Little India and Ethnic Enclaves in Auckland?

Do Indian migrants to New Zealand wish to create Little India and ethnic enclaves in their adopted country?

Bhartiya Samaj Charitable Trust, run by Jeet Suchdev had a vision of BUILDING SEPARATE culturally appropriate rest homes for Indians. I personally was and am against this idea of separatism and creating of Little India in New Zealand when the government and Department of Ethnic Affairs are promoting integration and oneness.

Jeet Suchdev, head of Bhartiya Charitable Trust and person behind culturally appropriate separate facilities for Indians (Photo:Thakur Ranjit Singh)

I attended the inaugurating meeting held at Mt Albert War Memorial Hall earlier this year. One of the ardent supporters of this separate development is Vinod Kumar, Chairman of Hindu Council of NZ and proprietor of Mega Mitre 10. He spoke in favour of such a development.

I spoke against the idea of SEPARATE BUILDING AND DEVELOPMENT BASED ON RACE.  I am not against the idea; I am against separate racial development. I said:

“There is NO need to build special homes for Indians-there are already existing ones which could have a wing which is culturally and socially appropriate and sensitive. That is exactly what Waitakere Indian Association was negotiating with the then Waitakere City Council.  Indians should stop creating ETHNIC ENCLAVES in NZ. If they want to create Little India in NZ, they should have stayed back in India. If all 200 or so ethnicities in NZ start building their own socially/culturally appropriate facilities, then what is the use of migrating to New Zealand? WE NEED TO INTEGRATE.”  

It appears Indians and ardent supporters of this project regarded Thakur as anti-Indian and rejected my suggestion. Now there appears to be a change of heart and THEY ARE DOING EXACTLY WHAT I HAD RECOMMENDED. They are going to have a wing of an existing facility for Indians. This is what came in Jeet Suchdev’s announcement on Facebook.

“First Culturally Appropriate Rest Home for South Asian Communities.
It is an historic moment for the South Asian Communities in New Zealand, wherein a dream to deliver a culturally appropriate rest home for the community elders is being fulfilled. On Thursday, November 29 2012, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Bupa Care Services and Bhartiya Samaj Charitable Trust to move forward with delivering culturally appropriate care for the elders of the South Asian Communities. Bupa has joined hands with Bhartiya Samaj to cater to the culturally appropriate needs of the community by allocating a separate wing within its David Lange Care Home Facility. This new wing would be named as “Aashirwad (Blessings)”, after the dream project initiative of Bhartiya Samaj.”

So you have it there. Beating the drums of Bhartiya Samaj. I must commend Jeet Suchdev for his efforts in having culturally sensitive facilities. However, these should be wings in existing homes, as has been done now. I however will always be against SEPARATE DEVELOPMENT FOR INDIANS ONLY. India is a good place for that- not Aotearoa - we want integration and living together, as all our festivals teach and enhance.

Indians may disregard and discount my views, coming from a non-Indian. I may be classed as a non-Indian by Indian leaders in Auckland who think Thakur Ranjit Singh, (whose Grandfather Bansi was from Karouli Rajasthan, India) is not a “real” Indian because he is a Fijian.

However, Indians cannot disregard the views of a distinguished Indian academic, journalist and commentator Dev Nadkarni. At the fourth Hindu Congress in Manukau on 12 May, 2012, he said the following on the gap between mainstream and Indian Media during media and information part of the seminar:

Dev Nadkarni, Indian Academic, Journalist, Media Commentator and founding Editor of Indian Weekender:Having made a conscious voluntary choice to make NZ their home why do ethnic groups want to create cultural ghettos?(Photo:Thakur Ranjit Singh)

 “Every once in a while, Indian community leaders announce some programme with tags like cultural appropriateness. Culturally appropriate this and culturally appropriate that. Every time we do that we reinforce the insularity stereotype in the mainstream.

Having made a conscious voluntary choice to make NZ their home why do ethnic groups want to create cultural ghettos? Why not look at expanding their cultural offering into the mainstream instead? After all, the political systems here as well as the politicians are open to change and inclusiveness and diversity. Why not try to merge first rather than create a separate system while reaping the benefits of the mainstream system. 

And many of these leaders move mountains campaigning for the queen's awards to add after their names. Queen's awards! How culturally appropriate is that! It's also interesting to see many leaders sporting queen’s medals when they are making republic day speeches... But that's a different story. “

Very well and truly said, Dev Nadkarni. But NO INDIAN MEDIA IN AUCKLAND WILL PUBLISH THIS. This is because Indians, Indian media and Indian journalist are beaten into submission by Indian lynch mob which attacks anybody who speaks any truth that is supposed to bring disrepute to a community. To this day, yours truly, Thakur Ranjit Singh remains suspended as vice president of Waitakere Indian Association, at insistence of this lynch mob, for bringing “disrepute” to Indian community (whatever that means) by saying truth about India, its corruption and treatment of women. Seeing that Indian media had become lapdogs which abdicated its role as a community watchdog, being too near the business, community leaders and politicians through whom they gain their advertising dollars, a watchdog had to come along.

This blogsite, FIJI PUNDIT is a result of that suppression. Keep on reading Fiji Pundit for stories and thoughts the lapdog media will never bark.

[Endnote: Jeet Suchdev and Bhartiya Samaj have removed me as friend from Facebook because of issues I raised about attempts at creation of ethnic enclave and Little India in Auckland. So much for transparency]

PLEA TO FIJIANS ABROAD FOR HELP IN CYCLONE RELIEF IN FIJI

A HUMBLE PLEA TO FIJIANS ABROAD FOR HELP IN CYCLONE RELIEF IN FIJI

It appears the worst is over but as I write this at 10am Fiji/NZ time on Tuesday 18 December, 2012, we still have to hear the full news from areas in Ba and other parts of Fiji.

But as already categorised, Cyclone Evans appears to be the worst one, in ferocity of wind power, to strike Fiji for last 20 years. Hence, we expect damage to be worst.

HENCE THIS PLEA OF HELP FROM FIJIAN DIASPORA, ESPECIALLY INDO- FIJIANS SETTLED IN DEVELOPED COUNTRIES LIKE CANADA, USA, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, UK AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD.

Fiji has been nice and kind to us that is our motherland. Our parents were born there and married, we were born, many married, and that place has ashes and graves of our forbears. So we share in Fiji’s bad fortune.

Rakiraki

I request all Fijian/Indian Associations, Sanatan Sabhas, Ramayan Mandalis, Fiji Associations and other associations having Fijians as member – OUR COUNTRY NEEDS OUR HELP.

Please pitch in, get organised and start collecting funds. I know Sacramento, Modesto, Hayward, San Francisco, Vancouver, Surrey, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto and other cities in North America have well-organised Fijians with Ramayan Mandalis, Sanatans, social and soccer clubs and other organisation, with very big and generous heart for our motherland. There are people from Sangam, Muslim League, Sai organisations and many others who are well geared to help.

In case of North America, because of distance, it is more feasible for organisations to collect funds and either send to your schools, your affected village, locality and people you know and trust or coordinate collection so that a group of people can travel to Fiji and buy item there and distribute personally to those affected. I know there are leaders out there in community, generous and ready to help. I must commend a team from Surrey, Canada that I know visited Fiji and distributed items earlier this year.

Suva

For those in Australia and New Zealand, because of proximity to Fiji and less than a week for ship to reach Fiji, non-perishable food items could be sent, or await what are really and urgently needed. Media organisations can take a lead role in coordinating these efforts. Radio stations and Fiji-oriented newspapers can also help. David Lingham from Canadian Fiji Sun Times at Surrey, Kishore Gokul at Sanatan Sandesh in Sacramento, Jack Reddy at USA Fiji Times in San Francisco, Umesh Chandra at Brisbane Indian Times in Brisbane, Jatish Pooran at Radio Brisvaani in Brisbane, Anoop Kumar at Navtarang in Sydney, Pundit Hemant Vimal Sharma at Fiji Association in Melbourne and other community leaders in Indo- –Fijian Diaspora spread around the world. I Know former Ba Labour MP, Satendra Singh has just started his newspaper Jai Fiji in Calgary, Canada and he will be able to coordinate the efforts in Calgary and Edmonton area.

Vuda, Lautoka

I am sure you will all gear to start raising funds or collecting things to send to Fiji. However, we still have to wait and see. In New Zealand, we have many organisations and competing media which will try to outdo each other in helping out - and that is helpful as well.

KEEP READING FIJI PUNDIT AND FURTHER UPDATES. FEEL FREE TO COMMENT ON THE BLOGSITE AND SEEK ANY INFORMATION

Narendra Modi - Gujarat’s response to challenge of climate change

Narendra Modi - Gujarat’s response to challenge of climate change: Book review.

Is Modi destined to be future PM of India? I had stated in my Facebook posting during last Independence Day on 15 August, 2012, that we needed to bow our heads in prayers that God of nations may send a messiah and saviour who could pull India out of chasm of corruption and other evils enveloping the once proud nation. Is Narendra Modi the answer to those prayers?

Narendra Modi -Future Prime Minister of India? Many believe that their prayers may be answered.

THE PICTURE and perception that the Western world and its media have painted of Indian politicians is uneducated and excessively corrupt individuals who manipulate the system to hang on to power. Narendra Modi’s Convenient Action removes this myth and reveals a politician in a different light. That is why many Indians believe this Chief Minister of Gujarat is destined to be a future Prime Minister of India.

This book, while documenting Gujarat’s proactive action in multi-dimensional initiatives towards climate change, is also intended as an invitation by Modi to scholars, researchers, scientists, leaders and policy planners to visit his Gujarat. He invites them to experience and feel the impact and challenges them to measure and judge Gujarat’s initiatives against any yardsticks of scientific and analytical scrutiny.

Modi:Author of  Convenient Action - Gujarat's Response To Challenges Of Climate Change- an educated and intelligent leader.

Those who frown on certain Eastern religions as falling under paganism need to see how religion is conveniently used as a vehicle to promote good husbandry and forestry practices while providing for ‘water temples’ and preserving mangroves.

The book outlines simple examples of commonsense rules to preserve power and natural resources through CNG and solar energy and rescheduling office hours to spread the loads on electricity demands. Innovation in transport system, use of gas and wind can help a great deal in reducing what we call carbon footprint.

The book is a documentation of eight years of initiatives and innovations undertaken by Gujarat state under the leadership of Narendra Modi.  Among others, Academia, NGOs and media have been targeted for capacity building exercise. Media have been gainfully utilised to enhance communication capabilities to inform and empower. Being a pioneer in establishing a separate Department of Climate Change, Modi administration has been successful in developing public participation and public awareness through effective use of media and communication channels.

Modi- Jai Hind

Such practices are intended to contribute to the adaptation and mitigation of Climate Change. In fact Modi believes the Gujarat model could serve as an example to decision makers across all political spectrum if there was strong political will to fight climate change and leave the world a better place for coming generations. The message Modi intends to pass to the developed and developing world is that the divide between political cycle and carbon cycle could be filled by firm determination and resolute will.

That is how it has been done in Gujarat. This is must reading for those interested in preserving our world for future generations from the impact of global warming through simple, commonsense actions.

Book Review: Convenient action: Gujarat’s response to challenges of climate change, by Narendra Modi. New Delhi: Macmillan Publishers India Ltd. 2011, 234 pages,

ISBN 10: 0230-331920

Hobsonville Tornado and disaster: A pictorial perceptive

Hobsonville Tornado and disaster: A pictorial 

perceptive

Section of Hobsonville Road that was blocked by fallen trees, since been cleared.

Our sympathies are with families who have lost their loved ones.

The concrete slabs that fell on the truck, killing two people.. See the sheer size, and imagine the force of wind.

School site and general development of the area.

As somebody who lives in West Auckland and daily drive by the disaster zone via Hobsonville Road , I wish to bring better perspectives to others who are guessing the site of accident/deaths and the a general area of disaster.

Map showing site location, school site, road closure, police cordon and Upper Harbour Bridge

Yesterday, 6^th December, the date of disaster, parts of Hobsonville Road

 and Motorway 18 (Upper Harbour Motorway) and bridge were closed because of blockage by fallen trees and other debris.  People reached Hobsonville from North Shore via Coatsville - Riverhead Highway.

Cleared and trimmed branches of trees at Hobsonville, near Upper Harbour Bridge that had blocked the motorway on 6th December, 2012.

Upper Harbour Bridge that had to be closed near Squadron  Drive on- ramp because of branches and other debris

The site where two accidental deaths happened was at the new school building site where concrete slabs fell on a truck where the deceased were taking shelter from the storm.

Uprooted tree-trunk and damaged fence at Hobsonville point construction site.

Stories of disaster are well covered in the media. I attempt to bring some pictorial perspectives. Police cordoned off access to the building site at Hobsonville Road entries to Wallingford Way, Carnegie Crescent and Clark Road, which are access to the construction site. This is Hobsonville Road from the other end from Westgate

[All photos by Thakur Ranjit Singh]

How dirty politicking shamed India: Suspension from Olympics

How dirty politicking shamed India: Suspension from Olympics

Thakur Ranjit Singh was punished by Auckland Indian community for a Facebook posting, among others, about India’s performance in Olympics  and other truths about corruption in India that shame Indian Diaspora. Now the truth is out

This is the extract of my famous or infamous facebook posting on India’s Independence that riled the Indian community, which, assisted by Indian Newslink, formed a lynch mob to scalp Thakur. They said, how dare Thakur, not a real Indian    say such things about Mother India, Bharat mata, They went on to curtail my human rights, freedom of speech and I was suspended on pressure by Indians as Vice President of Waitakere Indian Association.

Below is an extract of what I wrote on 15 August, 2012 on Facebook on India’s Olympic failures:

As a business community we have done well, how about as human beings? Look as Olympic medal tally. China with the same population is in top 3 while India with a billion people HAS BECOME A LAUGHING STOCK. Do we still have corrupt officials like Kalmadi leading our sporting team? HOW IS OUR BHARAT MAHAAN?

NZ Sports at Yahoo reported the following:

LAUSANNE (AFP) - India has had its rights suspended by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) because of its stance of electing tainted officials it was announced after a meeting of the IOC Executive Board here on Tuesday.

Suspension of their IOC rights means India will not receive IOC funding and its officials would be banned from attending Olympic meetings and events.

India's athletes would also be barred from competing in the Olympics under the national flag, although the IOC could allow some to take part under the Olympic flag.

The suspension comes amid an ongoing row between the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and the IOC over the election procedure for top posts in the national organisation due to be held on Wednesday.

A New Delhi court directed the faction-ridden IOA to hold the vote according to the government's sports code but the IOC wanted it to abide by the Olympic charter that favours autonomy and prompted its action on Tuesday.

[Full story: http://nz.sports.yahoo.com/news/article/-/15553974/india-suspended-from-olympic-committee/

Suresh Kalmadi, Commonwealth Games Organising Committee's Secretary General  and President of IOA, who brought international shame to Indian Diaspora first through Commonwealth Games and now through IOA. Is that the best India has to offer?

Meanwhile, Times of India reported the following:

NEW DELHI: Sports became the unfortunate loser in this battle for power, the fight to control the country's top sports body, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). The violation of the Olympic charter in the IOA elections may be perceived as the reason for IOC's extreme step, but the developments in the run-up to the December 5 IOA elections showed that it could not be the only reason.

When the IOC's ethics commission wrote a letter suggesting that the IOA president Suresh Kalmadi, Commonwealth Games Organising Committee's secretary general Lalit Bhanot and former Badminton Association of India President VK Verma should be suspended from the Olympic movement, one thought good sense would prevail.

Suddenly, Kalmadi pulled out of the IOA elections, making the national contest an open one for the first time in 16 years. This is when ugly politicking began' which finally ended in the suspension of the country from the Olympic movement on Tuesday.

The elections became a pitched battle between Kalmadi and his long-time IOA associate, secretary general Randhir Singh, who now wanted the top-most post. Kalmadi, sources said, was not happy with the fact that he got the flak for the Commonwealth Games scam and even went to jail but Randhir walked away without any taint.

[Full story: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/more-sports/others/IOA-suspension-How-dirty-politcking-shamed-India/articleshow/17486367.cms

I have a question for Indians representing the group that wanted me punished for speaking truth about corruption, black money in Swiss banks and shameful treatment of women: do they support such vices in India?

It is time for Indian leadership to do some soul-searching about the stigma of corrupt people that Indian politicians and officials bestow to Indian Diaspora. With such international corruption and poor governance records, how can you blame Kiwis if they start looking us, Indian and People of Indian Origin migrants with suspicion and doubt?

You be the judge whether Thakur was wrong in speaking truth about India? How long will Indian media and leadership sweep such shameful actions under the carpet?

Venkat Raman, Sunny Kaushal, Vinod Patel, Jeet Suchdev, Ahmed Bhamji, Sunil Chandra and Balubhai Mistry, among others, who headed the Indian lynch mob on me , need to do some soul-searching.

Daago Mama: Thanks to Radio Tarana for maintaining Hindi language decorum, sensitivity and proper usage

Daago Mama: Thanks to Radio Tarana for maintaining Hindi language decorum, sensitivity and proper usage

You must be wandering, Thakur, or Fiji Pundit  seem to have become his old shadow of Daily Post days when he used to be Liu Muri, which in Hindi is Aage Picche (a slimy person with changing views). Some would think, one day he criticises Radio Tarana’s news team for using non-understandable, but high level of Hindi and next minute he is praising the station.

Of course I did not criticise them for using high standard of Hindi, (in fact I am thankful for that). In fact I was critical of them not translating to English or explaining the words in more understandable terms to attract interest of listeners for whom “pure” Hindi is difficult to understand, especially for school-age children schooling with Pakehas.

As a Hindi radio station geared for all Indians, Radio Tarana did well to maintain its decorum and respect for standard Hindi language and did not go down to make it into Pidgin Hindi and were careful not to compromise with linguistic engineering, like done by the rival Apna 990.

For example, in Apna 990, language used may be considered by some as inappropriate for a radio station where they use the term ‘Daago mama”. Full version is: miyan ke kitchen, bappa ke jamin, ka bole mausa, Daago mama. It means husband’s kitchen, father’s land, what say uncle, urging mother’s brother (Mama- uncle) to do something unusual or spectacular. This is very colloquial or informal Hindi not generally regarded suitable for formal usage. Of course the debate on use of Fiji –Hindi is another issue to be discussed later.

One need to appreciate that in its 16 years of existence, Radio Tarana did its best to ensure the high standard and respectability of Hindi language used at the station. I had a talk with Radio Tarana where there was more hurt than complaint for my doing a piece on standard of Hindi in news. (Read article at: http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=207937644965682419#editor/target=post;postID=7561154533754616799]

I was told, there was nothing wrong in raising the issue, but it could have been done discreetly. Agreed. This is because Thakur had always been regarded as a friend and well-wisher of the Radio Tarana team, has a history of working closely with them, hence this behaviour was not expected of me. I could have spoken directly to them. Agreed. Radio stations are supposed to be run by experts who need to have the pulse of the community. My role as a blogger called me to publish anyway, and bring issues to public attention. Or if not, there are qualified people, those near to the community, academically qualified, with media experience, running business in Communications and media from their community, who can help. It often needs an Indian to understand and appreciate Indian psych.

The hurt felt by Radio Tarana is understandable. It was the same that I felt when I was stabbed in the back by those I considered to be my friends. But in this case, I was being constructive, not vindictive or vengeful as I recently experienced from Indian lynch mob.

Venkat Raman from Indian Newslink, associated with Indian community leaders to kick me in the teeth for exercising my freedom to speak, my rights to exercise democracy. They worked in conjunction with political opportunists, and working with a Labour Party political apprentice, they were able to have me suspended as vice president of Waitakere Indian Association. This Thakur had provided some seven years of free and sellable articles to Ravin Lal’s paper, yet Venkat is prepared to publish comments by Vinod Patel, head of Hindu Council of NZ and owner of Mega mitre 10 that Thakur was a failed journalist, writing hateful and unresearched articles. The irony is that Indian Newslink had been using those articles for FREE to sell its advertisements for so many years. It is such hypocrisy of Indian leaders and their media which made me start a watchdog, so that no little god in media can again be the judge, jury and executioner. Erroneous reporting were not corrected, neither was I given a right of reply by Indian Newslink. Therefore, my blogsite, Fiji Pundit is to work as a watchdog for Indian media which feels invisible and beyond reproach.

Hence now people with a gripe against our media have somebody to speak for them. Fiji Pundit is here to expose weaknesses, vice and lack of journalistic ethics publicly, and bring hitherto little Gods, all powerful Indian media to public attention and exposure. Indian media appears to have become too close to rich businesses politicians and its advertisers and the community have little say where issues concerning the community are sacrificed. 

Fiji Pundit will fill that vacuum and publish what is not generally seen elsewhere.

Therefore the issue I raised about use of language and education role of media in Radio Tarana was an example of how social media would work as a watchdog and hopefully, a medium of change.

Engaging with Fiji: New Zealand thawing cold relations

Engaging with Fiji: New Zealand thawing cold relations – Fijian Minister Filipe Bole in New Zealand for Medical treatment.

Fiji's Minister of Education, Filipe Bole, currently in New Zealand for medical treatments.

Currently Fiji’s Education Minister, Filipe Bole is reportedly in New Zealand for medical treatments. Stuff, Dominion Post newspaper’s website reported that an ailing Bole was let into New Zealand which has briefly lifted its ban on politicians involved in the military rule of Fiji to allow an ailing minister into the country. [Strangely the full story from the website appeared to have been removed.]

The Stuff seems to have got its signals wrong because it is not a brief lifting of sanctions but appears to be a systematic thawing of cold relations that had existed between the two neighbours. This is not the first time Bole was allowed into New Zealand. Previously, he attended an Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) ministerial meeting in Manukau, Auckland on 22 March, 2010. It was then hailed as a very promising sign.

It is evident that Bole’s treatment in New Zealand was a result of the July high-level meeting in Sydney of Australian, Fijian and New Zealand foreign ministers, which signaled a thawing of diplomatic relations. This included reappointing high commissioners by all three countries and easing by Australia and New Zealand of some travel sanctions on members of the Government.

It appears the change in heart was initiated at the 2010 Natadola meeting in Fiji.

When engaging meeting at Natadola in Fiji was held on 22 and 23 July, 2010 and an overwhelming support for Fiji was shown by Pacific countries, some doomsday pundit had their day. One was Kiwi journalist Michael Field, a supposed expert of Pacific issues, now banned from Fiji. He said the following:  

“Natadola and its communiqué will quickly fade away. It was nothing but an ego fest for one man.”

Fiji's Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama

By that one man, he meant Fiji’s Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama. Three years ago, I had predicted this small engaging meeting was to grow great. So it did. History is a testimony to the fact that most big things today had a humble, in fact, some, very insignificant beginnings. Whether it is the genesis of Colonel’s Sander’s KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken), the Mc Donald’s, the World Disney or, the formation of United Nations which replaced the League of Nations and so on. Perhaps the coming generation may view the Natadola Fiji Engaging meeting in a similar manner.

Certain sections of the Communiqué that resulted from that meeting revealed that the island countries which attended the meeting showed an understanding, and perhaps an acceptance and appreciation of Fiji situation. What one could deduce out of those communiqué was an expression that the system under which Fiji had been governed was a failure and there was a need to substitute the old imported system with a home-grown one. It was also recognised that the development process in Fiji which was trying to implement changes conducive to its current level of developments and other environmental factors, was to be a lesson to  other countries on how they could implement changes that suited them. With a strategic and leadership position that Fiji occupies in the Pacific, it could not be ignored by the other sections of the Pacific community. Australia and New Zealand had boycotted that engaging meeting. But it now appears that what started in Natadola in some small way has borne fruit and encouraged fruitful talks with both Australia and New Zealand which has seen Bole in Auckland and other behind the scene developments.

We must commend New Zealand government, in particular its Foreign Affairs Minister, Murray McCully, and the National government’s pragmatic changing policy towards a past neighbour and close ally.

New Zealand's Foreign Affairs Minister, Murray McCully -pragmatic action in engaging with Fiji

 Good positive steps, keep it up, McCully, well done and much appreciated. Wish a quick recovery for Minister Filipe Bole. Get well soon.