university was pursuing. “I commend Dr Zora Singh for his vision and leadership in steering the university with new ideas while being socially responsible and giving the students a great educational platform,” he noted.

    Mr Shah touched upon how India’s economic development and transformation was intrinsically linked to education, skilling, entrepreneurship, research and innovation. “I am very happy to read the vision of the university which is in line with the same,” he said.

    He underlined the pivotal role educational institutions played in imparting socially responsible perspective to the students.

    “I appreciate the role of the University and its faculty for imparting the ‘Education for Life’ and not education for living only,” he said to a thundering applause.

    He noted the graduating students will always remain “stars” with their contributions to their families, society and the nation. He also underscored the importance of families and parents who have always sacrificed for their children’s education.

    In a heart-to-heart with the graduating students, Mr Shah said that while convocation signified the culmination of the phase of formal education, it also symbolized the beginning of a new journey. “Today’s ceremony is also called ‘Commencement’ and I take it as a Commencement of lifelong learning,” he concluded.

    On the sidelines of the convocation, Mr Shah discussed with Chief Minister Chamling about the need to promote Sikkim tourism to the Indian Diaspora in the US as well as across the world. Mr Shah also spoke with Dr. Jagannath Patnaik, Vice Chancellor of ICFAI University, Sikkim, about collaborating with American universities for exchange of programs, research and faculty development.

    In his meeting with Desh Bhagat University Chancellor  Dr Zora Singh, Mr Shah discussed how the university should look into transfer of courses and credits for students from US educational institutions.

    About Desh Bhagat University.

    Desh Bhagat University (DBU) located at Amloh, Punjab has been established under Punjab Governments’ Desh Bhagat University Act, 2012. DBU has  its four campuses in India –  at Amloh, Shri Muktsar Sahib, Moga and Chandigarh and an international campus  in Kenya.

    Desh Bhagat University, Amloh came into existence  under the guidance of Sardar  Lal Singh, a freedom fighter.

    The university offers more than 350 courses in almost 50 various streams at undergraduate, graduate, post-graduate and doctorate level. It is affiliated with UGC, AIU, NCTE, PCI, COA, and BCI.

    As for ranking, it stands 2nd  amongst all State Private Universities of Punjab.

  • Pak bans Hafiz Saeed-led JuD and its charity

    Pak bans Hafiz Saeed-led JuD and its charity

    ISLAMABAD(TIP): Pakistan on Thursday, February 21,  banned the 2008 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed-led Jamat-ud-Dawa and its charity wing Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation, amid intense global pressure to rein in the militant groups following the Pulwama terror attack that killed 40 CRPF jawans.

    A spokesman of the Interior Ministry said the decision to ban these groups was taken during a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan at his office on Thursday.

    “It was decided during the meeting to accelerate action against proscribed organizations,” the spokesperson said in a statement.

    “It was further decided that Jamat-ud-Dawa and Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation be notified as proscribed organizations by the Ministry of Interior,” he added.

    Earlier, the two outfits were kept on the watchlist of the interior ministry.

    According to officials, JuD’s network includes 300 seminaries and schools, hospitals, a publishing house and ambulance service. The two groups have about 50,000 volunteers and hundreds of other paid workers.

    The JuD is believed to be the front organization for the LeT which is responsible for carrying out the Mumbai attack that killed 166 people. It has been declared as a foreign terrorist organization by the US in June 2014.

    The US Department of the Treasury has designated its chief Saeed as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, and the US, since 2012, has offered a USD 10 million reward for information that brings Saeed to justice.

    Saeed was listed under UN Security Council Resolution 1267 in December 2008. He was released from house arrest in Pakistan in November 2017.

    The NSC meeting also reviewed the National Action Plan against terrorism in detail. Services chiefs and key ministers were in attendance.

    “We need to move to ensure that militancy and extremism are rooted from the society and the State never becomes hostage to extremists,” Khan said as he directed both the interior ministry and the security institutions to immediately accelerate actions on ground.

    (Source: PTI)

  • Mueller could submit report to Attorney-General next week

    Mueller could submit report to Attorney-General next week

    WASHINGTON (TIP): The U.S. Department of Justice may announce as early as next week that Special Counsel Robert Mueller has given the Attorney-General his report on the federal Russia investigation, CNN said on Wednesday, February 20, citing unnamed sources.

    After the expected announcement, U.S. Attorney General William Barr will review Mr. Mueller’s findings and submit his own summary to Congress, CNN reported. Democrats have been concerned that Mr. Barr, who has discretion over what is ultimately made public, will choose to limit disclosure.

    Under Special Counsel regulations, Mr. Mueller must submit a confidential report to the Attorney-General. Mr. Barr, in turn, is required to provide information on the report to  the judiciary committees of Congress.

  • Sadhguru calls upon youth to see danger to world from growing population and inequal distribution of wealth

    Sadhguru calls upon youth to see danger to world from growing population and inequal distribution of wealth

    BOSTON(TIP): “One of the biggest problems in the world is migration. It’s estimated nearly 1.5 billion people will migrate in next 5 to 10 years’ time. What is the solution for this? The problem is – nearly 80% of the world’s investment goes to cities. We have to create business friendly environment for all. We have to invest in various areas and create livelihood”, said Sadhguru  on February 17, at the 16thedition of  India Conference, one of  the largest student-run conferences focusing on India in the USA. It is jointly organized by students of Harvard Business School and Harvard Kennedy School.

    One of the most enlightened persons of our time, Sadhguru said population growth and inequal distribution of wealth must lead to migration, and no walls or barriers could stop the influx.

    Sadhguru answered questions from panelists and the audience on a number of issues at the session “Youth and Truth with Sadhguru.

    Asked to comment on the subject of rape, Sadhguru said, “We have to deal with it in a sensible way. This is not a social issue – it’s a human issue. This debate has to come”.

    On democracy in America, Sadhguru said he believed  there is no democracy in the United States.  “It’s feudalism”, he said.  “My father was a Republican so am  I. Same for the Democrats. How is it democracy? Every citizen has the right to express own opinion. I don’t want to take any political side. If one individual can move million votes – that means we are going back to feudalism not democracy. The idea of democracy and secret ballot is that every person will decide on his/her own and cast the vote. Political party membership should be taken away. Political parties should not enroll members because people are voting for you without looking at what you have done. Every five years we must evaluate what politicians have done – should I give them another chance or not. I support this party and I will vote for them without judging their work  – this is feudalism. This destroys fundamental democratic fabric”.

    On the issue of marriage and relationship between man and woman, husband and wife, Sadhguru quipped; “Be it marketplace or marriage – for any relationship to sustain it has to be beneficial for both parties. Unless it benefits both, the business won’t last long”.

    The India Conference is one of the largest student-run conferences focusing on India in the USA. It is jointly organized by students of Harvard Business School and Harvard Kennedy School. The 16th edition of the Conference was organized on February 16th and February 17th, 2019 in Boston. The theme was  ‘India at an inflection point’.

    A statement on the conference said, “At the 16th edition of India Conference at Harvard, we aim to bring together India’s thought leaders for a weekend of discussions and brainstorming sessions to unravel the exciting opportunities that lay ahead for our country. The conference has a strong legacy of bringing together politicians, business leaders, entertainment professionals, public intellectuals, spiritual leaders, government officials, philanthropists, and many other leaders to meaningfully discuss key issues, solutions and opportunities in the context of India’s path to global leadership.

    “This conference will bring together great business leaders, entertainment professionals, government officials, philanthropists and many other leaders to engage in conversation about India’s path to global leadership. In the past, we have been fortunate to host Amartya Sen, Omar Abdullah, Azim Premji, Kamal Hassan, Ravish Kumar, Karan Johar, and Sabyasachi Mukherjee among many other influential speakers. Our 2018 conference had over 1000 attendees and was a resounding success”.

    The 2019 conference was no less star-studded and was very well attended.  The 2 -day conference  witnessed the presence of dozens of intellectuals and social activists from India and the US who dealt with dozens of issues. The young students deserve highest appreciation for organizing a great India conference, with the theme “India at an inflection point”.

  • February 22 New York & Dallas Print Editions

    February 22 New York & Dallas Print Editions

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    Print Replica ~ Digitally

    E-Editions

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  • CAG on IAF purchases: Rafale reflects the need for major corrections

    CAG on IAF purchases: Rafale reflects the need for major corrections

    The Rafale tender stole the political thunder in the Comptroller and Auditor General of India’s (CAG) assessment of 11 capital acquisitions by the Indian Air Force over a time period that spanned both the UPA and Modi governments. Considering that previous CAG reports on coal and 2G had irrevocably damaged the credibility of the UPA government, the Modi government can consider itself fortunate to have escaped unscathed because of the inventiveness of the auditors. The CAG used a never-used formula (called alignment pricing) to declare the Modi tender cheaper than the UPA era’s now-cancelled 126 aircraft bid. An audit basically evaluates four criteria in a defense platform: quality, cost-effectiveness, delivery and objectivity. The CAG report gives conditional thumbs up on only two: cost-effectiveness and the delivery schedule. Even these are up for debate.

    But the benchmark of objectivity, which includes intangibles such as transparency, fair play and integrity, stands in a grey zone. For instance, the comparison of UPA and NDA-era prices on the basis of a French index is debatable when payments are made in dollars. A dissent note alleging parallel negotiations (dismissed by then Defence Minister Parrikar as an overreaction) went unchallenged, while there was just a mild rap for not signing an integrity pact and succumbing to French refusal on opening an Escrow account. The Modi government was also easily let off the hook for failing to respond to a 20 per cent price cut by a Rafale competitor. Who knows whether Rafale would have still played tough if it had not been the single vendor?

    Rafale was one of the 11 purchases studied by CAG and the common tale that emerges is of overambitious services whose requirements are frequently changed, leading to several vendors dropping out; the contract negotiations committee that rarely establishes the benchmark price, which, in turn, makes it difficult to establish the reasonability of the price. Complex and multi-level approval processes further add to the delays. Overall, the existing capital acquisition system is unlikely to effectively support the IAF in its war preparedness and modernization.

    (Tribune, India)

  • OBITUARY

    OBITUARY

    It is with deepest sorrow that we inform you of the untimely  and  sad passing of our beloved Vinod Kotahwala on February 11th in Tucson Arizona.

    He was a wonderful man who was loved, is missed, and will always be cherished. His kindness and generosity were  inspiration to all.

    He immigrated from Jaipur, India and opened the doors to his business in 1971. His wife, Sushma Kotahwala, and he built a home for their three children in New York City. He achieved the “American Dream”. However, he did not stop there. He supported and helped families emigrate and setup offices and businesses within the United States and around the world.

    He loved to travel. He learned and spoke multiple languages, including Portuguese fluently. Never will you meet a man who more faithfully lived by his values. His word was his bond and everyone knew it.  He was a hardworking, dynamic, patient, honest, generous, and caring man. He always stood up for what was right and fair even though at times it was the harder choice. He helped everyone whenever he could. They don’t’ make men like him. The best quality about Vinod was he always saw the good in people when no one else could. He was known as a gentleman and has now become a guardian angel.

    His funeral service will take place as per program below:-

    Date: Feb 16th

    Time: 11AM – 1PM

    Location:

    Moloney’s Lake Funeral Home & Cremation Center

    132 Ronkonkoma Avenue · Lake Ronkonkoma, New York 11779

    (631) 588-1515

    https://www.moloneyfh.com/obituary/vinod-kotahwala/

    We would be grateful if you could pass this message along to anybody who knew him and would like to join his family and friends in honoring his life.

    Sushma Kotahwala (wife),

    Eshvar Kotahwala, Prashant and Shweta Goenka, Rishab and Vidhi Malhotra

    Haridasji Kotahwala and the entire Kotahwala family

  • CRISIS AT GLENCOVE GURDUARA

    CRISIS AT GLENCOVE GURDUARA

    I.J. Singh

    Just days ago, Gurduara Glencove held not one but two meetings of the general body on the same day, Sunday; the second meeting immediately followed the first.

    Believe me, this incredible matter is not a typographical oversight or slip.  It is absolutely true. It is important to note that despite Constitutional requirements for periodic meetings no general meeting had been held for many years.

    It is not that people did not want any meetings but their earlier requests – and there were several — were summarily ignored or rebuffed. And now there were two, on the same day, one directly on the heels of the other.

    Clearly, the state of the Gurduara at Glencove is not as it ought to be, and that’s the most charitable way that I can put it.  The divisions are sharp and hard edged.

    Of the two meetings, the first was run and controlled by the existing management of the gurduara and reluctantly held in response to the continuous wish of a sizeable segment of the community. The second meeting held by members of the sangat followed minutes after the first concluded was by members of sangat. It is important to note that no member of the management attended the second meeting.

    This short note today is not to castigate or scold either side but to focus a lens on fundamental premises and logic that were pushed and highlighted by the existing management to justify their atrocious reasoning and decision making.

    Now for my two cents worth on the mess:

    Via a letter the current management dismissed the sangat’s right to a meeting as both irrelevant and contrary to any legal requirements. Their rationale almost took my breath away. They attached a letter framed by their lawyers. It appeared to assert that since no general body meeting had been held for several years, the sangat had obviously abrogated its rights, if any, to a meeting.  Hence none was necessary, and none may be held.

    With me others, too, will find such reasoning absolutely untenable, if not atrocious. Why?

    Think a moment: The British ruled India for about 200 years (and Punjab for about one century). Could one argue that since, for much of the time, Indians did not unceasingly and single mindedly ask for independence, they had lost their right to demand it any further? Or look at our new home – The United States: For centuries racial discrimination was legal and widely practiced. Women’s rights were severely curtailed. For instance, women did not have the right to vote until 1920, 150 years after the country was founded. Should they have been told that since they accepted the reality for so long, they no longer had the option to protest or demand a change? Every day now, discriminatory practices that existed for centuries are giving way to changing realities and new attitudes and much still needs attention. For example, until about 40 years ago women were accepted into medical schools in the United States with great difficulty, if at all. Now that’s no reason to continue to curtail their rights.

    I also offer you a potent example of what I would term atrocious reasoning that surfaced at the meeting by the current management that I am alluding to. The Chairman, Maninder Singh Sethi, offered that he would embrace the idea of retiring from his position at the gurduara’s helm but was determined to stay in command until he could identify a suitable person to whom he would hand the reins and control.

    I confess that I am absolutely shocked and flabbergasted. Words almost fail me. The gurduara is an institution, not private property for which any one individual, no matter, how brave, honest, wise, dedicated, capable or respected can appoint or anoint a successor.  Good institutions are governed by procedures, principles, priorities, practices and the shareholders that live and die for them.

    The sangat and the membership constitute the shareholders of a gurduara.  A respected leader deserves reverence, and respect, but never absolute dictatorial control.

    Mr. Chairman: This is absolutely not your prerogative, nor that of any one person. The least you can do is to assure the people that this was never your intent and that you misspoke. The decision rests with the sangat.

    A gurduara is not to be used to divide the world into friends and foes but to see if we can transform them into allies and collaborators.

  • ARRANT RELIGIOUS BIGOTRY AND DISGUISED RACISM NOW SEEM ALIVE AND WELL IN THE US SUPREME COURT (SCOTUS)

    ARRANT RELIGIOUS BIGOTRY AND DISGUISED RACISM NOW SEEM ALIVE AND WELL IN THE US SUPREME COURT (SCOTUS)

    EXECUTED MUSLIM DENIED LAST RITES BY MULLAH

    By Nagendra Rao

    Looks like the halcyon days of Supreme Court justices like William J. Brennan Jr., Thurgood Marshall, Earl Warren, Potter Stewart, William O Douglas, Felix Frankfurter are permanently over, or at least for a very long time.

    This is what happens when economic prosperity heads full speed towards a brick wall as is increasingly happening to the US as it begins its irreversible long slide down.

    This is the court of Brett Kavanaugh, John Roberts, of late Antonin Scalia disguised but intensely opinionated, conservative, fundamentalist, (bigoted?) Catholic / Christian judges.

    It’s why as NYT wrote in a long and thoughtful piece about 10 years ago that the world has now stopped reading or giving credence to the opinions of SCOTUS.  It is too right wing, too biased, (Christian parochialism?) to be worthy of universal respect as in past eras.  It is the Supreme Courts of Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and India (alas, now increasingly of slavishly westernized and deracinated from Indic cultural ethos and pandering to western sensibilities) which are respected and regarded.

    SCOTUS on narrow technical grounds just denied an American Muslim the right to last rites by a Mullah / Maulvi in the judgment on Dunn v. Ray.  Domineque Ray, was executed Thursday evening by the State of Alabama. Mr. Ray did not contest the state’s power to kill him, he simply asked that Alabama permit his spiritual adviser to be in the execution chamber to comfort him as the state extinguished his life. Ray is a Muslim, and the prison’s policy allowed him to be attended by a Christian chaplain but not by a Muslim imam.

    “Religious liberty for me, but not for thee”.

    The word “empathy,” it should be noted, does not mean “sympathy.” Sympathy implies a kind of partisanship — to be sympathetic to a party is to be favorable to their claims. Empathy means something else. It is the ability to place yourself in someone else’s shoes and to understand their perspective even if you have not shared their experiences. It is a white Christian man’s ability to see that the world sometimes operates differently for an African-American Muslim.

    It should have been an open-and-shut case. As Justice Elena Kagan noted in a dissenting opinion, “the clearest command of the Establishment Clause is that one religious denomination cannot be officially preferred over another.” If Alabama allows Christian inmates to be attended by a clergy member of their faith, then it must offer the same accommodation to people of other faiths.

    Neal Katyal, a former acting Solicitor General of the United States who, by virtue of the fact that he practices before the Supreme Court, must be careful about criticizing its judges too harshly, compared the Ray decision to notorious decisions such as “Dred Scott, Plessy v. Ferguson, Korematsu, and the Chinese Exclusion Act cases.” The National Review’s David French labeled Ray “a grave violation of the First Amendment.”

    Nearly a hundred years ago the Ramakrishna Mission Vedanta Society in California was gifted a huge property by a wealthy devotee in her will.  Her family filed suit.  The openly and blatantly racist and religiously bigoted judge (there are scads of them even in federal courts of the Confederate South) set aside the bequest on totally specious grounds and awarded the property to the family.  It looks like SCOTUS under Trump is rapidly returning to the Dred Scott days of viewing slaves as property.

  • Why Modi’s BJP May Fail to Regain Power?

    Why Modi’s BJP May Fail to Regain Power?

    Failed foreign policy, Mounting Unemployment, Economic Woes for many Sections, and Hindutva pose a challenge to Modi

    By Ven Parmeswaran

    Prime Minister Modi  has  failed to capitalize on US-India closest ally relationship.  Modi must display  and reciprocate friendship to the USA thru developing systematic communications through diplomatic channels and also thru regular Press Conferences. New Delhi has failed to make international headlines because Prime Minister does not speak to the international media.

    President Trump is the first President to make India its “closest ally” on a par with the U.K.   By this policy decision, the U.S. has agreed to the 100%  transfer of US sophisticated technology to India.  The “closest ally” status also enabled India to access U.S. strategic and defense intelligence, especially on China.   Any military moves by China will be closely monitored by the U.S Intelligence and shared with India.  President Trump is also the first President critical of Pakistan and he has been applying pressure on Pakistan to get rid of all terrorist organizations including Lashkar-e-Taiba responsible for attacks on Mumbai, that killed 165 people. He has also allowed Lockheed Martin to manufacture in India sophisticated defense aircrafts.

    Prime Minister Modi has not embraced “closest ally” status with enthusiastic support.  He was more concerned with concluding defense deals with Russia and buying aircrafts from France.  He also wanted to be able to import oil from Iran, sanctioned by the US.  President Trump cooperated with Modi and allowed him to finalize the deal with Russia and France.  He also agreed to exempt sanction so that Iran could export to India.

    President Trump has visited all major countries in the world except India.  Prime Minister Modi should have invited President Trump and given him an enthusiastic reception.  He invited Trump for the Republic Day event knowing fully well January is the busiest month for any U.S. President.   He could have used the U.S. support to negotiate with Pakistan to mete out justice to the leaders of Lashkar-e-Taiba, responsible for attacks on Mumbai.   Modi failed to apply diplomatic pressure on Pakistan.  He has no roadmap.

    Prime Minister Modi has failed to liberalize India’s economy and create favorable environment for foreign investment.  He has failed to privatize several public sector corporations, most of them are inefficient and running at a loss such as Air India and others.   With 100% transfer of U.S. technology, India does not still have a blueprint of industrial and military products it intends to manufacture.

    U.S. WARNS MODI AGAINST PANDERING TO HINDU NATIONALISTS

    Dan Coats, Director of National Intelligence in his written testimony of the intelligent community’s assessment of worldwide threats in 2019 to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence on January 29, said:

    “Parliamentary elections in India increase the possibility of communal violence if Indian Prime Minister Modi’s BJP stresses Hindu nationalist themes.  BJP policies during Modi’s first term have deepened communal tensions in some BJP governed states, and Hindu nationalist state leaders might view a Hindu-nationalist campaign as a signal to incite low level violence to animate their supporters,” he said.

    Coats predicted, “increasing communal clashes could alienate Indian Muslims and allow Islamist terrorists groups in India to expand their influence,” ahead of general election.   In his written statement, Coats also said it was unlikely that there would be any modus vivendi between India and Pakistan before India’s election in May and the strained relations between India and Pakistan would persist.

    “We judge that cross-border terrorism, firing across the Line of Control (LoC), divisive national elections in India, and Islamabad’s perception of its position with the U.S. relative to India will contribute to strained India-Pakistan relations at least through May 2019, the deadline for the Indian election, and probably beyond,” Coats said.

    Coats also said militant groups supported by Pakistan would continue to conduct terrorist attacks in both India and Afghanistan and contended that Islamabad’s “narrow approach to counterterrorism cooperation-using some groups as policy tools and confronting only the militant groups that directly threaten Pakistan—almost will frustrate US counterterrorism efforts against Taliban.

    Prime Minister Modi  has thus failed to capitalize on US-India closest ally relationship.  Modi must display  and reciprocate friendship to the USA thru developing systematic communications through diplomatic channels and also thru regular Press Conferences.   New Delhi has failed to make international headlines because Prime Minister does not speak to the international media.

    CORRUPTION IN INDIA

    Ram, Chairman of The Hindu wrote a column that was published in The Washington Post recently. He wrote, “Corruption in India is pervasive, omnipresent and multifarious, especially in the nexus between politics and business. As India heads toward its general elections, expected to be held in April and May, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi finds himself embroiled in controversy around one of the country’s largest arms purchase contracts: a murky 7.8 billion Euro weapons deal to purchase 36 Rafale fighter planes from France.”

    Modi’s arbitrary decision to reduce the number of Rafale planes purchased to 36 from 126 raised the price by 41%.    Rafale planes are manufactured by Dassault Aviation.  Dassault Aviation agreed to invest 50% of the 7.8 billion euro Rafale contract in India to manufacture airplane components with offset partners, chief among whom would be the Indian billionaire Anil Ambani’s Reliance Defence. The deal is expected to help generate up to 1.9 billion euros in new revenues for Ambani – the younger and much less successful brother of Mukesh Ambani, India’s richest man – who has no experience in manufacturing fighter jets.

    Ram concludes: “The devastating effects of Modi’s demonetization on the working poor and small and medium businesses and widespread distress in rural India could do more damage to his electoral prospects, but a credible corruption narrative, backed even with incomplete evidence, can bring focus and emotional power to the electoral campaign.  It can be a catalyst for change. The election is coming.”

    (Ven Parameswaran, MBA, Columbia University Business School, was President and CEO, First Asian Securities Corporation, New York; Senior Advisor to Imagindia Institute, a think tank in New Delhi. He can be reached at vpwaren@gmail.com)

     

  • Terrorist Attack in J& K kills more than 40 Security Personnel , Many injured; worst terror strike since Uri

    Terrorist Attack in J& K kills more than 40 Security Personnel , Many injured; worst terror strike since Uri

    India withdraws Most Favored Nation status given to Pakistan

    United Nations and  US condemn the attack

    Police say the 21-year-old suicide bomber driving the explosive-laden vehicle was Adil Ahmad from Kakapora in Pulwama who joined the JeM in 2018

    SRINAGAR(TIP):  At least 40 CRPF personnel were killed in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district on February 14 (Thursday) when a Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the bus they were travelling in, one of the worst terror strikes in the state in recent years, officials said.

    More than 2,500 Central Reserve Police Force personnel, many of them returning from leave to rejoin duty in the Valley, were travelling in the convoy of 78 vehicles when they were ambushed on the Srinagar-Jammu highway at Latoomode in Awantipora.

    Police said the terrorist driving the suicide vehicle was Adil Ahmad from Kakapora in Pulwama who joined the JeM in 2018.

    The terror group has claimed responsibility for the attack that took place about 30 km from Srinagar, they said.

    Over 20 people were injured in the terror attack, which reduced the bus to a mangled heap of iron. Body parts could be seen strewn around the area.

    “It was a large convoy and about 2,500 personnel were travelling in multiple vehicles. Some shots were also fired at the convoy,” CRPF DG R R Bhatnagar told PTI.

    National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval is monitoring the situation in Kashmir, said sources. Senior CRPF officials are also briefing him about the developments.

    The convoy started from Jammu around 3.30 am and was supposed to reach Srinagar before sunset, officials said.

    The number of personnel travelling back to the Valley was high as there was no movement on the highway for the last two to three days because of bad weather and other administrative reasons, they said.

    Usually, about 1,000 personnel are part of a convoy. A road opening party was deployed, and the convoy had armored counter-terror vehicles, officials said. Forensic and bomb analysis teams are on the spot.

    The bus that was the focus of the attack belongs to the 54th battalion of the force and had 44 personnel on board, officials said.

    CRPF Inspector General (Operations) in the Kashmir Valley Zulfiqar Hasan described it as a “vehicle-bound attack” and said Jammu and Kashmir Police has taken up the investigation.

    “Governor Satyapal Malik observed forces responsible for the insurgency in J&K are desperate & frustrated and just want to prove presence. Visibly it seems to be guided from across the border as Jaish-e-Mohammad  has claimed responsibility,” said J&K Raj Bhawan PRO on the terror attack.

    Rajnath, who will visit Srinagar on Friday, has also spoken to Satyapal Malik. Home Minister Rajnath Singh has already spoken to DG CRPF RR Bhatnagar over the terror attack.

    “Senior officers at the spot, the investigation is underway. Injured being taken care of. There were 2500 personnel in the convoy,” said Bhatnagar.

    Condemning the attack, Union Minister Arun Jaitley said, “attack on CRPF in Pulwama is cowardice & a condemnable act of terrorists. Nation salutes martyrs & we stand united with families of martyrs. We pray for the speedy recovery of the injured. Terrorists will be given an unforgettable lesson for their heinous act.”

    In the attack on the Uri military base in September 2016, JeM militants killed 18 Army jawans and injured dozens of others.

    Experts of the anti-terror commando force National Security Guard (NSG) and investigators of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) are being sent to Jammu and Kashmir to join the probe into the terror attack in Pulwama in which at least 39 CRPF personnel were killed, officials said Thursday, Feb 14.

    (Source: PTI)

  • Trump to declare national emergency to build border wall: Democrats say “will challenge the move in the Supreme Court”

    Trump to declare national emergency to build border wall: Democrats say “will challenge the move in the Supreme Court”

    WASHINGTON, DC(TIP): US President Donald Trump will sign an executive order declaring a national emergency, which will empower him to fund the construction of a massive wall along the US-Mexico border to prevent illegal immigrants from entering the country and curb drug smuggling.

    The move would help Mr. Trump get $5.6 billion for the construction of the wall that, he has asserted, is essential for national security.

    President Trump will sign the government funding bill, and as he has stated before, he will also take other executive action – including a national emergency – to ensure we stop the national security and humanitarian crisis at the border, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement.

    The President is once again delivering on his promise to build the wall, protect the border, and secure our great country, she said.

    The White House statement came soon after Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell made the move public.

    “I had an opportunity to speak with President Trump and he, I would say to all my colleagues, has indicated he’s prepared to sign the bill. He also (will) be issuing a national emergency declaration at the same time. I indicated I’m going to support the national emergency declaration,” Mr. McConnell said.

    On the Democrats saying they will challenge the move in the Supreme Court, Sanders said, “We’re very prepared, but there shouldn’t be [legal challenges]. The president’s doing his job. The Congress should do theirs.”

    Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that declaring a national emergency would be a lawless act, a gross abuse of the power of the presidency and a desperate attempt to distract from the fact that Trump broke his core promise to have Mexico pay for his wall”.

    It is yet another demonstration of President Trump’s naked contempt for the rule of law. This is not an emergency, and the president’s fearmongering doesn’t make it one, they said in a joint statement.

    He couldn’t convince Mexico, the American people or their elected representatives to pay for his ineffective and expensive wall, so now he’s trying an end-run around Congress in a desperate attempt to put taxpayers on the hook for it. The Congress will defend our constitutional authorities, they said.

    Opposing the proposed move, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) said that Mr. Trump’s hankering for a wall at the southern border cannot be justified by calling a national emergency.

    This would be a clear abuse of presidential power — one that sidesteps the role of Congress in the appropriation of funds. Shame on any member of Congress who doesn’t clearly and vigorously speak out on this illegitimate invocation of emergency authorities, ACLU said.

    Senator James Inhofe said Mr. Trump had no choice but to declare a national emergency.

    I want to make sure this declaration has minimal, if any, impact on our military and reimburse all the necessary accounts affected by the decision. As I heard in a hearing yesterday, military housing and all military installations are facing disrepair and poor conditions. We cannot afford to allow them to be further impacted, he said.

  • 67 US lawmakers attend Capitol Hill reception for new Indian Ambassador Shringla

    67 US lawmakers attend Capitol Hill reception for new Indian Ambassador Shringla

    WASHINGTON(TIP): In a show of unprecedented bipartisan support, 67 lawmakers from both chambers of the US Congress attended a Congressional reception on Capitol Hill Feb 7 for new Indian Ambassador Harsh Shringla. Among the attendees at the invitation-only reception were TV Asia chairman and CEO, Padma Shri H R Shah, several business associations and members of the media.

    The Congressional reception was hosted by the Co-Chairs of the Senate India Caucus and Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA) and Congressman George Holding (R-NC).

    The event was attended by lawmakers from both the Senate and the House. In addition, prominent members of the Indian American community from across the US.

    In their welcome remarks, Senator Warner, Senator Cornyn, Congressman Sherman and Congressman Holding, underlined the importance of the India-US strategic partnership and the critical role played by Congress, in particular, the India Caucus in strengthening relations.

    They extended a warm welcome to Ambassador Shringla and committed to working together in building closer ties between the two countries.

    The lawmakers also appreciated the significant role played by the Indian American community in building bridges of understanding across the two cultures and nations. They called upon the new members of Congress to join the India Caucus. Conspicuous by attendance were: Congressmen Frank Pallone (D-NJ), one of the co-founders of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans; Congresswomen Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) and Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) as well as Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) and Ro Khanna (D-CA).

    Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), in her remarks mentioned she will be introducing a bill in the 116th Congress to award a Congressional Gold Medal to Mahatma Gandhi in this 150th Birth Anniversary year.

    Congressman Gregory Meeks (D-NY) said in his remarks that Mahatma Gandhi had been an inspiration for him. Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-NY) mentioned her support for India’s permanent membership of the UN Security Council. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) also attended and spoke about the great contributions of the Indian American community across all fields in the US.

    Ambassador Shringla thanked the Caucus Co-Chairs for their warm welcome. The Ambassador noted that the bipartisan support for the India-US strategic partnership was reflected in the turnout of the Members of Congress across the aisle for the event.

    Further, the overwhelming support for the relationship with India is attested by the fact that the India Caucus is the largest country-specific Caucus on the Hill.

    He thanked the Indian American Diaspora for serving as cultural Ambassadors of India and contributing to a strong foundation for the strategic partnership between the world’s oldest and largest democracies.

    The Ambassador also spoke briefly about the progress made in bilateral ties over the past year across all domains – defense, economic and trade, energy cooperation, culture and people-to-people exchanges.

    Following the Congressional reception, Ambassador Shringla hosted a meet and greet and dinner event at his residence.

  • February 15 New York & Dallas Print Editions

    February 15 New York & Dallas Print Editions

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    Print Replica ~ Digitally

    E-Editions

    [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_custom_heading text=”New York Edition” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:center” google_fonts=”font_family:Istok%20Web%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theindianpanorama.news%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2019%2F02%2FTIP-February-15-NYC.pdf|||”][vc_single_image image=”95990″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.theindianpanorama.news/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/TIP-February-15-NYC.pdf”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_custom_heading text=”Dallas, Texas Edition” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:center” google_fonts=”font_family:Istok%20Web%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theindianpanorama.news%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2019%2F02%2FTIP-February-15-Dallas-TX.pdf|||”][vc_single_image image=”95991″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.theindianpanorama.news/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/TIP-February-15-Dallas-TX.pdf”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”82828″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.theindianpanorama.news/advertising-media-kit-portal-indian-panorama/”][vc_single_image image=”82829″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.theindianpanorama.news/advertising-media-kit-portal-indian-panorama/”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][td_block_ad_box spot_id=”custom_ad_3″ tdc_css=””][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_custom_heading text=”Lead Stories This Week” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:center” google_fonts=”font_family:Istok%20Web%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theindianpanorama.news%2F|||”][td_block_5 separator=”” limit=”12″ tdc_css=””][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_widget_sidebar sidebar_id=”td-default”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

  • Obituary to Vinod Kotahwala

    Obituary to Vinod Kotahwala

    Losing a dear friend is heartbreaking. Though life is uncertain, we all know, yet we do not expect a tragedy to befall so suddenly. We live in hope for the best. And here is the sudden shock.

    My dear friend for the last 15 years here in the US , Mr. Vinod Kotahwala , a diamond merchant of New York and a well known person in the community had reportedly gone out of New York for a professional exhibition. According to his elder brother Haridass Kotahwala who I spoke with this morning , Vinod had a heart attack on Sunday night, followed by brain haemorrhage on Monday morning, to which he succumbed , after having been kept on life support,  on Tuesday, Feb 12 morning.

    I don’t know how his wife Sushma will bear this terrible life shattering loss. His lovely children who doted on their father must be in terrible pain. His friends, like me, must be in a state of shock, just as I am. Life will never be the same again for his family and friends.

    I will miss his cheerful disposition, his cherubic smile, warmth of his affection, his concern for me , and for others like me. He was a spring of encouragement, hope and love. I don’t think the void his sudden and untimely demise has created can ever be filled. There can never be another like him.

    I recall nostalgically my many meetings and sittings with him and the pleasure each encounter with him brought me, and feel a nerve shattering sense of loss at his sudden departure.

    Like all others, I do understand we cannot prevent Death from plundering life at Will. I also know we cannot do anything but accept the Will of God. What is left to us is pray for eternal rest to the departed soul. So I do in all love for Vinod, and in all humility to the Almighty to grant eternal rest to my dear departed friend. I pray to God Almighty to give strength to the family to bear the terrible loss.

    Vinod will for ever live in the heart of his family and friends. Amen!

  • Better not defend what is indefensible – On detention of Indian Students in the US

    Better not defend what is indefensible – On detention of Indian Students in the US

    By Prof I.S.Saluja

    It is really sad that scores of Indian students studying in the US have been  detained by ICE on charges of violating Visa laws. One wished it did not happen. But now that  they have been detained, and reports suggest ICE is looking for around 600 students for similar offence, the issue has drawn the attention of the Indian Americans here and of government of India.

    Whatever the government of India is doing is appreciable. Contacting students in detention, contacting their parents back home to pledge government’s support are all part of the job of the Indian diplomats here , and of the EAM mandarins in New Delhi.

    But, can anyone ask a sovereign government to bend rules for a chosen few?  If your answer is “NO”, you know what is going to happen. Particularly now that the Trump administration has taken a stand that America will not welcome “illegals”. See the stand of Trump administration on DREAMERS. More recently, pronouncements about illegal stay and , of course, illegal entry.

    it is not a humanitarian issue like we had in Middle East when we evacuated Indians from South Sudan or from Kuwait. It is purely an internal law and order issue  of America. India, or for that matter, any country, cannot even make  a suggestion to a sovereign nation on this issue. Clearly, law of the land has been knowingly violated by our Indian brethren . Nobody can defend what they have done. It is better not to try to defend what is indefensible. India had better not .

    Let me say here. India has denied consular services, passports and visas to a number of Sikhs from Punjab branding them as Khalistanis and separatists, hand in glove with Pakistan and other interest groups against India, bent upon wrecking the Indian nation. Do you think America or Canada, or Britain can make a suggestion to India to lift the “ban”?

    In this election year, Modi government will not like to be criticized for not taking care of Indian citizens abroad. They will not like the opposition to make it an issue in elections, howsoever little the issue may be. So, there may be an extra effort on the part of the government of India to play up its efforts to seek relief for the students facing the difficult situation.

    America is not India, where a Prime Minister , or a lesser person, too can bend rules. India is still living in a feudal order. I will rather have my Indian brethren suffer for whatever they did,  wittingly or unwittingly,  rather than imagine  America following  Indian style of governance.

  • General Election in India likely to result in a hung parliament : Modi may not form government

    General Election in India likely to result in a hung parliament : Modi may not form government

    The January 2019 MOTN predicts that if an election were held now, the NDA tally would drop by 100 seats from the 336 seats it got in the 2014 election.  The BJP would be the single largest loser in the alliance with the number of seats dropping as much as 80 from 282 in 2014 to 202 now.

    By Ven Parmeswaran

    I wrote on December 19, 2018 that the next general election in India may result in a hung parliament.  As things stand today, one can predict no party will be able to win a majority.  A hung Parliament looks imminent as both the ruling NDA and challenger UPA fail to reach the majority mark of 272 by a distance. The NDA remains the biggest political alliance, with the BJP emerging as the single largest party.  This is the stunning conclusion of the India Today Group-Karvy Insights biannual Mood of the Nation (MOTN) survey conducted between December 28, 2018, and January 8, 2019. This MOTN is significant as it comes barely four months before the general election.

    It must be pointed out that it is the first time since Modi came to power in May 2014 that an MOTN poll is predicting that the NDA will not cross the majority mark.  It confirms the declining trend in its fortunes that these surveys have recorded in the past two years with the NDA and the BJP progressively losing ground.

    The January 2019 MOTN predicts that if an election were held now, the NDA tally would drop by 100 seats from the 336 seats it got in the 2014 election.  The BJP would be the single largest loser in the alliance with the number of seats dropping as much as 80 from 282 in 2014 to 202 now.  In such an eventuality, the NDA would have to scout for other partners to garner a majority and there could also be doubts about Modi emerging as the consensus candidate to head the coalition government.

    While the opposition may rejoice at having put the NDA and Modi on the mat, the survey also reveals that neither the Congress-led UPA nor any other Opposition alliance will be in a position to form the government on their own.  The UPA is likely to multiply its tally by three times, according to this survey,  from 59 in 2014 to 166.  That is still 106 shy of a majority.  And the rest of the opposition, that includes the Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, the AIDMK (Tamil Nadu) and dozen others, will get the remaining.

    For many voters, such a fractured mandate and the political uncertainty it spells is a disconcerting scenario.  That is why Modi and the BJP have been hammering home the need for voters to give them a full majority or, as they warn, the country could be plunged into chaos.

    THE SINGLE BIGGEST FAILURE OF MODI IS HIS INABILITY TO CREATE ADEQUATE NUMBER OF JOBS. 

    Lack of jobs rank 34%; Rising prices 20%; Demonetization 14%; Farm Subsidies 7%; Ineffective Implementation of GST 7%; Agrarian distress 5%; and Crisis in the CBI 2%.

    THE VOTERS WILL BE ASKING: “Is India better off today than 5 years ago?”

    1. Failure of Prime Minister Modi to create 10 million new jobs per year has changed the public opinion against his government.Modi could have done what the Congress  failed to do, that is to emulate China.  Modi failed to liberalize India’s economy to attract sizeable foreign private investment.  Modi could have built modern infrastructure and built large scale factories to produce consumer and industrial goods for export.  President Trump, after winning the election offered India “closest ally” status on a par with the U.K.    India has a comparative advantage over China and if India had the capability and the capacity to produce consumer goods, the US was ready to replace China.  Failure of Modi to embrace President Trump’s offer  may cost him in the coming election.
    2. Modi by overemphasizing Hindutva and not being fair to the minorities,has invited severe opposition of Christians, Muslims, Sikhs.   In addition, 300 million Dalits are unhappy , giving a great political opportunity to  the leader of BSP, Mayavati.     Killing of cows and serving beef in restaurants were banned, but India is the largest exporter of beef meat in the world to the tune of $5 billion.
    3. The Demonetization created severe hardships to the vast majority of Indians living from hand to mouth with cash economy.
    4. Modi failed to privatize public sector corporations.He has failed even to sell the most inefficient Air India which is running at a heavy loss.
    5. On his inauguration, Modi invited the heads of all neighbors, signaling development of better relations.  That was just a photo opportunity.  His foreign policy towards India’s neighbors failed miserably. China capitalized on the opportunity.  China has almost taken over Nepal, and its influence in Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bangladesh, Sikkim, and Bhutan is a huge setback for India.    Modi also failed to deal with Pakistan, which has refused to mete out justice to the terror organizations Lashkar-e-Taiba and its leaders.    Though President Trump requested India to influence and help Afghanistan, Modi has nothing new to show.
    6. Today, the public opinion is against Modi’s government on the administration of coming elections. There have been reports of computer tampering, manipulating computers to suit the goals of BJP and other irregular methods.  The public has lost confidence in Modi government in running a fair and just election.

    The Achilles’ heel of Modi and the NDA, though, lies in the widespread farmer unrest, rural distress and the perceptible lack of jobs.

    The UPA and the other opposition partners, especially BSP (Mayavati) are bound to push the knife deeper in o  these three big issues.   Large sections of people have been pushed to the margins by a series of blows dealt to the economy, including demonetization and GST.  This will determine the course of the coming election.

    If Rahul Gandhi and his party have surged ahead in the ratings, it is because he has successfully mobilized public opinion on these issues.  The recent wins of Congress in the Hindi heartland states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh are an indication of the traction Rahul has been able to get.  But the Congress President will not be able to win by just running down Modi’s performance. He will also need to come out with a convincing enough vision of how he plans to put the nation on a high grown path, apart from maintaining peace and harmony.

    U.P. being the largest State with 80 parliamentary seats, is surely more important than other States. Mayavati has already formed coalition with Samajwadi Party.  Thus, this coalition should be able to challenge Modi’s B.J.P.  The Congress and the Muslims are also challenging Modi. The result may  be shocking on for . BJP which may have to  to accept a very small number of seats from  U.P.

    I am getting the impression that almost all parties are opposed to Modi except BJP ruled states. West Bengal with the leadership of Mamata Banerjee; Tamil Nadu; Karnataka; Kerala; Andhra Pradesh and other States could mount a formidable opposition to Modi.

    In a hung Parliament, the President  will be forced to accept any leader who can attract enough coalitions to create a majority. Although Modi  may try, he has severe competition from Mayavati and other non-Congress leaders.   The big question  between now and the general election is :  can Modi do anything to turnaround the precarious situation he is in?

    (The author is a Senior Adviser to Imaagindia Institute, a think tank in New Delhi. He lives in  Scarsdale, New York.  He can be reached at vpwaren@gmail.com)

     

  • House Launches New Investigation into President Trump’s Foreign Financial Interests and Russia Ties

    House Launches New Investigation into President Trump’s Foreign Financial Interests and Russia Ties

    WASHINGTON(TIP): The House intelligence committee will launch a broad new investigation looking at Russian interference in the 2016 election and President Donald Trump’s foreign financial interests, Chairman Adam Schiff announced Wednesday, February 6, moving ahead with the aggressive oversight that Democrats have promised now that they are in the majority.

    Schiff said the investigation will include “the scope and scale” of Russian intervention in the 2016 presidential election, the “extent of any links and/or coordination” between Russians and Trump’s associates, whether foreign actors have sought to hold leverage over Trump or his family and associates, and whether anyone has sought to obstruct any of the relevant investigations.

    The announcement came one day after Trump criticized “ridiculous partisan investigations” in his State of the Union speech. Schiff dismissed those comments Wednesday.

    “We’re going to do our jobs and the president needs to do his,” Schiff said. “Our job involves making sure that the policy of the United States is being driven by the national interest, not by any financial entanglement, financial leverage or other form of compromise.”

    The California Democrat also announced a delay in an upcoming closed-door interview with Trump’s former fixer and personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, “in the interests of the investigation.” The interview was originally scheduled for Friday. It will now be held on Feb. 28, Schiff said.

    Schiff said he could not speak about the reason for the delay. Hours after the meeting was pushed back, a document was filed under seal in the criminal case against Cohen brought by special counsel Robert Mueller’s office. The court’s docket did not contain any details about the nature of the document.

    Special counsel spokesman Peter Carr declined comment, as did Lanny Davis, an attorney for Cohen.

    The intelligence committee also voted Wednesday to send Mueller the transcripts from the panel’s earlier Russia investigation. Republicans ended that probe in March, concluding there was no evidence of conspiracy or collusion between Russia and Trump’s presidential campaign. Democrats strongly objected at the time, saying the move was premature.

    Since then, both Cohen and Trump’s longtime adviser Roger Stone have been charged with lying to the panel. Cohen pleaded guilty in November to lying to the House and Senate intelligence committees about his role in a Trump business proposal in Moscow. He acknowledged that he misled lawmakers by saying he had abandoned the project in January 2016 when he actually continued pursuing it for months after that.

    Stone pleaded not guilty to charges last month that he lied to the House panel about his discussions during the 2016 election about WikiLeaks, the anti-secrecy group that released thousands of emails stolen from Democrats. Stone is also charged with obstructing the House probe by encouraging one of his associates, New York radio host Randy Credico, to refuse to testify before the House panel in an effort to conceal Stone’s false statements.

    Schiff has said Mueller should consider whether additional perjury charges are warranted.

    The committee had already voted to release most of the transcripts to the public, but they are still being reviewed by the intelligence community for classified information.

    Mueller requested Stone’s interview transcript last year and the panel voted to release it in December. Schiff wouldn’t say whether Mueller had requested other transcripts but noted that the committee had voted to withhold a small number of transcripts from the public and also that some witnesses had been interviewed since then. The transmission of the transcripts to Mueller, expected immediately, will give him full access to all of the committee’s interviews.

    Among the transcripts are interviews with Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr.; his son-in-law, Jared Kushner; his longtime spokeswoman, Hope Hicks; and his former bodyguard Keith Schiller. There are dozens of other transcripts of interviews with former Obama administration officials and Trump associates.

    Democrats also opposed a Republican motion at the meeting Wednesday to subpoena several witnesses. Republicans said they were witnesses who Democrats had previously wanted to come before the panel.

    A Republican aide said that witness list included FBI and Justice Department officials involved in the Russia investigation and others who could shed more light on research by former British spy Christopher Steele. The aide spoke on condition of anonymity because the committee’s business is confidential.

    Steele’s research was funded by Democrats and later compiled into an anti-Trump dossier that became public.

    (Source: Time)