The Canadian Parvasi - Issue 40

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Issue No : 40 

Email: editor@canadianparvasi.com Contact Number : 905-673-0600 April 06, 2018 | Pages 16 

poaching case 

Salman as 

professional 

as Christian 

Bale, Tom 

Hardy: 

Tom 

Struthers 

Salman sentenced to 5 yrs in jail 

While the other four - Sonali Bendre, Saif Ali Khan, Tabu and Neelam were acquitted of all charges. 

Page 12 

Indo-Asian News Service 

Jodhpur : Bollywood superstar 

Salman Khan was sentenced to 

five years of imprisonment by a 

court here on Thursday in the 1998 

blackbuck poaching case, while 

the other four co-accused stars 

-- Sonali Bendre, Saif Ali Khan, 

Tabu and Neelam -- were acquitted 

of all charges. 

Salman, 52, was found guilty 

under Section 9/51 of the Wildlife 

Protection Act, 1972 for killing two 

blackbucks, an endangered species, 

hunting of which is prohibited 

by law. The incident took place 

in Kankani village near Jodhpur 

on October 1-2, 1998, during the 

shooting of Bollywood film "Hum 

Saath Saath Hain". The actor is being 

taken to Jodhpur Central Jail. 

If the sentence was less than three 

years of jail, the actor could have 

applied for bail in the same court. 

However, he will now have to approach 

the sessions court for bail. 

The actor's case was represented 

by defence counsel Hastimal 

Saraswat. The judgement 

was pronounced by Chief Justice 

Magistrate Dev Kumar Khatri at a 

hearing attended by Salman's sisters 

Alvira and Arpita. The trial 

of the case was in progress since 

the last 19 years and the judge in 

a court here had reserved the order 

after the final arguments on 

March 28. Jeev Raksha Bishnoi 

Sabha has protested against the 

decision of acquitting the other accused 

stars. Their acquittal will be 

challenged in the high court, said 

Shivraj Bishnoi, state president of 

the organisation. 

Currently, three big movie 

projects -- "Race 3", "Bharat" and 

"Dabangg 3" -- as well as a comeback 

season of reality TV show 

"Dus Ka Dum" are riding on 

Salman's shoulders. 

NDP nominates Jagmeet Singh's 

brother to run in Brampton East 

The Canadian Parvasi 

Sikh Heritage Month 

MP Sonia Sidhu hails Sikh 

Canadians' contributions 

Ontario NDP chief Andrea Horwat raises the hand of Gurratan 

Singh after he was nominated as NDP candidate. 

BRAMPTON: Lawyer Gurratan 

Singh has been nominated 

to run by the National 

Democratic Party (NDP) to 

run in Brampton East. 

On Monday evening, 

Gurratan, brother of NDP 

leader Jagmeet Singh, was 

acclaimed by hundreds of 

supporters. 

Ontario NDP leader Andrea 

Horwat welcomed Gurratan 

to the NDP team to the 

applause of the crowd. The 

candidate played a vital role 

in the election of Jagmeet as 

president of the federal NDP. 

“Gurratan will be a fantastic 

representative for 

this riding and the people of 

Brampton, and I'm proud to 

have his voice be a part of 

our movement for change 

for the better in Ontario," 

said Horwath. 

Continued on page 02 

Four Canadian diplomats expelled 

from Russia, says Global Affairs 

The Canadian Press 

OTTAWA: Global Affairs 

Canada says four 

Canadian diplomats have 

been expelled from Russia 

as the dispute between 

the Kremlin and the West 

escalates over the alleged 

poisoning of a former spy 

and his daughter earlier 

this month. 

In an email Friday, a 

spokesman for Foreign 

Affairs Minster Chrystia 

Freeland says the 

diplomats have been 

declared "person non 

grata" by the Russian 

government and efforts 

were underway for those 

affected to return to Canada. 


Federal govt promises $4.1B for BC infrastructure 


VANCOUVER: Ottawa has announced 

a new multibillion-dollar infrastructure 

deal with British Columbia, 

just a week after a report found 

the federal government was falling 

behind on the spending program. Federal 

Infrastructure Minister Amarjeet 

Sohi and B.C. Transportation Minister 

Claire Trevana signed an agreement 

Monday that will see $4.1 billion doled 

out over the next decade for transit, 

green infrastructure, recreation facilities, 

and projects in rural and northern 

communities across the province. 



Brampton: Sonia Sidhu, 

Member of Parliament for 

Brampton South, ushered 

in Sikh Heritage Month 

with a message to Bramptonians 

about the significant 

contributions Sikh Canadians 

have played in Canadian 

society and about the 

path forward for Canada to 

continue being a country 

that is inclusive to all. “We 

are just coming off of Canada’s 

150th Anniversary of 

Confederation. 


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The International News Weekly REGIONAL 

April 06, 2018 | Toronto 02 

I want to use my voice to help 

sex assault victims, says Squires 


WINNIPEG : After decades 

of silence and frequent selfblame, 

Manitoba's minister 

for the status of women has 

come forward about being a 

survivor of sexual assault so 

she can help others realize 

there is a way to heal. 

Rochelle Squires, 47, told 

The Canadian Press she was 

raped when she was 13 and 

felt she couldn't tell anyone. 

"In the 34 years since 

then, every day of my life has 

been a journey — sometimes 

a journey towards recovery; 

sometimes a journey back 

into darkness," Squires said 

after making a statement in 

the legislature to mark Sexual 

Assault Awareness Month 

Tuesday. 

"I have gone back in my 

mind ... hundreds of thousands 

of times and talked to 

that 13-year-old girl and said 

to her: 'It's not your fault and 

you're going to be OK,'" she 

said, her voice quavering. 

"And now that work is 

done. I don't need to tell that 

13-year-old girl anymore, and 

so I want to use my voice to 

help others." 

Squires said she never 

went to police and stayed silent 

until she was well into 

her 30s and discussed it with 

a therapist. 

"I felt overwhelmingly 

at fault, even at that age," 

she said. "It's a question I 

still have unanswered in 

my own mind. Why did I 

feel to blame?" Squires did 

not identify the perpetrator, 

but said it was someone she 

had to continue to deal with 

on occasion. After her teenage 

years, she had several 

careers, including journalism, 

before becoming a politician. 

She was elected as a 

Progressive Conservative in 

2016 and now, with a seat at 

the provincial cabinet table, 

she feels she can make a difference 

for victims of sexual 

assault. She favours thirdparty 

reporting that allows 

complainants to tell their stories 

to a community victimservices 

group, which deals 

with police without revealing 

identities. 

British Columbia already 

offers that option and 

the Manitoba government 

has been looking at following 

suit. "I believe that will 

make a strong difference in 

so many lives if we have a 

place for people to go and 

share their testimony ... and 

yet not have to immediately 

go to a police station and fill 

out (a) report." 

Squires also said societal 

attitudes have to change. 

"As victims, we know 

intrinsically that something 

bad happened to us and it's 

not our fault. But then we 

look for cues in society — 

whether it be friends, social 

circles, judges, historic cases, 

the media — and ... the message 

we hear over and over 

and over again is: 'It kind of 

is your fault.' "And then we 

internalize that trauma. And 

we bury it." 

'Women working in Vancouver sex trade were seen as disposable' 


RICHMOND : A Vancouver 

sex-trade activist recounted the 

justice system's failure to protect 

women who were killed or have 

disappeared as posters of missing 

persons were shown on screens 

Wednesday at a national inquiry. 

Jamie Lee Hamilton said sex 

workers from Vancouver's "Downtown 

Eastside killing fields" deserved 

better. 

"I feel that the women were 

deemed as disposable," Hamilton 

told the National Inquiry into 

Missing and Murdered Indigenous 

Women and Girls. 

Hamilton said she grew up in 

Vancouver and began sex work in 

the early 1970s after dropping out 

of school. She started losing faith 

in the justice system when, as a 

teenager, a police officer picked 

her up, drove her into Stanley 

Park and demanded oral sex, 

Hamilton said. 

Decades later, she said the police 

officer was put on administrative 

leave, but despite other allegations 

of harassment against him 

she was not aware of any further 

action being taken. 

"It just seemed to be whitewashed," 

she said. 

Over the years, Hamilton 

said she heard more stories of sex 

workers disappearing from Vancouver, 

and she began collecting 

the missing persons posters. 

She said sex workers knew a 

serial killer was preying on the 

community long before Robert 

Pickton was charged with murder 

in 2002. 

"So many of them were talented. 

They were artists, they were 

creative, and it was so sad to see 

them going missing and nothing 

being done," Hamilton said. 

Pickton was found guilty on 

six counts of second-degree murder 

in 2007 in connection with 

women who disappeared from 

the Downtown Eastside and sentenced 

to life in prison with no 

chance of parole for 25 years. 

Twenty other counts of murder 

against him were stayed because 

he was already serving the maximum 

sentence. 

Despite the deaths and disappearances, 

Hamilton said she 

remains hopeful that change will 

come. "Surely we don't live in a 

society that just abandons its most 

needy, its most vulnerable," she 

said. 

Other women testifying before 

the inquiry panel raised issues of 

systemic racism and the lack of 

support and justice for Indigenous 

people across the country. 

Anni Phillips said she learned 

to distrust police while growing 

up in an abusive household in Saskatchewan. 

"The police would come to the 

door and everyone would scatter 

and hide," she said, recalling 

the years she spent with her stepfamily. 

"As I became older I began 

to understand ... the police do not 

serve and protect Indians." 

She said police treated them 

like they were subhuman. 

Her mother, who was Indigenous, 

left when she was a child 

and was found dead in a hotel several 

years later. Phillips said she 

didn't learn about the details of 

her mother's death until recently. 

Federal govt promises $4.1B for BC infrastructure 

Continued from page 01 

"Partnerships like this 

are going to have an immense 

effect on people's 

lives throughout the Lower 

Mainland and across 

the province," Trevana 

said. "It's going to mean 

better transit for everyone. 

It's going to mean that local 

infrastructure can be 

upgraded and work for 

people." 

The federal government 

is investing in infrastructure 

because wellmaintained 

and efficient 

infrastructure is the foundation 

of strong communities, 

Sohi said. 

"We believe that this 

investment will help us 

achieve the vision we have 

for Canadian communities," 

he said, adding the 

projects will create jobs 

and support a green economy. 

The new agreement 

between B.C. and Ottawa 

follows a report last week 

from parliamentary budget 

officer Jean-Denis 

Frechette's office, which 

found that only half of 

the money the Liberals 

earmarked for their infrastructure 

spending program 

had been allocated. 

The report said 10,052 

projects with a combined 

cost to federal coffers of 

$7.2 billion have been approved 

for funding across 

32 departments, agencies 

and Crown corporations 

since 2016, when the Liberals 

unveiled the first phase 

of their infrastructure program. 

An additional $7.2 

billion had not yet been allotted. 

Speaking in Vancouver 

on Monday, Sohi said the 

issue comes down to getting 

a bill. 

"This is not about holding 

back on projects or 

construction activity not 

happening," he said. 

"It's just a matter of 

cash flow for us, where we 

just have to wait until we 

get the invoices to pay out 

the federal contribution to 

our partners." 

Sohi vowed that "every 

single cent" of the $180 

billion the federal government 

has promised for infrastructure 

spending over 

12 years will be invested in 

Canadian communities. 

For B.C., that will include 

a "massive investment" 

in public transit, 

Trevana said. 

The federal and provincial 

governments have 

already reached a deal to 

fund a $7-billion transit 

expansion in the Lower 

Mainland over 10 years, 

including increased bus 

service, a SkyTrain along 

Vancouver’s Broadway 

corridor and light rail in 

Surrey. 

The federal and provincial 

governments will each 

cover 40 per cent of the 

cost, while the municipalities 

will raise transit fares, 

property taxes and other 

expenses to fill the remaining 

funding gap. 

Trevana said the agreement 

will also see $1.1 billion 

put toward green infrastructure 

projects and 

$157 million will be spent 

on playgrounds and recreation 

centres across B.C. 

NDP nominates Jagmeet Singh's 

brother to run in Brampton East 


“He's a part of this community, and he knows how critical 

it is to tackle the issues that matter to Brampton families 

– like the overcrowding at Brampton Civic Hospital 

and sky-high auto insurance rates. And after years of Conservative 

and Liberal governments making health care 

and affordability worse, it's time to do something completely 

different. The NDP is running to win, and Gurratan will 

be part of an NDP government." Brampton East is a new 

riding and includes neighborhoods that were represented 

by Singh's brother, Jagmeet Singh, who is now the leader 

of Canada's NDP after serving as Horwath's deputy leader. 

“I launched this campaign at Brampton Civic Hospital 

because we're going to take on hallway medicine -- and Andrea 

Horwath's vision for better health care is inspiring," 

said Singh. "Decades of Conservative and Liberal governments 

have slashed hospital funding, closed hospital beds 

and fired front-line health care providers. And I know it 

doesn't have to be that way. It's time for universal pharmacare 

and dental care for everyone -- and a premier that will 

deliver."Gurratan Singh is a lawyer and has practiced law 

throughout the GTA. He is also Chair of the City of Brampton's 

Inclusion and Equity Committee and sits on the board 

of the Peel Art Gallery Museum and Archives. He is a 

movement builder who played a key role on his brother’s 

campaign to become federal NDP leader.

The International News Weekly REGIONAL 

April 06, 2018 | Toronto 

03 

Premier Wynne provides insights 

into budget to ethnic media 


TORONTO: In its efforts 

to spread the news of the 

budget, Premier Kathleen 

Wynne met with representatives 

of ethnic media in 

the Greater Toronto Area 

(GTA). 

Fielding questions 

from 70 mediapersons, the 

Premier said the ethnic 

media is a link to the community 

and serves to provide 

information of what 

the government is doing. 

She remarked, “I I 

appreciate the time and 

dedication you put into 

covering the news of the 

day because we all know 

the pressures the media 

has been under in recent 

years.”. 

Further the Premier 

took time to explain the 

government’s economic 

priorities., declaring, “We 

need a government that invests 

in care, not cuts. This 

is exactly what the budget 

is all about.” 

The 2018 Budget will 

create free prescription 

medication for everyone 

Conservatives drop Bhela as outreach 

man for BC’s South Asian community 

Ottawa: The leader of the 

Progressive Conservative 

Party, Andrew Scheer, has 

been caught in a controvery 

following revealations he is 

involved in a relationship 

with a South Asian businessman, 

Raj Bhela, who has 

been alleged to be in a legal 

wrangle with cases relating 

to his financial deals. 

In a quick reaction, the 

PC Party has shunted Bhela 

out of his position as the “outreach” 

person to the South 

Asian community in British 

Columbia. Scheer has 

admitted that Bhela was his 

“friend” in photos that have 

gone round in social media. 

Newsplaper reports say 

that Bhela is facing many 

lawsuits in his mortgage 

deals with clients that turn 

into millions. In court records, 

Bhela and his associates 

are accused in a case 

filed by TD Bank regarding 

a “kiting” case of a fradulent 

500,000 cheque. Bhela, on his 

part, has said he is doing “liasion” 

for PC in dealing with 

the South Asian community. 

It’s made clear by the PCs 

that Bhela will no longer do 

any work for Scheer who, 

like leaders of other parties, 

had relied on Bhela to “deepen” 

with the South Asian 

community in BC. Bhela is 

said to be also using the PC 

logo on his business card 

and, sometime ago, said that 

it was his desire to put Scheer 

in the Prime Minister’s chair. 

With the federal elections due 

next year, the PC Party didn’t 

want to clean its image. 

IMMIGRATION TO CANADA WITHIN 6-12 MONTHS 

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under the age of 25, and 

everyone over the age of 65 

years. The Premier shared 

the added benefits for seniors 

in Ontario, noting 

that our parents and grandparents 

deserve the best 

care possible, and the ability 

to stay in their homes 

for as long as they are able 

and want to. “That’s why 

we created a new $750 benefit 

for seniors that will help 

them with costs around 

their homes,” she added. 

The Premier affirmed, 

“We will continue to expand 

free tuition so that 

more low-and middle-income 

students can go to college 

or university. We will 

raise the minimum wage to 

$15, and we will launch free 

preschool childcare in 2020 

so families have the option 

to go back to work, if they 

choose.” 

New carpool lot opened 

in Mississauga 


TORONTO: A new carpool lot, next to the exchange 

at Courtney Park Drive and Highway 410, has been 

opened to encourage carpooling. The lot, which is 

fully illuminated, has 272 parking spaces. 

Liberal MPP MPP for Mississauga-Brampton 

South, Amrit Mangat, stated 

this lot is part of the Ontario 

government’s effort 

in to reduce greenhouse 

gas emissions and help improve 

traffice flow for Mississauga 

commuters using 

the interchange. 

The lot is part of the 

widening of the Highway 

401 to Queen Street in 

Brampton, which now has 

10 lanes. Two more lanes 

on track will be completed in Fall of this year. Courtney 

Park to south of Queen Street is very busy with 

175,000 to 215,000 vehicles travelling each day. 

“The opening of the new carpool lot at Courtneypark 

Drive and the Highway 410 interchange in Mississauga 

will reduce traffic congestion, lower our carbon 

footprint and help the community get to work. Our 

government is working hard to continue Ontario’s 

economic growth and making sure people have safe 

and reliable travel options,” she added. 

Scheer accepts security 

briefing on India trip 


OTTAWA : Conservative 

Leader Andrew Scheer 

has agreed to the government's 

offer of a classified 

briefing from the national 

security adviser about Prime 

Minister Justin Trudeau's 

trip to India — but not without 

some strings attached. 

Scheer says since the 

government insists Daniel 

Jean's original briefing last 

month included no classified 

information, it should have 

no problem with having journalists 

and Tory MPs attend 

the non-secret portions of the 

briefing. 

During the India trip, 

Jean told a background briefing 

with reporters that rogue 

forces within the Indian government 

were ultimately the 

ones responsible for the Jaspal 

Atwal affair. 

Atwal was invited to 

a pair of receptions with 

Trudeau despite having been 

convicted three decades ago 

of trying to assassinate an Indian 

cabinet minister in the 

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The working theory was 

that Indian agents who fear 

the global rise of Sikh independence 

orchestrated the 

controversy in an attempt to 

embarrass Canada and undermine 

the entire trip. 

The Conservatives, who 

outed Jean as the official who 

gave the original briefing, say 

they believe Jean disclosed 

classified details at the time. 

The government insists 

otherwise, and has offered 

toa full briefing — complete 

with classified information 

— to Scheer, who is eligible to 

hear such details as a member 

of the Privy Council. 

 

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The International News Weekly CANADA 


Brampton South candidate promises 

to ensure government’s initiatives 

The Canadian parvasi 

RAMPTON: Sukhwant Thethi , 

ithe Liberal candidat for Brampton 

South for the provincial elections 

to be held in June, outlined the government’s 

economic initiatives. 

“Our economy is performing 

well due to the many businesses 

and entrepreneurs who create jobs 

and the women and men who get 

up each morning to go to the plant, 

the office, or another place of work 

to make Ontario a more prosperous 

province,” said Thethi. 

The Liberal government has 

made strategic investments to support 

growth. Enhanced education, 

skills and training, new infrastructure, 

competitive business environment 

and support for startups 

and small businesses are helping 

create good jobs, he noted. 

he Liberal government has 

made strategic investments to support 

growth. Enhanced education, 

skills and training, new infrastructure, 

competitive business environment 

and support for startups 

and small businesses are helping 

create good jobs. 

Providing the picure of Ontario’s 

economic climate, Thethi 

said that in the past four years the 

province has seen the economy 

outperforming all G7 nations and 

the unemployment rate drop to 5.5 

percent, the lowest it has been in 

almost 20 years, while creating 500 

new full-time jobs. 

He called upon the people to 

judge for themslves if the governmnt 

is performing well in the 

economic sphere. Obviously, it’s 

doing well as the economy is growing 

with job opportunities more 

than ever before. 

On the education front, Thethi 

said that the governemnt has sanctioned 

almost $16 billion in capital 

grants over 10 years for school 

construction and renovations to 

address growing enrolment, and 

ensuring access for students to 

quality education. 

There has been a spurt in hiring 

more guidance counsellors to 

assist Grade 7 and 8 students to 

explore pathways to apprenticeship, 

college, university and the 

workplace 

The government is trying hard 

to further improvements to OSAP 

to increase access to financial assistance 

for tuition fees, while also 

expanding the Ontario Apprenticeship 

Strategy and the new Ontario 

Training Bank to help train skilled 

workers and bring employees, employers 

and training institutions 

together to address skills shortages. 

In its strategy to empower 

women at the workplaces, the 

government will create more equitable 

structure where women will 

get better access to opportunities 

and good jobs. 

The Liberals will support 

female entrepreneurships and 

promotion of women’s corporate 

leadership on boards and in senior 

management roles. 

Lastly, Thethi pomised that, if 

elected, he will ensure that these 

economic initiatives for improving 

the quality of life, peace of mind 

and economic prospects for Ontario 

families are delivered. 

Four Canadian diplomats expelled from Russia, says Global Affairs 


The move comes after Freeland announced 

Monday the expulsion of four 

Russian diplomats from Canada as the 

U.S. and more than a dozen European allies 

took similar actions against dozens 

of Russian diplomats in their own countries. 

On Thursday, the Russian Foreign 

Ministry in Moscow summoned 

the U.S. ambassador to announce the 

expulsion of 60 U.S. diplomats in a titfor-tat 

response to Washington's move. 

Nearly two dozen ambassadors from 

other countries followed suit Friday. 

The expulsions follow the poisoning 

of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal 

and his daughter Yulia in the British 

city of Salisbury on March 4 by what 

has been described as a military-grade 

nerve agent. A hospital treating the 

Skripals said Thursday that 33-yearold 

Yulia was improving rapidly and is 

now in stable condition, although her 

66-year-old father remained in critical 

condition. The Kremlin has denied any 

involvement in the attack on Skripal, 

who served as a double agent for British 

intelligence before he was arrested 

by Russian authorities and later transferred 

to the United Kingdom in a spy 

swap. But western governments have 

nonetheless blamed Russia for what 

Freeland has described as a "despicable, 

heinous and reckless act, potentially 

endangering the lives of hundreds." 

Meanwhile, the expulsions affect 

not only the diplomats, but their families 

as well, forcing them to take their 

children out of school in the middle of 

the year. 

"The well-being of Global Affairs 

Canada employees is our priority," 

Adam Austen, Freeland's press secretary, 

said in a statement to The Canadian 

Press. "We will be making every effort 

to support those affected and their 

families with their return to Canada." 

Austen added that Canada's decision 

to expel the Russian officials earlier 

in the week was done "in solidarity with 

our close ally, the United Kingdom." 

"This action was in no way aimed at the 

Russian people, with whom Canada has 

long and fruitful ties," he said. "Canada 

remains committed to dialogue and cooperation 

with Russia on issues where 

we face common challenges." 

Last week, Prime Minister Justin 

Trudeau said during a Toronto news 

conference that Russian President 

Vladimir Putin needs to answer for 

Russia's role in the nerve gas attack. 

The next day, the Russian embassy 

tweeted its response, accusing Trudeau 

of using confrontational and unproductive 

rhetoric. 

Arnold Schwarzenegger 

undergoes heart surgery 

CALIFORNIA: Hollywood star Arnold Schwarzenegger 

has been said to be stable following a heart surgery 

to repllace a pulmoic valve. 

In a characristic style, the 70-year-old former California 

governor responded, “I’m back.” The open-heart 

surgery was necessary to replace a valve that had 

originally been installed in 1997 for a congenital heart 

defect. “That 1997 replacement valve was never meant 

to be permanent, and has outlived its life expectancy,” 

Ketchell said. Schwarzenegger opted for a less-invasive 

catheter valve replacement procedure. 

Schwarzenegger was a bodybuilding star before 

turning to movies. His career as an action hero took off 

with the box-office hit “Conan the Barbarian” in 1982. 

His role in the “Terminator” in 1984 propelled him 

into box-office superstardom. He served as governor of 

California from 2003 to 2011. In addition to his heart ailments, 

Schwarzenegger had a motorcycle crash in 2001 

that left him with several broken ribs. He’s had a hip 

replaced and had rotator cuff surgery in 2003. 

MP Sonia Sidhu hails Sikh 

Canadians' contributions 


Our country had the chance to collectively reflect on our nation’s 

storied history and recognize the contributions our 

diverse communities have made to our country, including 

Sikh Canadians” said MP Sidhu. “The Komagata Maru incident 

happened in 1914, and so much has happened since 

then in the chronicle of Sikh Canadians and their history 

in this country”. “Since then, our Prime Minister, Justin 

Trudeau, issued an official apology for Komagata Maru 

in the House of Commons and our country elected 20 Sikh 

Members of Parliament in the last Federal election, and we 

have had 4 Sikh Canadians chosen to serve as Ministers by 

Prime Minister Trudeau” further stated MP Sidhu. “Sikhs 

have been an integral part of Canada’s social fabric. Diversity 

is the backbone of Canada’s strength, and we now have 

real leadership that is committed to being inclusive so that 

all Canadians have a fair chance at success”. 

Outside of India, Canada is home to the second largest 

Sikh population in the world, and April marks the month 

that Sikh Heritage Month is celebrated in Ontario. MP 

Sidhu invites Bramptonians to join in on the Sikh Heritage 

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The International News Weekly CANADA 


05 

Ford scrapping media bus for campaign, 

events will be broadcast online: Experts 


TORONTO : Ontario's newly 

minted Progressive Conservative 

leader will not bring 

journalists with him on the 

campaign trail this spring, 

a rare move experts say suggests 

the Tories are keen to 

keep the unpredictable populist 

politician out of the hot 

seat as he takes on two more 

seasoned rivals. 

Doug Ford's team said 

Wednesday the former Toronto 

city councillor will not 

have a media bus following 

him as he criss-crosses the 

province ahead of the June 

election, an accommodation 

traditionally offered by Ontario's 

party leaders to facilitate 

coverage while they hold 

multiple daily events in different 

cities. 

Spokeswoman Melissa 

Lantsman said Ford's campaign 

events will be broadcast 

online and his itinerary 

will be released for media 

interested in covering them 

in person. 

"Most media outlets have 

shifted to covering events 

from their office and relying 

on live feeds. It is in our interest 

to have as much media 

coverage as possible and will 

do everything we can to ensure 

our events are streamed 

online to assist in that," she 

said in an email. 

Experts say the decision 

suggests a campaign strategy 

that centres on limiting 

questions and preventing 

Ford — a brash politician 

whose candid remarks often 

make headlines — from 

publicly going off-script. And 

while this approach may 

prove effective politically, it's 

concerning for democracy, 

they say. "He is attempting 

to bypass the accountability 

function of the free press by 

limiting access to his campaign. 

This will not prevent 

coverage, but it alters the 

degree of access and creates 

a different, more opaque degree 

of transparency in the 

campaign," said Tim Abray, 

a former journalist and current 

teaching fellow in political 

science at Queen's University. 

"This should not be 

blown off as insignificant," 

he said. 

Political parties have already 

done away with media 

buses in some Western provinces, 

but that has not been 

the case in Ontario, where 

leaders have deployed them 

— as well as chartered flights 

to more remote communities 

— in all recent elections. 

News outlets pay thousands 

of dollars to the parties 

in order to reserve a seat on 

their buses and cover the 

costs of meals and other expenses. 

It's not new for politicians 

to try to control the 

narrative around their campaign 

by restricting media 

access in various ways, said 

Tamara Small, a political science 

professor at the University 

of Guelph. 

The federal Conservatives 

did so under Stephen 

Harper by imposing a cap of 

five questions at news conferences, 

a rule that prompted a 

public pushback from journalists 

at the time, she said. 

MP Sonia Sidhu On New 

Memorial Grant Program 

for First Responders 


Brampton : When firefighters, police officers and 

paramedics put their safety on the line, they are acting 

in service to all Canadians. Sonia Sidhu, Member 

of Parliament for Brampton South, shared news 

of the new Memorial Grant for First Responders. 

“Thank you to the firefighters, paramedics, and 

police officers who serve on the front lines and work 

tirelessly to serve Canadians in their greatest times 

of need” said MP Sidhu. “We want them to know 

that our government is committed to them and 

their families, and in recognition of their sacrifices 

in protecting Canadians, we have created the new 

Memorial Grant Program for First Responders”. 

The Memorial Grant Program for First Responders 

will provide a one-time lump sum, tax-free 

direct maximum payment of $300,000 to the families 

of first responders who have died as a result of their 

duties. The Memorial Grant is a non-economic benefit 

and does not compensate families of first responders 

for monetary loss (income replacement) 

or serve as life insurance, but rather, is in recognition 

of their service and sacrifice. 

As a tribute to the firefighters who risk their 

lives to keep Canadians safe, in 2017 the Honourable 

Ralph Goodale, Minister for Public Safety and 

Emergency Preparedness, announced the formal 

establishment of Firefighters’ National Memorial 

Day. The second Sunday in September of each year 

is now designated in memory of firefighters who 

have fallen in the line of duty. On that day, the Canadian 

flag will be half-masted on all federal buildings 

and establishments. 

Alberta allows Sikhs to drive 

motorcycles without helmets 


Toronto: Canada's Alberta province, 

which has the third largest population 

of Sikhs after British Columbia and Ontario, 

will allow turban-wearing Sikhs to 

drive motorcycles without a helmet from 

April 12. British Columbia and Manitoba 

already allow Sikhs to drive motorcycles 

without helmets. 

Alberta's Transportation Minister 

Brian Mason said on Thursday that the 

exemption was granted at the request of 

the Sikh community as recognition of 

their civil rights and religious expression. 

The exemption applies to drivers 

and passengers over the age of 18 who are 

members of the Sikh religion. 

"Our government is committed to 

these principles," Mason said. 

According to an Alberta government 

spokesperson, a rider wearing a turban, 

but not a helmet, would have to self-identify 

to be considered a Sikh. At that point, 

it would be up to the discretion of the officer. 

If the officer doesn't believe the rider, 

a ticket may still be issued. The rider 

would then have to challenge it in court. 

As per the 2011 census, there are 

52,335 Sikhs in Alberta. Baltej Singh 

Dhillon, who became the first Royal 

Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officer 

with a turban, welcomed Alberta's 

decision. In a statement, he said: "The 

decision by the government of Alberta 

to allow Sikhs to be able to ride their 

motorcycles without having to remove 

their turbans, which is an integral part 

of the Sikh identity, demonstrates a deep 

respect for the traditions and customs of 

the Sikh community. 

"This exemption is a testament to the 

government of Alberta's continued commitment 

to respecting diversity and religious 

rights of all Albertans." 

Gurpeet Pandher from the Sikh Motorcycle 

Club of Edmonton called the 

announcement a "milestone and memorable 

day" in Alberta's history.

The International News Weekly World 


Over 5 lakh Indian users' data shared 

with Cambridge Analytica: Facebook 


New DelhI: In a first such 

revelation, Facebook has admitted 

that data of nearly 5.6 lakh 

Indian users may have been 

"improperly" shared with British 

political analytics company 

Cambridge Analytica. 

In a blog post, Mike Schroepfer, 

Chief Technology Officer at 

Facebook, showed country-specific 

break-up of people affected 

by the data breach. 

While most users are from 

the US -- over 70 million -- 562,455 

Indian users' data has also been 

shared with Cambridge Analytica. 

"In total, we believe the 

Facebook information of up to 

87 million people - mostly in the 

US - may have been improperly 

shared with Cambridge Analytica," 

Schroepfer wrote. 

"Starting on Monday, April 9, 

we'll show people a link at the top 

of their News Feed so they can 

see what apps they use - and the 

information they have shared 

with those apps," he added. 

People will also be able to remove 

apps that they no longer 

want. 

"As part of this process, we 

will also tell people if their information 

may have been improperly 

shared with Cambridge 

Analytica," Schroepfer posted. 

In a press conference late 

on Wednesday, Facebook CEO 

Mark Zuckerberg said Facebook 

has a big responsibility when 

it comes to tackle fake news on 

its platform this year as several 

countries are facing general elections. 

"This year is going to be 

an important year for protecting 

election integrity around 

the world. There's the Mexican 

presidential election, there are 

big elections in India and Brazil, 

as well as Pakistan and Hungary 

and a number of other countries, 

and the US midterms, of course, 

too," he said. 

Facebook now has about 

15,000 people working on security 

and content review, and "we'll 

have more than 20,000 by the end 

of this year." 

Facebook is also enhancing 

its security features to ensure 

the integrity of upcoming key 

elections in countries like India 

on its platform. 

This comes days after Christopher 

Wylie, who blew the lid 

off the Facebook user personal 

data being illegally used for political 

purposes, disclosed how 

his former employer Cambridge 

Analytica through an Indian 

arm had conducted election research 

on behalf of some political 

parties. 

Wylie in a widely shared 

tweet said SCL Group, the parent 

organisation of Cambridge 

Analytica, has its office headquartered 

in Indirapuram in 

Ghaziabad and its regional offices 

in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, 

Cuttack, Guwahati, Hyderabad, 

Indore, Kolkata, Patna and Pune. 

"I've been getting a lot of requests 

from Indian journalists. 

So here are some of SCL's past 

projects in India. To the most 

frequently asked question - yes, 

SCL/CA works in India and has 

offices there. This is what modern 

colonialism looks like," Wylie 

said. 

The SCL India, according to 

the tweeted document, helped 

clients to identify and target key 

groups within the population "to 

effectively influence their behaviour 

to realize a desired outcome". 

It explained that SCL provided 

its clients the research to develop 

and "disseminate the right 

messages from the right sources 

using the right communication 

channels". 

It said in 2011, SCL India undertook 

a state-wide research 

campaign to identify voter caste 

by household. 

"This booth level polling data 

formed the basis of further research 

into swing voter motivation 

and supporter mobilization 

strategies which were presented 

to individual candidates and tailored 

to their constituencies." 

During the 2009 Lok Sabha 

elections, SCL India managed 

the campaign of a number of Lok 

Sabha candidates. 

"The research and campaign 

teams employed SCL India's proprietary 

data collection methodologies 

to form strategies that 

gave the clients successful election 

campaigns." 

Wylie, 28, was the Director of 

Research at Cambridge Analytica. 

He accused the data analytics 

firm having influenced the result 

of the United Kingdom's 2016 

Brexit referendum and of the 

2016 American presidential election 

that brought Donald Trump 

to the White House. 

Speaking to the British MPs, 

Wylie said Cambridge Analytica 

worked extensively in India. 

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The International News Weekly World 


07 

US adds Lashkar-e-Taiba front, Milli 

Muslim League, to terrorist list 

New York : Closing Lashkar-e-Taiba's 

(LeT) loopholes, 

the US has taken aim 

at its political party, the Milli 

Muslim League (MML), 

and seven leaders, as well as 

another front organisation 

adding them to its list of terrorist 

groups. 

The State and the 

Treasury Departments announced 

on Monday that the 

MML, which openly campaigns 

with posters of LeT 

chief Hafiz Saeed, has been 

added under LeT's designation 

as a Foreign Terrorist 

Organization (FTO) and as a 

Specially Designated Global 

Terrorist (SDGT) under two 

different laws. 

The State Department 

said that another LeT front, 

Tehreek-e-Azadi-e-Kashmir 

(TAJK) was also added to the 

lists. The Treasury Department 

said that it was also 

targeting MML president 

Saifullah Khalid, General 

Secretary Fayyaz Ahmad 

and five others. 

"LeT continues to operate 

freely within Pakistan, 

holding public rallies, raising 

funds, and plotting and 

training for terrorist attacks," 

the State Department 

said. 

"Make no mistake: whatever 

LeT chooses to call 

itself, it remains a violent 

terrorist group," the Department's 

Counterterrorism 

Coordinator Nathan A. 

Sales said in Washington. 

"Today's amendments 

take aim at Lashkar-e-Taiba's 

efforts to circumvent 

sanctions and deceive the 

public about its true character." 

Treasury Under 

Secretary Sigal Mandelker 

warned that "those working 

with the Milli Muslim 

League, including providing 

financial donations, 

should think twice about 

doing so or risk exposure to 

US sanctions." "Treasury is 

targeting the Milli Muslim 

League and a group of seven 

global terrorists who are 

complicit in Lashkar-e-Taiba's 

attempts to undermine 

Pakistan's political process," 

she added. Saeed created 

the MML last August 

as the group's political front 

and LeT members make up 

MML's leadership and the 

"so-called party" openly displays 

Saeed's likeness in its 

election banners and literature, 

the State Department 

said. The Pakistan Election 

Commission has rejected 

MML's application to be recognised 

as a political part. 

The LeT was responsible 

for the November 2008 terrorist 

attacks in Mumbai, 

India that killed 166 people, 

including six Americans, 

and it has killed dozens of 

Indian security forces and 

civilians in recent years, the 

State Department said. 

In a bid to avoid US sanctions, 

LeT began operating 

under the name TAJK 

in January last year and 

carried out terrorist activities 

under that banner, the 

department said. The US 

has demanded the arrest of 

Saeed, who carries a $10 million 

US bounty, after he was 

set free by a Lahore court 

which refused to extend 

his detention. US President 

Donald Trump's Press Secretary 

Sarah Huckabee Sanders 

had warned that failure 

to act against him "will have 

repercussions for bilateral 

relations." 

The US has demanded 

the arrest of Saeed, who carries 

a $10 million US bounty, 

after he was set free by a Lahore 

court which refused to 

extend his detention. 

Four Pakistani Christians shot dead 

Islamabad : Four members of a 

Pakistani Christian family were shot 

dead in Quetta city, the police said on 

Tuesday. On Monday night, unidentified 

armed men intercepted a vehicle 

the family was travelling in and 

opened fire, Quetta Police spokesperson 

Mohamed Ramzan told Efe news. 

The attack comes a day after Pakistani 

Christians, who are a mere 2 per 

cent of the population, had celebrated 

Easter Sunday. 

Attacks against the Christians 

have been frequent in Pakistan. 

In December 2017, a week before 

Christmas, two suicide bombers had 

stormed into a packed church in Quetta 

and killed 10 and wounded at least 

44, in an attack claimed by the Islamic 

state. 

In March 2016, the Taliban targeted 

Christians celebrating Easter in a 

park in Lahore killing 71 people. 

Trump wants to use military 

to secure US-Mexico border 


Washington : US President Donald Trump has 

said he wants to use the military to guard the country's 

border with Mexico until his long-promised border 

wall is built. 

"We are going to be guarding our border with our 

military," Trump told reporters on Tuesday during 

a lunch session at the White House with leaders of 

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, Xinhua news agency 

reported. 

"We're going to be doing things militarily until we 

can have a wall and proper security," the President 

said. "That's a big step." 

Trump also said that he's spoken with Defence 

Secretary Jim Mattis about the idea. 

The President has been lashing out at Mexico for 

allowing a group of Central American demonstrators, 

mostly from Honduras, to march toward the US 

border, where many hope to seek asylum. 

"The big Caravan of People from Honduras, now 

coming across Mexico and heading to our 'Weak 

Laws' Border, had better be stopped before it gets 

there," Trump tweeted on Tuesday. 

Trump has recently reiterating his hardline 

stances on immigration, while repeatedly calling out 

Mexico over the border security and stressing the 

need for a border wall on the southern border. 

The $1.3-trillion spending bill, signed into law by 

Trump last month, only grants $1.6 billion for border 

security measures, far short of what the administration 

has sought. 

Trump has proposed using military funding to 

build the border wall but it's likely to face both political 

and legal challenges before the idea can be put 

into action. 

Trade War: China 

slaps tariffs on 128 

US products 


Beijing : The trade war between China and the US 

escalated on Monday, with Beijing slapping a tariff 

as high as 25 per cent on 128 American products. China's 

tit-for-tat move comes after US President Donald 

Trump announced to imposed trade charges of up to 

$60 billion on Chinese imports on March 22 and did 

not revoke them despite Beijing's stern warning. 

The Customs Tariff Commission of the State 

Council has decided to impose a tariff of 15 per cent on 

120 items of products imported from the US including 

fruits and related products, and a tariff of 25 per cent 

on eight items of imports including pork and related 

products from the country, according to a statement 

posted on the ministry website. The tariffs come into 

effect from Monday. 

Although in violation of World Trade Organization 

(WTO) rules, the US measure went into effect on 

March 23, which has severely undermined China's interests, 

Xinhua quoted the statement as saying. 

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The International News Weekly EDIT 

08 


The 

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Editor (India) 

Online 

Graphic Designer 

Official Photographer 

Contact 

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Bashir Nasir 

editor@canadianparvasi.com 

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Gurdwara among 10 top 

faith places in England 

Europe's largest Gurdwara in the UK has 

featured in a new list of most important faith 

buildings in England, according to a media 

report. The Guru Nanak Gurdwara, in Smethwick, 

features alongside iconic locations such 

as Stonehenge and Canterbury Cathedral, Birmingham 

Mail reported. 

The Gurdwara has been chosen alongside 

nine other places of faith to feature in 'A History 

of England in 100 Places' which is being 

run by campaign body Historic England, the 

report said. 

The Gurdwara, which was was built in the 

1990s, housed one of the largest congregations 

in the UK and was the biggest in Europe, a citation 

by Historic England said. 

"It continues to expand with Smethwick's 

growing Sikh population," the citation added. 

"Community is at the heart of the Sikh faith 

and Gurdwaras are a focal point for communities 

to come together and get closer to God." 

The UK is home to over 432,000 Sikhs, according 

to the 2011 census, making up 0.7 per 

cent of the population. 

The initiative features ten significant locations 

across ten categories. 

The faith and belief category was judged 

by David Ison, dean of St Paul's Cathedral in 

London, and narrowed down dozens of nominations 

from members of the public into a final 

ten. 

Edgbaston MP Preet Gill put forward Guru 

Nanak Gurdwara has a potential finalist. 

Ison said: "Sikh communities are an important 

and valued part of our social fabric. 

"This particular Gurdwara shows the geographical 

spread of different faiths in our country 

and represents how different communities 

and cultures come together to enrich British 

society." 

Among the other buildings included in the 

list are Holy Island of Lindisfarne and Lady's 

Well, both in Northumberland, and the Jewish 

Cemetery in Falmouth. 

Historic England's chief executive Duncan 

Wilson said: "The history of faith and belief in 

England is rich and complex. 

"These ten places can teach us so much 

about our collective identity. 

"They tell us about dissent, conflict, tolerance 

and kinship between believers, as well as 

how the practice of faith has influenced and 

been influenced by the landscape. 

"They show how England has a long history 

of people from different faiths leaving their 

mark in a legacy of special buildings and places 

which still make a strong spiritual connection 

today. 

Dalits mount pressure 

through violence 

by Eugene Correia 

The violence that 

spread in some states of 

India over the Supreme 

Court’s ruling on the 

Schedule Caste/Schedule 

Tribe (Prevention of 

Atrocities) Act is alarming 

to least. It’s not new that 

Dalits have ignited the fire 

of protest in a massive way, 

demanding that the Apex 

Court review its own ruling. 

Organisations representing 

the Dalits have said 

that the Supreme Court’s 

action “dilute” the provisions 

of the act. 

The government was 

moved to request the court 

to review it. The Dalits 

represent a strong voice 

in some states, and the result 

of the bypolls in Uttar 

Pradesh has made the central 

government wary of 

Dalits turning against the 

party. Ten people have lost 

their lives. 

Though the government 

says it has no intention 

of diluting the SC/ST 

but rather it has taken a 

decision to strengthen it. 

As we all know, political 

parties make promises 

during the election campaign 

and then do not follow 

up on their promises 

once they get elected. The 

Bharitya Janata Party 

(BJP) made lot of promises, 

including the ridiculous 

one of having 15 lakhs rupees 

deposited in the bank 

account of each Indian. The 

BJP also promised lot of 

jobs, but reality is that such 

jobs have not materialized. 

More than 2 million people 

applied for 90,000 jobs in 

the railways recently.It’s 

all water under the bridge, 

as they say. 

The way the political 

parties are going hammerand-tongs 

at each other, 

it surely means that they 

are in election mode a year 

ahead of the general elections. 

Such bypolls defeats 

have shaken the BJP and 

the forthcoming elections 

in Karnataka will provide 

some clue to what to expect 

in 2019. No doubt, the BJP 

has managed to be in power 

in the North-East, a region 

that was out-of-bounds for 

the party, with some tactics 

or treachery. 

So, the BJP is bound to 

play safe with the Dalits 

who feel that the party is 

taking them for a ride. The 

way the party has played 

fast-and-loose with the minorities 

since it came to 

power in 2014, the Dalits 

feel it’s the right time to 

make demands. It lotect 

those persons who may be 

subjected to unnecessary 

litigation. 

I just finished reading 

a book, Ants Among 

Elephants, by Sujatha 

Gidla, who depicts her 

own and her own story as 

an untouchable. Living 

and working in New York, 

USA, her book depicts her 

growing up years in a Dalit 

slum and, at the same time, 

it profiles in many words 

the sacrificies, passion and 

the revolutionary zeal of 

her uncle, G.K. Satyamurthy. 

Popularly known as 

SM, he was one of the 

leaders of the Maoist guerilla 

movement in Andhra 

Pradesh, a movement of 

Dalits. SM was like a Robin 

Hood, robbing the rich and 

giving the loot to the poor. 

A well-known poet, he deserted 

his young family to 

take up work for the poor 

and the low-caste, often engaging 

in armed struggle. 

She talks of the “degrading 

poverty” in the 

slums, and that she wanted 

to follow her uncle and become 

a Naxalite when in 

college. But she differed 

and a chance to come to the 

USA was god-given. She recently 

spoke at the famed 

Jaipur Literary Festival, 

fearlessly and blatantly 

calling Mahatma Gandhi 

“casteist and racist.” 

Recently, the UP government 

decided to insert 

the name “Ramji” in Dr. 

BR Ambedkar’s name as it 

was the name of the Dalit 

leader’s father. The reasoning 

was that since Dr. 

Ambedkar was a Hindu, 

it’s the Hindu tradition of 

having the father’s name 

as a middle name in one’s 

own name. Obviously, this 

is a election ploy. The Yogi 

government has inentionally 

ignored the fact the Dr. 

Ambedkar, hte architect of 

India’s Constitution, had 

abandoned Hinduism for 

Buddhism. He hated that 

Hinduism believes in the 

caste system. 

It will take ages and 

strong will on this government 

and future ones to 

come for the upliftment of 

Dalits and lower-caste Indians. 

Old wounds don’t heal 

easily, An untouchable 

and Christian, she writes, 

“Christian, untouchables 

— it came to the same 

thing. All Christians in India 

are untouchables, as far 

as I knew (though a small 

minority of all untoucables 

are Christian).” 

A personal message from Ontario Premier 

On behalf of the Government 

of Ontario, I am 

pleased to mark Sikh Heritage 

Month with Ontario’s 

Sikh community. 

Over a century ago, 

Sikhs came to Canada to 

find opportunity and build 

new lives. They overcame 

many challenges and went 

on to establish businesses, 

excel in the professions and 

trades — and prosper. 

Today, Ontario is proud 

to be home to a dynamic 

and engaged Sikh community 

whose faith enshrines 

the ideals of equality, social 

justice, and service to 

others. Its members have 

made their mark in public 

service, business, the arts 

and many other professions 

— and helped build 

our multicultural success 

story. As Premier, I have 

had the honour of getting to 

know the leaders and members 

of the Sikh community. 

I have been impressed 

by the community’s faith 

in action through the Seva 

Food Bank, which helps 

provide safe, nutritious 

and culturally appropriate 

food to low-income families. 

I have also had the 

pleasure of participating 

in the annual Khalsa Day 

Parade, which draws thousands 

of people from across 

the Greater Toronto Area. 

My colleagues in government 

and I recognize 

that April is an important 

month for Sikh Canadians. 

This is the month 

when Sikh Canadians celebrate 

Vaisakhi, which 

marks the creation of the 

Khalsa in 1699 by Guru 

Gobind Singh Ji. 

With the proclamation 

of the month of April 

as Sikh Heritage Month, 

Ontarians have the opportunity 

to celebrate the important 

contributions that 

Sikh Canadians have made 

to our social, economic, political 

and cultural fabric. 

I offer my best wishes for a 

meaningful and joyous celebration. 

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The International News Weekly INTERVIEW 


09 

Criticism has nothing to do with 

country, but society: Sunny Leone 


Mumbai : Hate mails and 

criticism were part of what 

Sunny Leone faced much 

before she made the transition 

from an adult film star 

to Bollywood. She says the 

brickbats didn't come her 

way because she is in India, 

but due to the mindset 

of the society as a whole. 

Sunny's life story is 

set to be unveiled in an 

upcoming biopic "Karenjit 

Kaur - The Untold Story of 

Sunny Leone". 

"Many people have the 

misconception that people 

started criticising me 

when I decided to come to 

India, but that is not true. 

I started getting hate mails 

and criticism when I was 

around 21 years old. 

"So it has nothing to do 

with the country, but society 

in general. That was 

the first time I faced real 

hatred," Sunny told IANS 

in an interview. 

The show "Karenjit 

Kaur", which will soon 

start streaming on the 

OTT platform ZEE5, revolves 

around the journey 

of Sunny, who was born as 

Karenjit Kaur in a middle 

class Sikh family in Canada. 

It will trace her transition 

from being a little girl 

to becoming an adult film 

actress and from there to 

her rise in Bollywood. 

"Like many families, 

there are some problems 

in our family too. There is 

love, hate, emotional moments 

in all our lives, but 

our parents protected my 

brother and me from all 

the negativity, as much as 

they could. 

"But at the age of 21, 

when you see people are 

saying really nasty things 

about you, it affects you so 

badly... I was vulnerable 

and broken from within 

emotionally," said the actress, 

whose sensational 

dance moves have added 

glamour to songs like 

"Baby doll", "Laila main 

laila" and "Pink lips". 

On how her parents 

dealt with the hate that 

came her way, Sunny 

said: "Reverse psychology 

always happens and that 

was definitely the case 

with me and my parents. 

They were thinking that if 

they forcefully stop me, I 

might just gain more curiosity 

and then I might not 

return from that world. 

"Of course, I went to a 

different direction that my 

parents did not want me 

to... But I want to say that 

I love my life the way it is 

and everything happens 

for a reason. I have no complaints." 

Sunny's big ticket to 

India came with a season 

of "Bigg Boss", after which 

she landed her Bollywood 

debut with "Jism 2". 

Since then, the actress 

has appeared in several 

films like "Ragini MMS 

2", "Ek Paheli Leela", 

"Mastizaade", "One Night 

Stand" and "Tera Intezaar". 

She has also appeared 

in youth television reality 

shows like "MTV Splitsvilla", 

"Box Cricket League: 

Season 2" and "Man vs. 

Wild with Sunny Leone". 

Unapologetic about 

the choices she has made 

in life, Sunny says she is 

glad a show like "Karenjit 

Kaur" is an opportunity for 

her to express herself. 

"When the producers of 

the show came to us almost 

a year ago, they wanted to 

unveil the real me. There 

is a curiosity about my life 

and there is a person who 

is not what you see on the 

internet. 

"I know I could have 

kept my personal story 

to myself, but you see, 

through this show, I am 

actually getting a chance 

to express myself, my real 

self," said the young mother 

of three children. 

Sunny and her husband 

Daniel Weber become 

parents of three children 

- Asher, Noah and Nisha. 

They adopted Nisha, and 

their twin sons were born 

via surrogacy. 

She wants them to enjoy 

the freedom of choice 

when they grow up. 

"Adulthood is a phase 

where people become rebels 

at times and one cannot 

do anything with that, can 

we? As a mother, I want 

them to be good people who 

do not hurt anyone physically 

and emotionally. 

"My kids should not 

cheat anyone, they should 

not steal from people... I 

may or may not agree with 

their choices in life but as 

individuals that is their 

choice. I think all I want 

as a mother is my children 

should not go through 

such hatred from the society 

that I faced," she added. 

Modi announces Rs 10-lakh 

ex-gratia to Mosul victims' kin 


New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday 

announced ex-gratia payment 

of Rs 10 lakh to the next 

of kin of each of 39 Indians 

who were killed at Mosul in 

Iraq, an official release said. 

The mortal remains of 38 

Indians, killed by the Islamic 

State terror group in Iraq's 

Mosul in 2014, were brought to Amritsar in a special IAF 

aircraft on Monday. Minister of State for External Affairs 

V.K. Singh accompanied the mortal remains to Amritsar 

from Mosul. Although 39 Indians were killed as the 

Islamic State took over Mosul, the mortal remains of only 

38 of them could be brought back as identification of one 

body is still pending.

The International News Weekly india 


India withdraws rule 

to punish journalists 

spreading 'fake news' 

Agency 

NEW DELH: In a surprise move, the Inidan government 

withdrew an amendment which would take away 

official accredition of journalists who has written or 

broadcast “fake news.” 

No official explaination was given. But the government 

action to punish journaists was severely criticised 

by an association of news broadcasters. The rule 

was announced a day earlier but withdrawn a day later. 

It was learnt that the withdrawal notice came directly 

from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s office. 

In India’s political and media climate, journalists 

or news outlets critical of Modi or the BJP came under 

heavy pressure. It is felt that the government withdrew 

the rule as it feared it would adversely affect the BJP’s 

campaign for the 2019 election. 

In the wake of the arrest of the editor, Mahesh Vikram 

Hegde, of PostCard News, which is known to be 

closely associated with the BJP, recently in Bengaluru 

by the Congress-ruled state government, there has been 

an alarm in how each government sees the media outlets. 

Hegde was arrested on charges of spreading fake 

and communally sensitive news. The right-wing news 

portal falsely repoted that a Jain monk, Upadhyaya Mayank 

Sagarji, was attacked by Muslims. The fact is that 

Sagarji was injured in a road accident. 

"We have arrested Hegde for posting a fake news on 

his news portal Postcard alleging that a Jain monk was 

attacked by Muslims," Bangalore joint commissioner of 

police N. Satish Kumar said in a statement. 

Babla gets 1.5 years in prison 

Agencies 

Chandigarh : City Congress 

councillor, Leader of 

the Opposition in the Municipal 

Corporation and 

director, market committee, 

Chandigarh, Devinder 

Singh Babla was on Tuesday 

sentenced to one-and-ahalf-year 

imprisonment in 

the tin shed allotment scam. 

He was earlier held guilty 

of cheating and forgery and 

has been directed by the 

court to pay a total fine of 

Rs 35,000.As soon as Babla 

came out of the court after 

hearing his sentence, a large 

number of supporters were 

waiting for him. “Thank 

you all for your support; we 

will meet soon,” said Babla 

with folded hands as he was 

taken away by the police. 

The court held him 

guilty under Sections 420, 

465, 468 and 471 of the IPC. 

While he got a one-year 

term under Section 420 and 

six months under Section 

465, Babla got a one-and-ahalf-year 

jail term under 

Sections 468 and 471.Babla’s 

son Yudhveer, while speaking 

to Chandigarh Tribune 

after the sentence, said, 

“We have full faith in the 

Indian judicial system. We 

will consult a senior counsel 

and explore our legal 

options”. Two former mayors 

— RS Pali and Subhash 

Chawla — city Congress 

president Pradeep Chhabra, 

HS Lucky, Bhupinder Singh 

Badheri and other Congress 

members were also present. 

On July 22, 2014, Babla was 

convicted by a lower court, 

but released on probation 

on bail bonds of Rs 50,000. 

However, he filed an appeal 

in the court of the Additional 

Sessions Judge against 

the judgment. The state had 

also filed an appeal for enhancement 

of his sentence. 

The case dates back to August 

2009 when the Chandigarh 

Police had registered a 

case of cheating, forgery and 

criminal conspiracy against 

Babla, a former chairman 

of the marke t committee, 

and Rakesh, president of 

the Arhtiya Association of 

the Sector 26 grain market, 

for irregularities in the allotment 

of 69 platforms at 

the market.It was alleged 

that although there were 

59 licensees, 10 ineligible 

persons were also accommodated 

during the auction 

held on July 24 when Babla 

was chairman of the market 

committee.Babla was 

booked after a shed, which 

had fallen, had to be re-allocated. 

A police official, who 

had probed the matter, said, 

“The convict got the allocation 

papers prepared and 

put his signatures on these, 

although the Sub-Divisional 

Magistrate had not finalised 

the allotment.”Babla 

surrendered on December 

28, 2009, after a local court 

issued orders asking him 

to appear or be ready to be 

declared a proclaimed offender. 

A special investigation 

team (SIT) of the Chandigarh 

Police submitted the 

chargesheet against Babla 

in February 2010.Although 

key witness GR Pillai, then 

assistant secretary of the 

marketing committee, took 

a U-turn on his statement recorded 

with the Chandigarh 

Police during the trial, another 

witness Ranjit Singh, 

who was also an official of 

the market committee, corroborated 

the allegations. 

Ambedkar inspiration for vibrant maritime sector: Modi 


New Delhi : Prime Minister 

Narendra Modi on Thursday 

extended his greetings 

on National Maritime Day 

and said the government's 

efforts for a vibrant maritime 

sector were inspired by 

Dalit icon B.R. Ambedkar. 

"It was Babasaheb who 

gave topmost importance 

to Jal Shakti, waterways, 

irrigation, canal networks 

and ports. His work in this 

sector augured extremely 

well for the people of India," 

he tweeted. Modi also wrote 

that with its rich history, the 

maritime sector in India has 

the potential to power country's 

transformation. 

"On National Maritime 

Day, we affirm our commitment 

to harness our maritime 

strengths for the nation's 

prosperity," he added. 

National Maritime Day 

is observed annually to commemorate 

the maiden voyage 

of the first Indian owned 

ship "SS Loyalty" which 

sailed from Bombay to London 

in 1919. 

Modi also remembered 

Babu Jagjivan Ram on his 

birth anniversary and said 

that he is a 'self-made and industrious', 

whose contribution 

to the nation can never 

be forgotten. 

"As a freedom fighter 

and veteran administrator, 

his service to India was impeccable. 

Babuji was a true 

democrat, refusing to bow 

to authoritarianism. India 

remembers him on his Jayanti," 

he wrote on Twitter. 

Popularly called as Babuji, 

Ram was a politician 

from Bihar who was instrumental 

in founding the 

All-India Depressed Classes 

League. 

Father-son booked for raping 

former MLA’s daughter 


Bathinda : The Joga police in Mansa on Tuesday 

registered a case against a father-son duo for allegedly 

raping a minor daughter of a former legislator.The MLA, 

who had been elected in 1992, had passed away in November 

last year after a brief illness.Joga SHO Jasvir Singh 

stated that a case under Section 376 of the IPC was registered 

against Atma Singh and his son Amandeep Singh 

after a medical examination of the girl confirmed rape. 

The accused are yet to be arrested.The girl used 

to work as a domestic help at various houses in Joga. 

Amandeep, a neighbour of the family, allegedly raped 

the girl three months ago. He then threatened her with 

dire consequences and continued raping her.In her 

statement, the victim’s mother stated that Amandeep’s 

father also raped the girl and showed her objectionable 

videos. She added that after the girl couldn’t take it anymore, 

she confided in her and she then approached the 

police.“Owing to a financial crunch, the family had married 

off the girl at the age of 11. 

Ex-gangster, Dal Khalsa leader booked for defacing signboards 

Bathinda : The Bathinda police on 

Wednesday booked former gangster Lakhbir 

Singh, alias Lakha Sidana, and Dal Khalsa 

leader Baba Hardeep Singh 

Khalsa in four cases regarding 

smudging English and Hindi 

signboards.They had allegedly 

blackened signboards in 

English and Hindi outside the 

district administrative complex, 

income tax office, PNB 

and the post office situated in the Civil Lines 

area. Three cases were registered under Section 

3 of the Prevention of Damage to Public 

Property Act, 1984, and Section 5 of the 

Punjab Defacement of Property Ordinance 

Act, 1997, against unidentified persons on 

the complaints of the Income Tax Department, 

head post master of the local post office 

and branch manager of Punjab National 

Bank. One case was already registered 

under same sections.On 

the other hand, two teams of the 

Bathinda police on Wednesday 

conducted raids for the arrest of 

Sidana at his native village and 

Hardeep Singh Khalsa at his Gurusar 

Mehraj village. However, 

both managed to escape before the raid.Earlier 

too, the police had arrested Sidana and 

Hardeep Singh along with their aides under 

same charges for smudging signboards in 

Hindi and English on the Bathinda-Faridkot 

national highway. Agencies

The International News Weekly india 


11 

SC refuses to stay its order on 

SC/ST Act, denies any dilution 


New Delhi : The Supreme 

Court on Tuesday declined to stay 

its ruling, which activists say has 

diluted a law aimed at preventing 

atrocities on Dalits and tribes, as it 

asserted that it wanted to protect 

innocent people from being punished. 

A bench of Justice Adarsh Kumar 

Goel and Justice Uday 

Umesh Lalit, however, 

said compensation 

can be paid to victims 

alleged atrocities 

under The 

Scheduled Castes 

and Scheduled 

Tribes (Prevention of 

Atrocities) Act, 1989, even 

without a FIR being registered. 

The bench said this on a plea 

by the Centre seeking recall of its 

March 20 order where the apex 

court had said that no arrest 

would be affected on a complaint 

under the Act without an inquiry. 

Refusing to budge on its five 

directions issued on March 20, the 

court said: "We are not against the 

law or its implementation" and 

the directions in no way diluted 

the law but were aimed to protect 

the innocent people from being 

punished. It describe its direction 

for preliminary inquiry before an 

FIR is registered on a complaint as 

"filter". 

"People who are agitating have 

not read the order. There is a lot of 

hearsay," observed Justice Goel. 

The court said that all they 

have done is to read the Constitution's 

Article 21 - guaranteeing protection 

of life and personal liberty 

- in the act and 

that should happen 

with every 

statute. 

Asserting 

that it has in no 

way diluted or tinkered 

with the law to 

protect the SC/STs, Justice 

Goel said: "We are only giving effect 

to existing law. It is not a law 

of arrest that the moment an FIR 

is lodged, the accused is arrested" 

and the "procedure established 

by law should be fair, just and 

reasonable". As Attorney General 

K.K. Venugopal said that the FIR 

is subject to preliminary inquiry 

(PE) and there is no outer limit 

for the conduct of PE, Justice Goel 

said that they has not said it in our 

directions as in "other part of the 

judgment one week is mentioned" 

and it can be done in one hour or 

even less, citing a paragraph in 

their March 20 judgment. 

As Venugopal said that there 

was no need for the verification 

of complaint, Justice Goel questioned 

it. "Why no verification is 

required ... money (to pay compensation 

under the Act) is going from 

public exchequer." 

When the Attorney General 

argued that there is a tremendous 

amount of deprivation, discontent 

and agitation in SC/ST community 

who had been oppressed for 

thousands of years, Justice Goel 

observed, "We are not concerned 

about what is happening outside 

this court. Those agitating on 

streets may not have even read 

our judgment. Vested interests are 

also involved some time. 

"We are only concerned about 

innocent people being put behind 

bars. We are not against the Act 

at all. But innocents can't be punished 

on unilateral version. Why 

does government want people to 

be arrested without verification.?" 

As Venugopal argued why SC/ 

100 arrested in Haryana for 

violence during SC protest 

Chandigarh: The Haryana Police have arrested 100 people for violent incidents 

related to the protest called by Scheduled Castes organizations on Monday, a senior 

police officer said on Tuesday. 

"Due to proper arrangements made and prompt action taken by police, the situation 

remained largely peaceful in the state, barring petty incidents of violence by 

mischievous elements trying to damage government property. Taking strict against 

those involved in these incidents, 47 cases were registered and 100 persons were 

arrested," Director General of Police (DGP) B.S. Sandhu said here 

ST people will implicate anyone, 

the bench said: "Our approach is to 

protect innocent people... If there is 

an unverifiable allegation against 

an official, how will he function, 

how AG will function." 

There is abuse of law not just 

by the SC/ST members, but by police, 

someone else or by some vested 

interest or purpose, said amicus 

curiae Amarendra Sharan. 

Wondering at the arguments 

of the Central government for 

seeking review of March 20 judgment, 

he said that judgment was 

founded on the statistics of misuse 

and abuse of law furnished by the 

government during the course 

of the hearing. He said that the 

March 20 directions in no way diluted, 

took away or struck down 

the provisions of SC/ST act and 

the sole motivating factor is protection 

of innocent. 

Describing Article 14 (Equality 

before law) and Article 21 as core 

of the Constitution, Sharan said 

that "protection of a person under 

Article 21 is paramount". 

Having clarified that non-registration 

of FIR would not come in 

the way of grant of compensation 

and its direction of PE in no way 

comes in the way of registering 

cases under penal offences and other 

statues, the court gave two days 

to different parties to the case to 

file written submissions and three 

days to file rejoinders as it directed 

the next hearing after two weeks. 

Congress 'will not tolerate dilution of SC/ST Act' 

Lucknow: The Congress on Wednesday in many parts of Uttar Pradesh protested against the state and the Union government, 

alleging that the violence during the recent "Bharat Bandh" reflected their utter failure. 

Party leaders also said that the Congress would not allow any amendment to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention 

of Atrocities) Act, 1989. "It is sad that the Union government did not rise to the occasion and delayed the matter until it spun out of 

control, resulting in violence earlier this week, leaving nine persons dead, many others injured and property worth crores of rupees 

damaged and gutted," a Congress leaders told IANS. They further alleged that the amendment to the Act was brought through the 

apex court under a "well thought out political conspiracy" to deprive the SC and ST communities of their rights against suppression. 

At many places, Congress leaders also submitted memorandums addressed to Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik, demanding that 

there be no dilution of the Act. Party workers during their protest marches also informed that it was under their government in 1989 

that this Act was passed by Parliament, and threatened a major showdown with the government if they did not put up the matter in 

a better way in the Supreme Court during the next hearing. 

India, Canada to promote innovation 

through talent mobility 


New Delhi: The Union 

Cabinet, chaired by Prime 

Minister Narendra Modi, 

was apprised of an agreement 

between India and 

Canada to promote collaboration 

in research and 

innovation through talent 

mobility. 

"The Memorandum of 

Understanding (MoU) aims 

at fostering cross-border 

partnerships focused on 

research excellence and 

industry-academic collaboration 

between India and 

Canada that brings robust 

innovation gains to both 

countries," said an official 

statement. 

The core of the MoU, 

signed on February 21, 

is to ignite collaboration 

through talent mobility. It 

would enable Indian and 

Canadian researchers to 

undertake graduate level 

academic research mobility 

and cross-border industryacademic 

cooperation. 

"Under the graduate 

level academic research 

mobility programme, both 

sides intend to support up 

to 110 Master's and PhD student 

researchers in Science, 

Technology, Engineering 

and Mathematics (STEM) 

fields," it said. 

The students from eligible 

universities in India 

would participate in 12 to 

24 weeks' research with Canadian 

university research 

laboratories in a three-year 

period. The same number of 

researchers from Canadian 

universities will also participate 

for the same period 

in India. 

"Under the cross-border 

Industry-Academic Cooperation, 

up to 40 Master's and 

PhD student researchers in 

three years from each side 

would participate in 16 to 24 

weeks' research with industry 

partners located in the 

counterpart country," the 

Cabinet said. The collaboration 

is expected to lead to 

new knowledge creation, 

joint scientific publications, 

industrial exposure, IP generation 

and others. 

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The International News Weekly ENTERTAINMENT 

12 


Salman as professional as Christian 

Bale, Tom Hardy, says Tom Struthers 


New Delhi : He has choreographed 

action for Christian 

Bale in "The Dark Night" and for 

Tom Hardy in "Dunkirk" among 

over three dozen films in a career 

nearing 30 years. Hollywood's 

famous action director Tom 

Struthers, who is now working 

on some high-octane stunts for 

Bollywood film "Race 3" in Abu 

Dhabi, finds Indian superstar 

Salman Khan no less a professional. 

"Race 3" marks the second 

time that Struthers is working 

with Salman, with whom he last 

collaborated for "Tiger Zinda 

Hai" -- also widely shot in Abu 

Dhabi. He loved the experience 

both times. 

"I think you can expect the 

same kind of enthusiasm and 

high-octane action in 'Race 3' 

as 'Tiger...', but there's nothing 

I can tell you about (the plot)," 

Struthers told IANS over phone 

from Abu Dhabi, which is fast 

becoming a much-loved shooting 

destination for filmmakers. 

He considers Salman as an 

actor who is sought after and 

"well-liked". 

"I am very fortunate that 

in my career I have worked 

with good, professional people. 

Salman is among the highestpaid 

actors in the world... I've 

worked with people like Christian 

Bale and Tom Hardy. I consider 

them to be friends and I 

consider them to be very, very 

professional. 

"Never once have they 

been unprofessional with 

me. Salman is in the same 

category. He was kind, 

caring about his people, 

and concerned about his 

artistes. 

He cares about where 

he is going as an actor 

and about what he is doing 

about the character he 

is playing," added Struthers, 

whose first tryst with Bollywood 

was with Nikkhil Advani's 2013 

film "D-Day". 

For "Race 3", being directed 

by Remo D'Souza and starring 

Anil Kapoor, Jacqueline Fernandez, 

Bobby Deol, Daisy Shah 

and Saqib Saleem, apart from 

Salman, Struthers is choreographing 

the opening and closing 

sequences. 

He hopes these stunts, details 

of which he was guarded about, 

are something that the audience 

would love. 

Struthers, along with Indian 

action director Anl Arasu, 

enlisted the help of the Armed 

Forces of the UAE, employing a 

Blackhawk helicopter, Oshkosh 

trucks, NIMR military vehicles, 

and Humvees for the shoot. 

twofour54 is providing the 

team production services as 

well as the support of its government 

and travel services 

department to ease the process. 

The Australian stunts 

star, who has also worked on 

films like "Titanic", "Braveheart", 

"Blood Diamond", 

"Inception" and "Terminator 

Salvation", finds Bollywood becoming 

more professional with 

time. 

"I think Bollywood is in a 

great place right now. They are 

experimenting with culturally 

different professionals in the 

camera, stunts, action-directing 

departments," he said, and reminisced 

how, when he came 

on board for "D-Day", he knew 

nothing about Indian films or 

Indian culture. 

"When Nikkhil Advani 

called me and said he wanted to 

meet me, I said, 'Why not? It will 

be a new experience, I will learn 

and you grow with experiences, 

so yes, absolutely'. So, I met Nikkhil 

and he convinced me to 

come to India... And rest is history, 

as they say. 

"I enjoyed every moment in 

India. People have been super 

nice to me. I have never found 

anyone unpleasant. And as far as 

I am concerned, what more can 

you ask for," he said. 

Struthers had missed a 

chance to visit Jodhpur when the 

team of his mentor Christopher 

Nolan was in the Rajasthan city 

to shoot scenes for "The Dark 

Knight Rises". 

As for his filmography, he 

says it's not purely action-heavy 

films that attract him. 

"I love doing the action, but 

it's also important for me to tell a 

story. I often choose films not because 

they have big budgets, but 

because I like the script, the story, 

the actors that are to be cast... 

All that is a part of what I do... I 

feel fortunate that I am at a stage 

in my career when I can do that... 

To pick and choose the films. It's 

not just a financial game." 

Anupam Kher 

nominated 

for Bafta 


Mumbai: Indian actor Anupam Kher 

has received nomination for the Virgin 

TV British Academy Television Awards 

in 2018 for his work in a BBC project. 

Anupam is nominated for his performance 

in the adaptation of Satnam Sanghera's 

memoir "The Boy with the Topknot", 

a TV movie. 

The actor, who has featured in about 

500 films, is up against Adrian Dunbar 

("Line of Duty"), Brian F. O'Byrne ("Little 

Boy Blue") and Jimmi Simpson - USS Callister 

("Black Mirror") for the Best Supporting 

Actor trophy. Anupam tweeted 

on Wednesday: "Thank you Bafta for the 

nomination. I feel honoured and humbled." 

The British Academy of Film and 

Television Arts announced the nominations 

for the annual Virgin TV British 

Academy Television Awards on Wednesday, 

read a statement on bafta.org. 

It will reward the best television programmes 

broadcast in the UK in 2017. The 

ceremony will be held at the Royal Festival 

Hall on May 13. 

Drake makes Billboard history 

Los Angeles : Rapper 

Drake has become the first 

lead solo male with two 10- 

week Billboard Hot 100 No. 

1s -- his latest song "God's 

plan" and the 2016 track 

"One dance". 

"God's plan" is the 36th 

No. 1 in the Hot 100's 59- 

year history to have led for 

at least 10 weeks, reports 

billboard.com. "God's plan" 

has also been globally popular 

as Drake gave away his 

label's $999,631.90 budget to 

those in need. 

The video sees the 

Grammy winner treating 

the ones in need with unlimited 

supermarket shopping, 

cash bundle and luxury 

cars. He also presents 

cheques of huge amounts 

for charity and support 

groups. IANS

The International News Weekly April 06, 2018 | Toronto 

13

The International News Weekly April 06, 2018 | Toronto 14 

& 

For Tickets 

Call: 905-673-0600

The International News Weekly April 06, 2018 | Toronto 

15

The International News Weekly Sports/offbeat 


UFC Sikh fighter to wear turban into the cage 

Glendale, Arizona: 

For the first time in the 

sport’s 25-year history Arjan 

Singh Bhullar, the first Sikh 

UFC fighter will wear his 

turban during his walkout 

during his fight in Glendale, 

Arizona on Saturday, April 

14, 2018 – the same day as the 

Sikh holiday of Vaisakhi. 

Bhullar, was in Phoenix, 

Arizona, one month prior to 

his upcoming bout, because 

he intends to deliver much 

more than a victory. He visited 

several places including 

Gurdwaras to reach out to 

the community. 

He has made a partnership 

with the National Sikh 

Campaign to use his sporting 

event to increase awareness 

and education about Sikhs, 

and what the Sikh turban 

represents. In addition, he is 

hoping to increase the interest 

and representation of the 

Indian community and other 

South Asians in this sport. 

Arjan said, “I feel that it 

is important for me to use 

my platform and my career 

in mixed martial arts to transcend 

beyond sports. I want 

to light a fire and break down 

barriers for my community, 

and ultimately inspire Indians 

across the globe. Every 

culture has their sports icon. 

I hope one day I can be that 

icon for the South Asian community” 

Arjan added, “It’s important 

for me to wear my 

turban into the ring. Around 

RANA celebrates Spring festival 

the world, people do not 

know what Sikhs stands for 

and what our turbans stand 

for. We believe in equality 

for any gender, caste, race. 

Throughout history, we have 

been fighting for that as a 

people and the turban signals 

a readiness to protect those 

values. It's important for me 

to represent where I come 

from and what my people are 

all about." 

Phoenix is also a significant 

as the first post 9/11 hate 

crime happened in Mesa to 

Balbir Singh Sodhi, a Sikh 

man who was murdered for 

wearing a turban. Bhullar 

met with the Sodhi family on 

Friday, March 16. 

Sindhu leads Indian contingent at C'wealth Games 

Gold Coast : The Commonwealth 

Games began today with an impressive 

opening ceremony at Gold Coast, 

Australia. India’s badminton star, PV 

Sindhu, led the 221-strong Indian contigent. 

India will try to improve its standing 

in the games from the fifth position 

it secured in 2014 in Glascow, with 64 

medals (16 gold, 30 silver, 19 bronze. 

Tomorro (April 5), India will take on 

Walves in both men’s and women’s field 

hockey. The Indian men won the silver 

at the last Commonwealth Games, held 

in 2014 at Glascow, Scotland, losing to 

Australia 0-4 in the final. India had also 

lost to Australia in Delhi (2010) by a big 

margin of 8-0. 

The keen match betweeen traditional 

rivals, India and Pakistan, will be 

taking place on Saturday (April 7) India 

last won the gold medal in the women’s 

event in 2002 beating hosts England 3-2 

over extra-time. The games were held 

in Manchester. In the next 2006 games, 

held in Melbourne, India lost to the 

hosts Australia 0-1 in the final. Australia 

has held the title since then, winning at 

Delhi (2010) and Glascow (2014). 

Lifter Chanu wins gold at 

Commonwealth Games 

Gold Coast: Mirabai 

Chanu won the first gold 

for India at the 21st edition 

of the Commonwealth 

Games with a power 

packed performance in the 

women's 48 kilogram category 

here on Thursday. 

The Manipuri powerhouse 

left the competition 

far behind by setting 

Games records in the 

snatch, clean and jerk as 

well as the total. 

She registered 86 kg in 

the snatch and 110 kg in 

clean and jerk for a total 

of 196 kg. Marie Hanitra 

of Mauritius finished a 

distant second with a total 

of 170 kg while Dinusha 

Gomes of Sri Lanka took 

bronze with 155 kg. 

Warner joins Smith, Bancroft 

in accepting CA ban 

Melbourne : Banned 

opener David Warner has 

on Thursday joined Steve 

Smith and Cameron Bancroft 

in accepting Cricket 

Australia's sanctions 

for his role in 

the Cape Town balltampering 

scandal. 

Warner, like his 

teammates both did on 

Wednesday, took to social 

media to confirm he's accepted 

his lengthy suspension 

from international 

and domestic cricket. 

"I have today let Cricket 

Australia know that I fully 

accept the sanctions imposed 

on me. I am truly sorry 

for my actions and will 

now do everything I can 

to be a better person, 

teammate 

and role model," 

Warner tweeted 

on Thursday. 

Both Smith and Bancroft 

announced they'd accepted 

their fate on Wednesday, 

opting not to challenge 

the respective 12 and ninemonth 

suspensions handed 

down by CA last week. 

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BRAMPTON: Rajasthan 

Association of North 

America (RANA) celebrated 

the festival of Gangaur 

on March 30. 

The festival 

is celebrated 

in 

the states of 

Rajasthan, 

Gujarat, West 

Bengal and 

Madhaya 

Pradesh. It’s a 

colourful event 

celebrating the worship 

of Gauri, the consort of 

Lord Shiva, on the onset of 

Spring. In India, it lasts for 

18 days. People for a good 

harvest and marital fidelity, 

especially for newlymarried 

women. 

President of RANA, 

Mahindra Bhanda, praised 

the Rajasthani community 

playing a 

key role in Canadiansociety. 

Community 

leader Naval Bajaj 

mentioned about 

the role overall the 

Indo-Canadian diaspora 

has been playing in keeping 

the cultural values 

of India alive in Canada. 

India’s Consul-General, 

Dinesh Bhatia, attended 

the celebration. 

Also present were 

many heads of religious institutions. 

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The Canadian Parvasi - Issue 40

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