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Verdict today: ICJ to decide fate of Kulbhushan Jadhav

July 17, 2019

In the Kulbhushan Jadhav case, the International Court of Justice is going to deliver its verdict today. It is likely to be a life-altering turn of events in the three-year-old case of this captured former Indian Naval officer. Pakistan has alleged that he is a spy and terrorist.

There are reports which suggest that while India would be happy if it is able to save Jadhav from the gallows, it is highly likely that he will end up spending the rest of his life in a Pakistani prison much like his fellow Indians who were caught in Pakistan earlier for alleged spying. It is notable that Sarabjit Singh died in a Pakistani jail after 25 years despite the valiant efforts of his family and previous Indian governments. Ravindra Kaushik even managed to breach the ranks of the Pakistan Army, but he was caught and died in a Pakistani jail after 16 years. Unfortunately for Jadhav, history doesn’t give him much hope.

It is worth mentioning that India had moved the ICJ in 2017 after a Pakistani military court awarded the death sentence to Jadhav. India had made two prayers in its petition before the ICJ. One, suspend the death sentence by way of immediate relief as Pakistan had violated provisions of the Vienna convention and two, declare the sentence of the military court as null and void as such courts are not recognised as legal entities as per international laws of jurisprudence.

This second prayer, to annul the sentence delivered by a domestic court of any one of the member countries — howsoever flawed it may have been — is tricky territory that the ICJ may want to stay out of. Territorial integrity and sovereignty of member countries goes beyond the remit of the international court and will indeed open a Pandora’s Box if the court were to tread that dangerous path.

The best case scenario that India can hope for is that the ICJ strikes down the death sentence given to Jadhav on humanitarian grounds and ensures that he lives on. But there is little chance that Jadhav will be freed from a Pakistani jail and returned to India’s custody.

India in its plea had also argued how Pakistan had violated the Vienna convention by denying consular access to one of its nationals despite close to a 100 such attempts made by India. Consular access is a basic tenet of the Vienna convention. Not only did Pakistan deny Jadhav this, but the way the Pakistan Army and other officials treated his wife and mother when they visited him in December 2017 does not show the failing state in good light.

Timeline of the case:

March 3, 2016: Kulbhushan Jadhav was arrested.

March 24, 2016: Pakistan security forces claim Jadhav, “an Indian spy” arrested from southern Balochistan.

March 25, 2016: First reports of Jadhav arrest emerge, Pakistan summons envoy on ‘spy’ arrest, India rejects claims.

March 26, 2016: India claims there is no proof that Jadhav, a retired Navy officer, who owns a cargo business in Iran, was arrested in Balochistan as claimed by Pakistan.

March 29, 2016: New Delhi seeks from Islamabad consular access to Jadhav. Over the next one year, India made 16 such requests which were denied by Pakistan.

April 10, 2017: A Pakistani Army court sentences Jadhav to death “for his involvement in espionage and sabotage activities against Pakistan”. India warns Islamabad that it is a case of “premeditated murder”.

April 11, 2017: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj makes a statement in both the Houses of Parliament, asserting that India will go “out of way” to ensure justice to Jadhav who is an “innocent kidnapped Indian”.

April 12, 2016: According to a media report, Jadhav was charged with terrorism and sabotage in an FIR filed against him by the provincial Balochistan government.

April 14, 2017: India demands from Pakistan a certified copy of the chargesheet as well as the judgement in the death sentence of Jadhav and seeks consular access to him.

April 15, 2016: Pakistan briefs envoys of the Arab and ASEAN countries over India-Pakistan ties and the arrest of an alleged Indian spy. It had earlier made a similar briefing to envoys of the P5 (the U.S., the U.K., Russia, China and France).

April 20, 2017: India officially seeks from Pakistan details of the trial proceedings against Jadhav as well as the appeal process in the case.

April 27, 2017: Swaraj writes to Pakistan Foreign Affairs Adviser Sartaj Aziz requesting visa for Jadhav’s family.

May 8, 2017: India approaches the International Court of Justice at The Hague against Pakistan military courts decision.

May 9, 2017: ICJ stays Jadhav’s execution.

May 10, 2017: India approached ICJ as Jadhav is in illegal detention, says MEA.

May 15, 2017: India and Pakistan cross swords at the ICJ over Jadhav’s case with New Delhi demanding the immediate suspension of his death sentence and Islamabad accusing it of using the world body as a stage for “political theatre” through a “misconceived” plea.

May 18, 2017: ICJ tells Pakistan to put Jadhav’s execution on hold pending its final order. Noted lawyer Harish Salve represents India. Pakistan says ICJ ruling won’t change status of Jadhav case.

May 29, 2017: Pakistan claims it has fresh evidence against Jadhav. Foreign Office says Jadhav provided “active intelligence” regarding terrorist attacks in Pakistan.

June 16, 2017: ICJ asks India to make its submission in the case by September 13; Pakistan told to complete its submission by December 13. Timelines decided at the June 8 meeting ICJ President Ronny Abraham had with agents of the two countries, MEA spokesperson says. But Pakistan says ICJ rejected India’s request to delay Jadhav’s case.

June 22, 2017: Jadhav files mercy petition before Pakistani military chief; Pakistan military spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor said Mr. Jadhav had filed the mercy plea with a confessional statement that he was involved in subversive activities in Balochistan.

July 2, 2017: Pakistan rejects yet again India’s request for consular access to Jadhav; Pakistan has turned down at least five Indian requests for consular access to Jadhav since his arrest.

July 13, 2017: Visa application of Jadhav’s mother being studied, says Pakistan Foreign Office.

September 13, 2017: India submits written pleadings in Jadhav’s case.

September 28, 2017: Proposal made to swap Jadhav for terrorist, says Pakistan Foreign Minister.

September 29, 2017: India rubbishes Pakistan claim on swapping Jadhav for jailed terrorist.

November 10, 2017: Pakistan offers a meeting of Jadhav with his wife on humanitarian grounds.

November 23, 2017: Can Pakistan ensure safety of Jadhav kin, asks India.

December 8, 2017: Pakistan allows Jadhav’s wife, mother to meet him on December 25.

December 13, 2017: Pakistan files counter in ICJ.

December 14, 2017: Pakistan directs its High Commission in Delhi to issue visas to Jadhav’s family.

December 20, 2017: Pakistan issues visas to Jadhav’s wife and mother.

December 25, 2017: Jadhav meets his mother, wife; meeting a humanitarian gesture, says Pakistan

July 17, 2018: Pakistan files second counter-memorial in ICJ

October 3, 2018: ICJ to hold four-day public hearing in Jadhav case from February 18, 2019

February 18, 2019: ICJ begins four-day public hearing in Jadhav case

July 4, 2019: ICJ to deliver verdict in Jadhav case on July 17

Letters to the Editor: 17 July, 2019

Web Team

July 17, 2019

ISRO cautious

It was a moment the country waited with bated breath but it came into cropper as ISRO postpones second moon mission at the eleventh hour. India’s second mission to the Moon, Chandrayaan 2 on board GSLV Mk-III dubbed as Bahubali scheduled for take-off was aborted as there was a technical snag. It was a wise decision by ISRO which prevented a huge loss and total disappointment. The failed mission may cause disappointment but the measure taken as caution came at the right time. The crestfallen spectators left the scene in total disappointment after the postponement.

Nikhil Krish

Review tie breaker match rules

The recently concluded World Cup Cricket tournament’s final tie breaker game has thrown up few confusing questions. Though England were declared as the winners owing to the outcome of superior number of boundaries scored at the time of a tied super over, there seems to be some discontent regarding the basis of declaration of winners for the title in a tied game.

The overthrow controversy of six runs during super over and ICC‘s rule of 19.3 regarding overthrows needs to be rectified through a formal announcement by ICC, of late. The teams, critics and cricket fraternity are still unconvinced the way the winners were declared in the first ever world cup tie breaker post the super over match. As also the argument of joint winner declaration in case of a tie though valid will steer away the real excitement of seeing a single claimant to the world cup title.

It is high time now that the ICC sets aside clear instructions to declare a winner on the basis of performance metrics as made available than going by archaic rule of superior boundaries or on the basis of a superior over, especially in crucial matches during finals. It is now important for the ICC to amend necessary rules to declare the tie match results in favour of only a high net run rate scoring teams amongst other frameworks and clear the air of confusion to cricket fans. The archaic Duckworth Lewis method of calculating runs during a weather affected match too needs an immediate overhaul by the experts aided by ICC.

Varun Dambal

Congratulations England but New Zealand won the hearts

Kudos to England for winning the World Cup but New Zealand won the hearts of one and all. It was technical win for England as 4 gifted runs for no fault from the Kiwis helped them tie the game but New Zealand were the real heroes in a game that went to the wire where even a super over had no winners but the Englishmen were awarded the trophy due to more number of boundaries scored which one thought was a strange law and sharing the trophy would have been an fair result.

New Zealand deserved not just the trophy but also the ‘Fair Play Award‘ as they accepted their technical defeat with grace without making a fuss which truly was commendable. This was perhaps the closest World Cup final in the history of the game and full marks to both the teams for a game that was full of nerves till the last ball of the tournament. New Zealand born Ben Stokes was responsible for Kiwis defeat but even he knew that his country of birth deserved to win a game they lost by bad fortune. Kiwis captain Kane Williamson was rightly awarded the player of the tournament for his brilliant performance and captaincy.

S.N. Kabra

Measures necessary to prevent misuse of RTI Act

RTI Act should be saved by preventing it from misuse. RTI fees should be uniform for all states and competent authorities at rupees fifty that may include copying charges for first twenty copied pages of documents for saving to both public-authorities and portioners on demanding and remitting copying charges, but eliminating non-serious RTI petitioners because of a negligible fee of just rupees ten. People in BPL category are already exempted from paying RTI fees.

To prevent RTI applications being filed under fake names, ID proof should be compulsorily enclosed with RTI application in tune with para 23 of verdict dated November 2, 2012 in the matter-Fruit and Vegetable Union versus Unknown (CWP 4787 of 2011).

Repeated CIC-recommendations for issue of RTI stamps in denominations of Rs 2, 10 and 50 should be accepted to prevent heavy government-spending in handling postal-orders generally used to pay RTI fees.

Provision of auto e-mailing of RTI responses and orders of First Appellate Authority on applications filed on-line should be there apart from uploading on on-line portal.

Post-free RTI applications addressed to central public-authorities should be extended to all 160000 post-offices rather than just about 4500 post offices presently. It is not difficult because every post-office however small it may be, daily sends post-bag to Head Post Office with registered post, cash and unsold revenue-articles. This post-bag can carry post-free RTI applications received at the post-office.

Subhash Chandra Agrawal

(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)

Corruption responsible for building collapse incidents

Vaidehi Taman

July 16, 2019

At least 10 people died, 8 got injured, and around 40 residents reportedly got trapped under the debris in south Mumbai’s Dongri area after a 100-year-old four-storey building collapsed on Tuesday. The Kesarbai building that collapsed at around 11:40 am was located in Tandel Street at Dongri. Along with the police and fire brigade officials, a team of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) also reached the site and continued the rescue operation. The authorities called this tragedy a “level 2” incident; level 1 is the most serious under the system that measures the severity of a building collapse. CM Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday afternoon told the reporters, “The building was 100 years old. We have given permission to redevelop that area. We will know after investigation if the redevelopment initiative was delayed. Right now we are focusing on rescuing trapped people.”

Building safety is considered one of the crucial issues of the financial capital Mumbai which is one of the crowded cities of India. Moreover, in May, the civic agency BMC in the country’s financial and entertainment hub had identified 499 buildings as “dangerous”; it was 619 in the previous year.

Between 2001 and 2015, an average of seven people died per day due to the collapse of structures in the city. Data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) indicates that a total of 38,363 people lost their lives due to the collapse of various structures between 2001 and 2015. Most people lost their lives because of the collapse of residential houses. There are hundreds of people who are forced to live in these dangerous buildings in spite of every day building fall incidences.

The building walls have deep cracks and the paint is peeling, many portions of the building just sliced and some are standing on temporary supports. However, still, people are forced to live in danger as they cannot buy or rent a new flat in the neighbourhoods because they are very expensive.

Property prices and rent in Mumbai are among the highest in Asia. Many citizens are forced to live in old, dilapidated properties in a land-scarce city where an estimated 60 per cent of its 18 million people live in slums and purlieus. In the western suburbs, Andheri (West) or the K/West ward has 50 buildings in the C-1 category.

As a part of its pre-monsoon preparedness in 2017, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had identified 791 buildings in the C-1 category — the most dangerous. Of these, it has demolished 186 (23 per cent) buildings and evacuated 117 (14 per cent) buildings as of March-end. While C-2 buildings require major structural repairs, C-3 need minor repairs. The largest numbers of dilapidated buildings are in L ward or Kurla (113) followed by N ward or Ghatkopar, where 80 buildings are in the C-1 category. The F/North ward (which includes Matunga, Dadar, and Sion) also reportedly has 77 structures in the C-1 category.

There are more than 14,000 buildings in Mumbai that are more than 70-years-old. Due to an archaic law which limits raising rents, many tenants pay minimal rate per month, leaving the landlords with little money to invest in repairs and maintenance. No wonder then that 959 buildings have been branded as “dilapidated and dangerous” by the city’s municipality and every year, a number of these buildings collapse, leading to many deaths.

In a densely populated city where quality, affordable housing is scarce, the realtors often cut corners to make what many call sub-standard buildings, putting the buyers at risk. Though there are nearly half a million pricey apartments which lie vacant as sellers look for rich buyers, millions of middle-class residents get squeezed out to the suburbs and outskirts to live in these hazardous new buildings. The corruption in the housing sector – complex regulation leading to complicity between a section of builders and government workers – worsens matters and leads to poor quality buildings coming up in the city.

Corrupt builders build homes without taking mandatory permissions using poor construction material. In many cases, residents get a structural audit done and approach the court to get a stay delaying the demolition process further. According to the data, 145 cases are pending with the court and 21 cases are pending with an internal committee.

A structural audit is mandatory for any building, which are more than 30 years old. With limited availability of open land parcels in Mumbai, major developers are now looking at venturing into the redevelopment space. Dilapidated buildings on the verge of collapse are a grim reality for thousands of housing societies across Mumbai. Developers, as an incentive to owners of older buildings, offer additional area, money, and the promise of a new flat with a better amenity. However, the owners should keep a few things in mind before opting for redevelopment.

Housing redevelopment refers to the process of reconstruction of a residential premise by the demolition of the existing structure and construction of a new one as per approvals from the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM). It ideally works best when a society is in the dire need of extensive repairs but is starved of the necessary funds for it.

Developers, on their part, are also on the lookout for properties with unused development rights where they can build a new and higher structure where the additional floors can be sold for a tidy profit. However, redevelopment can only take place if 75 per cent of the members tender their consent. Over 20,000 housing societies, 17,000 ceased buildings and over 3,000 MHADA (Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority) structures are waiting for redevelopment proposals.

However, while redevelopment may be the latest buzz, citizens argue that developers often tear down old colonial mansions to build luxury towers for the rich. And more often than not, it is often haphazard and done without the consent of society members. The redevelopment process also causes inconvenience to the residents, as they will have to look for alternative places to stay in while the builder demolishes the old building and constructs a new one.

Redevelopment is usually burdened with bitterness and complaints of high-handedness and corruption against the Managing Committee of the society, which is why people chose to live in whatever space they have.

(Any suggestions, comments or dispute with regards to this article send us on feedback@www.afternoonvoice.com)

BMC the never-ending mess

Rajesh Choudhary

July 16, 2019

At least 10 people were killed, 8 got injured, and around 40 others were feared trapped under the debris of a four- storey building that collapsed in Mumbai’s Dongri area on Tuesday morning. It is apprehended that the death toll can rise. PM Narendra Modi expressed deep condolence to the affected families.

Just a fortnight ago, a wall collapsed in suburban Malad on July 2 which claimed 27 lives and 78 others were injured in the incident. Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said that the BMC was ‘not responsible for the accident, blame the monsoon for this’. The city experiences such tragedies every year during monsoon. However, neither the Maharashtra government nor the BMC takes a lesson from the incidents of building collapse.

Mayor of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Vishwanath Mahadeshwar told Afternoon Voice, “Till 3 pm nine persons were rescued from the debris of Dongri building collapse. Out of these, three were dead and five people are admitted in the hospital. The rescue operation is going on. On August 7, 2017, the BMC had written a letter to MHADA stating that this building is in C-1 (very dangerous) category. Later on, MHADA too issued notices to the residents of the Kesarbai building which collapsed.”

Thus, the blame game between the authorities of the BMC and the MHADA has already begun. Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) chairman Uday Samant said that the four-storey building which collapsed in south Mumbai was supposed to have been demolished in 2012. Uday Samant is the MLA of the Ratnagiri-Sangmeshwar constituency. He said, “The building that is owned by MHADA was to be demolished by a private developer. Strict action will be taken, no one will be spared…the developer and our officials should have seen the work”.

On the other hand, CM Devendra Fadnavis said that affected building was 100 years old, but it was not included in the list of dangerous buildings. The building had been given to the developer for redevelopment. The rescue operation of those stuck under the debris is being carried out on a war-footing basis. An investigation will be carried out into the matter.

The buildings are categorised as C1, C2, and C3. A C1 category means the building is very dangerous and needs to be vacated immediately. The C2 category is further divided into C2A and C2B. In C2A building, the dangerous parts of the building need to be demolished. In C2B, major structural repairs are required. The C3 category needs minor repairs. After the survey, the civic body asks residents living in dangerous buildings to evacuate them and move to safer places.

Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe said, “The BMC is responsible for this mishap. They did not take due precautions. Officials did not evacuate the old building on time. People have to evacuate the building without permission. At the same time, the administration has to manage alternate abode for the residents of the particular building. But they did nothing. It is extreme negligence and a case under Section 302 (murder) should be filed against them. The BMC and state government left people on their fate. They should send police to evacuate the endangered building. Ultimately, they did it after the building collapsed in Dongri.”

Earlier on Tuesday, the BMC said that more than 40 people or 10 to 15 families have been trapped under the debris of the building that collapsed.

The building collapse has been classified as a level-2 disaster by authorities. As the NDRF teams faced difficulties to reach the spot of the building due to narrow lanes, locals formed a human chain to help to clear the debris as search and rescue operations started. Fire brigade, Mumbai Police, and civic officials rushed to the site of the collapse despite being hindered by the narrow constructed lanes. Two teams of the National Disaster Response Force were also deployed. The locals joining in the rescue efforts formed a human chain to help remove the debris brick-by-brick and pick up slabs of concrete to locate those buried. Ambulances were unable to reach the site and had to be parked around 50 metres away. Mumbai Police asked the citizens to stay away from collapse site. Police said that a green corridor has been provided for all emergency services and rescue operations.

Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises and South Mumbai MP Arvind Sawant, who was in Delhi at the time of the incident, said, “As soon as I came to know about the incident, I left for Mumbai. I am not in position to say anything about the incident.”

The ruling BJP said that an inquiry will be conducted into the causes for the collapse. It said, “Right now, the main challenge for the government is to conduct the rescue operations success-fully.”

The BMC said, “In an extremely unfortunate incident, the Kesarbai building in Dongri collapsed at 11.40 am to preliminary information, 40 to 50 people are most likely to be trapped in the debris. Two to three teams of the NDRF, the fire brigade, our disaster management team and all senior officials of the MCGM reached the site as soon as they got the information of the accident. The BMC has opened a shelter at Imamwada Municipal Secondary Girls’ School following the building collapse.”

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen MLA Waris Pathan alleged that the Maharashtra government did not provide safety and security of old buildings in the state any importance and that he had continued to raise apprehensions on the same in the state Assembly.

It is remarkable that the incident of Dongri comes after a massive accident in March when the foot-over bridge (FOB) collapsed outside the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus railway station in Mumbai claimed the lives of six people and injured over 30 others. Even then the BMC had shifted blames between government officials and civic authorities and had claimed that the structural audit of the FOB was not conducted in a proper manner.

Lion King’s Scar to Gabbar and Bhallal Dev, meet the Biggest Villains of Indian cinema!

Web Team

July 16, 2019

Villains in movies have always made watching a family entertainer, that much more exciting. The battle of good versus evil is a favourite one for viewers, and Hindi, as well as Hollywood films, have given us many villains to be afraid of!!

After having conquered hearts with ‘The Jungle Book’ in 2016, Disney is all set to present its legendary franchise and the crown jewel – ‘The Lion King’ – with ground-breaking technology that re-imagines the greatest story ever told. Directed by ‘Iron Man’ and ‘The Jungle Book’ fame director, Jon Favreau, Disney’s The Lion King is one of the most-anticipated films of recent times. The heroic coming-of-age journey will make it to the large canvas with a pioneering and game-changing photo-real technology, using cutting-edge tools to make the musical drama come alive on the big screen.

Scar is the main antagonist of Disney’s 1994 animated feature film The Lion King. As the younger brother of Mufasa and the second-born prince of the Pride Lands, Scar was next in line to assume the throne as king. His chances were lost, however, at the arrival of his nephew, Simba. This embittered Scar with jealousy and a sense of entitlement, prompting him to develop a plot to take over the kingdom, with the aid of his hyena henchmen. As one of Disney’s most infamous villains—made especially notorious for his success in murdering Mufasa—Scar is a primary member of the Disney Villains franchise. Scar continues to be revered as one of Disney’s greatest villains.

While we wait with bated breath for Scar to once again unleash his evil on Mufasa and Simba to come alive on July 19, here are some of the biggest villains in cinema history to go down in memory lane!

Gabbar Singh

This iconic character was played by Amjad Khan. And we are sure that no one could have done a better job with it. The makers had decided to cast Danny but unfortunately, he didn’t have dates for the shoot and that’s how Amjad Khan was selected. It was probably the best decision by makers ever because Sholay wouldn’t have been the same without Gabbar in it.

Mogambo

Mr. India is still stuck in our heads is because of Mogambo, played by Amrish Puri. Mogambo was completely over the top with a strange costume, a stick and a throne surrounded by his loyalists. He became the very definition of evil.

Lord Voldemort

From his serpentine face (the missing nose is a perfect touch) to the bone-chilling way he hisses his arch-nemesis’s name, Ralph Fiennes turned J.K. Rowling’s fallen wizard into the personification of that old black magic. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named doesn’t really need an introduction; he simply answers to evil.

Bhallal Dev

The second most important character of the Baahubali films is Bhallal Dev and his character comes off as more human and thus complicated, conflicted and definitely more interesting. Bhallal Dev is a fascinating character with a genuine growth arc.

Thanos

Thanos is the greatest villain in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He isn’t just an iconic costume or a collection of heinous acts – what makes him even more terrifying is the fact that he’s understandable, that he’s written with as much complexity as the heroes (in some cases more) and that he has layers.

The Joker

One of Batman’s many enemies but the most popular of them all, The Joker has been iconic in almost any version. He’s been played by many respectable actors – Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger, and Jared Leto, to name a few. No wonder the character is getting a film of his own.

Who will succeed 14th Dalai Lama: Chinese Warning

R K Sinha

July 16, 2019

Dalai Lama, Bharat Ratna, Demand for Bharat Ratna to Dalai Lama — File Photo

A news item emanating from Lhasa in Tibet is disturbing for the current thaw in Sino-Indian relation. China wants that it will be Beijing that will decide on the successor of Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama who lives in exile in Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh.

The immediate provocation for Chinese voice on the succession issue of Dalai Lama is failing health of the 84-year-old head of Buddhist spiritual leader. Of late Dalai Lama has not been keeping good health. It is a matter of concern for all the followers of Buddhism world over. He is highly revered not only by the followers of Buddhism but also by others. He enjoys a special status in the world including countries such as the United States of America, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, and Japan. Dalai Lama was given Nobel Peace Prize in 1992.

The present Dalai Lama was crowned when he was little over 4-year-old.

This is not for the first time that China has raised the issue of a successor to Dalai Lama. Way back in 2011, China had raised the same issue saying that it is the Government of China that will appoint the next Dalai Lama and that India has to accept the decision.

According to a Buddhist scholar and writer, Dalai Lamas are ‘manifestations of the bodhisattva of compassion’. All of the Dalai Lamas are thought to be manifestations of the bodhisattva of compassion, Avalokitesvara. The 14 generations of Dalai Lamas, spanning six centuries, are linked through their acts of compassion.

The ultimate goal of Buddhism is to attain ‘Nirvana’- free from the cycle of birth and death. It is identical to ‘Moksha’ in Hinduism where a devout Hindu lives in this world to attain Moksha, liberation from the cycle of birth and death.

According to a Buddhist scholar, “Tibetan Buddhism has developed this idea of the bodhisattva further into identified lineages of rebirths called ‘Tulkus’. Any person, who is believed to be a rebirth of a previous teacher, master, or leader, is considered a Tulku. Tibetan Buddhism has hundreds, if not thousands of such lineages, but the most respected and well-known is the Dalai Lama”.

Normally, extensive search and research are conducted before finding a successor to Dalai Lama. There are certain signs and traits in the child who is born to become Dalai Lama.

As per a published report “In the case of the 13th Dalai Lama, after his death, his body lay facing south. However, after a few days his head had tilted to the east, and a fungus, which was viewed as unusual, appeared on the northeastern side of the shrine containing the body. This was interpreted to mean that the next Dalai Lama could have been born somewhere in the northeastern part of Tibet”.

Dalai Lama has written his memoirs in which he recounts about his early life that he remembered recognising one of the monks in the search party, even though he was dressed as a servant. The search party did not show who they were to the villagers, to prevent any manipulation of the process.

As a little boy, he remembers asking for the rosary beads the monk wore around his neck. These beads were previously owned by the 13th Dalai Lama. After this meeting, the search party came back again to test the young boy with further objects of the previous Dalai Lama. He was able to correctly choose all items including a drum used for rituals and walking stick.

It was in 1959 when the uprising in Tibet failed, Dalai Lama escaped to India. The government first accorded refugee status to Dalai Lama. Later on, he was allowed to establish Government of Tibet in exile at McLeod Ganj in Dharamshala. Today, it’s a great tourist attraction. Buddhists from all over the world visit Dharamshala Monastery of Dalai Lama. It is not clear as yet if Dharamshala Monastery will appoint a successor to 14th Dalai Lama but one thing appears certain that Dharamshala Monastery will not accept any successor to present Dalai Lama appointed by Beijing. Conflict is likely on this issue. India will have to make a tight rope walk as a new Dalai Lama will also get the status of not only Buddhist head but also heading the Government of Tibet in exile.

It is unfortunate that China has raised this issue once again. To its dismay, Washington has rejected the claim of Beijing that China has the right to appoint next Dalai Lama. The state has no role in meddling with religious affairs and that government can’t decide who will head the religious sect of Buddhism, Washington has said.

(The writer is a Member of Rajya Sabha)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of AFTERNOON VOICE and AFTERNOON VOICE does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.)

Maharashtra BJP appoints Chandrakant Patil as State chief, Mangal Prabhat Lodha as Mumbai chief

Web Team

July 16, 2019

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday appointed Mangal Prabhat Lodha as the new Mumbai BJP chief and Mangal Prabhat Lodha as the new Mumbai BJP chief.

The appointment came after Maharashtra BJP president Raosaheb Danve, who was appointed minister in the recent reshuffling of cabinet done by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, early on the day resigned from his post. As per reports, he tendered his resignation after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. Accepting his resignation, Chandrakant Patil has been named as the new president of BJP in Maharashtra.

Chandrakant Patil appointed as the President of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Maharashtra. pic.twitter.com/Qoa8R3VBqX

— ANI (@ANI) July 16, 2019

The letter signed by BJP General Secretary Arun Singh said that Patil will take charge as Maharashtra BJP chief with immediate effect.

What is wrong with Indian Cricket?

C K Subramaniam

July 16, 2019

indian team,team india,india,virat kohli,ms dhoni — Image Courtesy : IndiaToday.in

Cricket is a game of uncertainty and the twists and turns in the game is too much for asking of a cricket enthusiast. However, still, people have the option to predict and support the home side. Blind support is not required to show enthusiasm and national spirit. When the game was extended to day two, the odds were even for both the sides. New Zealand took advantage of the early morning weather condition and used the swing bowlers to their advantage. Terrible Tuesday gave the New Zealand side anxious moments and on the second day, the weather conditions helped the Kiwi side to even out the first-day blues with a brilliant bowling performance.

Despite the low total, New Zealand did not give up the game like how the Indian batsmen gave up. While some may laud Hardik Pandya but overall it was a flop; the show flopped when it mattered the most. Rishabh Pant deserved it and should be banished from the highest league for at least another two years for him to first feel the loss of players like Rayudu and then mature as an individual. Despite getting big opportunity, he totally messed it up.

Next, let the old lion die gracefully and what I mean Dhoni, while there has been a growing clamour for his blood, it is high time that likes of Yograj and Manjrekar first measure up their own contribution to the game before making statements. Additionally banish the current selectors like MSK Prasad, whose contributions even as a player of Andhra is not remembered.

Finally, stop the IPL which is just the bar dance avatar of the mujra that one day cricket is themuch-forgotten ballet of test cricket. Indian players make more money in IPL in one year than the collective sum of all money from winning a One Day title once every 4 years. India died without honour and it was Dhoni and Jadeja who were martyred. Ravindra Jadeja the bits and pieces player failed to hold the game together as Team India crashed like a proverbial house of cards. You play with bits and pieces player or an ordinary player but should not show partiality as our captain did in case of Ravi Ashwin. The two spinners promoted by the captain were found wanting when really mattered and the World Cup slipped out of our grasp.

The so-called top order was a novice against swinging deliveries. We are weak on the off stump and the opposition exploited to the hilt. Captain shuffled across for nth time to get out tamely and wasted a DRS as well. The way a catch was taken from the edge of Karthik, a couple of well-judged skiers by skipper Williamson and the masterstroke of a run out by Martin Guptill were a class act in a winning cause. Ravindra Jadeja’s all-round effort was in vain. Dhoni is a very slow starter and not a finisher nowadays. In all, we played into the New Zealander’s hands and lost tamely in the end.

The team selection was bad from the moment it was picked up by the selectors. Nearly four wicketkeepers in the side was a luxury and the absence of an off-spinner against left-handed batsmen of the opposition was just a mockery of the star spinner.

The level of captaincy for a crunch game was totally missing from the Indian skipper. He lacked imagination and think tank was meddling with a selection more frequently. The pace spearhead Shami was dropped for the Kiwi game and we lost a trump card bowler. Instead, we managed with ordinary bowling of Y. Chahal. He gifted runs in both bowling and fielding and not a good bat also when 22 runs were needed.

In all, it was a pathetic show. We need to build a team from the scratch leaving all our favouritism and dislikes for making of a winning team. We lost the Champions Trophy final to Pakistan by over 180 runs and lost out the semi final to a much deserving side by 18 runs.

(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)

India-Pakistan lift ban on each other’s airlines

Web Team

July 16, 2019

Air India,Airlines,kartarpur corridor,ban,pakistan, flights — Image Courtesy : Air India Twitter

Pakistan has opened its airspace for all Indian airlines on Tuesday morning. Pakistan had imposed the ban on Indian flights that were not allowed to use its airspace since the Balakot air strikes in February 2019. After progress in talks on Kartarpur corridor recently, the tension between two countries has lessened a little bit. But India has not softened its stand on terrorism and Pakistan. India made it clear that talks on Kartarpur corridor do not mean beginning of formal dialogue between both countries.

According to reports, after 140 days Pakistan lifted ban on its airspace imposed in the aftermath of Balakot airstrike on February 26, India has also lifted the ban on Pakistani airlines using India’s airspace. As soon as the two orders came into effect, normal air traffic has been resumed over South Asia.

Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority issued a notice to airmen (NOTAM) at around 12.41 am Indian Standard Time, stating that with immediate effect Pakistan airspace is open for all type of civil traffic on published ATS (air traffic service) routes. Consequent to Pakistan issuing NOTAM India has also issued revised NOTAM immediately thereafter. The move is expected to give a major relief to Air India. The biggest pain was suffered by Air India that conducts various international flights from Delhi to Europe and the US. The national carrier had lost Rs 491 crore till July 2 due to the closure of the Pakistan airspace. Private airlines SpiceJet, IndiGo and GoAir lost Rs 30.73 crore, Rs 25.1 crore and Rs 2.1 crore, respectively, according to the data presented by Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri in the Rajya Sabha on July 3.

After the air strike, Air India had to re-route, merge or suspend many of its international flights that connect India with European and US cities. IndiGo, India’s largest airline by domestic market share, was unable to start direct flights from Delhi to Istanbul due to the closure of the Pakistan airspace. The low-cost carrier started the Delhi-Istanbul flight in March. Till date, this IndiGo flight had to take the longer route over the Arabian Sea and make a stop at Doha in Qatar for refuelling.

It is remarkable that Pakistan had fully closed its airspace on February 26 after the Indian Air Force (IAF) struck a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist training camp in Balakot in retaliation to the Pulwama attack on February 14. Since then, the neighbouring country had only opened two routes, both of them passing through the southern region, of the total 11. IAF had announced on May 31 that all temporary restrictions imposed on the Indian airspace post the Balakot strike had been removed. However, it did not benefit most of the commercial airliners and they were waiting for Pakistan to fully open its airspace.

As per reports, Pakistan has permitted all airlines to fly through its airspace from around 12.41 am today. Indian airline operators will start using normal routes through Pakistan airspace soon.

Kartarpur corridor a positive step

According to a senior Pakistani official, Pakistan and India agreed 80 per cent and beyond on the draft agreement and operationalisation of the landmark Kartarpur corridor. The two countries held a marathon meeting at Wagah border recently.

The corridor will connect Darbar Sahib in Pakistan’s Kartarpur with Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur district. It will facilitate visa-free movement of Indian Sikh pilgrims, who will have to just obtain a permit to visit Kartarpur Sahib, which was established in 1522 by Sikh faith founder Guru Nanak Dev. Kartarpur Sahib is located in Pakistan’s Narowal district across the river Ravi, about 4 km from the Dera Baba Nanak shrine.

Briefing the media at Wagah after about four hours long second round of talks on Sunday, Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal said there has been positive progress in the corridor talks. There are positive developments… Both countries have agreed 80 per cent and beyond regarding the Kartarpur corridor agreement. He said that the two sides would resolve the remaining 20 per cent issues in the next meeting. When asked about the joint statement, Faisal said, “Until we agree on the final draft, we cannot share. On unresolved issues, we think we will have to have another sitting.” Replying to a question about how many Sikhs will be issued permit at the opening of the corridor in November, he said: “It may be 5,000 or 8,000…I cannot give the exact number. This has to be decided yet.” Faisal, who is also the Director General of South Asia and SAARC, further said that Pakistan has planted a sapling of peace. He said, “This is a corridor of peace and we have planted a sapling of peace.”

It is notable that the first round of talks was held in Attari on March 14, 2019 in the shadow of escalating bilateral tensions following the Pulwama terror attack by a suicide bomber of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed on February 14. The second round of talks, which were originally scheduled on April 2, was cancelled by India after Pakistan nominated Khalistani separatist like Gopal Singh Chawla in a 10-member Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhik Committee (PSGPC). India objected to the presence of the Khalistani separatists in the committee which would facilitate Sikh pilgrims after opening of the corridor. After this, Pakistan dropped Chawla from its team which paved the way for second round talks with India.

“Chawla has been removed from the Secretary-General post and he is no longer a member of the PSGPC. Chawla is also not part of the Pakistani delegation which is taking part in the second round of talks in Wagah,” a senior official of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) told agencies. The ETPB is a statutory board that manages religious properties and shrines of Hindus and Sikhs who had migrated to India following the partition. The official said the PSGPC Pardhan (president) Tara Singh has also been removed and the new election will be held soon to elect the new president and the secretary-general.

Pakistan is building the corridor from the Indian border to the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib while the other part from Dera Baba Nanak up to the border will be constructed by India. Pakistan government has allotted Rs 100 crore in the federal budget 2019-20 for the development of the corridor. The funds will be used for land acquisition and development of infrastructure of Kartarpur under Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for the next financial year 2019-20.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had on November 26 last year laid the foundation stone of the Kartarpur Corridor in Gurdaspur district. Two days later, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan laid the foundation stone of the corridor in Narowal, 125-km from Lahore.

Floods claim 15 lives in Assam, 43 lakh people affected

Web Team

July 16, 2019

The Assam government has announced red alert due to floods. More than 43 lakh people have been affected in the state’s 30 districts. Since last two days, 15 people have lost their lives. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has promised to provide assistance to Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. Even Bihar and Mizoram have been affected due to floods. After Assam, Bihar have been the worst affected states due to floods where Konsi, Bhagmati, Lakhndeyi, Gandak, Buddi Gandak and Ballan rivers are overflowing due to floods. Twenty six lakh people are facing severe hardships in Bihar’s 10 districts due to floods. Four people have died on Monday taking the death toll to 33.

Since the Brahmaputra river has entered Kazhiranga national park 11 animals have died. Even the tea gardens have incurred 15 per cent loss due to floods. Around 1.14 lakh people are facing severe hardships due to heavy rains. Two people have lost their lives in Arunachal and Mizoram. Due to heavy floods Tripura and Mizoram has lost rail connectivity with rest of the country.

National Disaster Management Force has deployed a team of 119 personnel for relief and rehabilitation work. A control room has been set up to provide assistance to flood victims.

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