CRIME AND PUNISHMENT

Four arrested in Punjab for killing NRI

Relatives of murdered NRI Mahinderjit Singh (inset) mourn as his wife Paramjit Kaur lies unconscious at their house in Manak Dheri village, Jalandhar

Four alleged contract killers have been arrested in Punjab on charges of murdering a US-based NRI in September, Jalandhar police has said. 
Mahinderjit Singh was shot dead on September 6 when he was to go to Delhi to board a flight back to the US. He had come on a vacation to his village Manak Dheri here. 
“Some unidentified people opened fire at him and robbed his family members. They knew that he was returning to the US and was carrying lots of money. We suspect it to be the handiwork of someone who was very close to the family,” a police official said. 
“During investigations, we found that Mahinderjit's nephew Lakhwinder Pal, who is also based in the US, hired contract killers through his friend Jatinder Singh (a resident of Jalandhar). Lakhwinder wanted to take revenge from his uncle over some old family dispute,” the official said. 
Those arrested were identified as Jatinder Singh, Naresh Kumar, Rahul and Pardeep Singh. Lakhwinder is still at large. 

APPOINTMENT

NRI Internet expert to head Cameron's media section

Rishi Saha

Young Indian-origin internet wizard Rishi Saha has been hired by British Prime Minister David Cameron to head the new media section of 10, Downing Street on a salary of 50,000 pounds.
A former Conservative candidate, Saha, 30, devised the “Pimp My Party” online game for Cameron.
Along with Andrew Parsons, Cameron's personal photographer, Saha is among a growing number of members of the Cameron's inner circle to be given plum jobs by the new dispensation in 10, Downing Street, the Daily Mail reported.
Saha, is “head of new media” with control over its website, the premier's 'Webcameron' and other internet projects.
The report said that the ever-expanding “Cameron clique” at Downing Street and the Cabinet Office, paid for by taxpayers, has led to mounting criticism from Labour and, privately, from some Tory MPs who say the Camerons are falling into the same trap as the image-fixated Blairs.
Saha is a reported to be a protege of Cameron's image guru Steve Hilton. The two were the driving force behind the campaign to ditch the Tories' old-fashioned style.
A Tory spokesman defended the appointments: “All governments do this. These people have worked for the party and do invaluable work for the Government. Rishi Saha is an invaluable member of the team.”
Saha was the Conservative candidate in Brent South in the 2005 general election, coming third in a seat won easily by Labour.
He was director of the modernising 'Wave' network of young Tories, entering politics after working for youth charities. 

POLICING

CISF rewards honest jawan

It is not everyday that one stumbles upon a bagful of money but for a CISF jawan posted at the airport, lost bags with cash inside are a constant phenomenon and has earned praise for his conduct. A CISF constable posted at the X-Ray belt in the domestic terminal of the Indira Gandhi International Airport recently earned praise from his force''s chief after he tracked down a man who had left behind a bag with Rs 80,000 in it.
Tej Singh, official sources said, saw a bag lying unclaimed at the X-Ray unit. On checking he found Rs 8,000 in cash, USD 196, Canadian Dollar 1,300 and other currencies totalling about Rs 80,000.
He saw a tag attached to the bag with a name of the passenger. After making some rounds of announcements on the public hearing system, a man named Paramjit Singh, an NRI approached the constable.
Singh, who was on his way to Amristar was relieved to find his cash intact. Till the announcements were made, the passenger had no clue about his missing bag.
Sources said the CISF Director General N R Das, imnpressed by the honesty of Tej, rewarded him with a commendation letter.

PATENT

Milkfed lacks money to fight patent battle with NRI firm

Due to financial constraints, Milkfed Punjab has been unable to take legal action against a company that has been selling milk products in the US and Canadian markets, using the cooperative”s brand name Verka and its logo. 
Kulwinder Dhillon, a non-resident Indian in Canada, has got a patent on the Verka brand from the US and has been selling milk products like desi ghee (clarified butter), paneer (cottage cheese), dahi (yogurt) and fresh milk in American and Canadian stores. 
This has marred Milkfed’s export prospects in view of patent restrictions in the US and Canada. 
Milkfed first came to know about this in August 2007. But financial constraints are stopping it from fighting a legal battle against the company, Milkfed Managing Director V.K. Singh has said.
“We have decided to fight a legal battle against the violators but so far we could not do much because of lack of resources and finances. Fighting a case in the US courts demands a lot of expenditure and we cannot afford it,” said Singh. 
“However, we are planning how to pursue our case. We have constituted a special committee, including legal experts and consultants. They are looking into the matter and gathering all details about the case. We have already spent Rs.100,000 to Rs.200,000 in legal expenses,” he added. 
Milkfed Punjab is the state’s cooperative milk producers’ federation. It came up in Punjab in 1973 to provide technical inputs to the milk producers to enhance milk production and provide an encouraging market for milk products. 
Its milk products are famous in northern India. It also exports desi ghee to the Gulf countries, New Zealand and Australia. 
Said S.K. Dudeja, Milkfed regional sales manager: “Patent of Verka brand was obtained by two Punjabi brothers (one of them is Kulwinder), who stay in Canada. Their father had migrated there years back. They have copied our design and style of packaging to deceive the overseas customers.” The Verka brand was patented by Kulwinder Dhillon-owned Quality Products Inc. in California. These products bear the “Real California” seal and approval from the US health department, says the company website. 
Quality Products Inc. is doing brisk business and its products are very famous among the Indian-origin people who had migrated to the US. “We are buying Verka ghee and other milk products for the last couple of years. I thought these were imported directly from Punjab,” said Aditi Sharma, a resident of Toronto. “They are really very popular among the Indian-origin people and are available in all leading grocery stores here,” she added.

INCOME TAX

Trap to tax rich NRIs will hurt workers 

High profile Non Resident Indians (NRIs) from the Gulf have once again urged the Indian government to reconsider its decision to impose tax on expatriate Indians living in India for more than a stipulated timeframe.
The Indian government has tabled in parliament a resolution for the proposed amendment to the Direct Tax Code (DTC) Bill which is scheduled to come into effect from April 1, 2012.
According to the amendment, expatriate Indians living in India for 60 and more days in a financial year and 365 days or more over a period of four years will be entitled to pay income tax once the proposed bill is passed. Currently an NRI can claim tax exception if he stays outside the country for a total number of 183 days or more.
The opposition comes from the fear that the introduction of the law could hurt Indian blue collar workers, especially those who travel home on holiday once in two years for 60 days and more.
However some experts say the amendment to the bill will prevent large Indian businessmen from continuing to avoid paying taxes by living abroad for 183 days.
Dinesh Vyas, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India speaking during a programme organised by The Indian Business and Professional Council (IBPC) in Dubai on the topic explained about the nature of the new amendment and how it would affect the individual tax structure of a Non Resident Indian.
Since India also has a law against double taxation it is mostly the NRI’s who live and work in the Gulf countries who would be most affected by the new amendment.
“It will only result in NRIs counting the number of days they live in India. It will discourage NRIs from travelling to India. There are many low income workers who cannot afford to go on holiday ever year. They travel once every two or three years and stay back for two to three months. The introduction of the amended bill will definitely affect such workers, especially in the absence of any ceiling on income,” said Surendra Jain head of the group of Indian Chartered Accountants in the UAE.
“Labourers, maids helpers and those working in cafeterias all go on leave two 2 months and once every two years. They would end up paying ten per cent of their salary earned here as tax if the new law comes into force,” he said.

FILM AND MUSIC

Sharmila Tagore releases CD soundtrack of ‘Life Goes On’

The CD soundtrack of Life Goes On, a British feature film by NRI writer-director Sangeeta Datta was released in London by veteran actress Sharmila Tagore. 
Sharmila stars in Life Goes On, a multi-cultural adaptation of Shakespeare’s famous King Lear, set in contemporary British Asian context.
The film features a well known star cast from India including Sharmila and her daughter Soha Ali Khan, Om Puri and playwright and actor Girish Karnad. Datta said: “The Iraq war, rising terrorism and global violence, and resultant Islam phobia in the West have all led me to urgently tell a story of overcoming prejudice and fear.
“As an Indian migrant I am also aware of the prejudice between Hindus and Muslims since the 1947 India partition days and memories of violence and terror, which are tough to dismiss.”
Soha Ali Khan said it was for the first time she had acted along with her mother and also for the first time she has acted in an English film. “It was for the first time that I’ve worked in England and the very first time with my mother.” Om Puri said, “to me, the film reflects a multicultural society as it exists in UK. This film is a lesson in tolerance.”
Datta said the distribution rights for the film has been sold in north America which it would be released in December and in the UK in January. Outstanding young British Asian music talent, Soumik Datta has composed the soundtrack for the film collaborating with Bollywood lyricist Javed Akhtar, singer-songwriter Fiona Bevan, and playback singers Abhijit and Reena Bhardwaj.
The film marks the 150th anniversry of the Nobel Prize winner Rabindranath Tagore and uses Tagore’s songs as a tribute. These have been translated for the first time in Hindi by Akhtar. Life Goes On is the first feature film of Datta. She was the associate director of Brick Lane.
The movie has been screened at film festivals Marche Du film and Cannes Film Festival and has won Best Feature Film award at the prestigious Pravasi Film Festival, India and the Audience Appreciation Award at the Tongues on Fire Film Festival, London, 2010.
Shot on location in and around London and also in Kolkota, the film tells the story of a grief-stricken British Bengali doctor who struggles to cope with his three daughters after his wife’s unexpected death. The drama explores their relationship that unfolds over five days leading up to the funeral.
A series of events also leads the main protagonist, a Hindu, to face the demons of his past and his old and unspoken prejudice against Muslims. A cross generational family drama with an emotional narrative, Life goes On is ideal for family viewing, Datta said.

RESIGNATION

Swraj Paul resigns as Deputy Speaker

Swraj Paul

Suggesting “gross injustice” in his 4-month suspension, NRI industrialist and Labour peer Swraj Paul has resigned as Deputy Speaker of the House. 
Paul, who was suspended along with two other peers of Asian origin Baroness Monzila Pola Uddin and Lord Amirali Alibhai Bhatia over the issue of expenses claims paid to MPs having residences outside London, said that he had decided to resign despite the fact that the House had cleared him of any dishonesty and bad faith. 
In a letter to the Speaker of the House, Paul said, “In many ways, this has been a sad saga for parliamentary democracy—an unfortunate series of events having evidently been inspired by the electoral politics of the media.” This was a reference to newspaper allegations that he had shown his residence as outside London to claim some 40,000 pounds as allowances in 2005-2007 although he had thereafter returned the money. 
“I am far from alone in being unable to find any rationale for the House authorities to investigate certain members, while not investigating others similarly accused,” he said with reference to the fact that a number of MPs who had made similar allowances claims had not been investigated while he had been, although the police had found no case against him. 
“To my mind, the situation is fraught with gross injustice and violations which contradict norms of British fairness which I had come to believe,” Paul said.
Paul, who will return to the House when his 4-month suspension ends, but continues to be a Privy Councillor. 
While Paul has been suspended for a period of 4 months, Bangladesh-born Baroness Uddin and Indian-origin Lord Bhatia were suspended for 18 and 8 months respectively.

Interview : Preity Zinta

“Honoured by the doctorate”

Bollywood superstar Preity Zinta received an honorary doctorate from the University of East London (UEL) on Thursday. The 35-year-old actress and social activist has been recognized by the university for her humanitarian work, as well as contribution to world cinema. The outspoken supporter of women's rights and AIDS awareness spoke about what the award means to her, the importance of education, and her upcoming film projects

What is your reaction to receiving an Honorary Doctorate? 
I am humbled and honoured. It is wonderful to receive this honour. In my career I have always won awards for films, but this is the first time I am getting something for my cultural contribution or my humanitarian work. So I think this is always going to be extremely special to me. At first I wondered why I was getting it, and had this 'ting' smile on my face when I heard the news. So I think this one is going to be the closest to my heart. 

You have turned down doctorates in the past... 
When I was told that I was going to get this doctorate I wanted to know why, and for what reason. I was told it was for other things besides film and I thought that this was honour, and I did not feel that I deserved it just for films. It is not that I left my education half way. I studied, and I know the effort it takes to get something like this. You have to study for a couple of years, you have to make that effort and then you can achieve it. So at that point in my life I felt that just because I am doing a film or giving a performance I did not really feel that I deserved it. 

What advice or message would you want to give to students? 
I think the message, or rather, the two messages I would like to give to all the students is: Make use of your time here because this is probably the best time of your life, these are the building years of your life, and what you do here is going to determine how well you do or where you end up in life. And two, because it is so multi-cultural and diverse here, I would like to tell everyone that people blend better than governments, so we are all global citizens, we are all citizens of this planet. I don't think we should think about our respective religions or cultures, we should bring the best of all the world together and live happily. 

How have you used your own education (a Masters in Criminal Psychology) in the field of cinema? 
I think I learnt the art of breaking down characters and doing a background to the character: their early childhood, their present scenario and what their aspirations were - and I could break that down and use it my scenes. Everybody used to ask me what I was doing because on my script I would actually have two pages of a character sketch, and based on that I would sometimes work on my body language. Or if I knew I was lying in a scene, the way that you move your hands and touch your nose and get a little fidgety. Little things like that. But more than anything else I think it helped me in keeping my character realistic. Having said that, I don't want to take all the credit, I have worked with some amazing directors and co-stars who always help me in doing what I am doing. 

Was it difficult to continue your education once you entered Bollywood? 
When I had to take my final papers for Criminal Psychology I was shooting for a movie called SOLDIER and I left the set standing for ten days in Rajasthan. I remember telling my producer I will only do the movie if you let me go back to take my exams for Criminal Psychology. Later when I was filming in Rajasthan I said that I have my exams, and they said: 'You have become an actress'. But I said that I had to do my exams. I know the hard work that goes into studying and I really appreciate the fact that UEL have honoured me.

Apart from cameos in Main Aurr Mrs Khanna and Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi we haven't seen you on the big screen for a while. When are you back with a new project? 
2011. I will be back with a lot of movies. I was planning to start a film a month or two ago, but certain things went upside down in my life so things have been put back. But it is only movie, movies and movies for me. I feel really humbled because I decided to go on Twitter, and all of my fans on Twitter say one thing consistently every single day, and that is: 'When are you coming back in movies?' I didn't even think people missed me that much. So I am really excited and I am coming back with some really fun things. 

Are you coming back with a commercial Yash Chopra type film or something art-house like The Last Lear? 
No. Just commercial. 

—Courtesy: glamsham.com

November 2010