n tho 24 hours botwoon last Thursday and Friday

atornoons, mado a strango disoovory. ound to my

uttor surpriso that thoro aro ar moro pooplo with a doinito
viow o ndia's "blundor" in tho WTO nogotiations than
thought oxistod.
n my naivoto had assumod that tho ondloss parloys
in Gonova woro a mattor striotly or tho bus. Whothor this
spurt in intorost in tho innor-workings o tho Commoroo
Ministry had anything to do with tho prosonoo o largo
numbors o Amorioans aooompanying US Soorotary o
Stato John Korry and also proparing tho grounds or Primo
Ministor Narondra Modi's talks with Prosidont Baraok
Obama in Soptombor, is a mattor o oon|ooturo. Maybo wo
shouldn't road too muoh into ooinoidonoos.
Howovor, whilo it was gratiying to loarn that ooonomio
diplomaoy was boing aooordod a high moasuro o
importanoo in national lio, thoro aro somo aoots o tho
USA's rosponso to ndia's WTO voto that aro worth
highlighting.
Judging rom oonvorsations with Amorioan oioials
and 'omboddod' non-oioials, it would soom that
Washington was ontiroly unproparod or tho ohango o
Govornmont that took plaoo in ndia at tho ond o May
2014. t laokod an undorstanding o oithor tho now Primo
Ministor or tho koy individuals who mado up tho now
disponsation. This ailuro was oompoundod by an
orronoous bolio that tho NDA o Modi is a oarbon oopy
o tho NDA Govornmont lod by va|payoo.
n thoir rush to gain moaningul insights into tho Modi
Govornmont, tho polioy-makors o tho Obama
administration arrivod at oortain hurriod oonolusions-basod,
it would soom, on inputs with unnamod ndian intorlooutors.
Tho irst was that tho Modi Govornmont was pro-
businoss and would shapo its polioios towards ovorything
that would add to a positivo businoss onvironmont. This
wasn't an inoorroot assossmont, oxoopt that it ailod to
aotor in ndia's sorious
disoomituro ovor
rostriotions o its right to
dotormino its own
quantum o agrioultural
subsidios through tho
Minimum Support Prioo
struoturo. n a oompotitivo
domooraoy, tho Modi
Govornmont was unlikoly
to agroo to any proposal
that oould |oopardiso its
ability to improvo tho
roturns or a vory
vulnorablo sootor.
n his talks with Korry,
Finanoo Ministor Arun
Jaitloy mado it oloar that
ndia was willing to go tho
wholo hog on "aoilitation"
issuos-improvo tho
porormanoo o ports,
roduoo dolays in oustoms
oloaranoos, oto.-and was moroly sooking "oomort" on tho
issuo o agrioultural prioing. n a tusslo botwoon tho US
arm lobby and ndian arming intorosts, tho Modi
Govornmont was oloarly on tho sido o ndia. This should
havo boon oloar to tho US administration and tho WTO
nogotiators. That it thought othorwiso is ourious.
Sooond, duo to tho promptnoss with whioh Modi
agrood to Obama's invitation to oomo to tho Whito Houso
or talks, a sootion o tho US polioy ostablishmont arrivod
at tho oonolusion that tho ndian Primo Ministor saw his
Soptombor visit as a rohabilitation |ournoy. t boliovod-quito
wrongly in my viow-that tho visa sanotions had aotually
dovastatod Modi and that ho would uso his visit to
paokago himsol as a 'rospootablo' politioian, aoooptablo
to ovon tho Now York Timos (a papor whioh had
oampaignod inoossantly against him). n short, it was olt
that Modi would saoriioo ndia's armors or tho sako o
oosying up to Amorioa's East Coast liboral ostablishmont.
This oomplotoly warpod imago o an 'aspirational'
Modi had in aot boon uollod by inputs rom ndia
(partioularly tho ndia-basod think tanks). Going by this
porooption, Modi and his toam woro tho ndian oquivalonts
o Amorioan 'rodnooks', oomplotoly out o thoir dopths in
tho world o diplomatio sophistry. t was olt that Modi
would bo drivon by babus with ono oyo on post-rotiromont
assignmonts in multilatoral bodios. Ator all, that is how
ndia had oarlior boon 'managod' in diioult situations.
Tho ailuro to got tho Modi Govornmont to bond is
oortain to prompt a ro-assossmont o tho visit in
Soptombor. US oioials aro alroady muttoring that in
viow o tho stratogio olout wioldod by tho Commoroo
Dopartmont in Washington's oomplox powor oquations,
tho anaro around Modi's visit is oortain to bo dilutod.
This dilution, howovor, will bo oontostod by tho
Dopartmont o Doonoo that is groodily viowing ndia as
a big markot or US-mado armamonts. t is also looking
at ndia as a possiblo buyor (at disoountod prioos) o a
groat doal o military hardwaro that will bo oxponsivo to
oart baok rom Aghanistan.
A possiblo roason why thoso dopartmontal oonliots
oould bo disproportionatoly important lios in tho aot that
undor Obama tho US is boooming inoroasingly disinolinod
to ongago with tho outsido world. Tho Popublioan
Opposition is oton inolinod to ovorstato its misgivings o
tho Obama prosidonoy but ono thing it has oorrootly
highlightod is tho aot that thoro is no largor global vision
driving tho US. Doos tho US, or oxamplo, roally know or
ovon oaro o tho oonsoquonoos o its imponding
withdrawal rom Aghanistan on tho suboontinont?
Many ndians who mot Korry on this visit thought ho
had oomo undorproparod. Maybo thoy mistook doliborato
tontativonoss or oasualnoss. Whatovor tho roality, thoro
aro ow oortitudos govorning ndo-US bilatoral rolations in
2014. n 2005, tho stratogio partnorship botwoon
Washington and Dolhi promisod to ohango powor
oquations in Asia. Now, nino yoars lator, thoy aro baok to
rodisoovoring oaoh othor, oton with astonishing
amatourishnoss. Modi may want to ohango things in
Soptombor but it always takos two to tango.
USUALSUSPECTS
SwAFAh 0AS0uFTA
n a tussle between
the US farm lobby
and ndian farming
interests, the Modi
Government was
clearly on the
side of ndia. This
should have been
clear to the US
administration
and the WTO
negotiators. That
it thought otherwise
is curious
US misread Modi
Govt's resolve
kkE8h k 8Ihh Q hEw 0ELh
I
n a decisive move, the BJP-
led National Democratic
Alliance (NDA) Government
has rejected a proposal moot-
ed by the former United
Progressive Alliance (UPA)
regime for dilution of the
Armed Forces Special Powers
Act (AFSPA) and its applica-
tion in Jammu & Kashmir.
The proposal to dilute the
AFSPA was formulated by the
Union Home Ministry during
Sushilkumar Shindes tenure as
Home Minister in the erstwhile
UPA Government and was
kept pending. It incorporated
recommendations of the
Justice BP Jeevan Reddy-led
committee on AFSPA reforms
and the Administrative
Reforms Commission (ARC)
report on the issue.
In its first meeting of the
Cabi net Committee on
Security (CCS) held recently,
the Government discussed
the proposal and thorough-
ly rejected the recommen-
dations seeking dilution in the
stringent provisions of the
Act, considered an enabling
legislation by the Army,
Home Ministry sources said
here on Saturday.
The Army has been
opposed to any relaxations in
the provisions and application
of the Act in Disturbed Areas
in Jammu & Kashmir and
the North-East.
The five-member Reddy
panel was constituted by the
UPA Government in 2004 in
the wake of death of Thangjam
Manorama allegedly in the
custody of the Assam Rifles
and the indefinite fast under-
taken by Irom Sharmila.
The committee was asked
to review the provisions of the
AFSPA and advised the
Government to amend the
provisions of the Act to bring
them in consonance with the
obligations of the Government
towards protection of human
rights, or to replace the Act by
a more humane Act.
The committee submitted
its recommendations on June 6,
2005 and advised the
Government to repeal the
AFSP Act 1958. In June 2007,
the ARC had also recom-
mended repealing the Act.
The Act provides a shield
to the Army to fearlessly
counter insurgents in the
North-East and terrorists in
Jammu & Kashmir without
any worry about prosecution
under penal laws.
Apart f rom demands
from human rights groups
from the North-East to repeal
t he Act, t he Jammu &
Kashmir Government led by
Omar Abdullah has been
demanding at least partial
withdrawal of the Act from
certain areas of
Turn to Page 4
80 sh00ts 40Wa
4II0te4 F8F I4ea
Fh8 Q hEw 0ELh\FAThA
A
day before Prime Minister
Narendra Modis two-day
visit to Nepal, a landslide in the
Himalayan State resulted in
creation of an artificial dam on
the Kosi River on Saturday,
triggering possibility of a flood
that could affect parts of Bihar.
The State and Central
Governments swung into
action to contain the damage.
Modi directed that all help be
given to Bihar and Nepal to
meet any eventuality.
The Bihar Government
ordered immediate evacuation
of around 1.5 lakh people liv-
ing between the Kosi River and
its embankment. The evacua-
tion is going on in Supaul,
Saharsa, Madhepura, Khagaria,
Bhagalpur, Araria, Purnia,
Madhubani districts that are
likely to be gripped by the
imminent flood. The State
Government also sought assis-
tance from the
Army in evacu-
ating people
amid the loom-
ing danger from the flood.
The Crisis Management
Committee (CMC), headed by
Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth,
held an emergency meeting in
New Delhi in view of the
development and a decision
was taken to rush some experts
to Nepal besides 15 teams of
National Disaster Response
Force (NDRF) to Bihar. Seth
also spoke to Bihar Chief
Secretary and promised all
assistance from the Centre.
The Centre rushed a team
of experts to Nepal to help
them with technical support,
officials said in New Delhi
adding more specialists could
be sent if required. The
Government has also sent eight
NDRF teams to Bihar from
Delhi and seven from Kolkata
to help in rescue and relief.
Due to the landslide, about
20-25 lakh cusecs of water has
collected in the artificial dam.
Nepalese authorities are mak-
ing controlled breaches in it
so that water can be released
slowly and in less quantity.
However, if these efforts do not
succeed and the artificial dam
bursts, parts of Bihar could face
temporary floods within 14-
18 hours, the officials said.
Places like Madhepura,
Supaul and Saharsa could face
the maximum damage if floods
occur, the officials said, adding
places like Madhubani and
Khagaria could also be impact-
ed. About six years ago, a breach
in Kosi River led to floods caus-
ing massive devastation in Bihar.
Amid estimates from
Nepal that a ten-metre high
water flow is expected from
Nepal to hit the districts along
Kosis embankments, the Bihar
Government ordered immedi-
ate evacuation from the areas
likely to be hit by floods.
Terming the situation as
most alarming, Bihar Disaster
Management Department
(DMD) Principal Secretary
Vyasji said the Nepal
Government has informed them
that a ten-metre high flow of
water in Kosi will come to India
as a result of measures being
taken there to remove the land-
slide and the resultant damming
of one of the tributaries there.
Turn to Page 4
Th khhkThk Q MuMBA
I
n a development that embar-
rassed its alliance partner
BJP yet again, the Shiv Sena on
Saturday stirred up a hornets
nest by throwing its weight
behind senior IPS officer Sunil
Paraskar, accused of rape by a
model, and saying that it had
become a fashion to charge
men with molestation and rape.
Less than a month after it
landed the NDA Government
in a quandary over the incident
of its MP force-feeding a fasting
Muslim IRCTC employee at the
New Maharashtra Sadan in
New Delhi, the Shiv Sena once
again put the BJP in a difficult
situation by going out of the way
to support the senior IPS offi-
cer facing allegations of molesta-
tion and rape made by a model.
People have begun to
think whether creating sensa-
tion through allegations of
molestation and rape as now
become a fashion A model
has created a sensation in the
media by making allegations of
molestation and rape against
DIG Sunil Paraskar. Because of
the models allegation against
him, Paraskar has overnight
become a villain. Such accusa-
tions have become good
weapons for some women to
indulge in character assassina-
tion, all to seek personal
revenge, the Sena stated in its
mouthpiece Saamana.
Allegations of rape have
become a major weapon used
by those in high positions
against their rivals. What exact-
ly is the truth in Paraskars case?
Till the truth comes out, he
should not be subjected to
media trial as it is being done
now, the Sena mouthpiece
stated in its editorial.
The 57-year-old DIG, who
had moved the city sessions
court after he was booked
under Sections 376(2) (rape by
a police officer), 376(C) (inter-
course by superintendent of
jail, etc) and 354(D) (stalking),
following a complaint by the
Mumbai-based model, has
been granted an interim pro-
tection by the court from
arrest till August 5.
The Saamana editorial
went on to state: The police
should handle this case with
restraint. Molestation and rape
are undoubtedly inhuman.
But such instances where
women make false allegations
against men by exploiting their
femininity put the very entire
women clan in the dock. Lets
face, there is system of justice
to unravel truth and untruth
in the allegations.
Questioning the motive
behind the model making alle-
gation of molestation and rape
against the senior IPS officer, the
Sena mouthpiece stated: What
is the background of the model
and how did the rape happen?
That is especially when both
(the police officer and model in
question) had harmonious rela-
tions for so many days? Even the
ordinary people ask this ques-
tion. But, police do not seem to
think so. In this case, the com-
plaint was lodged six months
after the alleged rape.
Did it take six months for
her to understand she was
raped? It must be noted that the
victim in the Shakti Mills case
lodged her rape complaint with-
in two hours of the incident, the
Saamana editorial stated.
Rape is such a nauseating
and horrifying crime that any
woman cant accept the taint for
a moment, but these days rape
cases get lodged after six
months and two years, and
nobody raises any question.
The law and the society should
undoubtedly sympathise and
support such victims, but
what is the truth, what is the
other side of the coin should
also be checked, the Sena
mouthpiece opined.
The Saamana editorial cited
several instances of the past
where allegations of rape made
against powers-that-be prove
to be incorrect at a later stage.
Arun Borude, a brave officer of
the Mumbai Police faced simi-
lar allegations. He committed
suicide and later in investigations
it was found that he was inno-
cent. This is a recent instance.
Turn to Page 4
Fh8 Q hEw 0ELh
C
ontroversial writer Taslima
Nasreen on Saturday met
Home Minister Rajnath Singh
after she was refused a one-year
visa by the Government and
instead given permission to
stay in India for two months.
T h e
writer had
applied for
a resident
p e r m i t
and the
H o m e
Mi ni str y
had grant-
ed her the
same type
of visa but only for two months
beginning August 1. She is,
however, hopeful of receiving
a favourable response from
the Government.
I met Home Minister
Rajnath Singh this afternoon.
Gave hi m my book Wo
Andhere Din. He said, Aapke
andhere din khatam ho
jayenge (Your dark days will
end), Taslima tweeted after
her meeting. During the 20-
minute meeting, Taslima
requested the Home Minister
to allow her to stay in India
for a longer period.
Taslima is now a citizen of
Sweden. She has been contin-
uously getting an Indian visa
since 2004. She had expressed
her wish to settle in India, espe-
cially in Kolkata. She had to
leave Kolkata in 2007 during
the Left-Front Government
rule following street protests
against her writings.
A verification process of
Nasreens visa application
has also been initiated by
the Government and the
Turn to Page 4
!on`t evict
me, Jaslima
urges Rajnatl
Fh8 Q hEw 0ELh\FAThA
T
he Centre on Saturday said
the Government will share
its decision on the UPSC row
at an appropriate time even as
the protest against the exami-
nation pattern instensified in
New Delhi and parts of Bihar.
Minister for Department of
Personnel Training(DoPT)
Jitendra Singh met Home
Minister Rajnath Singh in New
Delhi and later told reporters
the conclusions of the
Governments decisions on the
Arvind Varma Committee
report will be shared with
the stakeholders.
BJP leaders and the
Government are working in
tandem to resolve the row over
the issue. BJP General Secretary
JP Nadda met the Home
Minister at the latters residence
and said the resolution of the
issue may take some time.
He said the BJP and the
Government have received
suggestions and discussions
were underway to sort out the
issue as examinations were
scheduled on August 26. The
meeting was also attended by
BJP leader Ram Madhav.
A three-member commit-
tee, under the chairmanship of
former Secretary of DoPT
Arvind Varma, was formed in
March this year to look into the
demands of students for
changes in the pattern of civil
services examination.
The committee submitted
its report to the Government
on Thursday which is current-
ly under examination.
The students have been
protesting in the national Capital
in support of their demand to
change the pattern of Civil
Services Aptitude Test (CSAT)
to give level-playing field to
those coming from rural areas.
There are two compulsory
papers of 200 marks each in the
preliminary examination.
Turn to Page 4
Will share UPSC
decision at right
time, says Govt
uPSC +pi|+|| | |u| +l| Ju|i| + p|u|| ++i|| CSAl, i| All+|+|+J u|
S+|u|J+] Pll
2008 NGHTMARE AGAN?
P|upu+l |+J ||
|u||ul+|J |]
||W|il uPA u1|
Q In iIs IirsI meeIing oI Ihe 6abineI 6ommiIIee
on 8eruriIy heId rerenIIy, Ihe overnmenI
disrussed Ihe proposaI and "IhoroughIy
rejerIed Ihe rerommendaIions seeking diIuIion
in Ihe sIringenI provisions oI Ihe krI, ronsidered
an enabIing IegisIaIion by Ihe krmy, home
MinisIry sourres said here on 8aIurday
Q The krmy has been opposed Io any
reIaxaIions in Ihe provisions and
appIiraIion oI Ihe krI in isIurbed
kreas in 1&k and Ihe horIhEasI
Q The krI provides a shieId Io Ihe krmy Io
IearIessIy rounIer insurgenIs in Ihe
horIhEasI and IerrorisIs in 1ammu &
kashmir WiIhouI any Worry abouI proseruIion
under penaI IaWs
Q The Iivemember eddy paneI Was
ronsIiIuIed by Ihe Fk ovI in Z004 in
Ihe Wake oI deaIh oI Thangjam
Manorama aIIegedIy in Ihe rusIody oI
Ihe kssam iIIes and Ihe indeIiniIe
IasI underIaken by Irom 8harmiIa
TOUGH STAND
Feale kave hegua la lklak wkelker
creallag seasallaa lkraugk allegallaas
al maleslallaa aaJ rae kas aaw
hecame a lasklaa. A maJel
kas crealeJ a seasallaa la lke meJla
hy maklag allegallaas al maleslallaa
aaJ rae agalasl l 5uall Faraskar.
8ecause al lke maJels allegallaa
agalasl klm, Faraskar kas
averalgkl hecame a vlllala. 5uck
accusallaas kave hecame
gaaJ weaaas lar same wamea la
laJulge la ckaracler assasslaallaa, all
la seek ersaaal reveage
8kkMkhk EIT
lPS u||i| Su|il P+|+|+|
laa4sII4e Ia 8eaI
create4 artIfIcIaI 4am
0a k0sI trIerIa
0ssIhIIIty 0f 10m hIh
WaII 0f Water hIttIa
8tate; rmy heI s00ht
|ui pll |+1u ++i|, !.5| l+1 | Bi|+|
S The evacualion is going on in Suaul, Saharsa, Madheura, Khagaria, Bhagalur, Araria,
Furnia, Madhubani dislricls lhal are likely lo be gried by lhe imminenl lood
S The Slale 0overnmenl also soughl assislance rom lhe Army in evacualing eole amid
lhe looming danger rom lhe lood
S The Cenlre rushed a leam o exerls lo heal lo hel lhem wilh lechnical suorl, oicials
said in hew 0elhi adding more secialisls could be senl i required
S The 0ovl has also senl eighl h0RF leams lo Bihar rom 0elhi and seven rom Kolkala lo
hel in rescue and relie oeralion
S Aboul six years ago, a breach in Kosi River led lo loods causing massive devaslalion in
Bihar. The river changed ils course, killing hundreds o eole and dislacing around 8O lakh
t's a fashion to charge men with rape: Sena
1(3$/
Published From
DELH LUCKNOW BHOPAL
BHUBANESWAR RANCH
RAPUR CHANDGARH
DEHRADUN
`Lale Cily VoI. 24 Issue 218
`Air Surcharge Exlra i Alicable
EsIabIished 1B64
Rhl ho. 53400/91, RE00. ho. 0L C}05/1219/20122014
www.dailypioneer.com
hEW EIhI, 8hkY k8T 3, Z014; FkE8 1Z+B C4
8F08I 10
h0A FACE AuSTRALA
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M08FI 8
MCR0S0FT SuES
SAMSuh0 h uS
w08l0 7
hA0EL B0uh0 F0R h0A T0
huRTuRE 0EFEhCE TALKS
@ThoDailyPionoor aoobook.oom/dailypionoor
F0II0W 0s 0a:
NEW DELH SUNDAY AUGUST 3, 2014 films & tv 02
Director's Cut - Vasantkunj: Kick: 10:45 am, 12:30
pm, 3:50 pm, 5:55 pm, 7:10 pm, 10:30 pm, 11:20
pm, (3D) Hercules (Uninterrupted): 10:00am, 1:00
pm, 5:45 pm, 8:50 pm, 10:55 pm, 22 Jump Street
(Uninterrupted): 10:20am, 3:15pm, 8:15pm, 11:30
pm, Lucy(Uninterrupted): 10:05 am, 3:30 pm, 6:35
pm, 9:15 pm, Beginagain (Uninterrupted): 2:05
pm, Humpty SharmaKi Dulhania: 12:20 pm, The
Grand Budapest Hotel (uninterrupted): 4:25 pm
PVRAnupam-Saket: Kick: 9:00 am, 10:00 am, 1:10
pm, 4:20 pm, 5:10 pm, 7:30 pm, 8:20 pm, 10:40 pm,
11:30 pm, (3D) Hercules: 11:40 am, 2:00 pm, 4:20
pm, 6:40 pm, 9:00 pm, 11:20 pm, (3D) Hercules
Hindi: 9:20 am, 22JumpStreet: 2:20 pm, 7:00 pm,
11:40pm, Avatharam(Malayalam): 1:45pm, Lucy:
12:10 pm, 4:50 pm, 9:30 pm, Humpty Sharma Ki
Dulhania: 11:00 am
PVR Select City Walk: Kick: 10:00 am, 11:00 am,
1:10 pm, 4:20 pm, 5:20 pm, 7:30 pm, 10:40 pm,
11:20 pm, (3D) Hercules: 11:00 am, 3:50 pm, 8:40
pm, 11:45 pm, 22JumpStreet: 10:00 am, 1:20 pm,
6:10 pm, 10:55 pm, Begin Again: 4:50 pm, Chef:
9:20 pm, Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania: 2:10 pm,
Jatt &Juliet 2 (Punjabi): 8:30 pm, Lucy: 2:40 pm,
7:10 pm, The Grand Budapest Hotel: 12:30 pm
PVRSelect CityWalk- GoldClass: Kick: 10:10 am,
12:10 pm, 3:20 pm, 6:30 pm, 10:55 pm, (3D)
Hercules: 1:20 pm, 6:10 pm, 22 Jump Street: 3:40
pm, 8:30 pm, Lucy: 10:00 am, 9:40 pm
PVRPriya: Kick: 10:00 am, 1:10 pm, 4:20 pm, 10:40
pm, (2d) Hercules: 7:30 pm
PVRRivoli: Kick: 10:00 am, 3:30 pm, 6:40 pm, 9:50
pm, (3D) hercules: 1:10 pm
PVRPlaza: Kick: 11:00 am, 2:10 pm, 5:20 pm, 10:50
pm, (3D) Hercules: 8:30 pm
PVR3C's: Kick: 10 am, 1:10 pm, 4:20 pm, 7:30 pm,
10:40 pm
PVRNaraina: Kick: 9:40 am, 10:40 am, 12:50 pm,
1:50 pm, 4:00 pm, 7:10 pm, 8:20 pm, 10:20 pm,
11:30 pm, (3D) Hercules: 6:20 pm, 8:40 pm, 10:55
pm, (3D) Hercules Hindi: 10 am, 1:40 pm, 4:00 pm,
22 Jump Street: 12:20 pm, 6:00 pm, 11:20 pm,
Avatharam (Malayalam): 5:00 pm, Humpty
Sharma Ki Dulhania: 10:50 am, Manglish
(malayalam): 2:50 pm, Paisa Yaar N Panga
(Punjabi): 8:30 pm
PVRVikaspuri: Kick: 10:00 am, 11:40 am, 1:10 pm,
2:50 pm, 4:20 pm, 6:00 pm, 7:30 pm, 9:10 pm, 10:40
pm, (3D) Hercules Hindi: 10:10 am, 3:15 pm, 5:35
pm, 10:50pm, HumptySharmaKi Dulhania: 12:30
pm, Paisa Yaar N Panga (Punjabi): 7:55 pm
PVRPrashant Vihar: Kick: 10:00am, 11:40am, 1:10
pm, 2:50 pm, 4:20 pm, 6:00 pm, 7:30 pm, 9:10 pm,
10:40 pm, (3D) Hercules: 8:05 pm, (3D) Hercules
Hindi: 10:20 am, 12:40 pm, 5:45 pm, 10:25 pm,
Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania: 3:00 pm
PVRAmbience GoldClass - Gurgaon: Kick: 11:50
am, 12:30 pm, 3:00 pm, 3:40 pm, 6:50 pm, 9:55 pm,
(3D) Hercules: 6:10 pm, 22 JumpStreet: 8:30 pm,
Lucy: 10:55 pm
F80I8FM
Fl8 I008 0I
FOOD FESTIVAL
Enjoy Dehlvi food, a mix of Mughal, Rajput,
Punjabi, Marwari, Kayatha, and Vaishya
cuisine at Threesixtyone Degrees, The Oberoi
in Gurgaon. For reservations, call 0124-
2451234
l00I
*Ia: 8carIett 10haass0a, M0raa
Freemaa, mr wake4, 0h0I MIasIk
8ate4: 6/10
I
ts an extra-ordinary thriller,
anchored extraordinarily by Scarlett
Johansson, a sureshot aspirant for
an Oscar this year.
Lucy is in Taiwan as a student and
what happens to her is sudden,
shocking and stunning. The film does
not take too many shots to get the
thrill rolling and that fast pace is kept
alive all through, thanks not just to the
editors. The soul of the pace and the
film is Johansson whose mastery of
and changeover of expressions make
for gripping viewing.
Of course, it is not everyday that
you get to be thrown into the devils
cage by your boyfriend, taken over by
the Chinese drug mafia, inserted with
a pack of deadly brain-spurring drug
pouch and then let loose to a highly
intelligent and explosive phase of
life.
To Johanssons credit, she lives up
to and exceeds all expectations, maybe
because her brain functions 100 per
cent due to the pouch explosion in her
belly. At least so it appears, especially
with evolution scientist Morgan
Freeman telling you that maximum
ZZ 10MF 8I8FFI
*Ia: 0haaaIa Iat0m, Feter
8t0rmare, 10aah III, Ice 00he
8ate4: 5/10
A
s compared to the two other
Hollywood film released this
week (in the absence of any
Bollywood mount), you could say 22
Jump Street comes third not a total
loser but quite bogged down by its
much-to-familiar cop and campus
tricks of the trade.
You know Channing Tatum, you
know Peter Stormare and you
definitely know what all they can do
together. It is 22 Jump Street guys, not
1 Jump Street. And the producer is
pretty sure he will get through 75 more
years, churning out the same stuff
from campuses all over the world of
course, with the same cops going
undercover in boys hostels to reach 46
Jump Street and more!
So whats new you may ask.
Nothing really. But it is still some kind
of fun to revisit the detective duo
antics, the blunderings, the sex mania,
the relationships, the boy bonding, the
black and white jokes and the general
dumbing down of the entire police
department.
Go see it with a lot of popcorn and
cola!
F800lF8
*Ia: 0Wayae 10has0a, Iaa
Mc8haae, 80f0s 8eWeII, 10seh
FIeaaes, Feter M0IIaa, 10ha 0rt
8ate4: 5.5/10
D
wayne Johnson is big enough to
be Hercules and it turns out to
be a big plus-plus that he is also
well-abbed, fierce, warrior-like, beefy
and yet humanly poignant.
You could say, he is the real Rock
of the film, what with his bulging
muscles, his demi-God status and his
sheer physicality in war and in peace.
Add to this the tricky murder of his
wife and three kids and you have
reason to believe that the resultant
action will be relentless.
The bigness of being starts from
his big bulging biceps and his lion cap.
He has nightmares his whole life about
a three-headed bear monster trying to
destroy him but when dream turns to
reality, he convincingly rips apart the
hydra-headed monster through his
jawline.
The best part of all the heroics in
the film is that Dwayne makes them
believable. He is warrior, friend, father,
potential lover and an avenging angel
with a lot of self-belief. He is also the
most convincing son of Zeus to have
visited the Hercules series, though in
this one by script writers Ryan J
Condal and Evan Spiliotopoulos, you
come to believe that even if the myth is
untrue, Hercules is God enough in
action. A big splash movie, good to
watch and enjoy with popcorn.
Printed and pubIished by Chandan Mitra for and on behaIf of CMYK Printech Ltd., 2nd FIoor, Link House, 3 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New DeIhi-110 002, and printed at Jagran Prakashan Ltd, D 210,211 Sector-63, Noida (U.P.). Editor: Chandan Mitra. AIR SURCHARGE of C 2.00 East: CaIcutta, North: Leh West: Mumbai & Ahmedabad
South: BangaIore & Chennai. CentraI : Khajuraho, DeIhi TeIephones: EPABX-40754100, 23755271-74, 9871234271. Lucknow Office: 4th FIoor, Sahara Shopping Centre, Faizabad Road, Lucknow-226 016. TeIephones: 0522-2346443, 2346444, 2346445.
8carIett's 0scar sh0W
usage of brain cannot and should not
be more than 20 per cent!
Again, to her credit, Johansson
doesnt disappoint despite taking
centrestage over the much more feted
Freeman who is happy to be master of
narration.
A word on the special effects too.
They are good, much in the right
position which was not over and
above the central character of Lucy.
Also, the film thrives on a well encased
imagination box which, in the first,
could dare to make a film on such a,
well, brainy subject, if could say so!
Writer director Luc Besson is
master of edgy creativity and does
everything he can to keep the audience
on the edge for most part of the
film, or should we say, till Lucy
discovers the difference of going from
10 per cent brain usage to 100 per
cent. Somewhere down the line of this
stunning journey, there is a lot of
science, a lot of brain talk, a lot of time
travel and a lot of sci-fi. But, in the
end, the only thing that gives
competition to Johanssons towering
performance is the scientific treatise
that Besson pivots the film around.
As Lucy discovers her
superpowers, you also discover
Johanssons equally stellar screen
powers. A must watch.
k80 8F808 8 F80M 06 17
Kaun 5anca 0rcrcpati 8 is all sel lo air
rom Augusl 17. Much was seculaled on
who lhe irsl guesls would be. The bu//
was lhal Kail Sharma, hosl o 0cmcJy
|i|ts wit| Kapi|, would be arl o lhe
show. how, a birdie lells us lhal besides
Kail, Meiyang Chang and Aniruddh 0ave
will also be aearing on lhe show. 0ne
may gel lo see hrilhik Roshan erorm in
lhe irsl eisode as arl o lhe romolions
o his movie 5an 5an. The eisode,
sources say, will be shol live wilh a crowd
o 7,OOO in Sural.
100 k88 lFF 8IIF07
The 15year lea lhal Jodha Akbar was all
sel lo lake may be ul on hold under
lhreals by Rajal Tokas and Faridhi Sharma
lo quil i lhe lea haens. Lasl week,
lhere were reorls lhal lhe show would be
laking a lea in 0clober when Jodha
Akbar would cease lo be lhe mainslay.
The ocus, lhe reorl said would shil lo
Salim and Anarkali. 0 course, ans loo
look lhese reorls badly as lhey don'l
wanl lheir avourile lovebirds lo quil.
0MFl80 F08 8IM8I k08
himral Kaur will ealure in Season 4 o lhe
Emmy Awardwinning series |cmc|anJ.
Kaur, known or roles in movies FcJJ|crs
and T|c Lunc||cx, will be laying a high
level oeralive wilhin Fakislan's S. her
role will be limiled lo a ew eisodes. Al
resenl, Season 8 is being aired on Fox
Crime al 1O m. Kaur will be seen in lhe
series lhal goes on air on Slar world
Fremier h0 rom 0clober G.
M008l I0 60 0FF I8
Rumours lhal MaJ|u|a|a-k Is|q k
Junccn will be relaced by 0urudev Bhalla
Froduclions' LJaan 5apncn Ki are lrue.
The lasl eisode o MaJ|u|a|a... will be
shol on Augusl 4, 2O14 and lhe series will
go o air rom Augusl 18.
Same olo gooo
& lao stuff
t`s leroic
as usual
80w IIMF
wTh MEEhAKSh RA0
Altlougl every ossille care ano caution las leen talen to avoio errors or omissions, tlis ullication is leing solo on tle conoition ano unoerstanoing tlat information given in tlis ullication is merely for reference ano must not le talen as laving autlority of or linoing in any way on tle writers, eoitors, ullislers, ano rinters ano
sellers wlo oo not owe any resonsilility for any oamage or loss to any erson, a urclaser of tlis ullication or not for tle result of any action talen on tle lasis of tlis worl. All oisutes are sulject to tle exclusive jurisoiction of cometent court ano forums in !elli/New !elli only.
TELLYTALE
' am a suerior dancer, why am oul?'
QTough luck for you at the
Jhalak house...
Absolutely. I am trying my
best to sort it out in my head. I
cant understand, if I am a
superior dancer and a better
performer, then why am I out?
Karan Johar says on national TV
that I am a far more superior
dancer than Kiku who was also
competing with me in the face-off
round. Then why is he in and I
out? Doesnt make any sense to
me.
Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa (JDJ) has
become only about entertainment
and the dance element has lost
focus. It is obvious with the
choice of the contestants. Pure
dancers have no scope but
entertainers are being encouraged
even if they are not great dancers.
QYou stormed into the show on
a wild card and your
performances were remarkable.
What went wrong?
I dont know. I have scored
highly in all episodes. My friends
tell me that I am a perfect
performer and the judges had
great things to say about my
dance and style. Probably, the
entire voting concept needs to be
made transparent. There are too
many loopholes. For instance, I
need to be shown proof that I got
lesser votes than a Canadian VJ
who does not have even a single
relative in India. Something is not
right here.
QWill you miss Jhalak?
I will miss some contestants
and the stage. My choreographer
Mohina and I had such grand
plans for upcoming episodes.
There was an entire dance
sequence in a water tank and an
aerial act that we had been
practising for days. Its a shame
that we had to go out in such a
manner. I am also upset because I
felt I was among the top three
dancers. Now I am not
even there on the stage.
QHow was Mohina
as a
choreographer?
I have always
done individual
shows where there
was little interaction
with the team. This is
the first time that I was
doing something in
collaboration with
someone else. It was lovely.
She is a hard task master and
very clear about what she
wants. That kept us going.
QWhat are your plans
now?
I was devoting all my
time towards this dance
reality show. I have
nothing concrete planned
out. But I am very
excited about my first
solo movie produced by
Prakash Jha. I have
written the story and I
play a comic role.
Hopefully, we should
start promoting this
film by the end of
this year. I am
looking forward
to it.
QYou have been
a part of 12
reality shows
across
platforms. Do
you think the
concept is
stagnating?
Yes. I think the time has come
for reality show makers to take a
break. The entire concept is stale.
We have had too many dancers
and singers and stand-up
comediennes occupying the
screen space. We have tried a
reality format in every category I
can think of. So, its better to take
a break and be back with fresh
concepts. The audience has
started questioning these shows.
They keep saying, Is it for real?
This must be fabricated.
QDoes the same apply to soap?
We should learn from the
West and come up with shows
that can be wrapped up in 30
episodes. Or, we should break our
serials into seasons. Directors
have to keep in mind that they
take a break at the right time and
not wait too long to make that
decision. Concept and
execution wise we are at par
with any other country.
QWho will lift the JDJ
trophy?
Shakti Mohan and
Popovich are great
dancers. I would like
either of them to win
the contest. But I
wont be surprised if
they, too, are
eliminated (like
me)!
QParo is dead and you now play
Myra in Rangrasiya. How
difficult is it to ensure the two
characters are not the same?
The biggest challenge for me
is to make sure that Paro and
Myra come across as two
different people. I make sure that
Myras character is not forced. As
Myra, I want her to be natural
and not be similar to Paro. After
a brief session, I spent a lot of
time thinking how I could
differentiate Myra from Paro.
Now that a few shoots have taken
place with me as Myra, I can
improve upon the role.
Everything happened so fast that
I had very little time to get into
the character or for that matter
even prepare myself to play a
different role altogether. With
time, I will get into Myras skin.
QTell us about Myra.
She is an NRI, born and
brought up in London. Her
family is rich and that is all I
want to say about her
background. More will be
revealed as the show progresses.
She has come to India, all alone
and for the first time to plan her
wedding in Udaipur.
Myra is not a complicated
character. She carries no baggage.
She has no unhappy past. She is
engaged to her best friend Rohit
but is yet to explore the real
meaning of true love which she
may find in India. Post leap
(seven years), the story revolves
around the journey of Myra in
India and her life-changing
experiences, especially after
meeting Rudra and family.
QYou play a modern girl after a
long time. How does it feel?
Great! The last time I played
a modern role was in Left Right
Left. But it is not just about
Myras look, her character is very
exciting too. As an actor, its a
great opportunity for me to
experiment with this kind of role.
QHow much can you relate to
Myra in real life?
We both are very happy-go-
lucky and bubbly kind of people.
However, Myra gets super excited
about everything in life but Im
not like that. Myra is not very
philosophical about lifes realities.
I take life seriously. We have been
given a beautiful opportunity as
human beings to make a
difference and we should make
full use of this is what I think.
QDid you quit playing Paro
because you had inhibitions
about playing mother post leap?
I would not want to play a
mothers role at this stage of my
career. Also, I am only 30. But I
did play a mothers role in
Rangrasiya howsoever short it
might have been, so there is no
hesitation now. But this is not the
reason why the show is taking a
leap. To spice up the plot, Paro
had to die and Myra has to
become the focus now.
QAre you open to doing
unglamourous roles?
Definitely. I would love to
play a deglamourised character.
Even Paro was not an out-an-out
glamourous character. Many
people create a notion in their
minds that if theyll play a
deglam role, the audience may
not like it. I accept roles which I
can carry off and enjoy doing.
The bitter truth is that TV actors
dont have a long professional
standing in this industry. So, I
take up whatever interesting work
comes my way. At the same time,
I dont want to leave an
opportunity to work.
QHow is it like working for
maha episodes?
Its nice to be a part of a maha
sangam but I prefer to do my
show. Usually, maha sangams
dont have much to add to the
show and are not challenging
enough. It just makes the shows
more interactive and keeps
viewer interest in both serials.
QThere are rumours that
Rangrasiya will go off air to
make way for Bigg Boss 8...
These are rumours, for now.
Though I have heard the same
buzz I have not got any
confirmation to this effect from
the production house or the
channel, Colors. So, till the time
we are on, well be bringing in a
lot of interesting twists and turns
that will keep the viewers
interested. But once Rangrasiya
goes off air (whenever that
happens), I will go on a long
vacation and choose my next
project carefully. It will be
something that will be worth
working on as an actor.
QYou have achieved a lot of
success in a short span...
I love acting and that has
helped me take risks and
challenging roles. As an actor, I
have lots to offer and have been
fortunate enough to work with
some of the best people and
teams in the industry.
Acting is not easy. A lot of
hard work goes in. There are
people who may give wrong
advice which may make an actors
journey difficult but one has to
be mentally strong to face these
challenges that this industry
throws at you. Everything
happens for a reason and there is
something better ahead. So, never
give up.
Modellurnedaclor and
realily show regular
Kushal Funjabi is annoyed
and hurl aler his
unexecled ousler rom
Jhalak 0ikhhla Jaa 7. The
versalile handsome hunk
o Tvdom has lried his
hands al various lhings
and emerged a winner in
mosl o lhem. when he
was voled oul recenlly,
lhe aclor lells
0EEBAShREE M0hAhTY,
il was sheer agony and, o
course, disbelie
'Don't want to
Iay a m0ther f0r a0W'
Rangrasiya has laken a sevenyear lea minus Faro. however,
dishearlened ans brealhed a sign o relie when lhey saw Sanaya
rani in a modern avalar on lhe show - as a girl who comes lo ndia
lo lan her wedding. The aclress lells SAh0EETA YA0Av lhal lhe lea
meanl lo add sice lo lhe show and rom now on she will lake u
challenging roles
ThE LEAF S h0T
hAFFEhh0
BECAuSE wAS
A0AhST FLAYh0
A M0ThER AT ThS
STA0E 0F MY
CAREER, BuT
BECAuSE ThE
FR00uCT0h
h0uSE Th0u0hT
ThE Sh0w hEE0E0
T0 BE SFCE0 uF
NEW DELH SUNDAY AUGUST 3, 2014
townhall 0S
Ikh kk Q hEw 0ELh
T
he four-year undergraduate
programme (FYUP) in
Delhi University may be a
thing of the past but the same
is set to resurface during the
upcoming DU Students Union
(DUSU) elections. The two
main student unions, Akhil
Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad
(ABVP) and National Students
Union of India (NSUI) have
decided to use the matter as a
crucial point in their cam-
paign agenda, thus seeking
credit for the rollback of FYUP.
While ABVP was involved
in the movement against FYUP
right from the start and even
used it as a mechanism to win
the previous DUSU election,
NSUI also joined the cam-
paign when it was at its peak.
However, now the two are bat-
tling for who was really respon-
sible for the rollback.
According to Rohit Chahal,
National Secretary of DUSU,
We are not going to fight for
credit because the students
gave us due credit by simply
going by our work in the last
DUSU elections. We made a
promise to students that under
any circumstances we would
ensure a rollback of FYUP and
we lived up to it.
As far as their opposition
NSUI is concerned, Chahal
says they werent even part of
the movement. We spent all
our time on rolling back FYUP
last year. It was our primary
focus and we did a lot of work
regarding it. NSUI just entered
the movement barely a few
weeks before the rollback. They
joined it when the movement
was at the peak and they knew
it was going to have a positive
outcome. Students know who
worked for it and who didnt.
However, the leaders of
NSUI feel that ABVPs move-
ment was all show and no go.
Spokesperson of the union,
Amrish Ranjan Pandey, said,
There was always a political
agenda involved in what the
ABVP did. They began protest-
ing against FYUP from the
moment it was spoken of being
implemented. Their agendas
are always influenced by polit-
ical debacles. However, we
made a very logical approach.
We first gave FYUP a chance
and then took feedback from
children. Only after we analysed
the whole situation, we decid-
ed to speak against it. That too,
not in the way ABVP did. They
only blocked roads and creat-
ed a scene. We did strong
protests and sat on hunger
strike for five days after which
the police forced us to break it.
The impact of our protest was
visible with the outcome which
came a few days later.
Amidst this battle between
the two unions, NSUI has plans
of targeting the BJP aligned
student union by bringing in
matters of national politics dur-
ing campaigns. If ABVP is say-
ing that they lived up to the
promises they made, I will ques-
tion this very ability of theirs in
terms of national politics. The
case regarding the Union Public
Service Commissions (UPSC)
Civil Services Aptitude Test is
the most visible. The govern-
ment promised the students of
UPSC that the dates for the test
will be postponed. However,
they werent. This shows how
they keep their promises. Since
there are so many issues related
to education in national politics,
I will take them up during the
campaign, informed Amrish.
The elections are expected
to take place in mid-September
for the posts of President,
Vice-President, Joint Secretary
and Secretary.
8TkII EFTE Q hEw 0ELh
J
ust about a month short of
the awaited Delhi University
Students Union (DUSU) elec-
tions, a team of officials have
been appointed to monitor the
progress of the elections where
office bearers and members of
the Central Council of DUSU
will be elected.
According to a statement
issued by the Registrar, Alka
Sharma, to a news agency, the
Vice-Chancellor has appointed
three teachers for the job. The
V-C has appointed DS Rawat of
Department of Chemistry as
the Chief Election Officer,
Chander Shekhar of
Department of Persian as Chief
Returning Officer and OSD of
Examinations Satish Kumar as
the Returning Officer to
conduct the 2014-15 elections,
said the statement.
DUSU, primarily, is the
spokesperson of most of the
colleges and faculties but every
college has their own council
of students for which they hold
separate elections. The V-C
has also appointed principals
of colleges and heads of insti-
tutions, affiliated to Delhi
University, as election officer
to conduct of elections in their
respective colleges and
institutions, said Sharma.
Students of the university
and constituents colleges will
directly elect the members of
the council in DUSU elections
which is expected to be held
mid-September.
Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi
Parishad (ABVP) won the
DUSU elections last year. Aman
Awana and Utkarsh Chaudhary
were elected as president and
vice-president and Raju Rawat
was elected as the joint secre-
tary. Only a single seat was won
by Karishma Thakur of
National Students Union of
India (NSUI) as the secretary.
8TkII EFTE Q hEw 0ELh
D
elhi Governments Social
Welfare and Women and
Child Development Depart-
ment on Saturday called for a
collective effort from all agen-
cies and stakeholders to ensure
protection of child rights.
Reaching out to every child in
need of immediate intervention,
care, respite and rehabilitation
is the prime objective of the
programme, which calls for
collective efforts from all the
agencies, stakeholders, civil soci-
ety, service delivery structure
and communities, said Satbir
Silas Bedi, Principal Secretary
(Social Welfare and Women
and Child Development)
Delhi Government.
The department suggested
prevention of child sexual
abuse through effective audio-
visual aids and stressed on the
need for dissemination of mes-
sages on a massive scale to
address the issues.
Creating mass awareness
on the subject, keeping in mind
the preventive aspect is very
important. Awareness should be
a continuous and ongoing
process through different medi-
um. Family, schoolteachers,
community and stakeholders
need to be sensitised on the
issue of child abuse and how it
can be prevented, said Bedi.
She said the State Child
Protection Society (SCPS) has
initiated a number of welfare
programmes related to creating
awareness and dissemination of
information on the issues of child
care protection, related schemes,
legislations and services available
for children in difficult circum-
stances. The SCPS is working
towards developing Information
Education and Communication
(IEC) programmes on the con-
cerned issues.
Children constitute the
most vulnerable section of soci-
ety and are considered a supreme
asset of our nation. Every child
has the inherent right to life, to
be protected from violence, dan-
gerous situations, abuse and
neglect. Children have the right
to education, to play and to
express themselves freely. Society
has the responsibility to pay
proper attention to children for
their all-round development and
welfare and ensure that every
child has equal opportunity for
optimum personal growth.
Socio-economic circumstances
of a family often result in fami-
ly stress, disintegration and child
destitution and vulnerability,
she said.
On an average about 6,000
to 6,800 children are attend-
ed to annually through dif-
ferent schemes and pro-
grammes of Integrated Child
Protection Scheme (ICPS) at
the State level.
8TkII EFTE Q hEw 0ELh
S
uspected Lashkar-e-Tayyeba
(LeT) operatives Abdul
Subhan and his nephew
Asahbuddin, arrested for their
alleged roles in conspiring to
carry out terror strikes in Delhi
and adjoining areas, were today
remanded to police custody till
August 12 by a court on
Saturday. Subhan and
Asahbuddin were produced
before court on expiry of their
remand and Special Cell of
Delhi Police sought extension
of their custody by 15 days say-
ing they were required to be
confronted with co-accused
Arshad, a Pakistani national
lodged in Kolkata jail in con-
nection with the shoe baron
Partha Roy Burman kidnap-
ping case of 2001.
With their arrest, police
had claimed to have unearthed
a terror module of LeT which
was at an advanced stage of
planning a major strike in
Delhi. Regarding Baluchi,
police had said Intelligence
agencies had provided infor-
mation in November last year
that Baluchi was contacted on
his Pakistani mobile number
from Rajasthan and there were
conversations regarding a
conspiracy to carry out a
terror strike in India.
The Investigating Officer
(IO) submitted before the court
that Arshad was likely to be
brought here as production
warrant has already been issued
against him by the court for
August 5. Accused Arshad is
an important link between
accused Abdul Subhan,
Asahbuddin and Javed Baluchi
based in Pakistan. Both the
accused (Subhan and
Asahbuddin) are to be
confronted with accused
Arshad to unearth the entire
conspiracy between them to
commit terrorist act in Delhi
and neighbouring areas, the
police told the court.
Advocate MS Khan,
appearing for both the accused,
opposed the plea of police
contending that they have not
said anything about the custo-
dial interrogation of his clients.
Khan also questioned Baluchis
identity saying police have not
said anything about Javed
Baluchi, who is still abscond-
ing and is now based in
Pakistan, in its chargesheet
filed in the case against arrest-
ed accused Mohd Rashid and
Mohd Shahid. Does any per-
son by the name Javed Baluchi
exist? There was no material in
the chargesheet filed earlier
which tells about the identity of
Baluchi, he said.
Subhan was arrested by
Special Cell on May 20 while
Asahbuddin, who was serving
life-term in Kolkata for his role
in Partha Roy Burman kid-
napping case, was arrested here
on May 27 after he was brought
here in pursuance to a pro-
duction warrant issued against
him by the court. During the
arguments, police told the
court that Baluchi, a top LeT
commander based in Pakistan,
was the kingpin of the entire
conspiracy and Arshad was in
touch with him. It also claimed
that Subhan was required to be
taken out of Delhi to recover
mobile phones used by him in
the entire conspiracy.
The police had earlier told
the court that these accused
were arrested in connection
with a case of conspiracy of LeT
to kidnap a businessman or
industrialist to generate funds
for buying weapons and explo-
sives to carry out terror attacks
in Delhi and adjoining areas.
The police had said a
chargesheet was filed against
Mohd Rashid and Mohd
Shahid on May 8 this year and
they were charged with offences
of criminal conspiracy under
IPC and under the provisions
of Unlawful Activities
(Prevention) Act in the case.
Rashid and Shahid were
arrested in December last year
from Haryanas Mewat region.
8TkII EFTE Q hEw 0ELh
T
he South Delhi Municipal
Corporation (SDMC) on
Saturday ordered an enquiry
into the wall collapse of an
under-construction building in
Hari Nagar area in West Delhi,
which left four persons dead.
Four persons, between the ages
of 25 and 35 years died in the
incident, which took place at
around 7.20 pm on Friday. An
inquiry has been ordered into
the incident. It is a case of ille-
gal construction by the builder,
an SDMC official said.
The incident happened
when a wall of an under-con-
struction building collapsed
in L-Block area of Hari Nagar.
After a call to the Fire
Department, a team rushed to
the spot and bodies of four
labourers, who were working
there, were extricated from the
debris, a Delhi Fire Service offi-
cial said. The identities of the
dead have not been established
yet but further investigation
regarding the owner of the
building is underway, said a
senior police official on Friday.
Of late, there have been sev-
eral cases of building collapse in
the Capital, two of the recent
ones being from areas under the
jurisdiction of North Delhi
Municipal Corporation (NMC).
On June 28, a building had col-
lapsed in Tulsi Nagar area of
Inderlok in North Delhi, where
10 people were killed. A three-
storey under-construction
building had also collapsed in
Sadar Bazar area of North Delhi,
where three persons were killed
and 12 others injured. SP|E l| ERlC| w|EE|S. El||i |i||+W W+ll+| p|u|| || |l+||| |+| u| |+|||] up|+|J |i||+W i| |W l|i S+|u|J+] Pll
8TkII EFTE Q hEw 0ELh
D
elhi Police on Saturday started a
cyber lab in the national Capital.
The lab which has been set up at Police
Training College (PTC) at Jharoda
Kalan was inaugurated by Commissioner
of Police, BS Bassi, with the purpose of
imparting state-of-the-art training to
officers of Delhi Police who generally
investigate cyber crime and bank frauds.
The need to have a cyber lab in the PTC
was felt as Delhi Police has been inves-
tigating many such cases. Men and offi-
cers will be imparted training in this lab
and they will be also taught the new tech-
niques of cyber-related investigations.
While inaugurating the Cyber Lab,
which has been set up by pooling train-
ing resources from Economic Offences
Wing (EOW) Cell, Special Cell of Delhi
Police as well as other private and pub-
lic organisations, Bassi laid emphasis on
imparting training to the officers of Delhi
Police in view of the ever increasing
network intrusion related crimes and
their adverse impact on society.
Cyber crime is a jurisdictionless,
borderless crime, and therefore, difficult
to track down without related expertise.
Thus, there is a need for periodical train-
ing programmes for Delhi Police officers
in the areas of cyber crime investigation,
computer forensics and mobile phone
security issues. With so many social
networking sites and cyber-related crim-
inal activities being reported in the city,
the need to have a dedicated cyber lab
was greater that before, he said.
8TkII EFTE Q hEw 0ELh
W
idespread rain lashed the
national Capital on
Saturday bringing the much-
needed respite from heat, but
caused traffic snarls in many
areas due to waterlogging. The
rain gauge at the Safdarjung
observatory measured 37.6 mm
of rainfall from 8.30 am to 5.30
pm on Saturday, a MeT official
said. Humidity, however, con-
tinued to be on the higher side
and was recorded between 92
per cent and 59 per cent dur-
ing the day. As the temperature
came down owing to the rain-
fall, traffic was affected in some
parts of the city due to the
waterlogging.
Waterlogging, a perennial
problem in the Capital during
monsoon, led to traffic jams in
several parts of the city includ-
ing major intersections such as
ITO, Laxmi Nagar, Kashmere
Gate, South Extension, Ashram
Chowk, Mahipalpur, Moolc-
hand underpass, Nehru Place
and Dhaula Kuan. Potions of
some major city roads were
flooded which slowed down
the vehicles and some of the
main and arterial roads were
eventually clogged. Meanwhile,
the Delhi Traffic Police per-
sonnel could be seen braving
the rain to regulate the traffic.
On Friday, the maximum
temperature settled at 37.7C
and minimum was recorded
two notches higher than nor-
mal at 29.1C . It will be a gen-
erally cloudy Sunday. Light
rainfall or thundershowers may
occur in some areas, the MeT
official said.
No more sweeping monsters under the bed
Cull|i1 ||u|| u|J
|u p|u|| |ilJ||
||u| /u+l p|J+|u|
0h Ah AvERA0E AB0uT G,OOO T0 G,8OO
ChL0REh ARE ATTEh0E0 T0
AhhuALLY ThR0u0h 0FFEREhT
SChEMES Ah0 FR00RAMMES 0F
CFS AT ThE STATE LEvEL
8TkII EFTE Q h00A
I
n three separate road acci-
dents, reported during the
last 24 hours, three persons
were killed and two others
critically injured. Police have
registered cases of rash and
negligent driving causing
death against the defaulters.
However, no arrest has been
made so far.
According to police, the
first incident took place at
Yamuna Expressway when a
speeding truck hit a car in
Kasna area of Greater Noida.
The occupants of the car
Shiv Kumar and Narendra
(residents of Farrukhabad,UP)
received serious injuries
and were rushed to a local hos-
pital where they were pro-
nounced dead on arrival. The
truck driver managed to
escape after the accident.
In another accident, one
person died while another was
injured when the car they
were travelling in hit a divider
and turned turtle in Surajpur
area of Greater Noida. Police
said the occupants, Brahm
Singh and Pravesh, were head-
ing towards Sakipur when the
driver lost control behind the
wheel and struck a median.
Brahm Singh died on the spot
while Pravesh is reportedly
critical. Meanwhile, in the
third accident, Kanhaiya (20),
was knocked down by a speed-
ing car in Sector 10 and is
reportedly grievously injured
when a white Fiat Uno hit him
and the driver fled the spot.
Three dead in
hilandruns on
Yamuna eway
in 24 hours
Phishing in troublod wators
Delhi Police gets
e-crime lab
l|i Puli Cu||iiu|| BS B+i
Hari Nagar wall oollapso:
SDMC ordors onquiry
0eIhI 0f Iate has
seea maay cases
0f h0II4Ia
c0IIase, tW0 0f
the receat 0aes
heIa fr0m areas
faIIIa 0a4er the
j0rIs4IctI0a
0f 8M0
Caital lnee-oee
in monsoon mess
80hhaa Was arreste4
hy 8ecIaI 0eII 0a
May Z0 WhIIe
sahh044Ia, Wh0 Was
servIa IIfeterm Ia
k0Ikata f0r hIs r0Ie Ia
Fartha 80y 80rmaa
kI4aaIa case, Was
arreste4 0a May Z7
after he Was hr00ht
Ia 0rs0aace t0 a
r040ctI0a Warraat
Iss0e4 aaIast hIm
hy the c00rt
0am0s 0IItIcs 0r ame 0f 0ae0maashI7
ABvF, hSu
claim credil or
FYuF rollback
- 80hIt 0hahaI, 8F 8atI0aaI 8ecretary
- mrIsh 8aajaa Faa4ey, 880I s0kesers0a
we are nol going lo ighl or credil because sludenls gave us due credil by simly going by
our work lasl 0uSu eleclions. we made a romise lo sludenls lhal we would ensure a
rollback o FYuF and we lived u lo il. As ar as hSu is concerned, lhey weren'l even arl o
lhe movemenl. we senl all our lime in rolling back FYuF lasl year. l was our rimary ocus
and we did a lol o work on il. hSu enlered lhe movemenl barely a ew weeks beore lhe
rollback haened. They joined il when lhe movemenl was al ils eak as lhey knew lhere was
going lo be a osilive oulcome. Sludenls know who worked or il - and who didn'l
ABvF's movemenl was all show and nogo. There was always a olilical agenda involved in
whal lhe ABvF did. They began rolesling againsl FYuF rom lhe momenl il was soken o.
Their agendas are always inluenced by olilical debacles. we irsl gave FYuF a chance and
lhen look eedback rom sludenls. 0nly aler we analysed lhe whole silualion, did we decide
lo seak againsl il. Thal loo, nol in lhe way ABvF did. They only blocked roads and crealed a
scene. we sal on hunger slrike or ive days aler which olice orced us lo break il. The
imacl o our rolesl was visible wilh lhe oulcome lhal came a ew days laler
0u aoinls oicials or conducl
o sludenls union eleclions
0yher crIme Is a j0rIs4IctI0aIess,
h0r4erIess crIme aa4, theref0re, 4IffIc0It
t0 track 40Wa WIth00t reIate4 exertIse.
Ihere Is a aee4 f0r erI04IcaI traIaIa
m040Ies f0r 0eIhI F0IIce 0ffIcers Ia areas
0f cyher crIme IavestIatI0a, c0m0ter
f0reasIcs aa4 m0hIIe h0ae sec0rIty
|l up|+|i1 Su||+|,
|p|W ||+|JJ i|
puli u|uJ] |ill Au !2
T Wh8E 6EIT?
nation 04
NEW DELH SUNDAY AUGUST 3, 2014
Cu| |uW+u
|u|i |u B|+| u1|
||+|| ++i||
Su|i+, R+|ul
Chandigarh: The Congress on
Saturday issued a show-cause
notice to its senior leader from
Punjab Jagmeet Singh Brar
who has created a flutter by
asking Sonia Gandhi and Rahul
Gandhi to take a break in the
wake of the partys worst-ever
debacle in Lok Sabha polls.
The action was taken
against Brar, a former CWC
member, by Punjab PCC Chief
Pratap Singh Bajwa following
a direction from AICC General
Secretary Shakeel Ahmed.
The notice was issued a day
after Brar remarked there was
no harm if Sonia Gandhi and
Rahul Gandhi take a two-year
break in the wake of the poll
debacle.
Brar, a former MP from
Punjab, had also said that all
general secretaries of AICC
should have resigned by now
after the worst drubbing of
Congress and the party mantle
be handed over to a new set of
leaders. PTI
8TkII EFTE Q hEw 0ELh
I
n the second electrocution
reported this week, a 35-
year-old man was electrocuted
while entering an ATM kiosk in
Shahbad Dairy of Outer Delhi
on Saturday morning. Police
said that deceased has been
identified as Syam Nath Dubey,
a native of Uttar Pradesh.
The deat h sparked
protests by locals who gath-
ered outside the ATM booth
demanding action against the
bank. They alleged that the
victim, Shyam Pandey, was
electrocuted while withdraw-
ing money from the machine
but police ruled that out.
Pandey lived in Narela
with his wife and three chil-
dren, he worked in a private
firm. According to police, when
he was entering ATM kiosk by
opening its door, he suddenly
got an electric shock and fell
unconscious. The locals rushed
him to a hospital where he was
declared dead, said an officer.
After initial probe, police
and fire officials have found a
loose wire from the electric
meter touching the frame of the
rolling shutter of the booth.
There is no evidence to
suggest that the victim received
a shock from the ATM machine.
Prima facie it appears that he
came in contact with the frame
of the rolling shutter while
entering the ATM booth, said
DCP (Outer) Vikramjit Singh.
The DERC has been con-
tacted for a technical report and
to ascertain the exact cause of
electrocution and leakage of
current.
A case has been registered
under Section 304 A (causing
death by negligence) against
unidentified persons.
Police also suspect that the
rain on Saturday morning could
also have contributed for the
circumstances due to which
Shyam died. The incident
comes four days after a similar
one in Uttam Nagar where a
retired general manager of a
private company was electro-
cuted outside his house.
8TkII EFTE Q hEw 0ELh
A
minor girl was allegedly
gang-raped by three men in
a moving SUV in North West
Delhis Mukundpur on Friday.
The accused have been arrest-
ed and the vehicle was seized.
The 17-year-old girl is a
school dropout and lives with
her parents. The accused, report-
edly, threatened the victim that
they would kill her family mem-
bers if she did not meet them.
Satish (24), one of the
accused, is known to the girl.
He called her on Friday evening
and asked to come out of her
house and board a vehicle in
which he and his friends would
arrive. The girl refused but was
intimidated into following
Satish s instructions. He
warned her that if she did not
board the vehicle, he would kill
her parents and siblings, said
a police officer.
Satish then dragged the
girl to the rear seat of the car
and drove away. In her com-
plaint, the girl purportedly told
the police that she found two
other men on the front seat.
In the moving vehicle,
Satish raped the girl before
dumping her at a secluded
place. The victim was unable
to identify the location where
the three men left her but was
spotted by an auto-rickshaw
driver who took her to the
nearby Geeta Colony police
station, said the officer.
The case was shifted to
Bhalswa Dairy police station as
the area of her abduction
comes under their jurisdic-
tion. Also, after she went miss-
ing, the parents of the victim
filed a police complaint at the
Bhalswa Dairy police station.
A case was registered
against Satish and his co-pas-
sengers in the SUV identi-
fied as Ajit (32) and Sanjay (28).
All three were subsequenzly
arrested. The accused are res-
idents of Geeta Colony and
work as property dealers.
8TkII EFTE Q hEw 0ELh
A
38-year-old man was killed
when an inverter battery,
kept in a grocery shop, burst in
Shahabad Dairy area of Outer
Delhi this morning.
Police said that the incident
took around 8.30 am when
Jogender, a resident of Deep
Vihar area, was at his grocery
shop. When Jogender was at
his grocery shop, inverter bat-
tery suddenly burst, which led
to his death, said a senior
police officer.
Officer also said that after
the incident, he was immedi-
ately taken to a nearby hospi-
tal where he succumbed to his
injuries.
Ikh8 Q ChAh00ARh
T
ension prevailed in
Haryanas Kurukshetra
town on Saturday as the newly-
constituted Haryana Sikh
Gurdwara Parbandhak
Committee (HSGPC) tried to
take control of the Gurdwara
Chatti Patshahi, one of the
States biggest.
Heavy police deployment
was seen near the Gurdwara as
leaders of the HSGPC and their
supporters marched towards
the shrine. Those trying to take
control of the shrine broke two
police barriers put in their
route. Kurukshetra is about
110-km from here.
Members of the task force
and other volunteers of the
Amritsar-based Shiromani
Gurdwara Parbandhak
Committee (SGPC), which still
controls Sikh shrines in
Haryana, might resist any
attempt to forcibly take over the
shrine. Many of them were car-
rying traditional weapons like
swords, spears and sticks.
Police officials said they
were trying to pacify the
HSGPC and their supporters
and stop them from turning the
situation into a violent one.
We are trying to defuse the sit-
uation, a police officer said.
Sikhs from Haryana have
come here to take control of the
gurdwara. We appeal to all
Sikhs to reach here and help in
taking over the gurdwara.
Today, we will definitely take
control of the gurdwara,
said HSGPC office bearer
Joga Singh.
The HSPGC had on Friday
asked the SGPC to hand over
records of the Haryana
gurdwaras to it. The SGPC had
categorically refused to do so.
Punjabs ruling Shiromani
Akali Dal and the SGPC are
locked in a bitter controversy
with Haryanas Bhupinder Singh
Hooda Government over the
creation of the HSGPC. They
have both strongly opposed the
creation of the new HSGPC for
Haryana Sikh shrines.
On June 11, the Haryana
Assembly had passed a Bill
under which a new committee
would be set up to manage gur-
dwaras in Haryana. The
Haryana Sikh Gurdwaras
(Management) Bill, 2014, got
the assent of the Haryana
Governor on June 14.
The SGPC, the mini-par-
liament of Sikh religious affairs,
which controls gurdwaras across
Punjab, Haryana and Himachal
Pradesh, will lose control over
gurdwaras in Haryana with the
new law. The SGPC, which has
a C950 crore annual budget,
controls majority of the
gurdwaras in Punjab, including
the holiest of all Sikh shrines Sri
Harmandir Sahib (popularly
known as Golden Temple)
in Amritsar.
86F0 r0W: IeasI0a Ia k0r0kshetra
Fh8 Q AMRTSAR
P
unjab Deputy Chief
Minister Sukhbir Singh
Badal on Saturday warned that
vicious efforts of Congress-led
Haryana Government to wrest
control of gurdwaras in
Haryana would not be tolerat-
ed at any cost.
Sukhbir also asked the
Centre to take suitable steps to
prevent the atmosphere from
vitiating further as the Haryana
Sikh Gurdwara Management
Parbandhak (HSGMC) leaders
were allegedly issuing threat-
ening statements of dire con-
sequences if Shiromani
Gurdwara Parbhandak
Committee (SGPC) failed to
vacate the shrines in Haryana.
He alleged that this
Congress-sponsored provoca-
tion was self-indicative of the
fact that these dejected
Haryana-based Sikh leaders
believed in confrontation and
wants to disrupt the peace and
tranquillity in the Sikh shrines
of Haryana.
While talking to the media
at the information office of
Golden Temple, Sukhbir said
that SGPC was constituted after
the enormous sacrifices made
by Sikh Panth during the British
Raj but the infamous activities
of Haryana Government were
aimed at weakening this August
religious body.
Ever since Independence,
the Congress has confronted
Punjab politically, socially, eco-
nomically and even religious-
ly. By constituting a separate
committee for management
of gurdwaras in the State, the
Congress has inflicted a third
major assault on the Sikhs
after Operation Blue Star and
1984 anti-Sikh riots which
could not be tolerated at any
cost, he added.
wu|| |ul|+| |u1 |u u|||ul |+|]+|+ u|JW+|+. Su|||i|
Man electrocuteo in
AJM lootl misla
Man killed as
inverler ballery
bursls in sho
Jlree lelo for raing
17-year-olo in S!V
Ihe acc0se4, re0rte4Iy,
threateae4 the vIctIm
that they W00I4 kIII her
famIIy memhers If she
4I4 a0t meet them
Fh8 Q BRAhMAFuR
T
he Ganjam district BJP Yuva
Morcha submitted a mem-
orandum to the State Governor
through the RDC (Southern)
demanding to hand over the
case of top Maoist leader and
hardcore criminal Sabyasachi
Panda to the NIA instead of the
State Crime Branch.
Pandas arrest is a stage-
managed and pre-scripted
drama as evident from the
statement of CPI Maoist leader
Ajoy, who too similarly
dubbed Pandas arrest, the
memorandum said.
While the State Govern-
ment is taking the credit of the
so-called arrest of Panda, a
number of Maoists from
Andhra Pradesh and Chhattis-
garh have consolidated their
activities in the Malkanagiri
and Bargrah regions of the State,
the memorandum said.
Pandas case cannot be
treated as an ordinary one as he
is the States main Maoist
leader, who is responsible for a
number of heinous crimes and
involved with the brutal mur-
ders of hundreds of innocent
people, policemen and, partic-
ularly, Swami Laxmanananda,
the memorandum said.
A free and fair inquiry of
the case of this magnitude by
the State police is remote, Yuva
Morcha president Prabhat
Kiran Sadangi said.
The memorandum alleged
that there are a number of ille-
gal financers and sympathisers
of Panda and his associates.
Financiers mostly include
some private engineering col-
leges, contractors, narcotic cul-
tivators, liquor mafias and mill
owners, who are likely to influ-
ence the investigation process,
the memorandum cautioned.
The BJP youth leaders said
the most important reason for
an NIA probe is that the huge
quantities of arms and ammu-
nitions looted by the Maoists
are mostly from China and
siphoned to somewhere
else clearly proving their inter-
State and international links,
for which it is not possible
for the State police to conduct
an effective inquiry, the mem-
orandum argued.
BJP domands NA probo
into Sabyasaohi oaso
Fh8 Q LuCKh0w
A
17-year-old Dalit girl was
allegedly gang-raped here
by three persons since
December last year, following
which one of the accused has
been arrested.
According to the police, the
victim a Class 12th student
of local college in Jaunpur
was held by three accused in the
second week of December last
year. She was taken to a seclud-
ed place where she was gang-
raped by the accused, who also
made video of the incident.
Before setting her free, the
accused threatened to defame
her by releasing the video and
warned her that she would
lose her life if any she files a
complaint. The accused black-
mailed her and sexually exploit-
ed the girl for seven months.
However, she eventually
reported the incident to her
mother on Friday after which
a case has been registered.
While one of the accused was
arrested, efforts were on to nab
the remaining culprits.
Meanwhile, in another inci-
dent from Etawah, a jilted lover
allegedly threw acid on a
woman in civil lines area. Irfan
(25), allegedly threw acid on the
woman in Kanshiram colony on
Friday evening. She sustained 30
per cent burn injuries. The
woman, who separated from
her husband, was reportedly
having an affair with Irfan for
over a year. The SHO said, Irfan
called the woman to meet him,
but she refused after which he
attacked her.
0aIIt mIa0r aarae4
f0r 7 m0aths, 0ae heI4
Irom Fage 1
Folice should nol be "arly lo
such sensalional cases. 0ne
young woman in ullar Fradesh
had in lhe asl alleged lhal Rahul
0andhi had raed her. Rajya Sabha
0euly Seaker and Congress
leader rom Kerala FJ Kurien had
also aced allegalions, and he was
acquilled laler." lhe edilorial slaled.
Making no bones aboul ils
disleasure over lhe manner in
which ils alliance arlner in lhe
Slale and al lhe Cenlre Shiv Sena
had chosen lo a senior FS oicer
accused o rae, lhe BJF
condemned lhe 5aamana edilorial.
"l lakes a woman a lol o guls lo
regisler a comlainl, esecially i
she has been molesled or raed,
and lo suggesl lhal she does il as
a ashion slalemenl is ridiculous. l
calls or a change o mindsel. l is
clearly somelhing lhal condemn,"
BJF sokeserson Shaina hC said.
The Congress also hil oul al lhe
5aamana edilorial, dubbing il as
"very shameul" and "disreseclul
o women". "A very shameul
commenl has been ublished in
5aamna, and lhe way lhe Shiv
Sena has said lhal il has become a
ashion lo accuse men o rae,
eel nolhing could be more againsl
lhe dignily o a woman. l'is very
wrong lo give such a slalemenl,
and 5aamna should urgenlly
aologise or il. uddhav Thackeray
should seak u, and i he doesn'l,
lhen lhis means he doesn'l resecl
women," senior Congress leader
Rila Bahuguna Joshi said.
Congress leader Manish Tewari
said lhe allegalion has lo be
invesligaled. "n such mallers, il is
imorlanl lhal lhe due course o
law is ollowed," Tewari said.
Communisl Farly o ndia (CF)
leader Alul Anjan said lhe Shiv
Sena could say and do anylhing,
and described il as a arly o
ignoranl eole.
From Page 1
These papers are also known as
CSAT I and CSAT II.
The CSAT-II paper carries questions
on comprehension, interpersonal skills
including communication skills, logical
reasoning and analytical ability, decision-
making and problem-
solving, general mental
ability and English lan-
guage comprehension
skills (of Class X level).
Students have been
objecting to the level of
aptitude, analytical and
English language ques-
tions being asked in the
CSAT II examination,
claiming they are biased
in favour of those aspi-
rants with engineering
and management back-
ground.
The protesting stu-
dents have also been
demanding that the civil services pre-
liminary examination, scheduled to be
held on August 24, be postponed.
The countrys prestigious civil ser-
vices examination is conducted by UPSC
in three stages -- preliminary, main, and
interview -- to choose candidates for all-
India services Indian Administrative
Service (IAS), Indian Forest Service
(IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS)
among others.
The other members of the commit-
tee, which was formed on March 14, are
IAS officers R K Gupta and P K Das. R
K Gupta is working as Principal Secretary
to the Jammu and Kashmir Governor and
P K Das is working as Joint Secretary in
DoPT.
The Committees chairman Arvind
Varma is a retired IAS officer of Uttar
Pradesh cadre. He has served as DoPT
Secretary between September 30, 1996
and November 30, 1998.
Meanwhile, scores of National
Students Union of India (NSUI) activists
on Saturday staged a protest outside the
residence of the Home Minster demand-
ing scrapping of Civil Services Aptitude
Test (CSAT).
Former Bihar Chief Minister Nitish
Kumar on Saturday lent his support to
agitating students the examination for
selection of civil servants was to judge
merit and not translation capacity. Kumar
urged the Centre to resolve the problem
immediately as the delay was escalating
the anger of students across the country.
Making a common cause with pro-
testors complaining predominance of
English at the cost of Hindi and other
recognised regional languages, Kumar
told reporters in Patna the UPSC exam-
ination was not aimed at testing knowl-
edge of an alien language (English) but
that of merit.
Kumar said translation of CSAT
paper into Hindi and other languages
sometimes change the meaning which is
disadvantageous to students whose medi-
um is other than English.
From Page 1
He said the highest level alert has been sound-
ed and Supaul town has been made the headquar-
ters to tackle the imminent crisis. Relief and rescue
operations are being planned if the Kosi water
breaches or crosses the embankment causing floods
in the districts.
The people are being asked to evacuate the area
between the river and its embankments and take
refuge in relief camps established by the District
Magistrates. NDRF and State Disaster Response
Force (SDRF) teams are reaching there. We have also
alerted New Delhi about the impending disaster,
added Vyasji.
The crisis-like situation developed after a mas-
sive landslide on Friday night over Bhote Kosi, a
major tributary of the Kosi River. The landslide has
blocked the main course of the river, causing for-
mation of a huge water body. The Nepal Army is
preparing to blast it to provide relief to the area, but
the operation will release a massive volume of water
into the Kosi River.
Evacuation of around 1.5 lakh people living
between the Kosi River and its embankment is going
on in Supaul, Saharsa, Madhepura, Khagaria,
Bhagalpur, Araria, Purnia, Madhubani districts, he
said. The District Magistrates of these eight districts
are overseeing the evacuation process.
Experts have identified four places where the
gushing water might hit the Kosi embankment in
Bihar. Several teams of engineers have been
flown to these places to strengthen them, he said.
The State Government has opened 21 relief
camps in Supaul, 28 in Saharsa, 22 in Khagaria,
and two each in Madhepura, Madhubani and
Bhagalpur districts so far.
A breach in Kosi embankment at Kushaha in
Nepal on August 18, 2008 had resulted in one of the
most disastrous floods in Bihar. The river changed
its course, killing hundreds of people and displac-
ing around 30 lakh. The floods also caused signif-
icant destruction of crops in over 8 lakh acres of
farmland.
From Page 1
two-month visa has been
given making a decision on the
long-term visa pending. After
verification is completed, the
Government will take an appro-
priate decision, a Home
Ministry official said. The con-
troversial writer from
Bangladesh has been living in
self-exile since 1994 in the wake
of death threats by Muslim
fundamentalist outfits.
From Page 1
the State citing normalcy in the secu-
rity situation as a reason. While the violence
parameters in the State have improved, the
threat from terror groups continues, with
the Army perceiving that there is absence
of violence but not peace on the ground.
The CCS felt the situation in Jammu and
Kashmir was not conducive for any tin-
kering with the Act and that the Army was
opposed to any dilution. The CCS agreed
with the Armys recommendations against
any changes in application of the Act in
Jammu and Kashmir. After Prime Minister
Narendra Modi disapproved the proposal
for dilution of AFSPA, the four-member
CCS unanimously rejected it, sources
added.
The National Conference (NC), the then
alliance partner in the Congress-led UPA
Government, had reportedly demanded
abrogation of the Act from four districts of
the State including Srinagar, Jammu,
Baramullah and Kathua.
However, the Army that is opposed to
such relaxations cited the case of Manipurs
capital Imphal where the Act is not in oper-
ation causing hindrance in internal securi-
ty and counter-insurgency operations. The
insurgents are reported to indulge in inim-
ical interests in other parts of the North-East
and take shelter in Imphal.
The paramilitary forces engaged in anti-
terrorist and internal security duties in the
State are not covered by the Act and are often
booked by the local police for bonafide duties
especially after clamour for action against
them by the separatist groups. There have
also been demands for extending the bene-
fits of the special provision to the paramili-
tary forces engaged in security duties in the
State. The paramilitary personnel are sup-
posed to fire only in self-defence.
Kosi spolls havoo again;
1.5L loavo N Bihar
!on`t evict
me, Jaslima...
l's a ashion
lo charge...
A B1P Jl+|iu| |+|Ji| u1| i| |pu|| u| S+|+|+|pu| i|iJ|| |u u||+| P|+J| u1||u| R+| |+i| +| R+| B|+W+| i|
|u||uW u| S+|u|J+] Pll
n anolher incidenl,
'jilled lover' lhrows
acid on uF woman
IurknoW: n a searale case o
misha reorled rom Elawah,
bodies o six eole who were
reorled missing since asl ive
days, were recovered rom a
canal along wilh lhe car lhey we
re lraveling in, on Salurday. All
lhe deceased belong lo Kanur
and were missing since July 27.
ETkWkh: 6 MI88Ih
8IE8 II8hE T
Will share UPSC decision at right...
N!A sloots oown
oiluteo A!SPA ioea
I, Ashok Kumar S/o Rajveer
Singh R/o 252-C, Shipra Sun
City Indirapuram
Ghaziabad (U.P.) have
changed my name to Ashok
Kumar Singh for all
purposes.
PD(6143)A
I, Neera Singh W/o Gagan
Jit Singh R/o Flat No. 297,
Sector-37, Noida (U.P)have
changed my name to
Neeraa Singh for all
purposes.
PD(6144)C
CHANGE OF NAME
landmark 05 NEW DELH SUNDAY AUGUST 3, 2014
Fh8 Q hEw 0ELh
N
ames of Union Ministers
have been announced
who would be available in the
BJP office next week to inter-
act with party workers.
While Information &
Broadcasting Minister Prakash
Javadekar would be present on
Monday, Minister for Power,
Coal and Renewable Energy
Piyush Goyals turn is on
Tuesday, Minister of State for
Railways Manoj Sinha on
Wednesday, Minister for
Petroleum and Natural gas
Dharmendra Pradhan on
Thursday and Minister for
Road Transport & Highways,
Shipping Krishan Pal Gurjar on
Friday. Availability of one
Minister in the party office is to
bridge the gap between the
Government and party workers.
Party workers are expected to
interact with Ministers and artic-
ulate their issues during the
working days from 4 pm to 6
pm. Last week, Minister of
State for Heavy Industries, P
Radha Krishnan, was present in
the party office on Wednesday
followed by Minister of State
for Agriculture and Food
Processing Dr Sanjeev Kumar
Balyan on Thursday and
Minister for Commerce and
Industry and Corporate Affairs
Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday.
The arrangement for other
weeks would be formalised
after consultations with
Parliamentary Affairs Minister
M Venkaiah Naidu.
The party workers business
agenda would be checked before
they present themselves before
the Ministers. It is not clear
whether the Minister would also
be meeting media or restrict
himself to party workers only.
Fh8 Q hEw 0ELh
T
he Navy has initiated
court-martial proceedings
against an officer facing charges
of sexual harassment leveled by
a junior woman officer and
reduced his seniority by 18
months. The officer of the
rank of Commander (equiva-
lent to Lieutenant Colonel)
was posted in Vishakhapatnam
and the woman officer of the
rank of Sub Lieutenant (equiv-
alent to Captain in Army) lev-
elled five allegations against
him in the court-martial.
While the officer leveled
allegations including physical,
verbal and sexual harassment,
the court-martial headed by a
Commodore (equivalent to a
Brigadier), however, held the
officer guilty only for one out of
five charges and ordered his
seniority to be reduced by 18
months, officials said on
Saturday. They said the court-
martial was held last month
and found the officer guilty of
the charge of conduct unbe-
coming the character of an offi-
cer. The woman, who has now
quit the Service, was provided
a woman prosecutor to help her
out in the court-martial.
During the proceedings,
two other women including
another officer and a civilian
data entry operator also levelled
charges against the officer.
The main complainant,
who was a Short Service
Commission officer, quit the
force after completing only
three years of the mandatory
seven years of Service.
The Navy has now asked
her to pay the amount invest-
ed in her by the Government
as she was sent to do various
courses including the Indian
Institute of Technology (IIT)
for completing her studies
for becoming an architect,
they added.
Fh8 Q hEw 0ELh
U
nion Health Minister
Harsh Vardhan on
Saturday slammed the Medical
Council of India (MCI) for
punishing MBBS aspirants
instead of medical colleges for
not complying with rules,
which, he said, has ended up
reducing the number of seats
and harming career of many
medical aspirants.
The Minister said that the
adverse stand taken by the
medical council has led to the
loss of 1,170 medical seats in
the 2014-15 academic year.
The Minister was reacting
to the recent Supreme Courts
Order quashing the Ministrys
plea for modification of the
time schedule for granting
approvals to new colleges and
renewal of permission to exist-
ing seats in old colleges.
Instead of supporting our
plea in court, I am surprised
the MCI opposed it. This
makes me wonder whose side
are they on, he said critically.
Of the 46 colleges affected,
41 are privately owned. For
years it was an open secret that
MCI was looking the other way
as medical colleges rampantly
flouted regulations. Suddenly,
this year they have struck. But
why are they not punishing the
managements? Vardhan said.
He said he has received
numerous delegations of stu-
dents, doctors, institution man-
agements, members of parlia-
ment and other stakeholders
complaining of MCIs attitude.
MCIs adversarial posi-
tion despite his requests,
Vardhan said, led to the
Supreme Court dismissing the
ministrys plea seeking modifi-
cation of the time schedule for
granting approvals to new col-
leges and renewal of permission
to existing seats in old colleges.
MCI took a bureaucratic
attitude and did not reveal an
awareness that it was dealing
with young lives, he said, not-
ing that most of the deficien-
cies in the colleges were minor
like problems with air-condi-
tioning or about the thickness
of partition walls in buildings.
There was also the issue of
the shortage of faculty which is
an old irritant, he said, adding
that permission was declined in
some cases merely because
college library did not have suf-
ficient number of journals, a
irrelevant issue in the age of
e-magazines.
The best solution would
have been to admit students
and then pressurising the man-
agements of colleges to take
necessary steps, he said. Even
though most of the colleges
complied with the MCIs
demands, there was no
acknowledgement.
MCI officials took the
shocking stand that they did not
have time to go through the
compliance statements, he said.
Vardhan said he had per-
sonally requested the MCI pres-
ident to think of the fate of stu-
dents instead of placing a pre-
mium on the frivolous defi-
ciencies of the colleges. But it
had no impact on her, he added.
Fh8 Q hEw 0ELh
T
he CBI on Saturday arrest-
ed six people, including
Chairman & Managing
Director (CMD) of Syndicate
Bank SK Jain for allegedly
taking bribe of C50 lakh for
extending credit limit of some
defaulting companies in con-
travention of banking regula-
tions. Jain was kept under sur-
veillance for six months before
his arrest in Bangalore and CBI
nabbed Jains relative and
a Madhya Pradesh-based
Chartered Accountant while
allegedly receiving cash from
representatives of the accused
Delhi-based companies which
have been involved in coal scam.
The CBI has filed two cases
against Jain accusing him of
receiving a bribe of C50 lakh
through conduits and abusing
his official position to enhance
the credit limits of some com-
panies in violation of laid down
procedures, sources said.
Following registration of the
cases, searches were conducted
at 20 places in Delhi, Mumbai,
Bangalore and Bhopal.
The agency has alleged
that the conduit was the broth-
er-in-law of the CMD and the
deal was struck by the char-
tered accountant who has start-
ed his own firm of providing
loans to big corporate houses.
CBI claimed to have recov-
ered cash to the tune of C21
lakh from Jains residence
besides gold ornaments worth
C1.68 crore and fixed deposit
certificates up to C63 lakh.
In the two FIRs, the CBI has
named Neeraj Singhal, vice pres-
ident and MD of Bushan Steel,
Ved Prakash Agarwal, CMD of
Prakash Industries, Pawan
Bansal, CA, Vineet and Puneet
Godha (relatives of Jain), Vijay
Pahuja, Purushotam Totlani and
Pankaj Bansal. Vineet Godha
was earlier a spokesperson of
Madhya Pradesh Congress.
It is alleged that Bushan steel
used the services of Totlani and
the money was handed over to
Vineet, the sources claimed and
added at that point the CBI
arrested both.
Fh8 Q hEw 0ELh
T
he CBI on Saturday regis-
tered a case against former
Union Minister Prem Chand
Gupta, a confidant of Rashtriya
Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu
Prasad, and his son for alleged
criminality in falsifying
records in getting a coal block
in Maharashtra.
The case was registered
against Gupta, a sitting Rajya
Sabha member and former
Minister of State for Corporate
Affairs from 2004-2009, and his
son Gaurav after the Central
Vigilance Commission (CVC)
told the CBI that a case was
made out against the former
Minister, sources said. The
CBI had earlier sought a clo-
sure in the matter.
The Supreme Court is
monitoring the probe into the
scam and asked the CVC to
take a relook into the enquiries
that were sought to be closed by
the CBI. This is the 24th case
registered by the agency in con-
nection with the coal block
allocation scam.
The accused company IST
Steel and Power allegedly fal-
sified records before the screen-
ing committee that it had spent
C100 crore on power plants but
a close scrutiny of the docu-
ments of the company showed
that only C80 crore had been
spent, the sources said. The
company is alleged to have fur-
nished documents with bogus
in its bid to meet the basic eli-
gibility for getting a coal block.
IST Steel and Power is an
associate company of the IST
Group which is owned and
managed by Guptas sons
Gaurav and Mayur. The com-
pany was al l ocated the
Dahegaon/Makardhokra IV
coal block in Maharashtra.
The company had applied for
a coal block on January 12,
2007 and was allocated one on
June 17, 2009.
Gupta, an RJD leader,
was the Minister of State
for Corporate Affairs in
UPA-I Government.
FIhEE hEW8 8EVI6E Q
hEw 0ELh
H
oping to open a new chap-
ter in India-Nepal ties,
Prime Minister Narendra Modi
will embark on a two-day visit
to Nepal starting Sunday that
will serve as a catalyst for
regional partnership. The two
countries are expected to sign
agreements in sectors like power
and India may also announce
economic aid for that country.
Modi said on Saturday that
he was looking forward to
working with the Nepalese
leadership to forge a new rela-
tionship by identifying steps to
strengthen bilateral cooperation
in key sectors, including trade
and investment, hydropower,
agriculture and agro-process-
ing, environment, tourism, edu-
cation, culture and sports.
Scheduled to hold talks
with his counterpart Sushil
Koirala and address business
leaders, the Prime Minister said
in his pre-departure statement
he will be discussing how to har-
ness the full potential of the new
digital age to empower and
create new opportunities for the
youth of the two countries.
I am excited about my
visit and pleased that I am able
to go there within weeks of
assuming office as Prime
Minister, he said in a pre-
departure statement on the
eve of the first bilateral trip by
an Indian Prime Minister to
Nepal in 17 years.
I hope my visit will open a
new chapter in India -Nepal rela-
tions,characterised by more fre-
quent political engagement and
closer cooperation across the full
spectrum of our extraordinari-
ly broad-based relations, which
will serve as a model and cata-
lyst for South Asian partnership
for prosperity, Modi said.
Describing Nepal as a close
friend and neighbour, he said
we have had the privilege of
being a leading partner in
Nepals socio-economic devel-
opment. We are committed to
continuing our support to Nepal
in its development efforts. The
PM said his visit reflects the
shared heritage of nature,
history, culture, spiritualism and
religion. It highlights the high
priority that my Government
attaches to our relations with
Nepal and our determination to
take our relationship to an
entirely new level, he said.
During the visit, Modi said,
he will have the opportunity to
hold discussions with the
Nepalese leadership on the
entire gamut of bilateral rela-
tions. He said he looked forward
to working with the leadership
of Nepal to forge a new rela-
tionship for the new century
between our two rapidly trans-
forming countries.
Navy court-martials
officer facing sexual
larassment clarges
Puli J|+i| |Sul |||| Ju|i| + p|u|| ++i|| CSAl |u||+| i| ||u|| u| u|iu| |u| |i|i|| R+||+|| Si|| |iJ| i| |W l|i u| S+|u|J+] Pll
New Delhi: Natwar Singh on
Saturday hit back at the
Congress saying the party has
conveniently forgotten that it
too was named in the
Volcker Report as a non-
contractual beneficiary.
Responding to the
Congress spokesperson
Abhishek Manu Singhvis
remarks, Singh said, The
Congress party is also men-
tioned in the Volcker Report as
the non-contractual beneficia-
ry. Singhvi has conveniently
forgotten this.
On Friday, Singhvi had
said the UPA-I Government
and Congress took an uncom-
promising stand and it was a
clearly principled stand when
Natwar Singh was asked to
resign from the Council of
Ministers and of course later
from CWC.
Both the Government and
the party had no option but to
take serious cognizance of the
extremely serious findings of
the so-called Volcker commit-
tee to investigate the so-called
UN oil-for-food programme.
He also said the Volcker
committee report said on
October 27, 2005 that Natwar
Singhs family were non-
contractual (corrupt) benefi-
ciaries of the oil-for-food
programmes.
Rubbishing Singhvis
remarks that his claims against
Sonia Gandhi were aimed at
getting publicity for his book,
Singh said, It is unfortunate. I
did not expect this from a per-
son like Singhvi to make this
kind of remark that I am doing
this for publicity.
My book is selling and I
cannot tell them dont sell the
book. I know he is doing this
(of attacking Singh) to please
Sonia Gandhi, Singh said.
The former External
Affairs Minister, in his autobi-
ography, has claimed that it was
Rahul Gandhis fear for her life
that prevented Gandhi from
becoming Prime Minister con-
tradicting her version that she
heeded to her inner voice in
not taking up the post. PTI
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|up |u 'up|
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New Delhi: Prime Minister
Narendra Modi would spe-
cially look forward to reunion
of a child with his parents after
years when he travels to Nepal
on Sunday and may recollect
the time when he supported a
Nepalese boy in a helpless
condition in Gujarat.
The Prime Minister will be
personally handing over Jeet
Bahadur, whom he found as a
child and backed over the
years, to his parents in Nepal.
On a personal note, my
Nepal visit is very special...
Some personal emotions are
also attached to this visit,
Modi said Saturday on the eve
of his two-day trip.
The PM said he met
Bahadur years back in a help-
less condition and narrated
some subsequent developments.
Years back, I met a child
Jeet Bahadur in a helpless con-
dition. He knew nothing, where
to go, what to do. He did not
know anybody, nor did he
understand the language, Modi
gave details in his three tweets.
Guided by God, I started
thinking about him. Gradually,
he developed interest in stud-
ies and playing. He also learned
Gujrati language, he said. Modi
said sometime back, he was
able to locate Bahadurs parents.
This was possible because he
(Bahadur) has six fingers in his
foot, he tweeted. Thankfully,
we were able to locate his par-
ents. I am glad that tomorrow
the parents would be reunited
with their son, the Prime
Minister said. PNS
FM's visil will reunile
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CB arrests Synoicate Banl
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'Availabilily' o Minislers al BJF h0 announced
nation 06
NEW DELH SUNDAY AUGUST 3, 2014
kh8hEE WkhI Q SRhA0AR
A
shutdown was observed
in most parts of Kashmir
Valley on Saturday while the
authorities imposed restric-
tions in regions of five police
stations in old Srinagar to curb
protests against a proposed
Hindu pilgrimage to
Kausarnag, a water-body situ-
ated 12,000 feet above sea level
in south Kashmir mountains.
The shutdown was called
by separatist leader Syed Ali
Geelani but other secessionist
groups also joined his con-
cern on the proposed pil-
grimage. They said that the
introduction of pilgrimage is
part of a hidden agenda to
change the demography of the
Muslim majority State. The
separatists have also expressed
environmental concerns.
Chief Minister Omar
Abdullah has not spoken on
the issue though the Centre has
sought an explanation from his
Government after a Kashmiri
Pandit group met Union
Minister Rajnath Singh and
Jatendra Singh.
The water body, one of the
major water resources in south
Kashmir that feeds hundreds of
acres of agricultural land is a
tourist destination popular
with robust trekkers who access
it from Reasi in Jammu and
Kulgam in south Kashmir. The
lake is positioned at the moun-
tainous boundary between
Kashmir and Jammu provinces.
Few years back, Hindu pil-
grims began to organise special
worship sessions at the lake. This
year, however, the administration
in Reasi decided to hold the puja
on a larger scale even indicating
to press in helicopters to airlift
pilgrims. The district adminis-
tration in Kulgam organised
police protection for the intend-
ing pilgrims who wanted to trek
through south Kashmir route.
The deputy commissioner later
withdrew the order.
Most of the separatist lead-
ers including Geelani and
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq were
put under house-arrest.
V 1kYkk1 Q K0Ch
K
eralas Congress MLA AP
Abdullakutty, a devout
Muslim, has a special pre-
scription for ending perver-
sion among Kerala males and
atrocities including rape
towards the female of the
species in the State: Start night
clubs, open shops selling sex
toys for men and women and
thus transform Gods Own
Country into a Macau.
In Marakkanakatha Macau
Yatra (Unforgettable Macau
Trip), the book he wrote on his
recent visit to Macau with his
wife and kids, Abdullakutty,
who was in March last accused
by solar scam con woman
Saritha S Nair of raping her, says
that opening night clubs and
sex toy shops is the only way to
end sexual crimes in Kerala.
I was stunned when my
wife asked me why our
Government cannot start shops
for sex toys in every panchayat
as centres of therapy for the
Malayalee sexual perverts who
would rape even five-year-old
kids and 85-year-old grandmas,
Abdullakutty says, adding some
Islamic countries had started
night clubs for sexual perverts.
Abdullakutty is speaking of
a sex revolution as he sees it
in Gods Own Country just
when his party is showing signs
of increasing conservatism and
even trying to banish booze
from the State. Many in the
Congress have already launched
criticisms against their MLA,
saying that he should have
thought twice before speaking
of such contentious things.
Macau had caught the
imagination of Malayalees dur-
ing the 2006-11 LDF rule when
the Congress unleashed a cam-
paign against then Chief
Minister VS Achuthanandan
over his son VA Arunkumar's
visits to that place. "When I told
some of my legislator colleagues
that I had been to Macau, most
of them asked me not to write
about it," Abdullakutty says.
Abdullakutty writes in his
travelogue that the approach to
sex in Kerala is very narrow-
minded and that time has
come for an open discussion on
sex and sexuality in the Kerala
society. The Keralite is not
ready to include such subjects
in the agenda of life and that is
the reason why Malayalees are
regressing into the level of
moral policing from moral
consciousness, he says.
Stating that one of the
main reasons for the increase
in incidents of rape is the lack
of awareness about sex and that
it is time for Kerala to include
sex and sexuality in the acad-
emic curriculum, Abdullakutty
says that separate schools for
girls and boys are not appro-
priate for modern societies
and such a system should be
done away with totally.
"One of the things I had
learned while studying in col-
lege is that those who are
showing sexual perversion are
men who had studied in such
schools. They are indeed expe-
riencing the problems of hav-
ing a life in a boys' schools for
ten years without interacting
properly with students of the
opposite sex and sharing
friendship with them, "
Abdullakutty writes.
The MLA, who had joined
the Congress five years ago
after his expulsion from the
CPI(M) for extolling the devel-
opment model of Narendra
Modi, then Gujarat Chief
Minister, says that Kerala
should draw its lesson for end-
ing sexual perversion from
certain Islamic countries which
had started night clubs in order
to help sexual perverts to come
out of the condition.
"When some religious
scholars aired objections to the
starting of such centres, the
rulers said that these were meant
for men in whom perversion
had developed into a disease.
Like them, we too can say that
it is time we started such centres
for perverts," Abdullakutty
writes in the book which will be
released on August 9.
Leaders of various political
parties have started attacking
Abdullakutty for his 'discovery'
of the virtues of Macau and
sexual catharsis. But he is
unfazed by criticisms. All I
want to say is that my critics
should read my book before
attacking me, says
Abdullakutty, for whom the
Macau he saw is much more
than night clubs, sex toy shops
and gambling dens.
'0ea aIht cI0hs, sex t0y sh0s t0 ea4 raes'
kMk 6hEIIkFFkh Q
ChEhhA
I
ndian scientists are out to
unravel the elusive mystery
behind monsoon, which plays
a significant role in determin-
ing the countrys economic
and social growth. Though the
subject of monsoon has been a
topic of study by the climatol-
ogists for quite sometime, this
unusual weather phenomenon
is yet to provide any insight into
its behaviour or patterns.
This time, the scientists of
the country has selected an
unusual spot to zero in on the
character of the monsoon.
Scientists of the National Centre
for Antarctic and Ocean
Research, Goa, succeeded in
installing a multi sensor moored
observatory in the Arctic region
on July 23, 2014. The observa-
tory has been anchored at a spot
1100 km away from the North
Pole and at a depth of 192
metres inside the earth.
It has been anchored at a
fjord (glacier valley) near
Kongsfjorden, near Norway
and is an established reference
site for studying Arctic marine
studies, Dr MA Atmanand,
Director, National Institute of
Ocean Technology (NIOT),
Chennai, told The Pioneer. It
was Atmanad who led the team
of engineers which designed
and developed the observatory.
The observatory which has
ten state-of-the-art oceano-
graphic sensors will collect
data on seawater temperature,
salinity, ocean current and other
vital parameters of the fjord,
according to Dr S Rajan,
Director NCAOR, Goa. This
is a joint effort by NIOT and the
NCAOR. We told the NIOT sci-
entists about our requirements
and they designed and built the
observatory, said Dr Rajan.
Every year from March to
September, a team of NCAOR
scientists will fly to
Kongsfjorden to collect the data
from the observatory. During
the remaining period, the obser-
vatory will be underneath thick
snow and we will not be able to
get any information, said Rajan.
Why Arctic, of all the
places to study the Indian
Monsoon? Both Atmanand
and Rajan point out that there
is a tele-link between the mon-
soon and the Arctic. Many
studies have been held on the
correlation between atmos-
phere and the monsoon. Our
scientists have also studied the
impact of variations in the
ocean on monsoon. Most of the
oceans are inter connected.
Our objective is to find out and
establish the link between mon-
soon and the polar regions.
This is expected to help in fore-
casting the monsoon without
variations, said Rajan.
Dr Rajan pointed out that
previous studies have estab-
lished six of the total 16 vari-
ables which influence the mon-
soon. If we get to know the
remaining ten variables, it is
going to help the Indian econ-
omy as we will be mastering the
pattern of monsoon, he said.
In addition to monsoon
studies, the data from the obser-
vatory would help to under-
stand the role of polar regions
in climate change as well as vari-
ability, said the NCAOR
Director. There are many
microbial organisms in the
fjord which are tolerant to sea
water. The studies will throw
more light into such organisms
and in the long run we are sure
to get lot of information about
new organisms, said Rajan.
The observatory has been
named IndARC. India has a
presence in the Arctic region as
observer since 2007 and with
installation of IndARC, the
country is graduating to the level
of serious player in the region.
Th khhkThk Q MuMBA
B
raving a heavy stench ema-
nating from under the debris
of landslide at Malin in Pune dis-
trict of western Maharashtra, the
National Disaster Response
Force (NDRF) personnel on
Saturday extricated more num-
ber of bodies from under the
slushy terrain, taking the toll in
Wednesdays calamity to 82.
Till late this evening, we
have recovered as many as 82
bodies from under the slush and
debris of the landslide at Malin.
We apprehend that there are still
68 people trapped under the
debris. The chances of their sur-
vival are dim, Pune-based
Commandant of the National
Disaster Response Force Alok
Awasthi told The Pioneer over
telephone on Saturday night.
Awasthi, who is supervising
the NDRF operation at Malin,
said that a lot of stench was
emanating from under the slush
and debris, thus giving an indi-
cation of the decomposition of
bodies lying underneath. But,
we are continuing the operation
as before. We will continue the
operation till we account for all
the missing persons, he said.
Unlike on Friday where
there was no rain, the NDRF
personnel had to contend with
heavy rains lashing the area in
intermittent spells all through
Saturday. Heavy rains that
the area received in stretches
came in the way of our opera-
tion, Awasthi said.
Of the bodies extricated so
far, there are nearly 40 women
and 10 children.
The landslide, which
occurred at around 6 am on
Wednesday, had crushed as
many as 66 properties, includ-
ing 45 households, in Malin vil-
lage. Malin, which forms a part
of the Bhimshankar Hills, has
incidentally has been identified
as one of the eco-sensitive vil-
lages in Western Ghat by a High
Level Working Group (HLWG)
headed by Dr K Kasturirangan.
Though the total popula-
tion of Malin village is 704, the
district officials have pegged
the number of people living in
the part of the village where the
mishap took place, at 168.
While the Maharashtra
government has announced a
compensation of C5 lakh to the
next of kin of the each person
killed in Wednesdays landslide,
Union Home Minister Rajnath
Singh had early in the week
announced an assistance of C2
lakh to each of the bereaved
family members, under the
Prime Ministers Relief Fund.
h11kT kZk Q LuCKh0w
A
ccepting the corruption
taken place in Shia and
Sunni Waqf Boards, Minister
for Minority Welfare and Waqf
Azam Khan wrote a letter to
the Chief Minister asking to
conduct CBI probe
into it.
A couple of days
after Samajwadi Party
came into power, I
informed you about
illegal sales of the
Waqf properties com-
ing under Shia and Sunni Waqf
Boards. It was sold by the peo-
ple so-called religious people.
The sales of waqf properties is
not allowed in Central, State and
Islamic laws, said Khan in the
letter to the CM on Saturday.
Minister claimed that after
razing the mosques plotting
was done of the land, land of
graveyard was sold and even
same happened with other waqf
properties too. Even at that time
I recommended for CBI inquiry
but due to some reasons orders
were not issued. But to show the
transparency of state govern-
ment and to unmask the culprits
it is required again. I request to
CM to recommended CBI probe
in it, he said in the letter.
Reacting on it, Shia Cleric
and Imam-e-Juma, Maulana
Kalbe Jawwad said it was us who
were demanding CBI probe
since beginning but the State
Government handed-
over the probe to CB-
CID. I have written sev-
eral letters to the
Government regarding.
Even I say CBI probe
should be conducted.
He alleged that
sometime back an order was
passed by the UP Government
to construct boundary walls of
Waqf graveyards for which more
than C350 crore was sanctioned.
But still now not even a single
boundary wall has been com-
pleted so far. Even the State
Government should include this
scheme too in CBI probe as there
are chances of corruption taken
place in it.
Meanwhile, a meeting of
Clerics was organised at the
residence of Maulana Kalbe
Jawwad which was attended by
more than 150 clerics from dif-
ferent districts.
S|u|JuW| i| |+||i| u1| '|i|Ju pil|i|+
A| lJ|l] |+||i|i W+|| ||u| + Ji|+| + p+|+|ili|+|] ulJi| |+|J u+|J +| + ||pu|+|] || pui|| Ju|i| u||W i|
S|i|++| u| S+|u|J+] AP
Malin lanoslioe
toll mounts to S2,
6S still traeo
Ia480 t0 0araveI m0as00a mystery
Ru| +|| |u| u|1i1u| i| || J||i u| |uu +| l+|JliJ|i| |+li| 1ill+
i| Pu| u| ||iJ+] Pll
ll+|+|+ C| | C|+|J|+||+| R+u +|J A|J||+ P|+J| C| | C|+|J|+|+|u
|+iJu |+| |+|J ||u| ||] |i1J P|iJ|| P|+|+| |u|||| u| |i +||i1+l
+| Bu|p| Ai|pu|| i| |]J|+|+J u| S+|u|J+] Pll
AP A|Jull+|u||]
tam seeks 08I r0he
Iat0 wagf c0rr0tI0a
l wAS Slu||E w|E| |Y wl|E AS|E |E w|Y uR VER||E|l CA||l
SlARl S|PS |R SEX lYS l| EVERY PA|C|AYAl AS CE|lRES | l|ERAPY |R
l|E |A|AYA|EE SEXuA| PERVERlS w| wu| RAPE EVE| |lVEYEAR|
|lS A| 85YEAR| RA||AS
world 07
NEW DELH SUNDAY AUGUST 3, 2014
GLOBE
TROTTNG TROTTNG
kkk6hI MI8hkF: 39
8IE8 E6VEE
kararhi: wilh lhe recovery o
lhree more bodies rom lhe
Clilon seaview beach here on
Salurday, lhe number o eole
drowned al Karachi's oular
beaches while balhing during Eid
holidays has risen lo 8O.
1EhkI8 kIII Z3 Ih
8khk: kMY
hiIIa (Iraq): slamic Slale
jehadis ighlers killed al leasl 28
raqi soldiers and members o
allied Shiile mililia in a
lashoinl area soulh o
Baghdad, Army sources said on
Salurday. S mililanls iring
salvos o morlar rounds began
allacking lhe lown o Jur al
Sakhr lale on Friday, killing 11
soldiers and 12 members o lhe
Asaib Ahl alhaq mililia, an
oicer and Army medic said.
EXFET8 86 Mh17
8ITE I EMkIh8
rabove: nlernalional exerls
ushed on Salurday wilh lheir
ainslaking robe al lhe vasl
crash sile o downed lighl
Mh17 in easlern ukraine,
deloying snier dogs lo hel
ind any remains slill lel al lhe
scene. Some 7O 0ulch and
Auslralian olice invesligalors
were back or a second day lo
scour lhrough lhe wreckage.
ThkIIkh IhT6E8
hEW 1ET8kI IE8
8angkok: Acling uon
comlainls received by scores o
ndian and oreign lourisls aboul
jelski scams, Thailand has
inlroduced renlal service
slandards lo boosl service
qualily and saely or lhose
using lhem. Thailand's
0earlmenl o Tourism has said
lhal all jelskis will now be
regislered and licensed wilh
valid insurance coverage.
k8TkIIk Ikh6hE8
'EEh kMY'
8ydney: Auslralia on Salurday
launched ils '0reen Army' which
lans lo recruil u lo 15,OOO
young eole or rojecls lo
conserve and rehabililale lhe
environmenl lhe biggesl land
care mobilisalion in lhe nalion's
hislory. "The 0reen Army is on
lhe march", Frime Minisler Tony
Abboll lold reorlers.
kIF Q BERuT
S
yrian troops backed by
Hezbollah fighters have
killed at least 50 jehadis from
the Islamic State and Al-Nusra
Front groups near the border
with Lebanon, a monitor said
on Saturday.
The clashes raged through
the night and into the morning
on Saturday in the border
region of Qalamun, said the
Syrian Observatory for Human
Rights.
Among the dead were at
least seven pro-regime fighters,
including Government soldiers
and members of Hezbollah, the
Lebanese Shiite militant group
that backs Syrias President
Bashar al-Assad.
Regime forces recaptured
most of the Qalamun region in
April, with many rebel fighters
withdrawing from the strategic
area or slipping across the bor-
der in Lebanon.
But pockets of opposition
fighters, including jehadis, have
remained in the mountainous
region.
Though the Islamic State
and Al-Nusra Front both have
roots in Al-Qaeda, IS has for-
mally broken with the group,
while Nusra is its official
branch in Syria.
Despite ideological simi-
larities, the two groups are
opposed and in conflict with
each other in other parts of
Syria, particularly in the north.
8yrIa tr00s kIII at Ieast
50 jeha4Is aear lehaa0a
kF Q wAShh0T0h
U
S President Barack Obama
says in the immedi-
ate aftermath of the Sept
11 attacks, the United
States did things that
were wrong and crossed
the line. He says, quote,
we tortured some folks.
Obama is comment-
ing on a Senate investigation into
the CIAs interrogation tech-
niques. A report on that inves-
tigations results is expected to be
released in the coming weeks.
Obama says it is important
to remember how horrified
Americans were after Sept 11.
But he says it is important to
remember the US must
live up to its values.
Obama also says
he has full confidence in
CIA Director John
Brennan. The CIA
director has apologized
to senators after the
CIAs inspector general found
agency employees improperly
searched the computers of Senate
staffers conducting the investi-
gation into post-Sept 11 inter-
rogation and detention practices.
8 k1kFkIkh Q
wAShh0T0h
A
s part of the enhanced
engagement with India in
the run-up to Prime Minister
Narendra Modis American
sojourn next month, US
Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel
will be visiting New Delhi next
week holding meetings with
senior Indian leaders.
Hagel is expected to call
on Modi and hold parleys
with his Indian counterpart,
Finance and Defence Minister
Arun Jaitley. He is also likely
to likely to meet External
Affairs Minister Sushma
Swaraj and National Security
Advisor Ajit Doval.
The election of a new
government offers an oppor-
tunity to fulfil the potential of
our strategic partnership. And
Secretary Hagels meetings will
focus on the United States
and Indias converging interests
in the Asia-Pacific, said
Pentagon Press Secretary Navy
Rear Adm. John Kirby, giving
a broad overview of Hagels first
India visit as Defence Secretary.
Kirby spoke of the com-
mon interests between the US
and India in Afghanistan and
initiatives to strengthen defence
cooperation, including mili-
tary exercises, defence trade,
co-production and co-devel-
opment, and research and new
technologies.
The spokesman confirmed
that the Hagel visit is part of
a series of (Obama) adminis-
tration engagements that builds
on Secretary (of State) Kerry
and (Commerce) Secretary
Pritzkers participation in the
US-India Strategic Dialogue
this week, leading up to Prime
Minister Modis upcoming visit
to the White House in
September.
Besides the bilateral meet-
ings, Hagel is also due to
deliver remarks at an event
marking the 25th anniversary
of the Observer Research
Foundation.
In its bid not to queer the
pitch at a time when it is
going all out to woo Modi, the
Obama administration has
taken care not to publicly
push India beyond a point on
t he Worl d Trade
Organi sati ons Trade
Facilitation Agreement, which
New Delhi has rejected in its
present form.
FTI Q 0AZA/JERuSALEM
I
srael on Saturday indicated it
may be scaling down its mil-
itary offensive in Gaza as Israeli
troops were seen withdrawing
from a northern town after
declaring it safe for Palestinian
residents to return.
Israeli attacks in southern
Gaza continued as troops
searched for one of its missing
soldiers believed to have been
captured by Hamas even after
the collapse of Fridays ceasefire.
At least 50 people were killed
on Saturday in Israeli strikes,
most of them in Rafah, raising
the Palestinian death toll to
1,655, mostly civilians, Gaza
health officials said.
They said 8, 900
Palestinians have been injured
so far. Meanwhile, the Israeli
army today told residents of
Beit Lahiya town in northern
Gaza that it was safe to return
to their homes, as witnesses
said troops were seen with-
drawing from the area.
We have told Beit Lahia
residents that they may return
to their homes. We advised
them to avoid explosives placed
by Hamas across the area, the
Israel Defence Forces tweeted.
It was the first time troops
had been seen pulling back
since the start of the deadly 26-
day conflict, which has forced
up to a quarter of Gazas pop-
ulation into exile.
Messages have been con-
veyed to residents of the north-
ern Gaza Strip that they may
return to the Beit Lahiya area, an
army statement said, with a
spokeswoman indicating the
message had been conveyed to
authorities in the coastal strip.
They have been informed it is
safe for civilians to return to Beit
Lahiya and Al-Atatra," she said.
FTI Q BEJh0
A
t least 69 workers were killed and
187 others were injured on
Saturday when an explosion ripped
through a metal factory in eastern
China that supplies to some of the
biggest international brands, causing
widespread damage to the sprawling
industrial unit.
The blast in Kunshan, a city in the
province of Jiangsu near Shanghai, took
place in the morning inside a wheel hub
polishing workshop owned by the
Kunshan Zhongrong Metal Products
Co Ltd, the city Government said.
More than 260 workers were at the
site when the explosion rocked the
plant. Local health authorities said
most of the injured suffered burns and
have been treated in hospitals in
Kunshan and the nearby cities of
Suzhou, Wuxi and Shanghai.
Rescuers pulled out over 40 bod-
ies while about 29 others died in hos-
pitals, state-run Xinhua news agency
reported. An initial probe indicated that
the explosion might have been caused
by dust which ignited inside the
workshop, officials said.
Photographs circulated on social
networking sites showed charred bod-
ies of victims on trucks or lying on the
ground as black smoke billowed from
the factory.
The blast left two huge holes in the
factorys wall, with large equipment and
pieces of broken glass scattered around.
A local radio reporter told Xinhua
that she saw a patient, whose clothes and
hair were completely burned off and his
body as dark as charcoal. A medical
member of staff at Kunshan Hospital of
Traditional Chinese Medicine said most
of the injured suffered burns.
The plant specialised in postpro-
duction preparation of aluminium car
wheels before they are shipped to auto
makers. On its website, Zhongrong says
it formed in 1998 and describes itself
as a subcontractor to one of the world's
biggest car wheel makers, Hebei
Province-based Citic Dicastal Wheel
Manufacturing Co Dicastal.
kF Q BAKu (AZERBAJAh)
A
sharp escalation in fighting
between Azerbaijan and
Armenia over the disputed
territory of Nagorno-Karabakh
has left 15 soldiers dead and
prompted Russia to issue a call
for calm.
Azerbaijans Defence
Ministry said that 12 of its
troops have been killed in the
past four days, including four
overnight.
Nagor no- Kar aba khs
armed forces said one of its sol-
diers was killed, the third in
recent days.
Azerbaijans Nagorno-
Karabakh region and some
adjacent territory have been
under the control of Armenian
soldiers and ethnic Armenian
local troops since the end of a
six-year separatist war in 1994.
Both sides report frequent
attacks along the cease-fire
line, but the latest outbreak of
fighting is the worst in many
years. Russias Foreign Ministry
said a further escalation is
unacceptable.
|+|+|+||. lull
|i |u !5
Hagel louno for noia to
nurture !efence talls
|+|+ +] +||| Sp| !!,
uS '|u||u|J u| |ul|
P+l|i|i+| i|p| || J+|+, +||| +| u1||i|| l|+li ||i|, |u 1|+l
|uilJi| i| ++ Ci|] u| S+|u|J+] AP
Soutl toll rises as srael lunts for soloier
69 kIIIe4, 187 Iaj0re4 Ia
0hIaa fact0ry exI0sI0a
l| i| u| +| /pluiu| +| +| +||| C|i|
+u|u|u|i1 p+|| |+|u|] i| |u||+| Ci|], 1i+|u
P|u1i| u| S+|u|J+] AP
8 Ih EVEYThIh
T EI8E kkIhE
6I8I8: 8kMk
WashingIon: Barack 0bama has
said lhal lhe America has done
everylhing ossible lo seek a
dilomalic solulion lo ukraine
crisis, shorl o going inlo war lo
deler Russia. "wilh resecl lo
ukraine, lhink we have done
everylhing lhal we can lo suorl
lhe ukrainian 0overnmenl and lo
deler Russia rom moving urlher
inlo ukraine", 0bama lold
reorlers al while house when
asked i lhe uS could have done
more on ukraine. "Bul shorl o
going lo war, lhere are going lo be
some conslrainls in lerms o whal
we can do i Fulin and Russia are
ignoring whal should be lheir
longlerm inleresls",'he said. FTl
'6ata tr0ce
taIks IavIte
stIII Ia Iace'
6airo: Egyl on Salurday
insisled lhal ils invilalion lo lhe
Faleslinian Aulhorily and lhe
sraeli 0overnmenl or eace
lalks was "slill in lace" desile
lhe breakdown o a 72hour
humanilarian lruce. "Egyl
assures lhal lhe invilalion il senl
lo lhe Faleslinian Aulhorily and
lhe sraeli 0overnmenl lo send
lheir lwo delegalions lo Cairo lo
sludy all issues o concern...
wilhin lhe ramework o lhe
Egylian inilialive is slill in
lace", lhe Foreign Minislry said
in a slalemenl. Egyl had inviled
lhe Faleslinian Aulhorily and
srael lo send delegalions lo
Cairo or lruce lalks aler lhe
bolh sides had agreed lo
72hour ceaseire in 0a/a
brokered by lhe uS and uh. FTl
C|u| |+l
8YIk E8EI8 kI
IE8khE8E TWh,
6kFTE 8IIE8
8eiruI: Syrian rebels crossed inlo
Lebanon on Salurday, raiding a
border lown and caluring several
soldiers and olice oicers, a
Lebanese Army general said.
Salurday's allacks came hours
aler lhe Army said lroos
delained Syrian cili/en mad
Ahmad Jomaa, who idenliied
himsel as a member o Syria's
Al0aidalinked husra Fronl. FTl
sraeli troops
leave northern
Gaza town
moneywise 08 NEW DELH SUNDAY AUGUST 3, 2014
kIF Q hEw Y0RK
M
icrosoft has sued Samsung
in US federal court, claim-
ing the South Korean giant had
breached a contract over licens-
ing of technology used in the
fiercely competitive smartphone
market.
"After becoming the leading
player in the worldwide smart-
phone market, Samsung decid-
ed late last year to stop comply-
ing with its agreement with
Microsoft," the US technology
firm's deputy counsel said in an
online post.
The complaint filed in fed-
eral court in New York alleges
Samsung is balking at making
payments for patented Microsoft
technology used in smartphones
and tablets.
"We will review the com-
plaint in detail and determine
appropriate measures in
response," Samsung told the
news agency.
Microsoft contends the
South Korean consumer elec-
tronics colossus is not adhering
to a contract from 2011, and said
it filed the court action after
months of "painstaking negoti-
ation."
The legal pact involved
Samsung paying to use Microsoft
intellectual property, according
to the post by deputy counsel
David Howard.
Samsung's smartphone sales
have quadrupled since the con-
tract was signed as the compa-
ny grew from shipping 82 mil-
lion Android-powered hand-
sets in 2011 to shipping 314 mil-
lion three years later, Microsoft
maintained.
Samsung has become a
smartphone goliath, and the
biggest maker of handsets pow-
ered by Google's free Android
software.
"Samsung predicted it
would be successful, but no one
imagined their Android smart-
phone sales would increase this
much," Howard said.
After Microsoft made a
deal last year to buy Nokia's
smartphone business, Samsung
stopped abiding by the cross-
licensing contract, the US com-
pany says.
Microsoft said in the filing
that Samsung used the Nokia
business acquisition as grounds
to step away from the licensing
deal.
Microsoft closed the deal
for Nokia's smartphone business
in April with some adjustments
from the announced price of $
7.52 billion (5.44 billion euros).
Nokia was the world leader
in mobile phones before the
introduction of Apple's iPhone
in 2007 and the onslaught of
Android phones, mainly from
Samsung.
Microsoft in June opted
for the Android operating sys-
tem from arch-rival Google for
its new Nokia smartphone, in a
move aimed at regaining
momentum in the competitive
mobile sector.
Microsoft said the Nokia X2
was "designed to introduce the
'next billion' people to the
mobile Internet and cloud ser-
vices."
The device is an updated
version of a phone unveiled by
Nokia before Microsoft
acquired the handset division of
the Finnish giant. Microsoft
said that Android software
incorporates some ofits patent-
ed technology and the compa-
ny's practice is to license the
intellectual property to handset
makers.
Samsung has been a long-
time Microsoft partner, making
an array of computing devices
powered by the US company's
software, including a version of
Windows for mobile devices.
"Microsoft values and
respects our partnership with
Samsung and expects it to con-
tinue," Howard said.
"We are simply asking the
court to settle our disagreement,
and we are confident the con-
tract will be enforced."
Microsoft said this was the
first time it has sued Samsung
and that its intent is to keep
getting royalty money due
under terms of the contract,
along with interest charges
for late payments.
MIcr0s0ft s0es 8ams0a Ia
08, aIIeIa c0atract hreach
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FTI Q K0LKATA
S
BI's merger with its sub-
sidiaries would be good
for the company but addi-
tional capital would be need-
ed for it, a top official said on
Saturday.
"It is a question of scala-
bility and viability. Additional
capital would be needed in
that case and so we have to see
when the merger happens
whether that much of funds is
available that time," SBI's
Managing Director and Group
Executive (national banking)
B Sriram told reporters.
He said funds would be
needed for absorption of costs
related to the merger.
Stating that discussions
are going on the matter,
Sriram said they have not yet
decided how and when to go
for the merger.
"It woul d be useful
because we are duplicating
certain things within our-
selves. For exampl e 3-4
branches of our group com-
panies are there in the same
locality which can be merged
into a single larger entity," the
MD said.
The Finance Ministry had
recently sai d they have
appointed SBI Capital Markets
to undertake a study on merg-
ers as well as recapitalisation
of state-owned banks and the
report is likely to be finalised
within a month. The country's
largest lender has five associ-
ate banks -- State Bank of
Bikaner and Jaipur, State Bank
of Travancore, State Bank of
Patiala, State Bank of Mysore
and State Bank of Hyderabad.
On growth, the SBI MD
said they are expecting 20-25
per cent growth in the retail
banking sector.
He was in Kolkata to inau-
gurate the bank's seventh dig-
ital banking initiative called
'sbiINTOUCH'.
"Based on feedback from
customers we will plan a
national roll-out of this ser-
vice," Sriram said adding the
investment in the digital bank-
ing imitative would be recov-
ered in two years.
!unos neeoeo for SB
merger witl sulsioiaries: M!
FTI Q wAShh0T0h
T
wo influential American
lawmakers have criticised
India for digging its heels in on
the Trade Facilitation
Agreement this week in
Geneva, resulting in the collapse
of World Trade Organisation
(WTO) negotiations and said
that this has put New Delhi's
credibility "into doubt".
"India's actions last night to
bring down implementation of
the Trade Facilitation Agreement
are completely unacceptable and
put into doubt its credibility as
a responsible trading partner,"
US House Ways and Means
Committee Chairman Dave
Camp said."As we determine
next steps, I am committed to the
WTO as an institution, and I
hope that we can salvage the
Trade Facilitation Agreement,
either with or without India," he
said in a statement."It's one
thing for a country to be a tough
negotiator. It is entirely another
to agree to a deal with your
trading partners, and then just
simply walk away months later,
insisting instead on one-sided
noia`s stano on WJO uts into
ooult its creoilility: Congressmen
Fh8 Q hEw 0ELh
F
inance Minister Arun Jaitley
on Saturday emphasised that
India will not compromise on
farmers interests during WTO
negotiations, despite pressure
from developed nations
"We have to take a firm
position in negotiations with
powerful countries of the world.
Had we followed the policies of
the previous Government, the
interest of our small farmers
would have been jeopardised,"
Jaitley said.
He was speaking at a func-
tion called 'Budget par Charcha
with RWAs representatives'
organised by Delhi unit of the
BJP.
The WTO talks in Geneva
failed this week following a
tough stand taken by India on
its food security issues.
"For us, the interest of
farmers is paramount. There
was a lot of pressure, but the
Government took a firm deci-
sion that it will participate in all
negotiations but will not com-
promise the interest of poor
farmers," he added.
He further said that the
small farmers in India live in
great distress. "They have to
borrow money for farming and
their inability to repay the
loans sometimes pushes them
towards suicide," he added.
The WTO talks in Geneva
collapsed because the devel-
oped world refused to take
India's concerns over farm sub-
sidy issues on board. They
wanted India to agree to trade
facilitation agreement, which
aims at simplifying customs
procedure, increasing trans-
parency and reducing transac-
tions cost, without agreeing on
farm issues.
India was pressing for an
amendment to WTO norms
regarding stockpile of food-
grains and calculation of food
subsidies, an issue critical to the
country's food security pro-
gramme.
The current WTO norms
limit the value of food subsidies
at 10 per cent of the total value
of foodgrain production.
However, the support is calcu-
lated at prices that are over two
decades old.
India is asking for a change
in the base year (1986-88) for
calculating the food subsidies.
India wants a change, taking
into account inflation and cur-
rency fluctuation.
With the current norm,
after full implementation of
the food security programme,
India would breach the cap of
10 per cent which could be
challenged in the WTO and
severe penalties could be
imposed on India.
'Farmers' Iaterest aram00at,
caaa0t he c0mr0mIse4 Ia wI0'
special 09 NEW DELH SUNDAY AUGUST 3, 2014
W
hen N Mohammed Ali,
principal district and ses-
sions judge, Thanjavur,
sentenced Pulavar R
Palanisamy (85), founder
of the Sri Krishna Middle School,
Kumbakonam, Saraswathi (81), Palanisamys
wife, school correspondent Santhanalakshmi
(52), Palanisamys adopted daughter and
school headmistress, and seven others for
prison terms ranging from life to six
months , the crowd at the court hall was
shocked. Not because of their love for
Palanisamy and others who were convict-
ed but because 11 others had been acquit-
ted.
O July 16, 2004, a massive fire broke out
in the thatched kitchen on the first floor of
the school where the noon meal was being
prepared. Ninety-four children in the age
group of five to 11 were charred to death.
It took more than 10 years for the court to
pronounce the verdict. While 10 accused
where punished, the acquittal of 11 persons
equally or more responsible for the fire, were
let off.
Had the Government not dropped the
names of the six district elementary edu-
cational officers, the then municipal com-
missioner, the town planning officer, the two
tehsildars and the elementary education
director done their job, the parents would
not have lost their children. It was the school
managements greed for money and avarice
of the officials which turned an auspicious
Friday into a lifelong nightmare for parents.
Conservative Tamilians consider Friday aus-
picious.
Though its been over a decade since
they lost their children Anand (10) and
Praveen (8), the grief of Inbaraj and Christy
has only increased. Had they been alive,
they would have been in college. Till we
breathe our last, we will not be able to come
out of this grief. Over the years, our sorrow
has intensified, Inbaraj says. Counseling and
prayer meetings have not helped much.
What shocked Inbaraj was the acquit-
tal of officials he believes are responsible for
the tragedy. It is not because we lost our
children that we want the court to punish
them. They should be punished so that oth-
ers dont not repeat the crime, he adds.
I left my son Neelakantan (8) in
school in the morning only to learn about
his death some hours later, Jayalakshmi says.
Inbaraj and Jayalakshmi do not belong
to the creamy layer of society. They are ordi-
nary Government employees and small time
traders from small-town Kumbakonam.
We had dreams about our children and so
had put them in this English medium
school, Christy says. She was among the 94
parents who had been bowled over by
Palanisamys sweet talk. He introduces him-
self as Pulavar (poet) but we are yet to see
any poems penned by him. As it turns out
that he is a crook posing as an educational
entrepreneur, a parent said on condition of
anonymity.
Parents anguish can be understood if
one visits the flex board installed in front of
the now defunct school. The board sports
pictures of all the 94 children who lost their
lives in the fire.
It was blatant violation of laws by the
school management and Government
authorities. The school founder was busy
making fast money while the greedy offi-
cials danced to his tunes, Rajaram, an
activist based at Kumbakonam, says.
The Sri Krishna Girls Higher Secondary
School, Sri Krishna Aided Primary School
and Saraswathi Nursery School were func-
tioning from the same building which itself
was a violation of rules.
When the fire broke out in the thatched
shed which was being used as the noon meal
kitchen, the teachers who were supposed to
protect the children fled, leaving the chil-
dren to die. There were more than 200 chil-
dren in the first-floor classrooms at the time
of the fire which broke out at 10.30 am.
There were no exit points for the children
to escape, Rajaram recalls.
Suryakumari, mother of Karthika, a stu-
dent who succumbed to burns, says that had
the teachers not fled, many lives could have
been saved. The fire became devastating only
because the classrooms on the first floor too
were thatched sheds, she points out.
More than an educationist, Palanisamy
is a politician. He shuttles between the
DMK and AIADMK, depending which
party is in power. Till 1990, his was a Tamil
medium school. My daughters studied in his
school in Tamil medium, Prof G Sadagopan,
former economics professor with the
Government Arts College, Kumbakonam,
says. He adds that Palanisamy launched the
English medium school with the sole inten-
tion of making a fast buck. Had he start-
ed the English medium school in another
premises, this accident would not have hap-
pened. His aim was to reap rich dividends
with minimum investment, Prof Sadagopan
says.
Most children who lost their lives were
studying in Tamil medium classes. All of
them were from poor families. The fees for
Tamil medium was low, he states.
The court has ordered Palanisamy to
pay C51.65 lakh as fine, out of which C50,000
each would be paid to the kin of the 94
deceased children, C25,000 to parents of 15
children who were grievously injured and
C10,000 each to those who suffered minor
injuries. Though the police had included the
names of 24 persons in the FIR, the
Government dropped the names of an ele-
mentary education officer, a tehsildar and
an employee of the directorate of elemen-
tary education. A comprehensive, 5000-page
chargesheet was filed by the police. But in
the end, these people walked to freedom.
Even as the day of the verdict neared,
most parents kept their agony to themselves
and refused to make any comments. The few
who spoke were unanimous that it was the
greed of the management which had trig-
gered the catastrophe.
An occasional inspection to check
whether the management was following
safety norms would have averted this dis-
aster, Muruganantham, whose son
Venkatesh was among the victims, tells you
wiping his tears.
Those sentenced besides Palanisamy,
Saraswathi and Santhanalakshmi include
Vijayalakshmi (noon meal organiser),
Vasanthi (cook) Balaji (elementary educa-
tion officer), Sivaprakasam (an assistant at
the elementary education office), Thandavan
(officer in the district education office),
Durairaj (assistant with DEEO) and
Jayachandran (chartered engineer).
Eight officials and three teachers were
absolved of all charges. Most of those con-
victed or acquitted lead a luxurious life.
Except for the teachers and the staff of the
noon meal scheme, all others are unbeliev-
ably well off as Government employees, a
parent closely following the case says. The
fire, he adds, has in no way affected the liv-
ing standards of the accused. Parents who
lost their children are leading a pathetic life
both financially and emotionally. But the
accused were confident and bold, he says.
Justice K Sampath, who was appointed
as the Commission of Inquiry, too, made
startling revelations. The main reason for
such a heavy casualty was the packing of the
aided primary school with children from the
other two schools to mislead the inspecting
authorities into believing that the teacher-
student ratio was correct and the attendance
for the noon meal centre true. The man-
agement is responsible for the high casual-
ty. The accident could have been averted if
only the management had shown concern
for the welfare of the children, Justice
Sampath said in his report to the
Government.
Interestingly, the Commission of
Inquiry came down heavily on S
Paramasivam, the tehsildar. He acted in the
most dishonest manner by granting licence
under the Tamil Nadu Public Buildings
(Licensing) Act, 1965. It is very likely that
he did not visit the school at all. Otherwise,
he would have seen the thatched structure
which had been there since 1982, was there
in 1999 and 2000 and also in 2004 when the
accident took place, the report says. The
Government dropped his name from the list
of the accused.
The commission concluded: The grue-
some accident and the consequent 94
deaths are an indictment of the manage-
ment, the noon meal centre staff, the rev-
enue authorities, the chartered engineer, the
municipal authorities and the Education
Department officials who refused to recog-
nise their obligations towards the children
in housing or accommodating them in
structures which were death traps. It was an
accident due to the carelessness of the noon
meal staff, the callous indifference and crim-
inal insensitivity of the management run-
ning the schools compounded and abetted
by departments which failed to implement
and enforce the laws and safety standards.
However, the Kumbakonam school
fire was not an isolated incident. The year
2004 began on a disastrous note in Tamil
Nadu. The January 23, 2004 (that too on
Friday) fire at the Padmapriya Marriage Hall
in Srirangam claimed the lives of 57 persons,
including the bridegroom. The fire was
caused by a short circuit in the wire con-
necting a video camera to the power point.
This lit up the thatched roof set up on the
first floor and the fire engulfed the marriage
hall. The width of the staircase leading to
the first floor was a mere 2.5 feet and this
led to a stampede, says an eyewitness.
On June 14, 2012, the principal court
judge sentenced Ramasamy (owner of the
marriage hall) to two years rigorous impris-
onment. Selvam, contractor of the thatched
shed, died before the judgment was deliv-
ered. Dharmarajan, the videographer, and
Sadagopan, the hall manager, were got one-
year jail. Interestingly, no Government or
local body authority which had certified the
safety of the marriage hall were charged.
Where are the Government officials and
local body authorities who presided over the
procedures to approve and clear the proposal
for constructing the marriage hall? For the
Kumbakonam fire, the chartered engineer
has been convicted. But many people went
scotfree in the Srirangam fire tragedy.
Immediately after the Kumbakonam
tragedy, the then Government ordered the
closure of all schools which did not meet the
safety requirements. The court granted the
managements a stay. Even today one can see
many schools where there are no safety
guidelines. The easiest way to make money
is through schools, Sadagopan says.
You cannot expect anything better than
this when bootleggers and crooks mas-
querade as educationists. The education sys-
tem is in a mess. There is a price for every-
thing, including granting licenses to schools,
colleges and professional colleges, G
Viswanathan, chancellor, Vellore Institute of
Technology, and chairman, Education
Promotion Society of India, says.
Tamil Nadu is the only State in the coun-
try which does not have a Navodaya
Vidyalaya, a scheme launched by the Union
Human Resources Ministry to make qual-
ity education available to students belong-
ing to rural areas. The differences between
the State and the Centre over the three-lan-
guage policy is the reason for Tamil Nadu
not having a Navodaya Vidyalaya. This has
helped private educationists in making a fast
buck without proper infrastructure, K
Kannan, a farmer leader from Cuddalore,
tells you.
The collapse of a multi-storied building
in a Chennai suburb in June this year, which
claimed 62 lives, is another indicator to
things to come. All rules dealing with safe-
ty and security of a building are blatantly vio-
lated in connivance with people in high
places. There is no system in place to know
whether the buildings meet the safety
norms. Whenever an accident occurs, the
agencies concerned put the blame on each
other, MG Devasahayam, former IAS offi-
cer who was appointed by the Madras High
Court as a member of the committee to
monitor the safety of buildings in Chennai,
says.
When the Chief Minister openly
declares that rules are being violated by
builders, there is nothing much left to say
in this connection, isnt it?
BURNNG SSUE
Dospito a 5000-pago ohargoshoot against thoso involvod in tho inamous 2004 Kumbakonam sohool iro whioh burnt
alivo 94 ohildron, 11 porsons wont sootroo ator boing droppod by tho Govornmont rom tho aoousod list.
KUMAP CHELLAPPAN roports rom Chonnai that ovon though 10 yoars havo gono by, saoty norms or oduoational
institutions aro boing loutod on a rogular basis
S
chool is a lace which moulds one's
characler, ulure and everylhing. Bul lhe
Kumbakonam Sri Krishna School was
described as a dealh lra by none olher lhan
Juslice K Samalh, who robed lhe reasons
behind lhe July 2OO4 inerno which swallowed
O4 recious lives. Farenls o children whose
lives were snued oul in lhe ire lold lhe
commission lhal lhey had lime and again
leaded wilh lhe school ounder aboul lhe
absence o inraslruclure. Bul Falanisamy aid
scanl resecl lo lhe leas as lhese arenls were
rom lhe lower slrala o sociely. whelher il be
nbaraj, a daily wager who losl bolh his sons in
lhe accidenl, Alagesan, a rickshaw uller who
loo losl bolh o his sons, lhey were inlelligenl
enough lo undersland lhe seriousness o lhe
roblem and warn lhe school managemenl.
Bul Falanisamy had only one inlenlion - lo
make more money wilh no inveslmenls. The
Commission came down heavily on him or his
greed: "The main reason or such a heavy
casually was lhe acking o lhe aided rimary
school wilh children rom lhe olher lwo schools
lo mislead lhe insecling aulhorilies inlo
believing lhal lhe leachersludenl ralio was
correcl and lhe allendance or lhe noon meal
cenlre was lrue. Children unconnecled wilh lhe
aided school were slacked like sardines wilh lhe
ullerior urose o boosling lhe allendance," lhe
Commission says.
l is hearlless lo ask Alagesan and nbaraj
whal lhey eel aboul lie more lhan a decade
aler lhe lragedy. "0on'l ask lhem anylhing like
lhal. Their sorrow could nol be conlrolled by
counseling. So long as we have ormer rack
sho owners and boolleggers as educalionisls,
you can execl much more Kumbakonam lye
lragedies," said Remadevi, a Chennai aclivisl
who requenlly inleracls wilh arenls who losl
lheir children in lhe ire accidenl.
Remadevi is nol exaggeraling. 0ne o lhe
leading educalionisls who is lhe chancellor o a
universily was said lhis in his convocalion
address: " have our daughlers and all o lhem
are girls." The likes o him rule because lhey
inance olilical arlies.
universilies and schools are money
sinners, esecially when you know lhe lricks o
lhe game. Children rom one school are
lemorarily shiled lo anolher on inseclion days
by 0overnmenl oicials so lhal leachers o
0overnmenlaided schools conlinue lo gel lheir
salary rom lhe Slale exchequer.
A rivale medical college acing a CB
inquiry had develoed an ingenious melhod lo
hoodwink oicials o lhe Medical Council o ndia
who would come or eriodic inseclions. 0n
lhe day o lhe inseclion, lhe medical college
managemenl would ack lhe hosilal beds wilh
"alienls" rom nearby villages. The alienls
were aid daily bala o C2OO and |iryani or
lunch. The mcJus cpcranJi varies deending
uon lhe si/e o lhe educalional inslilulion.
mIat caIIe4 sch00Is
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8kkIhk 8k8 FWEIIITIh 8hZE
Glasgow: Karnalaka's Sakina Khalun did ndia
roud by winning a bron/e medal in lhe women's
lighlweighl (ulo G1 kg) owerliling evenl here on
Salurday. The Bangaloreborn owerliler inished
behind higeria's Eslher 0yema (0old) and England's
halalie Blake (Silver) sellle al lhird osilion. The
ndian liled a lolal weighl o 88.2 kilograms, while
Eslher liled 18Gkgs and halalie managed 1OO.2kgs.
Sakina, 25, gave ndia lheir irsl medal on 0ay 1O o
lhe comelilion wilh lhe nalion slill laced ilh in
lhe medals lally wilh 54, including 18 gold, 25 silver
and 1G bron/e. 0n cloud nine aler winning bron/e,
Sakina Khalun said, "'m elaled. came here lo win
a medal, so lhis is anlaslic. 've been gelling a lol
o suorl rom lhe eole here and rom lhe
eole o ndia - lhey will be very leased," said
Khalun.
8EEMk WIh8 8IIVE Ih I8688
Seema Funia bagged a silver or ndia while
deending chamion Krishna Foonia inished a
disaoinling ilh in lhe women's discus lhrow
comelilion al lhe 2Olh Commonweallh 0ames here
on Friday nighl. Seema, who had won a bron/e in
2O1O 0elhi 0ames and a silver in 2OOG Melbourne,
lhrew lhe discus lo G1.G1m, her season's besl, lo
grab lhe silver while a slruggling Krishna could jusl
come u wilh a belowar eorl o 57.84m. Seema
achieved her besl lhrow in lhe enullimale alleml
aler coming u wilh 58.G4m, 58.87m and 58.G2m
in her irsl lhree lhrows. her ourlh and inal
allemls were oul lhrows.' The 81yearold Seema
rom haryana has now won a medal in each o lhe
lasl lhree Commonweallh 0ames. Former world
chamion 0ani Samuels won lhe gold comorlably
wilh a lhrow o G4.88m which she achieved in her
lhird alleml. Jade Lally o England won lhe bron/e
wilh a besl lhrow o GO.48m. Meanwhile, Sahana
Kumari inished a disaoinling eighlh in lhe
women's high jum inals wilh a besl eorl o
1.8Gm. Sahana has a ersonal besl o 1.O2m and
season's besl o 1.8Om. Eleanor Fallerson o
Auslralia won lhe gold wilh 1.O4m. Meanwhile, il
was curlains or ndia in lhe men's 4x4OOm relay
evenl aler lhe quarlel o Kunhu Muhammed
Falhanurakkal, Jilhu Baby, Jibin Jibin Sebaslian
and Arokia Rajiv was disqualiied in lhe reliminary
round. The women's 4x4OOm relay leam, however,
made il lo lhe inals even lhough lhey inished ilh
in lhe Round 0ne heal number lwo. The quarlel o
0ebashree Ma/umdar, Tinlu Luka, Ashwini Akkunji
and M R Foovamma clocked 8:88.G7s and qualiied
eighlh and lasl overall. women's 4x1OOm relay leam
o Sharadha harayan, Asha Roy, Srabani handa and
h M Jyolhi also qualiied or lhe inal round desile
inishing ilh in lhe heal wilh a lime o 44.41s.
C30 Ikkh kWk I TT WIhhE8
Chennai: Chie Minisler Jayalalilhaa on Salurday
announced a cash award o C8O lakh each lo lhe
duo o Achanla Sharalh Kamal and Anlhony Amalraj
rom Tamil hadu or winning silver medal in lhe
men's doubles lable lennis evenl o lhe Cw0 in
0lasgow. "You have done bolh lhe nalion and slale
o Tamil hadu roud by winning a Silver Medal in
lhe Men's doubles evenl o Table Tennis al lhe
ongoing Commonweallh 0ames," she said in
idenlical congralulalory lellers lo lhe duo. kgenries
hopefu||y th|s [Women's doub|es go|d) W|||
br|ng more recogn|t|on to sguash |n |nd|a.
|t's def|n|te|y groW|ng |eaps and bounds
but hopefu||y noW, W|nn|ng a meda|, the
government W||| be that much more exc|ted
about the sport as We||
Joshana 0h|nappa, $guash p|ayer
NEW DELH SUNDAY AUGUST 3, 2014
10
AMESON
F06IlI8I8 8I8 MF0l8
FTI Q 0LAS00w
I
ndia came from two goals down to
edge out New Zealand 3-2 in the hock-
ey semi f i nal s of the 20th
Commonwealth Games here today and
set up a repeat final of the 2010 edition
with holders Australia.
Trailing 0-2 in the 18th minute, India
sans regular skipper Sardar Singh
were revived by strikes from stand-
in-captain Rupinder Singh Pal,
Ramandeep Singh and Akashdeep
Singh, who ensured at least a sil-
ver medal for the country.
The Kiwis drew first blood in the
second minute with Simon Child taking
a neat cross pass to put the ball screech-
ing into the net.
The Black Sticks continued with
their fine show and three minutes later,
Hugo Inglis fired at the net again but this
time it was stopped by the Indian goal-
keeper Sreejesh Ravindran.
Indian fullback Rupinder also came
up a with a forceful hit at the Kiwi net but
goalkeeper Hamish McGregor was alert
to put the strike at bay.
The New Zealanders missed a penal-
ty corner in the 10th minute but they did
not repeat the mistake when they got the
next opportunity, as hard-hitter Nick
Haig scored on the rebound to double the
lead in the 18th minute.
Indians got their one and only penal-
ty corner in the 27th minute and drag
flicker V R Raghunath hit the chest of a
Kiwi player on the net. The on-field ref-
eree gave India a penalty stroke as part
of obstruction.
Rupinder, who took the stroke,
gave India their first goal in the
28th minute.
Coming from the
bench after a two-minute suspension
post a green card, Child missed an
open goal in the dying minutes of the first
half as the scoreline read 2-1 after 35 min-
utes.
Child kept the Indian defenders on
their toes even in the second half, as one
his hits just went wide of the net in the
37th minute.
India also counter-attacked and it
finally paid off with Ramandeep getting
the equaliser in the 42nd minute. He cap-
italised on a fine deflection from
Manpreet Singhs angular pass and
McGregor could do little to stop the ball
from entering the net.
It was a close battle between the two
sides here at the National hockey Center
and it was Akashdeep, who soon showed
his brilliance with the stick in the 47th
minute by reverse flicking an S V Sunil
pass into the net to give India lead for the
first time in the match.
Akashdeep though soon got a two-
minute suspension after a Green Card.
Ramandeep also missed a chance and the
tension grew in both the camps.
Indian coach Terry Walsh was at his
vociferous best as tried hard to widen the
goal gap but the Kiwi defense was solid.
Sreejesh was hurt in the 61st minute
after some rough play by a Kiwi forward
but was soon up on his feet for the final
few minutes of the game.
Looking desperate, Kiwis went for the
kill in the final five minutes and removed
their goalkeeper as 11 sticks attacked the
Indian goal.
The Indians, however, managed to
held on to the lead and now look to get
the better of mighty Australians, who
defeated England 4-1 in the first semi-
final.
The Indian side, coached by Walsh,
will have to shrug off the bad memories
of their 0-8 final defeat against the
Aussies in the 2010 Delhi edition of the
Games when they take field against the
World Champions.
Kaslya, ]wala-Aslwini in fray for golo
Ikh8 Q 0LAS00w
S
huttlers Parupalli Kashyap and the
pair of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini
Ponnappa assured Indias presence
on the last day of the reaching the finals
of their respective categories but P.V.
Sindhu had to be content with the
womens singles bronze at the Emirates
Arena here on Saturday.
In the absence of top seeded
compatriot Saina Nehwal, Indias best
bet for the gold, Sindhu suffered a dis-
appointing straight games loss in the
semi-final to Canadian fourth seed
Michelle Li. But the 19-year-old re-
composed herself later to triumph in
the bronze medal playoff against
Malaysias Jing Yi Tee.
Fifth seed Tee gave the Indian a
tough fight in the first game to earn
two game points. However, the second
seeded Indian saved both and took the
game 23-21 in 20 minutes.
World No.11 Sindhu was far from
her best in the first game but found
some momentum in the second to seal
it up 21-9 in only 12 minutes, earning
Indias first medal from the discipline
at the 2014 Games.
Earlier, the World Championship
bronze medallist lost the semi-final 20-
22, 20-22 in 54 minutes. World No.19
Michelle had also beaten Sindhu in the
mixed team quarter-final where India
beat Canada 3-1.
Meanwhile, mens singles second
seed Kashyap earned a hard-fought
three-game semi-final victory over
Englands Rajiv Ouseph to succeed
where he failed last time. After
going down 18-21 in the first
game, Kashyap came back strongly to
win the next two 21-17, 21-18 in
a marathon match of an hour
and 23 minutes.
Both players showcased a great
touch game but Kashyaps defensive
abilities and court speed proved too
much for the Englishman.
The former World No.6 made one
too many unforced errors in the first
game to give Ouseph the advantage.
But he was much more circumspect in
the second and made his English oppo-
nent cover a lot of ground, moving the
shuttle around brilliantly.
In the third, Kashyap totally out-
classed Ouseph and opened a big lead.
At 20-14, the Indian ace thought he
had the match but much to his dismay,
the umpire ruled in favour of the
Englishman on a line call.
There were some nervy moments
for Kashyap as Ouseph saved four
match points but a stinging
overhead smash sealed the
Indians berth in the final.
Kashyap will take on Singapores
Derek Wong in the final Sunday,
who overcame Gurusaidutt in the
semis. Fifth seed Gurusaidutt start-
ed on a winning note by taking the
first game 21-16 but went on to lose
the next two 19-21, 15-21. He will play
Ouseph in the bronze medal match
later in the day.
Womens doubles defending
champions Jwala and Ashwini will
once again have a shot at the title they
won in 2010 by defeating Malaysias
Loo Yin Lim and Lai Pei Jing in straight
games. The Indian combine had it easy
21-7, 21-12 in 27 minutes.
FTI Q 0LAS00w
L
aishram Sarita Devi and
Laishram Devendro Singh set-
tled for a silver each after losing
their respective final bouts as India
collected two medals on the con-
cluding day of boxing competitions
in the 20th Commonwealth Games
here on Saturday.
Sarita lost to Shelley Watts of
Australia after a gritty fight in
womens lightweight (57-60kg) cate-
gory final while her younger broth-
er was beaten by Paddy Barnes of
Northern Ireland in the mens light-
flyweight (46-49kg) final at the Hydro
Arena.
Devendro was no match for
Barnes and the unanimous 3-0 ver-
dict in favour of the Irish reflected
that.
With the two silver, India has
bagged three medals from boxing
with Pinki Jangra having won a
bronze after losing her semifinal
bout against Michaela Walsh of
Northern Ireland in womens 51kg
category on Friday.
Sarita, a former Worl d
Championships silver medallist,
dished out a gritty fight as she was on
level terms till the midway in the four-
round eight-minute bout.
The Manipuri mother of a son,
however, lost steam in the later stages
and was out-punched by her stronger
and taller opponent to settle for a sil-
ver. Sarita lost 0-3 in a unanimous
verdict of the three judges.
Sarita received a flurry of punch-
es from Watts in the third and fourth
rounds which rattled the Indian and
that tilted the scale in favour of her
Australian opponent. All the three
judges identical cumulative scores of
39-37, 39-37, 39-37 were in favour of
the Australian.
Earlier, Olympic bronze medallist
Vijender Singh produced yet anoth-
er dominating performance against
Connor Coyle of Northern Ireland in
the mens middleweight (75kg) in an
unanimous 3-0 verdict by the judges
to book a place in the final and lead
an Indian charge on the penultimate
day of boxing competitions.
Mandeep Jangra (mens 69kg)
also boxed their way to the final.
Vijender got identical 10-9 scores
from the three judges in the first
round. He was able to land a left hook
onto the Irishman in the second
round. Another right jab followed and
Coyle went defensive and Vijender
again earned identical 10-9 scores
from all the three judges.
The third round did not have
much action but Vijender was the
clear winner with all the judges giv-
ing yet Another identical 10-9 scores.
Asked later if it was an easy fight,
Vijender said, There is never an easy
fight and I dont underestimate my
opponents. I will now prepare for the
final bout.
Mandeep, on the other hand,
fought his way back in a remarkable
fashion after trailing in the first two
rounds of his semifinal bout against
Steven Donnelley of Northern Ireland.
Mendeep was trailing at the end
of the first round with the three judges
giving identical 10-9 scores in favour
of the Irishman. The Indian recovered
a bit in the second round with two
judges giving 10-9 scores in his
favour.
Mandeep, however, stormed back
in a fine fashion in the final round
with the three judges giving identical
10-9 scores in his favour to win the
semifinal bout in a split 2-1 verdict.
Its all about getting the gold
medal now. I know Scott Fitzgerald
(the other finalist) will be a very dif-
ficult opponent, but boxing is as
much about heart as anything else,
and I believe I have the biggest heart
of all, Mandeep said later.
In the mens lightfly weight (46-
49kg) category, Devendro played true
to his aggressive self as he outclassed
Ashley Williams of Wales in a thrilling
contest to book a place in the final.
22-year-old Devendro won a 3-0
unanimous verdict against his oppo-
nent in a bout which kept the packed
crowd on the edge of their seats.
The Indian was the dominant of
the two boxers while the Welshman
was left to defend most of the time.
Devendro played in his characteris-
tic fashion attacking from the word
go and landed two full-blooded left
hooks on Williams in the first round.
In the second round, the
Manipuri sent a ferocious left and
right on the Welshman who fell on
the floor on the impact of the
punchs. A dazed-looking Williams,
however, got up and to his credit kept
on coming all the time despite the
incessant blows he got from the
Indian.
All the three judges gave identi-
cal 30-27, 30-27, 30-27 points in
favour of Devendro.
In the womens competition,
Sarita punched her way into the final
of womens lightweight (57-60kg)
category after defeating Maria
Machongua of Mozambique in a lop-
sided contest.
Sarita completely dominated her
semifinal bout as she landed her
punches onto her opponent almost at
will. The ferocity of the 29-year-old
Manipuri was such that her
Mozombique opponent tried to hide
herself by holding on to the body of
the Indian.
Sarita got an unanimous 3-0 ver-
dict with the three judges giving 40-
33, 40-32 and 40-34 scores in her
favour in the four rounds of two min-
utes each.
GLASGOW: Achanta Sharath Kamal and Anthony
Amalraj won a silver medal for India after losing to
Singapores Ning Gao and Hu Li in the final of the mens
doubles table tennis event.
Sharath and Amalraj squandered a game lead to
lose 1-3 (11-8, 7-11, 9-11, 5-11) against the Singaporan
duo to setlle for the silver medal.
Sharath, however, lost in the mens singles bronze
medal match to Liam Pithcford after having lost in the
semifinals. Sharath proved to be no match for
Singapores Jian Zhan as the Indian was blanked 4-0 on
Saturday. He lost 11-6, 11-6, 11-6 11-8 to his 32-year-
old opponent from Singapore at the Scotstown Campus.
That the 32-year-old from Chennai, who had
won a gold in the 2006 Melbourne Games, strug-
gled to match up to Zhans play could be gauged
from the fact that the match was over in just 27 min-
utes. The scoreline also reflects the one-sided nature
of the match. PTI
FTI Q 0LAS00w
J
oshana Chinappa and Dipika
Pallikal combined brilliantly
to clinch gold in the womens
doubles final and give India
their first squash medal in the
Commonwealth Games after
the pair outplayed Jenny
Duncalf and Laura Massaro of
England here on Saturday.
The fifth-seeded Indian
pair made short work of their
English opponents with a 11-
6, 11-8 win in the best-of-three
game final.
The Indians though looked
in some trouble in Game 2 when
they trailed 7-2 at one point, but
some incredible drop shots from
Dipika and Joshana made the
win look easy in the end.
Duncalf and Massaro were
no match for the absolutely in-
sync pair of Joshana and Dipika,
who moved rhythmically in the
glass show court at the Scotstoun
Campus Squash arena.
The English duo played
traditional squash with no vari-
ety at all and played the dou-
bles match with a singles
mindset against the Indian
players, which seems to have
mastered the doubles game.
Duncalf and Massaro had
settled for silver in the 2010
edition of the Games in Delhi.
England though took con-
solation from the fact that
Alison Waters and Emma
Beddoes thrashed Kasey Brown
and Rachael Grinham of
Australia to take bronze and
keep the nation firmly atop the
medals tally.
Joshana admitted that they
always respected their oppo-
nents and took one game at a
time. We were always taking
it one match at a time because
all the players are really good.
A lot of them have been medal-
lists previously, said Joshana
after the win.
Joshana also spoke about
the tough second game and
their reluctance to see the
match get into the third and
final game. I dont think we
started very strong and they
really took advantage of that.
They had some great shots and
we had a few errors but we
really didnt want to go to a
third game and we switched
back on, she added.
Joshana also hopes that
this gold will help the sport
flourish in India. Hopefully
this will bring more recognition
to squash in India. Its definitely
growing leaps and bounds but
hopefully now, winning a
medal, the government will be
that much more excited about
the sport as well, she said.
In the semi-final, Pallikal
and Chinappa had defeated
Australian combination of
Kasey Brown and Rachael
Grinham 2-1 (11-9, 7-11, 11-4).
0evendro, Sarila claim silver; vijender, Mandee enler inals lo assure lwo more silver
6000Il 6 8 8 0I8I
1. England 5O 58 4G 14O
2. Auslralia 42 41 4G 127
8. Canada 8O 14 82 7G
4. Scolland 1O 14 1O 52
6. India 14 Z6 17 66
G. hZ 18 11 15 8O
7. RSA 12 1O 1G 88
MEDALS TALLY MEDALS TALLY
Historio gold
in squash
women's doubles air o FallikalChinaa
beal English counlerarls in inal
SharalhAmalraj lake silver
Enler inals o men's singles & women's doubles reseclively, bron/e or Sindhu
l|Ji+ |+| |W /+l+|J J2, | up |i|+l Wi|| Au||+li+
Olympic bronze
medallist Vijender
Singh produced
yet another
dominating
performance
against Connor
Coyle of Northern
reland to reach
the final
1u|+|+ C|i|+pp+ (l||) +|J ipi|+ P+lli|+l l||+| ||i| Wi| Pll
l|Ji+ |+i|+|+| 1|J|u Si|| (l||) |uu|
Wi|| |u||||| l|l+|J B+|| P+JJ] i| |i|+l u|
|| |i|| |l](4c49|) u| S+|u|J+] Pll
| S+|i|+ 1i l||+| || |i|i|+l Wi| Pll
P+|up+lli |+|]+p +||| || Wi| Pll
A |W /+l+|J pl+]| (l||) i| i| Ji+ppui||||| + l|Ji+| pl+]| l||+| ||i| 1i|u|] u| S+|u|J+]
IkEWkM E8Fh8E I 6I6kET
Mumbai: Crickel has eliciled lukewarm resonse rom lhe
ull CC members o lhe conlinenl or lhe ucoming
ncheon Asian 0ames wilh ndia skiing lhe evenl
allogelher and Fakislan elecling lo send only ils women's
leam. "For ucoming 21O4 Asian 0ames, Bangladesh and
Sri Lanka will be sending bolh men and women's crickel
leams," il has been menlioned on lhe FaceBook age o
lhe 0ames. "As or Fakislan, lhey will be sending women's
crickel leam only," il adds. ndian Crickel Board (BCC)
has already decided lhal il would nol send any leam (men
or women) lo lhe quadrennial anAsian sorls seclacle
lhal is lo be hosled by Soulh Korea or lhe lhird lime
(earlier edilions: 1O8G in Seoul and 2OO2 in Busan). ndia
had nol senl any leam or lhe 0ames in lhe revious
edilion our years ago al 0uang/hou, China, where crickel
made ils debul. Bangladesh men and Fakislan women
won lhe gold medals in lhe 1Glh Asian 0ames. Crickel will
be run rom Selember 2O lo 0clober 8 in lhe 17lh 0ames
in ncheon whose organisers were ersuaded lo kee il in
lhe schedule by lhe 0lymic Council o Asia.
IhIk 'k' 8EkT k8 'k', WIh 8EIE8
Darwin: Rishi 0hawan (5G) and Akshar Falel (45) ul u
a slendid rearguard aclion under ressure as ndia A
clinched lhe 0uadrangular series lrohy wilh a narrow
ourwickel win over Auslralia 'A', here on Salurday,
Chasing 275, ndia A were in a sol o bolher aler losing
lheir loorder or a mere 51 runs and lhen reeling al 182
or six bul 0hawan and Falel combined or a malch
winning O8run sland or lhe unbealen sevenlh wickel.
0hawan scored 5G o 55 balls while Falel hil 45 o 88
balls as ndia A chased lhe largel wilh jusl eighl balls lo
sare. Beore lhal sland, Kedar Jadhav (78 o 78) and
Manoj Tiwary (5O o 75) had kel lhe ndian leam in lhe
hunl wilh lheir ighling halcenluries beore being scaled
by Ben Culling (8/4G). For lhe hosls, skier Cameron
while smashed his way lo a magniicenl 187 lhal sel u
Auslralia's challenging lolal. while and his oening arlner
Fhilli hughes (51) had rallled u a 14Grun sland lo
rovide lhe hosls a solid slarl aler deciding lo bal. 0nce
huges was dismissed by 0hawal Kulkarni (8/51), ndia kel
gelling wickels al regular inlervals and lhal heled lhem
reslricl Auslralia lo a gellable lolal. Alex 0oolan (24) in lhe
lo and Ben Culling in lhe lower order balled well or lhe
hosls. Brief Scores: kusIraIia k: 274/5 in 5O overs
(Cameron while 187, Fhilli huges 51, Ben Culling 85;
0hawal Kulkarni 8/51) losl lo India k: 275/G in 48.4 overs
(Kedar Jadhav 78, Manoj Tiwary 5O, Rishi 0hawan 5G nol
oul; Ben Culling 8/4G) by 4 wickels.
WIII Ik I EkIY WI6kET8: MI88kh
Karachi: Fakislan's Tesl and 0neday calain, Misbahul
haq has said his leammales will have lo lake lhe wickels o
lhe slalwarls like Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar
Sangakkara early i lhey wanl lo win lhe ucoming lwo
Tesl series in Sri Lanka, commencing al 0alle on Augusl G.
Jayawardene, 87, has announced lhal he would relire rom
Tesl crickel aler lhe lwoTesl series lhis monlh, and is
hoing lo have a memorable arewell series. "0bviously
you have lo lake 2O wickels lo win a Tesl malch and we
will lry lo do lhal. Bul we also know how imorlanl il is or
us lo nol allow lheir senior layers lo gel runs," Misbah
lold reorlers beore lhe nalional leam's dearlure or Sri
Lanka. " we are lo win lhe series lhen we have lo ensure
lheir layers don'l score runs, arlicularly guys like
Jayawardene and Sangakkara," he added.
8IIIIk8 IEkE 8ET I E8T
Mumbai: A neglecled ndian sorl, Billiards is lhe lalesl lo
join lhe bandwagon o growing Fremier League's o
various games aler lhe success o FL in crickel. The
Billiards and Snooker Associalion o Maharashlra
announced lhe inaugural videocon Billiards Fremier
League lo be held soon in lhe commercial cailal o ndia.
Aler lhe ndian Badminlon League (BL), hockey ndia
League (hL), ndian Suer (oolball) League, Fro Kabaddi
League and lhe announcemenl o Mahesh Bhualhi's and
vijay Amrilraj's lennis leagues, Billiards also eyes lhe
ormal lo oularise lhe sorl. Formidable leams,
comrising lhe creme de la creme o ndian billiards
exonenls, will ealure in a nineday exlravagan/a lhal will
be held al six clubs across Soulh Mumbai lhal are lhe hub
o cue sorls. The lournamenl has allracled lhe counlry's
slar cueisls who are secialisls in lhe lhreeball game.
Fh8lkgenries
SNGLES
sport 11 NEW DELH SUNDAY AUGUST 3, 2014
E
arlier, he could only marvel at the
grandness of the O2 Arena in London
from the outside, but now kabaddi
ace Talwinder Singh, one of the marquee
players of the World Kabaddi League, is all
set to exhibit his skills at the famous venue.
Its a really good feeling. I had never
expected that such a thing would happen
in kabaddi, says Talwinder, who was part
of Indias 2013 World Cup winning team.
He is both excited and nervous at the
same time. There are so many advertise-
ments on TV, 28-year-old Talwinder, who
is also a part of the WKL TV promos, says.
I am a bit nervous because when I used
to play in the UK, usually the audience
were around 10,000 people, but now it will
be broadcasted live to millions of people
across the world, he says to underline the
scale of the league.
The arrival of the World Kabaddi
League (WKL) is a sign that their hum-
ble, homegrown sport has now taken a big
leap into the world of glamorous, money-
loaded, widely watched leagues. Mud will
be replaced by colourful mats. The match-
es will be played at big, world-class, air-
conditioned arenas. There will be disco
lights, fireworks, thumping music
much like the WWE. For the players, the
days of anonymity will be over, soon.
It will benefit players as well as the
sport. In the World Cup, only 14-15 Indian
players used to play. Now, through this
league, around 70 Indian players would be
playing, says Gurmail Singh, a coach in
the WKL. The organisers refused to
reveal the name of the teams Gurmail
would be coaching and Talwinder would
be representing in the WKL as there would
a formal announcement of all the teams
in the coming week.
There is another league by the name
of Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) that start-
ed last week but there is big difference in
both the leagues. While PKL is an India-
based tournament, WKL will be played
internationally in 13 different cities across
five countries and three contients. Both of
them are also different in playing styles.
PKL is played in the national style of
kabaddi that is played in the rectangle-
shaped area divided into two halves while
WKL will be played in the circle style
kabaddi popular in Punjab.
But the question that arises is whether
two leagues can survive simultaneously?
WKL CEO Raman Raheja says, Both the
leagues complement each other with a
single vision to promote the sport that
originated in India. Additionally, the two
are different formats of tournaments.
While WKL is being played at interna-
tional level, the other league (i.e. PKL) is
a domestic tournament.
Gurmail says circle style is more
action-filled as compared to national style.
Circle style kabaddi is a combination
of individual and team sport. Its more
action-filled. I dont criticize the nation-
al style of kabaddi because so many play-
ers play it and it has helped many players
getting jobs. But I dont find it very excit-
ing seven players trying to grab one play-
er isnt exciting. Even in normal life, if four
people attack one person, it doesnt look
good. One on one is always exciting --
thats how circle kabaddi is played. Its a
mixture of athletics, gymnastic and
wrestling, he says.
Talwinder, who hails form Jalandhar
district of Punjab, is a well known name
in kabaddi circles. He hasnt played any
nationals because there arent any in cir-
cle style but he is a regular in the profes-
sional tournaments in England, Canada
and US. But, according to him, what sep-
arates WKL from other professional tour-
naments is the financial security it provides.
I have been playing outside India like
in UK, Canada, regularly for some time
now but there was no guarantee of pay-
ment in those tournaments. But now I am
looking forward to playing in the WKL
because everything is so professional
here, salaries are good, insurance is there
in short players are being taken care of
properly, says an excited Talwinder.
The WKL promises C15 crore in play-
ers salary, which will be divided among 144
players accordingly. It roughly translates into
over C10 lakh for each player. On top of that,
there is C3.5 crore as prize money.
Kabaddi finds mentions in Indian
mythology and has a tradition of tourna-
ments that date back more than 100 years.
Kabaddi received its first International
exposure during the 1936 Berlin Olympics
when the Hanuman Vyayaam Prasarak
Mandal from Amravati in Maharashtra
sent a delegation-cum-team to demon-
strate the sport. The spectators were said
to have been enchanted by the skill and
speed of the players. Even after that, it took
a long time for kabbadi to make an impact
at the international level.
It was kept as a demonstration sport
in the 1982 Asian Games and made its
debut in 1990 in Beijing. India won the
gold medal. Since then India has earned
six consecutive gold medals at the Asian
Games. But it was the national style of
kabaddi that was getting recognition, not
the circle style.
The later came into limelight when
Punjab hosted four World Cups in four
years (2010 to 2013) which saw the par-
ticipation of 21 nations. The success of cir-
cle style kabaddi World Cups paved way
for the WKL. As the next step, we want-
ed to take Kabaddi ahead globally. With
this aim we conceptualised World Kabaddi
League, an international Kabaddi tourna-
ment, Raman explains.
As to why it took so long for this sport
to make its presence felt at the interna-
tional level, Gurmail has a theory of his
own. There are two things in this. First,
everything happens according to gods
plan, he says. Second, every sport has to
go through a period of struggle for it to
grow and become stronger. It happened
with kabaddi too, Gurmail adds.
The PKL has already raided the
Indian drawing rooms and with the start
of WKL next week (August 9), internation-
al audiences will also be treated to this
action-packed truly Indian sport.
Jasmer Singh, captain of Dabang
Delhi team in Pro Kabaddi League
(PKL), is happy that his favourite
sport kabaddi is back at the
forefront. The Haryana lad, who
has won gold in 2010 Asian Games,
tells AMIT CHAUDHARY that he
is feeling like a star. Excerpts from
an interaction
S How much difference the PKL
has made in your life?
Money is very important for an ath-
lete. He needs to eat proper diet and
take care of his physical health. If he
doesnt have money
to do that, he wont
be able to perform
at the highest level.
Through this league
we are getting a lot of benefits,
including money, and this will help
us improve our game. This league is
beneficial for us as well as for our
country.
SYour coach also mentioned that
diet has improved after the PKL.
Elaborate on the issue?
From our accommodation to our
training centre, everything has
improved. Now, we are living in a
five star hotel. We have a physio, a
trainer, a masseur and a doctor with
the team. Earlier, it wasnt the case.
Not even during the national
camps. We used to stay at
dharamshalas. But we had to adjust
because we wanted our game to
grow and get popular among mass-
es. Here in the PKL, we are getting
everything. We stay in good hotels,
travel in air-conditioned cars, train
in air-conditioned halls.
SWhere are you from?
I hail from Boodsang village in
Panipat district of
Haryana where
everyone plays
kabaddi. It has helped
around 60-70 people
secure a government job. I am an
inspector in Haryana police.
S Are people in your village
excited about this league?
I get so many calls from my friends
and neighbours in the village.
They see it on TV and then tell me
how a particular player made a mis-
take and how another player made
a good move.
S Is there any other player from
your village in this league?
There are two players from my vil-
lage. One of them is employed with
ONGC and he is playing in this
league. The other one is employed
with Air Force but he wasnt allowed
to participate in the league. They said
their players can either play for
Services or national team. But I am
not happy with this decision. A play-
er will always benefit from playing
in such tournaments.
S How was the public response
during the two legs of the league in
Mumbai and Kolkata?
The host team gets very good sup-
port from the public and teams
have been benefited by the support.
Kolkata lost their match in
Mumbai but when they played in
Kolkata, they managed to win
both of their matches.
S How different is it playing on
mat in comparison to mud?
Our national camp and all the
national tournaments are played on
mat now. It was long back when we
used to play in mud. I started play-
ing kabaddi in mud. Actually its
very expensive approximately
C3.5 lakh for a village to buy a
mat. But those who have learnt this
art in mud, they can easily adapt to
the mat but its very difficult for
mat-trained players to play in the
mud. By playing in mud you
become strong. Its easier to make
an individual catch in mud but on
mat its very difficult. While a
defender has an upper hand in
mud, here on mat, raider has the
advantage.
SYou think this league will be able
to popularise kabaddi at the inter-
national level?
It is being broadcasted in other coun-
tries as well. Replays are available for
people to understand the game. You
can even watch it on youtube.
S You think kabaddi can be an
Olympic sport?
I have no doubt about that. Kabaddi
will be in Olympics very soon. The
entire nation would feel happy and
proud when both mens and womens
team would bring gold.
SThere are a couple of foreigners
in your team. Is it difficult to coor-
dinate with them?
There is a language barrier. Their
English is very week so is ours. So
we have to use sign language to com-
municate with them. We have taught
them a few words of Hindi. So when
they will come back next year, it will
be easier for us to connect with them.
S Many film stars have been
attending PKL matches. Did
you get the opportunity to meet
anyone?
Yes, I met Shah Rukh (Khan), Amir
(Khan) and some others as well. It
was my first meeting. It feels good
when a big star stands with you,
makes you feel equally important,
makes you realize that you can also
become a star one day. Now people
are watching us on TV. We are also
stars in kabaddi.
k8hI8hEk FhIT Q hEw 0ELh
A
fter Delhi Daredevils and Delhi
Waveriders, its time for the
Capital to embrace another profes-
sional league-based team Dabang
Delhi of the Pro Kabaddi League.
The Delhi-leg of the 35-day tour-
nament comprising eight teams starts
on Sunday evening at the Thyagraj
Indoor Stadium here.
Sunday will witness two matches
where hosts will take on Telegu
Titans in a mouthwatering opening
encounter. Later, Puneri Paltan will
face Bengaluru Bulls in another
thrilling clash.
The Delhi-leg will continue till
Wednesday where other teams will also
join in to provide wholesome entertain-
ment to the crowd.
Dabang Delhi, who are current-
ly at fifth position in the points table,
are banking on home support to
improve their position. With one win
and two losses so far, it has been a
mixed outing for the Jasmer Singh-
led side. The team has been grow-
ing in confidence and could have
pulled off the last match against
Kolkata on their home turf. Now the
crowd will be supporting us and that
will definitely spur us to perform at
our best, Jasmer told reporters at a
press conference on Saturday.
We would be playing at home and
have full support of the fans, which
would definitely add to our advantage.
In a way, you can say that we would be
starting the tournament afresh and give
our best to make our fans proud of the
team, he added.
Talking about the stage and envi-
ronment of the tournament, Jasmer,
who also plays for India, said, Earlier,
no one used to recognize even an
Arjuna awardee or a World Cup win-
ner. But with the advent of this league,
players and most importantly the sport
is gaining popularity, Jasmer, who is an
all-rounder pointed out.
Team coach Arjun Singh said they
have worked hard on their grey areas
and he is hopeful that his wards will
not repeat the mistakes again. My
team has a lot of talented players and
I am not facing problems training
them. We have been working hard on
our grey areas and now I am confident
of my team doing well in the match-
es to come, said Arjun Singh.
When we started our prepara-
tions for the tournament, we faced
problems in working on the balance
of the team as the players come from
different backgrounds. Its the job of
a coach to make them a unit despite
the problems like communication.
And I feel that we have managed to
overcome the grey areas, he said.
Among the raiders, Delhi have
Surjeet Narwal, Kashiling Adake,
Bhavesh Kumar and Punit Kumar
while Iranian Ehsan Zamani Fard, Anil
Kumar, South Koreas Dong Hu Jong
and Japanese Takamitsu Kono work as
defenders.
hEW EIhI: Left red-faced after the ICC
ICC judicial commissioner Gordon
Lewis found England seamer James
Anderson not guilty of pushing
Ravindra Jadeja during the Trent Bridge
Test match, the BCCI has gone a bit on
the backfoot as they are yet to decide
on their next course of action.
We are expected to receive a
detailed copy of the order that was
passed by the Judicial Commissioner
either by today or tomorrow. We will
only be able to take a call in this regard
after receiving the Order copy, BCCI
secretary Sanjay Patel said on Saturday.
A detailed legal analysis is required
before deciding on future course. Our
legal team will study the report and will
give us a feedback. In such cases, every
point needs to be studied minutely and
itll take some time. So its premature
to conclude whether well appeal.
Asked if the Indian team got a raw
deal in this case, the BCCI secretarys
answer was an indication that Board
might just like to put an end to this
controversy as it is unlikely that there
could be any conclusive evidence
against Anderson. It will be inappro-
priate to say that it has been unfair
without going through the copy of the
judgement. Let us wait for the written
copy, Patel said.
As per ICC guidelines, only ICC
CEO Dave Richardson has a right to
appeal but as per reliable sources, he will
need the permission of newly appoint-
ed ICC chairman N Srinivasan.
It will be interesting to see whether
Richardson gets a go-ahead from the
former BCCI president in this regard.
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EMEIh 8FIhhE: ME8
8ThkMFTh: He was the wrecker-in-
chief with the ball as England clinhed
a series-equalising win against India in
the third Test here but England coach
Peter Moores said spinner Moeen Ali
was included in the side as a batsman.
Moeen claimed six for 67 in Indias
second innings to help England secure
a series-levelling 266-run victory at the
Ageas Bowl. Moeen is in the side as a
batter and a very rapidly emerging spin
bowler. I think Mo had a bit of a turn-
ing point before the Lords Test.
Testament to some of the feedback that
he got I think Ian Bell was quite
important in that you can get feed-
back about the pace and lines that are
difficult for batsmen to play, Moores
was quoted as saying by the media here.
Belly is a fantastic player of spin
so he fed back to one of his team-mates,
Well, actually, I find that really difficult
or that pace is quite nice for me. Thats
what good teams should do, while Bell
was batting in the nets, and then Mo
decides what to do. You improve
because you talk and work with peo-
ple, explained the coach.
Moores lauded Ali for adjusting
quickly to his bowling role. His run-
rate came down and he created some
pressure. Test cricket is about how
rapidly people grow in it and hes
grown very quickly as a bowler.
Hopefully, that carries on. Hes a very
sensible lad, he knows hes got to keep
doing a lot of work, he said.
He does two things that are
essential for a top-flight spinner he
attacks both edges. He gets great
drift and then turns the ball. So he
spins the ball hard. Without that, it is
very difficult.
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Mkh6hE8TE: Former fast bowler Steve
Harmison feels the advantage rests with
hosts England in the remaining two
Tests with James Anderson managing
to escape without a ban for his Level 3
charge in the Trent Bridge incident.
Anderson was on Friday exonerat-
ed by the judicial commission set up by
the ICC for allegedly pushing Indian all-
rounder Ravindra Jadeja during the first
Test in Nottingham that was drawn.
Im not being biased here. Rather
Im talking from the series point-of-
view. Its set up so well, with both teams
in good nick, batting and bowling well.
The score is at 1-1 after three Tests and
weve two beautifully set-up matches to
look forward to, he said.
It wouldve been a shame if
Anderson wouldve been banned as it
wouldve disturbed the balance of the
contest between these two sides in the
middle of the series, said Harmison.
Anderson has won two man-of-
the-match awards in the last three Tests,
posing a threat with both bat and ball,
and as such, this verdict has probably
swung the momentum towards
England who were desperate to avoid
suspension for their talismanic bowler.
If Anderson wouldve been
banned, it wouldve put a lot of pressure
on Broad especially with his fitness con-
cerns. But theyre both available now, so
maybe yes, England do have the upper
hand. It adds spice to the remaining
series, although we couldve done with-
out this distraction, he added. Pll
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After winning the hearts of people through his daily, Zindagi
Gulzar Hai, Pakistani sensation Fawad Khan is all set for his
Bollywood debut opposite Sonam Kapoor in Khoobsurat. In a chat
with RAMA DWIVEDI, he talks about his role in the film, pre-
sent scenario of Pakistani cinema & his love for acting
QHow was your experience working in Khoobsurat?
It was an enriching experience. There were a lot of ini-
tial challenges and hiccups but it was fun dealing with them.
From meeting people and making new friends to working
in this film, the experience in India has been amazing.
QYou play a prince in Khoobsurat. Tell us more...
I play Vikram who is an arrogant, snobbish and ambi-
tious person. He is a perfectionist and a strict disciplinar-
ian. There is a twist when someone enters his regimented
lifestyle and turns his world topsy-turvy.
QHow different is Bollywood from Lollywood?
There is a huge difference between the two industries.
Lollywood has been through a phase when cinema took a
backseat and was looked down upon. Now things are shap-
ing up. Its revival times in Pakistan, while the film
industry in India is thriving since 100 years. The
Pakistani film industry is still at the nascent stage of film-
making.
QDo you want to focus on tele-series or films?
I have been actively involved with the TV industry for
six years. Now, I want to migrate. Acting in films is a dif-
ferent ball game and I want to be a part of that. Having said
that, I wouldnt rule out the possibility of going back to TV.
That will always remain my first love.
QYou started out with a comedy, Jutt and Bond, but
recently you are doing serious roles. What attracts you
more?
I want to explore the whole canvas. I dont want to limit
myself to a particular genre. I have enjoyed all the differ-
ent characters that I played. But Im a hopeless romantic
in the real life, so romantic films attract me the most.
QWhat kind of scripts are you looking for?
Character driven stories have greater impact on the
audiences as compared to the story driven scripts. In the
first format, an actor gets full freedom to express himself.
There is also a better scope for interaction between the char-
acters.
QAny fictional character you connect to?
Zaroon of Zindagi Gulzar Hai is someone I resemble
a lot. Apart from that, I played Asghar in Akbari Asghari
which is like out of my own skin. The show wasnt a hit but
the character still remains with me. It gave me an oppor-
tunity to explore my anatomy as an actor.
QYouve played this rich, egoist and chauvinist charac-
ters on screen before. How different are you in the real
life?
Im not a chauvinist. But ego is something that every-
one has, its just overly accentuated. Otherwise, Im just a
cool and romantic person.
QYou have often said that Entity Paradigm (EP), a metal
band is like your second family. Any plans for revival?
I left EP because I wanted to pursue acting. The band
members are very warm and we share a great rapport. The
only thing that still keeps us in the stage of dormancy is
our engagement in different fields. We cant actively pur-
sue it at this point of time. Par kuch pata nahi waqt ka
QDo you see yourself singing in Bollywood?
Im very passionate about music. Especially, when it
comes to writing and composing. I am into the rock and
metallic genres. Im afraid music in Bollywood is totally dif-
ferent to what I have done in the past. But if I get an oppor-
tunity, I will definitely sing for films.
backpack 12 NEW DELH SUNDAY AUGUST 3, 2014
Im a hopeless
romantic
8khEETk YkkV Q hEw 0ELh
F
rom being an assistant director for
Namastey London to making his
acting debut as a lead in Ragini MMS
2, Bollywoods newbie Saahil Prem
adds another feather to his hat with his
directorial debut Mad About Dance
(MAD). The film is an out-an-out
international dance film loosely based
on his life experiences.
Mad About Dance is based on my
personal experience and other real life
stories of my friends who were study-
ing with me at the Sheffield Hallam
University. I was a part of the under-
ground street dance group. Its a free
style dance platform where the win-
ners are decided by the crowd. The
story of my film revolves around an
Indian boy who was sent abroad for
higher education. In order to pursue
his passion for dancing, he ends up
lying to his parents and joins the
underground street dance group. The
story also showcases the lives of other
Indian students who undertake many
jobs to earn extra money, Saahil
Prem tells you.
Though this film was
written much before Any
Body Can Dance (ABCD), it
took a lot of time to go on
the floor. MAD is my
dream project and I had to
struggle a lot before I could
give it a concrete shape. I
wrote this script four years
ago. But being a new
name in the industry,
having no filmy back-
ground and making a film
in a different genre, made
it very difficult for me to
convince producers and
actors to be a part of it. They
completely wrote-off the
script, Prem recalls.
Taking a road less travelled
by, the 20-something actor decid-
ed to be the captain of the ship
and make this film on his own. I
wanted to make this film on my own
and prove it to those who felt I was not
capable. Since no one was ready to join
the starcast, I decided to do it myself.
Amrit Maghera showed interest in this
film and I immediately signed her. For
me, MADis an honest attempt which
not only talks about dance but about
various other facets of life as well, he
says.
How did he manage to get
French award-winning dancer Salah
Benlemqawanssa on board? Salah
is a good friend and I requested him
to join us in the film. He had prior
commitments so he refused but after
a couple of years he agreed to come
on board. He is a great dancer and a
value adds to the film, he says.
Though films based on dance is
still considered as niche in India, with
MAD, Prem wants to change that per-
spective in the industry. Bollywood
biggies like Farah Khan have also
appreciated his effort.
The dance I see in this film is
something we have never seen on
Indian screen before. Whats com-
mendable is that Saahil has kept
the dance form true to what it
is. The film has not
Bollywood-ised any of the
dances.
Its an amazing thing
that our country is starting
to accept all cultural
dances, all forms of danc-
ing and not just
Bollywood dance, Khan
told at a Press conference
to launch the trailer of
this film.
Prem is not expect-
ing the film to barge into
the C100 crore club in the
first few weeks itself. I want
the movie to strike a chord
with the audience. It is a human
interest story explored in a dif-
ferent set up, he ends.
He las faceo many us ano oowns in lis life lut
A!JYA ROY KAPOOR will never quit. His first few movies
lomleo at tle lox office ano rooucers almost wrote lim off. But
after tle success of Aasliqui 2 ano Yel ]awani Hai !eewani, Kaoor
las announceo lis secono innings in style. His ucoming films
incluoe !aawat-e-slq, Assi Nalle Poorey Sau ano !itoor. Kaoor
wlo recently walleo tle ram at tle ]along Online !aslion Weel,
answers a raio fire rouno ly SANGIIJA YA!AV
QDaawat-e-Ishq (DEI) sounds like a masala film...
Its a cute love story of Tariq, a Lucknawi cook, and Gulrez,
a shoe salesgirl from Hyderabad. They meet and fall in love. DEI
is a spicy film with lots of cuisine delight, romance, drama and
comedy.
QWho would you invite for a daawat at your home?
My two brothers, sisters-in-law, parents, starcast of
Aashiqui 2 and Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani.
QBest and worst part of doing a film on food?
I can think of only the positive side. The actors
end up eating all kinds of delicacies without any guilt
of gaining weight. What more could we ask for?
QLife after Aashiqui 2...
Life has taken a U turn. I had a lot of questions
in my head when I signed up for this film
whether the audience will like me as a protago-
nist? Will I be able to pull it off on my own, espe-
cially after delivering flops in a row? I was ner-
vous but all that changed soon.
QHave you settled down now?
I dont consider myself as a superstar.
Im still a struggling actor
who is taking baby
steps in this industry.
Salman Khan and
Shah Rukh Khan are
the real biggies of
Bollywood. I have a
long way to go.
QYour favourite
genre?
I want to do a film
on sports or an out-
and-out action film,
be it a bio-pic or fiction-
al.
QYour success mantra?
If I had my way, I would
just take it easy (laughs).
But my loved ones tell me
that I have to work
hard too!
QYou play the titular character in your
upcoming movie Lucy. Tell us about it.
Lucy is in a transient phase in her life
when we find her. Shes figuring out who
she is, and shes feeling like she should
probably get her life on track. As the drug
kicks in, Lucy gradually loses the ability to
empathise and to feel pain. Even though
she can delve deeply into someones mem-
ory and eventually control him physically,
she doesnt have any opinion. She loses
her preconceived ideas or judgement
about the other person.
QWhat were the factors that attracted you
towards the movie?
The film poses some complex existen-
tial questions. It would have been hard to
imagine how the script has evolved
because so much of that is director Lucs
vision. Anything I could imagine the film
to look like, just from reading the descrip-
tions in the script, pales in comparison to
the actual life that the director breathed
into this project. This is actually what
drew me to this project. I had to trust his
vision. I remember meeting him and he
said, You have to trust that I know what
this is about because it can be vague at
times. But if you see what Im seeing,
youll believe in it. So, I took a leap of
faith. Hes a formidable guy who knows
what he sees in his mind and wants that
vision to be executed perfectly.
QWhat was it like to shoot in two such
diverse locations Taiwan and Paris?
I just loved being able to explore the
cities. It was so welcoming. In some ways,
just the fact that we were all so tired and
jet-lagged and out of our element added to
the disorientation of my character and the
place shes coming out of when she starts
being affected by this drug. The sets are
massive and detailed. We could be in an
apartment, or in a luxurious Taipei hotel
suite, or anywhere else for that matter. I
was travelling through different universes,
all within the studio.
QHow do you feel about now being an
action star?
I never thought of Mark Ruffalo as a big,
green, giant, mutant thing! But he is. I liked
all the action parts. You get into the mind-
set and accept that for the next five or six
months of your life you are going to be per-
manently bruised. Once you accept it then
like many things in life it makes everything
a lot easier. If you go in fighting against it then
you cant do it and it is miserable. I worked
for months to prepare.
QTell us more about your engagement with
Romain Duraic?
We do different things. Hes in the
whole art-scene world. We dont have a
crazy conflicting schedule and all that
other stuff to contend with.
QWhats a typical weekend in Paris?
He loves art, so we might visit some of
the galleries or go to a museum. Thats his
true passion. I like to experience that with
him. I guess part of the wonderful thing
about living in Paris is how people take
their time with things. And I like to feel
no pressure on the weekends in Paris.
Sunday, most things are closed in
Paris, and theres something wonderful
about that.
So Im much more comfortable just
spending the weekend in my bed.
QHow has your outlook towards relation-
ships changed since your marriage to
Ryan Reynolds?
I know now more of what I need and
want in a relationship. And I know I have
more tools to communicate, not just with
my partner, but with myself.
G
one are the days when a typi-
cal romantic Bollywood num-
ber had snow-covered peaks in
Switzerland as the backdrop and zany
parties were shot around flashy streets
of Las Vegas. Goa, which has been a
hot destination for Bollywood direc-
tors for decades, is still considered as
the temple for filming. According to
the latest statistics by a travel website,
this coastal paradise, has been the top
favourite spot for Bollywood movies
for the past eight years and running.
No wonder Homi Adajania,
known for Cocktail and Being Cyrus,
decided to shoot entirely in Goa for his
fun film Finding Fanny which is to be
released soon.
It has a beautiful visual pallet and
if you move away from the touristy
stuff which is over-commercialised
and the focus on the Portuguese
influences of Goa, it offers a backdrop
unique from the rest of India. Ideal for
any movie, Adajania says.
With the increase in the number
of films shot in the heartland of
Indian Tourism, Goa has seen a
thumping rise in footfall of film mak-
ers in recent years. Last year, more than
100 films were shot there. The figure
stands tall as compared to a meagre 80
films in 2011 and 2012 combined.
Even television shows like CID on
Sony and Doli Armaanon Ki on Zee
have shot special episodes in Goa.
There are many more that have lined
up for shoot as per the schedule on
Entertainment Society of Goas (ESG)
website. In 2014, more than 30
Bollywood films have been shot exten-
sively or partially in Goa.
More than a 1,000 delegates
come each year to be a part of
International Film Festival of India
(IFFI). They get dazzled by the pic-
turesque locations and scenic beauty
of our State. Its natural to feel enticed
to capture it on reel, Shripad Naik, the
general manager of ESG, says.
But what makes Goa such hot
property, especially for filmmakers?
Most directors subscribe to jour-
nalist Mario Cabrel e Sas opinion that
from a cinematic point of view, Goa
has a charm of its own, a tradition, cul-
ture and both man-made and natur-
al environment which are unmatch-
able.
From Farhan Akhtars cult film Dil
Chahta Hai to
the gritty and
tough love tale
Dum Maaro
Dum, all films
have given us a
peep into this
young and stunning
tourist place. Remember that
old Chapora Fort where the
three friends in DCH hang
out and strengthen their
male bonding? Well, the
Fort is now named Dil
Chahta Hai Fort! Thats
how connected
Bollywood and Goa
are.
For filmmaker Kaizad Gustad,
who recently shot Jackpot in Goa, the
experience was fantastic! I am a big
fan of this place. You find everything
around here from the beaches to the
hills. I call it scenically divine. And it
is best suited for any type of films.
Thats why there is a beeline of
directors, he tells you.
There are many who have
exploited the scenary of Goa to
its maximum. Sanjay Leela
Bhansali, known for the
grandeur of his sets, played with
the local scenic beauty in his film
Guzaarish. Rohit Shetty,
who has shot Singham
Returns entirely in
Goa, has accept-
ed that the
place is lucky
for him.
W h i l e
Bollywood has
promoted the
Goan culture to
a remarkable
extent, many feel
that the films
show a clichd
side of the desti-
nation.
While Go
Goa Gone and
Dum Maaro
Dum showed
Goa as a hip-
pie haven or
drug par-
adise, Singham
focused on the
crime side. It is
films like Saagar (1985), Kabhi Haan
Kabhi Naa (1993), Josh (2000) and
Khamoshi-The Musical (1996), that
have meticulously shown the local
lifestyle and culture to the T. All that
is shown about the place through films
arent true but I dont think its
besmirching our culture. Films have
only popularised the State but we also
want to promote our culture too, Naik
adds.
Adajania, who claims that he is
absolutely in love with Goa, says its a
very complex place in terms of the
social fabric. I think it has much more
to offer than the clichd representation.
Finding Fanny, is based in a fictitious
Goan village and I almost kept it
hyper-real by avoiding anything
touristy. I wanted to do a story about
a bunch of dysfunctional characters
who explore love and longing and it
could have been anywhere in the
world. The reason I based it in Goa is
because I saw the story in my head in
a Goan village, he says.
Goa is indisputably a dream loca-
tion but shooting here is not a cake-
walk anymore as the charges have gone
over the roof. A team has to pay over
C1 lakh to Goa Infrastructure
Development and Permission Grants
Authority for a days shoot in Panjim
city. There are additional security
needs and charges as well, Sandeep
Kotecha, President of Goa Line
Producers Association, says.
He also blames these extravagant
rates for illegal shoots in Goa as
everybody cannot afford to pay such
hefty amounts. We want the prices to
be reduced so as to encourage shoot-
ing in Goa, Kotecha demands.
1OO ilms, 12 regional soas, 2 serials
and 15 leleilms were shol in 0oa lasl
year. This year, 85 ilms have already
been shol al lhis locale. RAMA 0wvE0
exlores why lhis coaslal aradise
allracls ilmmakers and whelher
lhe increased shooling charges,
levied by lhe 0overnmenl o 0oa
will have an imacl
Fh8 Q hEw 0ELh
T
he Fh0 Chamber o Commerce
hosled a musical lribule by
Bollywood singers lo lhe lale R0
Burman on his 75lh birlh
anniversary. The musical evening
wilnessed slar erormances by
vinod Ralhore, harshdee Kaur,
Babul Suriyo, Mamla Sharma and
hema Sardesai. Also, Fh0CC
honoured lhe besl o lhe media and
Tv ersonalilies or lheir exemlary
work and dedicalion al lhe irsl
edilion o Fh0CC Awards or
Excellence in Enlerlainmenl and
Media. The evening unolded al lhe
Talkalora sladium.
'8Iht Ia
my t0ae'
SCARLETT
J0hAhSS0h who
lays Lucy lalks
aboul her ilm, her
exerience o being
an aclion slar,
challenges lhal
came her way and
aboul her iance
Romain 0auriac.
Excerls rom an
inlerview
|uW AR| li| |uu| + u|u||
Ajal Prem li MA! lalani
M8I6kI hIhT
u u+ u!
sunday
magazino
F R O M T H E N S D E
mythIcaI a0caIyse
Ilre la lke uaaameahle 6aualry
is a book auIhors dream abouI:
IuII oI sound and Iury, says senior
journaIisI khaIid Mohamed

Ihe c0rse 0f Fh0Ia

Iiberia, higeria and 8ierra Ieone
are Iaring WorsI ever ouIbreak oI
Ihe disease, Ior Whirh Ihere is
no rure and no varrine

Ihe esseace 0f rayIa

kII prayers are equaIIy sinrere in
ronIenI and rirh in spiriI. There are
no eIIerIive or ineIIerIive prayers.
evoIion is based on rompIeIe IaiIh
Now Dolhi, August 3, 2014

Fror le rorerl
l rel r] usoard,
We Were logeler. we
|reW. l ave oeer |r a
re|al|ors|p Were a
rar as d|srespecled
re... crossed le ||re
- Zoe Sa|dara
My advice to other disabled people
would be, concentrate on things your
disability doesnt prevent you from
doing well, and dont regret the things
it interferes with. Dont be disabled in
spirit as well as physically
Stephen Hawking
T
he Disability Bill of 2014
was introduced in the Rajya
Sabha on February 7, 2014,
by Mallikarjun Kharge, the
then Minister of Social
Justice and Empowerment. The Bill
repeals the Persons with Disabilities
(Equal Opportunities Protection of
Rights and Full Participation) Act of
1995. In terms of employment too, the
Disability Act clearly states:
At least 5 per cent of the vacancies
are to be filled by persons or class of
persons with at least 40 per cent of any
of the disabilities. Of this, one per cent
shall be reserved for persons with (i)
blindness and low vision; (ii) hearing
and speech impairment; (iii) locomo-
tor disability; (iv) autism, intellectual
disability and mental illness; and (v)
multiple disabilities. The Bill provides
that the reservation has to be comput-
ed on the basis of total number of
vacancies in the strength of a cadre.
The Government may exempt any
establishment from this provision.
It has since been subjected to
much scrutiny and critique, most of
which unfortunately bordered on
harsh criticism. Is the Bill going to
reinforce vulnerability upon the differ-
ently abled? Or does it have an accom-
modating vision for them? Either way,
a fundamental right of the disabled is
the right to indiscriminate education.
But as the academic session starts, how
prepared are the Indian universities to
accommodate the differently abled?
According to the Ministry of
Home Affairs official website, Census
2001 had revealed that over 21 million
people in India suffer from one or the
other kind of disability. Among the
five types of disabilities on which data
has been collected, disability in seeing
at 48.5 per cent emerges as the top cat-
egory. Others in sequence are: move-
ment (27.9 per cent), mental (10.3 per
cent), speech (7.5 per cent), and hear-
ing (5.8 per cent).
How does a differently abled stu-
dent match up to the calibre of a nor-
mal student then? Are sufficient provi-
sions taken and training imparted to
facilitate the disabled? Since Delhi is
currently under the Presidents rule, its
Budget was presented in Parliament a
couple of weeks ago. This C36,776-
crore Budget had a multi-specialty hos-
pital, which will come up in Rohini,
and 50 dialysis centres in different
parts of NCR as a part of its highlights.
Besides, C2,483 crore was allocated to
Education and C3,472 crore to the
transport sector. New schemes for the
disabled will be launched and 15 new
Braille presses are to be set up. All
these sectors mentioned above cater to
the concerns of a differently abled citi-
zen. However, the universities have still
not got over their insensitivity towards
such students. Most libraries do not
have provisions for them to reach high-
er shelves and many lack adequate
reading material for them. Worse, col-
lective discorn towards them was
recently seen in a school for such chil-
dren in Hyderabad recently, where a
blind child was mercilessly thrashed by
a faculty member, who ironically, was
visually impaired himself.
The Equal Opportunity Cell
(EOC) of Delhi University strives to
establish equal educational facilities
for all, centering on the differently
abled. It encourages differently abled
students by getting in touch with them
directly or through other institutions.
When the time comes, employment
opportunities are furnished to the stu-
dents as well. Following the enactment
of the Persons with Disability Bill, pro-
vision has been made for a 3 per cent
reservation for admission of differently
abled students as well as appointment
of teaching and non-teaching staff in
the university system. However, a large
number of differently abled students
hesitate to join the university, antici-
pating inapt facilities in the teaching
and learning process. Arathy
Manoharan, who is trained in teaching
deaf students, is currently pursuing
her Masters in Deaf Education in
McDaniel, US, says, Most deaf chil-
dren are born to parents who can hear
and do not know how to sign. Unless a
hearing test is given in the hospital,
parents may not know that their chil-
dren are deaf or hard of hearing until
they are 3 years old. By the time most
Indian deaf children arrive at school,
they are behind their peers.
Most of these deaf schools let stu-
dents copy during exams so that they
somehow or the other graduate from
school. Indian Universities need to
ensure that qualified Indian Sign
Language (ISL)/English/Hindi educa-
tional interpreters are hired to provide
access to their students. Students need
to be able to conveniently use these
services by getting in touch with a cen-
tralised office that provides support
services to students.
The EOC of Delhi University seeks
to generate resources to provide
tuition assistance, special equipment,
educational counselling, and trained
readers and writers to the differently
abled. DU also allows for a 5 per cent
relaxation in the eligibility criteria for
these students, except for courses
where they have to take entrance tests.
In such cases, the same regulations
apply to all.
It is estimated that about 300-350
differently abled students get registered
in formal streams in different courses
annually. The University Health Centre
determines the degree of impairment
of differently abled students. The EOC
offers courses in BEd, physiotherapy,
post-graduate diploma in special edu-
cation etc, has facilities such as Braille
library and an audio book Resource
Centre, organises health check-up
camps, celebrates Louis Brailles
anniversary and World Disability Day,
and also holds annual sports meets.
Officer on Special Duty of the
EOC, Dr Bipin Tiwari recalls, I went
to ask some students if they had stud-
ied with any physically challenged stu-
dent or have attempted to help such
students in any manner ever. I was
shocked to hear a girl from the group
say, Hume unse kya matlab? (Why
should that bother us?). We at the
EOC in DU realise the pressing need
to sensitise students about the ones
with disabilities.
Interestingly, it is not always these
other students who need to under-
stand the gravity of the situation.
Sometimes, the differently abled tend
to overlook their personal challenges
too. Dyslexic students do not want to
be identified as dyslexic. They come to
us acknowledging that they are dyslex-
ic but dont want to be officially identi-
fied as one. That is why there is no
data on such students. These students
perform well. In fact, in many cases its
seen that they perform better than
other students. They participate in var-
ious extra-curricular activities and
annual fests. They also go for college
trips along with other students. DU is
probably the first university in the
world which had taken a group of dif-
ferently abled students for an educa-
tional expedition to Kings College,
London, and the University of
Edinburgh, Scotland, says Tiwari,
adding, we should not treat them as
special, but as regular students.
Alberl Einslein, 0eorge washinglon, Beelhoven, helen Keller, Thomas Edison, 0raham Bell - all aced one
orm o disabilily or lhe olher. As a new academic session has slarled in colleges, we need lo remind ourselves
o lhis acl in order lo look al lhe dierenlly abled rom an allernalive erseclive, says AhAhYA B0R00hAh
ENABLE THE DISABLED
ThE uhvERSTES hAvE STLL h0T 00T
0vER ThER hSEhSTvTY T0wAR0S
SuCh STu0EhTS. M0ST LBRARES 00
h0T hAvE FR0vS0hS F0R ThEM T0
REACh h0hER ShELvES Ah0 MAhY LACK
A0E0uATE REA0h0 MATERAL F0R ThEM
hTERESTh0LY, T S h0T ALwAYS
ThESE '0ThER' STu0EhTS wh0 hEE0
T0 uh0ERSTAh0 ThE 0RAvTY 0F ThE
STuAT0h. S0METMES, ThE 0FFEREhTLY
ABLE0 STu0EhTS TEh0 T0 0vERL00K
ThER FERS0hAL ChALLEh0ES T00
>> Z
sunday
magazino
Jlmlil !
ACC0R0h0 T0 A 2O12 SuRvEY, h 00ShA 0hLY
O.1 FER CEhT 0F ThE FE0FLE wTh 0SABLTY ARE
MATRCuLATES, 8.8 FER CEhT ARE 0RA0uATES Ah0
O.O FER CEhT hAvE F0ST0RA0uATE 0E0REES. Ah0
0hLY O.2 FER CEhT hAvE S0ME TEChhCAL 0E0REE
Now Dolhi, August 3, 2014
F R O M P A G E 1
H
e believes that though DU
is not fully equipped to
solve all problems of such
students, it is a lot better than
many colleges in India. The uni-
versity is striving to create a bet-
ter environment for such stu-
dents with a new step each day.
A teacher at the Faculty of
Law, Delhi University, Shakti
Kumar Aggarwal, says the private
sector doesnt recruit differently
abled students mostly because
none of them are technologically
equipped enough. A graduate
from Hindu College, Aggarwal is
visually challenged himself. The
differently abled students mostly
go into the public sector.
Orthopedically challenged stu-
dents require proper elevated
paths for easier movement, and
visually challenged students need
tactile paths or assistive technolo-
gies. All DU colleges are
equipped as far as infrastructure
is concerned. But more assistive
technologies are being brought in
every day, he says.
However, he does add, The
buildings and colleges are infra-
structurally equipped, but certain
places still remain extremely
risky for people with disabilities.
The Faculty of Law is one of the
most dangerous buildings and a
student had an accident on the
campus last year. In 2012, DU
had reportedly been granted over
C3 crore to make the campus
friendlier for students with chal-
lenges. But to a large extent it still
has to be perfectly accessible to
many. There is dearth of water as
well as toilet facilities on the
campus for all. These being basic
amenities, one can only imagine
the crises that the disabled stu-
dents may face.
However, there also seems to
be a silver lining. Libraries are
reportedly well-equipped with
reading machines for the differ-
ently abled students with hear-
ing impairment. Autistic stu-
dents are also included there. All
students are accommodated in
the same class in regular colleges
of the university, and no special
syllabus/treatment is regarded
for students with disabilities.
The university conducts work-
shops for teachers as well to
make it easier for them to teach
such students.
In spite of the fact that occa-
sional cases of discrimination
against such students are seen,
some of them have been faring
inspiringly. A Canada-based
entrepreneur, Samarth Chandola,
recounts, When I was in Ramjas
College around five years ago,
there was a visually challenged
student in my class. I had advised
him to record the lectures and
play them on a laptop to study. I
would also help him transfer the
recordings to his laptop so that
he could repeat them at home
and study instead of taking down
notes in class. I am happy that
with time, he familiarised himself
and began to be comfortable with
technology and is today working
as a software accessibility testing
engineer in a company. I hear he
is soon getting married too.
The technical universities -
though not all of the lot - seem to
have the best prepared premises to
accommodate the differently abled.
In March this year, the National
Centre for Promotion of
Employment for Disabled People
(NCPEDP) had judged IIM-
Bangalore as the best disabled-
friendly Indian institute. And very
recently, an IIT-Delhi students
project on increasing Braille dis-
play for the visually impaired won
the top award in a national innova-
tion contest held in
Thiruvananthapuram. But com-
paratively, universities across the
country have a long way to go to
offer even remote assurance. Every
university is required to have an
Equal Opportunity Cell. Moreover,
they are expected to be active this
time of the year when classes have
commenced in many universities.
However, calls made to Lucknow
University as well as Kakatiya
University in Warangal were not
received. Banaras Hindu
University - one of the oldest and
renowned universities in the coun-
try - does have an Equal
Opportunity Cell, but the people in
it seem to be oblivious of it! Two
calls to the officials whose contact
details were listed under the web-
sites Equal Opportunity Cell were
met with: Am I really a part of the
Equal Opportunity Cell? I really
dont know what cell this is.
This is not really anything
surprising. Under conditions of
anonymity, a deaf citizen
laments, I went to this college
for the differently abled which
also had deaf students. The very
first day I realised that neither
the teachers taught in sign lan-
guage nor there was an inter-
preter available. They completely
ignored us and did not conduct
special classes for us too. I was
stuck there till my diploma
course was over because there
was no other deaf college in
India. She adds, It becomes
tougher to communicate via
emails or other forms of writing.
In India, colleges may have
enough or more facilities for the
blind, or for the physically handi-
capped but not for the deaf.
Aqil Chinoy works as an
Assistant General Manager of
Information Technology at a
company which specialises as
marine suppliers. He specialises
in computer management, web-
app management, graphic design
and so on, and is deaf too. He,
along with his brother, also runs
a small company called
Inspirealive which concerns web
technology. All the workers in his
firm are deaf people. He says, I
went to a famous college at Vile
Parle for 11th and 12th std.
Unlike my hearing high school
where a classroom consisted of
30 students, I found myself in a
class of 50 to 60 students and the
level of teachers attention to my
hearing-impairment was very
low. In the college, the front rows
of seats were reserved for female
and the rest for male students.
From the back, I was not able to
see the professors lipreading
clearly and hence I was not able
to follow a single word. I left my
studies midway and left for the
US to pursue higher studies.
When I went abroad to
Gallaudet University, the world
changed. For the first time, I was
able to interact with the profes-
sors, understand every word of
their lecture, ask them questions
directly and get answers likewise.
This level of education was car-
ried out in American Sign
Language (ASL) which consists
of finger-spelling, hand-move-
ments, signs, gestures, etc. which
is the mother tongue of the deaf
people. Moreover, being in the
classroom with other 10-20 stu-
dents seated in a C shaped row,
we were able to see each other
without swinging our necks. The
ways that the professors imparted
their education using technology
as visual aids at Gallaudet were
so great, that we were able to
learn at a good pace.
Both Arathy and Aqil
emphasise upon the need of the
Indian Universities to ensure that
qualified ISL/English/Hindi edu-
cational interpreters are hired to
provide access to their students.
While Aqil stresses on the
requirement of visual aid, power-
point representation and courses
on deaf people to propagate
familiarity towards their condi-
tion, Arathy adds, If educators
use powerpoint presentations
during their lecture, not only the
deaf students, but others can also
be able to make better notes.
Due to the lack of bilingual edu-
cation, written language may be
a struggle for the brightest of the
deaf students. Students should be
provided support in editing the
wording (not the content) of
their assignments before submis-
sion. Indian Sign Language clubs
can be set up so that qualified
ISL teachers can teach ISL to
hearing students at the university
who can then ensure that Deaf
students at the university feel
welcome. Universities need to set
up Bachelors, Masters and
Doctoral level programs in
Indian Sign Language,
Interpreting, Deaf Studies
(understanding the Deaf com-
munity as a language minority),
etc. Most importantly, no deaf
student would feel truly welcome
at a university unless they see
deaf faculty as respected mem-
bers of the campus community.
Along with that, the Equal
Opportunity Cells in universities
need to cultivate a way more sin-
cere attitude towards these stu-
dents. Libraries need to build
pathways for them and also make
arrangements for the wheelchair
bound to pick books from any
corner. More Braille libraries
need to be set up. Concern and
respect towards the differently
abled need to be cultivated in our
collective conscience.
Very few know of Murlikant
Petkar, who had won a gold
medal in 50 metres freestyle
swimming with a world record at
the Paralympics in Heidelberg in
1972, the first Indian to win an
individual gold in either
Paralympics or Olympics for that
matter. Today, there is no official
record of his achievements and
nor is he or his kin traceable. If
we are so insensitive towards the
requirements of the differently
abled, we urgently need to be
reminded that Albert Einstein,
George Washington, Graham
Bell, Thomas Edison, Walt
Disney, all had learning disor-
ders. And of course, we know of
the likes of Beethoven, one of the
finest musicians in human histo-
ry who struggled with hearing
disability, Helen Keller who was
blind, deaf and mute, or Tom
Cruise, who is severely dyslexic.
Academic institutions have to
initiate a series of measures to
help the differently abled and
enable them to socialise, learn,
articulate and have access to
employment opportunities like
everybody else does. Sentiments
of camaraderie sans discrimina-
tion need to be cultivated and
endorsed further.
l|pu| ||u| S+||+| |u|il+l
W
here does one start with
the Mercedes-Benz CLA
AMG? We will get to the
AMG part in a bit, but first
things first, the new CLA
Class is very interesting. Maybe you start
with the fact that the CLA is not a partic-
ularly big car; in fact, it is an attempt by
Mercedes to attract younger buyers. As
their core models, the C-Class, E-Class and
S-Class sedans have become larger,
Mercedes has tried to fill the gaps.
With the bigger and brawnier next-
generation C-Class hitting the markets, it
is evident that Mercedes felt the need for
a small, possibly front-wheel drive powered
car to attract people who wanted a slight-
ly smaller car. But more likely, Mercedes
wanted to wean buyers away from cars like
the Toyota Corolla and Skoda Octavia.
When the bog-standard CLA-Class with
normal engine choices will launch in India
by early 2015, it has the potential to bring
a whole new category of buyers into the
Mercedes fold.
As such, the CLA is not too big, you are
in a small sedan after all. Rear-seat legroom
is fairly good, though not outstanding and
the CLA, much like its main rival, the Audi
A3, feels like a car that one should drive
rather than a car that one should be driven
in. It remains to be seen whether people who
are used to being chauffeured in slightly larg-
er cars will be willing to get into the back
seat of a CLA, even if it wears the three-
pointed star on its nose.
But this piece is about the CLA AMG
45, a small sedan that has been given the
treatment by Mercedes Mad Scientist divi-
sion called AMG. But most AMG cars are
big bruisers, AMG does not usually resort
to the small and nimble ones anyway.
However, contrarily, that is exactly what
they have done here.
When you sit in the CLA AMG 45, it
does not feel like a performance car. Sure,
the seats have a nice red and black leather
trim. Even outside, the car might have some
embellishments, such as the front and rear
bumpers having channel for air that push-
es the car down and the four exhausts. But
it is only when you fire up the engine that
you get a sense of exactly what sort of a car
that you are in.
The CLA AMG is a small car, as we
know, its engine bay is too small for
Mercedes to shove the big twin-tur-
bocharged V8 that powers the typical AMG
such as the C63 AMG and the E63 AMG.
Instead the CLA AMG gets a small two litre
petrol engine. But as Mercedes-Benz is
showing on the Formula 1 track this sea-
son they are the masters of small tur-
bocharged engines. This car gets 355
horsepower out of its small four-cylinder
power unit. And put so much power in a
small car that weighs 1,650 kg, again not
that much more than your typical run of
the mill small sedan and you can not seem
to find the right adjectives to describe the
performance of this car.
As you exit the pits at the Buddh
International Circuit, you quickly come to
the first, very sharp right-hand turn. Most
cars tend to understeer a bit when you apply
the power out of the turn, but the CLA
AMG is not your typical small car. Because
it is a front-wheel drive car, there is a prop-
shaft that channels up to 50 per cent of the
engines power to the rear wheels.
The car is not exactly a four-wheel
drive car, as under most circumstances the
power drives just the front wheels. But just
as you feel that the front tyres are losing
grip as they cannot deal with the surge of
power from the engine, power shifts to the
rear and helps keep the car in-line and actu-
ally handle the corners fabulously well,
thanks to the fact that AMG has not just
fiddled with the engine but also the sus-
pension of the car. There is no fear of los-
ing your lunch on this car, although dri-
ving with an empty stomach is recom-
mended.
And when you hit the back straight of
the circuit, after turn 3 the power comes like
a hammer-blow. But to qualify that, a pre-
cise hammer blow, the car just accelerates
and before the straight is done, you are eas-
ily pushing past 250 km an hour. The sharp
turn 4 requires some heavy braking, but
nothing that this car cannot handle. This is
the best small sedan available in India right
now, make no mistakes about it.
You do expect most small cars to be
so much fun, definitely not in India. But
performance costs money, and the CLA
45 AMG costs quite a bit, C68 lakh, as the
car is a full import. But this is a precur-
sor to the launch of the CLA itself early
next year; lets hope buyers dont expect
the regular CLA to perform like its
tricked out sibling.
delhi
driver
k8hkh MITk
l| W|i|| i || |+|+i|
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+| +u|u|u|il +|iiu|+Ju
SMALL AND SCARY
Tho Moroodos-Bonz CLA AMG is not a big oar, but it oan run virtually
ovorything on tho road to tho ground, obsorvos KUSHAN MTPA
A FRECSE
hAMMER BL0w,
ThE CAR JuST
ACCELERATES
Ah0 BEF0RE ThE
STRA0hT S 00hE,
Y0u ARE EASLY
FuShh0 FAST
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ThS S ThE BEST
SMALL SE0Ah
AvALABLE h h0A
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AB0uT T
ENABLE THE DISABLED
sunday
magazino
l|s l
Kh0w FE0FLE wh0 CAh'T 00 wTh0uT
REA0h0? wELL S0ME EvEh 00 T0
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MATERAL. T S CALLE0 ABBL0Fh0BA
Now Dolhi,August 3, 2014
n 0uy Sorman's sequel lo
WcnJcrfu| Wcr|J, diclalors
all like nine ins, new eole
begin lo make lheir voice
heard, conlinenls escae lhe menace o
hunger, and lelhal ideologies are on lhe
relreal. Those illed wilh noslalgia worry
aboul lhe French idenlily gelling diluled by
globalism. Though Sorman sees il as a
source o enrichmenl. n lhis way, lhe
universalisl and rogressive dream o lhe
18lh cenlury liberals is slowly coming lrue,
a French lradilion Sorman has adhered in
lhe 2O books he has wrillen.
AN OPTMST'S DARY
Guy Sorman
Full Circle, C595
NEW
ARRVALS
n hovember 1O8O, an
ndian coule are
discovered murdered in a
small lown in uslale hew York. Yel lheir
murder has been lwo cenluries in lhe
making. weaving logelher rivale hislories
and real evenls, and laking us on a journey
across lhe globe - il's a sweeing, eic,
mulligeneralional saga sanning lwo
cenluries. A rich, comelling lale o home
and exile, idenlily and hybridily is also a
slory o oression, riendshi, and lhe
ew inlimale degrees o searalion lhal
lie belween love and murder.
NO COUNTRY
Kalyan Ray
Bloomsbury, C599
Thirly years aler women
became 5O er cenl o lhe
college graduales in lhe uS,
men slill hold lhe vasl majorily o
leadershi osilions in 0overnmenl and
induslry. This means lhal women's voices
are slill nol heard equally in lhe decisions
lhal mosl aecl our lives. n Lcan In,
Sheryl Sandberg examines why women's
rogress in achieving leadershi roles has
slalled, exlains lhe rool causes, and
oers comelling, common sense
solulions lhal can emower women lo
achieve lheir ull olenlial. wrillen wilh
bolh humour and wisdom, Sandberg's
book is an insiring call lo aclion and a
bluerinl or individual growlh.
LEAN N
Sheryl Sandberg
Random House, C499
T
urn to any page of this pleas-
antly plump novel, and youll
discover unexpected visual
imagery, twists in the phrase,
and prose richer in calories
than whipped cream. Take the opening
para of page 153, for instance: He sang
as does a picaresque troubador, of his
own story, what else: I vaulted here on
a miscreant wind, he sang. I turned
into a reed in the fleshy arms of a
baker woman whose dogs bit me, he
exaggerated, a woman who never sang
but turned on her toes so lovely.
Ghalib Islams debut-making Fire
in the Unnameable Country is as much
of a brain-banger as it is a sheer dis-
play of the writers enchantment of the
mind. The 32-year-old Bangladeshi-
Canadian spent 10 years to complete
the tome after 100 drafts (it would be
quite a learning experience to sample
the first few drafts) almost perished in
a road accident but continued to
beaver away at this blockbuster which
packs in practically every element of
global paranoia post the 9/11 attacks.
The mythical country here is open
to terrorist attacks anywhere, any time,
any day. To compound the dread,
theres constant surveillance, viral epi-
demics and thought control to the
extent that no one can dare to think
critically about the powers-that-gov-
ern. Here Facebook posts and tweets
arent under censure. Thats piffling.
The almost-faceless dictatorship has
become the monitor of the mind,
leagues ahead of Ray Bradburys
Fahrenheit 451, in which books were
sought to be shredded for enticing
thoughts which verged on the icono-
clastic. Gratifyingly, Ghalib Islam
doesnt deal out his own religions card
overtly. In fact his yodelling yarn
could be applicable to the subjugated
across the world, explaining the
unnameable in the title.
Call it dystopia or a nightmare, the
premise for Fire in the Unnameable
Country isnt exactly mint fresh.
Current Hollywood cinema, in partic-
ular the 3-D special effects fantasies, as
well as end-of-the-world dystopian
novels are commonplace, to put it
mildly. The eponymous fire, too, is a
far too familiar metaphor for mass
tumult and an approaching apoca-
lypse. Then what makes this book so
magesterial? Broadly, its because the
writing is stylish, inventive and like a
jazz riff wanders, flirts around and
returns to its base with a whooping
crescendo.
Its not an easy read. Its a reward-
ing one, cruising along with its protag-
onist Hedyat an alter ego for the
author who was born on a magic
carpet. Through his irreverent eyes,
you encounter a panorama of charac-
ters who range from the insane to
insaner. No ones normal, least of all
our little big hero. And as youre made
privy to the Magic Carpet boys family
tree, you tend to loll on its branches.
A delightfully quirky ensemble,
parents, uncles and aunts, grannies
and great grannies, appear in vignettes
recurrently, frequently making it a
chore to detect whos who and why the
hell. Yes, characters abound as they
would in a vintage Russian saga. The
names slip and stay, often compelling
you to re-read entire chapters.
Incredibly enough, the chapters
improve on re-reading.
Underplotted, the storys slippery.
Simplistic cause-and-effect dramaturgy
doesnt interest Ghalib Ali, a feat thats
tough to pull off in this millennium
which likes to be spoon-fed. Offering a
banquet for thought saucily, the author
has been likened to a wide range of
writers from William Burroughs and
Jorge Luis Borges to Salman Rushdie.
That can be seen either as high praise
or as a downer for the author who has
a chutzpah which can be described
only as individualistic. Hes self-indul-
gent and abstruse, too, when he harps
on glossolalia or speaking in tongues.
Never mind such reservations. After
all, writers who can carry off their sin-
gularity are rarer than blue moons.
A graduate from the University of
Toronto in creative writing, under the
mentorship of Margaret Atwood, it is
possible that her poems and short
prose pieces may have cast a shadow
on Ghalib Islam. However, there is
none of Atwoods proseltysing zeal on
environmental issues. Her students
mindscape is relentlessly grey and
gaseous, spiked by bursts of flaming
colour and tints of the exotic Orient.
The sensibility is that of a young
brown man whose vision is kaleido-
scopic annoyingly pointless at times
the reality show could be straight
out of the Hunger Games series but
in sum, adds up to a dazzler.
Turn to any random page again. On
Page 173, a rhythmic line goes, Cirrus
clouds cover the cemetery grounds
where my mother and father first met.
A girl is collecting, basketing the clouds,
which are everywhere on grave mounds,
thicker between skeletal branches of the
cemetery flora A beautiful imagery
ones parents love story being traced,
of all places, to a cemetery.
Is there a danger of overpraising
Fire in the Unnameable Country? Not at
all. Its the kind of book authors dream
about: full of sound and fury signifying
something special. Heres hoping it
doesnt take another decade for Ali to
be out with his second Ghalibnama.
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O
ver the years, several acade-
micians and analysts have
dealt with the subject of
India-South Korea relations.
Unfortunately, their number is far
from encouraging. In fact the
absence of books or articles to
look at the relationship in a com-
prehensive manner is clearly
noticeable. This book authored by
former Indian ambassador to
South Korea, Skand R Tayal, offers
a fresh insight into the bilateral
relationship between the two
Asian democracies. This book is
important as it is largely based on
the authors own experience in the
process of deepening New Delhi-
Seoul relations while serving as the
Head of Indias Mission in Seoul.
Another significant aspect of this
book is that it provides valuable
insight regarding how the relation-
ship has developed and prospered
since the ancient times till today.
It is neatly divided into twelve
chapters, each dealing with New
Delhi-Seoul relationship within a
specific time frame/period. In the
first chapter, the author throws
some light on the historical per-
spective of the relationship. He
discusses how the people of Korea
were aware of the existence of
Bharatvarsh even before the
arrival of Buddhism. He also talks
about the initial relationship
developed between the two civili-
sations through the marriage
between king Suro of Kaya king-
dom (in Korea) and princess Heo
of Ayodhya.
The second and third chapters
of the book deal with India-South
Korea relations in the pre-war and
post war era. Two prominent lead-
ers of Indias freedom struggle
Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal
Nehru were highly inspired by
the Korean struggle against
Japanese imperialism. Gandhis
peaceful freedom struggle was
closely studied by many Korean
scholars. The popularity of
Rabindranath Tagores works in
Korea seemed to bring the two
countries closer culturally.
However in the wake of the Korean
War, even though India declared
North Korea as the aggressor and
extended support for mili-
tary assistance to South
Korea, New
Delhis policy of
equidistance
between the two
Koreas were
resented by Seoul.
In the fourth
chapter, the author
argues that during
1953-1972, ideologi-
cal differences and
the two countries
deep engagement in
their own nation-
building process
proved to be major
deterrents in deepening
the bilateral ties.
The normalisation of relations
between the US and the Peoples
Republic of China brought about a
dramatic change in the political
situation of the Korean Penisula
pushing both the Koreas to
reshape their hostile policies
towards each other. The fifth
chapter thus offers an in-depth
analysis of the political develop-
ments in early 1970s that pushed
India-South Korea to enhance
interaction.
The sixth and seventh chapters
deal with the relationship in the
post Cold War period.
During 2003-2012, the com-
mencement of South Koreas
POSCO steel project in Orissa and
the promotion of bilateral trade,
joint ventures, etc clearly indicated
vibrancy in India-South Korea
relations. However Delhi and
Seoul scaled new heights in
February 2006 with their decision
to set up a Joint Task Force to
develop a Comprehensive
Economic Partnership Agreement
(CEPA). South Korean President
Lee Myung-baks state visit to
Delhi in January 2010 led to the
elevation of the relationship to a
Strategic Partnership. Around the
same time, the bilateral Foreign
Policy and Security Dialogue (ini-
tiated in 2005) was raised
from the joint secre-
tary/director gen-
eral level to the
level of the vice-
minister of foreign
affairs/secretary
(East). The
exchange of parlia-
mentary delegates
between the two
countries added a
new dimension to the
bilateral political ties.
Defence and secu-
rity cooperation
between the two coun-
tries also started evolv-
ing. In September 2005,
the two Ministries of Defence
signed an MoU on cooperation in
Defence Industry and Logistics. In
the subsequent years, the Coast
Guards and navies of the two
countries have carried out several
joint exercises. Defence coopera-
tion however received a boost in
September 2010 with the singing
of two agreements one on
defence cooperation and the other
on defence R&D between Indias
DRDO and South Koreas DAPA.
The signing of Civil Nuclear
Agreement between India and
South Korea in July 2011 seemed
to provide momentum to their
multifaceted strategic partnership.
And in November 2012, as Indias
first defence attach opened the
military wing in the Indian
Embassy in Seoul, this added
another dimension to the bilateral
security cooperation.
The author argues that the
bilateral relationship has witnessed
tremendous growth due to lack of
historical baggage. Moreover fac-
tors like their common apprehen-
sion over the rise of China and the
growing India-US strategic ties
have brought New Delhi-Seoul
seem to have also brought them
closer. He lists out a number of
factors that have restrained the
two counties from taking the rela-
tionship to a greater height. In this
context, Seouls opposition to the
increase of permanent member-
ship in the UN Security Council
(unlike India); South Koreas
restricted market access due to
closed corporate culture and regu-
lations favouring domestic pro-
ducers; the inordinate delay in giv-
ing approval for import of Indian
agricultural products; non-inclu-
sion of India in the employment
permit scheme for temporary jobs
or Indian skilled workers in Korea;
etc. can be cited. However in the
coming years, as the strategic part-
nership matures, the two countries
might be able to overcome many
of these obstacles. In the areas of
space research, nuclear energy,
counter-terrorism, drug traffick-
ing, safety of sea lines of commu-
nication (SLOC), containment of
North Koreas nuclear programme,
etc. India and South Korea have
convergence of interest which
needs to be harnessed.
The book is lucidly written
and is proof of scholarly toil.
However some information seem
to be repetitive. Curiously the
book does not deal exclusively
with the prospect of India-South
Korea defence and security coop-
eration in a separate chapter.
Although a short section in the
chapter seven discusses about
defence cooperation, it is not suf-
ficient to understand why it is vital
for both the countries to cooperate
in the non-traditional security
front and how they can go about
it. Students and researchers of
international relations (particular-
ly those specialising on East Asia)
as well as foreign policy practi-
tioners from these regions will be
benefitted by this book.
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A stratogio partnorship
Sludenls and researchers o inlernalional relalions secialising in Easl Asia, as well as oreign
olicy raclilioners rom lhese regions will beneil rom lhis book, says FRAhAMTA BARuAh
l's lhe kind o book lhal aulhors dream aboul: ull o sound and ury
signiying somelhing secial. hoe il doesn'l lake anolher decade or
Ali lo be oul wilh his second 6|a|i|nama, says KhAL0 M0hAME0
mythIcaI
a0caIyse
S
rinagar was shut down on
Saturday on the instructions of
separatist leader and All Party
Hurriyat Conference chief Syed Ali
Shah Geelani. A day before there
were violent protests after Friday
prayers, again at the behest of the
man who still dreams of Kashmir
becoming one with the Islamic
Republic of Pakistan.
The latest reason for his ire is
the plan, now scuttled, by a group
of Kashmiri Pandits to visit
Kounsar Nag, the Pir Panjal glacial
lake in south Kashmirs Kulgam
district, for prayers and rituals that
were a routine annual affair till the
Valleys ethnic cleansing by
Islamists that resulted in the exodus
of Hindus and their being rendered
refugees in their own country.
Here are the facts as we know
them from diverse sources. A group
of Kashmiri Pandits sought permis-
sion to travel together for what they
called Kounsar Nag Yatra. Frankly
they need not have done so but I
guess they were playing it safe and
perhaps wanted adequate measures
to protect them from separatists
and their jihadi foot soldiers. The
Pandits claim that the district
administration of Kulgam issued
permission for the yatra which
would have been joined by a couple
of scores of pilgrims.
Just before the yatra was to
begin, the administration withdrew
its permission. This followed
protests by Geelani and groups
associated with his separatist activi-
ties. Variously described as local
residents, environmentalists and
civil society groups, they claimed
that the proposed yatra would
cause ecological damage. This was
followed by violent protests.
Rather than take on the sepa-
ratists and send out a firm,
unequivocal message that Hindu-
hating Islamism has no place in
secular India, the administration
capitulated and began inventing
stories to pander to Geelanis rage
boys. The National Conference
Government went a step further
and Tourism Minister GA Mir
said, We had not given any per-
mission for any yatra in Kounsar
Nag area so the question of sus-
pending it under separatists pres-
sure does not arise. With
Assembly election nearing, Chief
Minister Omar Abdullah has cho-
sen to capitulate.
And true to its nature, the
bureaucracy has provided the polit-
ical class with an alibi. Home
Secretary Suresh Kumar described
the proposed yatra as a mere
rumour. Just in case the point was
lost, he went on to add, It is not a
traditional yatra but only a puja
that used to take place near
Kounsar Nag years ago for the
last few years some people of a par-
ticular community offer prayers at
the place near the stream.
The All Parties Migrant
Co-ordination Committee, which
was coordinating the yatra, has
refuted this claim. The organisation
insists that permission was given
and then revoked. But theirs is a
lonely voice lost in the cacophony of
denials and protests. Not surprising-
ly, the national media has simply
overlooked the issue. The Glossover
School of Journalism does not waste
time and resources on inconvenient
stories, or stories that inconvenience
Islamic fanatics lest Muslim reli-
gious sentiments be hurt.
Yet it would be wrong not to
comment on the brute and unac-
ceptable manner in which Geelani
and his thugs have forced the
administration to stop Hindus
from exercising their rights in sec-
ular India. The plea that the yatra
would hurt the ecology of the
region is at best specious and at
worst disingenuous.
This is not the first time that
environment issues are being used
as a shield to hide the hideous face
of Islamism. Just how genuine is the
Islamists concern for ecology and
environment can be gauged from
the fact that ISIS banners and flags
were used during the protests in
Srinagar. It was a show of strength
of the Islamic State which has
begun rearing its ugly head in
Kashmir, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
In the past, similar claims of
environment in danger were made
to prevent the setting up of tempo-
rary, environment-friendly shelters
for pilgrims who trek to Amarnath.
This year, a manufactured dispute
with Amarnath Yatra facilitators
saw foot soldiers of the Islamists
running amok and burning down
tents and supplies.
Theres a pattern to this nay-
saying by Muslim fanatics that is
now beginning to emerge. In
Hyderabad and Moradabad, the
pealing of temple bells is now
described as hurting Muslim reli-
gious sentiments. This would also
hold true for many Muslim-domi-
nated areas of West Bengal where
titillated by Chief Minister Mamata
Banerjees sudden fascination for
Urdu shairi Jamaati hooligans have
begun attacking Hindu temples
and households.
In Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh,
Muslims went on the rampage to
protest the construction of a gurd-
wara on land whose ownership
was never in dispute and which
had been cleared by the courts. A
week later, the rioting Muslims
remain defiant. In Karnataka,
Muslims took to the streets to
protest the arrest of a rapist. Simi-
lar examples abound.
We could either wait for the
Government to act or force the
Government to step in before the
breach gets any wider. Wringing our
hands in despair or retreating in the
face of Islamist belligerence are not
options for those who wish to halt
the total collapse of the secular state
as envisaged in our Constitution.
This slide into anarchy must
stop. This descent into mindless
appeasement of thugs must be
checked. Or else it will be too late
and our religious sentiments are
hurt will soon become the mea-
sure of how we, including Muslims,
who do not subscribe to the twisted
worldview of fanatics, conduct our-
selves and live our daily lives.
Promising Kashmiri Pandits a
secure place in Kashmir Valley and
ensuring their return to the land of
their ancestors is fine. But such
promises become meaningless
when they cannot even trek to
Kounsar Nag to perform religious
rituals that are woven into their
cultural identity. Nor can Hindus
be made to feel secure if they can-
not ring temple bells. Or Sikhs can-
not build a gurdwara after taking
all necessary permissions.
If State Governments fail to act,
and act decisively, the Union
Government must intervene. The
bogus Idea of India peddled by
Left-liberals is not important; what
is important is India as it was
meant to be a secular republic
where the law of the land is
supreme and religion is a matter of
personal faith. If such an India
hurts the religious sentiments of
Muslim fanatics, they are welcome
to keep the hurt to themselves. Its
not for the rest of India to apply
salve on their manufactured hurt.
(The writer is a Delhi-based
senior journalist)
FrIea4, f0e, hr0ther,
eaemy. wh0 ka0Ws7
I00I88L II0 0lI0 00I
I0l Il8I0I0 0III
Reader response to
Swapan Dasguptas column,
Usual Suspects, published on
July 27:
Broken system: Secularism
is often abused as an excuse
to spew venom against
Hindus. Democracy is about
votes and politicians depend
on vote banks. But Hindus
dont vote en bloc.
Essentially, anything that
questions falsehoods perpet-
uated by Left-liberals will
lead to riots. No strong
democratic Government can
function in this country as
long as the Congress contin-
ues to water the divisive
roots that will only cause
more social unrest.
Ours is a broken system
that is held together by occa-
sional application of glue.
S Kurup
Discriminating against
Hindus: I agree that India-
Sri Lanka ties needs a total
revamp but the example
given by the author is all
wrong. Imagine if a group of
Sinhala chauvinists attacked
some Hindus from India vis-
iting the Sita shrine near
Kandy. Wouldnt the shrill
television channels demand
strong Indian retaliation?
The answer is no.
When did the television
channels ever bother with
the religious freedom of
Hindus? On the contrary,
some may even twist the
facts and blame the Hindus.
Also, the United States
Commission on
International Religious
Freedom deserves to red-
flagged. It often peddles
bogus reports that are then
reproduced by the media as
as the gospel truth.
M Patel
I00I8' I00xII080I0 t0I0
88I0I Il80I 8I I00 0k
Reader response to
Kanchan Guptas column,
Coffee Break, published on
July 27:
Right decision: Israel started
this war. It claimed that
Hamas killed the three Jewish
boys and went on a rampage
in the West bank, without
any evidence. The reason for
Israeli aggression is to occupy
more Palestinian land.
Blockaded on all sides,
Gazans have no choice but to
fight Israel. India did the
right thing when it called
Israel out at the UN.
San
Islamist Nazis: Islamists who
want to exterminate Israelis
and all others are the real
problem. Islamo-Nazism is a
global threat.
Ashutosh Dube
Dont blame Modi: External
Affairs Minister Sushma
Swaraj should have ensured
that there was no contradic-
tion between what she had
said in Parliament and the
resolution signed at the UN.
Also, this Government has
inherited the Congresss
bureaucracy which can
embarrass the new regime.
Ajay Starz
Suicidal move: Compared to
India, what did the US and
the UK do on this issue?
Hopefully, there will be no
more such suicidal moved by
the Modi regime.
Rangaesh Gadasalli
Friend in need: Friendship is
tested in difficult times.
India has proven it is a weak
partner to Israel. Also, the
UN vote shows discord with-
in New Delhi.
Krishan
Congresss deviousness:
Indias vote against Israel at
the UN shows how the devi-
ousness of the Congress has
percolated into the BJP-led
NDA Government.
Ashish Rai
Losing sheen: The shameful
anti-Israel vote at the UN,
alongside the Governments
U-turn on the Henderson
Brooks-Bhagat report, its
silence on ceasefire viola-
tions by Pakistan etc have
taken the sheen of Modi
sarkar, which is under-esti-
mating the strength of the
Congress/Left ecosystem.
Prasanna
Muslim appeasement: If the
anti-Israel vote was to win
over Muslims, the new
Government will quickly lose
the majority votes which
brought it to power.
Bharati
Down the beaten path: The
BJP criticised the UPAs for-
eign policies but is now fol-
low the beaten track. Either
it is scared of changing the
Muslim appeasement policy
or there are Congress stooges
in the party. BJP voters
expect radical changes.
AV Venkataraman
Correct vote: India should
not wink and ignore the war
in Gaza. The Prime Minister
is changing Indias policy
towards Israel but, under the
circumstances, he did what
needed to be done. There
will be plenty of time later to
make up for this anti-vote.
PB Joshipura
Keep BJP on its toes: Its
good that a BJP supporter,
like this author, is criticising
official policy. It will keep the
party on its toes.
Mohan
SMOKERS'CORNER
hA0EEM F. FARAChA
Panoits oenieo tleir riglts as
slamists lolo state lostage

l is a wellknown acl lhal, in lhe 1O8Os, lhe uS and oilrich Arab monar
chies bankrolled a number o radical Righlwing slamic oulils lo iniliale
an armed insurgency againsl lhe Soviel orces lhal had invaded and
occuied Aghanislan. Fakislan's soil and inlelligence agencies were used lo
launch lhe insurgency and in lhe rocess lhis counlry exerienced lhe
slalesanclioned mushrooming o radical reaclionary organisalions.
Also wellknown is how, aler lhe exil o lhe Soviel orces, rom
Aghanislan in 1O88, many o lhese oulils across lhe Muslim world gradu
ally mulaled inlo becoming nihilisl grous who lurned againsl lheir early
roviders and alrons. Terrorism in Muslim counlries such as Fakislan,
Algeria, Egyl and higeria grew maniold and in lhe nexl lwo decades lhe
slale in lhese counlries was al war wilh lhose elemenls lhal lhey had irsl
allened wilh American dollars and Saudi riyals lo ighl lhe 'undemocralic,
alheislic and imerialislic Soviel emire.'
The olilical faux pas o weslern 0overnmenls and many o lheir
Muslim allies in roing u and conjuring religious radicalism lo comele
wilh 'communisl imerialism' has rools lhal aclually slrelch back beyond
lhe 1O8Os. Less well documenled are acls o some 'secular' Muslim
0overnmenls and even srael, encouraging lhe ormalion, rise and sread
o Righlwing religious grous in Muslimmajorily areas lo nol only counler
lhe 'sread o communism' bul lo also kee in check lhe growlh o various
Lelwing Muslim oulils lhal were dominaling lhe anliwesl, anliSaudi and
anlisrael narralive and aclivily al lhe lime.
For examle, aler 1O78, lhe secular regime headed by Anwar Sadal in
Egyl, encouraged lhe resurgence o lhe Muslim Brolherhood lhal had
been banned by his redecessor, 0amal Abul hasser. A number o Muslim
Brolherhood aclivisls were in exile in Saudi Arabia bul many were allowed
back inlo Egyl aler Sadal reeslablished lies wilh Riyadh (in exchange or
lhe much needed inancial aid rom lhe oilrich monarchy). The
Brolherhood and ils youlhwing were lhen used lo rool oul 'hasseriles'
rom universily camuses and rom lhe 0overnmenl ilsel. The hasseriles
and olher Lelwing Muslim grous had oosed Sadal's rerarochemenl
wilh Saudi Arabia - a counlry lhey considered lo be lhe reaclionary anli
lhesis o 'rogressive Arab/Muslim nalionalism'.
n Fakislan, lhe oulisl 0overnmenl o ZA Bhullo, whose arly had
come lo ower on a socialisl manieslo, lurned againsl ils Lelwing. From
1O78 onwards, Bhullo had begun lo ace resislance rom his erslwhile
Lelisl suorlers when he slowed down his 'socialisl reorms' and began
lo bring lhe counlry closer lo oilrich Arab monarchies. Following Sadal's
lead, he quielly encouraged lhe
growlh o Righlwing grous on
camuses believing lhal by doing
lhis nol only was he counlering
resislance rom Lelwing crilics,
bul also neulralising Righlwing
oosilion and aeasing oilrich
monarchies. n 1O75 his
0overnmenl sanclioned lhe back
ing o a small 'slamisl' insurgency
againsl lhe Aghan nalionalisl
regime headed by Sardar 0aoud.
The insurgency was crushed.
wilhin lhe nexl lwo decades,
almosl every 0overnmenl lhal lried
lo oulsmarl Lelwing resislance by
encouraging radical slamic grous
now aced a serious armed, ideo
logical and exislenlialisl lhreal and
violence rom mulalions o whal
were once 'riendly orces'.
Sadal was assassinaled by a
breakaway aclion o lhe Muslim
Brolherhood; Bhullo was loled
by a Righlwing movemenl and
lhen a mililary cou; Ronald
Reagan's 'roji|aJ' America was
slruck by an unrecedenled lerror
isl allack lwo decades laler;
Margarel Thalcher's Mujahideen
loving England was largeled in a
nighlmarish allack by lerrorisls in
2OO5 (7/7); and counlries like
Fakislan and Egyl are locked in a
mililary and exislenlial war wilh
'ormer brolhers'.
Even China, lhe olher commu
nisl ower during lhe Cold war,
lhal had lurned againsl lhe Soviel
union in 1OG2 and consequenlly
layed a major role in backing lhe
anliSoviel insurgency in
Aghanislan, is acing unrecedenl
ed violence rom grous in ils
Muslimmajorily rovinces lhal were irsl radicalised during lhe Aghan
insurgency lhal China had ully suorled.
Bul keeing in mind lhe recenl alrocious allacks and acls o brulalily
being commilled by lhe sraeli mililary and air orce in 0a/a (suosedly
againsl hamas), ralher inleresling is lhe slory o lhe ounder o hamas, lhe
learned cleric, Shiekh Ahmed Yassin. 0ne could say lhal whal lhe sraeli
orces are going aler is al leasl arlially lhe roducl o lheir own smug cre
alion. This is how: As srael was going aler leading radical Faleslinian
organisalions in lhe early 1O7Os, such as lhe Falesline Liberalion
0rganisalion and olher Lelwing anlisrael Muslim grous; il lacilly
encouraged lhe emergence o some slamic 'charily' organisalions in 0a/a.
The largesl in lhis resecl was ounded by Sheikh Yassin in 1O78 and
was called, Mujama alslamiya. Yassin had been crilical o lhe FL0 and lhe
Soviel union bul remained quiel aboul srael, so much so lhal in 1O7O
srael ormally recognised Mujama as a 'legilimale charily organisalion'. n
1O8O when Yassin ell ill, he was inviled lo srael and lrealed in one o Tel
Aviv's inesl hosilals. As lhe Mujama was allowed lo build ils seminaries in
0a/a, FL0 oices and leaders were conlinuously ounded by srael.
Even when in 1O84 a mosque in 0a/a run by Mujama was raided by
sraeli orces and a cache o arms recovered rom lhere, Yassin was irsl
arresled bul lhen released aler he convinced lhe sraeli aulhorilies lhal lhe
arms were aclually meanl lo be used againsl lhe FL0. By lhe lale 1O8Os
when lhe FL0, once lhe mosl owerul Faleslinian movemenl in 0a/a, was
largely deleled by lhe combined allacks o srael and lhe Mujama orces,
Yassin changed gears during lhe 1O87 'nliada' - a oular urising
againsl srael in 0a/a, irsl inilialed by lhe FL0 bul evenlually inillraled and
commandeered by lhe Mujama.
l was during lhe nliada lhal Mujama evolved inlo becoming lhe
hamas. n 2OO4 lhe man lhe sraelis had nourished lo counler lhe FL0 and
lhen lrealed al Tel Aviv's inesl hosilals, was assassinaled by lhe sraeli
inlelligence agency wilh a hellire missile.
These are acls. whal aren'l (so ar), are new seculalions now emerg
ing in some seclions o lhe Arab media, suggesling lhal lhere was a similar
sraeli hand behind lhe crealion o lhe exlremisl SS in Syria and raq. This
seems ralher arelched, bul wilh lhe kind o lwisled faux pas, selassured
blunders and evenlual monslermaking raclised by a number o suosed
ly anliexlremisl slralegisls in lhe wesl, srael and various Muslim coun
lries, could lhey be commilling lheir biggesl blunder yel?
0curtcsy. Lawn
Just how genuine
is the slamists'
concern for
environment can
be gauged from
the fact that SS
flags were used
at the protests in
Srinagar. t was a
show of strength
of the slamic
State which has
begun rearing its
ugly head in
Kashmir, Kerala
and Tamil Nadu
sunday
magazino
jitit
Now Dolhi, August 3, 2014
F E E D B A C K
l is secious o 0eelani and his rage boys lo claim Fandils visiling Kounsar hag or annual religious riluals will
cause damage lo lhe environmenl. Their blu should have been called bul lhe slale has cailulaled, yel again
Some 'secular'
Muslim
Governments and
even srael
encouraged
Right-wing religious
groups in Muslim
areas to not only
counter
communism but to
also keep in check
Left-wing Muslim
outfits that were
dominating the
anti-West,
anti-Saudi and
anti-srael narrative
h 2OO4, hAMAS F0uh0ER ShEKh AhME0
YASSh, ThE MAh SRAEL hA0 h0uRShE0
T0 C0uhTER ThE FL0 Ah0 TREATE0 AT
TEL Avv'S FhEST h0SFTALS, wAS
ASSASShATE0 BY M0SSA0
COFFEEBREAK
KAhChAh 0uFTA
A| lJ|l] |+||i|i W+|| ||u| + Ji|+| + p+|+|ili|+|] ||uup u+|J + ||pu|+|] || pui|| Ju|i| u||W i| S|i|++| u| Auu| 2. AP p|u|u |] +| Y+i|
T
he religious persecution in Iraq has seen one of the most
vibrant Middle East Christian communities almost
wiped out forced to covert, driven from their homes
or murdered. Conditions deteriorated after the overthrow of
Saddam Hussein, improved a little with the US-led surge in
2007 and now, with the advance of Isis, has descended to what
might be described as genocide.
However, Romsin McQuade, a university student in
America and a descendent of Assyrian Christians, argues that
his particular community has always been subject to terror.
The Assyrian Church of the East gained official recognition in
the 4th century AD. It faced repression under the Ottoman
Turks and shuffled around the region as a diaspora for much
of the 20th century: moving between Iran and Iraq, while a
large contingent found refuge in America. In this article chart-
ing the historical challenges facing his people, McQuade offers
a solution: the creation of an autonomous safe haven.
At the dawn of the first millennium, the scattered Assyrian
people placed all of their faith in Christianity.
Years later, they were court physicians, merchants, and top
advisors to various Islamic Abbasid caliphs, while simultane-
ously managing to become the scapegoat du jour of that very
Caliphate. Their houses were marked with pictures of Satan,
hundreds of thousands of them murdered, and accused of
pledging loyalty to the Romans, their coreligionists, to bring
down the Caliphate.
Determined to remain in their ancestral lands Ashur,
Mosul, Tikrit they found themselves in an all-too-familiar
predicament: fleeing but this time, from the first butcher of
Baghdad, Timur, the Mongol ruler bent on exterminating
them for being Christian.
Reduced to no more than a mere hundred thousand, most
fled their cities to the mountains of Kurdistan in the Ottoman
and Persian Empires.
Then, after the Ottoman Army has finished massacring
50 per cent of their population, 20th century Iraq also turned
its back on its own natives, executing 3,000 of them in less
than five days.
And somehow, those people the Assyrians, the indige-
nous Aramaic-speaking people of northern Iraq took a cur-
sory glance at their wounds, said a prayer, and returned to
their daily lives.
But on June 10, the Islamic State reminded Assyrians that
those wounds were never closed: they were always open.
As Mosul is engulfed in flames and the tragedy unfolds,
its Assyrians have fled to the Nineveh Plains, the heart of
their ancestral homeland. And yet again, their monasteries
and churches have proven to be not only spiritual, but also
physical refuges.
Numbering 2 million worldwide, Assyrians have felt the
walls of Nineveh crumbling down around them. As a semi-
flourishing, yet continually fearful rural minority in a country
that was once hailed for its ethnic diversity, they numbered
over one million in 2003. Now, over ten years later, they num-
ber nearly 250,000 in their homeland.
Attacks on this ancient community have not ceased. The
Islamic States dossier of systematic abuses against Assyrians
reportedly includes: markings of the Arabic letter nun, for
the Christian pejorative, Nasrani on their homes; execution
of women for refusing to veil; church desecrations; rape of a
mother and daughter for being unable to pay jizya; destruction
of the Christian-revered tomb of the Prophet Jonah; kidnap-
pings of children and clergy; forced conversion of disabled
Christians in a Mosul hospital; and even cutting off clean
water supply to Assyrian towns in the Nineveh Plains.
But a glimmer of hope remains: a solution that has been
pushed by Assyrians since the early 20th century.
On January 21, the Iraqi government met to approve a
plan that would make the Nineveh Plains a large area
composed of nearly 50 per cent Assyrians a province.
According to an Assyrian International News Agency inter-
view between Assyrian journalist Nuri Kino and the Iraqi
Minister of the Environment, Sargon Sliwa, the initiative
would insure the continued existence of our (Assyrian)
community in the region.
However, this is not the first time Assyrians had called for
autonomy. Following the Ottoman massacres of 1914-1918,
Assyrian delegations made a case for independence at myriad
conferences the Paris Peace Conference, Treaty of Sevres,
Treaty of Lausanne, Constantinople Conference, and at the
United Nations none of which resulted in any form of
action. Disenfranchised and left to salvage their beleaguered,
tiny nation, demands for a homeland stagnated, and under
Baathist Iraq, eventually declined.
There has been a reawakening in calls for action in the last
few days: Assyrian parties in Iraq the Assyrian Universal
Alliance, Chaldean Syriac Assyrian Popular Council, and
Assyrian Democratic Movement, to name a few have plead-
ed for a safe-haven; protests were arranged by UN offices in
Erbil, Iraq, in support of international protection; and U.S.
House Representatives Fortenberry, Eshoo, Wolf, and Van
Halen are spearheading a resolution (H.Con.Res.110) to pro-
tect Assyrians in the Nineveh Plains.
In a recent 2000-response online poll on Ankawa.com, an
Assyrian news magazine popular in the Kurdistan region, the
site asked what the best option for the Nineveh Plains is. 44
per cent of responders said a safe-haven protected by the UN
is the best option and the remaining results included vari-
ous methods of securing autonomy.
In the past, Assyrian claims for a safe-haven were not
taken seriously; the least we can do now is recognise their
plight. Words of condemnation can only do so much. Just as it
had nearly a century ago, the existence of the Assyrian nation
ultimately depends on the intervention and acknowledgement
of their predicament by the Western world. Assyrians have
been a part of the mosaic known as Iraq for centuries; seeing
that very community disappear because of religious and ethnic
persecution is nothing less than despicable.
l| +il] ll|+p|
sunday
magazino
lJ||lt l
h JAhuARY 1O2O, BR AMBE0KAR
STARTE0 A wEEKLY FAFER CALLE0
MUUK|AAK (LEA0ER 0F ThE
0uMB) T0 ChAMF0h ThE CAuSE
0F h0A'S 0EFRESSE0 CLASSES
Now Dolhi, August 3, 2014
T
he Parliamentary Affairs Minister
had given an indication that the
Government would present the Judicial
Commission Bill in the Budget Session
itself. But the reality is different; there
is dispute on its form and it seems consensus on it
is difficult. There is no consensus on the draft,
which was prepared by the UPA Government.
The Law Commission had also presented a
draft and the legal fraternity differs on that too.
That means there are three different views on
the format of the Judicial Appointment
Commission (JAC). Though there is unanimity
on the fact that the collegium system must be
done away with, there is no consensus on
whether the judiciary or executive should have
greater role in the appointment of judges.
Most people from the legal fraternity want
that the executive should play only an advisory
role in the appointment of judges and judiciary
should have the final say. They believe there must
be majority of judges in the JAC. That is the rea-
son why the Law Commission has given an
advice to keep four judges in JAC, which will be
headed by the Chief Justice. In the present col-
legium system, there are four senior most judges
along with the Chief Justice. It means the legal
fraternity wants to take hold of it, but at the same
time the Government doesnt want to limit itself
to an advisory role.
TUSSLE OVER COLLEGIUM SYSTEM
The Central Government is going to change the
present system of appointment of judges in the
Supreme Court and High Courts. In the first
meeting on the issue on Monday, the
Government will hold discussions with renowned
lawyers, legal experts and the chairman of Law
Commission. After that, the Government will
have an all-party meet. It wants to set up the JAC
as soon as possible so that the executive will have
a greater role in the appointment of judges.
The present system is in place for the past 21
years. The collegium comprising five judges of the
Supreme Court finalises the name of judges. The
Government can object to a name only once and
if the collegium recommends the name again, the
Government is bound to accept it. The
Government is set to change it through the JAC.
But the last two Chief Justices of India
Justice Altamas Kabir and Justice P Sathasivam
favour the collegium system. It is said that most
of the judges want the collegium system to con-
tinue. If the Government amends the
Constitution, it will be challenged in the SC. In
that scenario, the Government and judiciary will
be at loggerheads.
MANMOHAN SINGHS PLIGHT
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is
seemingly alone and aloof, both inside and out-
side Parliament. His close aides say they have felt
that when the issue of Madras HC crept in, the
Congress didnt defend Singh. He apparently
hoped the Congress would defend him because it
was the party that was responsible for handling
the organisation, and under this pressure only his
Government had talked to the CJI.
When he was the PM, Congress leaders
always accompanied him, but now he can be
seen coming out of the Parliament alone. Not
even a single leader of parliamentary team
accompanies him.
He was also seen sitting alone at Sonia
Gandhis Iftar party, which was attended by many
big leaders. Later, former Chief Election
Commissioner SY Quraishi gave him company.
ALLIANCE GAME IN BIHAR
A debate is on in Bihar over the ethical aspect of
pre-poll alliances. BJP leaders are saying that the
alliance between the RJD and JDU is unethical.
Senior leader of BJP Sushil Modi said in an inter-
view to an English business newspaper that the
alliance between Lalu Yadav and Nitish Kumar is
not ethical. BJP leaders are saying that the JDU
and RJD have been fighting with each other, and
people had given the mandate to Nitish after the
jungle raj of Lalu. In this scenario, the BJP is
saying, that if Lalu and Nitsh come together, they
will betray the common man of Bihar.
In reply, the RJD and JDU have raised the
question of alliance between BJP and Ram Vilas
Paswan. The leaders of RJD and JDU are asking
that if their alliance is unethical, how is the one
between the BJP and LJP ethical? Paswan had left
the NDA after 2002 Gujarat riots. After that, he
had been in alliance with Lalu. Paswan was a
minister in the UPA 1 Government and criticised
the BJP, saying it is communal.
PROBLEMS OF GOVT OFFICIALS
Government officials are baffled and upset.
There is discontent among them and other
employees of the Government from the PMO
to Shastri Bhawan, Krishi Bhawan, Nirman
Bhawan and Udyog Bhawan. The ministers are
concerned whether they are coming on time or
not. Senior officials say earlier they thought that
Saturday would be taken out from their off days.
Though it didnt happen, they are working
almost every Saturday. Even on week days, they
are working from 9 am to 8 pm instead of 9 am
to 5 pm. Middle and lower rung officials are
rushing to the office before 9 am and working till
late at night. Parliamentary Affairs Minister
Venkaiah Naidu had conducted two surprise
checks at his ministries in the past two months.
He has issued show-cause notices to 80 employ-
ees who had come late. Minister Prakash
Javadekar also followed suit.
During the UPA regime, such a surprise check
was conducted only once when Lalu stood at
the gate of Rail Bhawan to see who came late.
STATUS REPORT OF UTTARAKHAND
Amit Shah, the national president of BJP, wants a
report on the partys defeat in three seats in
Uttarakhand by-elections. He spoke to the leaders
of the State, who think it is a local not a national
issue. So, the state leadership of Uttarakhand has
elaborated only local causes of defeat. On the
other hand, the Congress is making it an issue of
national importance and saying that the victory of
the party on the three seats is an effect of the 60
days of Narendra Modi Government.
However, State BJP leaders say the party lost
due to infighting though it is not clear who sabo-
taged whom. Doiwala seat belonged to former
CM Nishank, but who sabotaged the seat? Many
people say that in the Assembly Elections, sup-
porters of Nishank had worked against BC
Khanduri. So this time Khanduris supporters
have taken revenge. Some of the BJP leaders say
the Congress won due to Harish Rawats image
and personal relations with people. This is a
more worrying fact for the BJP because it has
three CMs and all of them are MPs, but no one
has a connect like Rawat does.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO BJP-HJC?
The million dollar question is will the BJP and
Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) form an alliance
in Haryana? The BJP will find it difficult to fight
on all 90 seats, so most of the leaders want an
alliance with HJC. But the demands of Kuldip
Bishnoi have put the BJP in a dilemma. Earlier,
he was demanding the CM post and 40 seats and
the BJP didnt agree. Now it is being said that
Kuldip is ready to lessen the number of seats and
can relinquish the claim over the CM post.
Probably, if Bishnoi is given 20 seats, he will pre-
fer his own liking where there is a greater chance
of victory of his candidates. The BJP cant go
with Indian National Lok Dal. Former minister
Vinod Sharma has launched a new party but it
doesnt have a strong standing. In this scenario,
the BJPs only option seems to be HJC to unite
the non-Jat voters. It is also said that Virendra
Singh might join the BJP; Rao Inderjit Singh is
already in the party. They will play a greater role
in seat-sharing and alliance conditions.
sunday
gupshup
hAR ShAhKAR vYAS
Though lhere is
unanimily on lhe acl
lhal lhe collegium
syslem musl be done
away wilh, lhere is no
consensus on whelher
judiciary or execulive
should have a grealer
role in lhe aoinlmenl
o judges. Mosl eole
rom lhe legal ralernily
wanl lhe execulive lo
lay an advisory role
in lhe aoinlmenl o
judges and lhe judiciary
lo have lhe inal say
F
inally, the much awaited
book Defying the Odds:
The Rise of Dalit
Entrepreneurs is out and
available globally. Published
by one of the largest publish-
ing companies in the world,
Random House, the book
profiles success stories of 21
Dalit entrepreneurs.
Paperback edition, 336
page, and priced at C299, the
book was launched at Delhis
India Habitat Centre on July
19, and is co-authored by
Prof Devesh Kapur, D Shyam
Babu and me.
A political scientist,
Kapur is the director, Centre
for the Advanced Study of
India (CASI), University of
Pennsylvania. He is doing
pioneering researches on the
changes taking place in the
lives of Dalits, and the very
caste order that is losing its
grip over Dalits.
Shyam cleared his civil
service examination in 1992
but didnt join. Instead, he
left for the US for studies.
Upon his return to India, he
joined journalism and later
moved to academics. At pre-
sent, he is a senior fellow
with the Centre for Policy
Research (CPR), Delhi.
Shyam is a Dalit from
Andhra Pradesh.
And I, Chandrabhan
Prasad, liked hunting field
rats in childhood.
The book has been
endorsed by some of top
minds Random House had
approached:
This important and
insightful book should be read
by all thinking Indians, says
historian Ramachandra Guha.
A profoundly important
account of what the struggle
for social and economic
mobility means in India,
says Professor Pratap Bhanu
Mehta, president of CPR.
The heart rendering stories
of success in this book offer
possibilities on how we may
eradicate inequalities that
exist in our social fabric,
says iconic business leader
Keshub Mahindra.
An emotionally powerful
book. The authors share
inspiring stories of remarkable
individuals who overcome
adversity to preserve and cre-
ate a new path of possibility
for the Dalit community and
India itself, says Chip Kaye,
CEO of Warburg Pincus.
Arranged alphabetically,
the book begins with Thomas
Barnabas of Tamil Nadu. With
C15 crore in turnover,
Thomas KJN Enterprises
deals in plastic waste recy-
cling. He faced extreme
poverty and caste discrimina-
tion in childhood. We
starved so often, admits
Thomas.
Delhis NK Chandan did
his diploma in 1994 and
joined a company with a
salary of C800 a month. In
2013, Chandan bought the
same company for C3 crore.
He has set up a state-of-the-
art industrial safety helmet
factory in the tronic city
Ghaziabad. One of the biggest
business houses in India is
planning to buy one third
stake in Chandan & Chandan.
Dr Umesh Chaudhary
and his wife Dr Jayanti of
Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh, have
set up a super speciality hospi-
tal named Chiranjiv Hospital
in the town. Thirty nine years
old Dr Chaudhrys father was
a postman.
An IITian, Sanjeev Dangi
manufactures plants that pro-
duce electricity from solar
energy. Born in a business
family, Dangi studied in
Rajasthans famous Mayo
College. Dangi was in news
for buying a flat in the
Commonwealth Village com-
plex for C4.1 crore.
Rajendra Gaikwad has a
pest control company GT Pest,
which is worth C20 crore and
has operations in Singapore.
Orphaned at a young age,
Gaikwad drove an autorick-
shaw in Pune, and later
worked as a fumigation boy.
With turnover at $40 mil-
lion, Bhagwan Gawais
Saurabh Energy is based in
Dubai and deals in oil and gas
business. Born in 1955, Gawai
lost his father in 1964. His
mother worked at construc-
tion sites and till he was in
Class VIII, Gawai was raised
in construction sites in
Mumbai and elsewhere.
With C80 crore turnover,
Malkit Chand began his
career as a tailor and was later
promoted as a master cutter in
a hosiery factory in Ludhiana.
His Jangal Exports manufac-
tures T-shirts, which are
exported to European and
African countries.
DICCI chairman Milind
Kamble has a C80 crore
turnover too. His company
Fortune Constructions builds
roads, tunnels, residential and
commercial towers in Pune.
In his forties and born in
Latur district of Maharashtra,
Kambles father was a school
teacher and mother a home
maker.
CEO of DAS Offshore
Engineers Private Limited and
employer of 5,000 workers,
including over 150 BTech
engineers, Ashok Khade was
born in a village in the Sangli
district of Maharashtra. His
father was a cobbler.
Ahmedabad-based
Ratibhai Mackwana group
companys turnover is C750
crore. His Gujarat Pickers paid
C30 crore in taxes in 2012-
2013. Born in 1940, young
Rati worked with his father in
a home-owned tannery.
Gujarat Pickers manufactures
milk pouches that dairies use
all over India.
Born to illiterate farm
worker parents in Prakasham
district of Andhra Pradesh,
Mannam Madhusudan Rao
(MMR) is completing a town-
ship at the cost of C272 crore.
Aged 37, MMR began his
career as construction worker
in Hyderabad and lived in
huts. He now resides in
Hyderabads elite locality
Jubilly Hills.
Murali Mohan of
Bangalore manufactures pick-
led gherkins and exports to
markets in US and Europe.
His Victuz Exports ships two
containers of gherkins every
week. Born to illiterate farm
worker parents in the
Karnataka countryside,
Murali got to wear sleepers
when he entered intermediate
school. He worked as a help
during high school to support
his education.
More in the next column.
DALTDARY
ChAh0RABhAh FRASA0
+li| W|u J|iJ +ll uJJ
No consensus on juoicial Bill
Fublished by Random house, lhe book roiles success slories o 21 enlrereneurs
Aulonomous sace should be made
or ancienl Assyrian Chrislians in
raq, says R0MSh MC0uA0E
0hrIstIaas
Ia Irag
FIE8T 6IkIM8 EVII I8
8EhIh 8M8es T hIM
A
Catholic priest in Poland
apparently claims that
the devi l wont
stop with his unlim-
ited hexes, accord-
ing to the Austrian
Times.
Father Marian
Raj chel, f rom
Jaroslaw, Poland, said he
attempted to perform an
exorcism on a teenage
girl. Things went awry,
yadda yadda yadda, now
Lucifer wont stop texting
his phone.
The priest claimed
that in one of the texts,
sent from the phone of
the supposedly possessed
girl, the devil told him to
give up trying to save her.
She will not come
out of this hell. Shes
mine. Anyone who prays
for her will die, Rajchel
said that Satan said.
Shut up, preach-
er! Satan furiously typed out. You
cannot save yourself. Idiot. You pathet-
ic old preacher.
A Weird News investigation revealed
Satans Facebook page includes the
quote If you cant handle me at
my worst, you dont deserve me
at my best, and a collection of
really tacky selfies.
(Huffington Post)
8k8Y 8IIF8 Thh k'8
hkh8, IkII8 IhT TIIET 8WI
A
Connecticut baby has arrived with
a splash, right into a toilet bowl.
The babys father, David Davis said
that he was forced to deliver the new-
born in the bathroom of his West
Haven home Friday morning after his
wife, Lillie, went into labour.
He says the baby slipped through
his hands during the delivery, but
luckily went into the water. He says she
began crying and it was the best sound
hed ever heard.
Davis says the couple had gone to a
hospital earlier in that morning, but had
been sent home after it was determined
his wife was not ready to give birth.
She began feeling strong labour
pains a few hours
later. Livia weighed in
at 7 pounds, 6 ounces soaking wet.
(AP)
6EhTEhkIkh ET8 hhkY
hIh 86hI IFIMk
A
Rhode Island centenarian has
received something shed wanted for
more than eight decades: her high school
diploma. East Providence resident Mary
Moniz received the honorary diploma
from the Fall River, Massachusetts, school
department on Saturday. She turned 100
last week.
Moniz attended high school in Fall
River. But she went for only two years
because her family moved back to the
Azores amid the Great Depression.
In 1949, she moved back to the
United States. But she never completed
high school. Her son says she always
regretted not finishing.
She says she had wanted to be a his-
tory teacher. She worked for a
metal products company for 16
years. She says shes honored to
get her degree.
Her family arranged the honorary
diploma by contacting the educa-
ti on commi ssi oner i n
Massachusetts.
(AP)
IkIhT8 IM 'VEWhEIMIh
1Y' k8 WhE ETh8 hME
R
ebecca Ehalt had been living
and working in Slovenia.
Returning to her home in
Murrysville, Pennsylvania for the first
time in two years, she was greeted
by a very excited schnauzer.
A video capturing the moment has
now received 1.5 million views on
Youtube.
The schnauzer, named Casey, is
seen running into Ehalts arms while
making a very shrill whimpering noise.
After a few seconds it all gets a bit
much for the small dog, and she col-
lapses on her side. Following a good
tummy rub, she struggles to her feet on
some very wobbly back legs.
(The Independent)
'8FIEMkh' 6hkE WITh
Fh6hIh FII6EMkh
A
street performer dressed as
Spider-Man in New York
Citys Times Square was arrested
after punching a police officer
who scolded him for demand-
ing more money from a
couple he had posed with
for a picture, police said
last week.
The incident began
when Junior Bishop, 25,
was overheard by a police
officer refusing a $1 bill
from a woman with whom
he had taken a picture,
insisting instead on a larger
denomination, a police
spokeswoman said.
After the police officer
told Bishop he could only
accept tips but not demand
money, the Brooklyn resident
began yelling at him, police
say. When the officer told
him he was under arrest,
Bishop punched him in
the face, police said.
(Reuters)
Mkh 88 E8TkkhT,
ETh8 T hkVE Ih6h
A
man suspected of burglarising
an El Pollo Loco in Costa Mesa,
California, has been arrest-
ed after he returned to the
restaurant for a meal a
few hours after the rob-
bery. Daniel Lee Warn,
28, was arrested when
he tried to order food
at the restaurant,
because employees
recognised him from
the security footage of
the robbery.
The restaurant was
closed at the time of the
break-in, but the surveillance
video showed a man climbing
through the drive-through win-
dow and ransacking the cash
register in a failed attempt to
find money. When Warn
showed up to order lunch, he
was wearing the same clothes
as the person seen in the video:
A green T-shirt and a hat embla-
zoned with a bright pink face.
(Huffington Post)
sunday
magazino
itl|tJlitJl |
0RLAh00 BL00M REF0RTE0LY ThREw A
FuhCh AT F0F STAR JuSTh BEBER AT A
RESTAuRAhT h BZA AFFAREhTLY BECAuSE
hE MA0E A Ru0E C0MMEhT AB0uT BL00M'S
EXwFE, SuFERM00EL MRAh0A KERR
I
n a hospital somewhere in a rural
part of sub-Saharan Africa, a patient
presents with an unknown disease.
That sounds more dramatic than it
would appear on the ground the
patient has fever, perhaps a headache, per-
haps nausea, symptoms that could mean
anything. Most of the time it will be one
of the waterborne diseases that are rife in
these poverty-stricken places. But in this
case, it is something else.
Ebola is a frightening disease that can
kill as many as nine out of every 10 people
infected. It is painful and horrible; it kills by
making its victims bleed to death internal-
ly. There is no cure or vaccine. And right
now, in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria,
it is killing people at least 670 have died.
More than 1,000 people have been infect-
ed in this outbreak, making it the worlds
worst ever: there have been only around
2,300 deaths in all the previous outbreaks.
Most of the time, the disease sits pret-
ty harmlessly in fruit bat populations. But
every so often, says Prof John Oxford, a
virologist at the University of London, it
makes an unlikely leap into humans.
Perhaps someone eats bush meat, or
comes into contact with bats. But then the
virus makes it into a human body, and that
human is pretty unlucky.
After about a week, you get a huge
frontal headache, a high temperature,
maybe a rash. Then a few days later, you get
nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and then
bleeding, from the eyes, from the mouth,
from the backside. And from there, if you
are left untreated, you will probably die.
For the men and women on the front
line, the key is identifying the disease as early
as possible. By the time an outbreak has been
noticed, your best chance of containing it
has long gone, says Prof Paul Hunter, a spe-
cialist in health protection at the University
of East Anglia, who has dealt with outbreaks
of infectious diseases in Congo and Sudan.
Most doctors in Sierra Leone dont have
equipment to do blood tests or other diag-
nostic procedures that would be straightfor-
ward in Western hospitals. The early
symptoms are generic, so your judgment on
whether the case in front of you is some-
thing dangerous depends on whats going
on in the region if theres been an out-
break of typhus, for instance.
What that means, though, is that in
those early, crucial days of an outbreak,
things are much more difficult. Later on,
Ebola is, in a gruesome way, easier to man-
age than some other diseases the fact
that it is a haemorrhagic fever, that it has
this terrible but distinctive bleeding in its
late stages, means that by the time the
patient is dead, you probably know the
cause. With other diseases, says Hunter, you
could still be guessing.
But once doctors know what they are
dealing with, the question is how to stop it
from spreading. And in one sense, were
lucky as frightening and unpleasant as
Ebola is, it is not, actually, very infectious.
It doesnt spread very easily, its not an air-
borne virus. You need to get close to fluids,
such as blood or vomit, Oxford says. This
means its reproductive number how
many people are infected, on average, by each
carrier is very low: about one, compared
to 12 for measles. Whats more, its not very
hardy. We know it as a filovirus not a typ-
ical virus, which looks like a kind of tiny foot-
ball, but this extraordinary-looking thread,
like a piece of cotton. Simply washing ones
hands destroys the long, fragile virus.
The trouble is that Ebola, as mentioned,
is both hard to diagnose in its early stages,
and frightening. Its not easy to tell that
youve got Ebola. If you present at a hospi-
tal in west Africa with vomiting, youll prob-
ably be diagnosed as having cholera, says
Oxford. So nurses and doctors wont take
appropriate precautions and will become
infected. And once a case has been detect-
ed, it terrifies people. A lot of hospital staff
abscond when the diagnosis is made,
Hunter says. And lots of people who were
on the plane with the first man who died
in Nigeria have absconded, because they
didnt want to be quarantined.
Local practices in the affected regions
do not help to slow the disease. The Ebola
virus can survive for several days outside the
body, and in much of west Africa it is com-
mon at funerals to touch the skin of the
deceased. In a haemorraghic fever victim,
that means the skin will be covered with the
still infectious virus that killed them. If you
touch the persons face or something, and
then touch your eyes or mouth without first
having washed your hands, you could be
infected, Oxford says.
He is keen that the World Health
Organization and other groups work with
local religious leaders and faith healers: it
might be odd, a professor of virology say-
ing that, but they are the ones people trust.
The trust in Western medicine, sadly, is lack-
ing. When I was in east Africa, all sorts of
rumours were flying around when we tried
to get blood samples, its a Western
plot to give us HIV/Aids,
that sort of thing, Hunter says. He refers to
a terrible case in 2008, when French aid
workers took babies out of Chad. That
played very badly, people said, you have to
be careful with white people, they want to
steal your babies.
Dr Tim Jagatic is a Canadian doctor with
Mdecins Sans Frontires, who has just come
back to Europe after facing the outbreak in
Sierra Leone. The hospital is a group of
tents in a clearing in the jungle, away from
the population to reduce the risk, he says.
Its a low-resource setting, just doing basic
medicine: hydration, nutrition, fever control,
promoting hygiene. But even with such lim-
ited tools, his team has brought the death rate
of patients down from around 90 per cent
to below 60 per cent, at some risk to them-
selves (There is a sense of not fear, but pre-
caution. If you dont pay attention, you do
put yourself at risk). And, equally impor-
tantly, he is addressing the two problems of
poor disease control and the lack of trust.
What were doing is gaining trust, dispelling
rumours, showing that were not here to steal
organs or take blood, were providing food,
providing medicine. And theyre promot-
ing the basic hygiene that will stop the next
outbreak: They go away knowing to wash
their hands, and they tell their families.
All three men agree that the risk of the
disease making it to Britain is slim, and if
it does, the methods of hygiene applied in
Western hospitals would ensure that it did-
nt spread far. But the thought of the disease
in Europe or America is instructive. If there
was a disease in the UK with a similar mor-
tality rate and risk of spread, potential new
treatments would be made available, says
Jeremy Farrar, a professor of tropical med-
icine and the head of the medical charity the
Wellcome Trust.
He has pointed out in the past that the
response to Ebola is essentially the same now
as it was when it was first noticed in 1976
in Zaire and Sudan: a response he calls shut
you away and bury you nicely. The sporadic
nature of the disease and the fact that it sur-
vives in bats between outbreaks makes it
harder to come up with vaccines and
cures, but the fact that it is exclusively a dis-
ease of sub-Saharan Africa means that the
urge even to try has been disgracefully lack-
ing in the West. There is still much to learn
about the disease. In general, the way the
virus behaves in the human body is poor-
ly understood. Perhaps that will change in
the future. But for now, Oxford says,
its all about calming people down.
l| +il] ll|+p|
Now Dolhi, August 3, 2014
Ebola is a
frightening
disease that
can kill as
many as nine
out of every
10 people
infected.
t is painful
and kills by
making its
victims bleed
to death
internally
O D D L Y E N O U G H
CULTURE LANE
F
ollowing a strongly-worded
open letter in the Spanish press,
condemning Israels military
action against Gaza, Penlope Cruz
has clarified her comments, saying
she was merely trying to promote
peace in the region.
The letter, signed by Cruz along
with her husband Javier Bardem,
director Pedro Almodvar, and a host
of other Spanish film personalities,
highlighted the physical, moral, psy-
chological suffering of Palestinians
as a result of shelling from Israel. It
also called on the EU to condemn
Israels actions.
Cruz has now followed up the
heavily partisan letter with another,
softer statement, made to USA Today:
I dont want to be misunderstood on
this important subject. Im not an
expert on the situation and Im aware
of the complexity of it. My only wish
and intention in signing that group
letter is the hope that there will be
peace in both Israel and Gaza. I am
hopeful all parties can agree to a
ceasefire and there are no more inno-
cent victims on either side of the bor-
der. I wish for unity, and peace... I
believe in a civilisation that can be
capable of bringing the courage to
have a world where humans can live
side by side.
T
he trailer for Fifty Shades of Grey
has become the most viewed of
2014 after less than one week of
release, according to the Hollywood
Reporter.
Citing figures from tech firm Zefr,
the industry bible says the promo for
Sam Taylor-Johnsons film has picked
up a staggering 36.4 million views on
YouTube since hitting the web on July
24. The figure means the movie beats
rivals such as Teenage Mutant Ninja
Turtles, which notched up 31 million
views at the end of March, as well as
Godzilla and Transformers: Age of
Extinction, which both managed 26.3
million views earlier in the year.
The trailer was also named as the
most popular of the year on Facebook
by Variety last week. It received 1.2
million Facebook likes, shares and
comments in just 24 hours. The trail-
ers popularity suggests Fifty Shades of
Grey has jettisoned negative publicity
surrounding the departure of original
star Charlie Hunnam, as well as con-
cerns from some fans that it might
prove tame in comparison to EL
Jamess famously salacious source
novel. Trailer views do not always
translate into box-office results, but of
2013s top 10 most viewed promos, the
lowest financial return was After
Earths not-so-shoddy 243 million
worldwide gross.
Hype surrounding Fifty Shades of
Grey has most likely only been fuelled
by attacks from US conservative
watchdogs in the wake of the trailers
release last week.
T
he former heavyweight boxing
champion Mike Tyson has
claimed that Oscar-winner
Jamie Foxx is set to play him in a new
biopic, through the magic of CGI.
Tyson told the Daily Mirror that Foxx
would portray him in different stages
of his life, aided by the technology
used for the David Fincher fantasy The
Curious Case of Benjamin Button. He
also claimed Martin Scorsese would be
involved in the proposed biopic.
Me and Jamie Foxx are in discus-
sion, and we gonna do it, said Tyson,
48. Within a year to 18 months, were
going to do the Mike Tyson story and
hes going to portray me, and now they
have this new animation; because you
know Jamies pretty much my age so
he cant portray me but they have this
new system.
Foxx, 46, has reportedly asked
Tyson for help training for the role.
Having previously impersonated
Tyson for comedy skits, he revealed an
interest in portraying the boxer during
an appearance on a US TV show in
May. I got a chance to hang out with
Mike, and I talked to him about doing
his story. I think that story would be
fantastic and I had my make-up
artist dress me up as Mike Tyson
People were literally coming up asking
for autographs. So hopefully, Mike, if
youre listening, lets make history,
Foxx had said.
FeaI0e cIarIfIes 6ata c0mmeats
5XUch BWPSTb traIIer m0st vIeWe4
1amIe F0xx t0 Iay Iys0a Ia hI0Ic
Liberia, higeria & Sierra Leone are acing worsl oulbreak o lhe disease lhal has no
cure or vaccine. Though deadly, lhe virus is easily deslroyed, says T0M ChvERS
HDDENSOULS
FRAM00 FAThAK
W
e have seen how the idea
of Maya, which forms, as it
were, one of the basic doc-
trines of the Advaita Vedanta, is, in
its germs, found even in the
Samhitas, and that in reality all the
ideas which are developed in the
Upanishads are to be found already
in the Samhitas in some form or
other. Most of you are by this time
familiar with the idea of Maya, and
know that it is sometimes erro-
neously explained as illusion, so that
when the universe is said to be
Maya, that also has to be explained
as being illusion. The translation of
the word is neither happy nor cor-
rect. Maya is not a theory; it is sim-
ply a statement of facts about the
universe as it exists, and to under-
stand Maya we must go back to the
Samhitas and begin with the con-
ception in the germ.
We have seen how the idea of
the Devas came. At the same time we
know that these Devas were at first
only powerful beings, nothing more.
Most of you are horrified when read-
ing the old scriptures, whether of the
Greeks, the Hebrews, the Persians, or
others, to find that the ancient gods
sometimes did things which, to us,
are very repugnant. But when we
read these books, we entirely forget
that we are persons of the 19th cen-
tury, and these gods were beings
who existed thousands of years ago.
We also forget that the people who
worshipped these gods found noth-
ing incongruous in their characters,
found nothing to frighten them,
because they were very much like
themselves. I may also remark that is
the one great lesson we have to learn
throughout our lives. In judging oth-
ers we always judge them by our
own ideals.
That is not as it should be.
Everyone must be judged according
to his own ideal, and not by that of
anyone else. In our dealings with our
fellow-beings we constantly labour
under this mistake, and I am of
opinion that the vast majority of our
quarrels with one another arise sim-
ply from this one cause that we are
always trying to judge others gods
by our own, others ideals by our
ideals, and others motives by our
motives. Under certain circum-
stances I might do a certain thing,
and when I see another person tak-
ing the same course I think he has
also the same motive actuating him,
little dreaming that although the
effect may be the same, yet many
other causes may produce the same
thing. He may have performed the
action with quite a different motive
from that which impelled me to do
it. So in judging of those ancient reli-
gions we must not take the stand-
point to which we incline, but must
put ourselves into the position of
thought and life of those early times.
The idea of the cruel and ruth-
less Jehovah in the Old Testament
has frightened many but why?
What right have they to assume that
the Jehovah of the ancient Jews must
represent the conventional idea of
the God of the present day? At the
same time, we must not forget that
there will come men after us who
will laugh at our ideas of religion
and God in the same way that we
laugh at those of the ancients. Yet,
through all these various concep-
tions runs the golden thread of
unity, and it is the purpose of the
Vedanta to discover this thread. I
am the thread that runs through all
these various ideas, each one of
which is like a pearl, says the Lord
Krishna; and it is the duty of
Vedanta to establish this connecting
thread, however incongruous may
seem these ideas which judged
according to conceptions of today.
E/|p| ||u| SW+|i Vi1|+|+|J+ Jiuu|
Jle evolution of concetion of Goo
sunday
magazino
sji|ilJlil; i
0R0F ThE 0EA 0F BEC0Mh0 S0ME0hE
BECAuSE Y0u ARE ALREA0Y A MASTERFECE.
Y0u CAhh0T BE MFR0vE0. Y0u 0hLY hAvE
T0 C0ME T0 T, T0 Kh0w T, T0 REALSE T
- 0Sh0
Now Dolhi, August 3, 2014
I
ndian philosophy gives us three ways to realise God
the gyan marg or knowledge, the dharma marg or
action or bhakti marg, the devotion. Though appar-
ently different, in essence they are same the basic
element being faith. It is the faith that leads to realisa-
tion; knowledge, action or devotion being just the
means. The Gita represents this unique synthesis of
knowledge, action and devotion.
Psychologically speaking, these three aspects are
attributes of the mind and can be distinguished only in
thought and not in action. The supreme reality mani-
fests itself in different forms to persons seeking to
realise it differently that is through knowledge,
action or devotion. To those seeking knowledge, it
reveals itself as enlightenment; to those inclined to
action, it reveals as righteousness; and to those looking
to realise it through devotion, it reveals as eternal love.
People strive to attain the same goal of salvation
through these three different paths of knowledge, action
and devotion. The difference is not of content but con-
text. And all the three routes are equally effective.
However, while gyan and karma are difficult paths to tra-
verse for common people, bhakti is the easily attainable
one as it is flexible and convenient, with faith as the only
requirement. It is this bhakti that we express through
prayers. The object of devotion is the personal God to
whom the devotee has to surrender his ego. Absolute
dependence and complete faith are essential. When
devotion is complete, the individual and his God become
suffused into one spiritual entity and reveal themselves as
aspects of one being. This is why the lord asks in Gita
that the devotee must merge his mind in God, prostrate
himself before God and then come to him. In Bible too,
it is said Love your god with all your heart and with all
your soul and with all your mind. The love of god is the
supreme love and every other form of love is imperfect.
How do we express this love? Through prayers.
There are prayers and prayers. All equally sincere in
content and rich in spirit. So, there are no effective or
ineffective prayers. Devotion is based on complete faith
and absolute love of god. The question that often arises
is what to ask. And here we mistakenly enter into trans-
actional mode asking for something and commit to
doing something. But god wants nothing and com-
mands nothing. He is just there a caring, loving,
entity, who is kind and benevolent. What then should
be the ideal prayer? Though there may be many forms,
the one that really appealed to me was a two-line rhyme
that my three-year-old grandson Atharava had learnt in
his play school and used to recite every night before
going to bed: O God! I am ignorant; bless me so that I
acquire knowledge.
It is the essence of all prayers that enlightened souls
from Adi Shankara to Sri Aurobindo have been empha-
sising. All miseries in the world are due to ignorance or
avidya, removing which leads to salvation. Gandhis
favorite Ramdhun, raghupati raghav raja ram, also
underscored the same thing in saying that sabko san-
mati de bhagwan.
l| W|i|| i + p|u|u|, l|Ji+| S|uul u| |i|, |+||+J
(1|+|||+|J). | +| | |+|J +| pp+||+|.i|@|+il.u|
S
ome people go through life
looking at the dark side of
what happens. Others have
learned to look at the bright
side of life, finding good in
all situations where others might see
only disappointment and sadness.
It is difficult to find hope when
we are disappointed. Many things
happen in life that can send us into
the doldrums and depths of despair.
Large numbers of people suffer from
depression because life has brought
them disappointment. Many of them
have turned to artificial means such
as alcohol, drugs or other addictions
to relieve their depression.
Is there any way to find good
when things do not happen the way
we want?
There is a story that may point
to a solution for how to deal with life
when things do not go our way.
A man went into an undeveloped
part of his country to look for gold.
News had spread that people were
finding gold in one of the mountain
ranges. It was not easy digging for
gold because there were no towns
built nearby.
It required climbing steep moun-
tains with specialised equipment.
One had to camp out in the cold at
the high mountain altitude. This
meant bringing enough food, water,
and equipment to protect oneself
from the tough weather conditions.
The thought of striking it rich by
finding gold outweighed the risks for
this man, so he undertook the explo-
ration.
While searching for the gold, the
weather turned bad when a cold
wave blew in, bringing with it bitter
cold. The nights were even more
frigid in the mountains. He shivered
every night as he huddled around
the fire he made to keep warm. He
spent many months, trudging
through ice and snow, searching for
the gold.
Finally, winter ended and the
warmth of spring came. He had used
up his food and was down to one
last meal. As he dug into the thawed
ground, his pick hit something solid.
He dug further into the ground to
find a hard object. At first he
thought he had finally found gold.
As he cleared the dirt away from
the object, he discovered that there
was no gold. Instead, he pulled out a
metal box.
Most people at this point would
have wanted the object to be gold
nuggets and would have been sorely
disappointed if they were not. When
he opened the box, he found packets
of food left by a soldier from the
army who must have been on a mis-
sion many years ago.
Instead of being disappointed
that it was not gold, the man raised
his eyes to the heavens and said,
Thank god, it is food and not gold.
I am down to my last meal, and the
lord has blessed me with food to sus-
tain me. If it were gold instead, I
would have starved to death.
This man had found the bright
side of his situation. Most people
would have complained that it was
not the gold that they had worked
hard to find. However, he surveyed
his situation and realised that if he
was destined to find something on
that day, how blessed he was to have
found food to keep him alive rather
than the inanimate object called gold
which he could not eat. Of what use
was that gold when he was starving
to death thousands of miles away
from civilisation?
The man discovered something
far more valuable than gold; he
found how to look at the bright side
of his situation. Little do we know
why things are happening the way
they are. We want to think there is a
divine plan to our life. Unless we
believe in something with a higher
consciousness than we have, life can
be bleak, dark and meaningless. We
feel hope when we understand that
things are happening for the best.
This points to the possibility that
there is a higher power guiding what
is happening to us and that our life
is not haphazard and left to chance.
This incident brought faith to
the man that someone or some
power was looking out for him. By
leading him to find food instead of
gold at the point when he was starv-
ing helped him realise there is a
bright side to life.
The spiritual path gives us a way
of looking at life in which we find
the bright side. It is hard to see that
there is light at the end of the tunnel.
It is easy to succumb to depression
when things are dark and dismal.
It takes a tremendous amount of
strength to be patient and wait and
see what happens next. Sometimes,
we find out quickly that what hap-
pened to us was for the best. Other
times, we do not see that it was for
the best until weeks, months or even
years later.
There are times in our lives that
we have looked back on things that
happened many years ago and as we
review them, we find out that what
we thought might have been good
for us would not have been good, or
things that we thought were not
going the way we wanted turned out
for the best. It takes strength and
courage to withstand the disappoint-
ments, to wait and see how things
turn out and for this we need to
learn to trust in the higher power
that is looking out for us and pro-
tecting us, the one who knows more
than we do.
l| W|i|| i + pi|i|u+l l+J|
Men aler us will laugh al our ideas o 0od like we laugh al lhose o lhe ancienls, says SwAM vvEKAhAh0A
T TAKES A
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00 h0T SEE ThAT
T wAS F0R ThE
BEST uhTL wEEKS,
M0hThS 0R EvEh
YEARS LATER
we need lo lrusl lhe higher ower lhal is looking oul or us and rolecling
us, lhe one who knows more lhan we do, says SAhT RAJh0ER Sh0h
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There are no eeclive or
ineeclive rayers. 0evolion
is based on comlele ailh
and absolule love o god
LOOKING AT THE BRIGHT SIDE
R
esearchers have ound
lhal i a molher exeri
enced ear lowards some
lhing seciic beore reg
nancy, her baby will quickly
learn lo ear il loo -
lhrough her odour when
she eels ear. n lhe irsl
direcl observalion o ear
lransmission, a leam rom
Michigan Medical School
and hew York universily
sludied molher rals who
had learned lo ear lhe
smell o eerminl. l
showed lhal molher rals
"laughl" il lo lheir babies
loo lhrough lheir alarm
odour released during dis
lress. The sludy, ublished
in FrccccJins cf t|c
|aticna| AcaJcmy o
Sciences, oinled lhe se
ciic area o lhe brain where
ear lransmission lakes rool
in lhe earliesl days o lie.
R
esearchers rom lhe
universily o Bradord
in lhe uK have claimed
lhal lheir lesl could hel
doclors in ruling oul can
cer in alienls wilh cer
lain symloms, which
could save lime and
money, and hel avoid
unnecessary invasive ro
cedures, including
colonoscoies and bio
sies. Addilionally, il could
hel alienls who are
susecled o having a
cancer lhal is diicull lo
diagnose. The Lymhocyle
0enome Sensilivily (L0S)
lesl examines while blood
cells and measures lhe
damage done lo lheir
0hA when blasled wilh
dierenl levels o ullravio
lel lighl (uvA). To con
ducl lheir sludy, lhe
researchers analysed 2O8
sludy arlicianls' blood
samles lhal were coded,
anonymised and ran
domised, and lhen
exosed lo uvA lighl.
0
oclors al lhe Kokilaben
0hirubhai Ambani
hosilal (K0Ah) have ound
lhal liver regeneralion is
nearly comlele by lhree
weeks, and does nol lake
lhree monlhs as mosl con
venlional medical lexlbooks
suggesl. The Andheri hosi
lal lhal runs a livingdonor
lranslanl rogramme busl
ed lhe mylh by lracking lhe
regeneralion o liver in 11
reciienls and six donors
who had undergone lrans
lanls belween March and
hovember 2O18. "0ur sludy
ound lhal by lhe ninlh day
aler lhe surgery, lhe donor's
remnanl liver increased lo
more lhan 1.5 limes ils si/e
and by lhe 12lh day, almosl
doubled. Similarly, lhe liver
lranslanled inlo lhe alienl
doubled in si/e 1O days aler
lhe lranslanl," said 0r
vinay Kumaran, consullanl
and head o lhe liver lrans
lanl rogramme al K0Ah.
8MLLL 6k
F88 0k M0hL'8 fL
0kIL8L
L8 0 0LL6 6k6L7
LIL 60N8
86k Ik hLL NLLk8
Focus on lhe osilive. you have hysical
roblems, remember lhal lhings do nol always
have lo be lhe way lhey are righl now. Fay
allenlion lo diel, exercise. Make a lisl o 2O
eole/silualions/lhings in your lie lhal you are
graleul or. This can elevale your sirilual
mindsel immensely and quickly. 0o ahead wilh
crealive ideas along wilh your eers. Beneicial
lravel overseas is indicaled. This is lhe lime or
making deals, conneclions and collaboralions.
Those in exorl and imorl business can execl a
lucralive deal. Finish whal you slarled beore you
decide lo call o. Commilmenls and alleralions
made now will be beneicial. Sending a good
amounl o money on your souse is on lhe cards.
Iurky number 8, 7
Iurky roIour Fink
Iurky day Salurday
8IF8 March 21-April 20
You are oulgoing and energelic lhis week. heallh
remains good. You wanl lo go lo sa, beauly
arlour and eel good aboul yoursel. 0on'l lry lo
orce lhings, as lhal is likely lo backire on you.
You've ul your besl oul lhere. nslead o
involving in argumenls, lhis is lhe lime lo lake
lough decisions. Secrel molives, clandesline
inormalion could make you ensive. There is a
need lo go dee inlo lhe maller and dredge u
your anxielies. vigilance and clear ercelion will
be necessary lo ind lhal which is hidden. Kee
an eye on your subordinales. There could be
silualions on domeslic ronl which need your
arlial judgemenl. You need lo be grounded and
irm in your decisions.
Iurky number 4, O
Iurky roIour Black
Iurky day wednesday
I0808 April 21-May 21
0isaoinlmenl and anxiely are very likely lo be
aecling your lie now. Be sure lhal you are laking
good care o yoursel as much as you can.
Balance in exercise, ood and waler inlake, and
gelling adequale resl. Brealhing exercises and
medilalion are arlicularly useul or you now.
Eorls made now will bear ruils soon. You may
suer rom vindiclive jealousy and can be quile
maniulalive in lhe ursuil o your goals. Focus on
whal is imorlanl lo you now. Things are nol likely
lo be going as you would like lhem lo do, don'l
lake ush harder. This is a greal lime lo lake some
lime o rom work i you can lo relax yoursel.
nlroseclion, solulions, commilmenls and
alleralions can and should be made now.
Iurky number 2, G
Iurky roIour 0range
Iurky day Tuesday
6FMI8I May 22-June 21
You have low energy lhis week, which makes you
inaclive. You lend lo be inlerering in olhers'
mallers, which some ind abrasive. You will our
your mind inlo somelhing and gel lhe resulls. You
already know whal il is you wanl and need; now
you jusl have lo go aler il. There could be lay o/
slagnalion/reliremenl or your job is very
demanding. Focus on whal you can conlrol and
lry lo leave your anxiely by lhe wayside. you are
looking or work, don'l hesilale lo ask or hel.
The nexl erson you lalk lo aboul may jusl be lhe
one who knows o an oening erecl or you. You
will be able lo eslablish a solid amily line and lo
work as lhe illar o a wide nelwork o amily
members.
Iurky number 1, 5
Iurky roIour Yellow
Iurky day Friday
080F8 June 22-July 22
heallh silualion is likely lo be good. Resuming
your daily workouls is likely lo beneil
immensely. Be careul when exercising; lhere
could be minor injuries or srains. use your
energy in crealive ursuils. Making a decision
on someone's behal is raughl wilh danger.
Kee a lab on someone who is being exlra
riendly as lhere may be a hidden molive.
Comelilion, rivalry on academic/work ronl
may slress you. You may decide lo leave your
job, because your hearl is no longer in il. Much
needs lo be done academically, so gel on wilh
il. A younger erson may be arl o your love
scenario. You receive message o love/roosal
or marriage daling and romancing.
Iurky number 8, 8
Iurky roIour Red
Iurky day Sunday
I860 Aug 24-Sept 23
Your erseverance is likely lo give you good
resulls on lhe heallh ronl. A melhodical
aroach lo exercise/diel and slee will boosl
u your energy. Learn lo lrusl yoursel. You are
likely lo slage a comeback on academic ronl.
ho roblems are oreseen on inancial ronl loo.
You seek lo undersland a ield o sludy lhal has
been widely exlored and documenled, and so
you may go lo a wellknown or eslablished
guru/leacher lo ind oul more. A resligious
osilion al work is yours as you conlinue lo
give slerling erormance. Conlicls, dierence
o oinions are oreseen in relalionshi area.
There is resllessness and unreliabilily; you can'l
resisl anyone's ideas or inlererence.
Iurky number 2, O
Iurky roIour Furle
Iurky day Monday
lI88 Sept 24-Oct 23
Think aboul changing your lieslyle and lhe
lhings you're sending your money on. This is a
lime lo be very caulious aboul your inlake o
drugs or alcohol. Selimrovemenl rojecls will
be successul and bring you added conidence.
You will make rogress by making correclions.
Try lo be adjusling wilh lhe currenl
environmenl. A good arlnershi wilh a
suerior will allow you lo change lrack. A good
message rom overseas is on lhe cards. Some
o you mighl gel admission in a good school
overseas. Some o you may execl
romolion/hike in salary. Finding someone who
will give a symalhelic ear lo your ersonal
woes will rove almosl lheraeulic.
Iurky number 4, 8
Iurky roIour Blue
Iurky day Salurday
8008FI0 Oct 24-Nov 22
There may be inormalion aboul your heallh
lhal has nol yel come lo lighl. Slale i you eel
lhal somelhing is amiss wilh your heallh,
believe in your concerns and advocale or
yoursel. You may need lo see a dierenl
heallhcare raclilioner. Be sure lhal you are
suorling yoursel as besl you can wilh diel,
exercise, nulrilion and vilamins/minerals. Be
aware o currenl issues and changes laking
lace al work else you will miss a wonderul
oorlunily. you're nol where you wanl lo be
inancially, charl lhe sles il will lake you lo gel
lhere. Look your inancial silualion, arrange all
your iscal documenls and be recise in your
inveslmenls and exendilures.
Iurky number G, 8
Iurky roIour havy blue
Iurky day Friday
008I08 Jan 21-Feb 19
This is likely lo be a very serene eriod in lhe
conlexl o your heallh. You may radiale wilh
osilivily, when lols o good are haening in
your lie lhal is relecled in your ersonalily. A
divine inlervenlion mighl be ell. Sirilualism
will give you slrenglh. This is a greal lime lo
lake some lime o and jusl enjoy lie. Al work,
you will be reaing lhe rewards o asl
eorls. Financially, you will cerlainly have
enough lo gel by. You are likely lo have
invesled wisely, eilher in lerms o lradilional
inveslmenls or in lerms o your lime and
energy. This is nol a lime lo gamble, however.
Being conservalive and lhoughlul aboul
where you ul your resources is lhe key.
Iurky number 8, 7
Iurky roIour while
Iurky day Tuesday
FI80F8 Feb 20-March 20
You eel childlike energy and enlhusiasm. This is
a good lime lo imrove your heallh. 0oing or
walks, lo lhe gym or yoga are advisable. Aclion
and ersislence are needed. Make lhis erecl
lime lo begin new venlure. you have some
good crealive ideas or new olicies or
rocedures al work, don'l hesilale lo give voice
lo lhose. You will ullimalely gel lhe credil or
anylhing good lhal you bring lo lhe lable. You
may be wise lo ollow eslablished social
slruclures and lradilions. You may be involved in
some sorl o a rilual or ceremony. There is also a
need lo honour some lradilion in your lie, or
maybe slarl some lradilions o your own i you
have none.
Iurky number 2, G
Iurky roIour Brown
Iurky day Thursday
0F8I0088 Dec 24-Jan 20
Your ear and doubls are your worsl enemies,
lhrow lhem oul. heallh issues may bolher you
lhis week. You may be anxiously wailing or
lesl resulls. Take one momenl al a lime, lhink
osilively. You can achieve lhe unallainable
wilh your delerminalion lhis week. An oulbursl
o crealive sark uls you on lhe road lo a
new crealive vision. Clinching a deal will
deend on your negolialing skills. 0verseas
oorlunily will overwhelm you. Frojecls
you're aboul lo launch should do well. 0n lhe
academic ronl, you are likely lo consolidale
your osilion. Bring slabilily in your amily lie
by sending more lime logelher. you are in a
commilled relalionshi, you can enjoy bliss.
Iurky number 5, 7
Iurky roIour 0reen
Iurky day Thursday
lF0 July 23-August 23
You may become oblivious lo whal olhers
lhink aboul you bul lheir behaviour will be a
good enough indicalion. Enjoying lhe ruils o
inherilance is likely lhis week. Lislen lo whal
your inner voice lells you, lislen lo your body
and lry lo bring balance belween lhese lwo.
You will lry a dierenl laclic or may even
choose lo leave lhe job lhal you're currenlly in.
you have lans o slarling a new business
lhis is nol lhe righl lime. You may nol gel
suorl o your seniors and colleagues on lhe
academic ronl. You may eel chealed lhis
week. You don'l have ailh in anyone, leasl o
all yoursel. Be a illar o slrenglh or someone
you love as he or she needs you.
Iurky number G, O
Iurky roIour 0rey
Iurky day Monday
86III8I08 Nov 23-Dec 23
YOURWEEKAHEAD
MA0hu K0TYA
sunday
magazino
lJ|l \
ThERE ARE wh0S 0F 0ESThY ThAT BL0w whEh
wE LEAST EXFECT ThEM. S0METMES ThEY 0uST
wTh ThE FuRY 0F A huRRCAhE, S0METMES
ThEY BARELY FAh 0hE'S ChEEK
- hCh0LAS SFARKS
Now Dolhi, August 3, 2014
N
o motion can ever come into
effect without inviting
resistance. Naturally, the
universe, being always in motion at
a steady pace, encounters resistance
on its way, transcending which, it
still keeps marching ahead. The
question now is: How does a
massive organisation such as the
universe, with all its enormity and
diversity, takes care of the resistance
it encounters?
What if the resistance turns into
strength? It is actually in this very
spirit that resistance works for the
cosmic world. For, it is the mutual
gravitational pushes and pulls of the
cosmic bodies (planets, stars, etc.)
that maintain the cosmic world in
an orderly state. These gravitational
forces not only help a cosmic body
maintain its steady pace but also
keep them in perfect balance with
all others. In a way, it can be said
that resistance offered by
gravitational pull serves as a
functional tool of the universe. For,
it holds the key to a fundamental
unity underlying all field players of
the cosmic world set into an
interdependent and integrated
framework, each playing its part in
support of others. Seen in
functional terms, it is the mutual
pushes and pulls of the various
cosmic bodies, which hold the key
to the universe conducting itself as
one intelligent and integrated
organic whole. Otherwise, the cycle
of life will not be complete.
Here again, the fact that all
cosmic players have been at peace
and harmony with each other since
time immemorial is why the whole
existential world has survived so far,
and shall continue its journey
unabated. Another reason why the
cosmic world has been able to
maintain its orderliness is that all
the cosmic players have been
strictly following a self-automated
preset divine design, with no scope
for any digression.
The human world, being a
dynamic unit of the universe too, is
supposed to work on the above
lines only, but with a difference.
Unlike the cosmic players, mans
actions are desire-driven, and are
not bound by any predetermined
course, as he enjoys a choice.
Accordingly, a man himself, rightly
or wrongly, sets the course of his
journey of life and, when there is a
choice, the scope of relative
perception comes into play, which
is vulnerable to the arousal of
conflicting ideas and interests. As a
result, even problems encountered
during mans journey of life are all
manmade.
However, unlike the cosmic
world where resistance actually
turns into strength, the comfort
loving man driven by desires, does
not take kindly to any challenge
coming in the way of his desired
destination.
Naturally, when confronted
with adverse circumstances, man
comes under stress that often drives
a person crazy. Often the victims
mind comes under negative
overdrive, when his sense of reasons
gets stifled and with obvious
consequences. Many of the victims,
and particularly the oversensitive
ones, get into severe depression, at
times necessitating even medical
intervention.
The wise, on the other hand,
understand that nothing comes
easy and the least of all to ones
asking, and so instead of grudging,
combat them in all strength. They
rather draw lessons out of oddities
and hazards coming their way, work
out ways and means to address and
grow out of them. Pursuing the
process, ones strength of mind
grows, and intellect gets further
sharpened. Eventually, the man
learns the art of how to turn
adversities into strength.
A case in point is that of
someone who had to go through a
great ordeal and for considerably a
long stretch of time. What kept the
fighters spirit alive in him was the
belief: Tomorrow shall be mine.
But it was not just a wishful
thinking. He seriously worked
towards that end. First, he got into
a self-reflective mode to figure out
his own infirmities that till the
other day prompted him to make
wrong choices and deal with the
problems posed by others
inappropriately. He also identified
his inlaid core strengths and honed
them further. He tried to
understand ones own self, it will
not be possible to understand
others, and but for which it will be
difficult to relate well to those
around elicit due support. And
today, not only he has emerged a
victor by himself but counsels
others on how to deal with their
challenges in life.
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ASTROTURF
BhARAT BhuShAh FA0MA0E0
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Jurn aoversity into oortunity