The Indian Panorama

Tag: United Nations

  • Delhi Gang Rape Case The Beginning Of A Change In The Mindset— A Revolution

    Delhi Gang Rape Case The Beginning Of A Change In The Mindset— A Revolution

    A female physiotherapy intern was beaten and gang raped in Delhi on 16 December 2012, and died thirteen days later while undergoing emergency treatment in Singapore for brain and gastrointestinal damage from the assault. After watching a film in South Delhi in the early evening, she and a male companion boarded a bus being driven as a “joyride”, thinking it was a public bus.[2] The only other passengers were five men who were friends of the driver, who then assaulted the pair. She was taken to Safdarjang Hospital, received multiple surgeries, and was placed on mechanical ventilation. On 26 December, she was moved to Singapore for further treatment, where she died on 29 December. As of 21 December 2012, six men, including the bus driver, have been arrested. The incident has generated international coverage and was condemned by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, who called on the Government of India and the Government of Delhi “to do everything in their power to take up radical reforms, ensure justice and reach out with robust public services to make women’s lives more safe and secure”. Public protests took place in Delhi, where thousands of protesters clashed with security forces. Similar protests took place in major cities throughout the country.

    Incident

    The victims, a 23-year-old female physiotherapy intern and her male friend, were on their way home after watching a film in Saket in South Delhi. They boarded a chartered bus at Munirka for Dwarka that was being driven by joyriders at about 9:30 pm. The minor among the accused had called for passengers telling them that it was going towards their destination. The woman’s friend became suspicious when the bus deviated from its normal route and its doors were shut. When he objected, the group of six men already on board taunted the couple, asking what they were doing alone at such a late hour. When the victim’s friend tried to intervene, he was beaten, gagged and knocked unconscious with an iron rod. The men dragged the woman to the rear of the bus, beating her with the rod and raping her while the bus driver continued to drive.

    Medical reports later suggested that the woman suffered serious injuries to her abdomen, intestines and genitals due to the assault, and doctors say that the damage indicates that a blunt object (suspected to be the iron rod) may have been used for penetration. That rod was later described by police as being a rusted, L-shaped implement of the type used with a wheel jack. After the beatings and rape ended, the gang threw the two from the moving bus. Then the accused allegedly tried to drive the bus over the woman but she was pulled aside in the nick of time by her male friend. One of the perpetrators later cleaned the vehicle.

    Police impounded it the next day.[8][9] As she was pinned down and raped, the young woman put up a fight but was hopelessly outnumbered. She bit three of the men assaulting her. The bite marks on the three accused men are likely to be part of the Delhi Police’s evidence in their chargesheet. The woman and her companion were found by a passerby on the road, partially clothed and unconscious, around 11 pm. The passerby phoned the Delhi Police, who took the couple to a hospital, where the female victim was given emergency treatment and placed on mechanical ventilation. The victim was found with only 5% of her intestines left inside of her. A doctor at the hospital later said that the “rod was inserted into her and it was pulled out with so much force that the act brought out her intestines also. That is probably the only thing that explains such severe damage to her intestines.”

    Victims

    The female victim was born and raised in Delhi while her parents were from a small village in the Ballia district of Uttar Pradesh. Her father, who sold his agricultural land to educate her, works for a private company in Delhi. Pseudonyms have been used for her, including Jyoti (light), Jagruti (awareness), Amanat (after the Indian TV soap opera Amanat), Nirbhaya (fearless one), and Damini (after the 1993 Hindi film Damini), although some media commentators have raised questions on the judgement of using pseudonyms for her. The male victim is 28 years old, from Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, and lives in Ber Sarai, New Delhi.

    Delhi police registered a criminal case against the editor of a Delhi based tabloid for disclosing the identity of the rape victim, as such disclosure is an offence under section 228(A) of Indian Penal Code. Shashi Tharoor, union minister, suggested that if parents have no objection, the identity of the victim may be made public, with a view to showing respect for the victim’s courageous response by naming future laws after her, but Tharoor’s remark created controversy.

    Treatment and death of rape victim
    On 19 December 2012, the damaged intestines of the victim were resected due to risk of gangrene, and she received intravenous nutrition and medication. On 21 December 2012, the government appointed a committee of physicians to ensure she received the best medical care. By 25 December 2012, she remained intubated, on life support and in critical condition. Doctors stated that the internal bleeding had been controlled to an extent, but her increased bilirubin level (suggesting hepatic dysfunction or hemolysis) was a “serious cause of concern”. At a cabinet meeting chaired by Manmohan Singh on 26 December, the decision was made to fly her to Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore for further care. Mount Elizabeth is a multi-organ transplant specialty hospital. The decision to move the patient while she was still in critical condition has been criticised for being purely political. Doctors have questioned the need to transfer an ICU patient for organ transplants that were not scheduled for weeks or even months later. Government sources indicate that the Chief Minister of Delhi, Sheila Dikshit, was personally behind the decision. Hours earlier, Union Minister P. Chidambaram had stated that the woman was not in a condition to move.

    Some reports suggest that the decision to shift was taken when it was already clear that she would not survive the next 48 hours. During the six-hour flight by airambulance to Singapore, at 30,000 feet, the victim suddenly went into a near collapse. Her blood pressure dipped alarmingly, and doctors on the flight had to create an arterial line to stabilize her. That the doctors were able to perform this procedure in-flight was considered a medical feat.[30] However, the victim never regained consciousness in Singapore. On 28 December 2012, at 11 am (IST), her condition was “extremely critical” and the Chief Executive Officer of the Mount Elizabeth Hospital said that the woman suffered brain damage, pneumonia, abdominal infection, and that she was “fighting for her life.”Her condition continued to deteriorate, and she died at 4:45 am on 29 December, Singapore Standard Time (2:15 am, 29 December, IST; 8:45 pm, 28 December, UTC). Her body was cremated on 30 December at Delhi under high police security. The government denied access to the media and the public. The “fortification” of Delhi was criticised by many, including the main opposition party of India.

    Alleged perpetrators
    Police found and arrested some of suspects within 24 hours. From highway CCTV recordings, a description of the bus, a white privately operated charter bus with a name written on it, and details of the windows, blinds, and seats could be seen. Going to the bus stand where the victims boarded it, other operators identified it as being contracted by a south Delhi private school. They then traced it and found its driver, Ram Singh.

    Police had sketches of the assailants with the help of the male victim, and used a cell phone stolen from the pair to find one of them. Six men have been arrested in connection with the incident: Ram Singh, the bus driver, and his brother, Mukesh Singh, were both arrested in Rajasthan; Vinay Sharma, an assistant gym instructor, was arrested in Delhi, as was Pawan Gupta, a fruit seller; Muhammad Afroz aka Raju, a minor, and native of Uttar Pradesh was arrested by the police at Anand Vihar terminal in Delhi; and Akshay Thakur, a man who had gone from Bihar to Delhi seeking work, was arrested in Aurangabad in Bihar.

    The group had been eating and drinking together and “having a party” earlier that day. Raju had only met the others that day. Although the charter bus which Ram Singh drove on weekdays was not permitted to pick up public passengers or even to operate in Delhi because of its tinted windows, they decided to take it out “to have some fun”. With Mukesh Singh driving, they first picked up a carpenter who was charged Rs. 10 for a ticket and then robbed of Rs. 8,000 and dropped in South Delhi.[40] They then turned back and a half hour later, picked up the couple who were charged Rs. 10 each. Ram Singh was presented before the Metropolitan Magistrate on 18 December 2012. Mukesh Singh, who was placed in Tihar Jail after his arrest, was assaulted by other inmates and was kept in solitary confinement for his own protection.

    Ram and Mukesh Singh are from Ravi Dass Camp, a slum in South Delhi. Ram Singh suffers from a substantial disability in his right arm, sustained after a bus accident for which he had sought compensation. He refused to participate in an identification process. Shortly after the attacks, Gupta said he accepted his guilt and should be hanged

    Prosecution
    The male victim testified in court on 19 December. The female victim recorded her statement with a sub-divisional magistrate at the Safdarjung Hospital on 21 December 2012, in the presence of the Deputy Commissioner of police. The five adults accused will face murder charges and other charges under the Indian Penal Code. The juvenile suspect, Raju, may be subject to a separate legal process as a minor but Delhi Police are testing a bone marrow sample to determine his actual age. The police promised to file the charge sheet within one week, following public outrage and demand for a speedy trial and prosecution. At the suggestion of the Delhi Chief Minister, the Delhi High Court approved the creation of five fast-track courts to try rape and sexual assault cases.

    On 21 December 2012, the government promised to file the charge sheet “quickly” and seek the maximum penalty of life imprisonment for the perpetrators. The Union Parliament’s Standing Committee on Home Affairs met on 27 December 2012 to discuss the issue, and Union Home Secretary R. K. Singh and Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar were summoned to appear. The first of the five approved fast track courts was inaugurated on 2 January 2013 by Chief Justice of India Altamas Kabir in Saket court complex in South Delhi. The fast track court will conduct the trial of the accused in gang rape. On 21 December 2012, the Delhi High Court reprimanded the Delhi police for being “evasive” in a probe status report providing details of officers on patrol duty in the area covered by the bus route. A further court hearing on the matter is scheduled for 9 January 2013.

    The following day, the Delhi Police initiated action against three Hauz Khas police station personnel for alleged inaction on an alleged robbery of the bus on which the gang rape and assault occurred. Just before the gang rape, the accused had robbed a carpenter, Ramadhar, after picking him up in their area. On 24 December 2012, two Assistant Commissioners of Police were suspended for failing to prevent the gang rape incident. On 29 December 2012, following the death of the victim, the accused were charged with murder by the police. Senior lawyer Dayan Krishnan has been appointed as the special public prosecutor and Delhi police is hoping to file the charge sheet by January 3, 2013.

    Public protests
    Public protests took place in New Delhi on 21 December 2012 at India Gate and Raisina Hill, the latter being the location of both the Parliament of India and Rashtrapati Bhavan, the official residence of the President of India. Thousands of protesters clashed with police, overturned cars, and battled Rapid Action Force units. Demonstrators were lathi charged, shot with water cannons and tear gas shells, and arrested.

    Yoga guru Baba Ramdev and former Army chief General Vijay Kumar Singh were among demonstrators who clashed with Delhi Police at Jantar Mantar. Police claimed that peaceful protests had been “hijacked” by hooligans and political activists. Similar protests have occurred throughout the country. More than 600 women belonging to various organisations demonstrated in Bangalore.

    Thousands of people silently marched in Kolkata. Protests have occurred online as well on the social networking sites Facebook and WhatsApp, with users replacing their profile images with a black dot symbol. Tens of thousands have signed an online petition protesting the incident.

    The Delhi Police has been accused of using excessive force against the protestors, causing more outrage. The Hindustan Times reported that 375 tear gas canisters were used at India Gate and elsewhere in Delhi to disperse the crowds. During a public protest, a policeman named Subhash Tomar collapsed and later died in hospital. Two witnesses claimed that Tomar collapsed without being hit by any protesters, while a third disputed this. Hospital doctors and the post-mortem gave contradictory reports: he died due to cardiac arrest, but it is not known if the heart attack was caused by blunt-force injuries that he suffered to his chest and neck. Some experts state that his chest injuries may have been a side effect of the administration of CPR.

    After the victim’s death
    Following the death of the victim on 29 December, large numbers of people staged protests near Jantar Mantar, New Delhi on 30 December. There were minor clashes between some groups of protesters and the police, the police then shifted some protesters from the spot. Certain group of protesters also observed one day hunger strike at Jantar Mantar. All roads leading to India Gate were closed by police and such areas where protesters gathered during previous week were out of bounds to public. Some of the protesters drew graffiti and slogans on papers spread on road, condemning the incident, demanding stricter laws and speedy judgement. The main opposition party of India, the BJP, renewed its demand for a special parliament session to discuss the case and to adopt stricter laws on crime against women. After the woman’s death, protests were staged all over India, including Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Thiruvananthapuram, Mumbai, etc.

    Many of the mourners carried candles, wore black dress and some pasted black cloth across their mouths. New year celebrations were scaled down to a large extent with the Indian armed forces, some clubs & hotels in Delhi cancelling their new year parties.

    Social context
    Segregation against women as well as Eve-teasing and rape are some issues threatening women in India. There are people who believe that though Indian law provides protection to women, certain local law enforcement personnel are reportedly negligent, downplay complaints and blame the victims for their clothing or imagination, and pressure victims of rapes, which can discourage registration of legal complaints. Cases of harassment and rape by police are cited. In cases of some registered legal complaints, lack of follow-up by suitable inquiries resulted in “do not prosecute”, which can further discourage rape reports by victims.

    This social context has been denounced as a cause for the widespread protests in India, with requests for police, societal, and legal reforms. Protestors also cited the sex crime rate statistics in New Delhi, which are among the highest among Indian cities; 92 percent of those accused of rape are known to their victims, and more than half are under the age of 25.

  • Sitar Maestro Ravi Shankar dies at 92: World Pays Tribute

    Sitar Maestro Ravi Shankar dies at 92: World Pays Tribute

    NEW YORK (TIP): Ravi Shankar, popularly known as Pandit Ravi Shankar, the revered master of the sitar who introduced Indian music to much of the Western world, died Tuesday, December11 in San Diego. He was 92. In New Delhi, Prime Minister of India mourned the music maestro’s death and described him as a “national treasure.” “An era has passed away with Pandit Ravi Shankar. The nation joins me in paying tribute to his unsurpassable genius, his art and his humility,” Singh said in his message.

    Prime Minister Manmohan Singh paid rich tribute to sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar, who passed away at the age of 92 on December 11 in San Diego, USA, describing him as the “unsurpassable genius” who was India’s “one of the most effective cultural ambassadors across the world”. “An era has passed away with Pandit Ravi Shankar. The nation joins me in paying tribute to his unsurpassable genius, his art and his humility,” Singh said in his message. Mr. Shankar, whose health had been fragile for the past several years, underwent a surgery on Thursday, December 6 at the Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, California where he breathed his last.

    The music icon was admitted to the hospital last week when he complained of breathlessness. “It is with heavy hearts we write to inform you that Pandit Ravi Shankar, husband, father, and musical soul, passed away today,” his wife and daughter, Sukanya and Anoushka Shankar, said in a joint statement. “Mr. Shankar had suffered from upper-respiratory and heart issues over the past year and underwent heart-valve replacement surgery last Thursday. Though the surgery was successful, recovery proved too difficult for the 92-year-old musician,” said another statement issued by the Ravi Shankar Foundation and East Meets West Music. He is survived by his wife Sukanya; daughter Norah Jones; daughter Anoushka Shankar Wright and husband Joe Wright; three grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

    A recipient of Bharat Ratna in 1996, Shankar maintained residences in both India and the United States. A three-time Grammy award winner,Mr. Shankar last performed in California on November 4 along with his daughter Anoushka Shankar. Mr. Shankar has also been nominated for the 2013 Grammys for his album The Living Room Sessions Part-1 and was pitted against Anoushka in the same category. In recent months, performing, and especially touring, became increasingly difficult for the musician.

    However, health couldn’t prevent Mr. Shankar from performing with Anoushka on November 4 in Long Beach, California. “This, in what was to be his final public performance, was in fact billed as a celebration of his 10th decade of creating music,” the foundation said. A Bengali Brahmin, he was born Robindra Shankar on April 7, 1920 in Varanasi, the youngest of four brothers, and spent his first 10 years in relative poverty, brought up by his mother. He was almost eight before he met his absent father, a globe-trotting lawyer, philosopher, writer and former minister to the Maharajah of Jhalawar. In 1930, his eldest brother Uday Shankar uprooted the family to Paris, and over the next eight years Shankar enjoyed the limelight in Uday’s troupe, which toured the world introducing Europeans and Americans to Indian classical and folk dance.

    As a performer, composer and teacher,Mr. Shankar was an Indian classical artist of the highest rank, and he spearheaded the worldwide spread of Indian music and culture, said writer and editor Oliver Craske, who provided additional narrative for Mr. Shankar’s autobiography ‘Raga Mala’. Mr. Shankar achieved his greatest fame in the 1960s when he was embraced by the Western counterculture. Through his influence on his great friend George Harrison, and appearances at the Monterey and Woodstock festivals and the Concert for Bangladesh, he became a household name in the West, the first Indian musician to do so. “Ravi Shankar is the Godfather of World Music.”

    Nothing better sums up the stature of the sitar maestro perhaps than these words of George Harrison, the late Beatles member whose famous association with the Indian musician is a folklore in the world of music. While George Harrison called him the Godfather of World Music, violinist Yehudi Menuhin had compared Ravi Shankar with Mozart. “Ravi Shankar has brought me a precious gift and through him I have added a new dimension to my experience of music. To me, his genius and his humanity can only be compared to that of Mozart’s” were the words of Yehudi Menuhin who was a pupil too.

    But the man who celebrated music, also left behind his philosophy of celebrating life as it comes. So his personal life was as colorful, often controversial, as his musical journey that began in India where he was born in Varanasi on April 7, 1920. Ravi Shankar took his lessons under his illustrious guru Baba Allaudin Khan, whose daughter Annapurna was his first wife and with whom he had a son, Shubhendra Shankar who died in 1992. Allaudin Khan was the founder of the “Senia Maihar Gharana” or “Senia Maihar School” of Hindustani classical music. But it was at the age of ten that Ravi Shankar went to Paris with the dance group of his brother, choreographer Uday Shankar.

    By the age of 13 he had become a key member of the group and learned to dance and play various Indian instruments. He toured Europe and America with Uday Shankar’s dance troupe in the early to mid-1930s. It was this time that Shankar learned French, discovered Western classical music, jazz, and cinema. Few are aware that Ravi Shankar recomposed the music for the popular song “Sare Jahan Se Achcha” at the age of 25. He began to record music for HMV India and worked as a music director for All India Radio (AIR), New Delhi, from Feb 1949 to January 1956. Ravi Shankar was ahead of his times.

    According to his foundation official site, Ravi Shankar has written three concertos for sitar and orchestra, last one of which in 2008. He has also authored violinsitar compositions for Yehudi Menuhin and himself, music for flute virtuoso Jean Pierre Rampal, music for Hosan Yamamoto, master of the Shakuhachi and Musumi Miyashita – Koto virtuoso, and has collaborated with Phillip Glass George Harrison produced and participated in two record albums, “Shankar Family & Friends” and “Festival of India” both composed by Ravi Shankar. The Concert for Bangladesh, which was the name for two benefit concerts organized by George Harrison and Ravi Shankar, on Aug 1, 1971 to raise funds for the relief of Bangladesh war victims, had drawn 40,000 people at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

    The concerts were followed by a bestselling live album, a boxed three-record set, and Apple Films’ concert documentary, which opened in cinemas in the spring of 1972. Ravi Shankar has also composed for ballets and films across the world. He had worked for films like “Charly,” “Gandhi,” and more famously the “Apu Trilogy” by Satyajit Ray, another Indian maestro from the world of film making. His musical composition for Tapan Sinha’s Kabuliwala won him the Silver Bear Extraordinary Prize of the Jury at the 1957 Berlin International Film Festival. Ravi Shankar was also famously associated with The Woodstock Festival. He performed at the Woodstock Festival in August 1969.

    However, in the 1970s Shankar distanced himself from the hippie movement. Ravi Shankar was an honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters and is a member of the United Nations International Rostrum of composers. Besides a Bharat Ratna in 1999, which India’s highest civilian honor, he got 14 doctorates, the Padma Vibhushan, Desikottam, Padma Bhushan of 1967, the Music Council UNESCO award 1975, the Magsaysay Award from Manila, Grammy’s, the Fukuoka grand Prize from Japan, the Polar Music Prize of 1998, the Crystal award from Davos, with the title ‘Global Ambassador’ to name some, according to his foundation’s official website. In 1986 Ravi Shankar was nominated as a member of the Rajya Sabha, India’s upper house of Parliament.

    His recording “Tana Mana”, released on the private Music label in 1987, brought his music into the “New age” with its unique method of combining traditional instruments with electronics. In 1989, this remarkable musician celebrated his 50th year of concretizing, and the city of Birmingham Touring Opera Company commissioned him to do a Music Theatre (Ghanashyam – a broken branch) which created history on the British arts scene. But his personal life was not without controversy and social scrutiny. Shankar separated from Annapurna Devi during the 1940s and had a relationship with Kamala Shastri, a dancer, beginning in the late 1940s. An affair with Sue Jones, a New York concert producer, led to the birth of today’s famous singer Norah Jones in 1979.

    In 1981, Anoushka Shankar, another talented musician, was born to Shankar and Sukanya Rajan, whom Shankar had known since the 1970s. After separating from Kamala Shastri in 1981, Shankar lived with Sue Jones until 1986. He married Sukanya Rajan in 1989. But while his personal life was under social scrutiny, his phenomenal talent eclipsed everything else. As Prime Minister Manmohan Singh aptly sums up the contribution of Ravi Shankar when he calls him “a national treasure and global ambassador of India’s cultural heritage.”

  • US, Nato Behind ‘Insecurity’ in Afghanistan: Karzai

    US, Nato Behind ‘Insecurity’ in Afghanistan: Karzai

    Afghan President Hamid Karzai sharply criticized the United States in an exclusive interview with NBC News on Thursday, December 4 blaming American and NATO forces for some of the growing insecurity in his country. “Part of the insecurity is coming to us from the structures that NATO and America created in Afghanistan,” Karzai said during a one-on-one interview at the presidential palace.

    However, he also acknowledged that much of the country’s violence was caused by insurgent groups. The Taliban are regaining land and power lost after they were toppled by U.S.-backed forces in 2001. Meanwhile, Karzai has gone from being a favorite of Washington under the presidency of George W. Bush, to a thorn in the White House’s side with his criticism of American night raids and mounting civilian casualties at the hands of NATO troops.

    Many in Washington have also grown weary of Karzai, viewing him as ineffective and presiding over a deeply corrupt government.

    Karzai, who is serving his second five-year term, also told NBC News that he had sent a letter to President Barack Obama saying that Afghanistan would not sign any new security agreements with the United States until hundreds of prisoners held in U.S. custody were transferred to Afghan authorities.

    More than ten years after the beginning of the war, Afghanistan faces external pressure to reform as well as ongoing internal conflicts. His criticism of the United States, Afghanistan’s most important ally, has come after the start of complex bilateral talks on a security pact on the role the United States would play after most of its troops are withdrawn by the end of 2014.

    Karzai said the inmates in American detention in Afghanistan were being held in breach of an agreement he and Obama signed in March and must be handed over immediately. A vehicle filled with explosives detonated near one of the gates of the Jalalabad airfield in eastern Afghanistan on Sunday morning. “We signed the strategic partnership agreement with the expectation and the hope … the nature of the United States’ activities in Afghanistan will change,” Karzai said.

    But American behavior had not changed, he said, adding that terrorism would not be defeated “by attacking Afghan villages and Afghan homes.” The dispute between the two countries centers around Bagram Air Base and a nearby detention facility, which have long been seen as a symbol of American impunity and disrespect by many Afghans. “I have written to President Obama that the Afghan people will not allow its government to enter into a security agreement, while the United States continues to violate Afghan sovereignty and Afghan loss,” he said.

    In southern Afghanistan, the focus of the U.S. war effort, nearly all the Afghan soldiers are foreigners too. Photographer Kevin Frayer shows these soldiers in a series of portraits. During the interview, Karzai also said that he didn’t think al-Qaida “has a presence in Afghanistan.” He added: “I don’t even know if al-Qaida exists as an organization as it is being spoken about. So all we know is that we have insecurity.” In the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the United States led the invasion to topple the Taliban, which was harboring al-Qaida and its then-leader, Osama bin Laden.

    While weakened, especially after the death of bin Laden at the hands of U.S. special forces in Pakistan in 2011, al-Qaida is still thought to have strong links with the Taliban and other Afghan insurgents. Karzai said Afghans were thankful to foreign forces for being “liberated” in 2001, but complained that since then his countrymen had suffered the most in the fight against extremism. “In the name of the war on terror the Afghan people have paid the greatest price of any. That has not been recognized,” he said.

    While there have been more than 2,000 American military casualties since the invasion of Afghanistan, civilians have borne the brunt of the violence. In the first six months of 2012 alone, more than 3,000 civilians were killed or injured, according the United Nations.

    This number was down 15 percent from a year earlier. Anti-government and coalition insurgents were responsible for 80 percent of the civilian casualties, the U.N. says.

    A suicide bomber, disguised as an Afghan police officer, blew himself up outside a mosque in northern Afghanistan, killing 40 people and wounding more than 50. NBC’s Tazeen Ahmad reports from Kabul.

    Karzai also addressed the issue of graft during the interview, saying there was “no doubt that there is corruption in Afghanistan.” “The bigger corruption is the corruption in contracts,” he added.

    “The contracts are not issued by the Afghan government. The contracts are issued by the international community, mainly by the United States.” In 2010, the country received $6.4 billion in official development assistance, representing more than 40 percent of its gross domestic product, according to humanitarian news site AlertNet. Two-thirds of the funds aren’t channeled through the government because of concerns about corruption and the government’s ability to use the money properly, AlertNet added.

    Afghanistan is tied with Somalia and North Korea at the bottom of Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index 2012. A 2012 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime report estimated that Afghans paid $2.5 billion in bribes over 12 months, which is equivalent to almost a quarter of the country’s GDP. The international community had fostered graft to keep the Afghan state weak, Karzai said.

    “I’ve come to believe (that) … corruption comes from the United States through contracts and through the corruption in both systems,” he said, adding that the “perception of corruption is deliberate to render the Afghan government exploitable, to weaken it,” he said. “This is something that I have began to believe in firmly now after the experiences that I’ve gained in … working on this issue.”

  • Mali Gets New Prime Minister After Military Ouster

    Mali Gets New Prime Minister After Military Ouster

    BAMAKO (TIP): The troubled nation of Mali swore in a new interim prime minister on Thursday, just days after soldiers behind this year’s military coup arrested his predecessor and forced his resignation. Diango Cissoko officially took office in the Malian capital of Bamako, where he said the former prime minister would be available as needed during the political transition. Earlier this week, Cheikh Modibo Diarra announced his resignation as prime minister on state television at 4am hours after soldiers stormed his house. “I am moved and pleased that the prime minister Diarra said he will be close by to assist me as needed,” Cissoko said.

    Mali’s interim government was intended to return the West African nation to civilian rule following the March military coup. However, the coup leader has maintained his hold on the country and the political instability has raised concerns about a proposed military intervention to retake Mali’s north from radical Islamists. The former prime minister, Diarra, was initially seen as being in-step with Sanogo. Critics lambasted him for frequently driving to the Kati barracks to see the coup leader, long after Sanogo was supposed to have handed power to civilians. In recent weeks though, Diarra had taken stances that sometimes conflicted with Sanogo.

    The new Prime Minister Cissoko, won favor with Sanogo by giving him equal standing with the interim president and prime minister during mediation efforts to resolve Mali’s political crisis. The military’s meddling in state affairs has concerned the international community. Many worry that supporting the operation will simply further arm and embolden the very officers responsible for Mali’s current state. Radical Islamists were able to gain hold of northern Mali during the power vacuum that followed the March coup.

    Over the past eight months, they have implemented their strict version of Islamic law known as Shariah, carrying out public executions, amputations and whippings. Many worry that, under the Islamists’ rule, northern Mali will become a base from where al- Qaida will be able to launch terror attacks on other countries, including into Europe. A proposed military intervention to oust the Islamist rebels that would include Malian forces is still pending final approval from the United Nations.

  • UN Secretary General Unveils the Aakash2 Tablet at the United Nations

    UN Secretary General Unveils the Aakash2 Tablet at the United Nations

    UNITED NATIONS (TIP): On the occasion of India’s Presidency of the UN Security Council, the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations, New York hosted a special event to unveil and launch the world’s most cost competitive tablet Aakash2 at the United Nations on November 28. Secretary General of the United Nations, H.E. Mr. Ban Ki-moon, was the Chief Guest at the Special Event, which was attended by a packed audience of 500 plus invitees, including 65 Ambassadors/PRs, media delegates, NGOs and select members of the Indian communityIn his remarks, Secretary General H.E. Mr. Ban Ki- moon congratulated India on its Presidency of the Security Council during an ‘extremely challenging month’ and emphasized that India was a critical player on security issues.

    Terming India as a ‘superpower on the information superhighway’, he appreciated the launch of technologies such as the Aakash2, which helped bridge the digital divide. Calling them as ‘great enablers’ with potential to transform people’s lives, he encouraged partners around the world to work with the United Nations to help young people reach for the sky and meet their dreams. In his welcome address, Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri, Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations in New York, noted that the device represented the ‘actualization of an idea of development innovation’ which had the potential to fundamentally alter the development discourse.

    Emphasizing that the innovation seeks to empower and give access to quality education for all, he called for the need promote research and innovation in national institutions and create an eco-system of excellence right from the elementary level up to the institutions of high-end research and innovation. He emphasized that by partnering with key initiatives such as these, the UN development system would be able to ‘force multiply’ to achieve the MDGs of universal education and global partnership. The architect of the device and CEO of Datawind, Mr. Suneet Singh Tuli, who flew in from Canada for the launch at the UN, also made a presentation and outlined that purpose of the device was not to create an ‘Ipad killer’ but to create a device for the most needy sections of society at costs that they could easily afford.

    Terming it a product of ‘frugal innovation’, Mr Tuli outlined that the device incorporated that best of innovative hardware design with a unique business model, and reflected Government of India’s commitment to eliminating illiteracy by equipping all 220 million students in India over the next 5 years with low cost computers & internet. An extremely interactive and interesting Q & A Session followed the presentations, in which several member states termed the device as ‘revolutionary’ especially from the perspective of requirements of developing countries and the need to replicate such technological innovations within the multilateral development agenda of the UN, which places increasing emphasis on public private partnerships.

    The full video of the event is available at the weblink: http://webtv.un.org/search/ban-ki-moon-launch-theaakash2- tablet/1995233558001?term=aakash2.

  • Palestine Wins Historic UN Assembly Vote

    Palestine Wins Historic UN Assembly Vote

    Gets status of non-member observer state India votes for resolution; US, Israel oppose bid
    UNITED NATIONS (TIP): Palestine overwhelmingly won, November 30, a historic UN General Assembly vote which will upgrade its status to nonmember observer state at the world body, a stinging diplomatic setback to the US and Israel that had strongly opposed the bid. India was among the 138 nations in the 193-member body that voted in favor of the resolution, which accords Palestine recognition as observer state from its current entity status. The US and Israel were among the nine countries that opposed the resolution, while 41 countries abstained.

    The Palestinians, led by their President Mahmoud Abbas, cheered exuberantly when the results of the voting were announced. The delegation held up a Palestinian flag inside the General Assembly hall as members congratulated each other. Speaking to reporters after the vote, Palestine’s envoy to the UN Riyad Mansour said he hopes to soon see the Palestinian flag flying outside the UN building along with those of the other 193 nations once the opposition to their bid ended at the Security Council. He said Palestine has always been ready to engage in negotiations to achieve lasting peace.

    Addressing the General Assembly before the vote, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said his nation had come to the UN for the vote at a time when it was “still tending to its wounds” from the latest Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip. The vote came on the same day that the UN observed the annual International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinians. Abbas said the UN now had a “moral and historic duty” to “salvage the chances for peace” and “issue a birth certificate of the reality of the State of Palestine” on an urgent basis. The vote could enable Palestine to access bodies like the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, which prosecutes people for genocide, war crimes and major human rights violations.

    Some nations like the UK have said Palestine could use access to the ICC to complain against Israel. UN Secretary General Ban Kimoon termed the vote “an important vote” in the General Assembly. “Today’s vote underscores the urgency of a resumption of meaningful negotiations. We must give new impetus to our collective efforts to ensure that an independent, sovereign, democratic, contiguous and viable State of Palestine lives side by side with a secure State of Israel,” Ban said in his remarks after the votes were cast. The US termed the resolution as “unfortunate and counterproductive” and said lasting peace between Israel and Palestine can only be achieved through direct negotiations and not by pressing a “green voting button here in this hall.

  • As I See It:Welcome Change

    As I See It:Welcome Change

    One must congratulate the Government of India for taking the bold step of joining the 138 nations voting ‘Yes’ for the resolution to upgrade Palestine to a non-member observer state in the United Nations.

    What is commendable is that despite India’s recent strategic overtures to the United States and its cooperation with Israel on defense matters, India demonstrated independence and courage in voting for the Palestinians. In the past, while India made some feeble noises in spurts regarding the Palestinians’ cause and about international morality, India’s policy had seen several flip-flops and had lacked boldness. It was the usual customary dubious statements after every incident involving or affecting the Palestinians; the nature and careful wording of the official statements after the fact reflected its spineless foreign policy.

    Gladly, this time it was different. Along with the newly found courage, one hopes that the policy is backed by a firm sense of purpose. This sense of purpose should be revealed in its reaction to America’s actions in Syria, another Arab country. Barack Obama, weighed down by the difficult task of showing results in the domestic economy and particularly in the unemployment rate during his second and last term of presidency, may take cover under results in his foreign policy.

    After his tacit approval of the happenings so far in Syria, he may now plan for a stronger action to dislodge President Bashar Assad. As it is, the effects of the uprising against Assad and the suppression of the unrest by the present Syrian government have been devastating for the people of that country. There is a humanitarian crisis, as US’s ally UK’s prime minister David Cameron has said recently.

    But, it is going to be complicated further by escalating the armed conflict in that country. The first step the US and its allies may take is to deploy surface to air missiles in Turkey, thus dragging the latter into almost a war. Will India show its true mettle by advising its new strategic partner – the US – against any misadventure in Syria? If India believes in the larger issue of peace and justice, it should put it in practice by being able to prevent escalation of the Syrian conflict to Turkey and then its further spread elsewhere. After the George W Bush era, the Americans have agreed, if not very vocally, that the ‘weapons of mass destruction’ theory was a lie. The threat of biological war by Iraq was also an unfounded fear.

    Indian foreign policy had been to keep its lips zipped through the entire episode. It was neither for the Arabs nor against them. Not a good policy for a country that depended so much on the Arab world by importing oil and exporting labor force in large numbers.

    No significant help
    What India got in return was some leniency in the international nuclear power production regime and nuclear reactors that the US and its European allies anyway wanted to sell us during their recessionary times. That a highly risk-prone nuclear power production would not help our energy crunch in any significant way is another matter. Since the fall of Saddam Hussein, the Arab world has seen increasing turmoil and the western world has become bolder in its initiatives in the Arab countries.

    There is a huge room for doubt regarding the genesis of the so-called ‘Arab Spring’. Hosni Mubarak of Egypt was toppled by what seemed like a popular uprising against his rule which lasted over three decades. His replacement, Mohamed Morsi who has enacted draconian laws giving him sweeping powers, does not appear to be any messenger of democracy for the people of that country.

    The effect for the Arab region and the countries nearby has been one of some degree of destabilization. Whatever may have been the demerits of the Hosni Mubarak government, it had an influence in holding the regional countries together. Egypt had a moderating influence in a region that was moving towards increasing fundamentalism. During the entire Tahrir Square movement, India remained a mute spectator, as though a strategy of non-commitment was a prudent policy. It remains unsure even now.

    The fall of and killing of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi of Libya was another sordid saga in which, again, India practiced silence. Gaddafi may have been a dictator, but the situation that has replaced his regime is no better; Libya has not gone any farther after Gaddafi; if any, it has sunk into endless internal squabbles. India did not take any active diplomatic interest to defuse the crisis and better the prospects of the country. Arabs and now Iran are at the receiving end from the western powers that obviously have an eye on the oil resources in this part of the world. Peace, stability and prosperity of that region are in the best interests of India.

    If India does not support their cause out of a sense of helplessness, then the same sense of vulnerability will manifest when it has to deal with the border problems with China and Pakistan and several other issues with Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Maldives. If an era of toughness and principled stand has indeed commenced for India as indicated in the case of the recent UN vote on Palestine, it is a significant event. India needs to be firm and focused as regards its relations with the outside world. It needs to be candid with its strategic allies like the United States.

  • Palestine wins historic UN Assembly vote

    Palestine wins historic UN Assembly vote

    Palestine wins historic UN Assembly vote and Gets status of non-member observer state

    India votes for resolution; US, Israel oppose bid

    UNITED NATIONS (TIP): Palestine overwhelmingly won, November 30, a historic UN General Assembly vote which will upgrade its status to non-member observer state at the world body, a stinging diplomatic setback to the US and Israel that had strongly opposed the bid.

    India was among the 138 nations in the 193-member body that voted in favor of the resolution, which accords Palestine recognition as observer state from its current entity status.

    The US and Israel were among the nine countries that opposed the resolution, while 41 countries abstained. The Palestinians, led by their President Mahmoud Abbas, cheered exuberantly when the results of the voting were announced.
    The delegation held up a Palestinian flag inside the General Assembly hall as members congratulated each other.
    Speaking to reporters after the vote, Palestine’s envoy to the UN Riyad Mansour said he hopes to soon see the Palestinian flag flying outside the UN building along with those of the other 193 nations once the opposition to their bid ended at the Security Council.

    He said Palestine has always been ready to engage in negotiations to achieve lasting peace.
    Addressing the General Assembly before the vote, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said his nation had come to the UN for the vote at a time when it was “still tending to its wounds” from the latest Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip.

    The vote came on the same day that the UN observed the annual International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinians.
    Abbas said the UN now had a “moral and historic duty” to “salvage the chances for peace” and “issue a birth certificate of the reality of the State of Palestine” on an urgent basis.

    The vote could enable Palestine to access bodies like the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, which prosecutes people for genocide, war crimes and major human rights violations. Some nations like the UK have said Palestine could use access to the ICC to complain against Israel.

    UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon termed the vote “an important vote” in the General Assembly.

    “Today’s vote underscores the urgency of a resumption of meaningful negotiations. We must give new impetus to our collective efforts to ensure that an independent, sovereign, democratic, contiguous and viable State of Palestine lives side by side with a secure State of Israel,” Ban said in his remarks after the votes were cast.
    The US termed the resolution as “unfortunate and counterproductive” and said lasting peace between Israel and Palestine can only be achieved through direct negotiations and not by pressing a “green voting button here in this hall.”

  • PMI hosts Musical Concert at the UN to Mark India’s Presidency of the UN Security Council

    PMI hosts Musical Concert at the UN to Mark India’s Presidency of the UN Security Council

    NEW YORK (TIP): ‘Love Towards All, Malice Towards None’ was the theme of the musical concert hosted by the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations on the occasion of India’s Presidency of the UN Security Council.The November 26 concert featured the first ever performance at the United Nations by the Shahi Qawwals from the Holy Shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishty from Ajmer.

    In addition to the performance of the Shahi Qawwals, the evening also had renditions from the Alleluia Choir, with children from the Skymusic Ensemble, and the United Nations Symphony Orchestra with members of the United Nations, playing the Wind Quintet. Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, H.E. Mr. Jan Eliasson, was the Chief Guest and in his remarks, acknowledged sincere appreciation for India’s role at the UN Security Council and emphasized that it was important for multilateral bodies like the United Nations, to send out a message of love, peace and tolerance, especially through cultural events, which was also the message of the Sufi Musical Concert hosted by the Indian Mission.

    The event had a packed audience of 500 plus, which included more than 50 Permanent Representatives of UN Member states, in addition to members of the media and several other dignitaries including Ambassador Vijay Nambiar, the Special Adviser on Myanmar to U.N. Secretary-General, and other senior officials at the United Nations.

    Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri, Permanent Representative of India to UN, welcoming the distinguished gathering emphasized that the message of Khwaja Nizamuddin Chishty, of “Love Towards All, Malice Towards None” was also the message that ‘1.2 billion Indians believed in, and hoped that rest of the world would also, soon abide by.’ With the sponsorship and support of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations ( ICCR) , the Shahi Qawwals, were flown in from Ajmer and were led by the Director of the Chishty Foundation, Haji Syed Salman Chishty. The event also coincided with the 800th ‘Urs’ of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishty, which is being celebrated this year.

    Earlier during the day, the Permanent Mission of India along with the Department of Public Information of the United Nations also co hosted an Interfaith Dialogue featuring a Panel Discussion on “Unlearning Intolerance : Dialogue, Faith and Integration”, which included eminent speakers like Dr. Deepak Chopra, Dr. Neal King, Rabbi Joseph Potasnik and Roland Schatz. The Panel Discussion also affirmed the need for tolerance, inclusive nature and an affirmation of the unity of the human family, as flowing from the muticulturalism and pularism represented in India.

  • General J.J. Singh’s autobiography ‘A Soldier’s General’ launched in NY

    General J.J. Singh’s autobiography ‘A Soldier’s General’ launched in NY

    NEW YORK (TIP): General J.J. Singh, Governor of Arunachal Pradesh and former Chief of the Indian Army officially launched his book at the Indian Consulate in New York November 14. The book titled ‘A Soldier’s General’ is an autobiography that carries the story from his childhood to his struggles and achievements when he served for the Indian military. In the 386 page book Governor Singh explains his role, achievements and the decisions that were undertaken during his tenure with the Indian Army. He also discusses at length about his active role in maintaining India’s relations with its neighboring countries. Belonging to a third generation of a family that served in the army, Governor Singh is extremely happy that he was able to pen down his accomplishments before “the memory fades”.

    “I had an inner call that told me that I should sit down and write my trajectory and write all the experiences I had before I forget or do not remember the facts. This story is about me as a young man who belonged to the third generation of Indian soldiers. My grandfather was a sepoy,my father a Colonel and I eventually rose to be a General, 18 ranks higher in the ladder. Therefore this book talks about a century of service to the nation and the armed forces.” He also writes in detail about the countless counterinsurgencies and counter-terrorism missions that he undertook. Governor Singh also talks about the numerous military lessons that he learnt from his time with the Indian army, which he condensed into his book. General Singh has been a thinking and perceptive soldier who is a thorough professional.

    His concern, involvement and vision for the State of Arunachal have earned him the sobriquet of a “Soldier’s General and People’s Governor”. In his address to the gathering he dwelt mainly on his struggles to move forward and achieve and the importance of leadership role in making an achievement. Here are some memorable quotes from General Singh. “I have roughed many storms. Kucch to karmon ka bhi phal hota hai. But I have gone through difficult days….But I have a spirit that I have imbibed from my forefathers genetically and through faith that has stood me in good stead………I have lived a full life. And about leadership he said, “I should not demand your respect.

    I should command it”. Speaking about India’s neighbor, General Singh said, “I am an optimist. It may take long. But all countries in India’s neighborhood need to live in peace”. As for India, he said, “Our country’s leadership is on the right and the best path”. Referring to the criticism of there being a lot of corruption in India, he said there was widespread corruption in the US in 1890’s but the country got rid of it. So, “we can have a hope that we can achieve the desired goal of ending corruption”. Speaking about his book ‘A Soldier’s General’, the one time “Brigadier Shaitan Singh”-that is how he was called by Kashmiri militants when he was fighting insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir- said ” I have covered many issues in my book…..Every Chapter is a different story……In anecdotal form, at times, fictional, you will find the book an interesting reading”. Earlier, Ambassador Prabhu Dayal in his welcome address described General J.J.

    Singh as “one of the most decorated Indian Army officers” who “dwells in everyone’s heart”. He added that the government of India had appointed him Governor of Arunachal Pradesh in recognition of his meritorious services. The large gathering at the book launch included Consul General Prabhu Dayal, acting Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict of the United Nations Secretary-General and a former UN Secretary General’s Special Advisor on Myanmar, Ambassador Vijay Nambiar, prominent businessman Padma Bhushan Sant S. Chatwal, Master Card CEO Ajay Banga and Sikh Art & Film Foundation President Teji Bindra. The recently appointed Law Minister of India, Ashwani Kumar who held an impromptu press conference at the Consulate had to leave for another engagement without attending the formal book launch. The Sikh Art and Film Foundation of New York promoted the highly successful event which was hosted by Sant Singh Chatwal.

  • Obama’s Choice for Secretary of State: Fried Rice vs Stale Kerry

    Obama’s Choice for Secretary of State: Fried Rice vs Stale Kerry

    WASHINGTON (TIP): A furious political scrap has erupted in full public view in the US capital over a potential successor to Hillary Clinton in the State Department. Republican lawmakers have threatened to block the confirmation of Susan Rice, the US envoy to UN, if President Obama nominates her for Secretary of State. The President has dared them to take him on.

    At the heart of the wrangle are charges from lawmakers that Rice misled them on the events in Benghazi, Libya, when she suggested that the killing of the U.S ambassador there was the result of a spontaneous uprising rather than a terrorist attack. They have demanded an inquiry into the incident and have said they have no confidence in Rice, who is an Obama acolyte and one of three candidates in running to succeed Clinton, John Kerry and National Security Advisor Tom Donilon being the other two.

    But at a White House press conference on Wednesday — his first since March — Obama bristled at suggestions that he would be forced to back down if he nominated Rice, and strongly defended the UN ambassador. Rice, the President grated, made her presentation at the request of the White House and gave her best understanding of the intelligence that had been provided to her. If McCain and Graham and others want to go after somebody, ”they should go after me. And I’m happy to have that discussion with them.” “But for them to go after the UN ambassador, who had nothing to do with Benghazi and was simply making a presentation based on intelligence that she had received and to besmirch her reputation is outrageous,” Obama fumed, adding if they are going after Rice because she’s an easy target, ”then they’ve got a problem with me.” It was the most combative President Obama got during the hour long session with the media in the East Room, although the press conference also touched on two other explosive topics — the Petraeus affair and the fiscal cliff issue. Other than that minor eruption, the President, who appeared to have banished his gray hair overnight, exuded good cheer and confidence after his famous election win. Obama maintained he had not made a decision on naming Rice but “if I think that she would be the best person to serve America in the capacity, then I will nominate her. That’s not a determination that I’ve made yet.”

    The current Foggy Bottom incumbent, who has expressed her desire to step down, was meanwhile in Perth, Australia, on her final farewell tours. Opinion is divided on whether Obama will expend political capital in pushing Rice should McCain and Graham dig in their heels and fry her nomination. Democrats have 53 seats in the Senate and the support of two Independents; they need 60 votes to pull Rice through, not an impossible task. But the President also has the option of drafting Rice as his National Security Advisor — a staff position that does not require Senate confirmation — and sending his current NSA Tom Donilon to State. Another possibility is that he may nominate John Kerry — the Senate will happily confirm one of its own — although it will reduce the Democrats’ strength in the chamber.

    Capitals across the world are watching the developments. Whichever way it goes, New Delhi mandarins say they can live with it in the spirit of accepting what is inevitable, although they lean towards Rice despite occasional run-ins with her at the United Nations. Rice recently went on a private trip to India — including a mandatory visit to Agra — but found time to exchange notes with NSA Shiv Shankar Menon and Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai, an exercise that reportedly went off well. Kerry on the other hand — despite his longer engagement with foreign policy and India — invites a roll of the eyebrows because of his ardent championing of US aid to Pakistan to buy its support. That stale policy, repeated every few years, is now deemed a failure.

  • Probe finds United Nations failed to protect civilians in Sri Lanka’s civil war

    Probe finds United Nations failed to protect civilians in Sri Lanka’s civil war

    LONDON (TIP): A leaked draft of a highly critical internal United Nations report says the global body failed in its mandate to protect civilians in the last months of Sri Lanka’s bloody civil war, the BBC reported on Tuesday. “Events in Sri Lanka mark a grave failure of the UN,” the BBC’s website quoted the report as saying. The government and Tamil rebels are accused of war crimes in the brutal conflict, which ended in May 2009. The UN’s probe into its own conduct during the last months of the conflict says the body should in future “be able to meet a much higher standard in fulfilling its protection and humanitarian responsibilities” . It points to a “systemic failure,” BBC said.The panel questions decisions such as the withdrawal of UN staff from the war zone in September 2008 after Lanka warned it could no longer guarantee their safety.

  • Economic Development of Africa is a Priority of India-Preneet Kaur

    Economic Development of Africa is a Priority of India-Preneet Kaur

    NEW YORK (TIP): Almost every year since her induction into the Indian Central Government, Mrs. Preneet Kaur, the Union Minister of State for External Affairs has been paying an October visit to New York in connection with the activities of the United Nations Security Council and the general assembly. Her October 2012 visit has been especially busy, effective and eventful. She was engaged in the United Nations in connection with the Indian Government’s special initiatives and activities geared towards the Indian partnership and cooperation towards economic development of the African continent. Last year Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh extensively dwelt on the subject of India’s special schemes, like soft loans, for the economic betterment of the African Continent. This time Mrs. Preneet Kaur’s speech to the United Nations on October 17, 2012, picked up from where Dr. Manmohan Singh had left last year and she dwelt in detail on the subject and India’s role for the economic betterment of Africa. A lot of delegates especially from the African nations applauded her speech and the far reaching Government of India economic initiatives for Africa.

    Another problem that afflicts the human society in several nations of today’s world is the utter disregard and non adherence to rule of law by some individuals, who become a law unto themselves. This exhibition of mass scale lawlessness has become an impediment to the establishment of healthy nation to nation relationship and economic development of the lax nations. Mrs. Preneet Kaur dwelt in detail on this vital issue too. In fact a lot of investors are reluctant to invest in such countries, where non-state actors act as centers of power, giving scant respect to the rule of the law.

    Outside the United Nations also, Mrs. Preneet Kaur had a very busy schedule. On the evening of Tuesday October 16, she attended a grand function of the Indian National Oversees Congress in World’s Fair Marina in Flushing area of the Borough of Queens, New York City.

    On the evening of Thursday October 18, 2012, a dinner was hosted by the Consul General of India, in New York, Ambassador Prabhu Dayal in honor of Mrs. Praneet Kaur. About sixty guests attended. Amongst the guests were Ananth Kumar BJP MP, former Union Minister of Civil Aviation of India and an MP of TMC of West Bengal Mr. Derek O’Brian and some officials of the Government of India, including Ambassador Manjeev Singh Puri at India’s permanent mission to the United Nations.

    In reply to a question from The Indian Panorama Reporter Pooja Premchandran whether she felt embarrassed when people addressed her as “Maharani” Preneet Kaur explained such referral was very common among the people of Punjab and she did not deem it embarrassing. “It’s something that through love and respect the people of Patiala and Punjab do refer to us by. I think it’s more of an expression of respect and love and that’s how I take it. It doesn’t matter how they say it, either calling me Shrimati or Maharani. It is about who says it and where. And I appreciate whichever way anyone speaks to me,” added the Minister.

    In reply to a question from freelance journalist Harjap Singh Aujla, Mrs. Preneet Kaur replied, “One of the several reasons for the unexpected loss of the Congress Party in the elections to the Punjab Assembly was the imbalance in coverage by the electronic media. The entire cable TV private media available to the public in Punjab was for the ruling alliance. The point of view of the Congress and the PPP led Left Front was blacked out by the electronic media. The independent thinking channels were not available on the cable systems in Punjab”.

  • Kerala Center to honor six at Awards Banquet on November 3rd

    Kerala Center to honor six at Awards Banquet on November 3rd

    NEW YORK (TIP):The Indian American Kerala Cultural and Civic Center (http://keralacenterny.com) will honor five Indian American Malayalees for their outstanding achievements in their field of specialization or for their service to the society and one diplomat for his service to the UN. The awardees will be honored at Kerala Center’s annual banquet on Saturday, November 3rd starting at 7.00 p.m. at Leonards of Great Neck in Long Island, 555 Northern Boulevard, Great Neck, NY 11021.

    The Chief Guest for the evening is Vijay K. Nambiar, Under Secretary-General and Special Adviser of the UN Secretary-General on Myanmar. Ambassador Nambiar will be honored for his service to the U,N. The keynote speaker is Dr. Geeta Menon, Dean, Undergraduate College and Abraham Krasnoff Professor of Global Business, Stern School of Business, New York University. Dr. Menon will also be honored for her achievement in the field of Education. Other award recipients who will be honored at the Awards Banquet are: Joy Kuttiyani, President of Kerala Samajam of South Florida, whose initiative to erect Mahatma Gandhi came to fruition recently for Community Service; Viju Menon, Vice President of Supply Chain Management at Verizon, the largest wireless carrier in the United States for Applied Sciences; Dr. Narayanan Neithalath is an Associate Professor in the School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment at Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, for Engineering; Roy Thomas, Deputy Director at New York State Mental Health Department for Social Work.

    An entertainment will follow after the award ceremony with a special performance by Wanted Ashiq, NY’s Premier Bollywood & Fusion Dance Troupe. Tickets for banquet can be reserved by contacting Kerala Center at 516-358-2000 or e-mail at kc@keralacenterny.com.

    This year’s awardees are as follows:

    Chief Guest and Being Recognized for Service to the UN

    Vijay Nambiar

    Ambassador Vijay Nambiar is Under Secretary-General and Special Adviser of the UN Secretary-General on Myanmar. He has been with the United Nations for the last six years before which, as an Indian Foreign Service Officer, he spent thirty eight years with the Government of India and served between 1985 and 2004 as Ambassador of India in Algeria, Afghanistan, Malaysia, China, Pakistan and the United Nations. He is fluent in Chinese and holds a post-graduate degree from Bombay University where he was awarded the Chancellor’s Gold Medal in 1965. He is married to Malini Nambiar and has two daughters.

    Keynote Speaker – Recognition for Outstanding Achievement in Education

    Dr. Geeta Menon

    Dr. Geeta Menon is the 11th Dean of the Undergraduate College at NYU’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business and the Abraham Krasnoff Professor of Global Business and Professor of Marketing. A respected educator at the graduate and undergraduate levels, she has mentored many doctoral students who have gone on to become faculty members at top schools. Dean Menon is also a prominent scholar whose study of the role of consumer memory and emotion in survey methodology has been published in leading academic journals, at which she has held editorial roles. She is the past President of the Association for Consumer Research (ACR). Dean Menon received her undergraduate degree from Stella Maris College and graduate degree from Madras Christian College in Chennai and Ph.D. in Business Administration at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

    Recognition for Outstanding Community Service

    Joy Kuttiyani

    Joy Kuttiyani is the current president of Kerala Samajam of South Florida. He conceived the idea to create a memorial to Mahatma Gandhi on a half acre site in a public park in the city of Davie, where he lives. This was done with the involvement of a number of Indian Organizations and the City of Davie. The dedication of the Gandhi Square and the unveiling was done by Dr. Abdul Kalam along with American and Indian dignitaries. He is highly active in the both Indian and American political and community development. Advisory board member of Park & Recreation Town of Davie.

    Recognition for Outstanding Achievement in Applied Sciences

    Viju Menon

    Viju Menon is Vice President of Supply Chain Management at Verizon, the largest wireless carrier in the United States. He is a Fellow of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Leaders for Global Operations Program with graduate degrees in Engineering and Management from MIT. Prior to Verizon, Viju led Intel Corporation’s World-wide Supply Planning Operations. A recognized thought-leader in Lean Manufacturing and Supply Chain Transformations, Viju has published in various journals and is an invited speaker at Industry Conferences. In 2012, Viju was selected to Diversity MBA Magazine’s “Top 100 Under 50” National list of “Diverse Executive and Emerging Leaders”.

    Recognition for Outstanding Achievement in Engineering

    Dr. Narayanan Neithalath

    Dr. Narayanan Neithalath is an Associate Professor in the School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment at Arizona State University, Tempe. AZ. Prior to that he was in the faculty at Clarkson University in Potsdam, NY. His expertise is in the science of sustainable materials for buildings and infrastructure. He is credited with developing, characterizing, and modeling novel cementitious materials that have lower carbon footprints, lower resource and energy implications, and lasts much longer, for use in infrastructural systems. He has authored more than 100 international journal and conference articles, and has delivered keynote lectures in several conferences within and outside the United States. His research on novel materials has been acknowledged by several awards including a CAREER award by the National Science Foundation.

    Recognition for Outstanding Accomplishments in Social Service

    Roy Thomas

    Roy Thomas has been appointed as the Deputy Director at New York State Mental Health Department by the Governor, Andrew M. Cuomo’s office. He is probably the only person of South Asian descent who is entrusted with this title in the history of the New York State Civil Service. During his last tenure of 5 years as the Chief of Service, his bold leadership and management was instrumental in transforming the Bronx Psychiatric Center into one of the leading hospitals in New York State. This landmark achievement has helped him to be chosen by the political leadership in Albany.

  • Underground N-plant in Iran almost ready

    Underground N-plant in Iran almost ready

    WASHINGTON (TIP): Intelligence officials from several countries say Iran in recent weeks has virtually completed an underground nuclear enrichment plant, racing ahead despite international pressure and heavy economic sanctions in what experts say may be an effort to give it leverage in any negotiations with the US and its allies.
    The installation of the last of nearly 3,000 centrifuges at a site called Fordo, deep under a mountain inside a military base near the holy city of Qum, puts Iran closer to being able to build a nuclear weapon, or come up to the edge, if its leaders ultimately decide to proceed.

    The US, Israel and the United Nations have all vowed to prevent that from happening, imposing increasingly tough sanctions on the country and using cyberwarfare to slow its progress in obtaining a weapon. President Obama said last week that the time for a negotiated settlement was “running out.” Talks this year between Iran and the so-called P5-plus-1 — the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany – have made little progress.
    The New York Times reported Sunday that the US and Iran had reached an agreement in principle to hold direct talks after the American presidential election. Obama denied the report but said in Monday’s debate with Mitt Romney that he was open to such talks.

    Iran’s progress at Fordo was disclosed by officials familiar with the findings of inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency who have been to the site recently. The officials included some from European governments who have opposed taking military action to slow the Iranian program, arguing that sanctionsare far preferable.

  • Rajat Gupta Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Leaking Boardroom Secrets

    Rajat Gupta Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Leaking Boardroom Secrets

    NEW YORK (TIP): Rajat Gupta, former Goldman Sachs Director, one of the highest ranking Indian Americans, was sentenced to two years in prison on Wednesday, October 24 for leaking Goldman Sachs boardroom secrets to the hedge fund manager Raj Rajaratnam.

    Mr. Gupta, 63, who ran the consulting firm McKinsey & Company and served as a major adviser to the philanthropic efforts of Bill Gates and Bill Clinton, is the most prominent figure to face prison in the government’s sweeping crackdown on insider trading. The court also ordered Mr. Gupta to pay a $5 million. He will start his serving the jail term in January, 2013.

    The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff, who wrestled over the course of a two-hour hearing with the question of why Gupta, a once-respected businessman, had turned his back on an “extraordinary” and “selfless” life to commit a crime he did not profit from directly.

    “I have never encountered a defendant whose past history suggests such an extraordinary devotion … to people in need,” Rakoff said. Yet Gupta’s past good deeds “starkly contrast with the nature and circumstances of his crimes.”

    A Manhattan federal jury found him guilty in June of feeding tips about Goldman Sachs at the height of the 2008 financial crisis to hedge fund tycoon Raj Rajaratnam, his friend and business associate. Rajaratnam is now serving an 11- year prison term for insider trading.

    Gupta’s sentence was less than the eight to ten years sought by prosecutors, but more than the punishment of probation and community service that Gupta’s lawyers had requested.

    “The fall from grace that Mr. Gupta has suffered or experienced as a result of this matter is as steep as … I have ever seen,” Gupta’s lawyer, Gary Naftalis, told the court. “This was an iconic figure who had been a role model for countless people around the globe. He is no more….. This is a fall from grace of Greek tragedy proportions,” Mr. Naftalis said.

    As one alternative to prison, the defense had proposed “a less orthodox” plan in which Gupta would go to Rwanda to help fight HIV/AIDS and malaria in rural districts as well as work with a New York group focused on at-risk youth.

    Bill Gates, Microsoft Corp’s co-founder, and former United Nations Secretary- General Kofi Annan were among 400 friends and luminaries who had written letters to the judge urging leniency

    Federal judges have wide leeway in sentencing, and Rakoff has a reputation for veering from guidelines designed for courts in handing down punishment. Gupta had faced a maximum sentence of 20 years for securities fraud and five years for conspiracy.

    A native of Kolkata, India, Mr. Gupta came to the United States to earn a graduate degree at Harvard Business School. He rose swiftly through the ranks of McKinsey and headed the firm for a decade. Mr. Gupta was a trusted adviser to the captains of industry, including Henry R. Kravis of the private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Company and Peter R. Dolan, the former chairman and chief executive of Bristol- Myers Squibb. A noted humanitarian, he has also played a leading role in organizations fighting diseases like AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis in povertystricken nations.

  • Ambassador Puri denies being tipped as India’s envoy to US

    Ambassador Puri denies being tipped as India’s envoy to US

    NEW YORK (TIP): Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri denied the reports that he has been tipped to succeed Ambassador Nirupama Rao in Washington. The Indian Panorama sources in Delhi spoke of a move to send Ambassador Puri as India’s envoy to Washington, after his superannuation in February 2013. The sources said Ambassador Puri’s performance as India’s Permanent Representative at the United Nations has been stellar, with India gaining stature in the world comity. Ambassador Puri’s deep understanding of America’s political make up and his rapport with US leaders is considered an asset which will stand him in good stead as India’s envoy to USA. But Ambassador Puri was quick to scotch the reports as “absolutely untrue”. He was categorical in his statement that he had served for 39 years and that was the end. He said he would not be interested in any government assignment or a job in private sector after he retires in February, 2013 and added he had other plans and better things to do.

  • RED CARPET FOR ADVANI IN US : JOLLY

    RED CARPET FOR ADVANI IN US : JOLLY

    EDISON, NJ (TIP): Indian – American community in US laid a red carpet for L.K. Advani stated OFBJP Convener Vijay Jolly in New Delhi. A grand reception was organized in honor of Lal Krishna Advani in Edison, New Jersey at TV Asia auditorium. This was organized by Overseas Friends of BJP (OFBJP) USA.

    Advani visited US after nine years, leading an Indian delegation to the United Nations. He is accompanied by his wife Smt. Kamla & daughter Pratibha. Advani was accorded a red carpet welcome at TV Asia and was received by the OFBJP National Executive Committee led by President, Shri Jayesh Patel, President Elect, Shri Chandrakant Patel, and Sr. Advisory Council Member Shri. Ram Rakshpal Sood. Smt. Kalpana Shukla, Smt. Neeraj Bhagat and Smt. Janak Anand offered flower bouquets to Shri. Advani and Smt. Kamla Advani.

    Over 800 people assembled including a large number of community leaders representing several Indian and ethnic community organizations. The venue vented with vociferous slogans of “Bharat Maata ki Jai” and “Advani ji ka Swagat hai”. Advani was applied tilak and blessed amidst Vedic chants by priest Pundit Pravin Chandra Sastry. Mrs. Advani and Pratibha were honored by Smt. Shefali Patel and Smt. Beena Sabhapathy respectively. Shri Ram Rakshpal Sood was the master of ceremonies. The program started with traditional lamp lighting ceremony and paying tributes to Bharat Mata and BJP founders including condolences to the just departed BJP senior leader and Ex. Convener OFBJP, Late Kidar Nath Sahni. This was followed by the rendition of Vandemataram by Smt. Subhadra Nain

    While addressing the Indian -American community, Shri. Advani stated that 9/11 stands as a significant date with terrorism. However, another 9/11 in year 1893 is significant for India, because Swami Vivekananda addressed the world religious congregation in Chicago. Vivekananda made India famous among the comity of nations at that time. He addressed the gathering in Chicago as “Brother’s & Sisters”. It gave an instant depth of India’s traditions to the West. Advani said, that Swami ji had expressed the desire to have “man making machine” from which he could create people with character, nationalism, and patriotism. The founder of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Dr. K. B. Hegdgevar similarly conceived RSS, a wonderful organization to fulfill the wishes of Swami Vivekanand. Bharatiya Jan Sangh (BJS) which was the precursor of Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) was thus founded to bring character, nationalism, and patriotism among the people of India.

    Shri. L.K. Advani reminded the audience that because of the ultimate sacrifice of BJS Founder President, Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherji, Jammu and Kashmir (J & K) is still part of India today. Otherwise, India would have lost J & K forever. He also said, that it was an agitation led for the unity of India, and there was another agitation led to safe-guard democracy in India between year 1975 & 1977

    Advani reminisced about his interaction with late Benazir Bhutto of Pakistan. She used to say that India has autonomous election commission and apolitical armed services, because of which parliamentary democracy flourished in India as opposed to Pakistan. Advani said that he considers his best days were in Bangalore prison during the period of emergency. And he wrote a book titled ‘Friends of BJP’. He stated that BJP, on coming to power would grant “Voting Rights” to Overseas Citizens of India to a standing ovation by the assembled audience.

    Earlier, Shri. Ram Rakshpal Sood enthralled the audience with patriotic songs and inspirational discourse. Dr. Adapa Prasad, Immediate Past President, paid rich tributes to late Kedar Nath Sahni and reminisced about his personal association with him. He said that such kind of disciplined and patriotic persons are not born often times. He read the condolence message sent by the Central OFBJP Convener, Shri Vijay Jolly from Delhi. Shri Vijay Jolly in his message, paid glowing tributes to Kedar Nath ji on behalf of BJP.

    Later, R. P. Singh, OFBJP – USA Org. Secretary, read a congratulatory message and well wishes sent by Shri Vijay Jolly for the success of Shri. Advaniji’s program. President, Jayesh Patel sought support of the Indian American community for BJP in the next parliamentary elections because he added that India is going through a critical phase with wide spread corruption, high prices, and low GDP.

    President Elect, Chandrakant Patel in his introductory speech, stated that Advani ji is a leader of the masses. He is a politician who lives and breaths for his country. He also reminded that Advani ji proposed Shri. Atal ji ‘s name for the Prime Minister. This shows the height and team spirit of Advani Ji. Vote of thanks was given by Ram Kamath, General Secretary.

    The program concluded with vociferous slogans. This program was presided over by H.R. Shah, Chairman & CEO of TV Asia and attended by Piyush Patel, well known philanthropist and entrepreneur; Suresh Jani, OFBJP Past President; eminent community leaders such as Padmashri. Dr. Sudhir Parikh; Dr. Navin Mehta; Rajiv Bhambri; Chandrakant Trivedi (Former President of FIA); Council-man, Dr. Sudhanshu Prasad & Gulshan Chabra. Former MP from Gujarat, Smt. Bhavanaben Chikalia, and Andhra Pradesh State BJP Vice President, Smt. Vijay Lakshmi. A four minute video presentation of Advani ji was screened for the audience before Advani’s speech. This program was telecast live and about 1 million Indian Americans watched across the nation. The program is also on Youtube. Light refreshments were sponsored by N.J., OFBJP Co-coordinator Arvind Patel (Rajbhog Sweets). Photography was done by Chandrakant Trivedi.

  • Take Advantage of Foreign Direct Investment Policy Initiatives-Minister Ahmed

    Take Advantage of Foreign Direct Investment Policy Initiatives-Minister Ahmed

    NEW YORK (TIP): The Consulate General of India in New York organized October 10 a Reception-cumdinner at the Consulate Ballroom in honor of E. Ahmed, Minister of State for External Affairs, to meet members of the Indian-American community as well as the media. Dharmendra Yadav, the youngest Member of Parliament, who had addressed the United Nations in Hindi earlier in the day, was also present at the function, which was well attended. Manjeev Singh Puri, the Deputy Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations also attended

    Welcoming the Minister, Consul General Ambassador Prabhu Dayal said that he is privileged to have known the Minister from the early 90s and has since then been in regular touch with him during his earlier assignments in Kuwait, Dubai, Morocco, etc. The Consulate General of India in New York was fortunate to have him here whenever he visits USA, he added, and thanked the Minister for sparing his precious time and gracing the occasion. He also welcomed the youngest Member of Parliament from Uttar Pradesh, Dharmendra Yadav. The Minister thanked Ambassador Dayal for hosting a grand reception and providing him an opportunity to meet and interact with the vibrant Indian-American community. Echoing Ambassador Dayal’s words, Minister Ahmed said that he had known Ambassador Dayal even while he was a Member of Parliament and has always remained in close contact with him wherever he was.

    On India’s foreign policy, the Minister asserted that it is dictated by our national interest, and, therefore, there are bound to be differences even with friendly countries like USA. He also gave an example of Myanmar on which India differed with USA. Complementing the Indian Foreign Service officers for their acumen and foresightedness in chalking out India’s foreign policy, he said that having been associated with the Ministry of External Affairs and working closely with these officers for several years, he has complete faith in their competence. Expressing his happiness at the comfortable life led by the Indian- American community, Minister hoped to see a similar standard of life in India in the near future. He also urged the Indian-American community to make optimal use of the recently announced Foreign Direct Investment policy initiatives by the Government of India.

    Thanking Ambassador Dayal for inviting him to the Consulate, Dharmendra Yadav thanked Ambassador Dayal for inviting him to the Consulate. He said he felt very happy that he could address the UN in Hindi, which was well received, and thanked the Permanent Mission of India for making it happen

  • UN Women condemns attack on girl in Pakistan

    UN Women condemns attack on girl in Pakistan

    UNITED NATIONS, NEW YORK (TIP): UN Women expressed indignation and condemned the cowardly attack on Malala Yousafzai, a 14-year-old girl in Pakistan who was targeted for speaking out on the rights of girls to education and to live free of violence. The Executive Director of UN organization dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women said, “We hope for the full and speedy recovery of Malala and her two schoolmates shot in the attack, and call for the perpetrators to be brought to justice”.

    The Executive Director’s statement further said, “This attack is an attack against all people in the world who believe in human dignity and respect for all. UN Women joins the Government and people of Pakistan and many others worldwide in recognizing Malala for her courage and determination to stand up for the rights of girls and women.

    “As the world observes the first International Day of the Girl Child, I stress the urgent need to promote and protect the rights of girls around the world. Every girl, no matter where she is born, should be able to express her views, live free of violence and discrimination, and have a fair chance to reach her full potential. Freedom, justice and peace are built on the recognition of the inherent dignity and equal rights of all human beings.”

  • Gandhi Jayanti A tribute to Father of the Nation

    Gandhi Jayanti A tribute to Father of the Nation

    Gandhi Jayanti or Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti is observed every year as a national holiday to commemorate the birth of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (October 2, 1869 – January 30, 1948). His non-violence or satyagraha continues to
    influence political leaders and movements till date. The celebration and essence of Gandhi Jayanti is not restricted within India and also observed by the United Nations as the International Day of non-violence that aims to disseminate his philosophy, principle and believe in non-violence through proper education and public awareness.
    Celebration of Gandhi Jayanti is also a moment to relive Mohandas Gandhi’s life and contribution in India’s Independence. Born in a small coastal town Porbandar in Gujarat, Gandhi married Kasturbai Makhanji at the age of 13. His childhood memories and experiences are vividly depicted by him in his autobiography My experiments with truth. Gandhi at the age of 18 went to England to study law and returned to India in 1915. After his homecoming, he led nationwide stir for achieving Sawaraj, abolition of social evils, empowering women rights and improving economic conditions of peasants and farmers. He further strengthened his movement against the British Raj and led Indians in protesting Dandi March Salt in 1930 that was later followed by the popular Quit India in 1942 calling British to leave India.

    At Raj Ghat, New Delhi, and across India, people gather to observe Gandhi Jayanti in innovative ways that includes offering flowers on Gandhi’s pictures, statues and singing his favourite devotional song Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram.
    The government offices, banks, schools and post offices remain closed on Gandhi Jayanti to pay homage to ‘Father of the Nation’. Additionally, as a tribute to this great soul, the Indian government mint rupee notes and also issue postage stamp depicting Mahatma Gandhi’s photo. In May 19, 2011 at Geneva, a 1948 10 Rupee Mahatma Gandhi stamp was auctioned for a whopping price of US $205,000 making it a world record as the most pricey modern postal stamp from any country.

    Many ardent followers make effort to preserve Gandhi’s belongings, works and writings through various means with the support of governments and non-profit organizations. Online portals are also acting as major contributors in preserving and providing information on Mahatma Gandhi and about Gandhi Jayanti celebration.

    The significance of Gandhi Jayanti celebration transcends beyond commemorating Mahatma Gandhi’s birth and his life as followers renounce violence and entirely devote themselves to Gandhi’s philosophy and principles of Ahimsa i.e living a life by following non-violence.

    The celebration of Gandhi Jayanti conventionally kicks off by singing praers, offering flowers, lighting candles and garlanding Gandhiji’s photo or statue. Mahatma Gandhi’s life and principles has inspired lives of all ages. And if you are enthusiastic to explore more about him and Gandhi Jayanti, then Gandhi Jayanti 2012 is the right time to become familiar with his perpetual and valuable philosophy, and also his role as an architect of Indian Independence

  • An Overview of the 67th UN General Assembly

    An Overview of the 67th UN General Assembly

    What did we learn from the 67th UNGA?

    Every year, United Nations General Assembly brings world leaders from across the world to New York under a single roof, to address the global issues that stare us in the face. The 67th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) was no different, with more than 120 world leaders sharing a single podium to make statements.

    The General Assembly convened on 18th September 2012 with the theme “Bringing About Adjustment or Settlement of International Disputes or Situations by Peaceful Means.” The session officially ended on 1st October 2012.

    The UNGA is usually a dramatic affair where we see several debate boycotts and menacing threats that are openly made. And this year’s General Assembly did not fail to meet such standards. This year, the GA’s line up had an impressive transition. Mohammed Morsi, Egypt’s first democratically elected President addressed the world leaders for the first time while Iran’s Mahmoud Ahmadinejad spoke for the last time as Iranian President from the same podium.

    As the GA sessions started soon after the Benghazi attacks, the topic of Freedom of Speech was debated heavily. However, Syrian crisis remained the main issue at the UNGA. Almost all countries condemned the spiraling civil war in the region but they could not agree on a solution. Although there was no Muammar Gaddafi to tear up the UN charter this year, the debate was ‘action-packed’ nonetheless.

    Syrian crisis

    Once again, the world leaders who met at the UNGA failed to reach an amicable approach to solve the Syrian crisis. In his opening speech during the General Debate, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged all the assembled nations to extend efforts to end the Syrian crisis and to immediately stop all arms flow into Syria. According to UN reports, approximately 28,000 have been killed in the crisis ridden Syria so far and thousands have been forced to take refuge in neighboring countries. Syrian civil war is slowly spilling across its borders, causing tensions in the region.

    Neither the nations supporting the opposition nor the nations supporting the Assad regime could eventually come to a unanimous decision on the appropriate steps that need to be taken in Syria. The Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moellem accused several ‘well known countries’ of using the Syrian crisis as a pretence to pursuing their ‘colonial interests’ in the region. He also said that calling for Bashar Assad to step down is a ‘blatant interference in the domestic affairs of Syria.’

    Anti-Islam film

    US President Barack Obama delivered a speech that highlighted and honored the importance and preservation of freedom of speech. Violence erupted in the Islamic nations after a controversial movie made in the United States about the Islamic Prophet was televised in Egypt. The violence led to attacks on the US consulates and resulted in the murder of Christopher Stevens, US Ambassador to Libya. President Obama’s powerful speech contained the message meant for new Islamic leaders to “speak out forcefully against violence and extremism”. He also termed the video as ‘disgusting’ but maintained that no amount of controversies in video justifies the violence that surfaced in the Middle East. “There is no video that justifies an attack on an embassy. There is no slander that provides an excuse for people to burn a restaurant in Lebanon, or destroy a school in Tunis, or cause death and destruction in Pakistan. Like me, the majority of Americans are Christian, and yet we do not ban blasphemy against our most sacred beliefs,” he added.

    However, Islamic leaders assembled in the UN strongly disagreed with the President Obama’s opinion. Egyptian President Morsy said the contents of the film are ‘unacceptable’. Yemen’s President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi also agreed saying, “There are limits to the freedom of expression especially if such freedom blasphemes the beliefs of nations and defames their figures.”

    Iran and Israel

    Iranian President Ahmadinejad did not deter from his usual zealous attacks against Israel. He condemned “uncivilized Zionist military threats against Tehran”. He also accused the West for its “oppressive international order” and termed them as “handmaidens of the devil”. Tension has been mounting between Israel and Iran after Israel warned that Tehran is close to achieving nuclear weaponry and Iran maintaining that its nuclear program is peaceful. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu pushed President Obama to clearly set ‘red lines’ for Iran that would initiate military action against Iran’s nuclear developments. Obama took a clear stand against Iran at the UNGA by saying that US will “do what it must do” on Iran. He assured that the consequences of a nuclear armed Iran will be immense.

    Meanwhile Netanyahu literally drew the ‘red lines’ for the assembled world leaders to make Israel’s stand on Iran extremely clear. In his speech at the UNGA backed with a chart with a bomb drawn on it, Netanyahu suggested that threshold for a military strike should be set at the point Iran produces enough highly enriched uranium to produce a nuclear weapon. “Red lines don’t lead to a war, red lines prevent war”, said Netanyahu in his speech before the UNGA.
    Palestine

    Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas stood before the General Assembly once again to bid for a full membership of Palestine in the UN. In his speech he condemned numerous attacks on Palestinians by Jewish settlers and claimed that the Israeli polices undermined the functioning of the Palestinian National authority and warned of a possible collapse of the nation. His speech was very well received by the UN leaders who gave him a standing ovation. Israel’s Netanyahu responded by saying that ‘libelous speeches’ at the UN could hardly further the cause of peace.
    India

    On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, India participated in several meetings related to the international and regional stakeholders in Afghanistan after the proposed 2014 withdrawal of foreign forces is completed. Meanwhile, Kashmir once again made it to the General debate in the UN after a remark by Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari triggered the issue. Zardari said in his speech that the ‘people of Kashmir have chosen their destinies’ and it was followed up by Pakistan’s Deputy Permanent representative at the UN, Raza Bashir Tarar’s remark that Jammu and Kashmir was never an integral part of India.

    India’s External Affairs Miniter S.M. Krishna spoke before the UN members and made it ‘abundantly clear’ that Jammu and Kashmir ‘has always been a part of India’. It must be noted that India always maintained that the issue of Kashmir should never be discussed on the UN podium and even President Obama conceded that Kashmir is an ‘internal issue’ for both India and Pakistan.

    Other issues

    Most of the UN member countries asked for strengthening of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The nations asked for disarmament of nuclear weaponry and destruction of chemical weapons. Egyptian President Morsy accused Israel of disrupting peace in the Middle East region by saying, “Middle East no longer tolerates any country’s refusal to join the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), especially if this is coupled with irresponsible policies or arbitrary threats”. Meanwhile most countries asked for Iran’s complete cooperation with UN’s nuclear wing, International Atomic Energy Agency.

    India took a strong stand at the UNGA and asked all the member states to ensure a “zero tolerance” approach towards terrorism. Countering Terrorism was also discussed extensively at the United Nations and many member states pledged support for India’s stance on terrorism.

    Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez denounced the embargo that was put in place in 1960 by the United States. He also added that the embargo has caused several downturns for its economy and that it has caused “invaluable human and economic damage.”

    North Korea’s Vice Foreign Minister Pak Kil-yon criticized the United States claiming that it wants to conquer the Korean Peninsula and use it as a stepping stone to achieving complete Asian domination.

    South Sudan’s President Riek Machar vowed to fight poverty in the region through diversifying its economy by utilizing its oil revenue.

    Middle East was the center of focus at this year’s General Assembly. This eventually led to many other global issues that were either almost sidelined or merely mentioned callously. The high-level meetings conducted on the Rule of Law at both International and National level only called for the reformation of the UN. Most of the member states called for a structural change in the working of the UN, including extending veto powers to members beyond the Permanent Council. However, issues such as the realization of the Millennium Development Goals found strong supporters among the participating countries. Yet, the session saw a mere reiteration of the importance of completing the goals before the deadline that seems to be closing in very soon. But discussion on efforts that are to be made and solutions to problems that surfaced were limited.

    Global warming and other environmental issues also found very few mentions, which could be attributed to the recent completion of the Rio-20 meetings. But considering the fact that the Rio meetings were less than successful, superficial discussion on global climate changes were rather surprising.

    Global health issues also found a backseat at the UN this year. At the event “New Alliance: Progress and the Way Forward”, USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah discussed U.S. efforts to address global hunger and food security through the Feed the Future Initiative and the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition. US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton also engaged in the meetings on health and water security pledging US support and efforts that are to be taken to achieve an AIDS free world and dispel wars for water.

    Education also did not receive complete focus this year at the UNGA and was only discussed with the Middle East crisis. Governments of several countries addressed the pressing concerns of lack of education in countries that are facing ongoing crisis. In a statement that was circulated on the sidelines of the UNGA, many member states ensured participation to eradicate lack of education in these regions. “Few Education Sector Plans and budgets address disaster risk reduction and emergency preparedness, response and recovery. This lack of plans, capacity and resources makes it harder for schools to keep children and youth safe and continue to hold classes when a crisis strikes, to inform communities of risks and actions to take, and for education systems to recover after a crisis,” the statement read.

    The 67th United Nations General Assembly focused heavily on the ongoing Middle East crisis. However, the participating nations remained ‘disunited’ on the appropriate solutions that need to be taken to resolve these issues. Such major differences led to an expected silence and complete inaction on other globally significant issues such as health, poverty, education, etc

  • Consulate General and Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Celebrate Gandhi Jayanti

    Consulate General and Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Celebrate Gandhi Jayanti

    NEW YORK (TIP): The 143rd Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi was celebrated on October 2, 2012, at the Union Square Park, near Gandhiji’s statue, amidst the presence of several followers of Gandhian philosophy and principles, representatives of public sector units, the officers and staff of the Consulate General of India, New York, local political leaders and media persons. As in the past years, the event was organized by the Indian Consulate in collaboration with Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. About 60 persons participated in the function which aroused a lot of interest and enthusiasm amongst the passers-by, who also joined the program

    The program began with offering of floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at the statue by the dignitaries and the participants.

    Felicitating the gathering on the occasion, Consul General, Mr. Prabhu Dayal, spoke briefly about Gandhism and its relevance in the world today. He quoted the words of Albert Einstein about posterity, wondering that such a man as Gandhi having walked this Earth and also President Obama reiterating his faith in Gandhian principles, would have liked to learn at the dinner table with Gandhi. He recalled Gandhi’s influence on world leaders such as Nelson Mandela and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., in shaping the non violent movement for freedom and civil rights. He also mentioned that on June 15, 2007, the United Nations General Assembly had declared October 2 to be marked each year, as International Day of Non-Violence in honor of the great leader of India’s Independence movement and proponent of satyagraha and strategy of non-violence. He further said that Gandhism is a way of life that can be adopted by people of all strata of society.

    The other speakers, notably Mr. H. R. Shah, Dr. Navin Mehta, Mr. Kenny Desai of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Mr. Dhimant Pradyumna . Trivedi, of Bank of Baroda and Dr. Najma Sultana also spoke about Gandhian principles and exhorted the participants about the immediate need to spread the tenets of non violence, peaceful coexistence and harmonious living.

    The event concluded with a recital of Gandhiji’s favorite bhajans, namely ‘Vaishnav Jan To” and “Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram” by the music academy of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.

  • Un General Assembly Opens With Packed Agenda

    Un General Assembly Opens With Packed Agenda

    New York (TIP): The 67th UN General Assembly Session opened at the headquarters of the world body in New York on September 18.

    Addressing the opening session, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged world leaders to do more in resolving the pressing issues facing the international community and described the fighting in Syria as “a regional calamity with global ramifications.”

    Noting that “brutal rights abuses continue to be committed” in Syria by both government forces and the opposition forces, Ban called for a unified response to the crisis. He stressed that “the international community should not look the other way as violence spirals out of control”.

    “I call on the international community – especially the members of the Security Council and countries in the region – to solidly and concretely support the efforts of Joint Special Representative Lakhdar Brahimi,” the UN chief said.
    Ban also expressed concerns over “continued violence in Afghanistan and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” and urged the governments of “Sudan and South Sudan to resolve all remaining post-secession issues” as early as possible.

    Noting Somalia’s successful completion of the political transition process, he urged the international community to do more in addressing the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the country brought on by drought and conflict stricken Sahel region.

    Acknowledging that Libya recently held its first free elections in half a century, Ban said leaders in Myanmar have shown courage and determination in moving on the path of democracy and reconciliation.

    On the decades long conflict between Israel and Palestinians, Ban stressed that the two-state solution remains “the only sustainable option” to end the conflict. Noting that “continued growth of Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory seriously undermines efforts toward peace,” he urged both parties to return to the negotiating table to resolve the crisis.

    In an apparent reference to Israel’s threat to launch unilateral military action against Iran for halting the Islamic Republic’s controversial nuclear program, Ban denounced “the language of delegitimization and threats of potential military action by one state against another.”

    “Any such attacks would be devastating. The shrill war talk of recent weeks has been alarming – and should remind us of the need for peaceful solutions and full respect for the UN Charter and international law,” Ban stressed.
    Ban also urged the international community to sincerely pursue the “goal of a world free of nuclear weapons.” He called on Iran to “prove the solely peaceful intent” of its nuclear program, and urged North Korea to “move toward de-nuclearization of the Korean peninsula.” He also called upon world nations to ensure all UN Security Council resolutions are “implemented in full and without delay.”

    Scores of the world’s heads of State, government and other high-level officials are attending the ongoing General Assembly session in New York. They are expected to present their views and comment on issues of individual national and international relevance at the Assembly’s General Debate, which ends on October 1.

    What is the UN General Assembly?

    The United Nations General Assembly is a forum of all of the members of the United Nations that takes place for several months each year. Held in New York, the annual convening of member states allows the UN to address the most pressing global issues of the moment.
    Or, as the UN puts it on their website, “In September, every year, the world gathers in New York to tackle humanity’s most intractable problems.” The UNGA is in session through mid-December.

    What does the UNGA do?

    The 193 member-nations who assemble for the UNGA use the opportunity to deliberate and vote on major decisions, “such as those on peace and security, admission of new members and budgetary matters,” according to the UN. Six committees, each focused on a theme such as international security or law, address topics more deeply.

  • Obama in new warning to Iran over nuclear ambitions

    Obama in new warning to Iran over nuclear ambitions

    NEW YORK (TIP): US President Barack Obama has told the United Nations General Assembly that America will do what it must to prevent Iran becoming a nuclear power.

    Obama stopped short of agreeing to an Israeli demand that Washington set a specific “red line” that Iran must not cross if it wants to avoid military action.

    “The Iranian government continues to prop up a dictator in Damascus and supports terrorist groups abroad. Time and again, it has failed to take the opportunity to demonstrate that its nuclear programme is peaceful and to meet its obligations to the United Nations,” said the US leader.

    Earlier, UN Secretary-General Ban ki-Moon warned states against threatening to attack one another.

    Obama’s speech follows two weeks of anti-American violence throughout the Muslim world following the the release of excerpts from a film which is said to mock the Prophet Mohammad.

    The president made clear his distaste for insults against any religion but denounced the killing of the US ambassador Christopher Stevens and three of his colleagues in Libya.

    “As president of our country and commander in chief of our military I accept that people are going to call me awful things every day. And I will always defend their right to do so. There are no words that excuse the killing of innocents. There is no video that justifies an attack on an embassy. There is no slander that provides an excuse for people to burn a restaurant in Lebanon or destroy a school in Tunis or cause death and destruction in Pakistan.”
    Obama called on world leaders to rally against extremism calling the violence an assault on the very ideals the UN was founded upon.

    While Syria is not formally on the General Assembly’s agenda, the US leader once again said that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime “must come to an end”.