The South Asian Times

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Vol.12 No. 18 Aug 31-Sept 6, 2019 80 Cents New York Edition Follow us on TheSouthAsianTimes.info

PM Modi told me Kashmir is Sindhu makes

under control: Trump at G7
After Trump‐Modi meeting, Pak’s diplomatic isolation is complete
India proud with
Biarritz (France): President
Donald Trump said that he had
discussed the Kashmir issue with
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on
badminton world
Sunday night, and was told by
Modi that the situation is under
control.
Addressing the media after
champion win
holding a 45‑minute bilateral
meeting on the sidelines of the
G7 here, Trump, to a media ques‑
tion on Kashmir, said: "Well, we
spoke last night about Kashmir,
and Prime Minister Modi feels
that he has it under control; and
now when they speak w ith Prime Minister Narendra Modi enjoying a lighter moment with US
President Donald Trump at the G7 Summit in France. (Photo: PIB)
Pakistan I'm sure they will be
able to do something. They will issues." Prime Minister Modi on those from the Muslim world,
be able to do something probably Monday categorically rejected Pakistanʼs isolation on the inter‑
very good." any scope for a third party media‑ nat ional arena on Kashmir
Mo di, asked a quest ion on tion between India and Pakistan appears complete.
Kashmir, said: "India and Pakistan on Kashmir, saying the two coun‑ For Pakistan, the Muslim
have several bilateral issues. And tries can discuss and resolve all worldʼs backing of India, with the
after the e lect ion of Prime issues bilaterally and "we don't UAE and Bahrain, two important
Minister Imran Khan, I told him want to trouble any third members of the Gulf Cooperation
that both our countries have to country." Council, welcoming with open Ace shuttler P.V. Sindhu on Sunday created history, becoming the
fight against poverty, illiteracy, With US President Donald arms the visit of Prime Minister first Indian to win the BWF World Championships played in Basel,
backwardness and both should Trump backing off from his offer Modi to their countries last week, Switzerland. She crushed Japan's Nozomi Okuhara 21‑7, 21‑7 in the
work for the betterment of our to mediate, which Islamabad had has come as a bitter pill ̶ a final. This is Sindhu's fifth medal at the World Championships,
people. And I have conveyed this been eagerly clinging on to, and reminder that India with its sta‑ which is the joint highest in women's singles in the history of the
to President Trump as well, and with the other global leaders too ble economy and forward looking tournament along with Xhang Ning of China, a two‑time
we keep discussing our bilateral unwilling to back it, including Olympic gold medalist. PM Modi on Tuesday met Sindhu and
Continued on page 4
wished luck in her future endeavors. (See detailed story on page 24.)

Arun Jaitley Tamil Nadu Chief Minister visiting

(1952 - 2019)
One of the tallest Indian politicians
and the most suave, Arun Jaitley
passed away on August 24 in New
Delhi. As Minister of Finance and
Corporate Affairs in the Modi gov‑
ernment from 2014 to 2019 he
oversaw the introduction of one
GST regime, demonetization, merg‑
er of Railway budget with general
budget and introduction of
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code.
(See detailed obituary on page 12.)
New York to woo investors
Chief Minister Edappadi
K Palaniswami
Chennai: Chief Minister Edappadi
K Palaniswami is visiting New York
next week as part of a three‑nation
visit to attract investments.
Beginning Wednesday, he is lead‑
ing an 18‑member team compris‑
ing senior ministers and of ficials
while traveling to the UK, US and
Dubai in that order.
His 14‑day trip is aimed at giv‑
ing shape to his ambit ious
ʻYaadhum Ooreyʼ project to attract
investments in various sectors for
the all round industrial growth in
his state. In Tamil, ʻYaad hum
Ooreyʼ means “all places in uni‑
verse is our placeʼ.
T he Federat ion of Tamil
Sangams (FeTNA) in association
with New York Tamil Sangam and
American Tamil Entrepreneurs
Association has planned a recep‑
tion in New York in the honor of
Continued on page 4

US AFFAIRS 10 ARUN JAITLEY 12 ENVIRONMENT 27 SPIRITUAL AWARENESS 30 excellence in journalism

TheSouthAsianTimes.info Aug 31-Sept 6, 2019

SHANTI FUND

To perpetuate his life and messages GANDHI 150 will be celebrated worldwide to mark
Mahatma’s 150th birthday on October 2, 2019. At a local level Volunteers of Shanti Fund
launched on October 2, 2018, multi‐year celebrations in cooperation with the Consulate General
of India, and many institutions including governmental, religious and educational.

Befitting Gandhi’s image, Volunteers of Shanti Fund have completed more than a dozen
dignified events so far. The next event has a positive long‐term implication for Long Island. 150
trees will be planted in cooperation with the State University of New York at Old
Westbury(SUNY‐OW), the Consulate General of India‐New York (CGI) and Shanti Fund. A
variety of trees from flowering to evergreens will be planted in September 2019 at a befitting
peaceful open site within the 600‐acre campus of the SUNY‐OW. The area will be named
GANDHI PEACE GARDEN.

In Gandhian spirit greater individual participation is encouraged by adopting one tree. A suitable
tag indicating the donor’s name will be placed on or near the tree. A donation of $500 per tree is
required.

Shanti Fund, a philanthropic organization based on Long Island, New York is in existence since
1993. At the invitation of the Suffolk County government in 1998, a life size bronze statue of
Gandhi was commissioned by Shanti Fund and unveiled at the County Executive office building
on October 2, 1999.Since then many peace and bridge building activities through education were
undertaken by the Volunteers of Shanti Fund.

Shanti Fund is a registered charity by the State of New York and has a 501‐c‐3 nonprofit tax‐
exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service – IRS (Fed ID # 11‐3178073)

Please visit shantifund.org You have a once in lifetime opportunity

Have credit card ready You can have your name or loved one or
Click on donation button and In memory of parents, grandparents etc.
Follow few simple steps

Enlightenment & Peace Thru Education

Official Media Partner :

TheSouthAsianTimes.info
PM Modi has special focus on winning hearts of Kashmiris: BJP aide
Special to The South
Asian Times
Hicksville, NY: BJP General
Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya has
said it was because of the courage
and conviction of Prime Minister
Narendra Modi that the govern‑
ment could abrogate Article 370
and its related clause in the Indian
Constitution that had conferred a
special status on Jammu and
Kashmir.
Speaking here last week at a
community meeting organized to
laud PM Mo diʼs move on
Kashmir, he said: “The Congress
party should have done this long
ago. And I am happy that it was
finally done. It was done so easily
we wonder why it took such a
long time for its abrogation.”
“And now it doesnʼt take much
time for us to build a grandiose
temple for Lord Ram in his birth‑
place of Ayodhya,” Vijayvargiya,
63, said. He explained PM Modiʼs
NJ Guv says he won’t Guterres tells Modi all sides should
cancel India trip over avoid escalation over Kashmir
Kashmir change
Trenton, NJ: When an Islamic advo‑
cacy group asked Gov. Phil Murphy
to cancel his upcoming state trip to
India over the Modi governmentʼs
action on Kashmir, Governor Phil
Murphy said Thursday he has no
plans to call it off. He is scheduled
to go next month on a six‑day visit,
in which heʼll meet with Indian gov‑
ernment officials and business lead‑
ers.
T he Democratic governor did
stress that he will “speak truth to
power” while heʼs there.
“Weʼre gonna go ahead with the
trip,” Murphy told reporters during
an unrelated event at Middlesex
County College in Edison. “Weʼve
crossed that rubicon, at least as I
stand here today. T his is over‑
whelmingly about job creation in
New Jersey.”
Murphy said his mid September
trip is designed to “strengthen the
cultural, educational, and political
bonds” between New Jersey and
India.
But the New Jersey chapter of the
TRISTATE COMMUNITY
BJP General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya was gifted a map of India
with pictures of Indian leaders at the Long Island event.
actions thus: “He is taking coura‑
geous steps like Triple Talaq abo‑
lition, strengthening security and
spreading nationalism for not
becoming popular but for the
good of the nation. He has special
focus on winning the hearts of the
people in Jammu and Kashmir
and the government is committed
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy
was Guest of Honor at the India
Day Parade in Edison, NJ.
Council on American‑Islamic
Relations on Thursday called for
Murphy to nix the trip after Indiaʼs
government imposed a military cur‑
few in the Muslim‑majority Kashmir
and cut residents off from all com‑
munication and the internet.
to bring development and gener‑
ate employment in the region.”
He vehemently criticized a sec‑
tion of the global news media for
being anti‑India. “You all should
ef fectively counter such propa‑
ganda. And those of you like Dr
Nirmal Mattoo (a Kashmiri Pandit
who was present at the meeting)
United Nations: UN Secretary‑
General Antonio Guterres has dis‑
cussed Kashmir with Indian Prime
Minister Narendra Modi and told
him that all the sides should avoid
escalation, according to the formerʼs
spokesperson.
Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric
told reporters on Monday that at
their meeting on Sunday in Biarritz,
France, on the sidelines of the G7
summit, "the issue of Kashmir did
come up.
"For the Secretary‑Generalʼs part,
he reiterated the message that he
has been saying publicly, and that's
basically a need for all parties to
avoid any sort of escalation," he said.
Guterres has convened an interna‑
tional summit on climate change at
the UN, which Modi is scheduled to
attend, and the main focus of their
meeting was on that subject.
Dujarric said that they had "a long
and fruitful discussion" on climate
change issues.
After their meeting, Modi tweeted
that they had an "excellent meeting"
at which they "had extensive deliber‑
ations on key issues, most notably
ways to strengthen the ef forts to
Aug 31-Sept 6, 2019
should make an investment in the
region and encourage others to do
so too,” the Indore, Mad hya
Pradesh native said at the August
20 meeting.
Vijayvargiya, who is in charge of
BJP party affairs for West Bengal,
expressed confidence that in the
next Assembly elections his party
would emerge victorious in the
eastern state. “I urge all NRIs
from there to campaign for the
BJP,” he said.
Unlike Pakistan, he said, when‑
ever India speaks the world lis‑
tens. Even on internat ional
forums such as the UN, its voice is
keenly heard. “India at one time
was Vishwa Guru, it will soon
become one again. We have no
doubt about it,” he added.
Dr Mattoo, a physician, echoed
that sentiment in his brief speech.
“At one t ime, scholars and
researchers wanted to visit India
and gain knowledge in that center
of learning and a great place for
Prime Minister Modi met UN Secretary‑General Antonio Guterres on
the sidelines of the G7 summit in France.
mitigate climate change". Guterres
presented Modi in October 2018
with the UNʼs Champions of Earth
award for his leadership in combat‑
ing climate change.
On August 8, in the first statement
after India revoked Jammu and
Kashmir's special status, Dujarric
said that Guterres also "recalls the
1972 Agreement on bilateral rela‑
tions between India and Pakistan,
3
Hindu and Buddhist cultures.”
Mattoo, who has not been able
to visit Kashmir since the late
1980s, when the Pakistan‑backed
insurgency began there, said, “I
will now go there thanks to Modi
ji and Amit Shah ji.”
Sandeep Chakravorty, the con‑
sul general of India, said Kashmir
is an integ ral part of India.
Referring to the human rights sit‑
uation, he said, “We certainly have
a better record in that region than
PoK (Pakistan‑occupied Kashmir).”
Jagdish Sewhani, president of
the American India Public Affairs
Committee, thanked the big com‑
munity presence at Antunʼs ban‑
quet hall. Recalling the dire
straits India was in before 2014
when Modi came to power, he
quoted late Senator John McCain:
“I am incredibly impressed with
the new leader. Mr. Modi is proba‑
bly the strongest leader that I
have seen emerge in India, cer‑
tainly in our lifetime.”
also known as the Simla Agreement".
He acknowledged that it "states
that the final status of Jammu and
Kashmir is to be settled by peaceful
means, in accordance with the
Charter of the UN".
India considers the Simla
Agreement as the cornerstone of the
principle of bilaterally dealing with
disputes with Pakistan with no third
party involvement.
 4 Aug 31-Sept 6, 2019 TURN PAGE TheSouthAsianTimes.info

PM Modi told me Kashmir is under control:

Trump at G7
Actual gain to Govt from RBI move is Rs 58000 crore
Continued from page 1 Mumbai: The actual gain to the experts said.
policies is a favored nation. The UAEʼs conferment of the Order of government from the RBI's surplus "The net liquidity injection from
Zayed, the Gulf nationʼs highest civilian honor, on PM Modi has added transfer of Rs 1.76 lakh crore is Rs the RBI as a result of this exercise
to the sense of bewilderment in Islamabad, that Islam cannot be con‑ 58,000 crore, calculations reveal. will amount to Rs 1,48,051 crore
sidered the sole binding force anymore, and that countries are looking The government has already bud‑ (Rs 1,76,051 crores minus Rs
beyond the confines of religion to the an open, inclusive, progressive geted Rs 90,000 crore as the divi‑ 28,000 crore already paid). This is
world order. dend for FY20 and Rs 28,000 against an expectation of normal
crore interim dividend has already budgeted dividend of Rs 90,000
Tamil Nadu CM visiting New York to woo investors been paid by RBI to government in crore. This is now updated for
Continued from page 1 March 2019. + Rs 28,000 crore) and if this is approximately Rs 58,000 crore of
the chief minister on September 3. The same afternoon he will attend So much of it is already paid or taken out of the Rs 1.76 lakh excess transfer," according to
a meeting with investors organized by the Indian Consulate and the budgeted to be paid as a sum of Rs crore, then the actual gain to gov‑ IDFC, fixed income head Suyash
US India Strategic Partnership Forum. 1.18 lakh crore ( Rs 90,000 crore ernment is Rs 58,000 crore, Choudhury.
State ministers accompanying Mr Palaniswami joining him at differ‑
ent legs of his foreign tour include health minister C Vijayabhaskar, Modi has recommitted to NFIA to hold annual
industries minister M.C. Sampath, dairy development minister
Rajendthra Bhalaji and revenue minister RB Udhayakumar. leading climate change meet in D.C., Virginia
While in the US, the chief minister from the AIADMK party will also
visit California. fight: UN official Washington: The National Federation of Indian
American Associations (NFIA), in coordination with
area associations, has announced it will hold its
UNITED NATIONS: Prime initiative".
annual two‑day conference in the Washington, D.C.
Pak shuts 3 international Minister Narendra Modi
has recommitted to con‑
Mo di init iated the
Internat ional Solar
area, Sept. 19 and Sept. 20.
The Sept. 19 event is at the Rayburn Building of
tinue to lead the fight Alliance, which has 122

air routes till Saturday against climate change

Islamabad: The Pakistan Civil
Aviation Authority on Wednesday
closed three routes for all inter‑
national Karachi‑bound flights, a
day after the countryʼs Science
and Technology Minister Fawad
Chaudhry said Pakistan was
mulling "complete closure" of its
airspace for traffic from India.
A notice issued by the Aviation
Authority on Wednesday notified
the changes. It said that all
Karachi‑bound flights will have to
abide by the modifications from
August 28 to August 31.
The minister had on Tuesday
tweeted: "A complete ban on the
use of Pakistan's land routes for
Indian trade to Afghanistan was
suggested in the Cabinet meet‑
ing." During the Cabinet meeting,
Khan had objected to the use of
Pakistanʼs airspace by Indian
Prime Minister Narendra Modi,
at his meet ing w ith
Secretary‑General
media reports said.
Antonio Guterres,
Modi used Pakistan's airspace
according to an of ficial
to travel to France on August 22.
organizing September's
He was given permission to use
UN summit on climate
Pakistani airspace because there
change.
was no ban in place, the Cabinet
Modi made the pledge
was told on Tuesday.
when he met Guterres in
This isn't the first time Pakistan
Biarritz, France, on
has closed its airspace this year. A
Sunday on the sidelines
complete closure was put in place
of the G7 meet ing,
after the Balakot strike by the
Guterres's Special Envoy
Indian Air Force on February 26.
for the 2019 Climate
The airspace was completely
Summit, Luis Alfonso de
opened on July 16, five months
Alba, said on Tuesday.
after tensions escalated in
Speaking to reporters
February following the Pulwama
about the upcoming
terror strike in which 40 Indian
high‑level global meet‑
security personnel were killed in
ing, de Alba said that
a Jaish‑e‑Mohammed suicide
Modi "recommitted to
attack.
continue to lead on cli‑
The latest tensions between the
mate and particularly
two countries started on August
dealing with solar ener‑
5, after India ended the special
gy (for) which they have
status of Jammu and Kashmir.
a huge, very important
member countries and
aims to promote the use
the Capitol, room numbers 2043 and 2044. It will be
a luncheon to interact with the lawmakers about
issues of interest to the community along with a
of solar power.
briefing at White House, by invitation only, accord‑
Domestically, India has
ing to the news release.
already installed over 28
The second day, the NFIA board will meet at lunch
gigawatts of solar power
to discuss association matters, which will be fol‑
and has a target of 100
lowed by a reception for networking purposes and a
gigawatts by 2022.
program and dinner at Sheraton at Tyson Corner in
"T he collaborat ion
Virginia. The events planned under the leadership of
with India is also quite
NFIA president Angela Anand and the chairman
important (it) being one
Sudip Gorakshakar and the board members will fea‑
of the major emitters,"
ture prominent speakers from government, acade‑
de Alba said.
mia, and private sector on the second day.
He said that India will
The delegates from different parts of the nation
be leading the Industry
will gather in Virginia to discuss issues and search
Transit ion Coalit ion
for solutions to matters of importance and urgency
along with Sweden at the
to the community. The format for the final day of the
three‑day summit in New
conference will include a panel discussion, banquet
York before the start of
and cultural program to showcase talent of trained
the annual high‑leve l
dancers and vocalists, according to the NFIA release.
meeting of the General
The association has worked for decades to help
Assembly. The segment
ease the assimilation of Indian Americans, to protect
is to involve industries in
their civil rights, preserve their vibrant cultural her‑
fighting climate change
itage, enhance their political participation and help
and to cut down their
to maintain the cordial relations between the United
emission of greenhouse
States and India.
gases.

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TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Anusha Venkataraman appointed
NYC Chief Service Officer
New York: Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on
August 12 Anusha Venkataraman as the new
New York City Chief Service Of ficer.
Venkataraman will assume the role effective
October 9th. “Anusha is a dynamic leader
with the skills and grassroots experience nec‑
essary to further the great work of NYC
Service citywide,” said de Blasio, in a state‑
ment. “With her at the helm, weʼll be able to
inspire more New Yorkers than ever before to
get involved and help build a fairer city for
all.”
Venkataraman brings extensive program‑
matic experience to NYC Service. She is cur‑
rently a Senior Advisor in the NYC Office of
the Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic
Development, and prior to her role at City
Hall she worked at the NYC Department of
Housing Preservation & Development as
Senior Director of Neighborhood Planning &
Preservation, and as Director of the Green
Light District with the community organiza‑
tion El Puente in Brooklyn.
Venkataraman is a graduate of Pratt
Institute with a masterʼs in City and Regional
Planning and has a bachelorʼs from Brown
University in International Relations.
“I am thrilled for the opportunity to lead
NYC Service,” said Venkataraman. “I began my
career as an Americorps *VISTA member,
awakening a devotion to civic engagement
and a deep respect for the nonprofit organiza‑
tions and volunteers that are the backbone of
our communities. I am excited to continue the
strong work of NYC Service, and find new
ways to advance equity and leverage the
incredible human capital of New York City to
address our greatest challenges.” “I am very
Jailed art dealer Subhash Kapoor charged with looting artifacts
New York: Jailed art dealer Subhash
Kapoor has been charged by prosecutors
in Manhattan with stealing and possessing
millions of dollars worth of artifacts, with
of ficials at the Metropolitan Museum of
Art now looking into whether the looted
antiquities sold by him have ended up in
its collection.
Kapoor was arrested by Interpol in
Germany in 2011 and is in jail in
India.Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus
Vanceʼs of fice filed a criminal complaint
last month against Kapoor and several
others.
The complaint charges Kapoor with 86
counts of criminal possession of stolen
property, grand larceny and scheme to
defraud for possessing artifacts worth mil‑
lions of dollars.
A report in The New York Times said
officials of the Indian government and the
Metropolitan Museum of Art are dis‑
cussing whether several of the prized
antiquities that the museum began acquir‑
ing three decades ago were the result of
looting by Kapoor.
The report said that since 1990, the
museum acquired about 15 antiquities
that passed through Kapoorʼs hands dur‑
ing a period in which “his smuggling ring
was active and he routinely sold or donat‑
ed rare and costly artifacts to at least a
dozen American museums.” The discus‑
sions among officials in India and the US
are part of a major push by New Delhi to
TRISTATE COMMUNITY
Anusha Venkataraman
pleased that Mayor de Blasio has appointed
Anusha Venkataraman to lead NYC Service,”
said Congress Member Nydia Velázquez.
“Anusha is exactly the type of grassroots
leader we need in leadership in government
and I am excited to support her ef forts to
deepen civic engagement and volunteerism
across New York City.” “Anusha
Venkataraman is an inspired choice to lead
NYC Service,” said Council Member Antonio
Reynoso. “I have worked closely with Anusha
for years and have been impressed by her
exceptional integrity, unwavering dedication
to social justice, and commitment to empow‑
ering marginalized communities. I look for‑
ward to partnering with her as NYC Chief
Service Officer.” NYC Service, a division of the
Mayorʼs Office, builds partnerships to deepen
and expand civic engagement through volun‑
teerism and service programs, creating sus‑
tainable change for our cityʼs greatest needs.
Its vision is to unite New Yorkers in service to
advance lifelong civic engagement for a more
equitable and inclusive city.
Officials at the Metropolitan Museum of Art are now looking into whether the looted
antiquities sold by Subhash Kapoor have ended up in its collection.
recover some of the tens of thousands of
sacred idols and ancient relics that have
been looted and sold over the last few
decades by smugglers and temple raiders,
the NYT report said.
It added that the first set of antiquities
sourced from Kapoor to arrive at the
Metropolitan Museum were first‑century
terra‑cotta rattles in the shape of Yaksha,
a nature spirit. The last Kapoor‑related
piece to enter the collection, an 11th‑cen‑
tury celestial dancer carved from sand‑
stone, came in 2015.
“Each of the 15 objects was either gifted
or sold to the Met (museum) by Kapoor or
Indian American to launch Museum
of Ice Cream in New York
New York: An experiential Museum of
Ice Cream (MOIC), with an Indian co‑
founder, will soon be opening in this
city, according to a MOIC statement. The
flagship museum will span nearly
25,000 square feet over 3 floors, featur‑
ing 13 new installations, including a
New York‑inspired "Celestial Subway"
and MOIC's biggest sprinkle pool to
date, the statement said.
The Museum of Ice Cream in New York
"is the first of several flagship locations
that will launch in the United States and
abroad over the next 18 months," the
museum co‑founder Manish Vora said in
the statement.
Since 2016, MOIC has welcomed
guests, including celebrities like
obtained from collectors who had
acquired them from the art dealer or his
New York gallery ʻArt of the Pastʼ on
Madison Avenue,” it said.
Officials at the Met museum have begun
a thorough review of the antiquities that
track back to Kapoor. “As we have since
learned of the multiple law enforcement
actions, and in the spirit of our enhanced
procedures over recent years, we are now
seeking to identify additional provenance
information,” the museum said in a state‑
ment to The Times.
The report said Indian officials appreci‑
ated the Metʼs move to review the collec‑
Aug 31-Sept 6, 2019 5
Museum of
Ice Cream
cofounders
Manish
Vora and
Maryellen
Bunn.
(Photo
courtesy:
Museum of
Ice Cream)
Beyonce, Jay‑Z, Kim Kardashian and
Katy Perry, among its 1.5 million visi‑
tors, to its pop‑ups across the US cities
of Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco
and New York.
The new flagship space is expected to
feature some of the museum's most
multi‑sensory installations that will
bring to life the delightful dreams of
guests through various means like ‑‑
savoring the sweetest treats on a float‑
ing table, sliding down an epic three‑
story slide, seeing a spectacular hall of
giant scoops, and following the sound of
a buzz that will lead one to a giant
"Queen Bee hive." As per the museum, it
would open to the public by late autumn
this year.
tion that could have been sourced from
Kapoor.
“It is a good initiative,” D M Dimri, a
spokesman for the Archaeological Survey
of India, said of the Metʼs effort. “We hope
other museums will follow suit too and
verify the source of their acquisitions in
case they have our stolen antiquities,”
Dimri said.
Leading city‑based cultural organization
The Asia Society is also studying the
provenance of at least one item ̶ a 12th‑
century copper‑alloy statue of the deity
Shiva dancing in the center of a spoked
circle ̶ that Indian officials believe was
looted, the report said, adding that it does
not have a lineage that tracks to Kapoor.
“In the past, the institution has support‑
ed the return of objects that were found to
have been acquired illeg ally,” Asia
Societyʼs executive vice president Tom
Nagorski said. “In this particular case, we
are taking active steps to investigate and
determine the validity of the claim.”
UNESCO estimates that more than 50,000
idols, icons, artifacts and antiquities have
been stolen from India.
Since Kapoorʼs arrest, at least 10
American museums, including the Toledo
Museum of Art, the Honolulu Museum of
Art, and the Samuel P Harn Museum of
Art at the University of Florida, have deac‑
cessioned dozens of items with prove‑
nances that stretched back to him, the
report said. (PTI)
 6 Aug 31-Sept 6, 2019 LOCAL GOVERNMENT TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Attorney General James urges Curran signs new policy

FCC to strengthen efforts to stop
Robocalls and illegal spoofing
51 AGs join the bipartisan effort to protect consumers
New York: Attorney General Letitia James and
a bipartisan coalition of Attorneys General
from all 50 states and the District of
Columbia, in a comment letter, urged the
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
to encourage telecom companies to imple‑
ment call blocking and call authentication
solutions to protect consumers from illegal
robocalls and spoofing.
“We must stop these bad actors from taking
advantage of vulnerable Americans,” said New
York Attorney General Letitia James. “Our
bipartisan group of Attorneys General is on
the prowl for illegal robocalls, spoofing, and
any other digital scheme aimed at scamming
innocent Americans. These outlaws may be
able to run behind a spoofed number, but
they wonʼt be able to hide when they have 51
Attorneys General chasing them down.”
The announcement follows last weekʼs
unveiling of the Anti‑Robocall Principles that
will fight illegal robocalls, announced by
Attorney General James and a bipartisan,
public‑private coalition of 51 Attorneys
General and 12 phone companies.
In the comment letter, the coalition of 51
Attorneys General state that te lecom
providers should: Offer free, automatic call‑
blocking services to all customers, and that
these services should be based on reasonable
analytics that should never block important
calls ̶ including emergency alerts or auto‑
mated calls that customers have signed up
for, like medical reminders; Monitor network
traf fic to identify patterns consistent with
robocalls and take action to cut off the calls
or notify law enforcement; Implement
STIR/SHAKEN caller ID call authentication
technology, which will help ensure that tele‑
phone calls are originating from secure, veri‑
fied numbers, and not spoofed sources (The
coalition supports the FCCʼs proposal to take
regulatory action against telecom companies
that do not comply with STIR/SHAKEN); and
develop caller ID authentication to prevent
robocalls to landline telephones, which is par‑
ticularly urgent since those typically
scammed by robocall of fenders are elderly
consumers or those living in rural areas ̶
both groups which primarily use landline
technology. Many of these actions are also
covered in the Anti‑Robocall Principles, a set
of eight principles focused on addressing ille‑
gal robocalls through prevention and enforce‑
ment. Twelve phone companies ̶ including
the Big 4 phone companies ̶ have already
signed on to the principles.
Joining Attorney General James in signing
these comments are the Attorneys General of
all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
increasing oversight and
controls in County contracting
Mineola, NY: Nassau County Executive
Laura Curran signed a new policy gov‑
erning countywide procurement and
compliance, making official a series of
reforms enacted by the County Executive
to end corruption and favoritism in
County government. Major changes to
County policy include: New conflict‑on‑
interest policy for proposal selection
committees; Inclusion of Vendor Code of
Ethics; Guidance on policy banning
county employees involved in contract‑
ing from accepting gifts; Inclusion of
Nassau County Executive Laura Curran
new portal for county contractors with
increased oversight and audit trails; by which the County may procure goods
Inclusion of Office of Inspector General in and services, (ii) when each method may
Procurement and Compliance Policy; New be used, (iii) what approvals must be
procedure for officials conducting propos‑ obtained to complete a procurement
al evaluation; Added roles and responsibil‑ under each method, and (iv) procurement‑
ities within departments to review con‑ related elements of effective contract
tracts; New process and procedure for administration.
ensuring timely contracts. All County personnel and vendors
“Weʼre transforming the way Nassau involved in procurement are directed to
County does business, increasing over‑ familiarize themselves with this procedure
sight and implementing strong controls to and to follow its provisions. The policy
guard against corruption,” said County summarizes existing state and local law
Executive Curran. “This new policy marks and the policy and preferred practices of
another milestone in our efforts to restore Nassau County. All department contract‑
trust and integrity to County government.” ing officers and other personnel will be
The purpose of the Nassau County trained on the new policy immediately.
Procurement and Compliance Policy is to This is part of the regular training provid‑
set forth clearly: (i) the different methods ed to contracting officers.

Nassau Police warn of Curran reminds parents of

increased mail theft
New York: Nassau County police
are warning residents of an
increase in the theft of mail from
mailboxes, and are advising resi‑
dents to take steps to protect their
mail.
According to officials, mail theft
is occurring at all times of the day
and night. Thieves usually use a
weighted object attached to a
string and covered in a sticky sub‑
stance, which they lower into mail‑
boxes to snag mail and pull it out.
They also sometimes put sticky
substances on the inside of the
mailbox to catch letters as they
slide in.
The police department of fered
the following tips to safeguard
your mail: Instead of mailboxes,
use the letter slots inside your
post office, or hand letters directly
to your letter carrier; do not send
cash in the mail; if you need to
send money, ask your bank for
secure checks that cannot be
altered; if you're using a mailbox,
drop off mail as close as possible
to collection time. Avoid dropping
of f mail on holiday or weekends;
check to make sure your mail slid
down into the box and is not stuck
on any surface.
Police say that anyone who sees
people acting suspiciously while
they're dropping of f mail should
not hesitate to call 911.
importance of vaccinations
Mineola, NY: Nassau County
Execut ive Laura Curran and
Health Commissioner Dr.
Lawrence Eisenstein remind par‑
ents that updating their chil‑
drenʼs vaccinations should be
added to their back‑to‑school list.
Vaccines of fer the best‑known
protection against many life‑
threatening and debilitating dis‑
eases. “New York State law man‑
dates vaccinat ions for most
school‑aged children, and I urge
all parents to have their child
receive a physical and their vacci‑
nations before school starts,” said
County Executive Laura Curran.
“The single best way to protect
our children and the entire com‑
munity from serious diseases is
through recommended vaccina‑
tions.”
In addit ion to the State
required immunizations for day‑
care settings, schools and health
care providers, the following are
recommended by the American
Academy of Pediatrics, American
Academy of Family Physicians,
and the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention: influen‑
za, rotavirus, hepatitis A and
human papillomavirus vaccines.
“Nassau County continues to
see cases of vaccine‑preventable
diseases, including mumps and
pertussis,” added County Health
Commissioner Dr. Lawrence
Eisenstein. “Protecting our chil‑
dren from preventable diseases
will keep them healthy and in
school. Vaccines are recommend‑
ed throughout our lives and are a
proven and successful public
health tool in protecting society
from many of these serious dis‑
eases.”
Vaccines are recommended for
infants, children, teenagers and
adults based on many dif ferent
factors including age, health con‑
ditions, lifestyles, occupation and
travel. Vaccination is a critical
step in protecting those who are
most vulnerable to illness –
infants and young children, the
elderly and those with chronic
condit ions and weakened
immune systems.
For additional information on
immunizations for children and
adults, visit the New York State
Department of Health website at
http://www.health.ny.gov/pre‑
vention/immunization or contact
the Nassau County Department
of Health Immunization Hotline
weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 4:45
p.m. at (516) 227‑9416.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal
‘troubled’ by Kashmir reports
Washington, DC: The Indian‑American
lawmaker in the US House of
Representatives, Pramila Jayapal, has said
she was ʻtroubledʼ over reports of arrests
in Jammu and Kashmir after India revoked
the Article 370 of the Constitution that
granted special status to the state.
“Deeply troubled by reports of Indian
Govtʼs arrests of 2,000 in Kashmir…,”
Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal said
Saturday.
The Democratic Congresswoman from
Washington State, Jayapal is the first‑ever
and the only Indian‑American to be elect‑
ed to the US House of Representatives.
“Democracy requires transparency, due
process and freedom of assembly and
speech. These are absolutely essential,
even in the most complex of situations,”
said Jayapal, who is considered as champi‑
on on human rig hts issues in the
Congress. She also shared a New York
Times news report on her Twitter account.
Congressman Adam Schiff said that fun‑
damental human rights like free speech
and access to information must be pro‑
tected.
A day earlier, Congressman Peter King
met Indian Consul General in New York to
discuss ʻIndia‑Pakistan disputeʼ over
Kashmir.
“Met with Consul General of India to dis‑
cuss India‑Pakistan dispute over Kashmir.
Told him I understood Indiaʼs action & had
concerns over Islamist e lements in
Kashmiri Pandits bring out
rally in US in support of
scrapping Article 370
Washington, DC: The Kashmiri Pandit
community in the US he ld a rally
applauding the Indian governmentʼs
decision to revoke Article 370 of the
Constitution that accorded special sta‑
tus to Jammu and Kashmir.
T he Indian government August 5
revoked Article 370 which gave special
status to Jammu and Kashmir and pro‑
posed that the state be bifurcated into
two union territories, Jammu and
Kashmir, and Ladakh.
Joined by other members of the
Indian‑American community, Kashmiri
Pandits held the rally last week in front
of the CNN headquarters in Atlanta in
support of the abrogation of Article
370.
“The rally highlighted the fact that
these temporary articles related to
Jammu and Kashmir needed these
modifications as these were highly dis‑
criminatory against almost all Kashmiri
minorit ies (such as Shias, Dalits,
Gujjars, Kashmiri Pandits, Kashmiri
Sikhs)…,” said Subash Razdan, Atlanta
resident of Kashmir ancestry and a for‑
mer president of the Nat ional
Federat ion of Indian American
Associations (NFIA).
NATIONAL
Pramila Jayapal
(image courtesy: nytimes.com)
Pakistan & Kashmir. But b/c of sensitivity
& both countries being nuclear powers
urged need to seek a diplomatic solution,”
King wrote.
“Very concerned about the situation in
Kashmir, particularly the ongoing commu‑
nications blackout,” said Congressman
Don Beyer.
Security was stepped up in the Valley at
vital installations and mobile and internet
services were suspended after the govern‑
mentʼs decision to abrogate Article 370
August 5.
Saturday, restrictions were lifted from
most of Kashmir and situation has been
improving gradually. (PTI)
At the rally, Kashmiri Pandits told
personal stories of their hapless exodus
and yearning to go back to their home‑
land which they left in 1990 due to mil‑
itancy.
“All those present believed that under
this new freedom courtesy of the Modi
Government, Indiaʼs Hindus, Muslims,
Sikhs, Christians and other minorities
will now have a better chance to be
equals before the law!” Razdan said.
Meanwhile, Overseas Physicians of
Kashmiri‑origin in a letter to the editor
in chief of Lancet magazine Dr. Richard
Horton said that they are ʻdeeply disap‑
pointedʼ that his recent opinion pub‑
lished August 17 omits many relevant
facts, and thus represents an intellectu‑
ally dishonest analysis of a complex
geopolitical issue.
“We request that the Lancet immedi‑
ately retracts the editorial, or publish a
viewpoint that includes a more thor‑
oug h set of facts and analysis on
Kashmir…,” the letter said.
It also said that the Lancet has no
locus standi to question the initiatives
undertaken by a secular, sovereign and
democratic nation to solve the Kashmir
conundrum. (PTI)
Aug 31-Sept 6, 2019 7
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard knocks DNC
over debate qualifying rules
Washington, DC: Scrambling to win an
invite to the third Democratic presidential
debate, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is calling on
the Democratic National Committee to
expand the list of “certified” polls it uses to
determine who gets a ticket to the big
show.
The Gabbard campaign said Monday the
DNC should release the criteria for the 16
polling organizations they deem “certified”
and said the Hawaii Democrat would qual‑
ify for the Houston debate if other surveys
been taken into account.
“Rep. Gabbard has exceeded 2% support
in 26 national and early state polls, but
only two of them are on the DNCʼs ʻcerti‑
fied” list,ʼ her campaign said. “Many of the
uncertified polls, including those conduct‑
ed by highly reputable organizations such
as The Economist and the Boston Globe,
are ranked by Real Clear Politics and
FiveThirtyEight as more accurate than
Tulsi Gabbard
some DNC ʻcertifiedʼ polls.”
(Image courtesy: abcnews.go.com
The DNC raised the bar for qualifying
for the September debate, requiring candi‑ have resorted to griping about the DNC
dates to attract at least 2 % support in rules.
four qualifying polls released between “The Democratic National Committee
June 28 and Aug. 28 and to have 130,000 has the responsibility to facilitate more
unique donors, including at least 400 indi‑ conversations between the future leaders
vidual donors in at least 20 states. of this country, not less,” the Gabbard
Gabbard is among a number of candi‑ campaign said. (Source: The Washington
dates who are not on track to qualify and Times)
as
“ I did n’ t re alize I w
t il now.
3 u n
in Zone
m a ke a pla
n.”
3
I mus t
ZONE
ANH ATTAN
Alex M
Visit NYC.gov/knowyourzone or call 311 to find out what to do
to prepare for hurricanes in NYC #knowyourzone
 8 Aug 31-Sept 6, 2019 NATIONAL COMMUNITY TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Thousands attend Sacramento India Day celebration

Sacramento: Indian Association of
Sacramento ( IAS) located in Greater
Sacramento region of California,
organized “Mega India day Mela” on
August 11th at McClellan Center,
Sacramento. T he festival at
Sacramento drew a crowd of over
4500 of young and old, reflecting
Indiaʼs diverse ethnic, religious and
linguistic population, as they cele‑
brated Indiaʼs vast culture and
diversity. Over 20 local, regional,
and cultural Indian organizations
supported and participated in this
event. The entire venue was deco‑
rated with tricolor decor. The stage
was also decorated with beautiful
tricolor silk clothes. Dr. Bhavin
Parikh, President of IAS invited IAS
board members and talented youth
from the community to join him on
Over 4500 people took part in the day‑long event
stage to hoist Indian & American
flags. Everyone proudly sang Indiaʼs
national anthem, “Jana Gana Mana”
& US national anthem. There were
13 major events including India
Visa Camp, many seminars were
held on the same day. Over 30 daz‑
zling Indian cultural programs mes‑
merized the audience. The Mega
India Day Mela also had seminars
on Women Empowerment, College
Admissions, Youth Development,
Financial wealth, & others to uplift
and benefit the community espe‑
cially women, youth and seniors.
There was also a blood donation
drive which attracted many donors.
Indian Day Parade held at the event
was attended by the audience, and
local cultural associations with
patriotic slogans of Vande Mataram,
Bharat Mata ki Jai and Jai Hind. The
parade showcased Indiaʼs cultural
richness as well as the achieve‑
ments of the diaspora through col‑
orful floats. Staf f from Indian
Consulate General of fice at San
Francisco conducted Indian Visa
camp on site. There were several
businesses & non‑profit booths,
including Indian jewelry & clothing.
Several local Indian restaurants
served delicious Indian food to the
audience. “IAS got talent” event pro‑
moted local cultural talents and
winners were invited to sing on the
main stage. Winners from 13 sports
events including Volleyball,
Throwball, Tennis, Chess, Carom,
Quiz, Suryanamaskar Challenge,
Cooking, Photography, Rangoli,
Collage, Painting, etc were awarded
trophies on the stage. Congressman
Dr. Ami Bera, Fiona Ma, Treasurer,
California State, Representatives of
Senate Members Dr. Richard Pan,
Brian Dahlʼs, Assembly Members
Kevin Kiley, Elk Grove Mayor Steve
Ly, Citrus Heights city council mem‑
ber Porsche Middleton, Folsom
Cordova School District Board
Member Christopher Clark, Elk
Grove Unified school district board
member Bobbie Singh Allen, OCA,
CSD Board of director Rod Brewer,
APAPA & IVACC Board Members
were the distinguished guests for
this event.

US Congress honors Guru Nanak’s 550th anniversary

Washington DC: In early August, respected.” with gurdwaras across the United hosting gurdwara open houses to community, as well as facilitating
Congressman TJ Cox (D‑CA), who In addition to supporting this reso‑ States to celebrate Guru Nanakʼs welcome elected officials, law seva (selfless community service)
serves as Vice‑Chair of the American lution, the Sikh Coalition is working 550th gurpurab. This effort includes enforcement, and members of the projects with national partners.
Sikh Congressional
Caucus, introduced a res‑
olution formally recog‑
nizing the significance of
Guru Nanakʼs 550th
birth anniversary as well
as more than 125 years
of contributions of Sikhs
to the US society. The
Sikh Coalition, the
nationʼs largest Sikh civil
rights organization,
endorsed Congressman
Coxʼs resolution and is
grateful for his leader‑
ship. “I am proud to rec‑
ognize American Sikhs
by introducing this reso‑
lution,” said
Congressman Cox. “My
district in California is
home to approximately
25,000 Sikhs and seven
gurdwaras (Sikh houses
of worship). Because
diversity is a core
strength of our country,
we must respect the con‑
tributions and traditions
of Americans of all faith
backgrounds. I look for‑
ward to continuing to
work with the Sikh com‑
munity in my district.”
Sikh Coalition Senior
Manager of Advocacy
and Policy Sim J Singh
added, “Resolutions like
this are a key part of the
Sikh Coalitionʼs ongoing
efforts to engage our
elected officials. Raising
awareness of the contri‑
butions of Sikh
Americans as well as the
cultural and historical
significance of our reli‑
gion is a critical compo‑
nent in the larger fight to
ensure our civil rights
are protected and
TheSouthAsianTimes.info NATIONAL Aug 31-Sept 6, 2019 9

Sunil Gavaskar meets President Trump Miffed Hindus ask California

during charity fund‑raising trip
New Delhi: Legendary Indian
cricketer Sunil Gavaskar met
United States President Donald
Trump while he was in New York
to raise funds and awareness for a
charity foundation which provides
free surgeries to children with
congenital heart defects. Gavaskar
met POTUS at the Trump
Bedminster Golf Course in New
Jersey, according to a press
release .
“Gavaskar ut ilized the t ime
between the limited‑overs and the
Test series of the West Indies tour
in America to create awareness
for the Heart to Heart foundation
(h2h). This is in collaboration with
the Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani
Hospital, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai
which is providing free surgeries
for children with congenital heart
defects,” it added.
“The iconic batsman participat‑
ed in multiple fundraising events
in New Jersey and Atlanta which
raised funds for over 230 surger‑
Former Indian cricket captain Sunil Gavaskar met Trump at the
Trump Bedminster Golf Course in New Jersey
ies.” Gavaskar is doing commen‑
tary in the ongoing Test series
between India and the West
Indies.
He will return to the West coast
of the USA after the second and
final Test in Jamaica to participate
in few more fund‑raisers.
T hese events w ill be in the
Silicon Valley, Seattle, Louisville ‑‑
the town where there is a cricket
g round named after him,
Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and
Chicago.
He will then fly back to India to
take up commentary duties in the
home series against South Africa
starting mid‑September. (PTI)
firm to withdraw Lord
Ganesh water polo suit
New York: An Indian
American advocacy group
is urging Murrieta,
California‑based water‑
sports clothing firm Bbosi
Sports to immediately
withdraw its menʼs water
polo suit carrying an
image of Hindu deity Lord
An image of Lord Ganesh
Ganesh, calling it highly
plastered across Bbosi Sportsʼ
inappropriate. menʼs water polo suit.
The suit is priced at $35
and is stated to be “chlorine Hinduism, also urged Bbosi
resistant.” Hindu statesman Sports to offer a formal apology.
Rajan Zed, in a statement, said Hinduism is the oldest and third
that Lord Ganesh was highly largest religion of the world
revered in Hinduism and was with about 1.1 billion adherents
meant to be “worshipped in tem‑ and a rich philosophical thought
ples or home shrines and not to and it should not be taken frivo‑
adorn oneʼs crotch/groin or but‑ lously, Zed said. Symbols of any
tocks.” Inappropriate usage of faith, large or small, should not
Hindu deities or concepts or be mishandled, he noted.
symbols for commercial or other Zed further said that faith is
agenda was not okay as it hurt sacred and such trivialization of
the devotees, he said. Zed, presi‑ Hindu deities was disturbing for
dent of Universal Society of Hindus.

DIASPORA

University of Melbourne $3.3 M grant to researcher

launches new India strategy
Melbourne: T he University of
Melbourne, the number one ranked
university in Australia and among
top 40 universities in the world,
launched its five‑year India strategy
ʻEngaging with India 2020‑2024ʼ –
hig hlig ht ing collaborat ion in
health, water, law, cultural arts and
postgraduate teaching and learn‑
ing.
The Universityʼs strategy rein‑
forces long‑term commitments to
strong Indian partnerships, joint
research and collaborative teaching
and learning models that address
global key challenges and deliver
mutual benefit for Australian and
Indian societies. The strategy also
aims to lift the capacity, quality and
impact of research, which supports
Indiaʼs stated goals in its draft New
Education Policy.
It is envisaged that the strategy
will strengthen collaborations of
mutual interest; expand the quality
and impact of research; develop
graduates with the capabilities and
experience to engage meaningfully
with Indian counterparts across
academia, government, business,
and civil society; and create oppor‑
tunities for Indian partners to share
their expertise in Australia.
The strategy will focus on five pil‑
lars: (1) Healthy; (2) Sustainable; (3)
Innovative and technologically
sophisticated; (4) Equal, inclusive
and well‑governed; and (5) Share an
appreciation and understanding of
one anotherʼs place in the world.
(L to R): University of Melbourne Acting Deputy Vice‑Chancellor
(India) Professor Muthupandian Ashokkumar, Australiaʼs High
Commissioner to India Harinder Sidhu, University of Melbourne Vice‑
Chancellor Duncan Maskell and University of Melbourne Interim
Deputy Vice‑Chancellor (International) Professor Shitij Kapur.
Some of the key initiatives the
University is aiming to work with
its Indian partners are: Health: Co‑
develop an allied health program
with Indian partner institutions and
expand opportunities in digital
health research for chronic disease
management; Water: Develop col‑
laborations in integrated water
management , specifically with uni‑
versity researchers and the Indian
Ministry of Power; Law: Establish
the Indian Equality Law Program
and explore pathways to provide
educational mobility opportunities;
Arts: Establish a portfolio of teach‑
ing and learning opportunities
about India and leverage the
Universityʼs expertise in visual and
performing arts, music and litera‑
ture; Teaching and learning:
Expand the breadth and depth of
to manage battery waste
Sydney: An Indian‑origin
researcher at University of New
South Wales (UNSW), Sydney has
received $3.3 million grant to
transform waste and resource
recovery industry by developing
advanced manufacturing capabili‑
ties that focus on small‑scale pro‑
cessing of materials produced from
battery and consumer wastes.
Professor Veena Sahajwalla who is
Founding Director of UNSW's Prof Veena Sahajwalla
Centre for Sustainable Materials sectors," said Minister for
Research & Technology (SMaRT), Education Dan Tehan.
will lead the research hub. In collaboration with mining
Professor Rebecca Guy, an epi‑ manufacturer Molycop and other
demiologist from the Kirby industry partners, Professor
Institute and UNSW Medicine, will Sahajwalla's project will deliver
lead another research hub ‑ award‑ new information about high‑tem‑
the Melbourne‑India Postgraduate
ed nearly $5 million ‑ to develop an perature reactions of waste and
Academy and expand blended
integrated diagnostic and pharma‑ selective synthesis techniques to
teaching and learning programs.
ceutical approach to antibiotic transform waste into valuable
Vice‑Chancellor Duncan Maskell
resistance, the university said in a materials and products, including
said the new Engaging with India
statement. UNSW Sydney has metallic alloys, oxides and carbon.
2020‑2024 strategy confirms the
secured a total of $8.3 million in "It's time to rethink attitudes
Universityʼs intention to expand
Australian Research Council (ARC) towards all of the materials we
and deepen its relationship and
Industrial Transformation Research design, produce, use and discard, to
activities in India. “The new strate‑
Programme (ITRP) Hub grants for see them as renewable resources if
gy will enable academics across
2019. The two UNSW projects, we want to reduce our reliance on
varied fields of study to continue to
awarded funding over five years, finite resources," said Professor
work in partnership with our col‑
will tackle critical challenges, Sahajwalla. The hub is supported
leagues in India, curating signifi‑
including antimicrobial resistance by a further $2.6 million of indus‑
cant research relationships, devel‑
and finding solutions to global try contributions.
oping grants, co‑authoring publica‑
waste and recycling issues. "With this new work on battery
tions and executing significant
"Our government is investing in waste, we can help create circular
research projects.” The Universityʼs
these Research Hubs to push the economies where waste materials
engagement with India will concen‑
boundaries of our knowledge and can be reformed into new high‑
trate on Delhi, Maharashtra, and
to develop solutions that benefit value materials to boost our manu‑
Karnataka, as well as regional areas
Australians and improve the capac‑ facturing industry and supply
– Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and
ity of our university and industrial chains," she added.
West Bengal.
 10 Aug 31-Sept 6, 2019
At G7, Trump softens on China and Iran
US, China to 'get back to
the table' for trade talks
Biarritz, France: President Donald
Trump said Monday that US and
Chinese trade negotiators would
"very shortly" resume talks in what
he described as a breakthrough in
the two economic superpowers'
trade war.
"China called last night..., said
let's get back to the table. So we'll
be gett ing back to the table,"
Trump told reporters at the G7
summit here.
Trump said that Chinese officials
had made two "very, very good
calls" and that "they want to make
a deal".
T he president's tone was in
Trump skips G7 climate session
over 'scheduling conflict'
Biarritz (France): President Donald
Trump on Monday skipped a dis‑
cussion on climate and biodiversi‑
ty at the G7 meeting here due to a
"scheduling conflict", missing talks
on how to deal with the Amazon
rainforest fires as well as new
ways to cut carbon emissions.
As other leaders were taking
their seats around a large round
table, the chair reserved for Trump
was empty. He was later asked by
reporters whether he had attended
the climate session, to which he
replied: "Weʼre having it in a little
while." He did not appear to hear
Millennials care less about
patriotism, religion and
family: Study says
Washington: Millennials donʼt value
patriotism, family and religion as
passionately as previous genera‑
tions, according to a new survey.
“The values that Americans say
define the national character are
changing, as younger generations
rate patriotism, religion and having
children as less important to them
than did young people two decades
ago,” Wall Street Journal reported.
The survey, conducted by Wall
Street Journal/NBC News, began 21
years ago when Americans were
asked which values were most
important to them and the majority
responded that “principles of hard
work, patriotism, commitment to
religion and the goal of having chil‑
dren” were critical. Today, hard
work remains atop the list, but the
shares of Americans listing the
other three values have fallen sub‑
stantially.
Patriotism being “very important”
fell 9 percent, religion dropped 12
marked contrast to the steady
hardening of positions in the num‑
ber one and two economies.
Just last Friday, Trump sharply
raised tarif fs on all Chinese
imports after Beijing hiked its own
levies.
The US is trying to force China
into deep reforms of its trading
model to end decades of practices,
including rampant intellectual
property theft, that US companies
say prevents a level playing field.
However, US allies have pres‑
sured Trump at the G7 summit in
France, saying that the trade war
puts the world economy at risk.
when he was told that the session
had already taken place.
The White House said because of
Trumpʼs scheduled meetings and
bilaterals with Germany and India
a senior member of the adminis‑
tration attended in his stead.
But Indian Prime Minister
Narendra Mo di and German
Chancellor Angela Merkel were
seen attending the climate session,
at least at the start of the discus‑
sion. After the session, French
President Emmanue l Macron
seemed to shrug of f Trumpʼs
absence.
percent and having children fell a
whopping 16 percent. Older partici‑
pants still feel that patriotism is a
priority, but younger people arenʼt
as enthusiastic.
Among people 55 and older, for
example, nearly 80 percent said
patriotism was very important,
compared with 42 percent of those
ages 18‑38 ̶ the millennial gener‑
ation and older members of Gen‑Z.
The study indicated that “a major‑
ity” of Americans are satisfied with
the economy, while two‑thirds
arenʼt confident the next generation
will be “better off” than the current
generation. The survey indicated
the Democrats have changed more
than Republicans. In fact, the views
of Democrats over age 50 were
more in line with those of younger
Republicans than with younger
members of their own party. The
poll also lays out how the country
has divided along partisan lines on
many other views of society.
US AFFAIRS
President Trump posing with other G7 leaders at the summit in France.
Trump ʻwould meet Rouhani
if circumstances are rightʼ
Biarritz, France: President Trump
has said he is open to meeting
Iranʼs President Hassan Rouhani
under the right circumstances.
It comes after Iranʼs foreign
minister made a brief and unan‑
nounced visit to the G7 summit
here on Sunday.
Relations between Iran and the
US have deteriorated since
Washington withdrew last year
from a 2015 deal to limit Iranʼs
nuclear activities.
However, on Monday, Trump
said he had "good feelings" about
the prospect of a new nuclear
deal with Iran, the BBC reported.
"Iran is not the same country it
was two and a half years ago
when I came into office," he told
reporters at a joint G7 press con‑
Another primary challenger
emerges against Trump
Washington: Conservative fire‑
brand former Illinois Rep. Joe
Walsh announced Sunday with
G eo r ge S t e ph a n o p o u l o s o n
ABC's "T his Week" that he's
l a u n ch i n g a l o n g ‑ sh o t
Republican presidential pri‑
mary ch a l l e n ge against
President Trump.
“I'm going to run for presi‑
d e n t , " Wa l sh s a i d . W h e n
Stephanopoulos pointed out the
massive uphill climb Walsh has
in front of him in the primary
thanks to Trump's overwhelm‑
ingly high approval rating with‑
in the party, the controversial
former congressman argued
that conservatives don't have
an alternative to the president.
"I'm running because he's
unfit; somebody needs to step
up and there needs to be an
alternative. The country is sick
of this guy's tantrum ‑‑ he's a
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
ference w ith French leader
Emmanuel Macron.
"I really believe that Iran can be
a great nation... but they canʼt
have nuclear weapons," he said,
adding that they had to be "good
players" before he would agree to
a meeting. Earlier, Rouhani said
he was ready to meet anyone if he
felt it would benefit Iran.
Tensions with Iran have been
heightened since the US unilater‑
ally withdrew from the 2015
nuclear deal, and re‑imposed
sanctions.
Other parties to the agreement ‑
the UK, France, Germany, Russia
and China ‑ have sought to sal‑
vage the nuclear deal. On Sunday,
Iranian Foreign Minister
Mohammad Javad Zarif said he
Conservative firebrand former
Illinois Rep. Joe Walsh
child," Walsh said.
While Walsh has argued he
plans to make a moral case
against the president,
Stephanopoulos asked the for‑
had "constructive" talks with his
French counterpart, and Macron,
on the sidelines of the G7 summit.
Macron, who has taken an
active role to try and save the
accord, said he had informed
Trump of his plan to invite Zarif,
after discussions with Iranian offi‑
cials on possible solutions.
He said he believed the "condi‑
tions for a meeting" between
Trump and Rouhani "in the next
few weeks" had been established.
"Nothing is set yet and things
are still fragile, but technical dis‑
cussions have started with some
real progress," he said, adding
that he had told Rouhani that "if
he accepts a meet ing w ith
President Trump, I am convinced
an agreement can be found".
mer congressman if he's the
best person to make that argu‑
ment given his long history of
incendiary and controversial
statements ranging from using
racist slurs on Twitter to pro‑
moting falsehoods around for‑
mer President Obama's birth
certificate and religion.
" I h e l p ed c r e a t e Tr u m p , "
Walsh told Stephanopoulos,
"and George, that's not an easy
thing to say."
The former Illinois congress‑
m a n ‑ t u r n ed ‑ r a d i o h o s t w a s
once a fervent Trump support‑
er who's become a fierce critic
of the president.
Wa l sh i s j u s t t h e s ec o n d
Republican to jump into the pri‑
mary b eh i n d former
Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld,
who announced back in April
but has yet to gain serious trac‑
tion.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
One half of Koch brothers who funded
conservative politics, has died
New York: Billionaire indus‑
trialist David H. Koch, who
with his older brother
Charles poured a fortune into
right‑wing causes, transform‑
ing the American political
landscape and shaping U.S.
policies on such issues as cli‑
mate change and government
regulation, died Friday at 79.
The cause of death was not
disclosed, but Koch
Industries said Koch, who
lived in New York City, had
contended for years with var‑
ious illnesses, including Billionaire industrialist
prostate cancer. David H. Koch
A chemical engineer by training, Koch was an
executive in the family‑run conglomerate, the
Libertarian Party's vice‑presidential candidate in
1980 and a major benefactor of educational, med‑ betters the nation in the process."
ical and cultural organizations.
But he and his brother became best known for
building a political network dubbed the
"Kochtopus" for its many‑tentacled support of
conservative and libertarian causes, candidates
and think tanks, including the Cato Institute.
The brothers in 2004 founded the anti‑tax,
small‑government group Americans for
Prosperity, which remains one of the most power‑
ful conservative organizations in U.S. politics, and
they were an important influence on the tea party
movement.
US AFFAIRS
While celebrated on the
right, the Koch brothers have
been vilified by Democrats and
others who see them as a dark
and conspiratorial force, the
embodiment of fat‑cat capital‑
ism and the corrupting influ‑
ence of corporate money in
American politics.
"I was taught from a young
age that involvement in the
public discourse is a civic
duty," David Koch wrote in a
2012 op‑ed in the New York
Post. "Each of us has a right ̶
indeed, a responsibility, at
times ̶ to make his or her
views known to the larger community in order to
better form it as a whole. While we may not
always get what we want, the exchange of ideas
Some prominent Republicans praised his legacy
upon his death, with libertarian‑leaning Sen. Rand
Paul of Kentucky saying "his many contributions
will have lasting impact on our country."
On the other side of the political divide over
Koch, Beth Rotman of the government watchdog
group Common Cause said the Kochs and their
network of like‑minded wealthy donors "under‑
mined so many important American values over
the past several decades as part of the Kochs'
attempted corporate takeover of American poli‑
tics."
Aug 31-Sept 6, 2019
US Chamber of Commerce
rebuffs Trump on China pullout
'I hereby order': Trump mocked for highly
formal, meaningless decree
Washington: The U.S Chamber of
Commerce said Friday that President
Trump's call for U.S. businesses to pull
out of all trade with China was the
wrong course. The nation's largest busi‑
ness trade association warned against
any further escalation of rhetoric
between the nations.
"Despite our concerns, the 40‑year
old trade relationship between our two
countries has been for the most part
productive, constructive, and mutually
beneficial. U.S. companies have been
ambassadors for positive changes to the
Chinese economy that continue to bene‑
fit both our people," said Myron
Brilliant, the Chamber's executive vice
president and head of international
affairs.
Brilliant urged both sides to return to
the negotiating table. "While we share
the Presidentʼs frustration, we believe
that continued, constructive engage‑
ment is the right way forward. Time is
of the essence. We do not want to see a
further deterioration of US‑China rela‑
tions."
Earlier Friday, Trump called on U.S.
businesses to immediately find alterna‑
11
tive sources for any goods they were
importing from China.
"Our great American companies are
hereby ordered to immediately start
looking for an alternative to China,
including bringing your companies
HOME and making your products in the
USA," Trump tweeted.
Trump took aim at the press for ques‑
tioning his authority to order business‑
es out of China, tweeting, "For all of the
Fake News Reporters that donʼt have a
clue as to what the law is relative to
Presidential powers, China, etc., try
looking at the Emergency Economic
Powers Act of 1977. Case closed!"
Trump's comments came after Beijing
announced earlier on Friday that it was
enacting additional tariffs of 5% and
10% on $75 billion worth of U.S. goods.
It will also place a 25% tariff on
American automobiles and a 5% duty
on auto parts.
The White House has placed 25% tar‑
iffs on $250 billion worth of Chinese
goods and is scheduled to place 10%
tariffs on a further $300 billion a week
from now if a trade deal is not reached
with China.
 12 Aug 31-Sept 6, 2019 OBITUARY TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Arun Jaitley: The last liberal

in the BJP
New Delhi: After Sushma
Swaraj's demise on August 7,

AN ILLUSTRIOUS
Arun Jaitley was the last liberal
standing in Narendra Modi and
Amit Shah's Bharatiya Janata
Party.

POLITICAL JOURNEY
After M. Venkaiah Naidu
became India's Vice
President and Sushma
Swaraj's death, Jaitley was
By Amit Kapoor er of the Loktantrik Yuva Morcha, which
the only BJP leader who could
and Chirag Yadav was formed to campaign for the Janata
walk up to any Opposition
Party. In a political space that was deci‑

B
y the time Indira Gandhi declared
the Emergency on June 26, 1975,
Arun Jaitley had already proved
himself to be a deft student leader in Delhi
University (DU) after leading ABVP to vic‑
tory and becoming the President of the stu‑
dent union a year ago. At a time when
Congress had a stronghold over politics at
every level including the university, his
stature was particularly significant in stu‑
dent politics in India. So, it was unsurpris‑
ing that he had delved into the thick of the
protests against the suspension of civil lib‑
erties by Gandhi.
On the morning the Emergency was
imposed, he organized what he called "the
only protest against the Emergency which
took place that day in the whole country."
Over 200 people gathered and Jaitley was
arrested. He remained imprisoned for 19
months. Inside Tihar Jail, Jaitley was in
charge of the kitchen where he found con‑
victs who made parathas for breakfast and
convinced a warden to allow meat to be
made for dinner. While reflecting on those
days, he later said that "we all left prison
looking rather plumper." Such was the
charm that Jaitley carried since his
younger days, which swayed even his
adversaries in his favor.
By the time Jaitley left Tihar Jail in
January 1977, he had become a prominent
figure of opposition politics, and became
the all‑India secretary for ABVP. His preco‑
cious renown had grown to a point that
Atal Bihari Vajpayee had wanted him to
run for the 1977 Lok Sabha elections, but
he failed to meet the minimum age criteria
of 25 years. Nevertheless, he campaigned
all over the country as the national conven‑
leader despite fiercely attacking
sively occupied by Congress, Jaitley suc‑
them in the Parliament.
cessfully led from the front to create a
Even when Jaitley critiqued
space for a political opposition for the first
Communist Party of India‑Marxist
time in the country.
General Secretary Sitaram Yechury
Despite these successes that had cement‑
for blocking several government
ed his place in Indian politics, he went on
bills in the Rajya Sabha in the
to pursue a fledging career in law for the
Modi 1.0 government, one
next two decades while still remaining
could find them share a
involved in politics in the periphery.
hearty laugh soon after in
He also successfully defend‑
the Central Hall.
ed Advani in
Jaitley was often joked on
c o u r t
by some of his cabinet col‑
t h r o u g h The journey of Arun Jaitley from Tihar Jail to North Block to South Block has
leagues as more friendly with the
the 1990s been the story of India's political history since Nehru. Opposition than with the treasury
against
bench. Very few would know, for the
charges for the demolition of the Babri Minister Narendra Modi ‑ going back to the
last one year or so, ever since he was
Masjid and money‑laundering scam in time when the latter was a pracharak from
keeping unwell, every time West Bengal
what the party patriarch termed "one of Gujarat. In a way, the two have perfectly
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited
the most challenging periods of my life." complemented each other: one popular
Delhi, she paid a visit to Jaitley to
The lawyer in him never lost his political among the masses, the other with a popu‑
enquire about his health.
streak. lar elite following; one an outsider to Delhi,
He graduated in Commerce from the
When the BJP‑led NDA came to power in the other a quintessential insider.
prest ig ious Shri Ram College of
1999, the lawyer‑politician held several It was, thus, almost inevitable that Modi
Commerce in 1973 and completed his
ministerial positions ‑ first of information would rest his trust in Jaitley with the most
degree in Law from the Delhi University
and broadcasting, and then of law and jus‑ challenging portfolio of finance after his
in 1977. It is then that he made his
tice. He soon became the public face of BJP 2014 victory. Through the term, he backed
plunge into politics through ABVP.
defending the government through a wide Modi on his radical policy reforms like the
During the V.P. Singh government,
range of issues on prime‑time television. IBC and GST ‑ most of which gained biparti‑
Jaitley was appointed the Additional
A trait that set Jaitley apart from the san acceptance due to Jaitley's long‑culti‑
Solicitor General of India. His rise in
political class in Lutyens' Delhi was his vated friendships and his legal experience
politics started as the NDA government
lack of inhibitions in cultivating friendships to engage in dialogues and deliberations.
came to power. He was elected to the
that often cut across party lines and did The journey of Arun Jaitley from Tihar
Rajya Sabha during the turn of the cen‑
not have the usual quid pro quo nature to Jail to North Block to South Block through
tury. After losing from Amritsar in
it. Despite the parliamentary vitriol, his the political corridors of Delhi and the
2014, he had refused to take any cabi‑
associations with opposition leaders never legal chambers of its courts has, in fact,
net portfolio. In a party that shuns any‑
wavered. Most significantly, he defended been the story of India's political history
thing that is construed to be elitist,
Congress leader Madhavrao Scindia in the since Nehru. Jaitley has left an imprint
Arun Jaitley was a regular to one of the
Jain hawala case. across the major turning points that the
most elite morning walk arenas of the
But a friendship that has stayed with him nation has experienced in its post‑inde‑
national capital ‑ the Lodi Garden.
throug h the ages is that w ith Prime pendent history.

Jaitley's last rites held with full state honors

New Delhi: The mortal remains of
former Finance Minister Arun
Jaitley, one of the veterans of the
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), were
given the last rites with full state
honors at the Nigambodh Ghat
here on Sunday amid heavy rain, a
day after he passed away.
A virtual Who's Who of the BJP
and the Narendra Modi govern‑
ment, the legal fraternity and hun‑
dreds of common people were in
attendance as the late leader's son,
Rohan Jaitley, performed the last
rites. When the funeral pyre was
being lit, it started pouring.
The former Union Minister, who
Prime Minister Modi counted as a
friend, breathed his last at the
AIIMS, where he had been under‑
going treatment since earlier this
month, on Saturday. He was 66 and
had been ailing for some time.
Besides Vice President M.
Venkaiah Naidu, senior political
leaders cutting across the party
lines reached the crematorium to
pay their tributes to Jaitley.
They included Defense Minister
Rajnath Singh, Union Home
Minister Amit Shah, BJP Working
President J.P. Nadda and Lok Sabha
Speaker Om Birla.
Others were Chief Ministers
Nitish Kumar of Bihar, B.S.
Yediyurappa of Karnataka, Arvind
Kejriwal of Delhi, Union Minister
Smriti Irani and yoga guru Baba
Ramdev.
Prime Minister Modi, who is
abroad, expressed grief over the
demise.
Modi tweeted: "With the demise
of Arun Jaitleyji, I have lost a val‑
ued friend whom I have had the
honor of knowing for decades. His
insight on issues and nuanced
understanding of matters had very
few parallels. We will miss him."
Hundreds of mourners gathered
at the ghat to bid adieu to the BJP
veteran who began his political
career at a young age and was
imprisoned during the Emergency
period of 1975‑77. He enjoyed per‑
sonal rapport with leaders of vari‑ The last rites being performed at Nigambodh Ghat
ous political parties. in New Delhi. (Photo: IANS)
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
J&K integration complete with
Article 370 axing: Shah
Hyderabad: Union Home Minister
Amit Shah has said Jammu and
Kashmir's integration with India
was completed with the scrapping
of Article 370.
He said under the leadership of
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the
Parliament abrogated Article 370
to make Jammu and Kashmir an
integral part of India.
Shah was speaking at the passing
out parade of 70th batch of Indian
Police Service (IPS) probationers at
the Sardar Vallabhbhai Pate l
National Police Academy.
Paying rich tributes to India's
first Home Minister Sardar
Vallabhbhai Patel, Shah said he
achieved the challenging task of
merg ing 630 states w ith the
Indian Union.
Recalling that the Nizam of
Hyderabad State was not ready to
accede to the Indian Union, Shah
said Patel succeeded in making
Hyderabad accede to India with
the historic police action.
"Under Sri Sardar Patel's leader‑
ship, historic police action made
Hyderabad, Telangana, Andhra,
parts of Karnataka and
Maharashtra a part of India. The
credit for making this city a part of
India goes to police action," he
said.
Shah said Jammu and Kashmir
was the last missing point as its
accession to India was not com‑
Sitharaman allays fears about
harassment by taxmen
New Delhi: Maintaining that tax col‑
lection targets are achievable,
Finance Minister Nirmala
Sitharaman on Tuesday reiterated
that tax of ficers must not over‑
stretch and overreach.
She said that all the deadlines for
tax collections have been decided in
consultation with the authorities
and, hence, these are not impossible
to achieve.
"Therefore, my request has been
not to overreach, not to overstretch
themselves (tax officers) in the col‑
lection process. It is achievable even
if they are able to go with a bit of
restraint," the Minister said.
Sitharaman held a meeting with
tax officials in Pune on August 27,
her fourth in the series, to discuss
tax issues and assure taxpayers of
fair and non‑intrusive tax adminis‑
tration.
Referring to the announcements
made by her last Friday to push
growth, Sitharaman said that, start‑
ing October 1, 2019, all tax notices
Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
plete with the continuation of
Article 370. "Everyone was feeling
something was missing," he said.
Stating that 33,000 policemen
have so far laid down their lives
for the nation, he told IPS proba‑
tioners that they were going to
become part of this great tradition
of serving the nation.
Shah said the country faced sev‑
eral challenges to its internal secu‑
rity like terrorism, narcotics, cyber
crime and challenges created by
the neighbouring countries.
Stating that peace and security is
a must for developed India and to
achieve Modi's vision of making
India a $5 trillion economy, he said
without internal security and law
and order, peace and security was
not possible.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
would be disposed off within three
months from the date of reply. The
move is aimed at addressing the
complaints of harassment by the
Income Tax Department.
She also said that entrepreneurs
need to be able to work without any
worry.
On GST re lated issues, the
Minister specifically said that there
INDIA NEWS
He recalled that Patel, as the
founder of civil services, had
described civil servants as protec‑
tors of national interests. He asked
IPS probationers to always keep in
mind the words of Patel, who had
termed IPS as watchdog of corrup‑
tion‑free India.
Noting that most of the proba‑
tioners come from middle class
and poor backgrounds, Shah said
God had given them an opportuni‑
ty to use their position to uplift
crores of poor and make India bet‑
ter.
Stating that becoming an IPS
officer is not the goal, he told the
probationers that it is just the
beg inning of the journey to
achieve the goal. He asked them to
make their contribution in taking
was no discussions on rate reduc‑
tions for agricultural items.
Issues related to homebuyers
were, however, discussed in the
meeting.
T he government is set to
announce measures to help home‑
buyers when it comes out soon with
the next installment of the package
to boost economic growth.
Aug 31-Sept 6, 2019
Adopt time‑bound approach
to finish Maoism: Shah
New Delhi: Union Home Minister
Amit Shah has termed Maoism as
a major internal security chal‑
lenge and asked the authorities to
maintain synergy between the
states and Centre, while building
local forces to neutralize organiza‑
tions run by insurgent groups.
The Minister's remarks came at
a review meeting re lated to
Maoism. The meeting was attend‑
ed by Chief Ministers and the rep‑
resentatives of 10 Maoist‑affected
states ‑ Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand,
Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar,
Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra
Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and
Uttar Pradesh.
He urged the states to adopt a
focused, time‑bound approach to
completely eliminate the left‑wing
India to a respectable place.
"Making prosperous, educated
and secure India should be our
goal and not personal gratifica‑
tion," he said.
Advising IPS of ficers to always
play the role of safeguarding the
Constitution, he said reach out to
people and make close rapport
with them to become ideal and
successful police officers.
Modi heads home
after 'action‑packed'
3‑nation visit
Biarritz (France): Prime Minister
Narendra Mo di headed for
home after an "action‑packed"
three‑nation visit to France, UAE
and Bahrain.
"Au revoir France! Closing the
curtains on an action‑packed 3‑
nation visit to France, UAE &
Bahrain comprising of bilateral
& multilateral engagements, PM
@narendramo di departs for
Delhi. Deepened India's rela‑
tions with friends, and projected
our voice on the global stage,"
tweeted MEA spokesperson
Raveesh Kumar.
Earlier, PM Modi led the dedi‑
cated session at the G7 Summit
on Digital Transformation and
highlighted India's ef forts in
using digital tech to empower
the people.
"Powering the engine of inno‑
vat ion & deve lopment. PM
13
extremism (LWE) to ensure all‑
round development of the affect‑
ed regions.
"Though incidents of LWE vio‑
lence have come down, focus
needs to be kept to eliminate it
completely and all efforts need to
be maintained by the Centre and
states. There is need for capacity
building of local forces to ef fec‑
tively neutralize Maoist organiza‑
tions from their areas," Shah said.
He stressed the need for vigi‑
lance and ef ficiency of the local
police in the militancy‑af fected
states.Shah asked the states to use
Central schemes and their own
budget for police modernization.
He also focused on the need to
check flow of funds to Maoist
organizations.
"I come from a cadre‑based party
and from my long experience I can
tell you that communication, inter‑
action and coordination are key to
the success," he said.
Shah said both elected represen‑
tat ives and civil servants get
opportunity to serve the nation but
while elected representative get
five years, the civil servants get
this opportunity for 30 years.
@narendramodi led the dedicat‑
ed session of #G7Biarritz
summit on Dig ital
Transformation. Highlighted
India's efforts in putting digital
technology to use to fight social
inequalities through empower‑
ment & inclusion," Kumar
tweeted.
On the bilateral meet ing
between PM Mo di and US
President Donald Trump, the
highlight of the day's diplomatic
eng agements, he posted:
"Continuing the momentum of
high‑level interaction. Warm,
forward looking and productive
meeting between PM @naren‑
dramo di and US President
@realDonaldTrump in Biarritz.
Both leaders discussed strength‑
ening our strategic partnership,
with a focus on energy and
trade."
 14 Aug 31-Sept 6, 2019
Centre's 85 schemes for
J&k, normalcy key agenda
New Delhi: Implementation of
Centre's 85 schemes, including
PM‑KISAN, PM‑KISAN‑Pension,
Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana
and Stand‑Up India, as well as
steps being taken to return nor‑
malcy to the Valley was discussed
in a key inter‑ministerial meeting
in the Home Ministry on Tuesday.
A total of 15 secretaries of vari‑
ous Central government depart‑
ments participated in the meeting
chaired by newly appointed Home
Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla.
In around two‑hour long meet‑
ing, the Home Secretary discussed
over implementation of 85 peo‑
ple‑oriented schemes that also
include those related to education,
health, skill development, agricul‑
ture and employment.
"Meet ing he ld w ith various
departments to assess the imple‑
mentation of central schemes in
J&K and initiatives to be taken to
expedite return of normalcy," said
a Home Ministry official.
Sources said it was discussed to
implement PM‑KISAN, PM‑KISAN‑
Pension, Prad han Mantri Jan
Dhan Yojana and Stand‑Up India
schemes in Jammu and Kashmir
as the government aims to achieve
100 percent coverage of these
schemes, which come under 21
ministries, within one month (by
September 30).
A slew of insurances schemes,
including the Atal Pension Yojana,
has also been introduced in the
newly carved Union Territory and
the government plans to provide
electricity to all the Jammu and
Kashmir households.
It was also discussed to imple‑
ment Prime Minister's special ini‑
tiatives, like LPG connection to
the poor household and direct
Shah Faesal was not going to US to study: J&K Police
New Delhi: T he Jammu and
Kashmir Police has claimed that
civil servant‑turned‑politician Shah
Faesal, who was stopped at the IGI
airport here from flying to the US
earlier this month, did not have
any document to support his claim
that he was travelling to Boston to
complete an academic course in
Harvard University.
In an affidavit filed on August 23
in the Delhi High Court on Faesal's
petition seeking his release from
custo dy, Jammu and Kashmir
Police claimed that all he had with
him was a ticket from Delhi to
Turkey to Germany's Frankfurt to
Boston.
The af fidavit, filed by Deputy
Inspector General of Police,
Central Kashmir, V.K. Birdi, also
said that Faesal had B1/B2 visa
A slew of insurances schemes, including the Atal Pension Yojana, has
also been introduced in the newly‑carved Union Territory.
benefit transfer (DBT) for LPG and
kerosene, focussing to empower
women especially in rural areas,
in Jammu and Kashmir.
While the PM‑KISAN and the
PM‑KISAN‑Pension schemes come
under the Ministry of Agriculture
and Farmers Welfare, the Pradhan
Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana and the
Stand‑Up India scheme come
under the Ministry of Finance.
T he source said the Centre
might soon announce opening of
government jobs, asking even the
paramililtary and army to recruit
local people.
The meeting also stressed on
the need to expedited rolling out
schemes ahead of winter.
As the people of Jammu and
Kashmir for the last few decades
have been suffering problems due
to separatist propaganda and
cross‑border terrorism, a Home
Ministry official said, the govern‑
ment wants to take them out from
atmosphere of fear and terror and
also impeded socio‑economic
development in the state.
National Security Advisor Ajit
issued on February 27, 2019 for a
10 year duration which is a tourist
and not a student visa.
The Jammu and Kashmir Police
also raised question on the juris‑
diction of the Delhi High Court in
the case as Faesal is detained in
Srinagar.
The police also said that "it was
inconceivable that the founder
president of a political outfit (J&K
People's Movement) would pre‑
pare and affirm a petition on 13th
August and without filing the
same, would seek to leave the
country for an academic course on
14th August, more particularly
when the petitioner had been very
active in garnering the support of
leaders of other political outfits for
the purpose of opposing any move
pertaining to the status of J&K".
INDIA NEWS TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Cabinet may relax FDI
in retail
New Delhi: The Union cabinet in
its meet ing on Wednesday
ally, Sitharaman had said that
government would examine sug‑
would take up proposals to relax gestions of further opening up
foreign direct investment (FDI) of FDI in aviation, media (anima‑
in various sectors, including sin‑ tion) and insurance sectors in
g le brand retail and dig ital consultation with all stakehold‑
media, as announced by Finance ers.
Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in The cabinet chaired by Prime
her maiden Budget last month. Minister Narendra Modi may
T he liberal FDI reg ime is also consider approving an ordi‑
expected to attract foreign play‑ nance to roll back surcharge on
ers to invest in the country foreign portfolio investors
which is facing a slowdown. (FPIs). Sources said it had been
Seeking to make India more decided to take ordinance route
attractive FDI destination glob‑ to scrap the higher surcharge.
No immediate
detention of those left
Doval's feedback on the Jammu
and Kashmir situation was also
discussed at the meeting, said the
source. Doval had shared a feed‑ out of NRC list.
back with the Home Ministry after
Guwahati: With just three days left out 100,000 more.
visiting the Kashmir Valley.
left for publication of the final The governmentʼs notice comes
On the basis of Doval's feedback
National Register of Citizens amid fears that those left out of
and following the visit of a Central
(NRC), the Assam government the list would be declared for‑
team to Jammu and Kashmir, it
issued a public notice through eigners and sent to detention
was decided in he meeting that
newspapers on Tuesday stating camps meant for foreigners who
few more teams will be sent in the
that those left out of the list wonʼt entered India illegally.
region soon on dif ferent occa‑
face detention immediately. “Under the provisions of
sions before October 31, when
“Those left out of the final NRC Foreigners Act, 1946 and
two new ly‑created Union
wonʼt face any kind of detention Foreigners Tribunal Order, 1964,
Territories ‑‑ Jammu and Kashmir
till the foreignersʼ tribunals (FTs) only foreignersʼ tribunals (FTs)
with an Assembly and Ladakh
passes orders about their status,” are empowered to declare a per‑
without one ‑‑ will come into exis‑
said the seven‑point not ice son as a foreigner. Thus, non‑
tence.
signed by Kumar Sanjay Krishna, inclusion of a personʼs name in
Intelligence Bureau Director
additional chief secretary of NRC doesnʼt by itself amount to
Arvind Kumar and some of ficers
Assam governmentʼs home and him/her being declared as a for‑
have also visited Jammu and
political department. eigner,” the notice said.
Kashmir last week.
The final list of NRC will be It added that those left out of
It is learnt that allocation of
published on August 31 and it is NRC can file their appeals for
funds, a time‑bound approach to
expected that several lakhs of the inclusion in the list at designated
complete the task and a proper
32.9 lakh applicants might get FTs. Earlier this month, the Union
division of works among govern‑
left out. The complete draft NRC home ministry had extended the
ment of ficers to be given new
released in July last year had time limit for filing the appeals
responsibilities were discussed in
excluded 40 lakh applicants and from 60 days to 120 days from
the meeting that started Tuesday
another list released in June had publication of the final NRC.
afternoon.
The J&K Police also went on to
challenge the very g round of
Faesal's pet it ion that he was
detained without being informed
about reason for the action.
The police affidavit said that the
grounds were explained to the
petitioner who had refused to fur‑
nish a bond/security as required
under section 107 of the Code of
Criminal Procedure. It claimed that
Faesal's petition was based on a
falsehood.
According to police, Faesal also
created an unruly scene at the
Srinagar airport and was arrested
on the verbal orders of the
Executive Magistrate, 1st class,
Budgam under whose jurisdiction
the Srinagar airport falls.
The next hearing in the case is
on September 3. Former Kashmiri IAS officer Shah Faesal.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info COMMUNITY Aug 31-Sept 6, 2019 15

Indian Overseas Congress

remembers Rajiv Gandhi

SRLC highlights the fact that Mahatma Gandhi was inspired by his interactions with
Shrimad Rajchandraji
IOC leaders Harbachan Singh, George Abraham, Sam Pitroda, Mohinder Singh Gilzian
praised late Prime Ministerʼs achievements and legacy on his 75th birth anniversary.

Edison, NJ: T he Indian Overseas

Congress, USA hosted a large gathering
to celebrate the 75th birth anniversary of
late Shri Rajiv Gandhi, the 7th Prime
Minister of India, here on August 25 at
the Royal Grand Manor Banquets where
their members and supporters gathered
to pay tribute to his life and achieve‑
ments.
“Rajiv Gandhiʼs dreams laid the founda‑
t ion for a mo dern India in
Telecommunications and Automation
while preserving freedom, democracy,
and secularism for all,” said Sam Pitroda,
Chairman of the IOC on the occasion.
“We need to resist strongly against any
e f forts to undermine those g reat
advancements,” he added.
Pitroda recollected his collaboration
with Mr. Gandhi and praised him for his
innovative spirit and visionary thinking.
He went on to eloquently give a firsthand
account of his dynamism, vision and idea
of India as well as his legacy. Pitroda
pointed out that in the IT, computers and
software revolution in India was initiated
by Rajiv Gandhi.
A brief PowerPoint presentation of
Rajiv Gandhi@75 memories and his con‑
tributions to India was made.
Harbachan Sing h, IOC Secretary‑
General, stated that Rajivʼs birth anniver‑
sary was being celebrated throughout
India and overseas for a year. IOC
President Mohinder Singh handed over to
Sam Pitroda a $7500 check as a donation
to the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation which
provides transportation vehicles to the
disabled and poor.
George Abraham, Vice‑Chairman, stated
that Rajiv Gandhi was a transformational
personality and will be long remembered
for his visionary zeal and dynamic spirit.
He also praised Pitroda for his sacrificial
collaboration that brought about an IT
revolution in India.
‘Shrimad Rajchandra Love and
Care’ took part in I-Day Parade
New York: Shrimad Rajchandra Love and
Care (SRLC), an initiative of Shrimad
Rachandra Mission Dharampur, participat‑
ed in the India Day Parade in NYC on Aug
19. T hey commemorated Mahatma
Gandhiji's 150th birthday by having vol‑
unteers dressed as Shrimad Rajchandra
and Gandhi leading the SRLC group of
nearly 150 volunteers and supporters.
We know that Gandhiji played a pivotal
role in freeing India entirely by nonvio‑
lence, it is a little known yet very signifi‑
cant fact that his strong foundation of
truth, non‑violence, and self‑improvement
was attributed to his close interactions
w ith his spiritual guide, Shrimad
Rajchandraji. An ardent devotee of
Rajchandraji is Pujya Gurudevshri
Rakeshbhai Jhaveri, who is the inspiration
behind Shrimad Rajchandra Love and Care.
SRLC is a global humanitarian organiza‑
tion with its headquarters located in
Gujarat, and US headquarters in New
Jersey. SRLC has a significant presence in
the USA with 25 centers located in most
major cities. Its programs are powered by
genuine empathy, love and care of highly
motivated volunteers delivering high qual‑
ity, sustainable interventions for the wel‑
fare of mankind, animals and the environ‑
ment.
Since its inception, Shrimad Rajchandra
Love and Care has already positively
impacted over 4 million lives by providing
healthcare and education to over 1.2 mil‑
lion people, served over 1.6 million lives
through humanitarian ef forts and saved
or treated over 100,000 animals!

BAPS’ new temple in Edison opens amid fanfare

Edison, NJ: T he BAPS Shri
Swaminarayan Mandir in Edison,
NJ was inaugurated with great
fanfare on August 17‑18 in the
presence of Sadguru Pujya Doctor
Swami, Sadguru Pujya
Ishwarcharan Swami, and senior
swamis from India and North
America. Community members,
devotees and well‑wishers from
across the nation came for the
celebrations.
“The inauguration of the mandir
is a dream come true for thou‑
sands of devotees,” said Himanshu
Patel, a lead volunteer for the
On Aug 17‑18, senior swamis performed the consecration
Mandir.
ceremony to infuse divinity into the sacred images inside the Mandir. The festivities started with Vishwa Shanti Maha Yagna on Aug 10‑11.
The inauguration was a culmi‑
nation of a host of events held T he Edison Township and with three stories and a mezza‑
over nine days starting with the Middlesex County of ficials pres‑ nine floor, totaling 150,000 sq. ft.,
Vishwa Shanti Maha Yagna on ent on the o ccasion were has been built at the same loca‑
Aug 10‑11. Nagar Yatra, a colorful impressed with the new mandir tion. The new Mandir includes
procession parading the sacred and the cultural prog ram. youth classrooms, a gymnasium,
images in six floats through the Cong ressman Frank Pallone and an assembly hall to host the
streets of Edison, took place on tweeted: “BAPS plays an import weekly Satsang. It is located on
August 16. role in spreading positive mes‑ 2500 Woodbridge Ave., Edison
On Aug 17‑18, Pujya Doctor sages of peace and tranquility.” and will be open all morning and
Swami, Pujya Ishwarcharan A womenʼs cultural program evenings. More information at:
Swami, and other swamis per‑ closed the Mandir Mahotsav cele‑ https://www.baps.org
formed the consecration ceremo‑ brations on August 18. /News/2019/edison BAPS is a
ny in accordance with Vedic ritu‑ H.H. Pramukh Swami Maharaj worldwide spiritual organization
als to infuse divinity into the had first inaugurated the Edison dedicated to community service, Nagar Yatra, a colorful procession parading the sacred images in six
sacred images inside the Mandir. temple in 1991. The new Mandir peace, and harmony. floats through the streets of Edison, took place on Aug 16.
 16 Aug 31-Sept 6, 2019
Priyanka Chopra retains right to
speak in personal capacity: UN
U
NICEF Goodwill
Ambassador
Priyanka Chopra,
who has been under intense
criticism for a tweet cheer‑
ing the Indian armed forces,
retains the right to speak in
her personal capacity on
issues concerning her,
according to a UN
spokesperson.
When UNICEF Goodwill
Ambassadors "speak in their
personal capacity, they
retain the right to speak
about issues that interest or
concern them," Stephane
Dujarric, the spokesperson
for Secretary‑General
Antonio Guterres, said at his
daily briefing.
"Their personal views or
actions do not necessarily
reflect those of UNICEF," he
added.
But, he said: "When they
speak on behalf of the
UNICEF, we expect them to
adhere to UNICEF's evi‑
dence‑based impartial posi‑
tions."
Chopra has been hit by a barrage of criti‑ Shireen Mazari wrote this week to UNICEF
cism and trolled ever since she tweeted on
February 26, a simple statement, "Jai Hind
#IndianArmedForces," followed by emojis
of the Indian flag and namaste.
My failures made me who
I am today: Hrithik Roshan
A
ctor Hrithik Roshan
made a blockbuster
Bollywood debut 19
years ago with "Kaho Naa...
Pyaar Hai". His movies like
"Fiza", "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie
Gham", "Koi Mil Gaya",
"Dhoom 2" and "Zindagi Na
Milegi Dobara" turned out to
be hits though he failed to
impress with a string of proj‑
ects such as "Yaadien", "Na
Tum Jaano Na Hum",
"Lakshaya", "Kites" and
"Mohenjo Daro". Time and
again, however, Hrithik has
tried to prove his versatility
Actor Hrithik Roshan will be seen in a high‑octane
as an artiste and, according to
him, it was "failure" which
helped him scale greater heights. "Today,
when I look back, it feels like I have come a
long way. There have been successes and
there have been failures but most important
are the lessons I learnt from my failures. My a film, it has to be entertaining. I am not
failures have made me who I am today,"
Hrithik told IANS.
Talking about his film choices, the 45‑
year‑old star, who is currently being lauded
for his performance in his latest release
"Super 30", says he looks for "entertaining
scripts" while signing the projects irrespec‑
tive of genre. "Honestly, I did not come on
board for 'Super 30' because of the social
ULTIMATE BOLLYWOOD
Actress and UNICEF Goodwill
Ambassador Priyanka Chopra.
Pakistan's Human Rights Minister
Executive Director Henrietta Fore demand‑
ing Chopra's removal as a Goodwill
Ambassador accusing her of "jingoism and
support" for the Indian armed forces.
action avatar in ʻWarʼ.
message. I did it because it's a great script.
My father always says that if you want to
give a message to the society, you make a
documentary, don't make films. If you make
going to do a film only because it is a biopic
on a great man. I am going to do a film if it's
an entertaining script, that's it! Those are
the kind of stories I am looking forward to,"
he said. After portraying a de‑glam look in
the biopic of Patna based maths teacher
Anand Kumar in "Super 30", Hrithik will be
seen in a high‑octane action avatar in "War",
which is scheduled to release in October.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
‘Batla House': Facts
messed up by fiction
REVIEW John Abraham
cuts a picture of
gravitas as the
film's hero
Sanjay Kumar.
By Vinayak Chakravorty hence has to face the heat when he lands in
controversy, the hero's inner demons that
L
continue to torment him after the killings.
ike most other mainstream Bollywood
John Abraham cuts a picture of gravitas as
efforts claiming to bare truths, "Batla
the film's hero Sanjay Kumar, the top cop in
House", too, is hesitant when it comes
the line of fire after the encounter‑op,
to bluntly stating facts. When it does take a
because he headed it. The film would have
stand in the end, the film seems almost
us believe ACP Sanjay Kumar, who was in
apologetic to do so – the protagonist doles
charge, did not give the go‑ahead for the
out a lecture on how the impressionable
operation – that his immediate subordinate,
youth who get sucked into terrorism are not
Kishen Kumar Sharma (Ravi Kishen), took it
to be blamed, that the fault lies with the
upon himself to lead the cops into the build‑
harbingers of religion who abuse faith to
ing even before Sanjay reached the spot.
brainwash them.
John carries off the quasi‑fictional cre‑
It takes a while for the film to reach that
ation Sanjay Kumar with admirable
sort of an indecisive stage, after the advan‑
restraint, in what has to be a career‑defining
tage of an impressive start is squandered
role. As flawed screenwriting leads to
away over the larger part of its nearly two‑
uneven storytelling, the actor exudes
and‑half hour runtime. Director Nikkhil
Advani has credibly handled the genre of tremendous screen presence to keep you
engaged.
gritty thriller based on real‑life terror in his
2013 release, "D‑Day". With "Batla House" The film loses its initial inertia as Advani
he somehow struggles to maintain an spends too much footage explaining how
urgency in the drama that unfolds. the whole world starts to hate Delhi Police,
Advani allots too much screen time to and dubs them as murderers of innocent
unnecessary melodrama – mostly concern‑ students after the Batla House killings.
ing the hero's troubled marriage, his wife's John Abraham's act apart, there is not
travails because she is a TV journalist and much to talk about among the cast.
Marvel set to introduce
first Muslim superhero
M
arvel Studios will
introduce its first
Muslim superhero
with "Ms Marvel". She will soon
be making her debut on highly
anticipated streaming platform
Disney+, which will launch
internationally on November
12. Marvel head Kevin Feige
came at Disney's ultimate fan
event D23 Expo with many sur‑
prises, out of which "Ms.
Marvel" was one and garnered
huge applause.
He announced that the studio
is developing "Ms. Marvel" with
Kamala Khan, the first Muslim‑ No timeline or cast has been
American superhero, taking the set for the project as of now.
lead to headline her own solo teenager named Kamala Khan, a
Marvel project. "You will meet her in her Pakistani‑American from New Jersey, who
Disney+ series and then you will see her has the ability to stretch and change
in our films," Feige announced, adding: "It shape.
is incredibly exciting for us." The project is in early development and
"Ms. Marvel" will revolve on the life of no timeline or cast has been set.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
LFW 2019: When modern meets traditional
T
he 2019 edition of the
Lakme Fashion Week
Winter/Festive saw design‑
ers play with traditional weaves
and fabrics in modern ways.
The day started with designers
Abhishek Sharma, Kshitij Jalori
and Sunaina Khera showcasing
their collections at the week‑long
event that completed 20 years.
Sharma's collection had a feel of
traditional Mithila paintings and
drew inspiration from the "union
of male and female forms in
ancient Indian philosophy".
The designer tried to draw a
contrast between silhouettes, col‑
ors, textures and embroidery.
Fabrics like chiffon, satin, organza
and handloom silks were used to
create crop tops, skirts, dresses,
gowns and blazers in colors
including off white, ivory, pastel
shade of lavender. Use of glass
pipes and cut work added surface
texturing to the garments that
gave intricate detailing to the col‑
lection.
Designer Sunaina Khera's collec‑
tion 'Dear Mom' was an ode to her
mother who Khera says is the
"strongest female figure in her
life". The line‑up was dominated
by red and green colours and
Bollywood divas sizzle
on ramp at LFW 2019
Actress Katrina Kaif with designer Manish Malhotra and Ananya Panday showcasing bridal wear.
ollywood actresses Ananya
B
Panday, Pooja Hedge, Diana
Penty, Tara Sutaria and
Rakul Preet Singh walked the
ramp at the Lakme Fashion Week
Winter/Festive 2019.
Pooja turned showstopper for
designer Jayanti Reddy while
Diana, Tara and Rakul Preet closed
the shows for Riddhi Mehra,
Nachiket Barve and veteran Ritu
Kumar, respectively.
The "Mohenjo Daro" actress
wore a purple lehenga‑choli with
intricate mint green‑colored
ULTIMATE BOLLYWOOD
included shades of pink, burgundy,
beige and black, including motifs
of lilies, roses and cherry blos‑
soms. There were intricately
embellished sarees worn with
straight kurtas, the brand's signa‑
ture lehengas with hand‑embroi‑
dered dupatta and dresses made
of fabrics like organza, tulles and
crepes. Jalori presented his collec‑
tion which had contemporary,
free‑flowing silhouettes. Stunning
black sequin saree paired with
sequin black blouse, crop top and
pencil skirt, skater dresses,
meenakari detailing, and a con‑
trasting silver dupatta. She com‑
pleted her look with a glossy
makeup and open beach wavy
hair.
Designers Arpita Mehta and
Anushree Reddy launched their
latest collection themed on
"Blockbuster Bride" with actress
Ananya Panday turning showstop‑
per for both of them. Ananya wore
a hot pink, heavy embellished
lehenga choli, giving the dupatta
amiss.
Diana wore an ivory lehenga
Models
take on the
sequined midi dress‑ ramp at the 2019
es with flower Lakme India
motifs and surface Fashion Week.
texturing and plain
silk lehenga, choli with
heavy embroidered dupattas in off
white and ivory colours made the
collection ideal for today's modern
women who look for comfortable
yet glamorous outfits.
Designer Jayanti Reddy's collec‑
tion was called "Benares and
Beyond" which drew inspiration
from the old city of Kashi and
Varanasi. Bollywood actress Pooja
that had a lot of surface texturing
and pearl embellishment with a
matching blouse and dupatta.
Tara who made her Bollywood
debut with Karan Johar's "Student
of the Year 2" walked the ramp
donning a boho look. She wore a
slip dress with white, full‑sleeved
blouse, layered with long tassles,
and knee‑length black boots.
Rakul Preet who was last seen in
the movie "De De Pyaar De" looked
beautiful as she wore a black and
silver jumpsuit with bead work
and with a sheer plain tulle cape.
Aug 31-Sept 6, 2019 17
Hedge turned showstopper for the motifs of birds, trees and flowers.
show. Designer Gaurang launched For men, the collection had kurtas
his latest collection "Peshwai" with dhotis, churidaar and dupat‑
inspired by the grandeur of the tas and sherwanis. The collection
time of Peshwas. The show saw a also saw Persian designs and
line‑up of ethnic wears that com‑ mosaics and ranged from shades
prised sarees, lehengas, cholis and of pink, yellow, orange, red, golden
dupattas, suit sets for women with and white.
Netizens troll Kangana
over wearing saree
worth Rs 600
A
ctress Kangana
Ranaut's love for
sarees is well
known. Recently, she made
a public appearance wear‑
ing a plain cotton saree
that cost Rs 600 only.
Kangana's sister Rangoli
Chandel, who is quite
active on social media,
took to Twitter and
uploaded the photograph
of Kangana in the particu‑
lar saree, and described it
in detail.
"On her way to Jaipur
today Kangana is wearing
Rs 600 saree she picked
from Kolkata, she was
shocked to know one can
get such good organic cot‑
ton in this amount and it is Actress Kangana Ranaut's love
heart breaking to see how for sarees is well known.
hard our people work and "Why Prada bag with Rs 600
how little they earn. Please sup‑ saree. Absolutely hypocritical,"
port our own before international read a comment.
brands take away this also from Another user slammed Kangana,
them. Indian weavers," tweeted calling her sister "fake".
Rangoli. However, Rangoli's tweet "Holding a Prada bag worth Rs
did not go down well with many 2‑3 lacs, wearing Sunglasses and
social media users. More than the heels worth Rs 1‑2 lacs and your
saree, many pointed at Kangana's propaganda priceless. Fake hone
luxury handbag and trenchcoat in ki bhi limit hoti hai," the Twitter
the photograph. user said.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info Aug 31-Sept 6, 2019
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Chidambaram's arrest:
A prime-time TV extravaganza
By Saeed Naqvi
B
ollywoo d stunt art istes
would end up with fractured
bones if they tried to imitate
CBIs field staf f scaling the high
walls of former Home Minister, P.
Chidambaramʼs Jor Bagh bungalow
with orders to arrest him. T he
swoop, in full glare of the media,
would have unnerved the "D" com‑
pany, or El Chapoʼs but they would
have dug tunnels in the loo, pre‑
dictable means of escape. A sophis‑
ticated mind like Chidambaramʼs,
cool and calculating, contrived cun‑
ning passages to the Congress
of fice for a press conference that
evening.
It was not a simple arrest. That
would have required barely two
constables. It was mounted as a TV
extravaganza for the entire nation ‑
‑ and beyond ‑‑ so that they would
be in awe of the power of the state.
It requires mastery of the electronic
media for perfect choreography on
such a scale. Consider the contrast
of Sonia Gandhi making a weak
tepid intervention. "Rajiv Gandhi
also won with two‑thirds majority"
but he did not indulge in "actions
like this" or words to that effect.
Chidambaram's arrest has come
as a shock to the party which has
only one of its wings operating
coherently ‑‑ its legal team, particu‑
larly the Kapil Sibal‑Abhishek Manu
Singhvi duet. Let the party now pre‑
US working on to ease Indo‑Pak tensions: Senior officials
By Lalit K Jha
T
he US is working on a two‑
pronged strategy to defuse
fresh tensions between India
and Pakistan after New De lhi
revoked the special status of
Jammu and Kashmir, senior of fi‑
cials from the Trump administra‑
tion here said.
The first strategy is to exert pres‑
sure on Pakistan to refrain it from
indulging in any cross‑border infil‑
tration or providing material or
financial support to terrorist activi‑
ties in India, particularly in
Kashmir, they said.
The second strategy is to encour‑
age India to bring normalcy in
Jammu and Kashmir and ensure
that human rights of the people
there are protected, political pris‑
oners are released and channels of
communications are reopened.
President Donald Trump is "call‑
ing" on Pakistan "to prevent the
infiltration of militants across the
Former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram arrives at
Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court after he was arrested by
the CBI in INX media case. (Photo: IANS)
pare itself for more tantalizing tele‑
vision.
Open re be llion in Mad hya
Pradesh is on the cards, where
Jyotiraditya Scindia may change
sides as a conscientious objector
along with a number of MLAs.
Should that happen, Rajasthan can‑
not be far behind.
Bhupinder Singh Hooda's rebel‑
lion in Haryana will unnerve the
Gandhi family that much more
because Robert Vadra owes a few
to him.
My crystal ball tells me that the
BJP's relentless hunt for states is
designed to accumulate a sufficient
number of states to make a bid
towards major const itut ional
changes. The BJP likes milestones.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
line of control and to crack down
on terror groups on its territory
that have attacked India in the
past", a senior US government offi‑
cial said. Reflecting on the first part
of the strategy, another of ficial
said in the midst of the escalating
Indo‑Pak tensions, it is important
that Islamabad demonstrates its
The views expressed in Op Eds are not necessarily those of The South Asian Times.
OP-ED
W ho knows in 2022, the 75th
anniversary of Independence, the
nat ion may wake up to a
Presidential form of government.
T he climax, of course, w ill be
reached in 2025, Centenary of the
RSS, by which time the Ram Mandir
may have been built, as the crown‑
ing glory, preparatory to the decla‑
ration of Hindu Rashtra.
Well, it is these democratic road‑
blocks that the power of electronic
media helps remove. The 2019
election results are a classical
example. Economy, on which so
much breast beating is taking place
today, was as bad prior to the elec‑
tions. In the interest of electoral
victory, the cameras were not
allowed to pry into that story. A
commitment to not let its soil being
used for cross border terrorism.
Referring to the massive infiltra‑
tion of terrorists and non‑state
actors by Pakistan inside India in
1989, the official said the US has
warned Islamabad against repeat‑
ing any such tactics.
"The 1989 playbook was a fail‑
Aug 31-Sept 6, 2019 19
requirement of the present regime
is not just a control of the media
but its "comprehensive" control.
It is generally not recognized that
the mushroom growth of the elec‑
tronic media is a gift of neo‑liberal
economic policies inaugurated in
1991 by Finance Minister
Manmohan Singh. It was in admira‑
tion for these economic policies
that Sonia Gandhi made him Prime
Minister. Chidambaram was
Finance Minister in this sequence.
W hen the Babri Masjid was
demolished in December 1992, the
event was covered only by
Doordarshan and a VHS weekly
magazine called Newstrack. New
economic policies proceeded to
spawn a culture of consumerism
which clamoured for more adver‑
tisement space. Followed the mush‑
room g rowth of TV channe ls.
Competition for TRP ratings condi‑
t ioned prog rams ‑‑ four "Cs",
Cinema, Cricket, Crime and
Communalism, emerged as the
favorites. Communalism it was that
the politician latched onto, and with
rich dividends.
The Chidambaram drama draws
inspiration from another genre of
western media. Color revolutions,
the Syrian uprising, numerous
examples, most recently, the contin‑
uing protests in Hong Long. Let us
consider Hong Kong, for example.
To stop criminals from becoming
fugitives elsewhere, the Hong Kong
ure for both the people of Kashmir
as well as for Pakistan," the official
said, adding that the US does not
want Pakistan to use the current
Indo‑Pak situation for massive infil‑
tration of terrorist and non‑state
actors inside India.
US of ficials have also warned
Pakistan of facing an imminent
prospect of being blacklisted by the
Financial Action Task Force (FATF)
if Islamabad doesn't act on its com‑
mitments against terrorism financ‑
ing. France‑based FATF is an inter‑
governmental organization to
develop policies to combat money
laundering and terrorism financ‑
ing.
Recently, in a telephonic conver‑
sation with Pakistan Prime
Minister Imran Khan, Trump asked
him to tone down the rhetoric
against India and avoid escalating
tensions over the situation in
Jammu and Kashmir.
On the second part of the strate‑
gy involving India, US officials said
administrat ion proposed an
Extradition Bill, extradition to the
mainland, that is. Groups in Hong
Kong saw this as an encroachment
on their special status (echoes of
Kashmir?).
Violent protests led to the with‑
drawal of the Bill, but the protests,
begun in March, would not end. It
was generally speculated that west‑
ern agencies were stoking them. A
photograph appeared in local news‑
papers of the leader of the protests,
Joshua Wong, discussing strategy
w ith Julie Eadeh of the US
Consulate in a Hong Kong hotel.
This tended to confirm foreign
interference. But quite brazenly, the
protest continued.
T he point is this: supposing
scores of western journalists had
not descended on the territory with
their multiple camera units, would
the protests have continued?
Converse ly, the ye llow vest
protest movement has lasted for
nearly a year in France and else‑
where in Europe without the spur
of a saturation coverage. What
explains its longevity? It is a gen‑
uine movement ‑‑ one that western
establishments are not interested in
playing up, unlike the one in Hong
Kong.
Against this perspective, the high‑
ly televised drama of walls being
scaled by cops betrays a purpose
much larger than the simple arrest
of Chidambaram.
the Trump administration are
focusing on human rights issues in
Jammu and Kashmir, particularly
in the Kashmir Valley.
The US "continues to be very con‑
cerned by reports of detentions"
and continued restrictions in the
region, a senior state department
official said.
"The US urges respect for individ‑
ual rights, compliance with legal
procedures and an inclusive dia‑
logue with those affected," the offi‑
cial added.
The human rights issue, another
official said, was likely to come up
during the meeting between Modi
and Trump in France on the side‑
lines of the G‑7 summit.
"The president will likely want to
hear from Prime Minister Modi on
how he plans to reduce regional
tensions and uphold respect for
human rights in Kashmir, as part of
India's role as the world's largest
democracy," the official said.
(Courtesy: PTI)
 20 Aug 31-Sept 6, 2019
What scares Pakistanis most?
No, it is not losing over Kashmir
By Tavleen Singh
S
ome years ago when rela‑
tions with Pakistan were in
a good season, the Indian
cricket team played in Lahore and
many Indian cricket fans crossed
the border to lend the team sup‑
port. The Indian economy in those
days was bursting with animal spir‑
its. So among these fans were
Indian industrialists who descend‑
ed in private jets. A Pakistani friend
said later that it was then they first
realized how far ahead of Pakistan
the Indian economy had gone. It
was good to see, she added, that it
was not just Arab billionaires who
were having all the fun. But, I knew
from the way she said this that
actually most Pakistanis were not
happy about this.
As someone who knows Pakistan
well, I learned long ago that noth‑
ing frightens Pakistanis more than
the possibility that India could suc‑
ceed and Pakistan fail. It may seem
from Imran Khanʼs recent rantings
about the ʻfascist, Hindu
Supremacist Modi governmentʼ
that it is Kashmir that Pakistanis
care about more than anything. But
Kashmir is not the ʻcore problemʼ
between India and Pakistan as mili‑
tary men and jihadists next door
like to say. The core problem is
Is recession coming? Is Trumpʼs re‑election in trouble?
By Shivaji Sengupta
L
et me at the outset give my
opinion: No, we are not
nearing a recession, not at
least till next summer by which
time the election campaign will
be heating up. But, there will be
signs of enough economic deteri‑
oration that will force President
Trump to worry. He is already
worried; he tweeted two Fridays
ago: “The Economy is strong and
good… the Fake News Media
and the Demo crat Party are
working overtime to convince
people that we are in, or will
soon be going into, a
Recession,… They are willing to
lose their wealth, or a big part of
it, just for the possibility of win‑
ning the Election.”
We all know that the GOP does
well in elections when the coun‑
try is doing well economically.
T he Republicans and many
Independents often overlook
other governmental evils if the
stocks are rising, unemployment
is low, manufacturing and export
that if India becomes a mighty eco‑
nomic superpower and Pakistan
remains a bankrupt nuclear power,
then the whole exercise of break‑
ing India to make a nation for the
ʻpureʼ could become meaningless.
India is already stronger econom‑
ically, but we would have been
much, much stronger if we had not
reverted to economic policies that
seek to redistribute wealth without
first creating it. This is why for me
the most important point that PM
Modi made in his Independence
Day speech this time was his trib‑
ute to Indiaʼs ʻwealth creatorsʼ.
They are ʻthe wealth of the coun‑
tryʼ, he said. True. And, they have
been treated like criminals by regu‑
lators and tax inspectors who have
been emboldened because of the
search for ʻblack moneyʼ getting
more importance than the creation
of wealth.
Modi is now showing signs that
he has noticed why the economy is
are up and our countryʼs GDP is
competitive with other Western
countries, and China.
However, recession hits in
cycles. This is because during a
prolonged period of economic
well‑being, people often tend to
spend more than their wages
allow. Debts increase and the
Federal Reserve, trying to coun‑
teract excessive borrow ing,
increases interest rates. This, in
turn, gradually leads to less con‑
sumer spending which, in turn,
leads to drop in employment.
Some of this may have started
happening in parts of America;
but that does not mean recession
The views expressed in Op Eds are not necessarily those of The South Asian Times.
OP-ED
”As someone who knows Pakistan well,
I learned long ago that nothing frightens
Pakistanis more than the possibility that India
could succeed and Pakistan fail”
in gloomy mode. He gave his first
interview after winning his second
term to a financial newspaper and
said, “I want to motivate our indus‑
trialists to believe in the India story
and in the long‑term potential of
the Indian market… I reassure all
honest and law‑abiding businesses
of all possible support from our
end.” There is a catch in the latter
part of this message that he would
do well to think about. The officials
who adjudicate on which business‑
men are ʻhonestʼ are often dishon‑
est, greedy extortionists who revel
in harassing people who create
wealth.
This is why we have seen busi‑
nessmen publicly humiliated. They
like to arrest people at airports.
They like to conduct tax raids with
TV reporters following their every
move. What seems to add spice to
their jobs is the fifteen minutes of
fame they get from being momen‑
tarily in the public eye. This is
is coming. Unemployment, at
3.7% is at 15‑year low; consumer
spending is still high; temps are
finding jobs.
But then why are people begin‑
ning to talk about recession?
Why is Trump worried?
One reason is that recession is
a natural consequence of strong
economy. But Trumpʼs foes are
getting ready to use the fear of
recession as a campaign tool
against Trump. And since he is
himself responsible for some of
the slowing down of the econo‑
my, he is worried.
Tarif fs is one of them. Like a
good businessman that he thinks
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
probably why they never investi‑
gate why black money exists in the
first place. If they did, they would
quickly discover that at the root of
it lie bad laws, asphyxiating red
tape and intrusive regulations.
Since the Prime Minister has now
made it clear that he respects the
men who create Indiaʼs wealth, it
could be time for him to set up a
task force in his own of fice to
examine these things.
India has the capacity to become
the richest country in the world if
the business of doing business is
left to businessmen. As PM, Atal
Bihari Vajpayee unleashed the pri‑
vate sector and it was in that happy
time that those private jets landed
at Lahore airport, making
Pakistanis nervous about what us
infidels were up to. When they saw
that it was prosperity that we were
in search of, the planning for
26/11 began. It is no accident that
it was Mumbai that was attacked
he is, Donald Trump, began to
levy tarif fs on countries on
which the US had charged little
or none for years. This was of
mutual benefit: those countries
prospered, and Americans like
you and me bought these impor‑
tant goods cheaply. China, obvi‑
ously, is the stand‑out example.
An overwhelming amount of the
everyday stuff we buy cheaply is
made in China. Gradually, all
these articles will begin to cost
more because the US is charging
China higher tariffs.
On another front, because of
the same tariffs, American indus‑
tries w ill have to pay more
money to import foreign machin‑
ery to manufacture their goods.
They will reduce production, and
Americans will lose jobs. This,
combined with increasing per‑
sonal debts and increase in inter‑
est rates, will augur recession.
The question is, how long will
all this take. Economists are say‑
ing 2021 will almost certainly
will be a time of economic down‑
turn; but, by then, Donald Trump
and that Hafiz Saeedʼs jihadists
were sent to attack the Oberoi and
the Taj. No accident that they had
orders to target foreign tourists.
There is nothing that the military
men next door would like more
than to see the Indian economy col‑
lapse once more into that socialist
sluggishness that kept us behind
Pakistan right up to the end of the
License Raj.
I remember that when I first
went to Lahore in 1980 I was
stunned by how prosperous it
looked compared to Delhi. At the
height of those bleak socialist days,
our capital city was defined by
those bhavans at the foot of Raisina
Hill. In their smelly, ugly corridors,
officials beavered away at making
India a place in which no business‑
men would want to invest and no
tourists would want to come. Those
were times that were the exact
opposite of ʻachche dinʼ.
Courtesy : The Indian Express
may be able to secure a second
term. That is why the bevy of
Democratic candidates opposing
Trump want to bring about – not
recession – but the fear of reces‑
sion now. But they should be
careful not to express their glee
at recession because hundreds
and thousands of people will be
hurt economically. Instead, they
need to explain to the people
how recession is a growing pos‑
sibility, and Trump is responsible
for it, and what will happen
when it comes. They will have to
counteract Trumpʼs argument
that the tarif fs, by levelling the
business playing field, will even‑
tually benefit American business
because they will start produc‑
ing those articles again which
China produces now and sells in
America. Meanwhile, the
American people will be pre‑
pared to sacrifice a lot. I am not
sure anti‑Trumpers are prepared
to do so.
The author regularly con‑
tributes op‑eds to The South
Asian Times
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Indo-Pak talks: ‘India didn't seek mediation as Trump claimed’
New York: A senior US of ficial
has conceded that India has not
requested any mediation with
Pakistan on Kashmir, contradict‑
ing President Donald Trump's
claim that Prime Minister
Narendra Modi had asked him to
mediate or arbitrate.
The official said: "We just note
that India has not requested any
formal mediat ion. But the
President has said, you know,
he's friends with both leaders –
both Prime Minister (Imran)
Khan of Pakistan and Prime
Minister Modi of India. And he
stands ready to assist if they
both would like him to do so."
The of ficial, who was briefing
reporters on about Trump's visit
to France for the G7 meeting,
also made clear that rescinding
Kashmir's special constitutional
status was an internal matter of
India. The official made the clari‑
ficat ion about mediat ion in
response to a question about
Trump's assertion made in a joint
media encounter with Khan last
month after the official had said
Rohingyas refuse to
go back to Myanmar:
Bangladesh
Myanmar considers Rohingyas illegal
immigrants from Bangladesh.
Dhaka: A second attempt to
repatriate Rohingya refugees
living in Bangladesh to
Myanmar hit a snag as the
refugees remained reluctant to
return to their homeland, offi‑
cials here said.
Refugee, Relief and
Repatriation Commissioner Md
Abul Kalam said that the
Bangladesh authorities made all
the necessary arrangements
but none of the Rohingyas were
willing to return on their own
volition, bdnews24.com report‑
ed.
The repatriation bid came
ahead of the second anniver‑
sary of the Myanmar Army
crackdown on August 25, 2017
that spurred the mass exodus of
740,000 Rohingyas across the
Indian PM Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan.
that India‑Pakistan relations are
expected to come up at the Modi‑
Trump meeting in France on the
sidelines of the G7.
The of ficial said: "India's deci‑
sion to rescind Article 370 in
Kashmir is an internal decision,
but certainly with regional impli‑
cations. And President Trump
will like ly want to hear how
Prime Minister Modi intends to
calm regional tensions in light of
border where they have since
languished in sprawling refugee
camps. Speaking to reporters at
his office in Dhaka, Bangladesh
Foreign Minister A.K. Momen
said: "We remain hopeful. It's
Myanmar's problem and they
need to resolve it. We won't
force anything."
The Myanmar government
has said that it will provide
"National Verification Cards" to
Rohingyas, which will establish
their residency in the country,
but not their citizenship ‑ which
is one of the main demands of
the community.
The government considers
Rohingyas illegal immigrants
from Bangladesh even though
they have been in the country
for centuries.
SUBCONTINENT
this significant move."
Trump has shown a faltering
grasp of the Kashmir situation,
reducing it to a religious issue
and displaying an unawareness
of India being a secular state
with the world's third‑largest
population of Muslims.
Trump had claimed that Modi
asked him to mediate on Kashmir
when they met in June at the
G20 meeting in Japan's Osaka.
Partial US troop pullout won't
impact Afghanistan: Ghani
Kabul: President Ashraf
Ghani has said that with‑
drawal of part of
American forces from
Afghanistan as part of a
peace deal between the
US and the Taliban will
not impact the lives of
Afghans.
In an interview w ith
TOLO News, Ghani said he
requested a reduction in
the number of American
troops in Afghanistan in a
letter to US President Afghanistan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani.
Donald Trump seven
months ago but reiterated that a and the US) and in multilateral try will not fall in six months after
decrease in number forces will be ag reement
conditions‑based. Reduction or increase in the num‑ added he had brought reforms in
"The number of troops has not ber of troops is conditions‑based," Afghan forces which will help
been mentioned in the bilateral he said.
agreement (between Afghanistan
Pakistan Railway Minister pelted
with eggs, punched in UK
Islamabad: Railway Minister
Sheikh Rashid Ahmed was alleged‑
ly assaulted in the UK by two offi‑
cials of the Pakistan Peoples Party
(PPP) who pelted him with eggs
and also punched him for using
"abusive language" for their party
leader Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
The alleged assault took place
when Ahmed, who is also the chief
of the Awami Muslim League
(AML), came out from a hotel after
attending an awards ceremony in
Aug 31-Sept 6, 2019
No point talking to
India: Imran Khan
Islamabad: Intensifying his crit‑
icism of India following the rev‑
ocation of the special status to
Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan
Prime Minister Imran Khan has
said that he would no longer
seek a dialogue with New Delhi
and raised the threat of a mili‑
tary escalation between the
nuclear‑armed neighbors.
"There is no point in talking
to them (Indian of ficials). I
mean, I have done all the talk‑
ing. Unfortunately, now when I
look back, all the overtures that
I was making for peace and dia‑
logue, I think they took it for
appeasement.
There is nothing more that
we can do," Khan told the New
York Times in an interview.
During the interview at the
Prime Minister's Of fice in
w ith NATO… withdrawal of foreign forces and
them to de fend the country
In response to a question that against any types of threats.
London. The "attackers" fled the
scene but two officials of the PPP
in the UK ‑‑ Asif Ali Khan,
President People's Youth
Organisation Europe; and Samah
Naz, General Secretary for Greater
London Women's Wing ‑‑ issued a
statement saying that they had
attacked Ahmed, the News
International reported.
AML's UK President Saleem
Sheikh claimed that the attack was
"pre‑planned" as not many people
21
Islamabad, a day after he had a
telephonic conversation with
US President Donald Trump,
Khan complained about what
he described as "repeated
rebuf fs from (Indian) Prime
Minister Narendra Modi at his
appeals for communication" ‑‑
both be fore and after the
Indian government's move to
abrogate provisions of Article
370 for Jammu and Kashmir.
Indian Ambassador to the US,
Harsh Vardhan Shringla, how‑
ever, rejected the criticism.
"Our experience has been
that every time we have taken
an initiative towards peace, it
has turned out badly for us," he
said, adding: "We expect
Pakistan to take credible, irre‑
versible and verifiable action
against terrorism."
whether 5,000 US
troops will leave the
country in 135 days
from five bases in
Afg hanistan, Ghani
said discussions were
ongoing in this regard.
He said the five
bases were small and
that they will be hand‑
ed to the Afg han
forces. Changing his
previous stance on the
presence of foreign
troops in Afghanistan,
he said that the coun‑
knew that Ahmed would be step‑
ping out of the venue using the
side exit of the building.
Asif Ali Khan and Samah Naz,
meanwhile, claimed that Ahmed
had been continuously using "abu‑
sive language during interviews
against our Chairman Bilawal
Bhutto Zardari. He should be
thankful we only used eggs as a
British way of dealing with such
uncivilised politician. He started
this we ended it".
 22 Aug 31-Sept 6, 2019 INTERNATIONAL TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Trump raises China tariffs, Beijing slams move

Manama: In a veiled attack on
Pakistan, India and Bahrain have
called on all countries to reject the
use of terrorism against other
countries, cut of f support and
financing to terrorists and bring
perpetrators of acts of terrorism to
justice. Both sides also agreed to
enhance cooperation in counter‑
terrorism and exchange of intelli‑
gence and information.
In a joint statement issued after
talks between Prime Minister
Narendra Modi and King Hamad
bin Isa Al Khalifa and Prince
Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, the
two sides "reaf firmed their con‑
demnation of terrorism in all its
forms and manifestations, regard‑
less of the identity of the perpetra‑
tors and their motives, and they
agreed to further enhance cooper‑
ation in the field of security, count‑
er‑terrorism and the exchange of
intelligence and information".
The two sides also noted the
need for concerted action by the
international community against
terrorism including through early
adoption of the UN Comprehensive
PM Narendra Modi being conferred 'The King Hamad Order of the
Renaissance' by Bahrain King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.
Convent ion on Internat ional
Terrorism and underlined the
importance of comprehensive
sanctioning of terrorists and their
organizations by the UN, the state‑
ment said.
India and Bahrain also expressed
satisfaction at their ongoing bilat‑
eral cooperation in the area of
security and we lcomed the
'Security Dialogue' meetings at
regular intervals, at the level of
Deputy National Security Advisors.
Both sides discussed ways and
means to further promote cooper‑
ation in cyber security, including
prevention of use of cyber space
for terrorism, radicalization and
for disturbing social harmony.
With regards to regional connec‑
tivity projects, both agreed that
they should be based on interna‑
Sky is no limit for India‑
UAE ties: Indian PM
Abu Dhabi: India‑UAE bilateral ties have blossomed in the past four
years as never before, largely due to the "excellent rapport" that the
leadership of the two countries share, Prime Minister Narendra Modi
said, adding that he and Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al
Nahyan "regard each other as brothers".
Prime Minister Modi was on a two day visit to Abu Dhabi, where he
received the nation's highest civilian honor, the Order of Zayed.
Modi said strengthening the close bilateral relationship had been
"one of the most important foreign policy priorities" of his govern‑
ment. "I am happy that the leadership of the UAE attaches similar
importance to relations with India... For this relationship, even the sky
is not the limit," he told Khaleej Times.
He also said that being conferred the Order of Zayed was a "testimo‑
ny to our growing partnership" and "an honor for the entire Indian
nation of 1.3 billion people".
tional law including respect for that it infringes on the territorial
sovereignty and territorial integri‑ integrity of states.
ty of states ‑ in a reference to the Prime Minister Modi was con‑
$60 billion Beijing‑funded China ferred the King Hamad Order of
Pakistan Economic Corridor that the Renaissance by the Bahraini
cuts through the Pakistan‑occu‑ King in recognition of India's
pied Kashmir, claimed by India. strong friendship with the Gulf
India has refused to join China's nation and his efforts to strength‑
Belt and Road Initiative, saying en bilateral ties.

29 arrested in HK after Brexit deal is now

protests, clashes
Hong Kong: At least 29 people have been
arrested for participating in a pro‑democra‑
cy protest march in Hong Kong which led to
violent clashes between police and the
demonstrators, authorities said.
The first day of the 12th consecutive
weekend of protests ended with the arrest
of 19 man and 10 women, aged between 17
and 52, Efe news reported.
They have been accused of offences
including unlawful assembly, possession of
offensive weapons and assaulting police
officers, according to the police statement.
"Some radical protesters deviated from
the original route and obstructed roads,
damaging lamp‑posts and assaulting police
officers. Police strongly condemn the pro‑
testers' behaviors," the police said in a state‑
ment.
Hospital authorities of the city said that at
least 10 people were treated in public
health facilities. Two of them were said to
Radical protesters
attack police
officers in Tsuen
Wan, Hong Kong.
be critical. After around 10 days of relative
calm, Hong Kong witnessed tense situations
when thousands of protesters gathered in
Kwun Tong, a working‑class neighborhood.
The police alleged that a group of protest‑
ers set up barricades to stop traffic and
"used electric saws to damage a number of
smart lamp‑posts on Sheung Yuet Road,
posing serious threat to the safety of people
at scene and road users".
The massive street protests, which have
been described as the biggest political crisis
to hit the former British colony in decades,
kicked off in June and have resulted in vio‑
lent clashes between the demonstrators and
the police. The protests started as a move‑
ment against the now‑shelved extradition
bill, which would have enabled crime sus‑
pects to be extradited from Hong Kong to
mainland China, a move which was seen by
dissidents as the end of the judicial freedom
enjoyed by the city.
'touch and go': Johnson
Biarritz (France): British
Prime Minister Boris
Johnson has said the
chances of a Brexit deal
are "touch and go" ‑‑
having previously said
the odds of a no‑deal
Brexit were "a million
to one".
In a BBC interview at
the G7 summit in
France, he said it "all
depends on our EU
friends and partners".
When pressed on the
chances, he said: "I
think it's going to be
touch and go. But the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
important thing is to
get ready to come out without a deal." Speaking at the G7 summit, he reiter‑
European Council President Donald ated his desire to scrap the backstop
Tusk told Johnson the EU is open to from the current withdrawal agree‑
alternatives to the backstop. ment, saying it could keep the UK
Tusk repeated the EU's position that "locked in" EU rules, if a trade deal is
any alternatives to the Irish backstop not agreed after Brexit.
would have to be "realistic" and "imme‑ He said: "I think in the last few days
diately operational". there has been a dawning realisation in
The two men clashed over who would Brussels and other European capitals
be "Mr No Deal" ‑ the person to blame what the shape of the problem is for the
in the case of a no‑deal Brexit. UK."
Johnson has previously said the UK Johnson said he was an "optimist" and
must leave on October 31 "deal or no thought the EU would understand there
deal", but that the chances of a no‑deal is an "opportunity to do a deal".
Brexit happening are a "million to one". The Prime Minister also said if there
Asked if people would still be able to is no deal, the UK would keep a "very
get their medicine if there was a no‑deal substantial" part of the 39 billion
pounds former PM Theresa May had
Brexit, the Prime Minister told the BBC:
"That is certainly a guarantee that we agreed to pay the EU in her withdrawal
can make." agreement.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Sensex zooms 793 points
after 'mini‑budget'
Mumbai: Indian markets took it in
their stride the trade‑related ten‑
sions troubling overseas markets
and advanced sharply on Monday
on the back of Finance Minister
Nirmala Sitharaman's measures
announced last week to combat
slowdown and improve foreign
investor confidence.
Both the Sensex and Nifty
surged over 2 per cent as
investors rejoiced over what many
analysts are dubbing as
Sitharaman's "mini‑budget". The
single biggest push came via the
roll‑back of the much criticized
tax surcharge on Foreign Portfolio
Investors (FPIs).
The BSE Sensex jumped 792.96
points, or 2.16 per cent, to close
on Monday at 37,494.12, while
the Nifty gained 228.50 points, or
2.11 per cent, to 11,057.85.
The financial sector and public
sectors banks (PSBs) led the
charge on Monday. T he Nifty
Financial Service index closed 4
per cent higher, followed by the
Nifty PSB index that was up 3.58
per cent. The Nifty Realty index
Modi launches RuPay card
in UAE, buys 1 kg laddoos
The UAE is the first country in the Middle East where the
RuPay card has been launched.
Abu Dhabi: Prime Minister
Narendra Modi swiped his RuPay
card to purchase one kg of lad‑
doos at the Emirates Palace ‑ for‑
mally launching the Indian
indigenous equivalent of
Mastercard or Visa in the UAE.
The United Arab Emirates is
the first country in the Middle
East where the RuPay card has
been launched. Twelve major
business outlets in the UAE will
start accepting the RuPay card
start ing next wee k, Indian
Ambassador Navdeep Singh Suri
announced during the launch.
Modi used his RuPay card for
purchasing laddoos at a mock
Both the Sensex and Nifty surged over 2 per cent.
surged by 3.74 per cent.
"T he init ial set of act ions,
though small, has enhanced mar‑
ket sentiment and confidence,"
said Vinod Nair, Head of Research,
Geojit Financial Services Ltd.
The market will trade in a posi‑
tive bias awaiting further develop‑
ment regarding additional govern‑
ment measures and US‑China
trade talk, he added. The top gain‑
ers on the Sensex were Yes Bank,
up 6.33 per cent, followed by
HDFC, up 5.24 per cent, Bajaj
Finance was up 4.66 per cent,
Chhappan Bhog Abu Dhabi outlet
set up during the launch.
"He boug ht one kilo of
motichur laddoos by using the
card," Vinay Verma, owner and
managing director of Chhappan
Bhog, told the Khaleej Times.
"It is great pleasure and honour
for us to be part of this ambitious
launch. He is going to take it (the
laddoos) to Bahrain as prasad for
the temple. He said he is very
keen that we will be using the
RuPay card," said Verma.
Suri said three banks in the
UAE ‑ Emirates NBD, Bank of
Baroda and FAB ‑ will start issu‑
ing the card from next week.
BUSINESS
HDFC Bank rose 4.29 per cent,
while ICICI Bank went up 4.09 per
cent.
Sitharaman has announced the
roll back of the surcharge levied
on capital gains on shares for
both foreign and domest ic
investors, provided an upfront Rs
70,000‑crore equity infusion into
PSBs to boost lending, and meas‑
ures to push automobile sales. She
also indicated more such meas‑
ures would be soon announced
which would focus on the real
estate sector.
Chidambaram's CBI remand
extended till Aug 30
New Delhi: A CBI court on
Monday extended the CBI custody
of former Finance Minister and
Congress leader P. Chidambaram
in the INX media case till August
30. Special Central Bureau of
Investigation (CBI) Judge Ajay
Kumar Kuhar, whose court at the
Rouse Avenue court complex here
deals with criminal cases pertain‑
ing to MPs and MLAs, announced
his order after hearing the argu‑
ments of the CBI and
Chidambaram's counsel.
Appearing for the CBI, Solicitor
General Tushar Mehta sought a
five‑day extension of the remand,
claiming further custo dy of
MOODY'S LOWERS INDIA'S GDP
GROWTH ESTIMATE TO 6.2%
New Delhi: Amid a worsening eco‑
nomic slowdown, US rating agency
Moody's has lowered India's GDP
growth forecast for the 2019 calen‑
dar year to 6.2 per cent, from its
earlier estimate of 6.8 per cent, and
also revised downwards its growth
forecast for 16 economies in the
Asia‑Pacific region. The Moody's
Investor Service report also cut
India's gross domestic product
(GDP) growth rate for 2020 by a
similar 0.6 percentage points to 6.7
per cent.
Aug 31-Sept 6, 2019
Gold touches new high
over Rs 40,000 per 10gm
Mumbai: Breaching a psychologi‑
cal barrier, gold prices in
Mumbai touched new high of a
little over Rs 40,000 per 10 gm,
on Monday, industry players
said. "This is indeed an unprece‑
dented high, but lower by at least
20 per cent in US Dollar terms.
Presently, it is $1,545 on the
Comex, lower that $1,920 in
September 2011," expert and
former All Indian Gems &
Jewellery Federation Chairman
Bachhraj Bamalwa told IANS.
According to Bamalwa, if the
current global political crises and
the trade wars continue to esca‑
late, then the gold prices may
shoot up further, crossing Rs
41,000 per 10 gms in the next
few months.
However, he said optimistically
that despite the zooming prices,
demand for gold may be margin‑
ally affected, around 10 per cent
or so, as the wedding and festival
seasons begin next month, which
are incomplete without gold in
India.
"Instead of fresh purchases,
people may opt for recycling of
Former Finance Minister P.
Chidambaram at the Rouse
Avenue court complex in New
Delhi. (Photo: IANS)
Chidambaram was required to
reveal the larger conspiracy in the
case.
"The moderation in business sen‑
timent and slow flow of credit to
corporates have contributed to
weaker investment in India," a
Moody's release said.
A weaker global economy has
stunted Asian exports and the
uncertain operating environment
has weighed on investment, accord‑
ing to the ratings multinational.
The report said externally orient‑
ed economies in the region saw a
sharper slowing during the first six
months of 2019, while domestic
23
old gold, at least up to 25 per
cent, in view of the hig her
prices," Bamalwa said.
Seconding this, Mumbai
Jewellers' Federation President
Rakesh Shetty said the incidence
of recycling of old gold is actual‑
ly as high as 70 per cent and
sales have declined by over 65
per cent.
"People simply prefer to bring
in their old gold and pay the
making charges for their needs
as the current rates are too high.
If the current global crises con‑
tinue, then we expect it to cross
Rs 41,000/10 gram by Diwali,
which is not a healthy sign for
the industry," Shetty told IANS.
India consumes an average of
700‑800 tonne of the yellow pre‑
cious metal annually, said
Bamalwa.
He said that the CBI has
received certain evidence and
documents from the Enforcement
Directorate (ED), which they now
want to confront Chidambaram
with.
Appearing for Chidambaram,
senior advo cate Kapil Sibal
opposed the plea for the CBI
remand's extension, arguing that
no documents have been shown
so far to prove the allegations
made against the former Union
Minister.
Chidambaram was on last
Thursday sent to the CBI's cus‑
tody till August 26 after his dra‑
matic arrest the previous night.
factors have had a greater influence
on growth in India, Japan and the
Philippines.
Of the 16 economies surveyed,
Hong Kong and Singapore have
shown particularly weak expansion
this year, with very large deteriora‑
tion in real GDP growth when com‑
pared to the first half of 2018. "In
particular, softer capital formation
has mirrored the weakening in
exports, especially for trade‑reliant
economies such as Korea and Hong
Kong," it said.
 24 Aug 31-Sept 6, 2019 SPORTS TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Sindhu first Indian to win World Championships

Basel (Switzerland): Ace shuttler
P.V. Sindhu on Sunday became the
first Indian to win the BWF World
Championships, crushing Japan's
Nozomi Okuhara 21‑7, 21‑7 in just
36 minutes in a one‑sided final.
Sind hu's gold is the second
medal that India won at the
Worlds this year with Sai Praneeth
winning a bronze in men's singles
category.
T he last t ime Sind hu and
Okuhara met in a World
Championships final was in 2017.
In a pulsating encounter that last‑
ed nearly two hours and involved a
73‑shot rally, Okuhara emerged
victorious in the end. Sindhu again
reached the final in 2018, only to
go down to Carolina Marín of
Spain. However, she finally broke
PV Sindhu after winning the BWF Badminton
World Championships 2019 in Basel, Switzerland. (Photo: IANS)
the jinx this time, brushing aside
her opponent with a dominant
show from start to finish.
In stark contrast to world No.
Sindhu, the Japanese world No. 4
on Sunday looked completely at
sea against the Indian star's relent‑
less attacks. Although Okuhara
won the first point of the first
game, Sindhu won eight straight
points after that to race to a 8‑1
lead. Okuhara managed just one
more point before the interval with
Sindhu leading 11‑2. The mauling
continued for much of the second
period of the opener, which ended
in just 16 minutes. Okuhara got a
few consecutive points towards the
end to extend her score to 7 but
Sindhu sealed the issue on her first
game point.
I was prepared for everything: Sindhu
Basel (Switzerland): Newly‑
crowned world champion P.V.
Sindhu said that she treated the
final just like her semifinal or
quarterfinal contests and that she
was "prepared for everything."
Sindhu trounced former world
champion Nozomi Okuhara of
Japan 21‑7, 21‑7 in just 36 min‑
utes to become the first Indian to
win the BWF World
Championships crown.
"I just played the way I played
my last two matches. I was really
prepared for everything. Playing
with the Japanese girls, it's always
going to be really long rallies and I
was prepared for it," the 24‑year‑
old told reporters after the match
here. "Since the start of the match,
I was dominating. It was very
important for me to remain alert
because of the long rallies that
(Okuhara) tends to play. I had to
be prepared for everything,
whether attack or defence. Every
point mattered and I could not
give away any easy ones," she said.
The last time Sindhu and Okuhara
met in a World Championships
final was in 2017. In a pulsating
encounter that lasted nearly two
hours and involved a 73‑shot rally,
Okuhara emerged victorious in the
Sindhu
trounced
Nozomi
Okuhara of
Japan 21‑7,
21‑7 in just
36 minutes.
end. Sindhu again reached the
final in 2018, only to go down to
Carolina Marín of Spain.
"I was feeling upset whenever I
gave an easy point, like a mid‑
court smash into the net, even
though her score was really low. I
was just thinking that no matter
what the lead may be, I just have
to finish it off," Sindhu revealed.
Sindhu also said that the
absence of defending champion
Carolina Marin did not make
much of a dif ference to her run.
"The top 1‑15 players are of the
same standard. It's all about who
gives their best on a given day,"
she said. Sindhu said that after
missing out on the previous two
occasions, she was desperate to
win the title this year.
"It's a very important win for me
because after two bronze and two
silver medals, I really wanted the
title. I was expecting this for a
long time and now finally it has
happened. So, I'm really happy,"
she said. This is Sindhu's fifth
medal at the World
Championships, which is the joint
highest in women's singles in the
history of the tournament along
with Xhang Ning of China, a two‑
time Olympic gold medalist. Apart
from the two silvers Sindhu won
in the last two editions, she had
also won the bronze in 2013 and
2014.

Nagal loses, but not without Kohli equals Dhoni

making Federer sweat
New York: Indian qualifier Sumit Nagal
bowed out of the US Open 2019 but not
before giving five‑time champion Roger
Federer a tough fight in the first round con‑
test that stretched to four sets.
On Monday, Nagal lost 6‑4, 1‑6, 2‑6, 4‑6 in
a match that lasted two hours and 30 min‑
utes.
Nagal walked onto Arthur Ashe Stadium
for his first Grand Slam main draw match
without having ever earned a tour‑level vic‑
tory. But the 22‑year‑old showed little fear
and won the first set 6‑4 against Federer ‑‑
who made 19 unforced errors.
It was for the first time since 2003 that
Federer had lost a set in his first‑round
match at the US Open.
However, in the next three sets, the world
No. 190, seeking his first tour‑level win, did
Indian tennis
player Sumit
Nagal.
with most Test wins
not seem to have the weaponry to take the
North Sound (Antigua): Virat Kohli
racquet out of the Swiss' hands and lost 1‑6,
added another feather to his illustri‑
2‑6, 4‑6 to bow out of the competition.
ous cap as the India skipper equaled
Once Federer cut down his errors after the
M.S. Dhoni's record of 27 Test wins
first set, he kept on top of Nagal, and recov‑
after his team registered a massive
ered to enter the next round where he will
318‑run record w in over West
face Bosnia's Damir Dzumhur.
Indies.
"It was a tough first set for me. However,
T he victory made Kohli‑Dhoni
credit to him for playing a solid first set. I
jointly the most successful captains
was a bit rusty in the match," Federer said
for India in Test cricket. While it
after the match.
took 60 matches for Dhoni to
Before the match, Nagal had said he would
achieve the feat, Kohli took just 47
try to enjoy the game and not think too
Tests.
much about whom he was playing against.
Dhoni had a win percentage of 45
"I want to play him. It doesn't matter. It's
as captain, after winning 27 match‑
not about winning or losing all the time. It's
es, losing 18 and 15 draws. On the
just the experience. It's playing someone who
other hand, Kohli's win percentage is
has 20 Grand Slams," Nagal had told ATP Virat Kohli.
55.31 ‑‑ the best among all other
Tour website.
Indian captains in the format. In the
47 Tests under Kohli, India registered 27 Under.
wins, 10 losses and 10 draws. The run‑ As West Indies batsmen fell on their knees
machine also surpassed Saurav Ganguly with in an effort to stave off Jasprit Bumrah, the
the most Test wins in overseas matches for star India pacer galloped to the record books
India as captain. Kohli now has 12 away wins by becoming the first Asian bowler to grab a
as captain in 26 matches, while Ganguly had five‑wicket haul in South Africa, England,
11 wins in 28 games. After Dhoni retired Australia and West Indies, all in his first tour
from the longest format of the game during to all these countries. Bumrah's magical fig‑
the tour of Australia in 2014, Kohli took over ures of 5/7 is also the cheapest five‑for by an
the captaincy. In 2018, Kohli‑led India to India bowler.
their first ever series win in Australia as his India will now take on the hosts in the sec‑
team defeated the hosts 3‑1 to seal a historic ond and final Test at the Sabina Park in
win in the Border‑Gavaskar series Down Kingston from Friday.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info SPOTLIGHT Aug 31-Sep 6, 2019 25

Aarohi Pandit sets record with solo

flights across Atlantic, Pacific
A
23‑year‑old Mumbai resi‑
dent made history
Wednesday becoming the
first woman to pilot solo across
both the Atlant ic and Pacific
oceans in a Light Sports Aircraft,
reports IANS.
Aarohi Pandit, on a global flight
in a small plane, flew from Alaskaʼs
Unalakleet city across the Pacific
Oceanʼs Bering Sea and landed
safely at the Anadyr Airport in
Russiaʼs Far East reg ion of
Chukotka Wednesday after a
stopover in Nome, Alaska. After
landing, Pandit, posed for photos
with her LSA and waved the Indian
tricolor.
“Aarohi truly represents all that
young Indian women are capable
of, given an opportunity,” Lynn de
Souza, founder of Social Access
Communications, which organized
the Women Empower Expedition
( WE!), told IANS. “We are very
proud and she has set such a great
example for all other girls to emu‑
late.”
In mid‑May this year, Aarohi
became the first woman in the
world to cross the Atlantic Ocean
solo in an LSA. In the past nearly
13 months of her circumnaviga‑
Aarohi Pandit with her Light Sports Aircraft
tion flight, she has broken and cre‑
ated several records, including
becoming the worldʼs first woman
to complete a solo flight over the
treacherous Greenland ice‑cap in
an LSA and the first woman to fly
across Canada from the northeast
to the northwest via the south,
said her team in Mumbai.
A resident of Borivali, a Mumbai
suburb, Aarohi considers the
Pacific Ocean crossing as the most
significant sector for the WE! cir‑
cumnavigation, marking its entry
into a new country, a new conti‑
nent and a new day.
In her nearly 700‑mile flight
from Unalakleet to Anadyr, Aarohi
flew across the International Date
Line, also known as the Line of
Confusion, when the date changes
and all instruments conk off for a
few minutes. For the main and
challenging leg of the crossing,
Pandit took of f from Nome at 2
p.m. Tuesday and after a 3‑hour,
50‑minute flight landed at Anadyr
on Wednesday.
“I lost one day of my life which I
will never get back.” she said jok‑
ingly after her landing at Anadyr,
adding that she would always
treasure the experience. “T he
Pacific Ocean flight was more
beautiful than the Atlantic Ocean
crossing, and it was also one of my
most enjoyable. I feel honored to
achieve these records for India
and women all over.”
An Indian commercial pilot
license and LSA license holder,
Aarohi launched the worldʼs first
all‑woman team to circumnavigate
the g lobe in her LSA, named
“Mahi,” on July 30, 2018, along
with her friend and pilot Keithair
Misquitta.
“Mahi” is a tiny single engine
Sinus 912 aircraft manufactured
by Sloveniaʼs Pipistrel and is the
first LSA reg istered w ith the
Director‑General of Civil Aviation
(DGCA) India.
Initially, Aarohi and Misquitta
flew together across Indiaʼs
Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat,
Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Serbia,
Slovenia, Germany, France and
Britain.
Since the tiny cockpit had to be
equipped with a life raft, oxygen
system and other safety gadgets
for the trans‑oceanic flights from
Britain onwards, Aarohi undertook
the remaining expedition solo.
Aarohi underwent an arduous
seven‑month preparatory training
schedule in India, Greenland,
Siberia, and Italy over oceans, high
altitude, snow, extreme weather
conditions, different terrains test‑
ing her physical and mental capa‑
bilities to undertake her circum‑
navigation feat. She also had to
cope up with various physical and
mental exercises to help her take
on the toug hest terrains and
weather conditions while being all
alone in the cockpit.
Aarohi is an ardent fan of the
legendary American aviator
Amelia Earhart ̶ who became the
worldʼs first woman to make a solo
transatlantic flight in a bigger air‑
craft, 87 years ago, on May 20,
1932.
To date, she has logged in
18,000 miles in 50 legs across
three continents and 20 countries
in her small LSA.

Namira Salim to become the first Pakistani astronaut

D
iplomat and artist Namira Salim, the
first Pakistani to travel to the North
and South poles, will soon become
the first Pakistani to travel into space. “Iʼve
been inspired to do more,” she told the
Orlando Sentinel while on a trip to Cocoa
Beach for the Apollo 11 moon landingʼs
50th anniversary. “So first of all, I think I
should go as far as possible on Earth before
I break the orbit.”
She is the first Pakistani to have reached
the North Pole in 2017 and the South Pole
in 2008. She is the first Asian to skydive
over Mount Everest, during the First
Everest Skydives 2008.
With a $200,000 t icket on Virg in
Galacticʼs suborbital flights, she is on the
right path.
Karachi born Namira, 44, became one of
the founding members of billionaire
Richard Bransonʼs space tourism company
back near its inception in 2006. She was
one of tens of thousands of people who
applied to go on the flights to the edge of
space and spent about a year in negotia‑
tions to ensure she was selected ̶ so she
could snag her “first.”
But donʼt get her wrong, Namira isnʼt your
typical starry‑eyed entrepreneur with deep
pockets. After getting a bachelors degree in
internat ional business from Hofstra
University in Long Island and a masterʼs in
internat ional af fairs from Columbia,
Namira returned to Pakistan to become the
founding president of the nationʼs first
Namira Salim, a Hofstra and Columbia graduate, seen with Richard Branson. S
he is in line for Virgin Galacticʼs suborbital flights.
International Association of Students in
Economics and Business Management, a
cultural exchange program that works with
the United Nations. She moved to Monaco
in 1997, where she worked to improve
diplomatic relations between the two coun‑
tries and in 2011, she became Pakistanʼs
first Honorary Consul to Monaco.
Her sculptural art pieces focus on the
theme of peace, while her upcoming jewelry
line is based on the constellations.
And, in the 13 years that have passed
since she made her deposit with Virgin,
sheʼs continued to promote space tourism
and privatization of space. Her non‑profit,
Space Trust, was launched in 2015 to pro‑
mote peace through space travel and it set
up the 0G Summit to encourage interna‑
tional cooperation in space. Itʼs pushing to
set up the first peace summit in orbit by
2030. And soon, Salim may finally be called
an astronaut. Virgin sent its first passen‑
gers ̶ members of its staff ̶ to space this
year on test flig hts aboard its
SpaceShipTwo from the Mojave Air and
Space Port in California.
About her journey to the imminent space
flight, she told a news outlet, “I was in
Monaco when I came across the news that
Virgin and Richard Branson were going to
launch the first private spaceflight compa‑
ny]. And I just picked up the phone and I
called our commercial director and I told
him, I said, ʻListen, I want to join, but you
know, I want to be the first one from
Pakistan, first from Monaco.ʼ There were
44,000 applicants.
“And you know, I mean, there was a selec‑
tion process. I joined in January 2006. And
in March 2006, Richard came to Dubai to
launch Virgin Galactic and since I was the
first customer from the UAE, he actually
invited me and he launched Virgin Galactic
with me. And then the government of
Pakistan invited me and can you imagine a
little girl growing up in Pakistan, thinking
of going to space, was launched by the
country on the national level as the ʻFirst
Pakistani Astronautʼ.
“That is a bit too much. I mean, dreams do
come true, I guess. This is like really impos‑
sible stuff. We have a country of 200 mil‑
lion people and to have this title ̶ it means
a lot.”
In 2011, Asif Ali Zardari, then President
of Pakistan, conferred on Namira the
Tamgha‑e‑Imtiaz (Medal of Excellence).
 26 Aug 31-Sep 6, 2019
Indian American led nonprofit
empowering specially-abled in India
The United Nations conferred special consultative status to VOSAP in August
By Manu Shah
A
Special Consultative Status
to the UN Economic and
Social Council (ECOSOC) was
conferred on Voice of Specially
Abled People ( VOSAP). The US‑
based non‑profit, which received
this rare honor in August, is one of
four NGOs working in India in the
disability sector to have received
this status. It marks a huge step for‑
ward for the organization which
empowers Specially Abled people
by pushing for greater accessibility
in public places, economic opportu‑
nities, inclusion, and their right to
live a life of equality and dignity.
Some of the privileges this status
brings are opportunities to consult
with member states and the UN sys‑
tem, access to UNʼs offices in New
York, Geneva and Vienna and the
use of their facilities. It also enables
ECOSOC to tap VOSAP for its
expertise.
For VOSAPʼs founder Pranav
Desai who calls this a “milestone
achievement,” the cause is very per‑
sonal. At the age of 4, Desai was
stricken with polio and lost the use
of both his legs. Tested by daily
challenges from climbing stairs (the
family lived on the 4th floor for 10
years) to convincing educational
institutions to admit him, he credits
his parents for never treating him
dif ferently from his siblings nor
making any particular concessions
for him. This matter‑of‑fact “accep‑
ʻVaping‑linked' lung illness Reliance Brands to bring Tiffany to India
reported in 100 people in US
New York: Health officials in the US
are reportedly investigating nearly
100 cases of young adults with
severe respiratory problems in 14
states. The Wisconsin Department
of Health Services (DHS) said it is
investigating a cluster of people
with severe lung disease who all
reported recent vaping or dabbing ‑‑
vaping marijuana oils, extracts, or
concentrates.
"As of August 15, 2019, we are
aware of 15 confirmed cases.
Fifteen other cases are under fur‑
ther investigation," it said.
While the department first saw
cases among teenagers and young
adults, cases in older age groups
also emerged later. According to a
National Public Radio (NPR) report,
the cluster was first detected by the
Children's Hospital of Wisconsin in
Milwaukee where eight previously
healthy teenagers were hospitalized
Pranav Desai with
PM Narendra Modi.
tance of reality” and his own innate
drive, he retrospects, allowed him to
believe in himself and make a mark
in the mainstream world.
Desaiʼs engineering and MBA
degrees coupled with his expertise
in SAP software brought him to the
US in 1999. He is currently VP at
Nippon Telegraphs and Telephones
Data and based out of Los Angeles.
Citing his own life as an example, he
points to his cane and braces which
help him walk, he drives his own
car and as head of sales travels
extensively. He is thankful for these
opportunities and his singular goal
is to help others achieve the same.
VOSAP, the Ahmedabad native
explains, is a global team of 8000
plus volunteers who have come
together to help Specially Abled
people rise above their disabilities.
His wife, Usha is a co‑founder and
the coupleʼs ef forts have already
made a significant impact in India
with severe lung damage.
The patients showed respiratory
symptoms including cough, short‑
ness of breath and fatigue. The
symptoms worsened over a period
of days or weeks before admission
to the hospital. Other symptoms
reported by some patients included
fever, anorexia, pleuritic chest pain,
nausea and diarrhea, the Wisconsin
Department of Health Services said.
Similar cases have also been
reported from other states as well.
The Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) in the US is
helping the health departments in
Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota,
Indiana, and California to "investi‑
gate whether the illnesses may be
linked to specific ingredients or
contaminants in the devices or sub‑
stances associated with e‑cigarette
use", a spokesperson for the CDC
told NPR.
LIFESTYLE
With its Youth Ambassador Sparsh Shah
with its “Accessible India” cam‑
paign.
Sharing a unique perspective,
Desai says that each of us is “tem‑
porarily abled.” One mishap, one
misstep or the inevitable process of
aging can make us disabled. He
emphasizes the importance of com‑
ing together to uplift the millions of
people whose needs and aspirations
are largely ignored due to their dis‑
ability.
The organizationʼs volunteers
reach out to corporations, religious
organizations, social and political
leaders to “sensitize” them, foster
conversations about disability and
bring about a greater acceptance
for them. Sewing machines, wheel‑
chairs and hearing aids are distrib‑
uted on a monthly basis, made pos‑
sible by fundraisers and generous
donors. Sparsh Shah, the singing
prodigy who was born with the
Brittle Bones Disease, is VOSAPʼs
New Delhi: Mukesh Ambani‑led
Reliance Industries (RIL) is set to
bring Tiffany & Company to India,
as RIL‑arm Reliance Brands and
Tif fany have announced a joint
venture to open stores of the US‑
based luxury jeweler in the coun‑
try. Tif fany in a statement said
that it wants to open stores in
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
The Bank of Baroda Building that is now accessible
thanks to the efforts of VOSAP
articulate Youth Ambassador.
According to WHOʼs statistics,
15% of the worldʼs population suf‑
fers from some disability but
Indiaʼs figures are dubious due to
social stigma, lack of benefits and
its vague definition. Some estimates
put the number at seven crores.
Additionally, special facilities are
scarce to non‑existent.
However, this seems to be chang‑
ing. When the Modi government
came to power in 2014, Desai met
the Prime Minister in a one‑on‑one
meeting to work on a comprehen‑
sive new law for people with dis‑
abilities. When the proposals were
presented to Modi after 2 years, it
was approved by him in six hours,
passed through both the Houses of
Parliament and went to the
President for his signature all “with‑
in 30 days.” The law provides for
greater awareness of disability,
revised building codes, 4% reserva‑
Delhi in the second half of the
financial year 2019‑20, and in
Mumbai during the second half of
the next fiscal.
Commenting on the partnership,
Tiffany's Executive Vice President
of Sales, Philippe Galtie, said: "As a
global luxury jeweler with stores
in many of the world's most impor‑
tion for public sector jobs, insur‑
ance and reimbursed training. Desai
is also an advisor to the Department
of Empowerment of People with
Disability in the Ministry of Social
Justice and Empowerment,
Government of India.
Desai has also created an App
(VOSAP) which allows volunteers to
photograph a buildingʼs accessibili‑
ty. The App updates this informa‑
tion using GPS and helps people in
wheelchairs find places they can
visit based on accessibility ratings
and comments.
A motivational speaker, Desai
wants to use his voice for the
Specially Abled in every part of the
world. Be the change‑maker in your
community, he urges, be compas‑
sionate and most importantly, be
accepting of those with disabilities.
To learn more about the organiza‑
tion, download the App or visit
www.voiceofsap.org.
tant cities, Tiffany's emergence in
the Indian commerce centers with
their growing luxury consumer
presents a unique opportunity."
Tiffany & Co, which was founded
in 1837 by Charles Lewis Tiffany
in New York City, has over 320
stores in more than 25 countries
across the world.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info ENVIORNMENT Aug 31-Sep 6, 2019 27

Fires in Amazon rainforest rage at record rate

Brasilia: The Amazon rainforest in
Brazil is experiencing a record
amount of fires this year ‑‑ more
than 74,000 outbreaks so far ‑‑
which is an 84 per cent increase
from the same period in 2018,
according to data from the coun‑
try's space agency.
The National Institute for Space
Research (IPNE) said it detected
more than 74,000 fires between
January 1 and August 20 ‑‑ the
highest number since records
began in 2013. According to the
agency, it observed more than
9,500 forest fires since last
Thursday, mostly in the Amazon
region.
The head of Brazil's space
agency was fired in July after
President Jair Bolsonaro disputed
the official deforestation data from
satellites.
Greenpeace said that the wild‑
fires were so intense that smoke
loomed over the city of Sao Paulo,
more than a thousand miles away.
declared an emergency over the
fires. The hashtags
#PrayforAmazonas and
#AmazonRainforest were trending
on Twitter on Wednesday.
US space agency NASA said:
"Although it is not unusual to see
fires in Brazil at this time of year
due to high temperatures and low
humidity it seems this year the
number of fires may be record set‑
ting."
NASA satellite images showed
that the wildfires in the Brazilian
rainforest are creating cross coun‑
try smoke.
The largest rainforest in the
world, the Amazon is a vital carbon
French President Emmanuel Macron store that slows down the pace of
global warming. It is also home to
has called Amazon fires an about three million species of
international crisis and wanted to plants and animals, and one mil‑
lion indigenous people.
put it on G7 Summit agenda. Environmental activists blamed
President Bolsonaro for the cur‑
The satellite images showed Roraima, covered in dark smoke, rent situation, saying he encour‑
Brazil's most northern state, while neighboring Amazonas state aged loggers and farmers to clear
the land. Scientists say the rainfor‑
est has suffered losses at an accel‑
erated rate since he took office in
January.
Bolsonaro, however, brushed off
the latest data. He instead accused
environmental groups of setting
fires in the Amazon in a bid to
deflect growing international criti‑
cism of his failure to protect the
world's biggest rainforest.
French President Emmanuel
Macron is calling on world leaders
to place the massive fires destroy‑
ing Brazil's Amazon rainforest at
the top of their agenda as they
gather in France for the G7 sum‑
mit.
"Our house is burning. Literally.
The Amazon rain forest – the lungs
which produces 20% of our plan‑
et's oxygen – is on fire," Macron
wrote in a tweet Thursday. "It is an
international crisis. Members of
the G7 Summit, let's discuss this
emergency first order in two
days!"

IMMIGRATION
By Michael Phulwani,
Esq. and Dev B.
Viswanath, Esq. I‑751, Waiver of Joint Filing for
I Abuse or Cruel Treatment
f an individual received a
green card based on their mar‑
riage to a U.S. citizen which
occurred less than 2 years after to USCIS or any other government medical personnel would be to show abuse and/or cruel treat‑
their marriage, they will receive a
“conditional” green card that is
only valid for two years. Within
VISA agency;
t Threatening to refuse to
jointly file Form I‑751 with the
important to provide USCIS with.
After the whole I‑751 packet is
filed, the conditional permanent
ment they will send a request for
evidence, which must be timely
answered. Once USCIS reviews

90 days of the two‑year expira‑
tion, the green card holder and
their spouse would jointly file
Form I‑751, Petition to Remove
the Conditions of Residence. If the
conditions on their green card are
not removed, then the green card
and their status and right to stay
in the U.S. will terminate at the
end of two years. There are a few
circumstances where a spouse
may not have to jointly file Form
I‑751, such as if they have been
abused or treated cruelly by their
U.S. citizen spouse and itʼs no
longer safe or feasible for joint fil‑
ing. Therefore, a waiver of joint
filing must be requested based on
that abuse and cruel treatment.
When applying for a waiver of
the joint filing requirement based
on abuse or cruel treatment the
applicant must provide USCIS
TALK
with evidence showing that they
there were abused or treated cru‑
elly by their U.S. citizen spouse.
USCIS defines battery as physical
violence committed against a con‑
ditional permanent resident by
their spouse. Some examples of
physical abuse include punching,
slapping, forced sex, and any
other infliction of bodily harm.
Extreme cruelty is defined as non‑
violent abuse that a U.S. spouse
purposely caused on the condi‑
tional permanent resident in
order to control or embarrass
them. Some examples of extreme
cruelty are:
t Threatening to report the
conditional permanent resident
conditional permanent resident;
t Threatening to divorce the
conditional permanent resident,
especially if it is not accepted in
their culture or religion;
t Withholding money or food
from the conditional permanent
resident as punishment;
t Name calling and harsh
insults, in public or private; or
t Not allowing the conditional
permanent resident to contact
their family or friends.
The conditional permanent resi‑
dent will need to provide USCIS
with evidence showing specific
instances of their spouseʼs abu‑
sive actions and how these
actions hurt or controlled their
life. If the conditional permanent
resident was physically abused,
official reports from police and
resident will receive a receipt the whole I‑751 packet it will
notice. The conditional perma‑ determine if the conditional per‑
nent resident is allowed to contin‑ manent resident qualifies for a
ue to live and work in the U.S. waiver of joint filing and send a
while their case is being letter to the applicant with their
processed. decision or, schedule them for an
If USCIS needs more evidence interview.
Dev Banad Viswanath is the Principal
Attorney of The Banad Law Offices PC
in the United States,
and Banad Immigration in India for which
Attorney Michael Phulwani is also affiliated
as Of Counsel. With Offices in Manhattan,
Queens, Bangalore, and Mumbai, the firm is
able to assist clients with all facets of the
immigration process, including
Employment Visas, Consular Visa Assistance,
Student Visas, Removal & Deportation, US
Citizenship and Green Card Applications
based on Family or Employment. Dev B.
Viswanath can be reached at
Dev@Banadlaw.com and 718‑361‑5999.
 28 Aug 31-Sept 6, 2019
The US must take Greenland by force!
By Dana Milbank
I
n the Trump era, no moment of tranquility can be taken for
granted. I went to the beach for what I thought would be a
quiet August break. I returned to find President Trump
plotting to annex Greenland.
On Sunday, Trump confirmed that he would be interested in
buying the territory from Denmark and that “weʼll talk to
them” about it. “Essentially, itʼs a large real estate deal,” Trump
explained, reasoning that Denmark might be willing to part
with the huge landmass because “they carry it at a great loss.”
The great Danes reacted indignantly. “Greenland is not for
sale,” Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen proclaimed on a
defensive visit to the island Sunday, calling the idea “an
absurd discussion” and saying “I strongly hope that this is not
meant seriously.”
Fighting words! There is only one proper response to such
intransigence: The United States must take Greenland by
force. Greenland has no regular military, so we should be able
to occupy every Nuuk and cranny of the place without much
struggle. Itʼs possible, of course, that this attack on Danish ter‑
ritory would prompt a response by NATO under the allianceʼs
mutual‑defense pact, but Trump has already defanged that
alliance. Sen. Ted Cruz, R‑Texas, foresaw such a moment, say‑
ing in 2016 during the GOP presidential nominating battle
that “weʼre liable to wake up one morning and Donald, if he
were president, would have nuked Denmark.”
Trump has demonstrated little familiarity with the kingdom
̶ his White House once spelled it “Denmakr” ̶ which is why
I speculated that he might bumble into a misplaced (and mis‑
spelled) assault on that country (“You may be shoked by my
military attak on the Kingdom of Denmakr ...”). After that pre‑
diction, an anxious man in Copenhagen emailed me with a
plea that I cease giving Trump such ideas.
BEST
RATE
FOR
INDIA
AND
PAKISTAN
New York Head Quarter
422‑S Broadway
HICKSVILLE
NY 11801
516‑827‑1010
HUMOR
But a U.S. attack on Greenland would meet the definition of
a just war. It would be an act of self‑defense against a violent
people: Erik the Red, who founded the first European settle‑
ment in Greenland, was exiled from Iceland for his murderous
ways. Besides, Greenland attacked us first. It was 1,019 years
ago, give or take ̶ and they still celebrate it: In the town of
Qassiarsuk, according to the website VisitGreenland.com,
stands a bronze statue of Leif Eriksson ̶ one of Erik the Redʼs
sons ̶ on the site from which the Viking departed to invade
North American shores.
Greenland hit us again, in 1912: It is well established that
the iceberg that sank the Titanic originated in Greenland.
Furthermore, the island resumed its incursions in recent
Laughter is the Best Medicine
Mahendra Shah is an architect by education, entrepreneur by profession,
artist and humorist, cartoonist and writer by hobby. He has been recording
the plight of the immigrant Indians for the past many years in his
cartoons. Hailing from Gujarat, he lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
years, flooding our shores with rising water from its melting
ice sheet.
Some might wonder what Trump sees in an ice‑covered
island that has zero percent arable land, lacks major roads
and has more vowels than people.
Its national anthem is “Nunarput utoqqarsuanngoravit,”
translated as, “Our Country, Whoʼs Become So Old.”
The answer, as usual, is to be found in Trumpʼs TV‑viewing
habit. I suspect that, during his recent Executive Time, he
watched the James Bond film “Quantum of Solace,” in which
the villains conquer a country by monopolizing the fresh‑
water supply. Greenlandʼs ice, with enough water to fill the
Great Lakes 115 times, is the worldʼs second‑largest supply of
fresh water.
If Trumpʼs Greenland move was indeed inspired by his
screen time, it would be consistent with his pattern, from
claiming women were being smuggled across the southern
border with “duct tape on their faces,” which figured promi‑
nently in the Benicio del Toro film, “Sicario: Day of the
Soldado,” to many of Trumpʼs policy pronouncements origi‑
nating from Fox News segments.
But this latest example of life imitating Trumpʼs TV screen
isnʼt necessarily to be discouraged. The worldʼs largest island,
Greenland is three times the size of Texas and almost 50%
larger than Alaska. Such a vast territory would surely gain
statehood before long, and representation in the House and
Senate. And thereʼs little mystery about which way
Greenlandʼs representatives in Congress would tilt: Its two
biggest political parties are both varieties of socialists.
Trump likes to warn that Democrats want a “socialist
takeover.” But by annexing Greenland, heʼd be the one bring‑
ing genuine socialists to these shores.
Even Erik the Red couldnʼt achieve that.
(Courtesy: The Washington Post)
By Mahendra Shah
TheSouthAsianTimes.info ASTROLOGY Aug 31-Sep 6, 2019 29

Chandigarh, India: +91-172- 256 2832, 257 2874

By Dr Prem Kumar Sharma Delhi, India: +91-11- 2644 9898, 2648 9899
psharma@premastrologer.com; w.premastrologer.com

AUGUST 31‑SEPTEMBER 6, 2019

Aries: You will be in the mood to cele‑
brate with family and friends this week.
Improvement in finances is certain.
Finally, you have found the time for your
deserving break, travel will be favourable. A
good deal for your new property is ready to
be made. Service people, artists and those in
creative field will get several new opportuni‑
ties.Make sure you are not very busy in own
af fairs otherwise chances of people losing
interest in you are high.
Taurus: Someoneʼs timely help would
enable visualizing succeeding in love.
Your creativity will amaze people
around you besides enhancing career
prospects.You will have to be original in your
conversation because putting up an act
would take you nowhere. Planning a vaca‑
tion, keep an eye on your expenditure before
you travel. If youʼre planning a property, be
sure to consider the legal aspects.
Gemini: Investment made this week
would enhance prosperity and financial
security. Mental alertness would enable
to solve a tricky problem.Believe it or not
someone in the family is watching you closely
and considers you a role model. Travel oppor‑
tunities full of challenges are often the begin‑
ning of great enterprises. Your dream for new
house might be full filed this week.
Cancer: Arguments with children
could put some mental pressure.
However, donʼt strain yourse lf
beyond a point because certain issues are
best when left untouched. A special mes‑
sage from beloved/lover lifts spirits.Good
time for implementing new plans and ven‑
tures. It is important to delve into your
desires before you plan to travel. Reduce
your property loans otherwise you will be
in great trouble.
Leo: Evening enjoyed with family
and close relatives brings immense
pleasure. Indications of earning
financial profits through commissions, divi‑
dends or royalt ies seem to be hig h.
Promotions and monetary benefits for dedi‑
cated professionals. You need courageous
ef forts to turn love‑at‑first‑sight into a
strong romantic bond. Af fordable luxury
vacation will explore your desires.
Virgo: Love takes a new turn as you
brace yourself for wedding bells.New
job opportunities for some will be bet‑
ter than expected. With a positive outlook &
confidence, you succeed in impressing peo‑
ple around you. Itʼs great time for perfect
family vacation to an exciting destination.
You are likely to start a new construction
work in home or office later this week.
Libra: An improvement in financial
position would enable to make
important purchases. An important
development at personal front brings jubi‑
lation for entire family. The company of
love partner makes you forget about the
work. A cheerful state of mind brings men‑
tal peace. You will discover travel destina‑
tions that are unique and magical. You will
have to go out of the way to buy your
dream house.
Scorpio: All financial commitments &
transactions need to be handled care‑
fully. Love comes your way as friend‑
ship turns into romance. Travelling brings
new overseas business opportunities.Your
confidence and energy will be high this
week. Itʼs high time to visit a relatives place
otherwise relationships can be ruined. Your
plan to buy a plot, may lead to bankruptcy.
Sagittarius: You are likely to plan a
short trip w ith family.
Subordinates/co‑workers would be
very helpful this week. Donʼt forget to use
your energy to help someone in distress to
benefit both. When preparing to travel with
a family be humble and patient. Investing
internationally means you have to follow
their laws on real estate. Forcing opinion on
others is not likely to go to your way.
Capricorn: This week there will be
an uncertainty in financial matters.
You are likely to find someone with
whom you will enjoy the ecstasies of love. It
will be a beneficial week to work on things
that will improve your health. A group of
friends or your partner is looking forward
for a vacation with you. Your property
prices will boost in the coming period.
Aquarius: Colleagues and subordi‑
nates will lend a he lping hand
enabling to complete the work on
time. Help from family members would take
care of your needs. Your brilliant ideas
would help in bringing financial gains.
Attending a social event/family function
brings a romantic encounter. You are likely
to join a humanitarian group to enjoy
peace. A pleasure trip gives the much‑need‑
ed tonic to health.
Pisces: Extra caution & care seems to
be the need of the hour especially in
financial matters. Lack of communi‑
cation skills will force you to suf fer at
workplace; precautions required on this
front. An irritated mood of lover/beloved
will put some pressure on you. Mental
alertness would enable to solve a tricky
problem. You might travel for a while but
stressful trips should be avoided this week.

August 31, 2019 improve later in the year with

Influenced by number 4 and
the planet Uranus. You are
active, practical, enthusiastic,
courageous and highly philo‑
sophical person. You are a very
religious and you have great
appreciation for your culture,
traditions and rituals. You have a
commanding personality, but
you need to check your tendency
to behave impatient and stub‑
born at times.
This year new ventures and
associations would prove benefi‑
cial. The love of your life would
make few important decisions,
which might make you feel inse‑
cure and threatened. You need
to show that you are adjustable
and supportive to strengthen
your relationship. Home front
would be peaceful and family
members would extend all possi‑
ble he lp and cooperat ion.
Children will be supportive but
demanding. Wedding bells for
those seeking a matrimonial
alliance seem likely later in the
year. The months of May, August
and January will be important
and eventful.
September 1, 2019
Governed by number 1, and
the Sun, you are original, author‑
itative, dignified, determined and
a sensitive person. You are con‑
sidered an asset to your friends
and your family members take
pride in you, but you need to
check your tendency to over‑
spend and dominate at times.
This year takes you through a
lot of goo d and memorable
ANNUAL PREDICTIONS: FOR THOSE BORN IN THIS WEEK
moments. Journey to an exotic
location along with your friends
provides you with comfort and
pleasure. Elders embark on a
long pilg rimage. Fantast ic
returns from business would
enhance your living standard
and make you spend much more
on luxuries. Monetary benefits
for professionals. Servants and
subordinates may be cause of
worry and tension. Romance will
flourish and matrimonial
alliances for some. The months
of Fe bruary, May, July and
November will remain eventful.
September 2, 2019
Influenced by number 2 and
the Moon, you are highly ener‑
getic, imaginative, practical,
trustworthy and a simple per‑
son. You are a born leader and
you are known for your ability
to handle jobs, which require
immense responsibility and
courage, but you need to keep a
check on your tendency to
behave impatient and extrava‑
gant at times.
This year you need to concen‑
trate on your e f forts and
rewards will follow by them‑
selves. Matters related to prop‑
erty, partnership and new ven‑
tures will keep you busy. You
will gain importance amongst
your colleagues because of your
improved skills and aptitude.
Domestic front will be pleasant
with spouse and children filling
your life with love and affection.
Some tension and anxiety might
arise due to sudden fall in the
health of your spouse, but noth‑
ing serious. Renovation or con‑
struction activities will be car‑
ried out towards the yearend.
The month of December, March
and October will be significant.
September 3, 2019
Governed by number 3 and the
planet Jupiter, you are confident,
ambitious, independent, digni‑
fied, religious and an optimistic
person. Your ability to get things
done with perfection always
brings you recognition, but you
need to control over your ten‑
dency to behave extravagant,
dominating and fickle‑minded at
times.
Right time to take major deci‑
sions on your professional front.
New plans will conceive and
income w ill improve.
Businessmen will expand into
new and more profitable ven‑
tures. Speculation will be highly
beneficial. Overseas travel for
business as well as pleasure will
be on the cards for some of you.
Spouse and children will be sup‑
portive but highly demanding.
Minor health problems such as
backache, stif f neck or body
pains will pose problems. The
months of February, May, July
and October seem to be signifi‑
cant.
September 4, 2019
Influenced by number 4 and
the planet Uranus, you are a
responsible, methodical, friend‑
ly, systematic and a creative per‑
son. You are highly religious and
philosophical, but you need to
check your tendency to behave
jealous, stubborn and self cen‑
tered at times.
A highly productive and favor‑
able year especially for sports‑
men, artists and writers. Your
confidence and energy levels
will be high making it easier for
you to accomplish difficult tasks.
Past investments will fetch hand‑
some returns and long pending
legal disputes will settle in your
favour.
Travel will be undertaken for
business as well as pleasure. The
health of your parents or an eld‑
erly member of the family is
like ly to bring stressful
moments. T he months of
January, April and September
will be eventful.
September 5, 2019
Ruled by number 5 and the
planet Mercury, you are strong,
practical, active, business mind‑
ed and a diplomatic person. Your
handwork and sincerity is appre‑
ciated by others, but your ten‑
dency to be extravagant and
reckless attracts enormous criti‑
cism at times.
You are likely to face financial
crunch for the first couple of
months this year. New ventures
will be alluring, but you should
invest with care. Finances will
past investment racking profits.
Property related matters will
take shape around the middle of
the year. New romance for some
as others get involved into a
matrimonial wedlo ck.
Pilgrimage towards the end of
the year will provide you with
comfort and mental peace.
Those planning a trip abroad
will have a highly enjoyable trip.
The months of February, April
and October will be significant.
September 6, 2019
Ruled by number 6 and the
planet Venus, you are simple,
philosophical, cooperative, and a
talented person. You possess a
sharp memory and you are a
great admirer of literature and
intelligent conversation, but you
need to curb your tendency to
behave erratic and careless at
times.
The year ahead promises to be
a blend of both the good and the
bad. New sources of income will
come your way, but rise in
expenses will make it difficult
for you to save. Frequent and
fruitful journeys are likely to
take place bringing excellent
opportunities for developing
new t ies and re lat ionships.
Home front will be pleasant but
health of family members will be
a matter of concern and anxiety.
You are like ly to be more
inclined towards religious as
well as spiritual activities. The
months of March, June and
November will be highly event‑
ful.
 30 Aug 31-Sep 6, 2019 SPIRITUAL AWARENESS TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Winston Churchill then put his world. It takes practice. We will

hat back on, took his cane, and
walked off the stage. That was
his entire commencement
speech.
The message he gave the
audience that day was one that
applies to each of us. He knew
By Sant Rajinder Singh
that he had reached his great
Ji Maharaj stature in life despite his strug‑
not achieve our goal if we give
up. We must never give up.
Each day, we are one day clos‑
er to achieving our goal. We
should not let our failure cause
us to give up. Sir Winston
Churchill could have given up
after failing eighth grade the
first time. But he stuck with it.

P
gle in school. He knew that his He could have given up after
eople look at those who
success was not a gift but due failing eighth grade the second
are successful and mar‑
to hard work. What he was time. But he did not give up. It
vel at their talents. We
telling the graduates was that was on the third try that he
watch the all‑star basketballs
success was not a gift with finally was promoted.
players win championship titles
which one is born; success lies There is a simple technique
and talk about how gifted they
in never giving up. called Jyoti meditation, which
are. We watch great golfers win
Few people see that the bas‑ increases the ability to concen‑
one tournament after another
ketball player who wins all the trate and stay focused. To do
and think they were born with a
championships is practicing on this, select a pose that is most
special gift. We watch artists
the basketball hoop all day and convenient in which you can sit
turn out one masterpiece after
night, day after day, while oth‑ the longest. Close your eyes.
another and wish we were born
ers have to be forced by the Your eyes should be relaxed as
with such uck. We watch people
coach to even show up on time they are when you go to sleep.
who are billionaires top the
for practice. Few see how the Focus your attention into the
richest person in the world list
championship golfer is practic‑ middle of the field of darkness
and wonder at their gift at busi‑
ing hitting thousands and thou‑ lying in front of you. Your eyes
ness. Little do we realize that
sands of balls and doing tedious should be focused about ten to
anyone who has attained any‑
drills day after day, year after twelve inches in front of you in
thing in life has put in a tremen‑
year, to get to where they are. the horizontal plane. As you fix
dous amount of effort to get
Few see how many hours the your gaze, mentally repeat any
where they are.
artist put in to perfect his or her name of God with which you
In this connection, there is an
art. Few see how many business feel comfortable. As you contin‑
anecdote from the life of Sir
losses and failed attempts to ue to meditate, experience the
Winston Churchill, one of the
make money the billionaire had inner peace and bliss.
great prime ministers of
to go through before he was As you do this, you will daily
England. It took him three years
successful. Anyone who has increase your ability to stay
to pass the eighth grade
achieved anything in life has focused. By practicing this each
because he had trouble with
done so by being persistent and day, you will find an increase in
English. One can imagine how
never giving up. your patience and persever‑
much difficulty one would have
to take three years to pass a sin‑
If we wish to attain our goal in ance, which will become a habit Sir Winston Churchill, one of
the spiritual field, we must even in your endeavors in the
gle grade.
Years later he was invited by
never give up. We have a long world. Thus, you will find the great prime ministers of
way to go from where we are greater ability to persevere in
Oxford University to give the
commencement address to its
now to attain divine knowledge. any worldly or spiritual goal England took three years to
Although spiritual gifts are you have until you succeed.
students. How ironic that the
within us, closer to us than the Similarly, if we do not succeed pass the eighth grade
boy who could not pass eighth
grade was now addressing the
veins in our body, we have to
perfect the technique of finding
in meditation one day, we
should not give up and stop because he had trouble with
graduates of the most presti‑
gious university in the world.
them. Spiritual realization is so
close yet so far due to the
meditating altogether. We
should sit again the following
English. Years later he was
He arrived at the auditorium
with his usual top hat and cigar
inability of us to still our mind,
quiet our thoughts, and stay
time. If we do not succeed, we
should sit again. Day by day, we
invited by Oxford University to
and walking with his cane. He
stood at the podium. With great
focused long enough to go with‑
in. We are hindered by the mil‑
will find that we will begin to
improve, until finally we will
give the commencement
pomp he set down the cane,
took off his top hat, and set it
lions of distractions in the
world that keep pulling our
achieve success.
In meditation, improvement is
address to its students. How
on the lectern. He gazed out at
the waiting audience, who was
attention outside instead of let‑
ting us go within.
measured in the ability to keep
our body and mind stilled and
ironic that the boy who could
hanging on his every word. He
took the cigar out of his mouth,
Meditation provides a way to
perfect our ability to stay
to keep our gaze focused in the
field of darkness or light lying
not pass eighth grade was
and with great authority,
boomed into the microphone,
focused within to find inner in front of us. now addressing the graduates
treasures. Through meditation, We must continue to keep our
"Never give up." The audience
waited breathlessly for his next
we perfect our ability to attention focused without any of the most prestigious
increase our concentration. intervening thoughts. We
words. He paused a few seconds
and then leaned towards the
We learn patience and perse‑ should keep trying again and university in the world.
verance. These two qualities again. We should never give up.
mike again and said, "Never
give up."
help us progress spiritually Then we will find that one day This happened because
within and will help us also we will achieve our goal.
The audience was dead silent
achieve success in the outer (www.sos.org) he never gave up.
waiting for his next words. Sir
TheSouthAsianTimes.info Aug 31-Sept 6, 2019

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