JOHANNESBURG(TIP): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, July 26, highlighted the importance of industrial technology, skill development and multilateral cooperation in creating a better world as he attended the BRICS Summit here.
Modi said the new industrial technology and digital interface that the world is building is an opportunity and also a challenge.
Prime Minister also reaffirmed India’s commitment to multilateralism, international trade and rules-based world order.
Mr. Modi is expected to meet BRICS leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Originally, the first four countries were grouped as “BRIC” before the induction of South Africa in 2010.
Says work done not adequate, regular monitoring required
Fact file
2,525 km Total length of Ganga
800 tanneries’ dump in it
Rs 20,000 crore to clean it from 2015-2020
Rs 7,304.64 crore spent up to March 2017
NEW DELHI (TIP): The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Thursday, July 19, expressed dissatisfaction over the cleaning up of Ganga and said the situation was extraordinarily bad and hardly anything effective had been done to clean it.
A Bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice AK Goel said despite claims by the authorities, the work done on the ground for Ganga rejuvenation was not adequate and regular monitoring was required to improve the situation.
The Green panel ordered survey to seek views of common man about what he feels on ground about the pollution in Ganga and said the feedback could be given through e-mail of the authorities concerned. The Bench also comprised Justices Jawad Rahim and RS Rathore, said.
The NGT had earlier rapped the National Mission for Clean Ganga for not filing a report on the steps taken by the Centre and the UP and Uttarakhand governments to clean the river in the stretch between Gomukh and Unnao.
The NGT had passed directions to rejuvenate Ganga, declaring ‘No Development Zone’ an area of 100 meters from the edge of the river between Haridwar and Unnao and prohibiting dumping of waste within 500 meters from it.
Ganga Action Plan
Launched in two phases by then PM Rajiv Gandhi on Jan 14, 1986, to free Ganga of pollution, domestic sewage and industrial chemical wastes. In first phase, it covered 25 towns in 3 states; in second, 59 towns in 5 states
River Basin Authority
Established on February 20, 2009 by the UPA government for ensuring effective abatement of pollution and conservation of the river by adopting a river basin approach
Namami Gange
Mission set up by the Narendra Modi govt in 2014 to accomplish twin objectives: abatement of pollution, river rejuvenation
THIRUVANANTHPURAM(TIP): Congress leader Shashi Tharoor sparked off a controversy with his statement that if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is voted to power again, it will rewrite the Constitution that will eventually create a “Hindu Pakistan.”
The BJP demanded an apology from Mr. Tharoor and called his statement “an attack on Indian democracy and Hindus”, while the Congress distanced itself and advised its leaders on “responsible phraseology.”
At an event in Thiruvanthapuram on Wednesday, July 11, Mr. Tharoor said: “If they have been able to win a repeat of their current strength in the Lok Sabha, then frankly, our own democratic Constitution, as we understand, will not survive… because then they will have all the three elements they need to tear up the Constitution of India and write a new one.
“And that will enshrine the principle of Hindu Rashtra, that will remove equality for the minorities, and that will create a Hindu Pakistan…and that is not what Mahatma Gandhi, Nehru, Sardar Patel, Maulana Azad and great heroes of freedom struggle fought for.”
I will say it again: Tharoor
He said: “I have said this before and I will say it again. Pakistan was created as a state with a dominant religion, that discriminates against its minorities and denies them equal rights. India never accepted the logic that had partitioned the country.
“But the BJP/RSS idea of a ‘Hindu Rashtra’ is the mirror image of Pakistan a state with a dominant majority religion that seeks to put its minorities in a subordinate place. That would be a Hindu Pakistan, and it is not what our freedom movement fought for, nor the idea of India enshrined in our Constitution.”
Mr. Tharoor said many proud Hindus like him cherished the inclusive nature of the faith and had no desire to live, as their Pakistani neighbors were forced to, in an intolerant theocratic state.
“We want to preserve India and not turn our beloved country into a Hindu version of Pakistan,” he wrote.
Mr. Tharoor got some support from former Vice-President Hamid Ansari.
“I have not read what he [Tharoor] has said. But he is an educated man, a writer, an MP…and heads Parliament’s committee on external affairs. Whatever he says, he will say after thorough consideration,” Mr. Ansari told a TV news channel.
The BJP used strong language to hit back at him.
“Shashi Tharoor is the same person who called Indians ‘cattle-class’. He is ‘cattle-class-ing’ the Indian democracy. You call yourself an educated and erudite spokesperson of the Congress. If you want to love Pakistan, do so, but do not display such hatred towards Indians,” BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra told reporters at a briefing.
Congress communication chief Randeep Surjewala, however, articulated the party’s position in a series of tweets. “India’s values & fundamentals are an unequivocal guarantee of our civilizational role & set us apart from the divisive idea of Pakistan. All Congress leaders must realize this historic responsibility bestowed upon us while choosing words & phraseology to reject BJP’s hatred,” he said.
“Modi Govt thrives upon an unprecedented atmosphere of division, bigotry, hatred, intolerance & polarization for last 4 years. Congress, on the other hand, represents India’s civilizational values of pluralism, diversity, compassion & harmony between faiths & ethnicities,” added Mr. Surjewala.
BEIJING(TIP): Dr. Dipak Jain, a prominent Indian professor in the US, has been appointed as the new head of a top global business school in China, according to a media report. Jain, 61, will take over as the European president of the Shanghai-based China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), replacing Pedro Nueno who held the position for 28 years.
Dr. Jain is the European President-Designate, Professor of Marketing and Global advisor at CEIBS. He is a globally recognized marketing and innovation expert whose insights have inspired a generation of business leaders to pursue success with significance. Dr. Jain’s influential career spans nearly four decades as an educator, a senior business school administrator, and a consultant to corporations and governments. Throughout his career, he had furthered a pedagogical model that combines academic excellence and business relevance to produce high-impact results with social significance.
Prior to being named Sasin’s Director in 2014, he served from 2011 to 2013 as Dean of INSEAD, an international business school with campuses in France, Singapore and Abu Dhabi. Before joining INSEAD, Dr. Jain was Dean of Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management from 2001 to 2009. In recognition of his many scholarly achievements and outstanding teaching, he also was named the Sandy and Morton Goldman Professor of Entrepreneurial Studies and Professor of Marketing at Kellogg, whose Marketing Department he joined as a faculty member in 1986.
Dr. Jain’s academic career began as a student in Tezpur, Assam India. He earned his bachelor’s degree in statistics (1976) with Honors from Gauhati University, where he taught for four years before enrolling in the University of Texas (Dallas), where he completed his Ph. D in Marketing in 1986.
An award-winning scholar in his own right, Dr. Jain’s areas of research expertise include the marketing of high-tech products; market segmentation and competitive market structure analysis; cross-cultural issues in global product diffusion; new product innovation; and forecasting models. He has published more than 60 articles in leading academic journals and has earned the prestigious John D.C. Little Best Paper Award. Among the many distinctions for his teaching and service, Dr. Jain received the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman from the Prime Minister of India, an award that recognizes exceptional leadership contributions of overseas Indians.
Jain, a former dean of two of the world’s leading business schools, the Kellogg School of Management and INSEAD, will work alongside his Chinese counterpart Li Mingjun. Brought up in Assam, Jain, who lives in Chicago and works in Shanghai for 10 to 15 days each month, has been teaching marketing at CEIBS since September last year when he took on the president-designate role.
The state is hurting. Some degree of sensitivity and a ‘highly disciplined’ approach will possibly yield better results. The security forces must remain calm in the event of any provocation.
Kashmiris happy, somewhat. The PDP-BJP split was much awaited; by people who were unable to reconcile to the rule of the saffron party by proxy. Fear was deeply entrenched in the minds of the locals that right-wing Hindutva forces, with the high pitch for the abrogation of Article 370, may succeed in undermining Kashmir’s special status. Naturally, Kashmiri Muslims were insecure after the alliance came about. And so, it became easier to support the forces of violence, as for them, the PDP had committed an unpardonable sin by shaking hands with the BJP; and getting nothing in return. The first shocker came when the Centre delayed the flood relief package by more than a year after the devastating floods in the autumn of 2014, a couple of months before the Assembly elections that year.
The PDP-BJP government has disappeared from the corridors of power, but the apprehensions of Kashmiris have not. Aware of political expediencies and vulnerabilities of the parties, they suspect more political compromises may be in the offing. They are waiting and watching the developments very closely. The street mood will be determined by the governance they get, and the way they are treated at their homes, and out on the streets. Kashmiris have become hyper-sensitive about their identity and dignity — siding with secessionist forces is a manifestation of that emotion.
Some voices in the BJP are linking a ‘hard approach’ toward militants as a way of pulling out Kashmir from the vicious cycle of violence it finds itself in. They believe the militants would/should be hunted and neutralized but forget that this approach prevailed earlier too, and nothing came of it.
What is really needed is to take into account the attendant pressing matters that have come into play over the past two years — the civilian population, mostly youth with rocks thronging encounter sites and disrupting anti-militancy operations; and the clashes that follow as a result of accidental civilian killings, or what is seen as ‘collateral damage’. Over these two years, the civilian population has identified itself with militants, primarily for two reasons. First, many militants are locals. They are boys they saw in the neighborhood, hence the affinity which exists in the well-knit Muslim society.
Second, they do not perceive the violent acts as being out of sync with their newly-acquired ethos of resistance. It is a big shift — this ‘new-found’ relationship between the civilians and the militants. In the 1990s, the militants were seen as mujahideen (warriors). There were no doubts. They had picked up the gun and should be ready for the consequences — to die fighting the security forces. Sympathy and sentiment was surely with them, but it was not manifested in the desperate and visible attempts to save them while risking their own lives; as we see now. This is the fundamental truth of the changed situation in Kashmir. The psyche of the common Kashmiri has undergone a sea change.
Today, the way of looking at the militants has changed, almost hero-like: their arms training may be limited to few weeks, even less, but they are hardened. They have shown their will and grit to fight unto the last. What is more, there is societal approval of their ‘sacrifices’. Some of them have spurned appeals of their parents to return home.
Some extraordinary real-life visuals have paled the reel-life images — the mother of Saddam Padder, a top militant of Shopian in South Kashmir recently killed in an encounter, giving a gun salute to her slain son. Her gesture left a deep impact on the minds of youngsters who watched the video that went viral on social media; and is seen as a universal endorsement of militancy by their mothers.
In such circumstances, reckless actions, with the rhetoric of hard approach, (BJP general secretary Ram Madhav has distanced his party from it) — without taking into account the fallout — have the potential to blow up in the face. The way forward should be specific operations without making much noise. It will help keep civilians out of harm’s way. This is important, because there is widespread impression that the security forces will be striking hard, not necessarily a militant-specific action. It will be deemed as an action against the people who would come to defend them. Stone-throwers will not only seek to disrupt the cordon and search operations — a prelude to the actual gunfight with militants — but also attack patrol parties.
This phenomenon is interlinked. Militants attack convoys of security forces even as stone-throwers use tactics to distract, thereby creating situations where the Army and police either suffer casualties or inflict casualties. At times, both sides suffer casualties, speeding up the cycle of killings.
Kashmir-centric parties, the PDP and the National Conference are convinced that the hard approach is not the answer to the problem. Other ways can be found to ease the situation without making the hard approach visible: the security forces must change their attitude towards the public at large. Treating the common Kashmiri with contempt and suspicion will only breed a psyche of resistance and rebellion. A highly disciplined approach would yield better results. Effort should be made to stay calm in the event of any provocation.
The past cannot be reversed, but the future can be built on, with a new and sophisticated approach.
CENTRAL ISLIP, NY(TIP): U.S. District Judge Joan M. Azrack on Thursday, June 28 set Oct. 9 as the date for the retrial of former Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano and his wife, Linda, on corruption charges.
The Judge also said at the federal court in Central Islip that jury selection for the new trial will happen in September at a date yet to be determined. Eastern District prosecutors said Thursday, June 28 that the retrial will take four to six weeks,
Azrack declared a mistrial in the case on May 31 after the jury foreman sent a note saying he wished to be excused because he could no longer carry out his duty after nine days of deliberations.
Prosecutors Catherine Mirabile and Lara Treinis Gatz said they plan to retry the Manganos on all the charges they were indicted on. The charges involved what officials asserted was a political corruption case, involving an illegal stream-of benefits scheme between the Manganos and once prominent restaurateur Harendra Singh.
JAIPUR(TIP): Rajasthan created, June 21, a world record bringing over a lakh of people together at a yoga session to mark the International Day of Yoga.
Two representatives from Guinness World Records, watched as Yoga guru Ramdev put the gathering—which included Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje—through a series of asanas.
The international private organization then handed over a certificate to Raje and Ramdev, saying it had been the largest gathering worldwide of people performing yoga.
“The largest yoga lesson was achieved by Government of Rajasthan, Patanjali Yogpeeth and District Administration at Kota, Rajasthan, India on 21 June 2018,” it said.
Nearly two lakh people were at the RAC grounds for the state-level function, also attended by ministers, MLAs and bureaucrats.
Cameras set up at the site and on drones determined that 1.05 lakh people performed the asanas, beating the previous record of 55, 524 people in Mysore in 2017.
The yoga camp started at 5 am. Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje announced plans to set up a yoga center with an ‘acharya’ to coach people at each district headquarters.
She also asked Ramdev to set up an Acharayakulam in Kota, on the lines of the Vedic school set up by him near Haridwar.
Yoga roots out all bad habits and tendencies from the body and soul,” Ramdev said. State Health Minister Kalicharan Saraf, Agriculture Minister Phrabhulal Saini, legislators and top bureaucrats attended the event.
The record-breaking crowd included a large number of students preparing for competitive exams in Kota, often described as a coaching hub. People were brought in buses from four districts of the Kota division.
“I am proud to be the part of an event that has set a world record and highly elated to have performed yoga on International Yoga Day,” said Aakriti Shrivastav, an IIT-JEE aspirant from Uttar Pradesh.
She said she has made up her mind to spare 10 to 20 minutes for yoga every day.
Twinkle Rana, a NEET aspirant from Jharkhand, said she felt physically and mentally good after the session.
Raje praised students being coached for exams in Kota for being a part of the yoga event.
“It is the moment of pride that the world record in Yoga is being set at a place where the entire nation dwells, as large number of coaching students from across the country are present here,” she said.
At Udaipur’s Narayan Seva Sansthan, over 500 differently-abled people performed yoga, Prashant Agrawal, president of the Sansthan, said.
Soldiers at the Jaipur military station and their family members were also part of the countrywide celebrations to mark the fourth International Yoga Day.
“A soldier has to be physically and mentally fit at all times and yoga fulfils the twin purposes,” said an officer involved in conducting a yoga event at the 61s Cavalry grounds in Jaipur.
The Chicago-based Vibrant Media Group in its lawsuit against the Bollywood artists, their agents alleged ‘breach of contract’.
NEW YORK(TIP): Superstar Salman Khan and a host of other Bollywood artists including Katrina Kaif, Sonakshi Sinha, Ranveer Singh and Prabhu Deva have been sued by an Indian-American promoter, which alleged that they refused to perform at a concert in the US despite having taken money from it.
The Vibrant Media Group in its lawsuit against the Bollywood artists and their agents Matrix India Entertainment Consultants Private Limited and Yashraj Films Private Limited alleged “breach of contract”.
According to the complaint, in 2013 the Vibrant Media Group had hired the artists to appear live and perform at the concert ‘Celebrating 100 years of Indian Cinema’, which was to be held on September 1, 2013.
The show had to be cancelled as Salman Khan was unable to leave India due to legal troubles in Rajasthan. The Vibrant Media Group had agreed to postpone the event, the lawsuit said.
The Vibrant Media Group, according to the lawsuit, recently learned that Salman Khan and the other artists, instead of keeping their promise or even offer to return the deposits they had received for the performance, had agreed to perform with another promoter.
“All calls to Mr Khan, his agents, and other artists, for the return of the funds have gone unanswered,” the group said as it sought damages of at least USD 1 million.
According to the complaint, Vibrant Media paid more than USD 200,000 to Salman Khan in advance of the concert to be held at the Sears Centre in Chicago on September 1.
Katrina Kaif was paid USD 40,000 and Sonakshi Sinha USD 36,000. None of these funds have been returned, it alleged.
The lawsuit, filed by Chicago-based Vibrant Media Group before a Northern District Court of Illinois, Eastern Division on June 10, has been assigned to District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman.
Others sued by the promoter include superstar Akshay Kumar besides singers Udit Narayan, Alka Yagnik and Usha Mangeshkar.
Yoga has been growing exponentially – and organically – worldwide in the past few decades, but credit goes to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking the initiative to get United Nations to declare June 21 as International Day of Yoga to be observed every year.
The resolution in the UN General Assembly on Dec 11, 2014, endorsed by record 177 members, recognized that “yoga provides a holistic approach to health and well-being, and that wider dissemination of information about the benefits of practicing yoga would be beneficial for the health of the world population.” The resolution invitedallnations, UN and world organizations as well as civil society and NGOs to observe IDY to raise awareness of the benefits of practicing yoga.
The UN resolution followed Modi’s call during his address to UNGA on Sept 27 last year wherein he stated: “Yoga is an invaluable gift of India’s ancient tradition. It embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfillment; harmony between man and nature; a holistic approach to health and well-being. It is not about exercise but to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and the nature.”
June 21 was suggested for yoga day because it is the Summer Solstice (longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere), and from the perspective of yoga, it marks the transition in the Sun’s celestial passage from north to south. This year June 21 falls on a Sunday.
Lauding Modi for IDY, the Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, who himself had earlier lent support for a yoga day, said, “It is very difficult for any philosophy, religion or culture to survive without state patronage. Now, official recognition by the UN would further spread the benefit of yoga to the entire world.” Sri Sri and Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev (founder of Isha Yoga) are traveling around the world headlining events attended by thousands in the run up to the International Day of Yoga.
Yoga is at least 5,000-year-old and one of the six systems of Indian philosophy. It was codified byMaharishi Patanjali in 200 AD as Yoga Darshan,containing195 Yoga Sutras. The core essence of Patanjali is the eightfold path or Ashtanga Yoga containing observances and practices for the holistic growth of a human being – physical, moral, mental and spiritual. Yoga’s literal meaning of union (of individual consciousness with universal consciousness) lays out its higher reaches.
In today’s world, though, yoga to most people has come to mean the practice of asanas – physical postures, but Patanjali’s treatise has only one sutra about postures- sthira-sukham asanam (2.46), which translated from Sanskrit means: posture should be stable and comfortable. So where are the numerous asanas practiced in yoga classes coming from? The answer is, they originate from the age-old Hatha Yoga tradition, one treatise for which is called Hatha Yoga Pradipika.
The modern revival of yoga can be traced to T. Krishnamacharya, who started teaching it from Mysore in 1924. Among his students prominent in popularizing yoga in the West were B.K.S. Iyengar (Iyengar Yoga) and K. Pattabhi Jois (Viniyasa Yoga). Another major stream of influence within India and and abroad has been Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh and his equally formidable disciples including Swami Vishnu-devananda (Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers), Swami Satyananda (Bihar School of Yoga) and Swami Satchidananda (Integral Yoga). In India lately, Baba Ramdev has taken his yoga-pranayama mix for curing ailments to every nook and corner of the country.
Yoga also received a fillip with the introduction of Indian spirituality to the West starting with Swami Vivekananda’s iconic address to the Parliament of the World’s Religions in 1893 in Chicago. Followed meditation movements of Yogananda Paramahamsa (‘Autobiography of a Yogi’; fame), TM guru Maharishi Mahesh Yoga, Swami Muktananda, Osho Rajneesh, Yogi Bhajan, and more recently Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. These too had a yoga component.
Today, yoga is practiced by an estimated 300 million people worldwide. In the western countries, you can find a yoga studio almost every few blocks. In the US, the number pf yoga practitioners is estimated to be over 30 million. A survey by the redoubtable National Institutes of Health (NIH) reported that in 2012, nearly 10% of US adults and 3% of children participated in yoga, almost double than 5% of adults and 2% of children a decade earlier.
The purists can argue that in its current form, yoga has been reduced to a system of physical exercises. But the practitioners must be liking it, enjoying it and benefiting from it enough to continue to spend their time and energy and money on the practice. Besides, one can also argue that the asana practice, unlike gym workouts, does create a sense of peace and equanimity – a meditative state in short. Interest is also kindled in practitioners about yoga’s other dimensions and its origins.
Yoga is part of India’s great heritage. UNESCO’s director general Irina Bokova, who met PM Modi in Paris earlier this year, affirmed that yoga is in the list of elements to be considered by the Intangible Heritage Committee for inscription on UNESCO’s register. She also told an Indian daily that “UNESCO’s general conference in October will also look to endorse the International Day of Yoga”.
Modi launched a portal (www.Idayofyoga.Org) for the International Day of Yoga onApril 10 from Paris while addressing a gathering at UNESCO headquarters. The portal gives details of events and venues connected with the IDY, besides videos on individual yoga postures.
The Government of India has planned to celebrate the IDY in countries around the world, including United States. In Washington DC, on June 21, Embassy of India is organizing a day-long event at the National Mall in collaboration with various yoga organizations, practitioners, and community organizations. In New York, Times Square is the leading official public site for IDY and dignitaries from the UN and Indian government are scheduled to attend the day long event. It is special because Times Square Alliance has been holding a mass yoga event on Summer Solstice for the last 13 years at the Crossroads of the World.
Undoubtedly, the global observance of the International Day of Yoga and related events will make millions of people to become aware of the tenets of yoga, encouraging many to follow a yogic lifestyle, a life that is healthy and harmonious. In turn, IDY is an opening for the world community to realize human oneness and move beyond war and strife towards peace and harmony.
(The author is the founder of India’s first spiritual magazine, Life Positive, and a teacher of meditation. He is currently based in New York and working as managing editor of The South Asian Times. He can be reached at parveen. chopra @gmail.com)
NEW YORK (TIP): The New York Police Department (NYPD) has got its first female turbaned Sikh auxiliary police officer, whose induction aims to motivate others to join law enforcement and help create better understanding of Sikhism.
Gursoach Kaur will join the New York Police Department as an Auxiliary Police Officer (APO), after having graduated last week from the New York City Police Academy.
“We are proud to welcome first Sikh turbaned female Auxiliary Police Officer in the New York Police Department. APO Gursoach Kaur and other Auxiliary Police Officers graduated from the academy. We are proud of you. Stay safe. #sikhsinlawenforcement,” the Sikh Officers Association tweeted.
Sikh Officers Assoc.
@SikhOfficers
We are proud to welcome first #Sikh Turbaned female Auxiliary Police Officer in the @NYPDnews. APO Gursoach Kaur and other Auxiliary Police Officers graduated from the Academy. We are proud of you. Stay safe. #sikhsinlawenforcement
The association said in a Facebook post that it is “proud” to welcome Kaur to the Police Department.
“Your service will be a motivation for others to join the Law enforcement Family,” it said.
The association is the nation’s first organization to represent Sikh Officers in Law Enforcement.
Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri also tweeted about Kaur, expressing hope that a turbaned lady officer will help create better understanding of Sikhism in the US.
@HardeepSPuri
Follow @HardeepSPuri
Delighted to see a turbaned lady officer in NYPD. Hope this fosters better understanding of Sikhism & Sikhs & corrects perceptions in US so that incident which happened with me in 2010 & recently with @Canada minister @NavdeepSBains do not recur.
WASHINGTON(TIP): History was made on May 17 when US Senate confirmed Gina Haspel as the first female director of CIA.
After a protracted confirmation battle that resurrected a nationwide debate about the agency’s post-9/11 use of enhanced interrogation techniques — thought by many to have constituted torture — Gina Haspel will officially become director of the Central Intelligence Agency. She is the first operations officer in more than five decades – and the first-ever woman – to be named to the role. On Thursday, May 17, the Senate voted, 54-45, to confirm Haspel, one day after the Senate Intelligence Committee, in a 10-5 vote, reported her nomination favorably. Overall, six Democrats voted in support of her candidacy; two Republicans, Sens. Flake and Paul opposed it.
President Trump nominated Haspel to the post in March, in a tweet, while announcing that her predecessor, former CIA director Mike Pompeo, was being tapped to lead the State Department.
Much of Haspel’s 30-year career at CIA was spent in the clandestine service and remains classified. Her reported oversight, in 2002, of a secret “black site” in Thailand — where detainees were subjected to enhanced interrogation techniques, including waterboarding — generated widespread controversy and ardent condemnation from civil rights groups. Her involvement in ordering the destruction, in 2005, of 92 videotapes – some of which documented the interrogations — while serving as chief of staff to then-Director of the clandestine service Jose Rodriguez was also roundly criticized.
Among those opposed was Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, who survived years of torture as a POW in Vietnam, and who, as he undergoes treatment for brain cancer, was not present for the floor vote. Last week McCain issued a powerful statement opposing Haspel’s candidacy, calling her role in overseeing the use of torture by Americans “disturbing.”
NEW YORK CITY(TIP): The longest-running, most prestigious South Asian Film Festival in North America, NYIFF, kicked off on May 7 at the Village East Cinemas in the lower east side of Manhattan at 181-189, 2nd Avenue, New York, NY 10003.
The Festival boasts 78 shorts, documentaries and feature films screened over the period of 6 days.
The Festival continues until May 12 at the location.
CENTRAL ISLIP, NY(TIP): Harendra Singh, the key witness in the federal corruption trial of Nassau County’s former executive and Oyster Bay’s former town supervisor, has filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy in U.S. Eastern District Court in Central Islip.
Court records show that Singh, also a former Town of Oyster Bay concessionaire, filed for bankruptcy protection on April 20.
Singh, 59, of Laurel Hollow, asked in the voluntary bankruptcy filing to make installment payments on the filing fees. The fee for filing a Chapter 13 bankruptcy is $310, according to the website for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District.
Singh’s bankruptcy petition, filed without an attorney, listed two creditors, CIT Bank, N.A. of Kalamazoo, Michigan, and LoanCare LLC, a mortgage servicer based in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
CIT Bank sued Singh in August 2016 in New York State Supreme Court in Mineola alleging he had stopped making mortgage payments on his Laurel Hollow home beginning Oct. 1, 2014 and owed $2.5 million plus interest. On July 20, 2017, New York State Judge Thomas Adams granted summary judgment in favor of the bank. On Jan. 9, Adams ordered the property foreclosed and to be put up for sale and awarded CIT Bank $2.9 million plus interest and fees.
Under a Chapter 13 bankruptcy, the debtor seeks a payment plan to repay his or her debts.
In October 2016, Singh pleaded guilty to bribing former Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano and former Oyster Bay Town Supervisor John Venditto. Mangano, his wife, Linda, and Venditto are currently on trial in federal court in Central Islip. They have pleaded not guilty.
NEW YORK(TIP): The Queens Tribune and PRESS of Southeast Queens held the annual Glass Ceiling Awards on Tuesday, April 17 night, honoring eight women who have risen through the ranks in their fields and displayed vision and courage in their workplace.
The theme for the awards ceremony—which was held at Douglaston Manor—was enhancing women’s rights and promoting gender equality. Each of the event’s speakers and nominees spoke about the challenges that women have faced along the road toward equality and the next steps in that struggle.
Honorees with organizers. Vandana Sharma is seen on extreme left
The eight honorees included New York’s Lieutenant Gov. Kathy Hochul; Tonya Boyd, the deputy chief of the city’s Fire Department; Susan Browning, the executive di- rector of Long Island Jewish Forest Hills; Lidija Nikolic, CTP, the senior vice president of global commercial banking at Bank of America Merrill Lynch; Merle Hoffman, the president and CEO of Choices Medical Center for Women; Rhonda Nelson, the recorder for UFCW Local 1500; Lori Vavrinec, the di- rector of marketing for Fidelis Care New York; and Vandana Sharma, the regional manager for Americas, Air India.
Hochul, who was also the evening’s keynote speaker, noted while women have made great strides in the workplace, citing New York as having closed the pay gap more so than any other state. However, she pointed out that white women in the Empire State still only make 89 cents for every $1 that a man makes, while African American women earn 66 cents and Latina women take home 54 cents. “There are obstacles; God there are obstacles,” Hochul said. “I wear a necklace with broken glass that reminds me of glass ceilings that have been broken, but also the ones that have yet to be crushed. I’m sick and tired of seeing statistics that today’s women don’t make what men do. In 100 years from now when people look back at us, I want our story to be just as powerful, bold and audacious as the suffragettes’. I want people to say, ‘They changed the world.’”
Hochul told the Queens Tribune that she believed the election of President Donald Trump and the rise of the #MeToo movement have pushed women to take leadership roles. She also noted that there has been a rising tide of women in politics. “It’s stronger than it’s been in decades,” she said. “Their voices are sorely needed in the corridors of power.”
Boyd said that while working in a predominantly male organization poses challenges, women in the FDNY “have a very prominent future.” “You need a tough skin. That’s the most important thing—and you need to be dedicated to your job,” Boyd said. “There is an enormous amount of room for growth. In five to 10 years, I see us having our first female commissioner.”
Nelson said that in unions the leadership is still predominantly male, but that women are fighting for greater roles in such organizations.
“Women are moving more and more into leadership positions,” she said. “When I came on 40 years ago, there were not that many women in leadership positions. We need more women in staff positions and a little more diversity. Women need to see role models they can look up to. “Browning said that her field— healthcare administration—is one in which women have made strides in recent years.
“Northwell has set as a priority that we have diverse leadership and staff,” she said. “Having a diverse team brings to the table a diversity of thought. When we have that, we build stronger companies. At the executive level, there’s a recent turn of events that women are starting to be the majority in these positions.”
Nikolic referenced a joke she had heard that if “Lehman Brothers had been Lehman Sisters, the financial crisis would have looked different.”
“Despite that half of the professional positions in the financial industry are held by women, proving yourself is harder,” Nikolic said. “If a woman looks at the top and never sees women, she wonders if she can succeed. I view it as my legacy to support women on their path to empowerment.”
Hoffman noted that she believes the world is moving toward equality not just in the workplace, but “in every place,” but added that women should be prepared for a long fight. “It’s a struggle for women to have equality in all spheres,” she said. “I have been on the frontline for women’s reproductive rights for 47 years. I opened the first women’s abortion clinic in 1971 before Roe v. Wade. It’s even more in- tense now with you-know-who in the White House. I see an administration that is pushing back against women’s rights.”
Vavrinec said that one sign of women’s growing equality in the workplace is that her young sons do not find it surprising to see women in positions of power. “They don’t know any differently,” she said. “They have female doctors and dentists and see that their mom is a female executive. For this current generation, it’s not an issue.
The pay situation still needs to be addressed. In the healthcare industry, it’s gotten better.” Sharma said that the airline for which she works has long been a leader in gender equality. “At my company, there are the same opportunities for men and women,” she said. “Air India has the highest number of women pilots in the world, but also women in senior executive positions and women as engineers—in every position.” Queens Borough President Melinda Katz and Councilman Barry Grodenchik (D-Oakland Gardens) both dropped by the awards ceremony. Katz said she believed that the election of women in Queens is a sign that women can break the glass ceiling.
“I’m the third woman in a row to be borough president in Queens— we like to elect women here,” she said. “If you want to serve the public, start in your communities, your neighborhoods. Look around you— there are role models to look up to.”
Both leaders are expected to define a pathway that could transform India-China ties into a major force for tackling global problems.
WUHAN(TIP): Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Wuhan late Thursday, April 26 night for a two-day informal summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. He is due to hold one-to-one talks with Xi.
“A special moment past midnight as PM @narendramodi was warmly welcomed in Wuhan for the 1st Informal Summit with Chinese President Xi. The two leaders will review the developments in our bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.
Both leaders are expected to define a pathway that could transform India-China ties into a major force for tackling global problems.
The ambitious undertaking hopes to realign the underlying premises of India-China ties, so that festering irritants are removed, and the two countries can work together to fulfill common global aspirations.
They will meet in the famous villa, which was once Mao Zedong’s retreat. The property — a total of three buildings–at the bank of the East Lake of Wuchang– is set amid pine, bamboo and plum trees. A boat ride by the two principals or a walk among the pines is expected during the two-day event.
In a statement released ahead of his departure to Wuhan, Mr. Modi underscored that both leaders, during their upcoming dialogue, would be looking at the big picture.
Discussions on “a range of issues of bilateral and global importance,” would be shaped by the “visions and priorities for national development, particularly in the context of the current and future international situation,” the dense statement said.
It also highlighted that during the talks, both countries would take a long view of their ties. “We will also review the developments in the India-China relations from a strategic and long-term perspective.”
Diplomatic sources said that the two leaders, in their free-wheeling dialogue, would discuss the border row, and look for underlying principles to resolve it.
“This time the two sides have decided to hold the informal summit between the two leaders. This is because both our countries attach great importance to each other on external strategy and not because of boundary question that still remains unresolved, and we need talk about it during the informal summit,” Chinese vice Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou said during a media briefing on Tuesday.
Analysts say that China may be gradually shifting its position from “managing” and shelving the border issue, to a fledgling stance of resolving the China-India border dispute. Such a position would align well with Prime Minister Modi’s approach of seeking a final resolution of the boundary dispute.
HUNTINGTON, NY (TIP): Last week Congressman Tom Suozzi (D – Long Island, Queens) traveled to India and met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi to discuss the U.S. – India relationship, Betsy Davidson stated in a press release April 12.
The formal talks were conducted as part of a high-level delegation of Congressional leaders that met with their Indian counterparts to discuss trade, strategic partnerships, immigration and security coordination.
“Our relationship with India is based upon shared values, including the rule of law and respect for diversity, and has never been stronger. It is driven, in part, by our vibrant Indian-American community, one of the most industrious and successful diaspora populations in the world. As the world’s oldest and largest democracies, we have a shared interest in promoting global security and economic prosperity through trade, investment and communications,” said Congressman Suozzi.
Other members of the bipartisan delegation included Representatives Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Pete Olson (R-TX), Terry Sewell (D-AL), Dina Titus (D-NV), Brenda Lawrence (D-MI), and Drew Ferguson (R-GA).
Along with Modi, the delegation also met with Minister of Commerce and Industry Suresh Prahbu, Minister of Communications and Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad, and Minister of State for External Affairs M.J. Akbar. The delegation also attended the India-U.S. Trade Policy Forum where they discussed trade tariffs. immigration issues, and the India-U.S. strategic partnership, identifying ways to strengthen it further.
NEW DELHI (TIP): Veteran director Shekhar Kapur has been appointed chairman of the central panel of the 65th National Film Awards, sources in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said on Wednesday, March 28.
The central panel comprises a chairperson and 10 other members, including five regional chairpersons who head the respective regional panels.
Film writer Imtiaz Hussain, known for his works in films like Astitva (2000) and Parinda (1989) will be the regional chairperson of South I panel. Mehboob, who penned the lyrics for the Hindi (dubbed) version of 1995 Tamil romantic drama Bombay, has been appointed as the regional chairperson of South II panel, the sources said.
Actor Gautami Tadimalla, who is known for her work in Tamil films, is the regional chairman of the North panel, while director Rahul Rawail known for films like Love Story (1981), Betaab (1983), Arjun (1985) and Jo Bole So Nihaal (2005), was chosen as the regional chairperson of the Western panel, they said.
Director P. Sheshadri, a known name in Kannada cinema, is the regional chairperson of Eastern panel.
Other members of the panel include Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury, a Bengali and Hindi film director; playwright Tripurari Sharma; dialogue and script writer Rumi Jaffery; Ranjit Das known for the critically acclaimed film Pratyavartan; and film writer, director and producer Rajesh Mapuskar, the sources added.
NEW DELHI (TIP): Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has been humble pie.
Kejriwal’s spree of apologies has generated mixed reactions, with some amused, some piqued and others downright infuriated.
The AAP chief, with 33 defamation cases against him in 22 states, has crossed three cases off his list by saying sorry to the complainants.
Kejriwal has tendered a series of apologies, starting with Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia, followed by Union minister Nitin Gadkari, and subsequently Congress leader Kapil Sibal and his son.
Deputy chief minister of Delhi and senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia justified the apologies. “We are here to work for public. If someone is hurt by our remarks, we will apologise. We do not have time for courts. We do not want to indulge in battle of ego,” he said.
In contrast to the moral high ground by AAP leaders in Delhi, cracks appeared in party’s Punjab unit after Kejriwal apologised to Majithia with AAP’s Punjab chief Bhagwant Mann quitting from the post in protest. Lok Insaaf Party, AAP’s alliance partner in Punjab, said it will snap ties with Kejriwal-led party.
Kejriwal’s apologies have provided readymade ammunition to the Opposition to target AAP. Congress, taking a dig at the Delhi Chief Minister, said that Kejriwal should change his name to “Arvind Sorry Kejriwal”. Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari slammed Kejriwal for being a “regular and habitual offender”. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh dismissed Kejriwal’s apology as an “antic”.
Kejriwal’s apology episode is the latest in a series of recent events that have earned the party criticism from several corners and could hurt its public image in the long run.
However, things will be difficult for Kejriwal in the case involving Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
According to the sources, Kejriwal sent one of his newly inducted Rajya Sabha MPs as an emissary to Jaitley to discuss the possibility of an apology.
“The finance minister hasn’t agreed with the apology proposal,” a source said.
It’s also learnt that Jaitley wanted to know whether Kejriwal could ensure apologies from other AAP leaders Sanjay Singh, Kumar Vishwas, Ashutosh, Raghav Chadha and Deepak Bajpai against whom defamation case has been filed.
The finance minister had filed a Rs 10 crore defamation suit against Kejriwal and five other AAP leaders. A civil defamation case was filed in Delhi High Court and a criminal defamation suit was filed in lower court in Delhi.Besides, a separate defamation case was filed against Kejriwal after certain remarks were made by his lawyer Ram Jethmalani during the trial. Kejriwal wanted to take the apology route with Jaitley as the next hearings in the high court and lower court are respectively on 3 April and 8 April.
The South Asia working group’s initial report to the International Religious Freedom Round-table
By Dr. Mike Ghouse
“The many millennia old caste systems and the ‘unparalleled social abuse of untouchability (A.J. Toynbee)’ are based on religious doctrines of Brahminical Hinduism. Thus, caste-based violations of human rights in India are expressions of the utter lack of religious freedom.
“In Pakistan, the Hindu population is steadily declining as a percentage of the overall population with forced conversions. Christians are targeted with blasphemy and apostasy laws.
“In Bangladesh, Atheists, Buddhists, Hindus, and Ahmadiyya Muslims live in apprehension; the Atheist bloggers have been killed. There is a deficiency of law and order.
“In Sri Lanka, the ethnic violence continues between the Buddhists and Hindus and Buddhists and Muslims.
There is a dire need to address the violations of religious and political freedoms in South Asia comprising the nations of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
A critical note – when a reference is made to the Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, Christians, India, Russia or others, it is not “all” people of that faith or country. It is usually a small percent of disaffected people from among the majority who feel threatened about their future and their way of life.
The Center for Pluralism offers a solution to counter that – We need to reassure each other in conflict, particularly those who may be troubled by the changing paradigms and demographics of the society that we are committed to safeguarding the way of life for everyone. As Citizens of a given nation, we uphold, protect, defend and celebrate the values of liberty and freedom enshrined in the Constitution. We acknowledge that not all constitutions have the element of freedom embedded in it – an example would be the rights of Ahmadiyya Muslims in Pakistan and rights of Arab Israelis.
There are pending issues that are simmering and may boil over one day. We hope to understand these issues and do our share of reporting them to the International Religious Freedom Round Table, an informal group.
This group will identify problems and offer recommendations and possible solutions, and they are;
Monitoring to ensure the individual rights of people are protected.
Facilitate democratic values and hoping for stable political and economic climate
Secure our long-term interests of the safety of Americans and their investments
Governor Sam Brownback, the newly appointed Ambassador for religious freedom, said in the inaugural reception. The essence of which was -if you want a nation to have peace, give the people their freedom, but if you push them to the corner, their anger will morph into extremism, and everyone will lose in the end.
Here is a summary; a detailed report is in the making and will be produced upon a request.
There is no doubt a lot of good things are happening, but our focus is how to identify exceptional violations of human rights and religious freedom.
India
The commissioners of USCRIF have been the denied visa to India to investigate, among other things; Sikh Genocide, Massacre of Muslims in Gujarat, the plight of Hindu Pundits and the caster system that mistreats the Dalits who are shamefully called untouchables. Most of the Hindu American organizations have an affiliation with the ruling party in India; we need them to stand up for the religious rights of the people and work on getting the Visas to the commissioners for an honest evaluation of the situation.
The policies of the government will lead to mass suicides by the farmers. The Farmers raise the cattle to sell and eke out a living. Now, they are afraid to sell the cattle for fear of being killed by the vigilantes and the Government does nothing. The Cows have gone astray and are eating the farmer’s crops and eating trash on the streets – the cows are treated with disrespect and left on their own, its gross violation of animal rights.
In India currently, you do not have the freedom to eat, drink, wear or believe in the pursuit of your happiness.
A Dalit groom rode a horse on his wedding Baraat (Procession) in the state of Uttar Pradesh last month; the upper caste Hindus could not stomach the “neech –i.e., the low caste untouchable” ride above them and they ended beat him up. Last week an Adivasi (Tribal) Girl was burnt alive. The upper caste Hindus feel entitled to the Dalit women for their pleasures. It is an endless agony for the Dalits. They cannot even convert to other faiths to escape these attitudes due to enforced anti-conversion laws.
Here is a report from the Dalit Leaders in India.
“The many millennia old caste systems and the ‘unparalleled social abuse of untouchability (A.J. Toynbee)’ are based on religious doctrines of Brahminical Hinduism. Thus, caste-based violations of human rights in India are expressions of the utter lack of religious freedom.
This perilous situation is aggravated by anti-conversion laws that have been passed in many states of India. Their purpose is to prevent Dalits from converting to other religions where they would not be considered untouchable’. https://www.loc.gov/law/help/anti-conversion-laws/india.php
The inferior status that Hinduism accords to Dalits, in spite of the equalities guaranteed by the constitution of the country, reflects in severe social, economic, and educational inequalities.
Dalits continue to suffer extreme prejudice and deprivation, apart from institutional harassment. Violence against Dalits – public shaming, beatings, rape, murder – is a daily occurrence. The law enforcement agencies, police and the judiciary, largely remain mute spectators, if not actively conniving in the violence.
Statistics show that violence against Dalits has only increased in recent years. Religious freedom and equality thus remain a mirage for 200 million Dalits in India.”
The Muslims are lynched and killed for doubt of possessing beef; fake encounters are common practice to trap the young Muslim boys; RSS (political Hindus in the guise of culture) set the bomb blasts in Mumbai and other places and blamed Muslims. Muzaffarnagar and other riots were created to pit Hindus against Indians.
Christian Nuns are raped; pastors are chased and beat up in the public. The Christians Churches are burned, and the couples are constantly harassed on Valentine’s Day and Christmas Day. The Dalits are forced to convert back to Hinduism.
Justice to Sikhs is not done yet; mothers are still waiting for their unaccounted children from the Sikh Genocide of 84 where in three days, the extremists among Hindus butchered about 3000 Sikhs.
Blatant discrimination births frustration leading to violent expressions, when that happens the foreign investors will pull out, who wants to invest in a place where their investments are not secure. It’s happened in India in the mid-60’s, mid 70’s and it has happened in South Africa. The consequences do not bring goodwill.
There is a significant crisis brewing in India, and the Supreme Court will render a judgment about the disputed land and authority to build or not build a Hindu temple, where a 500-year-old Muslim Mosque was razed to the ground.
The Supreme Court of India would review the documents if that Mosque were built razing a temple. The internationally famed Guru of Art of Living, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has sowed the seeds of discontentment. Instead of suggesting the public to respect the Supreme Court’s decision, he has predicted civil war if the Court decides one way or the other. He has shown disrespect to the average Hindu and average Muslim who have demonstrated respect to the decisions of the Apex Court, several times in the recent past.
We pray that the Modi government and the State Government will offer strong safety protections to the public at least for a few months after December 5, 2018, the new date of the verdict.
Pakistan
Harassment of all minorities continues unabated. Ahmadiyya Muslims are denied their right to call themselves Muslims. There are numerous billboards that proclaim that it is legitimate to kill Ahmadiyya. The Hindu population is steadily declining as a percentage of the overall population with forced conversions. Christians are targeted with blasphemy and apostasy laws; these are the fake encounters. The Apostasy and Blasphemy laws were created to appease the tyrant kings and have no basis in the religion of Islam, and both are tools of oppression.
Bangladesh
The Atheists, Buddhists, Hindus, and Ahmadiyya Muslims live in apprehension; the Atheist bloggers have been killed. There is a deficiency of law and order.
Sri Lanka
The ethnic violence continues between the Buddhists and Hindus and Buddhists and Muslims. Sri Lanka’s president declared a state of emergency Tuesday amid fears that anti-Muslim attacks in several central hill towns could spread. The emergency announcement came after Buddhist mobs swept through the cities outside Kandy, burning at least 11 Muslim-owned shops and homes. The attacks followed reports that a group of Muslims had killed a Buddhist man. Police fired tear gas into the crowds, and later announced a curfew in the town. The government will “act sternly against groups that are inciting religious hatred,” Cabinet minister Rauff Hakeem said after a meeting with the president.
Nepal
It seems this nation is free from religious strife at this time, as it has undergone tumultuous political conflicts including a change in the form of Government from Monarchy to a democratic Republic.
A full report is available upon request to Mike Ghouse.
(The author is Chair, South Asia working group – IRF Roundtable. He can be reached at Mike@CenterforPluralism.com / Phone no. (214) 325-1916
Trump slaps tariffs on Chinese imports; Beijing hits back
China retaliated with reciprocal tariffs on $3 billion of imports from the U.S. immediately as US President Donald Trump slapped sanctions for the “theft” of intellectual property.
WASHINGTON (TIP): US President Donald Trump on Thursday, March 22, imposed tariffs on Chinese imports to punish the country for its “unfair” seizure of American intellectual property, a move that could escalate the already tense trade relations between the world’s two biggest economies.
Trump directed the US trade representative to level tariffs on about $60 billion of Chinese imports after a seven-month probe into the intellectual property theft, which has been a longstanding point of contention in US-China trade relations.
“We have a tremendous intellectual property theft problem. It’s going to make us a much stronger, much richer nation,” Trump said. “This has been long in the making,” Trump told reporters at the ceremony in the White House while signing his memorandums targeting China’s economic actions.
Trump’s action comes a day after US Trade Representative concluded its Special 301 investigation against China and presented its report to him. The USTR report concluded that China uses foreign ownership restrictions, including joint venture requirements, equity limitations and other investment restrictions to require or pressure technology transfer from US companies to Chinese entities.
“This requires taking effective action to confront China over its state-led efforts to force, strong-arm, and even steal US technology and intellectual property,” said US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.
Trump said his Section 301 trade action could be about $60 billion. He instructed USTR to publish a proposed list of products and any tariff increases within 15 days and to pursue dispute settlement in the World Trade Organization to address China’s discriminatory technology licensing practices.
He also has directed the Treasury Secretary to address concerns about investment in the US directed or facilitated by China in industries or technologies deemed important to the country. Trump said America’s trade deficit with China was a whopping $504 billion per annum.
China which had earlier said it will not sit back idly in case US imposed tariffs, in a quick counter action announced plans for imposing reciprocal tariffs on $3 billion of imports from the U.S. including products from steel to pork.
Bloomberg, in a late evening breaking news, March 22 saw the Chinese retaliation as “the arrival of a trade war” between the US and China.
In a statement Friday, March 23, hours after Trump instructed U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to slap tariffs on at least $50 billion in Chinese imports, China’s Commerce Ministry said it plans a 25 percent tariff on U.S. pork imports and recycled aluminum, and 15 percent tariffs on American steel pipes, fruit and wine.
China will also pursue legal action against the U.S. at the World Trade Organization, the statement said, and called for dialogue to resolve the dispute.
Policy makers across the world are warning of a brewing trade war that could undermine the broadest global recovery in years. Meanwhile, business groups representing companies ranging from Walmart Inc. to Amazon.com Inc. are warning U.S. tariffs could raise prices for consumers and sideswipe stock prices.
NEW DELHI (TIP): Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on March 15 apologized to former Punjab minister Bikram Singh Majithia for making “unfounded” allegations against him over his involvement in the illegal drug trade.
Majithia, a senior Shiromani Akali Dal leader, had filed a criminal defamation case against Kejriwal and two other AAP leaders for allegedly “tarnishing” his reputation by levelling “false, baseless and malicious charges”.
Following the apology, Majithia has decided to withdraw the court case against him.
However, the “meek surrender” drew flak from AAP Punjab unit leaders who termed Kejriwal’s step a “letdown”.
AAP leaders in New Delhi, however, said the move was to shed court cases, in which the party convenor finds himself mired, and hinted that a similar course could be adopted in the defamation case filed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
Kejriwal apology “In the recent past, I made certain statements and allegations against you regarding your alleged involvement in drug trade. These statements became a political issue. Now I have learnt that allegations are unfounded,” Kejriwal said in a letter addressed to Majithia.
“I hereby withdraw all my statements and allegations made against you and apologies for the same,” the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief said.
The damage caused to your esteem, the hurt caused to you, your family, friends, well-wishers, followers and the loss caused to you is regretted, he said.
Former Punjab minister Majithia claimed he was grateful that truth had won and Kejriwal had realized his mistake. Since the AAP leader had “tendered his apology”, he did not want to pursue the defamation case filed against him, Majithia said.
Accusing Majithia of playing with the youth of Punjab by “unleashing narcoterrorism in the state,” Kejriwal had once declared that he would “drag” the then Punjab cabinet minister “by his collar” to jail for his alleged role in a multi-million rupee drug racket.
Majithia, who was once probed by the ED in connection with the alleged Rs 6,000 crore money laundering drugs racket case, had often been at the receiving end of Kejriwal’s ire during the AAP convenor’s rallies in Punjab in the run-up to the Assembly election last year.
Drug abuse was a major issue in the high-octane Punjab Assembly elections last year and Kejriwal, who was leading the AAP charge, accused Majithia, then a minister in the state government, of being involved in narcotics trade.
Majithia had denied the charges against him.
In May 2016, he filed a criminal defamation case against Kejriwal, Sanjay Singh and Ashish Khaitan. Majithia said Kejriwal, Singh and Khaitan have “made it a habit” to target their political opponents by resorting to statements “filled with lies with the sole motive of hoodwinking the people”.
“I will not let anyone besmirch my and family’s honour. Anyone doing so will have to face the consequences. I am determined to make them face trial and be punished for their misdeeds,” the minister had said.
Majithia ‘accepts’ Kejriwal’s apology Talking to reporters, Majithia said he had accepted the apology.
“I thank Kejriwal for showing greatness in seeking apology for his remarks made against me. I have told my lawyers that from our side, this case ends as Kejriwal has sought apology. I have asked my counsels to withdraw the defamation case. Person makes mistake and with the grace of God, if I have the ability to forgive and I will forgive,” the SAD leader said.
Majithia had filed a defamation case against Kejriwal and Ashish Khetan in May 2015.
“I had said from the beginning that either he will say sorry or he will go to jail. Sending someone to jail is not my intention,” he asserted.
It is indeed a historical moment that a sitting chief minister has submitted a written apology in court withdrawing all statements he made against me,”said Majithia.
The SAD leader said although it was
“very torturous journey” for him as he battled the allegations. “The AAP, however, did not benefit as their candidate lost his security forfeited in my constitutency,” he said.
Majithia said the entire controversy
had taken a toll on his mother because she could not understand this kind of politics.
“My wife also went through a difficult phase, I thank the almighty that this chapter has ended and truth has prevailed,” he said, adding, “If my two little kids were asked in school that your father does such things, you can imagine what could have been my position. What answer I could have given to them.” AAP
leader Ashish Khetan had apologized as well, he added.
AMRITSAR (TIP): Ustad Pyarelal Wadali, younger brother of Ustad Puran Chand Wadali died in Amritsar on March 9 morning. He was 75.
He breathed his last at Fortis Escorts Hospital in Amritsar where he was admitted on Thursday.
Wadali Brothers, who hail from a village near Amritsar, are famous for their Punjabi Sufi music.
The duo began performing at Harballah temple in Jalandhar. They are adept in various styles of singing including Kaafian, ghazal and bhajan.
The Wadali Brothers, famous for their Bollywood songs such as Aye Rangrez Mere (Tanu Weds Manu; 2011) and Ik Tu Hi Tu Hi (Mausam; 2011), have carried on the legacy of famous saint poets such as Bulle Shah, Kabir, Amir Khusro and Surdas for years.
DALLAS (TIP): Hindus feel that Holi footwear collaboratively launched by American singer Pharrell Williams and multinational sportswear corporation Adidas is trivialization of traditions-concepts-symbols-beliefs of Hinduism.
Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement urged Pharrell Williams and Adidas CEO Kasper Rorsted to rename their Holi shoes which many Hindus felt were highly insensitive as religious festival of Holi was linked to various deities; and offer formal apology.
Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, indicated that Pharrell Williams and Adidas should have done some homework before taking Hinduism concepts frivolously and using these to make a fashion statement and sell shoes for mercantile greed, some of which contain leather.
Hinduism was the oldest and third largest religion of the world with about 1.1 billion adherents and a rich philosophical thought and it should not be taken frivolously. Symbols of any faith, larger or smaller, should not be mishandled, Rajan Zed noted.
Improper usage of Hinduism concepts or symbols or imagery for commercial or other agenda was not okay as it might be painful to many devotees. Hindus were for free artistic expression and speech as much as anybody else if not more. But faith was something sacred and attempts at trivializing it hurt many followers, Zed added.
Twelve Holi shoes, ranging between $95 and $250, appear on Adidas website; five of which are “coming soon”, six are “new” and one is “sold out”. General release date is March 16, while pre-release was on March two. Adidas states: “inspired by a Hindu festival, artist Pharrell Williams designs these shoes”. Adidas describes Holi as ancient spiritual festival.
Joie de vivre festival of Holi welcomes the beginning of spring and starts about ten days before the full moon of Phalguna. The ceremonies include the lighting of the bonfires, during which all evils are symbolically burnt. Holi also commemorates the frolics of youthful Lord Krishna; celebrates the death of demoness Putana, burning of demoness Holika, and destruction of Kama by Shiva. Holi fell on March two this year.
Adidas, headquartered in Herzogenaurach (Germany) and whose history goes back to 1924, claims to “produce more than 850 million product units every year”. “Creating the New” is its 2020 strategy. Adidas—Pharrell Williams collaboration is said to be in its fourth year.
Ambassador Sandeep Chakraborty, wife Taruna Chakraborty graced the event as guests of honor
Councilmember Paul Vallone joined with wife Anna Marie Vallone
NEW YORK CITY (TIP): The Indian Panorama, the leading Indian American English weekly newspaper on the East Coast hosted a lunch to celebrate the Indian festival of colors-Holi, on March 4 at Zaika Restaurant located on 44th Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenue, New York City.
The guests were received in a traditional Holi style with a tilak (mark) of gulal (color) on the forehead.
Ambassador Sandeep Chakraborty extending Holi greetings Photo/ Jay Mandal on assignment
Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador Sandeep Chakraborty described Holi as one of the most popular festivals of India, next to Diwali. In a lighter vein he observed that while in India celebration of festivals like Holi and Diwali is a matter of half a day or a day, in USA, a celebration span is days together.
Councilmember Paul Vallone offered to host next Holi in his district Photo/ Nisha
Councilmember Paul Vallone offered to have the festival of Holi celebrated in his district. He praised the Indian American community for their contribution to America in a number of ways. He said there was a large presence of Indian American community in his district and he loved to meet with them.
Air India Regional Manager Vandana Sharma exhorted the Indian American community to patronize Air India Photo / courtesy Davinderpal
Air India Regional Manager Vandana Sharma promptly offered Air India’s sponsorship for such an event. She also spoke of Air India as the airline of Indians and exhorted the Indian American community to patronize Air India which she claimed offered the best services comparable with any airline.
Prof. Indrajit S Saluja, editor/ publisher of The Indian Panorama, who hosted the event extended a word of welcome and proposed toast to the festival of Holi, the guests present, particularly to the two month old Aleesha Ananya Steele, niece to Vandana Sharma, Ashishpal Saluja, Prof. Saluja’s eldest son who turned forty, to Resham Sharma, his foster sister, and to Zaika and its partners Mandeep Oberoi, Mohan Ahluwalia, Ramanuj and Pooja Patel.
The event was graced by Ambassador Sandeep Chakraborty, Consul General of India, and wife Dr. Taruna Chakraborty as guests of honor. Councilmember Paul Vallone, who represents 19th District of the New York City Council, which incidentally, has a large presence of Indian Americans, attended with wife Anna Marie Vallone.
Present on the occasion were guests from all walks of life. They included officials from Indian Consulate, Permanent Mission of India, various government of India enterprises, including Air India and banks, officials of various organizations, physicians and surgeons, professionals from IT and finance industry, businessmen and businesswomen, film makers, artists, and journalists.
The gathering Photos/ Nisha
Ms Vandana Sharma, Regional Manager, Air India, with her sister, brother in law and nieces, Consuls from the Consulate- Mr. Devadasan Nair with his spouse, Mr. L. Krishnamurthy with his spouse, Mr. Vipul Kumar Mesariya with his spouse, and Mr. Devi Prasad Misra; Counsellar Anjani Kumar from Permanent Mission of India; and Mr. Sunil Sharma, Chief Executive of Bank of India, with his wife graced the occasion.
The gathering Photos/ Nisha
Dr. Ajay Lodha who was present with his physician wife, is a past President of Association of American Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) International. Dr. Jagdish Gupta who attended with his physician wife is currently President of AAPI-QLI, Gunjan Rastogi, President of the oldest association of Indians on Long Island- IALI- was present with her spouse. Also present was Mr. Andy Mansukhani, President of Nargis Dutt Memorial Cancer Foundation. Dr. Satyajit Bhattacharya, a Molecular Geneticist and Cancer Research Scientist and Founder, President & CEO of Harlem Children Society, Brooklyn, New York attended.
Dr. VK Raju, a world-renowned ophthalmologist and Chairman of the Eye Foundation of America who came all the way from Morgantown, WV attended with his physician daughter Leela Raju. Dr. Raju has only recently signed a MOU with Andhra Pradesh State to set up a Children’s Eye Hospital in Amaravati.
The gathering Photos/ Nisha
A well-known educationist and promoter of Indian culture through her institutions Shikshayatan Cultural Center and Sriniketan Foundation, Purnima Desai graced the occasion.
Neeta Bhasin, well known in the community for Diwali at Times Square was present.
The gathering Photos/ Nisha
Anu Jain, a finance consultant, painter and community activist, attended the event, as did Mr. Dave Makkar and his daughter Prachi Makkar.
Harjit (Harry) Panaser, a lobbyist, attended with wife Dr. Manjeet and two daughters Ajooni Kaur and Alicia Kaur. Also present were Tejbir Singh and his wife.
Malini Shah, a diamond merchant , a political and social activist, and a passionate promoter of Indian Classical Art forms who works closely with Councilmember Paul Vallone; Mr. Harpreet Singh Toor, a Sikh community leader and community liaison to Assemblyman David Weprin; and Mr. Jarnail Singh Gilzian, a Sikh Community leader and a businessman, were also present.
Prominent Film maker Tirlok Malik attended with his wife, as did TV anchor Ashok Vyas with his spouse.
Ace photographer Jay Mandal; Mr. Davinderpal Singh and Jaya Sharma from PTC TV, Sandra Peddie from NEWSDAY, Bidisha Roy from The Indian Panorama with her banker and painter spouse Krish Sengupta, The Indian Panorama photographer Nisha, journalist Anjali Sharma and photo journalist Gloria Kins also attended.
Ashok Vyas reciting his poem, much to the delight of the gathering. Photo/ Nisha
Ashok Vyas who is a writer and a poet, besides being a TV anchor recited a couple of couplets from his compositions, much to the delight of the gathering.
The gathering Photos/ Nisha
Also present were Mrs. and Mr. Jack Pohani with their daughter Anika and son Aman.
The staff of Zaika
Guests were full of praise for the ambience of Zaika. The food and service received the appreciation of all.
MUMBAI (TIP): Bollywood diva Sridevi was on February 28 cremated with full state honors, mourned by millions of fans, at the Vile Parle crematorium.
Sridevi’s filmmaker husband Boney Kapoor performed the last rites at the ceremony. The couple’s daughters, Jahnvi and Khushi, were by his side, said sources close to the family.
Sridevi, who gave hit Bollywood movies, including Sadma (1983), Nagina (1986), Mr. India (1987), Chaalbaaz (1989), Chandni (1989), Lamhe (1991), English Vinglish (2012) to name a few, died following accidental drowning in the bathtub in her hotel room in Dubai around 11 pm on Saturday, February 24 night, plunging millions of Indians and her fans all over the world in gloom as the news emerged the next morning.
The actor’s body was brought to the crematorium in an open, flower-bedecked hearse.
The state honors for the actress, who was conferred Padma Shri in 2013, included draping her body in the Tricolor, elaborate arrangements by the Mumbai police, and a gun salute before the cremation.
According to a statement issued on behalf of the Kapoor and Ayyappan families, Sridevi’s body was kept for three hours at the Celebrations Sports Club to enable people to pay their last respects.
The final journey commenced around 2 pm to the Vile Parle Seva Samaj Crematorium and Hindu Cemetery at SV Road in Vile Parle west, where it reached around 3.30 pm.
Meanwhile, several thousands of mourners, including celebrities, Bollywood personalities, politicians and business persons, grieved for the queen of the silver screen.
Since dawn of February 27, thousands of teary-eyed fans and admirers of the late actress, many carrying flowers, had started queuing up outside the Celebration Sports Club at Lokhandwala Complex for a final ‘darshan’ of their idol.
After the flower-bedecked body was brought to the club premises, a steady stream of celebrities started alighting from their vehicles and were whisked inside to pay their last respects.
Among the early callers were Rekha, Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan, Arbaaz Khan, Madhuri Dixit-Nene, Akshaye Khanna, Tabu, Farah Khan, Nitin Mukesh, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Vidya Balan, Sushmita Sen, Shabana Azmi, Javed Akhtar, Madhur Bhandarkar, Deepika Padukone, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Jackie Shroff, Farhan Akhtar, Hema Malini, Jaya Bachchan, John Abraham, Sulabha Arya, Ajay Devgn and Kajol, among many others.
Earlier, in the past four days since her demise, the Kapoor household had witnessed a steady stream of visitors, including Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Krishna Raj Kapoor, among others.
Most visitors on February 27 were sporting dark sunglasses to ward off the harsh early-summer glare, and carrying flowers or small bouquets. They embraced and consoled the bereaved family members, fleeting in from the main entrance and out from the other side as fans tried to catch a glimpse.
Sridevi’s body was flown to Mumbai from Dubai, and from the airport was taken to the Kapoor residence in Green Acres at the posh Lokhandwala Complex.
Despite the late hour, several hundreds of fans kept vigil outside the residence when a motorcade, including an ambulance, reached there late on Tuesday.
For three days, the Dubai police authorities completed various legal and medical formalities before the body was finally handed over to the Kapoor family on Tuesday afternoon.
(Source: IANS)
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