IN A strong message to China, Indian defence minister Rajnath Singh has said that if harmed, his country “will not spare anyone”.
He asserted that India under prime minister Narendra Modi has emerged as a powerful country and is headed to be among the top three economies of the world.
Singh, in his address to the Indian-American community in San Francisco, also sent a subtle message to the US that New Delhi does not believe in a diplomacy of “zero-sum game” and its relationship with one country cannot be at the expense of the other.
The defence minister was in Washington DC to attend the India US 2+2 ministerial. He later travelled to Hawaii for meetings at IndoPACOM headquarters and then to San Francisco.
At a reception hosted in his honour by the Indian consulate in San Francisco, the defence minister told the select gathering about the valour shown by Indian soldiers on the border with China.
“I cannot say openly what they (Indian soldiers) did and what decisions we (the government) took. But I can definitely say that a message has gone (to China) that India will not spare anyone if India is harmed,” he said.
The Ladakh border standoff between the Indian and Chinese militaries erupted on May 5, 2020, following a violent clash in the Pangong lake areas. The face-off escalated after the Galwan Valley clashes on June 15, 2020. As many as 20 Indian soldiers and an unspecified number of Chinese troops were killed in the clashes.
India and China have held 15 rounds of military talks so far to resolve the eastern Ladakh standoff. As a result of the talks, the two sides completed the disengagement process last year in the north and south banks of the Pangong lake and in the Gogra area.
Without making any direct reference to the American pressure concerning Russia because of the Ukraine war, Singh said India does not believe in a “zero-sum game” diplomacy.
If India has a good relationship with one country, it does not mean that its relationship with any other country will deteriorate, he said.
India, he said, believes in having a bilateral relationship that is based on a “win-win” for both countries.
His remarks came amidst some disquiet in Washington over India's position on the Ukraine crisis as well as its decision to procure discounted Russian oil.
“The image of India has changed. The prestige of India has improved. In the next few years, no power in the world can stop India from becoming the world's top three economies,” Singh said.
In his address to the Indian community, Singh said that in the past, if any country in the world wanted to develop and prosper, they always thought about establishing a vibrant trade with India.
“We should aim at establishing a similar ecosystem in India by the time we celebrate our 100th independence Day in 2047,” he said.
The defence minister said that during his last trip to the US in 2013, at a reception in New Jersey he had told a group of Indian Americans that "the success story of India is not over, it is waiting for the BJP to come into power. At that time, people were disappointed with the performance of the then Congress government."
In eight years, he said, the Modi government has "turned around" the country and the image of India has changed for the better.
(PTI)
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October declared Hindu Heritage Month in Ohio, US
Dec 20, 2024
THE OHIO State House and Senate in the US have passed a bill designating October as Hindu Heritage Month.
State senator Niraj Antani, who led the effort, expressed his satisfaction with the bill's passage.
"This is a huge win for Hindus across Ohio and the country. Now, every October, we will be able to officially celebrate our Hindu heritage in Ohio," Antani said.
Antani, the first Hindu and Indian American state senator in Ohio's history, is also the youngest Hindu and Indian American elected official at the state or federal level in the US.
"This was the culmination of a lot of work by Hindu advocates here in Ohio and across the country, and I was very happy to partner with them to get this passed," Antani added.
As the 1st Hindu and Indian American State Senator in Ohio history, I’m immensely excited to announce that last night the Ohio House and Ohio Senate passed my bill to designate October as Hindu Heritage Month! It was accomplished through a floor amendment I offered. Now, every… pic.twitter.com/c8PvwfweD4
— Niraj Antani (@NirajAntani) December 19, 2024
The legislation was amended into HB 173 on the Senate floor by Antani and was subsequently passed unanimously by both chambers.
"Ohio is home to millions of unique individuals, each with their own background and story," said state representative Adam Mathews, who sponsored and championed the bill in the House. Mathews represents much of Warren County, where a significant number of Cincinnati-area Hindus live.
The bill now awaits the governor's approval for final enactment.
The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) welcomed the bill’s passage. "By officially recognising Hindu Heritage Month every year, HB 173 goes a long way in ensuring that the contributions, culture, and traditions of Hindu Americans are better understood and appreciated by the people of Ohio," said Samir Kalra, managing director of HAF.
(With inputs from PTI)
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Peter Mandelson to be new US ambassador
Dec 20, 2024
VETERAN Labour politician Peter Mandelson has been selected to become the UK's new ambassador to the United States, according to media reports on Thursday. An official announcement is expected on Friday (20).
Mandelson, 71, is set to take up the post in late January, coinciding with US president-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House, the reports stated. This marks the first time in decades that a political appointee, rather than a seasoned diplomat, will hold the position.
The decision is reportedly causing debate in Britain. It comes amidst concerns about the future of the "special relationship" between London and Washington during Trump’s second presidency.
Keir Starmer’s new Labour government is said to be worried about potential blanket tariffs on imports threatened by Trump and his stance on support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia.
The Times newspaper, which first reported Mandelson’s appointment, said Starmer was persuaded by Mandelson’s "trade expertise and networking abilities." Mandelson served as the EU trade commissioner from 2004 to 2008.
His new role in Washington signals a significant return to prominence for a figure who last held government office during Gordon Brown's tenure as prime minister in the late 2000s.
Mandelson, a prominent ally of former prime minister Tony Blair, was instrumental in rebranding the Labour Party in the 1990s. He served in several government departments between 1998 and 2001 but resigned twice over scandals. He briefly returned to government in 2008.
Since then, Mandelson has been a member of the House of Lords. He was recently a contender for the University of Oxford’s chancellor role, though the position went to former Conservative leader William Hague last month.
Mandelson’s appointment follows a formal phone call between Starmer and Trump on Wednesday. Downing Street said both leaders agreed to strengthen the UK-US relationship. However, tensions may arise, given past accusations by Trump’s team that Starmer’s Labour party interfered in the US election by supporting Democratic candidate Kamala Harris.
Despite this, Starmer has highlighted a positive working relationship with Trump, referencing a September dinner meeting in New York where Trump described him as "a very nice guy."
Mandelson has acknowledged the challenges of navigating potential US-EU trade conflicts under Trump, advocating for Britain to "have the best of both worlds."
He will replace Karen Pierce as the ambassador to Washington. Downing Street has declined to comment on the reports.
(With inputs from AFP)
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Post Office was institutionally racist: Seema Misra
Dec 20, 2024
A LEADING campaigner in the Post Office Horizon scandal has told Eastern Eye racism played a part in her horrific ordeal, but hoped her determination to fight back will change people’s perception of Asian women.
An inquiry into the wrongful prosecution of more than 900 sub-postmasters due to incorrect information from Fujitsu’s accounting software Horizon concluded on Tuesday (17), as Eastern Eye went to press.
Seema Misra, 48, was wrongly imprisoned in 2010 after being accused of stealing £75,000 from her Post Office branch in Surrey, where she was the subpostmistress. Documents from her case showed the investigator categorised her as “Indian/ Pakistani Types, ie Asian, etc”.
It was later revealed that staff were told to racially classify suspects, including “negroid types, ie West Indian, Nigerian, African, Caribbean etc”. It also included codes for “Arabian/ Egyptian types, Chinese/Japanese types” and “dark-skinned European types”.
“I definitely believe the Post Office was institutionally racist,” Misra said on Monday (16) from Aldwych House, where she was attending the inquiry.
Davindra and Seema Misra, and Vijay and Gita Parekh
She noted she was referred to as a “test case” by David Smith, former managing director of the Post Office.
“They probably thought this Indian lady will lose the case, go to prison, and then will probably hide away and won’t speak out,” said Misra.
“In our culture, if somebody goes to prison, they lose their self-respect. It’s very difficult to go back into society.”
Misra, who was jailed while two months pregnant, said had she not been expecting her second child, she would have ended her own life “for sure”.
At least four deaths by suicide have been recorded among those caught up in the scandal.
Varchas Patel with his father Vipin and mother Jayshriben
Misra served four months behind bars, and then spent four months having to wear an electronic bracelet, even while giving birth. Her conviction was finally overturned in 2021, along with those of around 40 of her colleagues.
Running a Post Office “could have been our adventure” and the start of a “business empire”, but “all that was shattered,” said Misra, who arrived in the UK from India in 1994.
She thought about returning to India, but decided against it as she still harboured the hope of a better life for her family.
Misra said she remains “very angry” at the Post Office, which she said “could have stopped it a while ago”, but instead “hid the evidence and made innocent people suffer”.
Though Misra has received interim payments for the money she lost out on, and is due to claim a substantial compensation settlement, she said she is determined to continue to fight for justice and see those responsible “behind bars”.
“If we let the Post Office get away with it today, tomorrow another organisation will do the same thing,” she told Eastern Eye. “We want each and every single person who was responsible for the scandal – Royal Mail, the Post Office, people from the government – we need to question them and put them behind bars.”
Hasmukh Shingadia and his wife Chandrika were all victims of the Horizon scandal
Misra described herself as a naturally quiet person, but said she hopes through her vocal campaigning she can inspire other women of south Asian heritage.
“The message I want to get across is if you’re suffering, make sure you raise your voice – don’t give up,” she said. “In the beginning I used to say, ‘why me?’ But I am very spiritual person – I thought maybe God wants some strong people to fight the Post Office, and I am a chosen one.
“When I went to prison, there was no media coverage of these cases. It was a difficult decision for us to go to the media, but we were like, ‘even if we can save one life, it will be worth it’.
“I’m happy at least my life is worthwhile fighting for the right cause.”
Berkshire sub-postmaster Hasmukh Shingadia, 65, told Eastern Eye he had suicidal thoughts after being accused of stealing £16,000.
He was handed an eight-month suspended sentence at Oxford crown court, ordered to pay more than £2,000 in costs and complete 200 hours community service. After a 10-year legal battle, his conviction was overturned in July 2021.
At the time of the ordeal, he said he did not think racism played a part in the way he was treated, as he had spoken to other sub-postmasters from different backgrounds who had similar experiences.
However, having heard evidence at the inquiry, Shingadia said: “What came out is that racism actually played a big part. The attitude of the people on the help desk when you called them up was racist. The language used was derogatory. The attitudes of some of the managers was similar – the way they treated Asian and black people was different to white people.”
Varchas Patel’s father, Vipin, 70, was wrongly convicted of fraud and given an 18-week suspended prison sentence in 2011. He said his father’s ordeal led to the rapid deterioration of his health and he is now only able to walk with crutches.
He revealed his family – who live in a small village, Horspath in Oxfordshire – were victims of racist abuse from the community and Post Office investigators.
“I do believe race played a part with some of the Post Office investigators,” Patel told Eastern Eye. “One of the individuals who worked for Fujitsu in the call centre, when he gave evidence to the inquiry, said every time a south Asian subpostmaster called, they would put the phone down or put the line on mute, and then shout across an open plan office, ‘we have another scamming Patel’.”
He said he believed there was an element of jealously involved in how his father was treated by the community and Post Office investigators.
“I believe jealousy goes hand in hand with an element of race,” Patel said. “A good portion of sub-postmasters and sub-postmistresses were from south Asian backgrounds. When people are hardworking, and they are entrepreneurial, and they are very progressive, there is an element of jealousy present.
“Without a shadow of a doubt, the local parish council had elements of racism, even to this day while my dad is in the process of trying to acquire some compensation.
“I have some of the leaked parish council emails I have obtained and submitted to the lawyers. For example, one of the comments says, ‘East is East, West is West. We all understand their culture’. That’s quite a racial slur in itself.
“Now that the scandal has come to light, a small number of brave individuals in the village have said to me, ‘if it wasn’t the colour of your skin, if you were white, or you were English, your parents would have been treated differently’.
“They have confirmed that in the village we live in Oxfordshire, race played a part in my father receiving more harassment, intimidation and abuse.”
The inquiry, chaired by Sir Wyn Williams, has been gathering evidence on the decisions leading up to the wrongful convictions since February 2022.
The closing statements reflected on all phases of the inquiry, including evidence from former and current politicians, executives who were in the Post Office’s highest ranks during the scandal and former sub-postmasters and postmistresses.
The Post Office itself took many cases to court, prosecuting 700 people between 1999 and 2015. Another 283 cases were brought by other bodies, including the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). A final report is expected in 2025.
Shingadia said the report should be clear about the racial elements that impacted the way the Post Office carried out its investigations. “Unless it is open and honest, the prosecutions pending for people at the top cannot be completed positively,” he said. “The report has to come out completely fair because it will help prove grounds for prosecution because people have lied and covered up things. It needs to cover all angles and present all the information they have collected.”
Police investigating crimes linked to the scandal are looking at “dozens” of potential suspects, but don’t expect trials to begin until 2027.
The Post Office did not respond to requests for a comment.
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Kite-making picks up in Gujarat ahead of harvest festival
Dec 19, 2024
HUDDLED over piles of colourful paper, Mohammad Yunus is one among thousands of workers in India's western state of Gujarat who make kites by hand that are used during a major harvest festival.
People in Gujarat celebrate Uttarayan, a Hindu festival in mid-January that celebrates the end of winter by flying kites held by glass-coated or plastic strings.
"The kite may seem like a small item but it takes a long time to make it. Many people are involved in it and their livelihoods depend on it," said Yunus, a Muslim who comes to Gujarat from neighbouring Rajasthan state to make kites during the peak season.
More than 130,000 people are involved in kite-making throughout Gujarat, according to government estimates, many of whom work from homes to make kites that cost as little as Rs 5 (4.74 pence)
At the start of the two-day festival, people rent roofs and terraces from those who have access to them, and gather there to fly colourful kites that criss-cross each other in the sky.
Gujarat is a hub of the kite industry in the country, boasting a market worth Rs 6.50 billion (£60.5 million), and the state accounts for about 65 per cent of the total number of kites made in India.
While the kite flying season in the state is limited to almost just 2 or 3 days in January, the industry runs year-round providing employment to about 130,000 people in the state, according to government figures.
But these paper birds are also harmful and can be fatal, especially kites that have plastic strings, which can cause serious cuts to birds in the sky, killing and injuring thousands of them during the festival.
At least 18 people died from kite related injures across Gujarat during this year's Uttarayan festival, including being cut by a string and getting electrocuted while trying to extricate a kite from an electric pole, local media reported.
(Reuters)
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During the hearing, Clifford denied all the charges except for the rape charge, which was added to the indictment at the session. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)
Man pleads not guilty to murder of BBC presenter's family
A 26-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to charges of murdering the wife and two daughters of BBC sports commentator John Hunt in a crossbow and knife attack.
Kyle Clifford, who also faces charges of rape, appeared via video link at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday.
Clifford, arrested in July after a manhunt, is charged with three counts of murder, one count each of rape and false imprisonment, and two counts of possessing offensive weapons – a 10-inch knife and a crossbow.
During the hearing, Clifford denied all the charges except for the rape charge, which was added to the indictment at the session.
He is expected to enter a plea for that charge at a later date.
The victims were Carol Hunt, 61, wife of horseracing commentator John Hunt, and their daughters Louise, 25, and Hannah, 28.
An earlier hearing revealed that Louise had been found tied up and that both she and her sister had been shot with a crossbow, while their mother had been stabbed with a knife.
The fatal attack occurred at the family’s home in Bushey, a commuter town near Watford, northwest of London.
(With inputs from AFP)