Month: June 2018

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OFBJP is a failed model for BJP and should be dissolved

#SamparkForSamarthan is a smart and “out of box” campaign for/by BJP. Holding dialogue with prominent Indians in India is smart.

The same strategy with appropriate modifications would be good in case of NRIs/PIOs too. We all know that NRIs/PIOs are not of same importance in the elections, but we shouldn’t ignore the fact that NRIs/PIOs have significant connections and clout back in India, which can be of electoral benefit to BJP.

In my view, and in the views of many, OFBJP is a failed model for BJP.

Most in them are lightweight, have little network among NRIs/PIOs, little desire to network for BJP, have very little ability as leaders, and are harming the interests of BJP. People in OFBJP seem to be more interested in pics with BJP dignitaries and officials.

Instead of serving interests of BJP by operating above and beyond community associations, they seems to be more interested in playing politics within and against Indian community associations. In the process, they are alienating NRIs/PIOs, with obvious harm to BJP interests. https://yadusingh.com/2014/07/08/ofbjp-australia-plays-community-politics-and-harms-bjp/

It’s advantageous for BJP associates to work with community associations, which is currently very difficult due to immaturity and ineptitude of OFBJP “leaders”.

My advice: Sack them all and dissolve these useless OFBJP branches. Revamping them would obviously be an option.

Will Mr Vijay Chauthaiwale (OFBJP Global head) and Mr Amit Shah (BJP President) listen is an entirely different question and indeed the one, which is worth a serious consideration.

Dr Yadu Singh

http://www.twitter.com/dryadusingh

http://www.facebook.com/DoctorYaduSingh

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Free Air India from bureaucratic stranglehold and let it be run as an efficient business

Sydney, 23 June, 2018

https://www.news18.com/news/india/new-uniforms-exotic-cuisine-swanky-interiors-air-indias-premium-class-sports-maharaja-makeover-1787621.html

Government of India (GOI) tried to sell the loss making national carrier Air India (AI) recently, but nobody was willing to bid, due to the attached conditions for the sale.

Sale of AI has failed before too.

GOI under PM Narendra Modi has many business-friendly policies. AI is the national carrier. AI is and has always been under bureaucratic stranglehold, which has stifled its productivity and efficiency, and damaged its brand. Over the recent years, some serious efforts were made to change the situation, but the success has only been partial.

I travel with AI as my preferred airline. I have travelled economy and business class, and have found its services pleasant and comfortable.

Syd-Del-Syd is a profit making sector for AI, with 85%+ occupancy. AI is preferred by quite a lot of Indians in this sector. Non-stop flight is just one of them, but food and language are no less important. Contribution of people like myself in promoting AI has not been insignificant. Our contribution could even be better, if AI listens to the diaspora, instead of working with prefixed views and “I know everything” attitude.

In my view, GOI should prove its business-friendly credentials by appointing a board, with people, who have impeccable records to run successful businesses, and dismantle the bureaucratic stranglehold.

Sale of Air India is one option, and perhaps an easier option, but a better option is to turn around the business of running AIr India.

Air India deserves nothing less.

After all, it is our national Airline.

It should be a matter of pride for Indians all over the world to see a successful Air India.

Dr Yadu Singh

http://www.twitter.com/dryadusingh

http://www.facebook.com/DoctorYaduSingh

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Seeking money for Visa sponsorship is a crime with upto 2 years prison and upto $324,000 fine

Re-blogging on Tuesday, 19 June, 2018

It’s a crime to receive or offer a benefit for visa sponsorship

JailedFines (pic from Herald Sun newspaper)

Up to 2 yrs jail &/or up to $324,000/case fine for people requesting/receiving a benefit in return for a work sponsorship including 457 visa. 457 visa scamming is making some unethical & unscrupulous employers rich at the cost of employees and Australia. Some of these people are masquerading as community leaders.

I have copied the information below from Department of Immigration and Border Protection.

Paying for visa sponsorship – certification requirement

On 14 December 2015 new criminal and civil penalties and visa cancellation provisions were introduced as part of a framework that allows for sanctions to be imposed on a person who asks for, receives, offers or provides a benefit in return for a visa sponsorship or employment that requires visa sponsorship (otherwise known as a ‘sponsorship-related event’).

The certification requirement

Sponsors, nominators and visa applicants must provide a statement in their online application about current or previous conduct that constitutes a breach of ‘paying for visa sponsorship’. You will need to provide a separate certification form only if you applied before July 2016 or have been requested to provide it. See:Certification Form.

The mandatory certification required from sponsors and nominators requires you to have an understanding of the relevant sections of the Migration Act 1958 (the Act), which you are making your certification.  As a sponsor or nominator, sections 245AQ and 245AR of the Act are applicable.

This information is presented below for your reference.

245AQ definitions

benefit includes:

  • a payment or other valuable consideration
  • a deduction of an amount
  • any kind of real or personal property
  • an advantage
  • a service
  • a gift.

sponsorship-related event means any of the following events:

  • a person applying for approval as a sponsor under section 140E in relation to a sponsor class
  • a person applying for a variation of a term of an approval as a sponsor under section 140E in relation to a sponsor class
  • a person becoming, or not ceasing to be, a party to a work agreement
  • a person agreeing to be, or not withdrawing his or her agreement to be, an approved sponsor in relation to an applicant or proposed applicant for a sponsored visa
  • a person making a nomination under section 140GB in relation to a holder of, or an applicant or proposed applicant for, a sponsored visa, or including another person in such a nomination
  • a person not withdrawing a nomination made under section 140GB in relation to a holder of, or an applicant or proposed applicant for, a sponsored visa
  • a person applying under the regulations for approval of the nomination of a position in relation to the holder of, or an applicant or proposed applicant for, a sponsored visa, or including another person in such a nomination
  • a person not withdrawing the nomination under the regulations of a position in relation to the holder of, or an applicant or proposed applicant for, a sponsored visa
  • a person employing or engaging, or not terminating the employment or engagement of, a person to work in an occupation or position in relation to which a sponsored visa has been granted, has been applied for or is to be applied for
  • a person engaging, or not terminating the engagement of, a person to undertake a program, or carry out an activity, in relation to which a sponsored visa has been granted, has been applied for or is to be applied for
  • the grant of a sponsored visa
  • a prescribed event.

A prescribed event within 245AQ(l) of the Act, is defined at 5.19N of the Migration Regulations 1994 (the Regulations) and includes:

  • a person becoming, or not ceasing to be, a party to a labour agreement that is not a work agreement
  • a person nominating a position in accordance with such a labour agreement in relation to the holder of, or an applicant or proposed applicant for,  a sponsored visa, or including another person in such a nomination
  • a person not withdrawing a nomination of a position made in accordance with such a labour agreement in relation to the holder of, or an applicant or proposed applicant for, a sponsored visa.

245AR Prohibition on asking for or receiving a benefit in return for the occurrence of a sponsorship-related event

  1. A person (the first person) contravenes this subsection if:
    1. the first person asks for, or receives, a benefit from another person; and
    2. the first person asks for, or receives, the benefit in return for the occurrence of a sponsorship-related event.
  3. To avoid doubt, the first person contravenes subsection (1) even if the sponsorship-related event does not occur.
  4. Subsection (1) does not apply if the benefit is a payment of a reasonable amount for a professional service that has been provided, or is to be provided, by the first person or a third person.Note: A defendant bears an evidential burden in relation to the matter in this subsection (see subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal Code).

    Offence
  5. A person commits an offence if the person contravenes subsection (1). The physical elements of the offence are set out in that subsection.Penalty: Imprisonment for 2 years or 360 penalty units, or both.Civil penalty provision
  6. A person is liable to a civil penalty if a person contravenes subsection (1).Civil penalty: 240 penalty units.
  7. A person who wishes to rely on subsection (3) in proceedings for a civil penalty order bears an evidential burden in relation to the matter in that subsection.Note: It is not necessary to prove a person’s state of mind in proceedings for a civil penalty order (see section 486ZF).

The legislation was introduced addressing payment for visas activity through criminal, civil and administrative sanctions, and visa cancellation powers. Asking for, receiving, offering or providing a benefit in return for visa sponsorship or related employment is now illegal.

The payment for visas legislation applies to a range of temporary sponsored and permanent skilled employer nominated visas. It is unacceptable for sponsors, nominators, employers or third parties to make a personal gain through a payment for visa arrangement.

New criminal penalties of up to two years imprisonment and/or penalties of up to $324,000 for each instance apply to people requesting or receiving a benefit in return for a sponsorship event. Civil penalties of up to $216,000 may apply for people found to have offered or provided a benefit in return for a sponsorship event occurring. In addition to these penalties, if the people involved in this conduct hold a visa, either temporary or permanent, this may also be subject to cancellation. If visa applicants are involved, their applications can be refused.

Payment for visas undermines the integrity of skilled work programmes, which address genuine skill shortages in the Australia labour market by making employees available from overseas.

For more information about what constitutes payment for visas behaviour including the list of temporary sponsored and permanent skilled employer nominated visas affected, go to: www.border.gov.au/Trav/Work/Work-1.

If you have been a victim of, or are aware of payment for visas conduct, please report it to the Department of Immigration and Border Protection: http://www.border.gov.au/about/contact/report-suspicious-activities-behaviour.

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Dr Yadu Singh/Sydney/18th Feb, 2016

http://www.twitter.com/dryadusingh

http://www.facebook.com/DoctorYaduSingh

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Preference for boys persists among 2nd generation South Asian parents in Canada

I am copying the whole article from The Star newspaper from Canada, which has published a very important subject, relevant to South Asian community. Link is 👇👇👇

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2018/06/21/preference-for-boys-persists-among-2nd-generation-south-asian-parents-study-finds.html

By NICHOLAS KEUNG IMMIGRATION REPORTER

Fri., June 22, 2018



Where are all the girls?

A new Ontario study has found the preference for boys among South Asian parents persists among second-generation families born and raised in Canada, pushing the male-to-female ratio to 280 boys born for every 100 girls.

Dr. Susitha Wanigaratne, a social epidemiologist and post-doctoral fellow at the Centre for Urban Health Solutions at St. Michael’s Hospital and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, is lead author of the study on births among second-generation South Asian families in Ontario. (ST. MICHAEL’S HOSPITAL)

Previous research showed that women born in India, who already had two daughters, gave birth in Ontario to 196 boys for every 100 girls — compared to just 104 boys per 100 girls among non-South Asians — but the new finding surprised even the researchers.

While immigrants tend to assimilate over time, “from the evidence we see, this suggests it is different when it comes to the preference for sons,” said the study’s lead author, Dr. Susitha Wanigaratne, a social epidemiologist and post-doctoral fellow at the Centre for Urban Health Solutions at St. Michael’s Hospital and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences.

The study, published Thursday in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, examined live births to first- and second-generation mothers of South Asian ethnicity between 1993 and 2014, based on data from the institute, the immigration department and the Canadian Institute for Health Information’s Discharge Abstract.

Read more:

Indo-Canadian women give birth to far more boys than women born in Canada

Health minister ‘deeply disturbed’ by report of ‘son preference’ sex-selective abortions

Almost 10,300 live births to second-generation South Asian mothers and 36,687 live births to their first-generation counterparts in Ontario were identified.

Among the second-generation South Asian mothers with two previous daughters and at least one prior abortion, 280 boys were born for every 100 girls, which was greater than the male-to-female ratio among their first-generation peers. The report suggests both groups of mothers are likely taking part in sex-selective abortion in Ontario.

Manvir Bhangu, founder of Laadliyan Celebrating Daughters, a non-profit group that promotes gender equity among South Asians in the GTA, said she hopes the study will spark a dialogue about gender equity and culture. (SUPPLIED PHOTO)

The researchers looked at many different combinations of order, number and gender of births, but found third births among mothers with two previous daughters revealed a significant increase in the male-to-female ratios.

Born and raised in Brampton, Manvir Bhangu, founder of a non-profit group that promotes gender equity among South Asians in Greater Toronto, said she was both shocked and saddened by the findings.

“Even though you were born and grew up in Canada and are highly educated, you still can’t get away from the culture. You are surrounded by it. South Asian women carry the honour of the family on their shoulders for their parents and in-laws,” said Bhangu, 26, of Laadliyan Celebrating Daughters. (Laadliyan, in Punjabi and Hindi, means beloved daughters.)

“It comes down to having a place at home and in the community. It makes a big difference in your presence in the family whether you give birth to three boys or three girls. It’s easier to be loved and wanted by the people around you with three boys. People do make nasty comments if you have three girls,” added Bhangu, a co-author of the study. “The bottom line is keeping the family name alive.”

The report said it appears South Asian immigrant parents emphasize educating their second-generation daughters out of the need to uphold the image of a “model minority,” as hardworking, disciplined and successful, as well as the desire to restrict the girls’ social engagements outside of the home in order to limit western influence and improve marriageability.

“Studies in India have shown that higher maternal education is either not associated with son-biased sex ratios or that it is associated with greater knowledge of and access to sex-selective technology,” the report said.

“This situation among second-generation mothers certainly exemplifies a ‘double burden’ whereby women are educated and work outside the home but are also expected to maintain their traditional roles within the family.”

Both Wanigaratne and Bhangu hope the study can get the community to start a dialogue about gender equity and culture.

Son-biased sex ratios in the Indian community: A dialogue to make progress on gender equity

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Dhai Akhar Letter Writing Competition for NRIs/PIOs

Sydney, 18 June, 2018

The Department of Posts of India is organizing a “Dhai Akhar Letter Writing Campaign” at international level for Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and Person of Indian Origin (PIOs). The theme of the letter writing campaign is “Letter to my motherland” inspired by Rabindranath Tagore’s “Amar Desher Mati“.  The letter is to be written in English/Hindi or any of the official languages mentioned in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution of India.

2. The campaign will have two categories viz. (i)  upto 18 years and (ii) above 18 years.  The letter is to be handwritten on plain A-4 size paper with a word limit not exceeding 1000 words.   The entries are to be sent to Assistant Director General (Philately), Department of Posts, Room No. 108, Dak Bhawan, Sansad Marg, New Delhi-110001. 

3. The entries will be accepted from 01.07.2018 till 30.09.2018.  A scanned copy of the entry may be submitted on MyGov portal by 30.09.2018 but it is compulsory that a hard copy of the letter bearing dispatch postmark of not later than 30.09.2018 be sent by post.  All non-resident Indians (NRIs) and persons of Indian origin (PIOs) living outside India can participate in the International Level Dhai Akhar Letter Writing Campaign.  Details of the Campaign are attached. The top three letters in each category will be awarded prizes as mentioned in attached details of the campaign.

4. For details please log on to www.indiapost.gov.in

_____________________________

Received from

Consulate General of India

Sydney

Level 1, 265, Castlereagh Street,

Sydney, NSW 2000

http://cgisydney.org/

https://www.facebook.com/ConsulateGeneralofIndiaSydneyAustralia

https://twitter.com/cgisydney

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There Is No Excuse For Elder Abuse

Sydney, 15 June, 2018

Today is World Elder Abuse Awareness day. Elder Abuse is not uncommon, and deserves the attention of all in the community.  http://www.un.org/en/events/elderabuse/

It is estimated that as many as 10 per cent of older Australians are estimated to be affected by elder abuse, with financial abuse the most common form. More than $3 billion is lost to scams and fraud each year, with Commonwealth Bank data indicating that 76 percent of those affected by scam activity are aged over 50. It is likely more Australians will fall victim to financial abuse in the future, with those aged over 65 set to account for 25 per cent of the population by 2050.

More info:

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) is 15 June

https://www.agedcareguide.com.au/talking-aged-care/world-unites-for-elder-abuse-awareness-day

The report in https://www.sbs.com.au/yourlanguage/punjabi/en/audiotrack/concerns-over-elder-abuse-punjabi-community says that at least 31% elders from Indian Australian community over and above the age of 65 suffer one form of abuse or neglect. The SBS report also says “The most common form of abuse faced by parents of Indians living in Australia is usually financial”.

It appears that elder abuse may be more common in Indian Australian community. I am aware of many examples of physical abuse and one recent example of financial abuse, which involved transfer of a large sum of money from a lady, who had dementia and short-term memory issues. Unfortunately, roles of Banking staff was questionable and is a complaint matter now.

Greater action is needed now to protect older Australians. It is a moral duty of everyone to prevent abuse of elders. Banks must play a central role in raising awareness of the issue and helping to protect customers, especially elders, from financial abuse, scams and fraud.

Knowing that financial form of elder abuse is common, it was heartening to know that one of the prominent Banks, CBA, has commenced a program today to educate their employees in identifying elder financial abuse as well as providing practical advice on tips and traps to older customers and their families.   The infographic as well as a detailed Safe and Savvy guide will be available for customers online today and in all of our branches from July. www.commbank.com.au/safeandsavvy

CBA World Elder Abuse Awareness Day infographic

Even though it’s hard to discuss, the more we understand what elder abuse, including financial abuse, is, the more we can identify it, talk about it, and take steps to prevent it from happening. More info: customeradvocate@cba.com.au and www.commbank.com.au/customeradvocate

 

 

Dr Yadu Singh

http://www.twitter.com/dryadusingh

http://www.facebook.com/DoctorYaduSingh

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Chand Raat Eid Festival in Sydney was hugely successful

Sydney, 14 June, 2018

I was honoured to be invited to attend The 20th Chand Raat Eid Celebration in Rosehill Gardens, Rosehill, NSW. 20,000+ people attended the event. Premier of NSW, Gladys Berejiklian MP, Minister for Multiculturalism, Ray Williams MP and Lord Mayor of City of Parramatta Council, Andrew Wilson were in attendance, along with many MPs and Councilors.

It was a hugely successful festival with jam packed crowd.

Congratulations, Syed Atiq Ul Hassan. And thank you very much for the invitation.

Eid Mubarak!

Dr Yadu Singh

http://www.twitter.com/dryadusingh

http://www.facebook.com/DoctorYaduSingh

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Ken-Betwa Link Project has more questions than answers

June, 12, 2018

(Pics have been taken from Google. I don’t claim ownership of any pic)

Ken-Betwa Link, linking these two rivers, is in news these days. These rivers originate in Vindhya region of Madhya Pradesh, and travel through Bundelkhand, before merging with River Yamuna in Bundelkhand.

Ken is a smaller river compared to Betwa. Ken used to be a perennial river, but has become almost a seasonal river over last several decades due to a variety of reasons. Deforestation and massive sand mining are two important reasons. Not much flow is in the river during post-Monsoon season.

Following links provide some insight into the subject. 👇👇

Amazing experience of Yatra along the Majestic Ken River

https://scroll.in/article/829772/where-is-the-data-to-support-the-governments-rationale-for-linking-the-ken-and-betwa-rivers

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/ken-betwa-link-centre-agrees-to-mps-demand-to-merge-phases/articleshow/64564767.cms

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/india-s-first-river-inter-linking-project-ken-betwa-hits-roadblock/story-d8x3ZqSG3nqJktwd93Ea4N.html

https://m.hindustantimes.com/static/river-sutra/ken-betwa-uttar-pradesh/

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhopal/mp-wins-ken-water-sharing-battle-with-up/articleshow/63917245.cms

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/specials/rivers-of-contention/article8637408.ece

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/blink/cover/a-river-on-a-rocky-course/article8650557.ece

https://www.google.com.au/amp/s/m.timesofindia.com/india/centre-to-fund-90-of-cost-to-get-ken-betwa-linking-started/amp_articleshow/62666856.cms

Ken river is an important source of livelihood for people in Panna and Banda Districts of Bundelkhand. Not only it provides drinking water, but it also provides water for irrigation.

National Water Development Agency (NWDA), under Union Government of India, calls Ken river to be a “water surplus” river and Betwa river to be a “water deficit” river. They want to link Ken river with Betwa river via a canal. This will divert water from Ken to Betwa river near Tikamgarh. This would help people mostly in Chhattarpur, Jhansi and Tikamgarh.

Everybody, who has any real knowledge about river Ken, knows that Ken doesn’t have much water. NWDA has not publicly disclosed as to how they call Ken to be “water surplus”.

River-linking projects are supposed to deal with the issues of recurring droughts and floods in India. There are a total of 30 such projects-14 in Himalayan basin and 16 in peninsular basin. Ken-Betwa link is under the latter category.

There is much concern about Ken-Betwa link project.

  1. NWDA has not disclosed how Ken is a water surplus system, when there is no practical evidence of it.
  2. There has not been a proper and transparent consultation with people.
  3. There is serious lack of awareness about it among people. I called up several people in Banda, UP today. They either didn’t know much about it or, worse, felt that water will flow from Betwa to Ken.
  4. Out of 78MW electricity produced from the dams, which will be constructed under the project, almost 30% of the electricity will be consumed in pumping water from Ken into a higher altitude Betwa river.
  5. This project will help Chhattarpur, Jhansi and Tikamgarh, but is unlikely to help Panna, Banda and Mahoba. There is a real risk that people in Banda and Panna will be severely affected.
  6. The project appears to be based on unscientific and unverifiable data. If the data is scientific, it has not been publicly shared.
  7. Ken needs to be a flowing river, but it’s not certain if it will be so, with recent agreement between UP & MP Governments.

I am originally from the region of Banda/Panna and know the situation regarding Ken river.

I am concerned about the real possibility of major harm coming to people along the Ken river, because of diversion of water from Ken river, without full understanding and explanation of the pros & cons. It doesn’t make much sense to help a set of people at the cost of another set of people. Political consideration of any particular politician(s) can’t be the justification for any project.

Local MPs-Mr Bhairav Prasad Mishra, Mr Pushpendra Singh Chandel and Mr Vishambhar Prasad Nishad, as well as local MLAs/MLCc, must take a keen interest in the pros and cons of the project, and make their voices heard. Keeping mum is not an option.

Local media too must study this project and raise the appropriate issues.

Intelligentsia from the local region, especially Banda and Panna, must discharge its duties, just like Rajmata from Panna did recently.

Dr Yadu Singh

http://www.twitter.com/dryadusingh

http://www.facebook.com/DoctorYaduSingh

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Our team work for Keep NSW Safe achieves a successful outcome on section 20D of Anti-Discrimination Act

Sydney, 5 June, 2018

FIAN LOGOFederation of Indian Associations of NSW (FIAN) is pleased that NSW Government has decided to amend section 20D of NSW Anti-Discrimination Act. FIAN is a key and founder member of Keep NSW Safe keep-nsw-safe-logo-6.png team, which has worked actively, effectively and collaboratively with all stakeholders over last several years to achieve this spectacular result. http://www.keepnswsafe.com/

This will PROTECT DIVERSE COMMUNITIES from individuals who incite or threaten violence against people based on their race, religion, sexuality and HIV/AIDS status, and will carry a maximum three-year jail sentence and a fine of $11,000. The legislation will create a new offence in the Crimes Act of publicly threatening or inciting violence against people on the these grounds.

The path of success was difficult, because a few ministers were not keen to amend section 20D, but active work by ministers like Ray Williams and Mark Speakman has overcome the resistance.

I was made aware of this development by Multicultural Minister on 26 May, 2018, when he addressed a multicultural community forum in Strathfield, but was requested to not make it public. I kept my word.

It is indeed great to see NSW Government has listened to the concerns of our communities and responded to them in a positive way. Nobody can be allowed to harm the harmony among the communities in NSW. Punishment will be given if anyone tries to incite violence against others.

“The new laws send a very clear message to offenders that we will not tolerate behaviour which risks people’s safety”, Mr Ray Williams, Minister for Multiculturalism said, and we wholeheartedly support him.

Attorney General, Mark Speakman’s press Release is here. Mark Speakman press release on 20D

Thank you to Premier, Gladys Berejiklian and NSW Government, especially Minister for Multiculturalism, Ray Williams and Attorney General, Mark Speakman for this much needed and overdue action.

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/they-will-not-go-unpunished-three-year-jail-terms-under-new-race-hate-laws-20180605-p4zjn0.html

Dr Yadu Singh

fianinc1@gmail.com

Federation of Indian Associations of NSW (FIAN)

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Tuticorin deaths: Focus on the facts, not fiction

Sydney, 3 June, 2018

Sterlite Copper smelter in Thoothukudi (Tuticorin), Tamil Nadu (TN), India has been seeing protests for years. This year, however, protests became more intense, because Vedanta Group, the owner of the smelter, started to expand the site.

On 100th Day of the protest, 22 May, 2018, protesters were marching towards the District Administration HQ, despite orders under section 144 of IPC to not do so. When warnings by the authorities to stop the march were not heeded, Tamil Nadu Police fired, leading to deaths of 13 protesters.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thoothukudi_massacre

Any loss of life is sad, but we must understand the perspective and the background.

Police resorted to firing to stop the massive crowds from marching to the HQ of the administration.

Chief Minister (CM) of the state Mr Edappadi K Palaniswami initially justified the Police firing.

After further protests and demands from the opposition, the TN Government has now ordered permanent closure of the smelter.

https://www.google.com.au/amp/www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/sterlite-copper-to-be-permanently-closed-says-tamil-nadu-government/article24014605.ece/amp/

As I said above, no loss of life can be justified, but we must understand the facts and the background.

My condolences and sympathies are with the victims and their families. Like others, I am saddened.

The protest in Sydney a few days ago was brought to my attention by several people, including Tamil Australians.

Thiru Arumugam from Sydney said “Firstly my thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. 13 people sadly died in the protest. My humble request to all Indian Tamils in Australia is not to jump into the conclusion that Indian Government is killing Tamils. It happened in Tamil Nadu, which is ruled by a Tamil CM. Blaming Indian Govt is not right. Everyone of us are responsible in Australia for any representation of our motherland. We should remember that use of violence or breach of law never achieves our demands.”

Aspects of this protests, especially placards, are objectionable.

A couple of facts need to be considered.

  1. The protesters in Tuticorin shouldn’t have marched towards District administration’s HQ when section 144 of IPC to not do so was in place.
  2. What other option was available to the Police to control the difficult situation? Once you break the section 144, you are not a peaceful march. No Government can allow anarchy.
  3. TN CM supported the Police action.
  4. If Copper smelter is causing so much health issues, why was it not shut down earlier? Which Governments is/are responsible?
  5. This Smelter was established in TN in late 1990s, when UPA was running the Federal Government in India, and BJP has never ruled TN. https://youtu.be/_fdA_bfCZFI
  6. TN government is run by All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) party, not BJP or NDA.
  7. Police firing was unfortunate, but it can’t be called terrorism, forget “State terrorism”.
  8. Anybody who demands The UNO investigation on this matter is anti-India and is intellectually bankrupt. India has a rule of law and is not a tin pot dictatorship.

Sydney protest has the presence of about 50-60 people, some of whom either don’t understand the matter well, or worse, are anti-India. Looking at the pictures of the people, I can recognize only two people, who belong to Indian community. Rest of them appear to be Tamils of non-Indian background, many of whom may have a grudge against India due to India’s perceived hands off approach in ethnic conflicts in India’s neighborhood a few years ago. Looking at the placards in the hands of these two Indians (Anagan Babu and Renga Rajan), I can say that I am very concerned about their ability to understand what they were doing there. I doubt they even took time to read the placards they were given to hold. They were perhaps too busy in getting their pics taken for Facebook posting! (PS: Rajesh Kumar from Sydney says that the most of the protesters in Sydney were from TN, and he personally knows them. I stand corrected. The basic thrust of my commentary however will not change.) I post Rajesh Kumar’s comment below. 👇👇

While people have their right to hold a protest, I too have a right to form an opinion. There is no defamation here. This protest was a public protest, not a private protest. Pics were posted on social media with privacy settings to allow public to see them. Throwing the word “defamation” is childish, immature and ill-informed, and I am least worried about it.

Hugh Mcdermott (MP for Prospect) and Mehreen Faruqi (Greens MLC) are politicians. Politicians can and will do politics, whenever they can. That’s what politicians do for votes.

My issues with this protest is not because of protest per se, because people have a right to protest.

Having said that, I am not sure as to what people achieve by organizing protests in Australia on matters happening in their country of their birth. Many including I believe that such protests achieve nothing except giving some transient self-satisfaction of pics on Facebook and coverage in ethnic media.

My concerns are against the blatant politics, and misrepresentation and distortion of facts of the incident by the vested interests. Contrary to the claims by the protesters, the facts are that Tuticorin firings have no relevance with The UNO, terrorism, State-sponsored terrorism, BJP or “India killing Tamils” nonsense. It has everything to do with law and order problem inside Tamil Nadu, whose CM is obviously a Tamil, and whose Police is also Tamil, who fired on Tamil protesters, who breached section 144 of Indian Penal Code despite the warnings to stop doing so.

It’s a sad & unfortunate situation and I am saddened with the loss of lives, but I am equally sad with blatant and ill-informed politics being played by some people.

I urge people to focus on the facts, not fiction, and stop running an anti-India campaign!

Dr Yadu Singh

http://www.twitter.com/dryadusingh

http://www.facebook.com/DoctorYafuSingh

PS: An earlier post about Anagan Babu is here. https://yadusingh.com/2014/07/08/indaus-going-for-fresh-elections-on-20th-july-2014/