INDIAN INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH INTO TRUE HISTORY

NEWSLETTER NO. 77 OF 16 OCTOBER 2017

1. NEWS AND CURRENT AFFAIRS

1.1 Britain

It is bad news on all fronts

1.1.1 Brexit – madness

In June 2016, Britain voted to pull out of the European Union (EU).

Problems of such a move are only now appearing one by one.

On 8 June 2017, Mrs May lost her majority in the general election and is running a minority administration with the help of Irish DUP. During their negotiations one thing became clear – U.K. does not have uniform laws throughout. In Northern Ireland abortion is severally limited and women from that province who come to England for abortion have to pay £2,000 each time. The Guardian of 24 June 2017 p4 says – This month the supreme court ruled that women from Northern Ireland were not entitled to free access to abortion on the NHS ….. Creasy, MP for Walthamstow said, “How can it be right that if a Northern Irish woman comes to England and needs her appendix out, as a UK taxpayer we don’t charge her, but if she needs an abortion we do?”

Eventually Mrs May gave in and stated that Northern Irish women can have free abortions in England. It is estimated that some 1,000 Irish women will benefit from this decision.

British Parliament will have one continuous session – no break. There will be constant fear of losing confidence vote – what happened to Pairing arrangement?

Ireland – constant headache

As both Southern Ireland (Ire) and U.K. are members of the EU there has been no border between Northern and Southern Ireland for a long time and no one wants to go back to the days of border control. The border is some 320 miles long and it will take 10,000 officers to control people, goods and services crossing the border. At present 30,000 people cross the border every day.

Now if there is no border control how can U.K. prevent millions of EU citizens coming to Southern Ireland, then travelling to Northern Ireland and then to U.K. Are all citizens of Northern Ireland to be given I.D cards for travelling to U.K. to keep EU citizens out?

U.K. exports to Southern Ireland are worth 60 billion Euros.

All such statistics should have been made available and possible problems discussed during the referendum campaign.

EU will always the upper hand in the negotiations. They say – settle divorce bill and the issue of rights of EU citizens first. Without this no talks on future trade deals!

So, what does the British Government do? Only course left is to walk out of talks and take the consequences. But Mrs May wants UK to have access to EU market for 2 years beyond 31 March 2019 during a transition period and is prepared to pay for it. This will facilitate British industry to adjust to Brexit.

Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn now says UK should stay in The Customs Union. But that means free movement of EU nationals to UK, abiding by EU rules and regulations and accepting jurisdiction of EU Courts. So, what is the point of Brexit?

No one in mass-media ever asked – what if there is no deal? What will happen next day?

* In July 2017 Amber Rudd, the Home Secretary, commissioned a report on benefits of EU workers. The report will come out just 6 months before the dead line 31 March 2019. David Cameron should have done this before the referendum!

1.1.2 Trade deals after Brexit

Donald Trump is ever so unpredictable.First he said that he wants to make a deal with the U.K. Now he says that he will make a deal with U.K. after Brexit. EU is the largest single market so he wants a deal with it first. And Britain will have to wait.

Along with other dangers we will be forced to accept unlabelled GM foods as a part of the deal with U.S. EU refused to accept American GM foods, but being a very large market they could resist American pressure. U.K. being only 12% of size of EU can hardly resist

1.1.3 Glenfell Tower disaster(nearest tube station – Latimer Road)

In July, above residential tower burst into flames. It was surprising that the fire could not be put out for several days. It is feared that some 80 people had died and 176 were rescued.

People in surrounding areas rushed to help, but there was no co-ordinator.

Sikhs offered free meals in their Gurudwara (it is called langar – vegetarian food of course), Some offered clothes, shoes, towels and other items. But without a co-ordinator there was too much of some items and not enough of others.

News Media also did not handle this tragedy properly. It did not pinpoint many basic problems faced by the residents. For example, if you rush out to save your life and your flat is burned, how can you prove who you are!! Your bank does not have your photo and fingerprints. What happens to all your mail? What about your standing orders (direct debit) for various services? How can you stop those payments?

It all boiled down to the madness of reducing Red tape / de-regulation / self certification / out sourcing. It was clear that the cladding used caught fire and it spread rapidly. Why was it not subject to any checking and approval? Such claddings have been removed from all tower blocks in U.K. as they are not safe.

It was disgraceful for the P.M. not to have visited the site immediately. She gave an impression that she does not care for the poor people.

After months the charred remains are a painful sight for people living in adjoining blocks of flats. Why remedial measures have not been taken?

1.1.4 Grandparents recognised.

Soon a month will be designated for grandparents. However, on Three Counties Radio, Jonathan Vernon Smith revealed (29 September) that some one million grand-parents are denied access to their grand-children. They have no legal rights. This happens when one’s children are divorced and marry again. It is heart breaking. Spending time with grand-parents is vital part of a child’s up bringing. It is also a matter of fulfilment for grandparents.

Same attitude is displayed by women denying access to their children by fathers (after divorce) This lead to the formation of Fathers for Justice organisation. This is really cruel. You may have fallen out with your man, but why punish the children? They need affection of both sets of parents.

1.1.5 Aristocrat jailed for online threat to anti-Brexit activist (13July, 2017)

London - A British aristocrat who posted a bounty on Facebook for someone to kill anti-Brexit campaigner Gina Miller was sentenced to three months in prison on Thursday. Rhodri Philipps, 50, the 4th Viscount St Davids, made the threat in November, just days after Miller won a legal case requiring the government to consult parliament before beginning Britain's withdrawal from the European Union.

"£5,000 for the first person to 'accidentally' run over this bloody troublesome first generation immigrant," he wrote. He described Miller, who was born in what was then British Guiana, as a "boat jumper" and added: "If this is what we should expect from immigrants, send them back to their stinking jungles."

Judge Emma Arbuthnot said the comments by Philipps, who is also known as Lord St Davids, were racially aggravated.

In a statement read to the court in London on Monday, Miller said the comments left her "very scared for the safety of herself and her family". Prosecuting lawyer Philip Stott said: "She took the threat seriously, and it contributed to her employing professional security for her protection."

Philipps, who lives in the exclusive London district of Knightsbridge, accepted writing the posts but said they were intended to be humorous and were visible only to his Facebook friends.

Judge Arbuthnot ordered the recently bankrupt Philipps to pay £500 compensation. "You are not motivated by love of country, but by your hatred of anybody who has different views to yours," she told him. "You show this hatred by publicly directing abusive threats at others, which is a criminal offence in this multi-racial society we are lucky enough to live in."

Miller was subjected to torrents of abuse for her legal challenge, which critics took as an attempt to block Brexit. The government began the process of leaving the EU in March after a referendum last year.

Philipps was also convicted for another post in which he offered money to "carve... into pieces" an immigrant reported to have turned down a five-bedroom council house for his family of eight children.

One reaction – 500 Pounds? Really? That’s it for threatening someone’s life? Actually two people’s lives. And he just went bankrupt? How can he afford to live in Knightsbridge if he’s bankrupt? His titles and properties should be taken away.

Our comments – In the U.K. no one is above the law .

1.1.6 Problem of Europeans in U.K. and Brits abroad

Why can’t Mrs May state categorically that all those who are at present working for the NHS and also work as carers looking after elderly Britons will be given full citizen rights. They can get right of staying in U, K permanently. Why the mean mindedness?

After all we desperately need these Europeans!

Some sources have stated that there are 400,000 Britons living in France. Why didn’t we have all such facts before referendum?

1.1.7 Problem of Pregnant women

Change.org exposes social injustices. Here is their recent news

On Tuesday 31st October 2017 at 12 midday we are organising a demonstration in 6 cities across the UK called March of the Mummies. The events will demand that the Government take decisive action on pregnancy and maternity discrimination. It has been 16 months since a Government commissioned research report showed that 54,000 women a year are pushed out of their job for daring to become pregnant.

The demonstrations have 5 demands:

1) Increase the time limit to raise a tribunal claim from 3 months to (at least) 6 months

2) Require companies to report on how many flexible working requests are made and how many are granted.

3) Give both parents access to 6 weeks parental leave paid at 90% of salary

4) Give the self-employed access to statutory shared parental pay

5) Subsidise childcare from 6 months old, rather than 3 years

They further point out that -

* Childcare in the UK is the most expensive in the world and the TUC recently revealed that the cost of childcare has risen 4 times faster than wages since 2008.

* We believe that both parents should have access to the same right to parental leave, which is why we are asking the Government to give fathers (or both parents) 6 weeks leave at 90% of pay. Other countries have shown that by adapting legislation to encourage equality in the home, you reduce discrimination decrease the gender pay gap and you create happier families.

* Many parents find that when they try to return to work after having a child they struggle, as companies are uncomfortable with offering flexible working to their staff. 84% of generation Z and millennials seek flexibility when job hunting and the UK economy would be £165 million richer/more productive if all businesses got on board (Government’s capital and wellbeing report 2017). Companies need to realise that creating flexible employment is good for business, good for the economy and good for employees.

1.1.8 Child sexual abuse in Jersey

Olivia Rudgard / The Telegraph 03 July 2017

Haut de la Garenne, dubbed 'the house of horrors', where hundreds of crimes were carried out over decades before it was shut in the 1980s. This notorious children's home in Jersey should be demolished, a long-awaited report into abuse and mistreatment of youngsters on the island has recommended. The inquiry was set up to establish what went wrong over many years in the care system on the island, which has been rocked by horrific revelations of sex abuse against children in care.

Paedophile Jimmy Savile was implicated in the home's shady past, with an allegation received by police in 2008 that an indecent assault occurred there in the 1970s. But it was decided there was insufficient evidence to proceed.

The State of Jersey asked the inquiry to probe the abuse and mistreatment of youngsters placed in children's homes and in foster care on the island from the Second World War.

In December 2010, the island's chief minister Terry Le Sueur issued a formal apology to all victims who suffered in the states' residential care system. The apology followed the end of an investigation by the State of Jersey Police, codenamed Operation Rectangle, into historical child sexual, emotional and physical abuse in institutions.

The probe reported 553 alleged offences between September 2007 and December 2010 - and most, 315, were reported to have been committed at the Haut de la Garenne. Police identified 151 named offenders and 192 victims but just eight people were prosecuted for 145 offences, with seven convictions. Four of them related to Haut de la Garenne.

The Independent Jersey Care Inquiry said the former home -- currently a youth hostel -- was a 'reminder of an unhappy past' In its report, the inquiry found widespread failures by the state of Jersey in looking after children going back decades, saying it was an "ineffectual and neglectful substitute parent" for often vulnerable young people.

Worryingly, it found that services were still not up to the necessary standard, saying that "children may still be at risk in Jersey".

From 1945 onwards, children were removed from families for "seemingly inconsequential reasons" -- including for being rude or petty theft -- and up to the late 1980s and early 1990s, some were "effectively abandoned in the care system".

The report cited concerns about the merging of powers between the judiciary and politicians on the island, warning serious issues were ignored and there was fear about speaking out.

"Children in the care system in Jersey have been powerless for decades and it is to our dismay that we so often found that their accounts went unheard or were discounted when they ventured to express their worries," it said.

The inquiry was chaired by Judge Frances Oldham,

The report said authorities turned a blind eye to abuse of vulnerable victims spanning more than seven decades and starting shortly after the end of the Second World War.

The report found children’s rights were being “disregarded” and children were left “abandoned in the care system”. “Instances of physical and sexual abuse and of emotional neglect” were becoming a normal part of life for children in care, according to the report.

It also said children were being blamed rather than their abusive carers and concluded that the State of Jersey “proved to be an ineffectual and neglectful substitute parent”.

The Jersey government was described as “ignorant, uncaring and unwilling” to deal with reports of abuse.

Chief Minister, Senator Ian Gorst, told the BBC: “We failed children who needed our care.”

He apologised to “all those who suffered abuse in our island over the years”. He would accept every recommendation.

The report found that the well-being of vulnerable children had been “low on the list” of the island’s priorities and that the abuse had “devastating” and “lifelong” consequences for the children in care. It stated: “Failings were at all levels: there was no political interest in defining and promoting standards of care and performance in residential care and no will to invest the resources required in child care services. “Unsuitable people who were appointed to management roles, often on the basis of local connections, lacked the leadership skills to manage and raise practice standards and had little up to date knowledge of child care theory and practice. “As a result, ill-suited carers continued to look after children in unsuitable facilities, using outdated practices. The consequences for the children in their care were devastating and, in many instances, lifelong.”

Until the 1990s there was no system in place to report abuse and children were often afraid to come forward, the report added. It said a “cultural change” was now needed on the island after the “Jersey Way” was largely blamed for systematic failings and the behaviour of many “sweeping serious issues under the carpet”.

Our comment – if this was the state of affairs today, what was life like for vulnerable children at the height of British Raj? So disgusting was this episode that it was recommended that the children’s home should be demolished.

1.1.9 Boy, 5, was beaten to death by Mum’s boyfriend

Rob Waugh,Yahoo News UK 7 July 2017

A ‘raging’ stepfather beat a five-year-old boy to death as he flew into a rage when the boy said ‘sorry’ for losing one of his trainers, a court heard.

Alex Malcolm suffered fatal head injuries in the alleged attack by Marvyn Iheanacho, 39 – who was looking after his girlfriend’s five-year-old son in a park in south London.

An eyewitness described how they heard the child saying ‘sorry’ to Iheanacho in the park – then a series of ‘booming noises’ as he punched the child up to eight times, a court heard.

Prosecutors say that Iheanacho lost his temper with child model Alex – the son of his girlfriend Lilya Breha, and violently assaulted him in Mountsfield Park in Catford, south-east London.

‘The prosecution say that he died at the hands of this defendant, a man who was looking after him, acting as his stepfather… violently assaulted the boy, causing him fatal head and stomach injures,’ said prosecutor Eleanor Laws QC.

‘The defendant is a man who has ever since, we say, done his best to avoid being held
accountable for those injuries.’

CCTV captured Iheanacho taking Alex from his home, on three separate buses, to the park, where they arrived at around 5.12pm, when it was already dark.

Ms Laws told jurors there are no witnesses or CCTV footage of ‘the defendant landing blows on Alex’, but continued: ‘There is, however, clear evidence as to the fact the defendant lost his temper with Alex before he sustained his injuries.’

She said prosecutors know the pair went to the play area because Alex lost one of his trainers, which was later found there by police. Describing an incident at about 6pm, she added: ‘The defendant was heard shouting loudly at Alex after finding out that Alex had lost his shoe.’

One witness, Sarah Strugnell, saw Iheanacho bend down to the child and ask where his shoes were, the court heard. ‘The man was very angry indeed and Sarah Strugnell describes how he was raging at the child who was very quiet,’ said the prosecutor.

‘Her partner recalls hearing the loud banging and a male voice screaming about the loss of shoes and a child’s fearful voice saying ‘sorry’.’

The prosecutor added: ‘He describes the banging continuing. He shouted to his dogs which appeared to bring the male’s shouting to an end.

‘It is the prosecution case that this banging could well have been in fact banging from repeated assaults upon Alex.

The man has been sentenced to life imprisonment

Our comment - this can happen in broad day light in London in 2017.

1.1.10 Convicted Terrorists cannot be deported from U.K.

Robert Mendick / The Telegraph 24 June 2017

More than 40 foreign terrorists have used human rights laws to remain in the UK, according to an unpublished report delayed by the Home Office. The study highlights the near insurmountable problem for the Government in deporting dangerous jihadists and follows a series of Islamic State-inspired attacks in the UK.

In the court cases, lawyers - typically funded through legal aid - have successfully prevented foreign-born terror suspects from being sent back to their home countries. (why can’t we know the names of these lawyers?)

At a time when Britain’s security services are fully stretched, the additional burden of monitoring so many foreign terrorist inevitably adds to the strain. Details are contained in a report ordered by Theresa May when Home Secretary into a scheme called Deportation with Assurances (DWA).

The scheme - in theory - allows the UK to expel terror suspects with guarantees they will not be mistreated or even tortured in their home country. But it appears to have broken down allowing terrorists to remain in the UK.

The DWA scheme led to the removal of Abu Qatada, a notorious al-Qaeda-linked cleric who was sent back to Jordan in 2013 to stand trial on terrorist offences. Qatada was cleared but since his case, it is understood, that no other foreign terror suspects have been returned under the scheme.

Among those understood to have used the Human Rights Act to resist deportation including jihadists with links to the failed 21/7 bomb plot in 2005 who were jailed in the UK and subsequently released after serving their sentences. Another is an Algerian terrorist imprisoned for funding al-Qaeda training camps but since free after serving his sentence.

Thirty-five people have been killed in three separate Islamic-State inspired terrorist attacks since March - at Westminster Bridge, London Bridge and at Manchester Arena.

The intelligence agencies and counter terror police are under huge pressure after it emerged that in the three recent Islamist terror attacks, the perpetrators were known to security services. Two of the attackers in the London Bridge atrocity were Moroccan born; one of them Youssef Zaghba had been on an international watch list having tried and failed to reach Syria from Italy in 2016. Zaghba was questioned on entering the UK but still allowed in.

The threat to the UK from foreign-born jihadists remains high in the wake of those attacks and the inability to deport known terrorists compounds those concerns.

Lord Carlile, said a shift was needed in the interpretation of the Human Rights Act to enable the deportation of more suspects. The attacks in recent months demonstrates the need to protect the public and that this should outweigh the human rights of terrorists.

Convicted terrorists who have avoided deportation include Siraj Yassin Abdullah Ali, who was released in 2011 after serving just half of his nine-year sentence for helping the July 21 bombers. The Government tried to deport him to his native Eritrea but was prevented from doing so because he faced “inhumane treatment or punishment” if returned. Ali was convicted of helping a terror cell of five al-Qaeda suicide bombers in their bid to repeat the carnage of the attacks of July 7, 2005, two weeks later. The bombs failed to explode.

Another member of the network Ismail Abdurahman, who hid one of the 21/7 bombers Hussain Osman for three days, also escaped being deported to his native Somalia after judges feared for his safety.

Baghdad Meziane, who was convicted of being an al-Qaeda fundraiser in 2003, also successfully used the Human Rights Act to resist being sent back to his native Algeria. Meziane was jailed in 2003 for 11 years for running a terror support network and is now out of prisoner and thought to be living in Leicester.

It emerged earlier this year that Fowzi Nejad, the sole surviving terrorist of the Iranian embassy siege in 1980, had also evaded deportation to Iran to protect his human rights. He served 28 years in jail before his release on parole.

It is understood just 12 foreign-born terrorists have been deported under the DWA. By contrast, France has deported more than 120.

Britain set up the DWA scheme to send back terrorists under ‘non-torture’ deals. But in 2014, the official in charge of DWA - Anthony Layden, the former ambassador to Libya and Morocco - resigned because it wasn’t working. He has declined to say precisely what the problem was but told The Telegraph he had no wish to ‘help the terrorists’. He said his problem lay with the Home Office.

The DWA scheme was introduced in 2005 and agreements signed with Algeria, Jordan, Ethiopia, Libya, Lebanon and Morocco.

Our comment - And who introduced this Human Rights Act? Tony Blair and his cronies. No reporter has ever asked him to comment. The Liberal Democrats and Labour party are so obsessed with this act that they are fiercely opposed to any changes. None of them are being interviewed about the abuses of the act. They also want European Judges to rule in such cases! And how do these terrorists live in U.K? Do they get benefits? Can they work? Who employs them?

1.1.11 Inquiry into NHS contaminated blood scandal that killed 2,400 people

Max Burman / Yahoo News UK11 July 2017

Theresa May has announced an inquiry into the use of contaminated blood products in the NHS that killed thousands of people in the 1970s and 80s. At least 2,400 people. throughout the UK are thought to have died after being given blood products infected with hepatitis C and HIV.

The announcement from Jeremy Hunt follows a campaign from former Labour minister Andy Burnham and a joint letter calling for a public inquiry from the leaders of the six opposition parties.

Earlier this week, Andy Burnham said he was prepared to go the police if the Government failed to act on the scandal. He said: “I’ve got extensive evidence that’s been sent to me by many victims of serious crimes in my view – falsification of medical records, people being tested for hepatitis C, HIV without their knowledge or consent.

“Also positive diagnoses of HIV and hep C being withheld from people and those people not knowing that they had it subsequently then infecting partners or other family members. Serious, serious allegations.”

It comes just hours before a scheduled emergency debate in the Commons requested by Labour MP Diana Johnson and highlights the political problems faced by the Prime Minister. A joint letter signed by six party leaders, calling for an inquiry into the scandal branded “one of the worst peacetime disasters in our country’s history”, includes the signature of DUP leaders.

1.1.12 Fantasy of Free Market Economy

During the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester, Mrs May condemned Socialism and praised Free Market Economy as the way forward. But that has not worked in any area.

(a) Banking Crisis was brought about in 2008 because there were no rules / regulations to control Banks. They behaved recklessly. British Government had to intervene with the result that Old Aged Pensioners have suffered by very low interest rates on their deposits for several years ruining their lives.

(b) Glenfell Tower disaster – again this was brought about by de-regulation. (c) Housing crisis.

Mrs Thatcher (then John Major) forced local councils to sell their houses to sitting tenants. Councils were NOT allowed to invest money from those sales to build new houses. Government encouraged Buy to let schemes – by which Building Societies were allowed to issue mortgages for buying properties to rent (not just for living of one’s family as used to be the case). That simply made some people very rich indeed. Market forces have not worked. Landlords are squeezing tenants who also have no security of tenancy. Even when Labour party was in power for 14 years they did not change the policies of Conservative Governments. Now after 40 years Mrs May has agreed to let local councils borrow money to build houses for local residents.

Another horror has come to light recently. Many houses were built by big companies and sold to unsuspecting people. Purchasers thought they will save money if the same solicitor worked for both parties. Only after 2 years they realised that the land on which the houses were built was not sold along with the houses. The land rents will increase year after year without any control. So, thousands of house owners are now stuck. They can never sell their houses and move.

(d) Cost of Rail travel. Conservatives had a crazy idea that the user (passenger) must pay for rail travel. This is merely ideological madness. Up to 1970s people used to buy houses near to their place of work. With sudden changes in house prices and severe recession caused by Government policy many people (including me) had to start commuting – even spending 2 1/2 hours each day on travel. Rail fares consume large part of income, which means they have less money to spend on other items. Luckily my first employer used to give interest free loan for my annual season ticket and second employer (London Underground) had an agreement with British Rail by which we would pay concessionary annual fare. However, others are not so lucky.

Unfortunately even Labour Government under Chancellor Gordon Brown continued the same foolish policy. They kept on reducing Government subsidies. This affects mobility of workers and also affects industries as they cannot get required workers. Here is the news from 2 August 2017 - International Business Times

London workers pay rail fares four times higher than those in other European hubs

Data collected by the RMT rail union added that the fares "gap" is set to worsen with UK passengers paying even more as it labelled ticket prices "the great British rail rip-off". Commuters on South Eastern services from Maidstone to Charing Cross and Cannon Street, a distance of 35 miles, pay £412.50 (€460.30) a month. In comparison, those travelling from Luckenwalde to Berlin - 36 miles - pay £99.80. (Rail fares in Europe are subsidised)

To make matters worse in August 2017 Government announced that Rail Fares are going up again by 3.6%. Free market economy is a myth.

(e) Cost of Gas and Electricity

Mrs May had to openly admit that the supply companies are squeezing most vulnerable customers and that the Regulator will have to step in and put a cap on prices. What happened to Free Market economy?

1.2. Europe / Muslim terror

Muslims are creating havoc all over Europe. There is a terrorist attack every 2 months in Europe (including Russia).

1.2.1 BritainElton John bomb plotter Haroon Syed jailed for life Dominic Casciani Home affairs correspondent / BBC 3 July 2017

A 19-year-old man has been jailed for life for planning a bomb attack that may have targeted an Elton John concert or Oxford Street in central London. Haroon Syed, of west London, admitted preparing acts of terrorism after trying to source weapons including a suicide bomb and machine gun. He was caught after approaching MI5 officers, who were posing as a fellow extremist, via social media. Syed was sentenced to a minimum of 16 years and six months. Last year, his brother was jailed for life for plotting to behead someone on Remembrance Sunday.

Judge Michael Topolski QC said Syed wanted to carry out "an act of mass murder" and therefore a discretionary life sentence was warranted. 'Do martyrdom' Prosecutors say Syed's plans ranged from becoming a suicide bomber to staging a gun attack, and while he initially boasted of working with others, those people did not materialise. Instead, over the summer of last year, he made increasingly urgent efforts to secure weaponry.

After he went online looking for help, a purported jihadist fighting overseas, known only as Abu Isa, introduced him to another extremist going by the name Abu Yusuf. This second man was, in fact, a group of MI5 officers who were playing the role of a jihadist in what became weeks of social media chat with Syed.

The undercover officer told Syed guns were expensive - but he might be able to get someone to build a bomb. Syed floated the idea of going to fight overseas with his new-found friend - but revealed his passport had been cancelled by the authorities.

He tried and failed twice to get fraudulent loans of thousands of pounds to cover the cost of firearms - and eventually agreed to meet his contact in a coffee shop in Slough, Berkshire, to finalise an alternative plan. Over two meetings, he talked about his aspirations and then handed over £150, asking for a bomb packed with nails. The conversation was secretly recorded.

"I was thinking of Oxford Street," he told his contact. "If you put those things inside called nails, do you know what that is, nails? Those sharp things - lots of them inside.

"Good man, can't wait akhi [brother]. If I go to prison, I go to prison. If I die, I die, you understand? I have got to get to Jannah [heaven]."

The undercover officer later told Syed a "bomb-making brother" would have the device ready within days - and the suspect went online to narrow his list of targets. His web searches included "packed places in London" and "Elton John, Hyde Park, 11 September" - a major concert hosted by BBC Radio 2 which also featured Status Quo and Madness.

Syed's was one of 18 terror plots to have been foiled since 2013.

Mitigating, Mark Summers QC said it was a "crude, ill-thought-out" plan made at the behest of others. The court heard Syed had fallen under the influence of members of banned extremist group Al-Muhajiroun, and that he now publicly rejected his past beliefs and condemned the recent bomb attack in Manchester.

But Judge Topolski told Syed: "You were not lured, you were not enticed, you were not entrapped. "You became, and in my judgement as shown by your online activities away from your contact with Abu Yusuf, deeply committed to the ideology of a brutal and barbaric organisation that sought to hijack and corrupt an ancient and venerable religion for its own purposes and you wanted to be part of it."

1.2.2 Italy Police arrest Chechen man suspected of Islamic State link / Reuters 8 July 2017

ROME - Italian police said they had arrested a Chechen man suspected of being a militant of Islamic State and involvement in attacks in the Chechen capital Grozny in 2014 in which media offices and a school were burnt and which left at least 20 dead. The 38-year-old man is accused of crimes of international terrorism and is now in prison in the south Italian town of Foggia, a police statement said. The man is called Eli Bombataliev

The investigations started out of a collaboration with Belgium, where the man was part of a network of people who recruited foreign fighters.

"The moment (he) left (Russia) he started wandering in Europe, counting on the fact that he had a refugee status... he then reached Syria where he fought between 2014 and 2015," prosecuting magistrate Giuseppe Gatti, said in a televised news conference.

Bombataliev, based at an Islamic cultural center in Foggia, was involved in indoctrinating and radicalizing potential new foreign fighters, the document added.

The police also expelled from the country two Albanian brothers, aged 26 and 23, and a 49-year-old Russian woman, who then later became Bombatiliev's second wife. All three were being indoctrinated and trained by Bombataliev. "He frequently told his wife that he could not have a family because he was ready to sacrifice himself, and was waiting for an order to do so," prosecutor Giuseppe Volpe told reporters.

Questions - how did this Chechen end up in Italy? Yet Italy is letting in Muslims by the thousands daily. WHY?

1.2.3 Belgium / 22 June 2017

BRUSSELS -

Belgian prosecutors say Oussama Zariouh brought a bomb to the station and, after it failed to explode. He was shot dead by a soldier as he ran towards a military patrol shouting "Allahu akbar" - God is greatest in Arabic. They say there were indications that he supported Islamic State.

The Moroccan suspected of trying to explode a bomb in Brussels Central Station on Tuesday was a normal man who had plans to marry and become a taxi driver, his family told Belgian public broadcaster VRT.

1.2.4 France

French police officer charged with helping jihadists join Isis

Isabelle Gerretsen / International Business Times 07 July 2017

A French police officer who is suspected of being an Isis supporter has been charged for allegedly helping jihadists travel to the Middle East and join terrorist organisations. The policeman was arrested on 27 June in the Parisian suburb of Kremlin-Bicêtre, where he was stationed, and has been charged with "conspiracy and fraud in connection with a terrorist group".

He is suspected of having helped his brother recruit jihadists to a terrorist cell. His brother has been in prison for a year after his links with Isis fighters in Syria and Iraq were revealed.

France's intelligence services believe that the officer used his position to view confidential police files, according to local media. He has been accused of expressing adherence to Isis ideology and of using fake documents to recover parcels.

Following his arrest, he was placed under judicial supervision and prohibited from carrying a weapon.

This is not the only case of radicalisation in the French police force.

Between 2012 and 2015, 17 officers in Paris demonstrated suspicious behaviour that concerned their superiors, according to a leaked police memo obtained by French newspaper Le Parisien. One officer on the list had called for murder on his Facebook page.

When the memo came out, Paris' police chief, Patrice Latro, acknowledged that "phenomenon of radicalisation in the police force exists" but insisted that it was "extremely marginal", considering the French capital has more than 27,000 police officers.

1.2.5 Problems ahead

With the defeat of ISIS in Iraq and Syria many men and women from Europe who had gone there to fight for Islamic Khilafat are returning to Europe. The problem is that they are barbarians. If they are imprisoned they will radicalise inmates. If they are left alone they will carry out terrorist attacks.

Among these people we have -

Sally Jones - the former punk rocker who became the leading female recruitment officer for IS, married a now-dead jihadist and took her son to Raqqa - wants to come home to Britain. The infamous Jihadi John wants to come back. He was captured by the Kurdish fighters, but they don’t want to keep him in jail any more.

Some 450 people have left Belgium to fight in Syria and Iraq, the highest country contribution in Europe on a per capita basis.

1.2.6 Migrant crisis

France rules out new Calais welcome centre as Emmanuel Macron blows hot and cold over migrants // Henry Samuel / The Telegraph 23 June 2017

France's interior minister Gerard Collomb yesterday ruled out creating a welcome center for migrants in Calais and pledged to deploy extra riot police amid rising tensions at the northern French port. His tough comments came a day after President Emmanuel Macron called for "the greatest humanity" in dealing with the migrant issue, including speeding up the asylum request process from over a year to six months.

In his first trip to Calais, Mr Collomb said he wanted to avoid the area becoming an "abscess" that would lure migrants eight months after the dismantling of the notorious "Jungle", a makeshift camp from where around 10,000 tried to sneak into Britain on trucks, ferries or trains.

Since then several hundred - mostly Afghans, Sudanese and Eritreans have returned to the port, where tensions rose this week when a Polish driver was killed when his truck burst into flames after hitting a roadblock, set up by migrants hoping to slow down traffic to jump onto vehicles. Firefighters and rescuers are seen standing next to the wreckage of a van after it collided with a barricade made with tree trunks set up by migrants on the A16 highway near Guemps

Our comment – Why are these migrants again returning to Calais? Angela Merkel has already welcome more than one million Muslim migrants. Surely those in Calais can go to Germany! What’s the obsession with Britain?

>> There was alarming news in July 2017 of migrants trying to cross the English channel by small aeroplanes / helicopters and boats. After all distance between coasts of France and England is only 20 miles. Most small ports on east coast of England do not have patrols. A frightening prospect indeed.

On 22 August 2017 it was reported that Romanians are alarmed as migrants are seen in Black Sea. Is this a new route for migrants into Europe?

2. AROUND LONDON TOUR OF PLACES ASSOCIATED WITH INDIAN FREEDOM FIGHTERS

Godbole conducted more tours -

Sixth tour of 2017 was on 1st July – This was arranged for family of Dr Lata Dandekar of Deonar, Mumbai. In all eight adults participated. Despite four very young children we visited most places.

Finally Godbole took three participants to the house where Swami Vivekanand once lived.

Seventh tour was on 15 July (Saturday) for the family of Kedar Bedekar of Aylesbury. Vaidya family of Leicester also joined in. A total of ten adults participated.

Eighth tour was on 26 July (Wednesday). This was specifically arranged for Dr Prachee Sathe, her husband and son. She is a Director of ICU at the famous Ruby Hall Clinic in Pune and came to London to receive honorary Royal Commonwealth fellowship of Physicians.

Ninth tour was on 30 August (Wednesday). This was arranged for relatives of Nivedita Kulkarni who is studying for Ph.D at University College, London.

Tenth tour was on 16 September (Saturday). This was arranged for Dr Hemmadi of Cardiff.

13 people participated. This took place despite terrorist attack on Tube at Parsons Green.

Eleventh tour was on 14 October. Lead was taken by Prashant Patil of Hounslow.Ten people participated, including Anil Nene who promised to spread the news to Sangh Parivar.

Thus, in 2017, ninety people participated in such tours.

Publicity – One friend from Goa, Hindusthan suggested that Godbole should contact managers of Tourist companies like Kesari / Raja Rani Travels so that more people would participate.

Godbole replied – I have done my work. Now it is for you to contact the tourist companies in Hindusthan. He agreed to act accordingly.

In June 2017 Maharashtra Mandal London (MML) celebrated completion of its 85th year. Their souvenir published details of Godbole’s tours.

3. BEHAVIOUR OF CHRISTIANS AND MUSLIMS TODAY

3.1 The Christians

Senior figures in the Church of England "colluded" with a former bishop who abused young men, an independent review has found.

Peter Ball, who is now 85, was jailed for 32 months in October 2015 after admitting sex offences against 18 teenagers and young men. The former bishop of Lewes and bishop of Gloucester carried out the abuse between the 1970s and 1990s

Dame Moira Gibb's review criticises ex-Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Carey.

He accepted the criticism and apologised to Ball's victims.

The review found Lord Carey received seven letters from families and individuals following the arrest and cautioning of Ball in 1992 for gross indecency - when he stood down as bishop of Gloucester - but failed to pass six of them to the police. He also chose not to put Ball on the Church of England's "Lambeth List", which names clergymen about whom questions of suitability for ministry have been raised.

Ball was given funds authorised by Lord Carey to support him.

Lord Carey also wrote to Ball's identical twin brother, Michael Ball - another bishop - in 1993 saying: "I believed him to be basically innocent".

'Maligned the abused'

The current Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has asked Lord Carey to step down from his position as an honorary assistant bishop within the Diocese of Oxford.

The Bishop of Oxford, the Right Reverend Dr Steven Croft, said the archbishop had asked Lord Carey to talk to him.

"We have agreed to meet in the coming days for that conversation.

"In the meantime he has voluntarily agreed to step back from public ministry," he said in a statement.

Ball was released from jail in February after serving 16 months.

Dame Moira, a former senior social worker, said there was a failure of the Church to respond appropriately to misconduct over a period of many years. In her report, "An Abuse of Faith", Dame Moira said: "Ball's priority was to protect and promote himself and he maligned the abused.

"The Church colluded with that rather than seeking to help those he had harmed, or assuring itself of the safety of others." (BBC News 22 June 2017)

The review found that "Ball's conduct has caused serious and enduring damage to the lives of many men... Peter Ball betrayed his Church and abused individual followers of that Church."

Lord Carey said: "I believe the Church is now willing to 'think the unthinkable'. "I hope… Dame Moira Gibb's recommendations will make it less likely that a prolific abuser such as Peter Ball can flourish in the Church of England."

3.2 The Muslims

Allah ho Akbar

3.2.1 Children beheaded as Daesh terrorists kill 52 in villages

Syria: Daesh terrorists beheaded and dismembered women and children as they killed 52 people and wounded 40 in raids on villages. The extremists murdered 11 women and 17 children during the attacks in a government held area near Salamiyeh, in the centre of the country.

President Bashar al- Assad’s forces pushed the Islamist fanatics back. The attack comes as state troops fight Daesh in Aleppo, and US and Kurdish forces march on the group’s capital Raqqa. (Metro, free paper of London, 19 May 2017, p24)

3.2.2 Isis 'blows up' Mosul mosque where Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared caliphate

William Watkinson,International Business Times 21 June 2017

iraqi-army-begins-final-push-to-free-mosul-from-isis

Islamic extremists Isis have 'blown up' the famous Great Mosque of al-Nuri in embattled Mosul where they declared their 'Caliphate' in 2014, say Iraqi authorities.

Isis warlord Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi used the mosque's pulpit to deliver a speech that shook the world after the Islamic fundamentalists took over large swathes of Syria and Iraq.

The US-backed Iraqi Ministry of Defence say that the mosque, believed to have been constructed in the 12th Century, was destroyed as their forces advanced in the Old City area of Mosul.

The area is seeing some of the fiercest fighting for the city, once the largest under Isis control in Iraq, as fighters dig in eight months after an advance on the city was announced.

Staff Lieutenant General Abdulamir Yarallah, the overall commander of the Mosul offensive, said in a statement that Isis destroyed the mosque and iconic leaning minaret by detonating explosives inside the mosque.

"Our forces were advancing toward their targets deep in the Old City and when they got to within 50 metres of the Nouri mosque, Daesh (IS) committed another historical crime by blowing up the Nouri mosque and the Hadba" mosque," he said. (why is it a crime to destroy a mosque? )

The operation to re-take the city - that was overrun by the extremists in a lightning advance in June 2014 - began on 17 October last year with Isis murdering thousands of civilians for attempting to flee.

Al-Baghdadi gave a Friday sermon from the pulpit inside the mosque which became his first public appearance in many years, and the last time he was captured on video by the west.

The operation has been supported by Kurdish Peshmerga fighters, Sunni Arab tribesmen and Shia militiamen.

The city, once of 1.5million people, has seen an estimated 850,000 people flee and the Russian military say that they believe that they killed al-Baghdadi in neighbouring Syria.

Some comments - Jihad has been going for more than 1300 years and it will continue until the enemy is defeated and eradicated. You pick the side of this confrontation, where the outcome will have only one loser. Bagdadi claimed to have been asked to do it by God. No he didn't. The deity who asked him was a god. Allah, the moon god who was a sidekick of Satan, as shown on the Islamic flag of various nations like Turkey. Crescent moon = Allan. Pentagram = Satan.

3.2.3 Be aware of danger of Irani Muslims to Hindusthan

Our friend Sandhya Jain of New Delhi sent us the following E Mail on 4 July 2017

What did Khamenei actually say about Kashmir?

On the eve of Eid-ul fitr, a statement came from Iran in which Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Syed Ali Khamenei asked clerics and laypersons to support oppressed people across the globe and mentioned the name of Kashmir as well. In his sermon Ayatollah Khamenei said, “I want to speak about the issues facing the Islamic world. There are many wounds in the body of Islam. The issue of Yemen is the biggest wound on the body of Islam and the issue of Bahrain is similar, people should support it. The people of Bahrain and Kashmir should also be supported. Our nation is always ready to support oppressed people of the world and our stand is always open and clear for our enemies, intellectuals, critiques and friends.”

3.2.4 Saudi security forces foil suicide bomb attack on Mecca's Grand Mosque

Agence France-Presse / The Telegraph 23 June 2017 / - REUTERS

Saudi Arabian police foiled a "terrorist action" against Islam's holiest site on Friday, where millions of faithful from around the world have gathered, the state Al-Ekhbaria news channel said.

Citing the Ministry of the Interior, it said 11 people were injured in the collapse of a three-storey building where a suicide bomber had barricade himself and exploded. Five of the injured were police.

It said a terrorist attack had been planned against Mecca's Grand Mosque, where Muslims from around the world have converged for the conclusion of the holy Ramadan fasting month.

Since late 2014 Saudi Arabia has faced periodic bombings and shootings claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group.

Purported images from the scene that circulated on social media showed an alley filled with bricks and other debris apparently from a blast.

Video showed what appeared to be a bearded man's head lying among rubble from a collapsed structure.

Near the end of Ramadan last year in the Saudi city of Medina four people died in an explosion close to Islam's second holiest site, the Prophet's Mosque.

It was one of three suicide blasts around the kingdom on the same day, and which the US Central Intelligence Agency said bore the hallmarks of Isil.

3.2.5 Imam who sexually touched four young girls during Koran lessons is jailed

The Telegraph 7July 2017

An imam who sexually touched four young girls during Koran lessons at a mosque has been jailed for 13 years.

Mohammed Haji Saddique, 81, would call the pupils to sit next to him and read in Arabic from the Muslim holy book. He sexually touched the girls in front of his class

Cardiff Crown Court heard Saddique - of Cyncoed, Cardiff - who taught at the Madina Mosque in Cardiff for more than 30 years. A jury found him guilty of 14 offences - six indecent assaults and eight sexual assaults - that took place between 1996 and 2006.

Judge Stephen Hopkins QC jailed Saddique for 13 years and ordered him to register as a sex offender indefinitely.

"All four complainants were very brave indeed in overcoming not only personal but cultural barriers which they faced in making formal complaints and giving evidence against you," the judge said.

"There is a darker, deviant side to you which this trial has exposed. This was a gross breach of trust - parents sending their young, female children to be taught the Koran by you."

Saddique was born in Hong Kong and moved to Pakistan before coming to the UK in 1967, eventually settling in Cardiff. He was a member of the Madina Mosque and was involved in running it, including as a treasurer and teaching Koran studies to primary school pupils. Classes took place four times per week after school

Police first launched an investigation in 2006 following complaints by two girls but Saddique denied any wrongdoing. The investigation was restarted in 2016 after two other girls came forward.

Saddique would touch the girls under their traditional loose-fitting clothing during his lessons, and rub them against his groin and legs.

In victim impact statements read to the court, the girls, now in their 20s, spoke of the lasting impact of Saddique's offending. Speaking of one, the judge said: "It has put her off religion, she deliberately doesn't own a Koran. Another victim said giving evidence went against "the culture and ethos of those who follow the Islamic faith" and she feared there would be consequences for Saddique's conviction.

Representing Saddique, Caroline Rees described her client as a "frail and unwell" great-grandfather who was held in high esteem by his family and community. "This is a man of 81 whose life expectancy is not good given his health and age," she added. ( Note – so was Rolf Harris, but he was jailed)

The judge also made Saddique the subject of a sexual harm prevention order.

3.2.6 Muslims in Europe

Muslims in Italy

BBC Radio4 – programme called Sunday on 1 October. Time 07:10 to 08:00.

It touched on problems of Muslims in Italy. Reporter said, “There are 2 million Muslims in Italy, but they only have 2 mosques.” BBC is of course worried that planning permission is not being granted to build more Mosques.

Muslims (Turks) in Germany

German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel addresses a news conference in Berlin,

July 20, 2017. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch

Germany will stand by the three million people with Turkish roots living there, its foreign minister said, offering assurances that they were not Berlin's targets in a rapidly escalating political row with Ankara.

In an open letter published on Saturday in mass-circulation daily Bild, Sigmar Gabriel said Germany had to look after its own but had no quarrel with Turkish people in either country.

"We must protect our citizens," he wrote. "However difficult the political relations between Germany and Turkey, one thing is clear: you, people of Turkish roots in Germany belong here with us, whether you have a German passport or not."

Gabriel's intervention came after his cabinet colleague, Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble, compared Turkey's actions in detaining six human rights activists, including a German, to the authoritarian former communist East Germany.

"We have always striven for good relations with Turkey, because we know that good relations are important for you (German Turks),"Gabriel added in the letter, which was also published in Turkish. (So, Turks in Germany still speak and read Turkish, NOT German)

Officials in Germany are increasingly concerned at what they say is large-scale covert activity by Ankara's security services among Germany's vast Turkish diaspora.

(Reporting By Thomas Escritt; editing by John Stonestreet)

Muslims in France

It is well known that France has more than 6 million Muslims.

Our comment - Thus, just in Italy, Germany and France there are 12 million Muslims. God knows how many more million Muslims live elsewhere in Europe. Turkish President Erdogan has already openly appealed to Turks in Germany to produce at least 5 children per couple. What a frightening prospect!

4 Hindusthan

4.1Martyr's widow set to become Army officer,

Our friend Ashok Choughale had sent us following E Mail -

Author: Pankaj P. Khelkar / Publication: Indiatoday.in / Date: July 4, 2017

Mahadik cleared Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) examination last year and joined the Officers Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai for her training.

Wife of martyr Colonel Santosh Yashwant Mahadik who laid down his life battling militants in Kupwara region of Jammu and Kashmir in November 2015 is set to become an Army officer herself.

During the last rites of her martyred husband, Mahadik had decided to join the army and fulfil her husband's dream to help misled youth of Kashmir and retain peace in the Valley.

Satara College graduate, Mahadik before leaving for Chennai last year had started her physical training at the Pune University playground.

The passing out parade (POP) at OTA is scheduled for the second week of September this year. Mahadik will then get her first posting as a Lieutenant in the Indian Army.

4.2 Properties of Hindu Temples should be returned to them

Dharmic Sammelan was conducted on June 24 & 25 at Dwaraka Tirumala. More than 25 speakers and 30 Swamis attended and spoke on the importance of preserving and protecting Hindu Temples and Hinduism.

Sri Saropanandendra Swamiji spoke about Global Hindu Heritage Foundation [GHHF] and made a very powerful speech questioning the legitimacy of the government’s take over the Hindu Temples.

Dr Subramanian Swamy spoke about Chidambaram case and the judgement by the Supreme court. The court said government cannot take over the Temples forever. They must fix a time and correct the mistakes and handover the administration back to the Hindus. Please pay close attention to his interpretation of Supreme Court decision of 2014

The Supreme Court said, “ The Constitution Bench of this Court in Shirur Mutt (Supra) categorically held that a law which takes away the right to administer the religious denomination altogether and vests it in any other authority would amount to a violation of right guaranteed in clause (d) of Article 26 of the Constitution. Therefore, the law could not divest the administration of religious institution or endowment.”

Then the Supreme Court observed that the government cannot keep the Temples under their control permanently. It should fix a time to remedy the evils and handover the property to the rightful owner. It stated, “ Even if the management of a temple is taken over to remedy the evil, the management must be handed over to the person concerned immediately after the evil stands remedied. Continuation thereafter tantamount to usurpation of their proprietary rights of violation of the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution in favour of the persons deprived. Therefore, taking over of the management in such circumstances must be for a limited period. Thus, such expropriation order requires to be considered strictly as it infringes fundamental rights of the citizens and would amount to divesting them of their legitimate rights to manage and administer the temple for an indefinite period. We are of the view that the impugned order is liable to be set aside for failure to prescribe the duration for which it will be in force.”

Based on this judgement, the governments must handover the Temples within a reasonable time. The case filed by Sri Dayananda Saraswathi is being defended by Dr Subramanian Swamy. Let us hope the Supreme Court direct the governments release the Temples and fix the time for the release.

GHHF thanks Braarat Today TV for attending all two days of Hindu Sammelana. They have prepared 30 minute highlights of the event.

.Our comment – When Modi came to power RSS stated that they are the King makers. So, why are such issues affecting Hindus not being dealt with quickly?

4.3.Famous Marathi Historian Babasaheb Purandare is now 95. We wish him well. He has done a wonderful job of biography of Shivaji. It is however a pity that his work has still not been translated into English for wider readership. It is a great pity that he still maintains that Shahjahan built Taj Mahal.

4.4 We are sad to know of the death of wife of historian P N Oak. She died peacefully in Pune on 15 October.

5 America

President Trump has disappointed many. He is carrying out inhuman deportation of Latinos. Their Children born in America become US citizens and can stay, but their parents being illegal immigrants are being deported to Mexico. The children have no right to family life!

He declared that US will not abide by Paris agreement on Climate change as is is unfair to America. He is prepared to join in the agreement if suitable conditions can be

re-negotiated.

So, it is always American interest first – just as President Bush said about Rio summit. He openly justified dropping atom bomb on Japan as it saved may American lives.

NAFTA - North American Free Trade Agreement, between America/ Canada and Mexico came into effect in January 1994. But now trump wants to pull out of the same.

On Burma – Muslim refugee crisis – Trump said that other countries should not sell arms to Burma (Sept 2017). But it is o.k. for America to sell arms to Saudi Arabia which is causing extreme misery to Muslims in Yemen.

On Egypt - Muslim terrorists have severely affected tourist industry – major source of income of the Government. But Trump is going to cut financial aid to Egypt for infringing Human Rights!

6.Plight of Native people

6.1 Canada

While Canada has officially existed since 1867, the area has been inhabited for at least 12,000 years. Its first people are thought to have come from different places, making their way across land, sea and ice to form communities. More explorers started to settle the land around 1,000 years ago, beginning with Vikings, while other European explorers arrived about 500 years later. In the mid-16th century France laid claim to particular territories, but they were forced to give them up in 1763. English speaking immigrants then made the area their home, but the country’s original settlers had to fight for their rights and culture. In 1867, the Dominion of Canada was created by the British, as part of the British Empire.

Parties and Protests for Canada’s 150th birthday.

Every year at the beginning of July, Canadians celebrate Canada Day – the anniversary of the country’s creation. This year’s events were especially important as 1 July marked 150 years since Canada was formed.

Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, hosted a huge outdoor event in the country’s capital Ottawa. Thousands of people gathered outside the city’s parliament buildings to watch performances by dancers, acrobats and musicians as well as spectacular fireworks display. In Canada’s largest city, Toronto, the big day was marked by the arrival of a giant rubber duck. The huge yellow duck floated into Toronto’s harbour as part of a six-stop tour of the country. In Calagary, crowds wearing red and white formed a “living flag” Prince Charles and his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall marked the occasion with an official visit to the country, which included planting a maple tree (Canada’s national emblem is a maple leaf) and opening a new hall in the Canadian Museum of History of Quebec.

Not all Canadians view the anniversary as a happy occasion. Many indigenous people – descendants of the first people to occupy the area – are angry aboiut the way they, and their ancesters, have been treated. Today, the country’s indigenous communities often have less money and poorer health than the rest of the population. Protesters took to the streets of Toronto and some showed their opposition by carrying the Canadian flag upside down. In Ottawa, there were protests near the parliament buildings. Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, has been accused of failing to do enough to help the 1.4 million indigenous people. However, in a speech in Ottawa, Trudeau celebrated the country’s diversity, saying “Canada is a country made strong not in spite of our differences but because of them.”

6.2 Australia

Aborigines request to be recognised

On 30 June, Australia’s Aboriginal leaders sent the Duchess of Cornwall marked the country’s Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbell, a request to be recognised as Australia’s first people. Aborigines are Australia’s indigenous people (the country’s original inhabitants) and have lived there for around 50,000 years. Meanwhile, the work of five Aboriginal artists has been illuminating one of the country’s most famous buildings, the Sydney Opera House, since last month

The Week Junior 8 July 2017

7 History today / Historical notes

7.1 Riddles of Raam and Krishna

As stated in the previous newsletter these absurd and malicious thoughts of Dr Ambedkar were published by Government of Maharashtra in 1988 under the pretext of freedom of expression. But they did not publish adverse comments on Ambedkar’s thoughts. I sent my work on this issue to Prof Nerkar of Pune and he published it as a 112 page booklet on 1 August 2017. The ceremony took place in Pune on the spot where Veer Savarkar organised bonfire of English clothes in 1904 to protest against partition of Bengal. Copies of the book will be available in Pune, Mumbai and London.

7.2 Aryan / Dravidian argument again

On 8 July our friend Sandhya Jain of New Delhi sent us following piece of information

The Aryans were indigenous: neither invaders nor immigrants – by B B Lal

My attention has been drawn to an article published by Tony Joseph in The Hindu, dated June 17, 2017, which, in essence, tries to say that The Vedic Aryans came to India from outside. I would like to apprise the readers of the reality of the situation. I have published many books on the subject, each one dealing with a specific aspect of the issue. The latest book, The Rigvedic People: Invaders? Immigrants? Or Indigenous?, published in 2015 by Aryan Books International, New Delhi, clearly explains, using evidence of archaeology, hydrology, C-14 dating and literature, why the Aryans were neither Invaders nor Immigrants, but were indigenous.

The myth of Aryan invasions of India / Madan Lal Goel /10 July 2017The often perceived and frequently quoted racial division in India between the fairer Aryan North and the darker Dravidian South is pernicious and dangerous. The British gave currency to this view of racial divide in India. It was part of their “divide and rule” strategy. The Northern people in India got especially sucked into this interpretation of history because it made the “Aryan” northerners appear racially closer to the white races of Europe. This viewpoint is also popular in Sri Lanka. The Singhalese believe that they are the descendants of Aryans from the North of India.