The South Asian Times

e x c e l l e n c e i n j o u r n a l i s m
Vol.9 No. 46 March 18-24, 2017 80 Cents New York Edition Follow us on TheSouthAsianTimes.info

UP sweep powers Modi Trump to appeal

govt to push reforms
BJP's poll victories can trigger bolder initiatives from Modi than even
demonetization, such as those on land acquisition & labor reforms.
New Delhi: The scale of BJP victo
ry in Uttar Pradesh may embold
en the central government to
push for economic and social
reforms.
Experts say that the remaining
two years of the Modi govern
ment will see bolder initiatives
than even the politically risky
demonetization move. These may
include labor reforms, revisiting
the issue of land acquisition and
improving governance, reports
Mint newspaper.
BJP leaders say that the focus
will now be on compliance and
improving the ease of doing busi
ness. Also, a far more aggressive
campaign against illegal wealth is
Continued on page 4
Modi proposes Advani
court stay on
revised travel ban
At a rally in
Nashville,
Tennessee,
President
Trump called
court block a
judicial
overreach.
After bringing BJP back to power in the most
consequential Indian state, PM Narendra Modis Washington: President Donald authority to impose a 90day ban
path to a second term in 2019 has become easier. Trump's administration will appeal on the issuance of visas to people
(Inset) Manoj Sinha, 3time MP and Minister rulings by two federal judges who from six Muslimmajority coun
of State for Railways, is the next Chief Minister of UP the
blocked his second attempt to tries...and halt the US refugee pro
announcement will be made after MLAs meet in Lucknow on Saturday.
institute a travel ban, media gram for 120 days, Efe news
reports said. reported. "The danger (of terror
"We intend to appeal the flawed ists entering the US) is real. And

as next President of
Seema Verma sworn in as rulings," White House spokesman
Sean Spicer said in his daily press
the law is clear," said the White
House spokesman.

India: Report US healthcare agency head briefing on Thursday, referring to

Senior BJP
leader LK
Advani
New Delhi: Senior BJP leader LK
Advani may become the next
President of India, according to Zee
News sources. Prime Minister
Narendra Modi himself put forward
Advani's name during a meeting in
Gujarat's Somnath. In this meeting,
BJP chief Amit Shah, Keshubhai
Patel and Advani were also present.
Reportedly, PM Modi says that
President post will be a 'guru
Continued on page 4
Washington: IndianAmerican
Seema Verma is now heading of a
key healthcare agency in the
Donald Trump administration.
She was sworn in on Tuesday
by US Vice President Mike Pence
as administrator of the Centers
for Medicare and Medicaid
Services, part of the Department
of Health and Human Services.
The $1 trillion agency oversees
health insurance programs for
everyone from nursing home res
idents to newborns.
President Trump has chosen
one of the leading experts in
America on statebased health
care solutions to lead this impor
tant agency, Vice President
Pence said at the swearingin at
the White House.
Vice President Mike Pence
applauds as Seema Verma,
Administrator of the Centers for
Medicare and Medicaid
Services, is sworn in on
March 14. (Photo courtesy: AP)
The President has asked you
to bring your expertise to DC,
Mr. Pence said, adding, Were
confident that youll help restore
healthcare decision making to
the states, and in the process
Continued on page 4
temporary stays issued by federal
He added that the Trump admin
istration was exploring all avail
judges in Hawaii and Maryland. able options to vigorously defend
Spicer said Trump had the Continued on page 4
Mayor de Blasio escapes
charges in fundraising probe
New York: State and federal inves
tigations of NYC Mayor Bill de
Blasio's fundraising will not result
in criminal charges against him or
others acting on his behalf, prose
cutors said Wednesday as they
eliminated an electionyear obsta
cle for the mayor, AP reported.
Manhattan District Attorney
Cyrus Vance said the facts were
insufficient to successfully argue a
provable violation of state election
laws, in part because the parties
NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio faces
Continued on page 4 reelection in November.

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TheSouthAsianTimes.info TRISTATE COMMUNITY March 18-24, 2017 3

Community voices against hate crimes

The killing in Kansas of Srinivas Kuchibhotla

Dr Kavita Gupta, running for AAPI
vice president, at the panel discussion.
Edison, NJ: A media conference was organized
at TV Asia premises here by Dr. Kavita Gupta
and Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Host, HealthTime TV,
under the auspices of AAPI East Coast on
March 11, with the theme, "Spreading the
color of love not hate" with Bollywood star
Arjun Rampal.
Dr. Kavita Gupta, a second generation NJ
physician running for AAPI vice presidents
post, said, "The recent upsurge in hate crimes
against Indian community is a serious con
cern to all. Indians living in remote areas are
especially scared. Our safety and our kids
future is at stake and this panel is geared to
find out what can be and should be done.
Film star Arjun Rampal and Dr Sanjay Gupta (middle) speaking out.
She also referred to the online petition she
has started via Change.org to pass a law in
Kansas in the name of Srinivas Kuchibhotla,
the Indian techie slain last month. Kansas
Murder was clearly a hate crime but unfortu
nately there in no hate crime law in Kansas.
Dr Sanjay Gupta revealed that many
experts, corporate sponsors and community
leaders declined to take part in this panel dis
cussion, maybe for fear of becoming targets
of hate crimes. He was also told by several
not to raise this hate crimes issue. He men
tioned how his dad who has been going for a
morning walk for 15 years was stopped for
the first time recently and asked to carry his
citizenship identity with him always.
Dr Sanjay Gupta gave an example of how
communication among the community will
help. His WhatsApp group of leading 250
physicians in US had a posting showing a per
son in New Jersey holding the sign, "No for
eigners allowed". Another physician brought
it to the attention of Governor Chris Christie.
Result: New Jersey now has a hotline for
reporting hate crimes. He suggested lobbying
for such hot lines throughout US as hate inci
dents remain underreported.
Arjun Rampal got emotional and said the
words "Get out of my country" are resonating
worldwide. Back home family members and
(seen with his wife) has raised safety
concerns among the Indian community.
friends of American immigrant families are
worried about their safety. He said, Srinivas
Kuchibhotlas work as software engineer was
helping this nation and his murder is a loss to
America and an insult to humanity. Rampal
suggested we need to educate Americans
about Indian immigrants service as physi
cians, attorneys, in IT and other professions.
Dr. Sudhir Parikh, chief of Parikh
Worldwide Media, emphasized the role of
education in reducing hate crimes and the
important role media can play. HR Shah, TV
Asia chairman, felt that the community needs
to come together and be more proactive as
this initiative of Dr. Kavita and Sanjay Gupta.

Indian growth could boost Nikki Haley walks thin line

US exports: USTR
Washington: India's economic growth
and indirect taxation reforms could sup
port more US exports to the country in
future, the US Trade Representative has
said in a new report. "India's economic
growth and development could support
significantly more US exports in the
future. India's reform of its goods and
services tax could help create a common
internal market that significantly lowers
transaction costs," the US Trade
Representative (USTR) said in its volumi
nous annual report on trade. The first
such report under the Trump administra
tion, it gives an indication of the policies
of the new US government with other
countries of the world including India.
The report indicates that the Trump
administration is optimistic of the
reforms started by India.
"India's new National Intellectual
Property Rights policy could protect US
innovations," it said. "While these reforms
are encouraging, there has also been a
general trend of tariff increases in India,
which reflects an active pursuit of import
substitution policies," USTR said, adding
that in 2017, the US will press India to
make meaningful progress in relation to
these ambitious goals. Among other
actions, the report said, USTR will follow
through with work plans agreed to during
the October 2016 USIndia Trade Policy
Forum (TPF), which will include conven
ing digital video conferences and inper
son meetings on intellectual property
rights, promoting investment in manufac
turing, agriculture, and trade in goods and
services. Taking note of the balance of
trade in favor of India, the report refers to
the multifold increase in bilateral trade
between the two countries. India is cur
rently Americas 9th largest goods trad
ing partner with $67.7 billion in total
(two way) goods trade during 2016.
Former US President Barack Obama and
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had set
the target of $ 500 billion.
supporting Trump
New York: "It's not a Muslim ban. I he has allowed me to do is when I
will never support a Muslim ban. I see something wrong, I call them
don't think we should ever ban out on it. I will always do that, she
anyone based on their religion, promised, later adding, He's not
said Nikki Haley in her first inter once told me, Go and be nice to
view since taking over US Russia. He's letting me do my job.
Ambassador at UN. Speaking on Haley said she doesnt have major
Wednesday with TODAYs Matt concerns over the fact that Trumps
Lauer, Indian American Haley said proposed budget includes dramatic
that she does not believe the presi US ambassador to UN, funding cuts for the State
dent's order discriminates or has Nikki Haley Department, which could af fect
anything to do with religion. "He's saying let's money for what she needs to do at the United
temporarily pause, and you prove to me that the Nations. She said the cuts will force her to work
vetting is okay, that I can trust these people com with the U.N. secretary general on the efficien
ing through for the American people," she said. cies that are needed in peacekeeping reform,
Haley also wants Trump to take Russian threats which we spent a ton of money on. She also plans
seriously". We cannot trust Russia. We should to make other nations step up to the plate. On
never trust Russia," she said. Trumps wiretapping claims, Haley said, "He is
But Haley said she has no concerns about the our president, Matt. And so I want him to be suc
relationship between Trump and the Russians, cessful. When these tweets come out, I mean, do I
particularly Vladimir Putin. I think he's very look at 'em and say, 'Okay, where did that come
open minded about working with everyone. He from?' Yes. But I don't pick up the phone and say
doesn't want to cut anyone off, she said. What what are you doing. I just know that's who he is."
 4 March 18-24, 2017 TURN PAGE TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Trump to appeal court
stay on revised travel ban
Continued from page 1
the revised executive order.
Trump's original travel ban sus
pended US entry for all refugees
as well as travelers from a group
of Muslimmajority countries:
Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan,
Syria and Yemen.
Imposed on January 27, the
travel ban also was blocked by a
Community leaders and BJP supporters at the event. federal judge. Among the alter
ations made in the revised order
the high burden of proof, the clar
ity of existing law, any recent
changes in the law, and the partic
ular difficulty in proving criminal
intent in corruption schemes
where there is no evidence of per
sonal profit," he wrote.
Kim said it was rare for his
office to issue a public statement
about the status of an investiga
tion but believed it appropriate
"in order not to unduly influence
the upcoming campaign and
mayor election." The next may
ruption, said BJP spokesperson
Nalin Kohli.
These reforms may involve
efforts to amend contract labor
laws and the Factories Act, allow
ing freer mobility of labor and
incentivizing greater participation
of women in the work force.
Seema Verma sworn in as
US healthcare agency
head
Continued from page 1
help make the best healthcare

BJPs grand victory were the removal of Iraq from the

list of targeted nations and an
celebrated on Long Island exemption for lawful permanent
residents and travelers who
obtained US visas ahead of the
oral election is in November. system in the world even better.
Today, our healthcare stands at
UP sweep powers Modi
a crossroads, and we have no
govt to push reforms choice but to reform it, she said.
Continued from page 1 The Senate confirmed her nomi

I
ndian American community in
New York celebrated a victory
of BJP in UP, Utrakhand and
other states. Community leaders of
various organizations joined in
congratulating PM Modi for the
election results. "Modi magic has
worked again. It is the propoor
and profarmer policies of the
Prime Minister which has resulted
in BJPs historic victory in Uttar
Pradesh," said Jagdish Sewhani,
president of American India Public
Af fairs Committee, at the Long
Island event. "T his is also an
endorsement of the demonetiza
tion policy of the Prime Minister.
This shows people have full faith in
him," he added. Dr Shashi Shah,
president AIA, Gobind Munjal,
Nagendra Gupta , Ravi Bhooplapur
also spoke at the function.
January 27 announcement.
The revised order also does not
indefinitely bar Syrian refugees
from entering the US.
The federal judges who issued
the latest stays found that
Trump's order did not offer solid
evidence of a terrorist threat and
was unconstitutional because it
discriminated against people on
the basis of their religion.
expected, with focus on the imple
mentation of the new benami law
in property transactions.
The win in UP enhances the
willingness and the ability of the
government to push reforms.
Willingness, because the results
have made it clear that the people
are receptive to signals even if
they hurt initially. And ability,
because in terms of required num
bers in the Rajya Sabha, BJP will
nation on Monday by a vote of
5543, largely along party lines.
Ms. Verma is taking over the
agency as a Republican health
care bill moving through the
House has reopened the debate
over the governments role in
healthcare.
Ms. Verma is an Indiana health
care consultant and protg of
Mr. Pence, who is a former
Indiana governor.

Foreign students Mayor de Blasio escapes

considering leaving US
New York: A second travel ban by
President Trump on has prompted
foreign students and researchers,
including those from India, to look
elsewhere for educational, train
ing and job opportunities, accord
ing to a report.
This revised executive order was
again halted, on Wednesday, by a
federal judge in Hawaii citing that
the order was meant to discrimi
nate against Muslims, the wash
ingtonpost.com reported.
Meanwhile, the Trump adminis
tration has also ordered suspen
sion of expedited processing of H
1B visas for up to six months. As a
result, students from the 6 listed
countries in the second travel ban,
as well as those from India, are
seriously considering leaving the
US for their education and career,
to countries that have a more wel
coming immigration policy, said
the report published in the
Chemical & Engineering News
(C&EN) the weekly news
magazine of the American
Chemical Society. "I'm questioning
staying in America, and I have
already started looking through
documents for Canada. I will go to
a country where I have to worry
less about my life," Saghi
Saghazadeh, an Iranian postdoc
toral student at Harvard Medical
School was quoted as saying to
C&EN.
charges in fundraising
probe
Continued from page 1
relied on the advice of attorneys.
But he said the actions appear to
be "contrary to the intent and
spirit of the law."
Acting US Attorney Joon H. Kim
said a "thorough investigation"
was conducted into complaints
about circumstances in which de
Blasio and others solicited dona
tions from individuals who sought
official favors from the city. The
investigation looked into allega
tions of misconduct by and on
behalf of the Democratic mayor
for his 2013 election campaign
and the 2014 state Senate effort.
"In considering whether to
charge individuals with serious
public corruption crimes, we take
into account, among other things,
make headway. It will take time
but they will reach there. These
two combined will lead to aggres
sive economic reforms, said D.K.
Joshi, chief economist at Crisil
Ltd.
There is a need for education
and health reforms followed by
reforms on land and labor, for
which bold public policy meas
ures are required. There is also a
need for administrative and legal
reforms, said N.R. Bhanumurthy,
a professor at the National
Institute of Public Finance and
Policy.
The mammoth victory pulled
off by the BJP in Uttar Pradesh is
seen by some as an endorsement
of the demonetization drive.
It (BJPs win) reconfirms that
the politics of development and
positive change got accepted over
the politics of arithmetic and dis
AAPI, which represents more
than 60,000 physicians, wel
comed Ms. Vermas appointment.
Ajay Lodha, President of AAPI,
lauded Ms. Vermas accomplish
ments in Indiana, and said he
hoped that the problems faced by
patients under the Medicare drug
plan would be resolved under her
leadership.
Modi proposes Advani as
next President of India:
Report
Continued from page 1
dakshina' for his mentor, BJP vet
eran Advani.
After BJP's massive win in UP
assembly election, the party is
expected to easily get the next
President of India of its choice.
Presidential election will held in
July this year after Pranab
Mukherjees term get over.

Jaipur (India) Bureau IANS Newswire Services

Prakash Bhandari IANS Washington Bureau
Prakash@TheSouthAsianTimes.info Arun Kumar
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TheSouthAsianTimes.info TRISTATE COMMUNITY March 18-24, 2017 5

Indian American teen scientist wins

Regeneron $250,000 prize
Washington, DC: So ciety for
Science & the Public and
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
announced that Indrani Das, 17, of
Oradell, New Jersey, won the top
award in the Regeneron Science
Talent Search, the nation's oldest
and most prestigious science and
math competition. Forty finalists,
including Indrani, were honored at
the annual Regeneron Science
Talent Search Awards Gala for
their research projects demon
strating exceptional scientific and
mathematical ability, taking home
more than $1.8 million in awards
provided by Regeneron.
Indrani won the top award of
$250,000 for her study of a possi
ble approach to treating the death
of neurons due to brain injury or
neurodegenerative disease. A con
tributor to neuron death is
astrog liosis, a condit ion that
occurs when cells called astrocytes
react to injury by growing, divid
ing and reducing their uptake of
glutamate, which in excess is toxic
to neurons. In a laboratory model,
she showed that exosomes isolated
study 3D interact ions of the
human genome in cancer.
Vrinda Madan, 17, of Orlando,
Florida, received a $50,000 award
for her study of 24 potential com
pounds for the treatment of malar
ia, in which she found two poten
tial candidates that appear to tar
get the diseasecausing organism
Archana Verma of Jericho, NY
in a novel way and may warrant
won fifth place award of $90,000.
further study.
developed an algorithm that great Of more than 1,700 high school
ly acce lerated the process by seniors who entered the
reducing the time required to gen Regeneron Science Talent Search
Indrani Das, 17, of Oradell, New Jersey, wins top prize and $250,000 in
erate these graphs. Arjun is an 2017, roughly 300 were named
Regeneron Science Talent Search, nations oldest and most prestigious
awardw inning de bater and scholars in January. Of those schol
High School Science and Mathematics competition. Also pictured are
accomplished tennis player and ars, 40 students were named final
Aaron Yeiser (left), 18, of Pennsylvania, who won 2nd Place and
coach, and also volunteers at a ists and invited to Washington,
$175,000, and Arjun Ramani (right), 18, of Indiana, who won 3rd Place
local science museum. D.C. to compete for the top 10
and $150,000. (Photo : Society for Science & the Public/Chris Ayers)
Archana Verma, 17, of Jericho, awards, meet with national leaders
from astrocytes transfected with Lafayette, Indiana won the third NY bagged the fifth place award of and share their projects with the
microRNA124a both improved place honors and $150,000, for $90,000 for her study of the public at the National Geographic
astrocyte uptake of glutamate and blending the mathematical field of molecular orbital energy dynamics Society. These students join the
increased neuron survival. Indrani graph theory with computer pro of dyes, which may someday result ranks of other Science Talent
mentors younger researchers and gramming to answer questions in windows that produce solar Search alumni who have gone on
tutors math in addition to playing about networks. Typically, these energy. to receive more than 100 of the
the piccolo trumpet in a fourper questions require statistical com Prathik Naidu, 18, of Potomac world's most esteemed science and
son jazz ensemble. parisons to hundreds or thousands Falls, Virginia, received a $70,000 math honors, including the Nobel
Another Indian American teen of random graphs, a process that award for his creation of a new Prize and the National Medal of
Arjun Ramani, 18, of West can take a relatively long time. He machine learning software to Science.

IndianAmerican group launches

campaign against hate crimes
Washington, DC: Chicagobased Indian
American Public Affairs Committee (IAPAC)
has launched a campaign across the US to
spread awareness about hate crimes against
the community. The committee plans to
organize a series of grassroot events and
town halls across the country, American
Bazaar Online reported on Tuesday.
"There is a need to bring understanding
about the people of IndianAmerican and
represent their interests," Ashwani Dhall,
one of the founding members of IAPAC, said
in a statement.
The committee plans to highlight how
IndianAmericans have been an intrinsic
part of the American fabric and will also ask
dif ferent state governments and cities to
announce IndianAmerican awareness
month. "By bringing together elected of fi
cials, local and business leaders and the
media, the aim is to assure IndianAmerican
community that incidents like the hate
crime in Kansas City are not tolerated or
repeated," the statement read.
IAPAC will also organize events in San
Francisco Bay Area, New York, New Jersey,
Chicago, Dallas and Seattle as part of the
campaign. It wants to ensure that correct
information, not rumors, on existing policies
is disseminated to people, according to the
statement.
"It was heartening to hear [President]
Trump denounce the Kansas City incident
right at the start of his address to the
Congress," IAPAC president Vinesh Virani
said. "We have hope that the current admin
istration will work to bring everyone togeth
er," he added. (IANS)

Preet Bharara gets resounding

farewell from staff, colleagues
New York: Indianborn former top US prosecutor Preet Bharara got a resounding farewell
from his staff and colleagues here as he left his office after being fired by the Trump
administration. Staf f and colleagues lined up on the stairs outside the
Southern District of New York (SDNY) of fice in lower Manhattan to bid
farewell to Bharara, according to a CNBC Now video. The video, which was
posted on Twitter on March 13, shows the SDNY staf f cheering and
applauding as Bharara walks out of the building for a final time.
Bharara makes his way down the stairs, greeting his employees and col
leagues lined up on both sides behind a barricade. Exchanging pleasantries, he stops to
shake the hands of his staff and colleagues, giving them hugs and pats on the shoulder.
As reporters on the scene tried to question him on his firing, Bharara says, "this is the
best prosecutor's office you'll ever see" and walks away.
6 March 18-24, 2017
HarvardColumbia researchers
nd yoga can reduce depression
olumbia and Harvard researchers
C find yoga and controlled breathing
reduce depressive symptoms, ac
cording to The Journal of Alternative and
Complementary Medicine which has pub
lished this study on March 1.
This randomized controlled dosing study
Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder
with Iyengar Yoga and Coherent Breathing
claims to provide evidence that participa
tion in an intervention composed of Iyen
gar yoga and coherent breathing is associ
ated with a significant reduction in depres
sive symptoms for individuals with major
depressive disorder (MDD). It also included
researchers from Boston University, Boston
Medical, McLean Hospital, ENRM Veterans
Hospital, New York Medical, Biostatistical
Solutions, and Massachusetts General Hos
pital. This published article states that dur
ing this 12week intervention of yoga plus
coherent breathing, depressive symptoms
Dr Uzma Syed announces
candidacy for Syosset School
District Board
longstanding alumna
A and resident of Syosset
School District, Dr. Uzma
Syed has announced her candi
dacy for Syosset School District
Board of Education as she
promises to bring early child
hood education for 4 year olds
and High School Apprentice
ship to bridge classroom to real
world experiences for the
School District. Dr. Syed attend
ed Medical School at the Uni
versity of New England in Bid
deford, Maine. She completed
her training in Internal Medi
cine and Infectious Diseases at Winthrop
University Hospital in Mineola, NY. Cur
rently she is a partner at South Shore In
fectious Diseases and Travel Medicine Con
sultants in West Islip and Syosset.
Dr. Syed feels strongly about the com
munity in which she grew up and is now
raising her two kids. "Like many of you, I
am a parent, a property owner and a tax
payer of Syosset. I want to be the voice of
our community, and make sure that Syos
set remains a pioneer in education, tech
TRISTATE COMMUNITY
IN BRIEF
declined significantly in patients with MDD.
This study supports the use of an Iyengar
yoga and coherent breathing intervention
as a treatment to alleviate depressive
symptoms in MDD.
This article points out that MDD is com
mon, recurrent, chronic, and disabling. De
pression is globally responsible for more
years lost to disability than any other dis
ease. Up to 50% of individuals treated with
antidepressant medications for MDD do
not achieve full remission. Yogabased ther
apies offer promise.
According to US National Institutes of
Health, yoga may help one to feel more re
laxed, be more flexible, improve posture,
breathe deeply, and get rid of stress. Ac
cording to a 2016 Yoga in America Study,
about 37 million Americans (which includ
ed many celebrities) now practice yoga;
and yoga is strongly correlated with having
a positive self image.
Dr Uzma Syed
nology, sports, arts, and in all aspects of
our district. I have great aspirations for
bringing positive change to all age groups
in our district", she said.
The Syosset Central School District is a K
12 district that serves all of Syosset and
Woodbury. There are 10 schools and
6,636 enrolled students in the District. The
School is ranked as the 16th best School
District in the nation and has bond rating
of Aa1 by Moody rating agency based on
the districts healthy financial position and
low level of debt.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
ATS, IALI celebrate Womens Day
Aishwaryaa, center, with IALI President Bina Sabapathy, right,
and office bearers of America Tamil Sangam,
merica Tamil Sangam in association sacrifices for equality &nationbuilding. She
A with Indian Association of Long Is
land (IALI) celebrated International
Day of the Women in Queens on Sunday. UN
presented a proclamation issued by Ed
Mangano, Executive of Nassau County to
Aishwaryaa Dhanush for her stellar role as
Women Ambassador for Gender Equality, UN Women Ambassador & promoting gen
Filmmaker and author Aishwaryaa Dhanush der equality and pride of place for women in
Rajinikanth was the guest of honor. Bina the society. Dr Rajeevi Madan Raj, Long Is
Sabapathy, President of IALI, highlighted the land physician, presented Aishwaryaa with
role of women in India & their struggle & America Tamil Sangams Excellence Award.
Shilpa Shetty and Fox News TV
anchor Patricia Stark honored
very year March month is recognized
E as a women history month & celebrat
ed all across the World. On the day of
March 6, Bindu Kohli & Sexi Morrisa organ
ized a star studded Womens Empowerment
Gala inWorld Fair Marina New York. Event
was very successful and attended by more
than 300 people. Guest of the event was Bol
lywood actress and entrepreneur Shilpa
Shetty Kundra and Fox News anchor Patricia
Stark. Shilpa Shetty has recently launched
her web channel Shilpa Shetty Wellness Se
ries, which has over 4.2 million views, with
the purpose to promote healthy living. Dur (L to R): Bindu Kohli, event organizer,
ing the event Shetty and Stark were honored Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty Kundra
for their own achievements and contribution accepting citation from Dilip Chauhan,
to the society. Honor was presented by Dilip Senior Advisor of Nassau County
Chauhan, Senior Advisor of Nassau County Comptroller George Maragos, Women
Comptroller George Maragos. Empowerment Event in New York.
Over 350 IndianAmericans attend a
vigil in memory of Srinivas Kuchibhotla
bout 350 members of the Massachu this vigil. Among our donations were lights,
A setts Indian American community at
tended a vigil in memory of Srinivas
Kuchibhotla on Friday, March 10th, in the
flowers, money, and notes for the victim and
his family, said Sonali Lappin, organizer of
the event and President of the Indian Amer
Boston Common. The vigil was the first of its ican Forum for Political EducationMassa
kind in Massachusetts to honor Kuchibhotla chusetts (IAFPEMA). This is a tragedy that
& address the recent wave of hate crimes transcends religion, ethnicity, political affil
across the country. It is incredible how iation, or race and one that demands we
many people volunteered & participated in unite, and stand together in the face of hate.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info NATIONAL COMMUNITY March 18-24, 2017 7

'Suspension of H1B work visa

to hit US scientic research'
Washington, DC: The suspension of H1B
visa will slow the work done by American
research institutions that depend on for
eign students and researchers, a top sci
entic group in the US has said.
"The extended visa review process will
force promising young foreign students
to delay the start of research careers
while they wait for their visas. It will also
slow the work done by research institu
tions that depend on foreign born stu
dents and researchers," the American
Society for Cell Biology said.
The statement comes days after the US
Citizenship and Immigration Services
(USCIS) announced a sixmonthlong sus
pension of premium processing of H1B
visa petitions led on or after April 3,
2017. This suspension will eliminate the
option for expedited review of H1B visa
applications. The American Society for
Cell Biology said the recent travelrelated
actions by the Trump Administration
have created a sense of uncertainty and
unease.
"The potential of not being able to
return home after visiting countries out
side the US may force many in the scien
tic community to refrain from traveling
Would continue to engage with
Trumps ofce on H1B issue: India
New Delhi: The government on Thursday body NASSCOM in its statement recently
tried to assuage concerns of Indian pro had also said suspension of premium
fessionals over H1B visa, saying the processing is not a signicant impedi
steps taken by the US were aimed at ille ment.
in the rst place," it said.
gal immigration and it would continue to He said it has been India's view that the
Noting that the scientic process does
engage with the Donald Trump adminis presence of skilled Indian professionals
not take place in a vacuum, the society
tration on the issue. External Af fairs is positive for the US economy as well,
said it is collaborative and depends heavi
Ministry Spokesperson Gopal Baglay fur particularly when the US seeks to build a
ly on the interaction and exchange of
ther said that during the recent discus stronger economy.
ideas and information that can only take
sions of the Foreign Secretary and the There are, of course, other advantages
place facetoface at scientic meetings.
Commerce Secretary with their interlocu from the presence of Indian professionals
"It is critical for researchers, regardless
tors in the US, there was a strong recog in the US, such as, backward linkages, he
of place of birth, to share the results of
nition as well as respect for Indian skills noted.
their research with colleagues. It is also
and contribution of the Indian technolog "We have conveyed to the US side that
critical for them to learn what other
ical manpower to the US economy. H1B is a trade and business issue, an
research is being done in their area of
"Senior US ofcials have stated that ille economy issue. Our views have been
expertise," it said.
gal immigration and not H1B is their clearly conveyed to the concerned US
"The ASCB and its leadership recognize
priority. President Trump has also interlocutors," he said, adding the gov
the need to protect the nation. However,
referred to meritbased approach on the ernment believes that the plans of the US
we also recognize the importance of pre
subject," Mr Baglay said when asked Administration for the US economy pres
serving principles critical to the scientic
about the curbs on H1B, thereby, putting ent an opportunity for the two countries
process that will keep the US a scientic
the jobs of thousands of Indians at stake. to further consolidate their strong eco
leader," the American Society for Cell
He also noted that the Indian business nomic partnership. (PTI)
Biology said. (PTI)

US mustnt adopt transactional approach

in ties with India: Nisha Biswal
Washington, DC: T he new
Trump administration under
stands the importance of strong
IndoUS ties but should not adopt
any kind of "transact ional
approach" when it comes to this
re lat ionship, a top Indian
American ofcial in the previous
government has said.
"This administration, like the
past administration understands
and sees the value and the
importance of strong t ies
between the United States and
India," former Assistant
Secretary of State for South and
Central Asia Nisha Desai Biswal
told PTI.
Under the Obama
Administration, IndiaUS rela
tionship made a lot of progress,
in part icularly after Prime
Nisha Biswal
Minister Narendra Modi came to creating a clear, unequivocal and
power, she said. irreversible set of commitments
"I think we made a lot of to India in terms of our invest
progress in that direction, but ment in India's capabilities. And
there's more to be done by both by India, in creating a clear and
sides. By the United States, in longterm commitment to work
ing together on those issues," Ms
Biswal said, as she cautioned
against adopting a transactional
approach to such an important
relationship.
"A transact ional approach
would be just about what you
can acquire commercially at
what time period for, with no
real commitments on either side
to do anything more. But, the
kinds of capabilities that we're
talking about are not shortterm,
one of f capabilities. They are
actually part of comprehensive
and complex systems," she said.
"If you're going to create a sys
tem, you want to create the kind
of overall doctrine that will then
guide that system," she said in
response to a question.
However, she noted that the
structure, shape and the scope of
the relationship will depend in
many ways on how the adminis
tration itself comes together on
the contours of its foreign policy
priorities and approaches.
"That, I think is still too early to
tell because so many of the insti
tutions and the individuals that
are part of a broadbased and
comprehensive partnership," she
said.
"So many of those institutions
are still nding their footing in
the new administration. So many
of the key positions for manag
ing those ties are still vacant.
And many of the inter agency
processes and bilateral dialogues
have yet to really take shape," Ms
Biswal said.
(PTI)
 8 March 18-24, 2017 NATIONAL COMMUNITY TheSouthAsianTimes.info

IndianAmerican
questions Sean
Spicer on racism,
tweets video
Washington, DC: A woman has
posted a video of herself pointed
ly questioning White House press
secretary Sean Spicer while he
was out shopping at an Apple
store.
Shree Chauhan has identied
herself as the videos poster to
Britains Daily Mail. Shes an
IndianAmerican who was born in
New York. She put up video of the
encounter on Twitter.
In it, Chauhan asks Spicer how
it feels to work for a fascist and
what can you tell me about
Russia. Spicer smiles through the
encounter and repeatedly says
thank you. At one point, he tells
her, such a great country that
allows you to be here.
Chauhan says in a blog post
that Mr Spicers comment was
racially motivated.
Florida man tries to burn IndianAmericans
store, thinks owners are Arabs
Washington, DC: A man in Florida tried to burn
down a convenience store owned by Indian
Americans because he thought the owners were Lloyd
Muslims, ofcials said. pushed a
Richard Lloyd, 64, told police ofcials that he dumpster
wanted to "run the Arabs out of our country" so to the
he pushed a dumpster in front of the Port St store front
Lucie store on Friday and set the contents on and lit its
re, St Lucie County Sheriff Ken Mascara said contents
in a news release posted on Facebook. in hope of
burning
The re was put out quickly and didn't cause
down the
much damage since the store was closed and
building.
protected by security shutters.
According to the Sherif f, at approximately
7:40 am, deputies were called to the Met Mart
store in reference to a white male in front of East," Mr Mascara said. and booked into the St Lucie County Jail in lieu
the store acting suspicious. "It's unfortunate that Lloyd made the assump of a $30,000 bond.
"When the deputies arrived, they noticed the tion that the store owners were Arabic when, in According to CNN afliate WPEC, Lloyd told
dumpster had been rolled in front of the doors fact, they are of Indian descent," the sherif f invest ig ators he tried to buy a bottle of
and the contents were lit on re," said Sheriff said. Tropicana orange pineapple juice at the store a
Ken J Mascara. He said Lloyd's mental health will be evaluat few days ago but was told they didn't have any.
Mr Lloyd told detectives that he assumed the ed and the state attorney's ofce will decide if Lloyd told investigators he planned to burn
owner was an Arab and that angered him this was a hate crime, CNN reported on Sunday. the building because he "was doing my part for
because of "what they are doing in the Middle Lloyd was charged with rstdegree arson America," WPEC said. (IANS)

SIKH DEEP RAI TARGETED

BECAUSE OF ETHNIC
ORIGIN: POLICE
Washington, DC: An Indianorigin Sikh
man shot outside his home in
Washington state by a partiallymasked
gunman shouting "go back to your own
country" was targeted because of his
ethnic origin, authorities have said as
they announced a reward of up to
Priyanka Chopra and Jimmy Fallon celebrate Holi with a $6,000 for anyone providing a lead in
messy paint fight on The Tonight Show Monday. the case.
US national Deep Rai, 39, was working
black hoodie in addition to dark colored
clothing. The lower portion of his face
was covered with a mask.
The incident is being jointlyinvestigat
ed by the Kent Police and the Federal
Bureau of Investigation as a hate crime.
Unable to nd any lead towards the
shooter, who is still at large, the authori
ties have announced a reward of up to
$6,000 for anyone providing informa

Indian-American in running for on his vehicle outside his home in Kent

key Justice Department post
Washington, DC: A prominent Indian
American woman attorney is in the run
ning for leading the civil rights division of
the US Department of Justice, a media
report said. Harmeet Dhillon is a success
ful trial lawyer in California and the rst
woman and IndianAmerican to represent
her state in the Republican Party.
The post will be heavily scrutinized,
given the Trump administration's posi
tions on issues such as voting rights, and
because of past controversial statements
about race made by the department's
on March 3 when he was approached by
tion that could lead to his arrest.
"The Kent Police Department is con
a stranger, who rst argued with Rai, cerned about any act of violence in our
and then shot him in the arm.
"The account provided by the victim
community. The possibility of a hateful
violence underscores the need of a thor
leader, US Attorney General Jeff Sessions,
suggests that he was targeted because of ough and serious examination of the cir
reported Los Angeles Times on Thursday.
his ethnic origin," Kent Police chief Ken cumstances around this criminal inci
A series of hate crimes have also taken
Thomas told reporters yesterday, adding dent," Thomas said.
place in the weeks since President Donald
"Hateful acts are not acceptable." After the shooting the suspect depart
Trump's election. Dhillon declined to com
Nearly a week after the shooting, that ed on foot in an unknown direction, he
ment, but a source said she was inter
stoked fears among the IndianAmerican said.
viewed for the job last wee k in
community, the police released the Thomas said it's early in the investiga
Washington, D.C. Dhillon has been the
sketch of the shooter. Thomas said the tion and still trying to learn the exact
public face of the state GOP in recent
lone white shooter male was about six circumstances. "(Rai) was wearing a tur
years. The largest stage for her was at the
feet tall, medium built and between 35 ban. With the dynamics of the situation
Republican National Convention last year,
40 years of age. On the day of the shoot that occurred we do believe the victim
when she delivered an invocation by
ing, he was wearing a darkcolored or was targeted...," he said.
singing a Sikh prayer. (IANS)
TheSouthAsianTimes.info US AFFAIRS March 18-24, 2017 9

Trumpcare: 24 million Americans could lose coverage

Washington: The Republican
proposal to overhaul health care
in the US could cause as many as
24 million people to lose their
coverage over the next nine
years, the Congressional Budget
Of fice said. The study released
on Monday was highly anticipat
ed given that the CBO independ
ently evaluates the ef fects of
congressional bills, on both the
political and economic levels,
Efe news reported.
Nevertheless, the proposal to
replace the Affordable Care Act
achieves one of the key objec
tives of Republican lawmakers,
reducing the federal deficit by
$337 billion over 10 years,
according to the report. The US
deficit in 2016 amounted to
$587 billion.
"The reductions in insurance
coverage between 2018 and
2026 would stem in large part
from changes in Medicaid enrol
ment because some states
would discontinue their expan
sion of eligibility, some states
that would have expanded eligi
The Obamacare replacement bill has been crafted
by Speaker of the House Paul Ryan.
bility in the future would choose
not to do so, and perenrollee
spending in the program would
be capped," the report said. "In
2026, an estimated 52 million
people would be uninsured,
compared with 28 million who
would lack insurance that year
under current law," it added. The
report's findings constitute a
blow to the Republican leader
ship, which has long sought to
eliminate the current health care
reform pushed by exPresident
Barack Obama and replace it
with this new plan. The bills
have already been approved by
House committees and they are
expected to pass to the full
chamber in the coming days, but
Pressure mounts for
changes to healthcare bill
ouse Republican leaders are coming under pressure to
H change their ObamaCare repealandreplace bill ahead of a
possible floor vote next week. White House spokesman Sean
Spicer on Tuesday said the administration is working with House
leadership on a managers amendment that would make changes to
the legislation. Those changes, which GOP leadership of fices
declined to discuss, could be aimed at bringing conservatives on
board. Yet any changes to the bill could further alienate moderate
members who are worried about lost coverage as revealed in the
CBO report that found the bill could result in 24 million people
becoming uninsured over the next decade.
At least 13 House Republicans are against the repeal plan in its
current form, according to The Hills Whip List, with many more
undecided.
GOP leaders have little margin for error, with 21 defections likely
enough to stop the bill in its tracks.
Adding to the troubles for GOP leadership, Senate Republicans
are making clear that the legislation will have to be changed to
pass their chamber. Crucially, the changes they are proposing are
the opposite of what conservatives in the House want.
the major obstacles will come in and several conservative sena
the Senate, where the tors have expressed opposition
Republican majority is narrow to the new plan.

President to donate his Read surveillance in Trump enters children's

salary by year's end
Trumps wiretapping
tweet: White House
Washington: President Donald
Trump means general surveil
lance when tweeting his Obama
wiretapping accusation, a White
House official said.
"I think there's no question
that the Obama administration,
Washington: Donald Trump will donate his annual that there were actions about
presidential salary of $400,000 to charity by year's end, surveillance and other activities
spokesman Sean Spicer said and he even wants the that occurred in the 2016 elec of two choices: either retract or
media he often criticizes to help him choose a worth tion," Xinhua news agency quot
while cause. "The president's intention is to donate his ed White House spokesman Sean
salary at the end of the year," Spicer told reporters yes Spicer as saying at a daily press
terday at his daily briefing. "He made a pledge to the briefing on Monday.
American people." "He kindly asked that you all help "The President used the word
determine where that goes," he continued a rather w iretaps in quotes to mean,
unusual statement from a White House that has made broadly, surveillance and other
hostile confrontation with the media a neardaily occur activities," said Spicer.
rence. "The way that we can avoid scrutiny is to let the "T he House and the Senate
press corps determine where it should go," Spicer said Intelligence Committees will now
with a hint of irony, perhaps in reference to past media look into that and provide a
scrutiny of Trump's donations and the management of report back. I think there's been
his family foundation. Several times during his presiden numerous reports from a variety
tial campaign, the billionaire businessman said he did of outlets over the last couple
not plan to take a salary, save one dollar, the legal mini months that seem to indicate
mum. In the past, Herbert Hoover and John F. Kennedy that there has been dif ferent
also donated their presidential salaries to charity. types of surveillance that
educational books
Washington: Dozens of Presidential encyclopedias in the
United States aimed at children have now been updated
with a new section on Donald
Trump. Several of these
occurred during the 2016 elec
books are now available for
tion," he added.
purchase in the US.
Spicer's remarks came after
Scholastic's Rookie
mounting pressure from the
Biographies series, which tar
Capitol see king the Trump
gets first and secondgraders,
administration for evidence that
has already introduced
the phones at Trump Tower were
Trump in its latest edition.
tapped prior to the Election Day.
"Meet Donald Trump. Donald
"I think the President has one
Trump is a famous entrepreneur. He is also a television
personality. In 2015, Trump surprised many people when
to provide the information that
he decided to run for president. In November 2016, he
the American people deserve
won the election. Donald Trump became the 45th presi
because if President Obama vio
dent of the United States," reads the chapter on Trump.
lated the law, we have got a seri
Another noteworthy title out for purchase is "President
ous issue here," Chair of the
Donald Trump" by author Joanne Mattern. In a chapter on
Senate Armed Services
his presidential run, Mattern writes: "On June 16, 2016,
Committee John McCain said on
Trump announced he was running for president. He was
Sunday. On March 4, Trump
an unusual choice because he had no experience in poli
claimed in a tweet storm that
tics... Trump ran against Hillary Clinton. She had a lot
Obama had wiretapped Trump
more experience in politics... The race was close, but
Tower before his election victory,
Trump won. Many people were happy". While these
offering no evidence.
accounts present short biographical sketches of Trump,
"Terrible! Just found out that
they almost fail to capture the outrage and protests that
Obama had my 'wires tapped' in
Trump continues to face. "Donald Trump inspired his sup
Trump Tower just before the vic
porters to try something new. He promised them a better
tory. Nothing found. T his is
future. Millions of Americans are counting on him to help
McCarthyism!" Trump tweeted.
improve their lives," adds Mattern.
 10 March 18-24, 2017 US AFFAIRS TheSouthAsianTimes.info

House leaders, Jeff Sessions Intel panel launches

undercut Trumps wiretap claim
Washington: President Donald
Trumps assertion earlier this month
that he had been wiretapped by for
mer President Obama is coming back
to haunt him. Not only has the White
House failed to provide corroborating
evidence to the House Intelligence
Committee by its Monday deadline,
but his claim is now being disputed by
that committees leaders from both
parties and his own attorney gener
al.
We dont have any evidence that
that took place, said House
Intelligence Committee chairman Rep.
Devin Nunes, RCalif., during a
Wednesday press conference. And in
fact I dont believe, just in the last
week of time, the people weve talked
to, I dont think there was an actual
tap of Trump Tower.
Another Republican, Attorney
General Jeff Sessions, made it clear on
Wednesday that he had not given
President Trump any reason to believe
that Obama had wiretapped him.
Look, um, the answer is no, Sessions
said. But what happened in my case
was, that I was active in the cam
paign. He went on to argue that even
probe of Trump leaks
Washington: T he House
Intelligence Committee has
taken the first public step in
its investigation into intelli
gence community leaks
involving aides to President
Trump, pressing three agen
cies to provide information
on spying involving 2016
campaign associates.
Committee heads Devin
Nunes (RCalif.) and Adam
Schif f (DCalif.) revealed
Wednesday that they are
pressing the CIA, FBI and
NSA on aides who may have
been spied on through a
Devin Nunes (RCalif, right) and Adam Schiff (DCalif) of loophole in U.S. surveillance
House Intelligence Committee said President Trump is law and were then subse
wrong to claim wiretapping by Obama of Trump Tower. quently unmasked and
though you may have had nothing unsubstantiated claim about being exposed to the media.
whatsoever to do w ith any thing wiretapped may not lead to legal con The demand formalizes
improper, you should not investigate sequences for the president, but it Nuness promise to investi
your own campaign, so I have recused would significantly impair his credibil gate media leaks of sensi
myself and am unable to comment on ity. He may be asking the nation to tive information and his
any of these details. take action; he may be asking our recently expressed concern
Meanwhile Rep. Adam Schif f of allies to work with us. And if hes lost over backdoor surveillance
California, the ranking Democrat on his credibility, what chances does he of U.S. persons. Nunes
the House Intelligence Committee, told have of persuading people? Schif f pointed to former national
KABCTV on Monday that Trumps rhetorically asked. security advisor Michael
Flynn, who was forced to
resign last month after
leaked surveillance of his
phone calls to Russian
ambassador Sergey Kislyak
revealed that he had misled
Vice President Pence about
a discussion of U.S. sanc
tions.
We know for a fact that
incidental collect ion on
General Flynn was picked
up, Nunes told reporters.
I remain concerned that
there was additional inci
dental collection that we
are not aware of," Nunes
said. "If additional names
were unmasked, were
going to have to under
stand, were proper proce
dures followed and did offi
cial names get leaked to the
media? Nunes and Schif f
set a Friday deadline for the
information in their letter
to FBI Director James
Comey, CIA head Mike
Pompeo and NSA head
Michael Rogers.

TRUMPS BUDGET SLASHES Trump slams Pulitzerwinning

FUNDS FOR EPA, & STATE DEPT
Washington: President
Trumps budget blue
print for the coming fis
cal year would slash the
E n v i r o n m e n t a l
Protection Agency by 31
percent and cut State
Department spending by
a similar amount in a
brash upending of the
governments priorities,
according to congres
sional staf f members
familiar with the plan,
reports T he New York
Times..
The budget outline, to
be unveiled on Thursday,
is more of a broad polit ical
statement than a detailed plan
for spending and taxation. But it
represents Mr. Trumps first real
ef fort to translate his bold but
vague campaign themes into the
minutiae of governance. The
president would funnel $54 bil
lion in additional funding into
de fense prog rams, bee f up
immigration enforcement and
significantly reduce the nonde
fense federal work force to fur
ther the deconstruction of the
administrative state, in the
words of Mr. Trumps chie f
strategist, Stephen K. Bannon.
Yet for all its headlinegrabbing
bold strokes and the White
House claims that it will reset
the process of Washington poli
journo over tax returns
Washington: President Donald Prizew inning reporter who in taxes that he would otherwise
Trump has responded to the leak of claimed to have received Trumps have owed, reports said.
his 2005 tax returns, questioning tax returns in the post from an T he W hite House responded
how the journalist behind the story unknown source. without even waiting for the show
came to obtain the documents. Johnson, fired back on Twitter, to air, issuing a statement that
Does anybody really believe that saying: Gee, Donald, your White seemed to confirm the authenticity
a reporter, who nobody ever heard House confirmed my story. POTUS of the forms as it defended Trump
of, went to his mailbox and found fake Tweet. Sad! and assailed MSNBC for publicising
my tax returns? the President The President paid $38 million in them, reported the New York
tweeted on Wednesday morning. federal income tax on a reported Times.
He went on to call NBC News income of $150 million, an ef fec Johnson had said during
FAKE NEWS after their presenter tive tax rate of 25 per cent, accord Maddows overhyped Tuesday
Rachae l Maddow showed two ing to documents from Trumps night broadcast that its entirely
pages of Trumps tax returns from 2005 tax returns disclosed on possible that Donald Trump sent
2005. Rachel Maddows MSNBC show late this to me. Donald Trump has, over
Trump said nobody ever heard Tuesday. By claiming losses, Trump the years, leaked all sorts of
of David Cay Johnson, the Pulitzer apparently saved millions of dollars things.
cy making major elements of
the plan have already been
2 RUSSIAN SPIES CHARGED IN
declared dead on arrival by the
Republican leadership in
Congress, and much of the fiscal
fine print will be filled in by US FOR HACKING YAHOO
Capitol Hill lawmakers and their
Washington: US Department of reporters, employees with the finan Service (FSB) agents accused are
aides over the next month.
Justice indicted two Russian FSB cial services and of ficials of both Dmitry Dokuchaev and Igor
House appropriations subcom
spies and two hackers allegedly the US and Russian governments, Sushchin, two of ficials who were
mittees began reviewing the
hired by the Kremlin to steal the Efe news reported. McCord said tasked with investigating cyber
plan late Wednesday. Among the
personal information of some 500 that the accused also attacked the crimes, McCord said.
cuts: drastic reductions in the
million Yahoo! users in 2014, media Yahoo accounts of personnel work The 2 others are Alexsey Belan,
60yearold State Department
reports said. This is the first time ing in cybersecurity, along with one of the hackers most wanted by
Food for Peace Program, which
that the US government has pre diplomatic and military personnel. the FBI, and Karim Baratov, who
sends food to poor countries hit
sented charges regarding cyber The Yahoo! data also helped the was arrested on Tuesday in Canada.
by war or natural disasters, and
attacks against Russian officials. At accused access the internet The news about the cyberattacks
the e liminat ion of the
a press conference at the Justice accounts of the victims on other came after Yahoo! agreed in July
Department of Transportations
Department on Wednesday, acting platforms, including Goog le, 2016 to be bought by the communi
Essential Air Service program,
Assistant Attorney General Mary because the victims used the same cations giant Verizon, an operating
which subsidizes flights to rural
McCord said that the accused stole passwords for multiple accounts. totaling $4.8 billion that was called
airports.
Yahoo! data to spy on Russian T he Russian Federal Security into doubt because of the attacks.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Firing Preet wounds US greatness & sovereignty
By Ravi Batra
very president has the right to pick his
E team, and that includes his law enforce
ment team, including prosecutors and
their so important prosecutorial discretion.
Critically, that means that prosecutorial dis
cretion belongs to the president.
There are two unique features about the
United States Attorney for the Southern
District of New York. First, SDNY is fondly
referred to as the Sovereign District of New
York as it was created long before the US
Department of Justice. Second, its occupants
have become part of American folklore. To
name just a recent few, the legendary Robert
M. Morgenthau, Rudy Giuliani, MaryJo White,
James Comey, Michael Garcia, and the leg
endary Preet Bharara who seems to many to
be the reincarnation of Elliot Ness.
What is unique about Preets termination
are two things: thenpresidentelect Trump
on November 30 offered to him to remain as
his United States Attorney as part of the
Trump presidency, and Preet readily accept
ed that offer, given his pending significant
and meaningful prosecutions and investiga
tions. And because he ran his office inde
pendent from politics, so it did not matter if
the appointing president was a Democrat or
Republican. So, this belated demand for res
ignation, refusal to resign and subsequent
termination is a breach of the November 30
presidential offer and Preet's acceptance.
Which raises the troubling question of
"why?" The power of the president to fire his
US AFFAIRS
India born Preet Bharara was US Attorney
for the Southern District of New York
United States attorneys, each of whom are a
presidential appointment, is a near absolute
power. For example, if there was a pending
investigation that affected members of the
presidential cabinet, it could be an obstruc
tion of justice for the President to fire the
investigating or prosecuting prosecutor.
Given President Trump's most recent charge
of being wiretapped during the Obama presi
dency, and November 30, 2016 was during
the Obama presidency, this termination of
Preet Bharara is most disturbing, and most
unsettling as it could be cloaking an uncon
stitutional breach between the executive and
Defiant, high profile Preet Bharara fired
Washington: Preet Bharara, the highpro
file IndianAmerican federal prosecutor,
who defied the Justice Departments
request to resign, said he has been dis
missed last Saturday.
"Today, I was fired from my position as
US Attorney for the Southern District of
New York," Bharara said in a statement
released through the Justice Department.
From a jurisdiction covering Manhattan,
Bharara was often in the limelight as he
went after politicians and highflying fin
anciers.
He and 45 other federal prosecutors
or US district attorneys appointed by
former President Obama were on
Friday asked by Acting Deputy Attorney
General Dana Boente to submit their resig
nations. Unlike some of his peers, he
refused and was fired. It is customary for
judicial branches of government by quashing
pending investigations into Russian activities,
and substantial questions about potential col
lusion by US citizens on American soil, or as
the recent press reports confirmed that both
the English and the Dutch intelligence agen
cies informed US government that there are
meetings in Europe between Russian opera
tives and people claiming to speak for the
Trump campaign.
Well, now, Attorney General Jeff Sessions
will have to carry the heavy burden of reas
March 18-24, 2017 11
political appointees of a President to
resign when a new one is elected.
Bharara's jurisdiction covered the US
financial capital, earning him the nickname
of "Sheriff of Wall Street".
He prosecuted more than 100 finance
executives for criminal activities like stock
trading irregularities using insider infor
mation. They include a prominent Indian
American like Rajat Gupta.
Although a Democrat, Bharara has prose
cuted several New York politicians of his
party and the most notable among them is
Sheldon Silver, a former speaker of the
state assembly, who was sentenced to 12
years in prison for corruption. While he
was being ousted, Bharara was investigat
ing Mayor Bill de Blasio's election fundrais
ing and close aides of Governor Mario
Cuomo.
suring the American public that the depart
ment of justice meets the high standard set
by multiple occupants of the Southern
District of New York: independent investiga
tions and prosecutions without fear or favor,
and always free of political interference or
consideration. American sovereignty and
American greatness rests in the balance from
this unexpected and unkind cut that may let
wrongdoers get away from facing justice
from New York City Hall to Albany to
Washington.
 12 March 18-24, 2017 INDIA TheSouthAsianTimes.info

BJP sweeps UP, Congress wins Punjab

New Delhi: The BJP swept to an
unprecedented threefourth
majority in Uttar Pradesh and
bagged Uttarakhand too. T he
Congress returned to power in
Punjab after a 10year gap.
A euphoric Bharatiya Janata
Party called it a "historic" verdict
that would make a major impact
on Indian politics even as the
Congress admitted it was stunned
by the scale of the verdict in favor
of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
From being the third largest
group in the 403member Uttar
Pradesh assembly, the BJP, pow
ered by an aggressive campaign
spearheaded by Modi, catapulted
to winning a whopping 325 seats
a neverbefore showing by any
party in the country's most popu
lous state.
T he victory le ft the ruling
Samajwadi Party and its ally
Congress punctured with just 54
seats while the Bahujan Samaj
Party (BSP) was left a pathetic 19
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav hands over
resignation to Governor Ram Naik in Lucknow.
seats. While Samajwadi Party
leader and Chief Minister Akhilesh
Yadav promptly resigned, BSP
leader Mayawati attributed the
rout to the Electronic Vot ing
Machines (EVMs) which she said
were manipulated. "The historic
mandate given to the BJP will give
a new direction to Indian politics.
It will end the politics of caste,
dynasty (parivarvaad) and
appeasement," BJP President Amit
Shah said. T he BJP, he added,
would form governments in Uttar
Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and
Manipur. The Congress suf fered
an equally humiliating defeat in
neighboring Uttarakhand too. The
BJP ousted it from power, winning
57 of the 70 seats, some of the
victors being disg runtled
Congress veterans who had joined
the saffron outfit.
The Congress was left with just
11 legislators, with outgoing Chief
Minister Harish Rawat losing both
the seats he contested, one nar
rowly, to his BJP opponents.
"It is a monumental setback. We
are disappointed w ith Uttar
Pradesh," Congress spokesman
Sanjay Jha said. Added Congress
leader Sandeep Dikshit: "Our party
is looking confused."
But other party leaders rushed
to defend Congress Vice President
Rahul Gandhi, saying he alone
must not be blamed for the rout in
Uttar Pradesh, where the
Cong ress, having become in
recent decades an alsoran,
aligned with the Samajwadi Party
just before the staggered assem
bly election.
The Congress had plenty to cel
e brate in Punjab where it
returned to power comfortably
after a decade in the opposition,
crushing both the ruling
Shiromani Akali DalBJP combine
as well as the AAP that was confi
dent of winning in the border
state.
Led by former Chief Minister
Amarinder Singh, who turned 75,
the Congress won as many as 77
of the 117 seats, leaving the AAP
with just 20 seats but as the main
opposition in the assembly. The
Akalis and BJP had just 18 seats,
with as many as 10 ministers
worsted in the battle.
In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP's suc
cess rate enveloped both urban
and rural areas and appeared to
demolish traditional caste equa
tions. BJP candidates won in all
major cities including Lucknow,
Allahabad, Kanpur and Varanasi,
Modi's Lok Sabha constituency.

Amarinder new Punjab CM, Modi calls for a

9 ministers inducted
Chandigarh: Amarinder Singh was sworn
in as the Chief Minister of Punjab on
March 16. He was administered oath of
of fice and secrecy by Punjab Governor
V.P. Singh Badnore at an impressive cere
mony at the Punjab Raj Bhawan here.
Amarinder, a former Army captain, took
the oath in English.
This is the second time that Amarinder,
75, has become Chief Minister of the
state. He was earlier in office from 2002
to 2007.
Nine ministers, including two women,
were also inducted.
The ministers inducted included Brahm
Mohindra, Navjot Singh Sidhu, Manpreet
Badal, Charanjit Singh Channi, Rana
Gurjeet Singh, Sadhu Singh Dharamsot
and Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa.
The two women inducted are Aruna
Chaudhary and Razia Sultana. Both will
Kejriwal alleges EVM tampering
be ministers of state with independent
charge. Top Congress leaders, including
'New India' by 2022
former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
and Cong ress Vice President Rahul
Gandhi, attended the ceremony.
Prominent faces at the ceremony
included Anand Sharma, Bhupinder Singh
Hooda, Kapil Sibal, Raj Babbar, Ambika
Soni, Rajeev Shukla, Sachin Pilot, Rajya
Sabha MP Subhash Chandra, Ashok
Gehlot, Asha Kumari.
Amarinder's family members, including
his wife and former Union Minister
Preneet Kaur, were also present.
Amarinder's friend from Pakistan,
Aroosa Alam, also attended the swearing
in ceremony. The swearingin ceremony
was kept simple, as desired by Amarinder
Singh, in view of Punjab's financial health.
The Congress swept the elections with 77
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses at the BJP party office in New Delhi.
seats in the 117member assembly.
New Delhi: Observing that the results of the electoral motives, Modi called upon the peo
recent assembly polls were food for thought ple of the country to strive towards creating
for experts, Prime Minister Narendra Modi
envisioned a "New India" that looks to con
a "New India" by 2022.
"I have seen the deluge of pollcentric

helped Congress in Punjab tribute and not just to take.

A day after BJP secured a historic mandate
dreams, I envision a new India. We want
1.25 crore Indians collectively striving to
in the assembly polls, Modi undertook a vic make New India.
New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal alleged that EVMs may have been tampered
tory march from Le Meridien hotel to the "We respect and accept the work done by
with in Punjab, resulting in 2025 per cent of AAP votes getting transferred to the SADBJP
nearby party headquarters on Ashoka Road, all Prime Ministers and Chief Ministers. In
alliance and thus propping up the Congress to power.
thanking the people and party workers. 2022 when we will celebrate 75 years India,
The Aam Aadmi Party leader told the media here that there were numerous booths where his
"There are many reasons for winning an we want to have a new India. An India of the
party got only "two, three or four" votes when though the number of its own activists and fami
election but the massive voting that led to dreams of the youth, of empowered women
ly members were in dozens. He said there was widespread suspicion that "20 to 25 per cent of
this massive win has become food for and their dreams. A new India that looks to
votes polled in favour of the AAP had been transferred to the Akali DalBJP alliance" by tam
thought for political pundits," Modi said contribute and not just to take. The India
pering the Electronic Voting Machines. The Congress won the Punjab election with 38.4 per
addressing party workers. "I have been see that seeks opportunities to grow.
cent vote share, the defeated Akali DalBJP alliance got 30.5 per cent of votes while the AAP,
ing opinions of political pundits and media "We have five years and if all Indians
now the main opposition party, got only 23.5 per cent of votes.
reports. We have seen emotional issues pledge their commitment, then India can
"There was anger against the ruling AkaliBJP alliance and people were saying the AAP will
dominating elections. No party has won never lag back," he said, adding the results
sweep the polls with AkaliBJP getting only 56 per cent votes," Kejriwal said.
elections only on development agenda and of the assembly polls have boosted the coun
"But in the end, AAP got barely 25 per cent votes and the SAD got almost 31 per cent. How is
without an emotional issue. But we have try's aspirations.
it possible?"
done that," he said. He also asserted that he would seek to
AAP "volunteers and their families... are all ready to swear on affidavit that they voted for us"
Asserting that he was never bound by relieve the "most burdened" middleclass.
in areas where the party got only two to four votes, he said.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
BJP returns in Uttarakhand, gets
threefourth majority
Dehradun: The BJP stormed back to
power in Uttarakhand with a three
fourth majority by winning 57 seats
in the 70member assembly.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's
"tsunami" swept away Chief
Minister Harish Rawat who lost
from both the seats he contested:
Haridwar Rural and Kichcha.
Rawat lost to Yatiswaranand of
the BJP by 12,278 votes in
Haridwar Rural and to Rajesh
Shukla in Kichha by a slender 2,154
votes.
The ruling Congress managed to
win only 11 seats, after which
Rawat resigned.
Rawat, after Congress's rout, hint
ed at possible tampering of
Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs)
to tweak the poll outcome.
"I want to thank 'Modi Kranti'
(revolution) and EVM 'chamatkar'
(miracle)," he said.
When reporters asked if he was
hinting at tampering of EVMs, he
said he did not say anything like
this. "You know everything. I am not
Manipur gets BJP
government, Biren
Singh is CM
Imphal: Manipur got its first
BJP ministry, with BSF soldier
turnedjournalistturnedpoliti
cian N Biren Singh taking oath
as the Chief Minister.
Goveror Najma Heptullah
administered the oath of office
and secrecy to Biren Singh and
eight other ministers.
Hours after say ing there
would be no Deputy Chie f
Minister, Y Joykumar of the
National People's Party (NPP)
was given the post.
The other cabinet ministers
are T hong am Bishwajit,
Langpoklakpam Jayentakumar,
Karam Shyam, L. Haokip, L.
Kiisi, Thounaojam Shyamkumar
and L. Dikko.
Shyamkumar was originally
elected on Trinamool Congress
ticket. He backed Biren Singh in
front of the Governor.
The Bharatiya Janata Party,
the NPP, the Naga People's
Front, Trinamool Congress and
the Lok Janshakti Party are
represented in the government.
The lone independent legisla
tor, Asabuddin, was not induct
ed. Biren Singh gave no indica
tion when the next expansion
Uttarakhand CM Harish Rawat (left) hands over
his resignation to Governer KK Paul.
confusing you. I leave it to you to
understand." He added that the
Election Commission must explain
why the poll process was stretched
over such a long duration.
As the election results began to
pour in after the vote count began
at 8 am, BJP activists and support
Governor Mridula Sinha in the
The 56yearold politician is
widely admired for his friendly
disposition.
would take place.
BJP President Amit Shah and
cabinet minister M. Venkaiah
Naidu were scheduled to attend
the event. But their plane was
force to land at Agra due to
technical snags.
Former Chief Minister Okram
Ibobi Sing h was one of the
guests at the function.
INDIA
ers celebrated at the party head
quarters at Dehradun and all across
the state.
Despondent Congress leaders
admitted that they had not antici
pated such a huge defeat although
they were not confident of a victory
either. Prominent BJP winners
PARRIKAR TAKES OVER AS
GOA CM FOR FOURTH TIME
Panaji/New Delhi: BJP leader
Manohar Parrikar was sworn in
Chief Minister of Goa for the
fourth t ime. Parrikar, who
resigned as Defense Minister, was
administered the oath of office by
presence of top BJP leaders
including BJP national president
Amit Shah, Union Ministers M.
Venkaiah Naidu, Nitin Gadkari,
J.P. Nadda and several other dig
nitaries.
Nine ministers were also sworn
in during the ceremony, namely
Sudin Dhavalikar and Manohar
Azgaonkar of the Maharashtrawdi
Gomantak Party, Vijai Sardesai,
Vino d Palienkar and Jayesh
Salgaonkar of the Goa Forward,
Francis D'Souza, Pandurang
Madkaikar of the BJP and
Independent legislators Govind
Gawde and Rohan Khaunte.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi
cong ratulated Parrikar.
"Cong ratulat ions to
@manoharparrikar and his team
on being sworn in. My best wish
es in taking Goa to new heights of
progress," Modi said on Twitter.
Earlier, the Supreme Court direct
ed a floor test in the Goa
Assembly as it refused to inter
fere with the Goa Governor's deci
sion to appoint Parrikar as Chief
Minister.
Directing the floortest to deter
March 18-24, 2017
included Ritu Khanduri, Kedar
Singh, Satpal Maharaj, Bharat Singh,
Madan Kaushik, Dhan Singh Rawat
and Saurabh Bahuguna, son of for
mer Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna.
After the poll results, BJP
President Amit Shah announced
that a Chief Minister will be decided
after a meeting of the
Parliamentary Board which is likely
to be attended by Prime Minister
Narendra Modi.
Meanwhile, three major leaders
including former state BJP chief
Trivendra Singh Rawat and party
National Executive member Satpal
Maharaj emerged as strong con
tenders for the Chief Minister's
post.
The BJP won 57 seats, highest
ever won by any party in the state
so far. The party garnered a consid
erable 46.5 per cent of votes.
In contrast, the Congress' tally of
11 seats is the lowestever returned
by the grand old party in
Uttarakhand. The Congress, though
in terms of percentage, got a
Parrikar takes over as Goa CM for fourth time
mine the majority support, the
bench of Chief Justice Jagdish
Singh Khehar, Justice Ranjan
Gogoi and Justice R.K. Agrawal
said that all the formalities pre
requisite to the floor test,
including by the Elect ion
Commission, would be completed
by March 15.
The court direction came on a
plea by leader of the Congress
legislature party in the state
assembly Chandrakant Kavlekar
who has sought stay of Governor
Mridula Sinha's decision appoint Chief Minister, while hitting out
ing Parrikar as Chief Minister.
The court also rejected the plea
by senior counsel Abhishek Manu
13
respectable 33.5 per cent of votes
against its last time percentage of
33.79 per cent. But the percentage
of votes did not translate into seats
for the Congress.
Till this election, Uttarakhand has
hardly ever given a comfortable
majority to any party and both the
BJP and the Congress have had to
depend on regional parties and
independent MLAs for forming the
governments, which were not very
stable.
In the 2012 assembly elections,
the BJP and the Congress had seen
a close contest and won 31 and 32
seats, respectively both short of
the simple majority mark of 36.
In terms of percentage, the
Congress had got 33.79 per cent of
votes while the BJP got 33.13 per
cent.
After tight haggling, the Congress
ultimately formed the government
with the help of the BSP (Bahujan
Samaj Party), which had got three
seats, Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (one
seat) and three Independents.
Singhvi for a composite floor test.
The Congress also raised the
issue in Parliament, slamming the
BJP for what it said was "not
accepting people's mandate" in
Manipur and Goa and staking
claim to form governments
in the two states even though the
BJP was not the single largest
party.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley,
who has taken on addit ional
charge of the Defense Ministry,
defended Parrikar becoming the
at the Congress for accusing the
BJP of using money to "steal the
mandate" in Manipur and Goa.
 14 March 18-24, 2017
Rape accused SP leader
Prajapati arrested
Lucknow: Gang rape accused Gayatri
Prajapati, a senior Samajwadi Party leader
and minister in the outgoing Uttar Pradesh
government, was arrested and sent to 14
day's judicial custody.
Absconding since February 27, Prajapati
was arrested in Lucknow's Aashiana area
early on Wednesday by a joint team of the
Special Task Force and the local police.
Sources told IANS that the mining minister
in the outgoing government, known for his
proximity to Samajwadi Party (SP) founder
Mulayam Singh Yadav and Chief Minister
Akhilesh Yadav, was first taken to the
Alambagh police station for recording his
statement.
The police has already arrested other
accused, including Amrendra Singh aka
Pintu, Roopesh and Vikas Verma, gunner
Will keep
working, won't
sit idle: PM Modi
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has
said he wished to keep working and urged oth
ers to do the same
too.
He spoke at the
BJP's parliamentary
party meeting where
he was felicitated
over the Bharatiya
Janata Party's per
formance in assem
bly elections.
A BJP leader who
attended the meet
ing said: "Modiji said
Prime Minister
he will keep working
Narendra Modi
and asked us to do
the same. He said that he will not sit idle and
will not let anyone sit idle."
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth
Kumar told the media that the Prime Minister
urged BJP members to make youth "ambas
sadors" of the government's public welfare
works.
According to Kumar, Modi said youngsters
depend on mobile phones more than on news
papers and TV channels to get information and
stressed on the need to use this medium of
communication to tap them.
The BJP has planned various programs
across the country from April 6 the day
when the BJP was formed to April 14, the
birth anniversary of B.R. Ambedkar.
"The Prime Minister asked party leaders to
work during this week to give a boost to the
use of BHIM app, a digital payment applica
tion, by educating the masses about it and
helping them download it," Kumar said.
Modi also urged the party leaders to publi
cize Ambedkar's works and contributions.
BJP President Amit Shah, who was present in
the meeting, set the tone for the 2019 Lok
Sabha polls.
Shah said the party's win in the state assem
bly polls was an outcome of people's vote
against "casteism, nepotism and appeasement".
INDIA TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Chandrapal, a revenue official Ashok Tiwari,
Ashish Shukla and had detained the sons of
the minister.
Prajapati apparently came under pressure
after two of his sons were detained by the
Uttar Pradesh Police on Tuesday.
Prajapati unsuccessfully contested the
recent state assembly e lect ions from
Amethi. He had won from there in 2012. Six
others accused in the same case were held
earlier. In February, the Supreme Court had
ordered the state police to lodge an FIR
against him. The gang rape victim had
accused Prajapati's henchmen of terrorising
her and her daughter in a Delhi hospital.
Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police
Javeed Ahmad said Gayatri was being
tracked for some time and that he was con Senior Samajwadi Party leader and gang rape accused
stantly changing his locations. Gayatri Prajapati under arrest in Lucknow.
'Padmavati' set torched,
costumes damaged
Kohlapur: In a fresh setback for filmmaker
Sanjay Leela Bhansali, a huge outdoor set
of his historic period drama "Padmavati"
here was reduced to ashes after two dozen
unidentified persons torched it.
Since the fire brigade could not reach the
disaster site quickly after the flames were
noticed at 1 a.m., villagers helped douse the
fire and helped to move the people and ani
mals, mostly horses, from the site to safety.
Detailed costumes, especially for junior
artistes, were reduced to ashes, rued
Rimple of designer duo Rimple and
Harpreet Narula who have worked for
months on creating the look for characters
in the Hindi movie.
The makers of the movie filed a com
A huge film set of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's upcoming film "Padmavati"
plaint with police against "miscreants who
reduced to ashes in Kolhapur, Maharashtra. (Photo: IANS)
vandalised our costume and jewellery and
set it on fire", tweeted Shobha Sant, CEO, roundtheclock. The miscreants escaped. questioned.
Bhansali Productions. "Padmavati" tells the story of Alauddin "The film is yet to be made. How can
She thanked the police for "quick inter Khilji, the medievalera Delhi ruler who fell some people make a judgment even before
vention" and said there was no loss of life in love with Rajput queen Padmavati. watching the film regarding inaccuracy of
and no one was seriously hurt. Bhansali had moved the film's shoot to history? "As a film industry, we all should
"We are grateful that there has been no Maharashtra after activists of outfit Shri stand by him, and against such vandalism.
loss of life or harm to anybody on the set. Rajput Karni Sena had assaulted him and Every individual has a right to interpret
While, thankfully the incident occurred vandalised the movie's Jaipur set in things in their way and to take creative lib
after we had wrapped our shoot for the day January over alleged distortions in the erty." Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma
and all the artistes, cast and crew were film's script. expressed shock.
safely away; unfortunately, around 7080 But the group denied involvement in the "'Padmavati' attacked again? I think we as
per cent of costumes and jewellery for the Kolhapur incident. "It is likely that groups Indians are going back to the medieval ages
movie have been destroyed," a spokesper that support us might have indulged in this and we need to be ashamed. I am sure
son, Bhansali Productions, said. activity," Lokendra Singh Kalvi, a leader of attackers of 'Padmavati' when compared to
The incident occurred at the picturesque Shri Rajput Karni Sena, told IANS on phone. Sanjay Bhansali won't even know 1 per cent
Masaipathar area, around 15 km on the Bhansali was to shoot a war scene on the of its history which they are pretending to
outskirts of Panhala town in Kolhapur dis set for the film, which features Ranveer protect." Meanwhile, Maharashtra Cultural
trict, said an investigating officer. "The set Singh, Deepika Padukone and Shahid Af fairs Minister Vinod Tawde on
is spread across nearly 50,000 square feet Kapoor in lead roles. Wednesday urged filmmakers to exercise
and a group of unidentified persons set it Actress Anushka Sharma condemned the restraint while tackling sensitive issues.
on fire around 1 a.m," the official told IANS. incident. "It's not acceptable, of course. And "Bhansali's films are based on historical
Maharashtra Minister of State for Home no sensible person, not just in the film topics which can attract varied opinions
Deepak V. Kesarkar said Bhansali had industry, can damage somebody's personal from the society. Both sides could sit and
declined night security for the film set. properties." Filmmaker Sudhir Mishra told discuss the issues and sort out the contro
He said the police had deployed one offi IANS: "No one has read the script, except versies," Tawde told the media.
cer and five constables for day security. the director (Sanjay Leela Bhansali) who Though it is not clear when the shooting
Now, this has been upgraded to one officer has already given an explanation regarding will resume, the film is slated for a mid
and 12 constables who will guard the unit intimate scenes and other issues that were November release this year.
 TRAVEL March 18-24, 2017 15

Steeped in luxury,
By Saket Suman

B
oard an Emirates flight and all the
complaints that one is accustomed to

Dubai is awe-inspiring
in most budget airlines are instantly
sidelined. Comfort and luxury set in as you
prepare to take off. You land at a spectacu-
lar airport, drenched in glitz and pomp. This
is Dubai, the city that literally spells luxury.
There is something very extraordinary
about this city -- its magnificence and incred-
The Dubai Mall is like a town itself; and it boasts an
aquarium-cum-water tank and an ice skating rink.
ible infrastructure -- marked by all things
extravagant that lead up to the creation of a
man-made wonder. Dubai is all about thrills
and adrenaline rush as its many architectural
wonders, starting from the Burj Khalifa itself,
keep you enchanted in some sort of a spell.
Where else, for instance, can you watch
some sequence of the Fast and Furious
come alive before your eyes? At around
midnight on the road leading to the Deira
City Centre, one saw Ferraris and Lambo-
rghinis racing each other at top speeds.
And if you thought the speed and noise was
too much for the time, rest assured that the

Dubai seems a very happy city. It is no contradiction of

city offers enough solitude for one to relax.
High-rise buildings are common in most
metropolitan cities today but Dubai is at an
altogether different level. If one were to take a
count, the average number of storeys in high-
rise buildings here would probably be close
to 50, and the city is extremely well planned.
The celebrated highest tower in the world
(Burj Khalifa) is one-of-a-kind. It was un-
Everything about thi
s city seems straight
out of Hollywood seq
uences -- like these
artificial Palm Islan
ds-- amazing you in
more ways than you
can think of.
the age-old saying, Money cannot buy happiness, but if
money is invested in the pursuit of a sound lifestyle, it may.
like anything I had ever seen or imagined
earlier, and even though I had watched a
couple of documentaries on the tower, it
still seemed too huge to say the least.
And then there is the shoppers paradise,
the largest mall in the country, the Dubai Mall.
It is a town in its own right. All the brands
one can ever imagine are here under one
roof. There is also a beautiful aquarium-cum-
watertank inside the mall, which contains
diverse fish species and an ice skating rink,
all things to keep you occupied for the three-
four hours (minimum) that you spend inside.
Information about Dubais history is at
hand in the Dubai Museum, situated in
Bur Dubai and housed in the 18th cen-
tury Al Fahidi fort. It has several galler-
ies that depict the life around Dubai over
the past 5,000 years of a trading settle-
ment, through the oil boom and finally
the current skyscraper world.
The courtyard exhibits traditional
housing and life in the desert.
The last gallery on archaeology show-
cases prehistoric objects found around
Dubai such as bronze daggers and coins.
The most interesting impression that
this museum leaves on one is Dubais
race against time. How much can a
city achieve in so short a span of time?
Despite its massive progress, snap-
shots of its ancient past are visible in
the lanes of old Dubai. The architec-
ture and facades of several houses as
well as mosques is a walk down the
pages of history.
More than anything else, Dubai seemed
a very happy city. It is no contradiction
of the age-old saying, Money cannot buy
happiness, but if money is invested in the
pursuit of a sound lifestyle, it may. Dubai
lives by this example.
Never had I earlier seen so many fami-
lies spending time together in open spaces.
Dubai offers so many open spaces and fami-
lies actually go out. Unlike India, cinema is
not the only source of recreation for families.
Men, women and children, young and old can
be spotted in groups of various numbers on
beaches, in parks, restaurants and the like.
If you are travelling to Dubai from India,
do not miss out on some crazy Indian bites
at Rang Mahal, which is housed inside the
tallest hotel in the world, JW Marriott Mar-
quis Hotel. From saag paneer to murg zaf-
rani tikka, the hotel will ensure you dont
long for authentic Indian food.
Everything about this city seems straight
out of Hollywood sequences, amazing you
in more ways than you can think of. Not
only does this city win you over but it cre-
ates a lasting impression on you, prompting
the thought of a second visit as soon as you
leave. Dubai must remain on your bucket list.

Dubai is all about thrills and adrenaline rush as its many

architectural wonders, starting from the Burj Khalifa itself,
keep you enchanted in some sort of a spell.
 16 March 18-24, 2017 Festival Festival March 18-24, 2017 17

Nandgaon: People celebrate

Lathmar Holi in Nandgaon,
Mathura on March 8.
Holi colors cheer India
Photos : IANS.
New Delhi: Clothes were dyed with hues
of colors and a spirit of jollity reigned su-
preme as people across the country played
Holi last weekend.
Revelers thronged thoroughfares smear-
ing faces with colored powder and children
hurled water-filled balloons from rooftops
to celebrate the festival of colors, which
heralds the advent of spring.
People hugged each other wishing Happy
Holi as streets were filled with groups singing
and dancing to the accompaniment of drums.
Musical soirees were held at many places
to mark the festival. Colorful rangoli patterns
were drawn at the entrance of houses as spe- Hola Mohalla: Sikh devotees in a
cial delicacies, varying from region to region, Hola Mohalla procession from
the Golden Temple to Sri Akal HolikaDahan: People
were cooked to celebrate the occasion.
Takht in Amritsar on March 13. participate in Holika
In Mathura and Vrindavan, popular for
Dahan - burning of
their extravagant Holi celebrations extend- the devil on the eve
ing nearly a week, people regaled with Holi on March 13 in
traditional practice including the lathmar Amritsar.
holi as the cities soaked in variegated hues.
Hundreds of widows from Vrindavan
also celebrated Holi. Kolkata: People play Holi with flowers ahead
In Delhi and parts of north India, it was of Holi in Kolkata on March 11.
mostly a dry Holi, with gulal powder in, and
water balloons and pichkaris largely avoid- Mumbai: Visually impaired students play with colors
ed, as cold weather persisted. ahead of Holi in Mumbai on March 10, 2017.

Fag Maotsav: Fag Mahotsava

underway at Govind Dev Ji
Temple in Jaipur on March 6.
Guwahati: School students
apply colors on each other
ahead of Holi in Guwahati
on March 10.

Jaipur: Devotees celebrating

Holi at Govind Devji temple
in Jaipur on March 12.

Bikaner: Foreigners
celebrate Holi in
Bikaner on March 13.

Basanta Utsav: Girls perform at a

cultural program during Basanta
Utsav in Kolkata on March 12.
Mumbai: People celebrate Holi in Mumbai on March 13. (left)
Patna: People celebrate Holi in Patna on March 13. (right)
 18 March 18-24, 2017 BOLLYwOOD

Kangana to Karan: I was On Holi, B-Town sends out

playing the badass card colorful wishes to fans
Kangana had called Karan a snooty,
flag-bearer of nepotism.
meaning to all women, particularly the vul-
nerable because they are the ones who really
need to use them. The woman card might not
help you become a Wimbledon champ, or win
you Olympic medals, or bag National awards.
It might not even land you a job, but it
can get a pregnant woman who feels her
water is about to break a ladies seat on
a crowded bus. It can be used as a cry for
help when you sense a threat. The same
goes for the victim card, which women
like my sister, Rangoli, who is a victim of an
acid attack, can use while fighting for jus-
tice in court, she further told the tabloid.
On Koffee With Karan, Kangana had called
Karan a snooty, flag-bearer of nepotism, who
was intolerant to outsiders in the film industry.
She also hinted that he is running a movie
mafia. Karan later said during his recent in-
teraction at an event in the London School of
Economics, Im done with Kangana playing
the woman and victim card. I am done! You
cannot be this victim every time and have a sad
story to tell about how youve been terrorized
B ollywood actors including Amitabh
Bachchan, Anushka Sharma and Son-
akshi Sinha sent Holi wishes to their fans,
May the festival of colors bring all the hap-
piness, light and color into ur lives and
take away the darkness. Ting...Holi
urging them to enjoy a safe and happy fes- Riteish Deshmukh: Happiness comes in
tival of colors. various colors... Happy Holi... Have a great
Some celebrities even urged their fans to one, safe one and most importantly a re-
avoid throwing Holi colors on animals. sponsible one.
They took to Twitter to reach out
to their loved ones. Heres what they
had to say: Amitabh Bachchan: The
quieter you become the more you can
hear... Happy Holi.
Anupam Kher: Happy Holi to All. Even
the Los Angeles sky is celebrating Holi.
Priyanka Chopra: Do me a favor lets
play Holi! Here is wishing everyone a
safe beautiful wonder filled Holi.
Salim Khan: Nothing succeeds like
success. There can be numerous rea-
sons for a faliure but there cant be
any excuse. Happy Holi to everyone.
Sunny Leone: Happy Holi every-
one!!! Be safe and dont hurt the
animals!! Madhur Bhandarkar: May

R eacting to filmmaker Karan Johars al-

legation that she always plays the vic-
tim card, Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut
has retorted that she was playing the ba-
dass card, not the victim or woman card.
After Karan said, Im done with Kangana
playing the victim card, the Rangoon star
said, What is pertinent here is: why is Karan
Johar trying to shame a woman for being a
by the bad world of the industry leave it.
Kangana also said to the tabloid, I use
God paint the canvas of our life with
the colors of joy, love, happiness,
every card possible. At the workplace, its prosperity, good health and success.
the badass card to fight cutthroat compe- Wishing you all...Happy Holi. Lyricist and filmmaker Gulzar
tition. With my family and loved ones, its Preity Zinta: Happy Holi everyone. celebrates Holi.
the love card. When fighting the world, its
the dignity card, and for a seat in a bus, its
the woman card. What is important to un- R e v i e w
derstand is that we are not fighting people,

Frothy & cliched

woman? What is this about the woman card we are fighting a mentality. I am not fighting
and the victim card? This kind of talk is de- Karan Johar, I am fighting male chauvinism.

Alia best actress, Amitabh

top actor at Zee Cine Awards
A lia Bhatt won Best Actress Award for
Udta Punjab and Amitabh Bachchan
won Best Male Actor award for his perfor-
mance in Pink while Kareena Kapoor Khan
gave first performance post motherhood at
the Zee Cine Awards 2017 here in Mumbai.
Amitabh won the Best Male Actor
award for the film Pink.
Other superstars like Salman Khan, Va-
run Dhawan and Alia Bhatt on Saturday
spellbounded the audience with their elec-
trifying performances at the event.
Clad in a traditional saree, Alia Bhatt
received the Best Actress Award for her
outstanding performance in the film
Udta Punjab and later shared a pic-
ture holding the award on her Insta-
gram account.
Amitabh Bachchan proved again
that he is the megastar of Bollywood
as he won Best Male Actor award
for the film Pink. Ritika Singh, who
acted opposite R Madhavan in Saala
Khadoos, tweeted after winning the
best debut female award and dedi-
cated the award to her parents.
Anushka Sharma received The View-
ers Choice Best Actor Female award
for Sultan while her male counter-
part Salman Khan won the award in
the male category for the same film.
The producer of the film Neerja
Atul Kasvekar tweeted that director
Ram Madhvani won the Best Director
Award for the film while Saiwan Qua-
dras won the best screenplay award.
Earlier, the star-studded evening
started with celebrities, including Go-
vinda, Raveena Tandon, Sunny Leone,
Huma Qureshi, Vidya Balan, Sridevi,
Hrithik Roshan, Anushka Sharma,
Fatima Sana Sheikh, Sanya Malhotra,
among others walking the red carpet.
Badrinath Ki Dulhania
Actors Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt during the films shooting.
A quick-fix, from the stables of Dharma
Productions, director Shashank Khai-
tans Badrinath Ki Dulhania is a typically
clichd, frothy rom-com, which exploits the
sheer charm of its stars.
A lot happens and it happens charm-
ingly with such quick spirit and wit, that
its enough to put you off rom-coms for a
while. The film is not bad, but with no nov-
elty factor. This is just a case of the law of
diminishing marginal utility.
The story involves Badrinath Bansal (Va-
run Dhawan), a typical small town dude from
Jhansi, who itches to get married soon. It is dur-
ing his friends wedding in Kota that he spots
Vaidehi Trivedi (Alia Bhatt), a bright, spirited
and ambitious girl and sets his heart on her.
How he woos her, forms the crux of the tale.
What keeps you hooked is Varuns buf-
foonish yet lovable character and with his
charismatic and endearing performance, he
portrays it with panache. He is aptly support-
ed by Alia, who is effortless and convincing.
Together, they have the sort of chemistry
that might make any dialogue work, and it
certainly works in this story about a typical
Indian guy who is bogged down by his over-
bearing father and an ambitious girl, till the
boy finds courage to finally come right out
and oppose his father. This sort of chemistry
is not always inevitable, but it works well here.
Rituraj is a powerful actor but as Ama-
rnath Bansal, Badrinaths father, he is a
misfit. Swanand Kirkire as Vaidehis father,
Shweta Basu Prasad and Yash Sinha as
Badrinaths sister-in-law and brother have
their moments of on screen glory.
Mounted on a grand scale, the songs are
peppy and even soulful. They complement
the narrative, but not organically.
Overall, the film is visually appealing,
glossy and vibrant.
 BOLLYwOOD March 18-24, 2017 19

Aamir opens up on working Film with Akshay Kumar not a rumor

with Amitabh, nepotism
ing a bearded and bespectacled look, Aamir
spoke like an excited child about how his
mother has prepared his favorite seekh ke-
bab for his birthday. So, he is hoping for
some quality time with the family.
Talking about his film projects, he said: At
this time, I am looking forward to work with
Amitabh Bachchan for my next film. This is
going to be a very special experience for me.
There have been rumors that Aamir will
feature as astronaut Rakesh Sharma in a
Salman Khan
S
uperstar Salman Khan has clarified that
he is collaborating with actor Akshay
Kumar for a project and has requested ev-
erybody to not believe in rumors.
On Sunday night Salmaan tweeted:
Dont follow rumors. Follow me. Ek baar jo
maine commitment kar di toh phir... Very
much doing film with Akshay Kumar.
Earlier this year, Salman had announced
that he will be co-starring with Akshay in a
project to be produced by Karan Johar.
Salman had said that Akshay will be the
hero of the film which he will co-produce and
will come out in 2018. Anurag Singh, known
for films such as Raqeeb and Jatt and Ju-
liet, will direct the yet-untitled project.

Salman
soon-to-be-made biopic. But the actor said:
Currently, I am only working on Thugs of
Hindostan and shooting will start from July.
Khan
Actor I did not sign any other film. Asked to com-

Aamir ment on the current hot favorite subject of

nepotism in Bollywood, Aamir said: I keep
Khan emotion out of workplace. But yes, I always try
to help my loved ones and people I care for.
The actor, who once courted controversy

B ollywood actor-producer Aamir Khan,

who turned 52 recently, says he is look-
ing forward to work with megastar Amitabh
Bachchan in Thugs of Hindostan this year.
He also spoke on nepotism and on freedom
of expression, on the sidelines of a cake-cutting
ceremony for his special day, with the media.
Dressed in a crisp white shirt and flaunt-
for his comment on intolerance in India, also
spoke on freedom of expression in India.
I have always been conscious about
expressing my opinion. And I will always
be. But that does not mean I will not talk
about issues. I will just be conscious, said
the Dangal star, who has been in the in-
dustry for close to three decades.

How Vidya Balan transformed

herself to fierce Begum Jaan
A cclaimed filmmaker Srijit Mukherji re-
vealed how Vidya Balan, who has been
known for her jovial and down-to-earth per-
sonality, completely transformed herself to
no-nonsense brothel madam Begum Jaan.
Before we started shooting Begum Jaan
we organized two workshops simultaneous-
ly. One with Vidya, another with girls... be-
cause Vidya is a jovial down-to-earth person
and she easily mingles with everybody on
After the workshop when Vidya entered
the set, I saw Begum Jaan who is a fierce,
manipulative no-nonsense kind of woman,
walking in. There was no trace of Vidya Ba-
lan, he told the media.
The National award-winning filmmaker
said the Kahani actress has an immense
commitment towards her craft.
Srijit Mukherjees directorial is a Hindi
adaptation of Bengali film Rajkahini,

Sridevi
set and I didnt want that. I wanted certain which saw Rituparna Sengupta in the lead,
kind of distance with the girls from Vidya, and also marks his debut in Bollywood.

releases
he said at the trailer launch of the film. Vidya is portraying the character of a
Vidya used to ask many questions during brothel madam, while Ila Arun, Gauahar Khan,

the workshop like what the memories of Be-
gum Jaan were when she was three, when
she was first exploited or what happened
when she got married. So at the end of the
workshop, I had already completed writing
four scripts... one Begum Jaan and others
are the prequels and sequels. I had to keep
ready all the backstories of Begum Jaan and
the girls, added the Zulfiqar helmer.
first look
Pallavi Sharda, Ridheema Tiwary, Ashish
Vidyarthi, Chunky Pandey and Rajit Kapoor
are portraying the pivotal roles in the film.
The hard-hitting plot deals with the trauma
of displaced women in a brothel during In-
of
dias partition. While Rajkahini was based in
Bengal, Begum Jaan is based out of Punjab.
Produced by Mukesh Bhatt, the film is
scheduled for release on April 14.

The film releases on July 14

V eteran actress Sridevi released the first

poster of her upcoming project Mom
on social media. The poster doesnt give out
much, but looks intense and gritty.
The actress, who was lauded for her
2012 film English Vinglish, unveiled the
first look on Twitter. She tweeted: When
a woman is challenged... Heres presenting
the first look of MOM. MOM First Look,
In the poster, one can see Sridevi clad in
black clothes with an intense expression.
And Mom is written in various languages
in the poster. The poster doesnt give out
Vidya in a still from Begum Jaan. the plot of the film, but emphasizes on the
emotion that will dominate the storyline.
Directed by Ravi Udyawar, MOM, a
woman-centric film, is produced by her
husband Boney Kapoor. It will release in
Hindi, Tamil and Telugu on July 14. The
film also features Pakistani actors Sajal Ali
and Adnan Siddiqui in important roles, as
well as actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui.
Manish Malhotra also appreciated the
look, saying: Sridevi in MOM Outstand-
ing Artist Actress cant wait to see the film.
Karan Johar tweeted: Her 300th film... 50
year career... My favorite actor... SRIDEVI...
in and as MOM.
20 March 18-24, 2017
Ominous silence before proverbial
storm in Samajwadi Party
By Mohit Dubey
ith Holi, the Festival of
W Colors, concluding, it
seems to be time for some
fireworks in the Samajwadi Party
(SP), which was humbled by the
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the
justconcluded Uttar Pradesh
assembly elections.
Reduced to an alltime low of 47
in its 25th year, rumblings have
begun in the erstwhile ruling party,
which now has a hugely diminished
aura and numbers in the 17th
Vidhan Sabha. The first murmurs
were heard even as results poured
in on Saturday and it became evi
dent that the SP would touch a new
low and the BJP a new high a
landslide of 325 seats along with
its allies.
It was only after the results were
announced that SP founder
Mulayam Singh Yadav, who was
edged out by his Chief Minister
son, Akhilesh Yadav, as the national
president of the party on January
1, went, for the first time, to the
Janeshwar Mishra Trust which
housed the war room of the
Congress and SP alliance.
A stone's throw from his sprawl
By Jaideep Sarin
he stupendous victory of
T the Congress in the just
concluded assembly polls in
Punjab may be credited to a vari
ety of factors, but unintended
he lp also came from the
Shiromani Akali DalBJP combine
and new political entrant AAP.
More than the antiincumbency
of the 10year rule of the Akali
DalBharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
combine, it was the virtual hatred
towards the Badal family on
issues of corruption, drugs, mis
governance and mafia rule, and
the lawdefying writ of the 'Halqa'
(area)incharges that the Akalis
promoted, which led to the deci
mation of the alliance.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP),
which is believed to have cut into
Akali Dal votes, too, ended up
helping the Congress indirectly
instead of consolidating its own
position.
This election was different for
Punjab because the AAP had
made it a triangular af fair on a
number of seats. Even the Akali
Dal and Congress, till the very
end, were wary of how the AAP
would fare in the polls.
In retrospect, the AAP made
several mistakes, starting with
Reduced to an alltime low of 47 in its 25th year, rumblings
have begun in the erstwhile ruling party.
ing 5, Vikramaditya Marg, bunga
low on Panch Bangalia, the tense
looking Yadav chieftain reportedly
had gone to meet with and console
party workers. He, however, was
there for just fiveodd minutes and
left when he saw his son. Akhilesh,
though, is said to have hurriedly
pulled himse lf together and
touched his father's feet.
Mulayam said nothing and just
drove away. He later left for the air
port and flew to Saifai, their native
village, for the annual Holi celebra
tions, almost a ritual for the family.
Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh arrives to meet
party's vice president Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi. (Photo: IANS)
the insistence of its central lead
ership to remotecontrol the
Punjab campaign with leaders
from other states and the lack of
faith it showed in the local leader
ship.
That apart, not being able to
project a chief ministerial face,
the breakdown of talks w ith
cricketerturnedpolitician Navjot
Sing h Sid hu, quest ions over
choice of candidates and infight
ing built up, over the past few
months, into a situation in which
the party found itself trapped.
While the Congress won an
The views expressed in Op Eds are not necessarily those of The South Asian Times.
OP-ED
Akhilesh Yadav left a little later and
took the AgraLucknow
Expressway to drive with his family
to Saifai. Enroute, he met some sup
porters who had gathered along
the route. "We will see what went
wrong, do not lose heart," he told
the young men in a bid to lift their
spirits.
Akhilesh, after the rout at the
hustings, rued that he never knew
people would vote him out so badly
despite the work done by his gov
ernment in the past five years.
"Main samajh gaya hoon ki vote
impressive 77 seats in the 117
member assembly, it was the
Malwa belt which helped it romp
home to power in style. T he
Congress won 40 out of the 69
seats in the Malwa belt the
region south of river Sutlej and
considered agriculturally fertile.
The AAP was considered the
strongest in the Malwa belt, since
it had won four Lok Sabha seats
in the 2014 parliamentary elec
tions and had led in 34 assembly
seats in the region at that time,
but it could manage to win only
18 seats in the assembly polls.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
samjhane se nahin, bahkane se
milta hai," (I've understood that
votes are gained by pulling wool
over people's eyes) he said.
He also taunted the voters by
saying: "I guess people did not like
the Expressway and were rather
looking for a bullet train to come to
Uttar Pradesh." A reference to one
of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's
pet schemes.
Insiders say the swords are out
and soon a "pitched battle would be
fought in the open" in the SP.
Shivpal Singh Yadav, who was
locked in a bitter feud for power
within the party since October last
year and was completely sidelined
in the assembly elections, is now
waiting for his turn to strike.
Shivpal, who won from
Jaswantnagar yet again with a
huge margin, now stands vindicat
ed. During the infighting, he had
openly told Akhilesh that he was on
a suicidal mission with the likes of
Ram Gopal Yadav and the young
brigade that included Udayveer
Singh, Sanjay Lathar, Sunil Singh
Sajan and other close aides. Both
Mulayam and Shivpal had fore
warned Akhilesh about having any
truck with the Congress. Akhilesh,
AAP, Akali missteps
helped Congress
rebound in Punjab
Two more seats in the belt were
won by AAP ally, the Lok Insaaf
Party.
The Akali Dal, for which the
Malwa be lt was a traditional
stronghold, managed to get only
eight seats. Its ally BJP got only
one seat in the belt.
But that did not undermine the
Congress performance in the
other two regions of Punjab
Majha (north of river Beas) and
Doaba (the area between the Beas
and Sutlej rivers). The Congress
virtually swept the entire Majha
belt, comprising the Amritsar,
Gurdaspur, Tarn Taran and
Pathankot districts, winning 22
of the 25 seats there.
In the Sikh holy city of
Amritsar, where former Deputy
Chie f Minister and Akali Dal
President Sukhbir Singh Badal
focused in the past four years by
carrying out massive renovation
of the area near the Golden
however, rode roughshod over this
advice and not only promoted his
close aides, did whatever uncle
Ram Gopal said and joined hands
with Congress, even going to the
extent of giving the alliance part
ner 105 of the 403 seats. T he
Congress had 28 legislators in the
outgoing house and is now down to
a mere seven, its worstever per
formance in Uttar Pradesh. An
angry Mulayam never campaigned
for SP candidates and stuck to can
vassing for Shivpal and daughter
inlaw Aparna Yadav. Shivpal was
not asked to campaign either, and
Akhilesh and Dimple were the only
star campaigners in the staggered
polls. The extent of anger in the
nowdivided family can be gauged
by the fact that it was for the first
time that Shivpal did not turn up
for the Holi do at Saifai, where
every year the clan meets and cele
brates the festival in style.
While Mulayam, in an informal
chat on Holi eve, told some close
aides that Akhilesh alone could not
be held responsible for the rout,
and added that "anger of Shivpal
and Amar Singh was understand
able", he is also learnt to be very
cutup with Akhilesh.
Temple, virtually transforming
the complex, and bringing in
development projects like fly
overs, the Akali Dal and its ally
drew a blank.
All five seats in Amritsar city
went to the Cong ress w ith
impressive margins. While the
lowest winning margin was over
14,000 votes, the highest was
over 42,000 votes.
The Congress romped home as
we ll in the bye lection to the
Amritsar Lok Sabha seat, with a
huge margin of nearly two lakh
votes. Having been out of power
for a decade, the Congress win is
not only important for the party
in Punjab but also holds out hope
for it nationally.
If the central leadership inter
nalises the message that regional
leaders like Amarinder Singh
need to be encouraged and given
a free hand, the party can hope to
put up a fight in other states.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info DIASPORA March 18-24, 2017 21

Indian charged for impersonating a

doctor for 11 years in Australia
Melbourne: An Indian man in
Australia has been accused of
impersonat ing a do ctor and
working in various hospitals for
more than a decade with the
immigration minister terming
the case as a "big failing of the
system." Shyam Acharya took
the name of another man in
India, Sarang Chitale, before he
began a new life in Australia,
where he registered with the
Medical Board of New South
Wales (NSW ) in 2003, the
Sydney Morning Herald report
ed.
He then used the identity of
the doctor to gain employment
in the NSW public health sys
tem. The authorities have been
unable to find or contact him
saying his current whereabouts
are unknown. Australian
company, AstraZeneca, before
moving to medical research
group Novatech in 2016.
The alleged deception was not
detected until November 2016,
when the Australian Health
Practitioner Regulation Agency
began investigating him for
"falsely holding himself out as a
registered medical practitioner."
Australian Federal Police, the
Department of Immigration and
Border Protect ion, and
Department of Foreign Af fairs
Shyam Acharya took the name of Sarang Chitale, and Trade have been alerted.
before he began a new life in Australia. NSW Health was not ified
shortly afterwards and launched
Immig rat ion Minister Peter Acharya worked for NSW its own investigation, deputy
Dutton said the issue is a "big Health as a junior doctor from secretary Karen Crawshaw said.
failing of the system", warning 2003 to May 2014 at four hos "It is alleged in these proceed
the consequences could have pitals in Australia. ings that Acharya appropriated
been "diabolical" if he had posed In 2013, Acharya worked for another doctor's name and med
a national security threat. international pharmaceutical ical qualifications while living in
India and that he used these
stolen and other fraudulent doc
uments to g ain reg istrat ion
falsely with the Medical Board of
NSW," Ms Crawshaw said.
"The matters currently before
the court do not deal with how
he was able to enter and leave
Australia or how he obtained
Australian citizenship in the
name of the other doctor," she
said.
The matter is due to return to
court in early April. Acharya has
been charged under section 116
of the Health Pract it ioner
National Regulation Law (NSW),
which makes it an offence to use
a title that could make others
be lieve you are a registered
medical professional.
If he is convicted, he faces a
fine of up to $30,000. (PTI)

Security of Indian diaspora Sindh victim of Pakistans Islamist

agenda, Hindus forcefully exiled:
matter of serious concern World Sindhi Congress
for government: MEA
New Delhi: India raised the killing of Indian
engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla in a hate
attack in Kansas with US authorities in
"very strong terms", a top of ficial said on
T hursday, adding that the security of
Indians and persons of Indian origin is a
matter of serious concern for the Indian
government.
On a day the issue featured in a major
way in Parliament and Union Home
Minister Rajnath Singh assured the Lok
Sabha that the government is taking the
issue very seriously, External Af fairs
Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay said in
a brie fing that Foreign Secretary S.
Jaishankar was conveyed by US of ficials
during his talks in Washington that the
attack on Kuchibhotla and another Indian
in the February 22 incident was an "individ
ual case".
Baglay said that the Indian Consulate
reached out to the families of Kuchibhotla
and Alok Madasani, who was injured in the
shooting in a Kansas pub, and also to the
family of a Sikh, Deep Rai, an American citi
zen, who was injured in a hate attack in
Kent last week.
"You would have also seen the response
of the US authorities, beginning with
President Trump who referred to the
Kansas incident in his address to the
Congress. The US Embassy had put out a
press release condemning the Kansas
killing. Speaker of the House has also con
demned it," said the spokesperson, adding
that there is wide ranging condemnation of
such crimes within the US.
"This point has also been highlighted by
various prominent US dignitaries that such
crimes do not represent the views of the
vast majority in that country. In fact, sever
al senior US dignitaries have explicitly men
tioned in the recent days that Indians are
welcome in the United States," he added.
"Given the high priority the Government
attaches to the security and wellbeing of
Indians and persons of Indian orig in
abroad, we will continue to remain strongly
engaged with the concerned authorities
wherever required."
Geneva: At the World Sindhi Conference
(WSC), participants criticised Pakistan for
unleashing atrocities on the indigenous
population in Sindh. WSC President Rubina
Greenwood accused Pakistan of forcibly
converting the Hindus, Shias, Sufis and
Ahmedias of Singh region. She further
alleged mass exodus of Hindus living in the
province.
Sindh has been victim of Pakistans war
mongering and Islamist agenda from day
one of formation. First Sindh Hindu popula
tion was forcefully exiled, then youth sys
tematically radicalized by school syllabuses
and Madrasas, she said. Rubina claimed
that Pakistans fundamentalist nonstate
actors have launched the campaign to con
vert the tolerant Sufi Muslims of Sindh into
hardline Wahhabis.
For over thousands of years, Hindus and
Muslims resided peacefully in Sindh due to
the syncretic Sufi culture, which promoted
love, compassion and brotherhood, Rubina
added. T he blast at the shrine of Lal
Shahbaz Qalandar killed over 80 people.
The terror strike was the result of the hard
line ideology which has been cultivated by
Pakistan over the years. It was a blow to the
Rubina Greenwood, President,
World Sindhi Congress
secular heritage of Sindh, she further said.
WSC was convened on March 8 in
Geneva, on the sidelines of United Nation
Human Rights Council (UNHRC) session.
The forum was called to discuss the threats
faced by Sindhs indigenous population and
the steps which global community needs to
take to protect the Sindhi culture.
In her presentation, Rubina pointed out
that Hindus formed the majority in Sindh
when Pakistan was carved out out of India
in 1947. However, over the past 70 years,
the Hindu population has been turned into
a minority, constituting only 68 per cent of
the provinces populace.
 22 March 18-24, 2017 SUBCONTINENT TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Nepal hands over diplomatic note to India over border killing

Kathmandu: Nepal handed over a "diplo
matic note" to Indian authorities over
alleged killing of a Nepali citizen by India's
border security guards, Sashastra Seema
Bal (SSB).
According to the Nepali side, Nepal citi
zen Govinda Gautam died when SSB per
sonnel opened fire at the NepalIndia bor
der on Thursday following a dispute over
construction of a culvert in Noman's Land.
Nepal's Foreign Secretary Shankar Das
Bairagi summoned Deputy Chief of Mission
in Indian Embassy Binaya Kumar and
handed over the "diplomatic note", stating
that the Nepal government condemned the
incident and called for a probe, Nepal's
Foreign Minister's Of fice said in a state
ment.
Nepal also urged India to stop such inimi
cal activities on the border in future.
A diplomatic spat has erupted following
the incident, as top political leadership in
Nepal and India held several diplomatic
parleys on Thursday and Friday after CPN
(Maoist Center), the ruling ally, and other
political parties held protests against the
killing. Sister organizations of ruling and
opposition parties also joined forces for
the protest, which saw anger spilling on to
streets in various parts of the country.
Similarly, after the meeting between
Foreign Secretary Bairagi and Kumar, the
Indian Embassy in Kathmandu said that
Kumar conveyed his condolences on the
loss of life of a Nepali citizen.
He informed Bairagi of India's decision to
initiate an inquiry into the incident at the
border touching Lakhimpur Kheri district
of India and Kanchanpur districts of Nepal,
and requested the Nepalese government to
share autopsy and forensic reports to facil
itate the inquiry process.
India's National Security Adviser Ajit
Doval also called up Prime Minister Pushpa
Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' to express his
grief over the death of Gautam. Nepal has urged India to stop hostile activities on the border in future.

US LAWMAKER INTRODUCES BILL TO DECLARE PAK

'STATE SPONSOR OF TERRORISM'
Congressman Ted Poe calls Pakistan
an untrustworthy ally.
Washington: A US lawmaker has intro
duced a bill in Cong ress to declare
Pakistan a "state sponsor of terrorism"
and soug ht a "radical reset" in t ies
between the two countries.
"Not only is Pakistan an untrustworthy
ally, Islamabad has also aided and abetted
enemies of the United States for years,"
Congressman Ted Poe, Chairman of the
House Subcommittee on Terrorism, said
as he intro duced the Pakistan State
Sponsor of Terrorism Act (HR 1449) in the
US House of Representatives.
"From harboring Osama bin Laden to its
cozy relationship with the Haqqani net
work, there is more than enough evidence
to determine whose side Pakistan is on in
the war on terror. And it's not America's. It
is time we stop paying Pakistan for its
betrayal and designate it for what it is: a
State Sponsor of Terrorism," he said.
T he bill requires President Donald
Trump to issue a report within 90 days
detailing whether Pakistan has provided
support for international terrorism.
Thirty days after that, the Secretary of
State is required to a submit a followup
report containing either a determination
that Pakistan is a "state sponsor of terror
ism" or a detailed justification as to why it
does not meet the legal criteria for such a
designation.
"For years and, we would say, for
decades, the US has acquiesced in a toxic
relationship with Pakistan, putting up
with this nominal ally whose military and
security leaders play a lethal double game.
Most dangerously, the 'game', involves
headlong nuclearweapons production
and export ing Islamist terrorism,"
Congressman Poe and James Clad, a for
mer US deputy assistant secretary of
defense for Asia, said in an article in
Nationalinterest.org.
Poe and Clad wrote that Pakistan has
become a quasiadversary, receiving hun
dreds of billions through the years in
direct and indirect US support.
"... a strange hostagelike arrangement in
which we pay Islamabad to do what it
should be doing anyway to protect its own
domestic security and buttress Afghan sta
bility," the article stated.
They further wrote that the US has to
change its accommodating stance visvis
Pakistan, irrespective of trends in IndoUS
relations.

3 Indian MPs participate in Bangladesh exPM Zia skips

parliamentary conference in Pak court appearance
Islamabad: Representatives of 23
Dhaka: Former Bangladesh Prime Minister
countries, including three MPs from
and opposition leader Khaleda Zia did not
India, are participating in a key ses
appear in the trial proceedings of 11 cases
sion of the Asian Parliamentary
against her at a Dhaka court citing ill health,
Assembly (APA) that began in the
her lawyer said.
Pakistani capital on March 14.
Zia, a twotime Prime Minister of
Indian parliamentarians Shashi
Bangladesh (19911996; 20012006), faces
T haroor, Meenakshi Lekhi and
trial in 10 cases related to violence during
Swapan Dasgupta are participating
Bangladesh Nationalist Party's (BNP) anti
in the fourday conference.
government protests in early 2015 over
Tharoor tweeted a photograph of The opposition leader will appear before
demands to advance election dates.
the three MPs attending the confer the court on March 28.
"Khaleda Zia could not appear before the
ence: "The Indian parliamentary del
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor is participating court as she is sick," her lawyer Sanaullah and postponed her appearance, said Mia.
egation at the
in the fourday conference. Mia told Efe news. "There is nothing called as one last time.
#AsianParliamentaryAssembly
The BNP chief is also facing sedition We informed the court about her illness and
Political Af fairs Committee meeting in meeting being hosted by the Senate.
charges for expressing doubts over the the court gave us a new date," he said.
Islamabad @M_Lekhi @swapan55." The Asian Parliamentary Assembly dates
widelyaccepted version that three million The opposition leader has now been asked
The session, scheduled to last till March 17, back to September 1999 when a group of
were killed or martyred during the 1971 to appear before the court on March 28.
was formally inaugurated by Pakistan Senate Asian Parliamentarians decided to join hands
Liberation War when Bangladesh gained The Awami League, led by current Prime
Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani and Speaker for promoting peace and human rights in
independence from Pakistan. Minister Sheikh Hasina, and Zia's BNP have
National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq. Dhaka, Bang ladesh, by setting up the
Zia had not appeared before the court on alternately been in power in the country
More than 70 delegates from 23 countries, Association of Asian Parliaments for Peace
health grounds also on February 27, when since 1991, except for a brief period of mili
including members of parliament and speak (AAPP), which was later converted to APA in
the court had allowed it "for one last time", tary rule between 2006 and 2008.
ers, participated on the inaugural day of the 2004.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Turkey accuses Netherlands Russia may destroy
of 'state terror' its chemical
The Hague: Turkey President
Recep Tayyip Erdogan launched
a fresh verbal attack against the
Netherlands, accusing the
European Union member of
statesponsored terror.
Erdogan's latest inflammatory
interjection was made during a
speech in Ankara and further
exacerbated the ongoing diplo
matic crisis with the Netherlands
that arose when Dutch of ficials
clamped down on Turkish refer
endum campaigning aimed at
voting Turks abroad.
"By displaying statesponsored
terror on Saturday, the
Netherlands has greatly dam
aged the EU, its values which are
no longer a bloc of laws and free
doms," Efe news quoted Erdogan
as saying.
"The Netherlands did not sur
prise us, we already knew the
low morality, the civilization
level and manners of the Dutch.
We know it from their role in the
Srebrenica massacre. We know
how rotten their character is
from their massacre of 8,000
Bosnians there," he told the
crowd.
"Nobody should try to give us
N Korea threatens of UK Parliament passes Brexit bill
ultraprecision strikes
Artillery firing by North Korea.
Seoul: North Korea has threat
ened to launch ultraprecision
strikes in response to the mili
tary exercises being jointly car
ried out by South Korea and the
US.
If the allies seek to infringe
on its sovereignty, Pyongyang's
"army will launch merciless
ultraprecision strikes from
ground, air, sea and underwa
ter", North Korean state news
agency KCNA warned in a state
ment.
Pyongyang also warned Seoul
and Washington, who are cur
rently carrying out annual mili
tary maneuvers, that the
"nuclearpowered carriers and
all other strategic assets of the
US imperialists are in sight of
Turkish President Erdogan's latest verbal attack was made during a
speech in Ankara.
morality lessons, especially not
those who have blood on their
hands," added Erdogan.
The President was referencing
the 1995 massacre during the
Bosnian war, when Dutch sol
diers deployed by the UN failed
to prevent the Serbian Army
from entering the UNdesignated
Bosnian safe area of Srebrenica
leading to the massacre of more
than 8,000 Muslim Bosniaks.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark
Rutte accused Turkey of falsify
ing history, adding that
the Korean People's Army's
powerful ultraprecision strike
means."
T he reg ime's statement
comes after the allies began the
Key Resolve simulated military
exercise, which will last until
March 24, as well as the Foal
Eagle drills, which started on
March 1 and will conclude by
the end of April.
The deployment of military
assets for this year's maneu
vers is the largest to date as
Washington is deploying its F
35B fighter aircraft as well as
the nuclearpowered aircraft
carrier USS Carl Vinson sched
uled to arrive in the Korean
peninsula on Wednesday, Efe
news reported.
INTERNATIONAL
Erdogan's tone was becoming
more and more hysterical.
This new spat comes after sup
porters of the Turkish president
burned a French flag after mis
taking it for Holland's in Samsun
in Turkey, Daily Mail online
reported.
The flag went up in flames as
protesters recited the Turkish
national anthem amid height
ened tension after the
Netherlands refused to allow two
Turkish ministers to enter the
country for campaign rallies.
London: Theresa Mays Brexit bill
has cleared all hurdles in the
Houses of Parliament, opening
the way for the Prime Minister to
trigger Article 50 by this March
end.
Peers accepted the supremacy
of the House of Commons after
MPs overturned amendments
aimed at guaranteeing the rights
of EU citizens in Britain and giv
ing Parliament a "meaningful
vote" on the final Brexit deal,
reported the Guardian.
It paved the way for the Article
50 Bill to be given Royal Assent,
after peers in the upper chamber
also caved in, rather than decid
ing to "ping" it back to the
Commons in a series of latenight
votes. But May's victory was over
shadowed by Scotland's First
Minister Nicola Sturgeon's
demand for a second referendum
on the Scottish independence.
Accusing May of blo cking
Scotland's desire for a special deal
with the EU, Sturgeon said the ref
erendum should be held between
autumn 2018 and spring 2019
without lastminute concessions.
Within hours, No.10 Downing
Street announced May would not,
as widely expected, trigger Article
50, instead suggesting it would
take place in the final week of
March. The day of drama began
when Sturgeon called a press con
March 18-24, 2017
weapons in 2017
Moscow: Russia may completely
destroy its chemical weapons this
year, the world's largest stockpile
of such weapons, an official said.
"If we move at current pace and
there are no technological glitch
es, we will manage to complete
the destruction this year," said
Chairman of Russia's State
Commission on Chemical
Disarmament Mikhail Babich.
At a meeting with Russian
President Vladimir Putin, Babich
said the country is in the final
stage of implementing the arms
The Bills passage gives British
PM May the power to invoke
Article 50.
ference to warn that May's Brexit majority of 45, in the Commons.
strategy made a second referen
dum all but inevitable.
She accused May of refusing to
discuss full Scottish access to the
single market, saying: "The UK
government has not moved even
an inch in pursuit of compromise
and agreement."
23
Russian
President
Vladimir Putin.
controlling Chemical Weapons
Convention, which was signed by
192 countries and became effec
tive in 1997, Xinhua news agency
reported. According to him, Russia
has spent 330 billion rubles
(about $5.6 billion) so far on the
chemical weapons destruction.
Babich said nearly 70,500
tonnes of chemical weapons were
stockpiled around the world, of
which 40,000 tonnes were in
Russia and 27,000 tonnes in the
US, with the rest divided among
other countries.
May immediate ly accused
Sturgeon of playing a "game",
telling her "politics is not a game",
and accused her of "tunne l
vision", the newspaper reported.
"The tunnel vision the SNP has
shown is deeply regrettable; it
sets Scotland on a course for
more uncertainty and division,"
May said. "And this is at a time
when the evidence is that the
majority of the Scottish people
don't want a second independ
ence referendum."
Sources close to May said she
would not allow a referendum
unt il several months after
Britain's EU exit, the Telegraph
said.
MPs voted down the Brexit bill
amendment on EU nat ionals'
rights by 335 to 287, a majority
of 48, with peers later accepting
the decision by 274 to 135.
T he second amendment on
whether to hold a meaningful
final vote on any deal after the
conclusion of Brexit talks was
voted down by 331 to 286, a
The Lords then accepted that
decision by 274 to 118, with
Labour leader Lady Smith telling
the Guardian that continuing to
oppose the government would be
playing politics because MPs
would not be persuaded to
change their minds.
 24 March 18-24, 2017 BUSINESS TheSouthAsianTimes.info

BJP win will facilitate further Cash in circulation

reforms: Moody's
New Delhi: The BJP's thumping victory
in Uttar Pradesh and substantial gains
made in other states will facilitate
reforms as the ruling party inches clos
er to a majority in Upper House,
Moody's Investors Service has said.
"The 2017 state election results in
India demonstrate broadbased popu
lar support for the Indian govern
ment's policy agenda and will facilitate
the implementation of further reforms,
a credit positive for the sovereign," it
said in a statement.
W hile the ruling NDA has an
absolute majority in Lok Sabha, it cur
rently does not have a majority in
Rajya Sabha. "...the party will increase
its share of seats in the Upper House
(Rajya Sabha) of India's Parliament," it
said.
However, the changes will not be
immediate, Moody's said.
"The ruling party will not feel the
benefit of electoral gains immediately,
because the changes in the upper
However, the changes will not be immediate, Moody's said.
house will only occur next year, when
some members retire," says William
Foster, Moody's Vice President and
Senior Credit Officer.
"Nevertheless, electoral support at
the state level should translate into
broader support for government policy
in the upper house, facilitating the pas
sage and implementation of additional
reforms," Foster added.
dropped to Rs 11.74
lakh cr: Minister
New Delhi: The amount of cash in circulation has
dropped down to Rs 11.74 lakh crore as on March 3,
as a fallout of demonetization, Parliament was
informed.
The amount of cash in circulation was Rs 11.74 lakh
crore on March 3 this year as compared to Rs 16.42
lakh crore on March 31 last year due to demonetiza
tion of Specified Bank Notes (SBNs), Minister of State
for Finance Arjun Ram Meghwal said in a written reply
to Lok Sabha here.
The cash in circulation stood at Rs 14.29 lakh crore
on March 31, 2015 and at Rs 12.83 lakh crore on
March 31, 2014, he said.
The minister also said that from April 2016 up to
February this year, 2,685 million pieces of Rs 10 and
3,603 million pieces of Rs 20 notes have been sup
plied to the markets.
He also said that from April 2016 up to February
this year, 1,904 million pieces of Rs 5 coins and 1,032
million pieces of Rs 10 coins have been supplied to the
markets.

RUPEE HITS FRESH No foreign carrier applied to

16MONTH HIGH,
UP 13 PAISE AT 65.69
Mumbai: The rupee continued
its stellar run against the dollar
to finish at a fresh 16month
high of 65.69 this week as
exporters agg ressive ly
of floaded the US currency
ahead of the Fed meet outcome.
Massive capital inflows on
hopes of more reform meas
ures following BJP's strong
showing in the recently held
state elections spurred the
rupee's biggest rally since early
2015.
The domestic currency has
risen 2.23 per cent since the
beginning of the year. Reacting
to market specific develop
ments, the home currency
resumed on a strong footing at
65.76 from Tuesday's closing
level of 65.82 at the Interbank
Foreign Exchange (forex) mar
ket. It gained further to hit a
high of 65.41 on heavy dollar
unw inding by banks and
traders. However, traders said
start domestic airline: Minister
New Delhi: The central government
has not received any application
from foreign airlines to start a
the RBI's intervention through
domestic passenger carrier through
staterun banks capped the
the 100 per cent FDI (Foreign
steep rise. The surging rupee is
Direct Investment) route, Minister
a headwind for exporters.
of State for Civil Aviation Jayant
Retreating from its intraday
Sinha said.
high, the home unit finally set
The minister gave the informa
tled at 65.69, showing a smart
tion in reply to a question raised
gain of 13 paise, or 0.20 per
about Qatar Airways' plan to start a
cent. The RBI, meanwhile fixed
fully owned domestic passenger
the reference rate for the dol
carrier in partnership with an insti
lar at 65.5146 and for the euro
tutional investor on the sidelines of
at 69.6224.
an industry event here.
The resurgent rupee had ral
Earlier, Qatar Airways had said
lied overnight by a hefty 78
that its plan to set up an airline in
paise its biggest single day
India along with Qatar's sovereign
spike in recent past to end at Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha. (Photo: IANS)
wealth fund. Under the current
65.82 in the aftermath of the
rules a foreign airline can only FDI into domestic airlines. process and all of the appropriate
decisive win for the BJP in
invest up to 49 per cent in domes "There are various opinions on policies around that," Sinha added.
Uttar Pradesh polls.
tic airline. However, in partnership this matter of 100 per cent FDI. We Besides, the minister clarified gov
The BJP's thumping victory
with an institutional investor, the are considering what the Indian air ernment's stand on the Comptroller
in Uttar Pradesh and substan
foreign airline can invest and set up lines through FIA (Federation of and Auditor General's (CAG) report
tial gains made in other states
a 100 per cent owned domestic Indian Airlines) are saying," Sinha which pointed out that national
will facilitate reforms as the
passenger carrier. told reporters. passenger carrier Air India ran a
ruling party inches closer to a
The minister elaborated that the "Of course, the government's poli standalone operating loss of Rs
majority in the Rajya Sabha,
government was considering stake cies are such that we do welcome 321.4 crore in 201516, though
Moody's Investors Service said
holders' views before framing any 100 per cent FDI but we are work the company claimed an operating
in a statement.
policy that allows for 100 per cent ing through the exact registration profit of Rs 105 crore.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info SPORTS March 18-24, 2017 25

Manohar quits as ICC Chairman

the functioning of the board and in matters
related to member boards along with the able
support of all directors.
"However, for personal reasons it is not
possible for me to hold the august office of
ICC chairman and hence I am tendering my
resignation as chairman with immediate
effect," Manohar said in the letter.
"I take this opportunity to thank all the
directors, the management and staff of ICC
for supporting me wholeheartedly. I wish the
ICC all the very best and hope it achieves
greater heights in future."
The ICC confirmed that it has received
Manohar's resignation, adding that a replace
ment will be announced shortly.
"The ICC has confirmed it has received an
The ICC confirmed that it has received Manohar's resignation, adding that email from Chairman Shashank Manohar ten
a replacement will be announced shortly. dering his resignation. The ICC Board will
assess the situation and next steps before
Dubai: Former BCCI chief Shashank Manohar chairman last year. His twoyear term was to making a further announcement," the ICC
has stepped down as Chairman of the end in May 2018. T he former Board of said in a statement on Wednesday.
International Cricket Council (ICC) citing per Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President The BCCI, on its part, expressed surprise at
sonal reasons. sent a copy of his resignation letter to ICC Manohar's sudden decision.
Manohar's decision comes after only eight CEO Dave Richardson. "Manohar's contribution to Indian cricket is
months in office. The 59yearold was elected "I have tried to do my best and have tried to invaluable. He is a man of few words but
unopposed as the ICC's first independent be fair and impartial in deciding matters in excellent deeds," the BCCI said in a state
ment. "T he BCCI Committee of
Administrators (CoA) was looking forward to
a longterm cooperation between the ICC and
the BCCI with Manohar at the he lm of
affairs," the BCCI adcded.
"The BCCI wishes him the very best for his
future endeavours."
The first ICC chief not affiliated to any of
its member boards, Manohar took over the
post from N. Srinivasan in May last year after
giving up his position of BCCI president.
Since then, he has tried to curb the dispro
portionate amount of power wielded by the
BCCI, Cricket Australia (CA) and the England
and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).
The ICC had passed in principle a new con
stitution last month that corrected some of
the imbalance in influence and financial
power of the BCCI, CA and ECB.
A final call on the new constitution was to
be taken at the next round of meetings by the
ICC boards next month.
Manohar has served as BCCI president
twice. He first became BCCI chief in 2008
and left the post in 2011. Following the
death of Jagmohan Dalmiya, he was reelect
ed as BCCI president in october 2015.

India, Sri Lanka, Smith 'rubbishes' Kohli's allegations

Bangladesh triangular Ranchi: Ahead of the third cricket
Test match, Australia captain Steve
Smith rubbished his opposite num

series in 2018 ber Virat Kohli's allegations that he

Colombo: Sri Lanka Cricket
(SLC) proposed a triangular
contest between India, Sri
Lanka and Bangladesh for the
Nidahas Trophy between March
15 and 30 next year to mark
the island nation's 70th
anniversary of independence,
according to an espncricinfo
report.
According to SLC President
Thilanga Sumathipala, the tour
nament will consist of seven
matches in all with each team
playing the others twice, before
the top two progress to the
final. However, it is not yet clear
if the matches will be Twenty20
Internationals or Oneday
Internationals (ODI).
"The (SLC) technical commit
tee and cricket committee is
looking into it, but at the
moment we would like it to be a
T20 triangular that's what the
agreement is," Sumathipala
said. The proposed tournament,
will however reduce the num
ber of matches, the Lankans are
set to play during their preced
ing tour of India. According to
the Future Tours Program
(FTP), Sri Lanka are set to play
five ODIs, and a T20I in India in
March next year, which will fol
low three Tests.
Sumathipala said at least
some of those matches would
effectively be transmuted into
Nidahas Trophy games, while
Board of Control for Cricket in
India (BCCI) CEO Rahul Johri
said the boards were still "work
ing on" the exact schedule.
"We look forward to playing
the Nidahas Trophy in Sri Lanka
next year, as it not only coin
cides with the 70th year of the
independence of our nation, but
the 70th anniversary of Sri
Lanka Cricket," Sumathipala
said. "As our nations gained
independence within a short
span of each other in our con
temporary history, this will no
doubt be a significant moment
of similar sentimental value for
us to mark with pomp and
pageantry as it rightfully war
rants," he added.
cheated more than once while tak
ing Decision Review System (DRS)
calls. He reiterated that it was his
'brain fade' that led to the contro
versial incident and he would
never do it on a consistent basis.
The second Test in Bengaluru
ended on a sour note after Smith
was caught looking towards the
dressing room balcony for advice
on DRS appeal against his dis
missal.
"From my point of view I think
they're completely wrong. I obvi
ously came out after the game and
said I made a mistake and it was an
error on my behalf, it was a brain
fade," Smith said at the prematch
press conference on the eve of the
third rubber here.
"In regard to saying we do it con
sistently, that's complete rubbish in
my opinion. I think he was wrong
in his statement," added the 27
year old.
Asked to comment on Kohli's
statement that he had no regrets
about what he had said after the
Bengaluru game, Smith said there
is no animosity anymore from his
side.
"Not from my point of view...
Australia captain Steve Smith.
Yeah, it's about moving on and con
centrating on this Test here. It's
been a great series so far, the crick
et that's been played, and hopefully
cricket can be the winner out here
in the Test match. It's an exciting
one, oneall in the series, half way
through the series. We're all excit
ed about this Test and hopefully it
can be a good one," the righthan
der said.
The International Cricket Council
(ICC) did not leve l any charge
against any player after the Test
and match re feree Richie
Richardson will bring both the cap
tains together ahead of the penulti
mate game.
"Perhaps I might be able to ask a
few questions. We'll see what the
mood is like at that time."
"Kohli obviously stuck by his
comments. I think it will be just
similar sort of thing with Richie
making sure that cricket is the win
ner this week," Smith said.
"I spoke to Richie Richardson and
the other umpires just now.
Basically they said cricket is the
winner in the Test. Both teams turn
to play within rules of the game.
We always know that a series
between Australia and India is
fiercely contested."
"It's between number one and
two sides in the world. They under
stand that, it's just about playing
within the boundaries of the game
and making sure that cricket is the
winner," he concluded.
 26 March 18-24, 2017 SELF HELP TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Simple ways to incorporate exercise into your daily life

W
hen constantly struggling to jug
gle the unending daily responsi
bilities of both work and family
life, trying to squeeze in time to exercise
can be a daunting task.
Throughout the day, you may be faced
with the difficult choice: to move or not to
move. Luckily, there are many simple
changes you can incorporate into your
daily routine to squeeze in that extra bit of
movement, such as parking a bit farther
away from your destination or opting to
take the stairs versus riding the elevator.
Additionally, experts recommend isomet
rics, a form of exercise that involves tens
ing muscles without moving them, which
has been shown to be an effective way to
increase strength and boost metabolism,
as well as maintain a healthy weight and
improve overall health all in ways that fit
a busy schedule.
In fact, with just 15 minutes per day, iso
metric exercises have proven to increase
strength by 30 percent over six weeks,
according to studies. Among its many
health bene fits, isometrics can also
improve stamina, combat osteoporosis,
reduce pain and even lower blood pres
sure. While its often todays technology
that keeps people strapped to their chairs
and chained to their couches, certain new
technological advancements encourage
just the opposite, serving as exceptional
healthy lifestyle resources. One such pro
gram harnessing the benefits of isometrics
is Activ5 from Activbody. This new and
innovative portable, handheld fitness
games to make fitness more fun as
Experts now also though you have an enthusiastic, animated
recommend personal trainer right in your pocket.
isometrics, a Most of us sit way too much. Although we
form of exercise all want to be more fit, for many of us its
that involves nearly impossible to carve out time to get
tensing muscles to the gym, says Activbody CEO, Leo
without moving
Grif fin. We wanted to create a way for
them. It easily fit
people to get a full body workout quickly
a busy schedule.
and ef fectively during their downtime,
while still having fun and being enter
tained.
The Activ5 app also measures data such
as strength, precision and other personal
metrics, giving users an opportunity to
track their progress. To learn more about
isometric exercise or to download the app,
visit TryActiv5.com.
While the idea of heading to the gym
after a jampacked day may sound
exhausting, making health a priority and
device works with a downloadable com incorporating some extra movement in
panion app to coach users through fun your day is easier than ever be fore.
and simple fiveminute, lowimpact isomet Whether its as simple as playing with the
ric workouts that can be performed dis kids in the yard or squeezing in a five
creetly at work, in the comfort of home or minute game using a fitness app at your
when traveling. Featuring over 100 unique desk, by keeping fitness fun and conven
workouts personalized for users individ ient, you will be more likely to embrace it
ual fitness levels, it includes a suite of as part of a healthy lifestyle.

Shopping local can benefit

you and your community
I
f you have
h o m e
improvement
plans this
spring, its
Three things to look for and prevent: pressure can bend your phone, a fall can shatter important to
the screen, water can make it inoperable. consider where
you w ill be

What to know about extending

doing your
shopping. For
many people,
the first stores to come to mind the same benefits as a large

the life of your new smartphone
he latest model smartphones
The iPhone 7 generation is the
are big box retailers because of
the widespread assumption that
chains can offer better selection
chain. For example, when small
business owners be long to a
cooperative, they come together
ken screen is still the leading cause

T
are a big financial investment,
whether you opt for the Apple
iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus. But
theres good news for those with
butter fingers. Waterresistance is
the new industry standard, reveals a
new study.
The study from SquareTrade, a
protection plan provider for smart
phones, tablets and other devices,
uses a range of robots to drop, tum
ble, dunk and bend devices to see
how they live up to everyday activi
ties, and this year, a new surf test
was added to the mix pro surfer
Kai Lenny took each phone out on
the waves to test waterresistance.
Want to protect your new smart
phone? T he study results of fer
some key insights:
4Water resistance: The iPhone 7
generation with an IP67 rating
claims water resistance in up to a
depth of 1 meter for up to 30 min
utes. While both phones survived
tests of this claim, they did suf fer
some audio muffling afterward.
first to compete with water resist
ance, says Steve Abernethy, execu
tive chairman at Square Trade.
After putting them to the test,
theres no doubt the iPhone 7 and 7
Plus arent scared of going for a lit
tle swim. So while all this can give
you some peace of mind around
pools, puddles or even ocean waves,
you will still want to take precau
tions around water.
4Strength: In the bend test, the
iPhone 7 bent at 170 pounds of
pressure, the iPhone 7 Plus bent at
180 both matching the previous
6s generation. Good news for those
who like to store their phones in the
back pockets.
4Tumble resistance: After 30 sec
onds in SquareTrades TumbleBot,
the iPhone 7 was scuffed on its cor
ners and cracked on the camera
lens, similar to the iPhone 6s. The 7
Plus only suf fered a small crack,
and fared far better than the 6s
Plus.
4The sidewalk always wins: A bro
and better prices. to scale buying power, access
of smartphone damage. Both goods and services at a lower
Keep in mind, though, that
phones shattered on their first face cost, and create opportunities
when it comes to items needed
down drop. By the second drop, the not available to them as individ
for your home projects
iPhone 7 bricked and wouldnt turn ual businesses. For you, this can
whether it be new flooring, paint
back on. The third drop for the 7 mean more and better choices of
or a kitchen renovation more
Plus resulted in major screen mal products and affordability. In the
often than not, experts say that
functioning rendering it unusable. case of Flooring America for
your local independent retailer
After three corner drops, the iPhone example, this means being able
can offer as good or better selec
7 screen cracked and split, the 7 to offer a wide selection of prod
tion, be competitive with pricing,
Plus screen shattered. So hold on ucts, including hard surfaces like
and provide a superior customer
tight. hardwood, laminate and tile, and
service experience.
W hatever phone you own, a soft surface flooring, paint, cabi
Whats more, shopping at local
strong sturdy case paired with a nets for kitchen renovations and
businesses can bene fit your
comprehensive protection plan is even closet organization solu
household and the community. At
key. To learn more about affordable tions.
a locally owned store, you will be
plans that cover drops, spills and Their retailers can be found in
more likely to find interesting
malfunctions, visit squaretrade.com. local communities throughout
items and products that set your
Whether youre clumsy or simply the country, with a varying prod
home apart.
prone to handing your smartphone uct selection depending on loca
And more of your dollars will
over to pro surfers, the world is full tion. So, if you are looking to
stay put when you give them to
of risks. Learn the strengths and make home improvements this
business owners who pay taxes
weaknesses of your model so you spring, check out your lo cal
locally, hire locally and may be
can adopt sound habits that keep retailers that not only offer great
more inclined to support commu
your phone in good condition and product selection, but also con
nity charities and organizations.
be sure to safeguard your tribute to your community in a
You may also find independent
expenditure. positive way.
retailers that can of fer some of
(Statepoint)
TheSouthAsianTimes.info LIFESTYLE March 18-24, 2017 27

International Yoga festival concludes in Rishikesh

Rishikesh: The International Yoga Festival
at the Parmarth Niketan Ashram concluded
with participants from over a 100 nations
play ing Holi w ith revered gurus and
renowned artists including singer Kailash
Kher and percussionist Sivamani.
Holi was played with organic colours to
send the message that celebration and envi
ronmental conservation should go handin
hand, the organisers said.
"People enjoyed Holi in a way that will
protect our environment and health. Let
this serve as an example for everyone and
so that all festivals may become green," the
Ashram's head, Swami Chidanand
Saraswati, said here.
He asked people to make Yoga their
'mantra' to a healthy, happy and harmo
nious life.
The annual event was attended by over a
thousand people and saw lectures and pre
sentations by over 70 gurus, yogacharyas
and experts.
"People from 101 nations celebrated Holi
today and we want them to return home Participants engaged in early morning Yoga sessions on the banks of river Ganga (Image : International Yoga Festival Facebook page)
with their hearts colored in the color of
Yoga, oneness and peace," the festival's Swami Avd heshanand and yog a guru from across the world attended the Yoga eternal part of our life," Naik said.
director Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati said. Ramdev among others. festival. Yoga originated in ancient India After Ganga Aarti, participants were
The closing ceremony was attended by "Rishikesh is known as the city of the and it is timeless and eternal. We are proud enthralled with a musical by Sivamani.
Union Minister for AYUSH Shripad Naik, divine. It comes as no surprise that people of our Yoga heritage. It must become an (PTI)

High-intensity aerobic training

may help reverse ageing
New York: Hig h
intensity aerobic
exercise may be the
best type of train
ing for people over
65, as it can reverse
some ce llular
aspects of ageing,
an Indianorig in
researcher has
found.
T he findings
showed that highintensity inter
val training (or cardio) like run
ning and walking, improved mus
cle protein content enhancing
energetic functions and causing
muscle enlargement, especially in
older adults.
"We encourage everyone to
exercise regularly, but the take
home message for ageing adults
is that supervised highintensity
training is probably best,"said K.
Sreekumaran Nair, Indianorigin
endo crinolog ist at the Mayo
Clinic, a nonprofit health care
research organisation.
Nair explained that this kind of
training helped both metabolical
ly and at the molecular level, con
ferring the most benefits.
Decline in mitochondrial con
tent and function are common in
older adults.
The highintensity exercise reg
imen significantly enhanced the
cellular machinery responsible
for making new proteins, con
tribut ing to synthesis, thus
reversing a major adverse effect
of ageing.
While highintensity training
reversed some manifestations of
ageing in the body's protein func
tion, adding resistance training
may also help achieve significant
muscle strength, Nair added.
In the study, appearing in the
journal Cell Metabolism, the team
compared highintensity interval
training, resistance training and
combined training.
Researchers tracked metabolic
and molecular changes in a group
of young and older adults over 12
weeks, gathering data 72 hours
after individuals in randomised
groups completed each type of
exercise.
All training types improved lean
body mass and insulin sensitivity,
but only highintensity and com
bined training improved aerobic
capacity and mitochondrial func
tion for skeletal muscle.
Increase in muscle strength
occurred only modestly with
highintensity interval training
but improved with resistance
training alone or when added to
the aerobic training. (IANS)
Hyderabad again ranks
top in quality of living
Hyderabad: Hyderabad has
emerged as the city with the best
quality of living in India for the
third year in a row, according to
Mercer's Quality of Living rankings
2017.
For the second year in a row,
New Delhi continues to be ranked
the lowest, amongst the surveyed
cities.
Both Hyderabad and Pune rank
higher for quality of living than the
country's more traditional business
centres, Mumbai and New Delhi,
globally ranked at 154 and 161
respectively.
"T he survey hig hlig hts that
Indian cities that have been part of (Image courtesy: Indiaeducation.net)
the survey haven't made much
progress on the quality of living Hyderabad and in general, the Mumbai is ranked the highest at
scale since last year," said Ruchika police force is ef ficient and reli 141, followed by Kolkata (149) and
Pal, Principal and India Practice able, said the report. Pune (151). Bengaluru is rated the
Leader, Global Mobility. While New Delhi scores well on lowest, amongst the surveyed
The only exception is Chennai, account of its airport facility, avail Indian cities, ranked at 177.
whose score has marg inally ability of international schools and Globally, Vienna occupies first
improved mainly on account of low probability of natural disasters. place for overall quality of living
public transport, including buses These positives are offset by a vari for the eighth year running, with
and a recently expanded twoline ety of negatives including a "noto the rest of the top10 list is mostly
metro system, and improved avail rious" crime rate, air pollution and filled by European cities.
ability of expat housing. water availability. In South Asia, the Indian cities
Hyderabad has slipped five ranks Mercer's survey also includes a fare much better on quality of liv
from 139 last year to 144, on city infrastructure ranking that ing compared to Dhaka in
account of decreased power supply assesses each city's supply of elec Bang ladesh (rank 214), and
and water availability. tricity, drinking water, telephone Islamabad (rank 194), Lahore
On the positive side, Hyderabad and mail services, and public trans (rank 202) and Karachi (rank 204).
continues to score high, in compar portation as well as traffic conges Colombo, the capital city of Sri
ison with other surveyed Indian tion and the range of international Lanka however has emerged as the
cities, on account of lower crime flights available from local air top ranker in South Asia, with a
rate violence is uncommon in ports. Amongst Indian cit ies, score of 132. (IANS)
28 March 18-24, 2017 HUMOR TheSouthAsianTimes.info

Funny Side by Nury Vittachi

Headline writer with

marital problem
advised not to punic
M
y journalist col
league was hor
rified after his
spouse accused him of
always speaking like
newspaper headlines.
"Wife slams shocked
scribe," he told me.

BEST "Turn to page 5."

Headlines have been

RATE on my mind lately. It all

started in Fe bruary

FOR when there was a rash

of headlines say ing

INDIA "Smoking Goo d For

Health" after scientists revealed one tiny
report on a poultry restaurant's legal trou
bles: "Court cooks their goose." When a

AND possible benefit of cigarettes (they prevent

ed a case of anemia).
The same week, this headline appeared in
PAKISTAN Time magazine: "America's Top Fortune
Cookie Writer Is Quitt ing Because of
Writer's Block."
New York Head Quarter It seems to be Collectable Headline season
around the world, so let's survey recent clas
422S Broadway sics. Funny headlines come in four cate
HICKSVILLE gories.
First we have Deliberate Puns. The UK has
NY 11801
been hit by a lettuce shortage. "LEAF IT
5168271010 OUT!" was the headline in the Sun, while the
Guardian had the more predictable "Tip of
the iceberg". The Times of London told the
excitable British public to "Romaine calm".
The Hong Kong Standard is known for its
punning headlines, such as the one over a
g iant bird escaped from its owner,
Singapore's AsiaOne headlined the tale:
"Ostrich runs afowl on Malaysian highway."
T he second category is the Oops
Headlines, when the words are not wrong
but accidentally offer an alternative mean
ing.
"Trump campaign chief charged with bat
tery", the New York Times reported last
year, creating an image of an expired man
being plugged into a recharger.
"Undiscovered moons may lurk around
Uranus", the Washington Post reported a
few months ago, to juvenile snickers.
When a food inspector left his job, a
recent wire service report was headlined
"Meat head resigns".
The third category is Clickbait Cheating
headlines which deliberately mislead the
reader. In Nigeria last month, cheeky scribes

Laughter is the Best Medicine

titled their "Buhari undergoes penis surgery"
to make it go viral. Buhari is the name of the
country's president, but the story referred to
a nonfamous person with the same name.
T he fourth category is Grammat ical
Mistakes, which is when a problem like
missing commas or bad grammar changes
the meaning.
News website The Hive last year featured
a story titled: "Spotify founder gets married
with Bruno Mars and Mark Zuckerberg".
Bad sentence construction was evident in
the title of a report by the StarLedger news
paper of Newark, New Jersey, last July:
"Cops called to Union house where man was
killed at least 30 times".
This sort of error often creates interesting
wordpictures. "Thousands of bees swarm an
area Walmart, three recover in hospital",
said a report on KFORTV, a US news web
site in August last year. So several thousand
bees attacked a big store and three of the
bees ended up in hospital beds, hooked up
to drips and monitors, right?
Since real news headlines are so entertain
ing these days, people who make their living
creating fake ones (such as The Onion web
by Mahendra Shah
site or Andy Borowitz) are redundant.
Mahendra Shah is an architect by education, entrepreneur by profession, artist and humorist, cartoonist and writer by hobby. He has been Meanwhile, I pledged to train my journal
recording the plight of the immigrant Indians for the past many years in his cartoons. Hailing from Gujarat, ist friend to talk in human speech from now,
he lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. instead of in headlines. "Scribe In Reform
Pact", he replied. "Verdict Unsure".
TheSouthAsianTimes.info ASTROLOGY
By Dr Prem Kumar Sharma
MARCH 1824, 2017
ARIES: Handle tough situations at pro LIBRA: Professional front would
fessional front carefully and singular require a persistent effort and ability
ly. Unexpected gifts and presents from to plan action quickly to sustain it. If
close relatives/family members cannot be possible undertake the projects that would ben
ruled out. If possible take independent deci efit the whole family. Explore new investment
sions when it comes to making fresh invest opportunities that comes your way, commit
ments. Shortlived romantic opportunities only after considering the viability of the proj
could come your way. Make ef forts to ects. Avoid revealing personal & confidential
strengthen your mental toughness to enjoy secret to lover/beloved this week. Control your
peace. Youll be facing some legal issues excitement otherwise it might cause some prob
where your property matters are concerned. lems. Luxuries are not what you need in a vaca
Maintain a distance from selfish friends and tion, its peace and companionship. You might
relatives. be purchasing a refrigerator or any other gadg
TAURUS: Auspicious week to start a et for your house. Keeping yourself in high spir
new venture. Good advice from family its would enable to be an unbeatable achiever.
members will help in reducing mental SCORPIO: Mental clarity would remove
tension/pressure. Monetary gains from past business confusions. Encourage chil
unplanned sources will brighten your week. dren to engage themselves in household
Blossoming love life brings happiness. A activities in their spare time. You need to control
cheerful state of mind brings mental peace. your spending by purchasing only essential
Just take a walk in the countryside and items. Romance touches new heights, as partner
experience new things. Investing residential positively responds. Dont forget to attend a
ly is one thing you can rely on. You would be social gathering to enlighten your mood. Time to
full of good ideas but might fail to translate spend money on not a vacation but a luxury
them. vacation. Purchasing of electrical appliances can
GEMINI: Professional attitude at work be done. Your quest for the ultimate goal would
brings success. Sudden good news in override individual goals of your friends.
the evening will bring cheers for the SAGITTARIUS: A long pending decision
entire family. New moneymaking opportuni gets finalized at professional front.
ties will be lucrative. Romance is likely to Misunderstandings with near ones in
intensify through recreational activities & the family will get cleared. Financial position
entertainment. will improve later in the week. You are likely to
Cultivate a harmonious nature to kill your find someone with whom you will enjoy the
hatred because it is more powerful than love ecstasies of love. A beneficial week to work on
besides adversely af fecting body. Its high things that will improve your health. A beauti
time to visit a relatives place otherwise rela ful vacation you awaited for is on your cards.
tionships can be ruined. Investment on over Time to make investments on farmlands.
seas property has to be considered seriously. Lending a helping hand to strangers and help
Friends would come to your aid if needed. ing them to solve their problems would give
CANCER: A hectic schedule awaits at you a wonderful feeling.
professional front this week. You CAPRICORN: Travel undertaken for
will feel disappointed when you dis establishing new contacts and business
cover that someone you have always trusted expansion will be very fruitful. You
is not very honest with you at family front. achieve success in personal work with the time
Some of you will overspend on others. Being ly help & support provided by family members.
revengeful towards lover/beloved will only A new financial deal gets finalized paving the
disappoint you. way for fresh money. A unilateral decision in
A week when fast changing events could love could annoy partner. Cutting down the
leave you confused & tired. Traveling alone number of parties and pleasure jaunts would
could be depressing for you. Your plan to help in keeping in good mood. Traveling regu
buy a plot, may lead to bankruptcy. Refusing larly might be injurious for your well being.
to accept personal failures will come in the Your investment plans are not up to the mark,
way of progress. you will be in trouble. A bad habit of complain
LEO: Seniors colleagues are likely to ing about lack of opportunities could land you
lend a helping hand. Your ef forts in a problem during this week.
bring success & happiness at family AQUARIUS: Your artistic and creative
front. You get some financial rewards as ability would attract a lot of apprecia
dedicat ion & hard work gets not iced. tion. Spend some relaxed moments
Romantic opportunity comes your way as with family members. Investment should be
your sparkling sunshine smile injures a live handled with extreme care and avoid being
ly & tender heart. lured by dubious money ventures. Romantic
Good time to divert attention to spirituality partner seeks a firm commitment in love. It is
to enhance mental toughness. Time to go for time for you to enjoy a short pleasure trip to
a memorable trip.Time to spend money on recharge body. If adventure is your style of hol
your home ly accommo dat ions. idaying, then plan it and move around. Before
The support of close friends will be a morale you plan a property, just go through your bank
booster. balance. You are likely to help needy people to
VIRGO: Hard work & dedicat ion navigate through rough patches of their life.
would win the trust of seniors at PISCES: Handling subordinates might be
work. Domestic af fairs clouding the a little tough today. No help from family
mind could affect your enjoyment. Monetary members would disappoint you.
gains are likely to be from more than one Investment made today would be lucrative but
source. L affair could create some personal you will probably face some opposition from
problems. A pleasure trip gives the much partners. Avoid making false promises especially
needed tonic to health. in love life otherwise it would only create prob
Being too choosy for a romantic destination lems. A pessimistic attitude could prevent from
might irritate your partner. A good week to making any progress. The idea of a holiday
make some investment on kitchen items. seems to be tired and rushed. A good deal for
Your persistent ef forts would enable to residential property is ahead. You will be highly
shine in every aspect of life. benefited by interacting with strangers.
Chandigarh, India: +91-172- 256 2832, 257 2874
Delhi, India: +91-11- 2644 9898, 2648 9899
psharma@premastrologer.com; www.premastrologer.com
ANNUAL PREDICTIONS: FOR THOSE BORN IN THIS WEEK
18th March, 2017
Influenced by number 9 and the planet
Mars, you are energetic, courageous,
aggressive, systematic and highly sentimen
tal person. You possess great personality
and confidence, and have a strong com
mand over your work, but you loose many
good opportunities due to your erratic and
quarrelsome nature.
This year your stars are in an extremely
favorable position, bringing you happiness
and prosperity. You would also make some
major changes on the home front. You
would be a good host and you would spend
lavishly on the entertainment of others.
Your beloved would be a major source of
happiness and pleasure. Overall your health
would be fine but it will be important to
take necessary precautions. Pilgrimage or
distant journey would be high on your
agenda. The months of August, November
and April will prove to be significant.
19th March, 2017
Governed by number 1, and the Sun, you
are original, active, responsible and a trust
worthy individual. You are highly talented
and skillful, but you need to control your
tendency to dominate, overspend and
behave destructive at times.
This year some major decisions would be
taken. You would be highly energized and
ready to put extra efforts to achieve your
career goals. Your excessive energy and
tremendous drive would bring you remark
able financial benefits. Property disputes or
legal matters which have been bothering
your mind would settle amicably towards
the middle of the year. Spouse would
remain cooperative and shower love and
af fection upon you. Children would be a
major source of happiness. The months of
November, February and July will be highly
important and eventful.
20th March, 2017
Ruled by number 2 and the Moon. You
are highly trustworthy, emotional, simple,
friendly and warmhearted person. You do
not mince words and are straightforward in
your speech and action, but you need to
check your tendency to behave introvert,
reckless and spendthrift at times.
This year few brilliant opportunities
would come your way but you need to act
sw iftly to g rab them be fore others.
Financial gains would accrue from invest
ments and even speculation. New sources
of income would generate, but partnerships
should be avoided. A vacation to an exotic
location seems likely later this year. Your
health would remain good but health of a
family member would cause anxiety and
concern. If you're unattached, the chances
to meet someone special and enter into a
committed relationship seems quite strong.
The months of November, February and
June will be highly significant.
21st March, 2017
Governed by number 3 and the planet
Jupiter, you are imaginative, ambitious, dig
nified, jovial, cheerful and highly optimistic
person. You search for meaning and pur
pose in life and you often find this through
your work. You are friendly and helpful, but
you need to control your tendency to
behave jealous, extravagant and dominat
ing at times. This year your selfconfidence
and determination would be at its peak.
March 18-24, 2017 29
The organization that you work for would
undergo major administrative changes and
the chances of your promotion or transfer
would be strong. Your income would be
from at least two sources. Your finances
would improve towards the middle of the
year bringing prosperity and happiness at
domestic level. Your emotional partner
would be a major support. Health of a sib
ling mig ht need extra attent ion. T he
months of October, December and April
seem to be eventful.
22nd March, 2017
Dominated by number 4 and the planet
Uranus, you are active, jovial, reliable,
methodical and systematic person. You are
sharp and intelligent and you easily find
solutions to dif ficult situations. You are
optimistic and skillful, but you need to
check your tendency to behave moody, vin
dictive and extravagant at times.
This year you would put your best efforts
and accomplish many odd jobs, but your
employer would be under extreme stress
and not fully acknowledge your contribu
tions. Your income would rise, but you
would also spend more on luxuries making
it extremely dif ficult for you to plan any
savings. Your love relationship would suf
fer because of your hectic work schedule.
Property disputes would settle amicably.
The months of September, February and
July will be highly important.
23rd March, 2017
Ruled by number 5 and the planet
Mercury. You are practical, sensitive,
friendly, diplomatic and quick in taking
decisions. You are honest and have a highly
developed conscience, but you need to
check your tendency to behave restless,
nervous and moody at times. There would
be few unexpected events, some of which
would benefit you. Gains from past invest
ment would also make your financial posi
tion comfortable. You need not bother
about rumour and gossip and should con
centrate only towards your career goals.
Distant travel would be undertaken for
business as well as pleasure. Health would
be fine in spite of overtime that you might
have to put for initial few months. Yoga and
meditation will be helpful. The months of
November, March and August will be highly
significant and result oriented.
24th March, 2017
Influenced by number 6 and the planet
Venus. You are independent, ambitious,
charming and love peace and harmony. You
are a person of your words and others can
depend on you completely. You are dedicat
ed and sincere, but you need to check your
tendency to behave moody, spendthrift and
careless at times.
This year you would put a great deal of
your ef forts into new jobs. You would be
highly motivated and creative and easily
turn coming opportunities to success.
Businessmen would sign major agreements
and can expect a year of excellent returns.
You would have emotional attachment with
your close friends, which would interfere
with the program you make with your
spouse. You need to plan your social activi
ties in a manner that it doesnt hurt anyone.
Gains from the sale of property may not be
ruled out. T he month of September,
February and June will be eventful months.
30 March 18-24, 2017
By Sant Rajinder Singh
Ji Maharaj
H
azur Baba Sawan Singh Ji
Maharaj was the g reat
spiritual Master who initi
ated Sant Kirpal Singh Ji Maharaj
and Sant Darshan Sing h Ji
Maharaj. There are still some ini
tiates left who were initiated by
Hazur and who even met him
physically. While he may have
physically le ft this physical
realm, he is still very much with
us and those who have their
inner eye opened can still see
him within in the higher realms.
Those who never met Hazur
physically are still entwined in
his circle of grace and love. His
grace continued to pour out
through Sant Kirpal Singh Ji
Maharaj and Sant Darshan Singh
Ji Maharaj, and continues even
today. Before Hazur, the teach
ings of Sant Mat were mostly
taug ht in India. But Hazur
opened the floodgates of spiritu
ality making Sant Mat available
to people around the world.
When we look at the life of
Hazur, we find that two qualities
stand out. The first quality was
that once he had the awakening
within to find God, he did not
stop until he found a Master.
Once he found his Master, he
was diligent in his meditations
until he attained communion of
his soul with God. The second
quality was that he knew that a
part of spiritual progress rested
on leading a life of ethical
virtues. Coupled with being regu
lar in his meditat ions, he
remained true to his ethical
values.
Unfortunately, many people are
intense about reaching their
goals only for a short period of
time or in short bursts. They do
not maintain the passion and
zeal long enough to attain their
goal. For example, when people
are in the stage of seeking God or
looking for a Master to show
them the way back to God, they
have great intensity. Often, they
experience an awakening in life
in which they realize life has not
given them the happiness they
want. Sometimes they experience
SPIRITUAL AWARENESS
Do not stop until the
goal is reached
a dif ficulty or shock in life that
awakens them to the truth that
life is suf fering. Others experi
ence disappointment with
some aspect of their life
and feel there must be
another way to joy.
Whatever route leads one
to seek God also may drive
one to search with great
intensity. When such a per
son finds a spiritual teacher
or Master to show him or
her the way back to God, he
or she is often dedicated and
committed to the spiritual
practices being taught. Such
people put great ef fort into
meditating and following an
ethical life.
They are happy when they get
some spiritual experience and
start seeing results. Over time,
though, many people become
complacent. T hey fee l that
because they are on the path
back to God, there is no more
need to make any ef fort. They
begin to take it easy. They feel
their intense need for God has
been met by finding a spiritual
teacher or a path and there is no
more urgency. They begin to get
caught up in their worldly life
again and forget to put in time
for meditation. They feel because
they have the spiritual key to
heaven that even if they do not
follow the ethical virtues their
failures will be overlooked and
forgiven. Thus, they become less
diligent about being nonviolent,
loving, caring, and humble. As a
result of forgetting about medi
tating and not improving in the
ethical virtues, they stall out in
their spiritual progress. They
wonder why they are not making
any headway and seem to be
staying in the same place.
There is a story about a man
who made his living by cutting
down trees and selling the wood
in the market. One day, when he
went into the forest to collect
wood, he found a yogi sitting by
the side of a stream.
The yogi had been meditating,
but came out of meditation as
the man came near. The yogi
smiled at him and said, O wood
cutter, dont stop, but keep mov
ing forward. T hen, the yogi
closed his eyes and resumed his
meditation. The man continued
his days work, cutting down
some trees, and then taking them
to the market to sell. When the
man reached home that night he
thought about the words of
the yogi.
T he man
asked himself, Why did he tell
me not to stop but keep moving
forward? There must be some
meaning in this. After giving the
words of the yogi much thought,
he realized the yogi must have
meant that he should not stop at
the same place all the time to cut
the wood, but go further into the
forest.
The next day, the man decided
that instead of cutting wood in
the usual area, he would go deep
er into the forest. After he
walked further than he had ever
gone before, he noticed that the
usual trees he had been cutting
down ended and there was a
grove of sandalwood trees.
Ah, said the man, This must
be what the yogi was telling me. I
never knew there were sandal
wood trees here before. These
are worth much more money
than the trees I had been cutting
down. The man cut down some
sandalwood trees, took them to
the market, and earned a lot
more money for them.
After several days, the man
recalled the words of the yogi
directing him to not stop but
keep moving forward. The man
thought, I followed that advice
before. W hat if I follow that
advice again? The man decided
to go further into the woods,
beyond the sandalwood trees. As
he did so, he discovered that
beyond the sandalwood trees
there was a silver mine. The man
said, Silver will bring me much
TheSouthAsianTimes.info
We should take stock of where
we are. We should examine the
effort we have made to reach the
more money than the sandal
place we have reached now.
wood trees. He collected silver
W hatever we have done to
from the mine, went to the
achieve our current state, we
market, and quadrupled his
should increase our ef forts to
earnings.
move forward.
Realizing the wisdom of the
If we see pinpoints of light or
yogi, the man thought, What if I
lights of any color, we should
go further than the silver mine?
meditate longer or more accu
He went deeper into the forest.
rately until we see the inner sky
This time he discovered a gold
or stars. If we see the inner stars,
mine. Digging out the gold, he
we should meditate more accu
went to the market and made
rately, or put in more time to see
even more money than he had
the inner moon or sun. If we are
made with the silver.
seeing the inner moon or sun, we
The words of the yogi now car
should meditate with more accu
ried great meaning for the man.
racy, more zeal, more passion, or
Going further into the forest, he
more time to see the radiant
encountered a diamond mine. He
form of the Master. If we have
hit the jackpot. The diamonds he
reached the first realm within,
found led him to earn g reat
the astral realm, we should
wealth.
progress further to the causal
realm.
He realized that the simple
words of the yogi had led him to
If we have reached the causal
greater and greater riches than
realm we should transcend to the
he could have ever dreamed.
supracausal realm. If we have
reached the supracausal realm,
We are in the same condition
we should transcend further to
as the man in the story. We are
Sach Khand and merge back in
toiling away in one part of the
God.
forest. The Masters keep telling
us to awake, arise, and stop not
until the goal is reached. The
(To be continued....)
Masters tell us, Do not stop, but
keep moving forward. T hey
want us to go further in our spiri Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj
tual practices than we have ever is an internationally recognized
gone before. spiritual leader and Master of
Jyoti Meditation who affirms the
They do not want us to rest on transcendent oneness at the heart
our laurels of whatever we have of all religions and mystic tradi-
attained so far. They want us to tions, emphasizing ethical living
go higher and higher. To do this, and meditation as building blocks
we need to put in more and more for achieving inner and outer
effort. peace. www.sos.org.
TheSouthAsianTimes.info March 18-24, 2017