The Indian Panorama

Tag: Leadstory 4

  • Indian-origin dad serving life term seeks new trial

    Indian-origin dad serving life term seeks new trial

    DALLAS (TIP): Three weeks after he was sentenced to life imprisonment for  the death of his adopted three-year-old child, an Indian-origin man in Dallas, Texas, has requested a new trial.

    Wesley Mathews (39) was sentenced to life imprisonment on June 26 for  the death of his daughter, Sherin Mathews, in Richardson near Dallas in October 2017. Sherin was adopted from an orphanage in Bihar in 2016.

    The Dallas Morning News reported that the lawyers for Wesley had moved a court motion earlier this week, requesting a new trial, “arguing that evidence presented against him was prejudicial”.

    According to The Dallas Morning News, the lawyers for Wesley Mathews argued that the prosecutors had shown the jury, which sentenced Wesley to life imprisonment, images of the decomposed body of Sherin. Brook A. Busbee, one of the lawyers for Wesley, claimed jurors “expressed visible emotion when shown the exhibits” of the body of Sherin. Busbee also argued the prosecution lacked evidence to prove Wesley was responsible for causing broken bones that Sherin had suffered when alive.

    Wesley had reported Sherin missing on October 7, 2017. Wesley claimed he had left Sherin outside their house after midnight as punishment as she did not drink her milk. The decomposed body of Sherin was found in a culvert near their home on October 22 that year. After her body was found, Wesley changed his version of events to claim that Sherin had choked to death while drinking milk late at night.

    Wesley had avoided a full-fledged trial in June by pleading guilty to the lesser charge of causing a felony injury to a child. Ironically, Wesley had claimed during the trial that he would be “more than happy” to take a life sentence if the jury decided so.

  • Sri Chinmoy singers perform at “Culture of Peace” at the United Nations

    Sri Chinmoy singers perform at “Culture of Peace” at the United Nations

    Ashok Parulekar

    UNITED NATIONS (TIP): The singers from Sri Chinmoy:  Peace Meditation at the United Nations were invited to perform at the United Nations high level forum on the Culture of Peace held in the General Assembly hall.  They presented meditative peace songs composed by Sri Chinmoy (1931-2007).  The event was organized by the President of UN General Assembly and Bangladesh ambassador.

    The United Nations General Assembly President Peter Thomson said, “On behalf of you all, I’d like to thank Sri Chinmoy: The Peace Meditation at the United Nation for that beautiful performance and the culture of Peace for which they have stood for so long”.

     In response to the issue raised by Pakistan’s permanent representative Maleeha Lodhi, the senior Indian diplomat Srinivas Prasad said, “As one of the oldest civilizations, India has been the home to a continuous stream of great spiritual teachers, thinkers throughout the centuries who have spread the message of a culture of peace”.

    Sri Chinmoy was one such spiritual teacher.  He tirelessly worked for world peace through his meditations, books, music, art, poetry, sports and meetings with world leaders such as Nelson Mandela and President Gorbachev.  In 1970 at the invitation of then UN secretary General U Thant, he started Sri Chinmoy: The Peace Meditation at the United Nations, as this meditation group is now called.  He was very optimistic about the world peace.  He said,” A day will come when our world will be flooded with peace. About UN he said, “The UN is now a small plant, so we underestimate its potential, eventually it will become a big tree and protect the world”.

  • IN POLL MODE, AMIT SHAH SENDS EIGHT TOP MINISTERS TO THREE STATES

    IN POLL MODE, AMIT SHAH SENDS EIGHT TOP MINISTERS TO THREE STATES

    NEW DELHI (TIP): BJP chief Amit Shah today appointed eight top-ranking ministers looking after more than 15 key departments in the Narendra Modi government as in charge of three states – Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka, due for elections this year and early next year.

    While senior leader and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who has also held the responsibility in the past, has been given charge of the PM and Shah’s home state Gujarat, HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar and Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot will take care of the BJP’s fortunes in Congress-ruled Karnataka and Himachal, respectively.

    In Gujarat, Jaitley will be assisted by an array of senior Central ministers, including Narendra Singh Tomar, Nirmala Sitharaman, Jitendra Singh and PP Choudhary. While the move is indicative of the importance Gujarat holds for the BJP, the fact that in addition to the PM and Shah (who will obviously be actively campaigning in their state) five top ministers have been positioned to oversee Gujarat polls perhaps also shows that all may not be well for the saffron party in the state.

    Even as the BJP juggernaut rolls on with Shah in the driving seat, events in Karnataka and Gujarat show the party may not be in as comfortable position as he would like it to be.

    Congress leader Ahmed Patel’s win in the Rajya Sabha polls, despite Shah’s best efforts, proved what appears on the surface could be different from ground reality. Ever since Modi moved to the Centre, Gujarat has been a hot spot of major anti-BJP agitations, including the Patidar protests led by Hardik Patel and the Dalit revolt after the Una episode.

    In Gujarat, the BJP is not just facing anti-incumbency of 17 years but also a build-up over the PM’s economic moves like demonetisation and switchover to the GST.

    In Karnataka, where Union Minister Piyush Goyal will assist Javadekar, the Congress appears to be on a roll after the launch of ‘Indira Canteen’ – a new programme of the Siddaramaiah government to provide food at subsidised rates.

    In Himachal, Gehlot will rely on state leaders for help, say BJP leaders. Seven key states – Gujarat, Himachal (November-December), Meghalaya (February), Karnataka (April-May next year), Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan (September-October 2018) – will go to the polls before the 2019 General Election.

    Source: The Tribune

  • A Crowd puller India Day Parade in Floral Park

    A Crowd puller India Day Parade in Floral Park

    QUEENS, NY (TIP): For the 2nd year in a row, India Day Parade organized by Floral Park – Bellerose Indian Merchants Association was a grand success. The numbers at the parade must have made the organizers more than happy for their efforts.

    The parade celebrated with a lot of fervor and enthusiasm was organized on August 12th. Thousands participated in the parade which was led by NYPD contingent including mounted police on horses followed by Fire Marshalls contingent and fire trucks.

    Bollywood actresses Tanushree Dutta (Ashiqs Banaya Aapne and Dhol fame) and Mahima Chaudhry (Pardes and Dhadkan fame) were Grand Marshals. They said it was a matter of pride that Indians abroad too celebrate India’s Independence Day with fervor.

    More than 30 organizations including 6 floats and an American Band marched in the parade. It was almost a mile long. Post parade there was a cultural Mela in Padavan – Preller field on 235th street. Cultural performances included traditional dances from various parts of India as well as patriotic and Bollywood songs.

    There were 17+ booths both nonfood and food sponsored by several local businesses. There were kiddie rides, clown and face painting activity. Elected officials from Nassau and Queens counties congratulated the people and organizers on 71st Independence Day celebration.  It was a very successful event attended by thousands and exhibited a great sense of pride and love for India. Besides national anthems from US and India one could hear the loud chanting of ” Jai Hind and Bharat Mata ki Jai. “