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the weekly voice
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Friday, December 26, 2014
Leader in South Asian News
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Vol 18 No. 100 PM: 40025701
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A-2 | Friday, December 26, 2014
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the weekly voice
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Friday, December 26, 2014
Fraud Marriages By NRI Grooms On The Rise - Pg. 6
Leader in South Asian News
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Union-Pearson Train Service To Start Spring 2015 - Pg. 6
Vol 18 No. 100 PM: 40025701
Windsor To Toronto High-Speed Rail - Pg. 10
2014 - The Year That Was!
JANUARY
AAP Withers
The Lassonde
School of
Engineering
• At the heart of the GTA
Plans To
Nuke Surat
• Professional programs
combining engineering,
law & business
• New $85 million building for
engineering students
• Student entrepreneurship
centre
• Offering degrees in civil,
mechanical & electrical
engineering, and computer
science
As 2014 rolled in, India’s Aam Aadmi Party is taking the country by storm, having signed over 500,000
new members and establishing 300 offices in all corners of the country in just around three weeks' time.
With New Delhi under its belt, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), seemed to be unstoppable, and many expected it
to play spoilsport to Modi's rise to eminence in the April general elections. But it turned out to be a flash
in the pan, disappointing most of its early fans. Leader Arvind Kejriwal proved to be a dictator and though
he had impeccably clean credentials, he didn't have the tact to be a leader. AAP picked up four MP seats in
Punjab, and that's where the story stands. It may yet have a rebirth if the new elections called in New Delhi
gives the party another chance. No one is betting on it.
Diplomatic Spat
Over Diplomat
The whole of India suddenly rose up in favour of an Indian diplomat,
who the US authorities accused of having broken their laws while
posted in New York. Devyani Khobragade, kept the headlines blazing,
her good looks didn’t hurt either, as India and the US went to and fro,
on how to resolve the issue. New Delhi retroactively accorded her immunity and subsequently a New York judge threw out the state’s case
against her. The apology India sought didn’t come and the case is in
a limbo as the office of US attorney Preet Bhara, refused to confirm
‘case closed’ status. She is believed to be back in India. As a diplomat,
she can travel all over the world, but it’s doubtful if she would want to
or be able to enter the US again.
According to the confessions of
an Indian Mujahideen leader,
widely reported in the Indian
media, they were actively planning to nuke Surat, a major town
in Narendra Modi-ruled Gujarat.
The extremists leader, Ahmad
Zarar Siddibappa, more popularly known as Yasin Bhatkal,
told interrogators that he was offered positive help from Pakistan
in his great plan. Bhatkal was
arrested on August 27, 2013 in
Pokhra, Nepal. Bhatkal told his
interrogators that he had asked his
Pakistan-based boss, Riyaz Bhatkal, over phone whether the latter
could arrange a small "nuclear
bomb". According to him, Riyaz
responded, "Anything can be arranged in Pakistan".
The Rise Of
Maryam Sharif
She has the face of a movie star,
political savvy of Benazir Bhutto
and is a rising role model for the
nation's youth as "abba", and father, Prime Minister of Pakistan,
Nawaz Sharif, reposes growing
trust in her abilities. Meet Maryam
Nawaz Sharif, 40, the new
political star on Pakistan's po-
litical firmament -- twitter-savvy, yet traditional, and certainly
among the most arresting faces
in South Asian dynastic politics.
The Cambridge doctoral aspirant
was named chairperson of the PM
Youth Programme, an outreach of
the six-month-old Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) regime.
A-4 | Friday, December 26, 2014
THE WEEKLY VOICE
EDITOR
Binoy Thomas
Associate editor
Basil Nainan
o p i n io n
Mumbai Gets World Class Airport
Mumbai, India’s richest city, finally has a
swanky world-class airport, named after a local Maratha warrior-king Chhatrapati Shivaji
that boasts of arguably the largest art gallery
at such a facility, depicting the vibrant mosaic
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of the country’s cultural heritage and varied
collage of the city’s life. The four-storey glass
marvel, whose design is inspired by a dancing peacock and built at a cost of a whopping
Rs 9,800 crore, was dedicated to the nation
by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. “This
shows our ability to build world class infrastructure,” he said. The terminal, sprawling
across an area of 4.39 lakh sq m, is home
to thousands of artefacts and paintings that
stretch along a 3-km art wall, aptly named
“Jaya He”.
Salman Flies Modi’s Kite
Bollywood superstar Salman Khan, who attended a kite-flying festival in Ahmedabad
along with Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra
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claims from safe countries has decreased to
historic lows, ensuring that genuine refugees
– truly vulnerable people from some of the
world’s most volatile areas – receive faster
and fairer protection.
Italian Marines Still In Limbo
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Bala Menon
Firdaus Ali
Preeti Thandi
Harj Chaggar
General manager
Dhruv Ghosh
UK’s Role In Blue Star
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Modi, was criticized for being seen with him
prior to the elections. Salman, who was in
town to promote his film “Jai Ho”, spent a
whole afternoon with Modi at the festival.
Salman said: “Today, I met Modiji for the first
time. I hope we meet often. Modi is a great
man and he is doing great for his state and
I wish him all the very best in life.” He said
that “God would decide who is the best man
to become the Prime Minister”. And lucky for
him, God chose Modi!
Given the headlines about a possible UK collusion in the infamous Operation Blue Star in
India’s Punjab, the UK Prime Minister David Cameron said there was no evidence so
far to suggest that elite British special forces
played a role in the 1984 Operation Blue Star
to flush out Sikh militants holed up in the
Golden Temple. “I don’t want to prejudge the
outcome, but I would note that so far it has
not found any evidence to contradict the insistence by senior Indian army commanders
responsible at the time that the responsibility
for this was carried out solely by the Indian
army.”
Anju George Is A World Champion
India has never produced a true world champion, in a track and field event. Many have
come close, but never stood on the No.1 podium, including legendary runners like Milka
Singh and P T Usha. In January came the news
that Anju Bobby George who won Silver at
the 2005 World Athletics Championship held
in Monte Carlo, actually deserved to win the
Gold. Her Silver has been upgraded to Gold
after the disqualification of Tatyana Kotova
of Russia by the International Association of
Athletics Federations, following re-testing of
the latter’s urine sample collected at the 2005
World Championship.
Canada Cracks Down On Fake Refugees
It’s a legacy that Canada’s former Immigration Minister Jason Kenney has passed on to
his successor, Chris Alexander. Kenney fixed
Canada’s broken asylum system. Alexander
stuck to the same path after taking over, keeping the fake ones out as firmly as allowing
those genuinely in need of Canada’s shelter.
The Conservatives pulled the rug from under
the feet of immigration consultants/lawyers,
who earlier charged sums that varied depending on how far removed the client was from
being a refugee! The number of new asylum
India held two Italian marines, charged with
the killing of Indian fishermen in the Arabian
sea. But on being warned against giving them
the death penalty, India pledged not to do if
found guilty. The case is winding through
the notoriously slow Indian judicial system.
Marines Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore
Girone, were deployed on the
Italian-flagged oil tanker MT Enrica Lexie when they shot dead two Indian fishermen
off Kerala coast in February, 2012, sparking
diplomatic tensions between India and Italy.
They had said they mistook the fishermen for
pirates.
FEBRUARY
Asaram’s Mounting Troubles
‘Godman’ Asaram (estimated networth $2
Billion) faced rape allegations and after several media reports, the police took him into
custody. But what surprised the officers was
the extent of the wealth the godman had
amassed. “The scrutiny of documents recovered during the raid has established that the
wealth of Asaram’s ashrams in the form of
bank accounts and other investments including shares, debentures and government bonds
(excluding land) is valued at Rs 9,000-Rs
10,000 crore,” Surat city commissioner of police Rakesh Asthana said.
The raids were conducted following a
complaint by two sisters against Sai and his
father, accusing them of rape, sexual assault,
illegal confinement and other charges. Surat
police had booked 40-year-old Sai under various sections including rape, unnatural sex,
molestation, wrongful confinement, unlawful
assembly, rioting armed with deadly weapon,
criminal intimidation and criminal conspiracy
under IPC. It will need a divine intervention
to get his divine self to stay out of jail.
Citizenship Made Tougher
A new bill, tabled in the Parliament proposed
major changes to the citizenship act. The applicant must have completed four years of
residency within Canada in the previous six
years, before applying for Canadian citizenship. Application fees have been hiked and
language and knowledge requirements for
would-be Canadians made tougher.
Under the new law, Canadian citizens
who hold dual citizenship can be stripped of
their citizenship if they’re convicted for offences relating to terrorism, espionage or treason, or for taking up arms against Canada. A
key requirement will include that those seeking citizenship sign a declaration confirming
that they will reside in Canada.
Mrs Modi Refuses To Oblige
In the run-up to the elections, Narendra Modi’s rivals had counted on creating a stink
over his marital status and the absent Mrs.
Modi. Unfortunately for the Opposition, the
lady who separated from him early, refused to
oblige. Jashodaben, said that she remained a
big fan of Modi, even though they split three
years into their marriage and since he left “we
have never been in touch”. “I know he will
become PM one day,” she said.
Three To Hang For Rape-Murder
A New Delhi court awarded the death penalty
to three men convicted in the rape-murder of
a 19-year-old woman in
2012, observing that the crime committed by them “shakes the conscience of society” and falls under the “rarest of the rare”
category. The case of Nirbhaya as it came to
be known made world headlines, and drew at-
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tention to the pathetic state of women’s safety in India,
especially in Delhi.
the top 10 fastest improving schools were in Toronto, that
had a very high percentage of immigrant children.
Iran Threatens Pakistan
Tehran’s interior minister warned Pakistan that Iranian
forces may enter Pakistani and Afghan territory to release
Flight MH 370 Mystery
Among the many theories offered to explain the missing
Malaysian Airways flight MH 370 was one by Malaysian
Airforce chief who believed that it travelled to an area
near India’s Andaman and Nicobar islands that is closer to
border guards seized by a rebel group. Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli’s remarks on state TV came a week after the
little-known Jaish al-Adl posted photos on Twitter of five
men it claims are border guards it seized near Pakistan.
He said Iran had asked Pakistan to treat the case “strongly
and seriously” or allow Iran to secure the remote region
“deep on
Afghanistan and Pakistan soil.” “Otherwise we do
consider it our own right to intervene and create a new
security sphere for our safety,” he said.
Bihar Rising!
The news in itself was noteworthy, but where it came from
made it even more sensational. Bihar, the Indian state, is
often referred to as one of India’s most backward regions.
But its chief minister shocked the world when he claimed
that they have the world’s longest free WiFi zone. Bihar
made a strong bid for a mention on the world’s infotech
map as chief minister Nitish Kumar unveiled the 20km
free Wi-Fi zone, the longest across the globe, at a function
christened e-Bihar summit in Patna. New Arrival Form For India
According to new regulations announced in February, all
passengers coming to India will be filling up a new ‘Indian Customs Declaration Form’ which will seek details
that will be different from the earlier ones. The Form now
carries additional fields for declaration of dutiable and
prohibited goods, which will help authorities in checking
customs duty frauds and keep a record of gold jewellery
and bullion being brought into the country. For the first
time, travellers were to be asked to specifically declare
any prohibited articles, gold jewellery (over free allowance), gold bullion and Indian currency exceeding Rs
10,000. A passenger will have to give details of countries
visited in the past six days.
MARCH
Immigrants Drive Up Schools Ranking
The top 10 fastestimproving
secondary
schools in Ontario boasted a mix of geographic,
student and family characteristics,
according
to the Fraser Institute’s
annual school rankings. The Report Card
on Ontario’s Secondary
Schools 2014 ranks 740 public, Catholic (and a handful
of private) secondary schools based on seven academic
indicators using data from the annual province-wide tests
of literacy and math managed by Ontario’s Education
Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO). Three of
Malaysia than the Indian mainland. Air force chief Rodzali Daud told a news conference that an aircraft was plotted
on military radar at 2.15am, 200 miles (320 km) northwest
of Penang Island off Malaysia’s west coast. The mystery
about its disappearance is still unsolved.
Muslim Wise Men Council
Participants at the Forum for Promoting Peace in Muslim
Societies in Abu Dhabi have recommended creation of an
Abu Dhabi-based Islamic council, comprising prominent
and wise Islamic scholars, and mandated to help extinguish the raging fires in Islamic nations. The proposed
body was named ‘Muslim Wise Men Council’. This came
during the closing session of the two-day forum attended
by the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) Foreign Minister
Sheikh Abdullah
bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The participants also recommended holding the forum in Abu Dhabi on an annual basis. They also called for promoting the forum’s outcomes
as a key contribution to the culture of peace in Islamic societies. The closing session was also attended by Ahmed
Al Tayyib, grand Sheikh of Al Azhar, Shaykh Abdallah bin
Bayyah, president of The
Global Centre for renewal
and guidance (GCRG) and
chairman of the scientific
committee of the forum, in
addition to over 250 notable
Muslim scholars and thinkers from around the world.
APRIL
Did Nehru Order An
Unwinnable War?
Citing the extreme “sensitive nature” of the contents,
the Indian government declined to comment on sections of a classified report
on the 1962 India-China
war that have been posted
online. Top secret section
of the classified Henderson-Brooks report were revealed online by Australian
journalist Neville Maxwell.
The report analysed the
causes of India’s humiliating defeat in the 1962 bor-
Friday, December 26, 2014 | A-5
der war against China and allegedly put the blame on
the-then government of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru
and the military leadership for India’s defeat. The report,
authored by Lt. Gen. Henderson Brooks and Brig. P.S.
Bhagat, reportedly details military and political blunders
by India that led to the defeat. Maxwell reportedly got a
copy of the report and wrote a book called “India’s China
War”. The online disclosure of the report came at an odd
time for the government which was battling an aggressive
opposition in the run up to the Lok Sabha elections. Naturally, in a statement, the defence ministry said “Given the
extremely sensitive nature of the contents of the report,
which are of current operational value, it is reiterated that
the government of India has classified this report as a ‘Top
Secret’ document and, as such, it would not be appropriate
to comment on the contents uploaded by Neville Maxwell
on the web.” Sunny Leone Hits Sack Running
Sunny Leone, nee Kiranpreet, an Ontario born Indo Canadian who made it big in the North American porn industry
is today an even bigger hit in India, without revealing a
fraction of her assets! After taking a flying start at the ticket windows on its first day, Ragini MMS 2 has sustained
the collections to a total of Rs. 24 crores. She continues
her triumphant ways, adding millions to her booty, as India gasps for more and more of her.
Flaherty Dies
Canada’s former finance minister Jim Flaherty died suddenly in Ottawa aged 64. He
had stepped down as Finance
Minister just a month earlier,
amid reports citing health
reasons, and announced his
decision to quit politics more
recently. A Conservative MP
for Whitby-Oshawa, he was
discovered in his apartment
with no vital signs.
A-6 | Friday, December 26, 2014
Express Entry Program
Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander announced the decision to introduce the Express
Entry system to hasten immigration by qualified candidates. Set to launch in January 2015, “Express Entry” is
a major step forward in the transformation of Canada’s
immigration system into one that is fast, flexible and fo-
cused on meeting Canada’s economic and labour needs.
“Express Entry” will allow for greater flexibility and better responsiveness to deal with regional labour shortages,
and help fill open jobs for which there are no available Canadian workers. “Express Entry” candidates who receive
a valid job offer or nomination under the Provincial
Nominee Program (PNP) will be quickly invited to
apply for permanent residency – a key distinction between
“Express Entry” and the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, which is only used to fill temporary labour.
Kirpans Welcome At Missions Abroad
Tim Uppal, Canada’s Minister of State (Multiculturalism), announced a new policy on accommodating the
Sikh kirpan at Canadian missions abroad. “The accommodation of the kirpan at
Canadian diplomatic
missions around the
world is a deeply
significant move that
shows that the Government of Canada
understands and respects the significance of the kirpan
to Sikhs,” said Amritpal Singh Shergill, President of the
World Sikh Organization of Canada. “Most importantly,
this policy reflects the importance Canada places on human rights, including freedom of religion, and sets an example for the rest of the world.” The new policy provides
clear guidance to missions on accommodating the Sikh
kirpan. Visitors to Canadian missions who declare themselves to be Sikhs will be permitted to retain their kirpans
when entering the missions, provided their kirpans are secured within a sheath, attached to a fabric belt and worn
under clothing across the torso. They should also be in
possession of the four other Sikh articles of faith.
Khushwant Singh Returns To His Pakistani Roots
A fistful of ashes of legendary Indian journalist and author
Khushwant Singh were brought to his birthplace in Pakistan’s Punjab province to fulfil his desire to be
“reunited with his roots”. “The son returned to
his soil after 99 years,” said Muhammad Hayat,
ex-head master of the Government Boys High
School Hadali, where Singh studied.
Hadali, is a town of Khushab district in
Punjab province and was the birthplace of
Singh, who passed away on March 20 in New
Delhi. His ashes were mixed with cement to fix
a marble plaque under a Shisham tree where he
played as a child. The plaque reads: “A Sikh,
a scholar and a son of Hadali Punjab. This is
where my roots are. I have nourished them
with tears of nostalgia.”
MAY
Muslim Charity Accused Of Aiding Terror
IRFAN-Canada, a Muslim charity that works
largely in Palestine, came under the RCMP
scanner as their offices in Ontario and Quebec
were raided. Earlier, the federal auditors had
accused it of sending almost $15 million to the
Palestinian group, Hamas, that is a designated
terrorist group in Canada. Integrated National
Security Enforcement Teams raided the head
office of the International Relief Fund for the
Afflicted and Needy — Canada in Mississauga, ON, as well as a private residence in Montreal. IRFAN-Canada lost its charity status in
2011 after an audit by the Canada Revenue
Agency called the group an “integral part” of
an international fundraising effort that supported Hamas.
EU Bans Alphonso Mangoes
The 28-member European Union temporarily
banned the import of Alphonso mangoes, the
king of fruits, and four vegetables from India
from May 1, sparking protests from the Indian
community, lawmakers and traders. British
Labour MP of Indian origin, Keith Vaz, in a
symbolic gesture sent British Prime Minister Cameron a basket saying that it was the
last and enjoy it! The decision by the group’s
standing committee on plant health came after
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207 consignments of fruits and vegetables from India imported into the EU in 2013 were found to be contaminated
by pests such as fruit flies and other quarantine pests. But
people who expected a glut and price reduction were disappointed as it was soon lifted.
Lungi Makes A Splash In Florida
It happened inTampa Bay, Florida, where fans who went
to see Bollywood stars, were treated to a lungi dance by
US ‘President’ Kevin Spacey (as in House of Cards) who
was seen swaying with Shahid Kapoor and Deepika Padukone in a lungi dance!
Modi Triumphs
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entertainment channel and allegations by its news channel
that the country’s spy agency, Inter Services Intelligence,
had orchestrated the attack on journalist Hamid Mir in
Karachi.
Ahmadiyya Doctor Shot Dead
The Canadian Ahmadiyya community mourned the murder of one of their own by extremists in Pakistan. The
Canadian and American physician and humanitarian, Dr.
Mehdi Ali Qamar who held both Canadian and American
citizenship, was shot dead outside a hospital where he
used to volunteer. The 50-year old father of three was a
cardiologist based in Columbus, Ohio and was on Day 2
of a three-week volunteer medical mission to Tahir Heart
Institute in Rabwah, Pakistan. For many months prior to
his assassination, an orchestrated hate campaign was in
progress against the Institute without any action from authorities.
JUNE
Narendra Modi created history in May on his way to becoming India’s 14th Prime Minister as he led the BJP to a
spectacular victory in a Lok Sabha battle that crushed the
Congress and others ranged against him and gave, for the
first time in 30 years, his party a majority in parliament on
its own. Even political pundits gasped at the sheer scale of
the Bharatiya Janata Party’s sweep that election officials
said was poised to give it a comfortable majority in the
545-member Lok Sabha even without the aid of its old
and new allies. The Congress, India’s oldest party which
had ruled the country for a decade since 2004, faced its
worst humiliation.
Badal Dissolves NRI Wings
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on June 4, took a decision to dissolve all its overseas NRI wings with immediate
effect. This decision was taken by party president Sukhbir
Singh Badal. The party also decided to send a five to sixmember party committee to the United States, Canada and
United Kingdom soon to interact with the Punjabi community in these countries to take their views on the party’s
new NRI organizational structure. There were complaints
that few people who were leading the party’s NRI wings
abroad were in fact living and doing business in Punjab.
Following this, the party president took a decision to have
a relook at all NRI wings and reconstitute them as per the
aspirations of the NRIs.
Wynne Wins Big
South Asian Heritage Month
Several South Asian community organizations marked the
South Asian Heritage Month of May by hosting events,
and forums that highlighted the contributions of the community to Canadian society.
Pakistan Suspends GeoTV
A five-member Pakistan Electronic Media Regulation
Authority (Pemra) committee suspended broadcasting licences of popular Geo group’s three television channels
and ordered immediate closure of their offices. The decision followed complaints filed against Geo network for
showing an allegedly blasphemous morning show on its
After a $90 million exercise at democracy, the Ontario
voters (the few that bothered to cast their ballots) gave
a verdict that changed nothing. The Liberal Party under
Kathleen Wynne won a majority.
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Friday, December 26, 2014 | A-7
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A-8 | Friday, December 26, 2014
Mighty Jaskaran
The Toronto Argos, one of Canada’s most popular Football (not soccer silly) teams in the Canadian Football
League (CFL) got a South Asian warrior doing the heaving and pushing for them. One of their draft picks this year
is Jaskaran Dhillon, from Vancouver. UBC Thunderbird
OL Jaskaran Dhillon was drafted in the 3rd round (21st
overall) following a trade with Edmonton. He joined the
Argos after three seasons at UBC (2011-2013) and one
season with the University of Regina (2010). As a senior,
he was named to the 2013 CIS All-Canadian first team
and named Canada West All-Star. Born in B.C., his family
moved here from Punjab.
Modi Talks About His Dream
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his first speech
to the Parliament said his government would focus on the
upliftment of the poor while working for development
of all sections, including Muslims, and promised to take
along every political party and State to make the country
prosperous and powerful. He specifically mentioned his
ideas about improving the agriculture and infrastructure
sectors and for which best practices of any State would
be adopted.
He said the foremost priority of his government would
be the upliftment of the poor and ensuring that nobody is
without a house with water, electricity and toilet by 2022,
when the country celebrates 75th year of Independence.
He referred to apprehensions expressed by some members
over the fate of minorities and said his government would
work for the development of Muslims also as he believes
that “if one organ of the body remains weak, the body
cannot be termed as healthy. We are committed to this. We
don’t see it as appeasement.”
Honour Killing Accused Fight Extradition Order
The mother and an uncle of slain bride Jassi, accused
by Punjab police of being responsible for “honour killing”, appealed against their extradition to India in B.C.’s
Supreme Court. Earlier, a British Columbia court asked
Malkit Sidhu, 65, and her brother Surjit Badesha, 69, to
surrender and allowed the crown request for extradition to
India to face trial. Jaswinder (Jassi) Sidhu was kidnapped
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by a group of men June 8, 2000, while on a visit in Punjab. The 25-year-old was found dead the next day in a
canal, her throat slit. Sidhu’s husband, Sukhwinder Sidhu,
was severely injured but survived in the same attack. The
judge said that evidence against Malkit and Badesh included the fact that Malkit felt her daughter had dishonoured the family by marrying someone the family was
opposed to. Neither Malkit nor Badesha made any funeral
arrangements for Jaswinder, inquired after her body or attended her funeral, the judge added. Malkit and Badesha
were arrested by Canadian authorities on Jan 6, 2012, almost 12 years after Jaswinder’s body was pulled out of
the canal.
Hema Malini In Mississauga
Legendary Bollywood
star Hema Malini
presented her popular stage production,
based on the Hindu
goddess Durga at the
Living Arts Centre in
Mississauga. Though
there were several
fans of the classical
take on Durga, it was disappointing to see her presence
didn’t create the excitement that a Dharmendra does!
consumers”. With heroin seizures hitting an all-time high
of 302 kg in less than six months this year, senior Punjab
Police officials claim that the well-oiled drugs smuggling
network in the state had been smashed.
Council Of Imams On Jihad
It was either ignored as uncomfortable, or dismissed as
lies by the community when reports began first of Canada-born Muslim youth going abroad to be jihadis in various campaigns. Reacting to the situation with radicalized
youth, the Canadian Council of Imams issued a statement
discouraging Muslim youth from joining radical outfits.
In a rather lengthy statement that few youth are likely to
read, they said: “Any Canadian individuals taking up arms
and fighting foreign governments are actually breaking
the laws of their own country (Canada). We believe that
any Canadian citizen who takes up arms should do so only
in the legal context of the Canadian law and government.
Any country, engaged in civil war should not be aided by
mercenaries but rather through the legal mechanism of the
UN and its member countries.”
Ayurvedic Wonder Drug For Hypertension
The search for an affordable drug to treat
hypertension
without
side effects led scientists
to the Indian kitchen.
Some spices and condiments commonly used
in Indian soups, curries
and rasam, when taken
in a specific proportion with white lotus petals, can bring
down blood pressure, said scientists after an animal study
done in Chennai. A well known formulation from the ancient ayurveda tradition called ‘venthamarai chooranam,’
(known as Siddha drugs) a mixture of cardamom, ginger,
Punjab Police Makes A
Tall Claim
“Bacchu Mian”, “Bagga
Chairman” and “Anaten”
may not be common nicknames but Punjab Police
found out that these names
were part of a multi-million
dollar drugs racket operating
in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka even as
they claimed to have broken
the supply chain of heroin
smuggling in the state resulting in “nil availability to
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f r o n t pag e
Friday, December 26, 2014 | A-9
Lassonde School of Engineering
Research Mission to India 2014
Roorkee
New Delhi
Hyderabad
Bengaluru
Chennai
The Lassonde School of Engineering at York University
recently embarked on a multi-city tour of India including
many of the country's most prestigious and ambitious
universities.
Building on the numerous relationships already
established with India's leading educational institutions,
the high-level delegation of Deans and academic
leaders signed new agreements for more student
exchanges and innovative research partnerships.
Find out more: lassonde.yorku.ca/india2014
Disney Finds Its Mowgli
The search was over. An IndianAmerican boy will play Mowgli’s
character in Disney Production’s
“The Jungle Book” adaptation.
Neel Sethi, 10, a New York boy,
will star in the film as the young
boy who is raised by jungle animals. The selection was made at
the end of a worldwide hunt for a suitable boy to play the
key role of Mowgli. Sethi will be the only actor to appear
onscreen in the project, which is a combination of live action and animation. Disney has slated it for release in 3D
Oct 9, 2015. Jon Favreau, the man behind huge successes
like the Iron Man franchise, is the director of the film.
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India’s H-Bomb
In the June 20 issue of respected defense journal, IHS
Jane’s, was an article that claimed that India had been
secretly developing materials that could be used for its
Jiah Khan’s Death To Be Probed
Thirteen months after actress
Jiah Khan was found dead in
her Mumbai home, the Bombay
High Court ordered the Mumbai
police to hand over the case to
the CBI. The court ruling came
on a plea filed by Jiah’s mother
Rabia Khan in October 2013
seeking a probe by the Central
Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Jiah, 25, was found dead in her Juhu residence late June 3,
2013 in a case the local police deemed as suicide. Police
had subsequently briefly arrested Jiah’s boyfriend, Sooraj
Pancholi, son of actor Aditya Pancholi, for allegedly abetting Jiah’s suicide.

JULY
Army Chief In Beijing
When the Indian Army Chief General Bikram Singh arrived in Beijing for a three-day visit, it was the first by
an Indian Army Chief to China in nine years – aimed at
boosting trust between the militaries and firming up plans
for the most comprehensive agenda yet for defence exercises and exchanges set to take place in coming years.

York University conferred an honorary Doctorate of Law
degree on Ratan Tata, a world renowned business leader
and philanthropist, at the 2014 spring convocation of the
Schulich School of Business on June 20. Tata is among the
12 honorary doctorate recipients from York U this year.
Upon receiving the honorary degree, Tata said, “I just
want to tell you how deeply indebted and deeply moved
I am to receive this honour that you have bestowed.” He
added, “I had no idea that this university and this business
school had done the various things ... [and] moved beyond
the shores of Canada to reflect the internationality of the
world we live in today.”
Dipika Makes History
Dipika Damerla, a long time Ontario Liberal and twice elected to
the legislature, was given a very
responsible position as Associate
Minister Responsible For Long
Term Care and Wellness, becoming the first woman of South
Asian origin to hold a ministerial
portfolio in Ontario’s history. She said, “I would look at
it as what’s best for Ontarians. That’s the main parameter,
given the fiscal reality. You can’t run away from the fiscal reality. I plan to be a strong team player, to advocate
and push for what’s best for the ministry. All of us, the
entire government, the MPPs including from the Opposition, though we may have different means to achieve it, all
have one goal - a better Ontario.”
Hydrogen bomb program. The article said that a facility
of Indian Rare Metals located in Mysore is being used
for clandestine production of uranium hexafluoride that
could theoretically be channelled towards the manufacture of hydrogen bombs. The Washington-based Institute
for Science and International Security (ISIS) stated that
India started constructing a large enrichment centrifuge
complex near Chitradurga, Karnataka.

Tata Receives Honorary Degree From YorkU
www.WeeklyVoice.com

cumin seeds, long pepper (thippili), dill (sada kuppi), licorice (adimadhuram) and white lotus petal were found to
bring down blood pressure.
C O M M U NIT Y

A-10 | Friday, December 26, 2014

www.WeeklyVoice.com
Delhi Becomes Second Most Populous City
New Delhi became the world’s second most populous city
in 2014 after Tokyo, more than doubling its population
since 1990 to 25 million, according to a UN report. The
2014 revision of the World Urbanisation Prospects said
that India is projected to add the highest number of people
to its urban population by 2050, ahead of China. India’s
Capital is expected to retain the spot of the world’s second
most populous city through at least 2030, when its population is expected to rise swiftly to 36 million. Tokyo topped
UN’s ranking of the most populous cities in 2014 with 38
million inhabitants.
Priti Patel In UK Cabinet
An ardent fan of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi
became the treasury minister in the British government.
C O M M U NIT Y
Priti Patel, 42, Conservative
MP from Witham, was promoted by Prime Minister David Cameron in the cabinet
reshuffle. Patel is Cameron’s
‘India Diaspora Champion’
and accompanied him in his
India trips. She met Modi
when a high-level British
government delegation led
by Secretary of State William
Hague and Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne
toured India. She wrote in an article: “Not only do we
wish Prime Minister Modi well in his programme of reform and in his mission to bring real change for all Indians
across India, but we are proud to call him our friend and
we look forward to supporting him as he endeavours to
create a new, more inclusive and prosperous India.”
Sania Mirza ‘Indian Until The End’
Upset by the caustic ‘daughter-in-law of Pakistan’ reference because of her husband, cricketer Shoaib Malik, India’s Tennis star Sania Mirza said she would “remain an
Indian until the end”. Telengana’s Chief Minister, Chandrasekhar, had named her the state’s ambassador. “I am
married to Shoaib Malik, who is from Pakistan. I am an
Friday, December 26, 2014 | A-11
Indian, who will remain an
Indian until the end of my
life,” Sania said. She said.
Mirza’s statement came a
day after Telangana BJP
leader K. Laxman accused
the state government of picking Sania as its brand ambassador and giving her a grant
of one crore rupees in a bid
to appease Muslims.
The Rise And Rise Of Stock Market
Indian equities continued their incredible rally that began
as the market absorbed the possibility of Narendra Modi
becoming Prime Minister. Now that he is a prime minister with a majority, India’s stock market is scaling never
before heights.
c o mmu n i t y
A-12 | Friday, December 26, 2014
Bihar Gets It Right
Bihar threw its critics some of its own curve balls. According to a recent study, Bihar, unlike the public impression created in the media, gets it right. A huge amount of
credit for that must go to the former Chief Minister, Nitish
Kumar, who stepped down following the BJP win in the
general elections. Bihar has topped low income states in
fiscal management, clocking highest growth rate of over
66 percent and about 284 percent in terms of states’ own
tax and non-tax revenues, said an Assocham study.
www.WeeklyVoice.com
The Hundred Foot Journey
Why would Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg get into
producing a film that mixes tandoori chicken with chicken
AUGUST
short term visa that is extended by New Delhi on
her request. “I want to
live in India....where else
can I go? I am a citizen
of Europe and a permanent resident of USA
but I chose India to live
because of the cultural
connection. Even if Bangladesh allows me to enter now,
I will still choose to live in India for the rest of my life,”
Taslima said.
Samina Baig became the first Pakistani woman to climb
seven highest peaks in seven continents. Baig, 23, completed the challenge, including Mount Everest which she
scaled in May 2013, in eight months. Baig was part of
an adventure diplomacy mission, funded by passionate
climbers outside Pakistan, a few embassies in Islamabad,
with no support from the Pakistan government.
Militants Attack Sikh Community
Islamic
militants attacked
members of the
Sikh community in the northwestern city of
Peshawar killing one on the
spot while injuring two others.
Angry members
of the Sikh community blocked
the main Grand
Trunk Road linking Peshawar with the capital city of Islamabad with protesters shouting slogans against the government and demanding justice.
Samina Baig And Her Seven Peaks
cordon bleu? The Hundred-Foot Journey, that opened this
weekend, was their answer to that, by telling a story on
how prejudice vanishes in the irresistible aroma of fusion
cooking. The plot follows the fateful lives of the Kaddam
family as they are displaced from their native India. The
family seeks refuge in the south of France and sets up a
restaurant.
Taslima Wants To Be Indian
Bangladesh writer-in-exile, Taslima, expressed her wish
to spend the rest of her life in India, where she is on a
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www.WeeklyVoice.com
Canadians Taxed To The Hilt
The average Canadian family spends more on taxes
than on food, shelter and clothing combined, according
to a study released by the Fraser Institute. “If you asked
people to name their household’s biggest expense, many
would likely say housing, but in reality the average Canadian family spends more on taxes than all basic necessities including housing,” said Charles Lammam, the author
of the study. In 2013, the study found that the average
Canadian family earned $77,381 and paid $32,369 in total
taxes (or 41.8 per cent of income) compared to 36.1 per
cent for food, shelter and clothing combined.
‘Biggest’ Player In NBA
Friday, December 26, 2014 | A-13
Terror Threat Against SRK
Bollywood’s
badshah
Shah Rukh Khan has received threats from the
Underworld several times
in the past when the dons
had forced him to do particular films. But this time,
it seemed more serious.
The Mumbai police beefed
up security for SRK. The
action followed a round of
bullets found outside the home of SRK’s friend and producer Karim Morani in Juhu. A note recovered from the
site warned: “SRK will be the next target.”
‘Love Jihad’ Misfires
Sim Bhullar, 21, from Brampton became the first NBA
player of Indian descent in the game’s history. He was
born and raised in the Toronto area after his parents moved from Punjab.
New Mexico State’s Sim
Bhullar wasn’t picked during the NBA draft, but he
later signed a summer contract with the Sacramento
Kings, a team owned by
venture capitalist Vivek
Randive. Bhullar who
stands at 7’5”, and weighs
360-pound is the biggest
player in the league.
Islamabad Under Seige
The summer heat was on
in the Pakistani capital of
Islamabad where two separate ‘armies’ by former
cricket idol and currently
chief of Pakistan’s third
largest party Tehreek Ki
Pakistan and another one
led by a Canadian cleric
of Pakistani origin, Tahirul
Qadri laid siege on the
parliament. Their demand
was for Prime Minister
Nawaz Sharif to resign.
They claimed that the general elections that brought
Sharif into power were
rigged.
SEPTEMBER
Priyanka At TIFF
The Toronto International Film Festival’s (TIFF) 2014
South Asian slate
looked a little slim
this year compared
to the landmark
year India had in
2012 but it still had
a lot to entice audiences. From Priyanka Chopra’s star
power in Omung
Kumar’s Mary Kom
to Shonali Bose’s
‘Margarita,
with
a Straw’ featuring
Kalki Koechlin, the
quality of the films
were noted by the
critics. Mary Kom
an inspirational film
on the life of the
world boxing champion and Olympic medallist captures
the highs and lows of the boxer’s life. Priyanka Chopra
who plays her role, was on hand to promote the film.
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No Helmet Exemption
For Sikhs
Sikhs riding motorcycles
in Ontario cannot be exempted from wearing helmets, Premier Kathleen
Wynne said. She cited
safety reasons for the decision. “After careful deliberation, we have determined we will not grant
this type of exemption as
it will pose a road safety
risk. Ultimately, the safety
of Ontarians is my utmost
priority, and I cannot justify setting that concern
aside on this issue,” Wynne wrote to a Sikh group.
Heaviest Exchange Of
Fire Since 1971 War
It seemed rather sudden,
the huge increase in the
exchange of fire between
India and Pakistan on their
border that killed both civilians as well as security
forces. What the media described as “the heaviest firing since the 1971 war” the
tense situation continued
through the year though
without much firing. Both
sides have blamed each
other for the ‘unprovoked
firing’.
Some within the BJP called it a self-goal. And more
than one party leader admitted it was a mistake raking
up the issue of “Love Jihad” in politically sensitive Uttar
Pradesh. Several leaders blamed Uttar Pradesh party pres-
ident Laxmikant Bajpayi for going overboard in propagating the concept before the leadership in New Delhi gently
pulled up the state unit.
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c o mmu n i t y
Dr. Cabbie Drives Into Town
Brampton witnessed real star power with Bollywood’s superstar Salman Khan, making
it to the music release of Dr Cabbie, a film that features local talents like Vinay Virmani
and ‘Raj’ from Big Bang Theory, Kunal Nayyar.
Salman Khan is billed as presenting the movie. The fans were treated to further
drama as lead actor, Vinay Virmani, Kunal Nayyar and Isabel Kaif emerged from a Toronto cab, driven to the venue.
Vasu Chanchlani 1952-2014
Serial entrepreneur and philanthropist, Vasu Chanchlani died on Sept 7, 2014 in Toronto,
a few months past his 62nd birthday. The Indian community lost a much loved figure
who made his mark in several initiatives that he supported outside of his business interests.
Kashmir’s Worst Floods
India’s armed forces lent its full might in Jammu and Kashmir, fighting the state’s worst
flood in six decades that killed scores of people. The army rescued 77,000 people
stranded in various villages. Prime Minister Narendra Modi flew in to take stock of the
situation.
www.WeeklyVoice.com
hundreds of rare artifacts from the private collection of Aga Khan and his family. The
Islamic art collection depicts the magnificence and diversity of Islamic cultures and
civilizations over many centuries. The Aga Khan Museum “will introduce Canadians
from other faith and cultural backgrounds to the compelling history of Islam, one of
the world’s great religions and the inspiration for countless major advancements in art,
science, music and philosophy,” said Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. The adjoining State-of-the-art Ismaili Centre, designed by Charles Correa, will serve as a place
of worship and cultural activities. The Museum opened to the public on September 18.
Ben Kingsley Is Indian Again!
Ben (Gandhi) Kingsley this time transformed himself into yet another Indian character
in Learning to Drive where he plays a Sikh driving instructor. He was in Toronto for
the premiere of his film at the 2014 TIFF where he greeted fans and the audience with
folded hands. In the film he transforms into Darwan Singh and is difficult to recognize in
a turban and a beard. Though his performance was impeccable, the film met with a less
than happy ending at the box office.
$100 Million For 10th Guru’s Birthplace
Hundreds of NRIs and businessmen from across India pledged
to contribute $100 million to
develop the birthplace of Guru
Gobind Singh, the 10th guru
of the Sikhs, on the lines of the
Golden Temple in Amritsar,
ahead of the guru’s 350th birth
anniversary in 2017. Around
five million people, mainly
Sikhs from across the world, are expected to congregate in Patna on the 350th birth
anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh. Work is already underway to develop and beautify
Harmandir Saheb before the 350th birth anniversary,
Modi, Xi Talk Money, Not Border
Like the mature and confident
statesmen they are, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping charted a new
chapter in India-China economic
ties, with Beijing assuring greater access to Indian goods and
$20-billion investment and New
Delhi rolling out the red carpet
for Chinese firms. Modi said India and China have much scope to increase economic cooperation, as it was way below
the potential. President Xi reciprocated what Modi said. “China and India will act as
twin engines in spearheading economic growth in the region,” the Chinese president
said.
India Reaches Out To Mars
Aga Khan Museum Opens
The much awaited Aga Khan Museum opened in Toronto on September 12, and it reflected the ethics and values of the Muslim minds from ancient to modern times. The
Museum, first of its kind in North America, is an architectural masterpiece by Fumihiko Maki. The 47,000 square-feet milky white stone building houses a collection of
India created space history
by becoming the first country
in the world to enter Mars’
orbit in its debut attempt.
A beaming Prime Minister
Narendra Modi, wearing a
red jacket symbolic of the
Red Planet, described it as
“achieving the near impossible”, congratulated the
feat of Indian scientists and
called for challenging the
next frontier. India’s Mars
Orbiter Mission (MOM) traversed over 650 million km
through deep space for over
nine months to successfully reach the planet’s orbit. The US, Europe and Russia had
failed in their first attempts. And India did it, as Modi noted, in a budget that was less
than the cost of making Hollywood film Gravity!
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www.WeeklyVoice.com
OCTOBER
Modi Rocks New York
Handbook To Counter Radicalization
The Islamic Social Services Association (ISSA) and the
National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) announced the public launch of a 38-page handbook for Canadian Muslim communities about radicalization towards
violent extremism. The book has received good and bad
reviews as it contains helpful tips for parents. At the same
time, some critics point out that a few Muslim leaders
themselves may be at odds with such efforts.
Asian Games Gold For India
Two-time champions India beat holders Pakistan 4-2
via penalties in the men’s hockey final to win the Asian
Games gold medal after 16 long years. The victory in
Incheon, Seoul also assured them a berth for the 2016 Rio
Olympics. It was after 32 years that both India and Pakistan were facing off in the Asian Games final. The last
time when the neighbours faced in the 1982 Asian Games
final, India were humiliated 1-7 in Delhi. Pakistan are the
most accomplished team in the Asian Games, having won
eight gold medals since 1958.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the rock star for the
evening at New York’s Madison Square Gardens, speaking to a crowd of Indian Americans who paid for the privilege. He announced a slew of schemes for the diaspora.
The local media noted that no other visiting politician has
garnered as much interest as Modi in that arena.
Niagara Flies Tri-colour
For the first time
in history, the
World-famous
and most visited
tourist spot Niagara Falls was
illuminated with
Indian tri-color,
thanks to Indian-American Physicians of Rajasthan Medical Alumni
Association of North America (RAJMAAI).
Harper In Diwali Spirits
Helping you realize your
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Friday, December 26, 2014 | A-15
festival. Earlier, he visited the Aga Khan Centre in Toronto. There will be many more to come as his party gets
ready for another round of elections in 2015.
Canada, India Patch Up On Nuke File
Australia beat Canada to it, to sign on the dotted line to
supply India uranium for its reactors. Canada caught on
in real quick time
by clinching a similar deal during the
visit of Foreign
Affairs
Minister,
John Baird, to India
in October. “The
nuclear agreement
starts a new chapter
in relations with India,” Baird said in Delhi. The agreement is really significant since Canada and India have had
a very fractious relationship in the past over nuclear cooperation. Both governments are in a hurry to jettison the
past and move on into the future. Canada also expressed
support for Indian membership of the Nuclear Suppliers
Group. The two countries plan to cooperate on building
higher capacity nuclear reactors.
IndiGo Creates World Record
India’s IndiGo created a World Record, when it placed
$25.5 Billion order for Airbus. IndiGo, already India’s
largest domestic airline, ordered 250 Airbus A320neos
worth $25.5 billion, making it the largest-ever purchase
of single-aisle planes in one go. The low-cost carrier
(LCC) also got purchase rights for another 100 A320neos
with this order, which it can choose to exercise in coming years. The order of these fuel-efficient planes comes
on top of the 100 A320s and 180 A320neos IndiGo had
ordered in 2005 and 2011 respectively. In all, the eightyear-old company has placed orders for 530 A320s worth
$48 billion.
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66-1666-12/14
Prime Minister Stephen
Harper, is on a pilgrimage
of sorts, with his schedule
during the Diwali month; he
visited both Hindu Museum
of Civilization in Toronto
and the Hindu Sabha in
Brampton to join the community in its most important
Granth Thakkar, a 13-year-old student from Gujarat, India became the new world mental arithmetic champion.
Thakkar, who won the 6th world championship in memntal arithmetic on October 12 in German city of Dresden,
surprised judges with his ability to solve mathematical
problems in no time and without any mistakes. About 40
young math enthusiasts from 18 countries took part in the
contest. Calculator, even paper and pencil, were off limits
for contestants.
A-16 | Friday, December 26, 2014
Terror Strikes Canada
Home-grown terror arrived in full force in
Canada with two killings
a week apart by two individuals both recent converts to Islam. On Oct 22
morning, Michael ZehafBibeau, 32, wielding a
high-powered rifle, went
up to the War Memorial
outside Parliament Building in Ottawa, where
an army reservist, Cpl.
Cirillo, was doing guard
duty as a volunteer, and shot
him dead. He
then reached the
central
block
where Caucus
meetings
of
Conservatives
and the NDP
were in progress.
Before
he could cause
further damage,
the Sergeant-atArms, who is in
charge of Parliament
security,
shot him dead.
Earlier another
fanatic rammed
his car into two
uniformed Canadian army reservists coming out of a mall in Montreal,
killing one. Police shot the assailant dead. Some Muslim
organizations have called them ‘misguided’. Both Liberal
Party Leader Justing Trudeau and NDP Leader Thomas
Mulcair seemed reluctant to blame Islamic terrorism, but
instead, used the softest of terms while commenting on
what was perhaps the most important event in Canada in
2014. Trudeau even refused to say anything initially until
the heat was on to come up with a statement.
Distracted Drivers Fines Go Up To $1000
Ontario introduced legislation that increased fines for distracted driving from its current range of $60 to $500 to a
range of $300 to $1,000; assigning three demerit points
upon conviction; and adding distracted driving to the existing list of novice driver conditions. The new bill also
requires drivers to wait until a pedestrian has completely
crossed the road before proceeding at school crossings
and pedestrian crossovers. Experts say the legislation is
overdue as, if current collision trends continue, fatalities
from distracted driving may exceed those from drinking
and driving by 2016.
c o mmu n i t y
India To Review Prostitution Laws
India’s Supreme Court
ordered a review of
the existing provisions
under India’s immoral
trafficking law, loopholes,
implementation of the law and the
impact of such implementation on the sex workers and their lives. “Legalization of prostitution goes against the International Labour
Organization’s (ILO) definition of ‘decent work’ and is
considered as selling sex under distress. Instead of criminalizing the buying and selling of sex, we are giving more
power to those who exploit sex workers and treat them as
commodities that can be sold in a market,” noted Ranjana
Kumari, director, Centre for Social Research who was petitioner before the court seeking changes.
NOVEMBER
Anti-Polygamy Law
The Harper Conservatives moved to table legislation that
would as they say, “protect Canadians from Barbaric cultural practices”. Named as Zero Tolerance for Barbaric
Cultural Practices Act, the move is likely to create some
discomfort within certain sections as many of these ‘barbaric practices’, though rare, are found to be real among
certain multicultural communities, hailing from Asia and
Africa.
No Talking Unless...
Pakistan should draw a “red line” whether it wants to
talk to the government of India or to those who want to
break India, India’s Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said
while calling off talks already scheduled. India reacted
negatively to what they termed ‘unfriendly’ by Pakistan’s
High Commissioner in
Delhi who spoke with
Kashmiri separatists
just before the official
talks could begin. “Do
they want to speak to
the government of India or do they want to
speak to those who want to break India... So, unless Pakistan makes the conscious choice, a dialogue will not be
possible,” Jaitley said. That’s where it stands as of now.
Made In India Nuclear Sub Ready
India’s first nuclear-powered and nuclear-armed submarine INS Arihant was reported to be ready for sea trials by the year-end. Once the trials are concluded, the
6,000-tonne submarine, will allow
India to enter an
elite club of six
nations that operate nuclear submarines carrying ballistic missiles. The
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US, Russia, France, Britain and China are the other nations with this capability. The INS Arihant’s miniaturised
nuclear reactor, built with Russian help, had gone critical
last year and the vessel has been going through a series of
harbour trials since then at Visakhapatnam,
First Woman In Turban In Navy
Master Seaman Wanda McDonald becomes the first Sikh
woman to wear the turban while serving in the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). McDonald, a Caucasian, is a sonar
operator based out of Halifax, Nova Scotia. She joined
the RCN in 1997 and became interested in the Sikh faith
three years ago. After deciding to become an initiated or
amritdhari Sikh, she requested permission to wear the turban on duty.
Rohit Sharma’s World Record
India’s stylish batsman, Rohit Sharma, scripted a world
record 264 in a one day match against Sri Lanka. The
27-year-old Sharma, who had to pull out of the England
tour in August following a finger injury, authored one of
the biggest comeback celebrations the game has ever seen
before 30,000-odd mesmerised fans at the majestic Eden
Gardens that completed 150 years. He is now the only
batsman to score two ODI double hundreds, having plundered 206 against Australia in Bangalore in Nov. 2013.
Who Killed Osama?
A former US navy
SEAL, who claims to
have gunned down Osama bin Laden during the
daring 2011 raid in Pakistan, has said he fired
a third shot for “good
luck” after hitting two
on the elusive al-Qaida
chief’s head. “I thought
I’d give him a third shot
for good luck,” navy
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Friday, December 26, 2014 | A-17
this year. Though the numbers are no large, it’s feared that
the real numbers are much larger but the brides once in a
foreign land are either too scared or pressured not to file
complaints.
SEAL Robert O’Neill told rapt 9/11 family members of
the bullets he says he fired into bin Laden’s skull. Yet,
some people are skeptical. Reports have indicated that
other members of the team also have similar claims. Given enough time, this too will be grabbed by the ‘truthers’
behind the conspiracy theory behind 9/11. After all, who
has seen Osama’s body!
Brahmins Pray For Omani Ruler
The Indian diaspora in Oman started a five-day homa
(puja) in Muscat on Nov 9, to pray for the well-being
of the ailing ruler of Oman, 72-year-old Sultan Qaboos
bin Said Al Said, said to be suffering from colon cancer.
Bangalore based astrologer Chandrashekar Swami and
a 22-member team of vedic brahmins flew in to Muscat
to perform this ritual. An advisor to the sultan who hails
from Gujarat is said to have arranged the Hindu religious
ceremony.
DECEMBER
Tim Uppal In A Spot
and the internationally admired little girl, Pakistan’s Malala Yousafzai as this year’s winners of the Nobel Peace
Prize “for their struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to
education”. As the two shared the stage during the presentation, Malala said, “I am also honoured to receive
this award together with Kailash Satyarti, who has been a
champion of children’s rights for a long time... I am also
glad that we can stand together and show the world that an
Indian and a Pakistani can be united in peace and together
work for children’s rights.” She added, “This award is not
just for me, but for those forgotten children who want education. We decided to raise our voice and tell the Taliban
that in the Quran it is mentioned that if you kill one person, you kill humanity. Neither their ideas nor their bullets
could win.”
Marriage Frauds On The Rise
The US topped the list
of eight countries from
where complaints or
cases of fraudulent NRI
marriages are received,
with 25 complaints received so far this year.
India Minister for Overseas Indians, Gen V.K. Singh (Retd) said that the Indian
missions provide assistance to the complainant in the form
of financial help for legal procedures, counselling and taking necessary action as per the need and requirement of
the case. In Canada alone there were 11 complaints filed
A Nuclear Friendship
The Indo-Russia partnership is going nuclear. During the
visit by Vladimir Putin to India, they signed off to build
two dozen nuclear power plants by 2050. The two sides
inked 20 agreements, including in the sphere of defence
cooperation, oil and gas and in trade, after the holding of
the 15th India-Russia annual summit. Modi, reading out
a statement after the talks, termed India’s strategic partnership with Russia “incomparable in content”. Putin, in
his address, said Russia would set up “20 nuclear units” in
India and also cooperate in uranium mining.
Pakistan Taliban Attacks Pakistan
In one of the worst ever terror attacks to occur in Pakistan,
a team of six suicide bombers from the Tehrik-i-Taliban
Pakistan (TTP) stormed the Army Public School in Peshawar, homed in on the centre auditorium and opened fire
indiscriminately at children and students. By the time the
Pakistan Army’s Special Services Group and other security forces had quelled the attack 18 hours later, killing all
the terrorists, 145 people were dead including 132 children. The SSG had however managed to rescue nearly
1000 people including other students and staff. The TTP
later claimed responsibility for the attack and said it was
in retaliation for the Pakistan military’s offensive against
them that began in June 2014. Pakistan’s Child Activist
Malala Yousafzai being given the Nobel Prize is also believed to have another reason for the attack.
Conservative
Edmonton-Sherwood Park MP and Minister of
State for Multiculturalism, Tim
Uppal, grabbed the headlines for
the wrong reasons - his younger
brother was detained by the Edmonton police on drug charges.
A stunned Uppal said, “Yesterday, I learned through the media
of charges against my brother. I
have always spoken out against
drugs in our communities. Anyone found guilty of such offences
should face the full force of the
law.” Thirty criminal charges
involving weapons and drugs
were laid against four men, one
of whom is Uppal’s 28-year-old
brother Raymanpreet Singh Uppal.
Malala, Satyarthi Share The
World Stage
In a surprise announcement, in
October, the Nobel Committee
named India’s little-known child
rights activist Kailash Satyarthi
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A-18 | Friday, December 26, 2014
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Friday, December 26, 2014 | A-19
A-20 | Friday, December 26, 2014
c o mmu n i t y
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