Wednesday 20 to 26 September, 2017 Kareena Kapoor1 A NUWAY MEDIA GROUP PUBLICATION Khan turns 37

STORY ON page 31 Voice of South Asian Community Since March 2002 Vol. 14 Issue 49 Wednesday 20 to 26 September, 2017, 2017 $1 www.thesouthasian.info There are 1.77 million Uber Loses License To Operate In London homeless in India, but “Transport for London has concluded that Uber London Limited is not fit and proper the State is blind to them to hold a private hire operator licence,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set a target for the nation – every Indian must have a house by 2022. This is a tough task. Only good planning and judicious spending of STORY STORY funds will help the State ON page meet the deadline. ON page 22 21 The Electoral College Is a ‘Treat us like Tibetan and Lankan refugees’ National Security Threat Rohingyas tell SC they have no terror links The Founding Fathers never anticipated Rohingya refugees in India file an affidavit in Supreme Court, reject Centre’s the rise of Facebook and fake news. charges that they are associated with terror groups such as ISI/ISIS. Refuting the Indian government’s claims of having terror links with the Inter- Services Intelligence (ISI) and Islamic State (IS) and being a threat to the country, a Rohingya refugee filed an affidavit in Supreme Court, asserting that they were refugees and should be treated on par with Tibetan and Sri Lankan ones. The affidavit, filed on Friday, rejected contentions of the In Federalist No. 68, his pseudonymous essay on “The Mode of substantiated with any evidence involved in militancy-related government, saying: “No terror Electing the President,” Alexander Hamilton wrote that the by government.” The refugee has incidents. Seventeen FIRs have links with ISI/ISIS and no Electoral College could shield the United States “from the desire relied on a statement by Jammu been registered against 38 Rohingyas in India have in foreign powers to gain an improper ascendant in our councils.” and Kashmir CM Mehbooba Mufti Rohingyas for offences relating indulged in anti-national Because of the “transient existence” and dispersed makeup of in state assembly, which said: to illegal border crossing.” activities and this assertion is not the electors, he argued, (Contd on page 21) “No Rohingya has been found (Contd on page 22) Wednesday 20 to 26 September, 2017 Community 2 Apna Bazar, in legal trouble-Grocery chain placed under supervision to ensure complaince with New York State Department of Labor regulations

jS&L Vegetables, Corp. And J&B Vegetables, Inc. – Operating As Apna Bazar edly failed to pay proper minimum wage and over- – Failed To Pay Minimum Wage And Overtime To Over 150 Employees time to more than 150 em- jGrocer Paid Nearly $450,000 In Restitution To Workers For Unpaid Wages ployees working at both of And Over $160,000 In Unpaid Unemployment Contributions these markets. Many of jTo Date, A.G. Schneiderman Has Won Back Nearly $30 Million In Stolen these employees worked Wages For Over 21,000 Workers Across New York over 60 hours per week but were paid a fixed daily amount, which often re- New York –(By our staff eral Eric T. Schneiderman agreement mandates that sulted in paychecks that reporter) Hicksville- Apna today announced the guilty Apna Bazar pay a total of were well below the state Bazar, a popular South Asian pleas and convictions of $447,832.11 for unpaid minimum wage for even a monitoring for one year. General Schneiderman. ethnic grocery chain incor- S&L Vegetables, Corp. and wages and $162,445.47 in typical 40 hour workweek. The Court also ordered "My office will continue to porated as S&L Vegetables, J&B Vegetables, Inc., two unpaid unemployment con- In addition, the employees the defendants to pay res- enforce wage and labor Corp.And J&B Vegetables, grocers that did business tributions to the New York did not receive proper over- titution for the back laws to make sure that Inc. have pleaded guilty and as Apna Bazar Cash & State Department of Labor time compensation of time- wages and unemploy- New Yorkers get the pay were convicted of Grand Lar- Carry (“Apna Bazar”) and (“NYSDOL”)–bringing the and-one half for working over ment insurance contribu- they rightfully earn and ceny, Falsifying Business operated two food markets total wages recovered by 40 hours in a week. Both tions, which the Attorney ensure companies are Records, Failure to Pay in Floral Park and Attorney General Apna Bazar entities also General’s Office con- meeting their obligations Wages, and Willful Failure Hicksville, NY. Each Apna Schneiderman since taking failed to accurately report to firmed has been paid in to the unemployment in- to Pay Contributions. The Bazar market pled guilty to office to nearly $30 million the NYSDOL the number of full by the defendants. surance safety net." An plea agreement mandates one count of Grand Larceny for more than 21,000 work- employees working at both "The defendants in this investigation conducted that Apna Bazar pay a total in the Third Degree, one ers. Today, the Queens locations during this period, case acted out of greed, by the New York State of $447,832.11 for unpaid count of Falsifying Business County Supreme Court falsifying their New York cheating over 150 Department of Labor and wages and $162,445.47 in Records in the First De- sentenced each Apna State Quarterly Combined hardworking employees referred to the Attorney unpaid unemployment con- gree, one count of Failure Bazar market to a three- Withholding, Wage Report- out of hundreds of thou- General’s Office revealed tributions to the New York to Pay Wages, and one year conditional dis- ing, and Unemployment sands of dollars in wages that between 2012 and State Department of Labor count of Willful Failure to charge with a condition (Contd on page 23) (“NYSDOL”).Attorney Gen- Pay Contributions. The plea that the stores undergo they earned," said Attorney 2015, Apna Bazar repeat- Sushma Swaraj raises H-1B visa concerns during talks with US secy of state Tillerson External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj “strongly raised” the H-1B visa Barack Obama had Wipro, which stand to prevented their de- suffer considerably if programme, which is facing intense scrutiny by the US administration, portation with an ex- the programme is cur- during her meeting with her US counterpart Rex Tillerson. ecutive order called tailed or redesigned. DACA, which Presi- These companies are policy” with Tillerson, dent Donald Trump in the crosshairs of Kumar added in an- has ordered to be or- the White House. other tweet. There dered shut down in six Prime Minister was no indication of months from now, dur- Narendra Modi was Tillerson’s response ing which time Con- expected to raise the to Swaraj on the H-1B gress could legislate matter at his meeting issue. The state de- to legitimise their sta- with Trump in June, partment readout of tus. The issue of H-1B but it did not come up their meeting said visas, popular with In- at all. Both sides had they looked forward to dian IT companies, seemed keen then to convening the new “2 has emerged as a key get the relationship plus 2” meeting of the irritant in India-US re- off to a good start foreign and defence lations after President since this was the first ministers of the two Donald Trump took of- meeting of the two countries and the up- fice. As he had prom- leaders. coming Global Entre- External affairs minis- also brought up with their Japanese coun- ised during his cam- The largest country- preneurship Summit. ter Sushma Swaraj Tillerson the plight of terpart earlier this paign, he ordered a specific recipients of There was also no “strongly raised” the the nearly 8,000 un- week, also discussed review of the tempo- H-1Bs are Indians, word from the US side vexatious issue of H- documented immi- “regional issues, with rary visa programme accounting for nearly to the plight of un- 1B visas for highly grants from India a focus on Pakistan, whose critics believe 70% of all visas is- documented immi- skilled professionals, brought to the US as Afghanistan and ter- is taking away Ameri- sued under this cat- grants raised by facing intense scru- children who could be rorism”, external af- can jobs, now filled egory in 2014, Swaraj. This is part of tiny by the Trump ad- deported when an fairs ministry spokes- by foreigners, mostly though not all of a larger political, and ministration, at her Obama-era regulation person Raveesh Indians. them were employed extremely emotive, de- first bilateral meeting protecting them ex- Kumar tweeted. H-1Bs are key to the by Indian IT compa- bate taking place in with her American pires next March. Swaraj “strongly business model of top nies. Many Indians the US about the fate counterpart Rex The two officials, who raised the issue of Indian IT companies are hired by US of nearly 800,000 Tillerson on Friday. had spoken on phone H1B visa and children operating in the companies such as people brought ille- Meeting on the side- before and met for the falling under DACA United States, such as Google, Facebook gally to the country as lines of the UN Gen- first time during a tri- (Deferred Action for Tata Consultancy Ser- and Microsoft who children. eral Assembly, Swaraj lateral meeting with Childhood Arrivals) vice, Infosys and back the scheme. Former president Wednesday 20 to 26 September, 2017 ADVERTISMENT 3 Wednesday 20 to 26 September, 2017 OP-ED 4 Can Rahul Gandhi’s Berkeley vigour carry him through to Bareilly? Rahul Gandhi’s Berkeley speech has given the Congress a reason to be cheerful after a long time. And it comes at a time when the perception that there is growing dissatisfaction with the BJP is fast gaining ground. tributed the victory of the fully when – if? – he takes partymen seem to back ated – were largely for the National Students Union of over the party in the next him, but in private they good. Even those who do India in the Delhi Univer- month or two. From then speak in different voices. not like the Congress ac- sity Students Union elec- on, the Grand Old Party, Some of it is normal and knowledge it has a good tion to Rahul Gandhi’s will work towards improving happens in every party, but bench strength of high- speech in Berkeley!The on its performance from Gandhi will have to fight quality talent. But this may Congress has some rea- 2014 and even look to and finish this negativity if not translate into mass son to be cheerful after a coming back to power, with he wants to rouse his votes. Anti-incumbency is long time. The party had the help of like-minded troops (and especially of- not always translatable into almost forgotten what good coalition partners. ficers) and turn them into pro-opposition. Besides, press looked like. And it Why, there could be even an election machine that Narendra Modi’s personal comes at a time when the hopes about Rahul Gandhi can compete with the BJP. appeal – including his perception is fast gaining emerging as the unani- The Congress has not only famed communication Going by reports coming in they have not been able to ground that there is grow- mous leader of this group, lost elections, it has also skills – is a vote-catcher like from the United States, go after him this time ing dissatisfaction with the in the absence of any other lost power when it seemed nothing else. Rahul Gandhi is making around. The BJP reaction BJP. With the next general candidate, now that Nitish to be within its grasp after For the Congress, resur- quite an impression there, after his meeting in Berke- elections 20 months away, Kumar has crossed over to winning elections. gence can only come if it at least in academic, policy ley, when ministers and the BJP’s leaders cannot the BJP. Equally difficult will be to gets not just its own com- and journalistic circles. senior party leaders came but be looking for ways to This is still in the realm of convince voters that the munication right. Will be Narendra Modi’s 2014 trip out to attack him, seems to please the voters. wishful thinking. Forget Congress has learnt from the party be able to join the was marked by big-ticket have not had much impact. The Congress sees this as getting the backing of the its failures and is prepared right partners and take a shows like the one in which In Congress circles, there an opening for itself. The leaders of other parties – to make structural and sys- back seat where required? he addressed thousands of is much joy that their young promotion of Rahul as a and as yet we don’t know temic changes. UPA 2 was And how will it sell Rahul Gandhi NRIs in Madison Square leader is doing well in the clever young man en- who they will be – Rahul tainted by scams, though to the masses? Berkeley may Garden. Gandhi, however, US and is getting positive dorsed by global thought Gandhi first has to there is some recognition have been won, but the real battle maintained a low-key pres- press in India. Ajay Maken leaders is part of that strat- galvanise his own party el- that many of its policies – will be in Bareilly, Baroda and ence and spoke on policy got so excited that he at- egy and will be deployed ders. Outwardly, many that the BJP has appropri- Balasore. issues, India and China, the social tensions in India and even on why dynasties are endemic in this coun- Why India should stop building mega dams try, all which seems to have To the State, big dams are symbols impressed his audiences. He even complimented of mega achievement. To the people Narendra Modi on his su- who are displaced, these monsters perior communication mean emptiness of existence skills. After he retired from the those of the dam oustees, Some have said they were civil services, my father- who were given homes in ‘surprised’ by his grasp of in-law spent the last three the new Tehri city. But the issues and his clarity? Why decades of his life with his dam oustees never forgot surprised? Because they wife in Almora, their homes that lay sub- had been led to believe, by Uttarakhand (UKD). They merged in the dam. what they had read in the were part of the process After the 2013 floods, three media and heard on the that saw the state trans- government panels identi- grapevine, that he was not form from a neglected fied dam-building activities much more than a good- and rustic backwater of and the corresponding looking scion of a big po- Uttar Pradesh to a fast- change in the flow of riv- developing independent ers as a major reason for litical family. Gandhi had an catchment area of the dam and also care for their unstructured and chaotic, state, currently rated as the devastation. Yet the explanation for that: his po- will submerge 11,600 hect- small family farms. and many locals were not the sixth richest in India. state is planning new ones. ares (7,600 in India and OnAugust 17, when show- allowed to speak or ask litical rivals, i.e. the BJP, But today, thoughtless de- Of late, however, several 4,000 in Nepal). In India, ers wrecked the region’s even basic questions re- had a large team of people velopment --- such as reports in UKD papers this means 134 villages roads, the state suddenly garding the proposal. working full time to rubbish building of bumper-to- have been talking about spread over Almora, announced three public Journalist Hridayesh Joshi him and create an image bumper dams in its rivers how people are worried Champavat and hearings in Champhawat, reported that at the of a non-performer. You ---- is proving to be a about a new mega dam Pithoragarh will be sub- Pithoragarh and Almora Pithoragarh public hear- hear me out and judge for challenge for the state. proposed on the mighty merged, displacing 30,000 district and block head- ing, activist Vimal Bhai’s yourself, he told his Ameri- The subject of dams is a river Maha Kali, known as people. It will also destroy quarters on the issue. The microphone was discon- can listeners and appar- touchy one in the state. Sharada in India. Sharada, precious forests and inevi- public hearings were held nected to stop him from ently they did. Those of us writing in the which originates in Nepal tably lead to flawed reha- but public representation speaking. In Almora, se- It is to be noted that Gandhi media in the 1990s have and flows through UKD, is bilitation of ousteees. Less was poor because of two nior journalist and activist not forgotten the protests fed by Dhauli, Gori, Sarayu is not travelling with a me- land per family will also reasons: Many could not Rajiv Lochan Sah was against the Tehri dam, and Ramganga. The dam, dia entourage. Neither are mean more migration of afford to buy expensive heckled and stopped by which was built against which will be the biggest in males to the plains, leav- bus tickets to attend it, and the local officials before reporters from Indian tele- the advice of ecologists, South Asia, is expected to ing women to fend for many of those who did he could complete his vision channels following geologists and activists. I generate 5,040 MW of families and farms. It will board buses failed to reach speech. Congress leader him and reporting on his still remember the photo- power, and will service both also increase human-wild- the venue due to rains and Harish Dhami complained speeches. It is no secret graphs of beaming netas India and Nepal, and cover life conflicts, which will flooded roads. From local that he was thrown out of that the Indian media does inaugurating the dam as an area larger than make it difficult for women reports, it seems that the the venue when he ques- not give him a free ride and a “gift to the nation” that Chandigarh.The proposed to gather fuel and fodder public hearings, remained tioned the viability of the is often hostile to him—yet, were circulated along with dam. (Contd on page 22) Wednesday 20 to 26 September, 2017 EDITORIAL 5 Warmongers and Suu Kyi’s stand on Rohingya refugees is disingenuous Peacemakers at the U.N. The Rohingyas status as the world’s most unloved people remains intact after Myanmar’s State Counselor and de facto leader, Aung San The United Nations isn’t the venue one would expect for Suu Kyi, responded to the wave of international criticism against her country’s treatment of the persecuted Muslim minority. The most gener- threatening war. Yet that’s what President Trump did ous thing that can be said is that Suu Kyi seemed to argue that the world in his first address to the General Assembly. should recognise that Myanmar’s democracy remains in its infancy and should be given some leeway when events like the Rohingya refugee Mr. Trump’s performance had ech- problem erupt. While there is a case for this, too many of her statements oes of President George W. Bush’s were so questionable that most overseas listeners would be hard put to infamous “axis of evil” demonizing of cut her any slack. She claimed the Rohingyas did not face discrimina- Iran, North Korea and Iraq in 2002. tion inside Myanmar, that the violence against them was ebbing and a This time, Iraq was spared, having dis- number of other suspect claims. There can be little doubt of her meta- appeared from Mr. Trump’s enemies morphosis from a champion of civil liberties to a hard-nosed politician list. Iran came across as “reckless,” who feels she has to cater to her xenophobic Burmese voters and the savage and not to be trusted despite concerns of the country’s military, still the most powerful force in an Obama-era agreement to halt Iran’s Myanmar. nuclear weapons program. North Ko- India is similarly turning its back on the Rohingyas, at least when rea was even more clearly in the it comes to providing them a haven from the violent persecution they are president’s cross hairs. He warned facing in Myanmar. The NDA government, echoing Suu Kyi’s charges of that he would “totally destroy North Korea” to defend the United States and its allies, violence by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, says the Rohingyas and he again disparaged North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, as “Rocket Man.” He pose a security threat. They cite credible information that Al Qaeda and said Mr. Kim was on a “suicide mission for himself and for his regime.” Lashkar-e-Tayyeba have become involved in fomenting Rohingyas against In all this fury, before a world body whose main purpose is the peaceful resolu- the Myanmar government. It has gone as far as to claim that the Su- tion of disputes, there was hardly a hint of compromise or interest in negotiations. preme Court, which is presently considering the Rohingyas’ case, lacks It’s a telling contrast to President Barack Obama’s approach to many of the same jurisdiction when it comes to the issue of migrant deportation.Both problems in the same setting in 2009. Mr. Obama warned the General Assembly that Naypyidaw and New Delhi are being disingenuous. Only a handful of “North Korea and Iran threaten to take us down this dangerous slope” and must be Rohingyas, a Sufi-influenced Muslim population, have taken up arms “held accountable” if “they put the pursuit of nuclear weapons ahead of regional and even fewer are known to have taken to radical Islamicism. There is a stability.” But he also said he respected “their rights as members of the community very clear causality between this shift towards radicalism and literally of nations” and was “committed to diplomacy that opens a path to greater prosperity decades of persecution by the Myanmar authorities. The obvious solu- and more secure peace for both nations if they live up to their obligations.” tion to Rohingya terrorism is to end the state violence they are facing at Like Mr. Obama, other presidents have used this setting to talk sternly to adver- home. The international community is simply too distracted and frag- saries and exhort the world body to do more to confront international challenges. Mr. mented to put any serious pressure on Myanmar. And there is a fear that Trump’s dark tone and focus seemed a significant deviation, not least his relent- the country’s attempts to distance themselves from Chinese influence lessly bellicose approach to North Korea. “No one,” he said, “has shown more and military control would be damaged by too much external pressure on contempt for other nations and for the well-being of their own people than the de- the Rohingya issue. India’s private urgings to Myanmar and its various praved regime in North Korea.”Iran fared little better under Mr. Trump’s withering aid programmes are the sort of band-aids being proffered by almost every assessment. “It is far past time for the nations of the world to confront another country to help the Rohingyas. But the claim the Rohingyas pose a threat is the reckless regime, one that speaks openly of mass murder, vowing death to America, basis for such half-hearted responses. The reverse is true: not helping the destruction to Israel and ruin for many leaders and nations in this room,” he said of Rohingyas is why they will become a genuine security threat in future. the Shiite-led government in Tehran. He called the 2015 Iran nuclear deal “one of the worst and most one-sided transactions the United States has ever entered into” and gave a clear signal that he means to back out of it, despite strong evidence that Iran is complying with the terms. Under law, Mr. Trump is supposed to certify to Congress next month that Iran is still complying, and Tuesday’s comments were the strongest sign that he will not, ISSN No. 1554 06X very likely forcing Congress to deal with the politically contentious issue. If America Chairman : Karam Singh Thind withdraws from the agreement, it will outrage the other major powers that are party President: Bhupinder Kaur Thind to the deal — France, Britain, Germany, Russia and China — and give Iran an Editor in Chief & Publisher : Sharanjit Singh Thind excuse to resume a full-blown nuclear program. Why Mr. Trump would risk that Editor (Political Affairs-India) : Aruna Singh when North Korea’s program is a full-time concern is a mystery. Deputy Managing Editor : Max Thind Mr. Trump’s largely benign comments about the United Nations were encourag- Contributing Writer: Navjot Kaur Thind ing, considering he once condemned it as useless and having no place in his Chief Photographer : Vijay Shah Special Correspondent : “America First” vision. But his references to the body as a collection of sovereign nations seemed intended for his base, most of which applauds Mr. Trump’s national- Photographers: Ruth Alvarez/Hamad Gagandeep Singh (INDIA) ism and much of which suspects the United Nations is bent on establishing a world Editorial Intern: Roubin Singh Thind Web Coordinator : Jatinder Kumar government. While Mr. Trump praised the world body for its work with refugees and A Publication of Media Partners Capital, Inc. health and commended the secretary general, António Guterres, for his efforts to REGD & MAILING OFFICE : reform the institution, he complained that the United States, at 22 percent of the budget, pays “an unfair share of the burden.” Mr. Obama was not blind to the United P.O Box 7005 Hicksville New York 11801 Nations’ weaknesses, observing that “this body has often become a forum for sow- ing discord instead of forging common ground; a venue for playing politics and Cell : 917 612 3158, TelFax : 516 342 1076 exploiting grievances rather than solving problems.” And he told members that “re- [email protected], [email protected] sponsibility and leadership in the 21st century demand more.” But he was also more www.thesouthasianinsider.com committed to multilaterism in general, noting that after the George W. Bush years, Disclaimer The South Asian Insider is a weekly newspaper published every week by The South Asian Insider. It's available in his administration had “re-engaged the United Nations. We have paid our bills.” community & religious centers, ethnic grocery stores and also available by mail, email & online to subscribers. The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various writers, authors and forum participants in The South Asian Insider do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints (Contd on page 22) of the Editor. All advertisers advertising in The South Asian Insider assume responsibility for accuracy of their advertisements. The South Asian Insider and/or people associated with it are not responsible for any claims made by the advertisers and don't endorse any product or services advertised in The South Asian Insider. We strongly urge consulting your lawyer before buying/contracting /hiring through the ads published in the newspaper. We are in the business of selling space and claims made by the advertisers are not authenticated or confirmed by an independent source Wednesday 20 to 26 September, 2017 OPINION 6 Why Pakistan should take Donald Trump’s ultimatum at the UN seriously The US president’s UN speech echoed deep-seated frustration with Pakistan. He is known to have grumbled privately to visit- ing officials from the region about the billions of dollars Islamabad has received from the United States but has failed to on notice. “We can no to curbcurb or root or out root terror- outhoped terrorists that Pakistani lead- talks with Secretary of longer be silent about ists that this and past ad- ers will understand that it State Rex Tillerson – and Pakistan’s safe havens for ministrations, joined by bi- is in their interest to go af- left for China – and terrorist organisations, the partisan support from con- ter these groups less se- Islamabad called off a Taliban, and other groups gress, have sought in re- lectively than they have in visit by Alice Wells, a While delivering a been found hiding in 2011– that pose a threat to the turn, in a cynically trans- the past.” He had added: senior US state depart- strong message to North and Iran for the third. region and beyond … Pa- actional approach they say “The best way to pursue ment official for the Pa- Korea and Iran, that will The president is telling kistan has also sheltered they have been forced to their interests in Afghani- kistan-Afghanistan re- echo around the world for Islamabad, he means it. the same organisations that adopt after running out of stan and elsewhere is gion. Pakistan might want the colourful language he “We must deny the ter- try every single day to kill all other options.President through the use of diplo- to take a hard look at its used – “Rocket Man” for rorists safe haven, transit, our people.” The Trump wants to get tough macy, and not through the options. It doesn’t have Pyongyang’s Kim Jong Un funding, and any form of president’s UN speech tied with Pakistan. He ran his use of proxies that engage many. It must shut down – US President Donald support for their vile and into, in parts relevant to White House campaign on in violence.” Islamabad Lashkar-e-Toiba, Jaish-e- Trump issued a no-frills, sinister ideology,” Trump South Asia, that policy. It the promise of defeating must have heard the call. Mohammad, the Haqqani stark ultimatum to nations told world leaders in his not only echoed deep- terrorism, specifically the But did it heed it? And Network and all other that harbour terrorists, fund maiden speech to the UN seated frustration with a Islamic State. And his ad- now, aggrieved by groups – some Afghans them and grant them tran- general assembly. “We non-NATO ally over years ministration was quick to Trump’s new South Asia suspect the newly surging sit. He named no nation or must drive them out of our of broken promises and announce its low-tolerance policy specially the part Islamic State in Khorasan region, but his list of out- nations. It is time to expose betrayals, but also the of terrorists of any kind or that sought a larger role is also getting support from fits that benefit from this and hold responsible those growing resentment that it group. The president’s na- for India in Afghanistan, Islamabad – that operate support – the Taliban, Al countries who support and has given way to in recent tional security adviser HR only to do with economic freely from its soil, raise Qaeda and Hezbollah – he finance terror groups.” years. The president is McMaster delivered a stern and infrastructure devel- funds, march in raucous put their backers front and Trump might have been known to have grumbled message to Islamabad dur- opment, it responded rallies and openly support centre. Pakistan for the reading a para from his privately to visiting officials ing a visit to Kabul in April, with temper tantrums and and call for terrorist strikes first two – if you are won- speech announcing his from the region about the when he told a local TV petulance. Pakistani for- against their enemies, and dering why Al Qaeda, do administration’s new South billions of dollars Islamabad news channel: “As all of us eign minister Khawaja by extension that of their recall where its leader Asia policy last month, in has received from the have hoped for many, Muhammad Asif can- backers in the Pakistani Osama bin Laden had which he had put Pakistan United States but has failed many years — we have celled a trip to the US for establishment. Why global leadership on refugees matters This weekend, I picked up Many continue that long for refugees. The same cannot be said as 60%. Nelson Mandela's "Long Walk walk to this day. The cruel Twelve months on, while of wealthy nations. This is an affront to some to Freedom" and reread parts irony is that far from reaching host countries have made In 2016, wealthy nations of the most vulnerable people of this well-thumbed tome. The "freedom," numbers of count- progress on their commit- provided 63% of the $4.54 bil- in the world and to partners, last time I read it, the world less innocents die en route. ments, wealthy nations have lion requested for the Syria such as the Jordanian people, was a very different place; this And given that every 20 min- faltered. region's response plan. This who have opened their homes time, I found that its themes utes, someone is forced to flee Low- and middle-income year, that plan is just 45.1% and their hearts because we of social inequality, injustice, his or her home somewhere in countries, struggling to meet funded. see our common humanity in resilience and courage reso- the world, even more will em- the needs of their own popu- Worse yet, wealthy nations our neighbors. nated in new ways. bark on that terrible journey. lations, are shouldering a dis- have walked away from their So, when leaders recon- Perhaps because of my In 2016 alone, 65.6 million proportionate share of the commitment to resettlement. vene in New York this month, I work with the International displaced mothers, fathers and refugee population. Resettlement is an option avail- urge them to do the right thing. Rescue Committee, I found children were forced to walk Nearly 90% of the world's able only to the most vulner- Don't turn away. Walk a few myself reflecting on another away from everything they refugees are hosted in low- able refugees, those who the steps in refugees' shoes and long walk to freedom -- that of held dear to embark on the and middle-income countries. UN High Commissioner for meet them on their long walk strong women, like Sherine. longest and most dangerous Countries such as mine, Refugees has determined from despair to dignity. Be- Widowed before she was voyage of their lives in search where one in five residents is have no hope of returning cause coming to the UN Gen- 20, pregnant and terrified of of safe haven. a refugee, are doing their best home, and cannot be safely eral Assembly is not a mea- living under ISIS' rule, in No- What would Madiba think of to support those seeking safety and securely cared for by host sure of success -- it's a feat vember, Sherine fled Mosul, that? and security. nations. Widowed mothers. of administration. Iraq. She wandered through Recognizing this unprec- Over the past six years, the Survivors of torture. Orphaned The measure of success for desert, survived waves of fight- edented human catastrophe, cost of hosting 1.3 million Syr- children. Victims of rape. Hu- real leaders is the extent to ing and dodged landmines -- this time last year, leaders of ian refugees has exceeded $2 man beings who need special- which they deliver on promises all while searching for refuge the world's wealthiest nations billion annually. That's more ized medical care. that affect the lives of the most to give birth. came together to sign the New than one-fifth of our annual Last year, the UNHCR iden- helpless and hopeless among Today, Sherine is safe. She York Declaration for Refugees government budget revenue. tified more than 1.1 million us. and her son, Ihab, found tem- and Migrants. Our schools and health refugees from among the And if they falter, they porary shelter in an IRC camp It pledged a 30% increase systems are bursting; our world's 22.5 million refugees in would do well to reread the on the Syrian-Iraqi border. But in humanitarian financing and teachers are working double need of resettlement. The words of one of the greatest her journey is far from over. a doubling of the number of shifts to accommodate more UNHCR has called for 10% of moral leaders of our time who How right Madiba was slots for refugee resettlement than 130,000 school-age refu- Syrian refugees to be re- reminds us of our common when he said, "There is no to wealthy nations. They prom- gees. We've issued close to settled. humanity and the values that easy walk to freedom. ..." In ised to provide critical relief 55,000 work permits. Our in- So far, wealthy countries connect as a family. 2015, it was estimated that and support to strategic allies frastructure, social services have resettled less than 3%. "Our human compassion refugees and migrants collec- and partners -- such as Jor- and economy are buckling And this year, far from dou- binds us the one to the other -- tively traveled more than 2 bil- dan. In turn, refugee-hosting under the strain. Nonetheless, bling opportunities for refugee not in pity or patronizingly, but lion miles to find sanctuary, nations agreed to make policy Jordan -- and other countries resettlement, overall refugee as human beings who have learnt according to data from changes to provide greater such as mine -- continues to resettlement numbers are ex- how to turn our common suffer- Eurostat. access to jobs and education do the right thing. pected to decline by as much ing into hope for the future." Wednesday 20 to 26 September, 2017 OPINION 7 Santanu Bhowmik Joins A Shrinking Army Of Unsung Heroes Fighting The Good Fight In Times Of Fake News But further police investigation Tripura was caught in the though it is unlikely much will has linked her death to the kill- middle of a public scuffle be- be revealed soon. As The Hoot ing of three eminent rational- tween political rivals, the In- report says, in spite of being ists — MM Kalburgi, Narendra digenous People's Front of a witness to Bhowmik being Dabholkar and Govind Tripura (IPFT) allegedly attacked, the police did not Pansare — between 2013 and backed by the right-wing and act with any degree of ur- 2015 in Karnataka and the Tripura Rajaer Upajati gency until it was too late. Maharashtra. A report in The Ganamukti Parishad Only after an outcry from the Indian Express said that (TRUGP), which was sup- national media, the custodians Lankesh was killed with a gun ported by the ruling Left in the of law and order have woken of the same make that was state. up, after being mute specta- used to shoot Kalburgi to According to a report in tors to the journalist being It may no longer be an ex- ers of a democratic republic, death. The Hoot, a media-watcher dragged away by a mob, who aggeration to state that media though last heard, the ruling Before the chorus of pro- web portal, Bhowmik's family beat him up with sticks and professionals are probably dispensation is yet to con- test against Lankesh's assas- is seen as supporters of the hacked him to death. some of the most vulnerable demn these incidents. sination had died down, Communist Party of India Bhowmik paid the price for citizens in contemporary In- September began with the Pankaj Mishra, a journalist (Marxist), which runs Tripura. his fearless nature with his dia. Or, to be precise, a cer- killing of Gauri Lankesh, edi- with a Hindi daily in Bihar, was The tribal outfit, on the other life. An intrepid reporter with tain school of journalists, who tor of the influential Kannada shot at by two men on a mo- hand, has been lobbying for a nose for news, he was al- throw themselves into the field news magazine Gauri torbike. Mishra, whose life was separate statehood, like sev- ways the first to jump into the recklessly, valuing truth over Lankesh Patrike, who was un- saved thanks to quick medi- eral areas in India's Northeast, field, as his colleagues re- their lives and justice over abashedly critical of right- cal intervention, said the at- and was reportedly backed by called. In his last reporting those brownie points that must wing ideology and the caste tackers belonged to the the Right in a bid to get a toe- assignment, too, he demon- befall their colleagues who system, among several social Janata Dal (United), who bore hold in the state. Tripura re- strated exemplary courage, pander to the establishment. evils. At first, fingers were grudges against him for his mains one of the few states trying to capture the eruption In the last three weeks, at pointed at Naxals as possible work. Santanu Bhowmik, who where the BJP is yet to make of public anger at the rally first least three journalists were at- suspects. Lankesh, who was lynched by an enraged a foray, though the party de- with the camera crew and tacked in cold blood in public helped rehabilitate a number mob on Wednesday, wasn't as nies supporting the seces- later, after being chased away in different parts of the coun- of lapsed ultra-right revolution- lucky. sionist demands of IPFT. by the protestors, with his try. That statement alone aries into the mainstream, had The 28-year-old journalist The exact facts of the case mobile phone. should give pause to the lead- incurred the ire of the Naxals. with a television channel in are for the police to find, al- (Contd on page 23) This is no way to dismantle a nuclear bomb tillery and missiles. strengthening its forces in the cussions on nuclear issues It is time to accept that area; reinforcing its allies' de- to the North Koreans. The North Korea will soon become fences; and making clear that US has had several similar the ninth country on earth with any decision by North Korea dialogues with China over a functional nuclear weapon, either to launch a nuclear at- more than a decade, led and work out how to deal with tack, or to use its nuclear (among other organisations) that as an appalling but un- weapons to deter an American by the Center for Strategic avoidable fact. That means response to a conventional at- and International Studies defending the non-prolifera- tack, would have immense and the US Naval Post- tion regime; deterring conflict; consequences. Graduate School. They in- and diminishing the risk of But one country's pru- volve think-tankers and of- accidental nuclear war. dent steps to reinforce de- ficials, but are not inter-gov- To prevent the further terrence may be seen by ernmental talks, allowing spread of nuclear weapons, the other as preparations participants more freedom Donald Trump and Kim military threats and economic the permanent members of the for a pre-emptive strike. If to speak. Jong-Un are doing their best sanctions. They have flattered UN Security Council must en- there is one thing worse According to the US In- to make a bad situation in the China -- hoping to persuade it sure that the North Korean re- than North Korea having stitute for Defense Analy- Korean Peninsula worse. to put pressure on its "client" gime continues to suffer eco- nuclear weapons, it is a ses, over an extended pe- For now, they are only hurl- in Pyongyang -- and (particu- nomically and politically, and situation in which the United riod they have given the US ing abuse and threats at each larly under Trump) threatened show that countries that do not States and North Korea mis- and China a better under- other, but there is no sign of it with economic punishment seek nuclear weapons end up understand each other's standing of each other's either de-escalating their con- for failing to do so. more prosperous and secure military activity. "motivations, roles and mis- frontation over Pyongyang's But China fears the col- than those that do. That means The two have very few bi- sions, doctrine, strategy, nuclear weapons programme. lapse of Kim Jong-Un's regime -- among other things -- stick- lateral contacts. But nuclear posture (and) readiness." It During the Cold War, MAD more than his nuclear weap- ing to their side of the bargain powers need to know when is doubtful that Washington (mutually assured destruction) ons, both because it might re- that ended Iran's nuclear to worry and when to stay and Pyongyang have much kept the super-powers from sult in large-scale refugee programme. calm. In the Cold War, even comparable information starting a conflict that might flows into China and because The Trump administration though a US-Soviet hotline about the other. end in global annihilation. The Korean unification might put must stop looking for ways to had operated since 1963, It will be anathema to Korean standoff is bedevilled US troops on China's border. declare Iran in breach: if the the Soviet Union still came many current and former US by another kind of madness. If Washington had had a deal breaks down, the mes- close to confusing a NATO officials to "reward" North The US, China, Russia and viable military option for tak- sage will be that proliferation nuclear command-post ex- Korea with such talks -- and others have been trying to stop ing out North Korea's nuclear is a better strategy than co- ercise in 1983 with prepa- getting an inevitably suspi- North Korea developing programme, it would have operation. rations for a pre-emptive cious North to engage in nuclear weapons since the used it before the North had a But defending the non-pro- strike. them may take a very long late 1980s. Presidents Bill viable nuclear device. The cost liferation regime will not take To diminish the risk of time. But neither the silent Clinton, George W. Bush, of conflict would be immense away North Korea's weapons. nuclear conflict occurring as treatment nor Trumpian in- Barack Obama and Donald even if Kim did not use his Pyongyang must therefore be a result of such misinterpreta- sults will make Pyongyang's Trump have tried many differ- nuclear arsenal: Seoul lies deterred from using them. The tions, the US (and ideally weapons go away; they just ent approaches: from bilateral within easy range of North Trump administration is doing other nuclear powers) increase the risk of acciden- talks and aid programmes to Korea's large holdings of ar- a better job in this regard: it is should propose informal dis- tal Armageddon. Wednesday 20 to 26 September, 2017 INDIA CURRENT AFFAIRS 8 Isro-Nasa joint team confirms presence of aerosol over Asia BENGALURU: A joint are mostly restricted to tains particles of size less long-range transport from study by the Indian the first few kilometers than 0.25 micron and are northern parts of India. Space Research from the surface of 90 per cent volatile. It However, detailed Organisation (Isro) and Earth's atmosphere—Up- appears the aerosol is analysis yet to be carried National Aeronautics and per Troposphere and formed from precursor out with all the data col- Space Administration Lower Stratosphere pollutant gases which are lected during the cam- (Nasa) of the US, which (UTLS). transported via convec- paign. Aerosols, Radia- had commenced after According to Isro, tion from the ground," tion and Trace Gases satellite images showed measurements by the Isro has said. Group (ARTG) of Na- the presence of an aero- joint team has "confirmed Preliminary chemical tional Atmospheric Re- sol layer over the Asia the presence of aerosol analysis of samples col- search Laboratory, Isro, region, has confirmed layer seen in satellite lected in this campaign and a team from Nasa the same and has also measurements over the indicates dominant pres- have been studying air source regions also ne- ozone to validate mea- found the presence of Asian region and it also ence of nitrate, which is quality around India as cessitates multiple cam- surements from Nasa's nitrate, which is a new shows a sharp increase a new finding and the part of this campaign. paigns spread over a few Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and finding. of aerosol concentration converging air masses According to the joint years (until 2020) to com- Infrared Pathfinder Sat- Aerosol, the sub-mi- near 16.5-18.5 km (from over northern part of In- team, one additional prehensively characterise ellite Observations cron size particles sus- Earth's surface)." This dia during Asian Mon- campaign during winter the aerosol layer in the (CALIPSO) satellite and pended in air are pro- layer, Isro says, has dis- soon which is generally months for obtaining the UTLS region and study its Nasa's Stratospheric duced from a variety of tinct size distribution as active during July and background conditions is impact on radiation budget Aerosol and Gas Experi- man-made and natural opposed to that from August is found to be the planned. Presence of and ozone chemistry. Ad- ment (SAGE) III instru- processes such as ve- background mineral main forcing for vertical different pollutants which ditionally, this campaign ment along with Cloud- hicle exhaust, waste- aerosol dust that is natu- transport of the aerosols results from interplay of seeks to use balloon- Aerosol Transport Sys- burning, wind blown dust, rally present in the atmo- and trace gases to the different circulation pat- borne measurements of tem (CATS) on the Inter- volcanic eruptions et al, sphere. "This layer con- UTLS region along with terns and pollutant aerosol, water vapor, and national Space Station. Amitabh Bachchan on Mumbai rains: ‘The God’s they be angry again’ Days after being criticised for sharing his own photo with every tweet, Amitabh Bachchan decided to tweet his own image while talking about Mumbai rains. He wrote ‘the Gods are angry’. The main runway of main closed on God’s they be angry tember 19, 2017 On the Mumbai airport re- Wednesday in the again .. ! They thunder work front, Amitabh was mained closed Wednes- backdrop of heavy and lightning loud and last seen in Sarkar 3 day morning and a total rains, the Maharashtra now it pours here in and is now working on 56 flights have been di- government announced Mumbai .. be safe re- his next, Thugs of verted. Five Western Tuesday night. Days af- main in the house,” he Hindostan. Directed by Asking people to remain “Gods are angry”. The Railways trains have ter being criticised for wrote. T 2552 - The Vijay Krishna inside their houses and heavy rainfall in Mumbai been cancelled while six posting his own picture God's they be angry Acharya, the first leg stay safe during rains affected daily life on trains were cancelled with every tweet that he again .. ! They thunder of the shooting has al- that lashed Mumbai on Tuesday. Mumbai re- and two diverted on the sends out, Amitabh and lightning loud and ready been completed Tuesday and are ex- ceived between 40mm Central Railways. once again decided to now it pours here in in Morocco . The film pected to continue on and 130mm of rainfall Schools and colleges in tweet his own picture Mumbai .. be safe re- also stars Aamir Khan, Wednesday, Bollywood on Tuesday and the Mumbai Metropolitan bowing to a deity while main in the house — Fatima Sana Shaikh and star Amitabh Bachchan rains continued Region (MMR) have talking about Mumbai Amitabh Bachchan Katrina Kaif and is slated has tweeted that the Wednesday morning. been instructed to re- rains. “T 2552 - The (@SrBachchan) Sep- for a Diwali 2018 release. Proposals to punish NRI wife-deserters could be a life saver Days after being criticised for sharing his own photo with every tweet, Amitabh Bachchan decided to tweet his own image while talking about Mumbai rains. He wrote ‘the Gods are angry’. wants to have nothing to do some hope for these NRI husband — if present ing approaching the Indian with her. According to the women thanks to a set of in India — won’t be able to mission, seeking help of National Commission for proposals that the govern- leave the country until the empanelled lawyers and Women, there are 346 ment is considering: A case is settled. If abroad, he NGOs, etc. It will also have pre- complaints from women high-level panel has recom- will have to be deported to In- cautions to be taken before If the panel recommenda- finalising such marriages.“I married to NRIs in 2014. mended that NRIs who ha- dia,” a source privy to the marrying an NRI. Currently, tions are accepted, it will be did not even get time to And it has never been easy rass their wives or desert committee’s report, which was measures include legal and fi- a lifesaver for those who grieve after my wife died of for these women to get jus- them could face impound- submitted to the MEA last nancial — USD 3,000 in de- have been wronged and, breast cancer in Septem- tice. Speaking to HT earlier, ment or cancellation of month, told HT. Earlier in the veloped countries and USD will hopefully, work as a de- ber last year. I was too busy Punjab women commission their passport. The panel year, the Centre had also 2,000 in developing ones — terrent for men from behav- fighting for my daughter, chairperson Paramjit Kaur has also recommended promised to set up a single-win- assistance for women who ing in an irresponsible and Sarita, whose husband left Landran admitted that that cases of domestic vio- dow portal for Indian women face abandonment or divorce heartless manner. But let’s her,” Jalandhar resident Jai abandoned wives can lence be included in the facing abandonment or divorce proceedings within 15 years. not forget that much of the Gopal told HT recently. “grow old” fighting such scope of extradition trea- or other problems from their In 2007, the then Overseas In- problem can be avoided if Sarita’s husband Saurabh cases because it’s “ not ties that India signs with NRI husbands. The new site dianAffairs ministry came up parents of women do proper Dharna, the report added, easy to get NRI grooms ex- other countries. “Once the will have advice on how to with a handbook on NRI due diligence before works in Melbourne and tradited”. But there could be passport is impounded, the proceed with a case, includ- marriages. Wednesday 20 to 26 September, 2017 INDIA CURRENT AFFAIRS 9 Govt will announce additional measures to boost economic growth: Arun Jaitley The finance minister said the government has taken note of all economic indicators and will take additional moves; he said he would consult the prime minister before any announce-

Finance minister Arun dation of high-value board chairman and repre-ment.chief policy adviser at EY Srivastava added. Jaitley said his ministry banknotes and the July 1 sentatives from the Prime India, said the government Low oil prices have would soon announce mea- implementation of the Minister’s Office and NITI may announce fiscally ex- helped the government, sures to revive economic goods and services tax Aayog, the government’s pansionary programmes which has not reduced the growth that has decelerated (GST) were seen as con- policy think tank, were also without breaching the 3.2% retail price of petrol and to the slowest pace in three tributing factors. Current in attendance. Jaitley said (of GDP) fiscal deficit tar- diesel, instead increasing years. account deficit at a four- the measures would be an- get for 2017-18. “Public and levies on fuel. It has used Jaitley’s comments year high (2.4% of GDP in nounced soon, after con- departmental enterprises this money to balance the come against the back- Q1 FY18) and rising retail sulting Prime Minister that can spend on infrastruc- fisc and spend on devel- gressive Alliance was in ground of the most serious inflation have further exac- Narendra Modi. There has ture may be asked to speed opment programmes—a power. Jaitley defended the economic challenge the erbated the macroeco- been speculation that the up and enhance their capex sound macroeconomic levies on fuel. “Funds for government has faced since nomic situation. On Tues- revival package could in- (capital expenditure) plans move, according to many public investment are com- it came to power in 2014. day, Jaitley chaired a meet- clude incentives for export- for the year. The central economists. Still, a recent ing from resources such as India’s gross domestic ing to discuss the situation ers, fiscal sops and invest- government may also co-opt increase in oil prices, excise duty on petrol and product (GDP) growth and find solutions to the ments in large infrastruc- some state governments to coming in the wake of diesel.Public investment has slowed to 5.7% in the quar- problem. The meeting was ture projects. Reviving eco- work towards this objective.” weak economic data, has become the foundation of ter ended June, the slow- attended by railway minis- nomic growth and creating The government is al- resulted in a wave of criti- growth at a time when pri- est in three years, from ter Piyush Goyal, com- more jobs, promises that ready at 92% of its full-year cism being directed at the vate investment is low. Cut- 6.1% in the preceding three merce and industry minis- the ruling Bharatiya Janata fiscal deficit target in the first government. It doesn’t help ting those investments would months, sparking concern ter Suresh Prabhu and the Party made to come to four months (April-July) of that the Bharatiya Janata mean cutting down alloca- over the state of the secretaries of the finance power in 2014, are crucial 2017-18 and may find it dif- Party had made fuel tions for social sector and in- economy. The residual im- and commerce and indus- as the party seeks re-elec- ficult to spend beyond its prices a big issue when the frastructure schemes,” he pact of the November invali- try ministries. The railway tion in 2019. DK Srivastava, budgetary means this fiscal, Congress-led United Pro- said. Couples’ vulgar behaviour in cars, parks leads to rape: Sakshi Maharaj Sakshi Maharaj, who had earlier they should be put behind bars. tion and put such couples behind Gurmeet Ram Rahim to jail while tried to defend Dera chief “When these couples ride a mo- bars,” he said while talking to re- earlier governments had sup- Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh after torcycle, they hug each other as porters on Wednesday. Sakshi ported him,” he said. During the his conviction in a rape case, said if the girl will eat the boy or the Maharaj, who had earlier tried to controversy, Sakshi Maharaj had once a rape happens, people de- boy will eat the girl,” he said. defend Dera chief Gurmeet Ram said one person had alleged rape mand action against the police. “Similarly, couples can be seen Rahim Singh after his conviction against the Dera chief, but crores The right thing would be to take behaving in a vulgar fashion in in a rape case, has clarified that of devotees believe he is God. action against ‘such couples’ Con- cars, parks and other places. he had no ties with Ram Rahim. Talking about Rohingya Muslim troversial Bharatiya Janata Party Everyone ignores them, but once “Some political leaders seek the refugees, Sakshi?Maharaj said MP Sakshi Maharaj has said girls rape happens, people demand cooperation of fake godmen to get they should be pushed out from and boys’ ‘vulgar’ behaviour at action against the police, so the votes during the election. BJP the country and they have no right public places leads to rape and right thing would be to take ac- government of Haryana sent to stay for a minute. Wednesday 20 to 26 September, 2017 ADVERTISEMENT 10 Wednesday 20 to 26 September, 2017 ADVERTISEMENT 11 Wednesday 20 to 26 September, 2017 INDIA CURRENT AFFAIRS 12 Ahead of LS bypoll, Punjab cabinet okays farm debt waiver, ball in EC court for now The government, as a first step, will have to move the Election Commission (EC) to be able to immediately notify the scheme, because the poll code of conduct is in place in view of the Lok Sabha bypoll in Gurdaspur on October 11.

Three months after chief ister Manpreet Badal, who and the EC would be re- he said. Where’s the minister CaptainAmarinder briefed the media after the quested not to link it with the money? Claiming that the Singh announced to write off meeting, said chief secre- bypoll. “A delay in its imple- state will be able to put in farm loans up to Rs 2 lakh tary Karan Avtar Singh has mentation is not advisable as some money from its own for marginal and small farm- been told by the cabinet to the farmers need credit for resources to fund the ers during the budget ses- seek approval of the EC to the next crop cycle,” he scheme, the finance minis- sion of the Punjab assem- notify the scheme. Citing added. The cabinet also de- ter said he is in touch with mercial banks and then pri- total waiver up to Rs 2 lakh bly, a draft notification was crop cycle The draft notifi- cided to take over the out- the Centre and a decision vate banks,” he said. The shall be provided. The approved by the state cabi- cation says it is an ongoing standing interest of farmers on whether the state’s bor- total liability is estimated at amount eligible for relief shall net on Wednesday. But the scheme for which the gov- from April 1, 2017, till the rowing limit under the Fiscal Rs 10,000 crore. DCs to comprise outstanding li- cabinet’s nod may not pave ernment had set up an ex- date of notification, which Responsibility and Budget monitor waiver Under the ability under crop loan the way for immediate noti- pert committee under Dr T will result in an additional Rs Management (FRBM) Act scheme, bank branch-wise (principal and interest) as fication of the scheme. The Haque in April and the CM 400 crore benefit to the can be relaxed will be taken lists of eligible farmers shall on March 31, 2017, and Election Commission (EC) had announced to waive farmers. On whether the “in a few days”. “We had be prepared under the su- interest outstanding has notified the Gurdaspur crop loans of 10.25 lakh government will push for its earmarked Rs 1,500 crore pervision of deputy commis- from April 1, 2017, till Lok Sabha election for Oc- farmers on June 19 during notification barring in in the budget for the sioners. The funds will be the date of notification. A tober 11 and the poll code the assembly session. “The Gurdaspur district that ex- scheme. We will start cred- provided to the DCs and district-level bankers’ of conduct is in place in the EC is being a sent the draft pressly remains under the iting money to farmers’ ac- each farmer will be issued meeting will be convened state till the elections are notification for its consent, poll code, Manpreet said he counts as and when banks a relief certificate by the by the DCs and district- over. The code means new not approval, as it was a does not see a reason why give us data (of outstanding bank branch concerned af- wise details of loan waiver announcements are prohib- work in progress,” a senior Gurdaspur could not be in- loans). First, the dues of ter crediting the relief will be recorded and sent to ited so that ruling the dispen- official told HT. Manpreet too cluded in the scheme. “But, cooperative banks would be amount in his/her account. the director, agriculture, who sation does not get any un- said the waiver was a part if the EC has any objection, met (Rs 3,600 crore) fol- In case of multiple accounts will release the amounts to due benefits. Finance min- of the budgetary proposals we will go by its decision,” lowed by government com- from one farm household, a the DCs. Rahul Gandhi: Modi came to power be- cause people wanted jobs but anger is Congress vice president Rahulgrowing Gandhi said people voted for the BJP as they were angry with his Congress party over the issue of unemployment.

recognising that unemploy- on those 30,000 jobs (a day) job is going to change. But ment was a problem. “I do not are going to get angry with the question is who is going knowTrump. I don’t go there. Mr Modi. The central ques- to have those jobs and which But, certainly our Prime Min- tion is resolving that problem. countries are going to have ister is not doing enough (in My main issue with Mr Modi access to those jobs,” he creating jobs),” said the Con- is that he diverts that issue and said. He also raised the is- gress leader. Gandhi has re- points the finger somewhere sue of polarisation in India. peatedly raised the issue of else instead of saying listen He said the politics of joblessness during his meet- we have a problem,” he said. polarisation was central chal- ings with experts, business “There is anger lenge in India and some sec- leaders and Congressmen in building up in India right now. tions of the society, includ- the US.“Currently, we are not We can sense it. So to me ing the minority communities producing enough jobs. the challenge is how to solve and tribal people, do not feel 30,000 new youngsters are that job growth problem in a a part of the ruling BJP’s vi- joining the job market every democratic environment. sion. “In the 21st century, if single day and yet the gov- That’s the challenge,” he said. you leave some people out ernment is only creating 500 “So we have to first accept it of your vision, you are ask- Leaders such as long tour, during his interac- central reason why Mr Modi jobs a day. And this doesn’t as a problem. Then we have ing for trouble. New ideas Narendra Modi and Donald tion with students at the pres- arose and to an extent why include the massive pool of to unite and try to solve it. would come, new different vi- Trump are being elected all tigious Princeton University MrTrump came, is the ques- already unemployed young- Right now, nobody is even ac- sions would develop. So, to over the world as the people admitted that the Modi-led tion of jobs in India and in the sters,” Gandhi had said in his cepting it as a problem,” he me, central challenge in In- are in pain due to unemploy- BJP came to power in India United States.There’s a large earlier address at the Univer- argued. Focusing a major dia is politics of polarisation ment, Congress vice presi- as the people were angry with part of our populations that sity of California in Berkeley. part of his question and where you pit one com- dent Rahul Gandhi said on his Congress party over the simply do not have jobs and At Princeton, Gandhi said In- answer session at munity against other and Wednesday, but stressed issue of unemployment. Em- cannot see a future. And, so dia needed to transform itself Princeton on jobs, Gandhi you create spaces for that even the Prime Minister ployment is an all-encom- they are feeling pain.And they to compete with China and for asserted that new tech- other people to come in,” was not doing enough to passing means to empower, have supported these type of that the people in the country nologies and Gandhi said. “There is a belt solve the key problem fac- enfranchise and involve Indi- leaders,” Gandhi told required jobs. “Those same modernisation are unlikely of 100 million tribal people ing India. Gandhi, 47, who ans in the nation building pro- students.He said another people who got angry with us to kill jobs. “The nature of who do not feel comfortable is in the US on a two-week- cess, he said. “I think, the problem was that nobody was because we couldn’t deliver what we call it a blue collar with the vision (of the BJP). Wednesday 20 to 26 September, 2017 INDIA CURRENT AFFAIRS 13 Rs 389-cr Bihar irrigation canal collapses hours before inauguration by Nitish Officials said nearly 20 feet of the wall of the main canal of the Bateswar Ganga Pump Nahar Yojana breached during a trial and water gushed through, flooding a portion of the NTPC township nearby.

A portion of an 11km irrigation Jharkhand. Officials said water the wall,” said Arun Kumar, the canal caved in during trials on breached nearly 20 feet of the chief civil engineer in the water Tuesday in Bihar’s Bhagalpur canal wall and flooded several resources department. Water district and gushing water inun- areas of Kahalgaon, a town resources principal secretary full capacity on Tuesday, he he said. The Kahalgaon Con- dated parts a nearby township, known for the National Thermal Arun Kumar Singh blamed faulty said. Singh told reporters that all gress legislator, Sadanand a day before the project’s inau- Power Corporation (NTPC) unit. construction of an underpass technical flaws would be re- Singh, who was invited to share guration by chief minister Nitish The floodwater receded from beneath the canal for the moved in two months. “Soon the stage with chief minister Kumar. The wall breach in the most areas on Wednesday breach. The underpass was con- we will announce another date Kumar at the inaugural function, Rs 389.31-crore lift irrigation morning, but the inauguration of structed by the NTPC.He also for inauguration,” he said. described the breach as “gross project is a major embarrassment the Bateswar Ganga Pump held his department responsible, Group general manager of negligence” by officials. He said for the government as it took Nahar Yojana (BGPNY) project saying officials should have spot- NTPC’s Kahalgaon unit, a trial run with full discharge around 40 years to build. Water had to be cancelled. About half- ted the fault and fixed it before Rakesh Samuel, dismissed al- should have been carried out be- from the Ganga is to be lifted a-km stretch of the road between the trials being run for the past legations of the underpass fore to figure out problems. The through pumps and released into Satkar Chowk and Murkatia month. weakening the embankment. project was ready for inauguration the canal to irrigate 22,658 hect- Chowk was still submerged. “The The trials were carried “We are looking into the papers this May but the event had to be ares of farms in Bhagalpur and breach had been plugged and out with low discharge of water and design of the underpass. At cancelled because of technical dif- adjoining Godda district of work is in progress to strengthen in the canal, but it was turned to present, I cannot speak more,” ficulties, according to sources. 'INDIA wants to know' if Arnab Goswami is telling lies about his coverage of the 2002 Gujarat riots Arnab Goswami has been recorded telling a story about a mob incident in 2002 Another journalist, Rajdeep Sardesai has claimed that the story is actually his

Two days after senior just 50 metres from then Gujarat The Election that Changed journalist and Consulting CM Narendra Modi’s India. Editor of India Today TV residence.He goes on to say When the viral video came Rajdeep Sardesai called out that the hardliners asked him to his notice, Sardesai decided Arnab Goswami, the Editor-in- and his colleagues to reveal their to set the records straight and Chief of Republic TV, for his religions but they managed to called out his former colleague ‘lies’ on Gujarat riots escape the tense situation by on Twitter for presenting the coverage, the issue continues proving that they were journalists experience as his own. to be all the rage on social by flashing their press cards. Tweeting with a link of a media. Goswami also said that his YouTube video with the title It all started when an old driver, who did not have a press ‘Arnab Goswami talking on video began to circulate card, showed the enraged Gujarat Riot (sic)’, Sardesai showing Goswami delivering a Hindutva militants a tattoo on his said, ‘Wow! My friend Arnab speech and talking about what hand that said ‘Hey Ram’ and claims his car attacked next to happened to him when he was escaped their wrath. CM Res in Guj riots! Truth:he covering Gujarat riots of 2002. The incident Goswami wasn’t covering Ahmedabad The video first went viral narrated is not total fiction. The riots!!’ last year, and in his speech, problem, according to Rajdeep In a subsequent tweet, Goswami claims that ‘trishul- Sardesai, is that it happened to Sardesai shared the same wielding’ Hindutva militants him, and not to Goswami. YouTube link again and said, attacked the car he and his Sardesai has described the ‘Fekugiri has its limits, but colleagues were travelling in, entire episode in his book 2014: seeing this, I feel sorry for my profession.’As usual, Twitter was divided on the issue. Some said Goswami cannot lie, some said ‘he does that on a daily basis’. Twitterati even got #ArnabDidIt trending and re-imagined a number of events in history as it would have happened if Goswami claimed to be responsible. On Wednesday morning, in a tweet, Sardesai asked if Goswami would resign and quit journalism if his story turned out to be false. Wednesday 20 to 26 September, 2017 ADVERTISEMENT 14 Wednesday 20 to 26 September, 2017 ADVERTISEMENT 15 Wednesday 20 to 26 September, 2017 SPECIAL REPORT 16

‘Rohingyas may fall into wrong hands’ Bangladesh says Aung Saan Suu Kyi’s offer to ‘repatriate’ the Rohingya refugees is ‘too little, too late’

Aung Saan Suu Kyi’s both the nations. a ‘fragile northeastern corridor risk’, High Commissioner Ali Rohingyas is another. The announcement that Myanmar India’s decision to deport may become further said. Rohingyas have been living in is now ready to work with them is an internal matter and destabilised in case of He also spelt out the Rakhine state for centuries. All Bangladesh to help ‘repatriate’ a foreign ambassador should stridency of Rohingya concerns that Bangladesh has are not Muslims. There are the Rohingya refugees who not comment on the issue. militancy.’ had for so many years with the hundreds of thousands of could prove their citizenship ‘But I can say that whenever The Bangladesh envoy mass exodus from Myanmar as Hindus, who have taken has been described as ‘too there is an exodus of 8,00,000 concurred with the opinion, also the core problem of the shelter,’ he said India, little, too late’. people, it is a risk for all of us. saying ‘people with vested crisis. Bangladesh now hope that the The Bangladesh high They can fall in wrong hands. interests to destabilise the ‘The inability of the Myanmarese government will commissioner to India, Syed They can be used for region will find them a Myanmar govt to recognise keep its word of repatriation of Moazzam Ali in an interview to destabilising our region’, he convenient tool’. Rohighyas as ethnic groups the refugees. India Today TV said that the said. Bangladesh has joined India and citizens of Myanmar is the The verification of the Myanmarese government has India recently has filed an in raising the issue of allowing core problem,’ he said. refugees would be done woken up very late in the day affidavit in the Supreme Court the Rohingyas to go back to He also alluded to the fact through identification cards to a crisis, which clearly has on the Rohingyas, calling the their country.’The eight lakh that Suu Kyi, by not mentioning provided by UNHCR (United been called a ‘textbook illegal influx a ‘threat to national Rohingya refugees should be the word ‘Rohingya’ and just Nations High Commission for example of ethnic cleansing’ by security’, where they cited allowed to return to their calling them ‘Muslims’ from the Refugees), as also through the United Nations. intelligence agency inputs homeland, else they will fall in Rakhine state in her speech on physical verification of where While high commissioner indicating ‘linkages of some of wrong hands. Tuesday, has failed as a leader one lived. Ali did not directly comment on the unauthorised Rohingya ‘Not all can be accused of to recognise the real problem. Bangladesh has already India’s decision to deport the immigrants with Pakistan-based these crimes. So far we have To talk about Rakhine is one offered to take part in joint Rohingyas, who have illegally terror organisations and similar not faced any major challenge thing and to talk about verification process. entered India, he agreed to the organisations in the but a displaced person, a fact that such mass exodus country’.The Indian floating population can be a poses grave security threat to government also submitted that Wednesday 20 to 26 September, 2017 SPECIAL REPORT 17 A MOTHER'S FINAL EMBRACE Harrowing photo shows Rohingya woman clutching her dead baby

A heartbreaking photo has emerged of a Rohingya Muslim mother desperately clutching her dead baby after the boat they were travelling to escape from Myanmar capsized as the family was fleeing to Bangladesh. The image bears a tragic resemblance to the lifeless body of Aylan Kurdi, a young Syrian refugee who washed up dead on a Turkish beach in September 2015. The desperately sad photo of the dead Rohingya baby boy, only 40 days old, was taken in south-eastern Bangladesh by photographer Dar Yasin.

government. desperately packed their meagre Myanmar leader and Nobel belongings into plastic sacks in Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has a desperate quest to find drier received criticism from across the shelters.

world for her failure strongly to Their numbers have soared to He describes walking on the beach dead. She held one child who was speak out about their plight. more than 420,000 in a matter of near the town of Cox’s Bazar when he alive and one who wasn’t breathing. The refugees - who have been weeks. The refugees also have to noticed ‘some sort of commotion’. It was heartbreaking.’ described as some of the most contend with enforced relocations at ‘A boat had capsized. Some women Yasin said the boat the refugees persecuted people in the world - the hands of the Bangladesh were unconscious. One woman was were travelling in - containing 45 are living in pitiable conditions in authorities and extortion demands if crying, as a family member had members of the same family - squalid camps in south-eastern they try to remain where they are. The drowned; three more were in precarious capsized only a few meters from the Bangladesh. death of three-year-old Syrian boy condition and I was unsure if they would shore. But it was too far away to Their misery has been Alyan Kurdi made global headlines in make it. Another woman was consoling save Hanida Begum’s child. compounded recently by strong September 2015 when he drowned her,’ Yasin told Time.And then suddenly, The refugees are among monsoon rains which have flooded while he and his family were trying to the woman who was consoling the hundreds of thousands of Rohingya their flimsy shelters made only out reach Europe along with thousands of crying woman started wailing herself. Muslims who have fled Burma to of bamboo and plastic sheets. other refugees. Photographs of his Her husband had come over with Abdul escape persecution at the hands of People in the camps were left in body quickly spread around the world Masood, one of their twin sons, who was the predominately Buddhist a mudbath on Wednesday as they and became the defining image of the horror of the Middle East refugee crisis. Wednesday 20 to 26 September, 2017 US & WORLD 18 Gym teacher, 40, who was previously arrested for having relationship with boy, 15, is charged AGAIN for 'sexually assaulting an 18-year-old' into the ninth grade. afternoon. No other On Friday, the Georgia details were given other Bureau of Investigation than that Reece was announced that it had arrested at her home in filed fresh charges Blairsville. In August, the against the woman in bureau announced her relation to an 18-year- arrest over her old who they say she relationship with the 15- molested in 2015 when year-old boy. he was a senior at the At the time, they said same school. ‘The she had been ‘sexually supervisory or continued investigation involved’ with the child. disciplinary authority,’ into Reece revealed that ‘The student was the bureau said. There she engaged in sexual moving from the 8th was no information on A Georgia gym she assaulted two years she molested in 2013. conduct with an 18 year grade into the 9th grade whether Reece was teacher who is facing ago. The woman was old student in 2015. during this time. ‘As a granted bail following her charges for allegedly Shawnetta D. Reece, working as a gym ‘The student was a high result of the second arrest on Friday molesting a 15-year-old 40, was first arrested in teacher at Union County school senior at the time investigation, Reece has night. The case will boy has been charged August over her Middle School at the time of the incident,’ the been arrested for child proceed with the Enotah again over a second relationship with a 15- and the boy was moving bureau said in a press molestation and sexual Judicial Circuit District student who police say year-old who police say from the eighth grade release on Friday assault by persons with Attorney. Kylie Jenner is pregnant: Reality star, 20, 'expecting a baby with boyfriend Travis Scott' Kylie Jenner is pregnant dating Travis back in April fol- posting cropped selfies of her said that I’m only going to have with boyfriend Travis Scott's lowing her split from former head and shoulders, while two kids.' On Life Of Kylie back child. The 20-year-old reality long-term boyfriend Tyga, skipping any public events. in July she claimed was ready star and her rapper boyfriend who has a child, son King On Thursday she shared to get out of the spotlight and are said to have broken the Cairo, with Blac Chyna (Rob one full-length shot with a have a more normal life. 'I can't happy news to friends earlier Kardashian's ex). group of friends, but hid her do it forever,' Kylie said. 'There this month at the Day N Night As news broke of the preg- body under a baggy T-shirt. is an image I constantly feel Fest in Anaheim. Multiple out- nancy on Friday the rapper 'Day 1s' she captioned the pressure to keep up with,' Kylie lets are reporting that the added his own thoughts to the post - a term commonly used confesses. 'And then there's youngest member of the mix - Snapchatting, then de- to refer to old friends. She also the real Kylie.' The sister of Kardashian-Jenner clan is ex- leting, the comment: 'hell nah shared a few images to pro- Vogue model Kendall Jenner pecting her first child with her that's my kid!' Four months mote her latest clothing line for added: 'I do feel pressure to boyfriend of five months. It is ago - around the time she fell Kendall + Kyle - which not let anybody down. Nobody even claimed that Kylie and 25- pregnant - Kylie went on a launched on Friday. has a perfect life.' While Kylie year-old Travis know the sex of charity trip to Peru. Keeping Kylie has previously spo- may be young to start a fam- the child - and are having a girl. Up With The Kardashians ken of her yearning to have a ily, she certainly has the means A source confirmed the news viewers were watching as a child, even confiding in her to provide for any child. Al- to DailyMail.com, adding that private jet made a pit stop in grandmother MJ on an epi- ready a multi-millionaire in her the young star was around four Miami to collect her, after she sode of I Am Cait that she own right, thanks to her real- months pregnant. spent a romantic few days planned to be a 'young mom'. ity career and make-up busi- TMZ first broke the news, with Travis.In the months since Indeed there was wide specu- ness, Kylie also owns several with a report stating that Travis the two have since proved in- lation that she was expecting huge mansions.And any new was telling friends his life was separable, and even have a child shortly before her child will have plenty of ready- about to change.A further matching butterflies tattooed break-up with Tyga back in made playmates. source told People magazine on their ankles. April. And while the rumor Kylie's big sister Kim that Kylie was overjoyed about In recent weeks social me- later proved to be untrue, Kylie Kardashian and husband her pregnancy. 'It is an unex- dia savvy Kylie has been made it clear she was keen on Kanye West are currently pected but completely amazing unusally restrained in her the idea of starting a family. 'I awaiting the arrival of their turn of events that she could posts. Not normally one to be feel like 30 is too late!' she said third child. The baby - a girl - not be more excited or thrilled shy, she has refrained from on Keeping Up With The is being carried by surrogate about,' they said. Kylie began any full body shots, instead Kardashians. 'Every psychic and is due in January. Wednesday 20 to 26 September, 2017 SPECIAL FEATURE 19 Ram Rahim's henchwomen, who forced girls to satisfy his sexual needs, roam free

No action taken against female aides of Gurmeet Ram Rahim, who regularly pushed innocent girls inside his cave, ter- minated their pregnancies and tortured them. Gurmeet Ram Rahim not told the CBI that she used to hall which was linked to share the truth. They were to anybody. Toor. only raised a private army guard Ram Rahim's cave Gurmeet Ram Rahim's den. not allowed to mingle and "There was a big The female followers of castrated followers and and had seen many girls They were pampered, form a group to ensure that room which was called were divided into two had a qurbani dal (sacrifice leave the Gufa with tears in praised and were told that this dirty secret never came the 'Man Sudhar groups. Beautiful and at- group) working for his own their eyes. She had named the Baba had only chosen out and this practice could Kamra' (mind improve- tractive girls were chosen protection, he also employed eight girls in her statement. them as his favourite dis- continue unchecked. ment room) near room to guard the cave, cook a group of henchwomen They had warned her not to ciples and would 'purify' GURMEET'S number 50, which was food and maintain the who lured and coerced in- go inside the cave, but did them with his 'blessings' and HENCHWOMEN HAD CRE- used to torture the rape Gufa besides satiating nocent girls into satisfying not tell what actually hap- would call them one by one. ATEDA TORTURE ROOM victims and the girls Gurmeet Ram Rahim's his sexual needs. pened to them. Apart from this, they also Another task given to the who refused to enter physical desires. The These henchwomen, She had never imagined cooked food for him and henchwomen was to keep the Gufa. The victim others were assigned forgetting that they too had that the women, who were washed his dirty clothes. The the female followers in was asked to sit on a routine jobs like cleanli- undergone the same trauma sending her and other girls victims were first asked to check. They were not al- chair and then a group ness, housekeeping and once, acted like pro- to the cave, were not simply stand as guards outside the lowed to criticise Gurmeet of women preparing the stage from grammed robots and ac- female followers or Sat cave like sentries, which Ram Rahim and the Dera. (henchwomen) would where Gurmeet Ram cepted every command Brahamcharinis but gave the impression of Those doing so were bru- come and thrash her. A Rahim Singh addressed given to them to bring a new henchwomen (vishkanyas), their being trusted female tally tortured. The guilty similar punishment was his followers. girl every night to gratify the whose only task was to bring warriors. Four girls used had to go without food for meted out to the male fol- In a viral video, one of physical needs of the con- a fresh prey for the Baba to to guard the cave and one 24 hours. One of the rape lowers. Their faces were the female followers had troversial godman who did abuse sexually every night. was called inside the gufa victims told the court that blackened and they were accused Gurmeet Ram not spare even children. Their main task was to every night. she was threatened that paraded on donkeys Rahim Singh of exploiting Sources told India Today identify the beautiful female Those who went to the she would be left starving when caught staring at Dalit women by making that Gurmeet Ram Rahim not followers and put them in a gufa were not allowed to if she reported the matter girls," said Gurdas Singh them his domestic help. only abused girls, but also enjoyed consensual sex with some senior female follow- Why India is so inept when it comes to preserving its past ers, who were close to him and lived the way he wanted. Later, they became The way celluloid prints of famous old films are being kept at the National Film Archive of India, Pune, his trusted henchwomen and started luring other innocent shows we have long way to go when it comes to preserving our cultural and historical heritage women for him. It is also al- Do Indians have a sense tional daily, 51,500 cans of leged that some politicians of history? In ancient India, film reels, and over 9,200 and officials were also regu- records were kept and ref- prints, are not “physically lars at Dera Sacha Sauda erences made to the past. present” at the archives, and and were pleased with wine, The Mughals too did the 4,922 cans containing 1,112 women and money. same, with many of the film titles, which are not listed Ram Rahim's emperors writing autobiog- in the NFAI’s registers, were henchwomen behaved like raphies, replete with details present in its vaults. The unemotional human robots, about the empire and missing list includes the best who just did his bidding and themselves. The British of world cinema, including weren't moved by the count- were, of course, meticu- celluloid prints of films by less screams of girls whose lous and the records of Satyajit Ray (Pather voices drowned in the den their time in India are a Panchali, its sequel (gufa) where he raped and treasure trove of informa- Aparajito, Charulata), abused them. This arrange- tion. But increasingly in In- Mehboob Khan (Mother In- ment continued until the law dia, there seems to be a dia), Raj Kapoor (Mera took its course and put growing disconnect with Naam Joker, Awaara), Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh history. Look at how citi- Mrinal Sen (Bhuvan Shome), Water) and Andrzej Wajda the value of institutional tural dos. This lack of in- in prison, which he had zens deface monuments; Guru Dutt (Kaagaz ke (Ashes and Diamonds),” said memory and a complete terest in our rich cultural evaded for 15 long years, museums are also near- Phool) and several other gi- the report. Replying to a lack of a plan on how to even history only makes us being hand-in-glove with empty most of the time. ants of Indian cinema. query from the newspaper, monetise precious archival wonder why Indians from Haryana's politicians. Who is responsible for this “Prints of several interna- Prakash Magdum, director of material, considering how ex- time to time demand that GURMEET'S disconnect: The State or tional acquisitions were also NFAI, blamed poor record- pensive maintaining these artefacts of Indian origin HENCHWOMEN WOULD the people? It is difficult to missing, including films by keeping and shortage of staff items are. Most museums must be brought back to PUSH GIRLS INTO HIS pin the blame on one party. Sergei Eisenstein (Battleship for the “mismatch”.Who is abroad have adopted mea- the country. Before mak- DEN A latest example of this dis- Potemkin), Vittorio De Sica responsible for this mess? sures to ensure to generate ing such demands, we Former Dera followers, connect/disinterest comes (Bicycle Thieves aka The One would say the State their own funds, by selling must try to evaluate including women, recount from National Film Archive Bicycle Thief), Akira and the NFAI but this dis- merchandise, organising whether we have the the horrific accounts of the of India (NFAI), Pune. Ac- Kurosawa (Seven Samurai), interest is symptomatic of tours/talks and even letting wherewithal to keep them rape victims. One of them, cording to a report in a na- Roman Polanski (Knife in the a lack of understanding of out their premises for cul- safe and in good condition. who was raped twice, had Wednesday 20 to 26 September, 2017 SPECIAL FEATURE 20 In 1973, the late, great historianArthur Schlesinger published The Imperial Honey, I Shrunk Presidency, charting the post-World War II expan- sion of presidential power and warning that the office had dangerously diverged the Oval Office from the parameters estab- lished by the Constitution and subsequent precedent. Donald Trump’s not-so- DonaldTrump’s election last year was greeted with hor- imperial presidency. ror (among his detractors) and glee (among his sup- porters) in no small mea- then there is the real 2017 missile lob on Syria bureaucracy to enact ally has the authority to As for the current ad- sure because of the expec- prospect that Trump and was fully supported by orders just ‘cause. pull out of a trade agree- ministration, there is little tation that he would be able his officials will figure out Congress, and by the On immigration, ment. Unlike the decision evidence the Trump ad- to use the powers of the how to manage the gov- military of course, Trump has been the op- to not join the Trans-Pa- ministration knows how to presidency to enact sweep- ernment more effectively whereas his rhetoric on posite of Teddy cific Partnership, which do that work. And they will ing and radical change. after a series of what can North Korea has not Roosevelt: He has spo- had not been ratified by find even what they can Eight months into his be charitably described been. There was some ken loudly and carried Congress, NAFTA has do is a far cry from the term, little of that is in evi- as missteps and accu- breathless speculation a little stick. Deporta- been subject to multiple bold action this president dence. Imperial presi- rately described as in- that “Trump might get us tions are below the lev- acts of legislation over might imagine himself dency? Hardly. More like competence. If the latter, into a nuclear war with els during most of the past decades. That taking. A domestic terror the not-so-imperial presi- then even if Trump et al North Korea,” but it takes Obama’s presidency means a president’s uni- attack or a North Korea dency. learn how to function ef- multiple steps involving (and Obama, who spoke lateral power here is that launches missiles on A year ago, concerns fectively and utilize the dozens of key players for softly on immigration, murky and contestable. the U.S. or its allies about how the vast powers office competently, the that to happen; an erratic presided over millions Congress, including would, of course, alter of the presidency might be result will still be numer- commander-in-chief of deportations and re- many Republicans, would this picture. In such a used and abused was top ous constraints on action pushing a midnight but- movals, especially be- almost certainly file suit crisis, the president likely of mind. I argued more than that have always been ton makes for a good tween 2009-2013), as against the presidency. would be able to exercise a year ago that congres- there but appeared less scare scenario, but as are illegal border cross- In time, the Supreme substantial powers, and sional inaction in the years obvious. multiple experts have ings. Yet Trump has not Court would rule, and it likely would be supported after 2011 inadvertently al- For now, we have noted, its probability is fundamentally altered might – given the current by both public opinion, lowed Barack Obama to clear evidence that the somewhere between the nature of immigra- composition of the court Congress and the courts expand his presidential vaunted imperial presi- zero and zero. tion and enforcement. – rule in the president’s for some period. There is reach as his administration dency is neither that The first months of the Why? Because he can- favor. But that process, a long precedent for that, scrambled to find creative, vaunted nor that imperial. Trump presidency were not. The president has which will be drawn out extending to Abraham non-legislative ways to en- Yes, the War Powers Act consumed with a blizzard some wiggle room to and contested, would Lincoln during the Civil act priorities ranging from of 1973 and the congres- of executive orders and shift priorities, but im- hardly represent imperial War. One might not like environmental regulations sional authorization for memoranda. Other than migration is ultimately a overreach; it would not be the idea of Trump exer- to minimum wage param- Afghanistan and Iraq the travel ban, however, congressional matter, easy, and it would not be cising those powers, but eters to drone warfare. passed in 2001 and 2002 the bulk of these which is precisely simple. he would hardly be allo- Coming on the heels of the have, intentionally or not, amounted to little more where DACA—Obama’s As both George W. cating those to himself in Bush administration’s ex- augmented the than statements of intent program to defer the de- Bush and Barack Obama a manner unprecedented pansive notion of executive president’s ability to au- or press releases portation of undocu- demonstrated, a presi- or unsupported by law. It power in foreign policy, it thorize the use of military dressed up as action. mented immigrants who dent surrounded by hun- would be best, of course, seemed that whoever won force without needing to Yes, one can and many arrived illegally in the dreds of capable staff in if we do not have to test the 2016 election was turn to Congress. And have debated whether U.S. as children—will the White House and in that theory. poised to inherit the most yes, those powers have these orders—ranging be resolved. various agencies can For the moment, the potent set of executive pow- proven easy to grant and from ordering the Envi- Trade is shaping up with considerable effort, Trump presidency is ers in American history. difficult to withdraw – wit- ronmental Protection as a test of how far the focus and acumen cre- looking tame and pedes- The story of the Trump ness the recent failure of Agency to review some president’s powers ex- ate rules and exploit the trian, far more fettered by administration so far, Sen. Rand Paul’s motion of its regulations to man- tend and where they grey area of power and processes, precedents however, almost com- to the curtail the dating that new regula- stop. Trump has been legal authority: the use of and laws than the contin- pletely invalidates that president’s ability to wage tions be screened for ex- fulminating for months torture and expanding ued outcries against the view. The theoretical war. cessive costs—changed about NAFTA and has electronic surveillance, administration or the powers of the presidency That does not mean, the climate and hence af- threatened to pull the for instance. But that continued adulation of may be vast, but the ac- however, that the indi- fected behavior. But the United States out of the takes skill; it takes time; supporters would have us tual powers now appear vidual occupying the Oval orders themselves exist agreement if the cur- it takes work. Even then, believe. to be far more con- Office can just pick up a within the constraints of rent round of new nego- there are limits. By 2004, Trump promised to re- strained than they ap- pen or phone and launch a legal and political tiations with Canada the Bush administration store muscle to the presi- peared. The question a war. For that, the buy- framework that simply and Mexico do not go faced massive pushback dency and respect to now is whether that is in of the military is re- does not allow the presi- as he hopes. Those from Congress and laws America. Eight months in, simply due to the inepti- quired, as well as some dent to order people to threats (along with the constraining what the he is a not-so-imperial presi- tude of the Trump admin- consultation with con- jump as high as he de- rumored plan to with- president could do. Like- dent heading a government istration or because the gressional leaders. mands. The president is draw from the U.S.- wise with DACA—it was and a country that neither presidency was never President Obama could commander in chief of South Korea trade a creative use of presi- must nor will do his bidding, quite as powerful as it have legally launched an the armed forces, but pact) have been duti- dential power, but it ulti- left to flail against demo- appeared. attack on Syria in 2013, he cannot order the fully reported but a few mately will need congres- cratic structures more resil- How that question is but he felt constrained federal bureaucracy voices have appropriately sional buy-in, or would ient and far stronger than answered matters from doing so by a skit- simply to do as he de- piped up asking if, in have faced being thrown many of us suspected. The greatly. If it is the former, tish Congress. Trump’s mands or expect the fact, the president actu- out by the courts. levees have held. So far. Wednesday 20 to 26 September, 2017 CONTD. 21 Uber Loses License To Operate In London Uber has been stripped of in a global business like ours. trade minister. One of Uber’s sor at Cass Business School in showing that the Mayor of Lon- its London licence in a surprise “It’s critical that we act with 40,000 drivers in the capital, London said the decision was don is closed to business and move that dealt a serious blow integrity in everything we do, James Farrar, who has cam- a “potentially mortal blow” to innovation.” Sam Gyimah, a to one of Silicon Valley’s fast- and learn how to be a better paigned for better working con- Uber, adding: “In the past Uber Conservative justice minister est rising companies and partner to every city we oper- ditions at the firm, said TfL’s operated at the edge of the law and MP for East Surrey, said it sparked an outcry from a coa- ate in. That doesn’t mean aban- decision was a “devastating with new technology as an alibi. was “possible to have effective lition of customers, government doning our principles—we will blow”. Now its rogue business model regulation of Uber without ministers and drivers at the vigorously appeal TfL’s deci- TfL said it had rejected the is proving to be a big liability.” penalising the consumers ride-hailing company. The sion—but rather building trust company’s application to re- Khan said he fully supported who benefit from more choice firm’s application for a new li- through our actions and our new its licence because the decision to revoke Uber’s and lower cence in London was rejected behavior. In doing so, we will “Uber’s approach and conduct licence, saying all companies prices”. Steve McNamara, on the basis that the company show that Uber is not just a re- demonstrate a lack of corporate needed to “play by the rules”. general secretary of the Li- is not a “fit and proper” private ally great product, but a really responsibility” in relation to re- He said: “I want London to censed Taxi Drivers’ Associa- car hire operator. Uber’s cars great company that is meaning- porting serious criminal of- be at the forefront of innova- tion, which represents black- will not disappear immediately fully contributing to society, fences, obtaining medical cer- tion and new technology and to cab drivers, said the mayor had as its current licence expires beyond its business and its bot- tificates and driver background be a natural home for exciting made the right decision. “Since on 30 September and it plans tom line. checks. new companies that help Lon- it first came on to our streets to challenge the ruling by Khosrowshahi, who was doners by providing a better Uber has broken the law, ex- London’s transport authority in brought in to run the firm after The licensing body also said and more affordable service. ploited its drivers and refused the courts immediately. The a series of scandals, also it was concerned by Uber’s use “However, all companies in to take responsibility for the hailing app can continue to op- tweeted an appeal to London- of Greyball, software that can London must play by the rules safety of passengers. This im- erate in the capital – where it ers to “work with us” in solving be used to block regulatory and adhere to the high stan- moral company has no place has 3.5 million users – until the the issue. “Dear London: we r bodies from gaining full access dards we expect – particularly on London’s streets,” he said. firm has exhausted the appeals far from perfect but we have to its app and undertaking regu- when it comes to the safety of Uber said in a statement the process. Uber has 21 days to 40k licensed drivers and 3.5mm latory or law enforcement du- customers.” decision would “show the world launch an appeal but can con- Londoners depending on us. ties. The decision to remove But Hands, who is also min- that, far from being open, Lon- tinue to operate until the pro- Pls work w/us to make things Uber from one of its biggest ister for London, said: “At the don is closed to innovative com- cess expires – which could take right,” he tweeted. The decision markets is the latest blow for a flick of a pen Sadiq Khan is panies”. “3.5 million Londoners months. Uber chief executive by the London mayor’s trans- US-based company that has threatening to put 40,000 who use our app, and more Dara Khosrowshahi wrote to port body, Transport for Lon- shot to a $70bn (£52bn) valua- people out of work and leave than 40,000 licensed drivers staff on Friday confirming that don, was backed by Sadiq tion since it was founded in 3.5 million users of Uber who rely on Uber to make a liv- the company would appeal the Khan, employment rights cam- 2009 but has been hobbled by stranded. ing, will be astounded by this ruling. He said he disagreed paigners, and the trade body opposition from national and “Uber must address safety decision,” the company added. with the decision but it was for the capital’s black-cab driv- municipal governments around concerns and it is important The company wrote to users on based on past behaviour. ers, who have been staunch op- the world – including in Italy there is a level playing field Friday asking them to “defend “The truth is that there is a ponents of the US-based com- and Rio de Janeiro – due to across the private hire market. the livelihoods” of its drivers high cost to a bad reputation,” pany. However, it drew imme- concerns over safety or the “But a blanket ban will cause and sign a petition asking the he wrote. “It really matters what diate criticism from Uber users, threat to existing taxi busi- massive inconvenience to mil- mayor to reverse TfL’s deci- people think of us, especially drivers and Greg Hands, the nesses. Andre Spicer, a profes- lions of Londoners, all while sion. The Electoral College Is a National Security Threat hostile countries would find it too citizens in other states, such as Texas effect, taking over series of computers, exceeded what had been previously expensive and time-consuming to inject and California. This makes it easier for which is then called a botnet,” and he disclosed. These revelations are “sinister bias” into the process of malign outside forces to direct their raised the question of whether these trolls consistent with prior findings of choosing a president. At the time, the efforts. targeted voters in Wisconsin, Michigan intelligence agencies that Russian spies new American leaders feared meddling But what if the national popular and Pennsylvania. Donald Trump, of have been conducting reconnaissance from Great Britain, their former colonial vote determined the president instead of course, won those three states by a on U.S. election processes and master, or perhaps from other powers the Electoral College? No voter would be combined total of fewer than 80,000 technology. But setting aside for now such as France, and they designed a more electorally powerful than another. votes, securing him an Electoral College worries about what happened in 2016, it system to minimize the prospect that It would be more difficult for a foreign victory and a four-year trip to the Oval is equally—if not more—important to Europe’s aging monarchies could seize entity to sway many millions of voters Office, despite losing the national popular consider the startling potential for control of their young democracy. scattered across the country than vote by nearly 3 million votes. Facebook interference in future presidential Hamilton and his colleagues never could concentrated groups of tens of thousands has already acknowledged that fake elections. As Clint Watts, a have envisioned a year like 2016, when of voters in just a few states. And it would users linked to Russia spent $100,000 counterterrorism expert and former FBI an enemy state—Russia—was able to be more difficult to tamper with voting running political ads on its platform, on agent, testified in a March hearing before manipulate America’s election process systems on a nationwide basis than to polarizing topics such as gay rights, gun the Senate Intelligence Committee, with stunning effectiveness. But it’s clear hack into a handful of databases in control, immigration and race. Some of “Today, you can create content, gain the the national security rationale for the crucial swing districts, which could alter these ads were aimed at specific audience, build the bots, pick out the Electoral College is outdated and an election’s outcome. Yes, a foreign geographic areas. But we don’t yet know election and even the voters that are therefore it should be retired. Simply put, entity could disseminate messages to the full extent of Russia’s microtargeting valued the most in swing states and it enables foreign powers to more easily major cities across the entire country or efforts or whether they involved any actually insert the right content in a pierce the very shield Hamilton imagined try to carry out a broad-based cooperation with Trump’s campaign. And deliberate period.” Furthermore, he it would be.In Hamilton’s day, as he cyberattack, but widespread actions of definitive answers to these questions explained that outside actors are capable argued, it would have been nearly this sort would be not only more may not emerge until Congress and of cleverly disguising bots as human impossible for a hostile power to co-opt resource-intensive, but also more easily special counsel Robert Mueller complete beings with local flavor: “If you do dozens of briefly chosen electors flung noticed, exposed and addressed. their investigations. Apart from Russia’s appropriate target audience analysis on across 13 states with primitive roads. But Congressional investigators are currently disinformation campaign during the social media, you can actually identify in the social media age, the Electoral examining Russia’s 2016 disinformation election, there also is reason to be an audience in a foreign country or in College system provides ripe campaign. Senator Mark Warner of alarmed about Russian cyberattacks on the United States [and] parse out all of microtargeting grounds for foreign actors Virginia, the ranking member of the voting systems, including voter their preferences … If you inhale all of who intend to sabotage presidential Senate Intelligence Committee, has databases and electronic poll books the accounts of people in Wisconsin, elections via information and publicly called out Russian used to verify voters’ identities and you identify the most common terms in disinformation campaigns, as well as by microtargeting in 2016 swing states. In registration status. Recent reports it, you just recreate accounts that look hacking our voting infrastructure. One March, Warner highlighted reports of indicate that Russian hackers targeted exactly like people from Wisconsin.”And reason is that citizens in certain states “upwards of 1,000 paid internet trolls election systems in at least 21 states, choosing the right voters to target is not simply have more voting power than working out of a facility in Russia, in and that the scope of these attacks a task that requires domestic assistance. Wednesday 20 to 26 September, 2017 CONTD. 22 There are 1.77 million homeless in India, but the State is blind to them They can be found There are 1.77 million homeless 2016, the apex court slammed released under the NULM, does structural causes of everywhere but somehow the people in India. the Centre and states for their not pertain only to urban homelessness; second, a Indian State fails to notice them. Last week, the Supreme lackadaisical approach in homeless but to other activities national moratorium on forced They are the homeless people of Court took the Centre and states providing shelters to the poverty- also. The good news is that there evictions and demolitions should India. According to the to task, saying that there should stricken in urban areas despite has been an overall decline in the be introduced; third, enhanced government’s definition, be an audit by the Comptroller availability of sufficient funds. houseless population from the policy coherence and homeless or houseless are those andAuditor General of the money It had also observed that the last Census. While there has convergence between housing who live in “the open or roadside, disbursed by the Centre to the mission of the NULM scheme been a 28% decline reported schemes in urban and rural pavements, in hume-pipes, under states for a scheme under the “remains a distant dream even from rural India, there has been areas and schemes for the flyovers and staircases, or in the National Urban Livelihoods after lapse of a long period.” The a 20% increase in houseless provision of water and sanitation; open in places of worship, Mission (NULM), and observed NULM was launched in people living in the cities. But still fourth, the central and state mandaps, railway platforms etc.” that these funds, which are September 2013 to reduce there is a long way to go. But governments should put in Yet when it comes to providing meant for a specific purpose, poverty and vulnerability of urban only spending money will not place effective and timely them the basic needs, should not be diverted. poor households. The Centre had solve the problem. Here’s what mechanisms to collect data on governments have been failing to This is not the first time the earlier told the court that an needs to be done. First, the State evictions, including with spend even their allocated funds. SC has rapped the Centre. In amount of Rs 1,000 crore, needs to identify and address the disaggregation of the persons who are evicted by age, gender, disability, caste and Sheikh Hasina accuses Myanmar authorities of laying landmines religion. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set a target for the nation – every Indian on the border to prevent the Rohingyas from going home must have a house by 2022. This is a tall order. However it is possible if the state undertakes the right sort of planning and judicious spending of funds. ‘Treat us like Tibetan and Lankan refugees’ Rohingyas tell SC they have no terror links Among the reasons The Rohingya refugee crisis Umme Salma in her arms, said, better soon.’ Rohingyas from returning and said the Rohingya refugees gave in on the Myanmar-Bangladesh ‘I could not go to get relief as I But there is a lot that needs the UN must take immediate their defence against their border has further escalated with have to carry the baby. Only the to be done. With people jumping measures to find a solution to the deportation to Myanmar, they the much-needed relief yet to men and some strong children on vehicles with relief materials crisis. ‘We are horrified to see clarify the distinction between reach the hands of those suffering. could manage to get relief aid. I and women fighting to get a bag that the Myanmar authorities are refugees and immigrants – Several camps in Ukhia, like cannot fight, so will stay hungry.’ of relief materials — the problems laying landmines along their while refugees are individuals the one near Kutupalong area, A few like Tazani even fought, still persist. stretch of the border to prevent who have fled their country reported hundreds of Rohingya but ended up with bruises. Tazani, Speaking at the UNGA the Rohingya from returning to refugees fighting among with a toddler in her arms, said, Thursday, Bangladesh PM Sheikh Myanmar. These people must be fearing persecution, themselves only to grab a packet ‘My husband died in firing in Hasina accused Myanmar able to return to their homeland immigrants are individual who of food, water and bedding. Myanmar. I am alone here with authorities of laying landmines on in safety, security and dignity,’ voluntarily choose to move out Sumi, 34, is one of the victims my kid. I cannot get relief material the border to prevent the Hasina said. of the country seeking of the double tragedy — first because I have bruises. employment opportunities. struggling to sneak out of ‘Many have come here, but The apex court is already Myanmar and now struggling for only a few manage to get relief seized of a public interest in Bangladesh. Wiping her face packets.’ petition (PIL) filed by two with the extended end of her The government, political Rohingya Muslim refugees peach shaded hijaab, she parties and NGOs have set up challenging the government’s expressed her misery with tears various centers, but are still far decision to deport an rolling down her eyes. from providing the required relief. estimated 40,000 people of I don’t know why I am alive. I Zakir Hussain, general came to Bangladesh with four secretary, Bangladesh Chatra the community. While the children and all four have still not League, who is setting up hearing on their plea is eaten anything. It is like no food monitoring camps for relief supply scheduled on October 3, it is for four days. Now, my three in the area, said, ‘The volunteers unclear when the child rights children are unwell because I of our party and student wing are panel’s petition will come up could not manage food packets. there. for hearing. ‘I am yet to get any relief ‘We are standing by those in Earlier this week, the because even I am not physically distress. We, too, have faced Centre told SC many strong. I cannot see their pain and challenges in distributing relief Rohingya refugees have links suffering anymore,’ Sumi said. materials due to heavy rainfall. with IS and Pakistan’s spy Alum Bahar, clad in a yellow Now there is better system of agency ISI, posing a “serious hijaab and grey burqa with a baby distributing food and will get security threat” to India. The government also said if allowed to stay, they would exhaust the natural resources meant for Indian citizens that could culminate in hostility towards them and lead to social tension. Wednesday 20 to 26 September, 2017 SOUTH ASIAN 23 India has to prepare better to fight natural disasters Having better information ahead of time, we should invest in disaster risk reduction to involve government agencies, businesses, public bodies and specialists. years we have also seen many mainly on industries and services. In Houston, when Harvey affected of our cities severely flooded, the Meeting officers in some of around 6.8 million people caus- latest being Mumbai which re- the worst flood-affected areas of ing around 60 deaths and severe ceived 300 millimeters of rain in Bihar last week, I felt that there infrastructural damage, there was less than 12 hours. Ahmedabad, was an effort to downplay the im- an immediate allocation of 8 bil- Chandigarh, Bangalore and pact of the floods and even lion dollars (Rs 52,000 crore) by Chennai all received torrential undercount the number of deaths. the US Government. So far, our downpours many times over their The cardinal principle for an ad- government has committed about normal range. Though one would equate response to disaster is Rs 3,000 crore for a disaster sev- think this has been the wettest that we get the right informa- eral times the size of Houston. We summer, the monsoon is running tion early. It is important to get have to act now with purpose if 3% short of the expected rainfall. the exact status for the govern- we have to protect our country When the earth receives such ment as well as other humani- from the onslaughts of in- Over the last couple of months, rently, there are six states and a quantity of water in a relatively tarian agencies to creased changes in its weather storms, hurricanes and floods more than 42 million people af- short span of time — if the re- respond.Also, since floods and the freakiness of it. We have pummelled many parts of the fected by floods and more than ceiving location has lost its wa- have become a chronic affair, have to prepare our communi- world. As I write this, the US is 1000 dead. Millions have been ter-absorbing green cover and media interest wanes as soon ties to face these disasters by just recovering from Harvey that displaced and almost 2 million sponges, mangroves, lakes that as the water levels start reced- the use of technology and hav- paralysed Houston and has been children cannot access school. would have held larger waters — ing. Actually this is when we ing better information ahead of hit again in Florida by Irma — both The floods have also caused huge our cities along with Houston or want the government, the me- time. For this, we should invest in causing devastation back to back. damage to agricultural land, live- the state of Florida become sit- dia and the donors to focus on disaster risk reduction across India, along with Nepal and stock and infrastructure. ting ducks. This should worry In- the post-rehabilitation phase. It high-risk geographies, involving Bangladesh, has experienced a The intensity and frequency dia since we are urbanising and is all forgotten until it reappears government agencies, busi- deluge that is unprecedented in of these events have been in- moving from an agrarian in its next annual appearance, nesses, public bodies and spe- the last several decades. Cur- creasing. In the last couple of economy to a GDP dependent possibly with even lesser interest. cialists. Nearly 500 are sheltered in a cleared-out chicken farm in a Hindu hamlet in Bangladesh’s southeast Having better information ahead of time, we should invest in disaster risk reduction to involve government agencies, businesses, public bodies and specialists. milion red dot on her forehead Biswas said the VHP and typical of married Hindu Rashtriya Swayamsevak women. Sangh, the umbrella group that “We just want a peaceful life mentors Modi’s ruling party, in India, not much. We may not would submit a report to the get that in Myanmar or here,” he home ministry on the refugees said. Fellow refugees nodded in and demand a new policy al- agreement, stating that they lowing Hindus from Myanmar wanted the message to reach the and Bangladesh to seek asy- Indian government through the lum in India. media. The Hindu right who form the The Indian government de- bedrock of Modi’s support have clined to comment on the Hindu long believed India is the home refugees’ hopes. A government for all Hindus. source said it was waiting while India’s Home Ministry spokes- the Supreme Court hears an ap- man K.S. Dhatwalia declined to peal against the home ministry’s comment. plans to deport around 40,000 A senior home ministry offi- Rohingya Muslims from the cial in New Delhi, speaking on country.But Achintya Biswas, a condition of anonymity, said that Caught in the crossfire be- where most of the 421,000 Modi’s government, mean- senior member of the Vishwa no Hindu in Myanmar or tween Myanmar’s military and Rohingya Muslims who have while, is making it easier for Hindu Parishad (VHP), or the Bangladesh affected by the vio- Rohingya insurgents, hundreds of also fled violence in Myanmar Hindus, Buddhists, Christians World Hindu Council, which has lence had approached Indian Hindus who have fled to since Aug. 25 are living in and other minorities from close ties with the ideological authorities. Bangladesh are placing their makeshift camps. Bangladesh and Pakistan to parent of Modi’s ruling party, said “At this juncture we have no hopes on the Hindu nationalist The Hindu refugees say gain citizenship in India. India was the natural destination SOS calls from Hindus,” said the government of Prime Minister they are scared of going back “India is also known as for the Hindus fleeing Myanmar. official. “Also, the Supreme Court Narendra Modi in neighbouring to their villages in Buddhist- Hindustan, the land of the Hin- “Hindu families must be al- is yet to decide whether India India. Nearly 500 are sheltered in majority Myanmar’s restive dus,” said Niranjan Rudra, sit- lowed to enter India by the gov- should deport Rohingya Muslims a cleared-out chicken farm in a Rakhine state, but also wary ting on a plastic sheet in the ernment,” Biswas said by phone. or not. The matter is sub-judice Hindu hamlet in Bangladesh’s of staying in mostly Muslim chicken farm flanked by his “Where else will they go? This is and any policy decision will be southeast, a couple of miles from Bangladesh. wife, who sported a large ver- their place of origin.” taken only after the court’s order.” Wednesday 20 to 26 September, 2017 TRAVEL 24

(Media Reports)A mix of glamour, courage and skills promises to enthrall this year’s audience at Aero India, the mega air show in Bengaluru. For the first time ‘wingwalkers’ will perform at the event on February 18, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate. Walking in the sky in vintage biplanes has been part of many foreign air shows, but this is the first time Bengaluru residents will get to witness the skills of Breitling Wingwalkers of the UK-based Aerosuperbatics, and Scandinavian Air show, both of whom have confirmed their partici- pation. Breitling Wingwalkers dance atop vintage biplanes as they loop and roll through the sky. The team are excited about taking part. Team spokes- person Sarah Tanner, a wingwalker herself, told Mail Today the team is eager to find out what India thinks of wingwalking: “The Breitling Wingwalkers will per- form a formation pair routine con- on the top wing. They experience sisting of exciting passes and op- increased drag and a reduced position crossovers as well as loops speed, apart from the shift in the and rolls. The girls on the wings will centre of gravity caused by the also amaze the crowds at Aero In- movement of wingwalkers. Sarah dia by climbing around the aircraft suggested aviation enthusiasts in and performing balletic Bengaluru should look up for manoeuvres,” she added. The team “Cockpit Lady”, the most popu- flies vintage Boeing Stearman bi- lar manoeuvre for the Breitling planes at speeds up to 150mph Wingwalkers. “It comes to- when the daredevil wingwalkers wards the end of the display, climb around the aircraft against the subject to suitable weather. In wind pressure. The aircraft is modi- this move, the wingwalker climb fied with extra ailerons and a big- down from the top wing and stand ger engine. It’s a challenge for the on a ledge in front of the pilot’s pilots to fly with a person standing windscreen,” she said. Wednesday 20 to 26 September, 2017 ART & CULTURAL 25

(Media Reports)THOUGHT-provoking, titillating, engaging.the mood for re-claiming the feminine is strong amongthe works of art at the India Art Fair in the NSIC Exhibition Grounds that ends Sunday (today). Baroda based artist Rekha Rodwittiya, whose feminist spirit rings clear in her works, pays a tribute to modern-day oleographs and the female figure sans its hyper-sexual representation in art. In her large can- vasses, she juxtaposes autobiographical photographs from her life and surroundings as a testament to the passage of time, onto the painted form of the female body. Numerous arms emanate from the shoulders like the Goddess Durga, who multitasks in her life along with her memories form- ing a world of comfort. .I started doing photography when I was in my 20s, which I subsequently left,. shares the 56-year-old artist. .Eight years ago a camera was gifted to me, so I re-ad- dressed the art form wherein the cam- era was taken into spaces where I could reclaim images of faces and things of consequence. The body in a way inhabits the places that have to do with this reclamation. . Her canvases are layered with multiple images like dolls, rooms, pictures of personal be- longings, and her own face that fades away with a hazy aura. Meanwhile, Seema Kohli.s mixed media on can- vases with gold and silver leaf at F6, Juneja Art Gallery celebrate female sexuality, intellect, dreams and realities. A 3-dimensional tongue sticks out of the vibrant canvas with goddess Durga seated atop a roaring tiger, whose tail curves upward into a lotus flower. Lord Vishnu and hisconsort sit on top of the flower bloom, and the background shows the upwards journey of the female world from the womb to emancipation. At booth P10, Shrine statement to the monumentality of change and Parmeggiano and others and superimposes their Empire Gallery,Anoli Perera takes a closer look at nature and its evolu- its anxieties. Dessing the questions of heri- hexadecimal digital translations on top. What first appears tionary design. She traces the contours of continuous changes in her tage, digitisation, and beauty, French artist as a veneer of vertical lines, gives way to new meaning on the body that overwhelm her with an impressive larger-than-life scarlet elastic Jean- François Rauzier looks at Renaissance digitisation of beauty in current times. The artist also creates dress installation. Each loop indicates the cyclical change her body period portraits of women like those by massive photograph compilations with numerous small pictures, goes through, while the suspended dress is like a .second skin., a Leonardo da Vinci, Petrus Christus, which can be seen at booth C13, Villa del Arte Galleries. Wednesday 20 to 26 September, 2017 ENTERTAINMENT 26 Sex during Navratri or Sunny Leone: What exactly is the protest against? Sunny Leone is being berated for being the face of a condom ad that asks people to ‘play safe’ during Navratri. It seems we would live with spiking abortion rates after festivities but not safe sex, especially if Sunny is giving the message. have come a long way and is today a after concerted effort, the state Ambassadors can go to any level de facto Bollywood actor, an managed to buck the trend by turning irrespective of pious and religious entrepreneur and a face that launches Navratri celebrations into huge sex occasion of Navratri even.” many products (among them a brand education classrooms. What has not According to Jaswant Patel, of condoms) but India does not believe changed is the state giving up its largely chairman of the Federation of in letting go of the past. When they see conservative image for nine days of Gujarat State Chemists and Sunny Leone’s face on a condom pleasure. The 2017 survey called India Druggists Associations, the sale of poster, they don’t see yet another brand Uncovered, conducted by That’s condoms go up by at least 30 per ambassador but they see Sunny, a Personal, an Indian start-up that sells cent during the festive season. woman to be fantasized and pilloried in adult products, is proof. The survey Talking to BBC about the trend he equal measures. You can safely blame dubs Maharashtra the most sexually has seen in the past decade, he it on India’s inherent hypocrisy and active state in India, followed by said, “Condoms are sold not just at misogyny. What is not so safe is Karnataka, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu chemists and general stores, they Gujarat’s track record during Navratri. and Gujarat. However, come Navratri are stocked at even corner shops So, the reason behind the latest round and Gujarat ranks third on this list. The that sell paan (betel leaf) and most of protest against Sunny has been survey also says how the sale of of the buyers there are teenagers caused by a condom ad, with her face condoms and various sex products go and college students.” on it, which asks people to play it with up in the state. Far from emphasising So, in this scenario, what are they love during Navratri. Its exact words are: the sexual liberalisation in India, this is protesting – is it sex, sex during “Play this Navratri, but with love [Aa an evidence of its lack. And that is how Navratri or is it safe sex but with There are a few celebs who are Navratriye ramo, paraantu prem thi]”. the traders in the state like it. In a letter Sunny Leone promoting it? It seems famous for being famous. Sunny Leone You would think that the concept of safe written to Consumer Affairs Minister Ram we would need detectives to find belongs to the rare category that can sex, even if it comes via a condom ad, Vilas Paswan, the Confederation of All answer to that one, coincidentally cause outrage because she is Sunny should be welcome. India Traders said, “This is a clear another Navratri trend wherein Leone. If, on a whim, you find 10 people In 2000, former Gujarat chief irresponsible and immature attempt to parents of high-on-hormone who were part of various anti-Sunny minister Anandiben Patel – then women boost sales by putting all our cultural youngsters try to keep a lid on their Leone protests in the recent past and and child welfare minister – had value system at stake.” Talking about desires by hiring private rates. From ask them why they were frothing at the infamously said that number of abortions Sunny Leone, the letter says, “… its what we hear, it doesn’t work so well. mouth, they will have to paraphrase rise in the state a couple of months after brand ambassador Ms Sunny Leone is Condoms have a much better Edmund Hillary and say, “Because she Navratri. She came to hate her ample testimony of the fact that in the success rate. Sex education would is there.” The former adult star may comments later. It took a few years but lust of earning huge money, these Brand do even better. Priyanka Chopra shares picture with Honey Singh hits 4 million mark on Twitter Nobel Peace Laureate Malala Yousafzai Honey Singh hits 4 million mark on Twitter. Indian music sensation and popular rapper Priyanka Chopra. Recently at the Global Goals Nobel Peace Laureate, Malala Yousafzai. Honey Singh has crossed the 4 million Awards Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra spoke She captioned the post, “I could write a novel followers on twitter. It is interesting to take note on the importance of empowering girls. The about how smart, incredible, inspiring, encouraging of the fact that in- ‘Quantico’ star addressed the global leaders and and funny this young woman is…but I will keep it spite of not having urged everyone to educate and create opportunities brief. Malala, you are an undeniable force to be any recent song for young girls and children. reckoned with. The world knows that. You are a role release, Honey Priyanka, who is the goodwill ambassador for model to all the girls and boys that want to make Singh continues to UNICEF, posted a picture on Instagram with this world a better place for the future. Spending a enjoy a growing someone who is known to be an “advocate for girls few hours with you and your incredible father Mr. fan base and education”.That was none other than the youngest Yousafzai ( who reminds me so much of my father) popularity on , I realized you’re social also just a young girl media.Honey with young dreams. Singh hits 4 million Your jokes, Your mark One of India’s biggest music sensation, love for Hindi Films, Honey Singh who is known for his unique style your infectious of rap, is also very popular on social media. laughter will always He keeps on sharing his music, backs budding remind me of what a talent and shares good work with his huge huge responsibility online fan following.Honey Singh hits 4 million you have taken on at markHe has more than 30 million Followers on such a tender age.. Facebook account, which is why Honey I’m so proud to know Singh is considered as one of India’s most you my friend. You famous personalities in Bollywood. Almost inspire women like all the bollywood celebs wants to dance on me all over the world. his song in their films.Honey Singh hits 4 Can’t wait to speak million markHoney Singh is currently to u in our secret prepping for the release of his upcoming Hindi/Urdu again.” album ‘Rise and Shine’. Wednesday 20 to 26 September, 2017 ENTERTAINMENT 27 Rishi Kapoor blasts ‘monkeys’ Anurag Kashyap, Anurag Basu for delivering Ranbir’s biggest flops Rishi Kapoor unleashed a volley of insults against Anurag Kashyap and Anurag Basu, two directors he blames for the biggest flops in his son, Ranbir Kapoor’s career.

Rishi Kapoor is having a busy week. Rishi did her one better. work on certain budget and suddenly His new film, Patel Ki Punjabi Shaadi “Anurag? There is Anurag Kashyap, they are given huge budgets in hand so couldn’t make much of an impression who made Bombay Velvet, but he made bandar ke haath mein khilona nahin aa with either critics or audiences, his a better film in Gangs Of Wasseypur, I jaata hai, he goes absolutely berserk. family studio (RK Studios) was hit by a couldn’t understand head or tail of So I think that’s what actually happened tragic fire, he was trolled for commenting Bombay Velvet.And then there was Basu with both these guys. They were given on Rahul Gandhi’s Berkeley speech, and who made Barfi an outstanding film. I budgets they could not handle and I now, the actor has stoked the flames am so happy he took my son for it. My guess it happens. It happens with every again by slamming two Anurags - son got great recognition for the film and director, every actor you can’t have a complete the film,” Rishi had said in a Kashyap and Basu. then he made this Gajja Jasoos..what hundred percent record anyway…So it Mumbai Mirror interview. In an episode of Neha Dhupia’s Jagga Jasoos whatever.. which he happens,” he ranted.He’d previously Both Anurags have directed Ranbir podcast, the host played a game with made a total mess of. It was as messy openly commented on Anurag Basu’s in two of his career’s biggest flops. Rishi which required him to talk for one as my pronunciation was. He probably chaotic work ethic, blaming it for the Bombay Velvet topped out at Rs 43 crore minute about a subject she’d provide. got indulged too much. I guess both the failure of Jagga Jasoos, his son against a Rs 120 crore budget, while Not one to pass up gossip, she gave Anurags got indulged in their films. You Ranbir’s first film as producer.”He’s such Jagga Jasoos made Rs 83 crore him one word to go off on: Anurag. know when they are good enough to an irresponsible director that he doesn’t against a Rs 130 crore budget. What is brewing between Kareena Kapoor Khan turns 37 Diva of Bollywood Kareena Kapoor Khan turns 37 today. Ranbir Kapoor and Mahira Khan Although she has been away from big screen for sometime but Prize gala in Dubai this March justification given by Mahira, she is playing her role as sister, the rumored lovebirds both were yet again spotted daughter, wife and from recently accompanied each other on red together, and this time in New as a mother of Taimur Ali khan. carpet together, and looked York. The pictures of the two comfortable in each other’s enjoying some ‘we’ time went She is one of the actors who truly company. These very pictures viral on the internet. The photos entertains the audience with gave way to link-up rumors. surprised people when they their pure essence of While Ranbir remained tight- spotted a ‘Love Bite’ on acting. Bollywood’s bebo lipped about his relationship Mahira’s back. Ranbir has with her charming nature in status, Mahira took to Instagram recently completed his work on Jab we met and poo in Kabhi to rubbish the dating rumors. Sanjay Dutt’s biopic and is now khushi kabhi gham stole the Few months after the on a short break. hearts of everybody. Sushant might play role of ‘The Great Khali’ in his biopic among viewers. sushantIn fact, we all love to watch movies that are made on athletes because it helps us experiencing and learning about the struggles that they had to go through in the early stages of their career and how their life changed after they found Love bite spotted on Mahira fame.sushant“The biopic is on the life Khan’s back. After Uri attack last of wrestler Dalip Singh Rana, better year, Pakistani artists were known as Khali or The Great Khali in banned from working in India WWE circle. The studio has spoken to and many artists had packed off the Punjabi wrestler and he has given to their country and Mahira them the rights to make a film on his Khan was one of the those few life. Sushant has been approached artists. So much so, that she to play the titular role and he has in couldn’t return to India to principle agreed to do the promote her film Raees opposite film”.sushantMeanwhile, upcoming Shah Rukh Khan. But all this Sushant Singh Rajput, who had played basking in the success of its treasured film of Sushant, Chanda Mama Door bustle hadn’t discouraged her Mahendra Singh Dhoni in Neeraj trick of producing biopics on prominent Ke will let him playing the role of an from developing friendships in Pandey’s ‘M.S. Dhoni: The Untold personalities. From ‘Bhaag Milkha astronaut. The actor has started Bollywood. Mahira’s growing Story’, will reportedly be seen essaying Bhaag’, ‘Neerja’, ‘Paan Singh Tomar’, preparing for the movie, which is friendship with one of the role of ‘The Great Khali’ in the ‘Mary Kom’, ‘Azhar’, ‘Dangal’ and ‘M.S. India’s first space adventure film. He Bollywood’s most talented actor, wrestler’s biopic.sushantFor the past Dhoni: The Untold Story’; each movie is undergoing intense training for his Ranbir Kapoor, came in the eye couple of years, Bollywood has been has proved that this mantra is a huge hit character at NASA. of the public. On Global Teacher Wednesday 20 to 26 September, 2017 ADVERTISMENT 28