NY to India: Census figures

The South Asian population is rapidly rising in New York. The 2000 census counted 170,899 people with roots in India, 81 per cent more than in 1990.

Based on the maths, the columnist made two forecasts. One, that New York politicians will side clearly with India over Pakistan, given that there are seven times as many Indians as Pakistanis in their city.

Two, that whenever a politician takes off to the Indian capital, he will be questioned about whether he is only wooing the votes back home. New Delhi will soon become a ‘must-stop’ on the New Yorker’s route. And who knows, apart from photo-ops, it may yield more understanding of the issues.

But seriously. The Indian diaspora played newsmaker all over the world this week. The International Indian Film Academy Awards were held in Malaysia.

THE LOS ANGELES TIMES took note of the lush ceremonials, the ‘‘Hollywood-style pomp” of the awards watched by an estimated 20 million in 134 countries.

All this didn’t succeed in deflecting the international gaze from Gujarat though. The copycat violence in neighbouring Thane was recorded.

Another story in NYT detailed the fear and suspicion in Ahmedabad. It described the predicament of Salimbhai Sheikh. On a recent morning, in a crowded neighbourhood, he ‘‘took a used razor blade and began the arduous task of scratching out the Arabic couplets painted on the back of his autorickshaw’’.

Tiger roar, Al Qaeda echo

The jungle press conference held by one of India’s Most Wanted drew the international media to Sri Lanka this week.

Descriptions of Vellupillai Prabhakaran’s physical appearance dominated western reportage. They marvelled at the clean grey shirt. They noted the absence of the ‘luxuriant warrior moustache’, and the ‘trademark cyanide capsule’. The imagery was indeed compelling. Of the Tamil guerrilla, tired and corpulent, posturing to the international gallery, against the background of a ‘tear-drop’-shaped island nation.

The western press peppered the Tamil Tiger’s bio-sketch with keywords familiar to their reader. Israel, WTC, Al Qaeda, even Vietnam. ‘‘He virtually invented the sort of suicide bombing seen on Israel’s streets’’, said THE TIMES in Britain. ‘‘And he launched a bloody attack on a world trade center (the World Trade Centre in Colombo) a full five years before Al Qaeda’s assault on New York.’’

THE NEW YORK TIMES said the fighting in Sri Lanka has claimed more lives than the US lost in Vietnam.

Gen’s wish, Pak command

American reaction to Pervez Musharraf’s referendum plan was blunted by the arrest of Abu Zubaydah in Pakistan. He is thought to be the third-ranking member of the Al Qaeda group. The British media was more unsparing. ‘‘…whatever the Americans may think, there is considerable criticism in Pakistan of the General’s latest ploy’’, said THE ECONOMIST. It pointed out the vote will probably be boycotted by the two main political parties, as well as major religious organisations, and associations of lawyers and students. ‘‘How on earth, then, does the General hope to win it?’’

THE ECONOMIST is aware that, in the Pakistani context, the question is a rhetorical one. It was posed, in fact, only as a preamble to a small lesson in Pakistani history. Rewind to 1984, when ‘‘another military usurper … resorted to a referendum’’. His question was: were they for or against Islamic law? Zia ul Haq claimed a 95 per cent ‘Yes’ vote for himself.

There is reason to believe General Musharraf is also good with framing questions that have just the one answer. THE ECONOMIST offered a sneak preview of the preamble he intends to frame to the question of whether or not he should be president for five more years. ‘‘This will include a list of his government’s achievements to date, including his ‘power devolution’ programme… It will also list his stern anti-sectarian and anti-terrorist measures for which there is considerable support…’’ The vote will be sewn up by allowing only ‘constructive’ criticism by political parties in the run-up.

And doling out slush funds to recently elected pro-Musharraf mayors to ensure a good turnout, all overseen by a committee of military-intelligence officers and civil servants. The Pakistani people don’t stand a chance.

Time boast stings Kabul

In TIME magazine, in a note to the readers, Executive Editor Anthony Spaeth spoke of the accomplishments of his correspondent Tim McGirk who traveled to Faisalabad to track the capture of Al Qaeda chief Abu Zubaydah.

Among the words of praise, sample this. ‘‘…his (McGirk’s) Visa bill exceeds Hamid Karzai’s national budget…’’. In Afghanistan, they aren’t amused.