Indo-UK News and Discussion - April 2013

svenkat · Post by **svenkat** » 06 May 2016 21:18

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sadiq_Khan

Khan was born at St George's Hospital in Tooting, South London, the fifth of eight children (seven sons and a daughter) in a family of Pakistani immigrants.[7][8] His grandparents migrated from India to Pakistan following the partition of India in 1947, and his parents migrated to England from Pakistan shortly before Khan was born.

The family continues to send money to relatives in Pakistan, "because we’re blessed being in this country.

Agnimitra · Post by **Agnimitra** » 07 May 2016 00:14

^^

[Sadiq Khan] ...completed the Law Society finals at the College of Law in Guildford. From 1994 to 1997, he was employed as a trainee solicitor and assistant solicitor and from 1997 to 2005, was a partner in the firm Christian Khan with Louise Christian.

Louise Christian...

...is a British human rights solicitor.

Christian has represented detainees at the American Guantanamo Bay detention camp in Cuba.[2][3] Her firm, Christian Khan, co-founded with Sadiq Khan, now a Labour MP, has participated in wrongful death inquests, and has been involved in litigation into drug regulation.[citation needed]

Christian has been prominent in left-wing politics, standing as a Socialist Alliance candidate in Hornsey and Wood Green in the 2001 election. Louise Christian has long been associated with human rights' pressure group Liberty and was the Chair from July 2007 until October 2009. She has contributed to The Guardian and is the author or co-author of several books.

eklavya · Post by **eklavya** » 07 May 2016 12:34

Interesting article on Sadiq Khan:

http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk ... yor-london

If he does a good job as Mayor of London, he will be well positioned for the Laboour Party leadership.

eklavya · Post by **eklavya** » 07 May 2016 12:39

Suraj wrote:For those in UK, what is the current situation regarding Brexit ? Is it a likelihood ? I support UK leaving the EU. It benefits in the India long term.

The opinion polls are balanced, with a large proportion of undecided, which ought to favour the status quo / 'stay' campaign:

http://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicd ... referendum

The betting market suggests the 'stay' campaign will win:

https://m.oddschecker.com/t/politics/br ... hip-result

JE Menon · Post by **JE Menon** » 07 May 2016 12:47

Suraj, hard to find anything conclusive in terms of polls on Brexit. I'd put money on them staying in the EU.

I agree that Brexit is better for India.

Kashi · Post by **Kashi** » 07 May 2016 13:25

JE Menon wrote:I agree that Brexit is better for India.

Why do you think so? i mean how does it impact us if the UK chooses to stay on in the EU or hightails it.

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 07 May 2016 13:48

Suraj wrote:For those in UK, what is the current situation regarding Brexit ? Is it a likelihood ? I support UK leaving the EU. It benefits in the India long term.

yes sir, there is strong momentum and undercurrent for Brexit. Because except for some most have no idea how will Brexit harm them, campaign by daily mail & Sun (followed by abduls here) has been painting a picture of' Europe stealing UK's wealth'.
Regarding why is Brexit good for India, at the moment they are getting cheap labor force from EU once this stops they will have to turn back to India.

JE Menon · Post by **JE Menon** » 07 May 2016 14:27

Kashi,

My personal view is that it is in the best interest of India that EU remains but without much in the way of cohesion in anything except for their internal trade/labour/travel ...It is probably best for the EU too. The peoples, grouped in countries of the EU, are not mature enough, politically or culturally, in sufficient numbers to understand or sympathise with the idea of Europe to the extent that they will be desirous of becoming a single "country" of Europe. On the other hand, they are in sufficient numbers mature enough to understand that a European common market for labour, goods and services is good for the. Except that the introduction of politically driven initiatives (like a common currency, a parliament and a joint bureaucracy) have in varying degrees begun to create disaffection even with the basics that they generally understand and welcome, i.e. the common market for labour, goods and services, etc.

I think the idea of Europe will crystallise and form some sort of substance, but it won't come from the bureaucrats in Brussels or the current stock of wordsmiths who lead most political parties. And it will take time. But there is a political impulse that has little to do with the interest of the citizenry, but rather is a result of the natural linear momentum of bureaucracies, once created, towards expansion. This is leading to revolution by bureaucratic fiat, rather than evolution by social accommodation and acceptability. Hence the disaffection.

For India, it is simple: the smaller and weaker the parties we have to deal with, the easier it will be to deal with them. Easier to bargain with one buyer/supplier than to do so with a collective - and if you have to do it with both (as is the case now with the EU), it's a nightmare.

Lilo · Post by **Lilo** » 07 May 2016 16:41

Perfidious Albion will only be a trojan horse that would disrupt EU's gatheirng independence vis-a-vis massa.
So Brexit will actually be more beneficial for EU in the long term.
India needs a multipolar world to balance massa (and defeat the atlanticist anglo-saxon effort led from state department to destabilize India).

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 07 May 2016 18:52

menon sir
brexit vs brexin is equipoise d - neck to neck http://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicd ... referendum

JE Menon · Post by **JE Menon** » 07 May 2016 23:07

Just read my own stream of thought post above, and the bloody thing is well nigh incomprehensible. So:

1. I think Britain leaving the EU is good for India.
2. I don't think it will.
3. The good-bad differential is not that great.

Arjun · Post by **Arjun** » 08 May 2016 10:41

Why does Indian food not get the respect it deserves?

So how did Indian food in England get the downmarket curry-house image, which has haunted all Indian restaurants abroad ever since?

There must be a long and complicated answer. But there is also a short one: Bangladeshis.

eklavya · Post by **eklavya** » 08 May 2016 11:49

^^^^
Long ad for Veeraswamy. As Vir Sanghvi knows all too well, there's no such thing as a free lunch!

If he knows or had intended to inform his readers of leading Indian restaurants in London, he could also have mentioned Gymkhana, Benares, Amaya, Chutney Mary, Dishoom, Tamarind, The Cinnamon Club, Trishna, Quilon and many others that are very highly regarded.

Lisa · Post by **Lisa** » 08 May 2016 12:11

Eklavyaji,

Spot on.

I don't think this man has actually been to London. Even with Veeraswamy he has missed out the 30 years that Anoop and Kugi owned it. He may just be a Wikipedia research based journalist.

Arjun · Post by **Arjun** » 08 May 2016 12:43

You are still talking of the top 5% of Indian restaurants overseas that are owned and operated by Indians. Vir Sanghvi is talking of the effect on the market of the bottom 90% - that tend to be largely owned by Sylhetis.

Lisa · Post by **Lisa** » 08 May 2016 12:46

Arjunji,

Please help me, translate Sylhetis. Thank you.

Arjun · Post by **Arjun** » 08 May 2016 12:48

Sylhetis : from Sylhet

Lisa · Post by **Lisa** » 08 May 2016 12:52

Understood. By definition they are then Bangladeshi restaurants and not Indian. Vir Sanghvi remains wrong.

Arjun · Post by **Arjun** » 08 May 2016 12:54

Yes but the signboard usually says Indian or 'Indo-Pak' restaurant. Thats the problem.

Lisa · Post by **Lisa** » 08 May 2016 12:58

What do you propose, we sue them? Call them what they are and don't class or compare them as Indian. I personally don't frequent them because I know they are not Indian. Vir Sanghvi remains wrong.

Rahul M · Post by **Rahul M** » 08 May 2016 13:02

I believe a case can be made for geographic copyright infringement. or better yet, an "Indian cuisine" certificate issued by association of Indian restaurateurs.

Kashi · Post by **Kashi** » 08 May 2016 13:03

Arjun wrote:You are still talking of the top 5% of Indian restaurants overseas that are owned and operated by Indians. Vir Sanghvi is talking of the effect on the market of the bottom 90% - that tend to be largely owned by Sylhetis.

Probably in the UK.

In countries such as Japan, you'll find that the bulk of Indian restaurants are owned and staffed by folks from Nepal.

Lisa · Post by **Lisa** » 08 May 2016 13:06

Rahul M wrote:I believe a case can be made for geographic copyright infringement. or better yet, an "Indian cuisine" certificate issued by association of Indian restaurateurs.

Agreed.

eklavya · Post by **eklavya** » 08 May 2016 13:12

Arjun wrote:You are still talking of the top 5% of Indian restaurants overseas that are owned and operated by Indians. Vir Sanghvi is talking of the effect on the market of the bottom 90% - that tend to be largely owned by Sylhetis.

Arjun, there is an Indian restaurant in London for every budget; and, by and large, you get what you pay for. Indian food is popular in the UK at every budget level: with the student with £5 to spare and with the likes of Richard Branson.

Frankly, what makes London better (in my view!) from a culinary perspective than Paris or Barcelona or Rome, is precisely the variety and amazing quality of Indian restaurants. Many visitors (again, with budgets across the spectrum) to London specifically seek out Indian food.

For a laugh, if nothing else, try getting a booking at Gymkhana at something resembling a meal time this side of 2020; if you do, I'll happily take it off you in the secondary market

.

The Bangladeshis in London cater to the low end of the market and an ustaad like Vineet Bhatia caters to the top end. Not that different from Chinese restaurants, with China Tang and Hakkasan at one end, and your local takeaway at the other.

Outside London, and particularly oop north (translate Bradford, etc) the 'Indian' restaurant trade is run by Pakistanis.

eklavya · Post by **eklavya** » 08 May 2016 13:24

Lisa wrote: Even with Veeraswamy he has missed out the 30 years that Anoop and Kugi owned it.

Indeed! And I liked it better in those days!

Arjun · Post by **Arjun** » 08 May 2016 13:40

Eklavya, agreed.

The UK is of course the one place overseas where there is maximum penetration of Indian restaurants...but there are contradictory reports on the health of the business, as this article indicates: The Great British Curry Crisis

Even in the US, Indian food ranks well behind Chinese, Japanese and Thai...forget competing with Mexican. So we are still looking for that hit fine dining or fast casual Indian food business concept that can compete with the likes of Panda Express or Olive Garden.

Lisa · Post by **Lisa** » 08 May 2016 14:40

Arjunji,

Just 2 more things. I my experience, I have seen many pukistani restaurants where a donation box can be seen on the counter to collect funds for Kashmiri causes. Furthermore many pukistani and Bangladeshi restaurants do not server alcohol. It for theses amongst many other reasons I will not give them my custom.

For the popular end, it is the norm for Indian restaurateurs now, at least in the west of London, to buy up pubs and to convert them into Clubs. The standard of some of these is good. They are obviously noticeable for their service of alcohol and the absence of beef on their menus.

Neela · Post by **Neela** » 08 May 2016 14:50

Anyone watched the "The Big Questions" today which discussed whether British empire was benevolent or not?
If you get a chance, do watch it.
One Sikh guy was very very very good.

krishna_krishna · Post by **krishna_krishna** » 10 May 2016 07:37

This needs to be tweeted shows UK on human rights and people rethink about safety of Sikhs in UK. In massa land I have heard so many stories:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAGp5MT75WE

RajeshA · Post by **RajeshA** » 17 May 2016 17:58

After David Cameron called Donald Trump as "divisive, stupid and wrong", Donald Trump has since suggested that he foresees turbulent relations with David Cameron even as he expects very good relations between USA and UK going forwards.

It seems Trump is out to screw Cameron, and so has decided to throw his weight behind Brexit. If Brexit goes through, Cameron would have to resign. Donald would play Brexit as a result of British becoming more cautious about immigration of Muslims and others passing through Europe. That would give Donald Trump a boost. It would show that Trump is very good in reading tea leaves, much better than most who claim Donald Trump does not understand "Foreign Policy". But it would have also meant that Donald Trump would have managed to take down one of his critics even before he enters office, and once President he would have a different PM in 10 Downing Street to deal with.

Donald Trump is out for blood, and with Brexit he would be able to claim it.

JE Menon · Post by **JE Menon** » 17 May 2016 19:41

Neela wrote:Anyone watched the "The Big Questions" today which discussed whether British empire was benevolent or not?
If you get a chance, do watch it.
One Sikh guy was very very very good.

Anybody managed to find this online? I couldn't ...

Lalmohan · Post by **Lalmohan** » 17 May 2016 19:48

i don't think trump can influence the brexit vote
that has always been the tory party civil war issue (since the 70's)
its the quid pro quo for some of the other things cameron had to let go of
if there is brexit, then scoexit will be next...

RajeshA · Post by **RajeshA** » 17 May 2016 20:13

Lalmohan wrote:i don't think trump can influence the brexit vote
that has always been the tory party civil war issue (since the 70's)
its the quid pro quo for some of the other things cameron had to let go of
if there is brexit, then scoexit will be next...

Donald Trump's mom is a Scot! He may like the idea of Scotland-exit!

Donald Trump happens to be hogging the news-cycles of the whole world, in the English-speaking world, all the more! So he in fact can influence the outcome. He provides a lot of encouragement to parties like UKIP, etc.

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 17 May 2016 20:38

JE Menon wrote:
Neela wrote:Anyone watched the "The Big Questions" today which discussed whether British empire was benevolent or not? If you get a chance, do watch it. One Sikh guy was very very very good.Anybody managed to find this online? I couldn't ...

Is it this one? Watch the MMS 2.2 Lalwani

JE Menon · Post by **JE Menon** » 18 May 2016 01:53

Thanks Jhujar

Yayavar · Post by **Yayavar** » 19 May 2016 14:12

When I was in London for a stint my Angrez colleagues always went to Indian restaurants for lunch. The only time we actually went elsewhere was when I requested we try something local ...Big mistake. Retracted my request for the rest of the stay.

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 20 May 2016 10:01

Lisa wrote:Understood. By definition they are then Bangladeshi restaurants and not Indian. Vir Sanghvi remains wrong.

Bangladeshis of all hues and class normally masquerade as Indians in the overseas Indian restaurant business.

Neela · Post by **Neela** » 20 May 2016 14:06

JE Menon wrote:Thanks Jhujar

Yes sir this is the one.
Thanks Jhujar - the blue turban guy was the one. VEry very good - better than BRF ishstyle

Lisa · Post by **Lisa** » 20 May 2016 21:33

yayavar wrote:When I was in London for a stint my Angrez colleagues always went to Indian restaurants for lunch. The only time we actually went elsewhere was when I requested we try something local ...Big mistake. Retracted my request for the rest of the stay.

Yayavarji, Please read,

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-yo ... e-36248467

Easingwold peanut death: Indian Garden owner 'put lives at risk', court hears

How Indian do you think this restaurant actually is, yet its name ....... and now by default an Indian restaurant has killed a customer.

also

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/pe ... er-7931675

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/05 ... ith-curry/

Shankas · Post by **Shankas** » 21 May 2016 03:58

Just a thought...
Why don't some Indian organization create a certification and call it "Real Indian" or "Authentic Indian" or a word play on Intel Inside and call it "Indian Inside". Then have restaurant owners voluntarily submit/prove/qualify their Indian credentials. They can issue a sticker with a QR code that will validate it.