Anna Hazare gets support from left, right

NEW DELHI, July 29: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Communist Party of India (CPI) on Sunday extended their support to veteran social activist Anna Hazare’s indefinite fast against corruption.

Urging people not to weaken or downplay the movement, senior BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said it should not been seen as against democracy.

Interacting with media persons here, Naqvi said, “We should not try to either weaken or downplay the fight against corruption. On the other hand, people who are fighting against corruption should keep in mind that their agitation should not become rudderless. The movement should be against corruption and it should not been seen as against democracy.”

Echoing similar sentiments senior leader of the CPI, D Raja, said Team Anna shouldn’t denigrate all political parties as corrupt.

“Team Anna shouldn’t denigrate all the political parties as corrupt. After all we are a parliamentary democracy. All the politicians are not bad, one should understand. If all the politicians had been corrupt this country would have collapsed,” Raja said.

Raja also favoured enactment of a strong and effective Lokpal Bill to counter corruption at higher places in government.

“There should be strong and effective Lokpal. In fact our party has been demanding an effective and strong Lokpal legislation to be passed by parliament. We may demand that it should be passed by monsoon session,” Raja added.

Earlier in the day, Hazare began his crusade at Jantar Mantar, joining Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Gopal Rai, who have been fasting since Wednesday to press for a strong Jan Lokpal Bill, besides demanding an inquiry into allegations of corruption against 15 central ministers, including Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh. (Agencies)

Baba Ramdev to fight against graft, black money from August 9

AHMEDABAD, July 29: Yoga guru Baba Ramdev on Sunday announced that he would begin a decisive fight against graft next month for the retrieval of illicit funds stashed in bank accounts abroad.

Speaking here on the occasion of a sermon by Jain ascetic Tarun Sagar, Baba Ramdev said the movement would reach its crescendo by Independence Day.

“Now, we have to bring back 400 trillion rupees’ worth of black money, eradicate corruption, save democracy and the country. The happiness I see on your faces today has to be brought on the faces of our 1.2 billion people. This struggle shall begin in Delhi on August 9, and will reach its climax by August 15,” Baba Ramdev said.

Also present on the occasion was Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who said that it was unfortunate that the motives of people like Baba Ramdev were questioned when they tried to initiate social movements in the interest of the nation.

“Today, if ascetics are grieved by the pains of society, and if they talk on social issues, if they try to raise public awareness by taking the nation’s benefit as a duty unto themselves, then the misfortune of my country is that those who criticized hermits for being detached from the society, now curse them for being involved with it,” Modi said.

Baba Ramdev is poised for a joint movement along with anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare against corruption, which they are scheduled to start from August 9 onwards. In June 2011, Baba Ramdev, with thousands of his followers, had gone on a mass hunger strike in New Delhi to demand reforms, including death penalty for corrupt officials.

Dozens were injured when the government sent a phalanx of police with batons and tear gas to break up their peaceful protest. (Agencies)

Gehlot says Rajasthan Government, Centre worried about delayed monsoon

NEW DELHI, July 29: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has said that both his Government and the Central Government are worried about the delayed monsoon and its impact on seasonal crops.

Gehlot said that State Government officials were assessing the drought situation in Rajasthan under his and the chief secretary’s direct supervision.

He said necessary arrangements are being made to counter the drought-like situation, and added that all help is being provided to the farmers. “We are hopeful of getting a good monsoon this season, as we had in the past two years,” Gehlot said.

He also said that instructions have been passed to the concerned department to prepare contingency plans for water, fodder for the animals and employment for people living in drought-hit areas.

He confirmed that he has briefed Union Minister for Rural Development and Environment Jairam Ramesh on the drought situation in Rajasthan over the phone, and requested him to give an additional 100 days of work to those workers who have already been working on 100 days work guarantee under MNREGA.

Gehlot said that in the past, the Rajasthan Government has arranged supply of water 20,000 drought-hit villages through water tankers and other means of transport.

“The delayed monsoon and its slow progression is affecting Kharif Crop sowing activities in the State, but we will give all assistance and help to the farmers to overcome the present situation,” Gehlot said.

Commenting on the effectiveness of the Chief Minister’s Free Distribution of Medicine scheme, Gehlot described it as a grand and popular success.

He said that the distribution of medicines for cattle would start from August 15.

“Cattle play a very vital role in the farming and livelihood of our society. This new scheme will also be popular and successful, especially for farmers in the state,” said Gehlot. (Agencies)

India-Saudi ties poised for upsurge after Jundal handover

NEW DELHI, July 29: Building upon the positive momentum generated by the handover of 26/11 handler Abu Jundal by Riyadh last month, India and Saudi Arabia are set to intensify their security and economic cooperation as India cuts down on Iranian oil and hikes its oil supply from the most powerful economy in the Middle East.

Amid the languishing pace of justice in Pakistan for the 26/11 victims, the decision of Saudi Arabia to extradite Abu Jundal came as a shot in the arm for New Delhi and has set the stage for an all-round acceleration of strategic and economic ties between India and Saudi Arabia, home to over two million expatriate Indians.

“India’s relations with Saudi Arabia are poised for a major upsurge. The handover of Jundal is the culmination of a decision taken by King Abduallah many years ago to develop strategic relations with India,” said Ishrat Aziz, a former ambassador of India and an expert on the region.

“Saudi Arabia has been a victim of terrorism itself. Security is the cornerstone of Saudi Arabia’s foreign policy and it is looking to India as a major emerging power,” said Aziz.

“This relationship is moving in the right direction and has acquired strategic heft in the last few years. It’s going to get stronger in days to come,” said Zikrur Rahman, director of the India-Arab Centre at Jamia Millia Islamia.

The signs of a transformed relationship are all too visible. Security cooperation has acquired a prominent focus in the bilateral relationship since the historic visit of King Abdullah, the first visit by a Saudi monarch to New Delhi in half a century, in 2006. The Delhi Declaration issued at the end of the Saudi monarch’s visit identified security and counter-terror cooperation as key elements of strategic partnership between the two countries.

The strategic ties were reinforced when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visited Saudi Arabia in 2010, a landmark trip that saw the signing of an extradition treaty and culminated in the Riyadh Declaration that singled out security cooperation as an important driver of the relationship. Defence minister AK Antony’s February 2012 visit saw the two sides setting up a joint committee to chalk out a roadmap for bolstering bilateral defence cooperation, ranging from stepped up high-level exchanges and warship visits to hydrography and training.

Intelligence sharing and the training of Saudi defence personnel in India have become features of bilateral partnership and are expected to grow stronger.

Another good news for Riyadh, which regards Tehran as a major regional nuisance, is that India has cut down its import of Iranian oil in the face of Western sanctions and has raised purchases from Saudi Arabia.

Bilateral trade between the two countries has shot up to $25 billion in 2010-11 and Riyadh has emerged as India’s top oil supplier.

What has taken experts and Saudi-watchers by surprise is that Saudi Arabia, despite its close ties with Pakistan, handed over to India the prize catch that ended up exposing Islamabad and has infused a new momentum in New Delhi’s quest for 26/11 justice. (IANS)

Ralegan-Siddhi villagers back Hazare

RALEGAN-SIDDHI, July 29: Residents of Anna Hazare’s native village Ralegan-Siddhi in Maharashtra stood solidly behind the activist who on Sunday launched an indefinite hunger strike in Delhi in support of the anti-graft Jan Lokpal bill.

According to village head and close confidante of Hazare, Jaisingh Mapare, hundreds of villagers took out a morning rally to support the anti-corruption agitation in the national capital. This will be followed up by another rally, he added.

Mapare said that from Monday onwards, batches of villagers will sit on hunger strike to express solidarity with Hazare’s agitation.

On two previous occasions when Hazare, 75, resorted to hunger agitations, hundreds of Ralegan-Siddhi villagers, including women, also went on fast in support of the cause.

Team Anna members, led by Arvind Kejriwal, began an indefinite fast on Wednesday to press for a strong Jan Lokpal bill and demanding an inquiry into the allegations of corruption against over a dozen ministers. Hazare had said that he would join them on Sunday if the Government failed to take immediate steps to check corruption in high places.

Team Anna has permission to fast at Jantar Mantar observatory in central Delhi till August 8, the day the parliament’s monsoon session is expected to begin. This is Hazare’s third indefinite hunger strike demanding a Jan Lokpal bill. (IANS)

Public debate needed on future of Parliament House: Lok Sabha secretary general

NEW DELHI, July 29: The 85-year-old Parliament House, one of New Delhi’s iconic buildings and tourist landmarks, is getting old and needs to be preserved as a heritage for future generations and a public debate is required on its future use, Lok Sabha secretary general TK Viswanathan feels.

“It is an old structure, it has to be preserved as a heritage. Future generations should not slam us,” Viswanathan said in an interview.

The parliament rotunda was designed by architects Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker who were responsible for the planning and construction of New Delhi after it was chosen as the site for the new capital of the British colonial rulers in 1911. The foundation stone of Parliament House was laid on February 12, 1921, by the Duke of Connaught.

The construction of the building took six years and the opening ceremony was performed on January 18, 1927 by then Governor General of India, Lord Irwin. The building then cost only Rs 83 lakhs. Stressing on the need for a new parliament building, he said it is time to start a public debate on the issue as the people should also give inputs on where the new building should be located. “Identifying a location for a new parliament building and its construction is going to take at least 10 years, there should be a public debate on the issue as it involves public sentiments,” insists Viswanathan. He said the debate should also involve experts who can also suggest ways to reinforce the existing structure.

“If people do not favour moving the parliament to a new building, this option would have to be explored,” Viswanathan added.

Arguing in favour of a new building, he said the number of representatives of the people and of the States in parliament will go up in future and this needs to be catered to. “The number of MPs in the two houses is based on the census of 1971. After 2026, there would be a need to revise the strength of both houses of parliament. We would then need a bigger building,” Viswanathan said. The Lok Sabha now has 545 members and the Rajya Sabha 245.

The authorities are grappling with another problem after the Delhi Fire Service refused to give a no objection certificate to the kitchen on the first floor of the parliament building which serves parliamentarians, journalists and the employees of the complex.

According to Viswanathan, the kitchen stores around 30 cooking gas cylinders at a given time and the fire department viewed this as a hazard. The authorities subsequently shut down the kitchen.

“No food will be cooked in the kitchen instead, food prepared in the kitchen of the adjacent library building will be served to the MPs and journalists,” said Viswanathan. (IANS)

Digvijay Singh attacks Baba Ramdev, Hazare

New Delhi, July 29: Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh on Sunday launched a scathing attack on veteran anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare and Yoga guru Baba Ramdev, accusing them of having the support of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Interacting with mediapersons here, Singh said, “Baba Ramdev and Anna Hazare had the support of the Sangh and will continue to have it. Even in the elections these people have been supporting the Sangh.”

Singh said that Hazare had to fast himself as rest of his aides were floundering while fasting.

“If Arvind Kejriwal and his team are not able to sustain the fast properly then it is up to poor Anna Hazare. He has to come to their rescue and sit on a fast himself,” he said.

He said that Ramdev himself had a lot to answer as far as black money was concerned and that he should not blame the Centre for inaction.

“It is very weird that Baba Ramdev who has been sent a notice by the Enforcement Directorate and whose close aide has a fake and forged passport is accusing us. He has also got an income tax notice and a notice of possessing black money. He talks of getting back black money,” Singh said.

Three of Hazare’s close aides, Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Gopal Rai, have been sitting on an indefinite hunger strike from Wednesday to press for a strong Jan Lokpal Bill, besides demanding an inquiry into allegations of corruption against 15 central ministers, including the Prime Minister. (Agencies)

Polling for newly proposed autonomous body begins in WB

KURSEONG, July 29: Polling began for the establishment pf a Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), the proposed new development body in northern hills of West Bengal, began here on Sunday amid tight security.

Scores of voters came forward to cast their vote in the Kurseong region of the state on Sunday.

A voter from Panighatta, Dibash Rai, told reporters that people, who have been fighting for the creation of a new Gorkhaland, were happy and excited.

“All of us, including the people fighting for the GTA (Gorkhaland Territorial Administration), are feeling very happy. We are getting a new experience. We are very excited, as with this poll we can take effective steps for the constitution of Gorkhaland. We hope from the councillors that they should discharge their duties properly and help in forming the Gorkhaland,” said Dibash Rai.

The election would be held in three hill sub-divisions, Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong.

Nearly 5,90,855 voters would franchise for 45 seats out of which the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), an outfit demanding autonomous region of Gorkhaland in West Bengal have already won 28 seats unopposed.

Earlier, the elections for GTA were held in the year 1990.

Gorkhas, who are ethnic Nepalis, are demanding a separate state of “Gorkhaland” be carved out of West Bengal state’s Darjeeling region to protect their Himalayan culture and heritage, and protests have picked up again this month.

Meanwhile, the security personnel were deployed in the polling regions to avert any untoward incidents.

“The situation is stable over here. The situation is normal and peaceful. No, we haven’t received any information about any untoward incident,” said Sub-Divisional Police Officer, (SDPO) Kurseong, Nima Norbu Bhutai.

The Gorkhaland movement began in 1980s had ended with a truce between the then Gorkha leader Subhash Ghising and New Delhi, after he accepted limited autonomy in 1988 with a new Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC). (Agencies)

69 Anna supporters held in Chennai

CHENNAI, July 29: Police on Sunday arrested 69 Anna Hazare supporters for protesting outside Home Minister P Chidambaram’s house here. The protest coincided with Hazare’s indefinite fast against corruption in Delhi for a stringent Jan Lokpal Bill. Chidambaram is one of 15 ministers in the Manmohan Singh Government that Team Anna says are corrupt. M Suresh, an India Against Corruption volunteer, said that this was the reason the protest was held at Chidambaram’s residence. (IANS)

Congress lawmaker Darda praises controversial Narendra Modi

Ahmedabad, July 29: Congress Party lawmaker Vijay Jawaharlal Darda, raised eyebrows on Sunday, when he praised Gujarat Chief Minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Narendra Modi. Darda, who was speaking on the occasion of a sermon by celebrated Jain ascetic Tarun Sagar in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad city, called Modi a ‘lion’. In the light of the recent expulsion of Shahid Siddiqui, a journalist and former lawmaker of the regional Samajwadi Party (SP) for interviewing Modi, Modi made a tongue-in-cheek quip about the risk Darda had taken by praising one of the most controversial leaders of the Congress party’s federal arch-rival BJP. “Today (Darda) has called Modi a lion, so people are saying that Modi will sleep well tonight. But that is not the case. Today, I will lose what little sleep I have. I worry that there could be a breaking news item tomorrow, saying that the Congress high command has sent Vijay Darda a notice, because for a Congress lawmaker to go and praise Modi in an election year is the highest form of indiscipline, and therefore, he is to be expelled,” he said. Darda, however, defended his statement, saying that as a guest in Modi’s province, he was bound by tradition to pay his respects to his host. “This stage belongs to Tarun Sagar Ji, and is not a stage for politics of any kind. We term people of determination and ambition as lions. It does mean a predator. My tradition says that I when I enter a state or a house, I must respect my host,” Darda said. Viewed as a communally divisive leader, Modi draws extreme reactions from political rivals as well as fellow BJP members on the nature of his leadership and his speculated ambition to rise to federal politics, after having led Gujarat for over a decade. (Agencies)

Women directors surpass gender politics in showbiz

MUMBAI, July 29:  Women directors, with or without support of their Bollywood connections, are proving their versatility and creativity in the industry with unique stories and fresh storytelling.Audiences can look forward to four films directed by women directors this year. The list includes Bela Sehgal's Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi, Gauri Shinde's English Vinglish, Pooja Bhatt's Jism 2 and Reema Kagti's Taalash.

Shirin Farhad narrates the story of two 40-plus lovers, while Shinde's English Vinglish tells the tale of a housewife who enrolls for an English-speaking course in order to please her husband and family.Pooja is experimenting with the erotic thriller genre, a rare territory in Bollywood, with Jism 2, and Kagti's Taalash is said to be a psychological thriller.According to Tanuja Chandra, who has directed films like Dushman and Sangharsh, the film industry is dominated by male directors, producers and writers, but it is not really because of some discriminatory system, which people seem to imagine operates in the business.“There is no one opposing women getting the job that men have. If you are a woman of talent, integrity, drive and ambition, you will find many producers wanting to work with you,as well as stars”, said Chandra.“The only currency that has any significance in the film industry is the box-office. Commercial success is the main language of communication; so anyone who brings that is sought after, whether male or female,” she added.

Among an emerging breed of strong female directors with 'filmy backing are Bela Sehgal, Gauri Shinde and Divya Khosla Kumar. They may have had assistance at their hand but are confident of making a mark on their own.Sehgal, sister of acclaimed filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali, is gearing up for the release of her debut film Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi. And she has no qualms in accepting that her brother's support has worked in her favour.“I always wanted to be a director. Luckily for me, Sanjay started directing. It helped me a lot being his sister. A lot of things came my way much easily than to many who have had to struggle,” said Sehgal.

Shinde, who is filmmaker R Balki's wife has been an ad filmmaker for long. But for her feature film debut, she had help at her home!“I started directing even before R Balki started. I have been directing for years now. I was an ad filmmaker. But feature was something new for me," said Shinde, who didn't mind approaching her husband for tips on feature filmmaking.Divya Khosla Kumar, wife of T-Series honcho Bhushan Kumar, is going behind the camera for the tentatively titled Class of 2013.

But there are also some women directors, who have managed to cut through the competition to call the shots without any 'connections'.Anu Menon, who directed London, Paris, New York says “the obstacle is whether a director has proven himself or herself - not the gender.”“There might a section of people who feel more comfortable to see men calling the shots, and that's true for most industries, and across the world,” said Menon.

Over the years, many Indian women directors like Sai Paranjpye, Kalpana Laj mi, Mira Nair, Aparna Sen, Revathy, Gurinder Chadha, Deepa Mehta, Kiran Rao, Anusha Rizvi, Nandita Das, Rajshree Ojha, and Bhavna Talwar, have taken charge of the direction department.Even names like Farah Khan and Zoya Aktar have contributed with entertaining films, which have set the cash registers ringing too.

Chandra, who has been in the industry for over 15 years, hopes the future is bright with more females donning the director's hat.“I do wish there were many more women filmmakers in the industry. Unless and until half of the directors are women, one won't really be able to say there is absolute gender equality in the movie business.”At that time perhaps the pay structure will change too and women will earn as much money as men, whether actress or woman-director," she said on a positive note.( IANS)

India forgetting 1999 Kargil victory against Pakistan: Gen VP Malik

NEW DELHI, July 29:  Thirteen years ago, the Indian Army found itself drawn into a messy low-intensity conflict with Pakistan in the icy heights of Kargil in Jammu and Kashmir that cost it 527 soldiers. Today, Gen VP Malik, the then army chief, laments that the major victory scored has all been forgotten.Kargil was India's first television war and could have promoted a 'strategic culture' in the country, but the gains were lost because of political compulsions, Malik said. “We must celebrate the Kargil victory. Unfortunately, the Kargil war has become a political football,” 74-year-old Malik, who lives in the Chandigarh suburb of Panchkula,added.

“The armed forces had tremendous support from the people and the media but politics got into all this and that's why there were good celebrations initially and there are hardly any celebrations. Slowly people are beginning to forget, because it is not providing much political mileage.” he said.From 2000 to 2003, July 26, the day the war ended, was commemorated in a variety of ways. This, however, stopped when the United Progressive Alliance government came to power.Calling for grander celebrations, Malik said: “We have to tell the people about these battles and if we want to build a strategic culture, we need to celebrate these victories and inform people how these battles were won.”

The Kargil war in May-July 1999 saw India throwing back Pakistani regulars who had occupied key heights in the sector that had been vacated by the Indian troops during the harsh winter.At the same time, Malik readily agreed that the victory in the 1971 war with Pakistan that saw the creation of the independent Nation of Bangladesh was 'much bigger' and 'greater' than Kargil.  “In 1971, we had taken the initiative in view of the refugees pouring in from the East and there was time for us to prepare for the war but the situation in 1999 was different, noting that the whole world was watching India with suspicion following its 1998 nuclear tests.We did exceeding well with the army, navy and the air force jointly working out a strategy in a limited war scenario,” he added.(IANS)

Aamir's Satyamev... ends with aplomb

NEW DELHI, July 29: From garnering overwhelming TRPs to getting prominence on social networking websites, the impact of Aamir Khan's maiden TV show Satyamev Jayate has been colossal. The talk show, which started with the issue of female foeticide, traversed over various burning social issues informing, educating, sensitising and touching audiences' hearts and ended its 13-week journey Sunday with the spotlight on the right to equality.The show went on air May 6 and in episodes after episode, Aamir brought forth unknown facts related to child sex abuse, medical malpractice, manual scavenging and dowry.He followed it up off the screen by meeting concerned leaders to ensure the problems are resolved.

The actor-filmmaker met Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to request the creation of a fast track court to decide the cases of the doctors, none of who have been penalised in the female foeticide cases.Coincidently, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Bill, 2011, that was earlier cleared by Rajya Sabha, got the nod from Lower House after the second episode of Satyamev Jayte.The episode highlighting malpractice among medical practitioners irked medical community. Though the medical community was miffed and asked apology from Aamir, the parliamentary standing committee invited Aamir and the Satyamev Jayate team to discuss the issue.The grand finlae show highlighted the basic tenets of the constitution that promises equality for all. Ironically, the people in the country are still subjected to discriminations on the basis of caste and religion.“When India's leaders envisaged building a new Nation after independence, the constitution was the foundation stone of this endeavour. We had resolved to establish a sovereign, secular, democratic republic with justice, liberty, equality and fraternity for all. After 65 years of Independence, are we actually living up to those principles,” Aamir asked.The episode saluted the courage of The Sarvodaya Trust, which gave shelter to both Hindu and Muslim children after the 2001 devastating earthquake in Gujarat as well as Sunitha Krishnan, a social worker who looks to rehabilitate prostitutes and rape victims through her anti-trafficking organisation Prajwala. Sunitha, one of the rape victims, said that irony is that “people want to make documentaries and movies on these girls, but no one wants to own them.” The episode also appreciated the work of Naseema Hurzuk, a wheelchair bound lady who runs Helpers Of The Handicapped, an organisation helps disabled.In last 13 weeks, the star evoked a range of emotions as he dealt with the sensitive topics, and each episode witnessed moist eyes among those in the TV audiences and many more at homes and offices across the country as people tuned in to watch the programme.

Before the show hit the screen, Aamir said in his promotional ads that he wanted to replicate the phenomena created by the epic Mahabharat and Ramayana teleserials of yore on Sunday mornings and he succeeded in doing so.Equipped with well-researched instances and case studies, each episode forced people to think beyond boundaries. The programme was simultaneously beamed on Star Plus and Doordarshan, a first.In terms of business too, Aamir has managed to draw big brands and loads of moolah to sponsor a reality show that puts the spotlight on the invisible people in the country. Airtel is the title sponsor, while Aquaguard, Axis Bank, Berger Paints, Skoda, Coca-Cola, Johnson & Johnson and Dixcy Textiles paying crores for the show.The actor has said that he may come back with the second season of the show.

Eight held for moral policing in Karnataka

MANGALORE, July 29: Eight activists of the Hindu Jagarana Vedike were arrested for allegedly beating over a dozen youths including girls at a weekend party on outskirts of this Karnataka city, police said Sunday. “We have arrested eight for moral policing and assaulting five girls and eight boys who were celebrating a birthday party at a resort (Morning Mist),”a police official said .Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Bipin Gopalakrishnan said preliminary investigation indicated there was no rave party at the resort as claimed by the accused.“About 20 young people were celebrating the birthday of one of their colleagues. The presence of beer bottles, soft drinks and food packets is no reason to suspect a rave party was on,” Gopalakrishnan said. The youths were students of Sahyadri College, Sri Devi College and Roshini Nilaya College. “Police identified the accused from the footage of Kannada news channels and zeroed in on them after a night-long search.The activists fled from the scene as police rushed to the resort. A mob gathered around the spot after the activists alleged that a rave party was going on,” said Gopalakrishnan. As the raid on the resort and assault were video-recorded by reporters of news channels, police are investigating their role in the incident.(IANS)

Water colour struggles to breathe in age of new media art

NEW DELHI,July 29: The dark silhouettes of fishing boats anchored on the edge of the water in a misty haze of brown, ochre, black and inky blue draw the viewer to their shadowy depths. Artist Paresh Maity's early landscapes of riverine Bengal in water colour have a haunting air about them.But watercolour as a medium of art is battling to live in the age of new media - the easy-to-convey digital and video art. The tribe of watercolourists like Maity have shrunk post-Independence as they have switched mediums.

Artists from the Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan schools are struggling to carry the medium forward, together with a handful of loyalists from the rest of the country.“New artists, who are making experimental works, do not use watercolour. A handful of artists in Shantiniketan use it as a medium, but generally it is not a preferred medium for a lot of artists across India,” art writer, critic, curator and collector Ina Puri said.Puri, who attended last month's Basel Art Fair, said the bulk of contemporary art at the fair, including from India, was 'fantastic video and new media art'. Watercolour was not represented at the art gala, she added.

The medium, as a tool of realistic representation, recently generated interest at an unusual exhibition, Verve, a commentary on life and landscapes in water colour in the national capital.Featuring 18 emerging watercolour revivalists, the showcase was a depiction of new India - where the modern lives in harmony with the arcane. But the artists drew their techniques from the early 20th century watercolour traditions of wash, impressionism and stylized characterisation of figures and nature in thin transparent shades.“Watercolour is a powerful medium of rich expression whose transparency and glow are inspiring. But you cannot play around with the paints unlike in oil and acrylic mediums. The genre requires command over the medium of immediate expression that you transfer in water colour,” Vasudeo Kamath, Mumbai-based oil- and watercolourist and an alumnus of the JJ School of Art said."Watercolours, unlike acrylic and oil colours, wither with sunlight, high temperatures and time, losing their lustre,”Kamath said.He also pointed to a regional affinity to watercolour in recent years.“In Delhi and the rest of northern India, young artists do not make an effort to master watercolour. It requires a lot of hard work,” Kamath added.

The artist said the British introduced watercolour to India largely to document India during the Raj. It inspired a group of Indian stalwarts like Abanindranth Tagore, Rabindranath Tagore, Asit Haldar, HL Merh, Binod Behari Mukherjee, Nand Katyal, Krishna Kulkarni, Karuna Sundari Chak, Sunayani Devi and Gopal Ghosh to experiment with the medium - and improvise.One of the most controversial watercolourist of the 1970s was Bhupen Kakhar, whose iconography in water colour portrayed life from his perspective of alternative gay sexuality, Ina Puri said.

Pune-based artist Praful Sawant prefers water colour to other mediums for his 'in the spot fixed paintings'.“Water is a complicated medium in todays instant age. The artist has to plan in advance the contrast of light and shadow. Only those painters who have a clear concept of drawing can adapt,' Sawant said.The artist, who has won six international awards for his watercolours from the US, regrets the poor promotion of the genre in India.“It is very popular in Europe and America. In the United States, nearly 250 arts societies promote watercolour as a genre with exhibitions and annual awards,” Sawant said.Artist Prabal Mallick has given up all other mediums to paint in watercolour for the last four years and "will do so for the rest of my career as an artist".

“It is easy to copy a master's work in oil but it is difficult to copy compositions in watercolour. It is spiritual and has a mind of its own because it moves around the surface freely," Mallick, a landscape artist said.Artist Ravi Gossain, who has seen his father MM Gossain and his peers from Lahore paint in watercolours, says the colonial medium was "necessitated by the scarcity of paints in the early 20th century - especially in states like Bengal”.But the arrival of new mediums and practices has pushed artists to explore new artistic territories, Gossain said(IANS).

Delhi Couture Week grand finale to feature Sabyasachi

NEW DELHI,July 29: Sabyasachi Mukherjee, known for blending the ethnic and the modern, will bring the curtains down on the third edition of Delhi Couture Week next month. The ace designer says he will not go 'overboard' and keep his show 'restrained and structured'.“I am privileged to be closing the Delhi Couture Week. Customarily, there is enormous pressure on most designers to go over the top during such occasions but I am going to keep my show very restrained and structured” Mukherjee said in a statement. For the five-day fashion extravaganza, starting from Aug 8, the designer will showcase a collection titled New Moon.“The collection will be a blend of austere and architectural designs. It will be a very modern outlook on how India perceives Couture, with a strong emphasis on simplicity,” the designer added. Sunil Sethi, president of Fashion Design Council of India, describes Sabyasachi as 'one of the best couture designers' in the country.He added that “his exquisite designs, grand presentation and the collection at large, tend to create a magic that spellbinds the audience and thus he was an apt choice for the closing show.” Known for his love for Indian fabrics and ethnic designs, he styled some of the known faces in Bollywood including Vidya Balan and Rani Mukerji. (IANS)

Nausheen-Anuj team up again for Crimes of Passion

MUMBAI, July 29: Nausheen Sardar Ali and Anuj Saxena, who became popular after playing a couple in the 2001 TV soap Kkusum, team up again to host Crimes of Passion, a show about crime against women.“It is based on crime against women and it's a daily show. It will come from Monday to Thursday at the prime time 9.00 pm slot. The 99 per cent of the stories will be based on real life incidents,” Anuj said.“Me and Nausheen will be hosting the show. We both basically open the show and end the show summarizing the problems. We have basically targeted Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Uttrakhand. The show will educate the audiences, advice them...it's a drama plus social cause,” he added. Nausheen-Anuj, who won millions of hearts, are ready to strike a new chord with the audiences with Crimes of Passion that goes on air Monday on Big TV.Anuj is not perturbed by the competition and said that there might be a lot of crime shows on small screen “but the USP of our show is the stories based on only women”.One of the popular shows by Balaji Telefilms, Kkusum saw Nausheen in title role and Anuj as Abhay and it was premiered on May 2001 and concluded in November 2005.Anuj said that their brand value is intact as “people still recall us as Abhay and Kkusum so that brand value still exists.”Nausheen too feels that people still want to see them together and added: “Anuj and me are like family. We share a good comfort level and it reflects on screen. People still want to see both of us together, which is a good thing.”(IANS)

Shagufta wants Bipasha, Randeep for directorial debut

MUMBAI, July 29 : Shagufta Rafique, who has been writing for Vishesh Films after quitting her job as a bar dancer, is all set to weild the megaphone. She says she would love to rope in Bipasha Basu and Randeep Hooda for her maiden directorial venture.“Nothing has been finalised yet, but I would like to have Bipasha and Randeep to act in my film, ” Shagufta, who wrote the script for Woh Lamhe said.“It will be a thriller and I am just waiting to finalise the cast and the production house. As soon as that is done, I will surely make the official announcement,” she said stressing upon the fact that it would be an interesting announcement.She, however, denied rumours of Reliance Entertainment producing her directorial venture saying: “I have written another film which has been brought by Reliance. My directorial venture will not be produced by Reliance as of now.”After writing the screenplays for films like Dhoka and Murder 2 she felt direction was the next obvious step.“I wanted to get into direction since past three years. When you write screenplays, you write about visuals and other details. And when you see someone else directing your work, you tend to feel that you could have done it better,” she said.(IANS)

Taurani to launch son opposite Shruti Haasan

MUMBAI, July 29: Film producer Kumar Taurani is set to launch his son Girish in a musical opposite Shruti Haasan.“The film will be a musical love story and Prabhu Deva will direct it. We will start preparations from August 1. We have not finalised on the name for the film yet,”he said.“We will be shooting the film abroad as well as Mumbai, Pune, and some parts of Himachal Pradesh,”he added. The producer confirmed that the film is a remake of a southern movie and that they are looking at a March-April release next year.Taurani, owner of Tips Industries Limited, has also bought the rights of a few other south films including, Souryam and Don Seenu. It has been reported that he wanted to rope in Saif Ali Khan for one of the projects, but Taurani denied is saying, “As of now, I am concentrating on this film with Girish Kumar.”Tips has delivered films like Rac and Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani.(IANS)

'Use social media to spread awareness about water conservation'

NEW DELHI July 29: Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, who is making a film on water scarcity with Hrithik Roshan in the lead, feels one awareness about the issue can be spread through social networking websites.“We all have Twitter handles and Facebook accounts, so why not use it to spread awareness about common issue like water conservation? It is a very powerful medium. If Mahatma Gandhi would have had a Facebook account, then we would have got independence very early,” said the director of acclaimed films like Masoom, Mr.India and Bandit Queen. The 66-year-old was speaking at The Water Landscape, a panel discussion with reference to water scarcity, at the ongoing 12th Osian's Cinefan Film Festival that kicked off here Friday. (IANS)