terror in the

16 JULY 2013
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VOLUME 9, ISSUE 10 | FORTNIGHTLY
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S
P
E
A
K
S
Y
O
U
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The multiple bombings at the Mahabodhi
temple in Bodh Gaya have raised many
questions, the main one being how much did lax
security on part of the government help the
terrorists succeed in their mission
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Only at Lalchand Jewellers
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16 JULY 2013
Bodh Gaya Blasts
a Wake-up Call
T
he low-intensity blasts at Bodh Gaya, where Buddha attained enlightenment, have shaken the nation’s conscience. With little doubt left
now that religious places are in the cross hairs of terrorists, union government has sounded a nationwide alert. Security has been beefed up
at important places of worship across the country. But there is no answer to the
basic question: why do terrorists manage to strike with ease at the targets of their
choice?
Laxity in security is, no doubt, to blame first. Ironically, the attack on Bodh
Gaya came within days of Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar’s claim of having significantly improved the law and order situation in the eastern state. But the terror
strike proved him wrong while exposing the many holes in the state’s security
set-up.
Kumar has now sought CISF deployment at Bodh Gaya and other places of religious importance. Though union home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde did not
outright reject his demand, he
appeared reluctant. Fighting this
kind of terror on the one hand
and Maoist insurgency on the
other, the Centre seems to have
limited options. It can either enhance deployment of paramilitary and other specialized forces
in states for counter-terrorism
and counter-insurgency operations or help the states raise their
own specialized units for the
purpose.
Odisha, in fact, is one of the
few states in the country to have
taken a lead in this. The state recently constituted a task force called the Special Tactical Unit (STU) to tackle the
threat of urban terrorism. Trained at the National Security Guard (NSG) camp in
Manesar, Haryana, the unit consists of 30 jawans of the elite Special Operations
Group (SOG). The number is likely to go up in the coming days.
But that is only one aspect of security. No force, however well equipped, can
succeed without the support of an efficient intelligence network, which has been
sadly lacking, especially in the case of states. Bihar has an abysmal record in this
matter, having been caught napping time and again. In the case of Bodh Gaya
attacks, however, the state had received intelligence inputs from central agencies
and even beefed up security following a detailed review. But this was obviously
not enough.
Local footprint in the attack was detected early. But, ever since, many other
theories have come up. The National Investigating Agency (NIA), which has taken
over the probe, believes that a new terror module could be involved in the blasts.
Be that as it may, what is important is that the culprits be traced and brought
to book. Time and again terrorists have struck in different parts of the country
and got away with it. There have been arrests and convictions in very few cases.
This is a challenge to which the entire country must rise and face as one. n
INDIA FIRST 3
CONTENTS
32
ARTS
07
COVER
STORY
IN FULL SWING
Reality shows have
sent the cash registers
ringing for dance
institutes
HORROR ON HOLY GROUND
The Bodh Gaya blasts have sent at least one
message loud and clear: terror these days can strike
anywhere, anytime and for any number of reasons
28
FASHION
BACK IN VOGUE
With backless outfits
having become
fashionable again, here
are a few tips for the
fairer sex on how to
possess a head-turning
back
4 INDIA FIRST
30
HEALTH
EARLY
ATTACKS
Thanks to an unhealthy
lifestyle, a rising
number of young
professionals are falling
prey to heart diseases
36
CINEMA
'BHAAG MILKHA
BHAAG'
Run to the theatre to
watch this epic
biopic of the
legendary “Flying
Sikh”
16 JULY 2013
In
a
nutshell
LEGALLY BOUND
T
he legal woes of West Bengal’s Mamata Banerjee government seem
to be unending. After suffering setbacks
in a number of crucial cases, including
the Singur issue, the government has
now burnt its fingers in the tussle with
the State Election Commission (SEC) on
the panchayat polls. The Supreme Court
order recently directing five-phased
polls instead of the three-stage exercise
earlier notified by the state government
has given fresh ammunition to Banerjee’s detractors, though Banerjee and
her lieutenants are trying to put up a
brave face. Putting an end to the prolonged legal stand-off between the SEC
and the state government over deploying adequate security forces, an apex
court bench of Justice A.K. Patnaik and
Ranjan Gogoi said that polling will be
held on July 11, 15, 19, 22 and 25. n
REIN CHECK
W
ithin two months of returning to power in Karnataka, the Congress is caught in squabbles over Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's
style of functioning and the demand to make state party chief G. Parameshwara the deputy chief minister. The Congress is setting up a panel
ostensibly for proper government-party coordination. In reality, this is
meant to rein in Siddaramaiah, as sought by a section in the party which
is upset that the chief minister is taking unilateral decisions to corner
credit for himself at the party's cost. Soon after taking oath, Siddaramaiah
announced a slew of populist measures such as 30 kg of rice for poor
families at Rs.1 per kg from June 1. Though the schemes were part of the
Congress manifesto, Siddaramaiah's announcement that they would be
implemented within days, even before forming a ministry, led to heartburn among many in the party. n
FIRED UP
P
unjab Congress chief Pratap Singh
Bajwa is learning the hard way
what it means to be in the hot seat,
being in the firing line of the ruling Shi-
ment of his is "rubbished" by the top
Akali Dal leadership. Even though
Amarinder Singh was recently named a
member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), he seems to be out of the
firing line of the Akalis for now.
Amarinder Singh, who made a damaging statement on Bajwa's appointment
saying he "would have suggested a better name", has been keeping away from
mainline politics in Punjab. But then,
even when he was at the helm of affairs,
Amarinder Singh's frequent absence for
days from the political scene was almost
a norm. n
LOOKING LEFT
romani Akali Dal (SAD) ever since he replaced former chief minister Amarinder
Singh in March. Bajwa, an MP from Gurdaspur, has no doubt activated the Congress in Punjab after his elevation, but
almost every political action or state16 JULY 2013
A
s soon as the Kerala assembly session resumed, all eyes were on
whether the Left opposition will keep up
the "solar heat" on Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, an issue that forced
Speaker G. Karthikeyan to adjourn the
house midway for two weeks last
month. Chandy has been under severe
attack from his political adversaries after
two of his staffers were found to have
links with a con-couple involved in a
cheating scam. In his defense, Chandy
said the controversy may not have
arisen if the previous Left government
INDIA FIRST 5
had done its job. "This fiasco could have
been avoided if you had taken the measures to Investigate the cases that your
government registered against Team
Solar company. At that time (in 2010), all
you did was to register a civil case
against the now-arrested people from
that firm. If you had done your job, the
present situation could have been
avoided." n
POLL POLICING
F
ile police complaints against
prominent opponents to score
brownie points in the coming rural polls
– this now seems to be the motto of West
Bengal's political parties. Known for
their bitter animosity towards one another, the ruling Trinamool Congress
and opposition Marxists are now engaged in a battle of police complaints
and counter-complaints as the campaign hots up for the five-phase panchayat elections beginning July 11. It all
began with the murder of Trinamool
Congress candidate Shibram Naskar at
Baruipur in South 24 Parganas district
when he was returning home after campaigning late last month. Hours after the
incident, Kolkata Mayor and Trinamool's South 24 Parganas observer
Sovan Chatterjee accused CPI-M district
secretary and former MP Sujan
Chakraborty of being involved in the
murder. n
LAW & THE ORDER
T
he proposed new government in
Jharkhand led by the Jharkhand
Mukti Morcha (JMM) may bring to the
centre stage lawmakers who are al-
WAITING IT OUT
T
hey were among the probables, front-runners and strong contenders. But in the race for two of Haryana's top jobs, some senior
bureaucrats find themselves in a nowhere land with Chief Minister
Bhupinder Singh Hooda deciding to retain the incumbents. With Chief
Secretary P.K. Chaudhary getting a six-month extension and Hooda's
principal secretary Chhatar Singh getting another three months (he got
a three-month extension in April), the race for these jobs by strong contenders has ended for now. In the present setup, there are eight officers
in the rank of additional chief secretary who were in contention after
Chaudhary's expected retirement on June 30. The front-runners included Krishna Mohan and S.C. Chaudhary. Mohan will retire during
Chaudhary's extended tenure. n
legedly on the wrong side of the law.
Some of the legislators who may play a
key role in the government formation
are facing corruption charges, serving
jail terms in murder cases, are out on
bail in graft cases or have allegedly been
evading arrest. Two JMM legislators, Sita
Soren and Nalin Soren, are allegedly facing arrest warrants. Sita Soren, daughter-in-law of JMM chief Shibu Soren, is
accused of having allegedly received a
bribe of Rs.1.5 crore for casting her vote
in favour of a candidate in the scrapped
2012 elections to the Rajya Sabha. Nalin
Soren, a former agriculture minister, is
one of nine accused in the seeds scam
case of 2007, in which irregularities were
allegedly found in supply of seeds to
farmers. n
AN ACCOMMODATING
VIEW
E
xpressing concern over government officials and lawmakers
overstaying in their official accommoda6 INDIA FIRST
tions, the Supreme Court has issued
guidelines giving a timeframe for vacating government accommodation by
judges and officials upon their retirement or on ceasing to hold office. This
also applies to former members of Parliament, it said. The court also barred
converting government accommodations into memorials to eminent political leaders. It asked the central and the
state governments to frame guidelines
in addition to existing statutory provisions. "We are of the view that in addi16 JULY 2013
TEARING UP
A
s the Opposition cornered the
government over the food security ordinance, union Minister of State
WHAT AN IDEA, DIDI!
R
idiculing Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee's proposal
for a Federal Front, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said the Janata
Dal-United (JD-U) has already ditched her just like the Samajwadi Party
did in the past. "The JD-U leaders posed for photos with Didi (Banerjee)
for setting up the Federal Front together. But soon enough, they joined
hands with the Congress and took benefits from it," BJP national
spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said. He said the "federal front"
ceased to exist as an idea the day the Congress supported Nitish Kumarled JD-U government in the Bihar assembly when it sought a trust vote
after breaking ties with his party. "The JD-U is now an ally of Congress,"
he alleged. n
tion to the statutory provisions, there is
need to frame guidelines for the benefit
of both Union of India/States and Union
Territories for better utilization of their
premises." n
LAPTOP ERROR
A
n ambitious scheme to distribute
free laptops and tablets to students who clear Class 12 and 10 exams
in Uttar Pradesh may have run into
rough weather, officials say. Against a
target of more than 15 lakh laptops to be
distributed among students passing
Class 12, only 79,491 have been given
away. The scheme is said to have played
a major role in the victory of the Samajwadi Party in the 2012 assembly elections. Official sources cite frequent
changes in the state secondary education department and the dwindling interest of the political leadership as the
two main reasons behind the slow pace
of the project. "With the budget of the
scheme being high, top officials are
wary of signing on the dotted line and
16 JULY 2013
for Information and Broadcasting Manish Tewari said only crocodile tears were
being shed over parliamentary propriety. The principal opposition Bharatiya
Janata Party (BJP), the Left parties and
several other parties have raised objections to the government's move to bring
in an ordinance on the food security bill
without facing Parliament. Tewari said
that even though the opposition was accusing the government of demeaning
Parliament, it had not respected the institution either and had repeatedly
forced adjournments and disrupted
proceedings. "It is amusing that the
ones who are shedding crocodile tears
on parliamentary propriety are also the
ones who have acquired a PhD in disruptionitis (sic)," Tewari added. n
TELL-TAIL SIGNS
T
are simply not letting the files move," a
senior official said. State government officials are also silent over the eight lakh
odd laptops yet to be procured for free
distribution. n
he formation of a Third Front
ahead of the forthcoming Lok
Sabha elections is not an easy task, because "the tail cannot lead the body",
Congress general secretary Digvijaya
Singh said. Singh, recently appointed in
charge of the party affairs in Goa, was
speaking to reporters after addressing a
meeting of key party officials during his
first visit to the state since assuming this
responsibility. "When smaller parties
lead, it is difficult. You see, the tail cannot lead the body," Singh said, explaining that it was difficult for smaller
parties to run governments because of
inter-party bickering. n
INDIA FIRST 7
Cover
Story
HORROR ON
HOLY GROUND
The Bodh Gaya blasts have sent at least one message loud and clear
to India and perhaps the rest of the world: terror these days can strike
anywhere, anytime and for any number of reasons
8 INDIA FIRST
16 JULY 2013
Bihar government has sounded a high alert in Bodh Gaya and other sensitive places across the state.
A
s the world shrinks with the ongoing information revolution,
the phenomenon of terrorism
has become omnipresent and omnipotent. Information about happenings in
any corner of the globe is just a click
away in this era of the Internet, which
has no doubt benefited humankind, but
has also brought together terror elements.
Were the serial blasts at the 1,500year-old shrine in retaliation for last
year’s Buddhist-Muslim clashes in
neighbouring Myanmar, which saw the
Rohingya Muslims there on the receiving end? The names of the suspects detained in connection with the Bodh
Gaya blasts do not confirm that to be the
case. Was it due to lax security in the
area? While investigations are still under
way to ascertain the cause of the blasts
and those behind it, the political reactions across India have been interesting
to say the least. Anyway, here is the story
so far.
A little over a week ago, on June 7, two
Buddhist monks were injured in a string
of bombings at the Mahabodhi temple
where the Buddha attained enlightenment. The first bomb went off at about
5.15 a.m. and it was followed by a series
of blasts, triggering panic. The bombings lasted about half an hour.
"Eight blasts took place early Sunday,
including two near the Bodhi tree inside
the temple compound," Additional Di16 JULY 2013
rector General of Police S.K. Bhardwaj
said over telephone.
He said that two live bombs were
found including one near a 80-feet
statue of Buddha and another near
Karmapa temple, hardly a few metres
from the Mahabodhi temple. Both
bombs were later defused by a team of
experts.
Bhardwaj said two Buddhist monks
were injured – one a Tibetan and the
other Myanmarese. "The injured Tibetan is identified as Tenzing Dorjee, 50,
and the injured Myanmarese is Vilas Ga,
30," he added.
The blasts did not cause any damage
“[It is] very unfortunate
that security has to be
beefed up in a religious
place where actually
there should be freedom”
– A Buddhist monk at the
Mahabodhi temple
“We had shared the inputs
with intelligence agencies
and Bihar Police about a
possible terror attack”
– A Delhi Police official
to the temple and the Bodhi tree under
which Buddha attained enlightenment,
a police officer said over telephone from
Bodh Gaya in Gaya district, located
about 110 km from Patna.
However, the hotels close to the temple complex shook due to the impact of
the serial blasts, a local resident near
Mahabodhi temple said, adding that
tourists and pilgrims staying there ran
out in panic.
"The blasts made the buildings shake
and all the people of the hotels, comprising foreigners and tourists, come out
wondering what had happened," the
resident told a TV channel.
A Buddhist monk at the shrine said
the blasts were deafening. Another
monk said it is "very unfortunate that
security has to be beefed up in a religious place where actually there should
be freedom".
EARLY RESPONSES
Union Home Secretary Anil Goswami
immediately assured the country, saying
"The temple complex structure has not
suffered any damage. The monastery
and the statue of Lord Buddha are safe.”
The director general of police Bihar
confirmed that "four blasts have taken
place inside the temple complex, three
blasts (took place) inside the monastery
complex, and one blast was ...adjacent
to the statue of Lord Buddha", Goswami
continued.
INDIA FIRST 9
"A team of NSG (National Security
Guard) will carry out the post-bomb
analysis, and a team of NIA (National Investigative Agency) will investigate the
matter and has been sent from here," he
added.
Meanwhile, N.H. Khan, a police officer said: "The route to the temple and its
neighbouring areas were totally sealed
off and security forces were deployed.”
Union Minister of State for Home
R.P.N. Singh described the blasts as a
terror attack.
"It is a terror attack… two people are
injured," he told reporters.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who visited the site, is in touch with union
Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde
over the incident, he added.
"All those found guilty will be punished," he said.
Singh also said that intelligence inputs had been provided to the state government.
"…all the intelligence inputs and the
information regarding blasts will be
checked again," he said.
The minister said the Bihar police
chief has been asked to provide a report
on the blasts.
"We are waiting to receive all inputs to
find out those responsible."
The Bihar government has sounded a
high alert in Bodh Gaya and other sensitive places across the state.
"Police are on high alert after the serial blasts," Additional Director General
of Police Ravinder Kumar said.
"Additional security forces have been
"This is the first time that
such an attack has taken
place on a Buddhist
temple, that too on a
heritage site. It is
extremely sad"
– B.R. Mani, additional
director general at
Archaeological Survey of
India
deployed at Mahabodhi temple and police have launched an investigation,"
Kumar added.
THE FOREWARNING
Almost as shocking as the news of the
blasts was the report that the Delhi Police had warned of a threat to the
revered shrine long before the unfortunate incident happened.
A Delhi Police team would soon visit
the town to give investigators information gathered from four Indian Mujahideen (IM) terrorists who had earlier
planned an attack on the Mahabodhi
temple, an official said later in the day of
the blast.
One of the four arrested terror suspects involved in last year's Pune blasts
had said during questioning that he had
made a video film of the area around the
Mahabodhi temple, a Delhi Police offi-
cer said.
According to police, the IM operatives
had told them that they had spent 15
days in Bihar doing a recce of the temple.
"We will be sending a team to Bodh
Gaya to share the information provided
by the arrested IM operatives who had
planned to carry out serial blasts in the
temple," the officer said earlier.
The officer added that they had
alerted intelligence agencies and Bihar
Police about a possible terror attack in
the state.
"We had shared the inputs with intelligence agencies and Bihar Police about
a possible terror attack," he said.
In October 2012, Delhi Police had
busted a group of IM terrorists which
carried out Pune serial blasts inAugust
last year. The suspects revealed during
questioning that they had planned similar attacks in Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Bodh Gaya, he said
The arrested IM terrorists in the Pune
blast case were identified as Syed Maqbool, Imran Khan, Asad Khan and Irfan.
Sayed Maqbool, a fruit seller and resident of Maharashtra's Nanded taught
the other suspects how to make IEDs
(improvised explosive devices). He was
arrested from Hyderabad. Maqbool was
a close associate of Imran of Aurangabad and Asad of Nanded who were
arrested from south Delhi's Pul Prahladpur area. In April last year, Imran introduced Maqbool to Riyaz Bhatkal, a
fugitive believed to be in Pakistan for
carrying out the attack as a retaliation to
The BJP and RJD called a bandh on July 8 to protest against the Nitish Kumar government's alleged security lapses that led to the terror attack.
10 INDIA FIRST
16 JULY 2013
the alleged atrocities on Muslims in
Myanmar.
"The gang discussed plans to carry
out a fidayeen attack in Hyderabad and
Bodh Gaya. They decided to carry out
the blast in Pune first," the officer said.
Imran had captured on video the area
around the Mahabodhi temple and
handed over the footage to Maqbool,
police said.
Police sources also said that the suspects told them that they had receed
Mumbai's J.J. Hospital and its surrounding markets for attacks. Mumbai police
were informed about their plans, they
said.
MYANMAR LINK
Speculation was rife over whether intelligence alerts ignored the warning of
possible attacks on Buddhist shrines
in India by "fringe elements" sympathetic to the cause of Myanmar's Rohingya Muslims, scores of who have
been killed in sectarian violence.
An official source said that intelligence alerts had been received as recent
"as a month ago" warning that fringe elements would try to target Buddhist
shrines in India in retaliation to attacks
on Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar's
Rakhine province.
The UN has said that 140,000 people
are displaced in Myanmar's western
Rakhine state, a year after BuddhistMuslim clashes killed about 200 people
and left much of the region racially and
religiously segregated.
According to strategic and defence
analyst, Commodore (Retd.) C. Uday
Bhaskar the terror attack in Bodh Gaya
highlights the inability of the central intelligence agencies and the state police
to work in harmony to prevent such incidents.
Stating that it may be premature to
jump to hasty conclusions about the
identity of the perpetrators and one
should wait for the probe to find the evidence, Bhaskar said "there has, however, been reference to inputs from
Myanmar about the likelihood of such
an attack".
"If this assertion is indeed true - then
it brings us back to a perennial weakness of the Indian systemic - the institutional eco-system that deals with the
complex challenge of internal security the inability of the central agencies and
the state police to work in harmony and
provide actionable intelligence that can
enable prevention, pre-emption of such
attacks," Bhaskar, Distinguished Fellow
at the Society for Policy Studies, said.
He added that the July 7 attack
showed "clearly that Buddhist sites are
16 JULY 2013
being targeted – and there is disturbing
symbolism here".
He added that if the nine serial blasts
at shrine were a pointer to domestic turmoil within Myanmar spilling into
India, then "this is cause for the amber
lights to flicker".
Bhaskar also wondered if the "recent
stand-off between the Intelligence Bureau and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) led to valuable and limited
human resources being expended on
inter-agency rivalry, while more serious
internal security challenges get neglected?"
Buddhist monks at the Burma Centre
Delhi, located in Janakpuri in west
Delhi, expressed deep pain over the attack on the shrine.
Pyinnya Ziwta, a Buddhist monk at
the Burma Centre, said the terror attack
could be in retaliation to the clashes between Buddhists and Muslims in Myanmar. "But the blast in Bodh Gaya, which
is a symbol of Buddhism, has hurt sentiments of Buddhists," Ziwta said.
"I personally think the blasts are just
a warning bell, as whichever group has
carried it out... they have done it during
a lean period when the pilgrims are less.
From September many pilgrims visit the
Bodh Gaya... Now more security should
be provided to the pilgrims who visit,"
Muan Kim, coordinator at Burma Centre Delhi (BCD), said.
"Whoever is behind the blasts,
whether it is a Muslim or a Hindu,
should know that the temple is a valu-
"The state government
has to take the blame for
its failure to protect
temple despite receiving
an intelligence alert in
advance"
– Rashtriya Janata Dal
(RJD) president Lalu
Prasad
able archaeological treasure, which our
forefathers left us. How can one think of
destroying or damaging it? Whoever carried out the blast are inhuman," Kyan
Chotan said.
HERITAGE AT STAKE
The temple at Bodh Gaya was built at
the spot where the Buddha attained enlightenment 2,550 years ago. Believed to
have been built by Emperor Ashoka at
round 250 BC, it was declared a Unesco
World Heritage Site in 2002.
The Mahabodhi temple is one of the
few surviving examples of early brick
structures in India which had significant
influence in the development of architecture over the centuries.
Unesco describes it as one of the earliest and most imposing structures built
entirely from brick in the late Gupta period. The sculpted stone balustrades are
an outstanding early example of sculptural reliefs in stone.
The temple complex has direct associations with the life of the Lord Buddha
(566-486 BC) as the place where in 531
BC he attained the supreme and perfect
insight while seated under the Bodhi
tree, said the Unesco website.
It provides exceptional records for the
events associated with his life and for
subsequent worship, particularly since
Emperor Asoka made a pilgrimage to
this spot around 260 BC and built the
first temple at the site of the Bodhi tree.
The Mahabodhi temple complex is located in the very heart of the city of
Bodh Gaya. The site consists of the main
temple and six sacred places within an
enclosed area, and a seventh one, the
Lotus Pond, just outside the enclosure
to the south.
The most important of the sacred
places is the giant Bodhi tree. This tree
is supposed to be a direct descendant of
the original Bodhi tree under which the
Buddha attained his enlightenment.
The main temple is built in the classical style of Indian temple architecture. It
has a low basement with mouldings
decorated with honeysuckle and geese
design. Above this is a series of niches
containing images of the Buddha.
Later, an Archaeological Survey of
India (ASI) team visited the temple and
confirmed that only modern structures
had been damaged.
"Our Patna team visited the site the
very next day after the blast. Their reports have confirmed that only a few
modern structures were damaged. The
ancient structure is unscratched," B.R.
Mani, ASI additional director general,
said.
Even though the temple is not an ASIINDIA FIRST 11
protected site, the ASI team visited it
after the serial blasts to ascertain the nature of damage as repairs to the structure, a Unesco World Heritage site, were
entrusted to it.
The report submitted by the ASI said
the modern staircase near the Bodhi
tree on the western side of the temple,
which is believed to be the spot where
the Buddha attained enlightenment
about 2,500 years ago, is damaged.
Windowpanes of the lamp house on
the southern side of the main temple are
broken, and the wooden rack near the
main entrance of the Mahabodhi temple, where the shoes of pilgrims and
devotees are stacked, was partly damaged.
The outside of the brick structure of
the small shrines on the northern side of
the temple too was partly damaged.
The ancient structure of the Mahabodhi temple is estimated to have been
built between 5th and 6th century AD. It
was a long-lost structure that was re-discovered in the nineteenth century by
Alexander Cunningham, who along with
then viceroy Lord Canning, founded the
ASI in 1861.
"This is the first time that such an attack has taken place on a Buddhist temple, that too on a heritage site. It is
extremely sad," Mani said.
POLITICS AT PLAY
Even before a day had passed since
the blasts, Bihar's opposition parties at-
"We had repeatedly tried
to persuade the state
government to provide
fool-proof security to the
temple in view of the
terror threat. But our
suggestion was ignored"
– Prem Kumar, former
minister in the coalition
government led by the
Janata Dal-United
tacked the Nitish Kumar-led state government for failing to prevent the blasts
despite having intelligence inputs.
"The state government has to take the
blame for its failure to protect temple
despite receiving an intelligence alert in
advance," Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)
president Lalu Prasad said, demanding
explanation from the government on
how perpetrators managed to plant
bombs inside the temple premises.
He also added that the serial blasts at
the Mahabodhi temple would send a
wrong message to the world.
"This incident will discourage
tourists, particularly foreigners, who
want to visit Bodh Gaya. It is a matter of
concern for all," the RJD chief said.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parliamentarian from Gaya Hari Manjhi said
the incident has exposed the security
preparedness of the state government.
"Security of the temple was at God’s
mercy," he added.
Prem Kumar, BJP legislator from Gaya
town, said: "The serial blasts have reinforced our stand that people are not safe
in the state and government is not doing
anything to protect them from terror or
Maoist threat."
"We had repeatedly tried to persuade
the state government to provide foolproof security to the temple in view of
the terror threat. But our suggestion was
ignored," Prem Kumar, who was minister in the coalition government led by
the Janata Dal-United before both the
parties went their separate ways.
However, JD-U spokesperson Neeraj
Kumar said that it was not a time to play
politics. "The administration is doing its
work and we should wait till something
concrete comes out."
The Congress, which supported the
the Nitish Kumar government during
last month's trust motion after the JD-U
ended its alliance with the BJP, also
called for avoiding acrimony. "We
should avoid blaming each other and
wait for the completion of the probe,"
Congress leader Prem Chand Mishra
said.
Nitish Kumar refuted allegations
about his government having ignored
intelligence inputs on possible terror attack at Bodh Gaya and said they would
analyse CCTV inputs to see "what dress"
This is the first time that such an attack has taken place on a Buddhist temple.
12 INDIA FIRST
16 JULY 2013
the perpetrators wore. The NIA would
conduct a probe into the blasts, he
added and urged the central government to deploy the Central Industrial
Security Force (CISF) for security at the
shrine.
Speaking to reporters after visiting the
Bodh Gaya temple where eight serial
blasts left two people injured, the chief
minister said the security arrangements
would be beefed up.
"All the security arrangements were in
place. We have earlier also done a thorough check of the security arrangements according to what people
thought was appropriate," he said.
"I have seen the inside of the Mahabodhi shrine and it is not affected," said
the chief minister, adding that the blasts
had taken place outside the main
shrine, including where there is a Japanese temple housing a big statue of the
Buddha.
"There are CCTV cameras at the Mahabodhi temple...We have had a close
look at the security of the temple earlier
too... But the way these people entered
and even became successful to plant
bombs, we have to analyse in what dress
they entered the temple and even examine the security at the gates," he said.
"The NIA will probe the serial blasts in
the Bodh Gaya temple," Nitish Kumar
told reporters.
"CISF is the top security force and
suitable to protect the Bodh Gaya temple," the chief minister said.
prayers for the speedy recovery of those
injured.
He also called upon people to maintain calm and restraint, as well as to cooperate with the authorities in bringing
the perpetrators to justice.
The Tibetan government-in-exile expressed sadness over the series of blasts
in Bihar.
"I am deeply saddened to learn about
the series of bomb blasts at Mahabodhi
temple. My prayers for the injured and
their family members," prime ministerin-exile Lobsang Sangay said in a statement here.
Gujarat Chief Minister and prime
ministerial hopeful Narendra Modi said
the serial blasts in Mahabodhi temple in
Bodh Gaya district in Bihar is a "cowardly attack".
"Cowardly attack on Mahabodhi temple is a matter of great sadness for the
people of India and the Buddhist community around the world," Modi
tweeted.
The following day, on July 8, Tibetan
religious head and the 17th Karmapa
Ogyen Trinley Dorje appealed to his followers to remain calm and refrain from
escalation of violence in the wake of the
blasts.
"I was deeply saddened to hear of the
senseless violence perpetrated at the
Mahabodhi temple and its environs in
Bodh Gaya," the Karmapa, a frequent
CONCERNS AT HOME,
ABROAD
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
"strongly condemned" the serial blasts,
wishing speedy recovery to the injured.
In a message, the prime minister said
India's "composite culture and traditions teach us respect for all religions
and such attacks on religious places will
never be tolerated".
President Pranab Mukherjee termed
the serial blasts at Mahabodhi temple in
Bodh Gaya town of Bihar a "senseless
act of violence", and called upon the
people to maintain peace and calm, and
cooperate with the authorities.
In a message, the president said: "The
blasts are a senseless act of violence targeting innocent pilgrims and monks
who had gathered to worship at this
temple dedicated to the great apostle of
peace - Gautama Buddha."
Expressing anguish and deep concern
over the eight serial blasts that occurred
between 5.30 a.m. and 6.00 a.m. within
the temple precincts, leaving two monks
injured, the president conveyed his
16 JULY 2013
“All the security
arrangements were in
place.We have earlier
also done a thorough
check of the security
arrangements according
to what people thought
was appropriate"
– Bihar chief minister
Nitish Kumar
visitor at the Mahabodhi temple, said in
a statement.
This is the place, he said, where Buddhist pilgrims from India and the world
over pay homage to Lord Buddha and
his teachings.
"As yet, we do not know why or by
whom this sacred site was targeted.
However, I am convinced that, as Buddhists, in responding to this situation,
the best homage we can pay to Lord
Buddha is to uphold his teachings on
love and ahimsa (nonviolence)," said
the 28-year-old monk.
"I ask you, therefore, to remain calm
and refrain from any further escalation
of the violence. I offer my prayers for the
victims and their families, and call on
Buddhists everywhere to truly embrace
the wisdom of Lord Buddha's teachings
in all that we do."
The National Commission for Minorities also expressed "shock and deep
pain" at the blasts. In a resolution
passed by the panel, the commission's
chairman Wajahat Habibullah and other
members said the Bodhgaya temple was
"among the most sacred sites for all Indians, whatever their denomination".
"It is from this location that sprang
Lord Buddha's message of karuna (compassion), a mainstay of India's civilisation throughout the centuries through
the teachings of Lord Mahavira Vardhaman, St. Thomas the Apostle, Hazrat
Nizamuddin Auliyah and Guru Nanak
Devji, and revivified in our times by the
father of the nation in his message of
ahimsa," a statement from the commission said.
"The commission therefore stands
with the nation in expressing its deep
sympathies, particularly to the Buddhist
community, and to the citizens of Bihar,
but also appeal to those in authority to
ensure that those responsible for this
sacrilege are brought to account under
the full authority of the constitution and
the law, in the shortest possible time,”
he said.
The All India Muslim Majlis-e
Mushawarat (AIMMM), the umbrella
body of Muslim organisations, also condemned the terror attack.
AIMMM president Zafarul-Islam
Khan described the attack as "cowardly"
and "utterly inhuman".
He said in a statement: "We have all
the goodwill for our Buddhist brothers
and sisters and want the best of relations with them all over the world."
Two days later, on July 10, Congress
president Sonia Gandhi visited Bodh
Gaya and condemned the serial bomb
blasts. She, along with union Home
Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, visited
INDIA FIRST 13
Bodh Gaya amid unprecedented security arrangements in and around the
temple.
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa deplored the attack on the temple, which is annually visited by millions
of pilgrims from all over the world, especially from Sri Lanka, China, Japan and
the Southeast Asia region.
In a statement President Rajapaksa
said following the bomb explosions at
the Mahabodhi temple human beings of
all faiths must hold hands together to
root out any acts against religions and
places of worship and veneration, Xinhua reported.
"Sri Lanka has undergone similar
tragedies when the most venerated and
sacred Temple of the Tooth and Sri Maha
Bodhi were mercilessly attacked by terrorists, some years ago. Therefore, people and the Government of Sri Lanka
will extend their fullest support to the
people and the Government of India in
this hour of great tragedy.
"We also wish speedy recovery to
those who were injured due to these
blasts and offer prayers for quick
restoration of normalcy of this most
venerated shrine in order that Buddhists
and other pilgrims are able to perform
their religious observances as in the
past," the president said.
President Rajapaksa, who has visited
the temple, said that acts of sabotage,
destruction and vandalism against any
religious place of worship must be totally condemned.
SECURITY
MEASURES …
The security of Tibetan spiritual
leader the Dalai Lama was reviewed immediately after the blasts. The Dalai
Lama's private office said his security
had been stepped up.
"We have issued an advisory to His
Holiness' personal security officials,"
Ngodup Dorjee, Central Tibetan Administration's (CTA) department of security
secretary, said.
"The Dalai Lama has already been
provided Z-plus category security (by
the Indian government). But we have
beefed up the security of his official
palace and Tsuglagkhang temple (close
to the palace) too," he said.
Dorjee said a meeting would be held
here, the headquarters of the Tibetan
government-in-exile, to review security
arrangements of Tibetan monasteries
and temples located across India.
Tibetan spiritual leaders the Dalai
Lama and 17th Karmapa Ogyen Trinley
Dorje, who are residing in Dharamsala's
14 INDIA FIRST
live in Tibet. The Tibetan exile administration is based in this northern Indian
hill town, but is not recognised by any
country.
… UP IN NEPAL
“Composite culture and
traditions teach us
respect for all religions
and such attacks on
religious places will
never be tolerated”
– Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh
suburb McLeodganj, which is home to a
large Tibetan population, are frequent
visitors at the Mahabodhi temple in
Bihar's Bodh Gaya town.
The Dalai Lama was in Karnataka during the time, where he participated in
functions related to his 78th birthday on
June 6 in Bylakuppe, one of the largest
settlements of the exiles in India.
Extra force was put in place both at
the Dalai Lama's palace and the Gyuto
Tantric Monastic University, where the
Karmapa resides, after the Bodh Gaya
blasts, Superintendent of Police Balbir
Thakur said.
"Police surveillance has been intensified in and around McLeodganj. We are
in regular touch with the central intelligence agencies," he added.
Thakur said one of the two entry gates
to the Tsuglagkhang temple was closed
and extra force was been deployed
there. "Electronic items, including camera and mobile, will not be allowed in
the temple complex," he added.
The Dalai Lama visited Bodh Gaya
twice in the past three years for teachings and religious functions, his private
office said. "His Holiness participated in
the 'Kalachakra' (Wheel of Time) ceremony and prayed for world peace at
Bodh Gaya from January 1 to 10, 2012,"
an official stated.
In 2010, the Nobel laureate was in
Bodh Gaya from January 4 to 10. The
Dalai Lama lives in exile along with
some 140,000 Tibetans, over 100,000 of
them in India. Over six million Tibetans
Authorities in Nepal said that security
would be increased at all major Buddhist shrines following the bomb blasts
at the Mahabodhi temple. A security
alert has gone out in Nepal, which is
home to Lumbini, widely believed to be
the birthplace of Lord Buddha.
Kapilvastu, where the Buddha spent
his early life, is also located in Nepal.
The Buddha eventually attained enlightenment at Bodh Gaya. Soon after the
Mahabodhi temple attacks, injuring two
monks, additional security personnel
was deployed at Lumbini, a Unesco heritage site.
"We decided to beef up security in
major Buddhist pilgrimage spots like
Lumbini, Bouddha and Syombhu in
Kathmandu. These are preventive measures," Nepal Police spokesperson
Nawraj Silwal said.
Bouddha
(or
Bodhnath)
and
Syombhu (or Swayambhunath) are stupas venerated by Buddhists. Police have
asked administrators at major Buddhist
pilgrimage spots to be on the alert.
… DOWN IN ODISHA
Security was intensified at major pilgrimage towns and vital installations
across Odisha as well.
Security was beefed up at different installations including at Defence Research and Development Organization
(DRDO)'s missile test range at
Chandipur in Balasore district, about
230 km from Bhubaneswar, and at the
Ordnance Factory in Badmal in Bolangir
district, which is a defence production
unit.
Additional forces were deployed in
places like state capital Bhubaneswar,
and pilgrimage town of Puri as part of
the security measures. While vehicles
were being checked in all the entry and
exit points of Bhubaneswar, special
arrangements were made at the Biju
Patnaik airport in the city, a senior police official said.
More than a million devotees were expected to gather at the pilgrimage town
of Puri to witness the annual car festival
of Lord Jagannath July 10-19. More than
6,000 policemen and security personnel
were deployed at the town, district superintendent of police Ahup Sahu said.
Checks were also carried out by dog
squads at various places of the town including at railway stations and bus
stands, he said.
16 JULY 2013
UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi along with Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde talking to media after visiting the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodhgaya.
A special police unit has been created
in Odisha to deal with terrorism in the
state's urban areas, police said on July 9.
The Special Tactical Unit (STU) has currently 30 Special Operations Group
(SOG) personnel who were trained for
about three months at the National Security Guard (NSG) camp in Manesar,
Haryana.
"This unit is a part of the Special Operations Group (SOG). We plan to gradually raise the strength of this unit to
about 100," Odisha Director General of
Police Prakash Mishra said.
The SOG, which has 3,000 personnel,
was set up in the state in 2004. It is primarily being used to counter left wing
extremism. "There was a need for creating a dedicated force to counter attacks
like those happened in Bodh Gaya in
Bihar and Mumbai," he said.
The STU unit conducted its first mock
drill at the battalion ground of the
state's armed police force in
Bhubaneswar. Chief Secretary Jugal
Kishor Mohapatra and police chief
Prakash Mishra were among those present.
Odisha is now the third state in India
after Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh
to have a dedicated force to counter terrorism in urban areas.
WARY NORTHEAST
Buddhists in the northeastern region
demanded proper security for their
shrines in the region, home to about 15
lakh Buddhists, a spokesman said in
Agartala on July 10.
According to Tripura Bikhu Sangha
vice-president Srota Ranjan Khisa, over
15 lakh Buddhists reside in the eight
northeastern states, where there are
16 JULY 2013
Konwar, addressed to President Pranab
Mukherjee, demanding tightening of security at Buddhist shrines across the
country.
The rallies were being organised in
the northeastern region following the
Bodh Gaya attack.
Buddhists in Tripura had earlier organised a series of protests against attacks on places of worship and homes of
fellow-Buddhists at Ramu, a tribal, Buddhist-dominated village in Chittagong
Hill Tracts of southeast Bangladesh last
year.
"The blasts are a
senseless act of violence
targeting innocent
pilgrims and monks who
had gathered to worship
at this temple dedicated
to the great apostle of
peace - Gautama
Buddha”
– President Pranab
Mukherjee
over 5,000 Buddhist temples.
"Buddhists have been organising rallies across the northeast since Monday.
They have also sent a memorandum to
the president through the respective
governors, demanding security for their
temples," Khisa said.
Thousands of Buddhists organised a
big rally in Agartala and submitted a
memorandum to Governor Devananda
PROGRESS IN PROBE
SO FAR
On the very evening of the day that
blasts took place, a man was detained
and interrogated by the police following
the serial bombings, after his identity
card was found at the shrine. Vinod
Mishtri was taken into custody Sunday
evening from a village in Gaya.
"Police are interrogating him after his
identity card was found in the temple,"
a district police official said.
Police officials in Bodh Gaya said
more arrests were likely on the basis of
CCTV footage. Police officials said they
had spotted "suspicious activity" on
CCTV footage and efforts were on to
identify the people on camera.
Officials said 15 of the 16 CCTV cameras installed at the temple premises
were functional.
By July 9, five people, including a
woman, were detained from Patna and
Gaya and interrogated by the NIA in
connection with the serial bomb explosions, police officials said.
Four of the detained suspects had
INDIA FIRST 15
stayed at a hotel in Bodh Gaya Saturday
night and checked out within an hour of
the explosions, said police sources,
adding that investigators narrowed
down on the suspects using the CCTV
footage of 16 cameras at the temple.
Chandan Kushwaha, a police official
from Gaya district, confirmed the arrest
of suspect Vinod Mishtri, who was detained earlier.
Another Bihar Police official, who did
not wish to be named, said: "Four people, suspected to be involved in the serial bomb blasts, were detained in Patna
city and a man was detained from Sonbarsha village in Gaya district."
Those detained in Patna were identified as Gunjan Patel, Hasan Malik,
Anand Prakash and Priyanka. From
Gaya, Dashrath Yadav was detained by
the investigators, the official said.
"Four of those detained stayed at
Tathagat International hotel in Bodh
Gaya Saturday night and they visited the
temple premises early Sunday... they
checked out from the hotel within an
hour after the serial blasts," a police official said.
According to police officials, after
their detention the five suspects were
taken to an undisclosed place for interrogation by a NIA team.
"A detailed investigation
into serial bomb
explosions at Bodh Gaya
is going on…We will
investigate this incident
from all angles possible.
We don't want to arrest
anyone in a hurry and
want to go into details
and arrest the main
people responsible"
– Union Minister
Sushilkumar Shinde
16 INDIA FIRST
A National Investigation Agency (NIA) team has began its probe into the serial blasts. The team led by an IPS officer Vikas
Vaibhav began probe into the serial blast.
They were among the six people spotted in the footage and suspected to be
involved in the bombings in which two
people were injured, he said.
A police official involved in scanning
the footage said the suspects' movements close to the temple gate and wall,
hours before the blasts, were captured
on the CCTV. The CCTV footage showed
that three people entered the temple
premises through unspecified entry
points and two others stood near the
gate close to the car they came in. One
of them, who is the tallest, carried a bag
on his shoulder, he said.
But the poor quality of the footage of
16 functional CCTV cameras was posing
a problem for investigators, said an official.
Police had issued a look-out notice for
six people who had been working with
the Bodh Gaya's Mahabodhi Temple
Management Committee for the last six
months and were suspected to be absconding since the explosions, a police
official said.
"The look-out notice was issued on
the information from the committee," a
police official said.
The investigators said some of the
"missing" former employees were the
suspects spotted in the CCTV footage.
On July 10, union Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said a "detailed investigation" was being carried out into the
serial bombings, adding that the probe
had been handed over to the National
Investigation Agency (NIA).
"A detailed investigation into serial
bomb explosions at Bodh Gaya is going
on," Shinde told media persons after his
visit to the temple complex and other
places where 10 bombs exploded.
"We will investigate this incident from
all angles possible. We don't want to arrest anyone in a hurry and want to go
into details and arrest the main people
responsible," he said.
"I also condemn the bomb explosions
at the holiest shrine of peace. The Bihar
government wrote to the central government Tuesday that investigation should
be handled by the NIA. We have accepted it and since Tuesday night, NIA
has been investigating the case," Shinde
said.
"We have put in a big team of NIA and
NSG (National Security Guards) which
specialises in investigating terrorism incidents," he added.
"It seems small gas cylinders weighing
two to three kg were used, and they contained nails and ball bearings. Initial investigation shows that the bombs were
placed in the night and three or four
people could be involved," he said.
Shinde admitted that intelligence
alerts were given about terror threat to
the state government before the blasts.
"Delhi Police had given information in
October. Police DIG (deputy inspector
general of police) had taken a security
review on July 3 and spoken to the local
security force here," he said.
All said and done, it seems the old
adage “forewarned is forearmed” was
somehow not taken seriously by the authorities concerned. n
16 JULY 2013
World
CHAOS
IN CAIRO
With Egypt's first freely elected
government toppled by the military after
widespread civilian protests, the country
will need more than just elections to
establish democracy and peace
16 JULY 2013
INDIA FIRST 17
H
istory was made a year ago
in Egypt. It was almost poetic that millions had chosen Tahrir Square (tahrir in
Urdu means liberation) to protest
against former President Hosni
Mubarak, the man who had ruled the
largest Arab nation for almost three
decades. The country was finally, if cautiously, moving towards becoming a
democracy. Muhammad Morsi, a Muslim Brother, was elected President despite concerns that secularism may be
compromised by an Islamist leader. In
the year that he was in office, the very
majority that had elected him seemed to
slowly turn against him. Many say his Islamist agenda and incompetence to
contain the country’s many economic
problems was to blame for his unpopularity. And so, on June 30, exactly a year
after his election, crowds again began to
fill in Tahrir Square. This time more determined than ever before. Tanks and
guns took to the streets of Cairo yet
again. Political stability again became
something of a distant dream amid
growing concerns that Egypt, which
now stands on the brink of a civil war,
must not go the same way as Syria.
With protests against Morsi turning
more and more violent in recent
months, the military had given him two
days to sort out his differences with the
opposition, following which Morsi refused to step down and defended his
government. By July 3, the chief of army
announced the suspension of the country's constitution, making the head of
the Supreme Constitutional Court now
the temporary head of the country.
General Abdul Fattah Al-Sisi, flanked
by religious and military leaders, made
the announcement at a press conference as anti-Morsi protesters in Cairo's
Tahrir Square cheered in response to his
speech. Adly Mansour, chief justice of
the Supreme Constitutional Court, took
oath as temporary head of the country
on July 4. For now, everyone is saying
elections will be held again – but do not
know when.
ON THE EDGE
There were growing concerns about
the country’s future as almost 55 people
were killed in clashes outside a military
facility, which the army said was a result
of an attack by Morsi's supporters. A
claim denied by Muslim Brotherhood
party which blamed the army for the
killings, while agreeing the dead were
the ousted President's supporters. The
party said the security forces fired at the
protesters at dawn outside the headquarters of the Republican Guard in
Cairo's Nasr City area, where Morsi is reportedly detained.
"Morsi's supporters were praying
while the police and army fired live
rounds and tear gas at them," the statement said.
The Freedom and Justice Party (FJP),
the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood, said the incident was a "human
massacre" against peaceful citizens who
protested against "a military coup"
which ousted the elected President. The
FJP then urged for "an uprising by the
great people of Egypt against those trying to steal their revolution with tanks".
However, state-run Nile TV quoted a
source close to the army as saying that
there was video footage recorded by soldiers showing that it was the supporters
of Morsi who attacked them first, and
they were forced to fire back under the
threat of murder.
"We managed to flee, after being attacked by Morsi's supporters with
weapons," one of the soldiers said.
TV stations belonging to Muslim
Brotherhood went off air at the end of
the army chief's speech. However, minutes later, a notice went up on Morsi's
Facebook page denouncing the army
move as a "military coup".
BBC said Morsi's current whereabouts were unknown, but an unverified tweet urged civilians and members
of the military to uphold the law and the
constitution.
Protests against Morsi were turning more and more violent in recent months.
18 INDIA FIRST
16 JULY 2013
After Genera Al-Sisi's address,
both Pope Tawadros II -- the head of
the Egyptian Coptic Church -- and
leading opposition figure Mohammed ElBaradei made short
statements.
ElBaradei said the new roadmap
aimed for national reconciliation
and represented a fresh start to the
January 2011 revolution.
Later, the army was involved in a
show of force, fanning out across
Cairo and taking control of the capital. Thousands of anti-Morsi protesters on the streets of Cairo
celebrated, with fireworks lighting
up the night sky.
AN ISOLATED
LEADER
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad
said what was happening in Egypt
was the falling of political Islam.
"Whoever uses religion for political
gains or in favour of one party without the other will fall in every place
of the world," Assad said in an interview with Syrian state-run alThawra newspaper. "You can't fool
everyone at the same time, so what
would you think about the Egyptian
people who carry the civilization of
thousands of years along with clear
16 JULY 2013
pan-Arabism thinking," Assad said.
The President said that "after an
entire year, the picture has become
clear and the performance of the
Brotherhood has helped in revealing
the lies that they have spelled at the
beginning of the popular revolution
in Egypt".
Meanwhile, the US said it was
"very concerned" about the developments in Egypt.
The State Department blamed
Morsi for not doing enough to steer
his country out of the current crisis.
"We do, of course, remain very
concerned about what we're seeing
on the ground," State Department
spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.
"And we do realise, of course, that
is an extremely tense and fast-moving situation in Egypt."
Psaki said Morsi's speech
lacked "significant
steps" to resolve
Eg y p t ' s
worst cris i s
since
the
A new
leader
A
dli Mahmud Mansour, the
head of Egypt's supreme constitutional court (SCC), was sworn in
the interim leader of the country, following the ouster of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi by the
military.
Born in Cairo in 1945, Mansour is
married with two sons and a daughter. He received a licence to practise
law from the Cairo University in
1967. He did his postgraduate studies in general law and administrative
science.
He later joined the state council in
1970.
Mansour, who later served
as deputy head of the constitutional court since
1992, was appointed
its president in May
2013. He succeeded
former SCC chief
Judge Maher al-Beheiri. But he took
up the post July 1.
He headed the
constitutional
hearings in 2012
that scrapped a "political isolation" law
which had prevented
members of the old
regime from contesting
elections, BBC reported.
It is this law that allowed
Mubarak-era prime minister Ahmad
Shafiq to run as a candidate in the
last presidential elections.
According to Xinhua, Mansour
has been a recipient of a scholarship
to Paris at France's prestigious institute of higher education, Ecole Nationale de l'Administration, from
1975 to 1977. He worked as chancellor of Egypt's State Council in 1984.
The commander-in-chief of the
armed forces General Abd-al-Fattah
al-Sisi has shown faith in Mansour
and it looks the latter's name first
emerged as a possible leader of
Egypt June 30.
After the armed forces suspended
the constitution on July 3, General
Sisi announced that Mansour will
take on presidential duties until
fresh elections are called. n
INDIA FIRST 19
2011 revolution that overthrew Hosni
Mubarak.
"We have said that he must do more
to be truly responsive and representative to the justified concern expressed by
the Egyptian people," Psaki said.
"And unfortunately, that was not a
part of what he talked about in his
speech."
Earlier, in a phone call to Morsi, US
President Barack Obama encouraged
his Egyptian counterpart to respond to
concerns voiced by protesters across the
country.
Psaki said: "We believe all sides need
to take steps to talk with each other, to
engage with each other, to lower the
level of violence and call for an end to
the violence."
Egypt's interior ministry also expressed complete support to the military that revealed a roadmap for
running the country after the ouster of
Morsi.
"The interior ministry supports the
roadmap with all the national, earnest
and sincere steps that seeks the best interest of the nation and fulfill the will of
the Egyptian people," the ministry's
statement said.
Police will support the brave armed
forces backed by people to achieve the
country's stability and security.
THE CRACKDOWN
Islamist supporters of Morsi rejected
"You can't fool everyone
at the same time, so what
would you think about the
Egyptian people who
carry the civilization of
thousands of years along
with clear pan-Arabism
thinking"
– Syrian President Bashar
al-Assad
the ouster as "a military coup" and
vowed to struggle for "Morsi's legitimacy."
On July 5 evening, clashes erupted between Morsi supporters and opponents
when crowds of pro-Morsi protesters
marched to the October 6 Bridge near
Tahrir Square on their way to the state
TV building to protest against the ouster
of Morsi. They were confronted by
Morsi's opponents who have been celebrating his removal.
In the early hours of July 6, unknown
militants attacked three checkpoints
and the central security forces in Arish
city in North Sinai.
On July 9, hundreds of gunmen attacked Arish Airport, a security camp in
Rafah, a police station and two security
checkpoints in Sheikh Zewaid with
heavy artillery and RPGs in North Sinai,
leaving a soldier dead.
The continuous one-million-man
protests in all Egyptian governorates are
"the practical path to preserve the gains
of the second wave of the Egyptian revolution", said a statement.
Opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei, nominated to a vice president
post, said that "affiliation to the Muslim
Brotherhood, from which Morsi hails,
isn't a crime, and the army intervention
was the less painful alternative.
"The other option was a civil war," ElBaradei said, adding it wasn't a military
coup.
ElBaradei added that a series of arrests were precautionary and security
procedures to avoid inciting violence,
asserting that Morsi was treated in a
very gentle way by the security forces
when detained.
He added that a decision to shut down
religious channels was based on charges
of inciting violence, adding that big
quantities of weapon were seized from
such channels.
Since then, Muslim Brotherhood's
leading figures have been arrested.
General-Prosecutor Abdel-Meguid
Mahmoud ordered a travel ban on the
ousted president and other 35 Muslim
Brotherhood figures over charges of
killing protestors.
Islamist Sharia Supporters group said
People stand beside corpses at a makeshift hosptial following clashes between supporters of ousted President Mohammed Morsi and the security forces in Cairo, Egypt.
20 INDIA FIRST
16 JULY 2013
the army intervention to oust the "legitimate"
president was "a war against Islam", calling, in
a statement on its website, for "using violence
to impose Sharia (Islamic rules)."
"The army's intervention to oust our President, closure of Islamic channels and killing Islamist protesters are a war against Islam in
Egypt," it said.
The statement blamed the latest events on
liberals and armed forces. It also condemned
democracy and called for enforcing the Sharia
rules
The opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei
was assigned the task to form a transitional government. He has earlier served as the head of
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and
jointly won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005.
SEEDS OF CIVIL WAR
Mohamed Badie, the chief or general guide of
Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, has vowed that he
and millions of supporters of Morsi would sacrifice their lives and "souls" for the ousted president.
"We will sacrifice our souls for him," Xinhua
quoted Badie as telling supporters during a sitin at Rabia al-Adawiya Square in Nasr City,
Cairo.
"We and these millions will remain at all
squares across the country to protect our
elected president," the general guide said.
Media reports earlier said Badie was arrested
by security forces, but his appearance at
demonstration on July 5 showed otherwise.
"Our president is Mohamed Morsi and we
will not accept any alternative. We will carry
16 JULY 2013
INDIA INC KEEPS AN
EYE ON EGYPT
T
he ongoing political
turmoil in Egypt has
raised concern in
India over possible disruption
in crude supplies, two-way
trade and investment.
Indian companies operating
out of the North African nation
are keeping a close watch on
the evolving ground realities as
the country's armed forces
moved in to force a resolution
to the crisis, swearing in an interim president in place of the
ousted Islamist Mohamed
Morsi.
There are currently 352 Indian companies operating in
Egypt, in the fields of consumer goods, petrochemicals,
oil and gas, textiles and
telecommunications.
Traders and oil officials say
that in a worst-case scenario if
the present unrest prolongs,
the closure of Suez Canal and
the Sumed pipeline linking the
Red Sea to the Mediterranean
would disrupt oil flows and result in spike in oil prices,
spelling bad news for the financial market and the current account deficit.
India imports bulk of its
crude from the Middle East
and Africa. Nearly 95 percent
of Egypt's exports to India
comprise oil and gas.
Brent crude came down
from a two-week high after
Egypt's armed forces ousted
Morsi and the head of the
country's
Constitutional
Court, Adli Mansour, was
sworn-in interim president.
Mansour said he planned to
hold new elections, but did not
say when. Egypt has been facing mass demonstrations
since June 30 by the opposition calling for the resignation
of Morsi and his supporters. In
fact, the Arab world's most
populous nation has been in
turmoil since the fall of longstanding president Hosni
Mubarak as the Arab Spring
uprisings took hold in early
2011. During those tumultuous days, a couple of companies like Dabur, Marico and
Asian Paints had to shut their
operations in the country temporarily. Former Indian Ambassador Shiv Mukherjee says
the change in political situation in Egypt "does not hold
any special threat" to Indian
investments. "In fact, there has
been no history of any antipathy to Indian investment in
Egypt."
At the political level, the developments in Egypt are an internal affair of the country.
"We may have our views on
the democratic process, we
may have an opinion on the
army taking over, but it's an internal affair. We deal with
states."
Mukherjee said it's a "wait
and watch" kind of situation
and the Indian embassy in
Cairo must be in touch with
the companies and taking the
adequate steps.
The current political instability has occurred at a time
when the two countries were
making robust efforts to develop a significant partnership
by strengthening the bilateral
economic and commercial relations, and Indians have
emerged as important investors in Egypt.
In March this year, the
Egyptian Ministry of Investment had said several Indian
companies were willing to invest up to $400 million towards projects in power
generation, plastic and real estate in Egypt. Bilateral trade
has grown more than 60 percent during the last five years
from $3,384.35 million in
2007-08 to $5,430.05 million in
2011-12. India's exports to
Egypt have grown almost 80
percent from about $1,398.83
million in 2007-08 to $2,421.89
million in 2011-12. n
INDIA FIRST 21
"The army's intervention
to oust our President,
closure of Islamic
channels and killing
Islamist protesters are a
war against Islam in
Egypt”
– Islamist Sharia
Supporters group
him on our shoulders and sacrifice our
lives for him," Badie said.
"The military coup is invalid," Badei
said.
"The army protects the thugs of the
former regime's ruling party and preserves the counter-revolution," he said.
The Muslim Brotherhood chief criticised the approval to Morsi's ouster by
the Grand Imam of Islamic institution
Al-Azhar and the head of Orthodox
Church. He said they were not representatives of the Muslims and the Copts.
"We have only one elected president
and one Shura Council," Badie said, referring to the Islamist-dominated upper
house of parliament that was dismantled by newly-appointed interim president Adli Mansour.
On July 5, three people were killed and
dozens injured outside the Republican
Guards House in Cairo, where Morsi is
reportedly under house arrest. Millions
of Morsi supporters flooded the streets
and public squares across Egypt to voice
support for the ousted president and demand his return.
ECONOMIC CONCERNS
Egyptian analysts expect investors to
regain trust in their country, as profits of
the Egyptian stock exchange reached
22.7 billion Egyptian pounds (over $3.2
billion) a day after Morsi’s ouster.
The hike in the stock market was described by observers as "noteworthy", as
its losses in the first six months of 2013
was estimated at 54.4 billion Egyptian
pounds ($7.7 billion), when the country
was engulfed in heated unrest and political division between pro-Morsi Islamists and anti-Morsi liberals.
Ehab al-Desouky, head of the Economic Center of Sadat Academy, said
the stock exchange's profit was a "practical reaction" to the new trend in Egypt
after Morsi's ouster.
"The stock exchange's hike depends
on the investing decision, and the investing decision depends on the in22 INDIA FIRST
Former President Morsi has reportedly been placed under house arrest.
vestor's trust in the future more than his
trust in the present, which means that
the bourse's rise today reflects the investors' mounting hope about Egypt's
future after ousting the one year-lasted
regime," Desouky said.
Desouky said the roadmap "assured"
the investors about the "near future" of
Egypt, as the first thing the investors
care is "stability".
However, he believes that ending the
political conflict and putting a roadmap
"aren't enough" for assuring the investors.
"Ending the political unrest, appointing an interim president, and putting a
roadmap can only ensure the investors
in the 'short term'. What Egypt urgently
needs now to encourage investments is
a 'powerful cabinet' for the sake of the
long-term planning," the expert said.
Echoing Desouky's view, banking expert Bassant Fahmy said the stock exchange's rise was a "promising" sign
about the investors' belief in a stabilised
future.
"This elevation is a good indication
for the investors' trust in Egypt's situation, but forming a cabinet of 'profi-
cient' ministers is much more important
for the investors than assigning a new
interim president," Fahmy said.
He said the cabinet is directly responsible for putting forward policies to facilitate the investors' work and for
meeting peoples' aspirations to end
their "indignation".
Fahmy also said that the security situation would be "much better" after
ousting Morsi, and would therefore be
another key reason for investors to
come in.
"Fragile security affected the investors' turnout during Morsi's time,
and it was out of the weak management
of his loyal cabinet. I believe that all
faults of the former regime will be
avoided in the future," said Fahmy.
Morsi’s ouster, while welcomed and
celebrated by many liberals in the country and elsewhere, will help the nation
only if the promised elections are held
in time and the military remains committed to the newfound ideals of
democracy. If not, hell will break loose
in one of the most populous countries
in Africa and Middle East. And that, can
only be bad. n
16 JULY 2013
Nation
OLD
SCAM IN
NEW
BOTTLE
H
istory is being repeated in Himachal Pradesh as police
have once again booked a top
politician in a nearly one-and-a-halfdecade-old corruption case.
Sometime during the second week of
this month, the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau got permission to prosecute BJP legislator and former minister
Rajeev Bindal, a close confidant of previous chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, for alleged recruitment of clerks
and cleaning staff in the Solan Municipal Council when he was its chairman in
1999.
Political observers say the Virbhadra
Singh-led Congress government is now
paying back its political rivals in the
same coin as the saffron party did during its 2007-2012 regime.
"Virbhadra Singh was booked in a 23year-old case by the previous BJP
regime. Now, the Congress government
has given prosecution sanction against
the BJP leader in a 15-year-old case,"
said an observer.
Virbhadra Singh and his wife Pratibha
Singh were booked by the state police
August 3, 2009, under the Prevention of
Corruption Act for alleged misuse of official position and criminal misconduct
when he was chief minister in 1989.
Just a day before his swearing in as
chief minister for the sixth time December 25, 2012, the couple got a major reprieve as a Shimla court acquitted them
in the case.
"We have re-investigated the case and
found certain discrepancies in the recruitment process. We are going to file a
chargesheet in a Solan court soon
against Bindal and 22 others, who were
appointed on his recommendation,"
Additional Director General of Police
Prithvi Raj said.
Countering this, Bindal said he has
16 JULY 2013
“They (Congress leaders) are just settling political scores. It's
the same chief minister (Virbhadra Singh) who made 4,875
appointments on his chits during his earlier regime (1993-98).
The inquiry report in this regard is lying with the government"
– BJP legislator and former minister Rajeev Bindal Bindal
not done anything wrong by providing
jobs to the deserving, who mostly belong to the below poverty line (BPL)
bracket.
"They (Congress leaders) are just settling political scores. It's the same chief
minister (Virbhadra Singh) who made
4,875 appointments on his chits during
his earlier regime (1993-98). The inquiry
report in this regard is lying with the
government," Bindal said.
He dared the police to first file the
charge-sheet against the chief minister
and he would then face trial.
The case against Bindal was made out
by the Congress government in 2006.
The vigilance bureau during the BJP
regime had sought the prosecution
sanction from assembly Speaker Tulsi
Ram as Bindal was legislator, but this
was turned down.
With the change of guard in the state
in last December, the government got
the matter re-investigated.
Bindal, who was told to resign as cabinet minister last July after a section of
his own party demanded this, now faces
charges under sections 420, 468, 471 and
120-B of the Indian Penal Code and section 13 (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
State BJP chief Satpal Satti accused
the government of unleashing a political
vendetta.
"Virbhadra Singh in his earlier regime
gave jobs without following the normal
procedure. He has no moral right to take
action against Bindal," Satti said in a
statement.
Interestingly, the Himachal Pradesh
High Court, while hearing a petition,
asked the state June 24 to provide details
regarding investigation into the alleged
illegal recruitments by the (Congress)
government during 1993-1998.
The petitioner alleged that despite
registration of a first information report
on the high court's directions November
11, 2005, no investigation was being
done in the case after the court stopped
monitoring it after disposing off his petition May 22, 2008. n
INDIA FIRST 23
state
Acid Test
With the Biju Janata Dal being dogged by scams and
controversies, can Odisha chief minister Naveen
Patnaik play to his strength in the 2014 elections?
Saroj Mishra
P
erformance and zero tolerance
for corruption have been the
two major planks on which
chief minister Naveen Patnaik has been
winning elections. Both will be put to
test in 2014 as Patnaik seeks a fourth
consecutive term in office.
With his government’s performance
under scrutiny, even staunch loyalists of
the chief minister concede that anti-incumbency may be a major factor in the
coming elections. Political observers feel
that the slew of sops announced by Patnaik in the past few months are nothing
but an attempt to divert public attention
from the deficiencies of the government.
Quite a few of the schemes announced by the government have been
making indifferent progress, with accusations of inefficiency and corruption
being leveled against ministers. The
mid-day meal scheme was one of the
first to come under the microscope
when allegations of substandard supply
of pulses to Anganwadi centres surfaced
a few years ago.
The allegations were found to be true
and the then women and child welfare
minister, Pramila Mallick, had to resign.
There has been only marginal improvement in the state of affairs with regard to
the scheme which is crucial to the
health of children.
Some of the departments have shown
a downward trend in terms of performance since the chief minister last revamped his ministry. The biggest culprit
on this count has been the energy department, with the power situation
nose-diving and disruptions in electricity supply becoming frequent. Even the
capital city of Bhubaneswar has been
witnessing power cuts almost on a regular basis, with energy minister Arun
Sahu yet to come up with a convincing
explanation. This may cost the government dear in an election year.
There have been controversies and
scandals galore during this term of the
chief minister with some of the ministers finding themselves in the dock.
24 INDIA FIRST
While health minister Damodar Rout is
struggling to get his name cleared in the
case relating to his alleged derogatory
remarks against harijans, higher education minister Badri Narayan Patra remains in the cross-hairs of the
opposition since the leakage of Plus II
question papers hit news headlines.
Even revenue minister Surya Narayan
Patro faced some anxious moments
when his son’s name came up in connection with a land-related controversy.
Government deputy chief whip, Sanjay Das Burma courted adverse publicity
in the Dr. Madhabilata death case which
seems to have become Congress’s cause
célèbre. The National Commission for
Women, which visited Odisha for investigation into the case, feels that Burma
is being shielded, though the Brahmagiri MLA continues to put up a brave
front.
As if all this is not enough, the government has also been rocked by a series of
scams, some of them dogging it for the
past few years. The mining scam, the
biggest of these, came to light in 2009
when opposition made allegations of illegal extraction of ore having taken
place in Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj districts. The vigilance inquiry ordered by
the government brought many other
facets of the scandal before the public.
The mines department woke up to the
loot of minerals rather late and when it
sought to tighten the screws on miners,
there was a reaction. In several instances, illegal mining continued in
open defiance of the government, taking
advantage of lack of adequate manpower with the enforcing agencies.
The issue is not just limited to illegal
extraction of ore; it also extends to transportation of the stolen material to destinations both within and outside the
state, causing both the state government
and the railways losses to the tune of
crores of rupees. The issue is complex
because coordination with neighbouring states such as Jharkhand is required
but there is no denying the fact that the
state’s precious wealth has been looted
over the years and the government of
the day has to account for it.
The chit fund scam, running into
crores of rupees, seems to have brought
the government under further pressure,
with the opposition alleging that some
of its leaders had links with the scamsters. Some of the names doing the
rounds are quite well known but no action so far has been taken against them.
To be fair to the chief minister, he was
quick in announcing a judicial probe
into the scam, and after the High Court
refused to spare a sitting judge, Patnaik
has decided to hand over the probe to
Justice RK Patra who earlier headed
Odisha Human Rights Commission.
Patnaik has also assured to create a corpus fund to protect the interest of investors. But allegations of the
opposition have still managed to instill
doubts in the minds of the people.
Considering that Patnaik, so far, has
had an impeccable record as far as dealing with corruption and incompetence
is concerned, the question being asked
is will he act against the non-performers
in his government and against those
who have come under the shadow of
corruption. Zero tolerance in these matters has been his USP which endeared
him to the people of the state.
The question assumes special significance at this juncture, with elections
barely a year away and the opposition
gearing to launch a final assault on the
chief minister. As it is, state Congress
chief Jaydev Jena has made it more than
clear that chit fund scam and the government’s indifferent performance
would be his party’s main issues in the
coming elections.
The Congress would also seek to
highlight the cheap rice controversy,
accusing the state government of providing beneficiaries less than what
Centre allocates them per month.
However, the main focus would be on
performance and corruption, the issues on which the chief minister would
be tested. It is to be seen whether he
passes or fails the test. n
16 JULY 2013
State
Pandora’s box opened?
The Minority Commission's award to a controversial Christian priest may
lead to a revival of tensions in the tribal district of Kandhamal in Odisha
R. L. Francis
The Minority Commission has given the award to Singh inspite of stiff opposition from the district and senior police officials of Odisha.
T
he Minority Commission of the
Congress-led UPA government
gave the Minority Man award
on July 5, 2013, in New Delhi to Father
Ajay Singh, a Catholic priest who is
known to have played a dubious role in
the Kandhamal violence that took place
in the year 2008.
Ajay Singh was heading Jan Vikas at
the time, which was allegedly responsible for inciting riots in Kandhamal area.
The Minority Commission has given
the award to Singh in spite of stiff opposition from the district and senior police
officials of Odisha.
The officials categorically conveyed to
the Minority Commission that if the
award was given to Singh, it would hurt
the sentiments of not only the tribals of
Kandhamal but also the entire state, because the tribals consider him responsible for dividing them into Hindu and
Christian groups. He is notorious for
converting the innocent people of
Kandhamal through proselytization.
According to the reports carried by a
section of media, two names were proposed for the award. One was that of
Teesta Setalwad, who has fought for the
justice of the victims of Gujarat riots in
2002, and the other was that of Singh,
16 JULY 2013
recommended by Church leaders, who
are also members of the Minority Commission.
After a lot of discussions, the Catholic
Church lobby within the Minority Commission prevailed over others and finally
Singh's name was finalized and Teesta's
name was dropped.
Defending the decision of the Minority Commission, Wajahat Habibullah,
chairman of Minority Commission said
that the district administration and senior officials of Odisha have expressed
their opinion about Singh. But, he does
not have any criminal record against
him.
By influencing the Minority Commission to hand the award to Singh, the
Church has successfully placed the government’s stamp of approval on Singh's
alleged conversion activities in Kandhamal area. It has also sent a message
that the Congress-led UPA government
is behind him and he can carry on his
conversion activities as usual.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP)
had opposed the Minority Commission's decision to give the award to the
Catholic priest. In a letter to the Commission, VHP stated that it was against
the decision of Minority Commission to
bestow the award on Singh.
As apprehended by the senior officials
of Odisha government, this may lead to
the resurfacing of disturbance in Kandhamal and the peace process may get
disturbed. Besides, communal forces
may take advantage of this situation and
politically polarise the voters before Lok
Sabha and Odisha Assembly poll due
next year.
This kind of situation may also help
many Christian organizations mobilize
more funds from the international agencies in the name of persecution of the
minority communities.
In conclusion, the Minority Commission has committed a big mistake by
giving the award to a controversial
Christian priest. It has reopened the
Pandora’s box and now there is a great
threat to the peace process and the secular fabric in Kandhamal. There appears
to be a national and international conspiracy once again to disturb peace and
communal harmony in Kandhamal.
And, all need to be vigilant of such
forces in the larger interest of India. n
(The author is president of Poor Christian Liberation Movement (PCLM), and
his views do not necessarily represent
those of India First.)
INDIA FIRST 25
Environment
Shaping
future tiger
saviours
“We are now focussing on children living around
national parks because they are the closest to
the tigers... we just tell them not to cut trees
and save the forest and the tiger will be saved
automatically”
– Bittu Sehgal, environmentalist and chief of
Sanctuary Asia
M
iles away from their classrooms, playstations and social networking sites, a
group of teenaged students from eight
cities got a hands-on experience of how
to save India's national animal, the tiger,
from the manifold evils that threaten its
existence today. Awakened and determined, the group vowed to spread the
message.
"I always thought that humans are
afraid of tigers but now I have realized
it's the other way round... it's we who
are a threat to them," Bhoomika S, a student of Sindhi Public School, Bangalore,
said, adding that it was the love of spiders and tigers that brought her to the
wildlife camp.
"This workshop was an eye-opener
for all of us... I'll make sure to pass on
26 INDIA FIRST
the information and educate my friends
and families back home," the Class 11
student told this visiting correspondent.
The three-day knowledge workshopcum-national camp, titled Kids for
Tigers, was organised by mobile telephony provider Aircel. An annual event, it
is a part of the company's corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative - Save
Our Tigers - at the Ranthambore National Park.
It operates in conjunction with Kids
for Tigers, an environmentally-inclined
education programme run by Sanctuary
Asia magazine in schools across India to
sensitise children on the plight of the
tiger and the environment as a whole.
The annual camps began four years ago
after Aircel came on board and the eight
participants are selected by Sanctuary
Asia on the basis of competitions and
other events in the eight cities.
For 16-year-old Shimanshu Agrawal,
the experience was "unforgettable" as
he realised how the whole ecosystem
depends on the tiger's survival.
"The tiger is on top of the food chain,
if we don't save him, the whole ecosystem will be destroyed," said the only
participant from Rajasthan, a student of
Bharti Public School in Sawai Madhopur
district, which houses the Ranthambore
National Park.
"Poaching, deforestation and human
settlements are just some of the issues
threatening the tiger. I live near the national park and I believe I can educate
the people who really matter," he added.
The participating children came from
cities like Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi and
16 JULY 2013
India is home to the world's largest tiger population, with 1,706 big cats living in the wild across 42 tiger reserves.
Bangalore, and the camp saw activities
like park safaris, film screenings and interactive sessions with well-known conservationists and public figures on the
conservation of tigers.
Bittu Sehgal, environmentalist and
chief of Sanctuary Asia, said that it was
of paramount importance that the
youngsters are educated about the issue
as it is the generation of tomorrow that
will lead the nation.
India is home to the world's largest
tiger population, with 1,706 living in the
wild across 42 tiger reserves. But the figure is almost a 10th of what it was, say,
half a century ago.
Tiger conservation in India began in
1973 with the launch of Project Tiger.
Over the years, there has been excellent
recovery of the habitat and consequent
16 JULY 2013
increase in the tiger population in the
reserve areas - from a mere 268 in nine
reserves in 1972 to 1,706 in 42 tiger reserves in 2012.
"We need to sensitise the children
about the cause," Sehgal said.
He said his organisation has reached
out to hundreds of schools across the
country since it first began educating
children way back in 2000.
"We are now focussing on children living around national parks because they
are the closest to the tigers... we just tell
them not to cut trees and save the forest
and the tiger will be saved automatically," Sehgal added.
The consistent hard work has paid off,
Sehgal said. "I am seeing a change now:
children these days are aware of the
problems that the tiger is facing... they
know the basics and just need help with
the solution," he said.
Agreed Brinda Malhotra, Head of CSR
at Aircel, who has been associated with
Save Our Tigers since its inception in
2008. "People are realising that they
need to give the tigers space and the villagers are willing to move away from national parks," Malhotra said.
"On our part, we have set up rapid response teams in tiger reserves that provide immediate help to a sick or an
injured tiger... we train and counsel
communities living near tiger reserves
and have also started compensating villagers whose cattle are killed by tigers,"
she added.
The Ranthambore National Park is
spread over 650 sq km and has approximately 50 tigers, including 22 cubs. n
INDIA FIRST 27
Fashion
BACK IN
VOGUE
With backless outfits having become
fashionable again, here are a few tips
for the fairer sex on how to possess a
head-turning back
S
exy backs are in! Celebrities and
fashionistas are endorsing backless outfits to flaunt their wellshaped and flawless backs. To ape the
style divas, experts suggest stretching,
crystal polishing and homemade packs
like egg peel and “batna” (a paste of
gram flour and honey) to get a radiant
and attractive body.
Backless attire has become the vogue
at red carpet events – from international
celebrities, such as Eva Longoria, Cheryl
Cole and Jane Fonda, to Indian divas
Freida Pinto and Sonam Kapoor, all
were seen oozing oomph in them and
inspiring others to ape them.
"Women have become conscious
28 INDIA FIRST
about their bodies and they like to follow the latest trends. That includes sexy
low-back outfits. Be it a gown or simple
sari-blouse, backless attire is the trend,"
designer Arpan Vohra said.
However, before choosing backless
dresses, get a well-toned back.
A lot of effort goes in getting that sexy
back, said Rohit Batra, senior cosmetic
dermatologist at Ganga Ram Hospital.
"Starting from a toned body with no
flab or love handles requires a healthy
lifestyle, workout and exercise. So, getting a clean back is a difficult, but possible exercise," Batra said.
Also apart from being well-toned, a
sexy back needs to be hair-free.
"Waxing makes the skin thick and
loose, hence it's not the answer. Rubbing the back to clean it can instead lead
to hyper-pigmentation further leading
to a condition called macular amyloidosis," said Batra.
"Many women are getting laser hair
reduction that not only clears the hair
but also gives a shine to back and, at the
same time, keeps it soft," he added.
Exercises come in handy to get a flawless back. Stretching, side crunches and
squats help tone and shape it up.
Most women are obsessed with the
face, hands and legs but ignore their
back. But such areas are more prone to
pigmentation apart from tans and pim16 JULY 2013
ple breakouts.
"Use baby oil or primer to remove
black spots and uneven skin tones. Also,
crystal polishing is the best way to get a
sheen on the back and it also increases
the glow," makeover consultant Aashmeen Munjaal said.
"Apply proper foundation and no
patches should be visible on the back.
Keep a shine spray, called an illuminating spray. It will accentuate the shape
and the bones of your back," she also
suggested.
If that is out of reach or impractical,
go for granny's homemade packs and
scrubs.
"The ideal home remedy for a toned
16 JULY 2013
“Starting from a toned body
with no flab or love handles
requires a healthy lifestyle,
workout and exercise. So,
getting a clean back is a
difficult, but possible exercise”
– Rohit Batra, senior cosmetic
dermatologist
back is ‘batna’. It is made with rose
petals, milk or milk cream, honey,
turmeric and gram flour. Apply the mix-
ture on your back, keep it for 15 minutes
and then scrub it off with the help of
someone," said Munjal.
An egg peel can also be useful.
To make an egg peel, mix rose petals,
milk or milk cream, honey, turmeric
paste or powder, gram flour and the
white of an egg for oily skin and the yoke
for dry skin.
"Apply it on your back and keep it for
15 minutes and then peel it off. Do it
once a week to get a radiant back," Munjal added.
Apart from all this, two important
things have to be kept in mind while
choosing a backless dress – the right occasion and the right fit. n
INDIA FIRST 29
Health
EARLY
ATTACKS
Thanks to present-day
unhealthy lifestyle practices,
a rising number of young
professionals are falling prey
to heart diseases
H
eart disease is no longer restricted to the middle-aged
and the old. Long working
hours at the desk, little physical exercise
and unhealthy eating habits are also taking a toll on working professionals in
their late twenties and early thirties, experts say.
According to the India Today-Saffolalife Study conducted on 46,000 urban Indians, 78 percent of those aged between
30 and 34 run the risk of a heart attack,
Kanchan Naikawadi, Director, Indus
Health Plus (P) Ltd. said.
In the last few months, 30-year-old TV
actor Abir Goswami and 20-plus Kannada actor Hemanth died of a heart attack.
There is no specific profession that
leads to a higher number of heart diseases, but professionals who tend to sit
for most of the time are more likely to
suffer from such diseases, informs
Naikawadi. "Those from the IT and BPO
sector fall under this category. With
most of the work happening from desk
and minimal physical activity being involved, the chances of risk in such professions are higher," Naikawadi said.
Ravindra L. Kulkarni, cardiologist and
co-founder of Just For Hearts, too felt
that although every profession contributes to stress, employees of IT companies are more stressed out owing to
long working hours, graveyard shifts and
unhealthy eating habits.
There are other unhealthy lifestyle
practices that cause early heart attacks.
"I have observed that smoking is the
biggest risk factor for heart attacks
among youngsters. No physical exercise
and alcohol intake further increase the
risk. High cholesterol levels, diabetes
30 INDIA FIRST
"I have observed that smoking
is the biggest risk factor for
heart attacks among
youngsters. No physical
exercise and alcohol intake
further increase the risk. High
cholesterol levels, diabetes and
hypertension are also some of
the factors"
– Amar Singhal, head of
department, interventional
cardiologist, Sri Balaji Action
Medical Institute
and hypertension are also some of the
factors," Amar Singhal, head of department, interventional cardiologist, Sri
Balaji Action Medical Institute, said.
Heart disease, which was earlier associated with older men, is also becoming
common among women.
Kulkarni said that till women reach
menopause, they are protected against
it. But, it has been found that across the
globe, approximately 8.6 million women
die every year due to heart attacks. He
attributed it to changes in lifestyle.
To prevent a heart attack, certain
physical signs should not be ignored.
If you are suddenly running out of
breath and there is no one around you
to lend a helping hand, don't panic. Try
to calm down. Sit whereever you are and
take deep breaths, said Naikawadi and
gave more tips to avoid a larger problem. "If you are wearing any tight
clothes, loosen them. Get your hands on
an asprin tablet and make sure that you
chew it well. Tt will work faster," she
said.
"Make sure that you are not surrounded by a crowd that adds to the
feeling of being restless. Drink something refreshing and if you are outside,
look for a place with shade. If you feel it
could be a heart attack, call for emergency medical help," Naikawadi added.
Naikawadi informed that according to
a WHO report, four people die of heart
attack every minute in India and the age
group is mainly between 30-50.
A sudden heart attack is not uncommon, so it is advisable to check your
family history and consult doctors.
Under the scenario, regular checkups
are must for everyone.
"However, the only way to find out
about any such condition is to go for
regular preventive health checkups
starting early in life, especially individuals with a family history and high risk
factors like obesity, high blood pressure
and diabetes," Naikawadi advised.
A heart attack happens when the flow
of oxygen-rich blood to the heart gets
blocked. In such cases angioplasty,
which costs around Rs.2 lakh, could be
the ideal remedy.
"Emergency angiogram is done and
the blockage causing the heart attack is
diagnosed. The blockage is removed and
a stent is placed across the area," explained Karthik Vasudevan, Interventional cardiologist at Bangalore's
Columbia Asia Referral Hospital.
To keep your heart strong after an attack, Singhal suggested strictly following
a healthy diet and, regularly exercising
without exerting and regular checkups.
Last but not least, do not ignore any
chest pain. n
16 JULY 2013
Lifestyle
MOUNTAIN-HIGH
ASPIRATIONS
W
hile Uttarakhand was in the
throes of a natural disaster,
100 brave bikers headed for
the mighty Himalayas on a 17-day adventure trip
They say faith has the power to move
mountains but a group of 100 bikers –
which included a woman – was so
moved by the mighty Himalayas that it
took off on a 2,700 km "Mother of all
Rides" that also saw it negotiating
Khardungla in the Ladakh region of
Jammu and Kashmir, at 18,365 feet the
world's highest motorable pass.
The Himalayan Odyssey is in its 10th
edition and has grown from 40 riders on
350cc Royal Enfield motorcycles to the
present 100 – from across India – who
were flagged off from New Delhi on
June 20 on the 17-day saga that will take
the participants through Himachal
Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.
From the mighty peaks, down to teasing mountain curves and water crossings, the riders came face to face with
16 JULY 2013
some of the most challenging terrain in
the world to emerge victorious for the
sheer love of motorcycling.
Among the enthusiasts was software
engineer Sadesh, 31, who underwent
rigorous physical training for six months
to prepare for the event.
"It's a dream come true for me. I
heard about this Odyssey in 2011 and
ever since I wanted to go to Khardung
La. It's a revered destination for any
crazy biker like me," Sadesh, who came
to Delhi from Bangalore to participate in
one of the country's most coveted, albiet
non-competitive, bike rides.
"I had to be physically fit for the journey. It is a very challenging journey.
Rough terrain, winding roads and harsh
weather will accompany us. I used to do
push-ups and regular exercises to be fit
for the journey," Sadesh had said earlier.
Among the adventurous bikers was a
lone woman – Snigdha Chavan – also
from Bangalore.
Septuagenarian Harsimran Kohli, a
diehard Royal Enfield fan who had
flagged off the Odyssey, was a tad envious of the riders.
"I want to go there again. I was 50
when I rode up to Khardung La. I still
ride an Enfield which is now 33 years
old. My first bike-ride was the spirit behind this journey," said Kohli, who was
in the pilot batch of the Odyssey in 1997.
"This journey tests the endurance of
man and machine. The Himalayan
Odyssey is the ultimate motorcycling
adventure that unites the rider with the
bike and the terrain to create an experience of a lifetime," Shaji Koshy, senior
vice president of Royal Enfield, said.
Each rider brought his own machine
for the Odyssey, besides paying a registration fee of Rs.28,000. The event concluded on July 8.
"People don't know how thrilling motorbiking in the Himalayas is. It's the
dream of every biker," said Siddarth
Kapil who was also part of the inaugural
event. n
INDIA FIRST 31
Arts
IN FULL
SWING
Reality shows have sent the cash registers
ringing for dance institutes
D
ance institutes across India
are laughing all the way to the
bank – thanks to parents'
new-found fascination for TV reality
shows.
"There is a big boom in the industry
for the past two years. It is amazing to
see how the mindset of parents has
changed towards dance. They no more
frown if their child wants to join a dance
class," said Atul Jindal, one of the
founders of Delhi-based Big Dance Centre.
A qualified dancer from a New York
institute, the 29-year-old was initially
disappointed with the lukewarm response when he decided to make dance
his bread and butter.
"It was extremely difficult for them
(students) or us to convince parents that
dance isn't a waste of time. Today, the
tables have turned," he said, adding the
response now is overwhelming enough
to keep the staff busy from morning till
evening.
In the not too distant past, dance was
confined to the "big, bad Bollywood" –
every parent's nightmare. The only possible job profile one could think of was
that of a choreographer. Hence, the
taboo of dance continued.
Till a flurry of dance reality shows
changed the equation.
India's pioneering dance reality show,
"Boogie Woogie", which went on air in
1995, laid the foundation for others like
"Dance India Dance", "Just Dance",
"India's Got Talent", "Dancing Queen",
32 INDIA FIRST
16 JULY 2013
"Dance Premier League","Chak Dhoom
Dhoom", "Jhalak Dikhla Jaa" and
"Nachle Ve" that set the stage for the big
leap.
Even cities like Meerut in Uttar
Pradesh are not left untouched.
"The mentality towards dance is
changing thanks to the reality shows,"
said Yasmani Shakya, a choreographer
who teaches at the Imagine Dance
Academy.
"Earlier people didn't know about different dance forms. They just knew Bollywood. But the push these shows have
given to dance is manifold," said
Shakya, adding people have moved on
from the salsa and the tango and are
now adding hip-hop, ballet and other
forms to their repertoire.
Lured by the idea of fame and money,
seeing their children on television, and
meeting celebrities, is driving many parents blind. This herd mentality, at times,
can be dangerous.
"The middle-class aspirations for
glamour can be dangerous. The taboo
associated with dance is no more there,
but not everyone can be a choreographer. You can pursue a passion as long
as it feeds you," Lourd Vijay, founder of
Lourd Vijay's Dance Studio in Bangalore, said.
"If you are good, reality shows are an
excellent platform. But competition has
become extremely stiff. So one has to
use one's imagination, be observant and
learn something every day to be successful," he added.
16 JULY 2013
“The mentality towards dance
is changing thanks to the
reality shows. Earlier people
didn't know about different
dance forms. They just knew
Bollywood. But the push these
shows have given to dance is
manifold”
– Yasmani Shakya, a
choreographer who teaches at
the Imagine Dance Academy
Shambhu Kumar from Patna felt similarly.
"It is a matter of pride for parents
among the community if their child is
on a dance show. Be it a small town or a
big city, glamour sells and everyone
wants to be associated with it," said
Shambu Kumar, who founded his
Music, Arts and Dance Academy in
2008.
From 15 students per class to 50 in a
class, the enrolments are growing. But
there's a flip side.
"When you see small children on
these shows pouting and making vulgar
gestures, you just wonder what their
parents are thinking. There has to be an
age limit. Isn't it cruel? Where is the innocence left?" Shambu Kumar asked.
Many like Amit Jain balance their passion and studies.
"These platforms do come with temporary fame but no life-time guarantee.
Anyone can be a dancer after a few
classes, but not everyone is born to
dance," said Jain who is in his second
year of college and is taking dance
classes.
In an attempt to treat dance as a "serious profession", Jindal started a threemonth professional dance course,
Professional Dance Study Programme,
in 2009.
"We really want people to take it
(dance) seriously. Dance is not about
just knowing a few steps of a particular
dance. It's about mastering the technicalities," he said.
"In our course, we also speak about
injury prevention and exercises for
strengthening muscles. There are also
yoga sessions and diet-sessions. It is important to listen to your body and understand it," Jindal added.
From nine students to 120 students
now, Jindal's institute charges Rs. 20,000
for the course.
Aren't western influences corrupting
Indian classical dance forms?
"It is a cycle, I believe. Just like the 70s
and 80s have come back in Bollywood
and fashion, we too will be going back to
our roots," Jindal said.
"After all, this is where we belong," he
added. n
INDIA FIRST 33
R
Obituary
LEGENDARY
BADDIE
Pran, Bollywood's most hated yet much-loved villain,
bowed out on July 12
34 INDIA FIRST
ecognized
by
that
drawled “barkhurdaar”
in his steely voice, Indian film industry's
most hated reel life villain, Pran Krishan
Sikand – or Pran as movie credits and
fans always called him – has bid his final
goodbye to all the onscreen heroes who
happily bashed him up and the heroines
who dreaded him.
Born into a wealthy family in Delhi
February 12, 1920, Pran lived and was
educated in Lahore, Kapurthala,
Meerut, Dehradun, Rampur, Unnao and
finally Mumbai as his father, Lala Kewal
Krishan Sikand, was a government contractor building bridges and roads, including the Kalsi Bridge near Dehradun.
Though he seemed interested in and
pursued a course in photography in Lahore, a chance meeting with a movie
producer got Pran a role in "Yamla Jat"
in 1940 when he was 20.
After the partition of India, Pran, who
had married Shukla in 1945 (the couple
later had two sons, Arvind, Sunil, and
daughter, Pinky), decided to leave the
Lahore film industry and shift to Bombay.
But, unlike his smooth entry in Lahore, it was the start of a brief period of
struggle to get a foothold in Bollywood.
Though he managed to get the role of
a lead hero in some movies, his personality and natural acting talents came to
the fore only as a villain in those early
days of the black-and-white era.
His piercing, intense and unwavering
deadly eyes made him a tailor-made villain for the romantic heroes of that era,
including Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand, Raj
Kapoor, Shammi Kapoor, Shashi
Kapoor, Rajendra Kumar, Raj Kumar,
and later Dharmendra, Rajesh Khanna,
Amitabh Bachchan and many others.
No doubt, on screen, they all never
missed an opportunity to get back at
him and loved to bash him up – even as
the viewers in the dark cinema halls let
out sighs of relief at the end of the oneheaded, evil-eyed Ravan, as the heroes
and their dainty heroines sauntered into
the mist.
"Throughout an estimable career,
(Pran) used his eyes, voice, diction, facial mobility and body language to powerful effect. He could memorize reams
of dialogue just by glancing at the sheets
of paper handed over to him on the sets,
more often than not a minute before the
call of lights, action, camera. He never
made a mistake, the lines flowing
smoothly from a photographic memory," was how the legendary Amitabh
Bachchan described him a few years
16 JULY 2013
ago.
Pran acted in over 400 movies in a career spanning over six decades and
made smooth, seamless transitions
from a hero to a villain to a character
artist, playing each role with rare finesse, his “extra touch” ensuring that
each was different from the other.
The roles ranged from being the domineering, cruel brother-in-law in "Ram
Aur Shyam", the limping and loveable
Malang Chacha in "Upkar", the streetsmart fraud in "Victoria No. 203", and the
brother of the character played by Dev
Anand who reforms after learning his
true identity in "Johny Mera Naam", the
rough but kind Pathan in "Zanjeer",
which was a turning point in Amitabh
Bachchan's career, the evil lame Uncle
Kaido in "Heer Ranjha" and the stern
jailer in "Kaalia" who sent the worst
criminals into shudders, among many
others.
His contribution was finally recognized with the award of the Indian film
industry's highest award – the Dadasahab Phalke Award – for 2012.
Movie buffs recall how, while the
hero's entry was expected, Pran's entry
always remained mysterious – despite
the credit line "... and Pran", which was
also the title of his autobiography.
"The camera would first start focusing
on his shoes, then his body, then thick
smoke emanating from a cigarette and
as the haze cleared, pan directly into
Pran's mesmerizing, powerful eyes,"
said Ramila Desai, a former college professor, now in her early 60s, who grew up
on a diet of the villainy practiced by Pran
and his colleagues like Ajit, Prem
Chopra, Madan Puri and their ilk.
As the viewers cowered in their seats,
anticipating the worst for the hero, the
heroine and other favourites, Pran
would start with one of his favourite
trademark lines, "Barkhurdaar," "Sardar,
ye police ka aadmi hai," or "Kyun, theek
hai na?", or even "Shatale, shatale, mera
bhi samay aayega...!" and many more
memorable lines.
Despite the non-salvageable, utterly
negative and chronic bad onscreen
image, the real life Pran was absolutely
different, a lover of Urdu poetry, folktales, humour, and one who always went
out of his way to help people in need.
"He was delightful company who
loved to smoke and enjoyed his evening
Scotch, after the shootings," as Amitabh
once recalled.
Close associate and veteran film producer, A. Krishnamurthi of Tina Film International, Mumbai, said: "He was
softspoken, uninterfering, highly cultured, a lover of sports and games, asso16 JULY 2013
ciated with many social and sports organizations, loved to take part in charitable activities for the poor in the film
industry and queued up to help people
around the country in times of disasters."
"He was a very fine gentleman, like
Dilip Kumar, Naushad Ali, Kader Khan,
Johny Walker, a real director's actor,"
said veteran director K. Ravi Shankar,
who directed Pran in "Meera Ka
Mohan".
For several years, Pran owned and
sponsored the Dynamos Football Club
team and was a member of the Punjab
Association, the Press Club of India,
Chelmsford Club (all in New Delhi), Otters Club, CCI Club, Bombay Provincial
Hockey Association, dedicated to sports
or charitable activities through the Ma-
harashtra Chief Minister's Relief Fund,
Maratha Shikshan Sanstha and Film Industry Welfare Trust.
Under the patronage of then Maharashtra Governor Nawab Ali Yavar Jung,
Pran conducted several charity shows
for Bangladesh refugees in the aftermath of the 1971 war, and for underprivileged or disabled or blind children.
One of the few in the film industry
who would always answer his phone
calls (if he was around), Pran had been
ailing with old-age related diseases for
the past few years, but several top industry personalities came eagerly to greet
him on his 90th birthday.
At 90, answering a question, he said:
"If I am born again, I would like to be
Pran..."
Amen to that. n
INDIA FIRST 35
Movie
Review
'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag' - run to watch this marvel
Subhash K. Jha
Cast: Farhan Akhtar, Sonam Kapoor, Rebecca Breeds, Divya Dutta, Prakash Raj and Pavan Malhotra;
Writer: Prasoon Joshi; Director: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra; Rating: *****
H
istory is created in several
ways. One of them is cinema.
And if Rakeysh Omprakash
Mehra's "Bhaag Milkha Bhaag" seems
like a near-flawless homage to the flying
spirit of India's greatest runner, it is
partly because the story, so nimbly
woven into a pastiche of drama, emotion, humour and pathos by Prasoon
Joshi, is in no hurry to keep pace with
the onscreen Milkha's breathless sprint.
The story of super-sprinter Milkha
Singh unfolds in this exceptional biopic
at its own volition. There's no effort here
"to tell a story", to create an impression
or to whip up a dramatic storm to captivate audiences. The synergy in the storytelling seems subliminal.
Still, we the audience, fed week after
week on mediocrity masquerading as
cinema, are riveted to the story of
Milkha Singh for over three hours of
playing time.
How come? Well, to begin with it is
Milkha Singh's own powerful life as
India's superstar sportsperson that
sweeps us into the biopic. Milkha was so
poor he couldn't afford running shoes,
and when he got them, he didn't know
how to run in them. When milk was offered in the army in exchange of running practice, he grabbed it (the run and
the milk) with both hands.
A victim of India's brutal partition,
Milkha's story was waiting to be told.
And thankfully, no one before Mehra
saw cinematic potential in his story. If
Milkha's story had to be told, the storyteller had to be a master craftsman, and
one who doesn't waste space in selfcongratulatory flourishes.
With immense help from Prasoon
Joshi, Mehra harnesses Milkha's lifestory into an experience that is pure cinema
and
yet
undiluted
and
uncompromised by the mandatory,
often silly, illogical and idiotic semantics
of mainstream commercial cinema.
The absolutely seamless editing by P.
Bharathi is impressive. The film is very
stylishly cut, but not at the cost of losing
the simplicity and the innate ascetism of
the sportsman-hero. And yes, there are
songs composed by Shankar-Ehsaan36 INDIA FIRST
Loy, but they are so effortlessly woven
into Milkha's saga that we don't see
them as "song breaks".
This is as good a time as any to tell you
that Farhan Akhtar does the Bhangra as
well as any Punjabi. Actually, he doesn't
dance. He just flows with the rhythm.
I've never seen any actor dance with
such rhapsodic abundance. Neither
have I seen any actor run like Farhan.
I don't know how fast Milka ran, but
Farhan's Milkha doesn't fake it for even
a second. When he runs, he really runs.
When he stumbles and takes a fall, we
flinch and wince in our seats. Farhan's
body language and emotions and expression as Milkha is pitch-perfect.
Farhan doesn't 'play' Milkha. The
actor occupies Milkha's mind, body and
soul. There are episodes in this astonishingly, well-structured biopic where
Farhan's oneness with Milkha equals
Ben Kingsley's empathy with Mahatma
Gandhi in "Gandhi".
This isn't just a film about a
sportsperson who brought untold glory
to our country. "Bhaag Milkha Bhaag" is
the story of an individual's journey from
nullity to pinnacles of success in a world
where politics and violence are constant
reminders of how little an individual's
aspirations matter in the larger, often
murkier scheme.
In Prasoon Joshi's interpretation of
Milkha's amazing success-story, yearning is the cornerstone to achievement.
In 1947, when India became two nations, we see little Milkha (Jabtej Singh)
run for his life to escape the savage
butchery that snatches away almost his
entire family. Only his dear sister, played
wonderfully by Divya Dutta, remains. As
we see it, Milkha never stopped running
since the partition trauma.
The 'run' as a metaphor of life's expedient circumstances, runs through the
narrative.
Happily, the screen time is as much
taken up with Milkha's record-breaking
achievements on the field, as it is with
vignettes from his personal life. There is
a robust heartwarming romance between Milkha and the vessel-friendly
'kudi' Biro (Sonam Kapoor, looking prettier than ever). The writer and director
invest inexpressible warmth in the protagonist's courtship scenes. We've seen
this kind of love blossom on Punjab's
soil before. But it still feels special and
unique.
Farhan does the rest. And he gets
tremendous support from other actors,
specially Divya Dutta, who is incomparably sincere in her role. Pavan Malhotra
as Milkha's coach is as usual, first-rate.
Unlike other period films in recent
times which have conveniently and
lazily resorted to antiques, artefacts and
vintage songs, the 1950s in "Bhaag
Milkha Bhaag" simply and effortlessly
emerges from the character and his milieu.
"Bhaag Milkha Bhaag" is the kind of
cinema that doesn't tempt us to share
the protagonist's life with any false
hopes. We the audience are driven into
a desperate urge to share Milkha's life
not only because he ran fast, but because he wasn't afraid to stumble, falter
and fall.
Ironically, this film on Milkha rarely
slips up, if ever.
At one point, in an under-punctuated
flashback, we hear Milkha confide in his
sweetheart that he would like the government to declare a national holiday in
his honour.
I recommend a national holiday for
the entire nation to go and see this
movie. It makes the other recent highprofile acclaimed films look hopelessly
inadequate. n
16 JULY 2013
Bollywood
Yuvika has no dates
to play Draupadi
A
ctress Yuvika Choudhary admits
she was offered to play the mythological character of Draupadi in upcoming TV series "Mahabharata", but she
says her work calendar is full for the year
courtesy multiple film projects in her
kitty.
"I've been offered a role in 'Mahabharata', but the problem is I don't have
dates," the 26-year-old actress here at a
photo shoot Monday.
"They wanted dates at a stretch and
right now I'm busy with films and it's
very difficult to take out time for the series. As of now, I am not doing it," she
added. "Mahabharata" is slated to go on
air on Star Plus.
Even if she can't be a part of the show,
Yuvika, who says she has a couple of
Punjabi and Hindi films in her kitty, calls
it a "great show". She has wished good
luck to the show's team.
Yuvika began her tryst with showbiz
with the small screen as a participant of
"Zee Cine Stars Ki Khoj" in 2004. Later,
she also featured in TV show "Astitva",
and subsequently, she forayed into Bollywood with the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer
"Om Shanti Om". n
Priyanka Chopra shooting for
'Gunday' cabaret number
A
tress Priyanka Chopra is playing the female lead in period
drama "Gunday" and she is currently
shooting for a cabaret dance sequence for the action-drama-cumromance. The film's director Ali
Abbas Zafar says he is using an original song.
Set between 1971 to 1988 in
Kolkata, the film deals with black
marketing mafia men Bikram (Ranveer Singh) and Bala (Arjun Kapoor).
"We started shooting for the particular cabaret song three days ago in
Mumbai and there is three more days
to do. It's a fresh cabaret song and not
a remix of any old song. It's a very big
sort of cabaret song in the film,"
Zafar, who earlier wielded mega-
16 JULY 2013
phone for "Mere Brother Ki Dulhan",
said. Did you ask Priyanka to take reference from any legendary Bollywood actress for the song? "Not really.
Actually, I have been doing my research for quite some time on Kolkata
and I discovered Kolkata was high on
glamour quotient since 1960s, 1970s,
and 1980s. In that way, Kolkata is
quite western," said Zafar.
The director has created a coal
mine and informed that the last 30
days of shoot is left. "We have created
a coal mine set and we are left to do a
huge action sequence between Irrfan,
Arjun Kapoor and Ranveer Singh. Obviously, we can't shoot in real coal
mine so we had to create the set for
the period film," said Zafar. n
INDIA FIRST 37
'Bhaag...' will
go down in
history: Sonam
"B
haag Milkha Bhaag" is being
praised by industry members
even before its release, and actress
Sonam Kapoor, who says she has a
"cameo" in the movie, is confident it will
go down in history.
The Rakeysh Omprakash Mehramovie is based on the life of athlete
Mikha Singh. "I did the film only for
Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra. It's a special appearance, but I hate the word special appearance. It's a cameo. I did this
film because I knew for sure this film will
go down in history," said Sonam.
The actress, who won accolades for
his performance in her last release
"Raanjhanaa", says she is choosy about
her film projects. "I'm choosy about my
films. I do one film in one to one-and-ahalf years. My films take too long - like
'Mausam' and 'Sawaariya'," she added.
"Bhaag Milkha Bhaag" stars Farhan
Akhtar in the lead. n
Shweta Tiwari bids
adieu to 'Jhalak...'
P
opular television actress
Shweta Tiwari was recently evicted from "Jhalak
Dikhhla Jaa 6" after getting low
votes and losing the face-off
round to actress Aarti Chabaria.
The actress was in the bottom-three along with singer
Shaan and Aarti. After the performance, Aarti, who was in the
bottom-three last week as well,
secured her place in the competition, while Shweta had to
leave. However, the actress has
something to look forward to.
She is getting married to actor
Abhinav Kohli this month and
she has also quit "Parvarrish Kuchh Khattee Kuchh Meethi",
one of the widely watched show
on parents-children relationship.
The sixth edition of "Jhalak
Dikhhla Jaa" went on air June 1
and so far, actor-comedian
38 INDIA FIRST
Suresh Menon, former Indian
cricketer
Krishnamachari
Srikkanth and actresses Meghna
Malik and Ekta Kaul have been
voted out.
This weekend four new
celebrities - Mukti Mohan, Sana
Saeed, RJ Mantra and actor
Karan Patel - joined the dance
reality show as the wild card entries and now they will fight for
the top position with Drashti
Dhami, Karanvir Bohra, Siddharth Shukla, Aarti Chabaria,
Shaan, actress-dancer Lauren
Gottlieb, and "India's Got Talent" winners Sonali and
Sumant.
"Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 6" is being
judged by dancing diva Madhuri
Dixit, director-producer Karan
Johar and choreographer-director Remo D'Souza.
The weekend show airs on
Colors. n
16 JULY 2013
Hollywood
Emma Watson loves
collecting makeup
“H
arry Potter” star Emma Watson collects
makeup products, but admits she hardly
uses them. However, the British actress is well aware
of what goes with her fair skin.
"What's quite funny is that I have tonnes of products at home. I've always loved makeup and I'm fascinated by how much it can transform people. But, I
don't actually wear much of it. It's so ironic - but I just
love products,” femalefirst.co.uk quoted her as saying.
Watson, the face of luxury brand Lancome, shared
what she likes to carry with her when she travels.
"I'm English and I have fair skin, so I love blusher!
When I travel, I always have a moisturising cream
with me on the plane and I like to carry fragrance
with me too,” said the 23-year-old.
Watson doesn’t follow any beauty ritual, but makes
sure she lets her skin breathe.
"I don't really have a beauty ritual, but I really make
an effort to take my make-up off properly. I was
taught never to pluck my eyebrows excessively and to
always remove my makeup before going to bed,” she
said. n
Pamela
Anderson dating
Rick Salomon?
Former "Baywatch" actress Pamela Anderson is reportedly dating her third ex-husband Rick Salomon.
The 46-year-old star, who was previously married to
Tommy Lee and Kid Rock, is getting close with Salomon. The
two had ended their three-month marriage in 2008.
A source said they are not in any rush to tie the knot again
but revealed their relationship is "more comfortable" than
it was before, reports femalefirst.co.uk.
"It's a much more comfortable relationship than they
had when they were married. Neither of them feels
any pressure this time around," said the source.
The couple recently visited Las Vegas,
where they had got married. n
16 JULY 2013
INDIA FIRST 39
At 35, Zoe Saldana
feels strained
A
ctress Zoe Saldana is ageing happily, but the 35year-old also insists she has now begun to feel the
strain of age on her body.
"It's changing as I get older. When you're younger it
feels like you're unbreakable," femalefirst.co.uk quoted
Saldana as saying.
"You can eat anything, you can jump from any place,
you can fall over and be jerked and bounced around and
the next morning you wake up and your body's, like:
'Hey, what's next?"
"But as I'm ageing - which I'm doing happily - I'm
finding that my body is starting to make different requests, which is what I want to listen to and respect," she
added. The "Star Trek" actress also said that she can't
handle late-night partying any more.
"If I was partying till 4:30 a.m. when I was 22, that
would be fine, but now I'm 35, my body is like, 'Give me
a break!' It breaks my heart when I see people who don't
take care of themselves because they are running the risk
of not being there," added Saldana. n
Lucy Watson
doesn't care about
ex-partner
A
ctress Lucy Watson says the fact that
her former boyfriend, actor Spencer
Matthews, is dating actress Stephanie Pratt
does not bother her.
The "Made In Chelsea" star split from
Matthews after he admitted to cheating on
her while on a holiday in Greece.
“I don’t really care if they’re together.
They’re obviously quite fame-hungry and
desperate for attention," thesun.co.uk
quoted Watson as saying.
She also ruled out any chance of reuniting with Matthews. “Spencer knows I’m serious when I say there’s no chance of us
getting back together, so there’s no point
in him trying to win me back. Normally I
cut exes out of my life so I don’t know what
they’re up to, but with Spencer it’s difficult
because he’s trying to be pictured as much
as possible with Stephanie,” added Watson. Matthews, 25, reportedly cheated on
Watson eight times during their twomonth romance. “It’s a really small island
and everyone knows. All these people were
coming up to me and talking to me about
it. Someone showed me a picture of the
girl and she is the most disgusting thing
I’ve ever seen. It literally made me laugh,”
she said. n
40 INDIA FIRST
16 JULY 2013
Books
Drinking-and-driving theme
and a thriller set in Mumbai
Frederick Noronha
Title: Consequences; Author: Nigel Fernandes; Publisher: Goa 1556; Pages: 214; Price: Rs.200
Unchecked cases of drinkingand-driving is the theme of this
maiden novel of an expat Indian
writer who has expressed his
sharp concern over the menace
which claimed the life of his 20month-old nephew.
Former Mumbai-based Nigel
Fernandes, who had been in New
Zealand and is now back in Goa,
has just authored Consequences
(Goa,1556/Rs.200), a 214-page
thriller that deals with this deadly
scourge that today afflicts many
parts of India.
Significantly, the 37-year-old
writer has also dedicated the book
to his "nephew Jared Tristan D'Souza, killed by a reckless motorist" when just 20 months old.
The quick-paced thriller, which
he took eight months to write, is
set in cosmopolitan Mumbai and
has a mix of affluent characters
who seem to inhabit quite another world in India's commercial
capital.
We also meet family doctors of
the rich and the famous. As the
scene shifts to a hospital, one gets
the essence of the city nurse who
tries hard to please the patient
and the skilled doctors overcautious about the VVIP they treat.
Mumbai's police - both local and
from elsewhere - are featured, as
is the media, struggling to cope
with the unpredicatable news-appetites of the bustling "city that
never sleeps".
The novel begins in a Mumbai
nightclub where an accused in a
previous drink-and-driving case is
found dead, with drugs initially
being suspected. The action shifts
to the Worli Seaface, where another person involved in a similar
case is targeted by a paid killer
while going for his morning jog.
Bystanders take it to be a road ac16 JULY 2013
cident, though. Then the bodyguard of a prominent Bollywood
star finds him unconscious after
an accident in his gym.
Such incidents keep repeating,
till threatening calls make it clear
that there's a pattern to it all.
The reader is left wondering
what will happen next, and, more
importantly, what is the motive of
those behind these crimes, and
what those who commit them
hope to achieve. The trail of "accidents" and killings continues to a
luxury hotel in Goa and even the
plush ward where the film star is
admitted to recover.
But let's not spoil the suspense
to the final denouement.
The novel takes one from Bandra to the Worli Seaface, Central
Mumbai, the police HQ, Colaba
and other popular landmarks of
"the city which never sleeps".
Fernandes was born and educated in Mumbai. He has lived in
New Zealand for six years, completed his MBA from the Auckland
University of Technology and is a
marketing and media specialist.
Currently in Goa, when he is not
writing, he is involved in promoting windsurfing.
While in New Zealand, Fernandes worked for Sony and for the
Auckland City Council. n
INDIA FIRST 41
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