Bollywood 16 Diaspora 20 Humor 28 Spiritual Awareness 30 NEW YORK EDITION Vol.5 No. 6 May 26-June 1, 2012 60 Cents Follow us on TheSouthAsianTimes.info NY Polytechnic Dharun Ravi Glamor, drugs, Rupee dives to honors Sam sentenced for match-fixing 56.1, touches Pitroda 30 days rock IPL new low IPL & Controversies, Business, Page 18 Page 23 What would Greek US spotlights BJP pitches itself as Congress' exit mean for the government alternative, tries to smooth rifts U.S. economy? Mumbai : With two years to the 2014 gen- corruption in India eral elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party Washington, DC: The US state department (BJP) Thursday strongly pitched itself as an has highlighted "widespread corruption at all alternative to the Congress, and said it will levels of government" and separatist, insur- seek to expand base among the minorities, gent and societal violence among the most Dalits and poor. significant human rights problems in India. The party also sought to begin a process of "Widespread impunity at all levels of gov- reconciliation within its ranks as party presi- ernment remained a serious problem," said the dent Nitin Gadkari made it clear the meet department's annual report on human rights was focused on general election "irrespec- released by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton tive of whether they are held in 2014 or here Thursday. earlier." "Investigations into individual cases and Sanjay Joshi's resignation from the nation- legal punishment for perpetrators occurred, al executive - which led to BJP's star chief but in many cases a lack of accountability due Washington, DC: Uncertainty over the minister, Gujarat's Narendra Modi last- to weak law enforcement, a lack of trained minute change of plan to attend the meet, BJP's star chief minister Narendra Modi fate of the euro currency is already police, and an overburdened court system cre- was seen as party's first step to settle internal arrives at the BJP National Executive dampening U.S. economic growth and ated an atmosphere of impunity," the report issues. Meet in Mumbai on May 24 noted. any significant worsening of the crisis Former Rajasthan chief minister over a tussle with a state party leader, was Other highlighted problems included police would deal a blow to a recovery that is Vasundhara Raje, who had threatened to quit Continued on page 4 and security force abuses, including extrajudi- gradually gathering steam. cial killings, torture and rape. Economists estimate that volatile mar- Also listed were disappearances, poor prison kets and business uncertainty over the US Senate panel cuts Pakistan aid conditions that were frequently life threaten- fate of Greece and the policy course in ing, arbitrary arrest and detention and lengthy Europe is already shaving anywhere over doctor's jailing pre-trial detention. from one tenth to one half a percentage "The judiciary was overburdened, and court point from U.S. 2012 gross domestic Washington, DC: Outraged ic gesture that reflects grow- backlogs led to lengthy delays or the denial of product growth. over the jailing of a ing US frustration with a justice, the report said as authorities continued In a Reuters poll last week, U.S. GDP Pakistani doctor who helped difficult ally, was pushed by to infringe on citizens' privacy rights," the was forecast on average at 2.3 percent the CIA find Osama Bin Republican senator Lindsey report said. for 2012 and 2.4 percent for 2013. Laden, a US Senate panel Graham, who called The law in some states restricted religious has cut Pakistan's aid by $33 Pakistan a "schizophrenic The direct hit to growth comes through conversion, and there were reports of arrests, million, or one million for ally". trade. U.S. exports to the European but no reports of convictions under these laws, every year of his sentence. The US "(doesn't) need it said. Union account for 19 percent of total The Senate Appropriations Pakistan double-dealing and exports, and those to the euro zone repre- Separatist insurgents and terrorists in Committee voted 30-0 not seeing the justice in Jammu and Kashmir, the northeastern states, sent 13 percent of the total. But when Thursday to cut Islamabad's bringing Osama bin Laden calculated in terms of GDP, the share is and the Naxalite belt committed numerous aid in response to the con- to an end." serious abuses, including killing armed forces tiny - only 1.3 percent of total output. viction of Shakeel Afridi, The committee had personnel, police, government officials, and The indirect effects are another matter. the doctor who sought to already slashed President civilians, the report said. Insurgents were Europe in 2010 accounted for 25 percent collect DNA samples to help Barack Obama's request for responsible for numerous cases of beheading, of world trade, according to Deutsche verify for the CIA that bin Dr.Shakeel Afridi helped aid to Pakistan by 58 percent kidnapping, torture, rape and extortion, it said. Bank. Europe also is the biggest trading Laden was hiding at a com- CIA in collecting DNA and threatened deeper cuts if However, the number of incidents declined partner for China and the United States. pound in Abbottabad, close samples to verify Bin Islamabad failed to open considerably in the northeastern states and Loss of this market would ripple world- to the Pakistani capital. Laden’s existence in supply routes to US-led Jammu and Kashmir compared with the previ- wide and slow global growth. The cut, seen as a symbol- Abbottabad Continued on page 4 ous year, the report noted. Tristate Community 3 TheSouthAsianTimes.info May 26-June 1, 2012 Attorney who prosecuted Headley's case resigns Chicago: Patrick Fitzgerald, the ident Barack Obama and ended up trust of two Presidents and the unwa- the 1998 bombings of the US em- tough- talking US Attorney who serving for nearly 12 years, making vering confidence of four Attorneys bassies in Kenya and Tanzania. prosecuted a slew of highly-publi- him the longest serving US attorney General, and I am deeply grateful to He also prosecuted the case of cized cases including those leading ever in Chicago. Fitzgerald praised him for his service and his friendship Blagojevich, the former Illinois gov- to the conviction of Mumbai attack the career attorneys in the Northern over the years," Holder said in a ernor who was convicted last year of suspect David Headley and former District of Illinois, where he pre- statement. corruption charges in connection Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, sides. "I tried not to get in their way," Fitzgerald was leading the prose- with his efforts to profit from ap- has resigned. he said. Fitzgerald said he has no fu- cution of Headley and Tahawwur pointing the successor to the US Sen- In his surprise announcement, 51- ture employment plans and, after this Rana in Chicago for participating in ate seat vacated by Barack Obama year-old Fitzgerald, Attorney for the summer off, the father of two young plotting the November 2008 terrorist when he became president. Northern District of Illinois, said he children will "consider his career op- attacks in Mumbai and planning to Speculation about Fitzgerald's fu- would step down officially on June tions." The announcement came as a attack a Danish newspaper. ture in legal circles has included the 30, and leave the Justice Department bit of surprise to Justice Department Fitzgerald first became widely possibility of his being named FBI after serving nearly 24 years. officials who had been informed of Patrick Fitzgerald known when he participated in the director to succeed Robert Mueller, Fitzgerald was appointed by for- his decision, CNN reported. and the citizens of Illinois with the prosecution of Omar Abdel Rahman whose term expires in September, mer President George W Bush and US Attorney General Eric Holder utmost integrity and a steadfast com- for the 1993 bombing of the World though lucrative offers may be forth- began serving in the post on Septem- praised Fitzgerald for his commit- mitment to the cause of justice." Trade Center. He also helped prose- coming from the private sector, the ber 1, 2001. He was kept on by Pres- ment to serve "the American people "Over the years he has gained the cute the terrorism defendants tied to CNN reported. Taxi fares in NY may go up by 20% US says it's helping India the higher rates would be put into ef- hearing on the matter for May 31, find alternative oil supplies fect are still being drawn up, the when the commission is expected to Bloomberg administration supports a consider an increase of 16 percent to Washington, DC: In the face of a pub- integration, done right". taxi fare increase, making it likely 20 percent. Such hearings are almost lic outcry in India over rising oil prices "We consider it a very positive step due to Iran oil sanctions, the US said it forward and sort of a key example of that one will be approved and that it never arranged unless a fare increase was trying to help New Delhi find al- what we're seeking with our New Silk could take effect as soon as mid-July. is under serious consideration. ternative sources of supply. "We are Road Initiative, which aims at regional Officials at the taxi commission The fare proposal comes amid a working with countries around the integration to lift all boats and create said there were compelling reasons time of flux for the taxicab industry, world to encourage them to diversify prosperity across the region." to grant the industry’s wish for high- which has recently experienced some supply away from Iranian crude," State The US, she said, had offered to be New York: New York City’s Taxi er prices, like allowing fares to keep of the biggest upheavals in its histo- Department spokesperson Victoria Nu- supportive "politically, and we stand by and Limousine Commission agreed up with the rate of inflation and re- ry.