Times Square Diwali founder Neeta Bhasin with New York Governor Kathy Hochul and Harry Bolla, a supporter and businessman.
NEW YORK (TIP): “Josh is very high as this year we are celebrating Diwali as well as Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav in Times Square on October 15,” says Neeta Bhasin, President & CEO of Diwali at Times Square (DTS), which is in its 7th year. The festival kicked off with the Flash Mob in the ‘Crossroads of the World’ on September 21 on UN International Day of Peace. This year’s theme is ‘End Racism, Build Peace,’ to create a world in which all people are treated equally, regardless of their race. DTS partner AR Helping Hands Foundation founder, Naresh Kumar, said, “Diwali is a festival of knowledge over ignorance, good over evil and light over darkness. Diwali asks us all to bring into focus the light needed to conquer obstacles like societal ills born of ignorance and malintent, like racism.” DTS spreads its message of peace, love, harmony, togetherness and inclusion through art, culture, entertainment, and food. According to the mainstream media, DTS is the largest festival held outside of India. The US Government’s Share America website says the same. Diwali at Times Square will be celebrated from 1 pm – 9 pm on October 15th, between 46th and 48th streets on Broadway. Diwali Bazaar Pavilion will offer products and services to visitors all day. In the evening, the ‘Diya Lighting Countdown’ atop the One Times Square Tower screen will be followed by ‘Light Up Times Square Concert ‘ with performers including singers Jay Sean, Arjun, Hrishi Songs, and Sparsh Shah. Dance performances are by Shiamak Davar Dance Academy, Arya, Masala Bhangra, Dance X Studio, SDA Dance Group and Prashant Shah.
American Airlines, Eye Foundation of America, State Bank of India, Northwell, ShopRite, Laxmi, Quicklly, Nanak Foods, The American Foundation, Save Soil, and many others are partnering with the festival.
TRENTON, NJ (TIP): The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to peace, pluralism, and social justice, has urged New Jersey’s state legislators to condemn Islamophobic hate and bigotry being propagated by Hindu supremacists in the state, and seek an investigation into their links to India’s Hindu supremacist movement.
An IAMC delegation met several lawmakers and officials from the state General Assembly and the Senate on Monday and presented them with documentary evidence of Hindu supremacist hate and the organizations behind them, both in the US and India. “New Jersey’s lawmakers have a duty towards their constituents to ensure that the alien hate ideology of Hindu supremacism is stopped at the state’s borders and not allowed to vitiate the peace here,” Mohammad Jawad, president of the New Jersey chapter of IAMC, said. “Every lawmaker we spoke with at Trenton fully agreed with this objective.”
The IAMC delegation informed the lawmakers of the bigoted display of a bulldozer at a parade called by the Indian Business Association (IBA), an Indian American organization, in the state’s Edison and Woodbridge cities on August 14. Initially defending the bulldozer’s float, the IBA later apologized saying it was a “blatant divisive symbol.”
“We asked the lawmakers to seek federal investigation into the links of the IBA and the Overseas Friends of the BJP (OFBJP), whose leaders were prominently present at the hate parade, with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), India’s preeminent Hindu supremacist organization that is persecuting India’s religious minorities,” Jawad said.
The IAMC leaders urged the New Jersey lawmakers to ask the Biden Administration to revoke the visa of Sambit Patra, an Islamophobic leader from India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) who was the grand Marshall at the August 14 parade, and of Sadhvi Ritambhara, an anti-Muslim Hindu supremacist hatemonger who was invited by the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) to New Jersey last month.
The IAMC delegation also informed the lawmakers of the Islamophobic speech made by a Hindu resident of New Jersey named Vivek at a meeting of the Teaneck City Council on September 20, 2022, in the presence of City Council members. “It is beyond shocking that the Teaneck city council leaders did not immediately stop and evict the person for misusing their platform to abuse Islam and Muslims,” Jawad told the state lawmakers. The IAMC leaders met with Assemblywomen Nancy F Munoz, Mila Jasey, Lisa Swain, and Michele Matsikoudis; and Assemblymen Raj Mukherji, William W. Spearman, John F. Mckeon, Gary S. Schaer, Sterley S. Stanley, Roy Freiman, and Antwan McClellan, among others.
The meetings with lawmakers involved over a hundred Muslims from across the state participating in an Advocacy Day outreach called by the Council on American-Islamic Relations New Jersey (CAIR-NJ). The Advocacy Day aimed to strengthen New Jersey Muslims’ relationships with the state’s lawmakers and their offices, to educate them about concerns about increasing Islamophobia and denial of civil liberties to Muslims.
The Muslim attendees advocated for the Defining Islamophobia Bill (A465/S2368), Maintaining the Religion of Foster Children Bill (A1050), and Establishing Same-Day Voter Registration (A1966/S247). They also brought to the table the resolution Condemning People’s Republic of China’s Treatment of Uyghurs – (AR128/SR79).
The Muslims urged the lawmakers to designate a month in the year as Muslim Awareness and Appreciation Month.
(Based on a Press Release issued by Indian American Muslim Council)
NEW YORK (TIP): A federal judge on Thursday blocked large portions of New York’s new gun law, finding that the expansive restrictions on the public carrying of guns created by the measure were unconstitutional. The order, issued by Judge Glenn T. Suddaby, found that the state’s new restrictions on the carrying of guns in public trampled on the rights of New Yorkers. The state’s new gun law, passed this summer, imposed elaborate restrictions on the carrying of weapons in “sensitive places,” including Times Square. In a 53-page order, the judge, Glenn T. Suddaby of the Northern District, said he would block the state from enforcing a number of the new law’s provisions, writing that New York was trampling on the constitutional right to bear arms. But he agreed to a three-business-day stay of his order, pending an emergency appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. That court could take the issue up and grant a significantly longer stay of the order — but if it does not, the order will go into effect. If the Second Circuit does allow New York’s gun law to remain in place, the plaintiffs, a group of six New York gun owners who are members of the Gun Owners of America, would consider an immediate appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, according to a spokesman for the organization.
Erich Pratt, the organization’s senior vice president, said in a statement that Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York and Mayor Eric Adams of New York City had “lied and misrepresented the Second Amendment to the courts, putting New Yorkers at a great disadvantage in the midst of rising crime.”
Defendant Allegedly Harassed, Then Struck Victim with Metal Pipe; Faces Up to 15 Years in Prison if Convicted
QUEENS, NY (TIP): Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today, October 6, that Joval Cedeno, 41, has been indicted by aQueens County grand jury and arraigned in Supreme Court on assault as a hate crime and other charges forallegedly pursuing and then attacking a Muslim woman inside the N train near the Queensboro Plaza train stationon February 18, 2022. District Attorney Katz said, “As alleged, the defendant was motivated by his own hatred when he attackedthe victim, who was wearing a Hijab at the time, based on her physical appearance and perceived ethnicity.
Thisshameful behavior will not be tolerated in Queens County, and I remain committed to holding accountable thosewho try to undermine the feeling of safety for our vibrant and diverse communities. The defendant has been indicted and faces justice in our courts.” Cedeno, of Winthrop Street in Brooklyn, was arraigned yesterday before Queens Supreme Court JusticeToni Cimino on a five-count indictment. The defendant is charged with assault in the second and third degrees asa hate crime, assault in the second and third degrees and aggravated harassment in the second degree. Justice
Cimino ordered the defendant to return to Court on November 2, 2022. Cedeno faces up to 15 years in prison ifconvicted.
Following an investigation led by Detective Desmond Brown of the New York City Police Department’sHate Crime Task Force, Cedeno was apprehended in his home in Brooklyn on September 14, 2022. Assistant District Attorney Gabriel Mendoza, Assistant Deputy Bureau Chief of the District Attorney’sHate Crimes, is prosecuting the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Michael Brovner, BureauChief, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for the Supreme Court TrialDivision Pishoy B. Yacoub.Criminal complaints and indictments are accusations. A defendant is presumed innocent until provenguilty.
India must take a stand against Russia’s bombing of civilians and annexation of territory
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s telephone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday, October 4, was a significant marker in the continuing war in Ukraine. While Mr. Modi has often spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin and also met him last month, his conversations with Mr. Zelenskyy thus far were restricted to the period when the Government was involved in the evacuation of about 20,000 Indian students. The phone call came a few weeks after the Putin meeting, and Mr. Zelenskyy joined western leaders in complimenting Mr. Modi for his “now is not the time for war” comment. In turn, Mr. Modi told Mr. Zelenskyy that there is no military solution to the conflict. They also spoke a week after India chose to abstain from voting against Russia for conducting referendums and annexing Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, although neither leader referred to it. They also discussed the critical importance of nuclear safety, particularly the Zaporizhzhia plant, that has been of much concern for the IAEA, which is involved in brokering talks between Ukraine and Russia to enforce a nuclear protective zone around it. The plant, under Russian control, and in Oblast province where Mr. Putin recently declared “annexation,” is near the scene of fighting. The MEA said that Mr. Modi “underlined that endangerment of nuclear facilities could have… catastrophic consequences for public health and environment,” although he did not clarify which side the peril was posed from. Finally, Mr. Modi expressed “India’s readiness to contribute to any peace efforts,” to which Mr. Zelenskyy responded that he would not conduct any negotiations with the “current President of the Russian Federation.”
Over the past seven months, the war and western sanctions have had a dramatic impact on global security, food, fuel and energy supplies, and it is important to keep the lines of communication open, as Mr. Modi has done, with Mr. Putin and Mr. Zelenskyy. India has an established record in global peacemaking. However, New Delhi can only play that part if it also sets out its position more clearly, and links it to its actions on the global stage. The Government’s defiance of western sanctions on oil and defense trade is understandable in terms of defending India’s national interests. However, it is harder to correlate Mr. Modi’s comments, and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s remarks, on adherence to the UN charter and the importance of protecting territorial sovereignty while India continues to abstain on all votes that criticize Russia’s actions in Ukraine: including the bombing of civilians, and the annexation of occupied territories.
Political parties need to spell out financial ramifications
Political parties have no qualms about promising all kinds of freebies to voters in the run-up to elections, even if the state’s coffers are empty or highly depleted. With the freebies coming under the Supreme Court’s close scrutiny, the Election Commission (EC) has proposed that the Model Code of Conduct be amended so that all parties can be asked to apprise the electorate of the financial viability of their poll promises. The EC has noted that the high frequency of elections in India provides opportunities to the parties to indulge in competitive electoral promises ‘without having to spell out their financial implications, more particularly on committed expenditure.’
Even as PM Modi has repeatedly derided the politics of freebies as ‘revdi culture,’ the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is of the view that governments should spend the taxpayers’ money to provide facilities to people. Undoubtedly, the promise of freebies such as providing 300 units of electricity free of cost per month to domestic consumers helped AAP storm to power in Punjab earlier this year. However, election-centric sops deny a level playing field to the stakeholders as the ruling party can afford to splurge — at the cost of the overstretched exchequer. The distribution of free food kits powered the ruling Left Democratic Front to an emphatic victory in the 2021 Kerala Assembly elections, in stark contrast to the rout it had suffered in the Lok Sabha polls held two years earlier.Unreasonable freebies need to be weeded out as they are taking a heavy toll on the states’ fiscal health. In a research report, the State Bank of India has suggested that the expenditure on populist welfare schemes should be capped at 1 per cent of the state’s GDP or 1 per cent of its own tax collection. The report has noted that freebies have exceeded 2 per cent of the Gross State Domestic Product for debt-ridden states such as Andhra Pradesh and Punjab. A financially feasible road map for fulfilling poll promises is the need of the hour to help voters make informed choices and deter irresponsible governments from living beyond their means.
The US, which claims to be the prime target of global terrorism and has 67 ‘foreign terrorist organizations’ covered under its laws, has no provision like ours to ban domestic seditious organizations. Like India after the repeal of POTA and TADA, the US uses other penal laws for prosecution as it doesn’t have any law to make domestic terrorism a punishable crime. In India, we use IPC and UAPA for prosecuting terrorists. With legal limitations, there are worries over getting convictions in the Capitol Hill attack case against those who had indulged in violence. Reuters
By Vappala Balachandran
On September 30, former IPS officer SR Darapuri, now vice-president of the People’s Union for Civil Liberties in Uttar Pradesh, described the Union Home Ministry’s ban on the Popular Front of India (PFI) as ‘premature’ as the proscription was imposed before court verdicts. An English daily opined that the ban could “only end up strengthening the sense of disquiet at the treatment of minorities” with the danger of further radicalization as a clear case-to-case judicial process was not followed.
On the same day, a National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Mumbai acquitted Arshi Qureshi, in jail for six years, of all charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). In 2016, he had allegedly influenced some individuals from Kerala to go abroad to join the Islamic State (IS) on behalf of Zakir Naik’s Islamic Research Foundation (IRF). The media said Qureshi’s attempt was cited as one of the reasons to ‘ban’ the IRF in 2016.
Meanwhile, on September 27, Stewart Rhodes, founder of American far-right group ‘Oath Keepers’, went on trial with four others in Washington DC for “seditious conspiracy and use of force on January 6, 2021, to prevent the transfer of presidential power to Joe Biden”. The prosecutors alleged that ‘Oath Keepers’ had stashed “guns just outside Washington DC for a quick reaction force to rush into the city.”
These seemingly unconnected incidents are relevant for ascertaining whether a ‘case-to-case judicial process’ is more effective than a ‘ban’ in checking seditious elements such as the PFI. Qureshi’s case would underline the difficulty of expecting favorable results in terror-related prosecutions in India as a prerequisite for such bans.
The US, which claims to be the prime target of global terrorism and currently has 67 “foreign terrorist organizations” (FTOs) covered under its laws, has no provision like ours to ban domestic seditious organizations. Like India after the repeal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) and the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Prevention Act (TADA), the US uses other penal laws for prosecution as it does not have any law to make domestic terrorism a punishable crime. In India, we use IPC and UAPA for prosecuting terrorists. However, the US is handicapped, as it has no ‘domestic terror crime,’ nor the power to ‘ban.’
Contrastingly, FTOs can be ‘sanctioned’ (‘banned’) under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). This, along with the Department of Treasury notifications, would result in ordering entry restrictions, freezing of assets and imposing other financial impediments to prevent them from spreading their influence into the US. Besides, any US citizen providing support to an FTO is liable to be sentenced to 15 years in prison under Section 2339A of US Code No. 18, which could be enhanced to life term if deaths are caused by the FTO. Section 2331 defines ‘international terrorism’ and ‘domestic terrorism’ but lays down no criminal penalties for the latter. Consequently, the FBI and other agencies use other penal provisions to deal with threats from white supremacists like the January 6, 2021, Capitol Hill insurrection.
To us, in India, this situation may appear chaotic. It is for this reason that President Joe Biden had promised to enact a domestic terrorism law during his 2020 campaign. It is also learnt that the FBI Agents’ Association, which represents nearly 14,000 agents, has been lobbying with the Congress to pass a federal law on domestic terrorism, making it punishable. However, progress even now is tardy.
The reason for this is the fierce opposition from academics and human rights groups such as American Civil Liberties Union to put fetters on domestic organizations even if they are found to be taking liberties with the law, in which case only normal penal laws should be applied. They feel any other action like a ‘ban’ will violate the First Amendment. Even a leading ‘progressive’ Democrat, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a Bernie Sanders follower who was vice-chairwoman of a house committee, had opposed special laws. This difficulty in formulating ‘domestic terrorism’ laws came to the fore during investigations by the US House Select Committee, which started public hearings on July 27, 2021, regarding the Capitol Hill violence. Yet, a draft Bill, Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2022, reintroduced after the racially motivated mass killing of 10 persons in a Buffalo supermarket in May, was passed only with a narrow majority in the lower house on May 18, but its fate in the Senate is uncertain.
With all these legal limitations, there are worries over getting convictions in the Capitol Hill attack case against ‘Oath Keepers’ and ‘Proud Boys,’ the pro-Trump white supremacists, who had indulged in violence, challenging the very essence of the US democratic system. This is also, because under the 1807 Insurrection Act, the US President could order even private ‘militias’, presently numbering 200, to put down any violence — and don’t forget, President Trump was in office on that day.
A similar federal prosecution for sedition against a far-right militia, ‘Hutaree,’ in Michigan for plotting to kill policemen had failed in 2012, as the prosecution could not prove that they had done anything beyond expressing ‘hatred’. This was despite FBI’s long-infiltration operation into ‘Hutaree’ before prosecution.
The point is that other democratic countries are also experiencing serious domestic terror situations and not all of them are able to choose the easy way of ‘banning’ such organizations. Besides, the ban on the PFI is 12 years late — it should have come immediately after July 4, 2010, when its members chopped off Prof TJ Joseph’s hand. As to the question whether such bans would check future seditious activities, the answer is ‘no.’ The government admits that banned SIMI cadres had migrated to ISS-NDF-PFI and SDPI, thus exposing the difficulties of checking seditious elements that way.
(The author is Ex-Special Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat, Government of India)
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): A group of experts in the United States has called for “pragmatic engagement” with Pakistan, saying the US administration had pinned great hopes on their alliance, only to be “disappointed and frustrated.”
Coinciding with the visit of Pakistan Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, the Pakistani Study Group in a report, “US Re-Engagement with Pakistan: Ideas for Reviving an Important Relationship,” spoke about the country’s poorly veiled support for the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan, backing for jihadi groups targeting Kashmir, close embrace of China and expanding nuclear arsenal. At the same time, the experts advise against ignoring or trying to isolate Pakistan because of its population size, its location and possession of nuclear weapons.
The report argues for a “modest pragmatic” relationship between the two countries while accepting the facts that the two countries differ on India, China and Afghanistan. The US administrations going back to President Eisenhower had great hopes from their alliance, only to be “disappointed and frustrated,” it said. It also says the US will not be able to change Pakistan’s “strategic calculus.” But instead of relying on either inducements or threats to encourage greater cooperation, the report proposes that the two countries “develop a framework for pragmatic engagement.”
The report, according to a media release, lays out what “American critics of Pakistan” have long stated that “Pakistan has always pursued its own agenda, which too often collides with American interests” and yet Pakistan “repeatedly seeks US money and arms without keeping its commitments.”The report said American policymakers need to move beyond thinking simply in terms of either massive amounts of aid or coercion as policy tools in dealing with Pakistan.
It also cautions Pakistan’s leaders and says they too need to move beyond the fantasy that it is critical to America and so US policymakers will always be focused on Pakistan. “There is also a need for acceptance within the Pakistani leadership that all of Pakistan’s problems, especially terrorism and militancy, cannot be laid at the door of the US,” it said.
Regarding security cooperation, the report said, “The US has long doubted Pakistan’s commitment to act against militant extremist groups that operate from its soil, especially those that focus on India and Afghanistan.”
Referring to Pakistan’s presence on the grey list of the UN Financial Action Task Force (FATF), it says, “While it is likely that Pakistan will finally be taken off that list, some monitoring by the US and the international community will continue to be needed to assure Pakistan’s compliance with FATF demands.”
The report noted that Pakistan “continues to see relations with India as a zero-sum game” and that “the more US equities in India increase, the more Pakistan becomes apprehensive.” Further, the authors of the report said while it should be clear that the US sees no role for itself as a mediator in Kashmir, yet it needs to remain engaged as “a major terrorist attack in India blamed on Pakistan-based militants, or some other type of precipitating event, could cause a wider conflict that has the potential to escalate to use of nuclear weapons”. The report said Pakistan “has a long history of curbing dissent, of impeding the work of civil society organizations and suppressing media freedoms. Unfortunately, in recent years that has only worsened.” It calls upon the US “to continue its support for Pakistan’s civil society, media and press, academia and policy world. According to the report, Pakistan needs to guarantee rights to its own citizens, protect rights of its minorities.
“The US will need to keep an eye on terrorist groups, both domestic and global, and Pakistan too needs to deal less selectively in addressing the threats posed by its militant extremist groups,” the reports said.
It also recommended that the US must continue efforts, including at multilateral forums, to remind Pakistan about the need to act against terrorist groups and individuals on its soil.
“Pakistan has long insisted that terrorist groups such as Jaish-e-Muhammad or Lashkar-e-Taiba are too powerful and pervasive for the military establishment to challenge easily and that it needs time to act against them,” the report said.
It added that the US should work behind the scenes and in subtle ways to pressure Pakistan to continue to crack down on these groups within its territory. “Gulf Arab countries, too, must be encouraged to pressure Pakistan in changing its direction,” the report said. Authors of the report include former US ambassadors to Pakistan, Ryan Crocker and Cameron Munter; former assistant secretary of state Robin Raphel; Kamran Bokhari, Director, Analytical Development, New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy; Toby Dalton, co-director and a senior fellow of the Nuclear Policy Programme at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Among other authors are Husain Haqqani, former Pakistan ambassador to the US and Director South and Central Asia, Hudson Institute; Elizabeth Threlkeld, Director, South Asia Programme, Stimson Center; Dr Harlan K Ullman, Senior Advisor, Atlantic Council; Dr Marvin Weinbaum, Scholar-in-Residence, Middle East Institute; and Uzair Younus, Director Pakistan Initiative, Atlantic Council.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): The anti-Sikh riots of 1984 mark “one of the darkest years” in modern Indian history, a US Senator has said, as he underlined the need to remember the atrocities committed against the Sikh community so that those responsible may be held accountable. Violence erupted in Delhi and other parts of the country after former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984. Over 3,000 Sikhs were killed across India, mostly in the national capital. “1984 marks one of the darkest years in modern Indian history. The world watched as several violent incidents broke out among ethnic groups in India, with several notably targeting the Sikh community,” Senator Pat Toomey said on the Senate floor. “Today we are here to remember the tragedy that commenced on November 1, 1984, following decades of ethnic tension between Sikhs in the Punjab province and the central Indian Government,” he said recently.
“To prevent future human rights abuses, we must recognize their past forms. We must remember the atrocities committed against Sikhs so that those responsible may be held accountable and that this type of tragedy is not repeated against the Sikh community or other communities across the globe,” Toomey, a Republican, said.
Senator Toomey, who is a member of the American Sikh Congressional Caucus, said Sikhism traces its nearly 600-year history to the Punjab region of India. With nearly 30 million followers globally and 700,000 here in the US, Sikhism is one of the world’s major religions. Toomey said he has personally witnessed the spirit of Sikhs and has come to better understand the Sikh tradition that is founded on equality, respect, and peace.
It is clear that the presence and contributions of Sikh communities have thoroughly enriched their neighborhoods across the country, he said. He also mentioned the community services rendered by Sikhs in the US during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, nine Indian-origin rights bodies here on Saturday published an advertisement in The New York Times to raise the alleged “religious persecution, discrimination and deadly mob violence” against minorities in India.
The advertisement was published on the eve of the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The nine bodies include the American Muslim Institution, Association of Indian Muslims of America Howard Cain, ICNA Council for Social Justice, Dalit Solidarity Forum Hindus for Human Rights, Indian American Muslim Council International Society for Peace and Justice and American Sikh Council. Each of them paid USD 1,000 for the advertisement.
WASHINGTON D.C. (TIP): President Joe Biden on Thursday, October 6, announced he will take executive action to pardon thousands of people convicted of marijuana possession under federal law. “Sending people to prison for possessing marijuana has upended too many lives and incarcerated people for conduct that many states no longer prohibit,” Biden said in a statement. “Criminal records for marijuana possession have also imposed needless barriers to employment, housing, and educational opportunities. And while white and Black and brown people use marijuana at similar rates, Black and brown people have been arrested, prosecuted, and convicted at disproportionate rates.” A senior administration official said they estimate over 6,500 people with prior federal convictions for simple possession of marijuana will be pardoned.
Biden said he would also encourage governors to take similar action with state offenses and would ask the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Justice to “initiate the administrative process to review expeditiously how marijuana is scheduled under federal law.” Federal law currently classifies marijuana as a schedule 1 drug, the same classification as heroin and LSD. In a call with reporters, a senior administration official said that thousands of people with prior convictions for marijuana possession are denied housing, employment or educational opportunities as a result. “This pardon will help relieve those collateral consequences,” they said
There are signs, however faint, that the popularity of PM Modi is fraying at the edges and people are not too happy with the govt indulging in political games, even as they are feeling the pinch in terms of inflation and lack of jobs. And this is the time for Opposition parties, especially the Congress, to get a foot in the door. Bharat Jodo Yatra is expected to be the grand strategy to achieve a breakthrough. Time will tell whether the march has been worthwhile.
By Parsa Venkateshwar Rao Jr
Two major things are happening simultaneously in the Congress at a time when its friends and critics gave it up as being irredeemable. First, party’s former president Rahul Gandhi, who refused to take over as the chief despite the cringing pleas made by sycophants, has set out on a marathon padayatra based on the theme of ‘Bharat Jodo’ (unite India). Optimists believe that this move would revive the party, and party insiders and those who support the Nehru-Gandhi family believe that this would also show the challengers and the sceptics in the party as to who commands popular support in the country.
In many ways, the party’s presidential election has been almost reduced to a sideshow. The contest for the party’s top post is between seasoned Mallikarjun Kharge, who is seen as the Sonia-Rahul candidate — though ‘strenuous’ efforts were made to show that the family had not endorsed his name — and the party MP from Thiruvananthapuram, Shashi Tharoor.
This was preceded by the tragicomedy of Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot leading a last-minute protest rally by the party’s MLAs in Jaipur, which showed the chinks in the Nehru-Gandhi armor and forced the family to adopt a tough stance towards the family loyalist. The attempt of former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and Rajya Sabha member Digvijaya Singh to enter the fray failed once Kharge entered the fray. It is quite clear that the contest between Kharge and Tharoor, interestingly both from south India — one from Kerala and the other from Karnataka — is no epic battle like the one between Subhas Chandra Bose and Mahatma Gandhi’s nominee Pattabhi Sitaramayya in 1938. This year’s Congress presidential contest is not even like the one that took place in 1996 between Sitaram Kesri, Sharad Pawar and Rajesh Pilot because at that time Sonia Gandhi had not entered politics. Jitendra Prasada challenging Sonia in the 2000 party presidential election was indeed a non-event. The contest between Kharge and Tharoor is not evenly balanced. Kharge, apart from the ‘tacit’ support from the Nehru-Gandhi family, is considered by many Congress people as one of them because he has been in the party for decades now. Tharoor, despite being a three-time MP, is viewed as an unreliable newcomer, if not a total outsider. The former international civil servant, with all his proven savvy, has no advantages with the Congress and its convoluted factionalism.
The fact that the Congress needs new ideas and a revamp is not a priority for the Rahul and Sonia camps; it is necessary to recognize that there are two camps, and the Congress deadlock since 2019 has been due to the tussle between the two groups. Tharoor does not belong to either of them. And it appears that the Rahul camp may tolerate Kharge better than they would Tharoor. The Nehru-Gandhi family should have favored Tharoor, but they are not sure of his loyalty quotient. Or, Sonia should have asked Sachin Pilot, the Gehlot rival in Rajasthan, to contest the presidential election. But it seems that they do not like the ‘ambitious’ Pilot, and his failed attempt to bring down the Gehlot government and his flirtation with the BJP have alienated him from the family. The palace intrigues of the Congress are indeed endless and they are not relevant when the question arises as to whether the Congress can revive itself sufficiently under Rahul to put up a credible fight against the Narendra Modi-Amit Shah BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. There are signs, however faint, that the popularity of Prime Minister Modi is fraying at the edges, and people are not too happy with the government indulging in political games, even as the people are feeling the pinch in terms of inflation and lack of jobs. And this is the time, indeed, for the Opposition parties, especially the Congress, to get a foot in the door. The Bharat Jodo Yatra is expected to be the grand strategy to achieve the breakthrough. Time will tell whether it has been worthwhile.
A member of G-23, the dissident faction inside the Congress, has remarked that the Bharat Jodo Yatra will help rebrand Rahul; and strengthening of the Congress is incidental. But many would say that if Rahul is successful in rebranding his image, it would amount to rebranding the Congress.
But Congress members of all camps should pay heed to what Union Home Minister Amit Shah told BJP members over a month ago; he advised the Union Cabinet Ministers to give time to the party work and party members. He said PM Modi was indeed popular across the country, but Modi would not be able to win the election if the party organization was not strong. It is a lovely commentary on the ruthlessly realistic approach of the BJP towards Modi and to elections in general.
It seems that the strategy of the Nehru-Gandhi family as well as other leaders in the party camp is to strengthen the brand image of Rahul and of the family, so that it helps the party. But Rahul seems to be working on a Mahatma Gandhi-like mass contact program. It is an idealistic plank that will work on the realistic plane of day-to-day politics as well, but the party has to close its ranks and present a united front.
Rahul is apparently focusing on making the Congress the lone alternative to the BJP because he seems to realize that Opposition unity is just a chimera. But he cannot ignore the imperative of making the party strong and broaden the base of inner-party consultation. A G-23 member’s complaint is that before 2019, Rahul did not like to have anything to do with the people above the age of 50, and now he has conceded to talk to people between the age group of 50 and 60. So, 80-year-old Kharge and 66-year-old Tharoor do not fall in this category.
On the occasion of 153rd birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Indian Embassy and UKEmbassy organized a friendly cricket match with participation of Indian and British diaspora & Guatemalan cricket lovers inthe presence of Indian Ambassador Manoj Kumar Mohapatra and the British Ambassador Nick Whittingham.
On their first day of visit, 4-member Indian Mining expert delegation to El Salvador under @ITECnetwork On Site Programme, inspected mining site of Santa Rosa de Lima in the presence of officials of @EconomiaSV
As a part ofthe Indian Embassy’s endeavor to introduce Hindi in Guatemala, the Embassy organized ‘Introduction to Hindi Workshop’ in Guatemalan university @UNISgt, @IndianDiplomacy @iccr_hq
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): The numbers were released as part of the World Bank’s twice yearly South Asia Economic Focus, titled, ‘Coping with Shocks: Migration and the Road to Resilience,’ ahead of the World Bank IMF annual meetings in Washington DC. The Indian economy is expected to speed up to 7.0% in the next fiscal year, before settling back down to 6.1% in FY24-25. The World Bank has estimated that India will grow 6.5% in the current fiscal year (FY22-23), after having grown at 8.7% in the fiscal year ended March 31.
The estimate for the current year was revised downwards by one percentage point since June due to persistent pressures. The Indian economy is expected to speed up to 7.0% in the next fiscal year, before settling back down to 6.1% in FY24-25.
With Sri Lanka’s economic crisis, the devastating floods in Pakistan, and recovery from the pandemic impacted by the war in Ukraine, recovery in the region will be uneven, with the economies that are more services-led (India, Nepal, and Maldives) expected to “maintain a reasonable recovery trend despite headwinds.” Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Pakistan are more at risk and will see poverty increase in 2022.
The slowing in India’s growth during the current fiscal year, relative to the previous one, was because most of the COVID recovery happened last year, the report said. The impact of the Russia-Ukraine war, global monetary tightening, high commodity prices and interest rates impacting domestic demand (especially private consumption in FY2023-24), contributing to this slowing. Manufacturing and services have been expanding in India since January and growing at a rate faster than the rest of the world. With a relaxing of COVID restrictions, economic activity had picked up, as had demand in contact-intensive sectors. Output had grown at an estimated 13.5% (year on year) in the April –June period this year, a contraction however, relative to the preceding quarter. Services and construction had expanded the fastest on the production side, the report said, and private demand had grown year on year, but this was largely due to a low base effect from the second quarter of 2021 when the economy was reeling under the delta wave of Covid. Although India growth estimates are above the South Asian average, there is weakness in employment and supply chains, the report says, with supply chain delays having improved only marginally since June this year. While India’s economy-wide employment index is improving on a monthly basis, it is doing so at speeds slower than the rest of the world (barring Asia). While private consumption in India increased overall in quarter 2 of 2022, the recovery across income groups has been uneven, as per the World Bank. High income households’ consumption of contact-intensive services and consumer goods recovered, but for rural and low-income households, consumption was weak. Return of migrant workers to their places of work has also been slow, impacting household incomes in cases where migrants are sending money home.
“Pandemics, sudden swings in global liquidity and commodity prices, and extreme weather disasters were once tail-end risks. But all three have arrived in rapid succession over the past two years and are testing South Asia’s economies,” said Martin Raiser, World Bank Vice President for the South Asian region. “In the face of these shocks, countries need to build stronger fiscal and monetary buffers, and reorient scarce resources towards strengthening resilience to protect their people,” he said.
As a whole, South Asia, excluding Afghanistan, is forecast to grow at 5.8% for the current calendar year and the next two years, having grown at 7.8% in 2021. The Sri Lanka forecast is particularly severe – a contraction of 9.2% this calendar year and a contraction of 4.2% next year before it a growth forecast of 1% in 2024.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): US President Joe Biden has plans to celebrate Diwali at the White House this year, his spokesperson said. Details and nature of preparations have not been revealed yet.
“Yes, he has plans to celebrate Diwali just like he did last year,” White House Press Secretary Karen Jean-Pierre told reporters at her daily news conference here. “We don’t have a date to share with you at this time, but it is an event that he thinks is very important as he sees a partnership with India as well as Indian Americans here in this country,” Jean-Pierre said in response to a question. Meanwhile, Maryland Governor Lawrence Hogan has declared October as Hindu Heritage Month. Beginning with the Bush Administration, Diwali is being celebrated at the White House every year.
Ambassador Sandhu with Indian -American community members who came to celebrate Gandhi Jayanti (Photo / courtesy Tirlok Malik)
NEW YORK CITY (TIP): 153rd birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi was celebrated in New York City on October 2, 2022.
India’s Ambassador to the U.S. Taranjit Sandhu paid floral tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at his statue in Union Square, and later addressed the gathering. He described Gandhi as a man who influenced world leaders and inspired many to embrace his path of non-violence to achieve freedom and liberty in nations across the world. He said the world, more than ever, now needs his gospel of truth and non-violence. Gandhi ji’s favorite bhajans were sung on the occasion. Those present included Consul General of India in New York Randhir Jaiswal, the Consulate staff, Gandhians and community leaders.
NEW DELHI (TIP): The Congress party is undertaking the 3,570-km ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ that began at Kanniyakumari on September 7, 2022 and will end at Srinagar covering 12 States in 150 days. The party’s biggest mass contact programme in the recent times will see 119 leaders, including former party president Rahul Gandhi.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi joined the Bharat Jodo Yatra, which resumed its journey in Pandavapura in Karnataka’s Mandya district on Thursday, October 6, after a two-day Dasara break. She joined the padayatra led by her son and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for some time after it left Bellale village in Mandya district on Thursday, October 6 morning. Several other party leaders including former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President D K Shivakumar walked alongside within a security ring thrown around her.
Ms. Gandhi has joined the Bharat Jodo Yatra for the first time since it began on September 7 and wound its way through parts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala before entering Karnataka on September 30.
The morale of the Congress party in poll-bound Karnataka, which has been on a high ever since the yatra entered the State, has received a fresh boost with the entry of Ms. Gandhi, who arrived in Mysuru on Tuesday and spent the last two days at a forest resort in Kabini when the Bharat Jodo Yatra was on a two-day break for Dasara festival.
Ganesha says, due to your upbeat and optimistic energy, this week will be excellent for you. You must make sure that you do all jobs with complete confidence. Your share exchange earnings will rise this week. You’ll be working on the right tasks this week. The best time to change professions is not this week. Your tenacity will also be retained. This week, you’ll have a lot of duties to carry out. You’ll appear distant in your connection with your partner. You’ll effectively manage your marriage-related situation this week. This week, your physical condition will be in terrific form.
Taurus
Ganesha says, this week, you’re going to change your routine significantly. Your ability to manage your emotional and business life will increase. You’ll advance in your industry and that of your business. Avoid speaking with political representatives this week. In regards of your love life, you’ll feel more comfortable revealing yourself, which will motivate you to begin a new relationship. You will feel so much healthier this week in terms of your health as a result of practicing awareness and meditation.
Gemini
Ganesha says, this week, you’ll feel way stronger and be properly equipped for the workplace. Your pleasant vibe will actually lead to gravitate toward you. You should use more restraint while making snap decisions if you work in the healthcare or pharmaceutical sector. Additionally, this week is a wonderful time to begin a new betting addiction. Keep clear from business conferences this week. With the assistance of colleagues and relatives, you and your partner will make plans for your destiny in regards of your romantic relationship. Your wellness will likely need some care this week. Don’t assume anything; you could have to cope with a pulmonary disease this week.
Cancer
Ganesha says, although your week will proceed without a hiccup, you should keep an eye on your children this week since someone is staring at them with hate. This week, you’ll probably get a fabulous job recommendation for your field. This week, your reliable connection will spring to your aid. Rahu’ Ss detrimental impact on your home fronts might stir outrage. Long distance travel should be avoided. Avoid touching anything unpleasant as well. Your spouse has been expecting for you to talk up wedding with your love relationship; the moment is here. Perform it since you’re equipped, not as you want to wow everybody.
Leo
Ganesha says, in order to attract beneficial energies, prepare to start a cooperative business this week. Create a plan and talk about it with your companion. Even if you are a good person, you could predict receiving a lot of affluent advantages this week. This week, your analytical outlook and insightful nature will aid you in persuading people. This week will be unusual as you and your partner will be on the identical path and will address important marriage issues, even if you and your substantial other may regularly have divergent opinions and consider life uncomfortable.
Virgo
Ganesha says, you’ll be capable to stay on task this week sans becoming distracted. Be cautious even though you can experience some sudden changes that impair your ability to make well-informed decisions. Be less agitated than usual to avoid forgetting your obligations. Later on in the week, people will recognize you. You must trust your instincts even if your companion or family friends don’t confirm your fears. You’re going to make and extravagant property purchase. this week. This week, your endurance will be good, but you still require following your regimen. You’ll be well-built and have a highly correct mindset this week.
Libra
Ganesha says, with whatever you do, you’ll be able to quickly see positive outcomes. This week is not very terrible, but avoid making someone appear inadequate this week, whether on purpose or accidentally. Your employment is where you devote the bulk of your energy. This week, you’ll have to operate past your normal schedule, and your coworkers will ask you for help. You’ll need to beginning putting what you learned this week into practice. It’s a great day to start developing your study habits. In the upcoming, your lover will have higher expectations of you. Regardless of if you are not an outgoing personality, interactions are all about giving and accepting. You will try to be more affectionate this week.
Scorpio
Ganesha says, this week, taking into account other individuals ‘s viewpoints will help you make the right decisions. Your kids will make you happy this week. All day long, they will bring a grin to your face. You will feel privileged to have children, and you must make an effort to show your appreciation in order to raise their sense of self-worth. Your endurance will be OK, but you’ll need to pay heed to your kids and help them develop good habits. This week, you and your partner must complete a fascinating and challenging task. You’ll each discover anything unexpected about the other this week. You will struggle to complete several important activities that were supposed to be completed sans failure this week.
Sagittarius
Ganesha says, you will process a boatload of information this week, both pleasant and bad, and this will serve as the beginning of a fresh framework for you. So rather than making a huge leap, take small steps. Keep unnecessary expensive acquisitions and don’t add resources to your firm. This week, your romance with your significant other will be wonderful, but you’ll be preoccupied with an addiction. Refocus your attention by recalling the first reasons you started in romance. This week, your long-gone headache will resurface and bring you a tremendous deal of pain. Switch doctors and try a new treatment this time. Methods are mainly might lead to the destruction of your optimistic views, therefore avoid doing it.
Capricorn
Ganesha says, this week, you’ll be really grateful for your financial situation because you’ll have successfully created a new source of income. This week, your irritating disposition will be subdued. Your parents will direct you in the right direction and motivate you to move on with their advice. Be less concerned about your condition; things will be OK. This week, you’ll be liberated of medical issues that have bothered you for a very lengthy moment. On the emotional aspect, your partner will say anything you don’t appreciate, but don’t be offended; rather, try to understand it from their perspective. The secret to your pleasure is kindness.
Aquarius
Ganesha says,this week you will experience healthier because of your kindness. You’ll be able to meet new people this week. Your reliability will also increase this week. Your acts will likely be more guarded, but people will still question your motivations. You’re going to do really well in the financial exchange this week. You’ll be allowed to keep up your romantic facades this week. There will be no damage done to your buddy in any form. Even though this week isn’t the best for you, your condition will ultimately get better. Don’t worry about it.
Pisces
Ganesha says, you don’t seem to be able to give your task your whole focus recently. This week, you’ll be able to solve the issue, and the Sun’s blessings will help you regain your composure. Once you’ve established a pattern, check to see if you’re making the most of your schedule. Individuals who work in educational or specialized occupations should anticipate getting paid for their work and having their accomplishments acknowledged. Monetary industry employees will be able to handle their monetary issues. You’ll be in good condition and able to make significant dietary modifications.
By Chirag Daruwalla – Son of Astrologer Bejan Daruwalla
October 10
Ganesha saysalthough productive, this day’s returns will be gradual, so you must give it your all. While it will be better to conduct business today, partnerships and joint ventures should be absolutely avoided. You’ll feel disappointed and frustrated if you can’t get people to support your current endeavor. Romance will flourish, and some lovers may even decide to get married.
October 11
Ganesha sayswomen will experience great rewards during this time. Prosperity and luck will come your way if the stars are kind to you. Your living conditions and savings will improve with good financial flow. It will take some time before you are able to think clearly again if you become infatuated with the other sex. If you take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves to you, your professional career is predicted to take a remarkable leap. There will be some worry about your parents’ health but try not to worry too much.
October 12
Ganesha saysyour expenses will increase this day, making it harder for you to save. Investments done during this time will eventually yield good returns, if not right away. Academic excellence and participation in extracurricular activities will be acknowledged for students. Although sluggish work progress and arguments over little matters may anger you and even affect your health, towards the end of the day, you will be happy and content with your accomplishments.
October 13
Ganesha saysthis day financial gains will be from several fronts but doubt over your relationship is likely to be one black area on your chart of success and achievements. Socializing, gatherings, and enjoyable outings will all be frequent and enjoyable. Wedding bells will ring for those eligible and others will find romance to keep them going. Do not trust others more than required. Time management and planning will be of immense importance.
October 14
Ganesha saysa promotion or an increase in responsibilities on this day will give you cause to rejoice. Your profile will gain some sophistication with new initiatives. At home, there will be a healthier, more loving atmosphere that will promote prosperity and excellent health. Professionals that are interested in working overseas will be well received. Housewives will have to deal with frequent visits from family and friends. It is possible to go on a spiritual journey to a far-off location.
October 15
Ganesha saysyou’ll have reasons to rejoice this day if you get a promotion or get more responsibility. Your resume will look more polished with new projects. There will be a better and more loving environment at home, which will result in prosperity and good health. Professionals seeking for a career overseas will be well received. Housewives will have to deal with the frequent appearance of visitors and family members. It is possible to journey to a far-off location for spiritual advancement.
October 16
Ganesha saysyou are skilled at making new connections, which helps you gain a lot of popularity and advantages. Through the new contacts you make this day, you’ll have the chance to raise your level of living. Your professional advancement needs to be your main focus because it will produce the required results. The health of your parents will be a concern, but your spouse and kids will be supportive. If you go out and join clubs and social activities, you’ll be quite successful socially.
India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar arrived in New York on September 18, 2022 to attend the United Nations General Assembly session. During his stay in the City, he met with United Nations officials, world leaders, diplomats, and the community.
Jay Mandal, a well-known photographer, took hundreds of photographs of the visit of the External Affairs Minister. Here are a few selected photographs.
All Photos: Jay Mandal/On Assignment
Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj greets External Affairs Minister, Dr. S Jaishankar with a bouquet of flowers at JFK Airport in New York City. (September 18, 2022)Dr. S. Jaishankar (Right), Union Minister for External Affairs during a bilateral meeting with his counterpart Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan of UAE on the sideline of 77th UNGA in NY City. Also in the Picture, Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj (Left), India’s Permanent Representative to the UN. (September 19, 2022)Dr. S. Jaishankar (Center), Union Minister for External Affairs before a trilateral meeting with his counterparts Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan (Left) of UAE and Catherine Colonna of France on the sideline of 77th UNGA in NY City. (September 19, 2022)French President Emmanuel Macron (Left) welcomes India’s External Affairs Minister, Dr. S Jaishankar As he arrives to attend a dinner hosted by the French President, on the theme of the North-South Divide at the French Consulate in New York. (September 20, 2022)Dr. S. Jaishankar, Union Minister for External Affairs (Right) at a bilateral meeting with James Cleverly, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom, on the sideline of the 77th UN General Assembly in New York. (September 22, 2022)QUAD Meeting in NYC. From left, The Secretary of State of the United States, Antony Blinken, the Foreign Minister of Australia, Penny Wong, Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi at a multilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 77th United Nations General Assembly in New York City. (September 23, 2022)
Dr. S. Jaishankar, Union Minister for External Affairs delivers his statement at the 77th United Nations General Assembly in New York City. (September 24, 2022)India’s External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar (left) calls on CSABA KŐRÖSI, President of the 77th UN General Assembly, at the UN Secretariat in New York. (September 19, 2022)India’s External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar (left) and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry at the bilateral meeting in New York City. (September 19, 2022)Dr. S. Jaishankar (Center), Union Minister for External Affairs before a bilateral meeting with his counterpart Sergey Viktorovich Lavrov of Russia on the sideline of 77th UNGA in NY City. (September 19, 2022)
The renowned Bollywood singer Shreya Ghoshal known for her melodious and soulful voice and robust on-stage energy will headline a series of concerts across the world in different countries. As the world is working its way back towards normalcy after the pandemic, the music industry is also trying to bring back happiness and certain excitement by resuming music tours and concerts. Bringing the euphoria back to the stage in the festive season, this year Shreya Ghoshal along with her band and crew, already performed at world-class venues in UAE (twice), London, Birmingham, Kochi, Kolkata, Thiruvalla, New Delhi, Bangalore, Indore and now are scheduled to perform in a 5-city Australia-New Zealand tour from 7th to 16th October 2022 and in Ireland on 29th October 2022 and The Netherlands on 30th October 2022 as well. And then she is all set to perform in the USA from 4th to 19th in the month of November 2022.
This is going to be the ultimate musical tour to celebrate twenty years of iconic singer Shreya Ghoshal which will bring back timeless tunes and memories from her singing journey to the music lovers. This special concert tour is organized by one of the biggest event organizers ‘Intense Entertainment’ owned by Manish Sood and Deepa Shahani Sood, both Indian-born-US citizens now, who hosted more than 85 shows with every Bollywood renowned singer. This high-profile international large-scale live-music concert will be a seven-city tour across the US in the month of November 2022 and has been going to other parts of countries this whole year. The tour starts on the 4th Nov in New Jersey, followed by Dallas, Texas on the 5th Nov, Washington, DC on 11th Nov, Oakland, Bay Area on 12th Nov, Los Angeles on 13th Nov, Orlando, Florida on 18th Nov, and New York on the 19th November 2022. They promise to be the nights of coming together and enjoying their favorite singer’s enthralling performances for the Indian diaspora and Bollywood music lovers in the US.
On being asked about the tour, Shreya Ghoshal excitedly said, “This US tour is very special for me as I am completing twenty years in Bollywood, and what a beautiful way to celebrate my journey with my fans. Coincidentally this is my first tour in the US after the unfortunate pandemic disruption. I am humbled to be a part of the concert and to be able to continue entertaining my fans. I always had an amazing experience performing for the warm crowd of the US and I am quite excited to perform there after three long years.”
The fans in the US can expect a scintillating and energetic performance from the popular Bollywood songstress. With a beautiful versatile vocal range, Shreya will enthrall fans not only with her popular Bollywood hits but also with her famous love ballads, regional songs in different Indian languages, folk songs originating from different parts of India exhibiting the culture, raag-based songs as well as classical songs.
Talking about the event, Mr. Manish Sood said, “There is a certain excitement about attending a live concert and we can’t be happier bringing back the symphonic singer Shreya who has given us glorious music. The idea behind Shreya Ghoshal’s US Tour is to celebrate her journey as well as it will be a tribute to legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar Ji. We are ready to make new memories and cherish old ones on this tour.”
This concert is a celebration of brilliant music and memories and will definitely be a great way to connect with music lovers across the world. With Shreya Ghoshal, an array of global musicians will also join her on stage. Kinjal Chattopadhyay is the male singer who is performing with Shreya along with musicians Abhishek Pradeep Kumar Dasgupta and Jobin Joshua David as guitarists, keyboardist Abhishek Babaji Mestry and Vatan Dhuriya, flautist Rajeev Prasanna, Bass Guitarist Sanglap Sengupta, drummer Jairaj Shrikant, octopad and percussionist Ganesh Bhau Thorat and Umakant Parab as an Indian rhythm instruments player such as tabla, dholak, dholki. This tour will not be a regular musical concert but will also be a unique cultural act.
The concert tickets are now available through the event company’s website IntenseDMV.com.
BRAMPTON (TIP): A park in Brampton in Canada was renamed as Shri Bhagavad Gita Park on Wednesday, according to a Haryana government statement. The park, spread over 3.75 acres, will have sculptures of Lord Krishna and Arjuna on a chariot and some other Hindu deities, it said. Lauding the initiative, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said the park will help spread the Bhagavad Gita’s eternal message of universal brotherhood, love and harmony. In a tweet, Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown said, “Today, the @CityBrampton unveiled the renaming of Brampton’s Troyers Park to Shri Bhagavad Gita Park. Brampton is a Mosaic, and this renaming commemorates the Hindu community and all they contribute to our City. We celebrate all cultures and all faiths in our City.” According to the Haryana government statement, the park is probably the only one outside of India to be named after the Bhagavad Gita.
MONTREAL (TIP): A lone Punjabi candidate is contesting the Assembly elections in Quebec, a French-dominant area in Canada. Jaspal Singh Ahluwalia representing Bloc Montreal is in the fray from Vaudreuil seat.
The elections are scheduled for October 3.
Anju Dhillon has been representing the Punjabi community in the House of Commons from the French-speaking province, but no Punjabi leader represents the community in the Quebec Assembly. Besides Ahluwalia, another Indian Deepak Awasti is contesting from Laurier-Dorion. Last year, the federal elections in Canada had thrown up encouraging trends for the Punjabis, as 19 of them had won.
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